Just saying hello...

adg44 · Post by **adg44** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 9:10 am

Hello,

I just purchased a 2004 Rockster w/ ABS as my first bike and I absolutely love it.

It has 7,000 miles on it, new Michelin Pilot tires, and had the 6k service completed. Also has heated grips, luggage tie down, and a plug in for heated clothes.

One thing I have noticed is that the driveshaft is kind of clunky. I have never ridden a bike without a chain before, so I just assume this is normal and once I become smoother with the clutch and shifting I won't notice it anymore.

Anyway, just saying hi and I'll go ahead and read through a lot of the archived threads here to see what other additions/maintenance/things I should know about this bike!

- Anthony

Byrdguy · Post by **Byrdguy** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 7:40 pm

Congrats on a fine ride. You're gonna love it. I'm not sure what you mean by clunky, but they do have a little driveline slop and abrupt on-off throttling can cause clunking. a smooth throttle hand is a must, and I'm sure you'll have no trouble getting the feel of it. Enjoy the bike and (since it's your first bike) be very careful out there.

cutting · Post by **cutting** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 8:11 pm

Hi,

Have just bought myself a rockster as well... and same, takes a little while to get the gear change right.
Having come off a jap bike.. 1st thing i had to get used to was the gear change and not having to use the gears as much.. so much tq in these motors.

Other than that... love it, feels good on the road.. actually, thats another thing i'm still coming to grips with.. leaning, for a while there i thought if i lent the bike over to much into a corner i would scrape the centre stand.. or even the heads of the motor (stupid i know)...

i'm getting better with it all the time... and more confident on what i can do with it.

Ray

Byrdguy · Post by **Byrdguy** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 8:40 pm

The bike will lean WAAAY over. I've scraped the footpegs on mine and I know it'll go even farther. I just spent a weekend in the twisties last week and defititely used all of the tires. The bikes handle great.

adg44 · Post by **adg44** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 9:10 pm

Yeah, the gear shifting is clunky is what I mean. I've already started to get better at it thougout the day today.

I also have both the brake lever and clutch lever on the "1" setting. Odd considering that my gloves are an XL and I have pretty big hands! I guess I just like not having to extend my hands as much.

I put about 30 miles on the bike today just riding around town. I have noticed that the bike is extremely stable. Even crawling along at a couple of MPH it almost balances itself (I guess we can thank the engine that sticks out each side for that!).

One thing I wish was for more room between the foot peg and the shifter lever. I have size 14 feet, so it's a close fit in there. Are there kits to solve this?

I still need to get some riding pants and some riding boots, so that is what I plan to do next week.

Finally, is there a guide for cleaning the bike? I have been auto detailing for well over 10 years, but this will be the first time I'll clean a bike. Any tips are appreciated.

- Anthony

Byrdguy · Post by **Byrdguy** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 9:37 pm

The shifter linkage can be adjusted. Look at the vertical link with the ball joints. You can lenghten or shorten the link a little to gain some toe space. Cleaning is pretty much straight forward also. No harsh cleaners, and good wax on the paint. I use Suzuki Cycle cleaner on the heavy grime, and a small paint brush gets in the nooks and crannies.

adg44 · Post by **adg44** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 9:41 pm

Byrdguy wrote:The shifter linkage can be adjusted. Look at the vertical link with the ball joints. You can lenghten or shorten the link a little to gain some toe space. Cleaning is pretty much straight forward also. No harsh cleaners, and good wax on the paint. I use Suzuki Cycle cleaner on the heavy grime, and a small paint brush gets in the nooks and crannies.

You wax the matte black paint? It's rough and not clearcoated.

Do I hose down the bike? Do I have to worry about water getting in certain areas? How about the engine?

I'll go take a look at the shifter now. I really have been too busy riding it to look it over!

Byrdguy · Post by **Byrdguy** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 9:52 pm

Oh, yeah, I forgot the Rocksters have the matte finish. (I have the R1150R). Maybe some other owners will chime in. You can wet the engine, but I usually give it a low pressure rinse. I don't spray the injectors or anything electrical.

adg44 · Post by **adg44** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 10:16 pm

Byrdguy wrote:Oh, yeah, I forgot the Rocksters have the matte finish. (I have the R1150R). Maybe some other owners will chime in. You can wet the engine, but I usually give it a low pressure rinse. I don't spray the injectors or anything electrical.

The only thing I am worried about on the engine is the MAF (Mass Airflow Sensor).

I went down to my garage and looked at the shifter. I see what you mean about adjusting the height of the shifter lever. Mine is pretty low, so I'll go ahead and raise that up tomorrow and see how that goes. I think the extra footroom may solve my problem.

Byrdguy · Post by **Byrdguy** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 10:29 pm

The MAF has to be in the intake tract. The intake snorkel is on the left side below the bottom of the tank. Just don't spray water in it!!!

Post by **Biff's R** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 11:03 am

I usually clean my bike with simple green. Get the bike wet. Spray on Simple Green, and wait 5 minutes(I usually wipe off the bottom of the engine and a couple of other places during this time). Then rinse off, and towel dry as best I can. 10-15 minute job. I usually wax my roadster once a year. The wax reduces the possibility of scratches, etc, and only takes 10-15 minutes.

adg44 · Post by **adg44** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 11:41 am

Byrdguy wrote:The shifter linkage can be adjusted. Look at the vertical link with the ball joints.

OK, I went and tried to adjust this just now with the tools in the toolkit. It's 10mm for the locking nut, but how do I pop off the ball joint so I can shorten it?

Byrdguy · Post by **Byrdguy** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 2:39 pm

There is a tiny steel wire clip that has to be removed. First, if the felt dust collector is still there, remove it or get it out of the way so you can get to the clip. The clip fits into the side of the socket and snaps around it. Look at it closely, with a tiny flat screw driver, pry it away and pull the clip out of its little hole. now you can pry the socket off the ball. The socket sort of snaps over the ball.

adg44 · Post by **adg44** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 10:55 pm

Gotcha - thanks. I should have thought to move those foam dust collectors out of the way. I will take care of this tomorrow.

I was riding around tonight and I noticed the engine sure does "clatter" a lot. I assume this is normal? I'm new to bikes so I'm not sure what they are supposed to sound like.

Also, I think I'm going to go ahead and order those handlebar risers. At 6'2, I am hunched over a bit when I'm grabbing the handlebars.

- Anthony

Post by **dcameron** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 8:52 pm

these engines will talk to you. not unexpected. go to a local mechanic, BMW certified, every now and then to chat. he's never expressed concern about those noises. so, i just ride it. also, use earplugs on long rides or, as i do an ipod with Etymotic ER-6 earplugs, and enjoy the ride without sweating the engine noises.

adg44 · Post by **adg44** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 9:24 pm

Byrdguy wrote:There is a tiny steel wire clip that has to be removed. First, if the felt dust collector is still there, remove it or get it out of the way so you can get to the clip. The clip fits into the side of the socket and snaps around it. Look at it closely, with a tiny flat screw driver, pry it away and pull the clip out of its little hole. now you can pry the socket off the ball. The socket sort of snaps over the ball.

I just did this. Mutilated the dust collector, so I may go buy another one if it's a necessary part.

I was hoping for a little more adjustment. I put it up as far as it would go (although there is still about 1cm left of space), so maybe 1cm higher than where it was before. It added some more room and is more comfortable. I assume I can always get a shorter ball joint if I have to - but I think this will be fine.

adg44 · Post by **adg44** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 9:24 pm

dcameron wrote:these engines will talk to you. not unexpected. go to a local mechanic, BMW certified, every now and then to chat. he's never expressed concern about those noises. so, i just ride it. also, use earplugs on long rides or, as i do an ipod with Etymotic ER-6 earplugs, and enjoy the ride without sweating the engine noises.

That's all I needed to know - thanks!