[justlookin]

Someone told me they had seen a FD for sale for the LT, but it "supposedly" would work on another K bike..
Is this possible? I would have thought BMW made the LT final drive unique to the LT. (weight etc.)
Thanks,
Jeff

 

[dshealey]

Nope. The drive internals year to year are the same for several bikes. Only differences in the housing. Gear sets and bearings are interchangeable, only difference in most cases are gear ratios. I was looking for a GS drive once to swap the gear set into my LT FD to get a higher ratio (lower gear). Still would love to do that if I ever get another LT. I would love to have the engine be able to come near peak power in 5th, and have a much stronger start out in low.

 

[c00k1e]

Mr Shealey - would that mean faster in top gear? If so, where in the states would you get to use that then?
I could so with it when I go to Germany mind you!

 

[justlookin]

O.K. so if I bought this FD as a back-up. I could use the gears at least? Putting them in my existing housing? I think I would rather have a final drive that I could just install if my present one has problems. Not that it's going to, but I want some insurance, and if I can but it right.. What is a used one worth. The one I'm looking at supposedly has 9,000 mi on it.
Thanks,
Jeff

 

[dshealey]

Mr Shealey - would that mean faster in top gear? If so, where in the states would you get to use that then?
I could so with it when I go to Germany mind you!

I am pretty sure if one put in a 10% higher ratio the LT would go faster in 5th gear. As it is now, the engine is not anywhere near it's power peak in 5th gear when wind resistance and power become equal and the bike won't go any faster. Not that anyone needs to go faster, but on a couple occasions I have tested my LT and found 124 as it's top speed by GPS. It will run just about the same in 4th gear. At times, depending on road/wind, people have reported an actual slow down when shifting from 4th to 5th.

You can look in ETK, or the online parts lists, and find the different ratios available. Takes a while to go through all the R and K models to find the different ratios. If I remember correctly, it was a R1100 GS final drive that had the highest ratio, just over 10% more than the LT, which would raise the engine RPM 10% in any gear.

 

[rusmckay]

Nope. The drive internals year to year are the same for several bikes. Only differences in the housing. Gear sets and bearings are interchangeable, only difference in most cases are gear ratios. I was looking for a GS drive once to swap the gear set into my LT FD to get a higher ratio (lower gear). Still would love to do that if I ever get another LT. I would love to have the engine be able to come near peak power in 5th, and have a much stronger start out in low.

You can always do this:


http://www.rbracing-rsr.com/bmwturbos.htm#k1200

 

[cccpastorjack]

You can always do this:


http://www.rbracing-rsr.com/bmwturbos.htm#k1200

Awesome! Noticed this printed in the article:

K1200LT Weak Point

Right now the clutch is the weak link. (DOH!) We are working on heavy duty clutches that will need to be installed with the turbo kit. We are hearing of short clutch life in stock bikes and our own testing has shown the clutch will slip quite eaily if it is not fully engaged under low boost shifts.


Sure hope they'll devleop a heavy duty clutch for the LT! Might help some of you guys out!

 

[lnowell]

I am pretty sure if one put in a 10% higher ratio the LT would go faster in 5th gear. As it is now, the engine is not anywhere near it's power peak in 5th gear when wind resistance and power become equal and the bike won't go any faster. Not that anyone needs to go faster, but on a couple occasions I have tested my LT and found 124 as it's top speed by GPS. It will run just about the same in 4th gear. At times, depending on road/wind, people have reported an actual slow down when shifting from 4th to 5th.

I was reading my owners manual when I first got my bike and I am sure I read that the LT was electronically limited to 122mph. When I told my wife that she told me to get rid of it right then if will only go that fast - joking big time. Could this be the reason that some report being able to go faster in 4th than 5th? Is there a limiter somewhere within the netherworld that our gurus have not yet found?

 

[rusmckay]

I was reading my owners manual when I first got my bike and I am sure I read that the LT was electronically limited to 122mph. When I told my wife that she told me to get rid of it right then if will only go that fast - joking big time. Could this be the reason that some report being able to go faster in 4th than 5th? Is there a limiter somewhere within the netherworld that our gurus have not yet found?

My 2002 LTe has been checked against my GPS @ 126 MPH, (Speedo read 138) which was verified by the Fla Hiway Patrol.

 

[dmatson]

I would love to be able to change the FD to a get a lower first gear. I have had my 05' to 127mph on the GPS and it is no where near redline.

 

[Steve_R]

One thing no one has mention yet, is that the final drive for the 99-01 bikes is different from the 02 and up. The speedometer sensor is set in the top of the 99-01 FDs.

I also think that there is a gear ration difference between the earlier bikes and the '02 and up. But then I've been wrong before.

 

[DanMartin]

One thing no one has mention yet, is that the final drive for the 99-01 bikes is different from the 02 and up. The speedometer sensor is set in the top of the 99-01 FDs.

I also think that there is a gear ration difference between the earlier bikes and the '02 and up. But then I've been wrong before.

'99-01 33/12 2.75
'02-up 34/13 2.62

'99 r1150gs 31/11 2.82

Put an old style rear end in a newer bike and get 5% higher engine speed.

dan

 

[dshealey]

I was reading my owners manual when I first got my bike and I am sure I read that the LT was electronically limited to 122mph. When I told my wife that she told me to get rid of it right then if will only go that fast - joking big time. Could this be the reason that some report being able to go faster in 4th than 5th? Is there a limiter somewhere within the netherworld that our gurus have not yet found?

There is no limiter that I know of, and have never heard of any evidence that there is one. The limiter is power curve vs wind resistance. You can feel it, and there is no evidence from my experience of any "dial back" of power as you reach the peak speed possible under the road/wind condiditons.