Brand new to BMW's first one I have owned. I found it cheap on an auction. Looking through the maintenance records on the bike, it basically hasn't been run since 2003. In good shape 39,000 miles.
Gas was bad, drained that. Battery was completely shot, replaced that.
Bike turns over with new battery, but doesn't fire. I noticed the dash doesn't really come alive. I would expect the Tach to move as bike cranks? Even with charger on the battery light is on, and filled with fresh gas the fuel gauge doesn't move off E and the fuel light is on. Not sure if the tach is supposed to "sweep" on turning the key on like many bikes do. it doesn't move.
Any ideas on what to look for?
Also both brake levers are hard as a rock...can't pull them in past enough to trigger brake light to come on. Strange. But first thing first getting it to start.
Hello Will, Welcome to the world of the LT. It sounds like you have a project bike to work on. When you turn the ignition switch on, does the fuel pump start up? It should run for a couple seconds to pressure up the system. Beyond that, I would suspect a crud build up in the tank and fuel lines.
One of most popular resources for learning to work on these bikes comes from a regular member here. Check out his video collection at Illinois BMW Riders on Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/user/illinoisBMWriders
Hello Will, Welcome to the world of the LT. It sounds like you have a project bike to work on. When you turn the ignition switch on, does the fuel pump start up? It should run for a couple seconds to pressure up the system. Beyond that, I would suspect a crud build up in the tank and fuel lines.
One of most popular resources for learning to work on these bikes comes from a regular member here. Check out his video collection at Illinois BMW Riders on Youtube.
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Yes fuel pump as well as gauge sending unit or what ever you call it are crudded up. New ones on way. Thanks for link to more info!
Hi Will-welcome, and congratulations on your new bike... of course you will need new tires, and brake lines, and fuel lines to go along with your other purchases.
Here is a photo of my fuel pump on the 2000 KLT I purchased a few years back. It was rusted solid.
You should check out this link to https://www.beemerboneyard.com if you haven't already. They are a great source for many items you may need to get your bike up to speed. Filters, fluids, fuel pump quick disconnects, etc.
Hi Will-welcome, and congratulations on your new bike... of course you will need new tires, and brake lines, and fuel lines to go along with your other purchases.
Here is a photo of my fuel pump on the 2000 KLT I purchased a few years back. It was rusted solid.
You should check out this link to if you haven't already. They are a great source for many items you may need to get your bike up to speed. Filters, fluids, fuel pump quick disconnects, etc.
Unfortunately, a bike that hasn’t run in 16 years is not in good shape pretty much by definition, unless it was properly pickled for long-term storage.
I am not familiar with the dash on the gen1 LTs, but my 2007 does a needle sweep as part of the power up self test. I am not sure why yours would not unless there is corrosion on a connection somewhere or if you didn’t get all of the cables reconnected to the battery. I think my LT has two hot wires and I think some of the LTs may have had three. I would check first to ensure all cables were reconnected. You said you replaced the battery, but did not say it was a new battery. Did you replace the battery with a new one or one from another bike? The LT is not very tolerant of a weak battery.
I suspect your fuel pump is probably a corroded mess, particularly if the last gas in the bike was E10. I would pull the pump assembly and take a good look at it before you spend too much time troubleshooting. If the battery is new and fully charged and the fuel pump and filter are clean and working, then it is time to start with the compression, fuel, spark checks.
I have a 2001 which has the same dash as yours. The tach does not sweep on key but I do get a bunch of lights on the dash. If you are not getting those, I would suspect rodent damage to the wiring harness and an inspection is in order besides the obvious need to inspect inside the tank for pump and internal fuel line condition.
Fill our some more of your profile and let us where you are. Someone may be close enough to assist if needed.
Thank you! Those are the lights i was getting on the dash. Tach does come alive when i gave it a shot of either and the bike fired.
I am in Central WI. Have all winter to tinker on the bike. Plan on it being trip bike for the wife and I next summer when we get a chance.
Still confused about the brakes being hard like that. Has to be a seized up MC, but seems odd that both brakes are...they are probably linked i assume on this bike? I haven't had a ton of time to look into it to much have only had a few minutes here and there to work on bike as in the middle of harvest, and most of that time is trying to keep my kid from dragging tool and parts off, lol!
His new bike is a 2001. He has the early ABS and the brakes are not servo powered. With the Key off you have no ABS but the brakes remain the same. I ride a 2000 and the brakes are not linked to my knowledge. I am sure somebody will correct me if I am wrong.
Well, DUh! I guess I should have read the caption closer. I caught the 2003 in the initial post so Will, disregard all that about the linked servo brakes as your bile does not have that as that wasn't implemented until 2002 US. Thanks for catching that Robert.
Ok, not to beat this brake issue to death. But the bike is certainly a 2001. The manual i have is the US model. It doesn't have a model year on the manual just Copyright 2000. The front calipers on the bike certainly say Brembo. But the manual specifically says the bike has a brake servo, and the brakes are linked. It does not list this as optional equipment like it does for other things. So...either it does, or I have the wrong manual...some how got a 2002 or later US model manual according to the above comments. Lol! Warranty info in the pack says it is a 2001.
Maybe manual was lost and dealer threw in a newer model manual? (I do know the bike was actually purchased in 2002, so possible dealer had them already?)
If the calipers say Brembo, you do NOT have servo brakes. The front calipers are not interchangeable. The sensor ring on the front wheel should be cast iron for non servo and stamped steel for servo but that is my own observation between 2001 and 2002 bikes.
Got a Fuel pump off the BMW Boneyard website listed. Finally got a chance to get it put in this evening. Primed it 2-3 times before hitting the starter, fired right up almost immediately....was surprised! Runs well.
On to getting the brakes working properly, and suspension, suspension feels wore out just sitting in the garage, lol! Everything else appears to be working so far...will see what else i run into when i tear it down more this winter.
Ok, so we had the brake issued hammered out. My front brakes were not engaging when i got the bike, lever was hard as a rock. I thought calipers were seized because as soon as i cracked the line by the M/C it easily pumped fluid out, with no issues. Pulled calipers off and rebuilt them, they were not seized, but still rebuilt them. It appears I can't get any fluid through the ABS control box or what ever you call it. Is there something that could be seized in there not allowing fluid through? If it is, is it worth risking a used one off ebay? Or just get a line made that bypasses it....that seems like less work, lol. Rear brake is free and functions, both ABS lights flash on the dash.
Damn this bike is a bitch to work on. Don't think i have ever worked on a bike where everything was buried and so hard to get to.
It appears I can't get any fluid through the ABS control box or what ever you call it. Is there something that could be seized in there not allowing fluid through? If it is, is it worth risking a used one off ebay? Or just get a line made that bypasses it....that seems like less work, lol. Rear brake is free and functions, both ABS lights flash on the dash.
The only thing that may be causing a blockage is the original rubber brake lines. That ABS box is a pass through type variable volume ABS so no failure of any kind could cause no fluid to flow. Try cracking a few more fittings on the front brakes until you get fluid flow. There is the flex line from the MC to the hard line back to the ABS and then two more flex lines from the ABS hard line output.
Welcome to German over-engineering. Everything on the K1200lt is ridiculous to work on, everything. You should have seen me the first time I had to pull the oil filter! The problem is: this bike runs incredible, smooth and comfortable for miles and miles at any cruising speed, crank the RPMs and smile your way through the twisty roads. Once you are on the road, you will soon forget the trials of working on the bike (although, this time may take several thousand KMs.)
As an engineer, I will argue that the opposite is the case. The LT was engineered to about 70% of optimal. It was engineered pretty completely for performance and the aesthetics were done fully, but I think that it did not have sufficient engineering investment to address many of the DFx attributes: Design for Manufacturing (hence FD issues, leaky seals, leaking slave cylinders, etc.), Design for Reliability (plastic QDs, cheap metal top case latch, etc.), and Design for Maintenance (air filter, fuel filter, access to ABS bleed ports, access to transmission drain plug, etc.).
Over-engineered is an oft-used phrase that really has no meaning. It is generally used to indicate that a given design has too many features and bells and whistles, but that is generally marketing driven rather than engineering driven. To me an indication that too much engineering was invested is that the vehicle lasts too long, is too reliable, is too easy to maintain, etc., but also then costs too much to sell compentitively.
Yep, blocked line. Can't get anything from the MC to where it switches to hard pipe...vacuum and pumping, get nothing. ORdering all new rubber lines now, lol
THanks for the tip, hadn't thought of that, assumed MC would push through a line!
Thanks! Yeah about half price. Crazy how expensive parts for this bike are as well....
Thanks for all the help guys, just got to get the brake lines replaced and think i am about ready to take her for a test ride. If i can remember how to get all the plastics back on, and can find all the screws, took it all off back in Oct/november. :histerica
Remember rule of thumb for body panel screws, three sizes. Long for panels that attach to a well nut, medium for where two layers of plastic are held and short for one layer of plastic.
I thought the rule of thumb for body panel screws was you don't need all of them? lol, thats been my rules on any other bike i have owned.
I have a more serious issue now....clutch is slipping. I was lay and have not flushed the clutch fluid, as it was nice and i wanted to go for a ride. But clutch is slipping. any chance flushing fixes this? Or are the lines collapsing like the brakes (letting fluid push in, then not release)? And if they are, is there a cheaper solution then OEM?
Also, when I got this bike a year ago I was new to BMW as well. I'd had a dry clutch bike before (old Ducati), but it's not the same style as these. These are very similar to automotive clutches. I tried taking off from a stop like I had done on all my bikes before, a big no no on these bikes. The clutch slipped, I backed off and hit it again, it slipped again. So I backed off and nursed it home. Sweating the pending job ahead of me I posted here. Got several replies asking if I'd done what I did. Then was told that if you slip the clutch in this manner you heat it up very rapidly, so to wait and see if it is fine later. Rode the bike the next day and it was fine, been fine since. So go easy on the bike in 1st gear till about 4000 rpm then you can go crazy.
Yes slipping the clutch is a big no no. I eventually got the knack of pulling away with almost no clutch slippage. I stalled it a few times earlier on but now when on flat ground at least I usually have the clutch fully engaged by about 1200 rpm.
If your clutch is slipping, the common cause is the rear main seal leaking oil into the clutch cavity. On a bike that sat as long as yours did, I'd practically guarantee that that's the case.
I can't believe people have the above problems with this clutch either to be honest. And of course its impossible to get to. I've helped friends change wet clutches in about 1/2 hour with the bike on the side stand and not even draining the oil!
Since this is your first BMW LT I will ask about the slipping clutch and how you are riding it. Do not exceed 1500 RPM while feathering the clutch starting out. If you run above 2500 RPM when starting out it WILL slip in subsequent gears until it has cooled off. The best test for a slipping LT clutch is get up to highway speed 60-70 in 5th gear and roll on the throttle hard. If the RPMs go up faster than you accelerate and you can do it twice in a row you have a clutch issue. Also do not lug the bike, in other words shift out of first at about 3,500 - 4,000 RPM and never lower.
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