2u all owners of 1150r's

Topics related to the ownership, maintenance, equipping, operation, and riding of the R1150R.

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dartmanok
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2u all owners of 1150r's

Post by dartmanok »

I am still trying to breaki n my new older bike 451 miles on it.
According to the BMW dealer that I need to keep the rpm under
4000 until my first service around 600.

I do notice that the gas miliage is kinda sloppy around low 30 miles
per gallon average. Is this about right?

Per BMW salesman/mechanic that the first 2000 miles that is about average. True or not?

Second the peak of the bike performance is over 18000 miles.
That is a very long time to fully break in the bike.

The dual sparks eleminated the motor surging issues per say.
DJ Downunder
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Post by DJ Downunder »

You should be ok to rev it out to about 5,500 now..OMHO.

Just start riding it like normal without wringing it's neck.

There's no real need to be reving over 5,500 anyway.

The twin spark has helped with some of the surging issues that some bikes had..but I've heard of even twin spark models surging a little.

These bikes do take a long time to be fully run in...I'm not sure about fuel economy in mpg..but you're probably lugging it a bit right now keeping the revs low.

DJ
R90rider
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Post by R90rider »

My average mileage is in the low 30's. I think that's mostly due to the heavy throttle hand.
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budH
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Post by budH »

I got 42.4 MPG today on my '02 Roadster (36.5K miles). My average speed for this tank was pretty brisk, including a late night 45 mile slab ride home at 75+ mph. The rest was back roads. Mileage definately improved on mine as mileage increased. You should also notice a quieter motor after the break-in service.
--bud--H
Black '02 BMW R1150R
Red '98 VFR800Fi / Blue '08 WR250R / RWB '84 VF1000F
sLower Delaware
Harry
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Post by Harry »

I bought my '05 R1150R at the beginning of January. I suggest that you immediately abandon the dealer recommended routine for break/run-in.

I was having a problem with my bike burning oil under the 4,000 RPM limit.

You need to pressurize the pistons of your bike by running up the RPM briefly and then back down again consecutively in all gears. This pressure will force the rings to expand rapidly and allow them to seat better.

That's exactly what I did to my bike. And now with 1,5000 miles on it, it's running **PERFECTLY** It burns no oil at all and no longer has that "congested" feeling that it did when new.

I ran my bike hard, speeding up and then drastically slowing down, over and over again until I hit 1,000 miles.

BMW LiferDEAN, Boxermania and others schooled me on the REAL WAY to break-in a Boxer motor and their advice was spot on. I suggest that you begin now! Ignore your dealer's advice. They're more concerned with CYA politics.

This will also improve your gas mileage.

You can see my R at http://www.toddlaneart.com/motorcycle/

P.S. Gents; We just got back from seeing the movie "The Worlds Fastest Indian" with Anthony Hopkins. It was outstanding! My wife even liked it. Plus, plenty of SPEED on the salt flats!!!
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Post by sjbmw »

Harry is dead on right. I was given this politically incorrect advice from my dealer when I bought mine, and it works.

Use the entire powerband evenly.
Freedom is dangerous. Those in power that steal freedom are more dangerous.
DJ Downunder
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Post by DJ Downunder »

P.S. Gents; We just got back from seeing the movie "The Worlds Fastest Indian" with Anthony Hopkins. It was outstanding! My wife even liked it. Plus, plenty of SPEED on the salt flats!!!
I can't wait to see it...it opens here in April 2...Bugger!...when's the dvd realesed?...it looks great.

DJ
LonestaRR
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break in

Post by LonestaRR »

I too only had 400+ miles on my new '05RR until yesterday. Then I read the posts about proper break in of the bike. So I took off yesterday and headed west of Houston. Once I was on some back roads, I tried to do the proper break in as best I could remember reading the description from earlier that morning. I got a little confused after reading a post on the site and then reading a post with a link to another site about breaking in the engine. But, all in all, I think I did it right - wound up the rpms in 1-5th to about 5500-5800, then backed down. Just 3-5 bursts in each gear and then tried to run steady at about 4 rpms. RIGHT????

I put 100 miles on it yesterday. Half way through the ride though, some sort of front moved in with wind gusts out on that open farm/ranch road up to probably 35 mph or more. That is when the break in period stopped for me, because the wind was beating me up. The bike is light and I only weigh 125 and so we were being tossed around pretty good. Most of the ride was with a cross wind and then about 15 miles of a head wind. Any suggestions for riding in wind like that? There were no other riders on the road that I saw on the way out or back, except for an big ol' dude on a Goldwing that passsed me. While I was fighting the cross wind and the draft form the big trucks, he just cruised on past like the wind didn't bother him at all. Is that just because of the weight issue, or do touring style bikes just take the wind better?
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Post by toner87 »

Cross winds do suck... I've had the same problems and I outweigh you by more than 2x.... I got some pearls of wisdom online when I asked your same questions... Make sure that your arms are relaxed and that you're not locked into a "hold on for dear life" position... By stiffening and locking up, your body provides a sail that the wind hits & the wind's energy is then transferred through your body to the handlebars... If you're relaxed this effect is noticeably reduced... I may not have explained that well, but the jist is, keep the arms and hands relaxed... It may seem counter-intuitive, but it does work.
T.
mnnden
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Post by mnnden »

Dartmanok, if you go to page 3? (Wed Jan 4th) a post was started by Harry, intiltled
"Abandoned Traditional break-in" A very good read. Den
We all gave some,
Some gave all.

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Post by Airman »

Dartman,

I agree with Harry. I observed the BMW break-in procedure carefully on my `03 and it took forever for it to stop burning oil. (at 6k)It stopped when I took it on a long summer road trip and really flogged it. I get about 38 in town and up to 50 on the road. It was like that from the date of purchase. You might get a little more by tweaking the throttle bodies, etc, but that's about it. If I get down in the low 30's it's because I'm riding way too fast.
wncbmw
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mileage and break in

Post by wncbmw »

Some knowledgeable folks have recommended a different breakin than the offical party line and I think they are right. Find that old thread and read it. Mine was used when I bought it and used oil for quite a while. Any new bike will be broken in by the method Dean and some others have said to use.

And my mileage varies with enjoyment factor. Faster pace= high 30's. Relaxed pace, low 40's.
'02 in black - the real BMW color! (Now gone to a new home)
Vann - Lifer No. 295
morrie
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Break in

Post by morrie »

I think BMW uses a very light break-in oil until it is changed at 600 miles. That's why I kept mine at no more than 4,000 rpm for the first 600.
Brownw3
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Post by Brownw3 »

I too, only get about 30MPG but for the 1000 miles I've put on the bike I understand; I've been enjoying the ridiculous power on the machine after 25 years of riding cruisers and airheads. I bought the bike from a dealer with 1700 miles so it was run in by the master tech riding it. All seems to be well with the machine.

I hope the gas mileage improves once I steady my throttle hand. Anyway, I love the fact that it takes 20,000 to break in a Beemer. Normally it takes about 200,000 miles to break one so I don't mind the quirky running in for a year or so.
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