So after a year and a bit of owning Artie, I have now brought the tools to do the timing and the valves.
I brought the Torque adapter spanner, Camshaft alignment jig set and Timing chain tensioner tool from MotorWorks, and got the TDC/BDC pin tool from Aliexpress. Total cost was £310.46
So i should be able to do all my own servicing, as i was worried about getting the tools for the cams.
Another tool i needed was a Micrometer to help with the shim size.
After looking this morning i found a Draper Dual Reading Digital External Micrometer on ebay.
On ebay i got it for just £47.21 , and the best part is there is an extra 20% off
So i brought one and it cost me just £37.77
Edit. Just been back on there as a friend asked me to get him one. They have now ended the listing for them.
123654.jpg (57.13 KiB) Viewed 1964 times
Last edited by EasyRider on Mon Feb 24, 2025 3:38 pm, edited 2 times in total.
I know it has been a bit of an outlay buying these tools. (about £400 total)
But it has cost less than one valve check service that BMW Motorrad charge.
I can now do all my own servicing and VHC.
As the engine is the same, I was able to get hold of a genuine BMW R1250GS workshop manual.
And with all the video's on youtube (BoxFlyer) Should help me if i get stuck at some point.
Edited
Last edited by EasyRider on Tue Feb 25, 2025 7:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
EasyRider wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2025 2:21 pm
Another tool i needed was a Micrometer to help with the shim size.
After looking this morning i found a Draper Dual Reading Digital External Micrometer on ebay.
On ebay i got it for just £47.21 , and the best part is there is an extra 20% off
So i brought one and it cost me just £37.77
Edit. Just been back on there as a friend asked me to get him one. They have now ended the listing for them.
123654.jpg
We always used Mitutoyo micrometers at work, thankfully company bought them as they are expensive. That looks a good price for a digital.
Well some ebay sellers are a total waist of time.
I got up this morning (just gone 1am) only to find my order cancelled for the micrometers.
I checked why it had been cancelled and the seller said i asked to cancel it.
I thought it was to good a bargain to find.
So i'm still looking for a Digimatic Micrometer after i was let down by an ebay seller.
Now i'm looking at the Accuracy of them and the ones i'm am looking at range between 0.001 and 0.004 mm.
Now my main reason for getting one is for shims, not just on the RT but my other bikes to.
So would the accuracy of 0.004 make much of a difference when working with shims.
The Digimatic Micrometer i am looking at are in price high to low. There is about £50 difference in them.
Mitutoyo 293-831-30
Linear Tools 50-800-001
Moore & Wright MW200-01DBL
Laser 6221
On both my motorcycles, 1980 Yamaha XJ650 and 2012 BMW R1200RT, the valve shim size is marked on the shim itself. The idea being that if a valve clearance is out of spec., the next size shim (up or down) is purchased to bring the valve clearance back to within spec.
Getting the Micrometer is just incase the markings have worn off the old shim.
I have Vernier Caliper which i have used before, but i thought as i'm buying all new tool for the RT i might as well get a Micrometer to.
The markings on the XJ650 shims are on the underside. It's recently had an engine top end overhaul, I got the restorers to make a note of all the installed shim sizes. On the RT, the shim size is stamped on the side of the shim. I appreciate that they may wear slightly but it gives you a starting point when buying replacement shims.
This is a 2.55 mm shim for the XJ650.
This is a 4.700 mm shim for the RT, (click to enlarge).
