BMW's "Maintenance Free Chain

[Lone Wolf]

20 hours ago, piotrek said:

Doesn't have BMW stamped all over it... there is hope Regina might make it available to the commoners at some point.

I would buy that chain from Regina - but I would still lube it.

Unless the O-rings / X-rings are made of unobtanium, they would eventually dry out and crack, pieces of rubber sticking out like any other chain that has high miles. That is why I clean and lube chains, to preserve the rubber rings - hoping the INTERNAL lube stays in place as long as it can.

"At first glance, the M Endurance is a typical X-ring design, with a permanent lubricant filling between the rollers and pins. The secret, says BMW, is a new coating material called tetrahedrally amorphous carbon (ta-C), a type of industrial diamond, to the rollers and bushings."

I like the steel, because that wear is why chains "stretch" but you still have to try to keep the seals intact. Otherwise you lose the internal lubricant. 

Edited August 29, 2020 by Lone Wolf

[nhchris]

2 hours ago, kmev said:

With out regular applications of moly to all drive splines, including the transmission input splines (which requires pulling the transmission) the splines self destruct and you're eventually left with a bike that revs but doesn't move. Even with regular maintenance, my K75 was showing wear at 60,000 miles.

Not on a Honda!!

I ran my ST 1300 for 50k miles and changed the 90w shaft drive hypoid gear oil every other engine oil change.  Never a squeak, shudder or problem from that clean and quiet shaft.

People say Hondas are boring.  If you love wrenching and all sorts of maintenance that is definitely true.  You will be bored (and possibly stroked).

[kmev]

1 hour ago, nhchris said:

Not on a Honda!!

Nor a Yamaha - that's why I am here. 

[piotrek]

4 hours ago, nhchris said:

I ran my ST 1300 for 50k miles and changed the 90w shaft drive hypoid gear oil every other engine oil change.  Never a squeak, shudder or problem from that clean and quiet shaft.

That is more like what I had imagined shaft drive maintenance to be.

Edited August 30, 2020 by piotrek

[Buggy Nate]

7 hours ago, kmev said:

Nor a Yamaha - that's why I am here. 

Disagree there. Yamaha’s Xvs650 is the worst driveshaft/diff in the world. Constant issues with howling stripped splines etc. Almost impossible to find a second hand shaft drive here.

[kmev]

2 hours ago, Buggy Nate said:

Disagree there. Yamaha’s Xvs650 is the worst driveshaft/diff in the world. Constant issues with howling stripped splines etc. Almost impossible to find a second hand shaft drive here.

I'm not familiar with that bike. I know the FJR1300 drive is bulletproof, as was my old Maxim 700's drive back in the day. It seems BMW's entire line was prone to problems. 

Edited August 30, 2020 by kmev

[Buggy Nate]

1 hour ago, kmev said:

I'm not familiar with that bike. I know the FJR1300 drive is bulletproof, as was my old Maxim 700's drive back in the day. It seems BMW's entire line was prone to problems. 

It was a 650cc vtwin hardly rideable lookalike. Hideously heavy as well. Even learner approved here because of the terrible power to weight figures.

[Lone Wolf]

6 hours ago, Buggy Nate said:

Disagree there. Yamaha’s Xvs650 is the worst driveshaft/diff in the world. Constant issues with howling stripped splines etc. Almost impossible to find a second hand shaft drive here.

Were you the original owner? Sounds like a high-miles bike that may not have been lubricated by original owner.

My 1980 Yamaha 850 Triple and 1982 Yamaha 750 Seca both had awesome shaft drives. Others mention the FJR and Maxim with no problems. Yamaha does know how to make a great shaft drive.

[roadrash83]

6 hours ago, Lone Wolf said:

Were you the original owner? Sounds like a high-miles bike that may not have been lubricated by original owner.

My 1980 Yamaha 850 Triple and 1982 Yamaha 750 Seca both had awesome shaft drives. Others mention the FJR and Maxim with no problems. Yamaha does know how to make a great shaft drive.

I have to agree with you. I bought a new 79 Yamaha XS1100,  when I was eighteen and never had a drive shaft problem with over a 100,000 miles. I beat the living shit out of that bike and could not kill it, changed the oil and filter ever 3000mi and the shaft drive 90w every other oil change. The only problem I ever had with the bike was leaking fork seals, I think I put eight sets on in the time I owned  the bike. Like I said, I had fun with it😀

[Buggy Nate]

8 hours ago, Lone Wolf said:

Were you the original owner? Sounds like a high-miles bike that may not have been lubricated by original owner.

My 1980 Yamaha 850 Triple and 1982 Yamaha 750 Seca both had awesome shaft drives. Others mention the FJR and Maxim with no problems. Yamaha does know how to make a great shaft drive.

I’m offended you think I’d own one of them...! I was a mechanic. The amount of these we had through with buggered shaft drives were astonishing. Yamaha put absolutely bugger all grease in the splines from new too.

[tktplz]

On 8/28/2020 at 9:58 PM, piotrek said:

Doesn't have BMW stamped all over it... there is hope Regina might make it available to the commoners at some point.

That's what I was wondering. Will I have to buy the complete BMW to get the chain for my bike?

Edited August 30, 2020 by tktplz
spelling.....DOH!

[texscottyd]

Does anyone else remember the XV920R of the early 80s?  It was a more sporting version of the Virago, and had a really unique enclosed chain that ran in its own oil bath.   I thought it was a great idea, and I’m surprised that it wasn’t more widely adopted.   

[tktplz]

1 hour ago, texscottyd said:

Does anyone else remember the XV920R of the early 80s?

Yes I do. I was thinking that was the way BMW was going to do it.

[texscottyd]

1 hour ago, tktplz said:

Yes I do. I was thinking that was the way BMW was going to do it.

Me too!   It’s such an obvious approach/solution, I don’t know why it hasn’t reappeared... 

[2and3cylinders]

7 hours ago, Buggy Nate said:

I’m offended you think I’d own one of them...! I was a mechanic. The amount of these we had through with buggered shaft drives were astonishing. Yamaha put absolutely bugger all grease in the splines from new too.

If you were born in 81, those Yamahas were pretty well used by the time you worked on them.

The main thing with the old style shaft drives (I had a Suzuki 850 4 with the shaft, nice mellow thing), was they didn't have a second universal joint back before the rear transfer, and were thus very sensitive to abrupt on-off throttle application which caused jacking and de-jacking of rear wheel.  All "modern" shaft drives have minimal jacking effect.

Enclosed oil bath primary chain AND rear final drive chains are old as the hills, and I agree they CAN be very effective.  Belts are OK but not being able to juggle sprocket sizes is not appealing to me.

Whereas the new BMW forever chain is only a $100 dollar option for a new XR, replacement is $400 and what about the sprockets?  Why not "diamond-like" coat them too?