Tartivating my 'new' 1150GS

[621Andy]

I've just acquired an early 2000 1150GS with 93k km on it. Swapped for a KTM 1190S Adventure and a large wedge of cash

The KTM had to go due to being self employed and not having any work at the moment It was a big chunk of toy to have sat around but I still wanted a bike...

I live in Germany and obviously this Covid thing has had a big effect on the bike market; basically nothing's moving and not helped by dealers selling bikes for less than private sales just to get some cash in Anyway, a few people came and looked at the KTM but all were waiting to sell their bike first, so I was flogging a dead horse...until a very nice chap called, came and looked at the bike in his huge logging truck and mentioned the usual 'I need to sell my bike first'. I had a look at his ad and it turned out to be this 1150, so I called him back and did a deal

Basically it's been garaged and only had summer use like most German bikes, but needed a few things tidying up. As I couldn't register it until Friday(Covid again) I decided to spend the week getting all the little jobs done, so sit back, grab a beer and follow the saga ...

 

[621Andy]

We swapped bikes last Saturday after a weeks delay due to it not starting when he arrived at my place to test ride mine!
We'd done a run around the local area to test each other's bikes and when I pulled into the driveway and tried to restart it...bugger all >So a phone call and a looong wait for the ADAC the German RAC equivalent and off it went to the local bike shop. Eventually, later in the week we discovered it was the starter relay so then planned the swap...

 

[ynotbiker]

Howay Andy more

 

[621Andy]

Saturday arrives so we duly fill in the paperwork and I count out my cash adjustment

As it was a holiday weekend I couldn't really get on with very much apart from making a list of jobs and stuff to order...

First on the list was a final drive bearing: Having been stuck in Calais for a 5 days when the bearing failed on my 1100RT (and having sworn never to touch a bloody BMW again) I couldn't stand the stress of wondering when it was going to eat itself...
The Hall sensor looked like another candidate for a roadside vigil so one of those went on the list too.

There were bits that were showing signs of rust- rear spokes at hub, front fork brace, handlebars etc., so they'd need tidying up.

Oh and that silver cover over the instrument binnacle would need to go...

On the plus side, a previous owner had fitted stainless bolts to the cover plate and the alternator belt cover, the clutch was good, as were the brake pads. All the oils had been changed recently and valves checked.

The tyres were Anakee Wilds which looked great but would be 'fun' on a long autobahn/autoroute trip in the rain(If the tourism situation improves in France I'll be heading south at short notice) so a set of something more suitable needed to be found...

Basically hours were spent scouring the internet and Youtube and this forum for 'How-to' vids and tyre recommendations...

 

[621Andy]

As I had a tube of ally polish I decided to start on the wheel rims.

The front one came up really well but the back one looks shite...I suspect the boxes were on the bike full time and hid the back wheel so only the front one got any attention. I'm guessing they'd been lacquered from new as the pitting on the back rim wouldn't budge but the front one responded well to a bit of elbow grease.

 

[richardbd]

I'm not surprised you had to give him a large wedge of cash if you got that lovely bike in return for some crappy old piece of orange junk.

Well done you...

 

[621Andy]

As I'd ordered a new final drive bearing I decided to strip down the back end.
The previous owner had said it had had a replacement drive from an 1100RT at some point which apparently improves acceleration
Anyway the bearing looked to be in good nick with only the tiniest amount of play so I suspect it had been replaced at the same time, which would be logical, however as I'd got this far I might as well replace it anyway.
The taper roller bearing was fine and was staying.

I tried getting the bearing off with brute force and ignorance but it wasn't going to shift even with copious heating

I'd ordered a bearing puller from Amazon for 8€ so was actually quite surprised that it wasn't a complete heap of shite, but I did need to take the angle grinder to it to get the legs to fit under the bearing. Heat was applied to the bearing and the fight to get the legs of the puller to sit square whilst at the same time balancing a spanner across the middle and with my fourth hand position the screw on top of it...bloody hell, what a game!

Eventually it came off and the pinion went straight into the freezer for some deep chilling until the replacement bearing arrived.

 

[621Andy]

More back end action

 

[621Andy]

The bashplate(s) were next on the list....What possessed BMW to put two on there???!!!

I tried just cleaning them up with ally polish but it didn't have much effect, so out with the leccy drill and a polishing wheel...First time I've done any of this since I was at the apprentice school at Westland Helicopters on a YTS scheme in 1982 Anyway it didn't look too bad so I followed up with Duraglit and ally polish...

 

[621Andy]

I'm not surprised you had to give him a large wedge of cash if you got that lovely bike in return for some crappy old piece of orange junk.

Well done you...

Haha, we both came away happy with the deal. I must admit to not really bonding with the orange monster. It's a great bike but all the real grunt only starts happening higher up the rev range.
I actually had my heart set on (another) RD07 Africa Twin (I have one at my winter residence and my first 'big' bike was a '93 AT) but as sod all is moving in the secondhand bike market, beggars can't be choosers

I test rode an '08 1200GS 2 years ago when I was contemplating selling my Varadero but I got off it distinctly underwhelmed and couldn't see what the fuss was about...However this one does seem to have a bit more 'go' and makes a nice noise too t´with the Remus can on it

 

[621Andy]

Right it's bedtime so the next thrilling instalment will have to wait until I can be arsed to continue

 

[tuftywhite]

Great thread. I'm enjoying this.

 

[alanbmwgs]

Right it's bedtime so the next thrilling instalment will have to wait until I can be arsed to continue

Interesting post Andy, and welcome, looking forward to seeing more.

 

[EdRaket]

Verry nice read, do continue!

 

[Ian J Hartley]

Polish away all the protective anodise coating and you may have a nice shiny bike, but you’ll have to keep polishing it to keep the corrosion away.

 

[621Andy]

OK, are we sitting comfortably? Then we'll begin

Thanks for all the encouragement BTW, at least I'm not just rambling to myself

@Ian- Yes, I'm aware of the problem, however someone had already polished the anodising off the front wheel and the corrosion has eaten its way through it on the back wheel!

Anyway, on with the saga...

There was no sign that the Hall Sensor had been changed; certainly the previous owner hadn't done it in the 6 years he'd owned it, so it was another candidate for a Youtube tutorial... It turns out my sensor plug isn't where they all are in the videos Thanks to Mikeyboy I found it buried down in front of the ECU rather than on the RH frame side under a nice plastic cover... Anyway, the company from whom I'd ordered the new sensor had mailed to say that according to my VIN I should have a square plug rather than the flat rectangular one that the vids all show(Mikeyboy also mentioned this!), and could I please confirm?

Spot the plug Hint; NOT the one arrowed in the second pic that I thought might be it

 

[621Andy]

Sooo, having confirmed that I've got the 'double-decker' plug, they got it in the post very efficiently, only to be let down by DHL

It arrived eventually and I'd already started the strip down so it wouldn't take quite so long. All very straightforward really following the Haynes and the vids.
I stopped at this point to await the timing jammer jobby to stick in the hole behind the starter motor cover once the engine had been set to TDC; Good tip- get a bloody torch and don't rely on 55 year old eyesight
Anyway all the bits arrived eventually, the bar was jammed in and dismantling could begin. I scratched the position of the sensor on the housing so I'd have a rough idea where to line it up, and unscrewed it and fiddled the wire back through under the alternator- Once again three hands are useful here
I fitted the new one in the approximate position then reconnected the battery, plugged in the tester thingy and set the timing up. Turns out the scratches I'd made lined up pretty much exactly with the new sensor. The destructions then said to plug everything in and turn the ignition on and fully open the throttle twice to set the system up; No idea why, but that's wot it sed

As the tank was still off(obviously-duh) I couldn't test it to see if I'd farked anything up or knocked a wire off somewhere and I really couldn't be arsed to plumb everything back in just yet, so it would have to wait...

 

[621Andy]

As I said previously, the sensor looked to be the original that had presumably lasted 20 years and 93K km so I can't complain really

 

[621Andy]

Just found the pics of the plug that I'd lost

 

[621Andy]

A trawl through the many threads on here told me that Silver Smoothrite was a reasonably colour match for the BMW silver used on the metal fittings such as the wheel studs etc., so a quick trip to the local hardware emporium saw me several €€€ lighter but richer to the tune of a spray can of the above and a small tin of the local painty on version.

As the the back wheel was off I decided whilst I was waiting for DHL, I'd do a test and see how good the colour match was on the surface rusted wheel studs; It does actually look pretty good, so I did the caliper bolts, ABS sensor bracket and the FD filler and drain plugs too
As an ex RN colleague of mine used to say 'It's good enough for Government work'