First Bmw & I have a question?

[GSAHippo]

I recently bought a 2013 GSA & it's the first shaft driven bike I've owned.
This may be a silly question but when the bike is on the centre stand & I spin the rear wheel to clean the rim the movement feels dry & doesn't spin freely.
The bike had a service 500 miles ago and all the scheduled work that was required was completed.
I'm used to being able to spin the wheel by hand freely as I used to on a chain drive bike.
Is the resistance I'm feeling when spinning the wheel normal and just a characteristic of the shaft drive or should I get this checked out? The resistance isn't bad, it's just not wot I'm used to.
This is the best bike I have ever had and am still getting used to it but had to ask the question.

Thanks in advance

 

[OldCroc]

There will be resistance from the shaft and also possible a little drag from the brakes. I find that with a fair effort it will only spin half to one turn or so. Defo not like a chain.. I am sure that is why high performance bikes do not use shafts!!
OldCroc

 

[Silverlining]

I recently bought a 2013 GSA & it's the first shaft driven bike I've owned.
This may be a silly question but when the bike is on the centre stand & I spin the rear wheel to clean the rim the movement feels dry & doesn't spin freely.
The bike had a service 500 miles ago and all the scheduled work that was required was completed.
I'm used to being able to spin the wheel by hand freely as I used to on a chain drive bike.
Is the resistance I'm feeling when spinning the wheel normal and just a characteristic of the shaft drive or should I get this checked out? The resistance isn't bad, it's just not wot I'm used to.
This is the best bike I have ever had and am still getting used to it but had to ask the question.

Thanks in advance

You bought a GSA, don't clean it, get it dirty, happy motoring!

 

[GSAHippo]

There will be resistance from the shaft and also possible a little drag from the brakes. I find that with a fair effort it will only spin half to one turn or so. Defo not like a chain.. I am sure that is why high performance bikes do not use shafts!!
OldCroc

Thanks alot, that's helped.

 

[GSAHippo]

You bought a GSA, don't clean it, get it dirty, happy motoring!

I've had years of motocross & offroad riding so I'm enjoying the road at the minute. Ive had it up some forest tracks recently but haven't pushed it too far! (yet)

 

[OldCroc]

I've had years of motocross & offroad riding so I'm enjoying the road at the minute. Ive had it up some forest tracks recently but haven't pushed it too far! (yet)

It's a heavy beast when you drop it on a muddy track and you are all alone - trust me!

 

[Nin]

It's a heavy beast when you drop it on a muddy track and you are all alone - trust me!

Ah but with the right technique even a wee small slip of a lass like Ela can pick 'em up again. BMW off-road course was and eye-opener (and wallet opener). After I completed that 15 years ago a whole new world opened up ...

 

[Bendy toy]

First Bmw & I have a question?

The later bikes have an oil drain in the final drive. So there is never any need to look at the drive shaft. Not good.
Get a bottle of full spec gearbox FD oil and a pillow of CV joint grease.
Take off rear wheel
Put oil tray under axle.
Remove speedo sensor.
Remove Paralever bolt from top of FD.
Tip the FD right back and allow oil to drain from the speedo hole
The drive shaft universal joint should feel free in all direction with no changes of resistance or knotchy feeling.
Splines should be greased with high quality moly grease. Ideally the stuff used in car drive shaft CV joints.
Put it all back together. You can use a wire hook to align the UJ splines
Fill gear case. I use >200 ml with no leaks or loss through air vent.
Fit speedo sensor. Be careful the O ring seal is correct.
Fit wheel
Job done

 

[OldCroc]

Ah but with the right technique even a wee small slip of a lass like Ela can pick 'em up again. BMW off-road course was and eye-opener (and wallet opener). After I completed that 15 years ago a whole new world opened up ...

Is that the back-to-bike bum in the seat method? I learned that with my old 1150. When I dropped the 1200 there was no flat ground and proper sloppy - my feet were going like a duckling on a frozen pond.....

 

[Bendy toy]

I do it facing the bike with the bars tuned in, one hand on pillion grab handle and other on handlebar grip. Knees bent, using back and legs and up she comes. Then I realise the side stand is up. D'Oh!

 

[Nin]

First Bmw & I have a question?

The way I was taught is similar to what bendy toy described.

Let's assume the bike is lying on its left hand side. Stand to the left of it and turn the bars all the way to the right. Then feet shoulder width apart either side of the left hand bar. Bend ze knees, grip the bar and lift with a straight back. I've seen Ela whose the size of a 13 yr old girl lift a mud laden 1150 using this technique.

It's dead easy when you've got room for manoeuvre. Rubbish if you're stuck in a ditch though!

 

[GSAHippo]

The later bikes have an oil drain in the final drive. So there is never any need to look at the drive shaft. Not good.
Get a bottle of full spec gearbox FD oil and a pillow of CV joint grease.
Take off rear wheel
Put oil tray under axle.
Remove speedo sensor.
Remove Paralever bolt from top of FD.
Tip the FD right back and allow oil to drain from the speedo hole
The drive shaft universal joint should feel free in all direction with no changes of resistance or knotchy feeling.
Splines should be greased with high quality moly grease. Ideally the stuff used in car drive shaft CV joints.
Put it all back together. You can use a wire hook to align the UJ splines
Fill gear case. I use >200 ml with no leaks or loss through air vent.
Fit speedo sensor. Be careful the O ring seal is correct.
Fit wheel
Job done

Many thanks, this all helps a Bmw newbie

 

[GSAHippo]

It's a heavy beast when you drop it on a muddy track and you are all alone - trust me!

It's a heavy beast when you've got to back it out of a parking bay!

 

[Mad_Accountant]

U.S. Welcome and enjoy your bike (great choice by the way)-

I have a 2013 Triple Black GSA and I managed to drop it on its side, on my drive, in the rain, in the dark at 10.00 PM on a Sunday evening. It landed on my previously immaculate C1 scooter and knocked that into my hedge (which surprisingly did not collapse under the onslaught). I looked at my newly created war zone and thought "I'm looking at fecking thousands of pounds of damage here". I lifted the GSA up on my own, then the C1 and apologised to the hedge.

Inspection revealed no damage to the GSA and only two little scratches on the C1 that will easily touch up.

The moral is GSs and GSAs are fabulous bikes and when you're my age (64) go to bed at 8.00 ��

 

[Bendy toy]

They have annoying design features which BMW should have avoided and saved themselves a manufacturing fortune but mine is still the best bike I've ridden by a large margin.
My new TKC-70 tyres are already scrubbed to the edges and I've not even been trying.
Just NEVER EVER park pointy end down against a kerb. It's all of 1/4 tonne and you'll never back it out.
Also avoid paddling backwards while sat on the seat. Put side stand down and use left hand on handlebar right hand on pillion handle. If you slip it simply drops into the stand. If you have both hands on handlebars you've got a 50-50 chance of being catapulted over the bike.

 

[littleredrooster]

The later bikes have an oil drain in the final drive. So there is never any need to look at the drive shaft. Not good.
Get a bottle of full spec gearbox FD oil and a pillow of CV joint grease.
Take off rear wheel
Put oil tray under axle.
Remove speedo sensor.
Remove Paralever bolt from top of FD.
Tip the FD right back and allow oil to drain from the speedo hole
The drive shaft universal joint should feel free in all direction with no changes of resistance or knotchy feeling.
Splines should be greased with high quality moly grease. Ideally the stuff used in car drive shaft CV joints.
Put it all back together. You can use a wire hook to align the UJ splines
Fill gear case. I use >200 ml with no leaks or loss through air vent.
Fit speedo sensor. Be careful the O ring seal is correct.
Fit wheel
Job done

WTF are you on about? This bears no relation to the OP's question! Did you actually read what was asked?

OP: Yes, this is perfectly normal - you are now trying to turn a wheel, bevel drive, 2 UJ connections and a box full of pinions through some oil. Don't worry about it.

 

[andy79]

I'm in the north east if you want me to take a look at it.

 

[Bendy toy]

WTF are you on about? This bears no relation to the OP's question! Did you actually read what was asked?

OP: Yes, this is perfectly normal - you are now trying to turn a wheel, bevel drive, 2 UJ connections and a box full of pinions through some oil. Don't worry about it.

It bears every relation to the question. Of course, spinning a bevel drive in reverse, wont feel as smooth as chain, but there are other issues to think of. And we don't know what the OP was feeling in his driveline.

I also speak from experience with a knackered rear U/J from lack of it being exercised thought its full range of motion and knackered trunnion needle roller bearings for the same reason. So, IF the drive shaft is knotchy this little exercise will find it. If all is fine (as it should be), the bearings will get their grease rearranged and all will be Hunky-D.

 

[GSAHippo]

Thanks mate