New member from Marbella, Spain

[Spainy]

Hi all

So glad to finally be a member for the 1000XR members club!

Wanted this bike for a long time, but ended up getting the R1200RS (basicallly economic reasons) and it was a good bike but it wasn´t what I wanted all along.

Just picked up my 2016 XR on Saturday, and am super excited about touring with it, and BRAAAAAPING with it too.

Have some questions.
1.The cruise control isn´t working, and the quick shift is intermittent.
The previous owner had some aftermarket levers installed which he had to remove again for the Spanish MOT. Checking online it seems that it could be that causing the issue, and have seen some vids about a little metal plate which when spun, solves the issue?

2. It´s a bit jerky in first, has new transmission chain and sprockets, could it just need oiling? It doesn´t seem loose.

3. Is it easy enough to adjust the clutch cable to remove play ? Also to lubricate? Seems a bit stiff.

4. Every Bmw I have had has had loose header bearings and this one appears to be no different.  Is this a common issue ?

Thanks !

[Antares]

Originally Posted by Spainy

Hi all

So glad to finally be a member for the 1000XR members club!

Wanted this bike for a long time, but ended up getting the R1200RS (basicallly economic reasons) and it was a good bike but it wasn´t what I wanted all along.

Just picked up my 2016 XR on Saturday, and am super excited about touring with it, and BRAAAAAPING with it too.

Have some questions.
1.The cruise control isn´t working, and the quick shift is intermittent.
The previous owner had some aftermarket levers installed which he had to remove again for the Spanish MOT. Checking online it seems that it could be that causing the issue, and have seen some vids about a little metal plate which when spun, solves the issue?

2. It´s a bit jerky in first, has new transmission chain and sprockets, could it just need oiling? It doesn´t seem loose.

3. Is it easy enough to adjust the clutch cable to remove play ? Also to lubricate? Seems a bit stiff.

4. Every Bmw I have had has had loose header bearings and this one appears to be no different.  Is this a common issue ?

Thanks !

Hello and welcome! I'm, sure you'll enjoy the bike!

1: That's 99% the likely cause, honestly I'd just get a pair or PUIG levers or even stock ones, not worth the hassle, too big freeplay at the clutch can cause the clutch switch to not be pushed in, this results in no CC and no QS, make sure you only have a 1-2mm gap at the pivot, about 10mm at the end of the lever. Aftermarket levers often don't have  the post required to push the clutch switch in properly.

2: nature of the beast, 160bhp inline 4... You can try resetting the adaptations especially throttle sensor adaptation, that seems to help a fair bit but it will never be buttery smooth in 1st unless tuned.

3. At the lever just a simple twist screw, at the engine it's possible to get to it without taking any fairings off (top of engine on left side) but it's a tight squeeze.

4. That's fairly common not just for BMWs but all bikes, head bearings need checking after a couple thousand miles when the bike is new, this is neglected 99% of the time at 6000 mile services. But yes it's fairly common, it's part of periodic maintenance to check it.

Hope that helps!

[Spainy]

Thank you for the help. 

The throttle sensor adaptation, is that through the onboard or does it need plugging in?

Re the lever,the twist screw  seems to be screwed out quite far and won´t go in any further, I will try taking a pic and will check the gap, as the grip point is right at the very end of letting out the lever, quite a strange feeling. The vendor has also given me the aftermarket ones so will see if I can get those fitted, seems quite straight forward looking online. I am absolutely useless when it comes to anything mechanical 

[Antares]

Originally Posted by Spainy

Thank you for the help. 

The throttle sensor adaptation, is that through the onboard or does it need plugging in?

Re the lever,the twist screw  seems to be screwed out quite far and won´t go in any further, I will try taking a pic and will check the gap, as the grip point is right at the very end of letting out the lever, quite a strange feeling. The vendor has also given me the aftermarket ones so will see if I can get those fitted, seems quite straight forward looking online. I am absolutely useless when it comes to anything mechanical 

Clutch grabs very far out that's true but normal, for throttle adaptation it does indeed need plugging in but if you intend to keep you XR for any length of time or another BMW I suggest getting a UCSI-2100 (OBDLink MX,LX or CX) and the motoscan app. Total cost is about 80-90 euro but it'll let you do any necessary diagnostics and service functions, including resetting the adaptations on the bike.

The bike is also very sensitive to chain tension, as are most bikes with modern QSs so make sure you double check that it is indeed perfectly in spec.

[Spainy]

So I checked for free play in the clutch and there is absolutely zero play. I made a video because the adjuster for the clutch cable seems quite far out but maybe it’s nothing ?

I can’t seem upload the video. It keeps asking for a username and password , but tells me they are incorrect. 

[Antares]

Originally Posted by Spainy

So I checked for free play in the clutch and there is absolutely zero play. I made a video because the adjuster for the clutch cable seems quite far out but maybe it’s nothing ?

I can’t seem upload the video. It keeps asking for a username and password , but tells me they are incorrect.

Put it on youtube, the login for the XR gallery should be the same as your normal login

[Spainy]

Here is the video.

[Antares]

Originally Posted by Spainy

Here is the video.

Yea no freeplay there you need to wind the adjuster screw in (towards the lever) to achieve the mentioned freeplay, the adjuster screw's gap may be stuck on metal lock tab preventing it from turning, the screw is about halfway out plenty to go in or out

[Spainy]

Thanks for that. I can´t move using my fingers at all, should I use pliers? I don´t want to damage it.

[Antares]

Originally Posted by Spainy

Thanks for that. I can´t move using my fingers at all, should I use pliers? I don´t want to damage it.

As i said there is a gap in the screw that might be stuck on this little metal locking tab below it, just push that down with 1 finger and then adjust the screw