HELP - Advice Needed - 2009 R1200 GS Adventure

[Dave Ford]

Eight days ago I started my first multi-country trip in five years - into Bosnia, then Croatia and this morning into Slovenia. Shortly after crossing border into Slovenia I started to suspect the bike was developing a fault. A short while later I was sure there was something wrong with the drivetrain somewhere. Stopped and checked the rear wheel. Plenty of side-to-side play but, more worryingly, the wheel does not rotate smoothly. Given our location at the time I decided to head for the nearest civilisation, which happened to be Trieste. So now in Trieste, though given that it's Sunday, Italy is closed. Will try to find a dealer tomorrow. Any advice on the bad news I can expect and what would be the best course of action? Bike has now covered 39,008 miles!

Grateful for any advice (sensible or otherwise)

 

[Deleted account 190920002]

Dave not sure if this contact is any good but here goes
Via Flavia, 134
34147 Trieste
Tel: 040.827032

 

[Santa-2512]

Sounds like your bearings are failing .

If its not the pinion bearing, then i beleieve WMB can do the other bearings -

A friend of mine paid £200 to have the main bearing replaced.

Dont know what funds or time you have but Mikeyboy from this parish, is highly regarded in the art of rebuilding the drive

I and many on here can attest to his skills.

Dont know what the postal costs would be, but this is I guess could be the option of an international rescue ??

 

[Bendy toy]

Mikey rebuilt my final drive at 50K miles when the wheel bearing wore out. He said ALL bearings were at end of life. I "posted" the FD to him and he posted it back (actually we used Hermes). Depending how many miles you still want to cover may decide what to do next.

Just riding home - replace wheel bearing. Quick and relatively low cost. You could have the drive rebuilt properly when back home.

Lots more touring - take the time hit and get the drive rebuilt or replaced.

How about this one? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-R1200...184144?hash=item1a33dbac10:g:HNcAAOSwCotZoBFM

 

[Dave Ford]

Thanks for the advice guys.

An update. First thing Monday morning I rode the bike (slowly) to the main dealer in Trieste (the one suggested by fishy23). When I say "in Trieste" it was 15 km from the centre and for the whole journey I could hear and feel the rear end bearings. Despite me arriving completely unannounced, with 15 minutes the bike was on a ramp and the rear wheel was removed. Their advice was the same as suggested by Bendy toy - we can replace the bearings and hope it will be OK, but we recommend replacing the whole final drive. Given that Trieste is a long way from Timișoara, and that main dealers aren't exactly thick on the ground here, I decided to bite the bullet. An additional factor was that it was obvious that the guys clearly knew what they were talking about. However when they went online to locate the parts they discovered that there wasn't a set of final drive gears in Italy, or even in Germany. So no alternative but to leave the bike with them and wait for it to be fixed. So taxi back to the hotel, where the people kindly agreed to store our bike gear. Managed to identify Wizzair flight from Venice to Timișoara leaving that evening, so train to Venice and fly home - arrived 11.30 last night. Will return to Trieste to collect the bike and ride home when it's fixed.

With hindsight we were lucky that it failed relatively close to a major city - had it happened earlier in the journey we would have been in real trouble...

 

[Deleted account 190920002]

Dave, glad it sort of worked out. At least it didn't fail completely on the road.

 

[Santa-2512]

Thanks for the advice guys.

An update. First thing Monday morning I rode the bike (slowly) to the main dealer in Trieste (the one suggested by fishy23). When I say "in Trieste" it was 15 km from the centre and for the whole journey I could hear and feel the rear end bearings. Despite me arriving completely unannounced, with 15 minutes the bike was on a ramp and the rear wheel was removed. Their advice was the same as suggested by Bendy toy - we can replace the bearings and hope it will be OK, but we recommend replacing the whole final drive. Given that Trieste is a long way from Timișoara, and that main dealers aren't exactly thick on the ground here, I decided to bite the bullet. An additional factor was that it was obvious that the guys clearly knew what they were talking about. However when they went online to locate the parts they discovered that there wasn't a set of final drive gears in Italy, or even in Germany. So no alternative but to leave the bike with them and wait for it to be fixed. So taxi back to the hotel, where the people kindly agreed to store our bike gear. Managed to identify Wizzair flight from Venice to Timișoara leaving that evening, so train to Venice and fly home - arrived 11.30 last night. Will return to Trieste to collect the bike and ride home when it's fixed.

With hindsight we were lucky that it failed relatively close to a major city - had it happened earlier in the journey we would have been in real trouble...

Id have asked them to store the bike, and carried the FD home (9kg) sent it to Mikey for a rebuild and then gone back

but glad you have a resolution to the problem

 

[Bendy toy]

A new wheel bearing would get it going again. The internal bearings will be worn but should not have collapsed. Get them replaced by Mikey when you are hoe again. A new final drive at BMW prices will make your eyes explode never mind just watering.

There is usually a reasonably priced not too many miles final drive on eBay. Just be careful to get the correct gear ratio.