► Chain failures: 43 so far and still counting

  • Thread starter Thread starter Elvie
  • Start date Start date
Add one more failure.

Bike has 2500ks, well maintained, ridden in dirt but nothing too serious at the moment.

Chain popped two links next to each other.
 
Still in pursuit of some justice in this chain issue I have just spoken to Martin Ryder at VOSA, the government safety agency to whom I reported my chain failure. He met with BMW recently on this issue and they are denying that chain failure is a safety issue. They are meeting again on 5 November by which time BMW will have completed "some research".

Martin (who rides a BMW himself) says he has seen BMWs chain failure reports and there are "hardly any" - nowhere near the 25 plus I told him I knew about from this website. This means that either BMW are not recording all warranty chain replacements or the dealers are not telling them, OR we the riders are not reporting failures and complaining to BMW.

I know from this thread that some people haven't bothered reporting failures and just replaced with better chains but sadly this just means that BMW get away with ignoring the problem. Martin advises that anyone with a chain failure reports it to BMW UK direct (through customer service) and also informs VOSA.

Martin Ryder 0117 9543486
BMW customer service 0870 5050 160 <[email protected]>
 
From the thread on F800Riders, "anyone noticed the new chains on the 2010's? They are still made by CZ however their appearance is different. The '09s were gun metal in color and the new ones are not, they are more silver in color. I looked at and '09 and '10 side by side yesterday. Everything but the color appeared the exact same. I wonder if there might be something different other than the color?"

"From what I read it appears that the new chain has thicker sideplates and they have redesigned the process around the pin hole creation. I also believe they have improved chain lubrication."

My MY2010 replacement F650GS has the new chain.

Tim
 
Chain Failure

A riding mate F800GS built 2-09 chain broke one of the side plates yesterday on his 5,000 km old bike and it was 500 Km from home.
He checked the chain before he left home and thre appeared to be a tight slightly spot but did not worry because the chain and bike were new.
He has always got 25000 Km from chains on his F650 Daker which are repalced when the sprockets become worn. He will replaced the chain today with an after market chain. No warranty claim was made and he was told it was warranty.

Rob T
 
Mar 09 650, chain just flew apart whilst leaving the car park this afternoon. 7,800 miles on the clock and Scottoiler fitted, BMW must have had a few of the poor quality chains left in the factory when they built mine.

I had noticed a strange noise from the transmission over the last few days (but the chain was at the correct tension and looked serviceable) and I just put the noise down as "normal" after reading other posts on the site.
 
28th chain failure

Another to add to the list. My chain snapped this morning, overtaking a car doing about 80 in 6th. Not impressed!

09 F800GS, 7,500 miles, scott oiler fitted from new.
 
Martin said:
Another to add to the list. My chain snapped this morning, overtaking a car doing about 80 in 6th. Not impressed!

09 F800GS, 7,500 miles, scott oiler fitted from new.
Click to expand...

Did it damage the engine or subframe/swingarm:blast

I can't believe the high instance of failures

For example how many chain breakages are there on brand new R1/R6/Fireblades and GSXR1000's........................any, none, loads................never heard of it on Jap chain driven new bikes
 
Micky said:
As in previous posts, I've fitted a DID heavy duty chain. This wont break for sure :eek:

8,000 miles and no adjustment required to date, but have put a new one on, with sprockets, to set off for riding overland to India Sat 1st August ;)

:beerjug:
Click to expand...

HI Micky,
I’m fairly new to GSing and would like to get things right. Not impressed with the amount of chain failures and would hate to take a chance with the stock 'chocolate' chain and risk damage to my pride and joy.
Where did you purchase your DID chain? I have been browsing the web and have found many of the older version but only few of the 525zvm2.
And which chain tool do you use?
Your help would be much appreciated
 
Wright GSer said:
HI Micky,
I’m fairly new to GSing and would like to get things right. Not impressed with the amount of chain failures and would hate to take a chance with the stock 'chocolate' chain and risk damage to my pride and joy.
Where did you purchase your DID chain? I have been browsing the web and have found many of the older version but only few of the 525zvm2.
And which chain tool do you use?
Your help would be much appreciated
Click to expand...

Motorworks sells that chain (their picture doesn't show it's a 525zvm2 but that's what I was sent). Have a look under:
BMW » New » F800GS/F650GS 08 on & F800R (chain drive) » Transmission » Drive chains

http://www.motorworks.co.uk/bmw/pro..._15_72_DA_45&header_text=&header_text_image=0

You will need a strong splitter and riveting tool, I used the "ROTHEWALD DID Chain Splitter and Riveting Tool" with no problems a couple of times now. You can buy it from getgeared: http://www.getgeared.co.uk/ROTHEWALD_DID_Chain_Splitter_and_Riveting_Tool?sc=36&category=92108

Cheers!
 
tr5esu said:
Motorworks sells that chain (their picture doesn't show it's a 525zvm2 but that's what I was sent). Have a look under:
BMW » New » F800GS/F650GS 08 on & F800R (chain drive) » Transmission » Drive chains

http://www.motorworks.co.uk/bmw/pro..._15_72_DA_45&header_text=&header_text_image=0

You will need a strong splitter and riveting tool, I used the "ROTHEWALD DID Chain Splitter and Riveting Tool" with no problems a couple of times now. You can buy it from getgeared: http://www.getgeared.co.uk/ROTHEWALD_DID_Chain_Splitter_and_Riveting_Tool?sc=36&category=92108

Cheers!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the help and answers tr5esu :thumb
:beerjug:
 
I have the motorworks chain fitted and it is perfect for the job. I think you will find it is the VM model, the ZVM is about £130 and much more than is necessary for a 85hp bike - it will far outlast the sprockets. Talk to the guy at motorworks, I found him very helpful.
 
yet another chain break...

Just had my chain break on the way home from work... on only the 4th time I've ridden the bike and with just 139 miles on the clock :eek:

Will be arranging for a replacement under warranty, reporting it to BMW UK and contacting VOSA.

Break looks exactly like the others on this thread, outer link plate broken and bent the inner plate until the chain split. Fortunately doesn't look like it damaged anything when it came off, and I managed to coast to the roadside without getting killed.

Not best pleased. :mad:

Bike is an 09 F800GS bought new just before Christmas.
 
Twit! said:
Just got my 800 and I havent really looked at this part of the site before, I have been away for a while and had to re-register!!

Looks like the chain will get changed as a preventative measure! I assume everyone is changing sprockets at the same time?
Click to expand...

Spoke to the guy at Motorworks when ordering a new heavy duty chain and as my sprockets have only done 139miles and weren't damaged when the chain broke, they shouldn't need replacing.

BWM have now changed the part number for the F-GS chain to the newer spec as referred to in this thread, made by the same people as the original chocolate version. They will replace broken chains under warranty but only with the new-spec version. I'm still going for a heavy duty replacement as I've no confidence in the CZ chains, even if they are now a higher spec. So I'll have to bear the cost of replacement myself (as I'm effectively upgrading the chain).

But I'll still be on to BWM UK and VOSA about the original chain failure... after 139miles there is clearly a problem there!

BWM really do need to recall any pre-2010 F-GS and ensure they get fitted with the new chain - the fact they've changed the spec shows they admit there's a problem...
 
Just to spoil the Valentines love-in of our 650/800s, as I was exiting a left hander on my 650gs earlier today there was a bang, horrible clattering and intermittent loss of drive :eek: On investigation, thankfully the chain still appeared intact albeit with suspicious new clods of thick grease. I nervously limped the bike home stopping several times to check on the clanking that came and went. Never has my throttle hand been so gentle...

Once home, and having cleaned off the goo, I could then see that the inner sideplate on the chain of my 650gs had snapped; so I guess that makes it 30 failures that we know of so far.

The irony is that I'd already spent £150 on a new DID chain plus sprockets because I didn't trust the original but hadn't had time to get it all fitted before the snows arrived and couldn't wait to get back on the bike this weekend (Doh!).

I love my bike but after 8,600 miles I've now had 3 replacement front discs and a replacement new front wheel to solve disc warping and now a failed chain to go with the paint dropping off the engine.

Thank goodness the GS is such fun and I've got a great dealership (thanks Rainbow) otherwise I might have spat my dummy with BMWs declining quality by now.
 
Add me to the count guys, chain link failure on the ride home... the chain hasn't actually snapped in half, but the link is fractured.

Doesn't feel that good riding it, getting BMW emergancy superheros to pick me up tomorrow, check out the picture:

broken_chain_link.jpg


What do you think? I clean and oil the chain on a semi-regular basis, I though I was getting away with it, considering all the problems you guys have had.


It's a sad, sad day... at least it's warranty work, might even have to change the sprockets too.

It's funny really, we're doing a bit of work with Talon Engineering at the moment, could have got a chain + sprocket through them!

:tears
 
my turn

Had a chain snap on me today, Sun in the Sands roundabout - low speed, bang......

sat by the side of the road, glum - bike now with BMW Battersea.

Hope to hear later today, strangely enough it was just serviced on tuesday

git
 
had mine break on me on Friday as well, was doing 40mph on a 4 lane road and just managed to get to the slow lane before running out of speed.
got the bike to South London BMW on the saturday and rode home from there with a new chain and new sprockets thanks to the guys there for fitting me in.:thumb
Now just waiting to hear if the warentee is going to go through as my bikes mileage is 14500 and they say i may need the chain to prove that it was in an ok condition.:eek:
i did not think to run down a 4 lane road to look for the little bugger spat out the back of my bike, thats for sure.
Also my chain has never stretched a bit, i have never had to adjust the rear wheel since new and the chain was lubed as often as i could. lets see how things go i guess:jager
 
Guys how long should chain last?

The guys at the dealer are reluctant to do it under warranty because the chain isn't dripping with oil and that I've covered 10,000 miles on it?

I semi-regularly clean the chain down and oil it back up again, should I have to pay for a new chain?!

It looks dirty in the photo I posted partly because the night before I came home from work over the hills, so usually gets dirt and shit stuck to it.

What do you think?
 
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