wise words,i have one of the last hexheads and after multiple test rides of the wc after all the model changes i can honestly say that if i could straight swap my bike with a brand new gsa i would stick with my old hexhead.(esp after the hilltop remap)
2014 early WCGSA switches being replaced: sort of recall
- Thread starter GrinningGSer
- Start date
wise words,i have one of the last hexheads and after multiple test rides of the wc after all the model changes i can honestly say that if i could straight swap my bike with a brand new gsa i would stick with my old hexhead.(esp after the hilltop remap)
I have to say that given the problems I have (and still are...back to the dealers on Thursday) I wish I had heeded my own advice and waited a year or two before buying a WC GSA. In principle it is a cracking bike....when it works properly. I also agree with others that the components look cheap...plastics are awful, screen not as good as the old GSA...build quality seems poor.
Having ridden GS's of some description since 1996, done tens of K miles....mostly trouble free, I would seriously consider changing brand as I have lost confidence in BMW....never though I would say that! After 3k miles the bike is in the garage gathering dust as the riding experience is pretty unpleasant. I hope the visit to the dealer this week will sort the issue.....we'll see.
I really hope that they get their shit together but when they are selling the numbers they are I guess there is no need.
Premium brand....I think not.
Bought a 64 plate 1200gsa and thank god I kept my 3 year old r1200gsa tc, the new bike has numerous problems and is just generally unpleasant to ride because of two main faults, so much so it has sat in the garage and not moved for 2 months and I went back to using the old bike which is a pleasure to ride.
If BMW can sort out the esa and the gearchange, plus the pronounced drop in overall build quality the wc could be a superb bike but it will be the last new bmw I will buy until then .
So peed off with the bike that I may well end up taking a massive hit on getting rid of it in the spring, gets me down every time I go into the garage and look at it.
Thing is I deliberately did not buy a bike from the original build run and waited 6 months to ensure I got one from the July production batch to avoid these problems
If BMW can sort out the esa and the gearchange, plus the pronounced drop in overall build quality the wc could be a superb bike but it will be the last new bmw I will buy until then .
So peed off with the bike that I may well end up taking a massive hit on getting rid of it in the spring, gets me down every time I go into the garage and look at it.
Thing is I deliberately did not buy a bike from the original build run and waited 6 months to ensure I got one from the July production batch to avoid these problems
Are you locked into a finance deal? If not, and the bike is really that bad, why not just get rid of it now? It's depreciating every day, so cut your losses, and get rid. Or am I missing something?
Johnny B if it wouldn't cost me the best part of £4k to change I would seriously consider it....I know it's not real money because the TC will also have dropped in price but struggling at the moment to get over this.....first new bike ever in over 30 years of riding. In the scheme of the great circle of life I appreciate there are bigger things to worry about....but still FECKED OFF.
Neil....I waited as well for the same reason....clearly made feck all difference. It seems there is a growing number of people with ESA problems. Advrider has a growing thread on this issue as well.
My advice to anybody who has a hex head and looking to change....wait a year....wish I had now.
Going to have a lay down now.
Neil....I waited as well for the same reason....clearly made feck all difference. It seems there is a growing number of people with ESA problems. Advrider has a growing thread on this issue as well.
My advice to anybody who has a hex head and looking to change....wait a year....wish I had now.
Going to have a lay down now.
and there is the real world wc ownership experience from an awful lot of people.
johnfoxllb
Registered user
I suspect you are correct. The number of issues is too significant to ignore. The new GS is a bike plagued with faults. You have more chance reliably traversing the world on a budget Japanese commuter than one of these things.
Better to ride a boring bike than push an exciting one......
BBB61
Registered user
This is like a flashback to 2004, when the 1200GS was introduced and people were saying exactly the same about the new bike. Go back a further 10 years and if the interweb had been around people would have been saying the same about the 1100GS.
What is particularly amusing is that many of the gloom and doom merchants in 2004 are still around and saying the same as what they said back then
i wasnt around bmw in 2004 but did they have faults with switchgear,engines,transmisions,clutch,suspension,seats,poor welding,poor finish,flimsy plastics,panniers not fitting from new,front subframe alignment issues,difficulty in fitting pannier locks from the dealer,im sure i missed some
BBB61
Registered user
i wasnt around bmw in 2004 but did they have faults with switchgear,engines,transmisions,clutch,suspension,seats,poor welding,poor finish,flimsy plastics,panniers not fitting from new,front subframe alignment issues,difficulty in fitting pannier locks from the dealer,im sure i missed some
I'm sure someone will be along soon to confirm it for you
ahutcheon
Registered user
Off the top of my head; exploding final drives, vario panniers falling off at random and quick-corrode surface finishes were high on the list of complaints. Failing servo ABS came later, but that's the same ABS that's still working on my 2003 1150 that I bought just before the 1200 was announced. Oh, and I had the front wishbone and front discs replaced under warranty because they rusted, so life wasn't perfect even pre 1200.i wasnt around bmw in 2004 but did they have faults with switchgear,engines,transmisions,clutch,suspension,seats,poor welding,poor finish,flimsy plastics,panniers not fitting from new,front subframe alignment issues,difficulty in fitting pannier locks from the dealer,im sure i missed some
No, I don't have a point here. But I'm still enjoying the overweight, underpowered heap of crap. If I really wanted perfection coated in dullness I'd still be riding a Honda.
so have i got to wait 10 years before they get it right again and i can buy again !
That is a ridiculous statement to make...the 2008 upgrade was a major improvement so only 4 years to wait!
Titto
Registered user
Err, ALL 5 of our twin cam rts at work have had failed switches, engine issues, and major corrosion issues. You can't say the old ones are any better!
Georgeeboi
Registered user
My 2013 lc was faultless for 20 months 10k sold it now a new gsa on the way don't give a feck about the doom and gloom merchants!
DC
Registered user
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Hear hear ….im scared of logging on here some days and reading posts knowing there is going to be at least half a dozen slagging of the machine ….im just glad mines been ok so far … but in spending £14k I'm hoping its going to be ok for a long time yet
Why are you taking any notice of them? Most of them haven't even ridden one, they're just trying to get a reaction. The pleasure is in knowing.
