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F800GT valve clearance

10K views 36 replies 23 participants last post by  bubble 
#1 ·
Hi guys, I know such topics may have been discussed intermittently in other threads (I did my homework in searching the forums!) but I thought I'd just start another thread to gather more statistics regarding valve clearance/adjustments or the need of it. Perhaps you guys can share your experiences here in the below format

Bike/Year:
Current Mileage:
Done valve clearance check at which mileage: ##,### km / never
Bike usage: %highway/%city
Average cruising speed:
Gear shifting RPM:
Fuel consumption:
If done VC check, need to replace shims, and how many? Yes/No; 1-8
If shims replaced, what improvements/restoration observed:
Other remarks:


I'll start

Bike/Year: 2015 F800GT
Current Mileage: 31,000 km
Done valve clearance check at which mileage: never
Bike usage: 90% highway/ 10% city
Average cruising speed: 90-100 km/h
Gear shifting RPM: between 3000-4000 rpm
Fuel consumption: 24-25 km/l
If done VC check, need to replace shims, and how many? not applicable
If shims replaced, what improvements/restoration observed: not applicable
Other remarks: May not consider doing VC check so long as there's no significant decline in my fuel consumption from current state.
 
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#2 ·
It's a bit involved inquiry. My 08 ST had the valves checked at the prescribed interval until 24K miles. The dealer said no adjustments were made so I didn't have it done again until a deer killed the bike at 57K miles. The mileage was good, up to 72.9 mpg, in Colorado.
Basically your last line was my feelings. If it ain't broke don't fix it.
 
#3 ·
Bike/Year: 2014 F800GT
Current Mileage: 25,000 miles
Done valve clearance check at which mileage: never
Bike usage: 50% highway/ 50% city
Average cruising speed: 35-70 mph
Gear shifting RPM: between 3000-4000 rpm
Fuel consumption: 51 mpg
If done VC check, need to replace shims, and how many? none
If shims replaced, what improvements/restoration observed: not applicable
Other remarks: May not consider doing VC check so long as there's no significant decline in my fuel consumption from current state.

Chris
 
#5 · (Edited)
Bike/Year: 2016 F800GT
Current Mileage: 23,900
Valve Clearance Checked: 12,000 miles not sure if adjustments were made
EDIT: 24,000 miles:Intake 0.20 0.20 0.23 0.20 Exhaust 0.20 (set to 0.33) 0.30 0.30 0.30
Seems to be a bit stronger now but not dramatically.
Gear Shifting RPM: Having fun - at redline, otherwise 5,000 to 6,000RPM
Bike Usage: 50% fast road/interstate 45% secondary road 5% city
Average Cruising Speed: Interstate 80MPH or flow of traffic, Secondary Road - speed limit/flow of traffic
Fuel Consumption: Low of 40MPG, High of 65 to 70MPG

Will take it in for 24,000 mile service in January. Waiting to get thru crazy busy season at dealer. They will check valves, replace the drive belt etc.
EDIT: Kept the old belt as a spare - no cracking or noticeable detonation, can tell its been run for a while but I wouldn't hesitate to put a lot of miles on it.
 
#7 ·
Bike/Year: 2013 F800GT
Current Mileage: 25,000 miles
Done valve clearance check at which mileage: 12,000 miles
Bike usage: 60% highway/ 40% city
Average cruising speed: 35-75 mph
Gear shifting RPM: between 3000-4000 rpm
Fuel consumption: 52 mpg
If done VC check, need to replace shims, and how many? not sure if adjustments were made
If shims replaced, what improvements/restoration observed: not applicable
Other remarks: May not consider doing VC check so long as there's no significant decline in my fuel consumption from current state.
 
#8 ·
Bike/Year: 2016 F800GT
Current Mileage: 12,400 miles
Valve clearance check at which mileage: 12,000 miles
Bike usage: 90% highway/ 10% city
Average cruising speed: 65+ mph
Gear shifting RPM: between 6000+ rpm
Fuel consumption: high 40s mpg
If done VC check, need to replace shims, and how many? 2 shims at min clearance, one close. Purchased 3 shims, shifted around others to place all valves at max clearance
If shims replaced, what improvements/restoration observed: personally, I don’t think a few thousandths of additional clearance will be noticeable in the seat of the pants.
Other remarks: I don’t think my local dealer does many valve adjustments on these. The parts department didn’t even know what a semi-sphere was. I had to special order the shims. If you decide to replace shims, make sure to lock the crank in place during cam re-installation, and double-check the valve timing by manually turning over while tensioned. It took me three tries to get the cams correct.
 
#14 ·
Bike/Year: 2016 F800GT
Current Mileage: 12,400 miles
Valve clearance check at which mileage: 12,000 miles
Bike usage: 90% highway/ 10% city
Average cruising speed: 65+ mph
Gear shifting RPM: between 6000+ rpm
Fuel consumption: high 40s mpg
If done VC check, need to replace shims, and how many? 2 shims at min clearance, one close. Purchased 3 shims, shifted around others to place all valves at max clearance
If shims replaced, what improvements/restoration observed: personally, I don't think a few thousandths of additional clearance will be noticeable in the seat of the pants.
Other remarks: I don't think my local dealer does many valve adjustments on these. The parts department didn't even know what a semi-sphere was. I had to special order the shims. If you decide to replace shims, make sure to lock the crank in place during cam re-installation, and double-check the valve timing by manually turning over while tensioned. It took me three tries to get the cams correct.
so it's always better to err on larger clearance than smaller clearance?
 
#10 ·
Interesting discussion. My 2014 F700GS is coming up on 10,000 miles, and I think I will just bypass the 12,000 mile valve check and expensive service visit. I still have a 1999 RT, for which valve adjustments are fairly trivial (and rarely needed), but the F-bike engine is an entirely different beast.
 
#11 ·
2009 f650gs with 42,000 miles. Valves were checked by the bmw shop at the 12,000 service with no adjustment needed. I checked at 24,000 miles and they were within specs. I checked again at 36,000 miles and had little or no change. I think I’ll skip the 48,000 mile check.
 
#13 ·
This is a great topic and it's interesting to hear everyone's responses. I'll add a couple of bikes to this story but they're not all F800s. My 2009 F800ST had 29,000 miles on it and I believe I checked it at 20. It didn't need any adjustment.

I have a 2007 F650GS with 80,000 miles on it. I checked the valves about every 25 to 30,000 miles. It needed two shims at 40,000 and it needed all 4 shims at 75,000.

My 2014 R1200GS Had 45,000 miles on it until the alternator fried this year and I traded it for an F750GS. I checked the valves every 20,000 and they were always in spec.

it turns out all three of these bikes take the same 10mm shims. The first time I changed shIms I bought the individual shims. The next time I went on eBay and bought a kit for about $70. Considering the shims work on all the motorcycles I think it's a deal. No more running back to the shop if (when) I made an error in measurement.

Unfortunately all of the bikes are shim under bucket instead of shim over bucket. Even though they're easy to check, The camshafts must come out to change any of the shims.

On a sidenote, I had a K75RT That I put over 110,000 miles on. At 50,000 miles I change two shims and at 100,000 miles I put the same two shims back in the same valves. The net valve adjustment over all of those miles was zero. After having many Bikes with nut and screw tappet adjustments, I have to say that the shim system truly lowers valve adjustment intervals but they make you work for it!
 
#16 ·
Bike/Year: 2013 F800GT
Current Mileage: 60,000 mi
Done valve clearance check at which mileage: never
Bike usage: 60% highway/ 40% back road twisties
Average cruising speed: when I cruise: 75 mph
Gear shifting RPM: between 3500 - 6500 rpm
Fuel consumption: avg 53 mpg
If done VC check, need to replace shims, and how many? not applicable
If shims replaced, what improvements/restoration observed: not applicable
Other remarks: No noticeable decline in performance, still runs, idles very smoothly
 
#24 ·
Bike/Year: F800GT 2014
Current Mileage: 18,000 miles
Done valve clearance check at which mileage: never
Bike usage: 90 highway/10 city
Average cruising speed:50-60 on A roads, 80+ on motorways
Gear shifting RPM:4,500rpm
Fuel consumption: 65 imperial mpg
If done VC check, need to replace shims, and how many? Yes/No; 1-8 -N/A
If shims replaced, what improvements/restoration observed: N/A
Other remarks: Decided not to bother at 12,000 miles, will leave until 24,000 then decide, though may change the bike before then

No immediate intention to change the belt at 24,000 miles either :) nor have I changed the spark plugs at 12,000 miles... must just be mean
 
#28 ·
That seems excessive. My shop told me that's what they charge for a 'major' service. i.e. the one where they do everything in the book. Parts are extra of course (oil, gaskets, plugs, etc), but we're even talking fork service at that price. FWIW, that's in the Bay Area so it's not like we're talking small town pricing here either. Just a valve check should be closer to $600 if they measure out ok, add another $200 or so if they need to make adjustments.
 
#27 ·
Since you’re not the original owner and don’t know the bike’s history, it’s possible your engine spent a lot of time at redline. If so, a valve clearance inspection could be money well spent. Or not.

I’ve never taken my GT over 5000 rpm and am in no hurry to have my clearances checked.
 
#29 ·
I really wonder about the BMW service schedule. It is not like they are 1990s Ducatis. I told my mechanic at the last service I "may" have a valve check at 50,000Km. He said that he was OK with that as he has NEVER had to re-shim an F800GT.
What I DO find amazing is people saying they are getting over 70 mpg. I have never come close. I can just about hit 60 mpg (Imperial) on a lazy tour otherwise it is more like 50 mpg. These figures are converted from l/100km.
I have rarely needed to rev above 5,500 in the intermediate gears as I think the torque is sufficient. I guess I am old school because my old OHV V twins max out at about 5,500.
 
#30 ·
I average around 65 mp(US)g while riding my F650GS and that is with 10% ethanol fuel. The few times I have managed to find E0, my gas mileage went up to 70 mpg. [:)]
 
#33 ·
Bike/Year: F700GS/2014
Current Mileage: 11,565
Done valve clearance check at which mileage: never
Bike usage: 80% highway/20% city
Average cruising speed: 65 mph (mountain roads)
Gear shifting RPM: 4000-6000, rarely higher
Fuel consumption: 67 mpg, now matter how easy/hard I ride.
If done VC check, need to replace shims, and how many? Yes/No; N/A
If shims replaced, what improvements/restoration observed: N/A

Other remarks:
The F700GS has such a flat torque curve that I generally short-shift. Shifting above 5000 rpm only if I am "in a hurry." In ~7500 miles, I have ever gotten near redline. I assume these engines have an RPM limiter, but I have no personal experience with it.
 
#34 ·
I had a Honda CB1100EX and helpfully they also do a valve clearance thread on the forum. Interesting to note that nobody had any shims changed at any mileage - all in spec, every one of them. One bloke checked his at 16k miles then 24k, 32k and 48k. His final word was that he's not checking them again - ever... But it's the old adage that you don't know unless you check. I never seem to keep any of my bikes long enough. At $1300 for a major service it might be better to put that money towards a new bike instead? I'm playing Devil's advocate here though :rolleyes:
 
#35 ·
Bike/Year: GT 2019
Current Mileage: 16,600 miles
Done valve clearance check at which mileage: 16,600 miles
Bike usage: 15% highway (UK and European motorways), 0% cities, 85% Curvy A and B roads UK and European equivalent.
Average cruising speed: 70 - 80 mph motorways, 50 - 60 mph on the twisties
Gear shifting RPM: 4,500 - 6,000 mostly
Fuel consumption: 64 mpg
If done VC check, need to replace shims, and how many? No
If shims replaced, what improvements/restoration observed: N/A
Other remarks:
Did it myself
Left (1):
Ex: 0.30 / 0.29
In: 0.20 / 0.20
Right (2):
Ex: 0.30 / 0.29
In: 0.20 / 0.20

All within range
 
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