NHTSA Complaint #10447160 — 2008 BMW R 1200 RT

I AM WRITING IN RESPONSE TO YOUR INVESTIGATION CONCERNING BMW MOTORCYCLE FINAL DRIVE FAILURES AND WISH PROVIDE SUPPORTING INFORMATION. I HAVE A 2008 BMW R1200RT (VIN [XXX]) IN WHICH THE FINAL DRIVE DEVELOPED SIGNIFICANT ROUGHNESS IN THE REAR WHEEL ROTATION AND PRONOUNCED RUMBLING NOISE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AT ABOUT 22,000 MILES (EARLY 2011). I CONTINUED TO OPERATE THE MOTORCYCLE UNTIL 23, 400 MILES AT WHICH POINT I CONTACTED BMW USA AND MY LOCAL DEALER (AUGUST 2011). AS MY MOTORCYCLE WAS A FEW MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY, NEITHER ORGANIZATION WAS PARTICULARLY HELPFUL. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THE FINAL DRIVE LUBRICATION WAS CHANGED AT 12,000 AND 18,000 MILES SERVICE INTERVALS. NO METAL SHAVINGS NOTED WHEN THE OIL WAS DRAINED. AT NO TIME WAS FINAL DRIVE OIL LEAKAGE EVIDENT. BEING A MECHANICALLY CAPABLE INDIVIDUAL, I ELECTED TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR THE FINAL DRIVE MYSELF. I DISMANTLED THE FINAL DRIVE AND INSPECTED THE CROWN WHEEL BEARING. I DISCOVERED SIGNIFICANT ROUGHNESS IN THE BEARINGS ROTATION. FURTHER, I CUT THE BEARING APART TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE ROUGHNESS. THE INSIDE OF THE BEARING STILL CONTAINED GREASE AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FINAL DRIVE OIL LEAKAGE INTO THE BEARING ITSELF. AFTER CLEANING AWAY THE GREASE, I EXAMINED THE BEARINGS RACES AND BALL BEARINGS. I NOTED SIGNIFICANT PITTING AND METAL GALLING ON THE BALLS AND BEARING RACES. I REPLACED THE FAILED BEARING WITH A NEW BEARING AND REPLACED THE SEALS. TOTAL PART COST WAS APPROXIMATELY $200. I FABRICATED THE NECESSARY SPECIAL TOOLS TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. I RETAINED THE FAILED BEARING SHOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN EXAMINING IT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR