BMW R nineT (“Classic”, 2017-2020) Maintenance Schedule
This is the complete maintenance schedule for the BMW R nineT (top spec), made between 2017-2020. It’s also known as the R nineT Classic, to distinguish it from the Pure, Racer, Urban G/S, and Scrambler variants.
You may be searching for one of the following maintenance schedules from the BMW R nineT family:
| Model family | 2014-2016 | 2017-2020 | 2021+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| R nineT (Classic) | 2014-2016 R nineT | 2017-2020 R nineT | 2021+ R nineT |
| R nineT Pure | n/a | 2017-2020 R nineT Pure | 2021+ R nineT Pure |
| R nineT Urban G/S & Scrambler | n/a | 2017-2020 R nineT Urban G/S and Scrambler | 2021 R nineT Urban G/S & Scrambler |
| R nineT Racer | n/a | R nineT Racer | n/a (discontinued) |
While the R nineT product range has expanded and evolved over time, the engine and drivetrain have remained fundamentally the same.
The 2017 BMW R nineT evolved from the 2014-2016 BMW R nineT, adding full adjustability to the upside-down forks, and some slight revision to the way the instrument cluster looks (still twin gauges).
There are a number of variants of the 2017-2019 R NineT line. They have some overlapping elements in maintenance, but a few things mean that we can’t put all their maintenance schedules together. Each model variant has different wheels (tubed or tubeless), suspension, and other components, that mean that while a lot is interchangeable, not everything necessarily is.
What the whole R nineT line has in common is the engine base — an air-cooled 1170cc flat twin “boxer” engine with four valves per cylinder and double overhead camshafts, pushing about 81 kW (110 hp) of power and 119 Nm (88 lb-ft) of torque to the rear wheel through a dry clutch and a shaft drive.
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BMW R nineT “Classic” 2017-2020 Service Intervals
Like the previous BMW R nineT, the 2017-2020 R nineT has an air/oil-cooled boxer engine with service intervals of a relatively short 6000 miles / 10000 km. At every service, you should change the oil and filter and also check the valve clearances.
Note that BMW also specifies an annual oil change in their service schedule, regardless of distance travelled. There’s also an annual full multi-point inspection to check for leaks or parts that need lubrication.
Luckily the valve clearance inspection isn’t too hard. Once you’re changing the oil, it’s easy to remove the valve covers as they’re poking out the sides of the motorcycle.
Every two services, change the air filter and the spark plugs.
For the R nineT classic, which has inverted forks, BMW also recommends a change of the telescopic fork oil every few services (by distance only), which is unusual for most motorcycle manufacturers.
Finally, make sure you regularly attend to key fluids like shaft drive lubricant and brake fluid.
What you need to service the BMW R nineT 2017-2020 — Consumables and Special Tools
For the BMW R nineT, the manual recommends the following specific consumables.
| Item | BMW R nineT Spec |
|---|---|
| Engine oil | Per manual for all R nineT bikes, maximum 3.8 L (1 US gal) L of SAE 15W-50, API SJ/JASO MA2. Additives (for instance, molybdenum-based substances) are prohibited, because they would attack the coatings on engine components, BMW Motorrad recommends BMW Motorrad ADVANTEC Ultimate oil. Mobil 1 15W-50 is a good alternative. |
| Oil filter | All BMW R bikes use a BMW/Mahle oil filter, part number 11 42 7 673 541. The best replacement is a Hiflofiltro HF164. |
| Engine coolant | BMW recommends… none! This is an air-cooled bike! (just a little joke to assure you I’m not a robot writing this) |
| Spark plugs | NGK MAR8B-JDS This is what the manual suggests. Make sure it’s gapped correctly to 0.8mm (get a gapping tool). |
| Air filter | You can get the stock air filter, but riders love the BM-1204 air filter from K&N, which is reusable. OEM air-filter part number is 13717706414. |
| Brake pads | Use the standard brake pads by Brembo, which you can order from your dealer. Or use EBC double hardened brake pads to get the best out of your advanced braking system. For the 2017-2020 R nineT Classic use two FA630HH for the front, and one FA363HH for the rear. * Note — Pads are different across the R nineT line (R nineT Classic vs Pure, Racer, Scrambler, and Urban GS) — get the right ones. |
| Drive oil | Called the “Rear axle differential oil” in the manual. BMW recommends “SAE 70W-80 / hypoid axle G3”, but many hypoid gear oils work, e.g. Mobil 1 75W-90. or Castrol 75W-90 gear oil. |
| Alternator belt | Super annoying when this breaks, but very easy to fix! The part number is 11 31 8 528 385. It’s easiest to pick this up from a dealer. |
BMW R nineT Classic 2017-2020 Maintenance Schedule
Below is the maintenance schedule for the BMW R nineT Classic as per the manual, but made more clear so that you can understand what needs to happen more easily.
The good news is that you can get to the valve heads very easily, as the cylinders are sticking out into the wind — quite different to the Ducatis of old.
The R nineT range, being air-cooled, have surprisingly short maintenance intervals of 6000 miles or 10000 kilometres at which point you have to change the oil and filter and service the valves.
Simplified, the service schedule the BMW R nineT involves:
- A standard service every 12 months (irrespective of distance) — check everything
- Oil/filter change every 6000 miles / 10000 kms or 12 months, whichever is earlier,
- Checking the valve clearances and engine synchro every 6000 miles / 10000 km (with no time-based interval)
- Change the air cleaner, spark plugs, and rear bevel gear oil every two services
- Change a number of other items every 3-4 services
Notes on the maintenance schedule:
- At the end of the maintenance schedule, continue it in the pattern shown (every 1-4 intervals)
- Where there’s a distance and a time based interval, follow the earlier of the two.
- The break-in service isn’t shown as the dealer usually does this during the warranty period.
| ‘000 km | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ‘000 miles | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | Every |
| Conduct BMW Standard Service (see below) | Year | ||||
| Change engine oil (BMW Motorrad ADVANTEC Ultimate oil) and oil filter (BMW/Mahle oil filter, part number 11 42 7 721 779) | X | X | X | X | Year |
| Change oil in the rear bevel gears (Castrol 75W-90) | X | X | 2 years | ||
| Check valve clearances | X | X | X | X | |
| Change transmission oil (Mobil 1 75W-90) | X | After 1 year, then every 2 years | |||
| Replace spark plugs (NGK MAR8B-JDS) | X | X | |||
| Replace air cleaner insert (BM-1204) | X | X | |||
| Replace alternator belt (11 31 8 528 385) | X | 6 years | |||
| Change telescopic fork oil | X | ||||
| Adjust engine synchronization | X | X | X | X | |
| Change brake fluid in entire system (Castrol Dot 4) | After 1 years, then every 2 years |
BMW Motorrad Service, standard scope
The activities in the BMW Motorrad Service standard scope (that are to be done periodically according to the service schedule above) are listed below. The actual scope of maintenance work for your vehicle may differ.
Note: Some of the below tests, including those that need the BMW Motorrad diagnostic system or re-setting the service due date, require BMW-specific equipment.
| BMW R nineT — Regular / Annual service |
|---|
| [Dealer] Perform vehicle test with BMW Motorrad diagnosis system |
| Visually inspect the clutch system (adjust free play and lubricate as necessary) |
| Check steering-head bearing |
| Visually inspect the brake pipes, brake hoses and connections |
| Check front brake pads and brake discs for wear (replace with a double set of FA630HH if necessary) |
| Check brake-fluid level, front brakes |
| Check rear brake pads and brake disc for wear (replace pads with FA363HH if necessary) |
| Check brake-fluid level, rear brakes |
| Check for play in the throttle cable |
| Check tyre pressures and tread depth |
| Check ease of movement of side stand |
| Check tension of the spokes and tighten as needed |
| Check the lighting and signal equipment |
| Function test, engine start suppression |
| Final inspection and check for road safety |
| [Dealer] Set the service-due date and service countdown distance (using the BMW Motorrad diagnostic system) |
| Check battery charging state |
| [Dealer] Confirm BMW service in the vehicle literature |
BMW R nineT 2017-2020 Tire size and pressures
The following are tire sizes and tire pressures for the BMW R nineT Classic 2017-2020.
BMW recommends these tire pressures for most of their standard bikes and sport bikes. Note that the R nineT classic has spoked wheels and tubed tyres. Other variants may have different tyres.
| Wheel/Tire | Size | Pressure (cold) |
| Front | 120/70 ZR 17 | 2.5 bar (36 psi) |
| Rear | 180/55 ZR 17 | 2.7 bar (39 psi) one-up 2.9 bar (42 psi) two up with cargo |
About the BMW R nineT (2017-2020)
The BMW R nineT is a modern day classic motorcycle from BMW, representing “simplicity”, but with many modern touches.
The name R nineT pays homage to BMW’s 90 years in the business, not to any one specific model (nor to the “90s” as one reviewer claimed).
The BMW R nineT for 2017-2020 is, like its predecessor, is powered by the final air/oil-cooled version of the opposite-twin Boxer engine, which in dual overhead cam form produces a claimed 85 kW (110 hp) peak, and 88 ft-lb of torque. It’s a very torque forward motor — it makes torque from way down low, and you get to peak torque at 6000 rpm. So it’s a bike that you shift on quite early.
In contrast with earlier BMW roadsters like the R 1200 R, BMW ditched the telelever front suspension for a traditional fork for the R nineT (although the R 1200 R also followed suit).
The major update for the 2017-2020 BMW R nineT over its predecessor (made from 2014-2016) is the suspension. Many buyers of the original R nineT complained that the suspension on a premium bike with sporty pretensions should be adjustable. BMW addressed this by adding full adjustability to the suspension of the 2017-2020 BMW R nineT.
There is, of course, a wide range of accessories and options for the R nineT. These have really filled out over the years. You can pour a lot of money into a BMW motorcycle!
In 2017, alongside with the new R nineT, BMW launched a whole range of other motorcycles, including the R nineT Pure — which was the back-to-basics version keeping in line with the spirit of the original R nineT.
In 2021, BMW updated the R nineT with throttle by wire. The maintenance for the 2021+ BMW R nineT is thus slightly different.
Manual for the BMW R nineT 2017-2020
Below is a screenshot of the maintenance schedule from which the above was derived (there’s more information in the manual about what the numbers mean.
The above information was gleaned from the owner’s manual for the BMW R nineT from the 2019 model year, but it’s the same as for other years in the series.
You can download it from BMW’s website directly here.
