What a pain to change the filter with Altrider crash bars installed!

[Salish1000]

I'm venting here. Went to change the oil in my new to me 16 tonight, and have changed oil and filters on every imaginable type of car, motorcycle and boat for 40 years. Went to remove the filter on this bike and quickly realized there is no way to remove the old or install the new with the Alt Rider crash bars installed. Too little room. So I had to remove the entire left side crash bars in order to create the space to access the filter. Then, for whatever reason, it was a two person job of pushing and pulling to get the damn crash bars re-installed for the holes to line up. My oh my.

Hardest filter change I've ever seen. It's easier to remove the whole bash plate on my Guzzi Stelvio than this ordeal. I'll still do it every 3,000 miles but damn.

[Antares]

 

Funny the price you pay for protection... The bike in stock trim is one of the easiest to do routine service on, especially given that it's a BMW

[Salish1000]

Well, the bike came with these from the PO but it is still so very worth it. Despite the pain, the oil change took an hour instead of 10 minutes. A parking lot drop of the bike without protection would cost me more in time and money! Besides, they give such a great place to mount the LED lights.

I haven't yet done the valves or any other major service, but I can say so far there is less plastic to remove than on other bikes I've done surgery on, looking at you Kawasaki!, and things seem straightforward.

[smithy]

Originally Posted by Salish1000

I haven't yet done the valves or any other major service, but I can say so far there is less plastic to remove than on other bikes I've done surgery on, looking at you Kawasaki!, and things seem straightforward.

Don't you believe it, removing and replacing the tupperware, tank etc.. takes most of the time when doing a major service.

Smithy.

[Salish1000]

Originally Posted by smithy

Don't you believe it, removing and replacing the tupperware, tank etc.. takes most of the time when doing a major service.

Smithy.

That's right. That's why doing the valves on my Concours 14 took forever. Doing the valves on my Moto Guzzi Stelvio takes 15 minutes! The XR will be somewhere in between

[smithy]

Originally Posted by Salish1000

That's right. That's why doing the valves on my Concours 14 took forever. Doing the valves on my Moto Guzzi Stelvio takes 15 minutes! The XR will be somewhere in between

Throttle bodies need to come off to check valve clearance on an XR.

Smithy.

[Salish1000]

Originally Posted by smithy

Throttle bodies need to come off to check valve clearance on an XR.

Smithy.

Among other things! The hardest part of doing valves is not the removal of anything, that is just tedious. The harder part is keeping track of all your various bolts and connections and ways things go together. I've been happy with the approach I learned from MC Garage to keep the different fasteners in different sandwich bags that are labeled. Makes it much easier. And take lots of pictures. And take your time! There are actually quite a few do's and don'ts with changing shims, but any good service manual lists them. Just not Aprilia...Don't ask me how I know this.

[smithy]

Originally Posted by Salish1000

Among other things! The hardest part of doing valves is not the removal of anything, that is just tedious. The harder part is keeping track of all your various bolts and connections and ways things go together. I've been happy with the approach I learned from MC Garage to keep the different fasteners in different sandwich bags that are labeled. Makes it much easier. And take lots of pictures. And take your time! There are actually quite a few do's and don'ts with changing shims, but any good service manual lists them. Just not Aprilia...Don't ask me how I know this.

Good advice there Sir...use that method myself, lots of pics, labels and bags of screws etc...

Smithy.