I am starting to get hacked off with my dealer.
To determine if I have a valid case, I need input from you kind peeps. Have any fellow owners of 2013-onward R1200GSs and GS Adventures experienced the following?
1. Intermittent display of the rear tyre-pressure value on the RDC readout.
I have configured the display so that the RDC values are always visible to me while I'm riding. The front-tyre pressure readout has never given problems, but the rear readout frequently goes 'off-line' (displaying two horizontal lines) for up to 30 minutes at a time whilst I'm riding. The errant display will occasionally come back on line if I slow to 70 Km/h or below, or if I come to a halt and then start moving again.
This problem has recently been getting more frequent for longer periods of time.
2. I took ownership of the bike at 17 000 Km. After every single service the bike has had since I've owned it (it's recently had its 50K service), it has leaked fluid from the front brake fluid reservoir or the clutch fluid reservoir, or from both.
Two days after the last service, fluid stains were clearly visible on the front brake reservoir.
It is particularly noticeable when washing the bike using a soap solution. If I pull in the clutch lever at this time, I can clearly see bubbles coming from the join between clutch reservoir and reservoir cover.
Brake fluid is hygroscopic. Therefore, if fluid is getting out, then the seal is compromised and atmospheric moisture and/or liquid water are getting in.
3. There is axial play around the point of the steering-head bearing (beneath the BMW badge on the steering triple clamp).
If the bike is held upright, and one pushes down vertically on one handlebar end, then on the other, the up/down play can clearly be felt at the bar ends.
I was told when I picked the bike up from its last service that the problem had been rectified, but it hadn't. The axial play is still as obvious as it was before.
When I picked the bike up, the BMW badge on the steering triple clamp was loose, and could easily be pulled out with a fingernail. This suggests to me that someone tried to fix the issue by tightening the screw holding the steering triple clamp to the headstock - but neglected to check whether the tightening had made any difference to the play.
The last time the bike went in to this particular dealer, I was assured before the service being carried out that these issues would be solved, and was assured when the bike was picked up that they had been solved.
The same performance was repeated at the last service.
At no time has there been any substance behind any of these claims.
When I got it, the bike had been involved in a low-speed drop, but had been repaired.
None of the above faults were evident at this time.
Last week, I called up the service manager, explained the situation, and insisted that these faults be rectified (the bike is under warranty until August 2015).
I got given a lot of hot air that 'The bike's been in an accident, so BMW won't cover these faults under warranty'.
Eh? What? I've been repeatedly reassured by two different BMW dealers that my bike's warranty is quite intact. So what use is that warranty if it won't cover inherent faults? The service manager told me that 'There can sometimes be interference between the RDC sensors and receiver that cause erratic readings'. I can understand that. But for 30 minutes at a time?
I am going to get this sorted out, and stalling tactics by this dealership will not work.
First stop is the service manager (again).
Second stop is the dealer principal.
Third stop is BMW Motorrad SA head office.
Fourth stop is the SA RMI (Retail Motor Industry Association).
Fifth stop is Hellopeter.co.za (where I will let the whole country know exactly how this dealership fobs off warranty claims).
If this dealership think they've got an easy victory ahead, they'd better think again.
To determine if I have a valid case, I need input from you kind peeps. Have any fellow owners of 2013-onward R1200GSs and GS Adventures experienced the following?
1. Intermittent display of the rear tyre-pressure value on the RDC readout.
I have configured the display so that the RDC values are always visible to me while I'm riding. The front-tyre pressure readout has never given problems, but the rear readout frequently goes 'off-line' (displaying two horizontal lines) for up to 30 minutes at a time whilst I'm riding. The errant display will occasionally come back on line if I slow to 70 Km/h or below, or if I come to a halt and then start moving again.
This problem has recently been getting more frequent for longer periods of time.
2. I took ownership of the bike at 17 000 Km. After every single service the bike has had since I've owned it (it's recently had its 50K service), it has leaked fluid from the front brake fluid reservoir or the clutch fluid reservoir, or from both.
Two days after the last service, fluid stains were clearly visible on the front brake reservoir.
It is particularly noticeable when washing the bike using a soap solution. If I pull in the clutch lever at this time, I can clearly see bubbles coming from the join between clutch reservoir and reservoir cover.
Brake fluid is hygroscopic. Therefore, if fluid is getting out, then the seal is compromised and atmospheric moisture and/or liquid water are getting in.
3. There is axial play around the point of the steering-head bearing (beneath the BMW badge on the steering triple clamp).
If the bike is held upright, and one pushes down vertically on one handlebar end, then on the other, the up/down play can clearly be felt at the bar ends.
I was told when I picked the bike up from its last service that the problem had been rectified, but it hadn't. The axial play is still as obvious as it was before.
When I picked the bike up, the BMW badge on the steering triple clamp was loose, and could easily be pulled out with a fingernail. This suggests to me that someone tried to fix the issue by tightening the screw holding the steering triple clamp to the headstock - but neglected to check whether the tightening had made any difference to the play.
The last time the bike went in to this particular dealer, I was assured before the service being carried out that these issues would be solved, and was assured when the bike was picked up that they had been solved.
The same performance was repeated at the last service.
At no time has there been any substance behind any of these claims.
When I got it, the bike had been involved in a low-speed drop, but had been repaired.
None of the above faults were evident at this time.
Last week, I called up the service manager, explained the situation, and insisted that these faults be rectified (the bike is under warranty until August 2015).
I got given a lot of hot air that 'The bike's been in an accident, so BMW won't cover these faults under warranty'.
Eh? What? I've been repeatedly reassured by two different BMW dealers that my bike's warranty is quite intact. So what use is that warranty if it won't cover inherent faults? The service manager told me that 'There can sometimes be interference between the RDC sensors and receiver that cause erratic readings'. I can understand that. But for 30 minutes at a time?
I am going to get this sorted out, and stalling tactics by this dealership will not work.
First stop is the service manager (again).
Second stop is the dealer principal.
Third stop is BMW Motorrad SA head office.
Fourth stop is the SA RMI (Retail Motor Industry Association).
Fifth stop is Hellopeter.co.za (where I will let the whole country know exactly how this dealership fobs off warranty claims).
If this dealership think they've got an easy victory ahead, they'd better think again.
