1200 reliability

[Uinneag]

OH DEAR OH DEAR OH DEAR

For the peeps that have been using the site for a long time I can understand the frustration

But will this end up at the stage of if someone has a problem on there bike that has been posted before that it gets deleted instantly
what if god forbid one slips through the net

No ride reports as they have been done before cut them some slack ye can either read it or not, now away with ye's

 

[GSmonkey]

A few points I will add to the usual "Are 1200's really that shite" thread:

-BMW Warranty is good - I think most people agree. So if it goes bang, its fixed quickly without quibble.
-Extended BMW Warranty is now less than £400/yr (see previous note)
-A lot of people only join these forums when things go bang and they google the problem.
-People don't post (generally) when their bikes simply run.
-BMW's do much higher mileage than the average jap bike, so just looking at absolute numbers of faults is not always fair.
-In terms of the amount of cash you pay for a BMW over the average jap bike, you don't get a like-for-like increase in reliability.

In summary, enjoy riding your bike. Consider extended warranty. Fix things when they break

 

[Deleted Member I]

OH DEAR OH DEAR OH DEAR

For the peeps that have been using the site for a long time I can understand the frustration

But will this end up at the stage of if someone has a problem on there bike that has been posted before that it gets deleted instantly
what if god forbid one slips through the net

No ride reports as they have been done before cut them some slack ye can either read it or not, now away with ye's

I agree with the funny man with the foreign accent

It was my usual "bull in a china shop" remark. Didn't really engage brain before typing

So Peter. To answer your question. The 1200 has had a patchy start. Those 04 bikes were complete lemons (relatively) so I wouldn't recommend taking a risk on them.

My 05 was good. Not a drop of oil between service. Nothing falling off it apart from me

If it is corrosion problems that you worry about, it seems those in the know recommend applying those specialist stuff all over the bike throughout winter.

As for major failures .. I worry about those (regardless of model) and therefore have always swopped bikes before warranty complete runs out. It is an expensive way to do things but rather that then be stuck with a £5k asset that requires £1k plus to fix.

I don't believe the hype about BMW products. They are as likely to fail (if not more in these days of cost cutting) than say a Jap product that made in Japan. (the japanese by nature are prefectionists .. so even a line worker on a production line probably has a higher standard on things than you or I) .. unlike those on a Jag or Land rover line

So in summary .. a BMW failing after the warranty runs out is as certain as death and taxes. Given you fix your own bike etc .. I am sure you will find an economical way to fix things as they happen. Then there are people like Steptoe who can help.

 

[Wapping]

I suppose I am guilty of that too

So what's the best oil to use for my trip to Italy this year?

Is Castrol GP the best one (20W-50)? Or do you need something different for the hot weather?

Italy?

Only one oil, without a doubt....

 

[cusi]

"As for major failures .. I worry about those (regardless of model) and therefore have always swopped bikes before warranty complete runs out. It is an expensive way to do things but rather that then be stuck with a £5k asset that requires £1k plus to fix."

Novice surely you lose more in depreciation than you ever would in repair bills?

 

[Uinneag]

Novice is Slough's version of Thunder but not as good looking

 

[Gipsy]

I agree with the funny man with the foreign accent

It was my usual "bull in a china shop" remark. Didn't really engage brain before typing

So Peter. To answer your question. The 1200 has had a patchy start. Those 04 bikes were complete lemons (relatively) so I wouldn't recommend taking a risk on them.

My 05 was good. Not a drop of oil between service. Nothing falling off it apart from me

If it is corrosion problems that you worry about, it seems those in the know recommend applying those specialist stuff all over the bike throughout winter.

As for major failures .. I worry about those (regardless of model) and therefore have always swopped bikes before warranty complete runs out. It is an expensive way to do things but rather that then be stuck with a £5k asset that requires £1k plus to fix.

I don't believe the hype about BMW products. They are as likely to fail (if not more in these days of cost cutting) than say a Jap product that made in Japan. (the japanese by nature are prefectionists .. so even a line worker on a production line probably has a higher standard on things than you or I) .. unlike those on a Jag or Land rover line

So in summary .. a BMW failing after the warranty runs out is as certain as death and taxes. Given you fix your own bike etc .. I am sure you will find an economical way to fix things as they happen. Then there are people like Steptoe who can help.

If you can afford to change the bike so regularly why don't you get new tyres when they are out of profile and not wait until June. ( see another thread )

 

[CZAR]

I suppose I am guilty of that too

So what's the best oil to use for my trip to Italy this year?

Is Castrol GP the best one (20W-50)? Or do you need something different for the hot weather?

Here in Greece we use ARAL 20W-50 for all year.
I believe that Castrol 20W-50 it's the same oil.

 

[CZAR]

Italy?

Only one oil, without a doubt....

Are you sure about that .

After the last news about wines

The only virgin oil all over the world without a doubt is ONE.....

 

[Taff]

Whether the 1200 has more or less failures than other bikes is impossible to tell.

Is it? I'm sure that months ago someone posted a list of BMW recalls - arranged in date order, which seemed to show that the number of recalls for the 1200 was quite a bit higher than previous models - I think somone commented about it at the time. Someone with a better memory than me may be able to find it.

A few points I will add to the usual "Are 1200's really that shite" thread:
-BMW Warranty is good - I think most people agree. So if it goes bang, its fixed quickly without quibble.
-Extended BMW Warranty is now less than £400/yr (see previous note)
-A lot of people only join these forums when things go bang and they google the problem.
-People don't post (generally) when their bikes simply run.

Fair comment, but surely the same applies to 1100 owners, 1150 owners etc etc, so why don't we get the same number of "Are 1100 / 1150's really that shite" threads? It would be interesting to know how many 1150s and 1200s were sold in the UK to compare "like for like". If there are twice as many 1200s as there are say 1150s then it seems fair to expect twice the number of reported problems. BMW warranty may be very good - but warranties run out - and the thought of paying around £400 a year for an extended warranty for the rest of the bikes life for peace of mind would be enough to put me off. The extended warranty may be "under £400" at the moment, but there's no guarantee that it will stay at that price. In fact I seem to remember a thread not that long ago ranting how the cost of the extended warranty at the time was £800 (or over) a year.

 

[CZAR]

Hello all,

I bought this '07 GS (my 60th motorcycle) after reading how smooth and dependable they were. I have owned about 20 BMW's and after each one, I tell myself that if I ever buy another one, I will shoot myself. I have come to believe that BMW has an even better marketing department than HD, and we all laugh at Harley riders... maybe they should laugh at us.
All of the problems, surging, splines, seal leaks, and all of the other crap we put up with, it is almost like BMW has reverted to the old Harley ways.... if we make it, some stupid shit will buy it....
My '07 is BACK in the shop AGAIN. This time, it's the computer. Been in the shop a week and might get it back in another one. If you bought a furnace or reefer and had these kind of problems, would you buy another? If you bought a car and had to modify it for comfort, would you buy another? Sure, Honda uses ancient technology while BMW is state of the art. But damnit, Honda's run forever, and if there is a problem, they fix it. BMW has tons of problems, but they won't admit it. They change the design to another one with different problems.
It's just amazing. BMW means quality but their products turn out to be crap. Read the tour reports and see how many fail. Even the world traveling doctor had his beemers fail. He now say to get a Honda to ride, it will make it.
My advice to new riders when asked which beemer to buy? Get an ST1300 or 1400 Concours. At least you can ride it !!!
Sorry guys but after having my last three BMW's have serious problems that BMW says arent' problems (even though the bikes don't run) I just can't wait to get rid of this piece of crap and get on with it....

Jeff

HONDA ??? Why not KAWASAKI, SUZUKI or YAMAHA.....

DUCATI , APRILIA maybe

Come in my friend. If you know the perfrect product please .

 

[mikepg]

Italy?

Only one oil, without a doubt....

Wapping - I use this oil:

(stick some tatties in the engine, go for 1/2 ride and you get some nice nosh afterwards.

 

[Peter]

Thanks for the replies so far. I guess I knew that there would never be a clear answer, the one I wanted to hear! Some folk have made very sensible and positive comments and I appreciate these. No way did I want to start a thread to knock 1200Gs`s. As stated at the beginning I love riding the bike, both for commuting to work and for pleasure. The old 1100RS is very much neglected. Good to hear that there are some high annual mileage out there.
By the way where did the "oil 20-50" bit come from!!!

 

[VAL. H.]

05 1200. 35'000 miles never let me down.

Here's a comparrison:

6 new Suzuki gs500s purchased in Feb 08

Within 100 miles ALL had oil leaks

With less than 600 miles 2 needed top end rebuilds.


.

 

[GSmonkey]

Fair comment, but surely the same applies to 1100 owners, 1150 owners etc etc, so why don't we get the same number of "Are 1100 / 1150's really that shite" threads? It would be interesting to know how many 1150s and 1200s were sold in the UK to compare "like for like". If there are twice as many 1200s as there are say 1150s then it seems fair to expect twice the number of reported problems. BMW warranty may be very good - but warranties run out - and the thought of paying around £400 a year for an extended warranty for the rest of the bikes life for peace of mind would be enough to put me off. The extended warranty may be "under £400" at the moment, but there's no guarantee that it will stay at that price. In fact I seem to remember a thread not that long ago ranting how the cost of the extended warranty at the time was £800 (or over) a year.

Well there's a lot or new BMW owners who have fallen for the BMW marketing dept. They seem to think that spending £12k will get you a bullet proof machine - obviously not the case. Those with older machines expect some unrealiability therefore don't harp on about it. Plus most issues with the 1150/1100 have been done to death. I don't see threads about the 1150 fork brace rotting................but rot it does. Direct parrallel is the front engine cover on the 1200. Just as 1150 owners re-paint the fork brace themselves, owners of older 1200's are now having the engine cover powerdercoated.

I had a fairly poor 04 1200GS, being one of the beta testers for the new range of bikes. I hope my 07 is better, but either way I'm just going to ride it, fix it when it breaks and don't worry about it. Personally I'll pay the £400/yr for piece of mind, but if the price goes up, I'd take the risk.

 

[Captain GSA]

Wow, your angry, posting your moan twice!!

I know, and he is not even from New York, New York..........

 

[lgsand]

I have two theories about this. (1) Australian, Canadian and American sopec bikes do not seem to have such catastro[hic failures although they have sold thousands of GS and GSA in these markets. I have an 07GSA as do nine of my mates. Routine servicing, no oil consumption, no problems, I read about the fron engine vocers on the site as the mechanics were horrified. Got all ten bikes for an inspection - free coffee and cake while you wait and guess what no problems. I know OZ is a comparitvely dry place and we dont have to chuck salt around (apart from at Barbies). See it must be the UK spec machines. If you check the roll at BMW perhaps Fred Goebells is the head of UK quality control - almost a Dont mention the war skit. (2) We only hear the horror stories - out of curiosity i checked the KTM adventure and the Orange Crush site on Horizons and found very sililar tales of woe including gearboxes failing, LC8 engine total failures, frames cracking etc etc. SO what do I do buy JAP - and what do I buy The new tenere isnt her yet and buy the time you modify anyhting else youre spending big dollars anyway.

I have had 15 BMW's and retain all but one. I am here to stay - count me amongst the marque loyal.

 

[Deleted Member I]

Novice is Slough's version of Thunder but not as good looking

If you can afford to change the bike so regularly why don't you get new tyres when they are out of profile and not wait until June. ( see another thread )

 

[Bananaman]

I don't see threads about the 1150 fork brace rotting................but rot it does.

.......does it ? .....I don't remember any thread on this, what year ? I understood the 1150 to be much superior for rotting / corrosion all round and this was was due to proper paint and not water based paint being used.
This goes for new models of every make of bike and not just BMW

As already said use the correct protection in winter and you will probably avoid corrosion issues........but really all the corrosion problems of a BMW owner would cease to be if like most Japanese bike owners you just ride in summer, not when it's raining or been raining or is likely to rain, or is a bit windy, a tad overcast, smidgen foggy........etc etc

 

[davegs]

India

Bit off thread but this IS in thjis section, has any one been on this "Enfield India" trip advertised in the above, five grand does seem a lot for a fortnight on an old Enfield. Aways wanted to got to india, no, no elephants in Southall,or Bradford so got to be the real thing. says in the ad about 190 people not on one trip surely but no mention of any milages. Lot of glowing reports but get the idea that these people have not done any long distance stuff at all. Still, anyone been on it?, or fancy a trip on gs's to India?.
dave gs.

Dave, why "this section" ? youll probably get more ansewrs if you post in one of the travel/ride report sections Dahoum