My AT output shaft is pretty worn and losing some oil. I am keen to know the implications of riding the bike and keeping the oil topped up. The bike is a battered veteran on its last legs but possibly up for one final trip to the west of Africa - possibly another 2500 miles.

The big question is what will happen to the output shaft and for how long can you keep going?

It's difficult to give a real leakage rate but somewhere around 1L every 400-500 miles would be about right. Sounds a bit noisier too - occasional grinding/clanking on a bad day!

I had a similar failure on an Enfield Bullet some years ago - it just got noisier, slower and leaked worse.

Any advice would be much appreciated. Can I keep it going for a little longer?

Cheers.

Matt

I think you really already know the answer.......
you admit its grinding/ clanking & leaking a LITRE every 400 miles or so!
I wouldn't trust that on a Trip to Africa.... just fix it, then you have peace of mind.

Martyn

Yes I do know the answer - you are absolutely right! However there are other factors - the bike is worthless - everything on it is damaged but it still goes. To fix it will cost me around £1000 which is money best spent on another bike. My plan is to ride it down to Senegal/Gambia and leave it there. If the gearbox (or anything else for that matter) breaks on route then I'll continue by bus.

The question is what happens to the shaft? How long do they go on for and can anything be done to preserve the life if it. I would imagine that other folks have had such problems and soldiered on when fixing is not a viable option. Just wanting to find out more.

I shall have a KTM waiting on my return..... Selling out finally on Honda.

Cheers.

I could do with a new project! fancy goin through Spain by passing near Alicante and leaving it here?

Martyn

It's the bearing that's knackered here, for whatever reason. Now it's got to the grinding stage it's anybody's guess when it'll finally let go, but soon and somewhere inconvenient would be my guess... That said, it could soldier on for ages but I for one wouldn't risk a trip through even Morocco/WS/Mauri to Senegal (which would be more than 2500 miles anyway from the UK, unless you're shipping into Morocco??) And if you wanted to leave it in Senegal, you'd need a fake carnet.

__________________

@s dont die easily. But if you're determined to abandon it, then you could weld the sprocket onto the shaft. It'll take maybe 5 minutes. Use a new sprocket. It can later be cut off with an angle grinder so thats not a problem. Its impossible to say how long it will last as it is from your description. But the stresses of African roads may be too much. Personally I would fix the bike by myself for cost reasons - or weld on the sprocket to the shaft. You must disconnect both batt. terminals or risk frying your wiring system. You should also remove the tank.

You dont say how many miles it has done. I bought one at 60k, its now at 100 k (miles) and just fine.

If the oil leak is from the g/box bearing (you dont say where) then it can collapse any time - you might make it - you might not. No-one knows that. Somebody above said that too - I agree. My nerves couldnt stand that uncertainty! You could easily live with the oil loss at that rate, but its the bearing which is the issue. Unfortunately, that bearing requires a whole engine and gearbox stripdown, like the shaft. BTW, the shaft costs about £100. Gaskets cost about £50-ish I think.

One bloke in Southern Spain has asked for your bike as a freebie. Why not get him to offer you some money (say £300-£400) to help you fix it up, and then deliver it to him after the trip - fair exchange, and everyone happy.

Dont dump it -I bet you it's not so bad. But if you're up for jumping on a bus if it dies - then I say weld it, chance it, drive gently. Carry 5 litres of oil, even used oil. You might make it.....but leaving a bike like that? oooh that hurts!

But then you could sell it to the punter in Spain if it gets back - now that would be a happy ending for all!

Good luck - tell us how you get on - what you did - and how the bike lasted. (the output shaft on both my @'s wore out...I intend redirecting some of my chainoiler feed onto that shaft).