riceburner wrote:Lo all in this forum.
A friend of mine who runs an R1200GS has asked for my advice on self-servicing his bike, now that his BM warranty has run out. He asked for my advice because I've been self-servicing my R1150R Rocksters for some time now (2 or 3 years).
So I'd like to ask a few questions:
1) Is anyone doing this? Any experiences/tips I should know about before I peel his valve covers off?
Lots of us actually. It's close enough to your 1150 that you shouldn't have a problem
2) How different to the 1150 is the 1200 in terms of mechanics? IE is the valve train similar (tappets) or very different?
Not much different. About the most significant difference on the valves is the rubber damper that gets lost on 1150's is now gone, so don't worry about it. And the rocker-arm-endplay adjustment is a tiny bit different, but close enough it shouldn't be a problem if you've done it on an 1150.
Oh - there is no longer a mark on the flywheel for TDC (OT).. instead you use the pulse lump on the end of the camshaft pully to set TDC. When it's sticking straight out from the engine you're on TDC. You'll see what I mean when you get the valve covers off. (There may also be an arrow there.. I'm not at my bike at the moment..)
3) Is there a wrokshop manual PDF flying about on the 'net?
See Ebay..
4) I'm assuming that the oil changes are going to be pretty similar - is this the case? If the final drive isn't sealed (I don't know if his is or not) does that change anything?
Oil change is identical except you'll need a different oil filter wrench, the filter is different. Rear drive is "sealed" but not really - it gets changed at 600 miles and is then supposed to be forever fluid. I'm changing my forever fluid at 24k miles. Use a good synthetic GL5 80W-90 for the rear drive (if it was under warranty I'd suggest BMW's, out of warranty I'd use Valvoline since I have a bottle of it kicking around.) Quantity is 230mls.
5) Throttle body balancing: Is this the same as on the 1150? (I have my own manometer). Any thing I should be aware of? Is the setup/procedure pretty much the same? (BBAS and then right side throttle cable adjust)?
Actually - if you get the valves set accurately chances are excellent the TB's will be perfect. The cable runs to the TBs are much more direct on the R12 engines, and they don't seem to stretch like the 1150 ones did. I have never adjusted mine. You ignore the settings at idle (there is no BBS - there are stepper motors adjusting the idle speed and balance) and just check the balance at 2-2,500 RPM. Chances are excellent no adjustment will be needed.
6) Alternator belt: Any differences to the setup on the 1150?
Depends on the year 1150. The R12 engines use a stetch belt and there is NO ADJUSTMENT of the alternator for tension. You put the belt on and forgeddaboutit. Belts seem to be lasting quite a while.. I think the last year 1150 used the same sort of design.
To put the new belt on, first you put the crankshaft end in place, then you put a plastic guide over the top pulley and slide the belt over the plastic guide, then pull the guide out. BMW makes an expensive tool to do this. People have used either a cut-off soda can, or some heavy plastic sheet instead of BMW's expensive tool. You cut the old belt off.
I'll obviously be doing some other research - but any advice/links would be very welcome indeed! (Maybe this thread could become a repository, if one doesn't already exist?)
Good luck with the job - I suspect you'll do just fine, you asked the right questions.
