1100 gearbox

[how much for a service!]

Hi
I am looking at a 1100 GS with a sidecar
And the seller has mentioned a whine from the gearbox
With the usual they all do that sir!
Although he is being upfront
Is it anything to worry about?
The bike has done 73K
See description below
honesty is not the best gearbox ever produced by BMW; The change is rather agricultural, it whines under load and rattles on tick over, particularly when hot, functionally it is fine though. I understand this is typical for this model.

 

[Steptoe]

It shouldn’t whine. Also factor in the extra work required removing the sidecar if the gearbox has to be worked on.

 

[how much for a service!]

It shouldn’t whine. Also factor in the extra work required removing the sidecar if the gearbox has to be worked on.

Many thanks as always

 

[Wrigsby1]

BMW R1100 5-speed transmissions

BMW R1100 5-speed transmissions

largiader.com

Have a read as to the types of gearboxes fitted. I've has 3x M94's with the open bearings of which two I rode for long enough that they needed rebuilds and 2x M97's which have not. They all feel a bit agricultural but should not be rumbly of whiney as Steptoe says and he will have rebuild a shed full over the years. I'm guessing its a pre 97 bike...?

Oh and after riding and selling a few other 1100's at a dealer I've had the skipping gear one as well... On an early RS...

 

[how much for a service!]

BMW R1100 5-speed transmissions

BMW R1100 5-speed transmissions

largiader.com

Have a read as to the types of gearboxes fitted. I've has 3x M94's with the open bearings of which two I rode for long enough that they needed rebuilds and 2x M97's which have not. They all feel a bit agricultural but should not be rumbly of whiney as Steptoe says and he will have rebuild a shed full over the years. I'm guessing its a pre 97 bike...?

Oh and after riding and selling a few other 1100's at a dealer I've had the skipping gear one as well... On an early RS...

Yes it's a 1994

 

[MotoCammy]

Hi
I am looking at a 1100 GS with a sidecar
And the seller has mentioned a whine from the gearbox
With the usual they all do that sir!
Although he is being upfront
Is it anything to worry about?
The bike has done 73K
See description below
honesty is not the best gearbox ever produced by BMW; The change is rather agricultural, it whines under load and rattles on tick over, particularly when hot, functionally it is fine though. I understand this is typical for this model.

I have a ‘98 with 50k and no gearbox whine to report.

Cheers

 

[gspod]

The gearbox was upgraded in 98.
If earlier than that it will need a rebuild, if not already done - mine lasted till 58K

 

[ThreeDawg]

Thought it was "97...

 

[snelly]

Thought it was "97...

It was; 94m then 97m.

 

[Wrigsby1]

Essentially m93 and 94 had open bearings and taper rollers on the input and output sides... Wear on the alloy selector fork case hardening can leave slivers of alloy washing around which probably pass fairly cleanly through the roller bearings but not so on the taper rollers and not picked up on the magnetic drain plug... If they get stuck in the taper rollers the shells spin in the cases and you'll really know about that or if only temporarily accerelate wear of the tapers so leaving a rumble especially noticeable idling with the clutch out... They will need rebuilding with the later sealed bearings at some point...
I know this cos both of the above have happened to me on oilheads... Strangely the same bearing set up was used on earlier bikes such as Ks and I have had those boxes in bits but the selectors seemed to be steel and obviously Ks had a much smoother gearbox...
There are other reasons for whines such as general wear but that was my experience of the M94 boxes and tallies well with the Lairgrider article...

PS I left it to the pros to rebuild the two boxes concerned...

 

[snelly]

Essentially m93 and 94 had open bearings and taper rollers on the input and output sides... Wear on the alloy selector fork case hardening can leave slivers of alloy washing around which probably pass fairly cleanly through the roller bearings but not so on the taper rollers and not picked up on the magnetic drain plug... If they get stuck in the taper rollers the shells spin in the cases and you'll really know about that or if only temporarily accerelate wear of the tapers so leaving a rumble especially noticeable idling with the clutch out... They will need rebuilding with the later sealed bearings at some point...
I know this cos both of the above have happened to me on oilheads... Strangely the same bearing set up was used on earlier bikes such as Ks and I have had those boxes in bits but the selectors seemed to be steel and obviously Ks had a much smoother gearbox...
There are other reasons for whines such as general wear but that was my experience of the M94 boxes and tallies well with the Lairgrider article...

PS I left it to the pros to rebuild the two boxes concerned...

Well that's put some meat in the sandwich; cheers wrigsby;;

 

[bowser]

I have a gearbox going spare

 

[snelly]

I have a gearbox going spare

What box is it bowser ; 94 or 97 ; and what's the condition ?

 

[sproggy]

I had issues with the gearbox on my early (I forget the year - '96?) R1100RS - slipping in third from memory. Fortunately the bike was from a main dealer with a BMW warranty so it got a new (late model) gearbox. But it also got a new final drive because, they told me, the overall ratios of the early and late gearboxes were different and the final drive ratio had to match the gearbox ratio. It didn't bother me as I wasn't paying - was it true? Anyway, for the OP bear in mind that if this is true, switching to a later gearbox may require a switch of final drive. Or maybe you'll get lucky and the later box has lower ratios and will be better suited, with the original final drive, to pulling a chair

 

[bowser]

What box is it bowser ; 94 or 97 ; and what's the condition ?

not ignoring this just tring to find out, think 99/2000