Overhaul GS8

fezzer

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Afternoon all,

After owning my GS8 2010 for 7 years continuously maintained by BMW Spain I feel it’s time to have something of a major overhaul and intricate examination of all parts to make sure it remains a reliable and more importantly safe machine. Warranty period is well over.
I’ve been happy enough with service received from BMW but I think it will get a more thorough check over if I hand it over to someone I really trust that deals with these bikes that get offroaded day after day. I feel BMW service becomes just ticking the boxes of service before getting onto the next bike service rather than making sure my bike remains in optimum condition as I have expressed many times. Somehow I feel my willingness to invest in this bike has been missed by BMW, at least in Spain.

I hold my hand up and can honestly say I am not the best at maintenance routines and other than chucking a bit of oil at the chain, checking fluid levels (any puddles under bike?) and occasion tension of chain I’ve left it all until service time.

So the question to you if you’d be so kind is given this bike coming up on just 40,000 miles what would be on your wish list of replacements and service? It’s pretty farkled already so I’m looking at mechanical parts only really.

I definitely want to change the chain (bit rusty) and sprockets and will probably fit a Scotoiler. I think I will stick with the 15 teeth up front. Best make of chains and cogs to look at? Advice on choice of Scotoiler?

Steering bearing feels okay to me but is it worth replacing or just look at and grease if required?

Clutch cable worth replacing?

Any advise or suggestions from your wealth of knowledge and higher mileage GS8 machines much appreciated.
Bikes heading to garage tomorrow, I’m going back to work for 2 months.

Thanks in advance
cf
 
I'm a if it's not broken type of person myself and I think that if the servicing schedule is followed and everything is replaced as recmonded in 40,000 miles there's not a lot to do. The regulater can give trouble as can the generator. I had one myself and can't remember having any problems with it. I'd recommend DID chain and a Scotoiler is just that. I have tried other brands but for sheer ease of use and reliability I will get a Scotoiler if I ever get a bike with a chain again. Sterling head bearings? If they're ok I'd make sure to have plenty of grease on them. I can see a disagreement coming on so let's see what others have to say. My advice is given with the benefit of 60000 km on a gsa all on road. JJH
 
Thanks for your input JJH, much appreciated.
Bike's now with my mechanic and most items are in hand.
He mentioned the newer chains from BMW were very much improved over the years and just as good as the DID's. I'm still going with the DID for a very little financial increase.
Only part I really need to order very shortly is the Scotoiler and any help in choosing between what I see are the two options below as links much appreciated.
One seems specifically made for BMW and the other universal, in this case from Touratech. Can anyone offer any advice or experience either way? Searched specific pages of previous tosser posts and can't find enough to say one way or the other is better for the GS8. Did I also see you can get an end piece that splits the oil drip to either side of the chain rather than central or did I imagine that?
Think my normal climate dictates the red gunk will be better than the blue.

https://www.scottoiler.com/uk/products/bmw-motorrad-f800-gs-kit.html

https://shop.touratech.co.uk/scottoiler-vsystem-chain-lubrication-system-universal.html

Currently in Bremen Norway, lots of lovely look bikes running around here in town and I'm very happy to see everyone is wearing the appropriate riding attire compared to the all too common flip flop riders often seen in Spain.

Thanks in advance.

fez
 
I had the BMW scottoiler (v-system so not electronic) fitted when I bought my F700GS. My advice is to keep the flow rate as low as you can, and at the minimum unless it's very wet or dusty, as it otherwise coats the rear of the bike in a lovely oily grime that's hard to get off. It does make the chain and sprockets last a lot longer. I still have the original chain and sprockets and just tipping over 13K miles it looks like it's got about another 12-15K left. Not sure about BMW chains - on both this bike and the S1000XR I had last year the side plates rusted the moment it started raining. They look very cheap to me!
 
Hi,

Seven months later and only after a little rain has stopped motorbike playtime today here in Mallorca thought I'd update here a little of my findings from the last service.
All went well with the technician having a good look over the bike in general and replacing parts as I had wished. Nothing major or unexpected came up at the time but I was warned the stator might be on it's way out. Interesting that JJH mentioned it as it came back to bite me eventually.
Favourite by far since it's fitting is the Scotoiler with additional dual feed pipe, I went with the non BMW version in the end as there appears really no difference other than cost and colour. You can just feel the chain is continually lubed compared to as it was before being a bit hit or miss given my sporadic squirts of oil either leaving it over or undercoated. Every time you back off the throttle completely the run down on engine braking is so smooth. I expected I'd be topping it up all the time but it seems to be very conservative on it's consumption. The technician managed to fit the twin feed unit just slightly further back than normal recommended spot in-between the two lugs on the underside of swing arm meaning the feeding tubes can be cut shorter and the already tight gap between sprocket bolts and chain still bearable. I'd say at best its a 3mm clearance but the cable ties have kept it all in place so far. Lining up the sprocket hex bolts with the outer circumference of sprocket helps with the available gap.
Very happy with the shiny gold DID chain, any excess oil wipes off easily and there's no sign of rust spots like the old BMW version. Went again with the 15 teeth up front and still no regrets for how I use the bike.
Went from TKC 70's to Scorpion trail 2 in this service and although they are obviously very hard wearing I'm still not quite convinced they are a better road tyre for me. They certainly require much more warm up time. My recent concerns are that even though they appear nicely rounded to the edge when you lay the bike over to the edge you feel a hump as the bike falls further into the corner followed by a strong feeling of front end washout is pending. Could it be I'm experiencing a little untouched fresh rubber in the last few mm's and it won't actually wash out? I've now dropped a bit of tyre pressure on the front (Running at 2.1F and 2.5R Bar warm) and wound the rear preload up a little to hopefully edge some weight forward. I'll get to test it when the rain stops. Maybe I just need to get body weight further forward as I'm in the corner but its rather unnerving. Maybe it's just the profile is far removed from the TKC 70 and I'm actually leaning the bike further than ever.
So to the stator, it eventually failed completely just 3 weeks ago. The technician at original service implied it might be a problem as it was occasionally struggling a little to start up even when warm. The battery is 2 years old but my load testing proved it was still good. Long story short I had to buy the whole stator and rotor from BMW, couldn't source a rewind, stator was clearly knackered on removal. 2 hour job including all the guards off and on. Reading the forums it sounds like a common found design fault that has been rectified after about 2013 versions. Fingers crossed the rectifier is still good, tests proved it was okay and the oil (now changed) smelt fine.
So I'm hoping the bike does another 7 years of just pushing the start button without fail, 42000 miles, still love my GS8, unsure what little treat to buy it next.

fez
 


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