RT 12K service

[IRONMAN]

In Jan 05 I bought a new 04 RT. It is time the 12K service. The dealers are all quoting around $425 for the service and $700 if I include the annual. This is my first Beemer and it is still under warrantee so I want to use the dealer for the first 50K of so. I am a little confused by this annual thing. Do you really need to replace the clutch and brake fluids every 12K?

[zigzag]

I own a 02R1150R it is a ABS bike was told brake and clutch fluid every other year. This was at a shop that works on BMW'S not a dealer.I average 8-10000 miles a year.

[Mr. Frank]

If you change your own oils and oil filter, you can save some money. With the bike under warranty you would be wise to follow the brake fluid change schedule.

[PGlaves]

Riders Manuals (service booklet) specify what to do at 6K, 12K, etc - and what is considered annual or bienniel (two years) maintenance. It varies by model.

I would ask the dealer what they include in the "annual" service. I'm sure it is a brake flush and new fluid. I don't know what else. On the K bikes and F650s it includes changing coolant every two or three years (can't remember which offhand) but that doesn't apply to Oilheads.

The dealer should be able ti itemize what is to be done and what the various costs are.

[cjack]

Riders Manuals (service booklet) specify what to do at 6K, 12K, etc - and what is considered annual or bienniel (two years) maintenance. It varies by model.

I would ask the dealer what they include in the "annual" service. I'm sure it is a brake flush and new fluid. I don't know what else. On the K bikes and F650s it includes changing coolant every two or three years (can't remember which offhand) but that doesn't apply to Oilheads.

The dealer should be able ti itemize what is to be done and what the various costs are.

Coolant is 4 years. Integral brake fluid is 1 year on the wheel ckts and 2 years on all. Same for Oilheads, not the coolant of course.
Trans, rear drive, and clutch are 2 years. I'm looking at the K12LT.
Same on the new K except no final drive change, trans is engine oil, and clutch is not mentioned.

[AntonLargiader]

In Jan 05 I bought a new 04 RT. It is time the 12K service. The dealers are all quoting around $425 for the service and $700 if I include the annual. ... Do you really need to replace the clutch and brake fluids every 12K?

The 12k is a 'major' service and there's a decent amount to it. It's listed in your manual but I have a description of it on my shop page also because it's pretty commonly asked about. For instance a lot of riders do their own oil changes but bring the bikes in for the bigger stuff.

The clutch and brake fluid are just based on time, but if you only ride a few thousand miles per year you will be replacing them at the intervals you list. Definitely keep up with the brake fluid changes. I'm leaning towards bleeding all circuits every year even though the manual only calls for every other year on some of them. Brakes are finicky and BMW brakes especially don't like old fluid. If the rest of the bike gets serviced according to mileage, all that's left as an annual requirement is the hydraulics.

I'm right down the road. Give me a call if you have any questions. Contact info on the shop page.

[boxerkuh]

The dealer should be able to itemize what is to be done and what the various costs are,Paul Glaves said. That is absolutely correct. If you look at your owners manual it will tell you what is required by miles and what is needed by time. I remember the annual service also call for the brake fluid. Pretty much everything else is done by mileage. They state that you are suppose to change your tires every three years and all your cables every four years. I guess, that also depends on how much you are riding per year. I suggest that you call a different dealer and get some quotes on prices... then call your dealer and do the same. The prices do vary, but labor is expensive, I think $65.- an hour now...
I did the same thing you did, take it to the dealer until the warranty expired then did the work myself as much as possible. My food for thought...

[FredRydr]

The dealer has a letter-size list used as a check-off during the service. I always get one with my bill. They are just sheets in a big pre-printed notepad from BMW, so just ask for a sheet in advance. If you download the service manual from somewhere online (.pdf file) as I did for my R1150R, that sheet will be one of the pages. It matched the information in my owners manual, but in a more concise format.

Fred

[IRONMAN]

Thanks for all of the replies. I will probably take care of most of the services myself when the warrantee is up.

What to the IBA riders do for services during the rally? They ride 12K + in less than two weeks. Do they wrench their bikes at a rest stop or schedule the services along the route?

[cjack]

Thanks for all of the replies. I will probably take care of most of the services myself when the warrantee is up.

What to the IBA riders do for services during the rally? They ride 12K + in less than two weeks. Do they wrench their bikes at a rest stop or schedule the services along the route?

Probably the best miles ever put on the bike...

[steviewonder]

FWIW, as long as the required services are accomplished as per the service manual your warranty is NOT in jeopardy by having it done away from a dealer. Just retain the service receipts and you're protected by Federal law.

[boxerkuh]

I would double check the ironbutt website when it comes to that. Usually on the K and the Oilheads they do a 12K full service before they take off and another 12K full service when they return. Sometimes, they do make appointments ahead of time and sleep while the service is being done. For the old airheads... yes you need to schedule a valve adjustment or two and at least one full fluid change....
Overall, while you are riding the ironbutt your bike will require little service, because it is the frequent starting/stopping/time that wears the equipment out... You are riding... what it was designed for.. Another point you may want to research is some of the problems that other BMW riders have encountered with their bikes.... I know that there was one ironbutt rally where a surprisingly large number of BMW bikes failed to finish, due to various problems... Both Oilheads and K bikes....

Food for thought.... Good luck....

[PGlaves]

"What do the IBA riders do?"

In my case I rode my K75 in 1999 and again in 2003. I changed oil at approximately the half way point both times. That was all.

Voni rode her R1100RS in 2003. It too got an oil change at the halfway point.

Valve adjustments were not an issue - they vitutally never are on a 2v K bike. Her RS is stable enough that even at 12 or 13K the need to adjust is almost negligable.

In 1999 I shipped a tire mounted on a spare wheel to Maineand swapped wheels when I got there. In 2003 we ran the distance to Montana, the entire rally, and back home from Montana on one set of tires on each bike. ME880s.