To self service or not to self service, that is the question

[(RIP) maverick]

My HP2 clocked 18500 miles this morning. Now got two choices as my HP2 is running out of its two year warranty period end February.

1. Keep spending between £200 and £300 per service and renew the extended warranty every year
2. Do the services myself and save up for a decent work around with proper front suspension which is the only reason I would renew the extended warranty. I average about 280 miles a week at least so minimum will be doing two services per annum.

What is your view on this and take into account that as long as I don’t wreck the bike will be keeping it indefinitely. I priced up a general service looking at my last 12k service which was basically oil + oil filter from what I could gather - £240. Suppose they looked at the valves and did a throttle body sync although the fact that I had to point out the front forks that was buggered and a problem with the indicator switch makes me wonder if they actually touched it.

I am not sure how different the valve setup and throttle body sync is between say the 1100GS, 1150GS and the 1200 so would be browsing the internet for information on this now. I am very familiar doing it on the older airheads so unless something drastically changed can’t see it to be a problem.

Rear Bevel drive – I read on the forum that some guys do actually drain the oil and replace even though it is a “sealed unit” Anybody experienced problems with rear bevel drive failure on the HP2 yet? Again looks fairly easy to drain and replace the oil so probably something I would rather do every 6k miles.

I have ordered the following stuff for my 18k service

Set of brake pads - £30 (mine is believe it or not actually still ok and on the original pads after 18k miles!!)
Washable Unifilter - £60
Oil filter - £12
Engine Oil - £25
Gearbox Oil 80W90 GL5 4 Litres - £20 (Might as well buy bulk for next time)

I would need to either make or invest in a carb balancer. Twinmax is selling for around £56 and a pretty good investment for the future http://www.twinmax.co.uk/acatalog/twinmax.html#atwinmax

I already have a oil filter socket even though from memory they only cost about £10 or something.

Obviously there is a host of things to check i.e. play on the wheel bearings, head stock and the general stuff we should be checking anyway but still looking at a total of £213 including the oil filter tool and some of my time doing the actual work. Am I missing something or what except the spark plugs that is still running perfectly fine? This cost will be down to around £40 next time as all I need to do is buy another oil filter and oil.

Looking at what Wings done with his HP2 makes me realise the only bad thing currently is the front forks but again pretty sure there is a good solid solution for this going forward. I don’t expect it to be cheap but will transform the HP2 in the best bike I have ever owned and ridden. I feel the same about my R80GS which is 20 years old this year and don’t regret for a second hanging on to it for so long. Sure it is not perfect but it certainly is much better than anything else that floats my boat.

Any comments, suggestions, piss taking etc welcome as always!

 

[Spout]

I've done all my own servicing from new (with the agreement of my dealer) and hasn't affected the warranty.

Most of the servicing is straight forward stuff.

If you feel capable then do it yourself.

You can always use someome else/dealer for work you're not happy doing (eg reading/resetting the fault codes).

Keep all your receipts and keep a record of dates/mileage of all work you do on the bike. So you've still got a FSH if you later sell.

Good luck..........

PS Oil filter tool is different size from 1100/1150

 

[(RIP) maverick]

I've done all my own servicing from new (with the agreement of my dealer) and hasn't affected the warranty.

Most of the servicing is straight forward stuff.

If you feel capable then do it yourself.

You can always use someome else/dealer for work you're not happy doing (eg reading/resetting the fault codes).

Keep all your receipts and keep a record of dates/mileage of all work you do on the bike. So you've still got a FSH if you later sell.

Good luck..........

PS Oil filter tool is different size from 1100/1150

Thanks just saw that after trawling through lots of threads over lunchtime, does BMW or Motorworks sell these? I am happy to do most of the mechanical stuff myself without hesitation. The lectricity bits will have to be done by the dealer though, hopefully there won't be to many of those

 

[Spout]

There you go:

http://www.nippynormans.com/prodinfo.asp?number=OIL-1200&variation=&aitem=13&mitem=41

 

[majorbumsore]

Keeping mine

Well after owning 6 GS's over the last 15 years and doing on average 20,000 a year on them. I have got well used to doing my own servicing, oil, filters, brakes etc and never run into any problems.
I keep all my bills and recipts and record the service dates and millage in the service book. backed up with the bills this has always been accepted by buyers including dealers.

Anyway i am now the proud owner of an 07 HP2e which i will never sell unless i need a kidney or something.
It is quite simply the best BM ever made in my oppinion. I love the ugly bugger so much I still find myself riding straight past home and going for another hour with no real intension apart from not wanting to get off.

The warranty runs out in may and i will do my own servicing from then on.
let me know if you run into any problems but i cant imagine you will.

Mine will be used for enduro, touring and supermoto. I'm fortunate enough to have 3 sets of wheels, 1 supermoto and 2 enduro, one set with noblies for green lanes. one with metzlers for touring zega panniers and a screen and its a tourer, what more do ya need. well apart from a HPN tank that I aint got yet.

 

[Farmer Palmer]

HP2 Enduro!

I've been looking at the same thing with my 07 HP2E. It's warranty runs out mid March and the BMW extended warranty is over £320 to £360 depending on which excess you accept.

My bike is booked in for it's annual service and warranty inspection in the next week and before the warranty runs out........!

Mine is just used for 'gentle' Arctic touring but after a trip around Scandanavia the forks were knocking a wee bit and I suppose they're going to be an ongoing problem in the future untill its properly sorted!

Do I 'fork out' £360 on a warranty each year or spend the money 'upgrading' the forks when they start knocking or leaking again? I do have a specialist independent BMW dealer on my doorstep aswell who supplied my HP2 from Germany second hand with 212km on the clock........!

My bikes only done 5500km.........!

FP.

 

[forry]

I've been looking at the same thing with my 07 HP2E. It's warranty runs out mid March and the BMW extended warranty is over £320 to £360 depending on which excess you accept.

My bike is booked in for it's annual service and warranty inspection in the next week and before the warranty runs out........!

Mine is just used for 'gentle' Arctic touring but after a trip around Scandanavia the forks were knocking a wee bit and I suppose they're going to be an ongoing problem in the future untill its properly sorted!

Do I 'fork out' £360 on a warranty each year or spend the money 'upgrading' the forks when they start knocking or leaking again? I do have a specialist independent BMW dealer on my doorstep aswell who supplied my HP2 from Germany second hand with 212km on the clock........!

My bikes only done 5500km.........!

FP.

Your bikes a credit to you

 

[(RIP) maverick]

Well I pretty much made my mind up and going down the route of self servicing (why does that sound so dodgy )

Popped into SLM on Friday and oil filter was just under £10, cheaper than the internet Awaiting the filter tool from Nippy now and then the fun commence in the dark world of "self servicing"

As for the farking forks will see how I get on in the future swapping them for some decent upgrades

 

[(RIP) maverick]

Wohooooo some parts arrived and thus far cost me....

Oil Filter + oil plug washer - £9.70
Oil Filter Tool - £9.95
Uni airfilter - £68
Twinmax Electronic Carburettor Balancer - £65

Must say I am sitting here at my desk in the office with a real urge to go outside and stick the Twinmax on my bike in the parking lot just to see what it does

Nice bit of kit indeed!

This weekend some servicing is going to be done whether the HP2 likes it or not

 

[(RIP) maverick]

Top tip for today fellas

If you replace the oil filter make sure....double sure the old oil filter rubber seal came off. Else you will have oil all over your garage floor when you fire the baby up

Luckilly spotted the problem very quickly and only managed to loose 3/4 of a liter all over the floor

Oil and airfilter service done....

Airfilter clips 1 - Maverick's Knuckles 0

Next weekend the valves and throttle bodies.....

I found a place that sells 25 liters of 4 stroke-Synthetic enhanced (mineral based)
for £95 delivered if anybody wishes to stock up..

Rock Oil Motorcycle 25 Litre

 

[(RIP) maverick]

I have a question

Does anybody know how fast you would be going in each gear around 4000rpm on the HP2 since it does not come with a rev counter?

Is there a formula or something to work this out perhaps

Would need this information to balance the throttle bodies at speed or is it a case of "round about when it feels right" type of thing

 

[(RIP) maverick]

In answer to my above question have a look at the very helpfull chart on the link

Link to gear ratio's, speed and rpm

If you interested to know what the approximate speed vs RPM would be on your HP2 click on the 2.82 gear ration "B" block.

 

[(RIP) maverick]

Did the 24k service on the HP2 Saterday morning, prepped the bike on Friday evening i.e. took all the covers etc off and drained the oil on the motor and gearbox.

The valves was not that much out but did spend some time to get them all about the same. Setting the valves and getting the 1200 motor on TDC is a piece of piss since you don't have to try and look on the flywheel for the markings anymore - I had to double check to make sure it is not wrong that is how simple it was

Gearbox oil was a nice golden colour with no nasty bits in it, not bad for 24k miles

The sparkplugs still look fine and nice colour as well, decided to leave them in until the next service unless they start playing up.

I replaced the front and rear brake pads, will post a piccie later. They did 24k miles and still not completly knackered Could of possibly squeezed another 3000 miles out of them but rather not risk them breaking up and damaging the discs. Brembo's came out and fitted the EBC's - will see how long they last to compare.

Checked all the other fittings and odd things around the bike which seems fine. The only think I still need to do is the rear bevel drive oil. Hopefully this weekend as I need to get some oil for it.

The bike was so much more responsive this morning so the valve clearances did make a difference. Still need to check the throttle bodies the moment I help Chad with his valves and get my Twinmax to do the sync

Somehow I feel £200 richer in my pocket after this service so touchwood the good mileage continues from the beast

 

[Spout]

The only think I still need to do is the rear bevel drive oil. Hopefully this weekend as I need to get some oil for it.

Get youself a syringe for filling. Take it nice and easy - oil won't go in quickly.

Have a read on Adv site (or on here?), I think there's a new fill amount - 180ml down from 230ml ?? Please check this info. Overfilling can cause the seal to leak.

Oh, yeah, allow yourself an hour for realigning the shaft splines

Good luck..................

 

[cookie]

Get youself a syringe for filling. Take it nice and easy - oil won't go in quickly.

Have a read on Adv site (or on here?), I think there's a new fill amount - 180ml down from 230ml ?? Please check this info. Overfilling can cause the seal to leak.

Oh, yeah, allow yourself an hour for realigning the shaft splines

Good luck..................

new fill amount for the 1200GS is definitely 180ml. dunno if the HP2 unit is the same

i used a wide scissor jack to raise the FD towards the swing arm, after first roughly angling the UJ at the FD splines. a quick waggle of the disc it went straight on.

done it like that twice now. piece of piss

 

[BiG DoM]

The way to go Mav - I have done my own on my 650, 1150, 1200 ADV and now HP2. easy peesy. Also use the Twinmax. The rear diff oil must get changed - BMW reneged on that crap (kak of 'oil for life'. I would suggest regular changes for peace of mind as with previous shafts. Only thing you may need dealer for is to set the stepper motors for idle occasionally and to read fault codes (and to NOT update the software) ... oh and hopefully stamp your log book.