BMW R1200RT LC 2014 some shaft/final drive clunk or knock... is it normal?

hi
do you have some driveshaft slack and clunking when opening and closing throttle at low speed please?
eventhough it is much less than my previous r1200gs (oil) there is still some slack and final drive type of knock.

is this normal.
it usually happens if I do not modulate the clutch when slowing down in first gear or pulling away quickly.

thank you.

I would say that i have not noticed that on my bike...

vteec said:

hi
do you have some driveshaft slack and clunking when opening and closing throttle at low speed please?
eventhough it is much less than my previous r1200gs (oil) there is still some slack and final drive type of knock.

is this normal.
it usually happens if I do not modulate the clutch when slowing down in first gear or pulling away quickly.

thank you.

Click to expand...

Hi, I have not noticed it on my 2014 LC either. I bought a Honda Crosstourer Highlander 6 months ago and got rid of it specifically because of the noise from the shaft when not under load. I had the bike uplifted under warranty and the dealer, after examination, said this was normal . Now gone.CJ

crawfordjohn said:

Hi, I have not noticed it on my 2014 LC either. I bought a Honda Crosstourer Highlander 6 months ago and got rid of it specifically because of the noise from the shaft when not under load. I had the bike uplifted under warranty and the dealer, after examination, said this was normal . Now gone.CJ

Click to expand...

Honda have issued a recall for VFR1200 and Crosstourer models for the final drive.

vteec said:

hi
do you have some driveshaft slack and clunking when opening and closing throttle at low speed please?
eventhough it is much less than my previous r1200gs (oil) there is still some slack and final drive type of knock.

is this normal.
it usually happens if I do not modulate the clutch when slowing down in first gear or pulling away quickly.

thank you.

Click to expand...

Hi,

I have exactly the same issue/question.
I also have a R1200RT LC '14, bought a few months ago with 74000km.
Before i had a R1150RT from 2002, and never had heard this sound.
Now i know that the mechanics has changed a lot on the latest models, but did'nt expect this to be normal.

Here's how i discover it:

Driving the bike in 5e or 6e gear, with a constant speed arround 70km/h.
When you close trottle a little bit, you can hear a knock coming from the gearbox somewhere.
Again when you accelerate a little, the same knock.
It looks like the freeplay of the driveshaft.

I found some video's where they demonstrate how to test this freeplay and mine looks to be normal. (arround 50mm on the outside of rear tyre)

I also took the bike to a BMW service center to check, but they say it's normal, or they don't hear it like i do... (you start fixating on that knock sound ... )

So i'm still not convinced that it's normal.
I'm going to take a second opinion in another BMW shop soon.

Did you found more about this issue ?

Tom

Knocking noise does not sound ok, and mine at 8k km is perfectly smooth and play free. I reckon 74k km is way too many for bmw shafts, and its done well to have lasted so much imo.

theop said:

Knocking noise does not sound ok, and mine at 8k km is perfectly smooth and play free. I reckon 74k km is way too many for bmw shafts, and its done well to have lasted so much imo.

Click to expand...

My 1150RT had over 90000km, and never heard that knock there.....

rockyenco said:

My 1150RT had over 90000km, and never heard that knock there.....

Click to expand...

1150 shafts are different. They were designed back in the 90s when the company was less about shareholder value and next quarters profit, and more about customer value.

Todays bikes have nothing to do with yours. Only the badge looks similar (but actually even that is flimsy on the modern ones).

theop said:

1150 shafts are different. They were designed back in the 90s when the company was less about shareholder value and next quarters profit, and more about customer value.

Todays bikes have nothing to do with yours. Only the badge looks similar (but actually even that is flimsy on the modern ones).

Click to expand...

have a look at the old bmw club magazines, was full of articles slating poor quality on a down hill spiral since the 70’s in fairness each model will have its own unique problem , alloy wheels 70/80s , deciding not undercoat frames 80’s , abs brakes 80’s& 90’s , servo abs brakes of the 00’s (somebody should have been jailed for that one ), fuel strips of 2007 -2010 models , loose spokes on LC , fork issue LC , engine paint LC , leaking callipers r1250s , sod it just buy a Jap


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