NHTSA Complaint #10074938 — 1999 BMW R1100 RT

1)EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE: NONE I'M AWARE OF. VEHICLE HAD 85,000 MILES. 2)FAILURE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES: THE 1999 BMW R1100RT MOTORCYCLE HAS A CANTILEVERED REAR SWINGARM, WHICH IS TO SAY THAT THE REAR WHEEL IS SUPPORTED ONLY FROM ONE SIDE. THE WHEEL BEARING IS INTEGRAL TO THE DRIVETRAIN; MISALIGNMENT OF DRIVETRAIN COMPONENTS DUE TO WHEEL BEARING FAILURE CAN CAUSE DRIVELINE LOCK UP, RESULTING IN LOSS OF MOTORCYCLE CONTROL AND A POTENTIALLY FATAL CRASH. I HAVE NOT CONFIRMED THE NECESSARY DIMENSIONS, BUT IF THE BEARING IS DAMAGED BADLY ENOUGH, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE REAR WHEEL MAY DETACH COMPLETELY FROM THE REST OF THE MOTORCYCLE. RELATIVELY MINOR MISALIGNMENT OF PARTS DUE TO BEARING DAMAGE MAY COMPROMISE SHAFT OIL SEALS, ALLOWING UP TO 8 OUNCES OF GEAR OIL TO LEAK ONTO THE WHEEL AND TIRE, POSSIBLY CAUSING A LOSS OF TRACTION WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FATAL ACCIDENT. 3. FAILURE CORRECTIONS/REPAIRS IN MY CASE, THE INITIAL BEARING DAMAGE WAS NOTICED BEFORE SECONDARY/CATASTROPHIC FAILURES OCCURRED. I AM REPLACING ALL OF THE BEARINGS THAT WERE EXPOSED TO CONTAMINATED GEAR OIL. ALL OF THE ORIGINAL BEARINGS ARE STILL IN MY POSSESSION AND ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION IF DESIRED. I AM AWARE OF AT LEAST TWO OTHER CASES OF WHEEL BEARING FAILURE, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN CATASTROPHIC BEARING FAILURE, SUDDEN SEVERE MISALIGNMENT OF THE REAR WHEEL, DUMPING OF GEAR OIL ON TIRE, AND NEAR-SEPARATION OF THE WHEEL FROM THE MOTORCYCLE.*AK