Urgent 2012 owners please read!

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BMW are saying that play is acceptable but check with your dealer. I am awaiting an answer as to why this is allowed.
 
I have today been contacted by Astle an i am delighted with how BMW and Astle Grimsby have dealt with the build error. They have in my mind restored my faith in the brand and the warranty. My advice from now on for all owners is to keep a close eye on the carrier and check for excessive movement when you check your chain tension.
 
Right I spent most of the day up at the dealers trying different rear wheel components from a 0mile 2013 bike. The only component change that solved the carrier play was a wheel swap. Looks like the recess for the wheel bearing was incorrect at manufacture so the carrier bearing was taking the pain and wearing out prematurely. A 600 mile 2012 bike outside the dealers was also showing the same symptoms so who knows, a batch of bad wheels?
 
Beamish

I'm so glad you posted this. Having washed my bike today I noticed some movement in the sprocket similar to what you described. Their is at least 2/3 mm play both forward/backwards and sideways. I rang SBW straight away and its booked in to get it sorted. I'll let you know the outcome once they have looked at it.
 
Hope it goes ok, BMW have so far been very good at dealing with my case so touch wood you get the same treatment. It's the lateral play that is the prob, the bearing in the carrier is not designed to have that much load in that plane.
 
Took my bike to SBW last Thursday, They said the movement on the sprocket was within BMW tolerence levels. The side stand bolts were replaced and all is ok.
 
Noticed a few weeks ago the sprocket carrier on my 2012 model with just over 1000 miles on it also had both rotational and lateral movement. Took it to 'local' dealer to have the side stand bolt recall work done and asked them to check the carrier whilst they had it. They compared it with a new model in the showroom which didn't have any movement and decided the way forward was to replace the cush drive rubbers to which I said wouldn't make any difference in the lateral aspect. So, they replaced the rubbers, then a couple of BMW technical guys took an interest and said to strip the wheel down and check all the tolerances. To cut it short, they have now agreed to replace the wheel as the issue was caused by incorrect machining during manufacture, same as Beamish's.

Surely this should warrant another recall or at least an advisory for owners to check for unnatural movement?
 
Noticed a few weeks ago the sprocket carrier on my 2012 model with just over 1000 miles on it also had both rotational and lateral movement. Took it to 'local' dealer to have the side stand bolt recall work done and asked them to check the carrier whilst they had it. They compared it with a new model in the showroom which didn't have any movement and decided the way forward was to replace the cush drive rubbers to which I said wouldn't make any difference in the lateral aspect. So, they replaced the rubbers, then a couple of BMW technical guys took an interest and said to strip the wheel down and check all the tolerances. To cut it short, they have now agreed to replace the wheel as the issue was caused by incorrect machining during manufacture, same as Beamish's.

Surely this should warrant another recall or at least an advisory for owners to check for unnatural movement?

I had to really scream and shout to get a result but hopefully it has paved the way for the rest to get a quicker resolution which certainly appears to be a new rear wheel. BMW definitely were not aware of this particular fault as in rear wheel build issues. When I finally got to speak with the man from Germany he was straight up and resolved the issue pretty quickly.
 
I had to really scream and shout to get a result but hopefully it has paved the way for the rest to get a quicker resolution which certainly appears to be a new rear wheel. BMW definitely were not aware of this particular fault as in rear wheel build issues. When I finally got to speak with the man from Germany he was straight up and resolved the issue pretty quickly.
Can you let me know what 'the man from Germany' said please - I have 750 miles on my replacement cush rubbers & sprocket carrier and the play has returned (clearly visible movement of the sprocket carrier over the left hand rear wheel spacer). My warranty is up in a couple of weeks and I'd like to be as fully armed as I can be when dealing with my dealer as they had my bike for the majority of last summer meaning I managed barely 700 miles last year from the start of June. Thanks.
 
Can you let me know what 'the man from Germany' said please - I have 750 miles on my replacement cush rubbers & sprocket carrier and the play has returned (clearly visible movement of the sprocket carrier over the left hand rear wheel spacer). My warranty is up in a couple of weeks and I'd like to be as fully armed as I can be when dealing with my dealer as they had my bike for the majority of last summer meaning I managed barely 700 miles last year from the start of June. Thanks.

Basically everything I have been told and everything I have learnt about my particular bike I have posted on this site, but in a nutshell my bike had play and I took it in for repair, they replaced the carrier/drive/rubbers/chain and sprockets but I wasnt happy as there was play again after just 42miles. I fought BMW customer services in order for them to investigate the problem again even though they initially said it was ok. When we stripped my bike down and compared the rear wheel against a 2013 bike the bearing (sprocket side) was more proud on my wheel and basically the only component that removed the carrier play on my bike was when the 2013 wheel was substituted for mine. I am not saying this will be the case with all the other bikes displaying similar symptoms though. Good luck.
 
Beamish, do you have the contact details for the Germany? After telling me a week ago that i'd get a new wheel now they're saying they've got to check everything again. I've been without it for two weeks now and need to get it back A.S.A.P. Ta.
 
Beamish, do you have the contact details for the Germany? After telling me a week ago that i'd get a new wheel now they're saying they've got to check everything again. I've been without it for two weeks now and need to get it back A.S.A.P. Ta.

It took me weeks and a lot off kicking of at customer services before finally I was contacted by the technical manager (BMW Germany), I am sorry but I have no contact details whatsoever, he rang me up had a chat then authorised the work on my bike. At no time was I ever given his contact details.
 
No worries, thanks for the info bud. I keep telling them I need it back sorted pretty quick as I've a track day at Silverstone on the 14th May and am running out of time!
 
Went in for the first 600 mile run-in service today. Got the side stand recall sorted and asked them to check the play on the rear sprocket as I too am seeing a little "rocking" play side-to-side although not forward and backwards to the front/back of the bike. I was told that it was OK as it was the same as another 2012 model they had. I made the point that just because it was the same, didn't mean it was OK, but I didn't press the point.

I guess I'll monitor it to see if it gets any worse, but for now, I'll just enjoy the now de-restricted engine with all the revs and horses on tap.
 
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Yea, keep an eye on it, mine had both sideways and rotational movement. They should have checked it against a 2013 model as this issue appears to be inherent with some 2012 models only as far as I can tell.

Enjoy the bike, tis a different beast above 8000rpm! :glee:
 
Yea, keep an eye on it, mine had both sideways and rotational movement. They should have checked it against a 2013 model as this issue appears to be inherent with some 2012 models only as far as I can tell.

Enjoy the bike, tis a different beast above 8000rpm! :glee:

I think I was the first to report this issue (June 2012) on a May 2011 bike - had the cush rubbers replaced which didn't solve the issue (grabbed the sprocket and it still moved when I went to pick it up from the dealers and told them so), so the sprocket carrier was also replaced - the lateral play returned after approx. 500 miles, and is progressively getting worse, now at 750 miles and the carrier clearly moves over the w/spacer and twists slightly - rotational play is still minimal though: I think the lateral play and twisting must progressively prematurely wear the cush rubbers.
 
I think I was the first to report this issue (June 2012) on a May 2011 bike - had the cush rubbers replaced which didn't solve the issue (grabbed the sprocket and it still moved when I went to pick it up from the dealers and told them so), so the sprocket carrier was also replaced - the lateral play returned after approx. 500 miles, and is progressively getting worse, now at 750 miles and the carrier clearly moves over the w/spacer and twists slightly - rotational play is still minimal though: I think the lateral play and twisting must progressively prematurely wear the cush rubbers.

I can almost guarantee the problem is with the wheel casting. It seems that the tolerances for the bearing seat appear to be out on some wheels. My carrier post wheel change is still rock solid even after a dry trackday. I am of to the Harz mountains for a week from the 22nd so will stick some miles on it, if its ok after that I will be convinced the problem is resolved.
 

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