4th Final drive failure.

Rasher said:
Yes, I made sure before I bought my bike, although I never realised they were this fragile, my dealer also told the lie about them improving over the years.



So over @4 years starting in 2006 this bike destoyed four FD's, assuming equal mileage per year this bike would have had an FD changed in 2007 / 2008 and 2009 - yet they all failed again, and if anything the later ones were less relaible with them covering 24k, 24k, 6k and 13k.

It seems the FD's from 2008/9 were much worse than those of 2006/7, and also if the part numbers were the same until the last one then BMW had done nothing (major) between 2006 and 2009 (except maybe fitting even cheaper components) despite claims from more than one dealer I spoke to that they had been revising them constantly to try and cure the problems.

We are also now seeing failures on 2009 and 2010 bikes at very low mileages (under 5k) which again seems to suggest they have in fact got worse! Or perhaps the new lower oil level is in fact making things worse not better :nenau

Does BMW not even bother to investigate the failures (i.e. ask owners about the type of use) Is it that off-roading or two-up riding puts extra strain on them, you would think they would be keen to find out, unless they already know the cause and it is cheaper to make them really shite and just pay out a few warranties than make decent ones (Ford Pinto syndrome)

or perhaps the dealers have not been bothering to change the oil as scheduled, or not been getting the levels right :nenau

All I know is it seems many owners will never buy another BMW because of these issues, I wonder if the bean counters factor that into their "Financial Analysis", if Ford would not spend $11 per car to save lives I can guess BMW will not do the same to stop your FD exploding:

http://jamesptaylor.wordpress.com/2007/12/15/the-ford-pinto-and-the-price-of-life/
Click to expand...

Why don't you sell your 12GS and buy a 1150/1100GS....................then you'd get a reasonably reliable FD or at least one that costs peanuts to repair............you'd be happier then:thumb
 
I bought my mkII 1200gs in nov. The FD bearings have just gone.
I've taken the bike in to Pidcocks, who have been very sypathetic so far (in fact they are an excellent bunch who I can fully recommend).

I find out my bike has had a new FD at 4k, 12k, and now it's gone again at 19k.

WHF?!!? It needs a new FD as often as it need an oil change!! This seems to be common. What are BMW thinking? Where's the fix? Where's the recall?

Pidcocks have said they may replace the bearings, but I kinda think what's the point? I'm just gonna be back in the same fix next year. I want a FD that works!

I've heard it from a good reliable engineering source that the bearings in the 1200 FD are not big enough for the job. BMW must know this.

This is my 5th boxer since my first GS back in 2002, but my love affair with BMW could be coming to an end unless something sensible happens. I can't justify having to put my hand in my pocked for a new FD as part of routine maintainance!

Triumph Tiger XC anyone?
 
Sorry for my ignorance but is the final drive problem still occuring on the dohc model i know the engine is slightley different but is it the same final drive set up, if so i wont get one.:comfort
 
There seem to be a few bikes suffering multiple failures - most seem to be OK or have one failure and are then OK. Which makes the layman in me think there is more than one issue.

So what is the extra factor causing multiple failures? 3 times in 19k is ridiculous. Yet (famous last words) I have not had a mechanical FD problem in 20k miles (albeit the drive was changed for cosmetic reasons).
 
Surely if the final drive goes repeatedly on some bikes and not on others there is something other than the drive itself causing the problem and putting extra strain on it?Ive had five GSes and only one drive issue(had other issues!!) and done in region of 45,00 miles on them. Presently 2009GSA with 13,300 on the clock (ive done 13k in one year, the other rider 500 miles!)
 
Perhaps it is time all those who have had failures set up a date and ride to BMW HQ to ask these questions.

Nothing like a bit of bad publicity to get some answers.

I am sure BMW know why, it is just far cheaper to keep bodging them up than making them better, that is until the sales dry up and the brand image is so bad they cannot give their bikes away.

Lada, Seat, Skoda etc. all effectively went bust through poor quality, OK you still see many of these brands, but at the end of the day it was just acheap way to buy production lines for the likes of VAG and have a way of selling their overpriced goods into a more cost conscious market.

Perhaps BMW will eventually be a way for Honda to sell their bikes using a cheaper badge :nenau
 
Hi Guys,
This is new ground for me, i've not had a final drive 'give up', but i've only had the Megamoto for just over 2 years, clocked up some 7K miles though, purely leisure, but there you are.
I have read the very worrying final drive unit stories, bad news indeed. My bike is a 2008, 58 plate bike, so right in the middle of the problem years. I always watch the rear wheel for any tell-tale signs, check for any play etc etc. But needs must, on an auction site last summer I seen listed, a 'brand new' stripped out of a R1200R, drive unit, from a bike made into a trike. Not cheap mind you, but only a third of new replacement price, a lot of money to have a shelf 'just in case'.
Now I expect mine will not fail, but at least I have peace of mind for the next few years.
Anyone heard of a MM drive unit failing ??
 
I would not mind so much if the new ones really were solid, Ok it is a bummer to have to fork out £1500, but to do this 4-5 times / every year / every service is just not viable for anyone.

If the 2010 ones were a massive improvement I would keep the bikelnowing that worst case I may have to buy one of them one day.

I know if you pay for the warranty every year it is covered, but that is really just a BMW "unreliability tax", I do not like rewarding BMW for building the things so badly.

They should give a 50k / 5 year (if not more) gaurantee on all FD's, I think that would go a long way to appeasing concerned owners.

The other bits are probably bo worse than other bikes that all have quirks, FPC's EWS, Discs etc are all no more than a few hundred quid.
 
When you look at the comparison in size with the jap FD you can see why the bmw fail.my GSA 09 is touch wood ok.
Yes they should give 50-60K warranties on this part alone.:mad:
Maybe they should just contract honda or yamaha to supply FDs and Fuel pump modules.
lets hope bmw will learn from this major design flaw for the next Gen GS.:rolleyes:
 
Do the Mark 1 1200's have this problem? I have not seen any 2004, 2005 models mentioned?

What is the symptom? Leaking oil?
Play?

How does one inspect it?

Thanks Peter
 
prwatts said:
Do the Mark 1 1200's have this problem? I have not seen any 2004, 2005 models mentioned?

What is the symptom? Leaking oil?
Play?

How does one inspect it?

Thanks Peter
Click to expand...

My 2004 bike had 3 final drives in 40,000 miles.

My current 2008 (58) bike had a new FD at 10,000.
 
JohnnyBoxer said:
That'll not please Rasher's worrysome disposition:blast
Click to expand...

That would be perfect that should mean failure about a month before I go on Holiday, must make sure I hit 10k before August :thumb

As this is such a common problem I would assume these things are in stock in most dealers, so worst case if one did fail in the middle of the Alps is it likely you could get it fixed quickly without being recovered home?

Also does the extended BMW warranty provide cover abroad, only just considered this, as nearly 50% of my miles are abroad it is as likely I will break down there as here.
 
Rasher said:
That would be perfect that should mean failure about a month before I go on Holiday, must make sure I hit 10k before August :thumb

As this is such a common problem I would assume these things are in stock in most dealers, so worst case if one did fail in the middle of the Alps is it likely you could get it fixed quickly without being recovered home?

Also does the extended BMW warranty provide cover abroad, only just considered this, as nearly 50% of my miles are abroad it is as likely I will break down there as here.
Click to expand...

I doubt they keep them sat on the shelf, order item only

Cover is available abroad......................maybe protracted though and coverage experience may be not be same as here
 
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