Driveshaft service, when?

[Mr Head]

My 2004 1150 Adventure had the original drive shaft replaced at 97,000 miles. No, I did not see this happen, but was told it needed to be done. This was a long terrible experience at a dealer that is better forgotten. A long time ago.
The second drive shaft lasted about 67,500 miles or so. Not a huge number of water crossings were ever accomplished or attempted. When this second shaft failed it was at speed and piling on more speed. About 70 mph or so heading up a freeway ramp. The assembly let go and took the swinging arm with it, though only a few cracks.

I now figure pulling the thing apart and checking the joint for play at 30,000 miles and then every ten after that I might just catch it before any further drama.

[Swinefahrt]

"BMW Shaft Drive", a wicked play on words? Do Guzzis suffer this malady? Yamaha's Teneres? Honda Goldwings? Yes I realize chain and sprockets need replacement due to "normal" wear, but really these BMW driveshafts should last longer than 24-40 K.

[Swinefahrt]

Well, reading my sig line I guess says it all.

[mwood7800]

Honda has a driveshaft. No failures on line that I can find?

[Drif10]

Originally Posted by Swinefahrt

"BMW Shaft Drive", a wicked play on words? Do Guzzis suffer this malady? Yamaha's Teneres? Honda Goldwings? Yes I realize chain and sprockets need replacement due to "normal" wear, but really these BMW driveshafts should last longer than 24-40 K.

It's like the final drives: These are old school tech, been around for over a century. You'd think they'd have it figured out by now.

Odd are, they do have it figured out. At least, the bean counters do. 'We can get it made at this cheap price, then when it goes, we get to sell it to them again for the same premium extortion'. As with all their parts when sold in NA. Euro parts prices are half or less.

My GSA does what I want it to do, but I harbor no illusions about it. When it's wore out, I won't buy another. And this was my second one.

[Desert Skies]

The final drive on my 02 goldwing went out at 62K. They have transmission problems, alternator drive gear problems, frame cracks and so on. No bike can claim "trouble free", although BMW does like to claim "lifetime lubrication" on key components that end up failing due to lack of it.

Never the less, I have the ability to turn a wrench and as long as I have the means, I'll ride what makes me happy and work on it when needed. It's just nice to know where trouble spots lay so an eye can be kept on them.

[Mr Head]

The issue with BMW drive shafts has always been the u-joint. U-joints can only tolerate a slight mis-alignment before they begin binding at that point of rotation.
Remember hiking up the rear end of your 60's muscle car? Or lifting your 1/2-ton 4x4? and the increased consumption of u-joints?
One can Google the joint and go learn more about it.
The GS with it's increased ground clearance makes a mess of this. They seem to last about 50,000 miles which is around where we used to see /5 and /6 BMW bikes begin to show drive shaft problems back in the day.
Over the years I've replaced the drive shaft in my first BMW, a 1974 R90/6, my last airhead that had a 1984 R80 RT running gear and 1982 R100RS motor. And now twice on this thing.
Chains and sprockets were replaced on my old Fireblade at about 30,000 mile intervals when I used good ones. I think I used to run a 530 chain. I wasn't concerned with racing weight I was concerned with commuting. No one was paying me to wear out their chains and sprockets, so big and tough were the orders.

I think the weaklink in the BMW design is the assumption that a $800 wear-item sub assembly is OK. Personally I think it's bullshit. Adding more horsepower and torque to the equation hasn't helped any.

I'm working my way toward 200,000 miles in what will be something like 9 years, thanks to way too damned much work travel. Without the travel I'd have whistled past that mile marker a couple of years ago.

[everycredit]

Originally Posted by def

Then opt for the salmon.

I did! It was delicious!

[def]

Originally Posted by everycredit

I did! It was delicious!

When I lived in Illinois years ago, the Great Lakes were overrun with a fish called the Alewife. During their life cycle, they would die and wash up on the Illinois beaches creating horrible odors as they rotted in the sun. Coho and Chinook salmon species were introduced as predators to the Alewife and now all is well in the Great Lakes.

I used to fish Lake Michigan for salmon but, yours is still the best. Maybe its the marijuana? I dunno.

Come to think of it, I believe I'll have salmon tomorrow for dinner...time to fire up the BGE and lay in a cord of Alder wood.

[everycredit]

Originally Posted by def

When I lived in Illinois years ago, the Great Lakes were overrun with a fish called the Alewife. During their life cycle, they would die and wash up on the Illinois beaches creating horrible odors as they rotted in the sun. Coho and Chinook salmon species were introduced as predators to the Alewife and now all is well in the Great Lakes.

I used to fish Lake Michigan for salmon but, yours is still the best. Maybe its the marijuana? I dunno.

Come to think of it, I believe I'll have salmon tomorrow for dinner...time to fire up the BGE and lay in a cord of Alder wood.

I used to go salmon fishing in the Puget Sound. We were limited to two per tag. Chinook put up a good fight!

Then the feds came in and stopped us because of some crazy story that they're all gone. So, for the most part, Washington salmon is farm-raised.

A popular method is to cook on a cedar plank that's been soaked in water. Having no method to create a legal open fire (other than Weber BBQ), I guess charcoal is the fuel for me.