Newbie Questions...

[Geordie Steve]

Hi all. Had the 1200GS for a week and a bit now, and well on the way to the magic 600 miles (can't wait!!) The bike is brilliant - it's my first beemer and I'm amazed at how comfy & easy to ride it is. Thumbs up to the guys at Allan Jeffries too - top service!

BUT... in traditional newbie fashion there's a couple of things I'm not sure about...

1. What's with the oil level check procedure?! I'm never too confident that I'm doing it right. The dealer said get it up to full operating temp, let it stand for ten minutes then check it. Seems OK, but next day when the oil's had time to settle, it's only gone up by maybe 2mm at the most. So why can't I just check it when it's cold, like on every other car/bike/lawnmower I ever owned?

2. The engine feels like a sack of hammers just around the 2500 rpm mark. Nice and smooth between 3000 to 4500 though... will this rough spot ease off as the engine beds in, or do they all do that sir?

3. Stinky clutch... really honks... smells like the smell of fear... is that normal or has something crawled in there and died? (I was worried it was coming from me and not the bike)

4. Will I ever be clear of debt again..... it's OK, I know the answer to that one. (no)

 

[Greg Masters]

1. What's with the oil level check procedure?

I don't have a 1200 but what does the manual say?



Greg

 

[earthmover]

As a relative newbie myself, probably not qualified to answer with any authority, but will give my version.
1) that's the way I check mine, but I agree, it is weird. Summat to do with the engine configuration?
2) Mine has a rough spot at 3500 to 4000 revs, doesn't sound like a bag of spanners though, just "rough"
3) I'm sure that isn't normal! A check with the dealer may be in order.
4) Ditto.
Mark
05 GS1200, 1200 miles, blue/grey/black. Blue to match my eyes, grey to match my hair!

 

[Wanderer]

Southport Superbikes advised me to check when cold (first thing in the morning). To my non mechanical mind this makes sense. If the engine's warm/in use then some of the oil will still be in the engine rather than available for inspection through the sight glass.

 

[Wanderer]

Also ... if you're checking when warm, based upon the advice given to me and my questionable logic, when you check the oil through the sight glass you'll be given a misleading (understated) reading. If you top the oil up according to that, it seems to me that you'd be putting too much oil in. Could that be a cause of the smell you're experiencing (oil being burnt somewhere)?

 

[Engineer]

Southport Superbikes advised me to check when cold (first thing in the morning). To my non mechanical mind this makes sense. If the engine's warm/in use then some of the oil will still be in the engine rather than available for inspection through the sight glass.

The most accurate way of checking the oil is to run the bike up to normal operating temperature (take it for say a 10 mile ride) then, making sure that the ground is ABSOLUTELY level, put in on the centre stand. Wait for at least 10 minutes and then check that the oil level in the site glass is between the upper and lower limits.


If the oil is not hot, or the ground not level, or you haven't waited 10 mins for it to settle you WILL get a very misleading reading.

By the way, this is essentially the same procedure as in the Owners Manual.

 

[Pukmeister]

Put it on the centrestand and wait 20 mins before checking your oil level, or preferably overnight. Oil will collect in the LH cylinder when put on the sidestand and take ages to come back to the sump when upright. If running it in it will burn a little oil for the first 10k or so. Never let the level drop below half a glass.

Only add a small amount of oil at a time, it is very easy to overfill the engine as the level takes ages to rise when topping up.

Mine was like a sack of hammers until I had a fuel map update, something your dealer can check for you. Also, your throttle bodies may need balancing or the valve clearances could need adjusting, both of these cause rough running.

Don't slip the clutch too much as it is a dry clutch and will smell of burning. Being low geared, you don't need to slip it much as it will ride fine in first at near tickover.

Enjoy the bike, the more you ride it, the better it becomes.

 

[Wanderer]

Then that leaves me totally confused

 

[Geordie Steve]

Thanks for all the replies... all advice gratefully received!

Greg - the manual says run it til hot then leave for at least five minutes. The dealer reckons at least ten minutes. A mate of mine just bought a 2002 1150GS and his manual says he can either leave it for ten minutes OR check it when cold (!?) Hence the confusion...

Pukmeister - to be fair, I don't normally slip the clutch much at all, and you're right - it's not normally necessary. But I've got a very steep drive leading up to the garage, and I have to squeeze the bike between the car and a hedge, so a bit of clutch slip is required. Of course then I'm straight into the garage and any smell from the clutch is really noticeable.

Next time I'll try to buy a smaller car.

 

[stephenm]

Greg - the manual says run it til hot then leave for at least five minutes. The dealer reckons at least ten minutes. A mate of mine just bought a 2002 1150GS and his manual says he can either leave it for ten minutes OR check it when cold (!?) Hence the confusion...

Reply:
Oil flow through the oil cooler is thermostatically controlled. If you run the bike until the oil is hot, when you stop, the oil will drain back to the sump. If you start a cold bike and take it for only a short run, the oil will not be free to drain from the oil cooler and you will get a low reading.

So, providing the bike is at operating temperature when you put it on the centre stand, you can check it in 5 minutes or 10 or 20 or a week later. If it isn't hot when you park, you can't take an accurate oil level reading, no matter how long you wait.

Stephen

 

[Greg Masters]

Oil flow through the oil cooler is thermostatically controlled.

Dunno about the 1200GS, but the 1150GS does not have an oil thermostat in the UK market.

You tossers down-under may get a different spec.

Greg

 

[Fanum]

Pick a method of checking the oil that suits you (but 5-10 mins after a warm up on flat ground on centre stand seems the common way) and most importantly, ALWAYS USE THS SEAME METHOD to set your level, or obviously you'll be up and down depending on the method.

wait until after the 600 to worry about the noise, but point it out to them at the service.

And ring the nuts off it to run it in..it'll pay you back later.

The boxer won't be run in until 15k or so miles so it'll get better the more you ride it

Enjoy

 

[Geordie Steve]

Thanks again guys

Ta for all the replies. I've been away for the weekend and stuck another 400 miles on it, and I can feel it getting smoother already! Fantastic, and funny how it seems to go that bit faster with Reyno's grille fitted...

I've been keeping an eye on the oil, and I find that if I check it after a run, then check it again the next morning before I start it up, the oil level has risen by about 2mm every time.

So I reckon that as long as the engine's hot when you park up, you can leave it for as long as you like and you'll get a fairly accurate measurement.

That'll do for me!