What I did to someone else's bike today

[(RIP) Johno23]

Hi Mike,
Nice bike, but Not really interested in the bike........sorry but what ramp do you have there,
Looks really good and am looking to get one very soon

 

[luke scott]

Mike, I've been told that BMW used recycled plastic in the panels and this is why they are so bloody brittle. Thanks for posting the pics as now I understand whats under the skin on mine.

 

[MikeP]

Hi Mike,
what ramp do you have there,
Looks really good and am looking to get one very soon

Johno, K1's are not to everyone's taste, just those with impeccable taste (that's why I don't own one any more ).

The lift is excellent, the price is a stumbling block for most. It's a ProBike from here:

http://www.probike.co.uk/cg030001.htm

Mike, I've been told that BMW used recycled plastic in the panels and this is why they are so bloody brittle. Thanks for posting the pics as now I understand whats under the skin on mine.

I guess it depends on the source Luke. BMW say that it was to keep the weight down in light of their sticking to the (then) voluntary 100 bhp limit.

To be fair, the main upper section is as solid as any K-RT fairing I've taken off, the two main side panels are pretty strong too as are the two rear sections except at their lower extremity where they join the foot-peg plates. The two inner sections that carry the fuel and temp gauges are the really weak parts. When it's all assembled it's a case of mutual support but none of the fixing screws should be tightened too much and certainly not in isolation or this happens:

 

[andysdad]

A credit to you, sir

Mike, always a treat to see your projects as they progess, and a reminder of how BM made their name for quality (before the 1200GS )

Sorry to hijack (as Johno23 did) but what is the flooring you have? I'm planning to do my garage - did you have to screed first or is it OK on concrete with the odd scar?

Keep up the good work!

A

 

[MikeP]

Andy,

I got the tiles from here:

http://www.evertile.co.uk

All I did to the concrete floor is sweep it and scrape off any old spillages that would have left a peak under the tiles. It took me a day to lay including cutting the tiles to go around things.

No adhesive needed, they will lift as easily if I wanted to take them with me when I go. They seem impervious to anything I manage to spill, wipe clean with brake cleaner and I don't think I've lost as much as a washer in the years since it's been laid.

 

[Davy F]

I got the tiles from here:

http://www.evertile.co.uk

I'd love to have that flooring in my garage (in yellow ), but I've worked out it would cost £1300 to buy and have delivered. Bugger.

 

[MikeP]

Set about this a little earlier today:

Quality will always out

 

[(RIP) Johno23]

Thanks Mike, good luck with the project

 

[Rob Farmer]

I wonder how much money BMW saved by swapping the pivot pins around and not putting a plastic cap on the adjuster?

Mike,

Nice job you're doing again.

You can fit the same rubber cover as the Paralever GS has.

I'm sure mine had a plastic bung in it but I suppose a PO could have just poked it in.

Cant make out in the picture

 

[ecnirpr]

This was off-loaded this morning:

Don't you go getting too attached! ............ TOO LATE

 

[MikeP]

Mike,

Nice job you're doing again.

You can fit the same rubber cover as the Paralever GS has.

I'm sure mine had a plastic bung in it but I suppose a PO could have just poked it in.

Cheers Rob. I think that maybe I was mixing-up my old R100GS' with my K1. Looking at the photos of the latter, it didn't have the plastic cover either. Nor is one listed on the parts fiche.

Early indication of Alzheimer's I suppose.

Don't you go getting too attached! ............ TOO LATE

Your brother and his missus managed to drag me away from it for hours yesterday.

Anyway, shouldn't you be attending to your seven day old, long-term project? I hear that he's pissed all over you already.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

I think you should open a restoration shop, Mike

 

[MikeP]

Hmm. Don't think that would work JB. Someone might bring a 1200 and I'd upset him.

Ripped more off it today. Started with the getting the battery out. There's a lot more gubbins attached to the battery tray on the ABS models, even more on the 16-Valve ones but it's all still very simple;

Next it was out with the starter and alternator (surprised to see that such a late bike still has a 32 amp unit);

The alternator cush-drive rubbers are in good order. I didn't expect them to be chewed-up with such low mileage but I did wonder if they might have gone brittle with age. Nice and squidgy still;

More bits pile up;

There was a tiny drop of oil inside the Paralever gaiter but no sign of where it's from:

Swingarm and Paralever bar off for a scrub-up:

No sign of a leak from the gearbox output seal but the nasty gloop spayed over everything is visible.

Why? Why do people spray nasty sticky stuff over everything in an effort to stop it corroding when the gloop actually looks worse than what it's trying to prevent? You can't clean it when it's covered in gloop, you can't see what's going on under it either.

One of the nice things about the K-Series 'Bricks' is the unitary construction that makes them so easy to take apart.

The complete rear brake, master cylinder, ABS pump, mounting brackets and wiring just un-plugs or un-bolts without any need to bleed or empty the system.

Yes. That is a broken rider's footrest. Anyone got a spare 16-Valve right-side one kicking around?

Next, the stands come off and the gearbox (to check the shaft O-Ring and replace if required). Then it's on with the polishing and painting.

 

[MikeP]

Apart from some little fiddly jobs, I took these;

and gave them a scrub:

 

[MikeP]

Another before and after just to reassure the owner that things are still happening.

Buffed-up and fitted with new stainless filler cap etc. When I pulled the breather apart it was bunged-up with the gloop that's been used as a preservative.

 

[Coolcarbon]

Scrubbing up well...

 

[Taff]

I think you should open a restoration shop, Mike

I'm sure he'd get plenty of work if he did.

 

[MikeP]

Cheers Taff but I'm not certain that I'd like to be at the mercy of "customers".

I'm doing this for a number of reasons: The owner is a decent bloke and he asked me. I think that the bike is definitely worth the effort. I enjoy it and it keeps my mind off other things.

Today I have been running the damaged panels over to the body-shop for the quote to repair and repaint.

Then it was off with the stand:

Off with the gearbox:

Just as well too as the output shaft O-Ring seems to be past it. The oily deposit at the bottom of the bell-housing (I wiped away most of it before taking the picture) is either that or (unlikely) the output shaft seal;

suggests one or the other. When the clutch is off I'll know which it is.

 

[Big Lee]

Looking good Mike, I love your garage!

 

[MikeP]

Looking good Mike, I love your garage!

Cheers Lee, me too (you wouldn't want to see my kitchen and lounge though ).