Fran Kelleher
Guest
Can someone tell me how to remove the petrol tank on my 1200GS.Also, info on removing corroded front engine cover for repainting. Are there any special tools needed and any idea what the paint code is?
I'm sure some helpful soul will come up with a specific answer to your question, but if you're planning to do much on your bike I'd suggest investing in a Haynes manual and also Jim Von Baden's DIY maintenance dvd. 
Not Normal
Guest
Tank Removal and Front Cover Removal
I find the Haynes manual in conjunction with the BMW service/maintenance CD is a good way of getting things done. The Haynes manual will show things that are not shown on the CD, and vice versa, but I have found that together they work very well.
Removing the tank is fairly straight forward, although I always live in fear of stripping the threads in the captive nuts holding the filler/top panel to the tank. I usually chicken out when tightening these and do them finger tight and have my nearest dealer check them (they're something like 2Nm). I now leave the top panel attached to the tank when I take the tank off, and avoid touching the screws. And be careful not to drop the aluminium side/knee panels, keep a tight hold of them when you pop them off. They're anodised and damage easily.
The timing cover on the front of the engine is a bit more involved, but I did change it over myself using the Haynes manual and BMW CD. This definately was a case that each showed information that the other didn't. I didn't bother trying to match the colour with the engine because I assumed I would never get it quite right, so I had the new one blasted, alocromed, and then powder coated matt black to create a contrast. I'm happy with it, but as with all these things, it may not suit everyone. I did need to gather up quite a few tools for this job, some I had made (diagrams in the Haynes manual) and some I bought from BMW. It took the best part of a day to do this, but there was a bit of a learning curve, and it would be a lot quicker if I were to do the job again.
Good luck, and hope this helps.
I find the Haynes manual in conjunction with the BMW service/maintenance CD is a good way of getting things done. The Haynes manual will show things that are not shown on the CD, and vice versa, but I have found that together they work very well.
Removing the tank is fairly straight forward, although I always live in fear of stripping the threads in the captive nuts holding the filler/top panel to the tank. I usually chicken out when tightening these and do them finger tight and have my nearest dealer check them (they're something like 2Nm). I now leave the top panel attached to the tank when I take the tank off, and avoid touching the screws. And be careful not to drop the aluminium side/knee panels, keep a tight hold of them when you pop them off. They're anodised and damage easily.
The timing cover on the front of the engine is a bit more involved, but I did change it over myself using the Haynes manual and BMW CD. This definately was a case that each showed information that the other didn't. I didn't bother trying to match the colour with the engine because I assumed I would never get it quite right, so I had the new one blasted, alocromed, and then powder coated matt black to create a contrast. I'm happy with it, but as with all these things, it may not suit everyone. I did need to gather up quite a few tools for this job, some I had made (diagrams in the Haynes manual) and some I bought from BMW. It took the best part of a day to do this, but there was a bit of a learning curve, and it would be a lot quicker if I were to do the job again.
Good luck, and hope this helps.
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