Recommissioning a BMW R1150RT Motorcycle, Part One, Project Overview and Fairing/Gas Tank Removal... 

I’ve had my 2004 150rt for 10 years with only 34k miles and don’t know much on bike maintenance. I had an estimate at my local beemer shop just to change oil, clutch oil,bleed brake lines and they quoted me $1040! $850 was just labor so I decided to learn myself. Thanks so much for your detailed videos. I have confidence I can do this myself.

I have an R1150R and found this post very interesting and informative as both bikes share a lot of the same parts, Thanks

Just bought a 2001model and find your RU-vid very helpful. Like the way you explain thinks Very helpful for me, thanks Greetings from the north of Sweden.

thankyou for going to such trouble to make these very helpful video s

This year and model bike is almost my favourite machine of ALL TIME. I freaking LOVE LOVE this motorcycle. I drove one exactly like it from NV to FL and she was a beat. The stance and fairing is perfect. I truly do believe BMW nailed it so hard on the head with this bike. I know it’s a bold statement but I am saying it R1150 RT 2003-2009 greatest bike for slaying the roads of all time. If you haven’t spent time on one then maybe you don’t know. But I have and I am saying. A perfect motorcycle. Nice bike man. Ride safe

Nice bike Dave, I've the same BMW from 2003 wit 96000 k on the counter, your video gives a lot of information, especially when you never removed your fairings by yourself, me too I missed in the beginning some screw by removal, but after a while it is no problem at all anymore. I changed already my suspension to wilbers shock absorbers. I wish you a lot of save trips on your bike. Regards from Belgium, Peter

I bought a 1150rt and this video has been helpful! It came with a BMC filter in it, oiled filters are complete garbage tossed that thing straight in the trash on the first day ha.

Really relate to undoing stuff you can see, and rattling it to see where it's still connected

Exactly what I needed great stuff!!!

Wow what a very nice video, just bought my 2003 rt so this is info covers exactly what i need to know. Great! so thank you. Greetings from Michiel in the netherlands

very patently done in reference to the screws you describe as short ones. I'm not sure you realised some of them have pointed ends these should be the ones for the top of the fairing and when replacing the fairing should be the last ones to go in, the point helps align the screws but you should replace all the screws loosely the last being the 3 across the top before tightening them all otherwise the job will be requiring allot of patience even bad language.Cheers

Good to see you having fun working on bikes, David! A few tidbits that you might already know: The power port type used on these bikes is called Powerlet. If you search for that, you will find all kinds of accessories and adapters. The bolts that use hex bits (or Allen keys) are officially called Socket Head Cap Screws (in case you are seeking replacements for the missing ones). Regarding the air filter, I'd strongly recommend using the stock one. It will filter better, and there's not much point in having more flow in the intake without a matching mod to the exhaust. Regarding the LED turn signal, the PO might have put a standard bulb back in one side to reintroduce resistance to the circuit and have the flasher work properly (or maybe not). Just a few thoughts. Bikes are great fun to work on, but they are delicate, so I'm happy to see the care you are taking in disassembly.

Well illustrated. Thanks.

Just finished part 1, That was very informative. I just bought the same year bike with 25k miles. Getting it cleaned up I see a lot of oil on the front shocks.

Good video. I need to get my Yamaha Roadliner serviced and ready to roll. It just needs a good cleaning and oil change and a good look over. Happy riding!

Got myself a '98 R850RT to get used to the weight and bulk for this type. But what a difference compared to my '85 R80 ! Not so much in the road, but in working on the bike. Take changing the battery: this is half an hour work with the good old R80. On the R850RT half an hour has me just starting to delve into it's innards. Thanks for a very clear video on working on this BMW series !

Well done, thankyou very good vid . Cheers.

REal nice bike man, I ride a 09 1200rt, it was in horrible shape when I got it two years ago even though the salesman stated it was in great shape, I used to work on Japanese, British and a Harley back in the 70's, learned from a good friend who had patients, but doing even a little work on the my bike has been scary, I've had to change the gas tank out because of a road hazard, the bike looks fabulous and rides wonderfully, I thank goodness that the first owner, I'm the second, left the owners manual in the glove box, I bought a Clymer's repair manual and I sure wish the pics were in color even though just about everything under the the tefelon is black, very hard to see under neath. My cam's broke that are on the throttle body, BMW does not tell any one about these, they are plastic and should be aluminum, many have written to them about this road hazard as when they break you will be left with an idling bike, NO power at all, mine broke in my yard. I really prefer carberators and no computers on a bike but there is a giant reason for efi and computer operated, they work far better than the carbs and points. Mine won't start right now so I need to get it to the shop, I pulled a couple of rubber tubes off under the gas tank and don't know where they go on to, that's keeping the bike from starting and nothing else. I know you will get yours in working order and have a blast riding, enjoy.

Very good, this detailed video. I own a R1100RS, the sportier version with a much smaller fairing. The way BMW engineered these fairings is not great. Different fasteners and a lot of them. I also own a Honda ST1100 and that full fairing is a lot easier to remove. If I ever buy another Boxer Beemer it will be one of the sportier models without a full fairing or perhaps even the naked version, which I find quite beautiful.

Going from brit cars to bmw bikes is like switching from rotten birdhouses to ikea furniture.

Thank you.

mine was identical , loved it, even same colour, bc bike

A beautiful bike Dave, whilst servicing also please mention a bit about the type of gearchange the bike has - thanks

Nice bike Dave. I too have bought one, a 2005 model. I am recovering from some heart surgery and finding the bike a little tall at a min 800mm seat height while recovering. I have bought an expensive pair of Daytona boots to help with that. I am currently looking at mounting some hand-made cylinder protectors designed I think for the GS model bare bike. I think it is possible to fit them then slightly modify the fairing to enable getting it back over them. Because my work area is not as flat and secure as yours I will strap the centre stand to the front wheel while working on it. I have had the left fairing off so as to replace the battery. That worked OK.

Very interesting. I have been considering an older BMW but I'm kind of put off by BMW no longer supporting bikes over 10yrs old. I see Canada Post is like Australia Post, no weekend deliveries.

Great video my friend. , just bought an r1150gs & about to embark on the same journey. . Was wondering how much trouble removing the tank would be. . Now I know! Cheers M

Oh, I could hear the screams of the jealous 250!

I read drinking light/fog light.

Bmws are good to work on

❤

I've been doing the same thing on the same bike. Unfortunately I stripped the screw receptacle for the air breather tube when reattaching. I forgot that the screw doesn't need to be totally removed, but just loosened. Any advise would be appreciated.

Just wondering if oil is checked in the sight-glass with the engine running. Sure are a lot of parts to modern bikes. My BMW R 50 had less parts than that bike has fairings! Hope it goes together without too many headaches. Thanks for the update.

Great, well paced, informative, practical videos! I binge watched last night having just bought a 2002 with 43000 miles on it. It's not in as nice condition as yours so I will have plenty of work to do on it. Did you keep it?

Minha R1150RT 2 X dava partida pelo arranque e não pegava o motor, depois de um tempo parada voltava a dar partida e pegava, o que poderia ser?

Battery tender cable in the cubby.

Great vid where is part 2

He who dies with the most TOYS wins...

Milyen méretü ékszíj kell ehhez a motorhoz?

your dont have a radio it seems.. hence the ductape and tie/raps,, thats a shame.. if you run into any trouble.. watch ABS video´s from chris harris..

Is the tank aluminium?

Too much BS talk, not even content.

you talk to much ? and dot do any thing you talk for 36 mints be for you do any thing