RedRider

While I'm pretty sure I can't afford a new BMW, I know for sure I can't afford a used one. Owned one that was out of warranty. Fun to drive when it was running right. Ridiculously expensive to fix (indy shop too). Never again. BMW motorcycles? Now that's a different story. RR

Ahhh, right. RR

Didn't there used to be a VR member named Patch? Sold the gauge set that mounted in the cassette deck opening? Maybe? RR

As for the cord clip, it is just double sided tape holding it on. A piece of fish line or dental floss will allow you to 'cut' it off. Goo-B-Gone, WD-40, etc. for any remaining adhesive. RR

You bringing that up to FDL to fly in the spring? Would love to see that go. RR

Wear a long sleeve shirt and you should be fine. Low of 40 - we are months away from seeing such balmy weather. RR

Wait just one darn minute. You're in LA. What the heck do you need heated gear for? Send them to me for some real testing. RR

Don't know the number, but.... First, do you have a Heat-Troller? It will help as it regulates the power (PWM) to the various articles. From the Warm and Safe site (who I believe makes the FirstGear stuff), the jacket is 90-100 Watts, pants liner about 50W. Glove liners are 22W for the pair. Socks are 9W each. Heated gloves are about 20W each. Turn off your auxillary (running) lights should gain you 35-ish watts each (70 total). I have run an older 90W jacket liner and full gloves with a Heat-Troller - along with aux lights - without any difficulty. Suggest you add a voltage meter to see if it is draining beyond charging capacity. RR

1277 here. Joined Oct. '06.

Congratulations, Jeff. Where did you land your new job? RR

Perhaps, but it has given me 162,000 miles without a hiccup (dino oil too). Doesn't burn any oil (had to add a smidge after a long run at 90 MPH - main tank and a 5 gal aux tank). The Kia/Hyundai filter is intriguing though. Will look for it next time. RR

Fram PH6017 is available at Wallyworld and works well. RR

I'm in. Haven't been posting much lately, life is busy. RR

Found it - Modulemaster.com are the guys who rebuild the failed BMW ABS modules. Depending on model, $150-$350. It appears they are under development for the 2005 K1200RT module. RR

I might suggest Grip Buddies. They are a stretchy fabric that go over your current grips. I have put them on all my bikes. They work with heated grips too. No relation, just a satisfied customer. RR

Unless it is a screaming deal, I would bypass too. RR

That's great! RR

Servo assisted brakes (whizzy brakes as they are known) can be a PITA. IIRC, they were mostly '04-07. There is a guy that rebuilds the ABS control module for a few hundred dollars. FYI - if the whizzy brake ABS module goes out, it still brakes just fine, just without ABS. I have a couple BMW motorcycles, '86 K75C and a '09 R1200GS Adventure. Really like 'em. Do all my own work and don't find the parts to be any more expensive than other bikes - unless you have to get into special items like control modules and drive shafts. BMWMOA (Motorcycle Owner Assoc.) has a very good website with an excellent knowledge base. Rear drive issues were generally taken care of in '09 when BMW reapplied a vent in the pumpkin. The original specs called for too much lubricant and it would take out the main bearing. They can be repaired and/or rebuilt but it is costly. Not as common as the internet would lead you to believe. Keep in mind, most of my experience is from the Iron Butt crowd which puts on LOTS of miles. Stock seats - awful - just like most bikes (including the Venture). Sargent makes a good seat for them if you want to do normal mileage. If you are interested in doing Iron Butt miles, Russell Day-Long is the best choice. Laam Saddles also makes a good custom seat for a bit less money than the RSL. The K engines are really solid and perform well. As mentioned before, check for service records. Things I would be concerned with is drive shaft spline lube and brake fluid flushes. Check the bottom of the engine/transmission for signs of leakage. The transmission is a cassette style with the dry clutch sandwiched between the engine and transmission. If any of the seals at the back of the engine or front of the transmission are leaking, it is possible the clutch got wet - replacement time. Not hard to do, just very time consuming. I will be doing the transmission seals on my '86 K bike this winter. Overall, these bike are fairly easy to work on. The K1200LT is a real mile muncher. Nice bike with good ergonomics for taller folks (I'm 6'3" and 260-ish lbs). RR

I also have a shim kit and tool to loan if needed. Lemme know. Or, if you can ride it over here we could probably get it done in an afternoon. RR

Most expensive tires I have found are Heidenau K60. Don't believe they have a 15" rear though. No one has yet suggesting testing the Kenda Kruz K673. They have both tire sizes available. I have run Kendas on other bikes and liked them. RR

Don't judge it until you have well over 100 miles on it. New tires are slick until you get them rubbed in. The BattleAxe is a good tire. RR

Let me know how I can help. Getting the motors to move under control is the first step that you appear to have accomplished. It is all easy from there. RR

Jeff, Stepper (and their big brother - servo) motors and controls are what I do for a living. Sorry I didn't see this before. Let me know if you have questions. I may be able to help. RR

We use some vacuum line, but yes. Good idea. RR

Goldenrider's '83 sprung a leak in the steel portion of the clutch line. We are trying to get on the road to Bryce Canyon and beyond. After several frantic PMs, texts, and ultimately a phone call from the Pucster himself, we formulated a plan. It uses standard 3/16 steel brake line with metric fittings. Picked up said brake line, hit HF for a pipe cutter and tube bender, and got to work. Should know more shortly as we haven't bled it yet. Getting a canopy from Walmart as there is no way this WI boy can work in the Phoenix sun. Thanks to VideoArizona and Cowpuc. We really appreciate your help. Will get pictures later as I can't seem to insert them from my phone. RR