Ok, sorry to bring this subject up, but I am really getting frustrated. I drained the coolant and took the rad off months ago so I could do ''routine servicing ''. I read up on how to refill the cooling system - need a vacuum pump system - must avoid airlocks in the head etc.
Haven't actually ridden the bike in a year, but decided months ago to buy equipment to refill the cooling system - Air compressor £120, Neilsen vacuum thingy £30 which sits in the top of the rad, pipe clamps £10. 
So now I have tried to get on with the job - the brass connector on the Neilsen vacuum thingy does not afford an air tight seal - loose fitting, and no means of making it any tighter - tried adding an o ring but that didn't work. Cannot return the Neilsen - it is too long since purchase. The rubber part just fits nicely in the radiator filler which was a bonus - took a chance on that one.
What I want to know is this ---- As mine is a 2005 K1200s it has a bleed valve on the right hand side of the cylinder head. This is at a lower level than the radiator filler. Am I right in hoping that because of this I may be able to refill the cooling system without vacuum equipment and just bleed air off through the 3 bleed valves on this model ? 
Knowledgeable assistance welcome. No more hair left to pull out. 

Having recently bought my 12 year old K1200s with a 'Full Main Agent History' - fully stamped up by the same Main Agent 11 times - genuine, not fake, I was debating whether or not to take it my local Main BMW Agent for the service which is now due 12 months/6k miles since they last serviced AND sold the bike to the previous owner .
After mulling it over for a while, I thought I may as well buy the parts and do as I have generally done in the past and do my own servicing ( unless I find something a bit too tricky, in which case I will seek help ).
So, I have got the bike on a stand in the garage and starting taking all the panels off, pretty grubby under there - oh well, main agents may service things, but they never bother cleaning anything do they ? especially bits you can't see.
So, got myself 2 nice new air filters - took the old ones out - my word these are very dirty indeed and full of bits of insect to boot. Here we are 23.5 k miles from new and still with 2 air filters in made in 2004 ! ( I have the dates stamped on them  )! I do believe these are the original ones fitted when the bike was new.
Will I be taking any of my bikes to Main Agents for work - Never have done before - pretty unlikely that I ever will after seeing this. 
I phoned the Main Agent in question - not to have a go, but to enquire what parts may have been replaced at previous services ( to save me changing anything unnecessarily ) Spark plugs ? er no, anything in the last 4 or 5 services, er oil and filter, oil and filter ------ hmmm I think I will be doing a full service on this before I even get to ride it.
I guess if the original owner took it in to BMW and said 'change the oil and filter & stamp the book' presumably that is what they would agree to do, but it says service tick or inspection tick, so can you trust anything when it says full BMWSH  ?   They couldn't have done much either last year prior to selling the bike  from their showroom.