Engine finish 12/13

chasbmw

chasbmw

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I’m looking at a 1200r from 12/13, how robust is the engine finish on these? Is it better than the LC models?
The bike is low mileage but the dealer is 150 miles away......


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The engine panit is amazingly tough, but they will all suffer eventually. The main problem area has always been the front timing cover. The paint cracks at the screw holes and corrosion also spreads under the alternator belt cover. The bad news is that up under the fuel tank, hidden away from human contact, the corrosion can spread badly enough to cause the crank position sensor to leak oil. The good news is that the cover is easy to remove and have repainted.

Mine was stripped in a chemical tank and came out looking very much the worse for wear. There was rot around every bolt hole with most of them seemingly ok before the paint was removed. The worst areas were the belt cover lower screw holes and up top where it's all hidden. There was no rot where stone chip could be expected to damage the paint. A crud catcher plate would not have helped to avoid the problem.

Would this stop me buying the bike? Absolutely not. Removal stripping and repainting (if needed) is not costly. I would probably do it anyway as a precaution.

The main engine cases are much better finished. Problems can arise around the oil level window but are easy enough to clean and touch up. A late model bike should be fine especially if it's not seen winter salt.
 
Hi

I had a 2012 GSA. The only problem I had was corrosion on the front engine cover, replaced under warranty.

By comparison the 2005 GS I has was fucking awful. Large parts of it were replaced.

My 2014 GSA has so far, been the best of the bunch. All the bikes were/are used all year.

The other place you make find some rot, is on the centre stand, and the left side frame paint being removed by the riders boot/leg.
 
I had my centre stand powder coated then helicopter tape over the impact area has kept it looking ok.
 
I have a 2010 and as you say the front cover is suffering... Does anyone know the paint colour, REAL number ?
 
Mine has 26K on it.. but before me has been used for the full 12 months I guess.... its more about running in salt with Ali I would have thought....
 
alanb2 said:
Silver Smoothrite aka silver smooth Hammerite is a good match.
Click to expand...

Great info... thanks... and you can get the spray on type also... was going to powder coat at work... but if this is a good match.... may as well use this :thumb2
 
jefformston said:
Bendy Toy, what sort of mileage had the bike done when the corrosion showed it's self?
Click to expand...

The mileage doesn’t really come into it. The conditions the bike is used in, and how lucky you are with the apparent differing quality of the finish. For example my mate who is also on his third GS has never had a part replaced due to corrosion, but both my air cooled ones did.
 
BillWright said:
The mileage doesn’t really come into it. The conditions the bike is used in, and how lucky you are with the apparent differing quality of the finish. For example my mate who is also on his third GS has never had a part replaced due to corrosion, but both my air cooled ones did.
Click to expand...

So corrosion isn't inevitable, as Bendy stated, it depends on a number of factors. There will be 12/13 Hexheads out there with no corrosion, the op just needs to keep looking until he finds one he is happy with. If there isn't any corrosion on the one he is thinking of going to look at, then there isn't any reason to think it will start if it's looked after.

It was a leading question as I have a '12' plate GSA with 29k on the clock with no corrosion, admittedly it's not used regularly in winter but it is used, as I have an 1150GS for winter duty and commuting ( and the only corrosion on that is the paint flaking off a single fin on the right pot ). I do rinse my bikes down with cold water after every ride in wet weather & in winter and give them a good wash one a week. Up until October this year I'd only every use WD40 as protection against corrosion, now giving ACF50 a try so will be interesting to see how that holds up over the next few months.
 
My 08 suffered badly with frame corrosion but it was used all year around. I had it powder coated but another time would zinc metal spray it then etch prime and paint.
Brother’s 08 that had been fully molly-coddled by first owner and well protected by Bro. Rear frame isn’t perfect but a lot better than mine.
However his engine front cover was horrendous. So bad it caused the crank position sensor to leak. The tough paint had become a curse. Powder coat saved it but the cover was close to being replaced.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/282692524526

Even imported from USA cost isn’t too daft
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/272232130079
 
My 2013 , 90th which had the black engine finish is as pristine today as it was four years ago. However i treated it with ACF50 before it ever saw the road and had a crud catcher on it. I had a crimbo card from the guy who bought it a week or so ago complementing me on how well the bike had been looked after and what good condition it was in :D:augie
 
The 08 and 09 (just my luck) turned out to be weak on finish. Whatever model be sure to treat the areas hidden under additional covers. It’s also worth using lots of high solids copper grease all the way up the cover screws (not just the bottom contact area). It stops any reaction between dissimilar metals.
Worth doing on any bike TBH.
 
My 2012 model, with a black engine, was just fine. No corrosion at all, and I did check carefully with the plastic cover removed. I had a front mudguard extender but not the crudguard. It seems the quality is quite variable, and none of the other painted parts had suffered in 21,000 miles.
 
I have an 11 plate 1200R, having sold a 12 plate GS to buy it..... both very low milers and both pretty much mint at the front of the engine where the problems occur.

If it's a low miler and looks rough, it's been neglected, keep on top of the cleaning.....or treat it with something to keep the corrosion at bay and you shouldn't have any problems....as an aside, I much prefer the 1200R to the 1200GS, it's a hugely underrated bike.
 
Mine suffered at every screw head. The middle )where stone chips should impact) was fine. To be fair the exhaust cross pipe should stop the crud.
The new finish has been fine with copper washers under screw heads and lots of copper anti seize.


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Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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