The 1200 with a better final-drive

[Motor Po-Po]

Do the new 1200s have a better designed (stronger/more durable) final-drive than the 1150s? I know the bikes look different, but I wonder what BMW picked to improve while doing the re-design of the new bikes.

[steve.foote]

Tim,

 

One of the things I've noticed is that the bearings are sealed and quite a bit larger than the 1150's. The hole in the middle is supposedly for cooling and the only thing the gear oil lubricates is the ring and pinion gears.

 

Also, the swingarm bearings look a little bigger, and seem spread apart a bit more.

 

Only time will tell if it's better.

[steveknapp]

There was some change where the driveshaft maintains a constant length now so one of the splined slip joints aren't needed.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

The drive shaft is still showing splined connections at both ends so I'm not so sure about the elimination of the slip joints. Makes no sense to me. With a universal joint operating at an angle, and it must lest it wear out its own bearings, there is bound to be some in and out motion.

 

The more important thing is the use of angular contact bearings as opposed to the straight ball bearings, finaly giving a nod to the side loading induced by cornering force.

[David_S]

The new RT final drive is definitely different than the 1150. better or not, I don't know but I didn't really realize there was a problem with the 1150.

 

Unless they changed the 12RT from the 12GS the drive shaft should be splined at both ends, at least my 12GS was.