[Amp]

I have a 2003 Burgman 650 with 58k miles on it. There's gear oil splatter around the rear wheel and tire. I removed the wheel and the gear box cover, the gears look good, there's gear oil on the wheel side.

I cleaned it up, re greased the wheel, and rode it for a week, 45 miles, then 30, 40, and after another 40 miles, the splatter returned. I thought I checked the wheel after every ride and it was clean, I think the splatter happened while it was parked (but I'm not sure 100 percent)


Does the final drive gear box have a pressure relief hole or valve?

I put 75w90 gear oil. Would a different weight oil alleviate the problem?

The right side seal is $40 to $50. I'm not positive that's the problem. I'll do the cleanup and test ride again one more time, with fresh clean gear oil. If it does the same thing, I'll remove the seal and see how it looks.

Any suggestions and guidance would be appreciated!

 

[Amp]

Hmmm, I guess no one has had any problems in the final drive area!

Mine had a lot of mud and dirt there when I bought the bike, so I cleaned it with a rag and water, I didn't want to pressure wash it. I'm wondering if there's caked-on mud in some place that prevents it from venting any internal pressure, and any built up pressure forcing gear oil by seal. I looked at the final drive gear box and couldn't really tell if there is any breathing holes. The service manual doesn't say much.

 

[mikeyMarine]

nope, no vent holes, system is a splash around thingy, no pressure, only failures I have heard of is bearing failure, and not sure if that caused a leak or not, I think i'd do a toilet paper test to verify where and when the leak is happening before I bought any parts, nothing worse than having perfectly good parts you don't need and refreshing beverages could have been bought with the money, spray the area down with brake cleaner, wipe it clean and dry, go for a nice ride, wipe all bolts drains fill plug with toilet paper and see where the paper shows leak , if it only happens while static you may have more difficulty locating the leak, but this is unknown territory to me , the oil in the casing might be in a froth while riding, and sling out somewhere, but in a static condition return to liquid and not touch the leaky part, swmbo sez if it only happens when static, the oil would not get on the wheel an she knows EVERYTHING! She did ask if you park it on the center stand or the side stand.

 

[Amp]

nope, no vent holes, system is a splash around thingy, no pressure, only failures I have heard of is bearing failure, and not sure if that caused a leak or not, I think i'd do a toilet paper test to verify where and when the leak is happening before I bought any parts, nothing worse than having perfectly good parts you don't need and refreshing beverages could have been bought with the money, spray the area down with brake cleaner, wipe it clean and dry, go for a nice ride, wipe all bolts drains fill plug with toilet paper and see where the paper shows leak , if it only happens while static you may have more difficulty locating the leak, but this is unknown territory to me , the oil in the casing might be in a froth while riding, and sling out somewhere, but in a static condition return to liquid and not touch the leaky part, swmbo sez if it only happens when static, the oil would not get on the wheel an she knows EVERYTHING! She did ask if you park it on the center stand or the side stand.

Thanks!

I park it on the center stand.

I'll do the test rides again. It's doesn't leak anything at "15mph" on the center stand. Possibly higher speeds, or leaning (probably right). The leak pattern did seem like centrifugal spray, so I will wipe it down after every ride to see if there's any oil, then wipe it again the next day (or before the next ride) to check if it leaked while parked.

 

[mikeyMarine]

check that little cracky part between the wheel and the drive, could be the fluid is leaking thru the last gear into the wheel section and running out between the wheel and the bike swingarm on the axle, , one thing about it, it's easier to find an oil leak than a lectricity leak

 

[Burgermiester]

I did have to have the seal replaced on my 2011. It was the seal on the back side of the final drive (wheel side). I think it had been possibly damaged when tires were replaced and when re-installing the wheel into the drive the seal was damaged.I also park on the centerstand and it would get on the wheel and when riding it would sling it on the rim.

 

[Amp]

Thanks for everyone's input so far!

I rode 50 miles yesterday and afterwards wiped the rim and "crack area" where the wheel meets the final gear area, only a little black soot (brake dust?), no gear oil or gear oil smell. I'll do more rides when it stops raining!

Come to think of it, when I bought the bike, the previous owner had put on a new wheel (and he gave me the old wheel, too), so they may have damaged the seal.

A mechanic at where I was getting it inspected yesterday said "bikes don't like to sit", and that the more I ride it, it's possible that the seal will get lubricated more instead of drying. I did change the gear oil several times because the first time I changed it after buying the bike, it was thicker than Elmer's glue!

I'll keep watching it and will report back after more rides.