2003 1150RT with 99,300k. Bought this bike new and we've been to some amazing places, but maybe it's time to part ways. Two years ago the dealer replaced the rear main seal on the engine, and a seal on the final drive, to the tune of almost two grand. Now I have massive metal fragments showing up on the final drive magnet. Dealer says some kind of bearing may have gone, and estimates a $1500 repair. I have always changed my own fluids yearly, and switched to Amsoil synthetic GL5 about five years ago, a highly rated oil. Is this normal to lose the final drive after just 99k? My Dad had a Mercedes with 550k miles when he sold it,on the original rear differential. This may be the final straw for this bike, thinking of selling and reevaluating brand loyalty.
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Final drive failure
- Thread starter tatonka
- Start date
pglaves
#13338
Some will say failure is "normal". A lot of that generation final drive failed for a variety of reasons. The best estimate of the failure rate is however somewhere in the 4% to 5% failure rate meaning 95% to 96% haven't failed. That statistic is absolutely meaningless to everybody who has had one or more final drive failures. Yet most owners do not suffer the failure. A 4% failure rate is, from a manufacturer's standpoint an embarrassing disgrace. But still, many more than most don't fail.
If you like the bike contact Tom Cutter at the Rubber Chicken Racing Garage (http://rubberchickenracinggarage.com/contact.html). When Tom fixes a final drive and the owner follows the specifications and his recommendations for lubricants his repairs do not fail.
6322
Member
Sorry to hear of your impending final drive failure. Not sure if there is a common problem but I've had no issues with my '00 R1100RS, with 115,000 miles on it. I've only ever used Castrol 80/90 dino, gear oil with 10,000 mile changes, which I've done for all of my BMWs since '71. Rather than a rebuild you might try to find a good, used replacement and change it yourself in a half hour. Good luck sorting out your dilemma. Ride easy.
pglaves
#13338
My R1150R had 189,000 miles on the undamaged final drive when I sold the bike. Voni's R1100RS is a bit north of 412,000 miles on the original final drive. Part of the 95% or so that don't fail.
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pglaves
#13338
Be sure you use only 80w90 or 75w90 gear oil. The XXw140 weight oil is too thick.
m_stock10506
Well-known member
You will find out that Tom Cutter recommends only 80w90 GL-5 gear oil in these final drives. The repair is not very expensive and not that difficult. It can be done in a home garage.
Really appreciate the responses guys. Yes, as I said, I have always used GL-5 (75W-90). BMW brand until about 70k, then switched to Amsoil synthetic GL-5 because I wanted EXTRA protection for my final drive. I read about other folks losing the FD and wondered if they had hard acceleration habits before the bike was warmed up, so I always babied her until hot. Changed it every 2500 to 4500. Have wanted a water boxer since they came out, so think I'm going to part ways with this RT. Just wish I could've gone another 700 miles and see the odo turn over 100k. 
AntonLargiader
Active member
Throw a good used FD on that and drive it over 100k. Then you can sell it as a functioning bike. I totally get wanting a newer bike, but selling your current one would probably be easier if it wasn't broken.
The $1500 quote is not surprising for a dealership. At independent shops like mine the typical cost is in the $750 range, and then you have some R&R time. Dealership costs are always higher but you have BMW standing behind the repair.
I don't think it's the oil or the acceleration. It just lasted that long. I have a few bikes with over 150k on them and the only one that had a FD failure was a K75... the least likely of all of them to have that problem. It just happens. It happens a lot more, though, on the 1995~2005 bikes because they're heavier and more powerful, and (I suspect) because they were assembled with less care. I find some pretty massive shimming errors in them.
The $1500 quote is not surprising for a dealership. At independent shops like mine the typical cost is in the $750 range, and then you have some R&R time. Dealership costs are always higher but you have BMW standing behind the repair.
I don't think it's the oil or the acceleration. It just lasted that long. I have a few bikes with over 150k on them and the only one that had a FD failure was a K75... the least likely of all of them to have that problem. It just happens. It happens a lot more, though, on the 1995~2005 bikes because they're heavier and more powerful, and (I suspect) because they were assembled with less care. I find some pretty massive shimming errors in them.
jconway607
JohnWC
Sorry to hear about your final drive failure. It sounds like you take meticulous care of the bike, so it would seem to be very unfair that you would be one of the few with the problem. Just bad luck, I guess. Not that that helps. I go along with others suggesting a used drive and self installed. You will never unload it broken, except for "parts", and about $500. Even putting a reasonable $750 or so having Anton do the work would seem problematic. I have an 1100rt, in beautiful condition, and from what I see, it's only worth about $2000, or $1000 LESS than a new Honda Grom. I'm baffled what has happened to the 1100/1150 bikes from a resale prospective. At this rate they will soon be in the same hopeless class as trying to sell the dreaded K1200RT.
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Sorry to hear about your final drive woes and your dealer wanting to stick it to you on the price of the repair. My RT needed a final drive when I bought it. Discovered it before closing the deal and therefore got the bike for a really nice price. What I did was remove the drive myself (took me about an hour & a half) then took it to my local indy shop (Re-Psycle in Lithopolis, OH). They charged me $400 for parts and labor. I reinstalled the repaired drive myself and had the bike ready to ride within an hour. I've put 18k miles on the bike since the repair last June and have full faith that it will last many more miles.
Cheers!
Art
Cheers!
Art
riderr1150gsadv
Well-known member
IMHO it is just bad luck to have the big bearing fail at 100K miles, but it does mean that the FD was shimmed properly. If it had failed sooner the issue would have been different as shimming would be suspect.
Personally I'd get it repaired and keep on riding the bike unless you're jonesing for a new ride...
YMMV
Personally I'd get it repaired and keep on riding the bike unless you're jonesing for a new ride...
YMMV
lkchris
Active member
There are those who will insist use of synthetic gear oil is the cause of your failure.
The recommendation noted elsewhere is for non synthetic only.
Personally, I'm skeptical, but others have more experience and possibly even engineering knowledge.
FINAL DRIVE LUBRICANT PARALEVER r1100/1150 MODELS
To set the record straight, I recommend NON-SYNTHETIC 75W90 or 80W90 GL-5 Hypoid-type GEAR OIL. I've posted the actual reasons online dozens of times. I would extend that recommendation to advise that if you are using synthetic gear oil, you should consider switching to non-synthetic gear oil as described above. I have tested and use CASTROL LIMITED SLIP AXLE And SPECTRO HYPOID GEAR OIL but there are certainly other non-synthetic hypoid-type GL-5 rated gear oils out there. I just haven't tested them for millions of miles in my clients' bikes for the last 48 years.
The vast majority of the hundreds of paralever rear drives had synthetic gear oil AND were not shimmed as well as they could have been from the factory.
Many riders buy used drives and send them for reconditioning while they are happily riding. Then they swap in the reconditioned drive and sell their original drive as used and state the mileage honestly. This seems to me to be the most practical course of action to reduce downtime and out-of pocket cost.
To set the record straight, I recommend NON-SYNTHETIC 75W90 or 80W90 GL-5 Hypoid-type GEAR OIL. I've posted the actual reasons online dozens of times. I would extend that recommendation to advise that if you are using synthetic gear oil, you should consider switching to non-synthetic gear oil as described above. I have tested and use CASTROL LIMITED SLIP AXLE And SPECTRO HYPOID GEAR OIL but there are certainly other non-synthetic hypoid-type GL-5 rated gear oils out there. I just haven't tested them for millions of miles in my clients' bikes for the last 48 years.
The vast majority of the hundreds of paralever rear drives had synthetic gear oil AND were not shimmed as well as they could have been from the factory.
Many riders buy used drives and send them for reconditioning while they are happily riding. Then they swap in the reconditioned drive and sell their original drive as used and state the mileage honestly. This seems to me to be the most practical course of action to reduce downtime and out-of pocket cost.
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pglaves
#13338
I agree more than absolutely completely.
Paul and Tom - do you use nonsynthetic for the transmission? Same Castol or Spectro 75/90 or 80/90?
pglaves
#13338
I use Castrol Limited Slip as recommended by Tom in final drives and in transmissions. I have used it and its predecessor name (Castrol Hypoy C) for at least ten years. It is a non-synthetic oil with high sulfur content.
