XPLOR K1200S Break-in

	K1200S Break-in
Theconductor Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Location: Sacramento, CA	Hi everyone: I've just found the site. Looks great! My name is Dudley. I live the Sacramento area. I've been riding BMW's since 1985. My first one was a new '85 K100RS. I rode it for 53,000 miles and went on to a new '91 K100RS. After 112,000 miles it burned a valve. So I sold it and picked up a used 94 K1100RS. I have since retired and decided that I need a NEW bike. My first concideration was BMW. I'm still in love with the K bikes. But all I knew was the bad press about them when they were first released. My second choice was the Kawasaki ZX14. But I don't want to fool around with a chain. And I read a report that said there was a heat issue with the bike they road tested. It was in So Cal on a rather warm day. I've had enough "heat issues". I understand the K1200S has no such problem. Correct? I plan on test riding one in the near future. I'm sure that once I get on one I will be convinced to own one. What is the break-in procedure? Take it easy for a prescribed number of miles? I read on the K11OG web site that the proper way to break-in a new K1100 was hard. I can't remember why. I think it had something to do with seating the rings. My memory says that if it wasn't broken in hard that the rings wouldn't seat and it would use more oil than than one that was broken in hard. Does your K12 use oil? If so, how much? How was it broken in? I'm very curious. My 91 used a little and so does the 94. I don't think they should be using oil. D Bowden 02 Honda RC51 94 BMW K1100RS 67 Norton Atlas Posted on 02/02/2008 at 18:04
Kmkkoz Joined: Jan 08, 2007 Location: Livonia, NY	Re: K1200S Break-in I have ridden but never owned both the KS and the Kawi. I do like the BMW better but everybody is different. Look into regular maintenance costs for each bike and see how that factors in as well. Just follow the owners manual recomendation for break in. It should be something like keep the rpms down below a certain level for 600 miles and then ride it. Once a week for the life of the bike redline it and that should keep everything seated. Other than that ride them both and see what you think. You can add bar risers or different seat or lower pegs or whatever to make it more comfortable. But you will know. Listen to your heart beat and the desire to bring the bike home immediatly. If you don't feel it keep looking. My $.02 after a few beers and too long without riding because of snow. Good luck! Kevin --------------------------------- SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES .. . . THEY ARE NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING, BUT THEY STILL BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN YOU PUSH THEM DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS. Posted on 02/03/2008 at 02:53
Roborider Joined: Nov 17, 2006 Location: Raleigh, NC	Re: K1200S Break-in Hey Conductor, nice to have you here. I see you have an RC51. I've been looking for one of those for a track bike. The hunt continues. Here's what I can tell you about break in. Keep in mind I'm just a rider and home mechanic, I have no special credentials to be believed. Firstly, here's a link to the 'hard' break in you refer to. Interesting read: http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm I discussed this with the BMW guys at the shop for my RT. They prefer BMWs recommended procedure, but that's no shock, really. But one comment was made that "no matter what I did, I couldn't hurt that engine." I'm on a BMW twin, but I think the K's are similar in oil usage. My RT used about 1/2 quart in the first 600 miles. It used about 1.5 quarts before the 6000 oil change, and about 1 quart to the 12k change. This last 6000 miles (it's going on 24k) it used about 1/2 quart. This is what I have been told (from this board) to expect. It takes a long time for these engines to completely break in, and they use oil for a period as they tighten up. Mine certainly is getting nice and tight now at 24k. I was pretty easy on mine for the first 100, then up to 5-6 k till 200 miles, then hard as hell from 200 on. I'd be very tempted to follow the hard break in procedure on my next bike. I think the easy break ins are a carry over from the old days when things weren't machined with such fine tolerances and you had more wear and metal debris to deal with at first. Either way, I bet you'll be fine and she will stop using oil as she ages. I had a lot of miles on my old 75/5, around 75k before I sold it, and she was running fine and didn't drink oil. Robo Posted on 02/03/2008 at 13:06
Sidekick Joined: Nov 18, 2007 Location: Rumford, RI	Re: K1200S Break-in Hi, I ride a 2004 1150 RT and just bought a 2007 K1200S. I love both because they are so different. The K is just FAST!!! Exhilirating! My dealer said of the break-in....ride it like you just paid $16,000 for it! In other words, slow for 500 miles or so, then just ride it! I travel with my RT which does use a little oil, but nothing annoying. I would like to travel with the K, maybe the BMWOA in Wyoming this year. We'll see. Go for the K, you will not be disappointed. SIDEKICK P.S. My third ride is a 1969 Triumph Bonneville...just for the fun of it! Posted on 02/10/2008 at 10:57

Joined: Feb 02, 2008

Location: Sacramento, CA

Hi everyone: I've just found the site. Looks great! My name is Dudley. I live the Sacramento area. I've been riding BMW's since 1985. My first one was a new '85 K100RS. I rode it for 53,000 miles and went on to a new '91 K100RS. After 112,000 miles it burned a valve. So I sold it and picked up a used 94 K1100RS. I have since retired and decided that I need a NEW bike. My first concideration was BMW. I'm still in love with the K bikes. But all I knew was the bad press about them when they were first released. My second choice was the Kawasaki ZX14. But I don't want to fool around with a chain. And I read a report that said there was a heat issue with the bike they road tested. It was in So Cal on a rather warm day. I've had enough "heat issues". I understand the K1200S has no such problem. Correct? I plan on test riding one in the near future. I'm sure that once I get on one I will be convinced to own one. What is the break-in procedure? Take it easy for a prescribed number of miles? I read on the K11OG web site that the proper way to break-in a new K1100 was hard. I can't remember why. I think it had something to do with seating the rings. My memory says that if it wasn't broken in hard that the rings wouldn't seat and it would use more oil than than one that was broken in hard. Does your K12 use oil? If so, how much? How was it broken in? I'm very curious. My 91 used a little and so does the 94. I don't think they should be using oil.

D Bowden

02 Honda RC51

94 BMW K1100RS

67 Norton Atlas

Posted on 02/02/2008 at 18:04

Kmkkoz

Joined: Jan 08, 2007

Location: Livonia, NY

Re: K1200S Break-in

I have ridden but never owned both the KS and the Kawi. I do like the BMW better but everybody is different. Look into regular maintenance costs for each bike and see how that factors in as well. Just follow the owners manual recomendation for break in. It should be something like keep the rpms down below a certain level for 600 miles and then ride it. Once a week for the life of the bike redline it and that should keep everything seated. Other than that ride them both and see what you think. You can add bar risers or different seat or lower pegs or whatever to make it more comfortable. But you will know. Listen to your heart beat and the desire to bring the bike home immediatly. If you don't feel it keep looking. My $.02 after a few beers and too long without riding because of snow. Good luck! Kevin

---------------------------------

SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES .. . . THEY ARE NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING, BUT THEY STILL BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN YOU PUSH THEM DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS.

Posted on 02/03/2008 at 02:53

Roborider

Joined: Nov 17, 2006

Location: Raleigh, NC

Re: K1200S Break-in

Hey Conductor, nice to have you here. I see you have an RC51. I've been looking for one of those for a track bike. The hunt continues.

Here's what I can tell you about break in. Keep in mind I'm just a rider and home mechanic, I have no special credentials to be believed.

Firstly, here's a link to the 'hard' break in you refer to. Interesting read:

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

I discussed this with the BMW guys at the shop for my RT. They prefer BMWs recommended procedure, but that's no shock, really. But one comment was made that "no matter what I did, I couldn't hurt that engine."

I'm on a BMW twin, but I think the K's are similar in oil usage. My RT used about 1/2 quart in the first 600 miles. It used about 1.5 quarts before the 6000 oil change, and about 1 quart to the 12k change. This last 6000 miles (it's going on 24k) it used about 1/2 quart. This is what I have been told (from this board) to expect. It takes a long time for these engines to completely break in, and they use oil for a period as they tighten up. Mine certainly is getting nice and tight now at 24k.

I was pretty easy on mine for the first 100, then up to 5-6 k till 200 miles, then hard as hell from 200 on. I'd be very tempted to follow the hard break in procedure on my next bike. I think the easy break ins are a carry over from the old days when things weren't machined with such fine tolerances and you had more wear and metal debris to deal with at first. Either way, I bet you'll be fine and she will stop using oil as she ages.

I had a lot of miles on my old 75/5, around 75k before I sold it, and she was running fine and didn't drink oil.

Robo

Posted on 02/03/2008 at 13:06

Sidekick

Joined: Nov 18, 2007

Location: Rumford, RI

Re: K1200S Break-in

Hi,

I ride a 2004 1150 RT and just bought a 2007 K1200S. I love both because they are so different. The K is just FAST!!! Exhilirating! My dealer said of the break-in....ride it like you just paid $16,000 for it! In other words, slow for 500 miles or so, then just ride it! I travel with my RT which does use a little oil, but nothing annoying. I would like to travel with the K, maybe the BMWOA in Wyoming this year. We'll see.

Go for the K, you will not be disappointed.

SIDEKICK

P.S. My third ride is a 1969 Triumph Bonneville...just for the fun of it!

Posted on 02/10/2008 at 10:57

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