K11 Owners Group

[flybd5]

Every time I work on a German vehicle trying to do something which I would think should be straightforward and relatively simple, it reminds me of one of the big reasons the Germans lost WW2 -- the inability to design anything that moves and is easy to service.

First time I ran into this was when I looked at the owner's manual of an ML550 to find out how to change a headlight bulb, and the recommendation was to take the vehicle to the dealer.

Today I was reminded of that while swapping out a KMH instrument cluster for one that has MPH and KMH, and an adjusted odometer to match the KM mileage in miles. Holy moleed.

What was most frustrating was the fact that if I wanted to completely remove the upper fairing halves, I could not because the radio cage blocks some of the screws. What drunken German gynecologist came up with that? Must be the same one who invented the sport of Luge.

And don't lecture me on how easy it is for you to do that. I worked on medium and heavy transport helos in the Marine Corps. I used to think that was a general PITA because of how tightly everything was packed. Not anymore, not by comparison.
_________________
To err once is human. To do so repeatedly is incompetence.
1995 K1100LT SE

[Jim]

Yeah - stuff is packed in there - and there's a lot of it!

I usually just remove the windscreen to get the cluster out - and that's a good time to clean and lube the windscreen sliders anyway. I use DuPont Teflon on those - some people use silicone - but Teflon is slipperier.

I did shorten a hex wrench to make it easier to remove the cluster.

There's a funny looking piece of tape on the back of the cluster - don't remove it.
_________________
Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repairing
1992 K75RTP 46,000
1992 R100R 24,000 - FOR SALE

"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed."

[flybd5]

Ah, another German engineering mystery.

Don't you think it is silly to warn me not to remove it, and not say why?

Oh, never mind....
_________________
To err once is human. To do so repeatedly is incompetence.
1995 K1100LT SE

[Jim]

Probably was... it's a membrane that reduces the risk of moisture building up in the cluster.
_________________
Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repairing
1992 K75RTP 46,000
1992 R100R 24,000 - FOR SALE

"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed."

[flybd5]

Thank you.
_________________
To err once is human. To do so repeatedly is incompetence.
1995 K1100LT SE

[Grunter]

[flybd5]

I've always thought that name sounds like a monster from the Japanese Godzilla movies. You know... Destoroyah, Gigan, Hedorah, King Ghidorah, Jet Jaguar, Mechagodzilla, Mothra... and Gortex.
_________________
To err once is human. To do so repeatedly is incompetence.
1995 K1100LT SE