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Another final drive trashed on the way home from the UN


johnlt

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At least if I had a Harley there would be a dealer every 5 miles.

 

There has to be.

 

Buddy is finishing a round the country loop. Bike puked in Montana (oil pump sucked air) and again in California (stator). 48k highway miles on it. At least it's godawful heavy and slow. my poor bike jack could barely lift it off the ground.

 

I've never been stuck anywhere on a BMW, or had a real breakdown (a broken accessory wire I didn't secure well enough doesn't count- I lost sat radio for a bit- OH THE HORROR)

 

 

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I've never been stuck anywhere on a BMW, or had a real breakdown (a broken accessory wire I didn't secure well enough doesn't count- I lost sat radio for a bit- OH THE HORROR)

 

 

I had a record like that for 23 years until the new oilheads came out. Then only one till I got these bikes, now 7 cross country breakdowns in 3 years.

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I had a record like that for 23 years until the new oilheads came out. Then only one till I got these bikes, now 7 cross country breakdowns in 3 years.

 

Ken,

I feel for you, I hate the company but love the bike. Is that possiable? For me it is about the ergos.

By any chance do your bikes have consecutive serial numbers?

Ray

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I feel for you, I hate the company but love the bike. Is that possiable? For me it is about the ergos.

By any chance do your bikes have consecutive serial numbers?

Ray

 

I have been where Ken is now, destroyed clutch splines, tranny failures and rear drives failing 2,000 miles from home. I was so pissed that I rode Hondas for the next 5 years.

 

Yet, I got back on another BMW. For me it was realization that if I wanted a nimble light weight touring bike only BMW made one. Even the brand I love, Honda, made a heavy slug of a touring bike, the ST1300 and the Kawi and FJR were not far behind.

 

This time around I accepted the fact that the rear drive will in fact fail. My plan is to ship it off to Cutter for a proper rebuild and re-shim prior to it failing if I can find a cheap enough used spare rear drive to throw on while mine is being rebuilt. I already checked and lubed the splines, replaced the paralever bearings and replaced the tranny seals on the Oil Head RT I picked up a few months ago. After the rear drive is upgraded there is almost no other common mechanical failure for a major component that I’m worried about other than the Hall sensor and that commonly happens at 100K type mileage and I’m nowhere near that yet.

 

It was nice not having those worries traveling around the country on my Honda; but, it like every bike had its achllies heal/s. Electrical, cam chain tensioners and thermostats were its bugaboo’s. The good news was that I had every one of those problems but they were not the strand you type of failures.

 

One other huge selling point for me coming back to a BMW; I do my own work and working on the Japanese brands, nothing it simple. They are very complicated engines to do even basic work on other than oil changes.

 

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Another data point...

 

2008 R1200RT with 20k miles - rear drive failed. I checked the play in the rear wheel and mine had 1/2" of play. Strange thing is I checked the play 2 weeks before while rotating the engine during a valve clearance check and noticed just a very slight amount of play. So it happened quick.

 

Bike is still in shop but according to the service guy aluminum flange is pressfit onto steel hub and the flange came loose??? Mechanic tried to press-fit new flange onto hub but then decided to instead replace entire rear drive assembly. Again this is according to service guy.

 

I changed the FD fluid at 600 miles with Mobil 1, then at 2k miles, then every 5k interval - easy to do and I previously had a GS that the FD failed so I was extra cautious.

 

I sure do love the RT and it's great for long 2-up trips but I'm thinking about a new Connie now ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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SEATTLE_RIDER

Wow............haven't looked or posted here for quite some time. Wanted to read about the UN that I missed and get into the FD horror stories. Really bummed me. I attended the MOA National in Redmond, OR and it was the usual great ride on my R12GSA.

Strange though.........just weeks after getting home and unwinding by riding around our Island on my Bonneville I visited the local Harley Dealership. Last HD I had was a '98 Road King. Anyway.....I JUST BOUGHT A 2010 ROAD KING!!!!!!!! Just couldn't resist after reading all about the new frame, etc. Now I've gotta re-arrange the garage again........

 

cheers,

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