2000 BMW K1200LT

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 HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR REPAIRS. FINAL DRIVE HAS HAD REGULAR, SCHEDULED FLUID CHANGES WITH NO ABNORMALITIES NOTED, LAST CHANGE AT 52K MILES, NEXT CHANGE WOULD HAVE BEEN 60K MILES. A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE CROWN BEARING COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE, AND POTENTIALLY SERIOUS INJURY TO A RIDER &/OR PASSENGER. SUSPECT THAT THE PRELOAD ON THE BEARING WAS SET TOO HIGH FROM THE FACTORY & THAT THE DAMAGE PROGRESSION CAUSED BY THIS ERROR WAS EXPONENTIAL OVER TIME. *TR

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

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

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