Hexhead final drive spline lube

[CVA-42]

How often do the final drive splines on my '08 1200GS need to be lubed? I have not found an "official" recommendation in any hexhead maintenance schedule. "Unofficial" recommendations on forums, etc. range from Never (probably not) to every 6,000 miles (also probably not).

[The Veg]

I can't give you an official answer, and in fact I can't even remember how often I did them on my '07. What I do remember though is that I had the splines open about every 6K or so to drop the FD down so I could drain the oil (plug was on the rearward-facing part of the FD), and I think I did the splines at least a couple of times- but I don't remember if it was every other FD oil change, or even less, or what.

But your '08 has a proper drain-plug on the FD so you don't have to drop it for draining, so splines are a more deliberate undertaking rather than something you can do 'while you're in there' like on the earlier hexheads during FD oil change.

If it was my bike, I'd give the splines a look sooner than later then check again in 6K or so just to get some baseline idea, then go for a longer interval after that if all seems OK. I'm pretty sure that the metallurgy is better than in the airhead days so these splines should be pretty tough.

[CVA-42]

Yeah, I have not found an "official" recommendation anywhere but the general concensus on various forums seems to be around every 12k miles. I'm not even sure why that is since I believe they're subject to the same loads and stresses as the tranny splines and lubing them is not called for at such a frequent interval. In any case, although you don't have to drop the F/D on the '08 to empty/refill the oil, you still need to take the rear wheel off to get at the filler hole. So, by the time you do that, you might just as well drop the F/D and take a gander at the splines maybe every other time you do the F/D oil. At 12,600 miles, I don't think the splines had been lubed/inspected since the 600 mile service. They looked perfect. I cleaned them up a bit and lubed them with Honda Moly 60.

[The Veg]

BTW Richard, sometime this year I expect to be in the market for a 2010-12 GS.

[CVA-42]

Ben - - Sounds good. Maybe we can turn a wheel or two then. BTW, I know you said 2010 but I know where there's a killer deal on a farkled-out and low mile '09 right now - - Jesses, Hepco-Becker, Garmin, Russell, driving lights, etc., etc.