Guy’s I’m so close to buying a 1098s, iv got one lined up to go and look at on the weekend its 1098s on a 58 plate with 15k on the clocks and full service history. My problem is iv been reading up on any faults to look out for and i keep coming across this bearing failure, please can someone in the know calm my nerves on this? Is there a specific year/ model that this problem occurs on? Can anything be done to prevent it? Is it really as common as i think it is ? I desperately want a 1098 but I just can’t deal with a catastrophic engine failure at some point down the line, please help before i go and buy something from the man in Japan.
I would like to think its bikes that are raced or in track a lot ... hopefully someome will enlighten us
07-08 ones were the worst i belive, not much you can do about it mate really unless you strip the motor down before they go pop and up rate with newer shells, or buy a later bike or an 1198. 1098's also suffered with pistons cracking across the crown as well!!
I've got an 07 1098S with 9,500 on it, I've got over the scaremongering to be honest, I've only had it 5 months or so but it's like anything, it 'could' go wrong but it's there to be enjoyed, I'm not sure if it's the internet that makes the world smaller and the fact that you only hear about the bad ones.
I've got a 1098S Streetfighter but they built these motors with 1198 bottom ends. I did wonder why this might be but if the later 1098's had upgraded bearings then probably not the reason. @nelly do you know the score as I have often thought of having a 1098 Superbike, was it a model year improvement on the bearings?
Is there a specific mileage that the failure happens at, surely if it was going to go it would have by 15k no?
I looked into this quite a lot before buying my 848 and spoke to a few independents. The crux is generally that the engine is shimmed quite tight in the crank area and too tight for frequent track use. The bearings fail more because of a tight motor than the bearings being inherently bad by design it seems except for some very early bikes. Most tuners recommend blueprinting before extensive track action. There has been a few road bikes that have had the bearings go bad but who's to know how they were ridden or maintained. There are a couple of guys on other forums with stock 848/1098 motors with over 50k on the clock. If there were an inherent fault they would never have got that far. Mine is on 15k and motor is sweet as a nut so far (touches wood). One guy in the US had his oil professionally tested after his bearings went and they found it highly acidic and probably a contributing factor to bearing surface detoriation. Yet his oil was not due for replacement on mileage/time. I usually change mine more often than the service schedule just to be safe.
like anything mate its luck really, ive seen early bikes with 30k+ and never had a problem and low mileage bikes with nothing but problems, if the bikes clean and been well looked after buy it bud,your love it, i got a 1198 and everyone said about the gearbox problem but the way i look at it if it breaks its a good excuse to up grade it.
Bit off topic perhaps. I had a GSXR 1000 race motor rebuilt by a race engine specialist in 2014 no expense spared, his motors have won championships and have good reliability at the TT etc. Ran it in fine, had it on the dyno and was a good strong engine. Pre season testing big ends went within 15 laps. We put a tired spare motor in that was well over due a rebuild, it ran the rest of that season and still going strong after at at least 11/2 seasons... even got a fastest lap not too far off 4th place fastest lap last race of 2015. So no matter what bike or motor, low mileage or otherwise you never know I guess. Just put good oil in and change it regular and have fun.
Seen a couple of 848/1098 motors let go on the big end bolts but they were ex race/unknown history etc.... Seen mts1200 go on mains which I suspect was tight shimming. Like has already been said, it's pot luck, but in my experience it's by no means a 'common' problem. Look after them, use good oil and enjoy. That's what they're for.
Thanks guys think im back on the straight and narrow,i think. the bike looks like its done a bit of touring from the stuff that is fitted to it and its been serviced 3 times every time just before the recommended mileage. What mileage would you recommend changing the oil at every 3k?
IMO it's more about the oil than how often it's changed. I use Motul and have customers doing 7500 on a sump full before it's changed. No issues. There's no harm in changing it sooner, but crap oil every 3k is going to do more harm than changing good stuff out at 7500.....
I use Castrol power 1 racing 10w 40 fully synthetic bike oil ... always used that in my aprilia with no issues
