BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

Just checking who's awake.

Sorry,

I was too busy deciding which oil to use, whether I should mount my own tires or pay the dealer, which tires are better, and how to charge my battery.

The stress of which put me into a catatonic state of meditation on the pro and cons of wearing a helmet!!!

Bill

I still wanna' know which is better...

German air, American air, or synthetic air in the tires, and which one won't void the warranty?

I also still want to how high, or low, the oil should be in the sightglass, and at what *PRECISE* interval it shouold be checked... down to the shake, nanosecond, picosecond, femtosecond, and attosecond...

And finally, if synthetic oil is truly synthetic, why do they call it "oil"?

Dallara

Using the kill switch under any circumstances will VOID your waranty.

You must check your oil within 3 minutes of shutdown, but it can only be done on perfectly level ground. Unless you do what I did, and add leveling screws to the legs on my centerstand. I will try to post some pictures later.

But Biff...

I have the BMW servo-assisted kill switch, so how can it void my warranty?

Besides, mine is a 2002 and is out of warranty, anyway...

I still want to know which air is best for the tires. I was using English air in the OEM Dunlops, but I think that caused them to wear out to quick, and they kept blowing fuses...

I put German air in the set of Metzler Z6's I replaced the Dunlop's with, but the rear wore out in 4,000 miles, so I was wondering if I should switch to synthetic air for less rolling friction... though I am worried it will not allow proper "break-in" of the tires, and perhaps be so slick as to compromise traction.

I was going to get Michelin Pilot Road's, but I just couldn't bring myself to use French air, so I am going to mount another Metzler Z6 on the rear until the front Z6 wears out...

That is why I want to know which is better for traction, wear, and safety - German air, American air, or synthetic air... I have considered helium to reduce unsprung weight, but I don't want the tires to sound like Donald Duck during a panic stop or when I am checking pressures.

I already have the leveling screws on my centerstand, and they were worth every penny of the $469.95 that Wunderlich charges for them!!! And the asphalt magnets in them to help stabilize the bike when parked are ingenious. Wish they worked on concrete, though, as my driveway and garage are concrete. I hear Pirate's Lair may have some with concrete magnet capability sometime in 2007...

I am also looking for an oil temperature gauge that reads in degrees Kelvin, but I am not having much luck. Are you absolutely sure that the time interval for checking the sight glass is exactly three minutes? I heard that was correct if you were at the same elevation and atmospheric pressure as Munich, but that it varied by at least twelve femtoseconds per micron of elevation, needing more time as you got closer to sea level or below (for Dutch riders and those from New Orleans...), and less as you got higher. I don't know if it's true, but I heard that if you were to ride to the top of Mount Everest you would have to go back down a couple of hundred feet before you could check the oil (and you would still have to be damn quick about it...), otherwise if you were to do it successfully at the peak you would have to go back in time...

Thanks!

Dallara

Dallara,

what are you going to do then the servo fails on the kill switch?

I think there is a great thread over on advrider that will explain how to remove it instead paying $1800.00 for the oem parts to replace it.

Although, I am afraid this may bring up a long string of posts discussing the pros and cons of the servo assist kill switch.

I am kind of on the fence on this topic. I recognize the saftey gained by having the servo assist ensuring that a rider with no skill and practice can turn off their motorcycle as quickly as a pro.

But on the otherhand, I am practical and still question if added expense and weight of the system are a worthwhile subustitue for repetivie skills practice that will give me the same results.

Bill

On the topic of air in the tyres (note correct spelling, I mean really) I have it on good authority that nitrous oxide is the best filler for tyres. Puts a bit of spring back into a subject that we keep going round and round on. Makes the ride wonderfully lighthearted and carefree. Almost painless!

To Baltm604...

Well, I didn't want to get the servo-assisted kill switch for all the reasons you state, but since I bought my ------- R-1150-R used I didn't really have a choice. I did manage to get mine without servo-assisted ABS (Thank God!), but alas I was stuck with the switch. I appreciate the pointer to ADVrider about removing the servo-assist on the switch, and since my bike is out of warranty I won't have any worries with removing the servos. I am glad to hear it can be done, as the "whine" it makes while being actuated is almost as bad as the "whine" of BMW servo-assisted ABS proponents...

To Arkline...

I have heard of the nitrous oxide trick for the "tyres", but have also heard that it can make the bike wander and weave about worse than a drunken sailor... and that it can make the front end feel "dead" to a degree. The last thing I want is "dead" handling.

I have just read some great things about using hydrogen instead of the aforementioned gases. On the Suzuki GSXR forum a number of posters there report "explosive acceleration" and "lighter than air" steering response using hydrogen, not to mention that it is more environmentally friendly than CO2 or plain air. They did say there was some concern about using it on German bikes, though, mentioning that some German riders tried it back in the late 1930's only to find it burned up their rubber at an alarming rate... literally in seconds... so I don't know.

Has anybody tried xenon or neon in their "tyres"?

Might be a bright idea...

Dallara

I read somewhere, maybe here, that if you use European air (French, English, German, etc.), you HAVE to measure the pressure in metric units, but, if you use American air, you can use PSI.

As a retired (R1150R riding) Sailor I am shocked, outraged even by Dallara's "drunken Sailor" reference and his failure to capitalize the word "Sailor". Just where are those moderators when you need them?

Using the kill switch under any circumstances will VOID your waranty.

I'm not sure about that, but it will most certainly lose any respect that you may have from Cyclerob

Warning!
I have heard that your (tire) valve stems wont seal properly if you switch to synthetic air before reaching 10,000 miles.
And I know this is a touchy subject but I have decided that I will never own another bike without a servo-activated kill switch.

Warning!
I have heard that your (tire) valve stems wont seal properly if you switch to synthetic air before reaching 10,000 miles.
And I know this is a touchy subject but I have decided that I will never own another bike without a servo-activated kill switch.

That was me. (Kabusa)

I use helium in my tires and the bike is almost 30 pounds lighter. Also use Red Line ATF instead of brake fluid......but I'm sure that is not news for most of you.

And finally, if synthetic oil is truly synthetic, why do they call it "oil"?

Things that make you go . . . hmmm?

Dallara - you can be a funny guy when you want to be!

Boxermania,

atf vs brake fluid really is not big deal as long as you never inhale!

bill

I have been manufactoring my own synthetic German air, I got an emergency 20 gal air tank and schrader to but hole adaptor hose from harbor freight $8.95 . You then need to chow down on some bratwurst pickeled pigs nuckles and krout, when pressure builds, run out to shop, hook up and let her rip, walla genuine syntec German air, enough for 2 air changes. I hope this answers your question Dallara?

I haven't used my kill switch since my last crash. So I had it modified to deploy the parachute out of the small black canister on the rear frame rail.

It's a synthetic parachute with the words "Do not follow closer than 500 feet" in blue on a white background.

I only have one leveling screw on the right leg of my centerstand. Do the Aussies get their screw in the left?

Do the Aussies get their screw in the left?

Left or right...usually straight up the center.... ....what are we talking about?

DJ

Kill switch?! I thought those were optional? If I had one, I would perform a kill-switch-ectomy - mostly to save weight.

I already removed my side stand and center stand - don't need those any more, I just lean my bike up against the wall. If it falls over, I can easily pick it up since it weighs less without the kill switch.