BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

...... ....sometimes I forget where I am....I lived all over the world......just FYI....SF = San Francisco

Thanks for the info EnjoyRider and Graf. I had been checking my front brakelines and reservoir(one of the points that could indicate fluid loss) since some stories of failing brakelines on German boards and also had the lines checked on the last service but I'm still glad BMW is picking up this issue now. As for the detonation sensor I will go to the new dealer to have it sorted out if my bike is part of the bikes that have the problem(but since it's software I guess as mine is older then EnjoyRiders it probably is).

Enjoy-Rider wrote:So "SF Bay Area" is USA?
How was I supposed to know?

California people have this strange habit of thinking everyone knows where the "Bay Area" is, or Santa Monica... it's like the world revolves around California. I've been there. It doesn't. Really..

deilenberger wrote:California people have this strange habit of thinking everyone knows where the "Bay Area" is, or Santa Monica... it's like the world revolves around California. I've been there. It doesn't. Really..

OMG! you mean it doesn't?

baffler wrote:I do hope it improves braking (unlikely) because I do find the pressure point for the brake levers to be quite "deep" and "squishy". I would really prefer a harder early brake point.

Interesting comment.. I have the same "feel" issue. The brakes are wonderfully powerful and linear - but with the lever adjuster set for my smallish hands (set as close as it will go), if I'm using 3 finger front braking - the back of the lever can touch the fingers wrapped around the grip on hard braking - for the first application of the brakes. The following applications, as long as I don't fully release the brake, the lever "hardens" up - and the brake point moves outward.

I've been assuming this is caused by pad-piston knock-back - and the deeper first application is moving the pistons back out.. but if the brake lines change the behavior, that would be a good thing. It's been like this since I got the bike, so I was assuming it's normal.

I will say I was impressed yesterday on my ride into work. I had to do some serious slowing down when a truck 2 vehicles ahead of me suddenly decided to stop on the highway in order to make a left turn (60MPH, non-divided state highway) and the car following it wasn't paying attention.. I ended up braking heavily and swerving to go around the right side of the truck.. and it was a non-issue sort of thing. The bike just did it flawlessly. Didn't even get an adrenaline hit from it.

deilenberger wrote:Didn't even get an adrenaline hit from it.

Then you're a crazy crazy bad man

you mean to tell me that none of you ever just mash on the brakes and hold on from high ??? speed to 0 for the hell of it?
Seems not very responsible to try and figure out how good the brakes are until you actually need them in an emergency...
When I let a trusted friend ride my bike, one of the things I try and impress them with is the brakes... Just take it up to 70 and grab the lever as hard as you can I say... they all come back pale... and sold on the ABS...
Riding in downtown Chicago a day doesn't go by I don't utilize the great brakes on my R, and kick in the ABS because of some stupid person on their cell phone in a mini-van or SUV. I bet if I recorded my daily ride with a helmet cam you would be horrified...

ChiTown wrote: I bet if I recorded my daily ride with a helmet cam you would be horrified...

OK, I'll take that bet! It'd be a great video, providing, of course, you edit out all the boring parts like waiting at lights and backing into your parking places. Bring it on!

BTW, I'm beginning to understand the tire mileage you achieve

ChiTown wrote:you mean to tell me that none of you ever just mash on the brakes and hold on from high ??? speed to 0 for the hell of it?
Seems not very responsible to try and figure out how good the brakes are until you actually need them in an emergency...

Actually - I have, and do, which is probably why it was such a non-issue when I actually HAD to use them that way. If you saw the cupping on my front tire (to be replaced this afternoon).. which IMHO is primarily caused by braking.. I'm not "light" on the brakes.

When I let a trusted friend ride my bike, one of the things I try and impress them with is the brakes... Just take it up to 70 and grab the lever as hard as you can I say... they all come back pale... and sold on the ABS...
Riding in downtown Chicago a day doesn't go by I don't utilize the great brakes on my R, and kick in the ABS because of some stupid person on their cell phone in a mini-van or SUV. I bet if I recorded my daily ride with a helmet cam you would be horrified...

I don't kick in the ABS - I want to be able to brake right to the threshold of where the ABS would kick in. Not to say I haven't - but primarily the rear when using it to trail-brake when dropping into a sharp corner. If you're continually getting into the ABS - that can bite your butt, since on rough pavement ABS can significantly lengthen your braking distance... in that case, I'd slow down just a touch.

deilenberger wrote:

Actually - I have, and do, which is probably why it was such a non-issue when I actually HAD to use them that way. If you saw the cupping on my front tire (to be replaced this afternoon).. which IMHO is primarily caused by braking.. I'm not "light" on the brakes.
I don't kick in the ABS - I want to be able to brake right to the threshold of where the ABS would kick in. Not to say I haven't - but primarily the rear when using it to trail-brake when dropping into a sharp corner. If you're continually getting into the ABS - that can bite your butt, since on rough pavement ABS can significantly lengthen your braking distance... in that case, I'd slow down just a touch.[/quote]

My statement was just a general one, not really directed at anyone...
I just changed out my tires, suprisingly there was no cupping on my front with about 10,000 miles on it. I wonder why?
My ABS usually kicks in when braking hard going over crosswalk paint or manhole covers ( coming into intersections at normal speeds with the flow of traffic) , something there's quite a bit of in the Chicago Loop.

ChiTown wrote: My statement was just a general one, not really directed at anyone...
I just changed out my tires, suprisingly there was no cupping on my front with about 10,000 miles on it. I wonder why?

Dunno... thoughts? How did your Conti's hold up (assuming the bike might have come with them..)

My ABS usually kicks in when braking hard going over crosswalk paint or manhole covers ( coming into intersections at normal speeds with the flow of traffic) , something there's quite a bit of in the Chicago Loop.

That's pretty much normal. I do try to anticipate these, but admittedly - my riding in NYC was limited to a few experiences 15 years ago.. (and I don't necessarily want to repeat it - NYC cab drivers are deadly..)

I remember the z6's i ran did have some cupping when I changed them, can't remember how the conti's looked since I didn't change them...

...when i read the reviewes of the bike...before purchasing it...i remember that the tires were Conti's....but when i bought mine it came with Metzeler.....did they change the supplier?

Graf wrote:...when i read the reviewes of the bike...before purchasing it...i remember that the tires were Conti's....but when i bought mine it came with Metzeler.....did they change the supplier?

They've come with both... I suspect it depends on availability and price.

There where also a lot of R1200R's that came with Michelin Road Pilots over here. I have the Conti's though and like those tires a lot.

deilenberger wrote:California people have this strange habit of thinking everyone knows where the "Bay Area" is, or Santa Monica... it's like the world revolves around California. I've been there. It doesn't. Really..

I always believed it's a habit of áll the Americans thinking the world revolves around the USA

Enjoy-Rider wrote:

deilenberger wrote:California people have this strange habit of thinking everyone knows where the "Bay Area" is, or Santa Monica... it's like the world revolves around California. I've been there. It doesn't. Really..

I always believed it's a habit of áll the Americans thinking the world revolves around the USA

Naw, just Californian's... and maybe New Yorker's

I live in Australia and I got a recall letter dated the 21APR 2008.

The letter reads BMW Motorrad has ascertained that there is a possibility that a brake line of your motorcycle's front brake system might have suffered damage. Damage of this nature could result in a loss of brake fluid, if this loss of brake fluid were to continue unnoticed over a lengthy period of time the outcome could be failure of the front brakes. This would have no effect on the operation of the rear brakes.

My bike has no loss of front brake fluid, I always check the bike before and after rides, my after ride check always takes longer because I like to have a couple of VB's (can's of beer) with the bike just to say thanks.

My local dealer (300 km away) will check out the bike in a couple of weeks during it's 10,000 km service.

Interestingly, I took my bike in for the brake recall today, and my dealer also quietly replaced the ring antenna. Apparently not a BMW recall, but I was told some bikes have been flagged as requiring a replacement (mine is a 2008), and this was being done whenever the flagged bike was brought in by the owner for service, etc.

ChiTown wrote:

Enjoy-Rider wrote:

deilenberger wrote:California people have this strange habit of thinking everyone knows where the "Bay Area" is, or Santa Monica... it's like the world revolves around California. I've been there. It doesn't. Really..

I always believed it's a habit of áll the Americans thinking the world revolves around the USA

Naw, just Californian's... and maybe New Yorker's

Excuse the off topic post -- but here's a map of the USA seen through the eyes of a native New Yorker::

Harry from the islands (Staten,Long and Manhattan) - Manhattan Island for me, we call it the big island