Broken Throttle Body Pulleys 2009 R1200RT

Good point, and best of luck.

I got the gas tank on earlier today, hooked up the gas lines and electrical stuff and it fired right up. In fact it seemed to catch quicker?Getting the low profile oetiker clamp plier was worth every penny. Now the throttle works too! I'll get one more panel on tomorrow and take it for a ride and make sure the cruise control works. I feel a lot better now.

Good job!

Glad to hear you got it fixed.

Any idea how both pulleys broke at the same time?

Don't know.

Ponch,

How much freeplay do you have in the throttle cable up at the grip? What about the cables at the throttle bodies?

I know people like to zero any freeplay out for "more response" - but I think that may risk having the throttle bodies bang up against full open when you're accelerating with rapidity. That's about the only way I can imagine both breaking at the same time.

deilenberger said:

Ponch,

How much freeplay do you have in the throttle cable up at the grip? What about the cables at the throttle bodies?

I know people like to zero any freeplay out for "more response" - but I think that may risk having the throttle bodies bang up against full open when you're accelerating with rapidity. That's about the only way I can imagine both breaking at the same time.

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You have a point. I had adjusted them at one point some time ago as I've never ridden a bike with so much throttle play and driveline lash. It makes the reaction from throttle input to go seem relatively forever or herky jerky. It's fixed now, so I guess I am "happy" about that. As far as the throttle body cables, I haven't checked to "newer" ones. I got a TB set with all the cables and FI still attached and just disconnected the TB cables from the distro box and put them in mine, but used my injectors. From what I can tell, it probably came from a RTP as the box didn't have the facilities for cruise control, which is fine. I'll have to do a TB sync soon, but need to get a carb sync tool first. The hardest part of this was taking all the body work and gas tank off and getting the right tool for the clamps. I love having the right tools. It makes things so much easier.

Throttle Body saga

Similarly, I simultaneously broke both plastic pulleys on my '09 R1200RT. My BMW dealership informed me neither the pulley nor the shaft onto which the pulley is swaged is a BMW part number. Their solution was two new throttle bodies. I posted a letter about this in the Nov. 2014 BMW Owners News and also filed a complaint with the National Transportation Safety Board. I had my dealer install two new throttle bodies and I sent the broken TBs to BING Power Systems - the manufacturer - in Nuremberg, Germany for repair. The TBs were repaired and returned to me along with two spare shafts with pulleys attached, which I requested. This should be a BMW recall matter for replacement of the plastic pulleys with metal pulleys. This pulley failure is not all that uncommon and the risk of death or injury upon the failure of these poorly designed and manufactured pulleys is a critical safety consideration.

Bart MOA # 158246

On these failures, were you rolling off throttle or just riding along? I haven't looked hard, but RT's only? Do both of y'all have cruise control?

We have three models in the 07-09 range, two with over 100K, but no RT's. Keep recommended minimum slack at the adjusters and guess just used to the feel.

Too bad the parts are not as available as they are for the 11XX series. Just got a set for a 1150 with the tick-tick-tick from a worn shaft. Maybe one day?

Re TB saga

When the throttle body pulleys broke I was rolling on full throttle and had just shifted into 3rd gear as I was merging into traffic coming up on me from the rear at probably 80 mph. I was merging onto a two-lane highway with heavy traffic and no acceleration lane and when the motor went to an idle I took the only escape route available - the suicide lane separating opposing lanes of traffic. Obviously the plastic pulleys could not take the stress of hard, full-on throttle, something I needed to keep from getting run over from the rear. The dealer told me they rarely see this breakage, except on police bikes, where it is surmised that motor officers stress the pulleys with full-on hard acceleration, as in a pursuit endeavor. Regardless, in my opinion, this is a design and manufacturing flaw that could cost one his life, and that is exactly what a motor officer told me whose service bike was a 1200RT of the same vintage. This flaw demands a recall and retrofit with a metal pulley that, in my opinion, should be designed and offered by BMW Motorad. This flaw, uncorrected, will one day lead to a lawsuit because the flaw is documented.

Bart

bruud said:

When the throttle body pulleys broke I was rolling on full throttle and had just shifted into 3rd gear as I was merging into traffic coming up on me from the rear at probably 80 mph. I was merging onto a two-lane highway with heavy traffic and no acceleration lane and when the motor went to an idle I took the only escape route available - the suicide lane separating opposing lanes of traffic. Obviously the plastic pulleys could not take the stress of hard, full-on throttle, something I needed to keep from getting run over from the rear. The dealer told me they rarely see this breakage, except on police bikes, where it is surmised that motor officers stress the pulleys with full-on hard acceleration, as in a pursuit endeavor. Regardless, in my opinion, this is a design and manufacturing flaw that could cost one his life, and that is exactly what a motor officer told me whose service bike was a 1200RT of the same vintage. This flaw demands a recall and retrofit with a metal pulley that, in my opinion, should be designed and offered by BMW Motorad. This flaw, uncorrected, will one day lead to a lawsuit because the flaw is documented.

Bart

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I had been stopped at a light and was shifting between first and second when it happened. Like you, I wondered who was behind me?I put in a complaint too and even exchanged emails with BMWNA, but their solution was for me to have the dealer install new TBs and send them the receipt for review. I ended up getting used parts.

How many miles were on your bike? My bike had 29843 miles on it when it happened. How much did the dealer charge? How much did Bing Charge? Just wondering. My guess is the dealer bill would be at least $1400. There's not enough BMW kool-aid or wacky weed to make me want to pay that much, let alone it's a defect, for plastic pulleys.

Re TB pulleys

My RT had 48,832 miles when the pulleys broke. The dealer quote was $1,304 but I negotiated that downward a few dollars. Can't find the receipt but it was over $1,200.

Since the repair I am careful to avoid rolling on the throttle to the hilt.

BING was good to me. No charge. I had a lengthy email conversation with them over a matter of weeks and as much as anything, perhaps they wanted to see the broken pulleys because they stood their ground with their belief that their design and manufacturing process was solid. I was elated that they worked with me on this matter.

In my opinion, the pulleys and pulley shafts should be available in the aftermarket. Together they should be a relatively inexpensive item. It is insane to have to install new throttle bodies because of a flaw that could easily be corrected. A steel pulley swaged onto the shaft would be an easy retrofit. With retrofitting it would be important to balance the left and right TB functions.

I found a set on eBay, with all the hardware still attached, meaning cables and FI with lower mileage than my bike. I paid $265 with shipping installed them myself.

I wonder if Bing would want to look at mine?

ponch1 said:

I found a set on eBay, with all the hardware still attached, meaning cables and FI with lower mileage than my bike. I paid $265 with shipping installed them myself.

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While no doubt a PITA.... on getting through this and advising the members.
OM

ponch1 said:

I found a set on eBay, with all the hardware still attached, meaning cables and FI with lower mileage than my bike. I paid $265 with shipping installed them myself.

I wonder if Bing would want to look at mine?

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In my quest to invoke Eilenberger's Law of Spares (You never need the part you have..) - back when my bike was almost new I spotted a set on Ebay - $100 for the pair, with cables and injectors/hoses/steppers. Haven't needed them and hope not to. It's worth keeping an eye on Ebay for items like this - sometimes it's worth just having them, if you never need them, you won't have a problem selling them when you're done with the bike.

deilenberger said:

In my quest to invoke Eilenberger's Law of Spares (You never need the part you have..) - back when my bike was almost new I spotted a set on Ebay - $100 for the pair, with cables and injectors/hoses/steppers. Haven't needed them and hope not to. It's worth keeping an eye on Ebay for items like this - sometimes it's worth just having them, if you never need them, you won't have a problem selling them when you're done with the bike.

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I got Eilenberger's second axiom when dealing with BMW over this or at least a modified version:

"And I'm sure based on BMW's usual reactions to these sort of things:

1. What problem?
2. Oh, that problem. First we've heard of it.
3. You caused it
4. Your environment caused it (fuel properties usually)
5. We have no problem"

OK folks, i am sporting a new to me 09gs and i could be wrong but my guess is, it has the same setup. iam going down to have a look, having said that, had i known. there are other manufactures out there. i scooped this bike up with the hopes of not turning a wrench for at liest one season. i do like the bike, the electrical system is virtually maintenance free. i sapose they had to leave something, BUT. safety is a huge issue with me,,,,,

ratze said:

OK folks, i am sporting a new to me 09gs and i could be wrong but my guess is, it has the same setup. iam going down to have a look, having said that, had i known. there are other manufactures out there. i scooped this bike up with the hopes of not turning a wrench for at liest one season. i do like the bike, the electrical system is virtually maintenance free. i sapose they had to leave something, BUT. safety is a huge issue with me,,,,,

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Including myself, I have only found 4 instances of this being reported, three of which have put in a complaint to the NHTSA. That said, I think it's a very rare problem, but troubling if you've had it happen. The 2009 is the last year of the hexhead and if there have been any common bugs, they've been worked out and it won't have the switch gear problems of the later bikes, so it's not a bad purchase. Just make sure there are some sort of service records kept on the bike so you know how it's been taken care of. Also, you didn't say how many miles are on it, which would give us some info of what to look for in terms of what it might need, if anything. Also, just as a curiosity, what bikes have you owned before this? I find it interesting on how people end up on BMWs. It's such a strange bike to me as I've had some minor issues, but I can't stay mad at it long. It's like a temperamental wife that is talented. What can I say.

I went down and had a look, same setup. iam not going to worry about it as i never twist the grip full on anyway. the bike has 39 on the clock, ive got the tank off er now. valve adj, canister. horn, lites and the famous AFXied and several other upgrades. i think the bike will do exactly what i need it to do, ive been on 02 1150 for many sweet miles, not a nut nerbolt on that bike that has"ent been fussed with. a quater million miles, what iam really gona miss with the gs is weather protection. the rt was the best for that, anyone know if clutch has a diff design than rt, ive had that gearbox ota ther 3 times. once jes because, when we head out for a 3 month trip the last thing i wana be thinking about is spine issues when in coldfoot alaska. sorry, splines. my gs has full aftermarket exhaust system with electronic wilbers sus, runs way to lean for my liking though, its in the process of coming around to my way of thinking. been on 2 wheels for 45yrs. 35yrs of that was on moto guzzis, 1970 ambasador. 74 eldorado of which i still have, would that be considered vintage. yes i am getting to old to be turning the spanner. honestly though,wrenching on em is 75% of the ride for me. iam an ole gear head and cant even help it. i guess thers worse things ta be addicted to. ride on,,,

The 1200's don't have input shaft spline issues as the earlier bike do. That was fixed I suppose. If you've had a 1150, then the maintenance is very familiar. The one thing about the GS that is better is the lack of tupperware as it's easier to work on.