BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

First of all, thank you for a great forum. This is my first post here. I'm the proud owner of a 1996 R850R (it's almost a 1150 R, isn't it..)with 73000 km on the clocks. It works perfectly, but I discovered a very small trace of oil on the side of the engine(see enclosed pic) Anyone else have seen this on your motorcycles? Should I begin to worry???

I was trying to get the location in perspective. It's where the case splits just aft of the right cylinder ?
I don't think I'd be too worried unless it's leaking a lot, which it does not seem to be. There isn't an obvious oil mess there. I would look at re-torquing the case bolts. It's probably a case seal. A thing like that might be expensive to have a shop do, but only because of the time it takes to take it apart and put it together.

Try this link for the parts fiche from Max BMW. Now understand, BMW does not seem to have imported the 850 to the U.S., but I believe it's identical to the R1100R except for the cylinder size.

http://www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com/fiche/fiche.asp

Lars, can you take bad news? I am afraid that your clutch will soon start slipping from gear oil contamination. The area that you point to should be completely dry, although some black clutch dust could be OK. You can get a better look at the dry clutch by removing the starter on the opposite side of the engine.
Typically, what happens is that gear oil leaks along the input shaft of the gearbox until it lands on the clutch, which then flings it onto the inside of the housing. To replace gearbox seals, 5-speed boxes have to be opened.

67

Thanks for the input, must say I liked Airmans answer a lot better than Arbreacames.... Well, forgot to say, but I live in Norway and the cost of replacing seals/clutch will problably be about 2000 $ .........ouch!!

At that price I would start taking things apart myself until I got to the point where I needed special advice or tools. You sound like a very intelligent Norwegian and probably can learn anything you need to learn how to repair this specific bike. Lots of info in manuals and internet. Go for it! We're here to help!

Yellowjacket,
there is a chance that it is the main engine seal, but it is less likely. This is the small leak that I had a couple of years ago:

The cause was the seal behind the slave cylinder. Although Lars' clutch is cable-driven rather than hydraulic, the issue is likely the same: gear oil crawls along the hollow input shaft/throw-out rod until it gets to the clutch.

78

Heres a pic for ya.....


Motor to the left, clutch housing/starter to the righ

This was on my Moto Guzzi Breva. Different bike, same location for the leak. The Guzzi dealer first replaced the rear main seal and sent me on my way. Two weeks later, I took it back and they replaced the input shaft seal.(???) Guzzis have a small hole at the bottom of the clutch housing so oil cant build up and foul the clutch. Not sure if BMW's have that or not but Arbreacames is right about clutch slipping if they get oil on them. Again, not sure how BMW's are but the engine had to be pulled both times on my Breva. Know a wrench?

Thanks again for your answers! I'm not exatly a good wrench, so I think this operation is a bit to much for me. Is it possible to give some kind of time perspective when the clutch will start slippin/failing? Can something else be broken due to this leak??? Lars.