So you
just bought a used BMW K-Series Motorcycle...
A Work In Progress by Ted Verrill
Congratulations, you have just bought one of the finest
motorcycles ever made. I put this together to help you with the big question, "so
what now?"
There are a few things you should do immediately upon
buying a bike, most notably add it to your insurance immediately after signing
the bill of sale and handing over your cash. When you get it home, wash it. Believe it or
not, the only way to really get to know a bike intimately is to spend an hour or two with
a sponge and an old toothbrush really brightening it up (you'll also probably find lots of
little things you missed before -- Doh!) Anyway, after you finish washing it, give it a
firm maintenance foundation. What's that?
1. Maintenance Foundation
The BMW K-Series bikes are a joy to work on, and the
regular maintenance items are quite easy to perform. With regular maintenance, they will
last several hundred thousand miles.
When buying a used K Bike, it is important to establish a
maintenance foundation. Fluids, lubes and filters not only degrade with miles, they
degrade with time. In order to ensure that your bike is in top running condition right off
the bat and to start to get to know your motorcycle as soon as possible, you will want to
perform all of the regular maintenance items. That way, you not only know that they
have been done with the highest quality fluids and filters, you have a reliable place to
start with your maintenance log. First I will list the recommended services, then I will
list several tools you should have if you plan on doing your own maintenance. If you are
not planning on doing your own maintenance, have your dealer do it. If you are buying from
a dealer, have him include the services in the deal.
| Maintenance |
| Engine Oil & Filter |
- BMW Oil Filter kit, #
comes with crush washer and filter cover o-ring
- 4 Quarts Oil
NOTE on Oil: In 1998 and 1999 a new oil rating appeared, known as
"SJ." This oil contains altered levels of the minerals that protect against
wear, and new types of friction and wear reducers. BMW does NOT recommend this new type of
oil be used in its motorcycles and (of course) recommends you buy oil directly from your
dealer. The jury is still out on whether, like No. 10 as spline lube, many riders will
choose to ignore BMW. That said, while rediculously expensive, the BMW oil is apparently
quite good. For more information, please see the very detailed Oil Analysis on the IBMWR
pages.
|
| Notes: BMW Engines take a long
time to break in, and switching to synthetic before the engine has broken in can extend
the time it takes the engine to break in. Usually people wait until at least 20,000 miles
before switching from Din Oil to Synthetic. Among Dino oils, Castrol GTX has been highly
recommended but any good oil will do. |
| Transmission Oil |
- 1 Quart Mobil-1 Synthetic Gear Oil
- 2 Crush Washers, 1 for fill plug, 1 for drain plug
- Piece of cardboard
|
| While any synthetic gear oil will
do, Mobil-1 consistently gets high recommendations. There is no break-in for the
transmission and synthetic gear oil has immediate positive results. The cardboard is
needed to keep the oil flow off the centerstand, I usually use the box the oil filter came
in. |
| Final Drive Oil |
- 1 Quart BMW Dino Gear Oil/Mobil-1 Synthetic Gear Oil
- 2 Crush Washers, 1 for fill plug, 1 for drain plug
|
| BMW apparently redesigned
portions of the final drive, especially the spline material and seal design of the final
drive. Some owners of pre-1991 bikes have reported synthetic oil getting past the final
drive seal and entering the swingarm so the choice of going with synthetic is entirely up
to the individual owner. On post-1991 bikes synthetic oil is recommended in the final
drive. Because so little oil is used in the final drive (around a quarter of a quart),
when using Dino it may make sense to change the final drive oil every time the engine oil
is changed. |
| Fork Oil |
- 1 Quart Fork Oil, 7.5 weight
- Appropriate Crush Washers/rubber O-Rings (2 needed)
|
| Fork oil is easy to drain, and a
task to fill. Most BMW dealers will carry a "horse syringe with hose" type tool
to make getting the oil through the small holes at the top of the forks an easy task. You
choice of Fork oil, both the BMW and Bel-Ray are highly recommended. Many owners will very
the weight of the fork oil to change the feel of the front end. The crush washers go from
small aluminum for most of the 8-valve K-Bikes to small rubber o-rings for the K11's. Your
local dealer will let you know which is correct for your bike. |
| Coolant |
- 1 Gallon BMW Brand Coolant
- 1 Gallon Distilled water
- 1 Copper Coolant Crush Washer
|
| Coolant (along with brake fluid)
is a critical maintenance item often overlooked. While this procedure is not as easy as
those above as it requires moving the tank back to access the Coolant fill, it is not
difficult. Though is recommended every other year many do it annually. The BMW coolant is
specifically made for the water pump seals and aluminum block of your K bike. While it is
a bit more expensive, one gallon will last 2 changes. |
| Spark Plugs |
- Check with dealer for correct application for your bike
- Anti-seize
|
| Faulty plugs can lead to or
contribute to poor running. Some BMW's, notably K75's, on rare occasions can flood the
plugs so it is prudent to carry a spare set. |
| Brake Fluid |
- 1 Quart Brake Fluid
- Fluid Bleeding device of choice
|
Brake fluid should be completely
replaced at least once per year. This critical safety item is often overlooked and failure
due to neglect can have catastrophic results. Castrol, Bel Ray and BMW all make excellent
DOT 3/4 brake fluid.
Bleeding devices can range from a simple 3' length of 5/16 clear plastic tubing and a
mayonnaise jar (2-person job) to an intricate and expensive vacuum bleeder (1 experienced
person job. |
| Fuel Filter |
|
| The fuel filter is often the
culprit with poor-running problems. Should you unfortunately come across extremely poor
gas, or should water repeatedly get in the fuel tank, the filter can become prematurely
clogged. I carry a spare in the tail cowl. |
| Air Filter |
- BMW Air Filter or K&N Air Filter
|
| A neglected air filter can have
the same effect as a clogged fuel filter. This maintenance item is also one of the more
challenging as it requires great dexterity to correctly fit and seat the new filter. Many
people have gone to the K&N filter. Although it is more expensive, the maintenance
interval is doubled and some report an increase in performance. |
| Spline Lube |
- BMW #10, or lube of your choice (Moly fortified recommended)
|
| Neglect
of this one maintenance item can lead to very expensive
failure of the final drive components. Having your dealer perform
this procedure may sound expensive ($150 for many 8-valve K-bikes
to $350 or more for some K1100's), but when compared to the price
of chains and sprockets, is quite reasonable. This procedure is
best left to the dealer unless you can find someone to teach you
haw to do it. Combined wisdom from years of analysis have show
the current best lubricant to be HondaMoly - NOT
the BMW #2 General Lube Red Stuff.There are several tricks that
make the job go easier. Check with your
local BMW Club. While the recommended maintenance intervals
vary from 20k or yearly for the early K-bikes to 40k or every
four years for the K1100's, this is a critical maintenance item
that can prevent costly repairs. On older bikes, have them
go the extra mile in replacing the driveshaft boot if it is at
all suspect (water intrusion into the driveshaft housing is a
leading cause of premature wear and failure.) |
| Recommended Tools, Parts
& Spares |
Clymers Manual for K Bikes
($30 to $40) |
This manual, or the Haynes, is indispensable
to anyone who maintains his or her own K Bike. This should be your first purchase.
Available at most dealers or Amazon.com |
BMW Tool Kit
($125) |
This should have come with your bike. If it
did not, you will either need to buy one or recreate one as it has almost all of the tools
needed to do all the regular maintenance on your bike. |
Ratio-Rite
($7.00) |
Critical for measuring fluids. Available at
your local dealer, or try Bob's BMW (1-800-BMW-bobs) |
Oil Filter Tool
($5 to $15) |
BMW makes one for $15, though you can find one
at the local K-Mart or Wal Mart that comes close enough. Take a filter with you to make
sure you buy the right one. |
Horse Syringe
($5) |
Available at your local dealer, or try Bob's
BMW (1-800-BMW-bobs) |
Needle-Nose Pliers
($5) |
Needed to remove the circlips that anchor the
tank and seat (you can use the pliers in the BMW toolkit but needle-nosers make it much
easier.) |
| Oil Drain Pan ($6) |
Get the big one, but make sure it is no more
than 5" high (clearance...) Wal/K Mart sells one that is enclosed with a pour spout -
I use this one as it is clean and easy to use. I then use old detergent bottles to ferry
the oil to the recycling place. |
11mm Box-end Wrench
($3) |
This is not in the toolkit and is needed for
the brake bleeder valves. |
| Various Tubes of stuff |
- BMW #10 ($12) BMW Dealer
"It's not just for Splines!" - use this for
lubing everything from centerstand pivots to the throttle
assembly, but leave the spline lubing for the HondaMoly.
- Blue Loctite ($3) Wal-Mart
- Anti-Sieze ($3) Wal-Mart
- Contact Cleaner ($5) Radio Shack
- HondaMoly Spline Lube - do NOT
use the BMW #2 Red Stuff!
|
| Various things to have on hand |
- Spare oil fill cap ($0.67)
There will come a day when you'll need it and you will thank your lucky stars you have it.
- Assorted Zip Ties ($3) Wal Mart
- Clear plastic hobby/tackle box ($3)
Used for holding a bunch of different connectors, organized and in one place.
|
Radio Shack Pocket Digital Multimeter
($25) |
From checking bulbs and fuses to setting the
TPS, this tool will easily pay for itself. Buy one and find some to teach you how to
properly use it. |
2. New Owner FAQ
- Q: Why does my bike make a
"whining" sound?
A: The electric fuel pump in the fuel tank makes a whining noise, often
more pronounced when the tank is empty. Don't worry, it is completely normal.
- Q: Why does my bike sometimes smoke on
startup?
A: K-Bikes, the pre-1990 K75 in particular, will sometimes smoke when
parked on the sidestand. A small amount of oil may seep past the rings into the combustion
chamber. Again, completely normal and not harmful.
- Q: Sometimes my bike backfires when I am
throttling down.
A: If this happens rarely it is completely normal and caused by the fuel
shut-off setting of the fuel injection. If it happens with regularity, you may need to
have your throttle position sensor adjusted.
- Q:What is the proper way to start this bike
anyway?
A: Simply hit the start button, without moving the throttle at
all. If it is cold out or the bike stumbles, open the choke (really a throttle enrichment)
to the first position. On really cold days, open it all the way.
- Q:My bike runs hot but the fan and
thermostat are working fine.
A: All K-Bikes run a bit hot, the K1100RS a particular culprit. There is
an aftermarket fan switch a rider can use to make the fan come on sooner and keep the bike
cooler. Fresh coolant will also help.
- Q: I know I should probably carry some
spares and a tire kit with me when I travel. What do you carry with you?
A: I made it a habit to carry not only the essentials that any rider
should have, but several spares as well. Here is a list of things you should consider (and
yes, all of it will fit in your tail cowling :):
- Always Carry
BMW bulb kit, BMW Tire plug kit, BMW first aid kit, BMW tool roll, and a small stuff sack
of various bits like spare crush washers, zip-ties, duct tape, electric contact cleaner
pencil and blue loctite
- Carry when touring
Spare clutch cable, set of spark plugs, a spare fuel filter, single photocopied page
hidden in tool roll with your driver's license, registration, insurance card, emergency
contact phone numbers.
- Q: So I have heard there are a few clubs I
should consider joining?
A: Clubs are a great source of information, resources and camaraderie
(especially the local ones.) The two major national clubs are the BMW MOA and the BMW RA.
Which to join? I would recommend spending some time on each's webpage. The MOA is far
larger and has greater resources available to members, while the RA has more of a
"smaller club" feeling. As for local clubs, make sure to join the local club in
your area. That is where you will meet riders that will enthusiastically help you learn
about your bike, show you the local roads, and just generally provide great camaraderie. Here is a page on the BMW
MOA site that lists most local clubs.
- Q: It looks like I can save some money
buying things mail-order, my local dealer's prices do seem a bit high.
A: Whether to buy mail-order or from your local dealer is an issue with
critics on both sides. If you are not close to a local dealer or the price differences are
significant you may want to use mainly mail-order. However (there is always a 'however' ;)
the reasons for shopping at your local dealer far outweigh the cost savings from buying
mail-order. Building a good relationship with and giving your business to your local
dealer is critical for several reasons. This doesn't mean you have to go to your dealer
for everything, but showing your face in his door occasionally and buying parts like
filters and tires will do wonders.
- Warranties. Should a part or product you buy fail, it
is usually quite difficult to have a mail-order company quickly repair or replace it. At
your local dealer, it is usually a matter of bringing it in on a Saturday morning.
Further, a local dealer that knows you and wants to keep your business will be a lot more
willing to go out of the way to make sure any BMW warranty work on your bike is quickly
and thoroughly done.
- Insurance Claims. A local dealer that knows you and
values your business will go out of the way to take in a damaged bike, quickly complete a
thorough estimate, then fight with the adjuster for you. Alternatively, you may find
yourself at the end of the line at the service department and at the mercy of an ignorant
adjuster who's sole incentive it to give you as little as possible.
- "Extras". Your local dealer that values
your business will often offer you extras like loaner bikes, service scheduling priority,
special sales, tech and information clinics, and special events like bike unveilings.
- More to come :)
3. Ownership Tips
Alright, so what things can I learn that others learned the
hard way?
- ID your bike and luggage.
Have you seen those silver pencils sold at the hobby shops? Buy one and use it to write
your name and phone number on the outside of the bag, on the inner lid of your hard cases
(just below the lip that goes on the mounting rail where it will be protected from weather
and road debris.) They sometimes fall off and you wouldn't believe how many people either
fail to have any ID in them at all or have it on the inside where someone must break into
the bag to get at it. Also, hide a photocopy of your important documents and a $10 bill in
the bike (in one of the tool roll pockets works well) - include your drivers license,
insurance information, emergency contact info, etc.
- Start an Owner's Log
Look up your bike's recommended service schedule and make a maintenance
log on which to keep track of what you have done (and what will
need doing ;-). Do NOT go by the one in the owner's manual,
your local dealer should have one for you that is up to date. Also,
keep notes of rides you have taken in a Ride Log - doesn't seem
like much now but it will be like a photo album down the road. Keep
these in a folder where you should also keep all your receipts as
well. Here is a good example of one done online.
- Install the Front Fender Extender ($18)
Do it now, unless your bellypan is already destroyed.
- Go by and Meet Your Local Dealer.
A good relationship with your local dealer is critical. Start off on a good note
by introducing yourself to the dealer and the parts people while stocking up on the
filters and BMW-specific fluids and lubes you will need to provide a maintenance
foundation. Have the wrench give the bike a quick once-over and thank him or her with a
cold six-pack.
- Join Your Local BMW Club
Look online,
or look for an application at your local dealer.
Comments? Please send them to me at comments@verrill.com
THIS WORK IS Copyright©1996-2003, TED VERRILL
All Rights Reserved.
This material is for personal use only.
Republication and redissemination, including posting to news groups, is expressly
prohibited without the prior written consent of Ted Verrill.
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