BMW S1000XR

S1000XR Chat => Maintenance, Servicing, and Mechanical => Topic started by: RichS1000XR on July 06, 2015, 06:26:55 PM

Title: First wash
Post by: RichS1000XR on July 06, 2015, 06:26:55 PM
Just given the bike a clean, removed all the grubby marks the dealer missed, and the bug population of the Cotswolds! The chain had flicked grease EVERYWHERE, so I used "just the tonic" and it cut through the the grease really easily. I won't dread the next wash quite so much!

Rim tape goes on tomorrow night.
Title: Re: First wash
Post by: fasttrak on July 06, 2015, 11:04:56 PM
*Originally Posted by RichS1000XR [+]
Just given the bike a clean, removed all the grubby marks the dealer missed, and the bug population of the Cotswolds! The chain had flicked grease EVERYWHERE, so I used "just the tonic" and it cut through the the grease really easily. I won't dread the next wash quite so much!

Rim tape goes on tomorrow night.

I have just been doing spot cleaning as I dread the mess that is my rear wheel from all the grease the dealer left on the chain when I drove it off the lot. The whole rear wheel is coated so I want to remove it and the chain, clean everything once to shiny new, and just use the spot cleaning method after that. I think I am going to need a quart of SImple Green to clean the rear wheel of that lithium grease, stuff is tenacious to get off.
Title: Re: First wash
Post by: RoadRunner on July 10, 2015, 04:10:47 AM
The dealer put so much grease on mine that some of it has dripped down to the kill switch on the side stand and onto the exhaust.  My rear wheel is covered with splatter.  Bike goes in tomorrow for the breakin service and side case fitting.  I will clean it really good this weekend and then put DuPont Teflon lube on the chain... goes on clear and doesn't splatter or fling off when dry.  Also, be careful cleaning the windscreen as it scratches very easily.
Title: Re: First wash
Post by: fasttrak on July 10, 2015, 04:19:19 AM
*Originally Posted by RoadRunner [+]
The dealer put so much grease on mine that some of it has dripped down to the kill switch on the side stand and onto the exhaust.  My rear wheel is covered with splatter.  Bike goes in tomorrow for the breakin service and side case fitting.  I will clean it really good this weekend and then put DuPont silicone lube on the chain... no more splatter and clean looking chain.  Also, be careful cleaning the windscreen as it scratches very easily.

If you are talking about the caked on white grease, that is the lithium packing grease for shipping and your dealer was as lazy as mine in not prepping the chain for delivery. That stuff needs to be cleaned off and a proper lube applied. I had it flung up all under the tail, caked into the counter sprocket housing, a nice mess. Took me nearly two hours to clean everything up. I still need to give my mechanic some sh#t for that over site, makes me wonder what they did for their prep fee.
Title: Re: First wash
Post by: RoadRunner on July 10, 2015, 05:37:10 AM
Yes, it is the lithium grease and it is all over everything.  Can't wait to give it a real thorough cleaning this weekend.
Title: Re: First wash
Post by: RoadRunner on July 11, 2015, 05:13:21 AM
Had the first service today following the breakin and the dealer cleaned all of the lithium grease off the chain and put a clear lube on.  Maybe BMW recommends they leave the lithium on during break-in. 
Title: Re: First wash
Post by: Redrick on August 29, 2015, 01:27:49 PM
The Lithium grease is awful stuff !
One of the first things i did was get it cleaned off and lubed up using the BMW lube.

Not terribly impressed with the BMW stuff but it was free so....

Any way I have a shipping load of PJ1 Blue label heading my way which I think is the best chain lube. I know I know chain lube is like tyres everyone has their own opinions

Heres a pic after its first wash

Title: Re: First wash
Post by: bagwafu on August 29, 2015, 04:05:33 PM
A wise old biker once advised me to use baby wipes on the wheels to get rid of all the gunk.  And he was spot on - a very cheap and effective way of cleaning the wheels.