This winter's project

Clearly I've been spending too much time on this site, since I seem to have acquired an argumentative nature and a bloody-minded outlook .

Alternatively its because I'm getting considerably older and not necessarily any wiser .

Ongoing health issues continue to conspire to stop me from riding for some considerable time to come , so once again the legendary winter project has surreptitiously emerged in the garage, to much consternation, domestic and medical .

Last year's WP - a K100LT - turned out rather well even if the costs along the way were eye-watering . I learned a lot in the process, particularly about what was adviseable and what was necessary in the great scheme of things. This year's effort may prove to be more realistic, particularly as I have many RT items and accessories left over from more carefree days which may go someway to offset costs.

Its a 2003 R1150RT, described thus "1 owner from new, twin spark R1150RT. 34000 miles. The bike is in good all round condition, though it is 10 years old and there is the odd bit of corrosion to be expected. MOT due 3/3/14. It has service history up to 25k, we have serviced the bike and fitted new brake pads"

and the photos reveal this

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"odd bit of corrosion". While the bodywork is in reasonable condition the chassis is cosmetically challenged (they all do that, sir) - so that will be a stainless bolt replacement programme, with lashings of moly/alislip, a thorough clean and polish, and the hammerite/ACF-50 blitz as well.

"Ten years old". Some, if not all, of the chassis and running gear may be well be rather tired and in need of rejuvenation, if not replacement. So that's a stripdown and assessment - clutch, bearings, oil seals, splines, suspension &c - all the usual money-pit suspects

"we have serviced the bike". Oh dear. They mean well, I suppose, but there's no substitute for knowing its been done and done properly. The (in)famous brake fluid change for instance, and balancing the injectors for as smooth a ride as possible

and then - there's no avoiding it - the BMW servo/EVO braking system.

(1) does it work ?
(2) has the fluid been changed, properly and regularly ?
(3) how long have I got until it fails ?
(4) shall I perform a pre-emptive servoectomy ?

This is where my secret weapons come in. First, the well-known and well-respected Barry Barber (B-Ems Portsmouth) - a time-served BMW trained independent. Not only are his labour rates very economical, he also lets me aid and abet along the way if I ask him very nicely. I still have to be kept away from sharp objects, though .

And second, while Motorrad dealers have been known to quote prices north of £1800 for supplying and fitting a replacement servo ABS , this company http://rhelectronics.de/ repairs and refurbishes them on an exchange basis for around £650 with a 24-month no-quibble (assuming its been professionally installed ... ) warranty for good measure. I haven't used them as yet but I know several people who have and who profess themselves delighted with their service .

I know its vulgar to talk about money but RT values according to eBay, Bike Trader, MCN and the like are all over the place at present, so even by buying this one relatively cheaply there's no profit to be had by tidying it up and selling it on. Consequently its an eyes-wide-open, doing it because I want to and the big wide world can go forth and multiply job.

I blame UKGSer, of course.

Looking forward to hearing about it

Looks like one from Motorworks stable

JohnnyBoxer said:

Looking forward to hearing about it

Click to expand...

Me too.

That will keep you busy Chris

Look forward to reading more... (nice color btw)

I wouldn't disturb the clutch which may very well last beyond 100,000 miles Many do, my GS is at >90,000 miles and is fine.

If you want to check the splines OK but I wouldn't put a spanner near the clutch.

probably

Packer said:

I wouldn't disturb the clutch which may very well last beyond 100,000 miles Many do, my GS is at >90,000 miles and is fine.

If you want to check the splines OK but I wouldn't put a spanner near the clutch.

Click to expand...

Thanks all.

I take your point, Mr. P - as always it depends on what's found both in the garage and on the road test(s). Since I can't ride it any repairs or replacements undertaken will be after discussion and review with Barry et al. Obviously if there's evidence of undue wear or damage anywhere then things will get replaced. As economically as possible, of course

Garage Day 01

After a slight delay due to hospital appointments &c, it's arrived and is now safely tucked up in my garage .

First impressions are promising - it looks much better than the sale photos and , setting aside the corroded fasteners &c, the general cosmetic condition is not at all bad. The underseat area is very tidy and intact (dusty, mind) with little or no rust on the rear chassis rails. There's a small tear on the rear seat which is annoying. Both engine valve covers are suffering from lifting and peeling paintwork as well as scuffmarks so I'm contemplating fitting good used items rather than faffing about with respraying them. A pair of BMW head protectors are lurking somewhere but I'm blowed if I can find them! As its currently raining heavily the profile shots can wait.

In the meantime I've amused myself by
(1) dousing all of the external body corroded nuts and bolts in ACF-50,
(2) mounting a Migsel GPS/RAM mount and the bike-powered Zumo cradle in position, and
(3) resurrecting a battle-scarred 33L topbox, fitting a pair of BikeVis red LED bullets together with the BikeVis brake/tail enhancement pod for better rear safety
[ More info here : http://www.bikevis.com/motorcycle-led-running-lights.html. ]

Being dark grey the bike can "disappear" on dull days or wet evenings so these little LEDs should help a bit.

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The Migsel/GPS/RAM mount in position. Sorry about the quality of the photo - its a new camera and I'm still learning

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Fitting the BikeVis bullet LEDS to the topbox. For once I remembered to measure twice and drill once.

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See what I mean about the topbox battlescars ? I may have a go at refurbishment as the panniers are colour-coded but this isn't essential - at this stage of events I'm still trying to be "budget-conscious"

I've got the lock repair kit (the orange tab is, of course, broken) and a new tumbler lock ready for Ebbo's key-match technique but as the locking mechanism itself looks relatively complicated - I haven't got a rivet gun, for example and it looks as if some rivets may need drilling and replacing my "BMW independent" has just got another job on his list

More as and when.

Easy peasy, buy a rivet gun for a few bob, and the orange tab kit comes with the rivets.

Leave the battle scars on the topbox. I have left those on my 1200GS Givi topbox from when the bike went upside-down while crashing. The box survived (unlike the previous bike it was on) and even stayed attached. It's a talking point and also really REALLY annoys my mate who has an OCD thing about bikes being perfectly clean and tidy

Goody Goody an RT restoration

I am really looking forward to this

I will be ordering the bike viz when you have them fitted, and I can then follow your instruction .

I am hoping you might fit some wunderlich engine bars

Don't tell me ............

Garage Day 01 and a bit

The rear BikeVis LEDs will be connected up later this weekend - photos &c will follow in due course

The examination of the bike's oily bits and the meaty part of this restoration will probably start later next week when Barry hopes to collect the bike and take it to his new workshop behind the Sainsbury's Drayton complex in Portsmouth.

In the meantime I've been assembling the "bling" - the accessories and trinkets that aren't strictly necessary but that often make a bike more user-friendly. Some of these gadgets are left over from earlier days - never throw anything away even if eBay beckons - but others have been acquired in a fit of curiosity as much as anything else .

First to be considered - and rejected - is an HID low beam upgrade. Setting aside the much-discussed issues of their legality on UK roads, my previous K100LT WP demonstrated that fitting additional relays to both headlight circuits noticeably improves the stock halogen performance and puts less strain - if that's the word - on the bike's switchgear and wiring. The pundits generally opine that BMW's wiring leaves lots to be desired in terms of quality and long-term robustness so this little step goes a long way. Although the required components are readily and cheaply assembled, I went down the lazy route and bought the Eastern Beaver headlamp relay kit - here : http://easternbeaver.com/Main/Wiring_Kits/Non-H4_Kits/non-h4_kits.html

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I'm also going to fit the front BizVis bullet LEDs for extra on-road presence to complement the rear units but since the bike's fairing will be coming off shortly, this can wait.

I can get lost in a supermarket so a GPS is a necessity for me and I suspect many others these days. The Migsel R1150RT GPS mount is easy to fit - it uses the two upper dashboard screws - and very robust for the RAM arm and the GPS cradle. In this case its my Zumo 660's bike powered unit. And as its nice to hear the Zumo's spoken directions, let alone any MP3 collections, an Autocom joins the list. Yes I know there's this new-fangled bluetooth but on the whole Autocom and I get on reasonably well. Besides which I have lots of unused Autocom bits left over, including a complete Logic-L1 kit.

The Autocom, of course, has to be connected to the Zumo. After discussions with Sam at Chainspeed, Autocom lead 4066 arrived one day which does everything required in a no-fuss no bother way. Even I can connect it all up,

BUT :

Somewhere along the way all the toys have to be plugged in and switched on . This generally means tapping into a - preferably - ignition controlled source such as a brakelight to provide power for each accessory. Avoiding scotchlocks and even the much-acclaimed positaps, the stripping, pairing and soldering technique is your friend here. And even then the results are occasionally unpredictable - ABS error lights &c using the brake light feed and disruptions to the diagnostic tools if you use their plug as a source, for example.

With Can-Bus bikes "piggybacking" off an accessory socket works - and there are even proper BMW connector leads that make this easy - although in many cases the socket remains live for some minutes after you switch off the ignition. And as I've found in the past even then sometimes the bike refuses to accept an Optimate-style charger in that socket afterwards as well.

Consequently I'm a great fan of the additional accessory fusepanel and I've had good experiences with the Fuzeblock FZ-1 ( here : http://www.nippynormans.com/product.../item/fuzeblock-switchable-fuse-panel-fuz-fz1 ).

Usually(*) I take power from the bike's front sidelight (or the pilot light as the R1150RT owner's manual calls it). On Can-Bus bikes, there's a useful connector available ( here: http://www.twistedthrottle.com/elec...-connector-for-bmw-ducati-triumph-motorcycles ) that piggybacks into the bike's pilot light connector and has some sort of diode/resistance buit in that soothes the bike's CanBus-ZFE control circuits as well so there are no problems.

At the end of the day using this Fuzeblock up to 6 additional gadgets - combined total draw less than 30A - can be plumbed in with little or no fuss, with a choice of always-live or ignition-controlled power supplies to boot.

(*) I say usually because I've just stumbled across this

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- the add-a-circuit or Cooper Bussmann/ATM fuse tap to give it it's proper name - more info' here : http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...nn-ATM-fuse-tap/_/N-255s?itemIdentifier=32416 . eBay was my friend this time, £2.50 posted.

This little gadget allows you to piggyback onto any fuse in the vehicle's fusebox with no drilling or cable disruption. If there's room beneath the RT's fusebox lid I'll try using it as the Fuzeblock's ignition-controlled power source as there are several ignition-controlled circuits available in the RT's fusebox, of course, otherwise its pilot light tap here I come once more.

Consequently this is the accessory gameplan

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all to be plumbed-in when the fairing is removed in the workshop later next week.

It should make cable routing and tidying &c a whole lot easier.

1150's don't have CanBus and there's a BMW piggy-back socket that can be plugged into the back of aux-socket to power stuff.

MikeP said:

1150's don't have CanBus and there's a BMW piggy-back socket that can be plugged into the back of aux-socket to power stuff.

Click to expand...

indeed - although every time I've tried to use this or any other piggyback connection on the aux power outlet - on either CB or non-CB bikes - my Optimate throws a fit when plugged in

Remove the piggyback and all's ok

these are good

dead easy to fit

Wunderlich, lights ,bracket, relay , wiring, switch , everything you need in one box

Or these
even easier to fit

Garage Day 02

Before I get going is the B&B the right place for this - I know there's an RT section but inspired by Mike P's outstanding efforts with various K's maybe its time to think about opening a new "Project/Restoration" section

Anyway a day of mixed fortunes.

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after nearly a day hooked up there are at last two green lights on the Optimate - this has held steady for 24 hours so it would appear that battery is fine


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inspired by Mike's efforts I've rigged up my parts spray booth . Here are the handlebar end weights being tarted up. Observation #1 - doesn't Hammerite take a bloody long time to dry ?


The fun commenced when fitting the rear BiveVis LEDS.

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there's lots of room and openings in the RT's tail light section to feed in the wires &c . The complete rear light/indicator assembly is held in place by two large plastic dome-type nuts in the bike's rear tail cubby area - in my case it appears that they hadn't been removed for a while as they were quite stubborn but I got there eventually. To be on the safe side I cleaned everything up - including the connectors - and changed the bulbs

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the BikeVis brake/tail converter pod fits snugly here - no zipties or double-sided tape needed Wiring in to the bulb circuits is quite straightforward - I used piggyback connectors to avoid cutting the harness. The pod's red lead goes to the tail light feed (white/gray). the pod's yellow lead to the brake light (yellow/gray) and the pod's black lead to the earth (brown). Observation #2 - its a common earth here. Both stop and tail lights share a 2-into-1. I used the tail light earth point.

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Not a good picture but trying to show/emphasise the use of soldered electrical connections covered by shrinkwrap wherever possible. Generally speaking a soldered joint is far more robust and reliable

I extended the kit's wiring from the tail light area into the topbox by soldering in some speaker wire (similar thickness). However, only one of the LEDS is working ... having contacted the vendor a replacement set is on its way.

The one LED that IS working is working well, though !

More pics in due course

ChrisJF said:

Before I get going is the B&B the right place for this - I know there's an RT section but inspired by Mike P's outstanding efforts with various K's maybe its time to think about opening a new "Project/Restoration" section

Click to expand...

I'm beavering away on another one and Kenny's Airhead winter project is ongoing. I'm wary of starting another tart-up thread to avoid the K Section getting clogged up with them but somewhere specifically for such threads would be a good idea.

Garage Day 03

Once again before I get going, its mildly alarming to realise that I'm already starting to lose it this early in the restoration. In particular, the camera. I put it down somewhere and then spent the best part of a day trying to find it. And of course, there it was in plain sight by the PC all the time - how in hell I missed it during the many and varied examinations heaven only knows. It's almost as if it deliberately camouflaged itself

Anyway. The BikeVis rear bullet LED's are now up and running :

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Self-adhesive plastic P-Clips were used to "tidy" the plumbing. The LED wires have plastic cable covers for additional protection, and fed through to an external QD connector via a drilled and grommeted hole.

I'll also get round to rigging up a repair of sorts to the topbox lid's stay - a suitable bracket, perhaps, but this isn't mission-critical at this stage

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The external QD connection linking the Brake/Tail module to the LEDS themselves. A bit rough and ready after all the soldering and "bless-my-soul-and bother-me's" along the way (cover your ears, children ). I'll tidy it up and make the connections more water-resistant as and when, but the important thing is THEY WORK !

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Not my picture - it's taken from the BikeVis website forum - as it difficult for me to take this photo what with the aches & pains &c but it shows them in action nonetheless.


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and finally my little aide-memoire reminding me what goes where.


A (hopefully) slight delay before the next instalment as I'll be in hospital for yet more tests and procedures.

Chris,

I found some water-proof two-pin connectors when I added aux sockets inside my old GSA top-box:



I'll dig out the supplier if you want.

Connectors

Thanks Mike - that would be most useful.