Warm up

[Warren Dean]

It's been kind of quiet in here so I thought I would ask a question of Dirt Rider...

I ride my R1100RT every day for a work ride. I let warm up to 2 or 3 bars before I take off on it. It makes 5 bars by the time I get to work. Is that sufficient warmup or should I give it some more temperature before  I head out? Ambient temps are rarely below freezing here in southeast Arizona in the mornings. Inquiring minds wan t to know. 

Edited November 24, 2020 by Warren Dean
misspelling

[fatbob]

That’s too much “warm up” time!   I have seen 2 instances of oilhead RT’s warping the plastic and becoming very close to bursting into flames because the rider let them run (on the high idle cam) for several minutes.    The bike is oil cooled but there is no cooling without movement of the motorcycle.    
 

ive been riding Oilheads since 1999, I let them warm up for a maximum of one minute before taking off.   Usually only one bar showing. 
 

the manual will tell you that “warm up” is not required.  
 

BTW I’m assuming you meant R1100RT, not R100RT.    

 

 

 

[Red]

Warming up is not recommended.  On a cold day, start it, put on your helmet and gloves, and go.  Just don't wind it up too tight until it gets a few bars.  I sold my 96 to a 20 something kid.  Specifically told him NOT to warm it up.  I called him 5 months after sale with some parts I wanted to give him.  He told me the fried the bike warming it up in his garage, so hold off on the parts.  Been about a year.  No news.  The bike is probably toast.

[Carlisja]

Take the time you would spend warming it up and find a longer ride if your goal is 5 bars before parking.    Warming up in not good.

[dirtrider]

8 hours ago, Warren Dean said:

It's been kind of quiet in here so I thought I would ask a question of Dirt Rider...

I ride my R100RT every day for a work ride. I let warm up to 2 or 3 bars before I take off on it. It makes 5 bars by the time I get to work. Is that sufficient warmup or should I give it some more temperature before  I head out? Ambient temps are rarely below freezing here in southeast Arizona in the mornings. Inquiring minds wan t to know. 

Morning  Warren 

 

No warm up required, in fact BMW designed the BMW 1100RT  so it wouldn't idle with the side stand down so that tells you something right there. 

 

Just start the engine, then as soon as the engine stabilizes & stays running on it's own ride off using light to moderate acceleration. 

 

In the cold where I live, even on real cold mornings (15°F to 20°f),  I seldom warm my BMW 1100/1150 motorcycles longer than it  took me to put my helmet & gloves on then plug in my electric riding gear. But I live a long ways from a major road so the ride out was at light throttle & slower speeds. I would block off part of my oil cooler in REAL COLD weather ( sub freezing) just to get a couple of bars showing on the RID.

 

Your best warm up is probably a slow ride out of a subdivision or slow ride on minor roads before hammering it up to 90mph+ on the freeway but an immediate ride-away right after starting is good as it evenly warms the engine as well as the drive train but more importantly allows some air flow over the exhaust as it warms. 

 

If you want to warm it before riding then put on all your riding gear except helmet & gloves, then start the engine, then put on your helmet & gloves, then ride off under moderate throttle at moderate power. 

 

 

[Warren Dean]

35 minutes ago, dirtrider said:

 

 

No warm up required, in fact BMW designed the BMW 1100RT  so it wouldn't idle with the side stand down so that tells you something right there. 

 

Just start the engine, then as soon as the engine stabilizes & stays running on it's own ride off using light to moderate acceleration. 

 

" as it evenly warms the engine as well as the drive train but more importantly allows some air flow over the exhaust as it warms. "

 

 

 

 

DR,

That's how I had been doing it with no ill effects, but got to thinking about it. I always take it easy on the throttle until it is 5 bars. Good point about the sidestand. It sucks lugging the bike up onto the centerstand on a slight downhill slope in the driveway. 

On my previous RT, I turned the head pipes orange one cold dark morning in the driveway! I was letting it run at high idle and wasn't paying attention. 

 

Thanks to everyone for the input. No more warmup for me.

[Warren Dean]

4 hours ago, fatbob said:

 

BTW I’m assuming you meant R1100RT, not R100RT.    

 

 

 

Yep

[dirtrider]

3 minutes ago, Warren Dean said:

Good point about the sidestand. It sucks lugging the bike up onto the centerstand on a slight downhill slope in the driveway. 

 

Morning  Warren 

 

In the old 1100 days we used to add a relay into the side stand circuit to allow the engine to stay running in neutral with the side stand down.

 

If you feel like doing some wiring you can add a relay tied into the transmission neutral switch that allows the engine to run with the side stand down as long as the transmission is in neutral.  

[Hosstage]

I see people doing this often with their air-cooled Harleys, starting them and letting them idle for 4 or 5 minutes before riding, "because it's cold blooded". At one time I used to mention to them to read the manual, which states 20 to 30 second warm up time before gentle riding until warm.

Now, I just let them do a burn down. Not my place anymore to tell people how to ride.

[szurszewski]

1 hour ago, Hosstage said:

I see people doing this often with their air-cooled Harleys, starting them and letting them idle for 4 or 5 minutes before riding, "because it's cold blooded". At one time I used to mention to them to read the manual, which states 20 to 30 second warm up time before gentle riding until warm.

Now, I just let them do a burn down. Not my place anymore to tell people how to ride.

 

My mom's next-door neighbor does exactly that, and was doing so yesterday, bike idling outside his garage on the alley while I was shuffling some stuff around in my mom's garage for her. The bike sounds fantastic, to me, and is really loud...so when he went back inside for a few minutes to do whatever I seriously considered hopping on and slowly riding it around the block just to mess with him figuring he'd be able to track me by the sound for several blocks...but he's a pretty big dude

 

 

[Michaelr11]

11 hours ago, fatbob said:

the manual will tell you that “warm up” is not required.  

 

Yes!   Get fully dressed. Turn the key, start the bike, in gear, ride away.  By a mile, the bike should be able to idle without adding throttle. The bars will start climbing and be at 5 bars by 3-5 miles - all depending on outdoor temperatures.

[Lowndes]

Warren,

 

I have two '99 1100's, an R1100S and an RT.  When I got the S several years ago it was so "cold natured" that it was almost impossible to ride until it was warm, and even then was very prone to stalling at low RPM's.  I did some reading on this forum and a few others about the very lean carburation mix required by the EPA's emission standards and decided to try an AF-XIED by NightRider. https://www.beemerboneyard.com/bmwafxied1100u.html .  It's a plug-and-play box between the O2 sensor and the ECU.  It modifies the O2 signal to get the ECU to slightly enrich the air/fuel mix, and is adjustable.

 

The transformation was dramatic.  The engine ran like it was supposed to.  Everything was better, temps, mileage, throttle response, etc.  I could cold crank it and ride off, no problem.  If "cold natured" startup and running is part of your concern I would highly recommend it.  Lots of info on it here.  Roger04RT has many technical posts on the development and workings of the AF-XIED here, or did before the big re-do.  Many other posts and references here, too.

 

A year later I got the RT and it had the same issues but not quite as bad, but another AF-XIED fixed it, too.

[Paul De]

Yeah owners manual specifically says to ride off immediately after start-up.  I've seen a few oilhead RTs with blistered and warped tupperware lowers from excessive warm up.  Like other have said I'll fire the bike on the center stand put on my jacket, helmet and gloves and do a slow ride off. 

 

The only extended engine run time while my Oilhead is stationary is already warm and the tupperware is off for TB balance check/adjustment and then I have two good sized box fans blasting air to the oil cooler and cylinders.