RE: Catastrophic shaft/casing failure - 3

I am getting mine checked as part of the recall while also requesting the spline regrease this thursday.
Hopefully all will be completed in the one visit while they also sort out the new circlips on the footpegs for the other recall.
Will confirm the new procedure and replacement shaft schedules if I can.

Is this issue related to "older" RS models, or is it concurrent with new models as well?

It is interesting that it is the front joint that has gone and no mention of a drain valve being fitted.
I presume the front gets more articulation due to the axle movement but wonder if it was bad manufacture or lack of lubrication that led to failure.
Certainly not water ingress.
It would have been nice to know what the mileage was on the RS, but I don't recall it being mentioned.

Alan

Another interesting video of drive shaft coming apart, this fellow mentions 30,000 miles on the bike which is a 1200R.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x49y2Y4rprY

He also shows an opening in the front boot which may have been the cause.

Didn't notice any grease added to the boots when re-installed in video one. Good idea to add a good silicone or rubber grease to seal between the metal and rubber or use the bmw recommended Staburags NBU 30 PTM, part number 07559056992 if you can find it. Honda Moly 77 Grease / Paste is good for the splines, easy to find and works real well.

2023 RS's get the drain or duck bills from factory . The video of the RS with exploded U Joint is a example of abuse . Notice all the racing stickers and weight reduction items on the unit . Probably a great deal of clutch up wheelies and clutch dumps at revs .

Zitat von c10 im Beitrag #36

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2023 RS's get the drain or duck bills from factory . The video of the RS with exploded U Joint is a example of abuse . Notice all the racing stickers and weight reduction items on the unit . Probably a great deal of clutch up wheelies and clutch dumps at revs .

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Zitat von BEARR im Beitrag #32

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Is this issue related to "older" RS models, or is it concurrent with new models as well?

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The 1200's, 1250's and 1300's have a lot of power and torque that the metallurgy chosen by the engineers for our bikes, hasn't matched.

I think Lee's mention of the every 60,000 mile drive sharft replacement planned for the 1300s is an acknowledgement that with more torque and horsepower, our drive trains warrant far more attention than the original service schedule implied in it's lack of recommendation for any shaft service.


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I think that's a good and valid point. I remember back in the 70's when we use to tune Mini engines for racing. More horsepower coupled to better traction led to sheared drive shafts and chewed up splines.
At my now sedentary pace and restrained riding my driveshaft should last for years......

Alan

For my 2020 R1250RS I recently got a letter from BMW stating the driveshaft will be replaced for free at 60.000 km. Now on 20.000 km and following BMW services with check and re-greaseing.

My 1991 K100RS broke its rear drive shaft at 48K miles when I was accelerating in second gear. In that case, the rod going through the front U-joint broke in half, causing it to spin freely, taking out the swing arm bearing and damaging the inside of the swing arm casing. When I saw the broken U-joint, there was no indication that it had ever been lubricated (perhaps any lube had been cleaned off by the repair technician?) and had sheared cleanly in half at the middle of the rod going though the joint assembly.

Since the bike was out of warranty at the time, I had to foot the $1200 repair bill (this was in 1998) at the time. Interestingly, BMWNA claimed that they had no rear shaft parts in the U.S. and the repair parts had to be flown from the factory in Germany to my dealer in California. Naturally, BMW said that they had never heard of this sort of failure before, but in later years I heard that a number of BMW K-bike owners had that sort of failure, too. Perhaps that was the real reason the BMWNA didn't have any repair parts for the shaft drive available - maybe they had completely run out of them?

Zitat von Ray B im Beitrag #37

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Zitat von c10 im Beitrag #36

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2023 RS's get the drain or duck bills from factory . The video of the RS with exploded U Joint is a example of abuse . Notice all the racing stickers and weight reduction items on the unit . Probably a great deal of clutch up wheelies and clutch dumps at revs .

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The 1200's, 1250's and 1300's have a lot of power and torque that the metallurgy chosen by the engineers for our bikes, hasn't matched.

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Zitat von RS_Lars im Beitrag #40

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For my 2020 R1250RS I recently got a letter from BMW stating the driveshaft will be replaced for free at 60.000 km. Now on 20.000 km and following BMW services with check and re-greaseing.

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YES = there is now a service schedule rather than a recall.

Adding update to both threads regarding this topic while my current 2017 RS which is having a 'night out at the dealers!'

As stated elsewhere I booked in today to get both updates for ventilation unit and passenger footrest clips and also agreed to pay for a spline regrease BUT.............

This is not a BMW recall, merely and alteration in 'service schedule' rquirements from now on. (it will make some sense)

Anyone with an older pre water assisted cooling 1200 is now advised that the original 'filled for life/maintenance free' bevel unit now gets a regular 6k oil change.

My R1200ST bevel unit needed an overhaul due to early 'lack of maintenance due to not replacing oil' which is now, I assume' scheduled for all the new R 12 oil cooled retro 1200's currently?

This now makes sense for our RS as bmw have changed their "maintenance free shaft drive procedure" to get yearly/6k/variable spline regrease at owners cost during servicing, ok?

Now we early owners are caught in this same 'trap' of not greasing splines due to no bmw request originally.

We are now covered by this oversight and in my case it seems likely a new shaft, possiby bevel unit and workshop costs are being covered by bmw, which is brilliant.

No dodging this and going forward it will also include a new shaft drive at 60,000km/37k miles free of charge.

For me this has meant as the technician could not separate the drive shaft from the bevel drive I will now not need to pay the spline grease charges as any work now needed is covered, parts and labour by bmw. Surely this is the best result and well worth the peace of mind - pay for a grease and all is ok OR it's not ok and bmw will restore your bike!

Obviously this is a great outcome for me, except I have been loaned an R1250RS while this extra work is carried out.

Due to this 'no charge' and looking at a few items on sale I have purchase a new system 7 helmet and gloves and maybe a new bike, R1300RS ?

Hope this gives you the temptation to get this 'non-recall' ie. NO panic - just add to your next service and know you are being supported by bmw.

For me I have "lucked-in / lucked-out" you can decide. All possible issues covered!

The shaft was stuck in both ends and I am now getting a new shaft, new complete bevel drive and all labour costs covered.

BMW 5 star and beyond I would say, anyone disagree?