dirt rat
Race Dog
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2012
- Messages
- 1,119
- Reaction score
- 263
- Bike
- BMW G650 X-challenge
I would like to believe my bike is bulletproof and will run forever but the reality is somewhat different in my experience.
Besides the normal suspects like starter motors - hall sensor units -throttle cables and service items let us talk about bearings.
The problem with these are that bearing failure can be hard to diagnose without actually inspecting the unit and failing to replace a failed bearing can lead to very expensive secondary damage.
I am talking about the following.
GEARBOX BEARINGS
If the gearbox sounds rough on the overrun have it checked-failure to do so could result in damage to the output shaft -R3441.00 geniune bmw new.
This happened to me -mileage 108000km -total repair cost R10284.00
DIFF PIVOT BEARING
With the bike on the sidestand push down on the shock-if you hear a clacking sound on the up and down movement have them checked.
Replaced at 140000km but probably should have done so much sooner as they were truly stuffed.
DIFF CROWN BEARINGS
Will generally start leaking oil on back wheel-mine tend to last 45000km which includes about 40% offroad.
SWINGARM BEARING -IMPORTANT
Hard to detect-at about 160000km I felt a feint and intermittant vibration on the left footpeg.
On checking we found the bearings totally shot resulting in the driveshaft to rub on the inside of the swingarm casing which I assume caused caused the felt vibration.
The bearings are inexpensive R520.00.
BUT
After the bearings were done I noticed a roughness on the final drive on the overrun and when we drained the oil there it was -iron filings and bits of metal.
The result is a stuffed pinion gear -2 weeks leadtime R6000.00 exluding the bearings.
I am probably not qualified to say for sure but it seems that the serious damage was caused by the failure of the swingarm bearings .
SO
It would make sense to replace certain bearings as a preventative measure and maybe the the technical guru's like Welsh could give some guidance.
MY TEN CENTS WORTH
Gearbox -check at 100000km
Diff pivot -replace at 100000km
Diff crown-replace at 45000km
Swingarm-replace at 100000km
I am sure many of you will disagree with above and I have also heard some stories of bikes that have done double the above distances without hassles but this my experience over the last 1000000km
and if it saves the next guy some financial inconvenience that would make writing this worthwhile.
Besides the normal suspects like starter motors - hall sensor units -throttle cables and service items let us talk about bearings.
The problem with these are that bearing failure can be hard to diagnose without actually inspecting the unit and failing to replace a failed bearing can lead to very expensive secondary damage.
I am talking about the following.
GEARBOX BEARINGS
If the gearbox sounds rough on the overrun have it checked-failure to do so could result in damage to the output shaft -R3441.00 geniune bmw new.
This happened to me -mileage 108000km -total repair cost R10284.00
DIFF PIVOT BEARING
With the bike on the sidestand push down on the shock-if you hear a clacking sound on the up and down movement have them checked.
Replaced at 140000km but probably should have done so much sooner as they were truly stuffed.
DIFF CROWN BEARINGS
Will generally start leaking oil on back wheel-mine tend to last 45000km which includes about 40% offroad.
SWINGARM BEARING -IMPORTANT
Hard to detect-at about 160000km I felt a feint and intermittant vibration on the left footpeg.
On checking we found the bearings totally shot resulting in the driveshaft to rub on the inside of the swingarm casing which I assume caused caused the felt vibration.
The bearings are inexpensive R520.00.
BUT
After the bearings were done I noticed a roughness on the final drive on the overrun and when we drained the oil there it was -iron filings and bits of metal.
The result is a stuffed pinion gear -2 weeks leadtime R6000.00 exluding the bearings.
I am probably not qualified to say for sure but it seems that the serious damage was caused by the failure of the swingarm bearings .
SO
It would make sense to replace certain bearings as a preventative measure and maybe the the technical guru's like Welsh could give some guidance.
MY TEN CENTS WORTH
Gearbox -check at 100000km
Diff pivot -replace at 100000km
Diff crown-replace at 45000km
Swingarm-replace at 100000km
I am sure many of you will disagree with above and I have also heard some stories of bikes that have done double the above distances without hassles but this my experience over the last 1000000km
and if it saves the next guy some financial inconvenience that would make writing this worthwhile.
