2014 R1200RT LC Corrosion!!!

[BMPete]

Sounds like a good plan. ACF50 is brilliant stuff but it will eventually wash off, so exposed areas need retreating. I also use a wax to protect paintwork, and makes cleaning much easier. I do use my bike all year but I only for fun and so make sure I always have time to clean it after my ride if salt has been on the roads. So far I have had no problems. It sounds like you have been unlucky with a winter demo bike that has not been cleaned well enough and the salt has attacked it. On a positive note its a great bike which I just love riding it. At the moment I cannot see a credible touring alternative maybe Honda will update their Pan, needs it.

 

[Steve Owen]

Lets see some nice pics of the offending corrosion then, so we can see how bad it is.

This is what I spotted yesterday on my 6month old RT LC, 1000 miles on clock, when cleaning it. Bike is always kept in a garage. Didn't have this on my K12S back in 07 after 6 months. Will be on the phone to the dealer/BMW after I hear what's said on the forum.

 

[Karlread]

This is what I spotted yesterday on my 6month old RT LC, 1000 miles on clock, when cleaning it. Bike is always kept in a garage. Didn't have this on my K12S back in 07 after 6 months. Will be on the phone to the dealer/BMW after I hear what's said on the forum.

View attachment 279247

You need to contact them as soon as, you will be asked the usual questions such as did you wash it after riding on salty roads, what cleaner did you use etc. I would suggest you e-mail the picture to your dealer along with a shot the odometer and one of the bike so they can see how well it has been looked after.
I feel really sorry for you, we all look after our bikes and it is really annoying when things like this happen.
Best of luck though they should simply replace the final drive for you. One thing I will do with my replacement bike is paint all of the machined edges/surfaces with one of those clear lacquer vials that you get as part of a car touch up kit. I shouldn't have to do it, but plan on keeping the bike for 3-4 years.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Rt quality is not up to much mines only done 2000 miles and the paints wearing of the left side where your legs rub and on the black plastic at the back of the left pot plus brake line banjos corroded rust on the frame near the center stand.
brilliant bike but its gonna take some looking after and plenty of visits to BMW.

 

[Rocketman]

A friend of mine bought a 61 plate rt last year with 8k on from a guy down in Bucks,apparently the fella had been using it for a commute in all weathers .
My mate was a bit green about bmw's so before he went down I told him a few things to look out for and ask if it had been acf ed .
He never listened to a word I fookin told him he was just well chuffed at having got it at 1k under book .
Affected areas where ;Pillion footrest hangers ,final drive casing, all brake bolts ,front casing ,Both cylinder head covers .
After leaving a little trail of oil all around snowdonia on one ride out we found the corrosion had eatin right through the cylinder head ,his left boot now has excellent water repellency .
Bmw stealer ship then relieved him of £230 for a new cover and a gasket
And you wouldn't believe it before the winter he said I'm gonna order some of that acf stuff

 

[Blitzkrieg]

before i bought the new watercooled one I had an 09 model the one before the twin cam from new it did 54000 from new just highdays and holidays ,it was washed n polished every time it was used ACF50 twice a year by AYB and i did it as and when.
corrosion was awfull front engine cover bubbled front forks pockmarked pillion footrest hanger bubbled and the coating fell off, bubbled on rear and front wheels every bolt holding the calipers on was really rusty. I wont be so easy on BMW with this one , they allso didnt want my old one in PX because it had done so many miles?lost 8 grand in 5 years cos i used it, but i just love boxer engines so keep with em .

 

[AHaywood]

BMW market research showed that most RT owners are old with poor eyesight and as such most (without this post) wouldn't spot these defects....Might have to start wearing my reading specs when I clean my bike

 

[theloudbloke]

I was considering RT ownership and joined the forum to get an insight into ownership.

After reading and seeing some of the shocking posts of the powder coating performance on here, I'm seriously ressessing that decision.

Can anybody restore the tarnished BMW image?

Ted

 

[Engineer]

This is what I spotted yesterday on my 6month old RT LC, 1000 miles on clock, when cleaning it. Bike is always kept in a garage. Didn't have this on my K12S back in 07 after 6 months. Will be on the phone to the dealer/BMW after I hear what's said on the forum.

View attachment 279247

I suspect that this sort of paint problem is nothing to do with salt corrosion - it seems to 'bubble up' from underneath, almost as it has been lurking there from the day the paint was applied - perhaps some contaminant on the surface that was painted or in the paint itself.????????

 

[busy builder]

I was considering RT ownership and joined the forum to get an insight into ownership.

After reading and seeing some of the shocking posts of the powder coating performance on here, I'm seriously ressessing that decision.

Can anybody restore the tarnished BMW image?

Ted

Not every ones bike ends up like this. As with most forums, bikes/cars whatever, you find that problems are aired all the time whereas the happy just get on with it. I for one have a very good bike with no corrosion whatsoever.

 

[Karlread]

Have now looked at no less than 9 RT's in my quest for a bike without bubbling paint, am still looking.....

 

[Deleted account 260111001]

Out of interest, how do the GS's compare with the same issue?

 

[Fluffmeister]

Out of interest, how do the GS's compare with the same issue?

It's pretty hit and miss if you have a browse through the WC GS Forum, personally my 2014 GS TE has done just shy of 11K Miles in the year I've owned it and it's still like new. I use it through winter with a dab of ACF 50 and a good splash of FS365, and I'm anally retentive about cleaning. Some GS's with less miles than mine and with less winter use are in a pretty shocking condition, other's, like mine have no corrosion at all. It really does seem to be a lottery when it comes to corrosion. My Gremlins have been switchgear failures (1 x right 2 x Left and the crap heated grips)

 

[Karlread]

R1200Rt corrosion

After one winter this should be corrected to. Lots of corrosion....

 

[neils]

RT and 1600GT

I have also heard that the 1600 GT also has the same problem, the remit for the dealers is that any corrosion or paint defects replace without question under warranty--is there something we should know ?

 

[Karlread]

Some of it is the surface preparation to which the paint is applied, the other is that unlike the BMW's of old they are now forced by way of environmental legislation to used water based paint. There is the final factor that the component is painted before it is machined thus leaving a bare edge in which water can enter causing the paint to bubble as the magnesium reacts.
Unless you either a) tear the bike apart when new and get the bits blasted then powder coated, or
b) wait until you can no longer bear the sight of the bubbling/furry patina
then we are stuck with it as is.
I know that Triumph have a lot of their bikes and components made in the Far East and have a similar problem as well.
It's a pity as the product is great but now with the Kawasaki build quality of old.

 

[Fluffmeister]

It's a pity as the product is great but now with the Kawasaki build quality of old.

Don't be dissing the Kawasaki build quality

15 year old ZX12R just washed and polished regularly, and not a drop of ACF 50 in sight

 

[Karlread]

Clear evidence that Kwaks now hold up better than BM's ��

 

[Haveplan]

I know that some of us on this forum use our bikes through the "colder" months here so I thought I would ask if anybody else had suffered these problems.
Purchased an RT in February this year from my local dealer, all bells and whistles and was their demonstrator. Picked it up with 3300 miles on it (reg sept 2014) and have put 700 miles on it.

On cleaning it a couple of weeks ago saw white bubbling around the final drive axle (where the black plastic ring is) and where the engine casings meet the cylinder heads the seems had bubbled. On taking it to the dealer, they also discovered bubbling on the trailing edge of the swing arm and on the fluid overflow hole which is on the near side of the engine.
Options are:
Get my money back and look for something else.
BMW will replace the parts but cannot guarantee it will not happen again, or let the dealer find me a low mileage bike.
I know I cannot legislate for the time it was used as a demo but has anyone else had similar problems with the new RT. I love the bike but think it may be worth just taking the money and getting something else.

Use mine all year round and have the same problem. ACF 50 running gear after every wash but still.
2014 bike bought with a few thousand miles on it, complained within the warranty period but was told paintwork not covered. So rang BMW UK who said exactly the same.
My previous 1150 RT did not look like this after 100K miles. My colleague has a brand new 1200GS and the rear end has significant rust and the bike is just about a year old.

 

[casbar]

Use mine all year round and have the same problem. ACF 50 running gear after every wash but still.
2014 bike bought with a few thousand miles on it, complained within the warranty period but was told paintwork not covered. So rang BMW UK who said exactly the same.
My previous 1150 RT did not look like this after 100K miles. My colleague has a brand new 1200GS and the rear end has significant rust and the bike is just about a year old.

Use mine all year around, have put 10k on it in the last couple of years. Not a spot of corrosion anywhere. So it is a bit hit and miss