1200 twin cam service intervals

seags

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Hi all,

I have done a search on the servicing intervals and cannot find a simple way of understanding the service intervals. My confusion has been caused by a different answer to the same question from 2 bmw dealers when I rang for a quote. My bike is a an April 12, 1200GS with all the electronic goodies fitted. It had its running in service in May 12 and an annual service in May 13 at 3500 miles. its has now just passed 6000 miles and I assumed that the next service was due in may 14 but I spoke to North Oxford yesterday they insist that it need doing now. My understanding was that it was time OR mileage since the last service (i.e. 1 year or 6000 miles). the bike has only done 2500 miles and 9 months since the last service and I am being quoted £375 and being told it needs doing now. Dick Lovett quoted £300 and said it could be done in May. The manual seems to allow 'interpretation'. Finally, why are these dealers quotes so high compared to the prices on the Southport Superbikes website (£150 and £200) for Annual and mileage respectively?

Can anyone tell me what the correct intervals should be?

Cheers
 
Aah, the old annual chestnut. It's been discussed many times on these hallowed pages and I don't really think anyone really knows for sure.

My view is the annual service was introduced because the dealer wants to service your bike every 12 months regardless of mileage. In many way, it's a good idea because they can check safety items if you aren't mechanically minded etc etc

As the set service intervals of 6k, you will fall into the trap of this annual service if you don't cover the mileage as you clearly don't. I suspect they say that if you don't do the annual then your warranty will be void and to be honest, as your warrant runs out in May anyway I'd not bother especially for the price quoted. If you feel you need a stamp in the book, go to an independent like Steptoe who will do your annual for a more competitive price and keep everything hunky dory.

As for the price quoted, it's all down to labour, parts charges etc so each dealer will be slightly different. You may want to check the small print for Southport and it may say "prices from".....!!
 
DIY

I had the same problem. It was due 1st of May as that was the anniversary of the first service(not when you bought it!).

But with the bike only having done only another 3000 after the first service at 900, I asked the supplying dealer if I could continue ridding as I wanted a full 6K service not a yearly one and they agreed quite readily(contact yours and tell them what you would like to do). So I did another 1100 miles which took me into July and a full 6K service.

It was outside warranty the following year and was only due the yearly service so I changed my own oil and had the dealer put a new front tyre on. Whilst fitting it they gave the bike a complete check with a report given to me on collection. So I know its fine until it needs a 12k service with the valves checked.

I did attend the new GS1200LC launch and the salesman mentioned twice in the pitch how mine was now out of warranty!!!
My feeling was with the amount I would need to add to my trade-in, I could replace half the bike if it broke and still be better off.

All dealers are short of work and will tell you anything to get work or a sale IMHO
 
My interpretation is that the 6,000 mile service is done quite simply every 6,000 miles whenever that is. The "Annual" service basically just covers a brake fluid change which is done after the first 12 months and thereafter every 24 months just to confuse. In my view, that's the only item which would normally be based on an actual timeframe rather than mileage. That's how I read BMW's service schedules and thats what I do for my GSA because I self service. If you use a dealer for servicing you can sometimes combine the two and sometimes you can't - just depends on your riding timeframe and how pedantic you want to be with the schedules.
 
As already said, since your warranty runs out shortly I would just have the bike serviced every 6k miles. Alternatively if you don't get enough mileage an oil change and fluid check every 18 months should be more than enough.
 
What a complete load of balls change brake fluid at 12 mths and then every 24 mths. Why the different months? (We want your cash)
Service the bike every 10000km/6000mile and be done with it.
Every year is really only for those folk that do a few hundred km/mile per year. Everyone else..... Your bike will-not-explode ride it to 10/6
 
Making sure it's serviced to BMW schedules can be an advantage when you come to sell the bike. I got a lower trade-in from a BMW dealer for my previous bike as I'd done a couple of the services myself instead of having the BMW stamp, so they couldn't retail it themselves as Approved Used. Overall I was slightly worse off having saved some money doing the services myself, but then losing £4-500 on the trade-in.

(Perhaps less relevant if you're not planning to change for a long time, and/or will always sell privately rather than trading in.)
 
If you look in your owners handbook, the dealer should have written in (along with some pre-printed blurb) EXACTLY when they next expect you to bring the bike in. Follow their instructions. It is that simple.
 
Wapping said:
If you look in your owners handbook, the dealer should have written in (along with some pre-printed blurb) EXACTLY when they next expect you to bring the bike in. Follow their instructions. It is that simple.
Click to expand...

Would that it were Richard, would that it were (In my best David Nixon voice).

On my RT I did exactly that & got told squarely by 2 different dealers that I had 'missed' a service. 2 other dealers insists that I hadn't. I showed the stamp from the dealer who had done the last service, to the dealers who queried my service schedule & was told categorically that the information on the stamp was 'wrong'.

Edit: I suppose the crucial word in your post is 'they', the confusion appears to arise when you take your bike to a different BMW dealer.
 
My 2001 Audi A4 TDI had a 20,000 service interval. More if driven carefully. Turbo diesels give their oil a hard time so it seems odd to me that a bike has to have its oil changed every 6000. I do mine to the book but it always seems a waste of good oil. The Honda Accord back on the early 1990s used 20-50 in the gearbox and had no service interval for gearbox oil change. They were not known for blowing gearboxes so Im sure we are overly paranoid about oil changes. But without evidence the oil is OK its daft to risk it.

Brake fluid covered elsewhere. Leave it for ever if you want your caliper pistons to get jammed by corrosion.
 
Wapping said:
If you look in your owners handbook, the dealer should have written in (along with some pre-printed blurb) EXACTLY when they next expect you to bring the bike in. Follow their instructions. It is that simple.
Click to expand...

I spoke to BMW UK and they were unable to answer, apparently they refer to the service manager at Rainbows as their guru. He confirmed that its no more complicated than annual or 6000 miles whichever comes first and this aligns with whats in the service book written by the servicing dealer (Clarks) so I though, great i'm happy.

HOWEVER, my bike is now telling me that with 6146 miles showing it needs a service in 100 miles. It was only serviced 2600 miles and 9 months ago by Clarks - I spoke to them and they confirmed it needs a service when there are 6000 miles showing on the odometer because the valve clearances are due which is not part of the schedule for the annual service they did in May 2013 at 3500 miles. I give up - as if the servicing regime wasn't demanding enough - its the contradicting answers I'm getting that is so frustrating - in the case of Clarks 2 guys in service have given contradicting advice over the period of a few days - the chap I spoke to there last week said I didn't need to bring it in until May or 9500 whichever is sooner. I know that leaving the valve clearances is not that important and they are easy to adjust anyway but I just want to get ground truth and consistency from BMW.
 
seags said:
service manager at Rainbows as their guru, he is very good. I just want to get ground truth and consistency from BMW. Good luck with that one
Click to expand...

FWIW I would speak to the service manager at wherever you intend getting the bike serviced regularly & go with his advice. That way you'll have no worries about potential warranty claims as you'd be going through his dealership.
 
Timaloy said:
FWIW I would speak to the service manager at wherever you intend getting the bike serviced regularly & go with his advice. That way you'll have no worries about potential warranty claims as you'd be going through his dealership.
Click to expand...

Many thanks and agree with your advice - I just get would up when something which should be so straightforward is made so complicated.
 
Once your bike is out of warranty just have it serviced every 6k miles, with the more comprehensive service every other 6k miles i.e 12k,24k,36k 48k.
Sod the annual.
 
Agree with steptoe

I agree with Steptoe. BMW is just wanting the service money and an excuse not to pay warranty claims on poorly finished parts. Even Ducati's can go 6K between service these days.

Its a sales persons job to get your trade in for as little as possible so if he tells you it cannot be an approved used try another dealer or sell it privately.

Nick
 
Steve the service manager at Rainbow is a top guy, no BS and knows his stuff, not many of the dealers I get on with but if Steve says something needs doing I would go with it.

I currently have an 11 plate twin cam bought with 4k on the clock with a years approved warranty which runs out in June, I have put 7k on it, so strictly speaking I should get it done pretty soon and I probably will. But only because at this time of year the service departments are short of work and you get a cheaper price. Once the warranty go's I won't be using BMW centres for servicing, many good quality independents about that are £100 a service cheaper.

:beerjug:
 
I spoke with Steve today and he comes over as exceptionally knowledgeable - if I were anywhere near I would go there for my service. He confirmed that the 6000/12000/18000 etc mile service does need doing and is separate to the annual as it has different tasks involved, however he said that wherever possible it is best to try and align the 6000, 12000, 18000 etc with the annual to keep costs and visits to the dealer down. He accepted it was confusing and less than ideal but at least I have reached what I consider a reasonable understanding - perhaps I was being too dense or too anal?!
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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