Camheads and Hexheads and Top Mileage Obtained

[baronk]

Thanks for that high mileage and maintenance info. The "re-greasable" implementation is a great plan. I wonder if others are aware of the details of how to do this? Has this been shared at this site before?

[Dann]

The OEM driveshaft is not serviceable.
There is no way to grease it.

[wyman.winn]

2010RT purchased new, now has 219,000 miles. I do most of the maintenance but not all. Failures: Final drive bearing and drive shaft u-joints both going at 105,000, now have re-greasable u-joints from Bruno in Ontario. I use what I consider good oil but not synthetic. Oh, I'm on my 3rd set of wheel bearings.

damn!!! guess i better get a move on....LOL

good job on the mileage....

[marlen.padberg]

2010 RT that I purchased in 2015 with 18K KMs. It now has 120K KMs, and charging hard. Winter maintenance consists of the usual items - fluids, brake inspection/flush, a good cleaning. No major failures so far, but I have a long way to go to keep up with you guys...

Marlen in Edmonton.

[Texpaul]

2005 R1200GS with 228,000 miles on the odometer. But I bought it used with 36,000 miles so have yet to put "my" 200,000 on it.

[31310]

What is the trade name and town where Bruno operates?

[drneo66]

What is the trade name and town where Bruno operates?

Bruno's is no longer in operation servicing drive shafts

He was in Kitchener Ontario.

[natrab]

At 98,600 on my 2013 R1200RT. Curious too about who does driveshafts now that Bruno's gone. I had mine out recently though, and it looked to be in great shape, so maybe it has a long life ahead of it still.

[kurmugin]

My 2012 has 82,000 and counting.

I've had the rear main and transmission input seals replaced under warrenty.

Just did the clutch, because the rear main, counterbalancer, and input seals were leaking again.

I replaced the driveshaft with an aftermarket, and servicable driveshaft, from Ted Porter's Beemer Shop. The driveshaft and clutch were perventative maintenance, and may or may not have been due to paranoia.

I've ended up buying some equipment, so that I can do the services myself. No-Mar tire changer, and Harbor Freight lift, with a Marc Parnes balancer setup. Of course, that required a compressor, etc. Overall, I'm glad that I've done it. Learned a ton in the process. Tires and fuel are the biggest expenses for me. The main reason that I've purchased the tools is because I don't like waiting for my stuff to be worked on.

I personally do a 5,000 mile schedule, since it's easier to keep track of 5s and 10s. Side benefit, I don't have to set my beer down to count to 6...

[chasmrider]

wow! Texpaul good job! I am wondering if you have repaired/replaced anything beyond routine maintenance? I also have a 2005 R 1200 GS with 165,000 miles. bought it as last years model on 1/10/06 with 5 miles. the only thing I have done is replaced a microswitch on the front brake. being the owner of a R 100 GS ( 3 driveshafts in 75,000 mi ) I often wonder how far my driveshaft will go. the dealer tells me to ride on, so I do. I do all my own maintenance, Chuck

[taran1900]

We all hear a lot about how many miles a rider has traveled and the awards they can garner; but are there any records of how many miles bikes have logged and how an owner explains some of the major miles they have gotten out of their bikes and how they keep them running despite the bikes age and high mileage? I have never seen this type data anywhere. If this type data has never been collected it could be an interesting read and be a possible research project for publication.

Here's a list of the bikes I've owned and the stuff that's failed. I have maintained all of them myself, although many of the failures mentioned below were done under warranty (*).

1977 R100/7 - 172,000 - Rear drive, transmission, rear main seal, clutch (rear main seal blow out), pistons (lack of oil because of rear main seal), diode board, alternator rotor, starter, gas tank (rust in tank), multiple battery covers, carburetor floats (gas soaked boots).
1984 R100RS - 113,000 - Rear drive, diode board (melted after autobahn run at 120+mph), carburetor floats (gas soaked boots).
1985 K100RS - 25,000 - Exhaust heat shield
1994 R1100RS - 159,000 - transmission*, rear subframe*, battery*, roundels*, valve guides*, exhaust valves (one side)*, original saddle bags (outside delaminated)*, valve cover blow outs, rear shock seal failure
1998 R1100RS - 38,000 - Battery*
2001 R1150RS - 43,000 - ABS servo module*
2005 R1200RT - 129,000 - horn circuit, rear drive seal (outboard)*, left side stepper motor (122,000 miles)
2019 R1250RT - 10,400 - gas cap (keyless ride)*

[05biggray]

2013RT, 87000 miles in 48months, 20 days, 11 sets of tires, 11 6000mile services, loads of fun...add to that 9000 miles on a 15 S1000R on third set of tires....

i like to ride...

You just convinced me to keep my 13 anniversary. I, usually trade every 5 yrs. At 30 K I,will keep this one.
Keep it up Be Safe

[ajaxthegreater]

Put 67K miles on a 2007RT before I crashed it on a rainy road in TX. It was totaled but I walked away fine. Got a 2010 K1300GT and put about 15K miles on that. Didn't like it and sold it. Afterward got a 2012RT and put 84K miles on that. It developed a rear seal engine oil leak at 75K miles and I had the dealer replace that and while he was at it the clutch and every other seal in the area. Otherwise I have done all maintenance myself besides a couple of recalls and little items that were under warranty. Just got a 2017 RT and have put a couple of thousand miles on that too. And I did have an R1100R that I put a few thousand miles on somewhere in the K1300GT era.

Reliability seems on a par with cars I have owned. Every now and then something fails. Nothing dramatically flawed on the RT's I have owned but parts prices can be depressing sometimes.