99 K1200RS "blind" maintenance

[caseyc]

Hello everyone. New K bike owner here, but not new to BMW. I also have a 98 R1200C that I got off the original owner a few years back, and do all the maintenance myself.

I say "Blind" maintenance in the title, because I usually dont know how previous owners maintain their vehicles. Me on the other hand, I tend to be VERY meticulous. Bike runs and stops great. No issues have presented themselves since getting it a few days ago. It has 22k on the clock, and I have some maintenance receipts, including one saying the 20k service was done 4 years ago. Being that I have no idea what was done for sure, I'm going through the bike with a fine tooth comb.

I have the fairing off right now, and plan the usual fluid changes; FD, Trans, Eng. Also planning a coolant flush, brake and clutch flush with new spiegler lines. I noticed the possibility of a clutch slave/rear main/trans leak due to residue in the area. Typical from what Ive read. Also have what looks like a fork seal leak. Id like to tackle all this while I have it apart. I already have parts on order from the beemerboneyard for oil, air and fuel filters as well as metal quick disconnects. I anticipate a few more orders on the horizon. With all that in mind, I'm reaching out to the collective as to what ELSE should I be doing while I'm deep into this thing. Thanks

 

[beemerphile]

It's like picking a scab. There is no good place to stop. I have the same disease.



Rubber parts and electrical connections seem pretty common areas of K concern. I would check hoses and such for deterioration and remove every electrical connection and clean it with DeOxit and reassemble. When I get the front end and wiring back together on my K11, I'll flip it on the rack and dig into the final drive / clutch / tranny. I have no comfort level taking a bike I do not know on a long trip. In my experience, old low mileage bikes are not much less of a challenge than well used examples.

 

[caseyc]

clean it with DeOxit

Thanks for the tip. Never heard of the stuff, but did some research and it sounds amazing. Will do an electrical cleanup while I'm inside this thing.

And yes, I agree that it is a disease. It eats at me if I don't look over every possible point of failure on a new bike.

 

[beemerphile]

It eats at me if I don't look over every possible point of failure on a new bike.

And having done it, you will leave home with fact-based confidence in what is under you and a deep knowledge of what is there. There really are no acceptable shortcuts. I live a life of faith and it brings me great comfort, but for motorcycles, I use the strategy that Ronald Reagan employed with the Russians...

Trust, but verify.