the joys of a GS 2

[bikenav]

as I had bought a second one, number one bike was having a final drive rebuild, I toke the new one unmolested by me so seemed OK for an M.O.T put it on the brake test machine the man said front brake is good the man said, lets try the rear now said the man, Oh whats all that smoke said the man.

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The brake pipe had popped out of the servo/ABS unit dropping fluid over the hot engine, it appears the quick release olive had passed its spring retainer, there appears to be a small bruise on the shoulder of the olive type fitting. Scary, I have ridden the bike about 800 miles of its 50k and not really done anything to it accept add a GPS and USB. I should add here this is the stupid early servo/ABS GS12 and after entering the MOT station I turned off the ignition then restarted for the Brake test and did not travel far/fast enough for the ABS to do its calibration/dyagnostic thingy so reducing effective braking power so I was pressing the rear pedal a bit but not ridiculously so. The Servo/ABS unit and its piping is now on the garage floor where it belongs, this may be of use to the few GS owners that still have this crap on their bikes.

[Tonibe63]

What year is that?
It looks totally different to my 2007.

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

The BMW flat twin is a design classic...simple and technically elegant.

So why is all this automated rubbish bolted on to it?

[catcitrus]

totally agree on the bolt on crap. we have an 82 G/S and its 168 kg without fuel and oil. We have upgraded the bean can to full electronic and it has the Scriminger pulse jet spark plugs, but apart from that is sort of stock apart from Ohlins rear and race tech front--and 6 pot front caliper. It stops and goes very well and with a US made electronic carb balancer system it can be set up really well. It has a low seat, Low C of G and very smooth and comfortable to ride--and with a decent bash plate and German aftermarket crash bars it has done the MCC Exeter trial--I'd like to see a modern GS do that! My main gripe about modern twins (apart from all the electronic unnecessary gimmicks) is that they have made the driveshaft both fragile with stupid little paralever pivot bearings coupled with continuously upping the power and expecting roughly the same size of crown wheel and pinion to take it.

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

I do wonder about the extreme angles the driveshaft UJ might operate at, too.
In my tractor-driving days, I always 'clutched out' the PTO when undertaking turns, or the UJs on the driveshaft would wreck themselves in short order.

[bikenav]

What year is that?
It looks totally different to my 2007.

Toni, from my understanding the system was only fitted for a couple of years on the earliest models, as it proved to be so poor, in practical terms for my type of riding it is rubbish, before we even get to how unreliable and expensive they are. This example is a 2004 veteran. Yours is probably quite different and more reliable as I understand.

[bikenav]

From my experience the UJ's are perfectly up to the job mine lasting a lap of the clock+, the CW and pinion are themselves very big and will probably outlast the rest of the bike, my problems have been the bearings, the main Pinion one being real fancy £100 job combined angular contact and roller, with a 30mm or 32mm in later models needle on the other (back)end, these I have changed for a minor amount of play in fear of a collapse scenario, I may be over cautious. The C/W come wheel bearings are also a failure point, the outside one being a sealed ball type and not in the bevel box casing oil bath, and getting water ingress and killing it, no I dont pressure wash it but yes I do take it playing in the puddles a bit . Catch to all this, bar one of the four bearings they are all specials (INA) and expensive the seals similar. £300 in bits. The Paralever or rear (swingarm) pivot, is no big deal needle one side deep ball the other, needle will last about 3 of the ball replacements. About 30K miles at a guess for the ball £30 OE, cheaper elsewhere less than 90 minutes to change, if you use these bikes in the brown stuff its kind of routine to pull off the bevel box now and then anyway. Stripping the dam things is a pain of special tools and big lumps of steel. I am uh, lucky 2 bikes and a couple of spare final drives, I used to work in a factory with some clever people (special toolmakers) and we all used to(Brexit+) make Bearings (INA) the German Fuckers. Thats my bit of experience anyway, for you Richard and catcitrus you appear to have an interest in that kind of techiness, I dont so much anymore but needs must.

[catcitrus]

Over the years I have failed a R100GS front UJ--angle I reckon--spat all its needles out after 28k. I've had leaks on 2 paralevers at the rear end and not including those pivot bearings. I had a K75S shed its rear driveshaft splines in the middle of the Pyrenees --probably my fault in that I didn't unbolt the bevel drive and grease the splines--didn't know you had to do this?!--regularly--and the splines are triangular!!. The old G/S has the driveshaft sitting in oil as well as the bevel drive--and these seem to go on for a long time in comparison. I have had loads of bikes with chains--70 quid or so for a complete change every 20 to 30 k and dead easy and quick--and spares are usually available in most places. A quality 525 O or X ring on a tourer or offroad bike will last remarkably well with just the odd lube to the rollers--the pins are sealed off course--and I've never broken a chain---and you can monitor its condition all the time so changing it before it gets too worn.(that also makes the sprockets last as well)