R1100RT Newbie Question

[poldart]

Hello,

With much help from the forum, I did major DYI stuff for 1996 R1100RT that I purchased couple of months ago up to the point lubricating clutch splines and check clutch plate without the manual (still waiting the CD from ebay). Great help from the forum.

Several questions after my repacking.

1. I noticed the exhaust system near the side stand got red due to heat. This is the front left part. Is this normal? I was so surprised to see that.

2. Transmission got hot after engine running at idle. Also the grey aluminium plate where right foot peg attached including rear brake master and its ABS (stock) steel line. My thought was transmission will get hot only after running. It seems engine heat goes all the way through final drive unit even after engine idling for a while.

3. No manual so I don't know whether this is normal. Engine running in neutral like stopping at the signal. I put out side stand but it won't kill the engine. But I cannot crank unless in neutral. I'm not sure whether any switch is messed up. I read somewhere checking this before decision on HES change.


4. What will be the best way for a rolling start. I do need to reset the ABS possibly due to old battery. It has Oddysey one but got mark for 2001.



At any rate, after repack I did test ride. Idle was rough and engine stalled twice (due to old battery or HES or ??). But it got better and was able to go up canyons with no problem. That was my first time ride at canyons with the RT. I usually go up there with R1200S. I was so surprised how RT handled with all the luggage space.

Paul
Southern California
96 R1100RT
07 R1200S

[ArthurKnowles]

First, no air or oil cooled motorcycle should be left at idle for any legth of time withou external cooling. Big no-no. If you want to work on your RT while the motor is running, put a pair of fans in front of the cylinder heads.

If your RT has been modified (as mine has) then you can put down the sidestand in neutral wihtout the motor stopping. I used the documented IBMWR.Org RTP modification, but some people just hack away at the wiring, add a relay, or bypass the sidestand switch in some other method. You'd have to dig in to your to determine the difference.

I've never had to do a rolling start, but if I did I would just pull in the clutch and hit the starter button, then release the clutch and away I would go.

As for the roughness, sounds like you need to do a valve adjustment and trottle body sync. You may need to clean out your throttle boddies by removing them and cleaning them with throttle body cleaner. Just to clear all the carbon/varnish out of it and allow th eidle adjust (Big Brass Scres - BBS) to work properly. I did. You can read about some of the issues I, and others had, on the BMWST.Com forum.

If you will PM me your e-mail address I have a lot of useful information on PDF and word files on the R1100RT series. Some are large PDFs though so if oyu have a mailbox limit I can put them on a web page to make it easier for you to download.

[poldart]

Thanks for your input.

I made a mistake in my first post. While in the first gear and engine running with clutch engaged like stopping at the signal, I put out the side stand. Engine still running.

I thought it should kill the engine.

Paul

[ArthurKnowles]

I thought it should kill the engine.


It should. Unless the neutral safety switch has been bypassed. That is highly likely as to repalce it requires spliting the crankcase from what I understand. They are also known to fail from time to time, so if it did fail on your motorcycle most likely the previous owner just bypassed the switch.

Does your neutral light come on when in neutral?

[poldart]

Yes the neutral lights works with a bit of delay when put in neutral.