Gearbox noise - how much is too much?

[Nick591]

Hi all,

I am new to GS's having just got my first one (1999 1100 ABS). Engineer by training and aptitude, worked on my bikes a lot over the years, so I am kind of 'tuned in' to expected noises etc. Still a learning curve with a new type of bike though.
The box works fine, shifts fine but has a pronounced whine that increases with engine/road speed in all the gears but is much less (almost non-existent) in 5th. I have noticed that gears 1 to 4 are straight cut gears and 5th is helical so that would explain the quieter running in 5th. So my question is this: how much whine might be heard on a 'normal' 1100GS? I don't want to be paranoid but also don't want to ignore a potential problem, I also haven't seen many or any posts about this type of whine noise (a muted version of an old London bus, if you know what I mean).
Any advice or thoughts much appreciated.

Thanks, Nick

 

[Welshman]

Hi all,

I am new to GS's having just got my first one (1999 1100 ABS). Engineer by training and aptitude, worked on my bikes a lot over the years, so I am kind of 'tuned in' to expected noises etc. Still a learning curve with a new type of bike though.
The box works fine, shifts fine but has a pronounced whine that increases with engine/road speed in all the gears but is much less (almost non-existent) in 5th. I have noticed that gears 1 to 4 are straight cut gears and 5th is helical so that would explain the quieter running in 5th. So my question is this: how much whine might be heard on a 'normal' 1100GS? I don't want to be paranoid but also don't want to ignore a potential problem, I also haven't seen many or any posts about this type of whine noise (a muted version of an old London bus, if you know what I mean).
Any advice or thoughts much appreciated.

Thanks, Nick

Sorry Nick, cannot help I am a straight heavy mech eng, 98/99 were the best 1100 boxes as far as I know, I only "know" or have experience of the 1150 box, which grows grumbling intermediate shaft bearings... enjoy

 

[DrAlf]

You're not going to like this and hopefully others will have a different opinion but in 10 years of 1150 ownership and 3 x different bikes the only time I experienced any whining from a gearbox was 500 miles before the gearbox failed - catastrophically locking the rear wheel. In this instance the whine was only noticeable in 3rd and 4th gear.

I'd be draining the gearbox oil and having a look if I were you.

On the other hand, it could be nothing and maybe you've just got very sensitive hearing?

 

[topcat2006]

I have an 1100gs and it whines in the same way as yours. It's up to 76,000 miles now with no problems. I did have Mike at BVM take it for a ride and he pronounced it fine and added that it was normal for an 1100.

My 1150 on the other hand is dead quite with no whines.

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[Uncle-Fester]

I recently bought an 1100 with 60k on the clock, and have a noticeable whine in 2nd and much worse in third, and not so bad in 4th, I have changed the gearbox oil, and it was clean with no swarf (may have been changed recently before I bought it?)
It also changes up through the gears with the sound of a bag of heavy spanners being dropped from a great height, but apart from that seems ok

Maube it's normal as the transmission wears I guess time will tell

 

[fatnfast]

When I got my 1100rt just before xmas I couldn't believe how crude and clunky it felt next to my 1150gs. The solution was to make sure I wore earplugs and to be a little more calculated when selecting gear. Mine certainly whines in all gears except 5th. You do get use to it and aside from the noise it always selects positively. I don't think you have anything to worry about
Uncle Fester, if your worried about yours pop down and try my RT. I bet it will feel and sound just the same

 

[bart2181]

You sure its gearbox whine and not final drive whine

 

[GSmiles]

Don't worry about the whining...

Its the knocking and whirring in Neutral with the clutch out that will tell you how soon you are going to spend some money...
At best, its not a quiet transmission system.
But it can last quite a long time.
Depends on what you can stand listening to...and to some degree how the people before you have treated it.
Try not to listen too much ( ear plugs can help...) and just do lots of miles.
When the clutch needs replacing then it makes sense to examine the gearbox.

 

[Uncle-Fester]

You sure its gearbox whine and not final drive whine

For mine it sounds like it's right below me (gearbox) not behind me

 

[Uncle-Fester]

When I got my 1100rt just before xmas I couldn't believe how crude and clunky it felt next to my 1150gs. The solution was to make sure I wore earplugs and to be a little more calculated when selecting gear. Mine certainly whines in all gears except 5th. You do get use to it and aside from the noise it always selects positively. I don't think you have anything to worry about
Uncle Fester, if your worried about yours pop down and try my RT. I bet it will feel and sound just the same

Yes, although it crashes into gear, it has never missed (unlike my VFR that will sometimes crash and miss a gear, then grind/graunch/crash back in )

I've ridden a couple of 1150's (RT and GS) and both had better boxes, although still quite agricultural compared to Japanese bikes.

I guess it's a case of getting uesed to riding a 70 year old design after all, who makes a pre-unit gearbox these days?

 

[duckspeed]

I would think if the gearbox is quiet in one gear there is possibly a bearing fault.
Scriminger engineering are your friends, as long as Steve is fully fit again.



Sent using witchcraft

 

[Nick591]

thanks all

For mine it sounds like it's right below me (gearbox) not behind me

Yes, on mine definitely the gearbox. I haven't changed the gearbox oil yet (this weekend) but it's good to know it seems to be typical of the bike - that's really what I was hoping to hear. I'll see what the oil looks like although it was supposed to have been changed 2K miles ago when the bike had its 36000 service (at 40K miles). When riding you can't hear it much at all above the wind noise, especially not in 5th, and that's without earplugs which I don't normally use on short local trips. The bike seems to have a complete service history from BMW themselves and other independent BMW specialists which is good. so I'll ride it and enjoy it even more now

Thanks to all

Cheers, Nick

 

[beemer pimp]

Here is my input from past experiences , I rebuild 2 gearboxes 1150 6 speed and 1100 5 speed. What happen with 6 speed: I was on the way back from Germany at night , gearbox star to whine, couple hundred ml big puff smoke from the back, bearing dust seal burst and push some oil out breather hole on to exhaust, there was nasty metal rattle when in neutral, then about 100 ml later in Belgium big bang locked wheel, had to be towed all way to Ireland. Eventually discovered collapsed bearing on intermediate shaft.
Now I got 1100rt as project so was reading couple articles on 5 speed boxes , there is 3 types , M93 M94 on early models and M97 after 97' . Difference BMW change bearings to sealed ones and update input shaft gear . Gear have a leap on inside, what bearing seats on and after time it would cut in to inner racer and eventually destroy bearing , now leap is bigger, my box M97 and looks like problem still there, inner racer is damaged 60k ml on bike, just as well I decide to change bearing all around. I can't tell if any nose when driving because I never drove bike it was crashed but bearing spinning freely, time bomb . Still love the bike and that don't mean you will have same problem.
Val

 

[Welshman]

Here is my input from past experiences , I rebuild 2 gearboxes 1150 6 speed and 1100 5 speed. What happen with 6 speed: I was on the way back from Germany at night , gearbox star to whine, couple hundred ml big puff smoke from the back, bearing dust seal burst and push some oil out breather hole on to exhaust, there was nasty metal rattle when in neutral, then about 100 ml later in Belgium big bang locked wheel, had to be towed all way to Ireland. Eventually discovered collapsed bearing on intermediate shaft.
Now I got 1100rt as project so was reading couple articles on 5 speed boxes , there is 3 types , M93 M94 on early models and M97 after 97' . Difference BMW change bearings to sealed ones and update input shaft gear . Gear have a leap on inside, what bearing seats on and after time it would cut in to inner racer and eventually destroy bearing , now leap is bigger, my box M97 and looks like problem still there, inner racer is damaged 60k ml on bike, just as well I decide to change bearing all around. I can't tell if any nose when driving because I never drove bike it was crashed but bearing spinning freely, time bomb . Still love the bike and that don't mean you will have same problem.
Val

If your box starts rumbling, like mine did, the intermediate bearing is usually it, and really not difficult to swap out on an 1150... (yes I have a closed garage to do it in) if you have any spanner abilities..

 

[Trullion]

My 1100RS has exactly the same symptoms, as did the 850GS I used to own. The RS has the earlier M94 box and the 850GS had the M97 box, though in my experience the earlier box has a much better change. Whilst whining in the intermediate gears may be common I'm not sure that it is supposed to happen; neither of my oilheads whined when I first got them. Lately my 1100RS has developed a knocking sound when warm in neutral. The sound disappears when the clutch is withdrawn so it obviously relates to the gearbox. I have been using Redline Heavyweight Shockproof oil in the box until recently when I reverted to GL-5 mineral oil. There was nothing on the drain plug and the gear change is still as good as it gets on these 5 speed boxes. My guess is that eventually something bad will happen, probably the input bearing failing. However, I already have an M97 box bought as a spare when I found out about the issues with the earlier boxes, so if or when it does go bang I'll fit that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

Nick I have this and weirdly it eases when I put a lot of preload on the bike. Well it disapears really. Only noticed when I put herself on the back and got all the whine you mention. It dissapeared when the suspension was better setup for two. I guess it takes a bot of friction off parts in the final drive. I just ignore it.

Sent from my HTC One using blutooth and a womble.

 

[Welshman]

My 1100RS has exactly the same symptoms, as did the 850GS I used to own. The RS has the earlier M94 box and the 850GS had the M97 box, though in my experience the earlier box has a much better change. Whilst whining in the intermediate gears may be common I'm not sure that it is supposed to happen; neither of my oilheads whined when I first got them. Lately my 1100RS has developed a knocking sound when warm in neutral. The sound disappears when the clutch is withdrawn so it obviously relates to the gearbox. I have been using Redline Heavyweight Shockproof oil in the box until recently when I reverted to GL-5 mineral oil. There was nothing on the drain plug and the gear change is still as good as it gets on these 5 speed boxes. My guess is that eventually something bad will happen, probably the input bearing failing. However, I already have an M97 box bought as a spare when I found out about the issues with the earlier boxes, so if or when it does go bang I'll fit that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mine had a rumbling knock, that is intermediate shaft bearings, relatively easy and cheap to fix if done early enough... which is not after it has blown...

 

[colint]

Nick I have this and weirdly it eases when I put a lot of preload on the bike. Well it disapears really. Only noticed when I put herself on the back and got all the whine you mention. It dissapeared when the suspension was better setup for two. I guess it takes a bot of friction off parts in the final drive. I just ignore it.

Sent from my HTC One using blutooth and a womble.

I have a whining on the back when SWMBO is riding pillion and mines an F800GS!!

 

[Deleted account 220427001]

use some thicker viscosity oil in it soon quiet down as the old saying goes if it ain't broke don't fix it

 

[Trullion]

Mine had a rumbling knock, that is intermediate shaft bearings, relatively easy and cheap to fix if done early enough... which is not after it has blown...

The noise mine makes (apart from whining in the intermediate gears) is more of a metallic tapping sound than a rumbling knock. I reckon it's more likely the input bearing, as it is an M94 box. While I agree that it's better to fix it before it blows, as I'm going to use a refurbished M97 box I don't really care if I trash the one on the bike, though I'd prefer not to have to be recovered. Hopefully it'll last until I've rebuilt the M97.