BMW K bikes (Bricks)


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1Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty How whirr-ey is your gearbox Fri Oct 02, 2020 7:25 pm

stanthomas

stanthomas
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On my '91 K100RS 16V, 85k miles:
At idle, in neutral with clutch engaged, i.e. gearbox is spinning, there really seems to be a lot going on in that box. Just mechanical whirr, no knocks, rattles or rumbles. And nothing noticeable on the move. Now it's a long time since I had a bike that was this quiet, well silenced, no top-end clatter, no induction roar. But I can't remember the gearbox being as noticeable on, say, a CBR600. Goes away when clutch is pulled in so definitely down to those shafts a-spinning.

I'll add that it's had a new clutch, new seals, everything tight, splines greased etc. And yes, the gearbox has oil in it. There was a bit of water in the gear oil when I got it, and it had been standing for 4 years before that, but I've seen a lot worse. On the bench, rotating the input shaft by hand, you could definitely hear the gears turning but again, not really any different to other boxes.

So I'm just trying to gauge what I'm hearing. I am mindful of all those straight-cut gears spinning away on three shafts and it wouldn't suprise me if "they all sound like that". But confirmation would be appreciated.

    

2Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Fri Oct 02, 2020 8:22 pm

Rick G

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I've never heard a quiet one yet. Two skeletons having it off in a tin bucket comes to mind.


__________________________________________________
"Man sacrifices his health in order to make money.
Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health.
And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived."   Dalai Lama


Bikes 1999 K1100 LT with a Big Block 1200
    

3Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Fri Oct 02, 2020 8:24 pm

Dai

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What Rick says. Straight-cut gears are noisy by definition.


__________________________________________________
1983 K100 naked upgraded to K100LT spec after spending time as an RS and an RT
1987 K100RT
Others...
1978 Moto Guzzi 850-T3, 1979 Moto Guzzi 850-T3 California,1993 Moto Guzzi 1100ie California
2020 Royal Enfield Bullet 500
    

4Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Sat Oct 03, 2020 2:19 am

Laitch

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It might be time to unpack the otoscope. Laughing


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1995 K75 90,000 miles
    

5Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Sat Oct 03, 2020 8:25 am

Snod Blatter

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I've actually been meaning to make a post about this! Mine didn't used to whine but since it passes the 80K mile mark there's a noticeable whine in all gears.. Normal or time for an oil change?


__________________________________________________
1989 K100RS SE ABS 8v  VIN: 0149214
Others: 1.5 x CBX250RS-E, '94 CB250, '95 TRX850, '16 Z250SL, '01 R1100GS
http://justbikethings.blogspot.co.uk/
    

6Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Sun Oct 04, 2020 1:08 am

jjefferies

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THought the K-bike whine was patented by BMW. All of mine have. K100, 2 K75's.

    

7Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Sun Oct 04, 2020 9:29 am

stanthomas

stanthomas
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First time I encountered a K was in the mid-80s as it pulled away from Creg ny Baa during the TT. And I was stuck by the elecric motor-like whine, very different and noticeable because otherwise is was so quiet. Maybe airhead BMWs and bevel twin Ducatis would sound the same if the general row was removed.

Can't say I notice that gear whine on my 16V when driving along. Think I'll have to go somewhere where Ks gather and compare. But I haven't seen a K out and about for years. Mind you, I've only seen three running airheads in the past 2 years. There used to be a BWM owners meet at the TT, is that still going?

    

8Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Mon Oct 05, 2020 12:50 pm

moriarti

moriarti
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lots of us Ks still around, problem is you don't see or hear us coming(stealth mode) just that Ksound when we are gone. Some of us get to Horse Shoe Pass now and again.Coffee and chat should you spot us  Chatter 
Don't know about BMW TTClub/meeting. santa


__________________________________________________
1984 k100 rs red/black VIN  0004449 Now sold to Olaf
    

9Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Mon Oct 05, 2020 1:29 pm

stanthomas

stanthomas
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moriarti wrote:lots of us Ks still around, problem is you don't see or hear us coming(stealth mode) just that Ksound when we are gone. Some of us get to Horse Shoe Pass now and again...
Horseshoe Pass is a regular route for me, although mainly under pedal-power. Always seemed to be Repsol Fireblades and 1200GSes but now I know, I'll keep a look out. Maybe I'll see you there. Thanks

Not that anyone can go there at the moment of course.

    

10Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Tue Oct 06, 2020 7:19 am

Dai

Dai
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No... and next year's Dragon Rally is cancelled... Sad Sad Sad


__________________________________________________
1983 K100 naked upgraded to K100LT spec after spending time as an RS and an RT
1987 K100RT
Others...
1978 Moto Guzzi 850-T3, 1979 Moto Guzzi 850-T3 California,1993 Moto Guzzi 1100ie California
2020 Royal Enfield Bullet 500
    

11Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Tue Oct 06, 2020 10:35 am

moriarti

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Couple of things not cancelled BILLS RAIN and hopefully BREATHING.Just got back from a ride,like a drowned rat.Ha Ho Happy Days Laughing Laughing


__________________________________________________
1984 k100 rs red/black VIN  0004449 Now sold to Olaf
    

12Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Mon Oct 12, 2020 10:27 am

88

88
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I put  a tea spoon of Molydenum disulphide powder in the final drive and gearbox on my K100LT. (Prescribed and dispensed by Dr. BobT) it made a bit of difference to the noise and smoothness of both.
Worth doing if you can get it in a small quantity.


__________________________________________________
How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Ir-log1188....May contain nuts!How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Ir-log11

"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." - St. Augustine from 1600 years ago & still true!

K1 - 1989 - AKA Titan (unique K1/K1100RS hybrid by Andreas Esterhammer)
K1100RS - 1995. AKA Rudolf Von Schmurf (in a million bits)
K100RS - 1991 AKA Ronnie. Cafe racer project bike
K75RTP - 1994
K75C - 1991 AKA Jim Beam. In boxes. 
K1100LT 1992 - AKA Big Red (gone)
K100LT - 1988 - AKA the Bullion brick. Should never have sold it.
    

13Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Mon Oct 12, 2020 11:04 am

Laitch

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88 wrote:I put  a tea spoon of Molydenum disulphide powder in the final drive and gearbox on my K100LT. 
John Muir, author of HTKYVWA–AMFTCI, prescribed that for VW transmissions in 1969. I was one of his votaries. The transmission always performed flawlessly when I pushed the bus out of traffic to the curbside because it stalled.Laughing


__________________________________________________
1995 K75 90,000 miles
    

14Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Mon Oct 12, 2020 5:11 pm

Point-Seven-five

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Laitch wrote:
88 wrote:I put  a tea spoon of Molydenum disulphide powder in the final drive and gearbox on my K100LT. 
John Muir, author of HTKYVWA–AMFTCI, prescribed that for VW transmissions in 1969. I was one of his votaries. The transmission always performed flawlessly when I pushed the bus out of traffic to the curbside because it stalled.Laughing

I had that book as well. One thing he never covered was how to keep the clutch cable on the split windshield bus from freezing in the tube in the winter time. Several were the times I had to drive home without a clutch in the dead of winter.


__________________________________________________
Present: 1991 K100RS "Moby Brick Too"
 
Past:
1994 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
1988 K100RS SE "Special Ed"
1994 K75S "Cheetos"
1992 K100RS "Moby Brick" R.I.P.
1982 Honda FT500
1979 Honda XR185
1977 Honda XL125
1974 Honda XL125
1972 OSSA Pioneer 250
1968 Kawasaki 175
    

15Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Tue Oct 13, 2020 6:50 am

TacKler

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stanthomas wrote:
There used to be a BWM owners meet at the TT, is that still going?

No idea but I did get the longest distance award.  1990, I think.


__________________________________________________
Red 1991 K75S
    

16Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Thu Oct 29, 2020 3:11 pm

stanthomas

stanthomas
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TacKler wrote:
stanthomas wrote:
There used to be a BWM owners meet at the TT, is that still going?

No idea but I did get the longest distance award.  1990, I think.
Little did I imagine that the event in question might be the TT itself:
Manx Radio 4 October
... strange times.


Getting back to the point, I've changed the gearbox oil and it's much quieter. What came out looked more like a 5 year oil change, not 1 month and 200 miles. I had flushed the gearbox with 10/40 while it was on the bench to try to clean out water and residue from it's 4 year 'rest'. Perhaps some of the 10/40 was left in the box and thinned my first fill.

Anyway, the box sounds much more normal now and not something I'll worry about. Another oil change planned after 500 miles to flush out more of that residue then fill with synthetic.

Thanks for your comments.

    

17Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Thu Oct 29, 2020 6:24 pm

Snod Blatter

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stanthomas wrote:I've changed the gearbox oil and it's much quieter.
Now this is interesting, probably time for me to do the same then!


__________________________________________________
1989 K100RS SE ABS 8v  VIN: 0149214
Others: 1.5 x CBX250RS-E, '94 CB250, '95 TRX850, '16 Z250SL, '01 R1100GS
http://justbikethings.blogspot.co.uk/
    

18Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Thu Oct 29, 2020 9:53 pm

Aged speed freak

Aged speed freak
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active member
Do not use synthetic oil for final drive or gearbox use ep80/90 it will be more than good enough

    

19Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Fri Oct 30, 2020 6:26 am

moriarti

moriarti
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#18.Where angels fear to tread :sunny1:For  the past 20 odd yrs iv used standard gear oil with a dash(300ml) of Moli slip additive,Resulting in a quiet silky positive gear change It works for me. Very Happy Very Happy


__________________________________________________
1984 k100 rs red/black VIN  0004449 Now sold to Olaf
    

20Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Sun Nov 15, 2020 8:08 pm

cycleman

cycleman
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From what I understand about these old K bikes is that the bulk of the whine comes from the alternator. I wouldn't think you would hear much whine from the tranny or rear end if they where in good shape.

    

21Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Wed Nov 25, 2020 7:35 am

Snod Blatter

Snod Blatter
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To come back to this, I finally changed the oil in the gearbox and the whine is reduced although not completely gone. The magnetic drain plug had a bit of an afro but not too bad for having done 10K miles so I'm not worried about it, it may just be that they start to whine a bit after 80K.

cycleman - this is definitely gear whine from the box, some gears are louder than others.


__________________________________________________
1989 K100RS SE ABS 8v  VIN: 0149214
Others: 1.5 x CBX250RS-E, '94 CB250, '95 TRX850, '16 Z250SL, '01 R1100GS
http://justbikethings.blogspot.co.uk/
    

22Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Wed Nov 25, 2020 10:24 am

92KK 84WW Olaf

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stanthomas wrote:First time I encountered a K was in the mid-80s as it pulled away from Creg ny Baa during the TT. And I was stuck by the elecric motor-like whine, very different and noticeable because otherwise is was so quiet. Maybe airhead BMWs and bevel twin Ducatis would sound the same if the general row was removed.

Can't say I notice that gear whine on my 16V when driving along. Think I'll have to go somewhere where Ks gather and compare. But I haven't seen a K out and about for years. Mind you, I've only seen three running airheads in the past 2 years. There used to be a BWM owners meet at the TT, is that still going?
3 of them beside my back door....out and about all the time!! I think they have all passed your house too.


__________________________________________________
1992 K100LT 0193214 Bertha Blue 101,000 miles
1984 K100RT 0022575 Brutus Baja Red 578 bought 36,000 now 89,150 miles
1997 K1100LT 0188024 Wotan Mystic Red 689 58,645 now 106,950 miles Deceased.
1983 K100RS 0011157 Fricka 606 Alaska Blue 29,495 miles Damn K Pox Its a Bat outta Hell Now 58,200 miles. 
1996 K1100LT 0233004 Lohengrin Mystic Red 38,000 miles currently 51,800 miles.
1983 K100RS 0004449 Odette R100 colours 58,000 miles. Sprint fairing now 63,390 miles

Past:
1968 Yamaha 80 YG1
1971 Yamaha 125 YAS-1
1968 Honda 125 SS
1970 Honda CD 175
1973 Honda CB500-4
Honda CX 500
    

23Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Wed Nov 25, 2020 12:13 pm

stanthomas

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92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:
stanthomas wrote:First time I encountered a K was in the mid-80s as it pulled away from Creg ny Baa during the TT. And I was stuck by the elecric motor-like whine, very different and noticeable because otherwise is was so quiet. Maybe airhead BMWs and bevel twin Ducatis would sound the same if the general row was removed.

Can't say I notice that gear whine on my 16V when driving along. Think I'll have to go somewhere where Ks gather and compare. But I haven't seen a K out and about for years. Mind you, I've only seen three running airheads in the past 2 years. There used to be a BWM owners meet at the TT, is that still going?
3 of them beside my back door....out and about all the time!! I think they have all passed your house too.
Doubt you've been past my house, it's a bridleway more suited to GSes; not that I've seen one of those go past either, just knackered old DT175s. Did see my first  brick for many a year about a week ago, a K100RS 8V at the A49 lights just outside Northwich.

To go back to the box, it's like a very loud ssshhhhh sound. Sometimes I confuse it for the cooling fan - until the fan kicks in for real. Sounds like a lot of shafts and gears tunring away in there. Very noticeable when I pull up outside the metal door to my garage, less so in the open.

    

24Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Wed Nov 25, 2020 12:24 pm

Laitch

Laitch
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stanthomas wrote:Very noticeable when I pull up outside the metal door to my garage . . . 
It was whirrey but now it's ssshhhhhey. Is it ssshhhhhey when it's idling in front of your garage door?


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1995 K75 90,000 miles
    

25Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Wed Nov 25, 2020 12:56 pm

stanthomas

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Laitch wrote:
stanthomas wrote:Very noticeable when I pull up outside the metal door to my garage . . . 
It was whirrey but now it's ssshhhhhey. Is it ssshhhhhey when it's idling in front of your garage door?
The sound is the same, just trying to find the words to distinguish it. I'm familiar with the whine from straight-cut gears and it's not that. And yes, when idling after the engine is up to temperature - don't hear anything above the wind, induction and exhaust on the move. I assume the garage door is reflecting the sound back at me making it much more noticeable but it's there even at the back of Tesco's car park. And this with my helmet on. I don't have to crouch down by the side of the bike for it to be evident.

It is more apparent than other bikes, even water-cooled Hondas, and I wonder whether this is normal for the breed and it's simply more noticeable because the rest of the engine is quiet or whether it suggest something not right after 4 years of lay-up with some water in the gear oil. But I guess I'll just ride it and hope it doesn't get any worse; for now, the bike's got some serious handling problems to sort out

    

26Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Wed Nov 25, 2020 1:07 pm

Laitch

Laitch
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You might be hearing an alternator bearing. Put your long-shanked screwdriver on it and listen through its handle.


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1995 K75 90,000 miles
    

27Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Wed Nov 25, 2020 1:22 pm

92KK 84WW Olaf

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Noise related to engine speed.......possibly alternator or input side of gear box or engine output or engine components like oil/water pump. Test on this one, pull clutch, hit rear brake and noise remains.

Noise related to wheel speed.....output side of gear box or final drive. Test on this one is pull clutch, hit rear brake and see if noise stops.


__________________________________________________
1992 K100LT 0193214 Bertha Blue 101,000 miles
1984 K100RT 0022575 Brutus Baja Red 578 bought 36,000 now 89,150 miles
1997 K1100LT 0188024 Wotan Mystic Red 689 58,645 now 106,950 miles Deceased.
1983 K100RS 0011157 Fricka 606 Alaska Blue 29,495 miles Damn K Pox Its a Bat outta Hell Now 58,200 miles. 
1996 K1100LT 0233004 Lohengrin Mystic Red 38,000 miles currently 51,800 miles.
1983 K100RS 0004449 Odette R100 colours 58,000 miles. Sprint fairing now 63,390 miles

Past:
1968 Yamaha 80 YG1
1971 Yamaha 125 YAS-1
1968 Honda 125 SS
1970 Honda CD 175
1973 Honda CB500-4
Honda CX 500
    

28Back to top Go down   How whirr-ey is your gearbox  Empty Re: How whirr-ey is your gearbox Wed Nov 25, 2020 7:37 pm

stanthomas

stanthomas
Silver member
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Definitely gearbox - pull in clutch, noise stops, let out clutch it's back.

I've not studied the box but I think in neutral both input shaft and intermediate shaft will be spinning together with all gears. I should run it up on the centre stand to check whether there is any difference when in gear.

Now it's not a bad noise, just noticeable and, to my mind, out of character with the rest of the bike.

    

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