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Originally posted by Jasonw24
Mike
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On the shaft drive bikes that I had I always used molly grease on the splines and kept them well supplied in it. I reapplied the molly grease every time I had the rear wheel off. It worked well for me both the Sabre and the Virago went over 100k with no drive problems.
Mike -
Well once again I have to agree with Swanny, "the voice of reason" in this whole silly debate. Now technically, if you want to turn your back on the magnificent chain completely, but your big fat shaftie can't hack it in the dirt, why not a BMW "GS" bike? Hey? Hey? The GS1150 looks like a HumVee on steroids, and you can ride it in the dirt, and it's a "GS"!
Woohoo! A shaft driven GS dirtbike! Not a suzy I know, but geez, 3 out of 4 aint all bad? :twisted: :P :twisted:Comment
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The only thing we disagree on is about the debate being "silly". It isn't silly at all. It's just that I'm right, and you're wrong. That's all!
As for doing it in the dirt, that's how I got started 33 years ago in motorcycling. I gave it up when I started to hurt all over my body after a Sunday weekend dirt ride. No more of that for me.
BMW dirt shaftie? No thanks. I'll stick to the pavement, on a Suzuki shaftie, until I can't ride any more... If I were to have a dirt bike, it certainly would be a GS BMW shaftie, or a like-minded Moto Guzzi.
NickComment
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This is apretty good argument.
PS my dad is bigger than your dad.Comment
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Not an argument.....a debate!! :twisted:Comment
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I stand corrected, wrong choice of words......I get that from the wife a lot too !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Comment
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I'd definitely use molly grease. It's specifically formulated for splines and like applications. The marine greases I've seen are for a different application and not ideal for this purpose. Far better than nothing of course in my bitter experience.Originally posted by mdole
A pot of molly is dirt cheap. You don't need much.Comment
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The only dirt that bike can handle is dirty roads. This is a dirt bike - although it is a bit big for Colorado. KTM's are sweet - wish I had one.If I were to have a dirt bike, it certainly would be a GS BMW shaftie, or a like-minded Moto Guzzi.
Since this pic, I've replaced the front wheel/hub assy by necessity with a Excel/Talon unit. The stock springs have been pitched for a set to carry by big a$$ (Stock are good for 165 lbers - I'm at 230. My buddy is 270 - lol - but he's 6'7" and he rides a KZ500).Comment
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Nice bike Swanny, no good for "one eyed Nick" though, no shaft = no good! :twisted:Comment
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no shaft = no good!
You got that right! For me, anyway...
Shaftie NickComment
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I was out on some dirt roads today for a bit of a ride. They are just normal roads here you need to go places, just happen to be dirt. Speeds on a road bike are a comfortable 80+ kph and some sense. I run a full chain guard anyway.
Suzuki would specify in the workshop manual which grease to use on the shaft spline. I would tend to stick to that really unless you can find something better. I have a few cans of specialist greases that I have had for many years to use as required. Waterpump grease is handy stuff for external bearing use (ie outside engine)Comment
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Originally posted by Swanny
I like your bike. Never rode a real-life dirt bike, but I can certainly vouch for Nick's suggestion.
I often took my fully-dressed Guzzi to and through places nobody would believe you could go with a street bike. Excepting those who had seen me do it, nobody believed me if I mentioned it afterwards.
In the dozen years I had it, apart from highways, my Guzzi saw every type of terrain, from coarse gravel more than a foot deep, through forests, sand, swamps and an occasional creek or shallow river crossing....and I drove it through winter, in up to four inches of snow, for several winters. Caused a lot of stir in one hillclimb area when I followed a trail bike up the hill....the rider was really working at it, and I just rode up slowly
All the riders there were REALLY P-d off.
I even had to get off it once, and leave it standing in mud up to both axles, and the H-D saddlebags sitting on the mud. It could not fall down on its own.
I had to bring back a couple of sheets of plywood, pull the bike over on one, then slide it across onto the next, then alternate. Took me over two hours to pull and slide it out of the swamp.
Truly an all-round motorcycle, it would go anywhere I wanted it to, anytime, and I never wondered if it would make it. I knew it would.
Bertrand Russell: 'Men are born ignorant, not stupid. They are made stupid by education.'
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Looked through the book I got from repairmanuals.com and I dont see anything about lubing the drive shaft.Comment
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Looked through the book I got from repairmanuals.com and I dont see anything about lubing the drive shaft.
Two answers:
1. It isn't the drive shaft that gets the lube. It's the drive and driven wheel splines. The driven wheel splines are pressed into the wheel; the drive wheel splines form the output of the rear end.
2. I didn't see anything about lubing anything of the sort way back in 1986 when I got my first GS850. In the summer of 1987, on a Sunday morning, I was stuck 150 miles from home, with stripped driven wheel splines. The drive splines had worn down also, so that I had to replace both the rear end and the driven gear in the wheel.
A good friend of mine, a GS1100GK owner, was stuck in Marietta, Ohio, with stripped splines this past June. Fortunately, he was with a group, and got help right away, riding "bitch" on the back of a GL1800 Wing.
So, here are my two conclusions:
1. Stripped wheel splines happen often if not lubed regularly.
2. Just because something is printed, or published on the internet, does not mean it's necessarily accurate, or complete.
If you have a shaftie, lube your gear splines with moly grease every time the rear wheel comes off. It takes hardly any time, and it's worth it.
No more stripped splines since that bad Sunday morning in 1987, in Harrisonburg, VA. I learned my lesson.
NickComment
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"LISTEN UP" You must own both a chain driven & a shaft driven bike, or you are banned from discussing the matter. Ride the shaftie when you want to, but the others are for the chainy days. "Shafties" are not designed for really carving up the twisty canyon roads, (at full throttle) nor for the 10 sec. quarter mil., nor for being noisy, greasy, or vibraitng a lot. Neither is the "chain drives" for being quiet, clean, vibration free, maintainence free, touring with your wife to Niagra Falls or a sparkling clean, quiet, Sunday ride thru the park. If you're going to visit the in-laws, for the weekend get on your "GK", and ease on up the highway with the rear wheel sparkling, no chain noise nor vibration, listening to the stereo. But if you are going to go live it up with the gang, grease up that chain, rip the baffel out of that 4 into 1 pipe on that "E" model, burn rubber out the driveway, slinging chain oil everywhere, so everyone knows you're going to raise a little heck. You can do either with either, but to do it right, you must own both. That's my opinion, & it "auta" ("should", for you yankees) be yours.Comment
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