GS 1100 start up rattle

[Serpy]

Hi all. I have recently posted a few issues I'm having with the 98 1100 GS I 've just bought. Please note I also intend to contribute to the forum with my findings on the investigations I carry out. I also plan to get involved with this club and get on some rides. So please rest assured I'm not just trying to freeload information.

R1100 GS is a 98 model. Bought it over Xmas in Melbourne with 67+ K on the clock. Official service history is patchy but I believed the owner when he said it had been regularly maintained by a general bike mechanic with a BMW interest. Heaps of receipts etc. and a general good feel to the deal. Bike is in great nick generally. I flew over boxing day and rode it back to Serpentine. It now has 71+K on the clock.

Issue is:

There is a rattle. On start up, from cold, or even if bike has been running a good distance and is at normal operating temp and has only been standing 15 mins or so, there is a definite rattle from the left top end for a split second, presumably until the oil pressure rises sufficiently. I've owned plenty of other older vehicles this happens to and I 'm sufficiently mechanically trained to know the function of oil at pressure in a motor to also know why the rattle stops, once the oil is pressurised. Thing is the bike has (apparently) only done 71K and I know Boxers enough to know this is not a lot of kms. Question is whether this is a symptom of the motor being worn or a fault with the oil pump or some other part of the lube system or does everyone else with this model/ vintage 1100 hear the same noise for a split second on start up? I owned a 2007 R1200R until a few years ago, which I sold with around 75K on the clock and it only made this sort of noise briefly, on the first start up, after changing the oil and the motor having been drained and filter replaced. I don't recall it happening any other time. Maybe there is a better oil I should be using. I 'd also be interested to know what oil fellow R1100 owners recommend. The former owner of this bike said he used Shell Helix 3 or similar in the recently purchased 1100 GS. Any tips anyone? Be interested to hear from other R1100 motor owners of their experience with this.

Cheers and see you on a ride soon.

Serpy

[thumper]

The cam chain tensioner is hydraulic and takes a second or two to fill up.. This problem was fixed up in later model by stopping the LH hydraulic from draining down. If it really bothers you you can fix by installing later model tensioner piston. Only need to do one side as the other side is upside down and doesn't drain.

[old betsy]

Have you joined the club yet??????