Newbie K owner

[AngryFlagman]

Greetings, I'm a first time K-bike owner ( 2003 K1200LT E). It was a choice between a Gold Wing or the K-LT. I chose the K-LT because I'm too big for the GoldWing. The seating position was too cramped and my knees hit the fairing. The seating on the K-Lt is perfect and I'm more comfortable with a heavy bike. I traded my 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan classic for the K-Lt with 11,400 miles on the clock. I've had the bike 2 weeks and have already had to return it for a blown front telelever shock and a blown tranny seal (sulfur smelling oil leak). I bought this bike from a non-Bmw dealership so I cant blame them for not seeing these problems ahead of time but they are fixing it as per 30 day warranty. I love this bike but would like to know what would make a tranny seal go with only 11400 miles on it? Does Bmw make upgraded seals and bearings? Did I buy a head ache? How could I possibly ride anything else as this bike has spoiled me I'm what small amount of time I've ridden it? I plan on sticking with this bike as I fear anything else would be disappointing. By the way Ive had a 76 R75/6 and a 84 R100/rt in the past.

[dshealey]

Where is the tranny leak? If it is the rear output bearing, and oil is coming down from the right rear of the tranny or the boot in front of the final drive, then replacing the seal is fine.

If it is either the front or rear input shaft seal, then it can be a clutch replacement required, as either of these tranny seals leaking will contaminate the clutch with oil.

If they pull the transmission, be sure they replace all the tranny seals. If the rear input shaft seal leaks, it can cause the clutch slave cylinder to go out later, another clutch destroying event, so they should replace the slave cylinder any time the rear input shaft seal leaks.

This is a great bike, but it does have it's Achilles heels. The clutch slave cylinder being one of the most prominent.

You only have around 12K miles on it, so if the tranny has to be pulled I would not worry about the rear engine seal. If around 50K though, anytime the tranny is pulled I would replace ALL tranny seals, the clutch slave cylinder, and the rear engine seal and O-ring. Clutch replacements are a high labor job, so anytime you have a chance to do a preventive maintenance job on any of the things that can take the clutch out, do it.

Also, a great number of us have drilled a drain hole in the clutch slave cylinder mounting boss on the rear of the transmission to allow fluid from either a failed slave or rear tranny input shaft to drain out and not be forced into the clutch assembly.