[Recent changes: typical 6k service cost changed from £250 to £300.]
Starter for 10...
If you have a better answer, or see mistakes, add your comment to the thread, and we'll amend the FAQ accordingly. Your comment may get incorporated, and you might get a nod.
What should I look for when buying secondhand?- ideally a full BMW service history, unless you're 1) flush, 2) a skilled mechanic
- corrosion may suggest lack of care by owner at low mileage, but at high mileage 30-40k+ they're all likely to show some corrosion if they've been ridden year-round
- common mods are pannier rails, centre stand, Akrapovic exhaust, after-market hugger, after-market screens, LED indicators, HID lights. Sometimes handlebars will be fitted with risers to soften the forward lean. Mods indicating some 'interesting' history are non-standard paint, non-standard plastics, mis-matched wheels, etc.
Should I buy the BMW warranty?Warranty - 3 types:
- non-BMW. If you buy from a non-BMW dealer you usually get 30 days warranty. I wouldn't pay to extend that, unless you have prior knowledge of the dealer, and trust them to do a good job if a problem occurs.
- BMW dealer warranty. Not transferable to the next owner. Don't get fooled into paying extra for this.
- BMW extended warranty - Monthly. Not transferable to the next owner. Don't get fooled into paying extra for this. (thanks Rae!)
- BMW extended warranty - Annual. This is transferable from one owner to the next, so it has some value, depending on the time left to run.
If the seller claims it comes with a BMW warranty, ask which one. It's around £350 per annum, and you can add European breakdown at a reasonable price.
If you're about to buy a bike with warranty, ring BMW insurance first, and make sure they will transfer it. I believe they have the option to refuse - can't think why, but if they did, alarm bells would be ringing.
The suspension (inc ESA) isn't covered after 30k miles - nor is any radiator clogging.
How frequent are K services. How much do they cost?Every 6k miles or annually, whichever comes first. Every third service is a 'big' one = valve clearance check.
A typical 6k service is £300, with a big one (18k) being around £550. (2020 prices)
Is there a service plan for Ks?If you're buying one less than 10 years old and intend keeping it for a few years, then consider the
BMW Motorrad Service Inclusive package. Any balance of unused services transfers with the bike if you sell it, so even if you sell before 3/5 years, there's still value in the package.
ESAII - does it wear with mileage or is it age dependent ? Or just how it's been looked after overall? What sort of mileages can you expect before a rebuild is required ?
The lack of warranty cover above 30k miles suggests it has a more limited lifetime than other parts on the bike.
From David: My first K1300S Sport did 56k miles from new in 3 years. No issues with the ESA and still rode well when I sold it. The next owner (another Old Git who still has the bike) used it for at least 1, possibly two more years adding a good few miles to it and then needed to replace/repair the rear shock. I don't know the mileage for sure but I think it was between 60k and 70k. He got MCT in Suffolk to rebuild the shock and I don't think it was too expensive but dismantling most of the rear of the bike to get at the shock was a sizable job.
ASC - did all K13S's come with ASC or was it part of a package with ABS/ESAII ? Is there anyway way to determine exactly where a biked does/doesn't have it ?
All came with ABS.
Not all came with ASC.
The majority came with ESA / ESA II, with the later the model the more likely it was fitted.
To check for a feature being present:
- ESA: There's a dual switch on the left cluster for ESA, with a shock/suspension image, or the word 'ESA' on the bottom part. Also. on the left side of the bike below the seat is the rear ESA unit. If it's a plain black cylinder with adjustment it's ESA. If it has a manual adjuster it's not ESA.
- ASC: The same switch - top part - is marked ABS/ASC, or ABS + 'warning triangle inside a counter-clockwise arrow', but I think you can only tell if it's present by turning the ignition on and looking for the 'warning triangle inside a counter-clockwise arrow' on the dash. You have to press and hold for 1 second or more to toggle the setting, i.e. see or hide the symbol.
I'm not shy of bikes with higher miles, as long as they have been lovingly cared for and the price is right. Or does this not work with K13s ? I am just trying to figure out what (higher) mileage will need suspension rebuild and any other associated wear and tear costs
We have a K1200S with over 100k on the forum. Examples on eBay are often in the 60k area. In general you will see many bikes in 20-40k and a few above that for sale. My personal feeling is that they're not as long-lived as the twins, but maybe the 1300 isn't an old enough model yet.
-Is the corrosion on the shaft drive and fork legs ( can you still call them forks on a K13 ??) purely cosmetic ? Or more sinister ? I assume BMW never did anything with them under warranty ?
It's cosmetic. Use it as an excuse to knock the price down. If it's a low mileage bike (sub-10k) it may indicate a lazy owner (can't be bothered to clean the bike in winter, etc), or it may be sub-standard paintwork, in which case it may deserve a warranty claim if the bike is young enough, with full service history.
(Matt says: At the age you're buying and with at best an insured warranty them you'll be lucky to get corrosion replaced. My 09 was 4 when I got it and I never had any luck trying my bmw insured warranty. My 15 was 9 months when I got it and I had front and rear corrode bits replaced under manufacturer warranty.)
Do the wheels dent?Yes, it's worth checking they're round. They seem to ding quite easily in potholes, but they can be fixed.
Motoliner, to name one, will straighten them.
Common problems (you can't identify by eye, but you can quiz the owner): - 1) Hot start: you've been riding, the engine is fully up to temperature, the battery is OK (it started cold, right!), but the bike won't start after a petrol stop, or similar short stop. Can also occur after a stall. Recovers after 15-30 minutes. Solution: a modification to the wiring loom by BMW. Expensive, but can be done under goodwill for bikes under 5(?) years old with full service history, an easterly wind, and the manager had satisfactory intercourse last night.
Other associated fixes for 'hot start' (but you normally still need the loom):
- load test your battery, and replace if necessary (a BMW dealer can load test it for you, and this is a good first step before going the loom route. No amount of fancy loom solves a crap battery.)
- replace the righthand switchgear top half, so you have a new starter button connection
- 2) clogged radiator: riding through town your engine overheats. Riding through rural areas your gauge never drops to 3 bars. Solution: clean the radiator externally, AND do it annually. This requires access to the rear of the radiator, so fairing panels need to come off. See here on how best to dfo it (link needed). You'll find the bottom of the radiator is the main problem. Ultimately, you may need a new radiator, at around £550 + labour.
Note: BMW don't have radiator cleaning in their service sheet.
See this thread for instructions & pics:
https://eurokclub.bike/index.php?topic=3035.0From David: ... radiator demise is inevitable. Cleaning can delay it but it will die eventually. Both of my bikes had new radiators under warranty at about 2 yeas/35k to 40k miles (not cleaned). The Sport has, I believe, recently needed a second radiator, despite annual cleaning.
I was told by my BMW dealer that the way to test the radiator condition was to allow the bike to idle when hot to the point the fan came on. If the radiator is in good condition. the fan should switch back off within 30 seconds to a minute. Longer than that was a was a warning of issues to come and longer than 2 minutes was a sign of imminent doom.
And from Matt: First bike bought at 12k miles, got to 50k miles and I never cleaned nor replaced nor had issues. Always BMW serviced and 12k a year means maybe they cleaned it [yeah, right! Ed]? Second bike bought at 2k, got to 36k and I never actively cleaned it nor replaced nor had issues. Always BMW serviced and 10k a year means who knows.
So, no consenus yet, but worth asking, or try David's test.
- 3) Dead bike: faulty switch gear. It doesn't like being cooked in the sun. It may recover, but it will happen again. Solution: replace the switchgear, under warranty if you have one.
Recalls worth checking for:Chain tensioner?Any decent breakers/secondhand parts suppliers?Yes, and if they don't have it on the web, it's always worth ringing:
James SherlockMotorworksWhat do I need to mount sports panniers?1. pannier frame & bolts
2. Two pins for mounting the cases onto
Here are the parts at
RealOEM.
