All owners advice please.

[Beamish]

Do you have play in the rear sprocket/carrier? I am talking to bm now about my problem. Do the 2010 bikes suffer with this? I cannot believe that after a complete cx of rear end drive components there should be any play at all never mind the amount on mine. I can't remember any earlier model owners complaining about it. How the hell would you effectively keep the correct tension on the chain and drive components?
Any info would be appreciated.

 

[Beamish]

23 views, has no one any info? I can't for the life of me think of any reason to engineer an amount of free play in a final drive assy. It will affect everything from gear change to throttle response ( feeling anyway). I just don't get it! I could be completely wrong, bm have a serious team of people and I am sure there MUST be a reason but I can't see it.

 

[MOz]

I emailed my dealer with your problem today. He said he'd never had any occurrences of it at in their workshop but had forwarded my email on BMW Technical. I'll let you know if he gets a reply from them.

My bike is buried in the garage at the moment so checking is difficult. If I grab my rear sprocket from behind and try to move it side to side is that enough to see if its the same as your was?

 

[Beamish]

Thanks Moz, basically I think the spacer cock up was a complete one off on my bike but even with new Cush drive components I can move the carrier fwd and rear by hand without the wheel moving. I don't understand it. BMW are dealing with my case but I really am not happy with the play. Surely rolling on and off the throttle will destroy the Cush rubbers if there is free play from day one! I haven't spoken to one guy that i trust to know about race bikes guy with bike that have said it's ok to have the free play.

 

[Beamish]

Sorry the last part of that reply is iphoned! Everyone that I know involved in the industry disagrees with BM about the free play in the carrier. I mean how do you set up the chain tension correctly allowing for rolling off and on the throttle?

 

[MOz]

Went and had a quick "tug" of the rear sprocket last night. No movement at all in either longitudinal or lateral sense. Forgt to check the spacer colour but seemed fine to me and I've never had the "loose" rear end feeling you described in 1000 miles of riding. Looks like no issues here.

 

[Beamish]

Went and had a quick "tug" of the rear sprocket last night. No movement at all in either longitudinal or lateral sense. Forgt to check the spacer colour but seemed fine to me and I've never had the "loose" rear end feeling you described in 1000 miles of riding. Looks like no issues here.

Good I am glad it seems it is not a recall type of problem but that now poses the question, why does mine do it with new components? Wtf!

 

[fatbob]

I have aftermarket wheels and there is zero play

 

[Shug]

I actually tried this last week when I was cleaning the chain (after reading your threads on it) and there's no play in my 2011 bike - about 5K on the clocks.

 

[Hoops]

I hope you get this sorted fella - not good at all - but i imagine your dealer will be all over it and anxious to rectify the issue - maybe a brand spanker on the horizon!!??

 

[Beamish]

I hope you get this sorted fella - not good at all - but i imagine your dealer will be all over it and anxious to rectify the issue - maybe a brand spanker on the horizon!!??

Thanks for the support guys. I rung the two other dealers in the area and one states it isnt a problem and the other says his stock has no play in the carrier. Thursday is D Day. I have refused to accept the repair without a technical explanation from BM as to why they have introduced play into a final drive system. Here's hoping its all good and above board.

 

[Beamish]

I actually tried this last week when I was cleaning the chain (after reading your threads on it) and there's no play in my 2011 bike - about 5K on the clocks.

It seems like its 2012 bikes only ( for some very bizarre reason)

 

[chorsley]

My 2012 seems to have about 3mm to 4mm of rotational play it has about 1100 miles on the clock but no lateral play.

 

[Beamish]

My 2012 seems to have about 3mm to 4mm of rotational play it has about 1100 miles on the clock but no lateral play.

This isnt just my opinion (many friends and colleagues agree) but I don't think that is acceptable regardless of what BM are saying. If you have that much play when static, imagine how much play there will be on and off the throttle with 190bhp going through it! The Cush drive will be destroyed very early in its life and I can't see the chain and sprockets lasting well. I am hoping for an official answer from the technical dept on thurs and I will let you know the outcome ( unless they ask me not to .

 

[Shft_Ctrl]

It seems like its 2012 bikes only ( for some very bizarre reason)

No, I had this on my 2011 - too early to say whether it has been resolved by the replacement s/carrier.

 

[phil]

No play on my 2010.. with 11k.

 

[Beamish]

Well I have had the official word that this play (fwd and rear, not lateral) is accepted up to a limit. I will be given the official details shortly. Just keep an eye on it when you adjust your chain, the play is a lot less noticeable once up to operating temp so a lot of the play is taken up pretty quickly.

 

[paul1098]

Just picked up a 2012 bike with 1800 miles on it & it has about 3-4 mm rotational play in carrier & wobbles. Be interested to hear what they come up with but if the play is reduced when up to temperature then that is probably the reason. Only been used to Dukes & their cush drive has zero play so find this totally strange.

 

[Beamish]

Just picked up a 2012 bike with 1800 miles on it & it has about 3-4 mm rotational play in carrier & wobbles. Be interested to hear what they come up with but if the play is reduced when up to temperature then that is probably the reason. Only been used to Dukes & their cush drive has zero play so find this totally strange.

I don't know of another marque that has play in the Cush drive. It seems to me that this is relatively new news to BMW, as some dealers ( that haven't dealt with a complaint) Rainbow for example hasn't previously contacted bm technical so their mechs see it as a problem whereas Balderstones say the play is ok as they have already chased a complaint. We really need to know the allowable limits though so we can keep an eye on it.

 

[babarr46]

That's cobblers they know about the free play as i have raised it with BMW , & was told that some fwd free play is ok so long as its not side play, checked the other bikes in the show room and they all had about 4 mm play. Which mine still has with 25k on the clock a 10 plate.