Interesting opinion

[Dizerens5]

Dave Minton, who is a well known figure in the motorcycle world over here, writes a regular column in our classic magazine Real Classic (a good mag). This month he writes admiringly of the R65 he once owned, doubting whether a more undemanding yet tireless and simple motorcycle of the period was ever built. He also writes that he doubts very much that BMW will ever produce better motorcycles than it did with its final range of airheads. How right he is!

[montmil]

As a motorcycle that can be easily maintained by its owner, rack up high mileages with only simple needs to be met and perform to expectations, the BMW Airheads are at the top of the class; always have been and they will continue to well serve their legions of aficionados.

However, the newest offerings from BMW Motorrad are undeniably fantastic motorcycles. Personally, I may not be enticed by BMW's latest with their electronic controls, fuel injection, water pumps, power windshields and on-board coffee makers, but the worldwide market share being taken by BMW Motorrad's current crop of motorcycles cannot be overlooked. Market driven, they are.

I love my small herd of cows. [smiley=cowsleep.gif]

Monte  

[Justin B.]

I think that if BMW could have done a better job with the input shaft splines they could have truly had a bullet-proof machine toward the end.  The monoshocks solved the rear wheel spline issue, the sealed ball-bearing assemblies in the front wheel were maintenance free, tubeless tires, etc.

I would like a BMW engineer to explain to me what possessed them to make the clutch splines so freaking shallow and fine!  If the clutch (and corresponding shaft) had splines more along the line of an automotive dry clutch then spline lubes would no longer be needed to keep them alive.

I wonder if some modifications could be developed...

[Barry]

Dave Minton's opinion counts for me. He will probably not be very well known outside the UK though he has ridden a BMW R80 up through Canada to Alaska. He's been riding and writing about motorcycles for almost 50 years and owns or used to own an old  BMW and a Laverda.

I suspect the German Engineers who designed the fine input splines were thinking of eliminating backlash. Nothings perfect I suppose but old Airheads should really be compared with  their contemporaries.  Simplicity and quality wise in the 70's they were in a different league to most others. And so they should have been at the price.

A couple of examples of over complicated and compromised Airhead engineering for me would be the 2000$ O ring. Only introduced to facilitate oil coolers which most bikes didn't have or need and as they finished up with two different lengths of filter anyway they could have left the majority simple like the /5's & /6's and just messed with the ones that had oil coolers fitted. One that doesn't apply to us but for me a crazy design detail that seemed destined to be neglected and make a mess of the frame - the undertank master cylinder.  

[darrylri]

For me, BMW means Bikes Made Weird, and I like it that way.  

The fine input splines may be a way to have more total engagement surface area, which should distribute the load over more material.  I am not a materials scientist, so I can't say if that makes sense or not.  

As I have a /6, I have one of those under the tank master cylinders.  The location is easy to get to, with only the removal of two thumscrews, and it protects the MC from damage in a parking lot oopsie.  Making a mess of the frame, under the tank, is certainly far better than making a mess of the tank itself, which is what happens when a handlebar mounted MC leaks.  And there's a low brake fluid warning light on the dash, curiously marked BRAKE FAILURE -- surely that would get your attention!  

I can't argue with you about the O ring, however.  

[Justin B.]

It would be interesting to machine the spline end of the input shaft and then press/weld a coarse splined insert over it and have that mate to a like splined clutch disc.  I don't see any reason why it shouldn't work just fine...

[tom_hudson]

This spline thing is a sore spot for sure - Few months ago I bought a cherry 2000 R1100RT - it had 9,000 miles on it - I now have 13,000 miles on it - I lost a rear penion seal on a 1,300 mile trip - other than that it's been perfect - I'm told the spline needs to be lubed every 40,000 miles? I have ask a couple of BMW wrenches about my bike only having 13,000 miles on it but it's 12 years old - I ask them if I should have the spline lubed - I was told by both of these guys not to worry about it until 40K miles reguardless of how old the bike is? So I'm just riding it until i'm told different? Tom

[darrylri]

Alright, here's my contrarian position on the splines.  

First of all, there is NO defined service interval for them.  It does not exist in any BMW manual or specification.  

If your bike doesn't shift smoothly, you should consider checking the splines as one possibility.  

Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it.  

I have NEVER had the splines lubed on any of my BMWs, except when the transmission has been out for some other reason:  

My '94 R1100RS accumulated 110,000 miles on one transmission without a spline lube.  (For other reasons, I am on my 4th trans in this bike, at 212,000 miles; it's a long story, but I've only paid for one trans at 150,000 miles, and I'm not at all unhappy with the service I've received from the bike.)

My 1985 R80 had 92,000 miles on its trans without a lube when I stupidly sold it.  

My 2002 R1150RS had 86,000 miles on its tranny when it was totaled.  

My 2007 R1200ST has 70,000 miles on it right now.  

My 1st R65 went 56,000 miles.  

My R90S has 43,000 miles on it under my ownership, and I have no reason to believe that the previous owners ever did a spline lube, so that would be 61,000 miles.

This is just anecdotal experience, of course.  But, being that the internet has the effect of greatly amplifying bad experiences, I thought I would try to get a little traction for good ones.  

[tom_hudson]

Hi Darryl - This old internet can syure open can's of worms - My bike shifts perfect so I'm not worried about the splines either - You do hear lots of stories about spline issues but I don't know what percentage of actual owners have problems - some folks are experts on cetain brands  when they have never owned that brand