I have had mine fail at 13000 miles so let's see how many more of you have had a final drive failure please and at what mileage 
Final Drive Failure Register
- Thread starter bisbee
- Start date
42000 miles
Account removed
Guest
12000 miles
Kremmen
Registered user
2400mls 
Is there a point to this
midnitemo
Registered user
yeah i think so
Yeah i think there's a point , I'd like to have some idea of when i should be paying extra special attention to the fd...could do with the age of bike and the type of usage its been subjected to , maybe a pattern will emerge.
Yeah i think there's a point , I'd like to have some idea of when i should be paying extra special attention to the fd...could do with the age of bike and the type of usage its been subjected to , maybe a pattern will emerge.
I think you'll find there is no pattern as the failures seem to be totally random and you will be needlessly worrying about nothing. If you follow the threads on fd's there doesn't seem to be much connection.
For comparison, my 06 GSA has done 60k, been used regularly on and off road, very hot +44 degress and very cold climates - 12 degrees, altitude to + 12,200ft and - 284ft, commuted and long hard days on motorway and is ridden all year round. The fd is as good as new with no movement and you would think mine would be a candidate for failure.
Talking to my dealer today and they really don't know what the problem is apart from perhaps a bad batch of bearings.
Think yourself lucky you don't ride an RT because they go for a pastime by all accounts
madmax
Registered user
06 GSA used everyday commuting to and from work.
Two up fully loaded (read probably over loaded),touring europe and GB.
1st F/D 12000 Tourance tyres
2nd F/D 21000 Tourance & Conti Road attacks
3rd F/d 28000 rebuilt by self, 32000 all ok. Conti road attacks.
4th F/D on bench ready to be rebuilt, working on the theory if you've got one you'll never need it.
Two up fully loaded (read probably over loaded),touring europe and GB.
1st F/D 12000 Tourance tyres
2nd F/D 21000 Tourance & Conti Road attacks
3rd F/d 28000 rebuilt by self, 32000 all ok. Conti road attacks.
4th F/D on bench ready to be rebuilt, working on the theory if you've got one you'll never need it.
midnitemo
Registered user
blimey
that catalogue off horrors makes chains and sprockets seem positively cheap
that catalogue off horrors makes chains and sprockets seem positively cheap
midnitemo
Registered user
you'd probably have spent £250 in 32,000 miles as opposed to ? lot's i'm guessing
Ojay
Registered user
05 GS... 30000 miles original F/D, FPC and battery... just had one dip head lamp bulb blow last year... just lovin it super bike...
dazchallenge
Registered user
GSA 08
12000 miles
FD covered under warrenty six weeks before it expired.
12000 miles
FD covered under warrenty six weeks before it expired.
bustupbiker
Registered user
***one dip head lamp bulb blow last year***
I hope you rang your dealer to complain about the sh1te mbw bike they sold to you
Ojay
Registered user
***one dip head lamp bulb blow last year***
I hope you rang your dealer to complain about the sh1te mbw bike they sold to you
I did mate, but bike was two years out of warrenty... I asked for good will repair but they told me to bugger off...
Gizmo
Registered user
First failure at 12500 miles.
Going in for checking this week at 20000 miles. Looking suspect, lots of play. Extended warranty will cover it if necessary.
Going in for checking this week at 20000 miles. Looking suspect, lots of play. Extended warranty will cover it if necessary.
jpooch00
Registered user
I have had mine fail at 13000 miles so let's see how many more of you have had a final drive failure please and at what mileage
This guy beat ya to it. Pretty depressing - and revealing - reading material.
http://www.bmwfinaldrive.com/fd_failure_list.php
Is there a point to this
Let's see how the numbers stack up?
Maybe someone in a German Ivory tower will take note
Final drive problems
Hi you guys,
I don't know if this question has been asked before, if it has, I'd better apologise now for not reading the answer !!
What's the rate of replacements on other big Boxer twins ? I'm thinking the 1200RT for example, the local police use them down here in Cornwall, huge mileages etc regularly covered and I've not heard too much on specific problems with the other models. But there again, this is a GS flavoured website.
In fact I think I remember reading somewhere that a popular mod is to retro fit a unit from a RT, but is this worth it ?
Anyone able to answer ?
Hi you guys,
I don't know if this question has been asked before, if it has, I'd better apologise now for not reading the answer !!
What's the rate of replacements on other big Boxer twins ? I'm thinking the 1200RT for example, the local police use them down here in Cornwall, huge mileages etc regularly covered and I've not heard too much on specific problems with the other models. But there again, this is a GS flavoured website.
In fact I think I remember reading somewhere that a popular mod is to retro fit a unit from a RT, but is this worth it ?
Anyone able to answer ?
velofelo29
Guest
BMW should advise cause
I came across a good article written in a U.S. forum, sadly cannot find it again. The gist of the article was that the FD problem is pot luck relating to the way it is assembled to start with. I would agree with that theory but take it slightly further. BMW have plenty of design experience in drive units and their repective bearing loads not to make a fundamental mistake. Also were this to be a design fault then in my opinion it would be a lot less random. I would also not consider a bad batch of bearings, that just does not happen from any reputable bearing manufacturer these days. Much more likely is either incorrect assembly or incorrect machining or a combination of both. There is no doubt that BMW have a serious FD issue here and to date have chosen to do little to alleviate owners fears of impending failure. If I go back to the twin shock boxer range from the eighties to the date that they stopped production I am not aware of ever hearing of a final drive failure. There is a need for owners to collate the data on this and make a case against BMW that would encourage them to do a subsidised replacement until a resolution is found. I think also that it is about time that BMW opened up and advised the cause for these random failures, that certainly would give owners an ease of mind compared to the silence at present.
I came across a good article written in a U.S. forum, sadly cannot find it again. The gist of the article was that the FD problem is pot luck relating to the way it is assembled to start with. I would agree with that theory but take it slightly further. BMW have plenty of design experience in drive units and their repective bearing loads not to make a fundamental mistake. Also were this to be a design fault then in my opinion it would be a lot less random. I would also not consider a bad batch of bearings, that just does not happen from any reputable bearing manufacturer these days. Much more likely is either incorrect assembly or incorrect machining or a combination of both. There is no doubt that BMW have a serious FD issue here and to date have chosen to do little to alleviate owners fears of impending failure. If I go back to the twin shock boxer range from the eighties to the date that they stopped production I am not aware of ever hearing of a final drive failure. There is a need for owners to collate the data on this and make a case against BMW that would encourage them to do a subsidised replacement until a resolution is found. I think also that it is about time that BMW opened up and advised the cause for these random failures, that certainly would give owners an ease of mind compared to the silence at present.
Blowzorn
Registered user
2006 R1200GS Adv
1st FD failure circa 18,000.
2nd FD failure circa 36,000.
Not had a problem since, now at 100,000.
1st FD failure circa 18,000.
2nd FD failure circa 36,000.
Not had a problem since, now at 100,000.
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