2000 BMW K1200LT Power Train Problems

DP12001 THE FINAL DRIVE FAILED AT 74,000 MILES WITH THE BEARING FAILING AND THE SEAL LEAKING OIL ONTO THE REAR WHEEL. AFTER REPAIR AT AN AUTHORIZE BMW MOTORCYCLE DEALER THE FINAL DRIVE FAILED A SECOND TIME AT 91,000 MILES.

WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY I NOTICED A NEW RHYTHMIC VIBRATION TRANSMITTED THROUGH FOOTPEGS, VARIED SPEED & VIBRATION RATE ALSO VARIED. STOPPED, CHECKED WHEELS & TIRES, NO DEFECTS NOTED, CONTINUED TO DESTINATION. PARKED MOTORCYCLE ON IT'S CENTER STAND, REMOVED HELMET, GLOVES, JACKET & STOWED. VISUALLY INSPECTED MOTORCYCLE APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES LATER & FOUND FINAL DRIVE LUBE DRIPPING FROM FINAL DRIVE, REAR BRAKE CALIPER ONTO REAR WHEEL, RUNNING DOWN RH SIDE OF REAR TIRE AND DRIPPING ON THE FLOOR. FLUID LOSS AT THAT POINT ESTIMATED TO BE APROX. 1 TEASPOON. ROTATING REAR WHEEL FOUND ROTATION "NOTCHY"/NOT SMOOTH, TURNING FASTER BY HAND COULD HEAR RUMBLE. SUSPECT CROWN BEARING CAGE FAILURE, FURTHER DAMAGING SEAL. DRAINED FINAL DRIVE, FOUND FLUID VERY DARK WITH METAL PARTICLES SUSPENDED IN FLUID. MAGNETIC DRAIN PLUG COATED WITH FLAKES & SLUDGE OVER 1/4 INCH THICK. EXAMINED DRAINED FLUID & FOUND PIECES OF SEAL MATERIAL. PHOTOGRAPHED ALL FINDINGS. FINAL DRIVE...

THE FINAL DRIVE FAILED AND THE BEARING SEAL LEAKED OIL ON THE REAR TIRE. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW K1200 LT MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO WOBBLE AS IF THERE WAS A FLAT TIRE. THE CONTACT MERGED TO THE SHOULDER AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT THERE WAS NO VISIBLE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FINAL DRIVE BALL BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,035 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,500.

I WAS TRAVELING WITH FRIENDS BACK HOME FROM A 200 MILE TRIP. THE BIKE STARTED MAKING NOISE IN THE REAR AND ONE OF THE RIDERS WITH ME SAID THAT MY BIKE WAS NOT ACTING WRIGHT. WE STOPPED LOOKED AT MY REAREND AND OIL WAS LEAKING. I GOT BACK ON BIKE TO MAKE IT HOME AND THE LONGER I RODE THE MORE NOISE IT MADE. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT MY REAREND BEARINGS HAD GONE OUT. *TR

I HAD TAKEN A TRIP TO ATLANTA, GA 700 MILES ONE WAY AND THE FOLLOWING WEEK WAS RIDING TO AND FROM WORK. THERE WAS A NOISE THAT I COULD NO IDENTIFY. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD A REAR BEARING PROBLEM. THIS WAS THE SECOND REAR BEARING TO GO OUT ON ME. *TR

MY FINAL DRIVE MAIN BEARING FAILED AS I WAS TRAVELING ON THE TURNPIKE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS AWARE OF THIS POTENTIAL AND HAD INSTALLED A CHIP DETECTOR IN THE FINAL DRIVE UNIT. THAT ALERTED ME OF THE FAILURE BEFORE IT BECAME AN IMMEDIATE DANGER TO ME. SUBSEQUENT REBUILD OF THE UNIT SHOWED THAT THE ORIGINAL BEARING HAD BEEN OVER-SHIMMIED TO .30MM WHEN THE FACTORY SPECIFICATION CALLS FOR .05MM TO .10MM. AS FAR AS I AM AWARE, THIS WAS DONE AT THE FACTORY. THIS MEASURED OVER-SHIM IS ALSO CONSISTENT WITH THE GALLING OF THE INNER RACE WHICH WAS VISIBLY OFF CENTER AND AT ABOUT 45 DEGREES TO THE AXIS OF THE BEARING WHERE THE LOAD SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE RACE. I HAVE RETAINED THE RACE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT. *TR

A LOW FREQUENCY, RUMBLING NOISE STARTED SLOWLY AT EAR OF MOTORCYCLE. THE NOISE INCREASED IN INTENSITY FOR APPROXIMATELY 500 MILES, WHEN AT THAT POINT IT BECAME A FULL, METAL-TO-METAL GRINDING NOISE, AT THAT POINT, THE MOTORCYCLE WAS PARKED AND RIDDEN NO FURTHER. *TR

THE FINAL DRIVE ON THE MOTORCYCLE FAILED. IT WAS SUDDEN, STARTED WITH A VIBRATION COMING FROM THE REAR END, AND THE TIRE THEN HAD A SLIGHT "WOBBLE". THE FLUID MUST HAVE LEAKED ONTO THE SENSORS ON THE REAR BRAKES AS THE ABS LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH. I PULLED THE BIKE OVER AND NOTICED FLUID DRIPPING FROM THE FINAL DRIVE. I GOT THE BIKE OFF OF THE FREEWAY AND HAD TO TRAILER IT HOME. *TR

WHILE DRIVING I FELT REPETITIVE KNOCKING NOISES COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE MOTORCYCLE, WHICH SHOOK THE FRAME AND GOT WORSE AND WORSE THE MORE I DROVE, UNTIL I COULD DRIVE NO FURTHER. *TR

THE FINAL DRIVE BEARING AND SHIMS AND SEALS FAILED, REQUIRING EXPENSIVE REPAIRS, AND TWO WEEKS WITHOUT RIDING. *TR

2000 K1200LT BMW MOTORCYCLE FINAL DRIVE FAILURE. WHEN ATTEMPTED TO BRING THE MOTORCYCLE TO A SAFE STOP, DISCOVERED THE REAR BRAKE DID NOT WORK, WHICH FORCED TO USE THE FRONT BRAKES ONLY, WHICH EXTENDED HIS STOPPING DISTANCE. WAS ABLE TO BRING THE BIKE TO A SAFE STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON INSPECTION, REALIZED THE REAR BRAKES FAILED BECAUSE THEY WERE SATURATED IN GEAR OIL, THAT LEAKED FROM THE FINAL DRIVE UNIT AFTER THE FINAL DRIVE BEARING SEAL FAILED. THE FINAL GEAR CROWN GEAR BEARING FAILED, ALLOWING THE OIL TO LEAK. THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THE FINAL DRIVE BEARING FAILED ON HIS BIKE. *TR

2000 K1200LT BMW MOTORCYCLE FINAL DRIVE FAILURE. WHEN ATTEMPTED TO BRING THE MOTORCYCLE TO A SAFE STOP, DISCOVERED THE REAR BRAKE DID NOT WORK, WHICH FORCED TO USE THE FRONT BRAKES ONLY, WHICH EXTENDED HIS STOPPING DISTANCE. WAS ABLE TO BRING THE BIKE TO A SAFE STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON INSPECTION, REALIZED THE REAR BRAKES FAILED BECAUSE THEY WERE SATURATED IN GEAR OIL, THAT LEAKED FROM THE FINAL DRIVE UNIT AFTER THE FINAL DRIVE BEARING SEAL FAILED. THE FINAL GEAR CROWN GEAR BEARING FAILED, ALLOWING THE OIL TO LEAK. THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS THE SECOND TIME THE FINAL DRIVE BEARING FAILED ON HIS BIKE.*TR

2000 K1200LT BMW MOTORCYCLE FINAL DRIVE FAILURE. WHEN ATTEMPTED TO BRING THE MOTORCYCLE TO A SAFE STOP, DISCOVERED THE REAR BRAKE DID NOT WORK, WHICH FORCED TO USE THE FRONT BRAKES ONLY, WHICH EXTENDED HIS STOPPING DISTANCE. WAS ABLE TO BRING THE BIKE TO A SAFE STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON INSPECTION, REALIZED THE REAR BRAKES FAILED BECAUSE THEY WERE SATURATED IN GEAR OIL, THAT LEAKED FROM THE FINAL DRIVE UNIT AFTER THE FINAL DRIVE BEARING SEAL FAILED. THE FINAL GEAR CROWN GEAR BEARING FAILED, ALLOWING THE OIL TO LEAK. THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS THE THIRD TIME THE FINAL DRIVE BEARING FAILED ON HIS BIKE. *TR

REAR DRIVE FAILURE OCCURING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. *TR

MOTORCYCLE'S REAR DRIVE FAILED CAUSING THE SEAL TO FAIL AND CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK ONTO THE REAR TIRE. *AK