Oil leaking from FD - 2007 1200

[Jon P]

Is this the problem everyone seems to talk about? The bike has been on the trailer for the past week while I've been travelling around the Highlands and I do put a 50mm ratchet strap through the hole in the back wheel as part of my tie down regime......could that have anything to do with it?

Bike is a 2007 GS with only 8,000 miles on it and I can't detect any movement in the wheel.

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

Grab the wheel, do you have any play? If yes then it might well be the bearing if it is tight then it might just be the seal. I cant see the strap through the hole causing any issues

 

[boatman]

I would have thought Not, looks more like summation to do the nylon band.
I have to say (as someone who also transports GSA on my bike trailer )
I would not put a band through the final drive axle .

 

[boatman]

Having had another look, was the strap over the bit that's darkened !
If so it could be that what you are looking at is particles of plastic /nylon from the strap vibrating/ fluttering . Any that I have seen with a leak the oil is usually at the bottom side of the seal ,could be there's is nought wrong with it .

 

[Jon P]

Definitely can't feel any play in the wheel.

 

[Jon P]

Having had another look, was the strap over the bit that's darkened !
If so it could be that what you are looking at is particles of plastic /nylon from the strap vibrating/ fluttering . Any that I have seen with a leak the oil is usually at the bottom side of the seal ,could be there's is nought wrong with it .

Is that not the bottom side of the seal? For some reason my picture has been produced sideways! What I wiped off was a bit oily but there again I do wipe the bike down with WD40 after cleaning. I'll keep my eye on it.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Having had another look, was the strap over the bit that's darkened !
If so it could be that what you are looking at is particles of plastic /nylon from the strap vibrating/ fluttering . Any that I have seen with a leak the oil is usually at the bottom side of the seal ,could be there's is nought wrong with it .

Symon could be right. There is really no need to tie down through the wheel and it only puts more pressure on the driveline I would have though.

If it is the seal, it's only the outer one which is a very easy change. When they leak, it's a tiny amount which always looks worse than it really easy. I had to do about 3k with one leaking and another member of this parish did about 7k on one of my trips with no problem. Would be good practice to change it just in case.

 

[Bendy toy]

I guess if the bike is leaning and the strap is brutally pulled tight it could side load the wheel bearing. But used sensibly wth the bike vertical. I can't see the tie-down strap causing bearing damage.

The pull from a tie-down strap must be small beer in comparison to the force of road bumps.

 

[Jon P]

Did a couple of hundred miles today of bumpy highland roads, two up and no sign of anything.