The R65 and the circlip-less transmissions

[Adamastor]

Hi there!

I have been reading all of airbum's web site and there is a special section devoted to one specific problem on bmw transmissions:

http://bmwmotorcycletech.info/transmission.htm

During some years, BMW omitted a circlip on some transmissions, wich can and probably will result in catastrophic destruction of the transmission box.
I have checked my gear box serial number and it seems to be in the "dangerous" zone: Z-113177, a 1985 gear box.

Have you guys have had any problem with this? If you are supposed to have one of the circlip-less boxes, what can you do?

Regards,

Sergio

[Bob_Roller]

The transmission needs to be removed from the bike, opened up, and I think, the output shaft needs to have a groove  machined to accept the circlip .

I had my transmission overhauled  2 and a half years ago, mine didn't have the circlip installed, so the shop did the machining and installed the clip before reassembly .

My transmission had 78,000 miles on it, at the time .

[Adamastor]

They are an accident waiting to happen, right? But snowburn says if you do those small tests periodically you can predict more or less when it needs work..
I had so much work on the R65 so far that I do not want to stop riding it right now... maybe next year I ask a quote on a specialized airhead mechanic here in Portugal...
Oh boy..
I always felt a grind from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 1st gears (goes away if I stop by neutral), but I thought it would be normal on a high mileage bmw, now I wonder if it really is normal...

[GrimReaper]

Who did the overhawl Bob?What was the cost for it?

[Bob_Roller]

I had Motorworks in National City, CA (San Diego area) do the overhaul .

I don't have the bill handy, but I believe it was around $650, that included all of the bearings, bushings, gaskets, seals, shifter pawl spring, and the circlip installation .

That did not include shipping, I took the transmission to them,  then went back to pick it up a few weeks later when it was done .

There were no additional problems with the transmission, prices go up from there .

I had some issues with the transmission after the overhaul, the shifter shaft seal was installed really crooked, causing shifting problems .

I had a few email conversations with 'Oak' Okleshen airheads technical expert, and he told me he has seen overhauls done by Motorworks, and the quality of workmanship was not the greatest .

So I can't give them a good recommendation, but a friend of mine that lives in San Diego, says I'm one of the few people he has heard about, that has had problems with their work .