Potential 1200s coming from a supermoto

[Blackal]

I see so it's probably wise to maintain the final drive every year. Still better than having to regrease a chain every time it rains though. Is it this false 'lifetime' notion that's caused what seems like a lot of final drive failures? Or have I been misinformed there? I've owned two lc8 KTMs, one 950 and one 990, and despite my second one being 4 years newer it still got all the same problems I had with the older one. Surely a BMW won't be as bad as that haha

Not sure how rain can wash off the oil/grease - when centrifugal force on its own - cannot?

I look at it like this: On tour in Europe - a chain-driven bike will always keep going.

A shafty, if it goes wrong - will be a flatbed home.

Ya pays yer money...........

Al

[popsky]

I look at it like this: On tour in Europe - a chain-driven bike will always keep going.
A shafty, if it goes wrong - will be a flatbed home.
Ya pays yer money...........
Al

Not sure that's quite right Al, I do remember on a trip to Le Mans 24hr, seeing a "snake" slithering towards me on an autoroute, next thing we see is a Ducati coasting to a halt, snapped chain, we stopped to ask if we could help but he said his mates would return, don't know exactly what they could do to fix that.

[Blackal]

I look at it like this: On tour in Europe - a chain-driven bike will always keep going.
A shafty, if it goes wrong - will be a flatbed home.
Ya pays yer money...........
Al

Not sure that's quite right Al, I do remember on a trip to Le Mans 24hr, seeing a "snake" slithering towards me on an autoroute, next thing we see is a Ducati coasting to a halt, snapped chain, we stopped to ask if we could help but he said his mates would return, don't know exactly what they could do to fix that.

The point is - that you can always source a new chain.......


Good luck -getting the FD (and fitted)

Al

[SpikyPit]

I see so it's probably wise to maintain the final drive every year. Still better than having to regrease a chain every time it rains though. Is it this false 'lifetime' notion that's caused what seems like a lot of final drive failures? Or have I been misinformed there? I've owned two lc8 KTMs, one 950 and one 990, and despite my second one being 4 years newer it still got all the same problems I had with the older one. Surely a BMW won't be as bad as that haha

Not sure how rain can wash off the oil/grease - when centrifugal force on its own - cannot?

I look at it like this: On tour in Europe - a chain-driven bike will always keep going.

A shafty, if it goes wrong - will be a flatbed home.

Ya pays yer money...........

Al

Well when it's been pissing with rain surely the grease gets somewhat diluted. In fact when I did a long trip on my 990 and it rained I noticed that my chain had got rusty in the 2 or 3 days I hadn't ridden it before returning home.

Anyway I really didn't intend on sparking a which form of drivetrain is best debate, I was just making a point that overall a shaft drive is at the very least less maintenance than a chain drive. Not accounting for freak accidents in the south of France that is

[Blackal]

Well when it's been pissing with rain surely the grease gets somewhat diluted. In fact when I did a long trip on my 990 and it rained I noticed that my chain had got rusty in the 2 or 3 days I hadn't ridden it before returning home.

Anyway I really didn't intend on sparking a which form of drivetrain is best debate, I was just making a point that overall a shaft drive is at the very least less maintenance than a chain drive. Not accounting for freak accidents in the south of France that is

Never seen grease diluted with fresh-water, but if you have - then I'm not going to argue........

I suspect your chain got rusty because it had some surfaces - not protected by chain-oil.

Al

[Mitch1100]

......... and maintenance free shaft drive.
My 12s is 2006 model with no drain plug at the bottom. Paralever arm has to be disconnected and pivoted so oil level plug is at 6 o'clock to drain. Later models had a drain plug I think...sorry and no you don't have to change oil if you don't want to nicholsonj2252 has perfect bike available!

I might be missing something here Mitch.

BMW now state a 6000 mile service interval for the final drive oil, so if you want to maintain to BMW guidelines you should change the oil.

Hi Jim
I most definitely change diff oil at each tyre change..my saying "it has to be done! was not taken well it seems...of course it is a personal choice..
Great article from Chris Harris in Boxerbanter
""With the R1200GS model BMW started using a new type of rear drive to replace the Para-Lever. This new unit was advertised as ‘Maintenance-Free’ having been filled at the factory with ‘Lifetime Fluid’. I know of no such fluid and it wasn’t long before some of these new rear drives failed at alarmingly low mileages. In fact, there were a couple that actually caught on fire!!! ""

[f90x]

......... and maintenance free shaft drive.
My 12s is 2006 model with no drain plug at the bottom. Paralever arm has to be disconnected and pivoted so oil level plug is at 6 o'clock to drain. Later models had a drain plug I think...sorry and no you don't have to change oil if you don't want to nicholsonj2252 has perfect bike available!

I might be missing something here Mitch.

BMW now state a 6000 mile service interval for the final drive oil, so if you want to maintain to BMW guidelines you should change the oil.

Hi Jim
I most definitely change diff oil at each tyre change..my saying "it has to be done! was not taken well it seems...of course it is a personal choice..
Great article from Chris Harris in Boxerbanter
""With the R1200GS model BMW started using a new type of rear drive to replace the Para-Lever. This new unit was advertised as ‘Maintenance-Free’ having been filled at the factory with ‘Lifetime Fluid’. I know of no such fluid and it wasn’t long before some of these new rear drives failed at alarmingly low mileages. In fact, there were a couple that actually caught on fire!!! ""

OK for clarity. The written word especially on a forum is always open to interpretation.
I agreed with you about it having to be done. I agreed because it is now part of the service schedule as I stated. I guess It's personal choice to ignore it but given the FD's reputation and having spoken to Chris Overy in person and seen his work bench that constantly has a pile of at least four awaiting repair pretty much all year round it's something that everyone should choose to do or have done at regular intervals.

Mine is also a 2006 like yours. Also like yours it has a drain plug at the end of the FD and yes one has to drop the FD in order to drain the oil through it as I explained to the OP and suggested that he grease the shaft splines at the same time. None of the R12 twin sparks got a drain plug at the bottom. I'm pretty sure the later DOHC bikes got it though.
I am quite experienced with the FD having had to change the oil 4 times during the summer along with swapping the FD over an equal amount because of the worn spline problem, the flange recall, and a particularly unhelpful BMW dealer in Maidenhead.