Final drive

[Darth_1100s]

Yo GSer type people...Inflitrator here from the R1100S forum ( he ducks the flying bottles)...!

Just a wee question for you all. Has anybody had problems with
the final drive on their 1150GS? There seems to be a spate of guys with the 1100S experiencing worn paralever pivot bearings and shattersed / worn crown bearings at quite lowish mleages. As the GS and the S appear to share the same swingarm etc just thought I'd ask.


Dave.

 

[~Stef~]

Yo GSer type people...Inflitrator here from the R1100S forum ( he ducks the flying bottles)...!

Just a wee question for you all. Has anybody had problems with
the final drive on their 1150GS? Dave.

"Franco" just told me yesterday he had a "clonking" coming from the rear of his ADV only 4000km old.

I'm sure he'll be post you full details

~Stef~

 

[(RIP) maverick]

Bevel Drive failure

Yes mine failed so badly the bearing ripped the gears apart in the drive. That was on 46000 miles. Had to replace the whole unit which was not cheap.

 

[Paul Young]

Mine just went clunky last week. It's booked into the dealers next Sunday so that it can be looked at next week. I'll keep you posted.

 

[finglonga]

Had 2 final drive bearings both under warranty one on the 18000m service and the second on the 24000m service.

I didn't know it was on the way out untill the mechanic told me there was play in the rear drive.

It hasn't put me off (but if it goes again I will have to pay this time).

The bikes a 2001 1150GS

 

[Darth_1100s]

Not looking good for good old BMW reliablity then eh guys? Some of the final drives and other rear end probs (my own piles not included) I've been hearing about have been within 15k!

I was sorting my own bike out for it's MOT last week and found excessive play in the back wheel. The paralever bearings are shot at 13K... Now I've got a 2000 mile European tour to look forward to in June, on a bike that may well chuck it's crownwheel / pinnion bearings as well! I've had Beemers before but I think this may well be my last. Shame really cos it's a damned fine bike otherwise

I'm going to look at the GS1200 at Southport Superbikes this weekend and I'll mention it to them when I'm there. However, I'll probably get the same "we don't really give shit, we've got your money so sod off" attitude my mate got over his surging R1150R!
Maybe it's Honda here I come!


Thanks for the replies, I'll keep looking back to see what else transpires

Dave.

 

[Paul Young]

I wouldn't p**s on S'port S'bikes if they were on fire!!

I live in Preston & they would be very handy for me to use, but their service is sh1te. Unless, of course, you walk in with a wad of notes to spend, they do not seem in the least bit interested. I travel a 100 mile round trip to go to Jefferies in Shipley & have found them to have an excellent & friendly attitude with competent mechanics. Enough to keep me going back this Sunday for a test ride of the 1200 & to drop my 1150 for the FD to be checked/repaired.

 

[~Stef~]

I wouldn't p**s on S'port S'bikes if they were on fire!! .

Who mentioned sports bikes, I belive Honda do a few touring models as well.

Would be interesting to see if the K engined bikes have the same paralever bearings problem.

 

[Steptoe]

Would be interesting to see if the K engined bikes have the same paralever bearings problem.

no they don't as a general rule, i've had a couple of shafts ( over a 14 year period) come in that have snapped at the U/J , but you could say they were just one offs, the same with bevel bearings, a few but nothing that looks like its a major fault, and most of these are hard used despatch bikes. Be worth finding out more, as i know of a few GS's done under warranty, but not any other models, ummm . worrying

 

[ferguscawley]

, i've had a couple of shafts ( over a 14 year period)

Too much information there Steptoe

 

[Steptoe]

fergus - never say never

 

[Darth_1100s]

Stef I think Paul was refering to Southport Superbikes! I would not only piss on them if they were on fire - I'd chuck a can of petrol on to help it along! They've got to be the worst of all BMW dealers. My mate with the R1150R had it back there umpteen times to get the surge problem sorted, it was particularly bad on his bike - they were crap and not at all helpful.

Retribution came one day last year when he pulled up outside the showroom on his bike. A Sales guy made a beeline for him accompanied by a prospective customer. He ask my mate to tell his client how good the 1150 was..... Wrong!!! Customer eventually walked away and left sales with steam coming out of his ears. Oh, how we laughed!

Jefferies are a much better option, whenever I've been there they always seem very helpful and obliging. I almost bought my S from them, but the one I have now came up as a private sale.

Dave.

 

[kalahari]

if mine gives me agg im going jap i rather b rideing than crying

 

[~Stef~]

if mine gives me agg im going jap i rather b rideing than crying

Theres not alot of jap bikes that catch my imagination these days, when I was thinking of buying a GS it was a choice between that or a Tiger.

 

[~Stef~]

Stef I think Paul was refering to Southport Superbikes! I would not only piss on them if they were on fire - I'd chuck a can of petrol on to help it along! They've got to be the worst of all BMW dealers Dave.

Apoligies Paul, now i get the S' bit.

We have a thankfully non-BMW dealer in Edinburgh that allthough the sales guys are great the workshop leaves a lot to be desired, so much a mate of mine refers to them as "The Butchers"

~Stef~

 

[Ian Whinnett]

Pivot bearings

I ride a 1100GS and have just had the drive shaft and the bevel box bearings changed.

I did get someone else to do the job as I suffer from lack of time, though I knew that the drive shaft was kaput because I took the bevel box off to change the bearings myself. This I could have done easily.

The process of changing the pivot bearings is explained well in the Haynes manual. (dont laugh, I am a mechnic by trade and I swear by haynes manuals).

I feel that the pivotbearings at £12 each from motor works are not bad and that even the drive shaft is £250. I paid £360 for the shaft, a clutch cable and the 4/5 hours labour. This was at premier bikes didcot, and I got a loaner for free (KTM Duke Weee).

The bike has done nearly 50.000 miles and if that is translated into chains and sprokets that recieve a similar lack of attention then over that milage the bill would certainly much higher. A Chain and sproket kit to take that sort of load and torque has got to be £100+

My bike is ridden every day and I am pretty merciless, as was the previous owner by all accounts.

Think hard before kicking BMW into touch over final drive issues, if they go very quickly then there is an problem but get them well sorted and thay should give many miles of agro free riding.

 

[~Stef~]

Re: Pivot bearings

I ride a 1100GS and have just had the drive shaft and the bevel box bearings changed.
<snip>
The bike has done nearly 50.000 miles and if that is translated into chains and sprokets that recieve a similar lack of attention then over that milage the bill would certainly much higher. A Chain and sproket kit to take that sort of load and torque has got to be £100+ ing.

I used to get my C&S kits for my Trophy 1200 (more power and torque than a GS) from Trade Direct (C&S Kits) 08705 134859 for around £80. I owned two Trophy's in succession each had a Scottoiler fitted and only ever had to buy one kit for each bike, and that was shortley after buying them.

Fit a Scottoiler to a chain drive bike and its nearly as maintenance free as a shaft.

~Stef~

 

[Paul Young]

Re: Pivot bearings

The bike has done nearly 50.000 miles and if that is translated into chains and sprokets that recieve a similar lack of attention then over that milage the bill would certainly much higher.

I had an R80GS before this 1150 & sold it with 98500 miles on the clock, still on the original shaft & FD bearings so I'm happy with them. The saving in time & energy compared with my other chain drive bike is worth it on it's own.

 

[Darth_1100s]

It's still worth you guys with the GS1150 checking for play in the rear wheel at low mileage. The pivot bearings and pins don't seem to be as long lived as on the older GS 1100 / R1100
I originally put this post on the 1100S forum but I think it's appropriate for here as well.

"I was at Southport Supershite..... er sorry, Superbikes today looking at the new 1200GS thing. While I was there I took myself off for a sneak around the secondhand bikes outside (not very pleasant - it was pissin' down). I had a little shake of a few back wheels - 2 GS1150s and 1 R1150R. The 2 quite low mileage ones - 11k and 13k - out of the 3, had substantial play in the back wheel. The other one with 28K, was fine but it looked like the pins had been replaced sometime recently, they were quite clean compared to the rest of the bike".

Seems there's a bit of a problem here!

Dave

 

[franco]

Re: Re: Final drive

"Franco" just told me yesterday he had a "clonking" coming from the rear of his ADV only 4000km old.

I'm sure he'll be post you full details

~Stef~

My clonking was solved by taking it back to the dealer, who simply adjusted the UJ bearings in the paralever. Sorted in two minutes. Still begs the question why they went slack in the first place, dealer couldn't offer any explanation.... The adjustment was carried out on the big hexagonal socket on the inside of the swingarm, looking at it through the wheel from the left hand side...