Just had my bike back from a major service (2014 RT LC) and the final drive is looking rather shabby, any tips on what to say when approaching the dealer over this? bike had very little use over winter this year, kept relatively clean and washed using Autoglym products.
Just PM'd you
As long as you follow page 152 - 154 of the manual, you are good.
Care products
BMW Motorrad recommends that you use the cleaning and care products you can obtain from your authorised BMW Motorrad dealer.
The substances in BMW CareProducts have been tested in laboratories and in practice they provide optimised care and protection for the materials used in your vehicle.
The use of unsuitable cleaning and care products can damage vehicle components.
Do not use solvents such as cellulose thinners, cold cleaners, fuel or the like, and do not use cleaning products that contain alcohol.
Washing the motorcycle
BMW Motorrad recommends that you use BMW insect remover to soften and wash off insects and stubborn dirt on painted parts prior to washing the motorcycle.
To prevent stains, do not wash the motorcycle immediately after it has been exposed to strong sunlight and do not wash it in the sun.
Make sure that the vehicle is washed frequently, especially during the winter months.
To remove road salt, clean the motorcycle with
cold water immediately after every trip.
After the motorcycle has been washed, ridden through water or ridden in the rain, the brake discs and pads might be wet and the brakes might not take effect immediately.
Apply the brakes in good time until the brake discs and brake pads have dried out.
Warm water intensifies the effect of salt.
Use only cold water to wash off road salt.
The high pressure of highpressure cleaners (steam cleaners) can damage seals, the hydraulic brake system, the electrical system, and the seat.
Do not use a steam jet or highpressure cleaning equipment.
Cleaning easily damaged components
Plastics
If plastic parts are cleaned using unsuitable cleaning agents, the surfaces can be damaged.
Care
Do not use cleaning agents that contain alcohol, solvents or abrasives to clean plastic parts. Even insect-remover pads or cleaning pads with hard surfaces can produce scratches.
Body panels
Clean the trim panels with water and BMW plastic care emulsion. Windscreens and lenses made of plastic
Clean off dirt and insects with a soft sponge and plenty of water.
Soften stubborn dirt and insects by covering the affected areas with a wet cloth.
Clean with water and sponge only.
Do not use any chemical cleaning agents.
Chrome
Use plenty of water and BMW shampoo to clean chrome, particularly if it has been exposed to road salt. Use chrome polish for additional treatment.
Radiator
Clean the radiator regularly to prevent overheating of the engine due to inadequate cooling.
For example, use a garden hose with low water pressure.
Cooling fins can be bent easily.
Take care not to bend the fins when cleaning the radiator.
Rubber components
Treat rubber components with water or BMW rubber-care products.
Using silicone sprays for the care of rubber seals can cause damage.
Do not use silicone sprays or care products that contain silicon.
Paint care
Washing the vehicle regularly will help counteract the longterm effects of substances that damage the paint, especially if your vehicle is ridden in areas with high air pollution or natural sources of dirt, for example tree resin or pollen.
However, particularly aggressive substances (e.g. spilt fuel, oil, grease, brake fluid and bird droppings) must be removed immediately, as the paint could otherwise be affected or become discoloured. BMW Motorrad recommends using BMW vehicle polish or BMW paint cleaner for this purpose.
Marks on the paintwork are particularly easy to see after the motorcycle has been washed.
Care
Remove stains of this kind immediately, using cleaning-grade benzene or petroleum spirit on a clean cloth or ball of cotton wool.
BMW Motorrad recommends using BMW tar remover for removing specks of tar. Remember to wax the parts treated in this way
