In this section you will find information and experiences that I made while traveling by motorcycle, like attrition of material, maintenance and repairs, spare parts, … .
Maintenance # 1: 15.08, Austin, Texas.
The first maintenance after approx 6.200km was in Austin at http://lonestarcycle.com/. Lone Star is a BMW dealer. I had a quick check done, if everything is ok, bought some replacement parts and new tires. I was lucky and they did it immediately. My tires were worn out about half when I started, so changed them. Everything was very professional. Everything was ok with my bike. I did not expect otherwise. The bike is significantly less stressed here than at home. Here I , until now, cruise at 80-90km/h. At home I’m constantly have to shift gears, accelerate and brake.
Duration: about 2 1/2 hours.
Why do I think it was very professional? The day before, I put the setting on my clutch lever from stage 2 to 3. I just wanted to see if it was noticable when shifting gears. They put it back to setting 2.
Maintenance # 2: 18.09, San Jose, Costa Rica.
After around 14,000 km I have the first service done. The shop is located in the district Pavas, at about the corner of Calle 92, Avenida 11. Mr. Adolfo Gonzales speaks English. The shop appearance is very good as usual. I told them to check my clutch, because I felt like going a little bit heavy to change gears. I’m not sure if they did that. And I told them to fill the battery with water. I knew it was missing water. They did not do that. I checked that in the hostel and refilled myself. They changed the gas filter and my rear break pads and did the usual things. Parts are very expensive down here.
So far I’m not very happy with them. Going to Panama the temperature light lit up several times. OK, it was hot. But I have driven in hot weather for a several times. I checked oil and cooling liquid. Oil seemed ok, there was too less cooling liquid.
So, the did not check my battery, as I requested, they did apparently not check my clutch, they did not check the cooling liquid. For a full service, this is very poor.
Duration: I passed by on 18.09. around 10 am, I got an e-mail on 19.09. that I can pick it up again.
Maintenance #3, 01.10.2013, BMW Bogota
It was not really a maintenance, but to get sure that the temperature problem is nothing serious I went to BMW in Bogota. http://goo.gl/maps/6ygmp
Man, the dealer there is huge. They did a check, filled up the cooling liquid. They said oil was ok. Hope the problems disappear. They did not charge anything.
But parts are expensive. I bought a clutch lever and break lever, just in case of an accident. Wohoo!
Maintenance #4, 14/11/2013 , BMW Vina del Mar
WBM (Williamson Balfour Motors), Vina del Mar, Av. Libertad 841
Mileage: 55,223
Overall impression: Excellent, but very expensive
Very friendly people, very helpful, very committed. They did everything to fix all the major an minor things that were damaged, mostly off-road, during the last weeks.
Besides the usual small parts of the 10k inspection following items were replaced :
- rear tire, new model Pirelli MT -60, it was the only one available in stock
- chain kit
- brake pads front and rear
Clutch lever/apparatus and the front brake apparatus were a bit damaged from falling several times. This has been fixed. The clutch pedal was bent straight and the suspension of the side stand has been “repaired” .
The mechanic said, it is necessary to exchange my clutch plates. I take the risk, move on and hope that they will work until the next service.
Following a list how long the old parts lasted:
- Heidenau K60 rear tire, about 17,400 km
- chain kit , about 31,200 km
- rear brake pads (I did plenty of off -road driving) , about 10,600 km
- front brake pads: about 23,900km
Duration: 2 days, parts had to be delivered
repair, 20.11.2013, at a Mechanic close to Talca
odometer: 55.500
battery broke down
repair, 22.12.2013, Punta Arenas
right fork sealing cleaned, did not have on in stock
There is a BMW mechanic (can’t remember his name) in
Calle Ona 471, Punta Arenas
He speaks English.
You can get tires and other stuff in the Zona Franca cheaper, as you don’t pay tax.
Corner “Tres Ote / Dos Sur”
There is a shop too, where you can get spare parts in Calle Angamos – blue building.
maintenance, 11.02.2013, Neuquen BMW
odometer: 65,500
fork sealing left changed, new tires front and rear, rear break pads replaced
rear tire: Bridgestone, 2,200 ARS
other rear tire lastet for about 10,300km, lots of offroad, Andi on the back for about 1,000km
front tire: Bridgestone, 1,500 ARS
other front tire lastet for 27.631 km
maintenance, 14.01.2013, San Rafael, mechanic
odometer: 66,500km
change oil filter, oil change, we used Andis oil, which he had with him, rack for the boxes was welded, changed the air filter myself
maintenance, 02.03.2013, BMW Salta
odmeter: 68.800km
oilchange, Andis oil seemed not to be ok for my bike, motor made “klack, klack, …” when it was cold
They are friendly in Salta. I was also at BMW in Tucomán. I did not like them, after only two minutes and not really analyzing a problem with my clutch, they told me it needed an expensive repair.
maintenance, 20.02.2013, BMW Santiago
odomoeter: 72.200
radiator was changed, after I hit a stone off-road; left for sealing changed
22.02.2013, Carlos Ramirez, a mechanic
chain and sprockets changed
Carlos Ramirez
Los Juncos 388, Stadtteil Las Condes
Santiago de Chile
carlos@motouring.cl
If you have smaller problems, I would recommend to visit Carlos, before you got to BMW. He lives in a residential area. From outside you cannot see, what’s hiding inside. Very nice people, they speak english, and the sell a lot of stuff, clothing, equipment from Touratech, spare parts, … .