Chromehead Noise

[alburg]

GOT A USED 2000 R1200C 3800MI ON IT ROAD A LONGER AND FASTER TRIP THIS
WEEK AND FEEL LIKE THE BIKE IS TOO NOISEY. WHINE FROM GEARS OR FINAL DRIVE HARD TO TELL. IF IT WERE A CAR I'D SAY THAT IT HAS A BAD BEARING OR GEARS ABOUT TO BREAK. BUT SOME PEOPLE SAY THE ARE JUST NOISEY, I HOPE THIS IS NOT TRUE BECAUSE I'LL JUST HAVE TO PARK THE BIKE AND LOOK AT IT. I CANT STAND THAT NOISE.

 

[bikerfish1100]

STOP SHOUTING!!!

earplugs or an ipod with Etymotics ER6i are great for general road & wind noise. if concerned about reaer end gear noise, drain FD oil and look for small shards of metal in oil or attached to drain plug (if magnetic, i'm not sure that it is on that bike). fuzz is pretty normal, pieces are not.

 

[montana]

It's true that the 2000 has a transmission that was redesigned later, so the old style is louder and clunkier than the new style. These models are loud but they don't have the typical rear end failure you read about in the other BMWs, and it doesn't have the paralever rear. The fuel pump is loud if the fuel is low and the ABS pump is also loud compared to some bikes. The 2000 has a recall for the flip-up backrest.

You can read more about your bike at a forum that is specially focused on the C bikes: http://www.chromeheads.org/cgi-bin/discus/discus.cgi

 

[BMW_Rogue]

Would I be safe in assuming you have changed oil in both the tranny and the rear drive or at least checked levels? If not, I would consider that as a first step ... and check for debris in the old oils. I would also consider the possibility of "dry" (as in underlubed) driveshaft splines ... others, including me, have encountered this situation although I didn't do it because hearing noise, just as a winter maintenance thing.

None of that is particularly difficult and doing all of it shouldn't take you more than an afternoon. And, of course, none of this could be the source of your problem ... but an easy start of the process of elimination ...

 

[bmwchromehead]

change to synthetic

The best thing to quiet the rear end is to drain and replace the final drive oil with a quality synthetic. It will be much quieter, run and shift better. Also will show you if there is any metal in the old lubricant when you drain it for the switch.

 

[bikerfish1100]

The best thing to quiet the rear end is to drain and replace the final drive oil with a quality synthetic. It will be much quieter, run and shift better. Also will show you if there is any metal in the old lubricant when you drain it for the switch.

care to explain how synth in the final drive will have anything at all to do with shifting?
(i love a good myth!)

 

[bmwchromehead]

my recollection is that the tranny and rear drive (r1200c) share the same lubricant. less friction makes the shift dogs slide smoother, quieter and quicker.

 

[bikerfish1100]

my recollection is that the tranny and rear drive (r1200c) share the same lubricant. less friction makes the shift dogs slide smoother, quieter and quicker.

Your recollection, sir, is faulty. NO BMW made to date shares rear end and trans fluid. Some of the later airheads shared shaft and rear end fluid, but the trans is a fully sealed unit.
They most frequently share same viscosity of fluid, but they are always fully seperate units.

 

[montana]

While some folks have had good results with synthetic, others report weeping seals that stopped weeping when changed back to dino oils.

 

[PGlaves]

Your recollection, sir, is faulty. NO BMW made to date shares rear end and trans fluid. Some of the later airheads shared shaft and rear end fluid, but the trans is a fully sealed unit.
They most frequently share same viscosity of fluid, but they are always fully seperate units.

Au contraire' - none of the Airheads shared final drive and shaft housing fluid - unless the pinion shaft seal was leaking badly.

 

[bikerfish1100]

Au contraire' - none of the Airheads shared final drive and shaft housing fluid - unless the pinion shaft seal was leaking badly.

my bad.
i was thinking of the later bikes that no longer had fillers for the shaft- maybe even thinking of early K bikes?. So those airheads would be the ones that ran a dry shaft?

 

[alburg]

chrome head noise

Have already changed both final drive and tranny fluids with synthetic before this posting. maybe i'm just expecting the bike to be too quiet. But if it's this noisey when it's right I would hate to hear it when it's wrong. am going to take it to the dealer for a second opinion. I'll let you know what happens.

 

[CAPTCARL]

Go to the "Chromehead.org" site and find someone that lives near you and ask them to check it out... Its a great group of people and an invaluable support group for stuff like this... carl

 

[PGlaves]

my bad.
i was thinking of the later bikes that no longer had fillers for the shaft- maybe even thinking of early K bikes?. So those airheads would be the ones that ran a dry shaft?

Yes - and all the classic K bikes, and the Oilheads, all have dry shaft housings.

 

[osbornk]

A windshield or fairing lets you hear sounds you would not hear without one. My first several bikes didn't have anything. When I got my first bike with a windshield, I thought there was something wrong because of the increased noise I heard. It was even worse with a full fairing.

As suggested, go to Chromeheads.org and ask around. They have been a great resource for me and you couldn't find a more dedicated group of folks.

 

[KUTCHER]

Ok someone correct me but I was told that its:

Synthetic in the Engine and Tranny.
Dino in the final...

 

[bikerfish1100]

Ok someone correct me but I was told that its:

Synthetic in the Engine and Tranny.
Dino in the final...

it's "an appropriate amount of the appropriate grade (weight) and API rating in the appropriate locations".

any specifics (synth vs dino, brand A vs Brand M, etc.), beyond that is about what makes you feel good, but it doesn't really change the performance that much.

 

[GHUHN136119]

After recent articles and discussion regarding monolever final drives, the consensus seems to be the use of regular 80-90 wt. gear oil only. I have synthetic in there now and will be changing back.