What do I need to do my own service?

[Yahoo-Boy]

Thad has invited me to sit in on the next time he services his bike so I can watch and ask questions. Ultimately, I'd like to do my own regular maintenance, and only rely on the dealer for warranty work.

I plan on getting the shop manual and parts manual, a Throttle Max, an infrared thermometer, an oil filter wrench, and a set of quality metric tools. Is there anything else I'd need to work on the bike? Is there any reason to buy BMW tools or supplies, or just get Craftsman tools or something?

I'm not a mechanic so speak slowly...just kidding...sort of.

[darthrider]

Forget the pyrometer and put the money into a couple of good torque wrenches.

[Deans BMW]

How about a motorcycle lift, I had to try and keep up with the rider of Darth. Craftsman tools are excellent as is their torque wrenches.


Look Ma, no wheels

[darthrider]

Roger the lift *and* Craftsman Tools.

[Yahoo-Boy]

Bike lift would be nice but not practical. I don't have a secure enclosed space like a garage or unfinished basement. I only have a carport and a good cover for the bike. I've had a pressure washer "walk off" in the night, so I'm sure a bike lift could too...unless I parked on it each night... Are there shop stands that work with the single sided swingarm? Maybe something like that would be a good alternative?

[Yahoo-Boy]

Forget the pyrometer and put the money into a couple of good torque wrenches.

I'll go for the torque wrenches, but I'll probably get the thermometer too. My cylinders weren't running the same temp for a while. It discolored my pipes unevenly and I couldn't ever get them to match again. Finally put pressure on the dealer to replace them under warranty, and now I feel like I need to keep an eye on that.

[mnnden]

Yahoo-Boy, Bill Haycock put together a nice list of tools a person will need to do work on the "R"
http://mypage.home.mchsi.com/bmwtools/index.html

http://home.mindspring.com/~jabrooks/ This is another very helpful link.

Den

[Yahoo-Boy]

Yahoo-Boy, Bill Haycock put together a nice list of tools a person will need to do work on the "R"
http://mypage.home.mchsi.com/bmwtools/index.html

http://home.mindspring.com/~jabrooks/ This is another very helpful link.

Den

WOW! Great resources! Thanks

[bakernks]

Crescent makes a tool kit that retails for about $100 that has just about everything you'd ever want except a good set of slip joint pliers and the torquewrench mentioned. It opens like a book, I hung it on the wall, but it's easy to slide into a kitchen closet or someplace inside that's handy.

You'll need a skinny flexible filler spout for putting the tranny fluid in, it goes in sideways, don't ya know.

An oil change pan that holds MORE than 4 qts., otherwise it's going to be a sloshy mess.

Allen head socket set, instead of straight allen head wrenches, make racheting work possible, plus you can't use allen wrenches to torque the engine oil drain plug, rear drive plug, or transmission plugs.

Same with the Torx fittings socket set. Get one. Makes ratcheting out all those little screws holding on covers and shields much quicker.

I switched to a K&N filter, these require the proper cleaning "Kit", from K&N, but you don't keep throwing away air filters either. And the oilheads breath ALOT of air, you can tell the difference in a used filter and a new one in just a few thousand miles in places like Kansas, that's constantly windy, thus, dusty.

I made my own, longish, feeler blades from Starrett feeler blades and dipped the ends in plasticote, Two .006",two .012", about 4" long, to carry on the bike in the tool kit. I always use "a feeler blade through each gap at the same time" technique.

Above all, enjoy and have fun. And on a personal note, EASY! on that R.H. throttle adjuster locknut! finger tight and a tiny tug with the 10mm wrench is PLENTY. You don't EVEN want to have to change that cable, not your first year wrenching anyway....

[boxermania]

Yahoo-Boy.......You have received excellent sugestions from all.....

I applaud your desire to perform some maintenance duties on your bike, to me that makes for a more enlightening ridding experience. On the other hand we must also take into consideration the location where the maintenance will take place, the make of the bike and the owners level of skill.

That being said and based on your posts I see you doing the following maintenance tasks, those that can be reasonably accomplished from the bike sitting on it's center stand

Oil/filter changes
Transmission/rear end oil changes
Balancing idle speed and TB's
Changing plugs
Adjusting valves
Changing brake pads
Removing wheels (for the purpose of having someone replace and balance the tires, although you might choose to have the vendor remove and install the wheels)

That being said, the following would be a minimum:

Good set of screw drivers - Crafstman $20
Set of open/closed end wrenches (metric) - $30
Set of feeler gauges - $10
Plug gapper, if you go to the single electrode plugs (inexpensive one) $1
Oil filter wrench, from BMW, unless you go to a filter other than the OEM - $15
Twin-Max - $80 + shipping
Set of allen wrenches (metric) $12
Two 1/2" drive allens, to remove the tranny fill/drain plugs - Picked up at flea market, $2
A couple of needle nose pliers - $12
A couple of filler spouts - $2
Plus the factory tool set

Total investment - $200 including tax, the first time that you perform all the maintenance described above you would have paid for the tools.

Although there were mixed emotions regarding the I/R thermometer, I find it invaluable for many uses, in this case to tune and troubleshoot.

BTW....I know Thad will be a good teacher............

I hope this helps................

[boxermania]

Dean-O, Dean-O.....Oh, Dear.......

I know you have been around the block at least a couple of times, or so I'm told by your friends, but how someone of your background and stature could possibly get caught using straps of three different colors is beyond me........

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would have to award you a 3+.

[darthrider]

Al -

Although there were mixed emotions regarding the I/R thermometer, I find it invaluable for many uses, in this case to tune and troubleshoot.

Did you use it much when you were a novice M/C wrench?
When I worked in the BMW shop service dept. (intermediate level wrench) and had ready access to a good quality pyrometer I mainly used it to shoot the ceiling so we could bitch louder about the heat!

[Deans BMW]

[CycleRob]

Yahoo-Boy,
When Thad goes thru the routines, be sure you understand what is going on and exactly what you are trying to do rather than memorizing the steps and his motions and then trying to repeat them later when you're alone. I'm talking about finding TDC of the compresion stroke, how tight "tight enough" is, correlating low vacuum with it's larger throttle opening, how the rubber bumper fits on the lower front rocker boss, compensating for the adjuster locknuts changing the feeler gauge setting when you tighten it and pushing the valve cover straight in while looking thru the sparkplug hole so you don't knock the plug tower gasket out of place.
I don't mean to scare you, just ask a lot of questions, pay close attention . . . . and take your time. It's a very easy bike to work on.
BTW, Beer does NOT help one little bit. How would you feel if your Dentist thru back a few cold beers before working on you?

[ToothAche Al]

How would you feel if your Dentist thru back a few cold beers before working on you

I think you just scared us all Robbie!

[touchton]

Thad has invited me to sit in on the next time he services his bike so I can watch and ask questions.

Labor Day weekend is good for me. I'll be doing the 18k mile service on my bike. Mainly fluid change, valve adjustment, and throttle body sync. I also need to replace my headlight modulator and maybe upgrade my garage door opener. I need to drain the fluids the night before doing the service. I can either plan of doing the service on Saturday or Monday. It doesn't look like I'll have much time on Sunday.

Let me know what your preference is. And, if anyone else is interested in coming by, let me know. It'll be happening on the north side of Nashville.

Thad