1200RT Maintenance

[dkjkwood]

So, I'm doing some preventative maintenance this afternoon, valves, oil, generator belt.

Of course right in the middle of it my ST buddy shows (KATMANDO-DO) up on his bike. I tried to block his view, he moved right, I moved right, he moved left, I moved left. I really didn't want him to see my bike in pieces. Needless to say Detective Tipton figured out something was up.

I'm so glad I could give he something to chuckle about.

He made three comments:
1. "Ya ought to get a Honda, don't have to work on them."
2. "I wonder what it looks like under the plastic of my bike, guess I'll never find out."
2. "Why is it every time I come over here, your bikes in pieces."

Just great, he'll milk this for a month.

 

[tercol58]

Just get yourself a ST he will never catch you wit the tupperware off again

 

[AgSTreak]

Never had the tupperware off my ST.

 

[AgSTreak]

Well, maybe a few times. OK, more than a few times but some were for farkling.

 

[Bones]

ST's require maintenance. Perhaps less than some other machines, but ST's are machines, too.

 

[tercol58]

ST's require maintenance. Perhaps less than some other machines, but ST's are machines, too.

I know just have not owned mine long enough to take any off yet. The RT was at the top of my list with the ST winning out over it and the FJR by price and mileage

 

[Katmando64]

So, I'm doing some preventative maintenance this afternoon, valves, oil, generator belt.

Of course right in the middle of it my ST buddy shows (KATMANDO-DO) up on his bike. I tried to block his view, he moved right, I moved right, he moved left, I moved left. I really didn't want him to see my bike in pieces. Needless to say Detective Tipton figured out something was up.

I'm so glad I could give he something to chuckle about.

He made three comments:
1. "Ya ought to get a Honda, don't have to work on them."
2. "I wonder what it looks like under the plastic of my bike, guess I'll never find out."
2. "Why is it every time I come over here, your bikes in pieces."

Just great, he'll milk this for a month.

NO that is not true! I will only "milk" this for however long your RT is down....Hmmm.....considering your mechanical skills and the difficulty of repairs on a BMW.....yeah, a month is about right!! :duck:

 

[dkjkwood]

But did you actually get to do some maintenance on the bike, or just flounder around avoiding the issue?

Yep, got it all done, they're actually pretty simple to work on.

 

[Killtimer]

Ah..... Next time you get any grief, ask a ST1300 owner how long it takes to do a valve adjustment.

 

[Mellow]

Ah..... Next time you get any grief, ask a ST1300 owner how long it takes to do a valve adjustment.

+1.. sure hope Honda makes removable side fairing panels on the next version of the ST.. or, like Guzzi, they are exposed enough to get to everything you need..

The boxer setup makes things very neat and easy - I miss that part of the Valkyrie and GL1800 valve checks.

 

[RaYzerman]

Ah..... Next time you get any grief, ask a ST1300 owner how long it takes to do a valve adjustment.

LOL... and he'll counter with, how long does it take to change the clutch and brake fluid on a Beemer......

 

[AgSTreak]

It took me a couple of hours to do an oil & filter change, points (remember those), valves, and spark plugs on my airheads. I work slowly. The airhead was a very simple machine to work on.

 

[Carl_T]

Going to pull the stuff off the RT soon to run some wiring. I'll see how much of a pain it is. I didn't have the ST very long before I pulled the gas tank off to put in Tom's Fuel pressure regulator. Dawn freaked out when she saw the brand new ST in peices Brake fluid after '06 is pretty much the same as the ST, but not the 05-06. Glad I have the 07.

Every bike, that's EVERY bike, has it's pluses and minuses. If the pluses seem worth the minuses, you get an ownership match. For me I'd rather work on it a bit more and enjoy the weight/handling differences, and enjoy my beloved, makes no sense but I want it anyway, 6th gear, while still riding my bride in comfort on whichever trips we get to do together. Even the 1930's motor is worth that to me. That may not be worth it to everyone is all, but that's the way the World turns. If it clicks with you when you go down the road and use it the way you want to use it, and the negatives don't give you daily fits you don't want to live with, then a bike is worth the owning regardless of brand.

To me a brand is just a name with certain history, who've done a specific type of job on a specific model in their line, but the machine itself is whatever it individually, actually is to you the rider, when you personally use it.

I laugh and joke about brands in good fun. The motorcycle itself and how it and I interface day to day over time is what counts with me as the bottom line. If I love it or like it, I don't give a rat's behind WHO makes it except maybe to tease with friends in a not really serious way.

Then again I do my best to do ALL possible work on the bike myself, as I've been trained that way by dealers of more than one make over the years.

 

[dkjkwood]

Ah..... Next time you get any grief, ask a ST1300 owner how long it takes to do a valve adjustment.

Yes, a kindred soul amongst all these Bavarian Tractor Bashers.

 

[dkjkwood]

I laugh and joke about brands in good fun. The motorcycle itself and how it and I interface day to day over time is what counts with me as the bottom line. If I love it or like it, I don't give a rat's behind WHO makes it except maybe to tease with friends in a not really serious way.

I agree all in good fun!

 

[Killtimer]

Yes, a kindred soul amongst all these Bavarian Tractor Bashers.

Hey, I ride both And I keep a Triumph in reserve.

 

[dduelin]

Ah..... Next time you get any grief, ask a ST1300 owner how long it takes to do a valve adjustment.

Yeah, 7 or 8 hours. The good thing you can tell the RT owner that asks is that you only have to do every 5 years or so if you ride 10,000 to 20,000 miles a year.

 

[Chris Parker]

Yeah, 7 or 8 hours. The good thing you can tell the RT owner that asks is that you only have to do every 5 years or so if you ride 10,000 to 20,000 miles a year.

That is funny... I thought you had to get to the valves every 16K on the ST? Remove side panels and the tank to get at that has got to be fun... just as a point of reference... I do a valve check/adjustment on the RT in about 1.5 hours, including removing body panels.

 

[dduelin]

He said valve adjustment, not valve check. It takes about 4 hours for me to check the valves, which I do at about 20,000 mile intervals. That is including removing the side panels and lower cowling - the tank stays in place. I have never had to remove the tank for any maintenance job, including the valve adjustment finally required at 86,000 miles.

That's 4 hours ST for your 4.5 hours RT for your three checks in 18,000 miles, no? Have you done your transmission spline lube yet? That is an all day job on an oilhead and required to keep from stripping the splines or clutch disk and keeping Big Bill from coming to visit. All you have to do is take the bike completely apart and make a front half and a back half, then lube the exposed input shaft. Many owners do it at or before 70K. You are due, no?

 

[dkjkwood]

She seems to be picking up some steam.