Awww first breakdown

[karnevil]

Awww I just had my first fail to start
Engine turned over fine just would not fire.BMW assistance came within 40 mins and fixed it in about 15 mins was the fuel pump amplifier water contamination even with the turquoise seal on it.
Still the service guy was brill and i am up and running again and no real harm done.Thanks to John from BMW assistance.

 

[SkyGod]

Lets hope it the last,,

 

[GSmonkey]

Popular fault unfortunately. Noticed that my adventure doesn't even have a 'lid' on the controller

 

[karnevil]

GSmonkey,it happened a few times to my last GS even with the new gasket/seal.Problem seems to be the amp failing and not the pump.The gasket does nothing to protect the amp.BMW need to come up with a method of allowing air to the amp but not water,some sort of a labyrinth seal that will collect and drain off water but allow the heat out.BMW are very aware of the problem as I understand but dont seem to be able to come up with a definative cure.It is such a simple part to change it may well be worth carrying a spare if you are out of warranty cost was £50.00 less a few pence had I had to pay for it.
Talking of warranties I understand that BMW have reviewed their extended warranty and as of early next year they will be alot cheaper and customers who have let their warranties lapse will be offerd it too.

 

[nozza]

Extened warranty offered to lapsed owners !! heres fingers crossed then.
Nozza

 

[GSmonkey]

Good news on the warranty, if its true. The current cost is a bit of a joke.

 

[karnevil]

Extened warranty offered to lapsed owners !! heres fingers crossed then.
Nozza

Hmm I think the warranty has to have lapsed not the owner
For lapsed owners try the Salvation Army

A start time around Feb was mentioned to me so not to long to wait.....................................

 

[marcus]

This "feature" of the 1200GS has lead to me having to wait for BMW assistance on three occasions.

"Fortuntely" it's such a well known systemic failure with the bike that BMW assist always have a supply of replacement in the boot!

 

[bustupbiker]

Why don't they just move the bloody thing onto the frame so it can get the cool air to it, and seal the top of the pump.. Simple as that.
I carry a spare unit with the GS-911. sorted....

 

[Pressurized]

As far as I'm aware, this is the only 'peripheral' electrical component on the bike that is networked (CANBUS= Something Area Network Bus?). Why? For what reason do they have to have a networked fuel pump?

As far as I can figure their are two advantages for the CANBUS:

1. It's reconfigurable - one CANBUS module can be fitted to all their bikes and possibly cars
2. It saves weight by saving on wiring

The second point is only valid on cars where, for example, the wiring loom was the second heaviest component on a 7-series.

Actually, there's a third plus but only for BMW - no one else can work on them!

 

[Pressurized]

Good news on the warranty, if its true. The current cost is a bit of a joke.

It's not just the cost of the warranty but also the terms that are/were dodgy.

When I got my offer, I asked them what exactly was covered. They said any part that had failed at less than its designated life. When asked for examples, none were forthcoming. So, whatever you pay, your exact cover is unknown and variable at their discretion. Well, that's what it was a year ago, at least.

 

[Deleted account 210516001]

As far as I could see at the bike show the 2008 GS has lost the plastic cover over that particular part with everything now exposed to the open air (and water) Anybody know if this is just cosmetic or if there are any real changes. I asked on the BMW stand at the NEC if they had solved the problem but learned that since the problem of which I spoke was unknown to them they could not say if it had been fixed.

 

[Pressurized]

This "feature" of the 1200GS has lead to me having to wait for BMW assistance on three occasions.

"Fortuntely" it's such a well known systemic failure with the bike that BMW assist always have a supply of replacement in the boot!

... I asked on the BMW stand at the NEC if they had solved the problem but learned that since the problem of which I spoke was unknown to them they could not say if it had been fixed.

 

[GSmonkey]

As far as I could see at the bike show the 2008 GS has lost the plastic cover over that particular part with everything now exposed to the open air (and water) Anybody know if this is just cosmetic or if there are any real changes.

Same on my 2007 GSA - I'd therefore guess there's no change for the 08. Probably re-design for the R1250GS.

 

[Moto loca]

Same on my 2007 GSA - I'd therefore guess there's no change for the 08. Probably re-design for the R1250GS.

What do you mean gsmonkey? Probably re-design for the R1250GS

 

[luke scott]

So the 1150 adventure with servo has a lot in common with the 1200 adventure ! When the servo fails it wont stop..... When the 1200 fails it wont start . I was looking at 1200 prices today in germany, €12500 for a 6 month old adventure with 6,000 km on clock from a bmw dealer. But then I saw this thread. Now Im thinking again of keeping the 1150 till the electrical "issues" get fixed. Shame they wont listen to the owners, it appears you guys know what the issues are and a possible fix.

 

[GSmonkey]

What do you mean gsmonkey? Probably re-design for the R1250GS

I'm saying that the major electro-mechanical re-design of the GS will be at the next model upgrade, not this facelift.

 

[wilbjr21]

As far as I'm aware, this is the only 'peripheral' electrical component on the bike that is networked (CANBUS= Something Area Network Bus?). Why? For what reason do they have to have a networked fuel pump?

As far as I can figure their are two advantages for the CANBUS:

1. It's reconfigurable - one CANBUS module can be fitted to all their bikes and possibly cars
2. It saves weight by saving on wiring

The second point is only valid on cars where, for example, the wiring loom was the second heaviest component on a 7-series.

Actually, there's a third plus but only for BMW - no one else can work on them!

A popular misconception.

There is just no point in a single Can bus controller - it's a network device. The main electonic controller controls such peripheral items as the pump controller and the accessory socket.

The Can bus (Controller Area Network) is simply a pair of wires taking information between various units (look up the spec. for a Can Bus - it's a mature and very reliable Industry Standard for hooking Control Units together). It is immune from electrical interference making it ideal for the motor industry. The "controllers" on the R1200GS are, from memory, the main controller unit (ZFE), the instrument panel, the ABS controller and the alarm - the engine contoller (BMK) may be included - can't remember. A circuit diagram is available on the Internet and this shows it all quite clearly. The controller for the pump allows it to run at 80% (don't know why they do this). The 1150 generation just runs at 100% all the time so it doesn't have one.

Hope this helps

 

[Gipsy]

Get a spare one!

 

[Pressurized]

A popular misconception.

There is just no point in a single Can bus controller - it's a network device. The main electonic controller controls such peripheral items as the pump controller and the accessory socket.

The Can bus (Controller Area Network) is simply a pair of wires taking information between various units (look up the spec. for a Can Bus - it's a mature and very reliable Industry Standard for hooking Control Units together). It is immune from electrical interference making it ideal for the motor industry. The "controllers" on the R1200GS are, from memory, the main controller unit (ZFE), the instrument panel, the ABS controller and the alarm - the engine contoller (BMK) may be included - can't remember. A circuit diagram is available on the Internet and this shows it all quite clearly. The controller for the pump allows it to run at 80% (don't know why they do this). The 1150 generation just runs at 100% all the time so it doesn't have one.

Hope this helps

To a certain extent, yes thanks. I hadn't considered that the instruments would also be networked but, of course, they're a good candidate, as are the other things.

Most of the electrics, however, are just wired direct to the central main unit. So a pair of power wires goes to each indicator, headlight, brake light, gear sensor, etc. The benefits, of weight saving obtainable in cars are just not seen on the bike. In cars, you can run one power ring and an information ring with networked devices at various nodes determining whether to switch individual, remote components on or off.

As for reliability, I totally accept your point - it is rare for computers to fail these days but the remote sensors and switches are still just as likely to fail as before. When my bike's gear sensor failed, they couldn't get a new one to work, claiming the bike's computer couldn't be persuaded to recognise the replacement under the control of the diagnostic computer. Out of warranty this is a part I'd expect to be able to replace myself so I wasn't impressed. The dealer said my auxiliary lights were probably causing the problem. Dealer bullshit, perhaps. The original (well, second) gear sensor started working again on the way home and WD40 kept it working ever since.

What can't be denied is that the system gives significant benefit to BMW by making the bikes easier to build and by making owners more likely to use dealers to work on them. Many owners may be quite happy with this - we live in a service culture these days.

There's an irony, of course, in this bike is supposed to be capable of going anywhere...