2004 r1200gs....final drive question

aeronut7

aeronut7

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hi all...new here and new to the gs...
just bought the bike and it came with all the service records...every penny ever spent on the bike...
1 owner from new....very happy with the bike...got a low seat coming cos ive got short legs...
what concerns me is all this talk about final drive failure...
none of the paperwork mentions the fd so im assuming its never been done...
the bikes got 52.000 miles....
its there any way to test....any tell tale signs to look for....
is it really a common problem or just one offs....
could I take it in for an inspection....
concerned cos I know if it goes id struggle to pay bmw prices to get it repaired....
cheers all....
 
The normal way most people find out about an FD issue is when you get oil dripping from the inside of the FD then you are goosed. You need to check for play and odd clonks but DO NOT run it in gear on the centre stand as the noises will worry the shit out of you because of the drivetrain backlash.

My advice is do not go near your local dealer as you will be selling body parts to pay the bill. If you want it checking, have a run over to Mikeyboys in Melton Mowbray one sunny day and get him to have a look. If you have an issue, Mike will do a rebuild for £350 which is the best way of sorting it and a much cheaper and better option than a new one.

FD failure is a known issue but not on every bike so yours may be fine. I get mine rebuilt every few years as I do big mileage so I treat it as running costs.
 
Sgt Bilco said:
The normal way most people find out about an FD issue is when you get oil dripping from the inside of the FD then you are goosed. You need to check for play and odd clonks but DO NOT run it in gear on the centre stand as the noises will worry the shit out of you because of the drivetrain backlash.

My advice is do not go near your local dealer as you will be selling body parts to pay the bill. If you want it checking, have a run over to Mikeyboys in Melton Mowbray one sunny day and get him to have a look. If you have an issue, Mike will do a rebuild for £350 which is the best way of sorting it and a much cheaper and better option than a new one.

FD failure is a known issue but not on every bike so yours may be fine. I get mine rebuilt every few years as I do big mileage so I treat it as running costs.
Click to expand...

+1 for Mikeyboy.....had my FD re-built in October 16 and he's done a 1st class job.....my GSA12 has 54k on the clock and there was a slight 'knocking' which turned out to be the UJ's on their way out.

Money well spent for absolute peace of mind :D
 
will my local dealer have records of any recall work done...
cheers
 
But it would have probably been one of the rear flange affected bikes so definitely worth a call to confirm this particular 'safety recall' has been done :thumby:
 
There is a recall for the rear flange to be changed. However there are reports of dealers bodging the job and the wheel bearing failing soon after.

My final drive had a slight side play in the wheel bearing nothing to affect the handling and wishing service limits. The seal eventually failed at 50K rather than just fit a new wheel bearing, I sent the drive and drive shaft up to Mikey. He said all bearings were at end of life so I was glad to have the job done properly rather than simply fitting a new wheel bearing.
 
ive just been thru all the paperwork which came with the bike....every penny ever spent on it...all the service records....all the inspection sheets....
the bike has just had a 50000 mile serviceand inspection..fd o rings done...flange recall done.....
looking at all the paper work I think im not going to worry about it....
one thing I noticed is 2 new sets of rocker cover gaskets done and fd o ring done twice...
previous owner even took it in for new plugs....bulbs....doesn't look like he ever touched the bike....all main dealer.....
recently had fd oil replaced...gearbox oil.....engine oil...plugs...battery....new tourance tyres.....loads of money spent on it just 2 months before I became the new owner....
 
ive just been thru all the paperwork which came with the bike....every penny ever spent on it...all the service records....all the inspection sheets....
the bike has just had a 50000 mile serviceand inspection..fd o rings done...flange recall done.....
looking at all the paper work I think im not going to worry about it....
one thing I noticed is 2 new sets of rocker cover gaskets done and fd o ring done twice...
previous owner even took it in for new plugs....bulbs....doesn't look like he ever touched the bike....all main dealer.....
recently had fd oil replaced...gearbox oil.....engine oil...plugs...battery....new tourance tyres.....loads of money spent on it just 2 months before I became the new owner....
 
I thought that the early bikes had a "sealed for life" final drive? Where they all changed? I know that a lot of people advocate changing the final drive oil every 6,000 miles when the engine oil gets done. If nothing else it gives you a chance to check out the colour and see if any metallic pieces are swilling around in it. The amount of oil equates to a couple of pence.
 
One of the really fatal things that happens when you buy a 1200GS is you come onto the GSer website and read a nightmare scenario of catastrophic failure of all manners of things with the bikes... when the truth is that yes there are failures but not nearly as many as should cause an owner to lose sleep. There have been huge numbers of these bike made and sold by BMW and the bikes sell like hotcakes... so you have to think that they are not nearly as unreliable as this forum makes them sound ?
 
>>One of the really fatal things that happens when you buy a 1200GS is you come onto the GSer website and read a nightmare scenario of catastrophic failure of all manners of things with the bikes'<<
How true. My first GS was a 54 plate and it was bullet proof, no problem at all with the FD bearings (although I did change the oil myself).
My second GS was an 09 plate. Now that was a whole different story with regards to the FD bearings!
 
Bought mine new in 2007, had a new FD at 18000miles just for paintwork. It's now done 70000 miles, never changed the FD oil since. Never changed GB oil either. No issues...yet..!
 
BMW originally specified 220ml of oil in the FD. Due to their policy of changing out FDs for the slightest fault they dropped the oil level to 180ml. No more oil weeps from the breather but more risk of under lubrication.

The early 1200s had an internal needle roller at 30mm dia. Later models went to 32mm and presumably some other mods as they seem to be a bit stronger.

I run 220ml in my FD no leaks so far. It was rebuilt by Mikeyboy at 50K miles. I'm hoping it goes further this time around.

I use 75-140 full synthetic changed at every other sump oil change along with gearbox oil.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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