Do you service your own K?

[AndyLP]

Interested to know how many self serviced K's out there?  I have always serviced my own bikes but somehow with the K I have been leaving it up to BMW and had some eye watering bills.  Should I just get my toolbox out??

[Dusty]

I do mine. The Reprom workshop manual on CD is definitely worth buying. Some on here also have and will, I'm sure, recommend the GS911 diqgnostic tool. It's not needed for basic servicing but wil help you with fault finding.

[Phmode]

There are those that do and those that don't, those that can and those that can't! I can, but so far haven't!

Then, there are those that have the 'insurance' of the BMW extended warranty. I haven't so far, but may this time around. Lots in here think it is fiscal suicide to own a K without it.

Brian (who thinks it all comes down to the depths of your wallet one way or the other and the degree of risk-aversion from which you suffer  )

[AndyLP]

What could possibly go wrong with such a perfectly built bike 

[TomL]

I don't trust others to do any work on my bike including fitting tyres.

I do everything I can on my bike and have a GS911 wifi which helps.

It is what I do for a living and for me part of the fun of owning a bike is looking after it.

I'm the same with my pushbikes and get great fun building my own wheels from scratch.

[Phmode]

Yeah! But, like, you is weww weird 

[tiggerwood]

What could possibly go wrong with such a perfectly built bike 

Newbie innocence! Stick around here and learn from the battle-hardened veterans.

[AndyLP]

I was thinking positive, I am aware of all that go wrong with the bike.  My Gearbox, Clutch and Idle Control Valve have all been changed.  So far 20k miles of no problems.  As my bike is approaching 42k I think the next service will be the valves to check and can't wait for BMW to empty my wallet for that!!

[AndyLP]

Yeah! But, like, you is weww weird 

You are a good man

[Dusty]

Were your valves not checked at 36k? Mine were done at 18 and 36 but I do have a vague feeling that perhaps I chose to ignore a revision to the schedule.

[AndyLP]

Were your valves not checked at 36k? Mine were done at 18 and 36 but I do have a vague feeling that perhaps I chose to ignore a revision to the schedule.

I believe the onboard computer tells the mechanic if its needed??  Maybe I ride like a girl!

How much did the valve check cost?  The more pressing question is how much would it actually cost if they need adjusting 

[Dusty]

Perhaps that's the schedule I chose to ignore! Call me old fashioned, but I doubt very much that the computer can predict that with any accuracy and I'd attach as much credibility to it as the suggestion  that the final drive oil never needed changing.
Checking cost me nothing as I did it myself as part of the major service. Adjustment is more complicated as it requires the cams to be removed but I'd have done that also.

[Phmode]

How much did the valve check cost?  The more pressing question is how much would it actually cost if they need adjusting 

I think if they need adjusting then it is a write-off job 

I've never known of one needing adjusting but someone must have cos there is a post about how long it takes to actually get the bloody shims; dealers don't keep a stock and order what the tech needs on a job-by-job basis 

Brian (who hankers after the 'good' old days of big screwdrivers, small ring spanners, broken feeler guages and skinned knuckles )

[Dusty]

indeed, Brian, or two strokes!

[TomL]

I adjusted the valve clearances on my K1200S  http://www.eurokclub.bike/index.php/topic,1012.msg10666.html#msg10666

I'm sure that part of the reason why they don't often require adjustment is down to the interpretation of the mechanic. They can earn more doing easier servicing jobs rather than messing about adjusting valve clearances.