2003 R1150R Known Issues

[motorcityrider]

I have no problems with my bike but was wondering if there are any recalls or known issues I should fix before they show up? Is the 2003 model a reliable year? I want this bike to last a long time. Thanks.

[combustor777]

I have no problems with my bike but was wondering if there are any recalls or known issues I should fix before they show up? Is the 2003 model a reliable year? I want this bike to last a long time. Thanks.

Replace plastic fuel line quick disconnects with chrome plated brass ASAP ($72 from beemer boneyard). (OEM break at inopportune time and leave you stranded)
Replace brake and clutch fluid religiously at least biennially.
Once you break 30-40k miles time to check out clutch splines, clutch slave cylinder, FD bearings.
Mine was built in feb 2001 and its never had any issues (21k on it to date)

[motorcityrider]

Please give me more detail on the fuel line issue and what I need to do. Thanks.

[combustor777]

Please give me more detail on the fuel line issue and what I need to do. Thanks.

order these:
http://www.beemerboneyard.com/cpcqkdiscon.html

Drain fuel tank.

Remove a black plastic panel covering the fuel line quick disconnects (just above right throttle body)

cut 4 clamps holding the fuel line to the quick disconnects (dremel cutoff wheel works good here), be ready to catch fuel

install new QDs and clamps. be careful not to break the plastic fuel injection rails trying to monkey the QDs off/on, this is an expensive mistake.

Cyclerob just did this on my bike, so he can correct anything I missed but that is basically it.

What year was your bike built? Mine was built in '01 and the fuel lines were showing signs of age/cracking so I replaced those as well. That will require removing the tank which is no big deal. If you decide you want to do that I have enough leftover fuel line and clamps I'll send you for free, just pay for shipping (its $25+S&H from the boneyard).

[MikeCam]

If you never remove your tank and the dealer does all your services, then do nothing. You cannot break the quick disconnects unless you touch them (they then breaK EVERY TIME!). But, there is a service bulletin for the clamps that hold the rubber and plastic fuel lines tight - these develop seepage, leakage, and weepage at inopportune times. Mostly due to temperature changes but also due to age. Dealer fix.

Combuster777 had the specific list down right.

[combustor777]

I guess the other question is if you have an ABS bike or not. If you have ABS removing the tank will be an annual operation. Otherwise it will be just to replace the battery.

[challey]

Just to be safe, I would check the proximity of the wire harness to the underside of your fuel tank. This cautionary check is suggested based on a recent, very painful experience on my 2003 (see my previous wire harness posts) that I hope is rare but that is totally preventable. You shouldn't have to actually remove the tank to do this check. Just lift the back end up and make sure that the top of the harness (the loop that's gathered up and attached to the frame by wire tires) is not rubbing on the underside of the tank.

I agree wholehartedly with the recommendation to change out the plastic QDs for brass and to replace the Oetiker fuel line clamps with screw type FI clamps. The plastic QDs can and do crack so that even a slight touch - like from engine vibration or a rough road - can cause a break. A broken. QD at night, 100 miles from home on a dark road with fuel leaking everywhere is a really sh*tty scenario. Easily and relatively inexpensively prevented with metal QDs and new clamps. If you're not up to the task, the dealer can do it and it should still be relatively cheap.

Charlie

[motorcityrider]

My bike was built in September of 2002. Was this issue resolved before my bike was built?

[combustor777]

My bike was built in September of 2002. Was this issue resolved before my bike was built?

No, these issues affect all R1150 series

[motorcityrider]

So what is the failure mode of the fuel lines if they are not changed?

[combustor777]

So what is the failure mode of the fuel lines if they are not changed?

Well I personally haven't experienced it but I would imagine the line splitting and high-pressure fuel spurting out until the electric fuel pump drains your tank or you turn the switch off.

[towerworker]

On 2003 models you need to check the antifreeze levels in the radiators at least annually. I had an 03 and I did this religiously.

Wayne

[iowabeakster]

So what is the failure mode of the fuel lines if they are not changed?

Well I personally haven't experienced it but I would imagine the line splitting and high-pressure fuel spurting out until the electric fuel pump drains your tank or you turn the switch off.

That's failure mode number 1. That one sucks. It will stain your engine and tranny. The stain is permanent (unless you repaint). You will see many R1150R's with stained engines and trannys from leaking gasoline.

Failure mode number 2 is not as bad. It happens after you put in your new battery (or some other farkle, etc.). When you go to reconnect the fuel lines...the plastic disconnect cracks in your hands.

I replaced the fuel lines when replacing the disconnects. This is recommended by well respected mechanics around here (Cyclerob). I think most people do this.

If you do this...you need 8 screw down fuel injection type clamps and about 3 feet of 5/16" FUEL INJECTION RATED HOSE. I bought 4' to be safe. The hose will be fairly expensive, don't be surprized.

MOST IMPORTANTLY...if you buy the disconnects from Beemer Boneyard...do not use the clamps that come in the kit. Those clamps are not good (unless they started sending better ones recently). Buy 8 higher quality clamps at the auto parts store when you get the fuel line.

THIS ISSUE IS EVEN MORE ANNOYING THAN SPRAYING FUEL!!! DO IT IMMEDIATELY!!! CUT THESE ZIP TIES!!!
These stupid things were too tight out of the factory and will tear through the wiring loom. They can leave you with: dead turn signals, innability to cancel turn signals, no hand warmers, or even a dead bike. DO THIS NOW!!! (that is my entire months worth of exclamation points)

If I can get just one person to cut those wire ties before they have a problem, it was worth it.

[TexasRoadster]

Well, the more destructive failure mode of not changing out the quick disconnects is that the gas that comes pouring out will stain the engine (a sickly yellow coloration that's visible for miles), especially if it's hot already - there's really no way to wipe off the gas fast enough to keep it from staining. The only fix is to repaint the engine. The QDs will also fail WITHOUT disconnnecting them before hand. My tank had never been off the bike. Mine failed as I let the bike sit and idle while I closed the garage door. I immediately noticed the gas pouring on the ground, but it was too late. Killing the engine didn't stop the gas until the pressure equalized. I have yet to repaint the engine and it makes me sick everytime I look at the right side of my bike.

Search for the DIY writeup on replacing the QDs. There's one around that has pics and everything. As Iowabeakster said, be sure to use fuel injector hose and not just fuel line hose and get the properly sized fuel injector hose clamps (not standard hose clamps, they won't tighten down enough to hold the fuel line pressure). The hardest part is getting the old BMW clamps off the fuel lines - a rotary tool with a cutting wheel works best for cutting the clamp off.

The only other advice I have besides what's already been mentioned is to flush your brake lines annually and keep a close watch on the rear pads as these seem to wear down very quickly (maybe less than 10,000 miles). They are apparently not sintered like the front brakes which seem to last forever (that's 15-25,000 miles in bike-years).

[iowabeakster]

I must have been looking for Cyclerob's Zip-tie picture and fixing bad grammar (and added the comments about the stains) when Texasroadster spoke up. I totally agree...those stains are really ugly.

[motorcityrider]

Wow! I am a Ford Motor Engineer and if we would have a fuel line issue like that on our cars or trucks, there would probably have been a national recall to repair them. Why didn't BMW offer free repairs? Thanks for all the help. I will look for DIY pics.

[jfslater98]

...

MOST IMPORTANTLY...if you buy the disconnects from Beemer Boneyard...do not use the clamps that come in the kit. Those clamps are not good (unless they started sending better ones recently)...

I did this update over the winter, with BB disconnects. They have started using higher quality clamps, the gentleman there mentioned that to me. They seem high quality to me, I've not had any issues with them. I can also verify the quality of the disconnects themselves because I had to take the tank off for...

If I can get just one person to cut those wire ties before they have a problem, it was worth it.

I made this fix just last week, and glad I did. The covering had started to give way on one side, so I fixed it up best I could. Will post details later.

[motorcityrider]

I researched the NHTSA recalls and found that this issue is only for the 2002 R1150R model year? Can anyone verify that the 2003 model year does not have this issue? Thanks.

[spoon]

I know this goes to the 2004 as well and I believe the entire 1150 build.

[combustor777]

Good point about the zip ties and good diagram!! I forgot about that but it is another important fix!