[hoodoodrum]

Since most of the 1100R/GS/RT, 1150R/RT/GS, 1200RS/GT/LT, share the same basic rear drive, what is the element in the LT that makes it more prone to failure?

I have seen RT's and GS's loaded to the gills two up with LOTS of luggage and I have never heard of those drives failing...

 

[dshealey]

GS drives have failed fairly often also, but not at the rate the LT does, and it is practically the same drive. (Talking the pre '03/'04 GS drives, not the new one)

RT drives have also failed, at again a lesser rate than the GS, which REALLY points hard at the weight ratio between the bikes.

Even the NEW design drive on the later GS have failed a LOT more than BMW expected.

I think what I want is a new bike with a 14-1600 CC "K" engine, a BMW frame, and a Gold Wing final drive.

Looks to me like BMW will NEVER have a reliable final drive again.

 

[mneblett]

I have seen RT's and GS's loaded to the gills two up with LOTS of luggage and I have never heard of those drives failing...

You just haven't been listening in the right places. RTs and GSs have had their share of final drive failures.

Since most of the 1100R/GS/RT, 1150R/RT/GS, 1200RS/GT/LT, share the same basic rear drive, what is the element in the LT that makes it more prone to failure?

Weight, IMO. Not that folks have been overloading the LT, but that the LT pushes the older bearing closer to the edge of its capabilities.

My speculation: The demands put on the final drive are smaller on the airheads, and thus there is a wide margin of safety, i.e., the worst case use of an airhead FD bearing is still below the failure point of its components. It appears that the margin on the LT is much smaller, such that sometimes the demands on the bearing actually exceed its capabilities, at which point things like the bearing separator elements yield.

 

[hoodoodrum]

I know BMW strives to be at the front of the engineering curve, but it doesn't make sense to me to make a paralever drive to be be supported on only one side though it looks cool and high tech. That torsional force really comes into play with the design. The dual sided swingarm concept produces much better results with the exception of maybe a bit more PITA to change a tire.

Unfortunately, it looks like even the other old holdouts such as Moto Guzzi are even going the paralever route. Will be interesting to see the development of their new models based on that platform and the reliability of the drive.

 

[KBandit]

Looks to me like BMW will NEVER have a reliable final drive again.

that new belt drive buell is using looks better all the time. simple, light, and tough. or at least buell HOPES it's tough. i guess time will tell.

 

[rlv]

Does anyone know if the 05 LT's are having this final drive problem.
I'm hoping that BMW fixed it in the 05 lt model's.
I"m wanting to get my hands on a 06 LT. Hoping that all of these proplems that im reading here about the LT's have been taken care of by the mfg.

 

[paulcbrowne]

Hmm. Belt drive on a bike supposedly designed for rough road and off road riding? I think you'll be changing belts quite often. They are not designed for the stones and grit that off road riding kicks up. But, since Buell has no laced wheels for the Ulysses, maybe it's really intended for asphalt.

 

[hoodoodrum]

In spy photos, the NEW BMW F series TWIN will have the same belt drive single sided swingarm drive as the F650CS has.

Obviously BMW has done some testing on the unit over the years.

The belt propels 900# H-D Ultra's loaded two up with the big momma on back.