NT 700 Final Drive Failure?

[Phil Tarman]

When I was at the finish of the '03 Rally, there were several BMWs that failed because of final drive failure, at least a couple that had generator failure because of rocks/gravel/road debris that got into the drive belt through cooling vents, and at least one GS that had a subframe break (that was Dick Fish's bike). There were more BMW failures than everything else combined, IIRC.

Same deal at the '05 Rally.

 

[John Browning]

Talked with a man over the weekend that has had 3 final drive failures on his late model BMW K bike and only has 35,000 miles on it. He was not a happy rider and is looking at other brands.

 

[Phil Tarman]

All too common, John. I love BMWs. But I don't have the money. And I wouldn't put up with the aggravation.

A friend of mine here in Ft. Morgan always wanted a BMW. He's entangled financially and emotionally with his semi-ex-wife (he won't finalize the divorce for some reason, but hasn't lived with her for 8 years). His ONLY transportation is his BMW R1200R. (or his bicycle... and I loaned him my car for about 8 months). His final drive failed on a bike with 27,000 miles on it. Repair was going to cost $2200. He finally found the right final drive on Craigslist for $300 from a bike that had been totaled at 74,000 miles. He decided that if the final drive had lasted that long, it had a better chance of lasting than a brand-new part. So he paid $300 for the part, did the work himself and had a bike again.

For all of about three weeks. Then it stopped running. He finally ended up replacing a bunch of electrical parts (can't remember what) for about $700. Now his bike has run for nearly two months without any trouble.

He still loves his BMW and wouldn't consider anything else.

I think he's got the same kind of issues with motorcycles that he does with women.

 

[mikesim]

BMW's may be troublesome, but they ain't THAT troublesome!

Mike
(ducking and running)

 

[JohnC]

My brother-in-law recently bought an R1200-something (not quite sure what). I doubt if he is going to put the kind of miles on it that that we do (or in my case, plan to ), so he should be OK.

 

[Phil Tarman]

BMW's may be troublesome, but they ain't THAT troublesome!

Well, other than the fact that she gets all his money, his wife isn't very much trouble to him, Mike. She lives 100 miles away and he never sees her or talks to her. He just keeps sending her money.

Kind of like his Beemer... he doesn't ride it a lot, just keeps spending money on it.

Sure makes me glad I've got a Honda.

 

[Dee G]

If you mean their own failure to support their customers, and that the customers actually talk to each other, then yep it will do them damage.

Already has. Guzzi for one has picked up quite a few sales from former beemer owners.

Guzzi usually doesn't shy away from warranty issues. In fact, pretty much all the maintenance (aside from tires and oil) on our 2004 Cali EV has been done under warranty. Their problem is parts availability. Its gotten better, but sheesh.... for a while there, one had to wait MONTHS to get stuff shipped over from Italy.

 

[charlie b]

Parts usually isn't the problem with Guzzi's anymore, at least not any more of an issue as with any other imported bike (like an NT ).

Guzzi warranty claims depend on the issue and the dealer. Sometimes it goes very smoothly and sometimes not at all. We have a "dealer" who cannot work on bikes. They are a Piaggio scooter dealer who will also sell new Guzzi's. They don't even own the computer system necessary to work on new Guzzi's. Then there are the issues Guzzi refuses to recognize as a problem. And really stupid ones too. One bike had a horrible problem in the 3000-4000rpm band. A new map was available that would fix it. But, the new map wasn't certified as EPA compliant. So, no warranty coverage. The dealers could install the map, but, they could not put it in as a warranty claim since it made the bike non-compliant. Guzzi never did 'fix' that issue.

The good thing is "once sorted" they tend to last forever

 

[geno05]

Been a couple of years now, did your noise ever go away or get worse? I have a 2010 with only 1,000 miles on it, and in deceleration I get a bit of a whine. Could be in the transmission but when I when I pull in the clutch it dies away, and when I'm cruising with any load at all on the motor it's not there either.
Thanks,
Gene

 

[Phil Tarman]

"The Deceleration Whine" is a feature, not a problem.

My final drive failure was a result of a tech failing to lube the splines with Honda Moly-60 after changing a rear tire.

 

[DirtFlier]

[...in deceleration I get a bit of a whine. Could be in the transmission but when I when I pull in the clutch it dies away, and when I'm cruising with any load at all on the motor it's not there either...]

On decel, the gear loading is on the backside of the gear teeth so it's different than coasting with the clutch in or riding normally.

As Phil said "It's a feature!"

 

[bicyclist]

"The Deceleration Whine" is a feature, not a problem.

My final drive failure was a result of a tech failing to lube the splines with Honda Moly-60 after changing a rear tire.

Your final drive didn't actually fail. The splines were worn from lack of lube and a pinion gear bearing, I think it was, was going bad.

 

[Warren]

When I first started riding my NT in 2010 I found the whine disconcerting. I did not wear ear plugs at the time and had never ridden a shaft drive bike before. After being on this list for a few months many talked about the merits of wearing ear plugs. I started wearing them and have not noticed the final drive whine since.

 

[EX Winger]

I will fully agree with Bob Ray, regarding BMW final drive's and only add thisthe way Jim Owens let him down in the middle of UT costing him the win of the IBRtotally soured me on the bmw, plus riding a RT with just over 30,000 on it as a 009 or 10 modle and had the final dive let go as I was testing it. Thaqt happended and Iwaited another month for my new NT to arrive!

E;don

 

[Woodaddict]

"The Deceleration Whine" is a feature, not a problem.

My final drive failure was a result of a tech failing to lube the splines with Honda Moly-60 after changing a rear tire.

sorry Phil.....again.....the association of the failing to lube the splines on tire hub only causes more wear on the external hub and internal exposed splines on final drive. does not lead to faster failure of internal parts.

 

[Phil Tarman]

George and Dave, All I know was that everything inside the final drive housing got replaced except for the part whatever it's called that turns the motion from longitudinal to transverse. And the rear pinion bearing was about to fail.

 

[Woodaddict]

True about all the inside parts, which are sealed and run in bearings. just on the outside of final drive is the splines that hook up to splines on hub, no relation hurting anything on inside

 

[DirtFlier]

[...except for the part whatever it's called that turns the motion from longitudinal to transverse...]

Those two gears are called the ring & pinion. During my drag racing days in the early-60s, changing those was more common than changing oil!

In the UK I believe the ring gear is called the crown wheel but I'm not sure about their name for the pinion.

 

[Phil Tarman]

That's it! Last night I was completely blank and decided I'd lost most of my previously limited mechanical vocabulary. Thanks for refreshing it!

 

[JQL]

Pinion is pinion in the UK.


Changing the subject back to BMWs for a moment, they have been 2 major recalls recently so may be there's a sea change happening...