• Welcome to the BMW R18 Forums. Member registration disables ads and allows you to post and share. Register Here.

UPDATE: Made it home

  • <i class="fa--xf fal fa-check "><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" role="img" aria-hidden="true" ><use href="/data/local/icons/light.svg?v=1758297946#check"></use></svg></i> Discussion starter Discussion starter Red64
  • Start date Start date
Cheshire Cat said:
In my experience, this bike is only meant to be ridden comfortably at a max speed of 80 MPH.
My maximum enjoyment comes in at around 60 - 80
I know that in the States, this can be too slow for traffic flow, but most of my riding done on A roads and not motorways (Interstate)
My biggest disappointment has been engine overheating warning light when in very slow moving traffic for any significant time. It wasn't even that hot of a day!
Click to expand...
I also spend most time on the back roads. Just had to give it a try on the autobahn.
 
Cheshire Cat said:
In my experience, this bike is only meant to be ridden comfortably at a max speed of 80 MPH.
My maximum enjoyment comes in at around 60 - 80
I know that in the States, this can be too slow for traffic flow, but most of my riding done on A roads and not motorways (Interstate)
My biggest disappointment has been engine overheating warning light when in very slow moving traffic for any significant time. It wasn't even that hot of a day!
Click to expand...
70-85 for me
 
Cheshire Cat said:
In my experience, this bike is only meant to be ridden comfortably at a max speed of 80 MPH.
My maximum enjoyment comes in at around 60 - 80
I know that in the States, this can be too slow for traffic flow, but most of my riding done on A roads and not motorways (Interstate)
My biggest disappointment has been engine overheating warning light when in very slow moving traffic for any significant time. It wasn't even that hot of a day!
Click to expand...
Wow I live in Florida and have never gotten the overheating light. Interesting.
 
Cheshire Cat said:
In my experience, this bike is only meant to be ridden comfortably at a max speed of 80 MPH.
My maximum enjoyment comes in at around 60 - 80
I know that in the States, this can be too slow for traffic flow, but most of my riding done on A roads and not motorways (Interstate)
My biggest disappointment has been engine overheating warning light when in very slow moving traffic for any significant time. It wasn't even that hot of a day!
Click to expand...
85 mph @ 3000 revs ... cruise control on ... smooth as silk 😁
 
emgarciax said:
Wow I live in Florida and have never gotten the overheating light. Interesting.
Click to expand...
That is interesting. I experienced it only once so far, on a trip to France.
I didn't think too much about it until on here I saw one of our US members who has owned several R18's and numerous HD's, commenting that he went back to HD for several reasons, one of them being the overheating issue when in traffic.
 
Cheshire Cat said:
That is interesting. I experienced it only once so far, on a trip to France.
I didn't think too much about it until on here I saw one of our US members who has owned several R18's and numerous HD's, commenting that he went back to HD for several reasons, one of them being the overheating issue when in traffic.
Click to expand...
My appologies for reviving an old thread but heat management is one of the advantages of a transverse mounted boxer twin, whereas it is a weak point for a small angle V-twin. Additionally the boxer cilinders are outside in front of your feet and the rear cilibder of said V-twins just missing your private parts.
Even if the warning light would switch on the air/oil cooling is quite well cooled whereas mentioned HD needs to turn down/switch of the rear cilinder. Cannot see the latter as a positive.
Ah and living in Andalucia where 40 C. ambient temp, tarmac 60, is not an extreme.
 
Petrus said:
My appologies for reviving an old thread but heat management is one of the advantages of a transverse mounted boxer twin, whereas it is a weak point for a small angle V-twin. Additionally the boxer cilinders are outside in front of your feet and the rear cilibder of said V-twins just missing your private parts.
Even if the warning light would switch on the air/oil cooling is quite well cooled whereas mentioned HD needs to turn down/switch of the rear cilinder. Cannot see the latter as a positive.
Ah and living in Andalucia where 40 C. ambient temp, tarmac 60, is not an extreme.
Click to expand...
Hi Petrus
You seem knowledgeable on this subject. I had heard previously about the advantage of the boxer cylinder position over that of the HD. Can you say what might trigger the warning light if the cylinders are not overheating. Looking for the reassurance if I see the warning light again. So far, only seen it once. Traffic at walking pace for around 40 mins in temperature of only 28 degrees?
 
The inheritant cooling functionality of the boxer design is pretty intuitive, especially when compared to an inline V-twin from the perspective of air flow over the cylinder heat sink fins while riding, as well as crawling through traffic.

I wish I knew the reason why your bike threw the high temp error code or message; perhaps try the following, these are the things I do at least one a year:

1. Remove the plastic oil cooler cover, and blow out any loose debris and little rocks and such from the heat sink fins. I use a soft brush with hot soap & water and clean the heat sink, being careful not to deform the fins. I also use a bamboo cooking skewer (from my wife's secret cooking stash...) to straighten any deformed fins that caught a direct rock strike.

2. Oil and Oil Filter Change - i use the BMW recommended stuff, which I purchase in advance when shops have this stuff on sale (Holiday Season type sales)

3. Air Filter - again, I use the BMW standard paper filters.

I've been in some very hot days (+100° F) weather and in NYC traffic, and have never experienced an overheating error (knock on 🪵)
 
@Cheshire Cat as @Star-Lord observes there is no obvious reason why yours flipped the light switch. Another possible is lowish oil level at that would thus heat up more. Slow traffic is a bit of a confusing thing concernng ´overheating´. The engine is not doing any work so is not heating up in the sense of heating the combustion chamber, valves, red hot exhaust as full throttle can do. However because of lack of air flow the cooling ssytem and all peripherals dó get hot. The boxer layout it better in this aspect than the p.e. HD but the oil being the cooling medium can still het quite hot. Thus make sure the oil radiator is free of obstructions and keep the oil level up.
Again, as I observe, the low load means the engine is not stressed. No risk of burning valves or such.
 
Many thanks for the feedback Petrus and Star-lord. Helps very much in building confidence levels.
The bike is fully serviced and BMW service history is up to date.
Only happened the once, so perhaps an anomaly. Oil levels could have been a little low as I was on a long trip to France, from the UK. Probably covered at least 1000 miles at the time of warning. Since then, the bike has been serviced again.
 
Cheshire Cat said:
Many thanks for the feedback Petrus and Star-lord. Helps very much in building confidence levels.
The bike is fully serviced and BMW service history is up to date.
Only happened the once, so perhaps an anomaly. Oil levels could have been a little low as I was on a long trip to France, from the UK. Probably covered at least 1000 miles at the time of warning. Since then, the bike has been serviced again.
Click to expand...

We have forgotten to mention one thing; a modification. Reason being that overheating is not an issue. However.... deleting the exhaust flap function will have the engine run a bit cooler still under slow traffic conditions.
 
Last edited:
What does the exhaust flap function actually do with regards to the R18? I'm guessing some form of emissions control?
 
Provides back pressure when closed... You may hear some additional pops and such, from remaining fuel within the exhaust system if you decide to eliminate the exhaust servo module; the exhaust flaps will remain in an OPEN state..
 
Star-Lord said:
Provides back pressure when closed...
Click to expand...

I noticed that the delete made engine braking less abrubt.

Star-Lord said:
You may hear some additional pops and such, from remaining fuel within the exhaust system if you decide to eliminate the exhaust servo module; the exhaust flaps will remain in an OPEN state..
Click to expand...

That is what I would have expected but maybe it is my riding style that I had regular pops & bangs before and véry rarely one, albeit louder, now. A pity really as I very much liked the feature.
 
I have a pretty steep hill in my town, where the speed limit is 25 mph; I have found, that in 3rd gear, my bike pretty much holds at about 30 mph when coasting downhill without needing to touch the brakes.

I have removed the servo module and installed the Servo Buddy modules, in order to satisfy the ECU from throwing an error codes..
 
ayyyyyyy ´steep´ is so relative :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: ;)

I have not momitored it like that.

I dó wonder though at which speeds (read revs) you guys ride/potter/coast/cruise about. Have not bothered with setting the display on rpm so again clueless. Will do that today. More informative than odometer.

Edit: done.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top