1100 gearbox hard parts

[MattW]

I've been told several times that the Touratech Gearbox hard parts are a good idea and as two up touring is on my agenda, I've decided to get some.

However, Touratech UK don't have any in stock and I'm looking at several weeks for them to make their way from Germany (of course they want paying immediately and thanks to the flippin' Euro, they aren't cheap for a lump of bent steel).

Does anyone know if these obtainable elsewhere or is it Touratech UK only?

ta
Matt

 

[motobiker]

I think Touratech have the monopoly in satisfying GS owners paranoia.

 

[MattW]

I think Touratech have the monopoly in satisfying GS owners paranoia.

Well, while I have absolutely no desire to add pointless bling to my bike (which over its 15 year life has remained standard apart from braided brake hoses and engine bars, I'm happy to say), I've read on here and elsewhere that the gearbox to subframe mounting is a weak point and can crack (and have seen the pictures to prove it).

As I say above, I intend to tour two up with panniers, so thought that the gearbox hard parts were a good insurance policy

Of course it may indeed be paranoia and if someone was prepared to bet me their 1100 gearbox (Tony? ) that mine won't break, I'll be happy to not pay Touratech's inflated prices

 

[Noddy]

I fitted them to my bike years ago, mainly cos I was using it for pretty hard off roading. Probably ok forever two up with all the luggage. However I do remeber one guy from Peterborough way who had a very slow on road off and the bike slid and hit the kerb. End of gear box.

Whats cheaper, box or protection ? They don't seem to come up for sale s/h anymore.

 

[Stewart H]

My 1100 came with them fitted, you can see how they protect the transmission, even a low speed drop involving hitting the footrest hangers can quite easily take a fair old chunk out of the gearbox casting then again if your usage is mainly tarmac probably worth it in the long run but you seem to have had a baptism by fire with your bike and very likely feel like you have spent enough for the time being.

Stewart

 

[MattW]

They don't seem to come up for sale s/h anymore.

Tell me about it I've been looking for months...

 

[Rev Chuck]

Have you no friends in Europe that could purchase off TT and forward them on to you? I know you'd be paying for the postage twice, but at least you would have them quicker than TTUK.

 

[Steve the Kiwi]

I'll send an email to the NL TT distrib. and get a price and availabilty for you.

Edit...... Email to TT sent

 

[MattW]

Thanks Steve

 

[motobiker]

I think we've all seen photos of bizarre accidents.. I know i have... back in the mid 90s when it first happened to a few bikes in Australia - while off roading. Was a fair few years before it happened again though. And i think its fair to say that this is probably the best european forum to see bizarre accidents in all their gory detail - the more bizarre the better. Any bike will break given the right amount of force.

I see no need to be paranoid about it. I've seen far more bikes without the yellow bits than with. And trying to prepare for every eventuality? is impossible. If these bikes were really so easily broken then you wouldn't find a second hand bike WITHOUT them fitted. Admittedly you do see them fitted to 94/95 bikes far more than the later ones. (there's a reason for this)


It does seem odd to me that no-one else is producing these bits though - given there's a market for them plus the price from TT

 

[Steve the Kiwi]

Ithem fitted to 94/95 bikes far more than the later ones. (there's a reason for this)

Which is?

 

[MattW]

I see no need to be paranoid about it. I've seen far more bikes without the yellow bits than with. And trying to prepare for every eventuality? is impossible. If these bikes were really so easily broken then you wouldn't find a second hand bike WITHOUT them fitted. Admittedly you do see them fitted to 94/95 bikes far more than the later ones. (there's a reason for this)

I take your point Tony and I'm firmly of the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' mentality. I'm prepared to just ride the bike and fix / maintain as necessary (been doing a bit of that recently ) without the addition of pointless, expensive bent aluminium. However I think that the subframe to gearbox mounting was a dodgy design idea by BMW (it's telling that they abandoned it on the 1150) and I'd like to mitigate the potential for a relatively simple 'off' or an unseen pothole when fully loaded, resulting in a broken gearbox.

It does seem odd to me that no-one else is producing these bits though - given there's a market for them plus the price from TT

I guess the 1100 is falling off the radar as far as the accessory manufacturers go - much more potential for flogging bling to 1200 owners. Given the potential size of the market, it's probably not worth someone else developing the tooling.

 

[MattW]

Which is?

Indeed

 

[BrianR]

Well I just bought and fitted some........1996 1100GS

My logic was simple. We are off on the Pan Am later this year fully loaded with two up. I am not even planning doing that much off road, I have however up rated the sub frame to cope with the extra weight which reduces sub frame flex and if the sub frame aint flexing anymore then it will transfer more load to the gearbox mounts.

Main concerns where hitting a massive pothole in a remote part of South America

Paranoia….. maybe….. well…err…. yes… actually, but it has made me feel better

If I was in the UK road only I would stick with the standard set up

BrianR

http://www.1a-2j.co.uk

 

[MattW]

Well I just bought and fitted some........1996 1100GS

My logic was simple. We are off on the Pan Am later this year fully loaded with two up. I am not even planning doing that much off road, I have however up rated the sub frame to cope with the extra weight which reduces sub frame flex and if the sub frame aint flexing anymore then it will transfer more load to the gearbox mounts.

Main concerns where hitting a massive pothole in a remote part of South America

Paranoia….. maybe….. well…err…. yes… actually, but it has made me feel better

If I was in the UK road only I would stick with the standard set up

BrianR

http://www.1a-2j.co.uk

first I've heard of your planned trip Brian - sounds great!

Don't suppose you have any pictures of your subframe mods do you?

 

[BrianR]

Frame done

I cant Claim the handy work...... but this is what has been done

and

BrianR

 

[MattW]

Thanks Brian - neat

 

[motobiker]

Which is?

Indeed

sorry - was the frame breaking that i was thinking about - not the gearbox. but hey ho thats a result - something new to worry about.

Changes during model year 96


white color bikes replaced by Kalahari yellow
original white/yellow tank decals replaced by black on red and yellow color tank and red on black color tanks
seat color changed from yellow to black with black color bikes having red seats (with option of black)
plastic fuel tank replaced by metal due to problems with mountings and tank decals. Shape and size slightly altered (official capacity down from 25 to 24 liters)
rear subframe attached to gearbox and its bolts beefed up (supposedly to stop frame breaking in extreme off road conditions)
quieter 80db exhaust
inlet and exhaust valves reduced by 2mm and stems by 1mm (to reduce surging or increase low end grunt?). No change in published performance specs.

 

[Pukmeister]

A couple of years ago I volunteered my service to get a fellow GS'ers 1100 gearbox casting repaired (Mutley or Muppet from Romsey, can't remember which name though) as he had ridden over a pothole in Europe with a crunch. When he got home he discovered the threaded cast lug on the back of the gearbox had split open along the threads.

I had to make a temporary jig to pick up the various fixing locations then clean up the casting by hacksawing off the damaged lug then turn down a new 'lug' and get one of our skilled welders to TIG weld it into place with a big liquid cooled industrial welding machine. Thankfully the alloy used in the casting was a decent enough grade to take the weld, and the welder was an expert unlike me.

If I was an 1100 owner, I think I would want the TT hard part to prevent damage to my gearbox casting. Incidentally please don't ask me to fix any more as I don't work as a marine engineer now and don't have access to the tools, materials, gear or welding experts.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

I think you only need them if you are going off road and giving it some stick.

I fitted the hard part on mine because I did 2000 miles off road on the Trans America Trail on the loaded 1100 so was an essential extra in my opinion.

Also, BrianR is wise to fit one because he doesn`t know what roads he`ll encounter on his trip.

I wouldn`t worry unless you are attempting a RTW soon