BMW Final Drive Failure Submittal Form

[BostonBagger]

Recently, while at a local coffee shop, a fellow rider brought in the current issue of Motorcycle Consumers Guide. There was a article talking about the issue of BMW final drive failures. I found it to be a very interesting article, and few covering the topic and having a place to log your own failure into a database. The piece even mentioned out BMWMOA hadn't even responded to the issue and noted that they were really more about a community of riders vrs a representative for their membership to BMW itself. That said, I found this site to log your own failures if you had one.

 

BMW Final Drive Failure Home Website

 

BMW Final Drive Failure Form

 

Final Driver Failure List

 

I just thought that this might be of use to some of you out there.

 

Regards,

 

Phil

[Deek]

Thanks for those links.

 

I bought a used 2006 R1200RT in July and it now has about 18k on it. No problems at all, but I am concerned about a FD failure.

 

Reading through the last link (List) I know now a better feel from what are the symptoms of an impending FD failure. Sounds like:

 

* Oil on the FD unit, wheel or brake assembly

* Feeling of rear tire going flat

* Play in rear wheel

* Side to side movement of rear wheel when on the center stand

 

I'll keep an eye on those things.

 

As luck has it, I took the bike to the dealer last night for its 18k service, and I think I'll call early this morning and ask them to check the FD also, and possibly to change the FD fluid. Checking the seals is probably not indicated, but a fluid change ought to show early signs of bearing disintegration maybe.

[Boffin]

Deek, if you want to use the FD fluid as a bearing failure indicator I would suggest you do it yourself. That would then allow you to send a sample off to Blackstone for analysis.

 

FWIW, most FD bearing failures seem to be

a) due to cage collapse.

b) related to incorrect shimming.

 

The failure of the cage may not give much prior notice.

 

Andy

[Lets_Play_Two]

There is an article in ON in the November issue which had some interesting information and is apparently an update to the MCN article.

 

While BMW has never acknowledged a problem, the article states the author has not learned of a single case of an EVO failure that the factory refused to warranty. Also stated "While not publicly disclosed, BMW Motorrad decided in a dealer meeting held in January 2008 to extend final drive warranties for 5 years on bikes sold after January 2007."

 

The author concludes that BMW's problem is not the rate of failure but their failure to acknowledge there is a problem.

[keithb]

I just received my November issue of BMW ON magazine yesterday and there is an entire article about final drive failures. It seems they are warranting final drives for 5 years for model years 2007 and later sold after January 2007? What? What about '05/'06? No problems as of yet with mine ('05) but I would be quite torqued if the FD does go south and it is not covered.

[Sp8er8er]

Maybe they're all not on the list but 151 bikes out of - I don't know- how many? Doesn't seem like its as big a problem as some would make it.

 

What I find interesting is some guys got on the list 2 & 3 times. Luck? or neglected maintenence?

 

Seems if you are losing sleep or confidence break it down and change the culprit bearing.

 

Me? I'm going to keep changing the oil and RIDE.

 

(thanks for posting the links )

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Maybe they're all not on the list but 151 bikes out of - I don't know- how many? Doesn't seem like its as big a problem as some would make it.

 

(thanks for posting the links )

 

It's difficult to tell exactly how many final drives have failed since there is no central information collection location besides BMW, who will never tell. How many shops have fixed how many of the older drives? How many people have fixed them themselves? How many people have bought used drives off totalled bikes and just replaced their broken unit with a used one?

 

The best way to collect appropriate data would be to conduct a survey of BMW owners and ask them. At a certain point you will have a large enough sample to compare against the sales statistics of BMW and be able to make a fairly accurate projection. The problem is that it's expensive to do that. AND the people in the right place to do it (BMWMOA) have no interest in taking up the issue on their member's behalf.

[marcopolo]

I added mine to the list, FWIW.

[Redbrick]

I just received my November issue of BMW ON magazine yesterday and there is an entire article about final drive failures. It seems they are warranting final drives for 5 years for model years 2007 and later sold after January 2007? What? What about '05/'06? No problems as of yet with mine ('05) but I would be quite torqued if the FD does go south and it is not covered.

 

Yep......Me too Keith...I shake the rear wheel almost as often as I check air pressure, and that's often.....Also changed from the 75-140 that the dealer uses in there to 75-90 Redline and will change it often....As you read, Paul Glaves in the ON article says he thinks that the problem might also be related to using fluid that has too high a viscosity....I'll cover the bases anyway.....BTW, about 24M miles on the '05.......

[Tapatio]

It seems that K1200's are having more issues than R bikes. I'm guessing that R bikes outsell K1200's?

[FLTRI]

It seems that K1200's are having more issues than R bikes. I'm guessing that R bikes outsell K1200's?

 

I noticed that too. Wonder if it has to due with more power on the K bikes, more weight (LT) or just an anomaly???

[keithb]

"Yep......Me too Keith...I shake the rear wheel almost as often as I check air pressure, and that's often."

 

Phil I went out to the garage after posting and shook my wheel at 12/6 and 3/9. No shakes no shimmies. Ruby now has 32K miles on her.

[Dave in Doodah]

WooHoo! Not a single 2003RT on the list (that I saw...)

 

Dang - hope I didn't just jinx myself.

[waylap]

It seems that K1200's are having more issues than R bikes. I'm guessing that R bikes outsell K1200's?

 

Either that or this was originally posted on a K12 forum.

[BostonBagger]

I just got my Nov 2008 issue of BMW ON (Owners News) magazine from BMW MOA. In this issue, they not only reprinted the article from Motorcycle Consumers News, but they updated it too. I would recommend everyone read it. It's got some useful info within.

 

Phil