Anyone have a R1200RT oil leak ??

[mos]

I have a 05 R1200RT with 19,770 miles. About 1500 miles ago I notice the bike smelling like hot oil when riding or just after riding. It also started using oil. I checked the back side of the engine and it looked wet from oil. I think it was leaking about 4 oz in 400 miles. No oil spots ever showed up on the garage floor. It is now at the Dealer and they are not too quick to repair it. So I want to know how others are doing with this problem. Are the Dealers fixing them? What is BMW Corp. offical word on repairs of this problem ?

Mike

[bobbybob]

Could it be trans. oil--thats where it shows up when leaking at the clutch. If so should be warranty work.

[chaparral]

I just got mine fixed under warranty @25K miles. 2 weeks before it expired. It was a rear engine seal,same symptoms. I asked the shop writer upper if this was common. The 2 guys at the office looked at each other and then one guy said it doesn't appear to be a trend yet! I had to set an appointment 3 weeks out before I could take it in. Looking at the maintence CD this is not a cheap service. They hafta split the bike in 2.

Go figger!

[TowerMonkey]

I have my RT in two pieces now. Every seal in the transmission is leaking to some extent. Front seal was the worse. I don't have the clutch out yet. There is a ceramic disc going in now that I am that far into the job.

 

Just got back from a tour of the western National Parks 5800 mile. Wife and I got into the Rockies and into traffic and the clutch started to slip. Nursed it back home and took it apart.

 

2005 RT with 27,000 mile, second owner and out of warranty.

[Geoffster]

My '05 had a light coating of oil all over the transmission @ ~25k miles. The dealer replaced both input and output transmission seals under warranty. Since BMW was paying for the labor, I also upgraded to a ceramic clutch -- a very different clutching experience, IMHO.

 

I read somewhere that this problem (leaking seals) is not uncommon. (Shouldn't my '05 BMW have the same problems as my long-gone '85 BMW? )

[Survived-til-now]

My 1200RT 05 has done 41,500 miles and I still have to top up with the odd 200ml every now and again ( I get through a 1 litre in between services) It depends how I ride it but 100 miles at very high speed and I know it will need a top-up.

 

I had seal go and engine oil was getting into the clutch -first I knew was a slipping clutch at high speed when the engine would suddenly surge - end result new clutch and seals - out of warranty.

 

Make sure you get over to look at the clutch when the bike is apart.....

[Ken H.]

Well put it this way - it's not unheard of. Our '05 R1200GS had one leak repaired under warranty, I fixed one myself, and it's seeping at a third transmission point now. Not enough to matter at the moment, but it will likely be on my winter project list.

[Newt]

I just got mine back from the shop. 2005 with 20,000K. They replaced the clutch and there are five seals listed on the repair order. BMW covered the repair 100% even though I was just out of warranty. Do a search here and you can judge for yourself how common the problem is. The mechanic that did mine told me he had only done two and in both cases the bike had the transmission fluid changed to synthetic shortly before the problem. He did not say that he thought that was the cause, he was just making an observation. It may be coincidence but I am curious as to whether others experienced leaky seals shortly after going to transmission synthetic.

[1analguy]

A better title for this thread might have been "Anyone not have a R1200RT oil leak?"

 

BMW seems to be far less serious about keeping lubricants inside their bikes than Harley is. My RT seems to be weeping from several locations, but I was told by the service manager at the dealer that BMW does not consider a weeping seal to be a "leak". I told him that all my Harleys, starting with my '87, have been bone-dry and squeaky-clean in this regard. While true, it didn't seem to go down too well...

[Limecreek]

A better title for this thread might have been "Anyone not have a R1200RT oil leak?"

 

I am just turning over 30,000 miles without any leaks whatsoever, so I hope this means I have a good set of seals, properly installed--fingers crossed. Last night my left headlight bulbed burned out, but so far that is the extent of my failures.

 

[Fergie]

11,000 miles, 06 R1200RT, no leaks.

[Bullett]

17,775 on my '07 RT, no leaks, just the heated grip failure that's still not fixed.

 

Oh, and my '59 R26 has a bit of leak at the engine/tranny, but I think it only leaks when the engine is warm.

[rglassma]

'05 R1200RT just went over 20K miles. I bought it 4 months ago with 12K. No leaks. Uses a little oil but that is normal.

[black99S]

25,000 km. Leak at base of clutch slave cylinder (smells like gear oil) and leak at outer axle seal. two bent rims too, but that's another story.

 

[Eddy G]

Well, this is a bit disheartening.

 

I recently sold my 04 Harley.

Enjoyed the heck out of it but thought it was time for a change.

 

Beemers always appealed to me and the R1200LT was on my radar but reading stuff like this is making me wonder if it's such a good idea.

 

In the old days it was said Harley's mark their territory but neither of mine ever did. I just assumed the BMW was a tighter bike.

[Ken H.]

Well, this is a bit disheartening.

 

I recently sold my 04 Harley.

Enjoyed the heck out of it but thought it was time for a change.

 

Beemers always appealed to me and the R1200LT was on my radar but reading stuff like this is making me wonder if it's such a good idea.

 

In the old days it was said Harley's mark their territory but neither of mine ever did. I just assumed the BMW was a tighter bike.

Well everything has its pluses and minuses right? Like HD, leaks (seeps might be a better word) seems to be a bit of a BMW weak spot. But all the other positives of the bikes greatly outweigh this particular sore point! Buy the bike for what you like about it, then deal with any issues should they come up.