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alternator belt 2010 R1200RT

24K vs 6 years

I've changed three at 24,000 miles (40K); two RTs and an R. All looked good, but I'll change the next one at 24K as well. Now I travel with the used ones as back-up. It's not much extra work once you have the fairing off to do other routine maintenance such as the throttle body synch.

I have a 2007 R1200R with about 12K miles on the clock. So miles-wise the alternator belt should be fine but my Haynes manual specifies a belt service interval of 24K miles or 6 years, the latter of which has just past. I suppose I should change it just in case? Are there non-visible signs of deterioration in these things? That is, if I examine it and find no obvious cracking etc, could I still be in trouble?

Thanks,
BH
 
I have a 2007 R1200R with about 12K miles on the clock. So miles-wise the alternator belt should be fine but my Haynes manual specifies a belt service interval of 24K miles or 6 years, the latter of which has just past. I suppose I should change it just in case? Are there non-visible signs of deterioration in these things? That is, if I examine it and find no obvious cracking etc, could I still be in trouble?

Thanks,
BH

They seem to last much longer than the maintenance schedule would imply but I'd change it , or at the least buy a new one and carry it with you.
 
They seem to last much longer than the maintenance schedule would imply but I'd change it , or at the least buy a new one and carry it with you.

The point I made in my earlier post got lost in the translation it seems. When these belts fail - if they do - there is a reasonable risk that the failure will damage or destroy the hall sensor(s) or wiring tucked behind the pulley.

So, while it is not a bad idea to carry a spare belt, the better approach is to change the belt so as to avoid the failure which may damage the HES and leave you disabled beside the road, lacking a $300 or so spare part.
 
I take your point that a belt failure could cause significant and disabling damage. Changing as prescribed by BMW is what I have done and recommend. I thought the R12s do not use a HES ; am I misinformed?
 
The point I made in my earlier post got lost in the translation it seems. When these belts fail - if they do - there is a reasonable risk that the failure will damage or destroy the hall sensor(s) or wiring tucked behind the pulley.

On a 1200? :ear

Not sure about the camhead, but there wasn't much to damage on a hexhead.

p-122121557-3198-2-X2.jpg


FWIW I changed mine at the '05 recommended intervals of 36000 miles. The one I took off always looked and felt about the same as the new belt that was going on the bike. :dunno
 
Yeah but that video uses no tool. I've replaced my belt twice, with no tool, and it NEVER went on that easy!
 
It takes seconds with a 12" Crescent wrench.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/YzPTPN98x40" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Jim, I had a link to yours a couple of posts ago. Didn't know you could embed videos here. I really appreciate you doing the little videos like that and the maint. DVD's.

And yes, it is very easy with the adjustable wrench...on a GSA though you have to get the crash bars out of the way.
 
It takes seconds with a 12" Crescent wrench.

That's very cool, Jim. I have your DVD, but in that, I think you bumped the rear wheel instead of the wrench. This looks nice. Did you remove the plugs or just go for it?

The next time my belt is due, I likely will change it when I change the plugs to make the turning of the crank easier.
 
Yes Jim gave us the old 6th gear bump, first time I tried that liked to kill me (didn't know about the spark plugs) now I see how easy it is. Ursula has 86,000+ miles on her now I've replaced the belt twice now, and like the other posters, my old one came off looking like the new one. If you wanted to scrimp,I would suggest an inspection interval, which is probably what I'll go to on the next due date. The cover is uber easy to pull, I could just thoroughly inspect it for signs of ware, if good close her up, any cracking, fraying, or wear and I'll order a belt and get the crescent wrench out. After that I think I may start inspecting every tire change interval or incorporating into some of my tighter intervals like say oil change. Inspection is the key to longevity.
 
2007 R1200R Alternator Belt Saga

Man oh man, I spent some time on this today... First, it took me a bit to realize that I needed to remove the foam behind the cover to get the cover off, then I tried for over an hour to bump the rear wheel, in 6th gear, with both plugs out, and get that belt on - but, with blood dripping, and dirts in my wounds, I just could not do it. Jim you make it look soooo easy in the DVD! Finally I got a large crescent wrench and went at it only to realize that I had to remove the oil cooler to turn the wrench (this is a R1200R and as I understand it, the oil cooler is not a problem on the GS?). This still was not trivial for me as it seemed that the headers were in the way. But I do not like to give up so again and again I tried (eventually dropping the wrench in the oil pan under the oil cooler)....invented some new curse words, wiped it off, tried again and finally got it. Next time it will be easier.... or that is what I am telling myself.

BH
 
BH,

Hopefully you tossed the foam piece in the garbage rather than replacing it. BMW discontinued it's use on later hexheads since it has the habit of trapping water against the front engine case, causing severe corrosion. Lots of people had to do a lot of cleanup and repainting thanks to that piece of foam.

The way to do it on the R1200R is to be systematic:

1 - Remove the cover over the oil cooler (2 torx T20? screws)
2 - Drop the oil cooler itself (another 2 torx screws). No need to disconnect it, just let it hang down. Do NOT push on it when it is hanging down - that can cause an oil leak at the point where the rubber hose connects to it (DAMHIK..)
3 - Remove the plastic cover (it WILL wiggle out - doesn't seem like it, and you have to turn it this way and that way - but it does come out without dropping the headers. Part of the trick is to point the top of it up into the fork of the telelever and then swing the bottom end out past the pipes.)
4 - Remove the old belt (you can do this with a screwdriver - putting it into the belt/pulley gap - then turning the engine over using the crankshaft nut - and slipping the belt behind the screwdriver and off as you turn it. The engine will turn over MUCH easier if you remove a plug from each cylinder.)
5 - Install the new belt - same technique more or less - but I have a tool that is meant to help get the belt on by locking it into the grooves at one point and stretching it a bit as you turn the pulley over.
6 - Reassemble in reverse order.
7 - Keep the old belt as your spare. Stick it up over the tail-light under the seat.

I used to be able to pop the new belts on without the tool I bought (Amazon - $10 - it's listed in a thread here somewhere) - but BMW made the diameter of the belts smaller and I found the new ones very difficult to get on without some way to really stretch them as they go on.
 
BH,

Hopefully you tossed the foam piece in the garbage rather than replacing it. BMW discontinued it's use on later hexheads since it has the habit of trapping water against the front engine case, causing severe corrosion. Lots of people had to do a lot of cleanup and repainting thanks to that piece of foam.

The way to do it on the R1200R is to be systematic:

1 - Remove the cover over the oil cooler (2 torx T20? screws)
2 - Drop the oil cooler itself (another 2 torx screws). No need to disconnect it, just let it hang down. Do NOT push on it when it is hanging down - that can cause an oil leak at the point where the rubber hose connects to it (DAMHIK..)
3 - Remove the plastic cover (it WILL wiggle out - doesn't seem like it, and you have to turn it this way and that way - but it does come out without dropping the headers. Part of the trick is to point the top of it up into the fork of the telelever and then swing the bottom end out past the pipes.)
4 - Remove the old belt (you can do this with a screwdriver - putting it into the belt/pulley gap - then turning the engine over using the crankshaft nut - and slipping the belt behind the screwdriver and off as you turn it. The engine will turn over MUCH easier if you remove a plug from each cylinder.)
5 - Install the new belt - same technique more or less - but I have a tool that is meant to help get the belt on by locking it into the grooves at one point and stretching it a bit as you turn the pulley over.
6 - Reassemble in reverse order.
7 - Keep the old belt as your spare. Stick it up over the tail-light under the seat.

I used to be able to pop the new belts on without the tool I bought (Amazon - $10 - it's listed in a thread here somewhere) - but BMW made the diameter of the belts smaller and I found the new ones very difficult to get on without some way to really stretch them as they go on.

Thanks Don,

Yep, I tossed the foam but that is a good point about keeping the old belt as a spare. I used a section of a plastic bottle and a flathead screwdriver to get the old belt off. After a few attempts at trying the "push-the-belt-on-while-bumping-the-rear-wheel method" I made a few attempts with mountain bike tire levers. These are plastic so I figured I had a lower chance of damaging the new belt. But I could not get them to stay in the grooves with the belt tension being so high and they slipped out repeatedly. That's why I removed the oil cooler in the end and went with the wrench. I'll search for the tool that you mentioned so next time I can do this without removing the oil cooler.

BH
 
Thanks Don,

Yep, I tossed the foam but that is a good point about keeping the old belt as a spare. I used a section of a plastic bottle and a flathead screwdriver to get the old belt off. After a few attempts at trying the "push-the-belt-on-while-bumping-the-rear-wheel method" I made a few attempts with mountain bike tire levers. These are plastic so I figured I had a lower chance of damaging the new belt. But I could not get them to stay in the grooves with the belt tension being so high and they slipped out repeatedly. That's why I removed the oil cooler in the end and went with the wrench. I'll search for the tool that you mentioned so next time I can do this without removing the oil cooler.

BH
If this is your R12R - the oil cooler really has to be dropped to remove the plastic belt cover. It's only a few screws, and it remains connected to the engine, just lowered down a bit for clearance.
 
If this is your R12R - the oil cooler really has to be dropped to remove the plastic belt cover. It's only a few screws, and it remains connected to the engine, just lowered down a bit for clearance.


Agreed, and yep it's my motorcycle (or it will be in about a year when it's paid off). In any case I was able to remove the plastic cover with the oil cooler still connected to the engine. I only removed the oil cooler so that I could turn the wrench and get the new belt on.

BH
 
No fancy tools here, a big crescent wrench and two long tie wraps.
The way I remove the old belt is to put two tie wraps together lengthwise around the belt up a ways from the engine pulley
I use this as a handle to pull the old belt forward off the pulley as I turn the engine with my big crescent wrench. No need to remove spark plugs.

I then put he belt on the alternator and guide it onto the engine pulley with my fingers as I turn the engine again with my wrench.
After I take the front cover off of my RT, the belt change is a couple of minutes.
 
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