Motorcycle
Clutch repair
15/01/12 14:20
Well, BMW NL is friendly enough to determine there is nothing wrong with the clutch on my K1200S without even removing the clutch cover or any other sensible diagnostics. Needless to say I am rather annoyed (understatement) and unimpressed with the way BMW handles this.
For those not knowing: a normal K12/K13 clutch engages in the last quarter of lever travel from full out. As annoying as it is, it is the normal designed behavior of this clutch.
My clutch on the other hand requires the clutch lever to be adjusted outward to the maximum distance from the bars (fortunately I have big hands), and then the clutch will engage within 1cm from the bar. This also means with the lever adjusted to a normal distance from the bars, it will not disengage completely. This is obviously not normal.
This is the same identical behavior which happened exactly 1 year ago, when BMW replaced the clutch for a hefty €1200 because 4 years and 54,000km was too old and too much mileage for a warranty claim. They were happy to diagnose the clutch as faulty and charge me for it, but now that it would come out of their pocket it is all of a sudden diagnosed as functioning within normal parameters.
Anyway.
For this reason, we decided if BMW wasn’t going to stand behind its product, we would ourselves delve into the inner workings of the clutch and see if we can find what is wrong with it.
After removing the clutch cover, it is time to see if we can get the clutch off. This is w bit of a tough job, since it is torqued down with 200Nm. Fortunately, in our workshop we have a pneumatic socket wrench that is able to do the job.
(Un)fortunately, depending on your view, we could not find anything visibly wrong with any of the clutch parts. The basket is undamaged, the laminar package has the same width as specified by BMW and no abnormal wear and tear on the bushes, washers and bearings.
Since the bush and spacer washer behind the clutch basket have received different part number as part of a modification, we will replace those anyway since we don’t know what the modifications are.
Other than that, we are pretty much at a loss. The only suspect left is the slave cylinder. If that is faulty or cannot generate enough pressure anymore for whatever reason, the clutch will not disengage. If that is not it either, and clutch behavior is not back to normal, I guess we will have to assume that whatever made the clutch change to what it is now, is just there and not likely to progress further. If it does, there will be damage which will reveal what is the problem.
For those not knowing: a normal K12/K13 clutch engages in the last quarter of lever travel from full out. As annoying as it is, it is the normal designed behavior of this clutch.
My clutch on the other hand requires the clutch lever to be adjusted outward to the maximum distance from the bars (fortunately I have big hands), and then the clutch will engage within 1cm from the bar. This also means with the lever adjusted to a normal distance from the bars, it will not disengage completely. This is obviously not normal.
This is the same identical behavior which happened exactly 1 year ago, when BMW replaced the clutch for a hefty €1200 because 4 years and 54,000km was too old and too much mileage for a warranty claim. They were happy to diagnose the clutch as faulty and charge me for it, but now that it would come out of their pocket it is all of a sudden diagnosed as functioning within normal parameters.
Anyway.
For this reason, we decided if BMW wasn’t going to stand behind its product, we would ourselves delve into the inner workings of the clutch and see if we can find what is wrong with it.
Clutch cover removed
After removing the clutch cover, it is time to see if we can get the clutch off. This is w bit of a tough job, since it is torqued down with 200Nm. Fortunately, in our workshop we have a pneumatic socket wrench that is able to do the job.
Clutch removed
Clutch basket, bush, washers and clutch laminar package
(Un)fortunately, depending on your view, we could not find anything visibly wrong with any of the clutch parts. The basket is undamaged, the laminar package has the same width as specified by BMW and no abnormal wear and tear on the bushes, washers and bearings.
Since the bush and spacer washer behind the clutch basket have received different part number as part of a modification, we will replace those anyway since we don’t know what the modifications are.
Other than that, we are pretty much at a loss. The only suspect left is the slave cylinder. If that is faulty or cannot generate enough pressure anymore for whatever reason, the clutch will not disengage. If that is not it either, and clutch behavior is not back to normal, I guess we will have to assume that whatever made the clutch change to what it is now, is just there and not likely to progress further. If it does, there will be damage which will reveal what is the problem.
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Per gear mapping
14/11/11 12:32
Alrighty, with help of an Aussie friend I have figured out how to put the PowerCommander V into per gear mapping mode. Very cool stuff. With the auto tune module connected, I can now create and modify injection mapping for each gear. This means I can add fuel in the lower gears at low rpm and low TPS to prevent it from surging while filtering, while at the same time leaning out mixture at cruise for better economy and it won’t have to be a compromise between the two.
I am so impressed with the PC-V device. It really is a shame that Dynojet doesn’t want to officially support older bikes with their latest model, because it works so beautifully on the K1200S. More people should be able to enjoy the benefits of this great little device.
In case you are wondering: the PowerCommander V for the BMW K1300S works perfect on the BMW K1200S. It is NOT officially supported by Dynojet, but it DOES work and even Dynojet will tell you that it probably should work if the two bikes are similar enough (as is the case between the K1300 and K1200 series).
To add per gear mapping to your PowerCommander, you require a Vss or speedo sensor signal. On the CAN-bus BMW’s, this is not easily accessible although per documentation the GPS accessory plug has a wire which should carry the Vss. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have any signal without some modification. On the up side, the modification is rather simple: just wire a 330Ohms resistor from the Vss to V+ wires and you will find you magically have a speedo signal on the Vss wire. Wire this into the appropriate port of the PowerCommander V, and you can now calibrate and use per gear mapping!
I am so impressed with the PC-V device. It really is a shame that Dynojet doesn’t want to officially support older bikes with their latest model, because it works so beautifully on the K1200S. More people should be able to enjoy the benefits of this great little device.
In case you are wondering: the PowerCommander V for the BMW K1300S works perfect on the BMW K1200S. It is NOT officially supported by Dynojet, but it DOES work and even Dynojet will tell you that it probably should work if the two bikes are similar enough (as is the case between the K1300 and K1200 series).
To add per gear mapping to your PowerCommander, you require a Vss or speedo sensor signal. On the CAN-bus BMW’s, this is not easily accessible although per documentation the GPS accessory plug has a wire which should carry the Vss. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have any signal without some modification. On the up side, the modification is rather simple: just wire a 330Ohms resistor from the Vss to V+ wires and you will find you magically have a speedo signal on the Vss wire. Wire this into the appropriate port of the PowerCommander V, and you can now calibrate and use per gear mapping!
Oh yeah! Finally done!
03/10/11 22:20
Scotland Trip Report Coming Soon
27/09/11 09:30
No updates of yet, but the trip was great, the photos came out great and I will be putting up the full trip report up as soon as possible!
Scotland Route
22/08/11 20:23
Not a lot of updates lately, but I have something for you: the planned route for my Scotland trip. Enjoy!
Family visit
21/06/11 00:00
I have been visiting family in Austria with my dad for a few days, and we went over there on the bikes. Didn’t do much riding, but I did manage to make some video’s.
They are made on Gabel Pass, near Graz on the B77 from Köflach to Weißkirchen. First one is going up, second one going down on the other side. It is not my usual love of tight and technical, but it is a great deal of fun to ride this road. Hope you enjoy.
They are made on Gabel Pass, near Graz on the B77 from Köflach to Weißkirchen. First one is going up, second one going down on the other side. It is not my usual love of tight and technical, but it is a great deal of fun to ride this road. Hope you enjoy.
Ascension Day ride
06/06/11 13:00
Just got back from the annual Ascension Day ride a few of my friends and I have each year. Didn’t take much photo’s and haven’t had a chance to look at what I have, but I did manage to put together a short little video from our ride.
It’s Ramon aka BugBoy on his 2004-2005 Boxercup replica R1100S riding the N27 in Luxembourg. Great road with perfectly smooth surface, most of the way and so nice turns. Not too tight and technical, but fun nonetheless.
It’s Ramon aka BugBoy on his 2004-2005 Boxercup replica R1100S riding the N27 in Luxembourg. Great road with perfectly smooth surface, most of the way and so nice turns. Not too tight and technical, but fun nonetheless.
Video camera
23/05/11 10:28
My first (test) video on the K1200, using my brand new full HD digital movie camera. It can record up to 1080p, is easily controlled even on a bike with gloves on and stores it’s movies on a SD card up to 32GB. This 32GB will provide 8 hours of recording time. The camera is made by Huashi and has the following specifications:
Camera sensor
5 MEGA Pix CMOS
Camera lens
Wide angle Lense 120 degree 4X DIGITAL ZOOM
LCD Screen
2.0 inch
Connections
usb/avi out
Audio
mic and speaker equiped (mono)
Picture format
2592x1944(5M) or 3200x 2400(8M)
Video format
Mov H. 1080P (30 FPS) 848x480 (60 FPS)
Record Resolution (true HD, four levels for choice)
1080P= 1920x 1080@30FPS
720P= 1280X 720@30FPS
WVGA 848X480@60FPS
Frame rate
30Fps / 60Fps
Storage
Internal: 32M
External: SD/MMC Card external, up to 32G
Battery
1800MHA Built in Lithium Rechargeable Battery
Dimensions (mm)
Camera : 10(L) x 3.5(Φ) cm
Recorder Host : 11.5(L) x 6(W) x 3(H) cm
Accessories
Camera ,Remote control, Bag, User manual,Charger Car charger, Charger pedestal, AV cable, USB cable, Nylon strap , Camera cover, Rubber ring, Bicycle pedestal, Pedestal Camera ,pedestal , Strap nip, Sponge mat ,Velcro strap, Strap ,Battery.
It should give me some pretty cool footage on my trips.
More crap from BMW
29/04/11 23:49
I have to say, I really like this BMW K1200S because when it works well, it is simply mind blowing. However, after the clutch, and the fueling I am getting really tired of seeing this thing in bits in the shop. Now it doesn’t want to stay cool, it is over heating. Turns out, the thermostat is broken into 3 pieces and partially blocking the radiator. Not the best situation to keep the bike cool. Also, it is giving some intermittent headaches with the idle running. Sometimes it is running high (1500-1700rpm) and taking several seconds to drop back to 1100rpm. This makes it completely undriveable at low rpm. Other times, it just stalls. This is 99% sure caused by the airbox and idle control valve. There is a modification for that, but since my bike is out of warranty and I don’t want to shell out $600 for a new airbox, I am hoping cleaning and polishing the ICV will do the trick. At least temporarely. If it works, I don’t mind doing it at every service.
After this, it better be right because I am getting fed with this crap. If not, I am buying a Honda again.
After this, it better be right because I am getting fed with this crap. If not, I am buying a Honda again.
Out playing
15/04/11 00:13
Last weekend, weather was absolutely gorgious, so I went out playing in the Eifel. Jumped the highway at home, crossing the border on to the German Autonahn towards Bonn. Let her stretch her legs a bit, though I didn't get over 220kph due to weekend traffic. Still nice to legally run this fast. Near Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler of the Autobahn and heading to Altenahr, Adenau, Gerolstein, Manderscheid and Wittlich to spend the night in Bitburg. Next day, it was of to Diekirch, Kautenback, Wiltz, Houffalize, La Roche-en-Ardenne and back home through Belgium. Clocked up about 1000km over little bitty twistie roads having loads of fun listening to the sound of the Akra and intakes.
All in all, it wasn’t a bad way to waste away a weekend. :)
Just a little back road.
Burg Manderscheid, Manderscheid.
A little church in the middle of nowhere.
The Beast. Glamour shot. :)
Chateau Bourscheid, Bourscheid (Lux.).
All in all, it wasn’t a bad way to waste away a weekend. :)
Powercommander: initial impressions
25/03/11 23:02
Since I only know of 2 persons having made the jump to install the Powercommander V and Autotune AT200 on their K1200S (and that number includes myself), I thought I'd pen down my first impressions.
Disclaimer: Installation of the Powercommander V and Autotune module is NOT supported by Dynojet Inc. and therefor not listed at their website. Should you want to try this, you are effectively on your own as far as Dynojet is concerned. Further more, these are my impressions, empirical data and by no means backed by hard data collected on a dynamometer.
First, let me start with a little background. When I bought my K1200S, I loved the bike. I loved the power, the handling and everything about it. Except one little thing: the hesitations and surging at low rpm, which are mostly (if not only) noticeable when filtering through slow moving traffic. Not too much of an issue, but when between cars with 4" to spare it is nice to have proper control. After investigating and talking to people, I decided to buy a RapidBike3 module in combination with the RBO2 module. The latter is supposed to give you control over closed loop operation of the bike by modifying the signal coming from the O2 sensor.
After installing the RB3, I went on to visit a very highly regarding tuner to have it set up properly on the dyno. This was not such a great success. Not only did he not adjust the RBO2, he plain just disconnected it (WTF?) and he 'forgot' to tune the ignition advance. Not why I spend money on a RB3, over a much cheaper RB1. To the tuners defense, here they basically only sell the RB1, but still. So time to find a different tuner. This one did a much better job. Got the bike running pretty darn good, but he also didn't have any idea how to setup the RBO2. Bummer. Second bummer was after riding the bike for a tank fo gas, which didn't take too long: fuel consumption of 24mpg (10km/l) (!). Gulp.
This was going to prove the theme of my marriage with the RB3: either have a decent running bike, or have decent fuel consumption. Nothing in between. This was getting very frustrating, as the RB module is definitely not a bad product, but without proper tuning it is not going to help you much.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I finally had enough. The inability to do things myself, plus the lack of decent tuners around to do it for me and having spend $300 on dyno runs already, I decided to can the RB3 and get me a Powercommander V with the Autotune module. The idea being, that while I may not be able to make any sensible changes +/- x% of fuel for certain cells, I do understand AFR numbers and this way I can tune it myself without having to keep throwing $$ at tuners and not knowing the result.
So, last week my PCV and AT200 came in and thus the bike went apart. Removed all the RapidBike stuff and installed the new bits. It took a bit of fiddling, fitting and moving parts around to get everything under the seat in such a way that I could still lock the seat, but I got it installed. Removing the stock O2 sensor also proved to be little challenge, but it gave way and was replaced by the wideband O2 sensor from the Autotune kit. Next, the PCV being a part for the K1300S, I loaded up the zero map, which means no change from the BMW ECU and modified the AFR trim table.
Trim table looks like this:
2-10% TPS and up to 5000rpm: 13.8 AFR
10-80% TPS and up to 8000rpm: 13.5 AFR
80-100% TPS and up to max rpm: 13.2 AFR
Now we were ready to ride. Fuel consumption was going to be massive, as disconnecting the O2 sensor makes the ECU go into fail safe mode, which is rather rich (12.5 AFR at the low rpms, according to the Powercommander software). After two 75km runs and accepting changes in between, I could see the fuel consumption go down rapidly on the display of the bike. No hard numbers yet, cause I haven't had time to cover any distance yet. It looks like it is going to be ok though.
More importantly though is the way the bike is running. It is now running like it has never run before. It is so smooth, barely any vibrations, and it has power everywhere (like it is supposed to). With the RapidBike module, it always felt slow to spool up before it took off into warp drive. Now, there is an instant explosion of power. Very addictive and very grin inducing. This is how I remember the K1200S from my test rides.
So, if you are or have been wondering about the PCV and autotune on the K1200 and you are not too bothered by the little fact that it is not an officially supported configuration, just go ahead. It works flawlessly and it does a great job at making the bike run like it is supposed to run. Having only to deal with A/F ratios also makes it easy to understand and deal with and adjust by normal people without private access of a dyno. It does take time to set it up on the road by riding, but to me that is a fun part of it.
In all, I am extremely happy despite effectively having thrown $800 into the wind with the RB3 stuff and dyno runs. I could have saved a ton of money had I gone this route to start with.
In a totally unrelated note, I absolutely love my new Damen Leathers custom leather suit. It still needs to be worn in, but it already feels better than the old leathers it replaces. If you have a weird size like I do, custom made leathers really do make a difference.
Disclaimer: Installation of the Powercommander V and Autotune module is NOT supported by Dynojet Inc. and therefor not listed at their website. Should you want to try this, you are effectively on your own as far as Dynojet is concerned. Further more, these are my impressions, empirical data and by no means backed by hard data collected on a dynamometer.
First, let me start with a little background. When I bought my K1200S, I loved the bike. I loved the power, the handling and everything about it. Except one little thing: the hesitations and surging at low rpm, which are mostly (if not only) noticeable when filtering through slow moving traffic. Not too much of an issue, but when between cars with 4" to spare it is nice to have proper control. After investigating and talking to people, I decided to buy a RapidBike3 module in combination with the RBO2 module. The latter is supposed to give you control over closed loop operation of the bike by modifying the signal coming from the O2 sensor.
After installing the RB3, I went on to visit a very highly regarding tuner to have it set up properly on the dyno. This was not such a great success. Not only did he not adjust the RBO2, he plain just disconnected it (WTF?) and he 'forgot' to tune the ignition advance. Not why I spend money on a RB3, over a much cheaper RB1. To the tuners defense, here they basically only sell the RB1, but still. So time to find a different tuner. This one did a much better job. Got the bike running pretty darn good, but he also didn't have any idea how to setup the RBO2. Bummer. Second bummer was after riding the bike for a tank fo gas, which didn't take too long: fuel consumption of 24mpg (10km/l) (!). Gulp.
This was going to prove the theme of my marriage with the RB3: either have a decent running bike, or have decent fuel consumption. Nothing in between. This was getting very frustrating, as the RB module is definitely not a bad product, but without proper tuning it is not going to help you much.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I finally had enough. The inability to do things myself, plus the lack of decent tuners around to do it for me and having spend $300 on dyno runs already, I decided to can the RB3 and get me a Powercommander V with the Autotune module. The idea being, that while I may not be able to make any sensible changes +/- x% of fuel for certain cells, I do understand AFR numbers and this way I can tune it myself without having to keep throwing $$ at tuners and not knowing the result.
So, last week my PCV and AT200 came in and thus the bike went apart. Removed all the RapidBike stuff and installed the new bits. It took a bit of fiddling, fitting and moving parts around to get everything under the seat in such a way that I could still lock the seat, but I got it installed. Removing the stock O2 sensor also proved to be little challenge, but it gave way and was replaced by the wideband O2 sensor from the Autotune kit. Next, the PCV being a part for the K1300S, I loaded up the zero map, which means no change from the BMW ECU and modified the AFR trim table.
Trim table looks like this:
2-10% TPS and up to 5000rpm: 13.8 AFR
10-80% TPS and up to 8000rpm: 13.5 AFR
80-100% TPS and up to max rpm: 13.2 AFR
Now we were ready to ride. Fuel consumption was going to be massive, as disconnecting the O2 sensor makes the ECU go into fail safe mode, which is rather rich (12.5 AFR at the low rpms, according to the Powercommander software). After two 75km runs and accepting changes in between, I could see the fuel consumption go down rapidly on the display of the bike. No hard numbers yet, cause I haven't had time to cover any distance yet. It looks like it is going to be ok though.
More importantly though is the way the bike is running. It is now running like it has never run before. It is so smooth, barely any vibrations, and it has power everywhere (like it is supposed to). With the RapidBike module, it always felt slow to spool up before it took off into warp drive. Now, there is an instant explosion of power. Very addictive and very grin inducing. This is how I remember the K1200S from my test rides.
So, if you are or have been wondering about the PCV and autotune on the K1200 and you are not too bothered by the little fact that it is not an officially supported configuration, just go ahead. It works flawlessly and it does a great job at making the bike run like it is supposed to run. Having only to deal with A/F ratios also makes it easy to understand and deal with and adjust by normal people without private access of a dyno. It does take time to set it up on the road by riding, but to me that is a fun part of it.
In all, I am extremely happy despite effectively having thrown $800 into the wind with the RB3 stuff and dyno runs. I could have saved a ton of money had I gone this route to start with.
In a totally unrelated note, I absolutely love my new Damen Leathers custom leather suit. It still needs to be worn in, but it already feels better than the old leathers it replaces. If you have a weird size like I do, custom made leathers really do make a difference.
Odds & Ends
06/03/11 00:16
Well, just another short update. First, my gear. I have decided to go with a custom made leather suit from Damen Leathers. It’s expensive, but it should last me long and the fit will be second to none. It is going to be a bit boring in colors, black pants with black jacket with light grey shoulders, but I couldn’t think of anything more ‘hip’ that would fit both my bikes. So boring it is. Spend almost 3 hours at the shop two weeks ago for them to take my measurements and discuss the various options. I added some ventilation on the chest and on the back for some cooler climate inside during summer.
Second, I ordered a Powercommander V plus the AT200 autotune module for my bike. It is designed for the K1300S, and not the K1200S, but it works just fine as they are essentially the same bikes. I am dumping the RapidBike 3 module. Not because it is no good, but simply because I can’t seem to find anyone who can properly setup and tune the RB3 module with RB-O2 companion on my bike and with my setup. I am either getting a great running bike with appalling fuel economy (10l to 100km), or a poor running bike with decent fuel economy. This possibly has to do with the exhaust muffler I put on, so I am going to change that for a nice titanium Akrapoviç SP series muffler. If you wonder why I am then buying the PC-V, and not keeping the RB3, I probably could. But I am tired of spending €150 on a tuner to have to setup again every time I change something on the bike. The PC-V with AT200 lets me do it myself, while on the road, my way.
There is going to be a lot of riding this year, which is good. Can’t tell all yet, but I will definitely be visiting my family in Austria again, and late summer will see me exploring Scotland with a dear friend from the USA. Once more details are known, I will put them up here.
Keep in touch!
Second, I ordered a Powercommander V plus the AT200 autotune module for my bike. It is designed for the K1300S, and not the K1200S, but it works just fine as they are essentially the same bikes. I am dumping the RapidBike 3 module. Not because it is no good, but simply because I can’t seem to find anyone who can properly setup and tune the RB3 module with RB-O2 companion on my bike and with my setup. I am either getting a great running bike with appalling fuel economy (10l to 100km), or a poor running bike with decent fuel economy. This possibly has to do with the exhaust muffler I put on, so I am going to change that for a nice titanium Akrapoviç SP series muffler. If you wonder why I am then buying the PC-V, and not keeping the RB3, I probably could. But I am tired of spending €150 on a tuner to have to setup again every time I change something on the bike. The PC-V with AT200 lets me do it myself, while on the road, my way.
There is going to be a lot of riding this year, which is good. Can’t tell all yet, but I will definitely be visiting my family in Austria again, and late summer will see me exploring Scotland with a dear friend from the USA. Once more details are known, I will put them up here.
Keep in touch!
Bike show
24/02/11 06:51
Well, tomorrow will be my visit to the annual bike show in Utrecht. I am particularly curious to the new models from Honda and BMW. I have to check out the stands for Akrapoviç, Laser and Dynojet. It is going to be a fun day. Probably not too much shopping (with what money?), but fun nonetheless.
New gear II
13/02/11 23:28
I am still driving myself nuts of getting me some new gear. I am leaning towards custom made, as I think the BMW suit might not necessarily fit perfectly and I have doubt on how warm/hot it will be to wear on warm summer days. Thinking a custom made perforated leather suit will do great, and with a windstopper and underlayer it will also work just fine on those days where it is a little colder. But you also needs to carry a rain suit around all the time. Choices, choices.
If only I could find a proper review of the BMW Atlantis suit that tells me more. Very few out there, and they don’t deal with hot weather. I guess it is too expensive for most (like me included).
If only I could find a proper review of the BMW Atlantis suit that tells me more. Very few out there, and they don’t deal with hot weather. I guess it is too expensive for most (like me included).
Gear
11/02/11 13:22
I need new gear. My riding pants are torn, and my jacket is worn. I have two options that I like, either get a custom made suit from Damen Leathers, or go for the BMW Atlantis 4 suit. But they are both $$$. Right now, I think I am leaning towards the BMW suit because they are waterproof leathers. No more rain suit! On the other hand, it prove to be a little too much touring oriented to feel great when on my sporty bikes. I need to go fit and try it on.
Whatever I will get, I am sure it will be stretching my finances, especially after the very expensive clutch repair I had to do on my K1200S. Oh well. You only live once, and the only way to enjoy money is when you spend it. :)
Whatever I will get, I am sure it will be stretching my finances, especially after the very expensive clutch repair I had to do on my K1200S. Oh well. You only live once, and the only way to enjoy money is when you spend it. :)
Fuck me!
27/11/10 23:25
Well fuck me. I guess I am having a stroke of bad luck. First I replaced the Autocom system that gave up on my Balkan trip, only to find out after a test ride that my headset was blown up too. During that test ride, I also found that despite changing the oil, the bike would still not shift to neutral when standing still. Diagnosing the problem and after talking to BMW, we figured the clutch is toast. Apparently this is a known issue with the K1200 series of bikes, and lo and behold at 54,000km mine is one of them. The big question is, will BMW decide I qualify for the leniency warranty that expires 12/31. If it is decided that I don’t, I will have to cough up the cost myself which means I will be looking at a repair bill of about 1500 euro. Merry Christmas. I hope this was the last of the bad luck for a while, because I sure can’t afford any more. I guess this means I will have to put off getting new gear to replace the old worn stuff I wear now. Not a happy camper.
Sadle and stuff
08/11/10 06:59
This weekend, I finished giving the K1200S some much needed maintenance, after having been abused on the Balkan trip this year. Fluids were changed, valves checked (no adjustment necessary at 54000km!), filters changed or cleaned. I also mounted the new Autocom SuperPro AVI on the bike, after the previous one was fried in Greece being submerged in a pool of disinfectant. I now mounted it in the storage compartment underneath the Sargent saddle under the driver seat. This should provide a reasonably clean and at least dry spot for the device and allow me to continue to communicate with my friends and listen to the GPS and/or music. I also bled the brakes hoping it would improve firmness of the lever and give me a better feel, but no such luck. They still are shitty BMW brakes. Time to save up for a pair of Brembo radial masters.
As a little extra, here’s two shots of the bike fully assembled again to give a better view of how things look with the new saddle. Still crappy iPhone pics, but you’ll get the idea.
Until next time. :)
As a little extra, here’s two shots of the bike fully assembled again to give a better view of how things look with the new saddle. Still crappy iPhone pics, but you’ll get the idea.
Until next time. :)
New saddle pics
30/10/10 11:15
Ok, I shot some pics of my new saddle. Made them with my phone, so the quality isn’t near of my normal pics but it will give a pretty good idea of what it looks like.
It really is a quality piece of kit. The fit and finish, workmanship. Me likey.
It really is a quality piece of kit. The fit and finish, workmanship. Me likey.
New saddle
28/10/10 23:11
Alright! Today the FedEx-man came by and dropped of a big box containing my brand new Sargent modular sport seat. It is basically one of the excellent Sargent front seats, with a storage pod at the back instead of a passenger seat. Storage pod is painted BMW’s Cosmic Blue, which is the blue color of my K1200S. It fits and looks absolutely beautiful and the finish is amazing. Great piece of kit. Expensive, but great piece of kit nonetheless. I can’t wait for some nice weather to try it out. Think we will get some again this year?
Way too busy again...
14/03/10 20:53
Times have been way too busy lately. Work has been hell with the new release, and I had to get my bike ready. But the bike is ready now. I’ve got a new exhaust (OE K1300S), I have the GPS mounted, the Autocom is installed. I am officially ready to start doing trips on this bike... Read More...
Been a while...
29/01/10 20:51
My BMW K1200S parked on top of the Stilfserjoch aka the Stelvio Pass, Italy. Photo taken July 2010.
Well, the morning after my last entry into the blog (Dec 12), my dad and me went on our planned ride. We went to visit Mofra B.V. in Gilze, which is a very nice little BMW motorrad dealership. We had a good ride, and a good time oogling the new bikes and gear.
Late in the afternoon, we decided it was time to head back. As I turned out of a street leaving the dealer I of a sudden I found myself face down on the road and hearing the bike sliding over the road. I remember thinking FUCK! not my new bike. Read More...
Finally
19/12/09 20:49
Well, this weekend finally promises to be one with a little decent weather. Of course, it IS mid-December, so bad weather is to be expected, but still. If you have a new bike, you would like to ride it some too. Read More...
It's here!
07/11/09 20:47
Yesterday the day was finally there. After waiting two weeks, my new bike showed. Originally, it was planned to be delivered between 12 and 1 in the afternoon, but unfortunately due to various circumstances it didn’t arrive until 4:30. By the time I was done, it was too late to get out and ride some.
Today, the weather royally sucked. No other words for it. But tomorrow promises to be a nice day, so I’ll be out riding all day! Woohoo!
Today, the weather royally sucked. No other words for it. But tomorrow promises to be a nice day, so I’ll be out riding all day! Woohoo!
Yes!
23/10/09 20:36
Well, Wednesday the guy from the shop I went to last weekend called back saying he had the K12S in the back of his van and could swing buy so I could see it and have a test ride. How is that for service? :) Read More...
No Go, Yet
19/10/09 20:34
Well, this weekend we (my dad and I) drove to a dealership which had a bike for sale I am interested in. After an hour an a half driving and searching for the place, we came to find out the bike was not there. Fortunately it was not sold, but it was at an exhibition in Paris. Well shit! Read More...