Great work on the box. I look forward to seeing it when finished. 
Marrakesh red r1150gs
- Thread starter Neil W
- Start date
Just been looking at it and thinking that powder coating is the way forward
The job on the wheels is superb. I’m sure the box will be just as good 
Powder coating has all been done be Bettablast in Shiremoor , not the cheapest but the finish is excellent and their prep work is superb with all bearing surfaces properly masked , no blast media in threads etc and other than removing the masking tape zero other work involvedThe job on the wheels is superb. I’m sure the box will be just as good
I saw an 1150GS a while ago that had the entire front end from a 1200 - forks, wheel and wishbone all swapped out.
100 mile run this morning handling feels improved with no issues due to the wider rim and tyre ,speedo drive working perfectly and oddly enough the front brakes seem to be working better (more compliant at the lever )
Top box lid repair completed and first coat of Smoothrite satin black done, was not going to spend £100 on getting the box powder coated when it is only worth that much.
The base is also rubbed down and etch primed so just need to but another tin of Smoothrite
The base is also rubbed down and etch primed so just need to but another tin of Smoothrite
Re the front brakes I used the 1150 gs front discs on the 1200 front rim along with the fixings , the 1150 brakes despite a full rebuild were always dead and wooden feeling. With the 1200 rim the discs have what is probably the he correct amount of movement they should have on the mounting bolts .
With the 1150 front wheel the discs had zero movement on the bobbins at their mounts
With the 1150 front wheel the discs had zero movement on the bobbins at their mounts
That r1150gs looks great with those wheels. My bike has the later 4 piston BMW calipers and no ABS (like yours) and the brakes on it are more powerful than my 2020 Africa Twin.
Another busy day , the original pannier lids were badly scuffed and one had a welded repair and to be honest they looked very tatty , cue the orbital sander starting with 120 then 240 grit and then finished off with a scotchbrite pad on the sander, nice smooth finish and a quick blast over with black bumper paint . Not perfect but much better than what they were 
Noticed after the bike was washed that there was rust starting on the spacer I made up for the front axle so decided to make a replacement in stainless steel which I just need to turn down to the correct length and polish it
properly
properly
That's better nice shiny stainless steel spacer 
Compared with my last 1150 this one has always had a quiet motor and a good even tickover (once warmed up ).
As it needed a plug change I stuck in a set of NGK Iridium ones, what a change. Starting is the same but it settles into an even tickover almost immediately and the enrichment can be backed off within seconds unlike previously .
Will need a new ignition switch over the winter after the other day ( when it stopped on me ) but other than that it is pretty well sorted, although I will probably fit a braided clutch hose over the winter and bleed the system through
As it needed a plug change I stuck in a set of NGK Iridium ones, what a change. Starting is the same but it settles into an even tickover almost immediately and the enrichment can be backed off within seconds unlike previously .
Will need a new ignition switch over the winter after the other day ( when it stopped on me ) but other than that it is pretty well sorted, although I will probably fit a braided clutch hose over the winter and bleed the system through
Checked on the availability of the ignition switch (electrical part that plugs into the switch) part nos 61322306103 and it's three superseded replacement parts have been discontinued ,however, on checking up it turns out the part for the k1200 series (part nos 31322305742) is a direct fit with the exception of the cable being 80cms rather than the originals 40cms long.
Got the part from my local BMW dealer and it was cheaper by £5 than two large well known BMW parts specialists and it took all of 15 minutes to fit , hopefully no more embarrassing incidents and full service will be resumed . I had stripped the old switch down and the springs were definitely weak so I put in a set out of a similar switch I had spare in the garage (VW Golf Mk2 ) and the switch was working but why take the risk (it will be kept as a spare)
Got the part from my local BMW dealer and it was cheaper by £5 than two large well known BMW parts specialists and it took all of 15 minutes to fit , hopefully no more embarrassing incidents and full service will be resumed . I had stripped the old switch down and the springs were definitely weak so I put in a set out of a similar switch I had spare in the garage (VW Golf Mk2 ) and the switch was working but why take the risk (it will be kept as a spare)
Front timing cover case on the bike has been a bit of a let down , it is not badly corroded but the paint coating is very pockmarked and discoloured , I intended removing it over the winter and getting it refinished until this turned up on E Bay for £35 , off a slightly later R1150RT and finished in black but very good condition and included a full set of stainless fasteners .
I will refinish this one instead and get it fitted over the winter , quicker and easier in the long run
I will refinish this one instead and get it fitted over the winter , quicker and easier in the long run
Keyed the original finish and three coats of silver smoothrite paint which is a lot cheaper than powder coating so this is ready to fit when it gets a bit warmer in the garage
First run of the year and after the issues with the less than 2 year old Exide battery I stuck the old Odyssey battery that I have been using as a jumper battery on the bike and it was fine in the 150 miles I did today.
Thing is I went back through some records and it is the battery I bought for my first R1150GS after it's original battery failed , it was bought from Motorworks in 2004 !!!!!
I only took it off the first 1150 in 2010 when I was given a brand new Odyssey that had been bought in error by a mate of mine for his R850R.
Wonder if new Odyssey batteries are the same quality and how long the old one will last in regular use.
Thing is I went back through some records and it is the battery I bought for my first R1150GS after it's original battery failed , it was bought from Motorworks in 2004 !!!!!
I only took it off the first 1150 in 2010 when I was given a brand new Odyssey that had been bought in error by a mate of mine for his R850R.
Wonder if new Odyssey batteries are the same quality and how long the old one will last in regular use.
Even though the old PC 680 has been fine it is niggling that it is a bloody old battery so after weighing up the options available I got a new PC680 from Tayna , it was delivered in less than 24 hours and it definitely spins the bike up much faster and the tickover is better.
Last one cost less than a three quid a year so lets see how long this one lasts
Last one cost less than a three quid a year so lets see how long this one lasts
The locking sat nav mount on the bike was a Touratech one , quite heavy and vibrates a lot and I only have one key for it .
Recently managed to get the lock barrel out of a used standard BMW locking mount (same as the R1200GSA lc), replaced the barrel so now have two keys and I have swapped it over onto the 1150 . Smaller , more compact and less vibration
Recently managed to get the lock barrel out of a used standard BMW locking mount (same as the R1200GSA lc), replaced the barrel so now have two keys and I have swapped it over onto the 1150 . Smaller , more compact and less vibration
Well eventually got round to that little job I have been needing (sorry wanting) to do ie changing the slightly cosmetically challenged front engine casing .
First job to take off the front plastic cover , needed the engine bars off as well as the tank.
Thought the timing cover might come off with the front telelever arm in place , nope so had to disconnect the front ball joint and of course the pivot arm will not come out as there is a fitting on the left inlet stub preventing it coming out , so the stub had to be undone and moved out of the way .
Would the arm then come out , nah not a chance so out comes the front wheel , removed the calipers and then dropped out the front end out of the way (at least the forks will get an oil change and the front telelever bridge will get painted .
Then once the Hall sender was off and the oil cooler line disconnected from the engine the cover old cover could be removed , two of the 6mm screws behind the oil cooler pipe were a bit of a worry so took it easy with a bit of heat and prayer.
It is all in bits now but I need a rest
First job to take off the front plastic cover , needed the engine bars off as well as the tank.
Thought the timing cover might come off with the front telelever arm in place , nope so had to disconnect the front ball joint and of course the pivot arm will not come out as there is a fitting on the left inlet stub preventing it coming out , so the stub had to be undone and moved out of the way .
Would the arm then come out , nah not a chance so out comes the front wheel , removed the calipers and then dropped out the front end out of the way (at least the forks will get an oil change and the front telelever bridge will get painted .
Then once the Hall sender was off and the oil cooler line disconnected from the engine the cover old cover could be removed , two of the 6mm screws behind the oil cooler pipe were a bit of a worry so took it easy with a bit of heat and prayer.
It is all in bits now but I need a rest
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