REAR DRIVE survey

[steve1300]

OK iv got to say this :i like my GSA, but the rear drive:
I have been a test driver for MIRA and iv also been involved in a bit of test riding for Triumph as well. So having had my GSA for six years now and 42000 miles the rear drive as now gon for re-build.
What im getting at WOULD BMW let a product got on the road with out the testing...
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY OF THE REAR DRIVE,S HAVE GONE AND WHAT WEIGHTS DO YOU RIDE WITH
Im the best part of 17 stone and the wife the wrong of 13.9999 stone and with luggage well need i say more.
I would think that no body sticks to what BMW say about what go"s in your luggage spacein the way of the KGs.
I have have been told the RT is a heaver bike and the rear drive still go"s but not as much. the RT luggage space is a bit tight and there for be harder to over load the bike.
We have all see the GS rider with every thing stacked up on the boxes round the boxes etc.
I think my rear drive started to play up when i had a lot of tinned food and i mean a lot of tins, me and the wife when on a 100 mile trip to take the food to my son at uni. on return the oil seal was weeping. not long after that it started to make the noise we don't want.
so come on there must be some lighter riders that have dun 60.70 k plus with no problem with rear dives.

 

[red1]

Understand your concern, but very few people on here are really that bothered. So a survey of this type is a non-starter.

The next posts will tell you:
1. It doesn't happen that often
2. It's just a bearing and these wear with non-shaft bikes
3. There are plenty of independents that will rebuild it for you
4. Keep up with your BMW extended warranty
5. Swap it for a new one before the warranty expires
6. Stop worrying about it, it may never happen
7. You only hear about the ones that broke on forums
8. It's fixed on the 2008 models
9. It's sorted on the twin-cam models
10. It's going to be unbreakable on the new water cooled GS

Forgot no. 11. BMW have no reports of it ever happening or EWS or FPR

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

Or in my case I'm a fat bastard and never head a problem err hang on what the fuck is that noise?

 

[Grey Beard]

I did discuss the issue of the rear shaft drive failure with my local BMW dealer some time ago. He said there were some issues with the early model R1200GS(A)s but these were fixed/resolved, so that the newer models (2008 onwards anyway) don't have a big problem. They said that they (the dealership) have to fix about 2 rear drives/year on an annual 200, 1200 GS(A) bikes repaired/serviced each year.

He didn't make any comments about the weights carried on the bikes. I can certainly see that causing some of the reported problems with the rear shock absorber on epic RTW trips.

Grey Beard

 

[Sgt Bilco]

70k and sent it for a rebuild only to find it was fecked so bought a nice rebuilt one from those good people at Sherlocks

I'm 17 stone and ride teh shit out of it on and off road and not at all unhappy about the FD. In fact I'm amazed it lasted that long given the crap I put it through.

There doesn't seem any rhyme or reason to FD's going but as long as you budget for a replacement every 50k, you'll be good to go. The biggest issue is the difficulty in replacing the bearings unlike the 11** where you can do it on the side of the road.

Good luck with the survey as you'll get all the answers Red1 suggests along a few more and I guarentee you'll be none the wiser

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Carrying tinned food, in the panniers

Isn't that specifically excluded, in the T&C's of the BMW warranty

 

[red1]

Carrying tinned food, in the panniers

Isn't that specifically excluded, in the T&C's of the BMW warranty

Thanks JB! Forgot the "Tesco Trolley" ploy


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[fizzer]

well the way i see it ,it costs no more for a complete rebuild than chain and sprockets for any other bike ,so hay ho ,if it needs it it will get it done.

 

[Biga]

2009 gs 21000 miles stripped the splines on the finel drive end of the drive shaft i am not happy, had a 16 year old K1100rs for 9 years without a problem two up or single and i haven't used it off road.

 

[paganman]

Loving my new to me 2007 gsa too, just returned from a weeks 2 up touring in wales. With 18700 on the clock somewhat surprised to find it's got a bloody oil leak from the rear hub oil seal. Not impressed, after 100,000 trouble free Honda Vfr750 miles, I wasn't expecting to have to undertake major mechanical work on the gsa just yet.

 

[steve1300]

That will be the first sign of it then. My mate had the same. BMW are now putting less oil in the rear drive to stop it getting to pressure in the unit. Get your wallet out.

 

[Rasher]

What Red1 said

Definately happens more than it should, only BMW know the figures, no point asking a dealer as they always either deny any issues, or tell you it only affected the models prior to the one they have flogged (or are trying to flog) to you.

I have seen a few reported failures of post 2008 models on this very forum (some at under 10k) but don't worry as next spring your dealer will be telling you it only afffects the air cooled models

The US Department Of Transport are investigating failures of these on RT models - dunno if the Yanks find the RT's worse, or just that they have more RT's than GS's, or RT owners complain more - or possibly do more miles



I guess you either except the risk, keep up the warranty or buy something Japanese - which is what I decided to do.

 

[steve1300]

I don't like the idear of keep up the warenty or extension of it because my bike went in to a dealer in Darby (BMN) and I had to take it straight back to get it sorted. I told them that I think the smaller BRG was not good as well as the main BRG in my drive. They only replaced the main BRG in mine to start with. I said if I'm paying I want the whole thing being replaced seals and BRGs It started out with a bill of £550 and that was the put a seal in the rear of the gear box as well, but they had trouble getting a bush out and the bill went up to £670 and when I went to collect it as I said it was still noise so it went back. I finally got my bike back 4 weeks later. I ended up paying £440 for it minus a bit of paint off my frame round by where the swing are bush goes (instead of a circle of black it is now rust) but you can buy a cover for that and a scratch on the silver part of my drive, are well it's back on the road now with less oil as they tell me that's the fix. LOL. We will just have to wait and see. I still like the bike but I not sure what to replace it with. May be a triumph 800 or BMW gs800. My mate has a triumph 1200 exp with the shaft that supose to have beem tested for 100,000 miles. Lets wait for that to come up. I did work at triumph as a test rider for a short time. I do have a Busa to ride but for a evey day bike with no chain to look after the BMW fits the bill

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Loving my new to me 2007 gsa too, just returned from a weeks 2 up touring in wales. With 18700 on the clock somewhat surprised to find it's got a bloody oil leak from the rear hub oil seal. Not impressed, after 100,000 trouble free Honda Vfr750 miles, I wasn't expecting to have to undertake major mechanical work on the gsa just yet.

If it's the outer seal it really isn't a problem. It's a 10 minute change and does not affect the workings of the FD.

 

[IJGser]

What Red1 said

Definately happens more than it should, only BMW know the figures, no point asking a dealer as they always either deny any issues, or tell you it only affected the models prior to the one they have flogged (or are trying to flog) to you.

I have seen a few reported failures of post 2008 models on this very forum (some at under 10k) but don't worry as next spring your dealer will be telling you it only afffects the air cooled models

The US Department Of Transport are investigating failures of these on RT models - dunno if the Yanks find the RT's worse, or just that they have more RT's than GS's, or RT owners complain more - or possibly do more miles



I guess you either except the risk, keep up the warranty or buy something Japanese - which is what I decided to do.

Hear say and conjecture !

Bet you shot your load when you saw this tread, but you failed to actually answer the question so I'm guessing never for you!

Me on the other hand. 11stone and luggage to include the kitchen sink

Outer seal at 26k and main Bering at 29k 54plate. Warranty certainly proved cost effective as I have made other claims.

 

[Rasher]

Mine was still good at 20k / 4 years old, but other niggles put me off enough to look elsewhere for a replacement steed.

 

[paganman]

If it's the outer seal it really isn't a problem. It's a 10 minute change and does not affect the workings of the FD.

Forgot to mention there's a bit of play in the wheel too. Top to bottom rocking it I can feel slight movement. Off to main dealer tomorrow to get seal and oil and I'll see if their mechanic can have a quick look. Fingers crossed.

 

[steve1300]

Best get the wallet out.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Forgot to mention there's a bit of play in the wheel too. Top to bottom rocking it I can feel slight movement. Off to main dealer tomorrow to get seal and oil and I'll see if their mechanic can have a quick look. Fingers crossed.

If it is your FD bearings are shagged, don't just agree to a new one from BMW unless it's warranty. It's far cheaper to get a refurb by a good independant and you will know the job is done right

 

[paganman]

They seem to think it's just the oil seal, and the wheel play is within tolerance. Seems odd to me, as not used to a wheel having any play at all after a life of Japanese and Italian bikes, but if that's what the manual says..........