‘It could’ve smashed the gearbox cases and locked up solid’
Rattling R1200GS cured just in time…
The owner of a 98,000-mile BMW R1200GS was worried about a rattling noise coming from the back of the bike, but a couple of dealers had told him it was normal. He was concerned as it seemed to be getting louder, so took it into
RPM Motorcycles near Northampton, where owner Iain Rhodes checked for shaft drive wear.
“I got it onto the centrestand, put it into third gear and eased the clutch out at low revs, while dragging the rear brake to put some load on the engine. You could hear this massive rattle from the driveshaft. It was definitely not ‘normal’ drivetrain noise.”
A closer look at the rear of the engine revealed that the protective rubber boot was already split, so he opened it up to see what was going on.
Iain added: “That’s when we found the drive shaft knuckle joint was just about hanging in there on one edge. A few more miles and it would’ve sheared completely. If it had let go, it could have smashed through the back of the cases for the gearbox, maybe through the shaft housing and then it could have locked up solid. It was so bad that where it started to disintegrate part of it tried to punch back through like a bullet as it got stuck behind the knuckle.”
When the rubber boots at either end of the driveshaft split, water, salt and dirt find a way in and quickly start corroding the joints at either end.
A new BMW driveshaft is an eye-watering £660, but the owner tracked down a used one for just £80 and the whole job came in at just under £400.
A relatively small price to pay for peace of mind.
to win one of the coveted Scottish Motorcycle Show trophies AND one of the five BSH trophies too!
Once again there promises to be a stunning display of metal and the very best Scotland has to offer.
The categories include:
1. Classic/Vintage
2. Street Fighter-Sports
3. Custom Chopper- Cruiser
4. Retro Custom (Café Racer- Scrambler)
5. Best Custom Paint
6. Best In Show - Colin Rutherford Memorial Trophy