12GS Buyer beware

[Deleted account W]

Many thanks for the abusive smilie Mitch. Keep up the good work my friend and demonstrate to the web how helpful and narrow minded your site really is.

What are you going to buy next? Let us know and I'm sure one of use can point you in the right direction for an owners forum for that bike.

How helpfull is that

 

[Deadskin]

I am with you on this one!

It's not a premium product and its fecking expensive. Customer care seems to be more about making sure the right celebrity has use of the bikes than real customers paying their hard earned cash.

Fecking germans .. couldn't finish them off in the war .. now they screw us in another way

I also don't understand the blind loyalty people have about the bike ... they all seem to hang out on this bulletin board too. You don't see people praising the GS on the Monster club website or the Honda website. It is soooo misguided.

so what have you bought now? I might want to follow your advice and get one of those instead of a 1200 GS?

Stop pissing about and buy one

 

[Fanum]

I am with you on this one!

That by the way was you referring to Tentoone saying;

My eyes have been opened and your members' accounts of woe have been nstrumental in my choice to get rid of the motorcycle.

Then you go and totally utterly contradict yourself bysaying;

I also don't understand the blind loyalty people have about the bike ... t

Make yer mind up Tom FFS!!!



Tentoone....this is a GSer forum.....it's where any GSowner or potential owner can come to talk about anything to do with GS's...it also means that it's the first place anyone will discuss problems.....

We've done this conversation many times before........the GS is a cracking bike in whatever guise it comes in....we all love it and ride it......but we do acknowledge the problems that some have had and try and support them in solving them.

Don't be mislead into thinking we're all slagging them when we discuss the problems.....it's the old marketing problem that a happy customer tells five people but someone unhappy with a product tells 20 people who then tell another 10 each.

It does sound like you've had a very bad experience with your dealer and some problems with your bike.......it's not representative of the GS, most BWM dealers or BWM products as a whole though..if it was, we wouldn't be here now

PS Don't judge UKGSer by the posts of one or two...stick around a bit and see what we're really like....you might acually enjoy yourself

 

[nadeem]

Stop pissing about and buy one

He ain't gonna buy any GS...just likes looking at 'em... Oh and trying to buy bits for them for some strange reason

 

[Deadskin]

Many thanks for the abusive smilie Mitch. Keep up the good work my friend and demonstrate to the web how helpful and narrow minded your site really is.

That's not an abusive smilie that's a compliment on this site
I've had no problems at all with my 1200,
but if i do i know that my dealer will sort it.....

good luck with your new machine

 

[Fanum]

He ain't gonna buy any GS...just likes looking at 'em... Oh and trying to buy bits for them for some strange reason

Rumour has it our Tom HAS bought one.......he just hasn't come out of the GS closet yet

 

[nadeem]

Rumour has it our Tom HAS bought one.......he just hasn't come out of the GS closet yet

I doubt it Bill....

 

[Sadjim]

He ain't gonna buy any GS...just likes looking at 'em... Oh and trying to buy bits for them for some strange reason

Well spotted Nadeem

 

[mitch]

Many thanks for the abusive smilie Mitch. Keep up the good work my friend and demonstrate to the web how helpful and narrow minded your site really is.

Maybe its the way that on only your 3rd post you start slaging off the 12gs and BM dealers l'm shaw some will agree with you and a lot won't, and if thats how you started with the dealers then i'm not surprised you did not get the best that they could do for you.

 

[Deleted Member I]

Fanum .... when has anybody made any sense on this forum and how many are really that consistent with their views ... at least I know I will be inconsistent with my views without having to change sex

Nadeem ... given the blind loyalty for the product ... it makes a great market for second hand trade .... just trying to make a living so I can afford the fuel to go round the country looking at GS's

 

[Deleted Member I]

Rumour has it our Tom HAS bought one.......he just hasn't come out of the GS closet yet

NOW THAT IS A SLUR ON MY CHARACTER !!!

 

[dirtydog]

Yeah, they're a pile of shite, there's no getting away from it you bunch of bullshitters

Although Clarkie's have been good to me with all the free hot choccies (cheers Chris) on my numerous visits in the past 6 months. I'm gonna run my fecker into the ground within the next 2 years, sell the warranty rebuilt ADV then buy an MZ

Leave him alone you bunch of

 

[nadeem]

Fanum .... when has anybody made any sense on this forum and how many are really that consistent with their views ... at least I know I will be inconsistent with my views without having to change sex

Nadeem ... given the blind loyalty for the product ... it makes a great market for second hand trade .... just trying to make a living so I can afford the fuel to go round the country looking at GS's

Well the first bit is true in any case Tom...


Not so sure about blind loyalty, I don't think that's the case, people here (predominantly) like their bikes - they're enthusiastic about them - not loyal to bmw as such.

 

[TENTOONE]

MCN Website, under 12gs

''I'm getting a bit miffed at the faults recurring on my GS, so thought worth giving you all a list to open up for suggestions on how get some er, "after sales service"

100 miles - gearbox imploded. Very kindly replaced by BMW. No explanations.
Bike still flings itself out of 2nd gear, usually when accellerating round a corner.

Battery - temp. gets frosty, make sure you have the AA on speeddial

Electrics - where to start.
1. Go off road or over a speed bump, all electrics fail. No ABS, lights, etc etc.
2. Take keys out, bike still runs (quite useful really)
3. Gear selection indication bears no resemblance to the actual gear the bike is in - makes starting up even more difficult. The bike won't start in neutral if the elecs. think its in 3rd, 2nd, 4th, whatever.

Luggage - The vario box is basically expensive crap and prone to fly off on rough tough (like roundabounds with pot holes) Also, the locks spring out very easily so are of no use.

Tyres - My bike came with a faulty Metzeler so I had to buy a new one. The garage promised to refund me, but havnt.

Would welcome suggestions to resolve any of the above, including actually getting some level of afterservice.

Any BMW staff, feel free to contact me.
You will not I havn't "dobbed in" the responsible BMW dealership on this site - yet!''

I feel I've only scratched the surface here. Mind you, I dont feel as alone now on the electrics front!

 

[nadeem]

tell us the dealer - no harm in saying.

 

[Steptoe]

I think you got away lightly - considering some of the problems posted up on this "narrow" minded site. BMW seem to have made their customer service dept redundant. Is it because they're selling so many, that they feel that they don't need to try so hard ? just keep churning out the same substandard crap. -

They'll end up getting burnt when the GS falls out of fashion and the weekend bikers move on to the next "must have" accessory .

 

[TENTOONE]

That message above was lifted from the MCN website; it wasnt me!

 

[Dahoum]

''I'm getting a bit miffed at the faults recurring on my GS, so thought worth giving you all a list to open up for suggestions on how get some er, "after sales service"

100 miles - gearbox imploded. Very kindly replaced by BMW. No explanations.

1000's of miles - gearbox still fine

Bike still flings itself out of 2nd gear, usually when accellerating round a corner.

never happened to me

Battery - temp. gets frosty, make sure you have the AA on speeddial

happened once when I had left the bike outside in winter for 6 weeks - I'd challenge most bikes to start after that. never happened otherwise

Electrics - where to start.
1. Go off road or over a speed bump, all electrics fail. No ABS, lights, etc etc.
2. Take keys out, bike still runs (quite useful really)
3. Gear selection indication bears no resemblance to the actual gear the bike is in - makes starting up even more difficult. The bike won't start in neutral if the elecs. think its in 3rd, 2nd, 4th, whatever.

none of the above ever happened

Luggage - The vario box is basically expensive crap and prone to fly off on rough tough (like roundabounds with pot holes) Also, the locks spring out very easily so are of no use.

Luggage has performed excellently. Panniers are very cleverly designed and only thing I'd change is to have some kind of top opening, but with inner bags this is also less of an issue. top box has been on loads of off road rides and never flown off.

Tyres - My bike came with a faulty Metzeler so I had to buy a new one. The garage promised to refund me, but havnt.

came with anakees - very good tyres - rear lasted well.

Would welcome suggestions to resolve any of the above, including actually getting some level of afterservice.

My afterservice (Vines of Guildford) has been fine. Not that i've had a lot of issues

considering the level of sales and the treatment a lot of motorcycles get i do not think the problems on here, in the press or amongst GS riders I know are any worse than other makes of bike. As Clive said - they are machines. They are also built by (German) humans. neither are perfect.

 

[TENTOONE]

I'm very pleased for you. I wish I had the same experiences. Im afraid it doesnt change my view it is a liability and a poorly built motorcycle.

Somebody asked me what I was purchasing next; took two test rides on the Honda CB 1300. Really good bike and admittedly, after the problems with the GS, I have ran back to what really works. Their engineering is quite hard to beat and the quality of the finishes on the CB really do put the GS to shame. The test bike has been used all over winter and has stood up remarkably well. The engine is very strong and torquey and so comfortable in the saddle. RTW on one? Yes, definately.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

RTW on one? Yes, definately.

Mmmmm, a CB1300, that'd be my choice too.......the perfect bike for carrying you and your gear through mud, rivers and sand

Andres