07 GSA Rear Spoked wheel problems

[Gazzabart]

agree

I've stopped buying MCN for simple things like that and oh yes another reason..........................................................................it's crap.

Hi Capt
i read the SUN so hence i buy MCN as well
although alot is shit stirring crap
every now and again it makes us aware of the things BMW want kept hidden from us
many of us wouldt have a clue we have a problem like this
but at least now some tossers have solid evidence that somthing is very wrong on some bikes and we dont have to put up with dealers trying to fob us off

one of the above replys just stunned me that a dealer tried to fix the repair - handed it back and when caught out they said oh yea we thought you wouldent be happy with it

then we find out its on a show room 2008 bike

and its still being offered to the public for sale at £10K plus dep on extras

is this right and fair ???? - not in my book

 

[AndyT]

I see this thread has made it to this weeks Motorcycle News

BMW are watching

HAve fun

AndyT

 

[Gazzabart]

again

just read this thread again and its happened on the 2006 2007 and 2008 bikes
this is bang out of order BMW you should be ashamed

 

[Jon P]

Same problem with wheels on bikes here in the US - I have had a new front wheel and discs and although I think my rear wheel is round I do notice that when turning the rear wheel the brake drags as though something is not straight - maybe I should have a closer look at it.

The question is why? I know that BMW have increased the allowable tollerance on the spoked wheels - but why?.........is it really cost?

Is it really more expensive to make a wheel round and true? Maybe that's what it is - they get the wheels cheaper if they are not so round!

I have had the same design of spoked wheels for 18 years worth of GSs (six in total) and never had an untrue wheel before.

It does seem crazy that in light of all the technology now applied to these machines that one of the most fundamental components has been let slip through the quality control of BMW...........I do see a lot of rants on here, some fair, some possibly a little unreasonable but this is dissapointing

 

[karnevil]

On my first GS the rear wheel bearing was loose in its housing,which when it was having a wobble,i.e when warm,draged the caliper all over the place.Took a while to find 'cos every time it went into the shop the housing was cold again and gripping the bearing nice and tight.
I think that due to the way a spoked wheel is made,the rim is rolled and welded together,they do not run ,or appear to run,as "true" as a cast wheel.
I noticed that I had a problem with the bearing after i noticed the bike seemed to be dragging coming out of corners on the more twisty roads the wheel was tilting and causing the disc to rub on the pads as if i was were dragging the rear brake.
Try seeing if there is any play while the rear drive assy is still warm.

 

[Captain GSA]

just read this thread again and its happened on the 2006 2007 and 2008 bikes
this is bang out of order BMW you should be ashamed

Next upgrade........
Looks like it's going to be the Stelvio then..........................

Or 'Stelvo' as MNC sorry CNM, NCM,CMN,MCN.......called it.

..........to be honest I flick through MCN and if there is an article or two on BMW in I tend to buy it
(It's just that they promised a new format a while ago and it is a bit same old same old.......)

 

[GSmonkey]

I see this thread has made it to this weeks Motorcycle News

BMW are watching

HAve fun

AndyT

Did they do a special feature on MCN being crap??

 

[GSmonkey]

.........to be honest I flick through MCN and if there is an article or two on BMW in I tend to buy it

This is probably worse than your admission that you once lived in Penge

 

[Budweiser]

As a newy to BMW and the GS Adv (08) how can I check to see if I have a problem? Is it just a question of putting her on the centre stand and spinning the rear wheel or should I ask the dealer to check her out

 

[GrinningGSer]

Bike on Centre stand
Start engine
First gear slowly
Lean over and watch the wheel rim and also the caliper... but dont let the wheel touch the ground!

This caliper movement may be a rare isolated incident otherwise loads of peeps would have mentioned this

 

[Captain GSA]

This is probably worse than your admission that you once lived in Penge

No mate ,Penge was the pits.... I lost two cars, a catering trailer and had a house burgulary

 

[Engineer]

Bike on Centre stand
Start engine
First gear slowly
Lean over and watch the wheel rim and also the caliper... but dont let the wheel touch the ground!

This caliper movement may be a rare isolated incident otherwise loads of peeps would have mentioned this

Caliper is designed to move - it is of the sliding type with pistons on one side only. However for it to move a lot as the wheel rotates suggests that either the brake disk is horribly warped and/or the wheel has lots of run out. I am assuming of course that the caliper is not actually loose on its mountings! Alternatively the wheel might be about to fall off due to knackered bearings!!!!

 

[(RIP) orbit]

No caliper movement , but a definate flatspot on my 07 gsa rear wheel rim

7k kms

 

[birdseye]

some of you are being unrealistic. calipers are made floating so that they can move, and anyone who has tried rotating car wheels or other bike wheels whilst off the ground will tell you that there invariably is a part of the 360 degrees where the pads rub the disk.

wire wheels will never be as accurate as alloy because alloy are machined as one unit whilst a spoked wheel is made up of 30 / 40 different components (I didnt count) each with its own tolerance variations. even my ktm adventure wire wheels (and we all know ktm is a higher quality bike than bmw ) has some run out! Surprising I know, but its true.

the issue really is whether it makes any difference in use. and the trouble with this sort of thread is that it starts everyone wondering. bit like when someone says to you - "does this food taste OK to you". - and of course it often doesnt.

so stop moaning and start riding

 

[gsman1]

Well Siad

Well said Birdseye get out there and ride the dam things, this site has become a platform for people moaning. None of us like problems with our bikes but this is over the top.

some of you are being unrealistic. calipers are made floating so that they can move, and anyone who has tried rotating car wheels or other bike wheels whilst off the ground will tell you that there invariably is a part of the 360 degrees where the pads rub the disk.

wire wheels will never be as accurate as alloy because alloy are machined as one unit whilst a spoked wheel is made up of 30 / 40 different components (I didnt count) each with its own tolerance variations. even my ktm adventure wire wheels (and we all know ktm is a higher quality bike than bmw ) has some run out! Surprising I know, but its true.

the issue really is whether it makes any difference in use. and the trouble with this sort of thread is that it starts everyone wondering. bit like when someone says to you - "does this food taste OK to you". - and of course it often doesnt.

so stop moaning and start riding

 

[Markgsxr]

None of my other current bikes rear calipers move side to side as the wheel turns, none of my previous bikes did either. A disc will touch pads at times owing to the nature of the beast but to move a caliper side to side as the disc isnt running true through it isnt to good. They can fail bikes on MOT's with warped discs which gives the same result. Im getting a nedw wheel and disc on warranty so the dealer/BMW must think there is a problem.

I've had a couple of weaves which may/may not be owing to misaligned rear end and the rear brake "catches" when being applied gently while filtering. I've not stopped riding it but would just like the rear end to go in the same direction as the front!!!

 

[Captain GSA]

I agree because it is BMW, people’s expectations are set far too high. “Oh one of my bolts has started to rust, the bike is only 16 months old.......blah, blah blah.

Of course a wheel should be straight within reason but these guys who take their panniers back because the naked aluminium has started to change colour!

I think the moaning to excess has everything to do with the BMW mark. The problem is, if BMW continue to charge premium prices for their products then the expectation of the customer is so much higher. It would seem that you now don’t get what you paid for. Is the quality of the BMW bike so bad?

I know this thread is not about corrosion but this has to be said. Most of the BMW bikes are naked, exposed to the elements more, in particular the GS brand where people go out and use them like they were meant to. If you combine this with the crap the local authorities throw on to our roads every time the temperature reaches below 2 degrees is bound to have its toll.

Wheels out of line......I think we are soon going to be getting some kind of disclaimer from the bike companies that we will have to sign before picking up our bikes. It will stipulate the permissible tolerances and corrosion of certain parts-we will have to sign it to prove we know that it is not covered under warranty..................

 

[cusi]

Irrespective of the make of vehicle, the caliper should not move when the wheel is rotating and the brakes are not being applied. If it does then there is a fault.

 

[GrinningGSer]

I am not a moaner on this site. I love my GSA and would buy another tomorrow. This is not a simple rusty bolt issue or a weeping oil seal issue

I have suffered an effective MOT failure, for two issues, on a 2200 mile 07GSA and that is a safety issue so please do not belittle it

Wheel bearings should not fail after such short mileage and callipers (Yes I know that they are floating) should not move noticeably in and out. Pads will fail prematurely and who know what the heat generation could cause.

The wheel bearing replacement on a final drive, would until the dealers aquired a special tool, previously require a new final drive unit

The caliper issue is not sorted yet and NEEDS TO BE SORTED. It is not a 'just get on your bike and rid it and forget about it issue'. The movement is so noticeable that I am almost tempted to do a youtube movie . There are several possible causes, which have not been identified yet.
Late 07GSA's and 08GSA's have an additional water seal, which means that they have a new 'carrier', which in my bike is the next suspect item.

Obviously few others have this problem, so perhaps it is not worth telling you about mine

Knowing what I know now, the title of this thread is not just a 'spoked wheel' problem, it has developed into a 'final drive' problem. FACT

So those that aren't interested can just get on their bikes and carry on riding

 

[Jon P]

There is no reason at all for a spoke wheel to be less 'round' than an alloy wheel.........besides, because it is spoked gives the oppurtunity for it to be trued during assembly by adjsuting the spokes.

To prove the point further they always used to be prefectly round - this issue does just seem to be over the last 'few' years.

I am sure there is some truth that the wheel being a bit out does not have any effect on the riding but come on.............a wheel SHOULD be round and spokes or alloy CAN be round!