1999 BMW R1100 RT — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

THE PURPOSE OF THIS CORRESPONDENCE IS TO REPORT TO THE NHTSA MY EXPERIENCE WITH A DEFECTIVE FINAL DRIVE ON MY BMW MOTORCYCLE. INVESTIGATION DP12001 WAS OPENED ON 01/20/12, AND I REALIZE THAT FOR NOW, ITS SCOPE IS BEING CONFINED TO 1999-2005 K1200LT MODELS OF THE BMW MOTORCYCLE LINE. HOWEVER MY BIKE, A 1999 R1100RT, HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. ON THE 11TH OF OCTOBER 2011 I WAS RIDING WITH MY WIFE WHEN WE NOTICED A RUMBLING AND THE BIKE WAS SEVERELY SHAKING. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS A FLAT TIRE BUT MY REAR BRAKE DID NOT WORK AND WHEN I FINALLY STOPPED, BY USE OF THE FRONT BRAKE, THERE WAS LOTS OF OIL LEAKING FROM THE FINAL DRIVE OF MY BIKE. ONCE IN THE SHOP I WAS GIVEN AN ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS FOR OVER 2400 DOLLARS. THE BMW DEALER, SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO BMW, INFORMED ME THAT I HAD SUFFERED A FAILURE (SUPER-HEATING FROM THE CROWN GEAR BEARING AND SOME OIL LEAKAGE AND DAMAGE TO THE FINAL DRIVE HOUSING), DESPITE ALL APPROPRIATE FACTORY MAINTENANCE BEING ADHERED TO. *TR

I OWN A 1999 BMW R1100RT MOTORCYCLE. I WAS RIDING HOME AND NOTICE THAT MY REAR BRAKE DID NOT WORK, AS I TURNED ONTO MY HOME STREET. WHEN I PARKED THE VEHICLE, I NOTICE A PUDDLE OF OIL QUICKLY FORMING UNDER THE SHAFT DRIVE AND ONTO THE REAR WHEEL. THIS LEAK STARTED ON THE HIGHWAY, AND COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AND INJURY. UPON FURTHER DISASSEMBLY AND INSPECTION I FOUND THE OIL SEAL HAD BEEN DAMAGED AND RIPPED BY A BEARING FAILURE IN THE FINAL DRIVE UNIT OF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH BMW MOTORCYCLES, AND CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO POOR ASSEMBLY AND QUALITY CONTROL AT THE FACTORY. THE BEARING FAILURE DESTROYS THE OIL SEAL, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK ONTO THE WHEEL, TIRE, AND BRAKE SYSTEM. I FEEL LUCKY TO BE ALIVE, BUT I'M NOW STUCK WITH THE BILL. I HAVE ONLY JUST BEGUN TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM BY LOOKING FOR A DEALERSHIP OR MECHANIC TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE FINAL DRIVE SYSTEM. I HAVE OPTIONS INCLUDING REPLACING WITH NEW, USED, OR REBUILT FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLIES. THE ASSEMBLY MAY OR MAY NOT NEED FULL REPLACEMENT, BUT IT IS QUITE EVIDENT THAT THE BEARING AND ITS CASING HAVE SHATTERED INTO PIECES AND HAVE CREATED A MESS INSIDE THE UNIT. *TR

THE REAR DRIVE BEARING FAILED ON MY MOTORCYCLE. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY, WHO KNOWS HOW SERIOUS IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN. *NM

THE REAR DRIVE BEARING FAILED ON MY MOTORCYCLE. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY, WHO KNOWS HOW SERIOUS IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN. *NM

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