If you are not able to strip and check it yourself,
GET IT IN A WORKSHOP ASAP !!!!
The following is a true story.It happened to me last January.....
R1100GS,1997 model,44000 miles.
Noticed a 'gravelly' type sound on tickover in neutral.
IT WENT AWAY WHEN I PULLED IN THE CLUTCH LEVER ( familiar? )
A couple of days later,I could hear it while riding.
It got even worse( Clutch was adjusted correctly and worked ok )
Bike,bought used was covered,thankfully,by BMW warranty,so I phoned the dealer I bought it off. Arranged to take it in as
'It`s probably just the clutch release bearing,but we have known a few gearbox output bearings to go like that'
NOW THE SCARY STUFF
En route to the dealer,I heard a loud metallic screech,and felt a slight judder,then the bike felt ok,so I thought I had ridden over something.
Next,I could constantly hear a distant whining sound,rather like the sound of a bus in the distance,and I was actually behind a coach for a mile or so,so thought nothing of it ( ignorance truly
is bliss... )
As I accelerated past the coach,I heard the most godawful whining sound,as if a blooming airliner was about to land on my head,then I lost all forward motion as the tacho needle raced to the redline.
I managed to pull in without being mashed by the coach,and I found myself in a cloud of thick grey smoke,which was coming from the clutch area.....
I got home via my recovery service,and the dealer sent a van to collect the bike,fixed it and returned it.
WHAT HAD HAPPENED ??
The noise,just as yours could well be,WAS the gearbox output bearing.
It failed in such a way that basically exploded,and bits somehow managed to jam,and snap,the clutch pushrod.
Part of the snapped pushrod jammed the clutch in a way that it totally burnt out the friction plate.
Bits of bearing were even found in the shaft tunnel.....
I could have died.
GET IT LOOKED AT.
