Very clear instructions and presentation thanks. I’ve seen a few similar videos in which the rubber boots are resealed with Staburags grease to prevent water ingress but you didn’t do this?
I have had three water pumps replaced under warranty on my 17 s1000r and a fuel pump - the latter out of warranty - by BMW Motorad Australia. Great customer service. It makes my next purchase decision pretty easy.
Thank you for putting this video on your channel and introducing the BMW guy to me. I have a K1300s with 88,000 miles on it. Never replaced the shaft but always doing the maintenance to make sure I have no issues. Just bought a 2024 R1250 GSA and I hear lots of shaft issues with these bikes. I hope I can get the same miles out of the GSA with regular maintenance. Thx again.
That's awesome about your K1300S. I have a 2009 with 70,000km. Bought it at 50,000km. Has been problem free aside from the LH switchgear, a known fault in the early model K13 bikes. My second bike is a K1200GT, almost all the thrill of my K13 but in complete comfort for one or two up riding. Enjoy your bikes!
Great video, Mark! I bought a 2017 R1200 GSA used in excellent condition last February. Just had it serviced and I received the driveshaft info. Love this motorcycle and the fact that I will be getting a new shaft in 9,000 miles. Have had no issues with the current shaft and love the motorcycle.
Interesting video,showing letter and Video from the bmw guy. Thank you. I was told a few weeks ago by a BMW service manager that the older version like the 1100 and 1150 did not have the service/replacement issue. He also indicated that the shaft itself (from his standpoint) is not an expensive part but an issues for Customers.Most dealers now will be eager to do the repair because they get paid by BMW, it also gives them an ooportunity to show and may be demo their shiny new models. Now none of us would ever get tempted by such subterfuge! Cheers
I dropped my R1250RS off for the 30K service with just over 37K on the odometer (after completing a trip). The first thing my dealer said was I'd be getting a new drive shaft. They always treat me well and showed me the origanal shaft.(some wear). My dealer and tech are super people. Probably why I've bought multiple bikes from them. They also sell RE's. Now I've developed a second addiction.!!👍👍
13:23 Germany's Finest Engineering. Planned Obsolescence if I ever knew. I knew a guy back in 2008 with a 1982 SUZUKI GS1100G (shaft model). That bike still had the factory shaft and NO SLOP. It's not that BMW Motorrad can't build it right, they just don't want to. That shaft doesn't even seem like it can be easily rebuilt and they probably won't sell you the U Joints by themselves. I was eyeballing a K1600GT BUT if I have to be doing this periodically like I do with my current bike's chain . . . where's the convenience of having a BMW with a drive shaft final drive ? Thanks for the heads up and to the gentleman doing the R&R video.
This is an old item, (drive shaft replacement for 40,000 miles) my 1200 LC GSA was done over 6-9 months ago, BMW really came to the plate on this one, well done
Considering BMW motorcycles have been using a driveshaft since 1923. This is an unusual update. Something is major league wrong with that particular driveshaft system for those bikes. But at least they’re doing the right thing and giving a lifetime coverage.
Heard of the notice. I have a 2015 R1200R my bike met model miles priority and the dealer replaced the shaft at no cost to me. From there to today the mileage intervals have gotten shorter and the life time warranty is amazing. Yes the rear vibration was getting scary. It’s good to see that Motorrad Berlin its taking care of it’s customers.
Here in the UK, i received the same update letter 6 months ago. I have a 2015 r1200gs lc, which i service myself nowadays. I did a full rear end service at 12000 miles, including the splines, shaft and diff oil change. The shaft was very rusty, and spline seized, at the time. All cleaned up and greased now. It was bad at 12000 miles, so who knows what the higher mileage examples are like.
Thanks Mark. I ride a 2022 1250RT and absolutely love it. The motorcycle fits my riding style and needs perfectly. I'm really impressed with BMW and even more so with maintenance releases like this one where they take responsibility for making sure that the owner experience is excellent. I previously owned a 2022 1250GS. Great motorcycle but the RT fits my needs much better.
The letter actually states that it is applicable for the models K5x series (not all 1200 'sand 1250's). Unfortunately I have a 2011 R1200GS K25 and probably are not in the class.
Just got my letter today for my 2017 R1200 GSA. BMW replaced the shaft & installed the new drain valve at their expense for the initial recall a few years back because I had 34,000 miles on the shaft at the time. BMW is showing incredible integrity and responsibility in doing this program, esp for the life of the bike.
Interesting. Please give a visit to your local BMW Motorrad dealer and see what they say. There is a lot of momentum on this topic and my guess is they know by now....
2 questions: *is warranty only for original buyer? * isn’t “Sport” version the RS? That’s what they show on website under Sport. Thanks for the info, so jealous of your garage! 👍
@@steveross2280 warranty follow the bike VIN so you should be good that way. BMW does show the RS under the sport category. Cheers and thanks for the garage comment!
@@MarksGarage17 many thanks again - will follow up with the dealer- I have not received that letter yet- assuming it would apply to a 17 water cooled GSA!
During the replacement of the driveshaft by BMW Guy, I didn't notice any mention of engaging the snap ring in the splines when fitting the drive shaft to the gearbox output shaft...he showed it as a loose fitting on the shaft then went straight to engaging the shaft at the wheel end. Just thought people should be aware. Cheers Dave
I have a 2009 R1200RT. Guess I will to check this out with the local Powersports dealer, though they usually refuse to work on bikes over 10 years old. Nevermind! Liquid cooled only.
Don’t think it’s an issue with these, my 2013 R1200 gsa is similar. The newer LC models have the shaft on the other side and my mate who has 2016 r1200 gs already had a bmw mod to fit a plug on the swing arm now he’s got a recall letter for a new shaft to be fitted. The only thing I don’t like about this is he’s been told it’ll be done when he gets it serviced so they’re going to screw him anyway( he has been doing his own servicing) As I precaution I recently took the shaft out of mine to check it and it looked great, regreased with liqui moly LM47 so I’m happy! It’s not that bad a job to do although took a bit of swearing to get the back end back on!
On newer models with riding modes and traction control they also do a software update that prevents the engine revving when drive is not engaged (in gear with clutch pulled or in neutral) so it only allows revving to 4000-5000 rpm.
Thanks for that piece of information. Sounds like that can help limit possible extra stress on the drive shaft when you decide to drag race at the stop light!
@@MarksGarage17Well it’s not really a stop light thing. What this does is that it limits the revs if you jump with the bike and not let go of the roll. If the the limiter wasn’t there the rear wheel would spin like crazy when airborne and imagine what that would do the power train when you land. Quite a few gear box shaft have snapped this way, they say. This is the reason why BMW reprogrammed the bikes.
I have a R12hl , a 2023 R1250r and an R1300gs and have not received any information from BMW MOTORAD Australia so being a smaller market probably won’t get the same service just like the VW software compensation….. lucky us
I think a bigger question you should ask is why is the USA being notified long after everyone else? I had my kardon shaft replaced under this recall 8 months ago in the UK.
@@MarksGarage17 Not all good news. In the UK at least, the spline regreasing at 12,000 miles during a service will be at the owner's expense. However, a question for the curious. Could BMW have re-engineered the drive shaft to avoid such a regular replacement and might they in the mean-time like to explain the (technical) reason for this replacement?
In the US you have already had ur share of the good: For some reason BMW had to replace all the Hayes front calipers to Brembo before selling the bikes. Here in Europe we have had none of that. And not much problems with leaky Hayes calipers either…😂
The driveshafts have been an issue even in the air cooled bikes. They are not serviceable and the u-joints cannot be replaced except on a few aftermarket shafts. And then there are the splines in the K bikes, gotta be lubed every time you replace the tire-
Thanks for the video.. so aside from replacing the driveshaft are they also going to pay in the interim for the cost for greasing and the checking of the spline every 12k miles ? Thanks again
Thanks for the question. I went with utilizing a slatwall based system. I did a story about this on my channel called, "how to install slatwall in your garage." Here is link to that. ruclips.net/video/Vcxdwn-Ud5M/видео.html. The top company, IMO, who makes this product is Wind mill Slatwall Products in Sheboygan Falls, WI. Hope this is helpful for you.
This special BMW grease that he is using. Can one just use regular grease/lube for these gears or does it have to be the expensive BMW stuff ?? Thank you.
There is a wide variety of lubricants available, all designed for that type of lubrication. You'll want to also make sure that the grease is waterproof and there are many "marine grade" greases designed for this. You don't always have to use the BMW grease.
Hi Mark, I am under the impression that 23 and newer are responsible for service costs and replacement of drive shafts according to new service bulletin.
Good morning-I just re-read the bulletin and on the very last page, it provides the best summary related to the addition to the new vehicle warranty on the bikes. Here it is. "Driveshafts will be replaced under warranty every 36,000 miles or to failure due to a defect in materials or workmanship for unlimited miles for all K5X models up to model year 2024." Hope that helps. A 2023 model should be covered under the expanded warranty as well.
Well they haven’t changed much 50 years ago i had a r75/5 the drive shaft failed and i had to get it hauled home 600 miles after getting it fixed i traded it for a Honda never looked back a chain is easy to replace
Hi Mark-my understanding is if your bike is an R1200 or R1250, you should be covered. And, the program is for the current owner. Always good to check in with your local dealer too. Best wishes.
Just checked with my local dealer. The recall is only for water cooled models not for the oil heads. Good thing I did check though because there’s another recall for the fuel pump on my particular model. 😊
Hello from Canada. I have a 2021 r1250gs. I was aware of the drive shaft issues a year ago. Had mine serviced twice for free. Was also told to come in every 10,000 kms for free drive shaft service and maintenance. Also told at 60,000 kms drive shaft replacement at BMW's cost. Excellent that BMW is looking after the issue.
Hello sir and thanks for your video. I also received same exact letter the past weekend for my 2020 R1250RS. Bu here is potentially issue I am facing: 3 weeks prior to receiving the letter, on my own I asked dealer to lube the two spline ends which they did and charged me for it. At that time they also offered me to do a special test of the driveshaft which I declined because it would have cost me another $100 or so and I did not think/know it was absolutely necessary. In any case today I decided to first call BMW Motorad to see if there was any chance to get reimbursed for the lubing of splines costs of the service done prior to getting the letter (also had other things done such as install new spark plugs and other things). BMW’s response was that they couldn’t reimburse me for the service of the driveshaft portion of my bill. ($600.00). Thinking to go back to dealer this coming Sat to see what they say. Bottom line: Disappointed BMW dealer did not volunteer to tell me the lubing of two spline ends would be covered by BMW motorad as stated in the letter. Wondering what your thought are on all of this.
Good morning from Wisconsin-Sorry to hear your story and the fact that the timing was terrible. I like your idea about heading back to the dealership and speaking to them about helping you out on this issue. Speaking to the owner may be better than speaking to the department staff. Good luck and keep us posted.
Hi again. So called my BMW Motorad dealer a bit earlier today and got the answer I suspected I would get. That is that they actually never charged me for lubing the splines. No need to get into details but I still think they did charge me and simply.not admitting. Invoice is very vague and only had a single figure of labor without breaking down allocation of labor to each piece of service done. So now all behind me and simply thinking to simply do more on my own…I’ll keep on following your channel.Thanks!!!
@@yl4970 The service manager has a lot of discretion in generating an invoice for a customer.and the fact is that a dealer makes more money from servicing than selling the bike. I would indicate to them that you feel some kind of discount is due on that invoice.....and if you don't get satisfaction you reluctantly go to another dealer for servicing . I personally would also advise them that i would mention that point to all the mebers of my BMW CLub at our monthly meeting. Watch them squirm.....
I find the maintenence schedule for the rear end drive lacking. Oil change only after 1000 km, then every 10 000 km. I do 1000 km changes of the 180ml oil untill the oil coming out looks good. At 16 000 km I am on my 5th oil.
The BMW Guy didn’t point out that the shaft needs to be pushed in over a lock ring on the gearbox shaft, something I think he should have. Otherwise you don’t get all the parts back together the way they should be. This lock ring is the reason to why you need a ”suitable tool” to pry the shaft out…
Thanks for the video. Got my new driveshaft in 2023 at no cost to me. 2017 GSA had 50k on it. Just got the letter last week. Took a test ride on the new 1300 GSA a few weeks ago and my salesman said he was unaware of driveshaft issue and would have to research it. Duh! Would have thought BMW would have redesigned a stronger driveshaft since they have been selling a lot of these for a while now. Just sayin…
Old news! There were some catastrophic failures with rear wheel lockup and subsequent crashes. Lots of chatter over the years and BMW finally stepped up. There were also a fork failures that was addressed with a locking collar on some 1200 GS water boxers years.
Finally, BMW admits they are not able to build a high quality product. Not even something as simple as a drive shaft. Ever heard about e.g. a Goldwing with similar problems? Me neither...
Since BMW has had a driveshaft in most of their bikes for decades, they must not have improved the design to deal with the increase in Horsepower on the models of recent years.
Jeesh BMW, go back to a standard swinging arm with twin shocks! I say this with a little authority as I’ve had a few Airheads and…. After spending 8 hours outside a BMW dealer in Spain on my way back to the UK from Portugal, with a collapsed rear wheel bearing on my Paralever GS. Over complicated for no reason. No, I’m not an engineer, but I think twin shock was the pinnacle, it served many decades, works, is not that much heavier if at all…. Advancement hey? Hmmmmm
Yeah. That’s why monoshock rear suspension dominates at ALL MANUFACTURERS these days. Because a twin shock set-up is better. 🙄 I think you had it right with the statement “I’m not an engineer”.
@ I was being polite 😊 Advancement for advancement’s sake. Maybe mono shock is better, maybe it is lighter, maybe it keeps the rear wheel on the ground more. I’m not Brad Lackey, so couldn’t tell the difference. I think that 95% of riders couldn’t. How many riders want a big back tyre to make them a real man… A bigger rear tyre was designed for better heat dissipation. Think how fast race bikes went back in the 70s on thinner tyres. I like the old adage, any tyre now is better than the best 20 years ago. Ooer, off topic. I do all my own maintenance and love the simplicity of twin shocks. I can remove one and not need to support the bike. I’m a Luddite and can’t get off my high horse 😉😊 Oh, beside Airheads, I’ve had a number of trail bikes and have ridden in the dirt a few times… getting off my high horse now….
I own a 2023 R 1250 GS. At my 12,000 mile service the dealership replaced my driveshaft (no cost). Kinda shocked me. I was aware of the issues but didn’t think this would fall out of spec so soon. My understanding is BMW will replace at 42,000 miles. I’m super happy with my the 7 year warranty, just in case.
Incorrect, there is no charge in the UK for checking and replacing your driveshaft at 36,000 miles or earlier if necessary. If you own one you should have got the official notification by now.
An "eternal" component now became a replaceable one after 36,000 miles? 🤣🤣🤣 It is a joke? There are guy around with old BMWs and Moto Guzzi with 180,000 km on their odometer with zero problems. Just changing the shaft oil every 20,000 or 25,000 km...
My first FJR1300 went 100k miles and my second one is at 75k miles now. Never had to do anything to the final drive, drive shaft or universal joint at the front of the shaft on either of them. Actually, I’ve never done anything repair wise to either of them besides routine maintenance. Recently picked up a K1200RS with only 47k miles on it. I had to remove the wheel, final drive, swing arm, cross member, and transmission to remove replace the dry clutch plate, which had become oil contaminated due to a leaking 50 cent rubber o-ring in the engine output shaft to clutch housing spline connection. The rear main seal was fine, but I replaced it anyway since I was in there. BMWs are not engineered for reliability.
Not really what I would call "Good news" So - the drive shaft on your $30000 dollar motorcycle is only good for 36k Miles 🤣🤣 What planet are BMW living on?? They are so red faced about it, they are willing to replace it every 36k miles free of charge. if you want long term reliability, don't buy a modern BMW -- great as they are to ride - owning one and paying the repair bill (other things go wrong besides the driveshaft) that will inevitably come, is untenable for the vast majority of people.
I don't think it's "good news". You bought the bike with the service knowledge in mind, and now they are telling you its crap and needs more servicing, its going to cost YOU.
Typical BMW crap for those of us who do our own maintenance. Why not put a grease nipple on the universal. No would cost the BMW cheap asses at BMW one dollar. Most older gs 1200 do not even have a final drive drain plug. Good job cheap company even the Chinese do better.
it's not the universal joint lacking grease,- it's that the four-link requires the driveshaft to slide on the splines and if the splines get dry it puts destructive loads on the universal joint that will eventually result in failure,
Why all that whining? They do the right thing and if you’re not linking bmw you’re free to buy another brand. Your statement is irrelevant. It has the taste that you’re just a hater for whatever reason. Go enjoy your favorite bike and brand.
👍to BMW for covering the service & replacement for life.
Very clear instructions and presentation thanks. I’ve seen a few similar videos in which the rubber boots are resealed with Staburags grease to prevent water ingress but you didn’t do this?
I have had three water pumps replaced under warranty on my 17 s1000r and a fuel pump - the latter out of warranty - by BMW Motorad Australia. Great customer service. It makes my next purchase decision pretty easy.
The tutorial on inspecting and repairing the final; drive was great - Thanks!
Thanks for the quick reply. Ride safe!
Thank you for putting this video on your channel and introducing the BMW guy to me. I have a K1300s with 88,000 miles on it. Never replaced the shaft but always doing the maintenance to make sure I have no issues. Just bought a 2024 R1250 GSA and I hear lots of shaft issues with these bikes. I hope I can get the same miles out of the GSA with regular maintenance. Thx again.
@@kprice399 you are most welcome. Enjoy your 24 GSA
That's awesome about your K1300S. I have a 2009 with 70,000km. Bought it at 50,000km. Has been problem free aside from the LH switchgear, a known fault in the early model K13 bikes. My second bike is a K1200GT, almost all the thrill of my K13 but in complete comfort for one or two up riding. Enjoy your bikes!
Thank you for the update. I am the 6th owner of my 2016 R1200r and doubt I would have heard about this without the dealer bringing it up!
Of course...Happy to do so. If future information becomes available that will be helpful, I'll try and get that out there as well.
I see BMW has lowered there price on these shafts big time! They used to be north of 1000$ and now they are 225$
@@TheBMWGuy Hi Kevin- Well, isn't that interesting. At that number, they are more in the category of disposable! LOL.
My 2016 only has 3k on it, but I’m pleased to know BMW will be covering the cost when I get there.
Great video, Mark! I bought a 2017 R1200 GSA used in excellent condition last February. Just had it serviced and I received the driveshaft info. Love this motorcycle and the fact that I will be getting a new shaft in 9,000 miles. Have had no issues with the current shaft and love the motorcycle.
Thanks for watching and glad to hear you are a happy BMW customer.
Appreciate your work, great video
Nice garage
Interesting video,showing letter and Video from the bmw guy. Thank you. I was told a few weeks ago by a BMW service manager that the older version like the 1100 and 1150 did not have the service/replacement issue. He also indicated that the shaft itself (from his standpoint) is not an expensive part but an issues for Customers.Most dealers now will be eager to do the repair because they get paid by BMW, it also gives them an ooportunity to show and may be demo their shiny new models. Now none of us would ever get tempted by such subterfuge! Cheers
I dropped my R1250RS off for the 30K service with just over 37K on the odometer (after completing a trip). The first thing my dealer said was I'd be getting a new drive shaft. They always treat me well and showed me the origanal shaft.(some wear). My dealer and tech are super people. Probably why I've bought multiple bikes from them. They also sell RE's. Now I've developed a second addiction.!!👍👍
Glad to hear your BMW dealer is taking care of you! And, now with Royal Enfield options to look at, you might make a few more trips to look!
@MarksGarage17 already bought 2- up to 5 bikes now. Addicted an drydocked because of snow and salt. BUMMER.!!
I have a R1200GS 2005 with 8350 miles. I wonder if BMW can do a free lubrication 😊
13:23 Germany's Finest Engineering.
Planned Obsolescence if I ever knew.
I knew a guy back in 2008 with a 1982 SUZUKI GS1100G (shaft model).
That bike still had the factory shaft and NO SLOP.
It's not that BMW Motorrad can't build it right, they just don't want to.
That shaft doesn't even seem like it can be easily rebuilt and they probably won't sell you the U Joints by themselves.
I was eyeballing a K1600GT BUT if I have to be doing this periodically like I do with my current bike's chain . . . where's the convenience of having a BMW with a drive shaft final drive ?
Thanks for the heads up and to the gentleman doing the R&R video.
Mark, love your garage. Where did you get the helmet and coat rack in the corner?
Thanks Jim-Helmet and Jacket Rack was purchased on Amazon. Here's a link for you. www.amazon.com/dp/B09WKJSHPJ?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1
This is an old item, (drive shaft replacement for 40,000 miles) my 1200 LC GSA was done over 6-9 months ago, BMW really came to the plate on this one, well done
Considering BMW motorcycles have been using a driveshaft since 1923. This is an unusual update. Something is major league wrong with that particular driveshaft system for those bikes. But at least they’re doing the right thing and giving a lifetime coverage.
but what they should do is redesign a dangerously faulty part!! IMHO
Heard of the notice. I have a 2015 R1200R my bike met model miles priority and the dealer replaced the shaft at no cost to me. From there to today the mileage intervals have gotten shorter and the life time warranty is amazing. Yes the rear vibration was getting scary. It’s good to see that Motorrad Berlin its taking care of it’s customers.
Here in the UK, i received the same update letter 6 months ago. I have a 2015 r1200gs lc, which i service myself nowadays. I did a full rear end service at 12000 miles, including the splines, shaft and diff oil change. The shaft was very rusty, and spline seized, at the time. All cleaned up and greased now. It was bad at 12000 miles, so who knows what the higher mileage examples are like.
Thanks for your comments and follow up with your own bike. Great job of taking care of it by you. And now, BMW can take care of it for you!
Thanks Mark. I ride a 2022 1250RT and absolutely love it. The motorcycle fits my riding style and needs perfectly. I'm really impressed with BMW and even more so with maintenance releases like this one where they take responsibility for making sure that the owner experience is excellent. I previously owned a 2022 1250GS. Great motorcycle but the RT fits my needs much better.
Hi Jim-I certainly agree with you in reference to owning an RT. What a bike!
The letter actually states that it is applicable for the models K5x series (not all 1200 'sand 1250's). Unfortunately I have a 2011 R1200GS K25 and probably are not in the class.
We have not received this letter in Canada. But i have had mine replaced in May 2024 when the first service notice went out.
Fantastic thank you. Just got an RS have about 3500 miles on it. This was supposed to be done during the 600 mile I recently paid for.
Just got my letter today for my 2017 R1200 GSA. BMW replaced the shaft & installed the new drain valve at their expense for the initial recall a few years back because I had 34,000 miles on the shaft at the time. BMW is showing incredible integrity and responsibility in doing this program, esp for the life of the bike.
Agreed for sure. While some look at this as quality problems, I think it demonstrates how a top company stands behind the product they sold you!
%100 agree. Will definitely consider a BMW for my next bike.
My two airheads have an almost lifetime drive shaft.
I have a 2020 1250 RS here in England, haven’t had that info over here yet!!
Interesting. Please give a visit to your local BMW Motorrad dealer and see what they say. There is a lot of momentum on this topic and my guess is they know by now....
2 questions:
*is warranty only for original buyer?
* isn’t “Sport” version the RS? That’s what they show on website under Sport.
Thanks for the info, so jealous of your garage! 👍
@@steveross2280 warranty follow the bike VIN so you should be good that way.
BMW does show the RS under the sport category. Cheers and thanks for the garage comment!
When did you receive the notice? Thanks for the update- otherwise I would never have known! Will check with dealer.
Hey Peter-You are welcome. I received the letter from BMW in my snail mail on Saturday, November 30, 2024.
@@MarksGarage17 many thanks again - will follow up with the dealer- I have not received that letter yet- assuming it would apply to a 17 water cooled GSA!
It was a year ago I got mine service bulletin for my 2015 RT here in Sweden.
During the replacement of the driveshaft by BMW Guy, I didn't notice any mention of engaging the snap ring in the splines when fitting the drive shaft to the gearbox output shaft...he showed it as a loose fitting on the shaft then went straight to engaging the shaft at the wheel end. Just thought people should be aware. Cheers Dave
I have a 2009 R1200RT. Guess I will to check this out with the local Powersports dealer, though they usually refuse to work on bikes over 10 years old.
Nevermind! Liquid cooled only.
Don’t think it’s an issue with these, my 2013 R1200 gsa is similar. The newer LC models have the shaft on the other side and my mate who has 2016 r1200 gs already had a bmw mod to fit a plug on the swing arm now he’s got a recall letter for a new shaft to be fitted. The only thing I don’t like about this is he’s been told it’ll be done when he gets it serviced so they’re going to screw him anyway( he has been doing his own servicing)
As I precaution I recently took the shaft out of mine to check it and it looked great, regreased with liqui moly LM47 so I’m happy! It’s not that bad a job to do although took a bit of swearing to get the back end back on!
On newer models with riding modes and traction control they also do a software update that prevents the engine revving when drive is not engaged (in gear with clutch pulled or in neutral) so it only allows revving to 4000-5000 rpm.
Thanks for that piece of information. Sounds like that can help limit possible extra stress on the drive shaft when you decide to drag race at the stop light!
@@MarksGarage17Well it’s not really a stop light thing. What this does is that it limits the revs if you jump with the bike and not let go of the roll. If the the limiter wasn’t there the rear wheel would spin like crazy when airborne and imagine what that would do the power train when you land. Quite a few gear box shaft have snapped this way, they say. This is the reason why BMW reprogrammed the bikes.
looks like to me this is a nicer way of a declaring a recall by bmw .....
I have a R12hl , a 2023 R1250r and an R1300gs and have not received any information from BMW MOTORAD Australia so being a smaller market probably won’t get the same service just like the VW software compensation….. lucky us
I think a bigger question you should ask is why is the USA being notified long after everyone else? I had my kardon shaft replaced under this recall 8 months ago in the UK.
Glad to hear you had your bike taken care of. That is a good question regarding the sequence of timing, and it leads us to that great question. Why?
@@MarksGarage17 Not all good news. In the UK at least, the spline regreasing at 12,000 miles during a service will be at the owner's expense.
However, a question for the curious. Could BMW have re-engineered the drive shaft to avoid such a regular replacement and might they in the mean-time like to explain the (technical) reason for this replacement?
In the US you have already had ur share of the good: For some reason BMW had to replace all the Hayes front calipers to Brembo before selling the bikes. Here in Europe we have had none of that. And not much problems with leaky Hayes calipers either…😂
What I mean is that ”the market” not always function logically- the way you think it would. There’s always a lot of behind the scenes going on…
Only the replacement is covered at no cost.. The annual check and lube is optional and at owners cost.. Here in the UK anyway..
The driveshafts have been an issue even in the air cooled bikes. They are not serviceable and the u-joints cannot be replaced except on a few aftermarket shafts. And then there are the splines in the K bikes, gotta be lubed every time you replace the tire-
Thanks for the video.. so aside from replacing the driveshaft are they also going to pay in the interim for the cost for greasing and the checking of the spline every 12k miles ? Thanks again
@@MWS1960 Yes. Pretty nice additional service isn’t it!
Thank you for the video. For my information, how much miles/km for this RS's drive shaft ?
I am not sure if Kevin indicated a mileage on the bike he was working on? The owner reported problems and Kevin confirmed and replaced it.
Does this drive shaft replacement warranty still apply to second owners of an affected models?
@@richardcasey7521 it sure does. You can check with your local dealer and they should confirm
The USA is about 12 months behind Europe on this issue..
Not quite twelve, but yes.
Mark, what system did you choose for garage wall lining / shelving? I've been doing a bit of research, not sure whom to go with.
Thanks for the question. I went with utilizing a slatwall based system. I did a story about this on my channel called, "how to install slatwall in your garage." Here is link to that. ruclips.net/video/Vcxdwn-Ud5M/видео.html. The top company, IMO, who makes this product is Wind mill Slatwall Products in Sheboygan Falls, WI. Hope this is helpful for you.
This special BMW grease that he is using. Can one just use regular grease/lube for these gears or does it have to be the expensive BMW stuff ?? Thank you.
There is a wide variety of lubricants available, all designed for that type of lubrication. You'll want to also make sure that the grease is waterproof and there are many "marine grade" greases designed for this. You don't always have to use the BMW grease.
Hi Mark, I am under the impression that 23 and newer are responsible for service costs and replacement of drive shafts according to new service bulletin.
Good morning-I just re-read the bulletin and on the very last page, it provides the best summary related to the addition to the new vehicle warranty on the bikes. Here it is. "Driveshafts will be replaced under warranty every 36,000 miles or to failure due to a defect in materials or workmanship for unlimited miles for all K5X models up to model year 2024." Hope that helps. A 2023 model should be covered under the expanded warranty as well.
How about the R18?
Dealerships told me about this 18 months ago.
Are they picking up the tan for just the shaft or the complete service?
The good news is they are covering all related costs for complete service of the driveshaft over the life of the motorcycle. Pretty sweet!
Well they haven’t changed much 50 years ago i had a r75/5 the drive shaft failed and i had to get it hauled home 600 miles after getting it fixed i traded it for a Honda never looked back a chain is easy to replace
I purchased my 2012 rt with 36k miles this past Summer. Is my bike covered even if I’m not the original owner?
Hi Mark-my understanding is if your bike is an R1200 or R1250, you should be covered. And, the program is for the current owner. Always good to check in with your local dealer too. Best wishes.
Just checked with my local dealer. The recall is only for water cooled models not for the oil heads. Good thing I did check though because there’s another recall for the fuel pump on my particular model. 😊
Hello from Canada. I have a 2021 r1250gs. I was aware of the drive shaft issues a year ago. Had mine serviced twice for free. Was also told to come in every 10,000 kms for free drive shaft service and maintenance. Also told at 60,000 kms drive shaft replacement at BMW's cost. Excellent that BMW is looking after the issue.
Thanks for your update and information about how you've been treated. Nice work by BMW Canada and USA
BMW is pretty stellar when it comes to doing it right when it comes to issues.
Took my 2015 RT in today and with only 12k miles they replaced the shaft….
What years 1200 does this cover?
Any of the years that BMW made these models. BMW R 1200 and R 1250 - GS / GSA / R / RS / RT
I have a 2013 RT and I haven’t received a letter.
@@cozysouth You may not be in the BMW system. You'll want to stop by or call your local dealer and they can help get your bike registered with BMW
@@MarksGarage17 I am registered. This applies only to LC 1200s not to camheads. Doesn’t effect mine.
Hello sir and thanks for your video. I also received same exact letter the past weekend for my 2020 R1250RS. Bu here is potentially issue I am facing: 3 weeks prior to receiving the letter, on my own I asked dealer to lube the two spline ends which they did and charged me for it. At that time they also offered me to do a special test of the driveshaft which I declined because it would have cost me another $100 or so and I did not think/know it was absolutely necessary. In any case today I decided to first call BMW Motorad to see if there was any chance to get reimbursed for the lubing of splines costs of the service done prior to getting the letter (also had other things done such as install new spark plugs and other things). BMW’s response was that they couldn’t reimburse me for the service of the driveshaft portion of my bill. ($600.00). Thinking to go back to dealer this coming Sat to see what they say. Bottom line: Disappointed BMW dealer did not volunteer to tell me the lubing of two spline ends would be covered by BMW motorad as stated in the letter. Wondering what your thought are on all of this.
Good morning from Wisconsin-Sorry to hear your story and the fact that the timing was terrible. I like your idea about heading back to the dealership and speaking to them about helping you out on this issue. Speaking to the owner may be better than speaking to the department staff. Good luck and keep us posted.
Hi again. So called my BMW Motorad dealer a bit earlier today and got the answer I suspected I would get. That is that they actually never charged me for lubing the splines. No need to get into details but I still think they did charge me and simply.not admitting. Invoice is very vague and only had a single figure of labor without breaking down allocation of labor to each piece of service done. So now all behind me and simply thinking to simply do more on my own…I’ll keep on following your channel.Thanks!!!
@@yl4970 Sounds good. Thanks for your update. We'll do our best to figure it out together!
@@yl4970 The service manager has a lot of discretion in generating an invoice for a customer.and the fact is that a dealer makes more money from servicing than selling the bike. I would indicate to them that you feel some kind of discount is due on that invoice.....and if you don't get satisfaction you reluctantly go to another dealer for servicing . I personally would also advise them that i would mention that point to all the mebers of my BMW CLub at our monthly meeting. Watch them squirm.....
1300 models need replacement every 80.000 km at owners cost😮
I find the maintenence schedule for the rear end drive lacking. Oil change only after 1000 km, then every 10 000 km. I do 1000 km changes of the 180ml oil untill the oil coming out looks good. At 16 000 km I am on my 5th oil.
The BMW Guy didn’t point out that the shaft needs to be pushed in over a lock ring on the gearbox shaft, something I think he should have. Otherwise you don’t get all the parts back together the way they should be. This lock ring is the reason to why you need a ”suitable tool” to pry the shaft out…
Thanks for the video. Got my new driveshaft in 2023 at no cost to me. 2017 GSA had 50k on it. Just got the letter last week. Took a test ride on the new 1300 GSA a few weeks ago and my salesman said he was unaware of driveshaft issue and would have to research it. Duh! Would have thought BMW would have redesigned a stronger driveshaft since they have been selling a lot of these for a while now. Just sayin…
It's funny how sometimes we know more than the salesman! Thanks for watching
Not LED
Its a led procedure meaning the bmw tec will follow a inspection list on things to do
Old news! There were some catastrophic failures with rear wheel lockup and subsequent crashes. Lots of chatter over the years and BMW finally stepped up. There were also a fork failures that was addressed with a locking collar on some 1200 GS water boxers years.
Finally, BMW admits they are not able to build a high quality product. Not even something as simple as a drive shaft. Ever heard about e.g. a Goldwing with similar problems? Me neither...
i believe he’s extremely busy.
Since BMW has had a driveshaft in most of their bikes for decades, they must not have improved the design to deal with the increase in Horsepower on the models of recent years.
That is an excellent observation. HP has steadily increased.
Why is it that BMW can't engineer a driveshaft that is trouble free? This issue has dogged them for DECADES.
They should contact Yamaha to find out how to do it right.
Trouble free for 2 or 3 hundred thousand miles in vast majority of cases.
Jeesh BMW, go back to a standard swinging arm with twin shocks! I say this with a little authority as I’ve had a few Airheads and…. After spending 8 hours outside a BMW dealer in Spain on my way back to the UK from Portugal, with a collapsed rear wheel bearing on my Paralever GS. Over complicated for no reason. No, I’m not an engineer, but I think twin shock was the pinnacle, it served many decades, works, is not that much heavier if at all…. Advancement hey? Hmmmmm
Yeah. That’s why monoshock rear suspension dominates at ALL MANUFACTURERS these days. Because a twin shock set-up is better. 🙄 I think you had it right with the statement “I’m not an engineer”.
@ I was being polite 😊 Advancement for advancement’s sake. Maybe mono shock is better, maybe it is lighter, maybe it keeps the rear wheel on the ground more. I’m not Brad Lackey, so couldn’t tell the difference. I think that 95% of riders couldn’t. How many riders want a big back tyre to make them a real man… A bigger rear tyre was designed for better heat dissipation. Think how fast race bikes went back in the 70s on thinner tyres. I like the old adage, any tyre now is better than the best 20 years ago. Ooer, off topic. I do all my own maintenance and love the simplicity of twin shocks. I can remove one and not need to support the bike. I’m a Luddite and can’t get off my high horse 😉😊 Oh, beside Airheads, I’ve had a number of trail bikes and have ridden in the dirt a few times… getting off my high horse now….
I own a 2023 R 1250 GS. At my 12,000 mile service the dealership replaced my driveshaft (no cost). Kinda shocked me. I was aware of the issues but didn’t think this would fall out of spec so soon. My understanding is BMW will replace at 42,000 miles. I’m super happy with my the 7 year warranty, just in case.
"Thou shan't get shafted"
Not good news. They should have designed a more robust system. This will be a pain in the ass for me to get this done. Too far to the dealership.
finally BMW has figured out that the driveshaft on motorcycles is lame, as are single plate dry clutches.
My old airheads never had drive shaft issues! Modern Over engineered German crap!
id rather have 1000 chains
Oh boy i can hear the cringe at advrider, even on my crappy KLR chains and sprokets go 20k FFS!
Not a possability, 3 out of warranty failures of 1200 RT.over 11 years !
Every 37000 miles they will put a new shaft for free they have just done mine never cost me a penny
BMW UK will charge you from this service.;-(.
Incorrect, there is no charge in the UK for checking and replacing your driveshaft at 36,000 miles or earlier if necessary. If you own one you should have got the official notification by now.
An "eternal" component now became a replaceable one after 36,000 miles? 🤣🤣🤣
It is a joke?
There are guy around with old BMWs and Moto Guzzi with 180,000 km on their odometer with zero problems. Just changing the shaft oil every 20,000 or 25,000 km...
My first FJR1300 went 100k miles and my second one is at 75k miles now. Never had to do anything to the final drive, drive shaft or universal joint at the front of the shaft on either of them. Actually, I’ve never done anything repair wise to either of them besides routine maintenance.
Recently picked up a K1200RS with only 47k miles on it. I had to remove the wheel, final drive, swing arm, cross member, and transmission to remove replace the dry clutch plate, which had become oil contaminated due to a leaking 50 cent rubber o-ring in the engine output shaft to clutch housing spline connection. The rear main seal was fine, but I replaced it anyway since I was in there.
BMWs are not engineered for reliability.
Well, as of December 2024, all this will be done FREE OF CHARGE BY BMW, so save your money and don't PAY for parts and labor. THANKS TO BMW MOTORRAD.
Not really what I would call "Good news" So - the drive shaft on your $30000 dollar motorcycle is only good for 36k Miles 🤣🤣 What planet are BMW living on??
They are so red faced about it, they are willing to replace it every 36k miles free of charge.
if you want long term reliability, don't buy a modern BMW -- great as they are to ride - owning one and paying the repair bill (other things go wrong besides the driveshaft) that will inevitably come, is untenable for the vast majority of people.
I don't think it's "good news". You bought the bike with the service knowledge in mind, and now they are telling you its crap and needs more servicing, its going to cost YOU.
It 's at BMW cost...good news
He told you the letter said it was all at BMW’s expense.
i got my letter months ago and its true they fit a new shaft on every 36k the 1300 is the same but customers pays that
In other words, BMW admitting they make heaps of shit......as if we didn't already know.
Rubbish engineering and design 😢😢
Typical BMW crap for those of us who do our own maintenance. Why not put a grease nipple on the universal. No would cost the BMW cheap asses at BMW one dollar. Most older gs 1200 do not even have a final drive drain plug. Good job cheap company even the Chinese do better.
it's not the universal joint lacking grease,- it's that the four-link requires the driveshaft to slide on the splines and if the splines get dry it puts destructive loads on the universal joint that will eventually result in failure,
Why all that whining? They do the right thing and if you’re not linking bmw you’re free to buy another brand. Your statement is irrelevant. It has the taste that you’re just a hater for whatever reason. Go enjoy your favorite bike and brand.
give me a chain anyday