54k, what to expect?

raginmund · Oct 25, 2009

I've put about 800 miles on the bike since I bought it, and I'm very happy.

The mileage is now 54k(ish); it was fully home-serviced by the previous owner (Rawly) including all fluids. The owner before Rawly changed the alternator belt too.

Tbh, it feels nicely run-in, but I'm wondering what kind of preventative maintenance I should be doing, and what I should be looking out for?

sockpuppet · Oct 25, 2009

Nothing. Nicely run in at that mileage.

Just ride and service it. If it breaks fix it. You could cause more problems fitting preventative measures wrongly rather than fixing stuff that has broke.

MMC · Oct 25, 2009

raginmund said:
Tbh, it feels nicely run-in, but I'm wondering what kind of preventative maintenance I should be doing, and what I should be looking out for?

Fill it with petrol. Spray it with ACF50. Ride it, and make sure you're looking out for the idiots in cars. :thumb2

raginmund · Oct 25, 2009

That's good to hear, thanks guys :beerjug:

.

I'm really enjoying the torquey bugger; all feels as it should, I think. Maybe some damping has gone from the rear shock (to be expected) but the engine/shaft/gearbox seem sweet as a nut.

Very impressed by the chassis stability too

.

KMD · Oct 25, 2009

54K and what to expect?............................Another 54 K I reckon. If an owner is going to do the more 'difficult' things like the belt, you can bet the oils have been done as a matter of routine. And oils are the best preventive measure in terms of servicing you can do.

Don't let miles bother you, Beemers aren't like Jap pocket rockets, they can, and do, many many miles :thumb2

(A well serviced Jap will still rack the miles up too mind)

raginmund · Oct 25, 2009

The owner before Rawly even wrote the date on the air filter(s). That's the kind of guy you want to buy a bike from

Steptoe · Oct 25, 2009

All preventive -

Check for any play in the paralever bearings.

Check the clutch slave cylinder bleed screw doesn't seize ( through not being bled frequently).

Check the gearlever isn't about to seize up.

Check for any oil in the rear gaiter.

Check for any play in the front ball joint.

Check the alternator belt ( if it was done at the last specified change of 36K i'd now want to look at it).

Was the fuel filter changed at 48k miles ?

Lots of small things to check rather than wait for them to fail. If it's doing the miles things will still be wearing no matter how often it's serviced.

I've nothing against home servicing ( usually just oil and filter changes) but the home owner doesn't get to see the common points of failure that someone working on them full time will see, and the simple preventive things that can be done until it's too late and needs replacing/repairing. :hide

ELIMINATOR · Oct 25, 2009

and the simple preventive things that can be done until it's too late and needs replacing/repairing.

Such as the one you posted about cutting the ty wraps on the loom around the headstock, to stop the cables fracturing.

Any other gems for us mere mortals? :bow

waterloo700 · Oct 25, 2009

Now at 52K, mine needs new front disks and a new rear caliper (slider pins badly corroded). Fitted Goodrich braided brake lines front and rear (top line had already been replaced). Engine and gearbox run fine - look terrible. Ignition barrel is sticking but is better after a good clean (see helpful site threads).

Steptoe · Oct 26, 2009

ELIMINATOR said:
Such as the one you posted about cutting the ty wraps on the loom around the headstock, to stop the cables fracturing.

Any other gems for us mere mortals?

Things you need to check - i can post one a week

......

Clutch hose rubber covering - Previously posted [URL="http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59976&highlight=clutch+hose"]HERE[/URL], but for the newbies that may have missed it.

Funnily enough after seeing about one a month over a long period of time haven't had one in for a while with a corroded pipe.. :confused:

raginmund · Nov 9, 2009

Steptoe said:
All preventive -

Check for any play in the paralever bearings.

Check the clutch slave cylinder bleed screw doesn't seize ( through not being bled frequently).

Check the gearlever isn't about to seize up.

Check for any oil in the rear gaiter.

Check for any play in the front ball joint.

Check the alternator belt ( if it was done at the last specified change of 36K i'd now want to look at it).

Was the fuel filter changed at 48k miles ?

Lots of small things to check rather than wait for them to fail. If it's doing the miles things will still be wearing no matter how often it's serviced.

I've nothing against home servicing ( usually just oil and filter changes) but the home owner doesn't get to see the common points of failure that someone working on them full time will see, and the simple preventive things that can be done until it's too late and needs replacing/repairing.

Just realised that the GS has also been owned by johnyboy on here. But it doesn't look like I can search members and send him a PM. Is this a subs issue?

Aidan1150 · Nov 9, 2009

raginmund said:
Just realised that the GS has also been owned by johnyboy on here. But it doesn't look like I can search members and send him a PM. Is this a subs issue?

Yes it is Raginmund.

But it's only £12 per year and Steptoe has already saved you several times that with his advice.

raginmund · Nov 9, 2009

Aidan1150 said:
Yes it is Raginmund.

But it's only £12 per year and Steptoe has already saved you several times that with his advice.

Yes, it's looking unavoidable :augie

I did manage to find a post from johny, who said he used RGM for servicing. Which is good, as I plan to as well.

Also noted that Rawly syched the TB in July, and checked the valves. As well as all the fluid changes. Which is nice.

raginmund · Nov 20, 2009

I managed to wangle the service history from the local dealer.

The bike had new discs fitted in June 2007, a new front wheel in August 2008, and in May 2009 had:

Annual Inspection
Gearbox oil change
Engine oil change
Replaced Clutch fluid
Final Drive oil change
Brake Calipers stripped and cleaned

So I'm happy that in May of this year the bike had what amounts to a Full Service and an Inspection.

BUT, the BMW invoice states the mileage in May as 30,782. I bought the bike in September with 52,300 showing.

Surely it's not done 20,000 miles in 4 months? That would be going some..

Any explanation??

(at some point this bike has been seen by RGM, and Rawly did full fluid changes in July - apparently 3 months after BMW did the same thing).

raginmund · Nov 20, 2009

Steptoe said:
Check the clutch slave cylinder bleed screw doesn't seize ( through not being bled frequently).

Check the gearlever isn't about to seize up.

Both of these things happened, and were fixed by BMW, according to the service history. A later owner also fitted a bigger gear-lever.

ianran · Nov 20, 2009

raginmund said:
I've put about 800 miles on the bike since I bought it, and I'm very happy.

The mileage is now 54k(ish); it was fully home-serviced by the previous owner (Rawly) including all fluids. The owner before Rawly changed the alternator belt too.

Tbh, it feels nicely run-in, but I'm wondering what kind of preventative maintenance I should be doing, and what I should be looking out for?

Telegram from the Queen :hide

raginmund · Nov 20, 2009

I need to find the service book, stamped up to 37k. So the 30k in May just can't be right (50k would be more like it).

I'm such a squirrel, I must have stashed it somewhere 'safe' before forgetting about it entirely..

raginmund · Feb 26, 2010

Found the service book, which states the last full BMW service was in March 2004 at 37,571 miles (the 60,000km service in the handbook).

This would tally with the first MOT in 2005 giving a mileage of 39,827.

So I'm guessing the May 2009 work at Williams was not done at 30,000(ish) but 50,000(ish) as the July 2009 MOT mileage is 53,177.

So it does look as though the bike had two full services in 2009. Now I just have to see if RGM has any records or memory of extra work undertaken.

ELIMINATOR · Feb 26, 2010

Oi! Steppers, you've missed out on a few months of your "one tip a month promise"

raginmund · Feb 26, 2010

Took the battery out to Optimate the hell out of it; connectors were very mucky, and the battery breather (?) wasn't in its slot/hole. Left side of battery was held on by nut & washer, right side by screw.

Foxed me for a minute, until I realised I needed a spanner for one side and a screwdriver for the other :blast

.

The handbook said to unclip the air filter thingies, but there wasn't anything to unclip. I think I indentified the air box and the alternator, but this could have just as well been the profiterole and the pastie, for all I really know..

Some evidence of paint/hammerite where the seat has rubbed the frame - to be expected.

Oh, and no apparent brake fluid in the front reservoir. Found some low-level brown goo in the rear (as you do).

54k, what to expect?

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What a waste.

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What a waste.

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Nice but unfortunate husband.

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