You will be pleased with the upgrade.

 

Easy install on the rear..specially since you have most of it apart. Are you doing the front too? If so, there better be a few more beers in that frig.

 

Yep, there's more beer in the garage fridge for the front. I have everything exposed and I'm picking up the cut out socket in the morning.

So, I have a floor jack and a scissor jack. I plan to use the floor jack and a 2x4 under the headers and the scissor jack to lift the front end. If anybody sees a problem with my methodology, let me know in the next day or so....please...>

 

umm... you're close enough to the fault line.. I think I'd put a couple tie-downs going from the handle bars up to something above, just in case we get a little shaker. It's a REAL biatch to get the thing off the ground should it fall off. Go ahead, ask me how I know.

 

In case of emergency, it looks like Ted Porter is not far from you...
Ted Porter's BeemerShop - Welcome
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf7MIVPfic4

 

Every time I hear these shocks mentioned I can't help thinking

 

Oh, yeah. I would be just my luck to get a bit of tremor induced liquefaction under my garage in the couple of days between strut replacement. Now you've jinxed me.

Psycho, I will be visiting the BeemerShop on Monday to pick up the Wilbers and have the ESA components transferred.

Hey Todd, I lived off of Kuehner in the 80's. Right next to Foothill Park. I would ride my Honda XL 350 around the old movie ranch property. I bet it's different back there now.

 

Well I'm sure you saw the news on Japan's earthquake last night. When they have one, we'll have a small one within 2 weeks.
Yes, its a little different... more cars/people/traffic. Although there's a group trying to resurrect the old Hopetown/Corriganville mx track. Little to 'no' progress on that. They do still film back in the Corriganville park area. The old train station is still there and kept up nicely.

 

Now where did I put that screw?

Struts are pulled. I'm on my way to BeemerShop this afternoon. I'll get the new struts mounted tonight so I can put the front wheel back on the ground for stability. After that I won't be able to do much until the weekend.

 

If you are purchasing non-esa struts, you can lower the tail. The new rear strut goes in from the bottom.

 

Didn't know about the boot/trunk

 

 

just the way the bike separates in the middle and up

 

Hey, are the fuel line disconnects plastic or metal?

 

If I remember correctly it is a plastic connector with a metal clip. I'll check in the morning. It is at the rear of the tank in front of the air box.

 

My first 'traumatic mechanical experience' on the K12LT was crushing one of the 10 year old, brittle, fuel disconnects when preparing to remove the fuel tank to replace the air filter.

(My second was when I had it all back together and the fuel line popped off the fuel pump in the gas tank, necessitating taking the whole **** thing apart again.)

 

Yep, been through leaky LT plastic fuel disconnects dribbling fuel down the side of the engine, and loose hose clamps inside the fuel tank, causing the LT to suddenly lose power and die. That was fun . . .

Replaced the QD's with metal, replaced the inner hose clamps with proper fuel line clamps, and all was good. :k16:

 

The fuel line disconnects are plastic, with a metal reinforcing ring added to the fuel pump plate starting with the 2013 bikes, and offered as a free inspection and warranty retrofit for earlier bikes.

You can replace the male plastic quick disconnect with the chrome-plated brass version, just as on the Slant/4 bikes. And just as on the earlier bikes, replacing the female part isn't strictly necessary, and may cause additional problems if not done correctly.

First, make sure your bike has the metal reinforcing ring on the fuel pump plate itself, and if not, get to your dealer and get it done under warranty. Then look at replacing the male Q-D part, or maybe even have the dealer do it while he's in there doing the update.

Check Post #10 in this thread for pics and details.

 

Of the many characteristic improvements since my Wilber's install something else occurred to me; I have not scraped my pegs since these shocks were installed. I ride 1+ luggage when alone and 2 riders when my wife is with. I really did not like pegs touching down at higher speeds because it immediately changed my focus. Not a big deal but in mid high speed sweeper I'm looking ahead staying on my line and all the sudden pegs scrape and I'm thinking about the little warning I just got instead of bearing down on the line.

 

What is the difficulty of removing and then reinstalling the front and rear shocks?

I am interested in the Wilbers and have found a supplier who would order the shocks and do the conversion, but they don't work on the bike. This means that I have to get the dealer to remove both shocks, send them in, wait for the conversion, and then reinstall the new shocks.

The local dealer is happy to do it and okay to have the bike sit in their workshop for a couple of weeks. Only issue is that they have not done similar things before and guesstimated 8 hours of labour (4 hours to remove, 4 hours to reinstall). It's somewhat concerning that this dealer of the year does not have the necessary experience, it's particularly worrying that some apprentice may end up working on the bike.

Gee, on one hand I want the Wilbers, on the other hand I'm lacking confidence in the workshop.

 

I am surprised to hear that a BMW Motorrad dealer has net replaced a set of shocks on one of their bikes. In fact, I don't believe it. I also don't believe they would be authorized to sell and service BMW motorcycles without being certified to work on these bikes, including the suspension systems. Something isn't right and I would dig a little deeper with them.

 

He's in Australia. It's an upside down world.

 

To Lui, not to be wise, but "confidence in the workshop" is a must for this job. I've wrenched under the shade tree all my life, but also know I'm not fast at the work. I researched the costs of having it done by the pros. But finally decided to dive into it myself.

Review the thread below and the service manuals (buy a CD or find the PDFs. I can't find a link to PDFs now, but that's how I originally found my copy.)
Along with the normal compliment of mechanics tools, torx drivers (including a T55), and torque wrench, you'll need 30mm socket with the side cut to enable the use of a 12mm hex right angle tool inside an outer nut. It can be found at BMW.


http://www.k1600forum.com/forum/bmw...w-k1600-suspension-setup-tires-wheels/43497-strut-installation-esa-non-esa.html

As you can see, the struts are buried deep in the dark recesses.

 

Thanks John, that's probably a task beyond my mechanical capability. Ideally if only the dealer would order the Wilbers in and do everything in house, but they have declined doing the conversation and would only do the work to swap the entire shock assembly.

I have no issue paying a fair cost for quality workmanship, but I didn't get that feeling after talking to the workshop manager (I have known him for many years, so he's not some new guy who just joined). Sure they have qualified BMW technicians onsite, but no one had worked on the shocks after 5 years selling the K1600 is a bit bizarre (apparently they have done plenty of suspension works on other models).

It's certainly appealing to be able to do the work myself, at least I would make sure all the bolts and nuts go back to where they should and torqued to specs, but it may turn into a stressful and lengthy learning journey.

Meanwhile any chance to email the PDF?

 

Lui.. it's much better to just buy the CD. The manual is set up with links, and the pdf files (which are online for free) are not linked. The cd is on ebay for less than $10.

Kudos John. Now get that puppy back out on the road! (BTW, we've had 2 earthquakes since I mentioned it on pg 1.. hahaha)

 

lui,

Southbank Motorcycles have now done this job for me 3-4 times and consistently take the spec time for the job. I run the units down to Suspensions R Us at Frankston and return them to the dealer, total down time usually 2-3 days. If I have the bike into the dealer by 8am I can expect the units out and ready for me by late morning, reinstallation usually takes a little longer.

It is a relatively big job and ties up a work bay for all that time. Izzy at S'r'Us is very accommodating if you give him enough notice and will turn the units round in half a day, he is also an agent for Wilber for Australia. Gives a BMW MCC Vic discount, too

 

Hi mate, yes I have been talking to Izzy and he has also mentioned about doing the conversion for John (and I have a feeling that's you, aviation being the other common thread )

Izzy responded very quickly and explained the ordering process, so it's all good from his side of things.

My main hesitation is the workshop, particularly when they haven't done it before and the bike will be striped for 2 weeks, I have no idea if it's going to be the same guy putting everything back together, or if he will still remember things from 2 weeks ago. If he will miss a bolt or 2 or 3, incorrectly reroute the cables, swap the long/short bolts around, not torquing the bolts, not using the correct grease/loctite etc. So many things can go wrong without immediate ill effect, but can lead to warranty implications.

May be I need a road trip to Victoria again.

Or may be I need to chill and stop being paranoid, trust the "professionals"


P.S. apologies to OP for stealing your thread.

 

May be I need a road trip to Victoria again.

Not a bad idea: just the wrong time of the year!

Southbank would be assured of looking after you, Tony on the Service Desk could book you in and (probably) arrange a loan bike. That way you could do what I do and run the units down to Izzy and also pick them up, the whole job would be done in 3 days or less.

 

Thanks for suggesting that Heli, it is certainly viable if all the stars align, I will keep that in mind.