How much slop in your driveline?

[deilenberger]

Just curious. I know some slop is normal. Mine in 1st gear is about 2" on the outside circumference of the tire.. it's a bit more in any other gear. Mine is enough that it's very noisy (and bangy - if that's a word) if run on the centerstand. I've done a lot of searching on this, and haven't found any real answer, so.. figured I'd ask here.

To measure it - put the bike in 1st gear (engine off, on centerstand) roll the tire forward with your hand until it stops. Mark that point on the outside of the tire - center of the tread (If you have a hugger it makes a good reference point.) Then roll it backwards. Measure between the mark and where it ends up. Report here.

If you're real brave (and you have clearance under your rear tire on the centerstand) - you could try starting the engine and putting it in 1st gear. I'd be interested in how much klunking/banging you get.

I suspect some variance is normal - due to what's called "stacking" - ie - multiple components with clearance add up to result in the final clearance from end to end of the driveline. I don't think mine has changed, it's always been this way, but as I said - I'm a curious sorta guy and wonder what others see.

[hjsbmw]

Using your measuring technique, I get about 2"-2.125" in first gear.

I didn't run it just now but have done so in the past. It's quite clangy and undesirable. The same goes on with chain driven bikes, only the directness of the shaft makes it more noticeable and louder: there is less elasticity.
I believe it's simply due to the pulsating nature of an engine's power delivery, especially at low rpm. When there is no load on the rear wheel there is nothing that governs the components' interplay: depending on where the engine is in the firing cycle, either the transmission or the rear wheel is faster than the other, and stuff starts banging around.

[dbrick]

2 5/8"
The clangy/bangy sounds the same as every other BMW I've owned.

[Snapping Twig]

2" in my case.

[gibbo111]

50mm on my 07 ,done 60000km
50mm on my HP2 ,done 2700km
Seems about normal on most bikes here-no worries

[roger l]

My drive line has 2-7/16" of slop.

Roger L

[deilenberger]

Thanks all. Sounds like my bike is about normal. Strangely I never really measured it when the bike was newish. Figured at 70,000 miles it might have increased, but apparently not.

I'll just have to think of something else to obsess over, at least we now have a solid number on the Interwebz..

[mogu83]

For the record: 2.5 inches 60,000 miles. No play side to side in the rear wheel. Sounds like something is coming apart from day one. My /5 has 4 inches of play but seems a lot quieter. Could just be me.

[David R]

I got 2 1/4"

2012 with 14,000 miles

I would not expect it to run good on the stand. No load on the tir.

David

[Catchina]

To measure it - put the bike in 1st gear (engine off, on centerstand) roll the tire forward with your hand until it stops. Mark that point on the outside of the tire - center of the tread (If you have a hugger it makes a good reference point.) Then roll it backwards. Measure between the mark and where it ends up. Report here.

outside of the tire, center of tread...? Do you mean center of the tire like where the tire touches the road if the bike is perfectly upright? I just got a new set of PR3's put on so I have a thicker tread (greater diameter at center of tread) than I had last week with worn out metzlers. So the rotational distance measured would be greater now by that measure. Should we measure movement at the edge of the rim instead for more accuracy, so thickness of tread/tire has no impact?

[David R]

To measure it - put the bike in 1st gear (engine off, on centerstand) roll the tire forward with your hand until it stops. Mark that point on the outside of the tire - center of the tread (If you have a hugger it makes a good reference point.) Then roll it backwards. Measure between the mark and where it ends up. Report here.

outside of the tire, center of tread...? Do you mean center of the tire like where the tire touches the road if the bike is perfectly upright? I just got a new set of PR3's put on so I have a thicker tread (greater diameter at center of tread) than I had last week with worn out metzlers. So the rotational distance measured would be greater now by that measure. Should we measure movement at the edge of the rim instead for more accuracy, so thickness of tread/tire has no impact?

So to include the tire newness of the tire in the measurement I have 2 1/4" with a PRIII with 3,000 miles on it and the tire has been on 2 weeks. How is that for some riding!

Catchina, I don't think size matters. Its the skill of the rider

We gotta get out and do some miles. I got a new color matched Parabellum Scout Fairing. Love it! TAll windshield and all.

David

[hankth]

The nice thing is that whatever slop you do have, it never changes unlike with a chain. So, it becomes second nature to compensate so that it is a non issue.

[mogu83]

The nice thing is that whatever slop you do have, it never changes unlike with a chain. So, it becomes second nature to compensate so that it is a non issue.

I think Dons purpose was just to establish some kind of base line on just how much play is 'normal' in the rear drive. The request to measure has never come up before on the list, and for some unknown reason some of us see red flags when the dealer says "They all do that".

[Paul-from-VA]

Don,
2013 with 900 miles, 2 1/8".

[deilenberger]

The nice thing is that whatever slop you do have, it never changes unlike with a chain. So, it becomes second nature to compensate so that it is a non issue.

I think Dons purpose was just to establish some kind of base line on just how much play is 'normal' in the rear drive. The request to measure has never come up before on the list, and for some unknown reason some of us see red flags when the dealer says "They all do that".

Harry is exactly correct. TADT - well, I've heard that too many times from dealers/mechanics.. I like to confirm it with impeccable sources - the Interwebz and the best R12R forum around.

As far as tire wear being a factor... well, somehow I don't suspect that level of accuracy is really needed, but nice that someone thought of it.

[Steve H.]

There is a slop in driveline definitelly.I didn't messured it.But that is apsolutly normal.Just add ap tolereances,and you are there.No problem with it whatsoever.Another think suprised me is:dust/fileings at final drive case magnetic drain plug:lots of black dust/powderish metal on magnet at6000mls.Changed the oil immediatelly:Lucas75W90 syntetyc.I know Lucas,using in my
truck.700,000mls on engine,no oil consumption yet.

best regards,Steve H

[PhilSB]

I once had a graunching noise from underneath/rear but couldn't see anything amiss. I rode it home very carefully and with the bike on the centrestand I ran the engine in first gear . There was some unpleasant noise but not what I had heard earlier. I had the bike taken to the dealer and they could find no problem but said that the noise on the stand was because the swinging arm/drive shaft was not at the normal angle and this noise was to be expected. Anyway, I didn't have the original problem again and I lived happily ever after.

Phil

[Steve in VT]

I get about the same slop as everyone else on my '07 with 15K miles, and absolutely no lateral play in the wheel. But I do notice at around 55-60 MPH when I lean the bike over in a curve, the sound from the rear end changes - not louder so much as a change in pitch. Mostly I ignore it, but once in a while I get paranoid and wonder if it's something to worry about.

[dbrick]

I get about the same slop as everyone else on my '07 with 15K miles, and absolutely no lateral play in the wheel. But I do notice at around 55-60 MPH when I lean the bike over in a curve, the sound from the rear end changes - not louder so much as a change in pitch. Mostly I ignore it, but once in a while I get paranoid and wonder if it's something to worry about.

Sounds like your bike's rear tire's getting worn. As the tire wears, the tire's profile changes, and when the bike's contact patch moves from one position on the tire to to another, sometimes a different rubber compound is exposed. Both of those can generate a change in sound. How many miles on it?

[Steve in VT]

Sounds like your bike's rear tire's getting worn. As the tire wears, the tire's profile changes, and when the bike's contact patch moves from one position on the tire to to another, sometimes a different rubber compound is exposed. Both of those can generate a change in sound. How many miles on it?

17K miles on the clock. In fact, my mechanic told me at my last inspection that I should be thinking about a new rear tire. The Michelin Pilot Road 2 has about 8500 miles on it, and it is looking a little bare in the center.

Thanks for the tip.

Steve