2002 R1150GS - diary of an accidental full restoration

Bikermike1411

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Hi all,

Bit of backstory first.

I finished rebuilding an absolutely dire condition ST1100 Pan last year and have been happily bimbling about on it, but I needed something else to fill the hole on my workbench.

So….earlier this year I picked up this!

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I’ll speed-run the first-glance condition of it:

-parked up in a garage in about 15 years ago with 29k miles on her.
-engine turned over ok but it ‘wouldn’t start’
-the paint is falling off the engine
-rims are heavily pitted and the hubs are a mess
-wiring loom sheath is utterly rotten (someone at BMW needs retrospectively sacking for whatever decision led to this stuff being used)
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Oh, and mice have eaten a lot of the rubber bits, like the grips. You can literally see the teeth marks…..

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All fixable though!

Good points….

-29k miles, HPI clear
-tank is beautiful (and the best colour) along with the rest of the plastic bar a couple of marks
-Remus can and Y piece along with the original
-full service history with every single receipt going back to new as far as I can see

Now, I have hundreds of reference photos over the last few months. I’ve not sat still…. I’ll give you the very abbreviated version of what’s been going on.

First job (after a wash) was to get it running to see how far into the engine I may need to go. Again, long story short, the fuel pump was seized solid. The tank is actually mint inside and out, but the pump was just full of corrosion, With that replaced, a new filter, new QR couplings and fresh fuel, plugs and an oil change, she started right up. I balanced the TB’s with my old mercury gauges and she ticks over like a sewing machine. No smoke, no rattles. Even the ancient data tool alarm/immobiliser worked…this is all good!

Cosmetically, besides the plastics and tank, she’s far from mint. Good job this isn’t my first resto-rodeo (restodeo?)

I started off intending to simply clean and spray up the engine, a quick cosmetic tidy up all round and i’d be out on her in August.

So, over the next few months (fitting in stolen moments in the garage around work/family life) I snap the first bolt I tried removing (its ultimately fine), continue to strip the front end out, front swing arm off, fight with the exhaust system (I won the battle but the stud-war may yet be won by her in the end - they’re nasty and could let go on rebuild) and expose the engine. Strip off the paint….there’s a lot of corrosion, but I chase it back with a brass brush wherever I can right up to the headstock main frame. Drop the oil out and pop out the sight glass because the area round it was a cheesy mess. Beak and oil cooler off to get behind the pipe (which needs respraying anyway).

Then, yesterday, I stand back with a brew and realise this isn’t going to be a quick resto. If I’m in this far, it may as well keep going. It’s my third 1150, and I’ve regretted selling the others, so could this be a keeper? If so, I want it to be as mint, near-showroom condition as I can.

I know where this leads.

That brings me up to today, when I’ve just finished taking off the top yoke, switch gear, master cylinders and headstock ‘frame’. This is where I’m up to.

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The black markings on the engine cover are simply where I need to put a better finish on the alloy before I prime it all.

I’ve decided to go pretty-much all in. There isn’t much to spend to be honest. I’m probably going to need a new pair of shock absorbers (front and rear), and the wheels rebuilding with resprayed hubs and new spokes, two new tyres, and various seals, cosmetic bolts and about a thousand cable ties (is that a BMW thing?) but, besides that, it’s surprisingly solid.

I figured it was about time I had a central thread. I’ve had some great help and advice regarding a few of the jobs I’ve already tackled but if I’m going in deeper I’m definitely going to need the collective keen eyes and advice of this parish to keep things on track.

So, my first question at this point is this…

What’s the procedure for removing the rear subframe? Can I simply remove all the ancillary gubbins (servo unit, wiring harness, foot rest mounts etc) then unbolt the subframe in the bike’s current….configuration…. Or do I need the front end present with the wheel strapped to the bench to take the subframe off and/or a jack under the gearbox to support the rear of the engine when the shock is removed?

I really don’t want the whole thing collapsing in the middle…..

Any and all advice gratefully received!

Cheers
Mike
 
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£500 per wheel? Damn! I’d figured about half that including the spokes.

I’m looking into options for the wheels, including finding a decent second hand set.
There’s a chap near me who used to do them - I’m hoping he can help out!
 
The powder coating on the engine is pretty shonky. You ca get a reasonable finish by spraying over with something like acid etch undercoat and silver tech-kote engine paint. Otherwise it’s everything off, split the cases and acid dip. Don’t ask how I know …
 
The powder coating on the engine is pretty shonky. You ca get a reasonable finish by spraying over with something like acid etch undercoat and silver tech-kote engine paint. Otherwise it’s everything off, split the cases and acid dip. Don’t ask how I know …
I know - it’s ridiculous! I’ve read countless posts and threads about it. How BM ever got away with it and kept people buying their bikes is beyond me!

My plan is to clean up the corrosion then spray the engine as a lump, with as many of the ancillary fixtures removed as possible. I had started, and was beginning to mask off when I decided to continue stripping the bike down as far as possible, which has revealed yet more areas to clean up, most of which no one bar me will ever know have been sorted out.

Two or three coats of etch primer then Hammerite smooth silver over the top should do it. Having read a couple of other respray threads I’m pretty confident it’ll come up nicely.

I did the under-seat fuel tank on my Pan the same way, it’s immaculate. The crying shame is no one ever gets to see it! I know though….
 
That’s the thread I read through - great job by the way! Did you keep it in the end or pass it onto pastures new?

I looked for tech-cote silver on the back of reading your rebuild, but honestly can’t see it anywhere on the internet! There’s ‘E-Tech’, but that’s about it. If you’ve got a line on where to pick it up, please let me know!

I’ll need to reread your link again - I’m still trying to work out if I can remove the shock and rear subframe without the whole bike collapsing around the gearbox, or falling forwards off the centre stand…..
 
I didn’t take the rear subframe off, but looking at this photo it’s obvs you’ll need to support the rear of the bike if you want to.
 

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I didn’t take the rear subframe off, but looking at this photo it’s obvs you’ll need to support the rear of the bike if you want to.
Good to know, thanks. Looking at yours it seems it is possible to get the airbox out too, which is my next job. At first glance it appeared to be trapped inside the sub frame!

No doubt I’ll have more questions going forwards - thanks for the help Nin!
 
Ahh yes, getting to the airbox......
If you are going all the way that it looks like you are, work away at stripping all off the rear subframe and remove it with the airbox.
The fuse / relay box can be a little tricky too!

On my 1100GS project i got down to this

You can also see that its on a build pedestal. 1/8" plate with 4 holes to match with the holes where the bash plate attaches, and some threaded rod to secure it and hold the engine to the pedestal.
There is some foam in there to protect between the two.
I later did have the front frame off as well, whilst mounted on that pedestal.
I started my project by lifting the whole thing and then lowering on to the pedestal.
To do that with where you are at that stage maybe a little tricky, but an idea that you maybe able to modify.
 

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I think my plan is to restore the ‘front’ of the bike from the engine forwards first, then look at the rear of the bike, including the subframe, as a separate phase after I get the front end back in, possibly with a jack under the gearbox for support.

Thanks for the reference photo Ewe!
 
Evening all,

Could anyone please advise me as how to remove the rubber mounting studs for the wiring harness under the battery box and the bash plate under the engine?

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My first instinct is to leave well alone, as there’s a good chance they’ll snap. However, they’re in the way!

Also, is it possible to remove the airbox without removing the rear subframe?

Cheers
Mike
 
Those rubber mounts.
Rhe threadednsection you can see is the same as what you cant see. They are symetrical, same on both sides and they 'simply' un screw.
It is likely that the section in the engine case is quite tight and the rubberay break apart. If it does, cut the rubber away and you will see a disk. Use a cold chisel or similar to get and edge amd tap it with a screw driver to undo it.
A bit later i shall see if i have a picture.
 
Possible to remove the airbox with out removing the rear subframe?
Yes - but pretty much by the time you have, there is not mucj left to remove the rear subframe.
Will post photo a bit later.
 


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