R1100R is smoking...got a question.

[bowyorang]

Ok, I just got this 99 R1100R about month or so ago and have now noticed that on initial startup I am getting a lot of burnt oil smell and blueish smoke. It seems to be worse when I use the choke. It last about a minute or so and then dissipates. Once warmed up I don't see any.
I am still learning with this bike so I am curious, is this something I need to worry about?
The bike has 33,000 miles on it.
Thanks

[The Veg]

Do you park on the sidestand a lot? I've only heard of that being a problem with early K's, but nothing really surprises me with BMW's when it comes to weird problems.

[bowyorang]

Do you park on the sidestand a lot? I've only heard of that being a problem with early K's, but nothing really surprises me with BMW's when it comes to weird problems.

Yep, actually I mostly park it on it's sidestand. Would that cause such a problem?
I didn't know if maybe it might be something more problematic like needing a rebuild or something.... Seems to run great but I'm no mechanic, so I thought I'd ask you guys first.

[dwerbil]

All my bikes do the same when parked on their sidestands for at least a day or two. Horizontal pistons, leaning to the left, oil seeps into then burns up and through the exhaust. Try parking it on the centerstand.

[Major Softie]

Try that, but it's still unusual in an Oilhead, especially with so few miles.

[Steve in Golden]

My '02 R1150R will sometimes smoke for a while on startup too, if I park it on the sidestand.

[bowyorang]

Looks like I am going to have to get some kind of jack in order to consistently get it on the center stand...
I am pretty short and can't get it on the center stand very well.
Any suggestions?

[Steve in Golden]

Looks like I am going to have to get some kind of jack in order to consistently get it on the center stand...
I am pretty short and can't get it on the center stand very well.
Any suggestions?

I don't know what technique you might be using but here is what works for me.

I find that putting the R1150R on the centerstand is not that hard if I use the right technique. Dismount bike, deploy centerstand, push down hard with foot on the curved centerstand foot at the same time as pulling up and back with authority on the bike frame and it goes right on the stand. I'm probably not explaining the technique all that well so here is a quote from a message I found on the R1150R.org web site, explaining it better IMO:

I now dismount (sometimes with the sidestand down if it's loaded up), and grab the forward, lower-left, subframe-tube (the black pipe in front of which the left, rear foot-peg is mounted, and which I put a short piece of foam pipe-insulation around for better grip) with my right hand (thumb facing rearward) while holding the left handlbar grip with my left and ease it up and backward while applying weight on my right boot to the centerstand's foot-lever = easiest bike I ever had go up on a centerstand! (I think this is procedure recommended in the manual.)

[bowyorang]

Looks like I am going to have to get some kind of jack in order to consistently get it on the center stand...
I am pretty short and can't get it on the center stand very well.
Any suggestions?

I don't know what technique you might be using but here is what works for me.

I find that putting the R1150R on the centerstand is not that hard if I use the right technique. Dismount bike, deploy centerstand, push down hard with foot on the curved centerstand foot at the same time as pulling up and back with authority on the bike frame and it goes right on the stand. I'm probably not explaining the technique all that well so here is a quote from a message I found on the R1150R.org web site, explaining it better IMO:

I now dismount (sometimes with the sidestand down if it's loaded up), and grab the forward, lower-left, subframe-tube (the black pipe in front of which the left, rear foot-peg is mounted, and which I put a short piece of foam pipe-insulation around for better grip) with my right hand (thumb facing rearward) while holding the left handlbar grip with my left and ease it up and backward while applying weight on my right boot to the centerstand's foot-lever = easiest bike I ever had go up on a centerstand! (I think this is procedure recommended in the manual.)

Ok, I am a moron!
I have been trying to get it on the centerstand by straddling it. Now you can laugh.
I went out tonight and tried standing beside it. Went up the first time.
Also, I think I may have found problem number two...or is it number one?!?
I warmed it up on the center stand and after I shut it off I looked down at the oil window. Within just a minute or so, the level had already reached the top of the ring. It should be somewhere around the middle when cold, shouldn't it? I think that I may have overfilled it on the last oil change... That would probably account for some smoke, shouldn't it?
Thanks

[Major Softie]

Okay, pretty funny about the center stand.

If the oil completely covers the window, then you don't know exactly how much is really in there. It could be "just full," or it could be way over full. Yes, too much oil could make it much more susceptible to getting oil in the left-hand cylinder when on the side stand. I don't know what your window looks like - some are just windows, and others have a circle in them. With the circle, the oil should not go above the top of the circle, and you can still see a little bit of window above the circle. With just a window, it should be high in the window, but it's nice to see just a bit of glass above the oil so you know it's not overfull.