Boxerworks.com

actually works for me.

I went for a 200+ mile ride today with my wife on my new 09 GS. Almost 1000 miles on it now. It is an incredible machine. Fast, handles fantastic, ride is comfy, get to play with ESA. Stock seats not too bad especially with Airhawks
(bought Sargent seats but sending them back because the idiot passenger seat slopes from front to back with a huge hump in the middle. She hated it from the first block). Installed Jesse Safari's with top box on it. Our plan is to go to Alaska next year. It was really hot 102f but not so bad on a bike that actually lets some nice smooth air through to cool you off.

Tomorrow I am going to put some mile on my 74 R90/6. It has new pistons, rebuilt heads, new timing chain, all seals and gaskets changed and new rear wheel bearing. MPH in Houston did the work since I had neither the time or really the
skill to do the work needed on the old girl.

Working after retirement has some benefits. New and Old toys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Was Kind of a closed ended post.

Anyone have any problems with the clutch on the 1200GS?
It works well if engaged quickly, but will not allow you to engage slowly. Feels like the clutch is bucking or engine is
lugging. Very annoying and can be a problem trying to negotiate like in a parking lot, doing u turn or the like.
Dealer says they adjusted at 600 mile check but very little improvement. I can see it being a real problem if riding offroad.

I haven't had that problem, but then I have an '07.

Excuse my ignorance, but are Airheads & Oilheads one of the same, then theirs Hexheads!,
Can someone please explain the differences?

how did they "adjust it"?

boxertwinjeff wrote:Excuse my ignorance, but are Airheads & Oilheads one of the same, then theirs Hexheads!,
Can someone please explain the differences?

No, Airheads are the most different. Oilheads and Hexheads are more similar to each other than to Airheads.

Oilheads were introduced in 1994 with the R1100RS. They have 4 valve heads, with one cam for each side and very short little pushrods. They are called Oilheads because they have oil galleries designed into the heads that pass around the exhaust valves specifically for cooling purposes, so they are considered air/oil cooled.

Hex heads are a refinement of the Oilhead design. They have double overhead cams, and the entire engine lost a lot of weight. The Hex head was introduced on the HP2, then the GS, and later made it into the rest of the line.

The next great redesign has already been seen, and it's water-cooled. This engine appears to be completely new: more of a completely new engine like the introduction of the original Oilhead was. Don't know when they are hitting the streets though, but I'll bet it will be at least by 2014.

Thanks for the explanation MS, my mate has an '02 or '03 R1100S, that makes it an Oilhead then.
He'd never heard the term before, so I said I'd suss it out here.

boxertwinjeff wrote:Thanks for the explanation MS, my mate has an '02 or '03 R1100S, that makes it an Oilhead then.
He'd never heard the term before, so I said I'd suss it out here.

You are aware of the flying bricks ,aka a early K bike? They play well with airheads

macdaddy wrote:how did they "adjust it"?

Uhh, yeah...how did they adjust it?

It's not common, but be certain your clutch slave cylinder is not leaking. It's possible for the slave cylinder to leak down the clutch pushrod and to the clutch assembly. It *can* wash the lube from the input splines...

Also, the early '09s had some issues with the counter balance (intermediate shaft) seal. BMW quickly realized the problem and set out to redesign the seal...but, in the meantime, dealers were instructed to heat cycle the bikes on a lift with a fan blowing across the cylinders. It actually worked to stop a leak, but only as long as the bike was regularly heat cycled...if the bike were to sit in a garage or dealership for some time between rides, the seal could start leaking again. The clutch carrier on the R1200s CAN allow leaks from the engine to contaminate the clutch. On the GS, this leak would sometimes NOT be noticeable due to the sump guard which would catch all the oil...heat, dirt and crud would mix with the oil and make it that much harder to notice.

So...make sure your clutch fluid level is not changing. And...see if there's evidence of any oil leaking between the engine and gearbox.