Any high mileage wetheads out there?

akbeemer said:

The drive shaft on my 2017 R12GSA was showing signs of impending failure at 45,000 miles. I pulled it during the winter for a check and found both u-joints were notchy when moved thru their range of motion. It was slight but undeniable, including to a few other people who checked. A replacement was $1,256 at the time, so I sought alternative solutions. Ended up sending it to a machine shop in Green Bay, Wi to have it rebuilt. They charged $230 and shipping was around $25 each way. The new u-joints have zirks in them, so I now pull it at every 12,000 mile service. So far, so good.

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It sounds like you found a very cost effective solution, but I don't find it acceptable that you had an impending failure at such a low mileage, for such an expensive part, and that you now have to do a fairly significant amount of work every 12,000 miles. Bummer.

2015 rt. 223,000

akbeemer said:

The drive shaft on my 2017 R12GSA was showing signs of impending failure at 45,000 miles. I pulled it during the winter for a check and found both u-joints were notchy when moved thru their range of motion. It was slight but undeniable, including to a few other people who checked. A replacement was $1,256 at the time, so I sought alternative solutions. Ended up sending it to a machine shop in Green Bay, Wi to have it rebuilt. They charged $230 and shipping was around $25 each way. The new u-joints have zirks in them, so I now pull it at every 12,000 mile service. So far, so good.

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My driveshaft went bad while at the rally in Lebanon,Tn. I had the bike towed to Bloodsworth BMW. They told me a new shaft would cost $998 plus labor.I rented a car, went back to my motel and searched the internet for a used one. I located one from a place in Oregon that had one off a RT-P with 22k on it for $250 plus over night shipping costs.I got to the dealer the next morning to see if the shaft was there and they were just about done installing it. The front yoke on my bad shaft separated because the bearings had frozen. This was at 168K. The new shaft still works fine 54,000 miles later. I feel I ride my bikes like they designed to be ridden. No wheelie attempted wheelies, very seldom does the bike see rpm's above 7,000. But I by no means baby the bike.