About the Gs reliability (Gsers with many miles...)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Theo
  • Start date Start date
Could it be that the corrosion so many people report is due to the fact that people actually ride the bike all year round, through all weathers, and the bike takes a pounding from road salt?

I couldn't tell you whether I have any corrosion on my bike. I almost certainly do. But then, I have had corrosion on every bike I've ever owned. Not much of a polisher, myself.
 
y2k 1150GS 30k miles
new front discs at 20k
new rear at 27k, warped again at 28k
abs problem as reported above, occasionally repeats
engine covers scabby - previous owner rode all year and didn't keep clean enough. Too busy riding!
 
2001 1150 GS 22K miles, no problems at all

2001 1150GS 97K miles, - just wear and tear and consumables
 
2000 1150 gs 26,000 miles

6000 miles Warped rear brake caliper replaced by BMW

15000 miles Ignition wiring loom broke leaving me stranded, fixed by me and a inline crimp. (all the sheathing on the wires around the headstock are perishing and will need replacing)

18000 miles Fuel guage will only read half full even when the tank is fully topped up.

20000 miles gear indicator only works in very dry weather, with water or just moisture and it makes up what gear your in. Bmw say its the switch in the gear box £350 to fix (poke off says I)

Severe corrosion on lower fork brace will need to be replaced sooner rather then later
 
1150gs Y2K, 40,000miles

I purchased the bike at 25000 miles and changed both shocks for Ohlins, the original rear was certainly well on it's way out. By the way, the Ohlins totaly transformed the gs for the better. There is more scabiness around the engine finish than I concider acceptable. No other faults to report. Simon
 
'99 1150, with 80,000 miles on it now, bought at 8,000 from Ocean Plymouth. wiring loom failed at 10k, temperature sensor at 12k (both warranty claims), gearbox output shaft failed at 40k (that was expensive), both wheel bearings replaced (cant remember when), fork seals at 60k, rear drive bearing at 75k. its also had new brake discs but cant remember when, and the usual corrosion problems on the subframe, rims and everything painted silver. Apart from that its been fine.
 
'02 1150GS, 38,000 miles trouble free, although clutch just bit the dust...
 
'00 Ford Fiesta 1.25 56,000 miles, nothing at all other than consumables (touch wood). Why shouldn't we expect the same from our bikes?
Good Bl**dy point! I always wonder why this is. My 90,000ml car has only req`d servicing and basic bits. And it`s a Suzuki! Bit rusty these days mind :)
What is the highest pre-rebuild milage anyone has heard of for a boxer twin engine then?
 
lukate said:
What is the highest pre-rebuild milage anyone has heard of for a boxer twin engine then?

A Dutch (or Belgian, I forget) rider has put 300,000 kms on his 1100 before requiring a rebuild.
 
300,000 kms
or 187,500mls
That is pretty good, but most cars these days will top 250K miles, why won`t bikes do the same? I guess car engines don`t have to worry about weight as much and can use heavier more robust materials.
 
lukate said:
That is pretty good, but most cars these days will top 250K miles, why won`t bikes do the same? I guess car engines don`t have to worry about weight as much and can use heavier more robust materials.

That, and the higher general state of tune of a bike engine. Most bike engines have specific outputs of far in excess of 100 Bhp / litre, whereas most cars are well under that figure.

I'm willing to bet that a Ferrari or a Porsche engine won't last 250K miles without a rebuild either.
 
lukate said:
That is pretty good, but most cars these days will top 250K miles, why won`t bikes do the same? I guess car engines don`t have to worry about weight as much and can use heavier more robust materials.

I think bikes will do this sort of mileage... It's just very rare to find riders (other than couriers) that do these distances.

My bike is a 2003 Adv and has just rolled over 90k.
I have been recovered twice in that period.
The first was when the imobilizer (Aftermarket accessory) went tits up.
The second time was at approx 68k when the fuel pump failed (replaced under warranty). So really there has been only one genuine "bike fault".
Other than the above there have been several parts replaced under warranty but none have stopped the bike working.
 
2002, 1150, 28000 miles. A couple of corrosion issues solved under warranty. No mechanical problems so far (touch wood!).

Mike R
 
'97 1100, now with 50k miles. I bought used with 32K so can't write about early years, but the only problems I have had are a speedo drive and cable that failed (simultaneous coincidence?). My last set of Tourances lasted 12K rear; front still going. Shifting, up and down, is occasionally difficult so may be spline lube time. Its been happy running on regular gas (87) in the boonies although the book call out premium (90).
 
OK!
Now i've a good idea about reliability...
Some seals... some clutch problems... some bearings...
I think that every bikes may have problems, so after this thread my opinion is......... :thumb
 


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