2002 R1150GS - diary of an accidental full restoration

[zerax9]

Not heard of those, but I’ve just done a quick google and they seem exactly what I need. I’ll do a bit more research this week, thanks for the info!

Contour Sanding Pads

Perfect results require proper preparation so, if you're prepping contoured surfaces like mouldings, pipes and fittings, choose these sanding pads. You'll find fine, medium and coarse grades in the pack. You can use these contour pads prior to applying primers, lacquers and finishing coats, and...

www.toolstation.com

These are the cheap unbranded ones... the original ones are branded Scotch Brite.

 

[Bikermike1411]

Contour Sanding Pads

Perfect results require proper preparation so, if you're prepping contoured surfaces like mouldings, pipes and fittings, choose these sanding pads. You'll find fine, medium and coarse grades in the pack. You can use these contour pads prior to applying primers, lacquers and finishing coats, and...

www.toolstation.com

These are the cheap unbranded ones... the original ones are branded Scotch Brite.

Cheers! I’ve got unbranded green scotchbrite pads, well, pan scourers, but they just disintegrate and barely touch the thick engine paint. Next step is to try something….rotary. Might have to invest in the real products too

 

[Neil W]

Have you considered an aircraft grade paint stripper, follow that up with a jet wash and once the paint is gone you can use a much less aggressive product to remove surface corrosion and prepare the surface for paint.

 

[Nin]

Scotchbrite works a treat - and you can get fittings for the Dremel with the same sort of material.

I’d be very guarded about trying paint stripper - it’s powder coat not paint, so much harder to shift chemically unless you’re going f or a full acid dip.

Note the alloy on these bikes is not as good or robust as on airheads, so the sort of finish MikeyBoy gets on his rebuilds isn’t really an option either.

 

[Bikermike1411]

Evening all!

I’ve had another busy week or so at work, but have been quietly tackling the GS pre-paint preparations.

I asked on another thread for jobs I should be doing now, or upgrades I need to consider during the rebuild. Given the state of the clutch slave cylinder, replacing the seal between the slave cylinder tunnel and the gearbox was advised as a priority.

I figured I want to get the old one out before painting the engine, to avoid the risk of marking the nice new paint I intend to apply in the new year. I also wanted it out before going for a shoulder op next week!

Before starting I marked up a deep socket with the seal depth



I started by picking away the rubber I could see…. No going back from this point!



The centre rubber came out as a complete circle. I then tried getting picks down the inside and pulling on them.

The outcome was two (cheap) picks being bent straight. 1-0 to the seal.

I decided to splurge ten whole pounds on some more robust picks. I was feeling flush - it was my birthday over the weekend and I’d been given an Amazon voucher.

They arrived on Sunday, via Prime. The 90o angled one was more like 140o within minutes.

2-0 to the seal. And I’m starting to lose sleep.

At this point I began reading the workshop manuals. BMW just says ‘lever out with a screwdriver’. I tried this - the edge of the seal got chewed up and I stopped before something got damaged.

3-0, approaching extra time.

I read the Clymer manual. They recommend splitting the box and driving the seal out into the housing. OK…simple enough, I’d have to get the box off then read up on using heat to release the bearings, but not impossible.

If I nadger it up I’m looking at £200 for a new box. I consider calling my local garage, then figured one last go. I’d read about knocking the seal inwards to release it, so stopped at Screwfix on the way home from work and picked up some nice new fine centre punches.

At home, still suited, I went straight into the garage, flicking the kettle on in the kitchen on the way past. In the garage I used the finest punch to work around the steel ring, angling it inwards very slightly. The seal walked inwards with every tap. I then took an appropriate flat bladed screwdriver and hooked it under the steel ring at 7’o clock, angled under the input shaft to lever against the slave cylinder tunnel edge at about 4’o clock. I got good purchase, leaned on it hard and swore at it…POP!





One seal removed!

Pleased, I downed tools and went to make the brew I’d started 10 minutes earlier…..

Stop-start as it was, I reckon it took me a week of weighing the task up, reading, trying to get it out, doubting myself… in reality it wasn’t that hard in the end, unless I just got lucky…. If I cut the faffing around out I reckon it could be done comfortably in an hour or so with good access.

Anyway, now that’s done I can get back to paint prep. I need to make order some scotchbrite-ish dremmel bits and get to it.

Going in for my op a week tomorrow - downtime will be spent ordering bits for the rebuild I think, whilst cleaning sub-units when rehab allows.

Cheers
Mike

 

[Tinytim]

Evening all!

I’ve had another busy week or so at work, but have been quietly tackling the GS pre-paint preparations.

I asked on another thread for jobs I should be doing now, or upgrades I need to consider during the rebuild. Given the state of the clutch slave cylinder, replacing the seal between the slave cylinder tunnel and the gearbox was advised as a priority.

I figured I want to get the old one out before painting the engine, to avoid the risk of marking the nice new paint I intend to apply in the new year. I also wanted it out before going for a shoulder op next week!

Before starting I marked up a deep socket with the seal depth

View attachment 460466

I started by picking away the rubber I could see…. No going back from this point!

View attachment 460465

The centre rubber came out as a complete circle. I then tried getting picks down the inside and pulling on them.

The outcome was two (cheap) picks being bent straight. 1-0 to the seal.

I decided to splurge ten whole pounds on some more robust picks. I was feeling flush - it was my birthday over the weekend and I’d been given an Amazon voucher.

They arrived on Sunday, via Prime. The 90o angled one was more like 140o within minutes.

2-0 to the seal. And I’m starting to lose sleep.

At this point I began reading the workshop manuals. BMW just says ‘lever out with a screwdriver’. I tried this - the edge of the seal got chewed up and I stopped before something got damaged.

3-0, approaching extra time.

I read the Clymer manual. They recommend splitting the box and driving the seal out into the housing. OK…simple enough, I’d have to get the box off then read up on using heat to release the bearings, but not impossible.

If I nadger it up I’m looking at £200 for a new box. I consider calling my local garage, then figured one last go. I’d read about knocking the seal inwards to release it, so stopped at Screwfix on the way home from work and picked up some nice new fine centre punches.

At home, still suited, I went straight into the garage, flicking the kettle on in the kitchen on the way past. In the garage I used the finest punch to work around the steel ring, angling it inwards very slightly. The seal walked inwards with every tap. I then took an appropriate flat bladed screwdriver and hooked it under the steel ring at 7’o clock, angled under the input shaft to lever against the slave cylinder tunnel edge at about 4’o clock. I got good purchase, leaned on it hard and swore at it…POP!

View attachment 460470

View attachment 460471

One seal removed!

Pleased, I downed tools and went to make the brew I’d started 10 minutes earlier…..

Stop-start as it was, I reckon it took me a week of weighing the task up, reading, trying to get it out, doubting myself… in reality it wasn’t that hard in the end, unless I just got lucky…. If I cut the faffing around out I reckon it could be done comfortably in an hour or so with good access.

Anyway, now that’s done I can get back to paint prep. I need to make order some scotchbrite-ish dremmel bits and get to it.

Going in for my op a week tomorrow - downtime will be spent ordering bits for the rebuild I think, whilst cleaning sub-units when rehab allows.

Cheers
Mike

Nice one Mike. I'm enjoying this trip of yours so keep it coming

 

[Hay Ewe]

Mmm, the first doing something, then its done and wonder why it took so long.....
But you didnt know, and not all things are the same.
Done now, you know for next time.

 

[steadysteve]

On my first 1150 my hand was forced when one of them tore, good news was that once the rubber was gone it was clear that there is a for want of a better word large diameter thick washer left which is attached to the stud that goes into the motor , bit of heat and a set of Mole grips and it came straight out .

All four were replaced in the same manner (I used heavier duty car exhaust mounts that cost buttons and they had hex head washers)

+1 This what I did- once the rubber had disintegrated the metal piece buried in the rubber provided an excellent place to attach a spanner. It had 17mm flats on it I remember correctly.
It came out relatively easily- I think the flexi rubber had given a false impression of how seized it was (or wasn’t…) and it really wasn’t an issue.
The bike in question was a 2001 model so similar age to yours.

 

[Bikermike1411]

Afternoon all!

No progress to report, bar my op going well (or so I was told!). I’ve sourced some dremel paint-stripping bits which I’ll put to good use as soon as I can hold it. Ive also picked up a set of engine bars from this parish (thanks to Paul!) which I’ll drop into the stove enamelling box in the new year.

The next thing I could do with tracking down is a twin-spark right-hand cylinder head. If anyone has one lurking under a bench please let me know!

In the meantime I’m going to write my Christmas list for Santa….

Oil level sight glass, oil pressure release valve plug, copper washers, a big bag of M6 stainless bolts and 1000 cable ties please Mr Clause!

Cheers
Mike

 

[longdog]

Great thread, can’t wait to see the renovation progressing and I hope your shoulder is getting better, having had a complete detachment of the AC and surgery I know just how you must be feeling.

 

[bim3330]

Great thread, can’t wait to see the renovation progressing and I hope your shoulder is getting better, having had a complete detachment of the AC and surgery I know just how you must be feeling.

morning fella
how are you long time no see its bimota (rob) from the super tenere forum (bridgend) hows the tracer

rob

 

[longdog]

morning fella
how are you long time no see its bimota (rob) from the super tenere forum (bridgend) hows the tracer

rob

Hi Rob, yes, the Tracer is going well, did a couple of trips earlier this year, Northern Spain, France and the MotoGP at Le Mans in March and then France and the WSBK round at Circuit de Nevers at Magny-Cours in September. About the only gripe I have with the Tracer is the seat is not the most comfortable that I have ever sat on! Still, an Airhawk sorted that for me. I do miss the Super Tenere though, it was/is a cracking bike. What are you up to nowadays?

 

[bim3330]

Hi Rob, yes, the Tracer is going well, did a couple of trips earlier this year, Northern Spain, France and the MotoGP at Le Mans in March and then France and the WSBK round at Circuit de Nevers at Magny-Cours in September. About the only gripe I have with the Tracer is the seat is not the most comfortable that I have ever sat on! Still, an Airhawk sorted that for me. I do miss the Super Tenere though, it was/is a cracking bike. What are you up to nowadays?

as you know still have the xt1200 now into my 11 yrs with it, but have a 2005 1150 gsa the last 2 yrs, had a new one in 2002 had it for 8 yrs should never have sold it so bought another 2 yrs ago

rob

 

[longdog]

as you know still have the xt1200 now into my 11 yrs with it, but have a 2005 1150 gsa the last 2 yrs, had a new one in 2002 had it for 8 yrs should never have sold it so bought another 2 yrs ago

rob

Funny you should mention that, I had a 2003 R1150GS which I was never going to sell, but I did! Now I have the itch to get another one!

 

[Bikermike1411]

Evening all!

Belated happy new year!

I’ve not been sat still whilst recuperating, and I’m between eating my body weight in mince pies and undertaking physio sessions I’ve made significant progress. I’ll give you the tl:dr though….

I’ve done everything in short sharp bursts as and when I felt up for it. Started with sanding the engine paint back, degreasing everything thoroughly, the doing it twice more for good measure before priming with etch primer.



I gave it perhaps three coats of primer, sanding in between to remove imperfections.

I then degreased everything again and started on the silver. After a significant amount of indecision, I settled on using Hammerite smooth silver. I used smooth black on my Pan frame when I restored it, and it’s perfect. Hopefully this will work out the same!





Again, I warmed the garage up with a radiator for a few hours, and warmed the paint up in warm water too. I also took the ‘directional fan’ nozzle off the primer cans and put it on the hammerite, which has a standard ‘cone-spray’ nozzle. I first did this on the underseat tank on my pan - makes laying paint more smoothly much easier, avoiding excessive amounts building up as you work around whatever you’re painting.

I gave the engine three coats, again, giving a light sanding in between. I’m pretty pleased with how it’s come out.

Panic not - the gearbox oil drain plugs are being replaced with nice new stainless ones! The old ones were left in loosely to blank off the holes prior to spraying.

Next up, the wiring loom. Specifically, the alarm. Not the first Datatool alarm I’ve removed! It was working, but that’s only fine until they…don’t…leaving you stranded. Removal was simple - it was largely ‘T’d’ on, with two sections of the loom removed. These were patched back up, and the soldered joints shrink wrapped.


I’m going to hold off wrapping the decomposing loom sheathing again until I lay it on the frame - there are a couple of small sub ‘spurs’ coming off the main loom - I need to make sure they split off at the right point and run right before wrapping them up tidily. I also need to clean the loom and fuse box before it goes back on!

Next up, the head bearing. It had more notches than a rear sprocket…. Careful application of heat warmed up the yoke and it knocked out cleanly.



I then used my pillar drill with a 4mm bid to drill out the centres of the ignition barrel security bolts, increasing to 8mm once I was about 5mm in. The heads dropped off with no drama, and after removing the barrel the remaining bolt came out by holding the yoke in the vice (between wood blocks!) and using a pair of mole grips. I was very pleased - I was expecting to have to use heat to break the thread lock holding them in.



I’m going to respray the yoke the same silver as the fork bottoms before I refit the front end.

Finally, I took the bits for powder coating down to a recommended local firm on Tuesday this week.



You might notice the centre stand is missing. That’s because it’s still on the bike… I tried supporting the engine on a jack, to allow me to remove it. However, the bottom of the engine is a shallow V shape, and my attempts at supporting it were less than inspiring. I’ve elected to leave it on for now, then remove it at a later point when I have the front frame/headstock back in. That will allow me to use my headstock front paddock stand…I hope!

I’ve received the call today to say it’ll be ready to collect on Monday, so I’m going to be busy this weekend!

Good job I melted my credit card at Motorworks last week - I’ve got a box of small, expensive bits ready to go back on.

Hopefully this is me turning the corner - let the rebuild begin!

Cheers
Mike

 

[Skid06]

great work that and well worth it. keep it coming

 

[peepingtom]

great job , I know how much of an undertaking it is. superb, its going to look fab when done

 

[Skid06]

love mine

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

love mine
View attachment 475016

That’s a cracker

 

[Aidan1150]

Great to see you back at it again and I hope the shoulder is healing well.