1200GS - thrown off at speed on straight road

[Gecko]

Assuming the cause is vibration, perhaps this has caused wear of the threads on the bolts and holes, resulting in a poor grip of the thread, despite being retorqued/tightened.

I would insist on BMW replacing both the bolts and the fork sliders, if not the entire front end assembly.

Failing this, and depending on its age, I would consider rejecting the motorcycle as unfit for purpose and demanding a replacement machine or my money back. Talk about a loss of confidence !!!

Of course we only know what we have been told .....perhaps the rider may have contributed to the problem....driving with no hands on the bars, doing something clever, taking a picture while riding, using his mobile phone......who knows what the unspoken contributing factors may be ? Perhaps before we condemn BMW bikes for being unsafe and death machines or even , as I did, Trailwings as Deathwings we need to be sure we are equipped with all the facts to make the judgement. Somehow rider error is the element we are all too quick to rule out - it's not politically correct to suggest this could be a contrbuting element - whilst in fact many bike accidents are just exactly that.....rider error or stupidity causing the sequence of events that become the accident.....

 

[Triple]

triple - so we can all check our bikes can you explain exactly which bolts they were - I'm not sure I understand. Were they the 4 torx bolts that clamp the fork tubes into the fork bridge?

Thats the ones I believe (just above the wheel and linking both forks)



Granted, some accidents are rider error or at least contribution but constant speed on a dry, straight, smooth bit of French Autoroute.
I was behind him the first time it happened and I don't think he would have taken it to a BMW dealer in France and paid for it to be checked if he had been messing about.

I'm not condemning BMW's (even though I ride a Triumph ), and neither is he. He loves the bike and was hoping they would bring out a 1200 Adventurer so he could upgrade. He's not even blaming the dealer or BMW. He's more concerned with finding out if anything specific caused the problem.

 

[earthmover]

As a matter of interest, I checked the pinch bolts on mine last night. Lo and behold, one of the two on each side was slack, not to the extent of only finger tight, but certainly slacker than I would like.
Needless to say every bolt I could get at was checked, and happy to report only those were loose.
Mark

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

As a matter of interest, I checked the pinch bolts on mine last night. Lo and behold, one of the two on each side was slack, not to the extent of only finger tight, but certainly slacker than I would like.
Needless to say every bolt I could get at was checked, and happy to report only those were loose.
Mark

Just a word of caution - I would imagine that the torque settings that these bolts are set to are relatively critical just as they would be with conventional USD forks.

This is because there are going to be bushes (just as with conventional USD forks) in there and over tightening could distort them and cause the forks to 'stick' so anybody checking their bolts and finding they can give then 'an extra half turn' make sure you know the torque settings first and use a torque wrench.

I speak from bitter experiance when over tightening some triple clamps on a MX bike fitted with USD forks

Apologies if I'm stating the 'bleedin' obvious'

Andres

 

[Yellow Peril]

Thought I would check mine too, and lo and behold the top two of each pair where far looser than the bottom pair? Think will get dealer to check that they are correctly set just in case.,

 

[Mouse]

Correct torque is 25Nm, according to http://www.r1200gs.info/misc/torque.html.

I don't think a slight overtightening would cause the fork sliders to stick, as I doubt they go down that far. Not sure though. If you are concerned, use threadlock

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Correct torque is 25Nm, according to http://www.r1200gs.info/misc/torque.html.

I don't think a slight overtightening would cause the fork sliders to stick, as I doubt they go down that far. Not sure though. If you are concerned, use threadlock

Mmmmmm......just checked mine against the values you gave Mouse and top two bolts went a further 1/2 - 3/4 turn and bottom two bolts 1/3 - 1/2 turn each.

Forks still move up and down too

Cheers
Andres

 

[earthmover]

Apologies if I'm stating the 'bleedin' obvious'

Apology accepted
Mark

 

[Boz]

These problems are starting to get beyond the teething issues expected of a new machine, these seem to be very real engineering and technical questions of a machine designed to carry people safely over differing terain and weather.

I hate to start questioning the bike, as I love it, but these issues are not filling me with confidence, especially as I have also had major mechanical issues with my 1200, which were resolved.

It would be easier to think about selling the bike if I had not bought the dam gear to go with it!!

Will give my bike a good inspection when I return to the UK.

 

[Fanum]

These problems are starting to get beyond the teething issues expected of a new machine, these seem to be very real engineering and technical questions of a machine designed to carry people safely over differing terain and weather.

Boz....don't go and get things out of proportion here.....


We don't yet know what happened here.....it may have been a PDI fault, it may have been sabotage, it may have been caused by odd vibrations caused by an as yet unsolved fault caused by tyres or something......

I've never heard of anything like it on any GS, and I've looked at Advrder and not found anything similar......and with tens of thousands of this model produced for the world market, there are bound to be one or two odd problems thrown up that won't ever be reproduced in another bike.

Yes there have been a few theme faults with the 1200- evo brakes and drive shafts just two examples, but overall, most owners seem to think it's the best bike they've ever owned and I really wouoldn't let it bother you.

All mass produced vehicles have faults, and if a fault is inherent in its design, the problem will be reproduced many times over.

If you look at it like that, it's possible to see that rather than there having been tens of ABS failure faults, there has only actually been one fault that has just exhibited itself on several bikes, because the same fault has been reproduced in production.

OK, that's a bit far fetched, but I'd still not want any other bike than the model I have right now, complete with Evo Brakes thank you very much

 

[HMR]

Checked my bolts. They where at 10 Nm. Needed 3/4 turns to reach 25 Nm.

 

[Emoto]

I blame the French!!!

































Just kidding!

 

[Boz]

Boz....don't go and get things out of proportion here.....


We don't yet know what happened here.....it may have been a PDI fault, it may have been sabotage, it may have been caused by odd vibrations caused by an as yet unsolved fault caused by tyres or something......

I've never heard of anything like it on any GS, and I've looked at Advrder and not found anything similar......and with tens of thousands of this model produced for the world market, there are bound to be one or two odd problems thrown up that won't ever be reproduced in another bike.

Yes there have been a few theme faults with the 1200- evo brakes and drive shafts just two examples, but overall, most owners seem to think it's the best bike they've ever owned and I really wouoldn't let it bother you.

All mass produced vehicles have faults, and if a fault is inherent in its design, the problem will be reproduced many times over.

If you look at it like that, it's possible to see that rather than there having been tens of ABS failure faults, there has only actually been one fault that has just exhibited itself on several bikes, because the same fault has been reproduced in production.

OK, that's a bit far fetched, but I'd still not want any other bike than the model I have right now, complete with Evo Brakes thank you very much

I know what your saying Fanum, and I don't want be another one of those buggers complaining and moaning about the bike, like you I love it to bits and DON'T want to change it.....guess I'll just keep this to myself, there's enough 1200 bashing as it is!

Cheers

 

[birdseye]

So - if I' counting right - thats four of us already who have found the same bolts slacker that the torque given. And nobody has reported checking and finding them all torqued correctly.

Any comments from the dealer about the crashed bike yet?

 

[Fanum]

guess I'll just keep this to myself, there's enough 1200 bashing as it is!

OOOh no.....that's not what I meant at all Boz......it's something that should certainly be shared but keep it in perspective in your own head....you mentioned selling the bike and my point waqs that if it's a one-off or caused by some other factor, don't let it affect your opinion of the marque too much....it'd be a shame to talk yourself out of a fantastic bike due to problems that occur as a one-off.

Warning posts about potential problems are always helpful and already other people have found it useful

 

[Yellow Peril]

All joking beside, of those bikes with looser bolts, have they been travelling on the continent? Reason I ask is I have just done the 2000 odd miles across France, Germany and noticed that the quicker roads, have a rougher surface than our roads, which could have set up some type of vibration? Just a thought...

 

[Mouse]

I've been riding on some pretty rough British roads recently, I'll check my bolts and report back!

By the way - I'd urge anyone fiddling with their bike to check the information provided and verify it before making an adjustment that could be potentially dangerous.
I'm not saying the torque value I gave is wrong (as far as I know it's correct) I'm just saying assure yourself that you know what you're doing before doing something that you read on the internet

 

[Jockser]

Boz - what Fanum says.

It is a great bike but we don't live in a perfect world & there will be some problems with things mechanical but don't let it wreck your head

Check the bolts & then get out & ride the wheels off it

 

[Marty Hill]

I have 2 12GS's in my garage. Both have proper values on the front wheels. One of the bikes is passing 27k miles/only issue has been a melted spot where the dip beam bulb fits. Promptly corrected by my dealer.

Cheers,

 

[harry]

Just checked mine, upper fastener each side about 22Nm,lower ones about correct. There can of course be disparity between Torque wrenches