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2011 R1200RT First Wrenching

BMW Triumphant

Ed Kilner #176066
Rodney wanted to go riding.

So, I had to do a few things. First, put on the coffee and have a cup. I went downstairs and turned on the compressor, which is plumbed to the garage. I drove over to the Canadian Tire store, and purchased a liter of Castrol 10W40 conventional oil. Open the garage door, look for a funnel, two grungy for words, will have to take that inside and clean it. On the way, better look at where that oil filler cap is located. Not on the left side, I wonder where it is...

Using a little soap and water, I cleaned up the funnel. Next I found the iPad, and went to the BMW MOA forum for technical information. Ahah, it's on the clutch side. I wonder what side that is? Wel,l we know it can't be the left side After another coffee, back outside, now knowing which side is the clutch side.

Using the ignition key, I looked under the rear seat and extracted the toolkit. Gee, I wonder what's in the toolkit? So I opened it up, looked inside, and started laughing. Pretty cheap little tool kit, Mr BMW. Anyway, I found the special tool required to remove the oil filler cap.

When I removed the oil filter cap, the o-ring fell on the garage floor So I cleaned it, and reinstalled it.

The sight glass was about 1/3 full. And, when riding, there was a "check oil level" indicator showing in the display. So, just how much oil should I add in order to get the sight glass level to be 2/3 full? So I inserted the funnel, opened the oil bottle, and poured out three glugs of oil into the funnel, one glug at a time.

What is a glug you might ask? It's a very scientific measurement of course. It is the amount you can pour without any spilling out of the funnel, which is being held at an angle. Add "Funnel", "Oil", and "Rag" to the packing list for the Big Trip too.

Turns out, it wasn't quite enough. The warning indicator would reappear, disappear when we stopped, but would reappear after about ?¢ hour of riding. Clearly, I needed more glugs of oil. At the end of the ride, I put the bike on the centrestand and added three more glugs. As of this morning, sight glass level is at 2/3, which is where I wanted it to be. So, 6 glugs of oil is about ?? litre. Your funnel may vary... Should be fine now. I'll check it on the next ride.

Before the ride, I also had to add air to the tires, I found the tire valve on the rear wheel quite easily. It was sticking up vertically just as I expected it to be. Then I went to the front. I looked all around the rim for the valve, and didn't see it at all. Had to be there didn't it? Looking a little bit more closely, I finally found it! There it was sticking out of a spoke! Horizontally! Wow, what a fancy wheel.

So, all in all, my first attempt had wrenching on the new bike was quite successful, even if it was trivial.

:wave
 
I had the same reaction when I opened my "tool kit". Maybe it makes sense when you realize that BMW prefers you to bring it into their service departments.

I have 3200 miles on my 2012 RT but I plan ahead and went to the parts dept to buy spark plugs. One guy said mine has a total of 2 plugs and the other guy looked it up and said, no, it has a total of 4 plugs. hmm

So I bought plugs and ordered the BMW spark plug tool from parts (access to the camhead plug is very long and a very small diameter hole). When it arrived it wouldn't fit the 14 mm spark plugs I bought (they are the correct plugs). So a parts guy gets on the computer and after a few minutes of research states that there are 2 plug tools for the "consumers" and they're BOTH the wrong size for my plugs. (Apparently the plugs changed from hexhead to camhead ... ?) Anyway, he says that the proper plug wrench is listed for the BMW mechanics but it is kind of a pain to get them and takes a while and they're more expensive at about $45.

But I DO love the bike and the good news is that it doesn't appear to be very difficult to work on.
 
Norms,

$4.50 at Autozone will buy you a 9/16" spark plug socket. Yes I know that it's technically 14.3mm, but at only 12Nm of torque I doubt you'll have a problem. Plus, the socket will easily fit into the cylinder head.

My $0.02
 
Not always:)

Meaning, the tool kits used to be legendary, as were the bikes of old by BMW! We used to be able to nearly dismantle the whole bike with only the tool kit supplied with BMWs. I am dating myself agewise:). I too laugh today in comparison...Fine bike, ya got ahold of, so keep the learning curve alive, keep on wrenching. I do:). Randy GSA1200.:thumb
 
Paper Funnel!

Who would have thunk it?

Great idea.

You should suggegest this as a touring tip.

Honda branding - well, i have always respected Honda.
 
Actually BMW sells a little cordura bag for a single bottle of oil. It comes with a few paper funnels and a pair of latex gloves. I bought it and velcro'd it to the inside of one saddlebag. Didn't see the funnels seperately at the BMW dealer.
 
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