Final Drive Death

[drdave_2006]

My '94 R100GSPD just got a new FD seal. Noticed oil flicked on back rim. Did the job myself straight away. Cost about AU$50. Had done 140k with on problems.

[XPADREX]

Serious question: is this a case of flawed bearing vendors, or a design issue?

Also, is there a corellation between off-road use and failure, or is it simply an "I don't know WHY mine went?"

[enduro-ince]

My first 01 gs has 52000 on it with no problems. My second 01 gs just hit 15000 when the seal failed. Both ridden offroad alot. I'm still wondering what would cause the seal to fail when the bearing seemed fine...............seemed fine..Rode hard yesterday with the new seal and no leaky yet...but I did get a nail in my brand spanking new tourance

[Motoriley]

Mine failed coming back from Spokane last summer. Two up pulling out of a gas stop when I heard a squishy sound. Oil on the rear tire. Then she dumped her guts. Only had 50, 000 km on the clock. Pulled the rear tire and a piece of bearing cage had cut the seal. Nowhere Saskatchewan 3,500kms from home. Dealer "A" 500kms the wrong way basically told me they were swamped and to piss off. Dealer "B" 1000km the right way said "yeah bring me the bike and we will talke a look".
Luckily I'm originally from Nowhere Sask and an Uncle "A" with trailer was on site in 3 hours. Uncle "B" knew a Harley shop in Regina with a mech who had BMW experience. Friday AM drop off bike. Friday PM parts shipped by bus from Dealer "B" in Winnipeg. Monday AM scooter is ready. So far so good. Made it back from Ohio and at 61,000 she's still oil tight.
PS - I thought the Ohio MOA was pretty weak...

[Whammo]

Out for a weekend camping trip with the fellas.
My odo said this


The rear end started shaking and rattling violently, so I stopped and saw this.


At least I had some nice scenery to look at...


...until my ride showed up.


The end.
P.S. Santa Rosa BMW did not cover the repair under warranty.

[XPADREX]

I'm begininng to get the idea that:

1. Replacing the rear bearings and/or seals might simply become part of "regular maintenance"- perhaps around 40,000 miles.

2. At minimum, an inspection every 10,000 - 15,000 miles might be warranted (earlier if the bike is often subjected to heavy loads at low speeds).

3. Do I consider this excessive?

Well, I have been used to inspecting and/or replacing wheel bearings in my HD's for years- just part of the routine, but also one that lent me a secure feeling knowing what I was rolling on.

Also, if parts for the replacement are somewhere around $150, and this happens once every 40,000 miles, say- well, then it's not off par from the expense of a chain-drive bike, without the mess and routine tightening, etc.

Am I being optimistic, stupid, or both?

[westnash]

To answer this if BMW said a new FD or bearing replacement was due by this mileage would you purchase the bike. My answer no. What is your answer?

[XPADREX]

I'm not telling until Monday.

[DriveShaft]

Originally Posted by westnash

To answer this if BMW said a new FD or bearing replacement was due by this mileage would you purchase the bike. My answer no. What is your answer?

So, you'd buy into changing chains every 12kmi or so or every 6kmi if you go for the cut-rate kind (between $50 and $160 bucks) and sprockets ($120 to $200) every 30kmi or so... A rear bearing every 40kmi doesn't sound so bad. The trick is, as XpadreX mentioned, to buy into preventative maintenance. That part of your intuition that says "maintenance free" is too good to be true...you ought to listen to that more than marketing hype.

In fact, bemitten...shouldn't there also be survey about chains breaking, leaving their riders stranded?

[ktmhk53]

Originally Posted by DriveShaft

In fact, bemitten...shouldn't there also be survey about chains breaking, leaving their riders stranded?

Greetings DriveShaft,
Wouldn't the more appropriate question be:
What other brands of motorcycles with shaft-drives are having the same/greater failure rate at the mileage we're seeing BMWs fail?























Respectfully,

ktmhk53

[DriveShaft]

Originally Posted by ktmhk53

Greetings DriveShaft,
Wouldn't the more appropriate question be:
What other brands of motorcycles with shaft-drives are having the same/greater failure rate at the mileage we're seeing BMWs fail?

Respectfully,
ktmhk53

Hiya, KTMer. Actually, I don't find it more appropriate. Of course it'd be nice if it were longer. It does suck if the GS bearings seem to have a larger failure rate, at lower miles than the RS, or others. But still...the question was whether we'd mind it if we were told that we needed to do a final drive bearing swap at 40kmi as routine maintenance.

I was perfectly happy replacing chains and sprockets in those intervals, and with those costs before considering a driveshafted ride. Considering what I used to deal with, with my Yammies and Hondas ($400 in chains and sprockets every 36kmi or so, and going through end-of-life 3 times in the same timespan) , I didn't mind the idea of a $150 bearing that might only last 40kmi (or in some cases...much longer). Doing the math, it'd still saved me time and money.

[Rubber Cow]

Hey Whammo,
I'd talk to BMW NA about this one....they should at least cover the parts...
36K on what, an '02 GS Adv.?
Isn't it a 3 year 36K warranty
Either way the worst NA could do is say no.
Pricks!

Cheers,
Jorge

[ktmhk53]

Greetings again DriveShaft,
Good points!
I'm still a bit concerned though, as I know of no other shaft-drive motorcycle with such a problematic FD bearing, or one for which there is a recommended service interval.
I still wish BMW would fix the design/component problem once and for all, even if it increased the bike's cost slightly. I'm not expecting this bearing to go 500K, but I feel they should/could increase its average life expectancy at least 3-fold if they wanted to.

Sincerely,

ktmhk53

[westnash]

Originally Posted by DriveShaft

So, you'd buy into changing chains every 12kmi or so or every 6kmi if you go for the cut-rate kind (between $50 and $160 bucks) and sprockets ($120 to $200) every 30kmi or so... A rear bearing every 40kmi doesn't sound so bad. The trick is, as XpadreX mentioned, to buy into preventative maintenance. That part of your intuition that says "maintenance free" is too good to be true...you ought to listen to that more than marketing hype.

In fact, bemitten...shouldn't there also be survey about chains breaking, leaving their riders stranded?

Your prices are a little off as is the mileage. I rear bearing causing a breakdown in boo foo egypt and repaired at dealer every 40k is way too much....and this is after following the bmw maint schedule,,,there is nothing maintenance free or even maintenance cheap about anything with a BMW roundel!

[DriveShaft]

Originally Posted by ktmhk53

I'm still a bit concerned though, as I know of no other shaft-drive motorcycle with such a problematic FD bearing....

I don't know of another either, and I agree with the thought that other shaft drive bikes have better track records. Although, I've heard of plenty of Goldwing final drive u-joints, boots, steering head bearings, pulse coils, too. Everybody thinks they're in the worst bucket, because, that's of course the one that gives them pain.

Personally, it's the variance I'd like to see reduced. The average life expectancy I would say is quite a bit higher than the numbers being tossed around here. Not even considering the quiet masses that don't give a damn about this site, just look at the numbers people bothered to post:

-- 57kmi, NO problems
-- 42kmi, first problem
-- 15kmi, NO problems
-- 56kmi, NO problems
-- 30kmi, first problem
-- 47kmi, NO problems
-- 71kmi, NO problems
-- 93kmi, NO problems
-- 3 bikes, NO problems
-- 140kmi, NO problems
-- 52kmi, NO problems
-- 87kmi, first problem
-- 15kmi, first problem
-- 50kmi, first problem
-- 36kmi, first problem
-- 60kmi, no problems (my experience)

There are 15,000+ advriders, quite a few of whom own GS's. We've managed to produce less than 40 responses. With all the piss and vinegar in some of these members, I half expected a larger turn out.