[BMW_forever]

Rode my 1999 LT (which I bought in Feb & wrote about in this forum) from the Bay Area to Seattle & back...over 2000 miles. Now the bike has over 18K miles on it.

The bike ran with no issues thankfully except:

I went through Fairfield and Vacaville and it was HOT, the temp gauge on the bike said 109 and 113 or 119.

I stopped at the last rest stop in CA before the Oregon borders to rest for a bit, as I was leaving the bike felt strange, I looked down and the rear tire was flat.

I had one of those fix a leak cans, I used it & it worked. As I was unscrewing it from the valve the metal valve/stem came off/out of the rubber nipple that holds it in place.

It looked like the rubber had melted from the heat.

I tried to glue that metal valve into the rubber using the repair kit/rubber cement but it will not hold.

Went to the truckers and RV's but no one had crazy glue.

I don't have a Cell phone so it seems I was stuck.

Few people stopped to look but could not help.

Then this guy in a BMW M3 pulled in. He came over & took a look, he got on his phone & located some service stations....25 miles away in Ashland, the closest town.

Him and I lifted the bike on the center stand (was never able to do this alone yet), took the back wheel off, put my luggage strapped to the bike into his car & he drove me to Ashland.

2 places could not help, the 3rd had heavy duty rubber cement & we tried it but it didn't hold for long. We found a truck tire repair place that is open 24/7, it was Saturday night at 7 pm or so.

The guy removed the old rubber valve, installed an all metal truck valve which has an L shape to it. Re installed the tire on the rim, inflated it and tested it for leaks and it worked, it's still working to this day.

Alic (the BMW M3 guy) drove me back to my bike a total of over 50 mile trip, helped me install the tire on the bike and refused to take any money for Gas or his trouble. Alic (From Romania) was driving the M3 he bought on eBay from LA to Portland where he lives when he happen to stop at the rest stop & see me & my bike. He also used to ride bikes. On the way back he opened up his M3 (with Dinan suspension...etc) and the power jerks you back. He got to 130 then backed off.

He was a prince of a Man and saved me from being stuck. He said that BMW guys stick together, I could not agree more.

In Seattle, I stopped at BMW West and asked the tech there about the rubber stem. He said it should not happen, it must've been defective to melt like that. I've never seen this before myself.

Has anyone seen this before ?


Couple of other observations:

People in Oregon are so nice, the guy at the shop who let me use some of his heavy duty rubber cement will not take any money.

The guy at the truck tire repair shop when I asked him how much he wanted for fixing my tire said: whatever you want to give me is fine. I've never seen that in CA.

The drivers in Oregon are considerate. They pass on the left side then move over. CA drivers (generally) are clueless/inconsiderate.

Case in point: On the way home I crossed the G,Gate bridge at night. It was foggy & very windy. The bike was being tossed by the strong side wind into the next lane. I had to slow down & put my emergency flashers on, I was in the right lane leaving 2-3 lanes on the left for drivers to pass me. One driver was tailing my ass and flashing his headlights, he finally passes me after making me stress out, I gave him the finger. Only to be replaced by another idiot. Sometimes I wish I had a gun.

What is it with these drivers in California??

I've driven in many states and countries allover the World & haven't seen this much stupidity and utter clueless-ness.

Couple of other questions too please:

The bike according to the previous owner was serviced at 12000 miles, it now has 18000 miles.

1- Should I change the Oil and filter ?
2- How often does Oil/Filter need to be changed?

I noticed the bike Oil is very expensive ($7 a quart minimum in 1 Gallon Jug at my local CycleGear store). Can I use Car Oil, maybe Synthetic Car Oil or does it have to be Motorcycle Oil??

3- Where can I buy Oil filters for this bike cheap?

4- Also is there an Air filter on this bike? If so, where is it located please?

I've never changed the Oil on this bike before, I do it all the time on my 1985 BMW 535i car.

5- It seems that it is not recommended to use those inflate a tire cans on a motorcycle, at least some cans say that. What is the harm in using those inflate a tire cans on a motorcycle tire ?

Thank you all so much.

AJ.

 

[clayton]

Aj, yes I too have found people in Oregon to be very nice. No need to buy oil from only a bike shop, oil in engine is seperate from the tranmission oil so you can use any brand of oil you wish, I would only suggest well know brands.

The air filter is located under the gas tank. If you do a search on this site there are step by step instructions on how to remove the body work and fuel tank. Best of luck with performing your own maintenance. If you have any trouble just make a post and someone will offer to help.

 

[BMW_forever]

Thank you Clayton.

So the Engine Oil does NOT have lubricants for the Clutch on this bike?

This is what the guy at the shop had told me, that most bikes have lubricants in the oil for the clutch thus the need for bike Oil.

So any 10-40 Car Oil would work or is synthtic Oil better for this bike?

Thank you.

 

[gary45]

any 20 - 50 will do every 5K, ussually change the oil filter

 

[deputy5211]

Rubber stems have a tendency to crack and fail, which is why many of us use metal valve stems.

Sounds like you were truly blessed to have encountered such amazing people along your journey. The onus is upon you to pay it forward next time you encounter someone in need, that is how we do it around here.

Oil? I change mine every 3k miles, I use 20W50, and generally synthetic. I also change the filter, my transmission lubricant, and final drive lubricant at the same time. Some will say this is overkill. I say do what works for you.

One last thing... rotate your tires every chance that you get... that is why the right handgrip does that twisty motion and it is the best way to increase the quality of your road time and bring a smile to your face.

 

[wrmoss]

You may have already searched the Hall of Wisdom which is loaded with great information similar to what you were asking. If not just go to the top and pull down the 'Technical' banner and you will see it. I also agree--BMW guys stick together.

 

[wa1200lt]

Thank you Clayton.

So the Engine Oil does NOT have lubricants for the Clutch on this bike?

This is what the guy at the shop had told me, that most bikes have lubricants in the oil for the clutch thus the need for bike Oil.

So any 10-40 Car Oil would work or is synthtic Oil better for this bike?

Thank you.

Oils specified "Motorcycle" oil do not have lubricants in them for the clutch but rather they don't contain friction modifiers that render wet clutches useless. The LT has a dry clutch so oil with the friction modifiers in them won't hurt our clutches. Friction modified oils are labeled energy saver. Again, these oils are OK for the LT.

Another consideration when you choose your oil is that these bikes do not have roller valve trains. The camshaft lobe directly contacts the bucket which in turn lifts the valve stem which opens the valve. Because we don't have roller drive trains there is tremendous stressed placed on the oil where the can lobe contacts the bucket. Motorcycle oils have additives in them that can't be used in car engines because they destroy the catalytic converters. These additives protect our non roller valve trains. Castrol 20W50 4T as well as others meet the specs and have the needed additives.

The recommended change interval is 6000 miles. The change interval for my BMW 325Ci convertible is 15,000 miles. I change the oil at 6,000 on the bike and will change the oil in the car at 10,000 miles.

Loren

 

[BMW_forever]

Loren,

Thank you for the clear explanation but I am now even more confused....couple of the other replies say it is OK to use Regular or Synthtic car Oil, doesn't have to be motorcycle Oil. But you are saying, if I understood correctly that motorcycle Oil has additives needed by the drive train in the K1200LT, which is exposed to a lot of stress. And that (again if I understood correctly) car oils don't have these additives which are needed by the KLT.

So am I correct in understanding that you're saying to use Motorcycle Oil and NOT Car Oil in this bike, even Synthtic Car Oil ??

Any place you would recommend to buy Oil and filters?

Thank you,
AJ.

 

[wa1200lt]

Loren,

Thank you for the clear explanation but I am now even more confused....couple of the other replies say it is OK to use Regular or Synthtic car Oil, doesn't have to be motorcycle Oil. But you are saying, if I understood correctly that motorcycle Oil has additives needed by the drive train in the K1200LT, which is exposed to a lot of stress. And that (again if I understood correctly) car oils don't have these additives which are needed by the KLT.

So am I correct in understanding that you're saying to use Motorcycle Oil and NOT Car Oil in this bike, even Synthtic Car Oil ??

Any place you would recommend to buy Oil and filters?

Thank you,
AJ.

You are correct that motorcycle specific oils have additives that the oils formulated for automotive applications don't and, in fact, cant have. Two of these additives are zinc and phosphorus which are added to prevent wear on our non roller type valve trains.

Now, this being said, there are MANY on this forum who use automotive oils in their bikes. And I do mean MANY!

Personally I use Castrol 20W50 4T oil which is widely available and meets BMW specs and either NAPA, Bosch or WIX filters. It is interesting how some on this forum are certain that you are causing dire harm to your bike (you're not) by not using BMW branded oil filters yet they disregard Motorrads oil recommendations for the oil they use. For instance, BMW recommends 20W50 weight yet many use Mobil1 which is not available in 20W50.

All this being said I think you would be hard pressed to find an engine failure related to engine oil grade/weight.

Loren

 

[deputy5211]

Beemer Boneyard is a good source for oil filters and other maintenance parts. Fair prices and great service.

 

[casualemt]

You can get oil filters at Walmart, you can also get a tire repair kit and a small pump there that will allow you to repair flats and inflate your tires on the road, products are made by a company named Slime, I have repaired 2 punctures with mine, and the little pump works great and fast!

 

[deputy5211]

You can get oil filters at Walmart, you can also get a tire repair kit and a small pump there that will allow you to repair flats and inflate your tires on the road, products are made by a company named Slime, I have repaired 2 punctures with mine, and the little pump works great and fast!

+1 on the compact air pump by Slime.

I use the extension cable for my Battery Tender, which has an SAE plug on each end, with the Slime pump so I can have increased flexibility on placement and also use it for my trailer tires while still hitched to my LT.

 

[BMW_forever]

You can get oil filters at Walmart, you can also get a tire repair kit and a small pump there that will allow you to repair flats and inflate your tires on the road, products are made by a company named Slime, I have repaired 2 punctures with mine, and the little pump works great and fast!

You can get Oil filters for this bike at Walmart?? Is this a specific one or do they all have it or you talking about online?

As I don't think my local walmart has the filters. Thanks.

 

[Foiler]

for July 4 of 11 my lovely wife and I rode to Vegas in 117 heat, had the dash warp, cd player overheat and quit working but no tire issues. CA drivers are not near as bad as AZ, and the people in PNW are much friendlier. IMHO

 

[BMW_forever]

Hi,

You said you got Oil filters for this bike at Walmart ?

I called yesterday and these people are clueless, they don't even speak or understand english. English was my second language too but this is rediculous.

Do you know the brand, model number of the Oil filter you bought at Walmart for the bike ?

Cyclegear wants $14 for the filter, they are online for $7 but the shipping cost is too high.

Thank you for your help.

 

[BecketMa]

If you plan to keep your LT for a few thousand miles or a few years, consider buying more than one oil filter at a time.

Beemerbone yard is highly reqarded. If I remember correctly he sells a kit that includes all of the washers you need when you change all of the fluids.

Our LT engine, clutch, trany, and rear end are just like the ones in cars. If I remember correctly as long as the oil, 20W50 meets specifications, a letter rating like "J", it's fine for our LT.

Even our anti-freeze can be purchased from an auto parts store, as long as it meets BMW specs. I bought my oil filter wrench and a three pack of large Torx that conatined what we need for the trany.

The brake fuid has to be DOT4; clutch fluid is the same.

The Articles section has great info:
http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/articles.php?

The FAQ section helps get you going:
http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/faq.php?faq=vb_faq

Hall of wisdom, inthe Tech section:
http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/faq.php?faq=hall_of_wisdom#faq_how_maintenance

I used the on-line parts section from MAX BMW a lot.

Best from tucson
Bob

 

[BMW_forever]

If you plan to keep your LT for a few thousand miles or a few years, consider buying more than one oil filter at a time.

Beemerbone yard is highly reqarded. If I remember correctly he sells a kit that includes all of the washers you need when you change all of the fluids.

Our LT engine, clutch, trany, and rear end are just like the ones in cars. If I remember correctly as long as the oil, 20W50 meets specifications, a letter rating like "J", it's fine for our LT.

Even our anti-freeze can be purchased from an auto parts store, as long as it meets BMW specs. I bought my oil filter wrench and a three pack of large Torx that conatined what we need for the trany.

The brake fuid has to be DOT4; clutch fluid is the same.

The Articles section has great info:
http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/articles.php?

The FAQ section helps get you going:
http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/faq.php?faq=vb_faq

Hall of wisdom, inthe Tech section:
http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/faq.php?faq=hall_of_wisdom#faq_how_maintenance

I used the on-line parts section from MAX BMW a lot.

Best from tucson
Bob

Thank you Bob and others.

So the Oil change article is for a 2005 KLT, is 1999 KLT the same ?

Also do I need to have one of those round things to remove the Oil filter (that goes around the filter), or can it be removed by hand? It does not look like it can be reached by hand in the photo.

Which means I would have to buy an Oil filter wrench. Does anyone know if the ones made for cars work on this bike Oil filter ?

Thanks,
AJ.

 

[02vrodturbo]

You are correct that motorcycle specific oils have additives that the oils formulated for automotive applications don't and, in fact, cant have. Two of these additives are zinc and phosphorus which are added to prevent wear on our non roller type valve trains.

Now, this being said, there are MANY on this forum who use automotive oils in their bikes. And I do mean MANY!

Personally I use Castrol 20W50 4T oil which is widely available and meets BMW specs and either NAPA, Bosch or WIX filters. It is interesting how some on this forum are certain that you are causing dire harm to your bike (you're not) by not using BMW branded oil filters yet they disregard Motorrads oil recommendations for the oil they use. For instance, BMW recommends 20W50 weight yet many use Mobil1 which is not available in 20W50.All this being said I think you would be hard pressed to find an engine failure related to engine oil grade/weight.

loren

Now Im going to probably muddy the water here....BUT....I am looking at my "Service and Technical" book from my bike ('02 k1200lt) and it DOES not state to use 20 w 50 weight oil.
IT DOES recommend "brand name HD oil, API classification SF,SG,or SH.Suffix letters CD or CE are permitted; alternatively, brand-name HD oil of CCMC classification G4 or G5; suffix PD2 is permitted."
and again I qoute " The viscosity class depends on outside temperatures. "

so while we all have our own preferences on brands, ratings, change intervals etc. we do need to convey correct information when questions are fielded. I am new to the K1200LT myself and I also ask questions too on the forum and everyone is great on here and perhaps it just slipped your mind. sorry for starting trouble wasnt intended- just clarification. you can have engine issues running a viscosity OUTSIDE its rated limits.

 

[deputy5211]

This message brought to you by the Department of Redundancy Department, which brought you this message.

LoL

 

[02vrodturbo]

This message brought to you by the Department of Redundancy Department, which brought you this message.

LoL

LOL, LOL