A Shocked TMF
- Thread starter yofi
- Start date
Good post 
If he had a full BMW service then I'm surprised there was no form of goodwill gesture or am I living in the past.
Completely understand why the dealer wouldn't fit a second hand part to the bike.
19k is a bit poor for a rear shock all the same.
Completely understand why the dealer wouldn't fit a second hand part to the bike.
19k is a bit poor for a rear shock all the same.
Five option routes I would take.
1) If it's under BMW Warranty get it replaced.
2) Find an independent who could service the shock, if it's possible?
3) eBay and find a suitable replacement 2nd hand part (although you will probably just be back at square one at some short time). So this is a limited investment.
4) Buy a replacement quality part which can be maintained and serviced. Ohlins (considered the best suspension people) have a replacement shock for £900.
5) If it's not under BMW Warranty, take it to the small claims court under the Sales of Goods Act. £1800 plus fitting for a suspension item to fail irreparable under 20,000 miles is not a quality item and worthy of the price. Especially if he's owned it from new and has only done road miles.
1) If it's under BMW Warranty get it replaced.
2) Find an independent who could service the shock, if it's possible?
3) eBay and find a suitable replacement 2nd hand part (although you will probably just be back at square one at some short time). So this is a limited investment.
4) Buy a replacement quality part which can be maintained and serviced. Ohlins (considered the best suspension people) have a replacement shock for £900.
5) If it's not under BMW Warranty, take it to the small claims court under the Sales of Goods Act. £1800 plus fitting for a suspension item to fail irreparable under 20,000 miles is not a quality item and worthy of the price. Especially if he's owned it from new and has only done road miles.
It sounds like piss poor quality both in parts and service They will realise too late that we are the last generation to have 20 grand to spend on a motorcycle 
It sounds like piss poor quality both in parts and service They will realise too late that we are the last generation to have 20 grand to spend on a motorcycle
No it isn't.
BMW make their money on parts for three reasons.
1) They've scared you all shitless into their bullshit Warranty System. So they get money for nothing with all you extended 'subscribers'.
2) Crashed motorcycles get repaired by insurers, at whatever BMW prices they list. Which is why some insurers now refuse to fit new parts.
3) Some wealthy BMW Customers don't care about the price and will pay anything. Welcome to Rip off City.
So manufacturing cheap parts and listing them at extortionate pricing works their 'system' very nicely. It's a business model they won't change, as there are always new customers in their marketing demographic emerging all the time. So long as they keep the majority of existing customers sweet, through their 'good will' gestures all is good.
They use stories like TMF shock failure out of warranty, as scare tactics for other customers who doubt their system.
In my opinion....
FUCK BMW and service the bike yourself.
Use the Sales of Goods Act and shove that up their arse, if you need to.
In the meantime, buy aftermarket parts which can be serviced and maintained (as BMW ones will break again anyway), so you're upgrading your bike at the same time.
The BMW GSA is a good Platform, so I'll just keep it alive as long as possible myself. With or without BMW help.
If you get very unlucky and something catastrophic fails and it's extortionate pricing repair is your only option. Sort it, and move away from BMW and never look back at them again.
FUCK BMW and service the bike yourself.
Use the Sales of Goods Act and shove that up their arse, if you need to.
In the meantime, buy aftermarket parts which can be serviced and maintained (as BMW ones will break again anyway), so you're upgrading your bike at the same time.
The BMW GSA is a good Platform, so I'll just keep it alive as long as possible myself. With or without BMW help.
If you get very unlucky and something catastrophic fails and it's extortionate pricing repair is your only option. Sort it, and move away from BMW and never look back at them again.
He seems a lot more likeable than in his road commentaries.
My original idea of a R1200GS was to get a basic model (with heated grips) - and to buy Wilbers/Ohlins for it from new.
General opinion was that a) BMW UK would have to make it a "Special Order", and b) that resale would take a big hit.
I reckon once that bike gets to 3-4yrs old - it becomes a bigger attraction than the electronic suspension TE, to buyers.....
Electronics fail - and quite often in the first year......
My original idea of a R1200GS was to get a basic model (with heated grips) - and to buy Wilbers/Ohlins for it from new.
General opinion was that a) BMW UK would have to make it a "Special Order", and b) that resale would take a big hit.
I reckon once that bike gets to 3-4yrs old - it becomes a bigger attraction than the electronic suspension TE, to buyers.....
Electronics fail - and quite often in the first year......
Knowing what i know now i would agree that the Ohlins/Wilburs option would make it a better bike for me rather than the expensive and very fallable cheapo sachs stuff that BMW fit. However most BMW buyers outside these hallowed pages and indeed within to an extent would want all the fancy electric suspension hence the comments about depreciation etc.
Also why BMW would have to make it as a special factory order to have vanilla suspension as no one buys those so they dont make them.
Bullshit
That was the "general opinion" at the BMW dealers, not mine...........
Deleted account 190920002
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Well I’m 72 ish I’ve loved my bm’s but no way would I buy another one. It’s just like they presume (bmw that is) we'll just keep coming back for more, well I’m not. Which is sad when I think how good my past experiences have been with my three older bm’s I wonder what’s gone wrong with that company. Become to greedy methinks. I worked for a high tech engineering company in Lubeck and absolutely no way would Baader have tret costumers like this.
With my 2011 gsa tc I bought a new basic with extras (didn't want the ESA) , the non ESA shocks were okay but not perfect .........replaced them with Maxton
Bought a new 2014 GSA TE... wanted a basic but there were non in the country and BMW UK were unwilling to order any even on special order.
Changed the bike in September last year for a new 2018 R1200GSA BASIC with some extra bits specced on it (btw standard non esa shocks now very good ) , yes it had to be ordered as a new build from the factory as BMW UK do not import basic models for dealer stock and dealers will not buy them anyway as their margins are higher on TE models .
Dealers are not happy about taking a basic in part ex as their customers want TE models and will give a lower trade in value as such.
However, as a keeper in my opinion they make a much better long term prospect especially when out of warranty............. try £3500 ish for shocks and switchgear on an ESA bike at under 3 years old.
No way would I spend £3500 for BMW suspension.
If I was spending anywhere near that much it would be with people who know what they are doing to build quality kit
If I was spending anywhere near that much it would be with people who know what they are doing to build quality kit
Luckily my bike had a 3 year extended warranty
TunturiSport
Registered user
Hello Neil W, I have also ordered a 2018 basic GSA without esa. So you are happy with it? How is the rear rebound adjustment, I mean do you need a screwdriver or is there similar knob as for the preload adjustment?
Lähetetty minun SM-G950F laitteesta Tapatalkilla
Lähetetty minun SM-G950F laitteesta Tapatalkilla
fatfingers73
Registered user
Good job they're popular bikes, so shouldn't be tool hard to find one if mine ever fails 
The handling is brilliant the shocks are quite firm but also very compliant , the bike tracks smoothly over bumps and irregularies in the road surface BUT also lets you feel what is going on under the wheels . Having ridden a number of GS/ GSA WC's with ESA non of them has had as nice ride quality.
Preload is a large easily accesible knob at the top of the shock and the rebound does not need a tool to adjust as it has a smaller adjustment knob on the bottom of the shock .
My view is that even if the non esa shocks only last a couple of years then I will get a set of made to measure Maxton or similar for under £1500.
If you want some further info that I am not going to put on the forum sent me a PM
Preload is a large easily accesible knob at the top of the shock and the rebound does not need a tool to adjust as it has a smaller adjustment knob on the bottom of the shock .
My view is that even if the non esa shocks only last a couple of years then I will get a set of made to measure Maxton or similar for under £1500.
If you want some further info that I am not going to put on the forum sent me a PM
TunturiSport
Registered user
Sorry, how can I send a PM?
I think you need to subscribe to send PM's
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