BMW crap....

[NorthernBoy]

I understand what Pogo is saying. Even assuming 20% of all final drives actually fail (which is a ridiculously high percentage) the chances of you having 4 in succession is something like 1 in 10000. In which case, can you but me a lottery ticket?

Er, where on earth did you get that "maths" from?

If 1 in 5 fail, then the chance of having one which fails, is 1 in 5, 2 failing in a row (on your first two bikes) is 1 in 25.

3 in a row is 1 in 125, and 4 in a row is 1 in 625.

Despite what most people seem to be thinking nowadays, you can't just make maths up as you go along

 

[El Minky]

Er, where on earth did you get that "maths" from?

If 1 in 5 fail, then the chance of having one which fails, is 1 in 5, 2 failing in a row (on your first two bikes) is 1 in 25.

3 in a row is 1 in 125, and 4 in a row is 1 in 625.

Despite what most people seem to be thinking nowadays, you can't just make maths up as you go along

Good Call Northern Boy! However even 1 in 10 is a ridiculous failure rate on such a premium (priced) product
Judging by the posts that appear every Monday the final drive issue is becoming more of a WHEN it fails rather than an IF. Gearboxes ain't looking to good either!
The problem really, is what to replace a GS with? Certainly not another BMW

 

[guffter6969]

I'm afraid that I must agree with the BMW crap quote, after 18 months of chew with the damned thing I've bitten the bullet and got rid of it ( will have when my new bike is delivered anyway ). After several final drive hubs, recovery in a van, a gearbox and finally a dead battery, I decide it had to go and I've bought a V Strom which hopefully should be a lot more reliable if ultimately a bit less "characterfull". To cap it all off my Dad was in the local dealers ( he has a R1150 RT ) and when he was talking to the sales rep he said that "it must have been a Friday afternoon bike", not what you expect from a "quality brand" is it???

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Good Call Northern Boy! However even 1 in 10 is a ridiculous failure rate on such a premium (priced) product

Where did you get the 1 in 10 figure from

Andres

 

[El Minky]

Where did you get the 1 in 10 figure from

Andres

Sorry, It should have read Even if it is as many as 1 in 10......

 

[birdseye]

Er, where on earth did you get that "maths" from?

If 1 in 5 fail, then the chance of having one which fails, is 1 in 5, 2 failing in a row (on your first two bikes) is 1 in 25.

3 in a row is 1 in 125, and 4 in a row is 1 in 625.

Despite what most people seem to be thinking nowadays, you can't just make maths up as you go along

that was maths of an almost political standard You'll never guess what I did at uni.

 

[snoopy]

What is all this whinging for? You could have bought the alternative to the 12 which is ...

More reliable
Faster
Better looking
Better off-road
Equal if not better on-road
Cheaper
Lighter

It's called a KTM and it has the numbers 990 in it. I mean, 3 major failures and you buy a new one!

 

[Jimb]

JohnC

I have moved on but I do like to take the piss out of you lot, and do get a laugh at all the tales of woe, all entirely predictable but the board does have its uses though apart from entertainment, just very occaisionally there is a nugget of information which is usefull, like the one about the VOSA recall site, if you take a look you'll see that in the last 6 years there have been 10 recall notices on BMW R series alone, in the same period the Honda CBR1100XX has had 1 recall on 4 versions and the CBR900 has also had 1 recall on 6 versions, says it all really.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Fixed it for you

Andres

 

[marcus]

What is all this whinging for? You could have bought the alternative to the 12 which is ...

More reliable
Faster
Better looking
Better off-road
Equal if not better on-road
Cheaper
Lighter

It's called a KTM and it has the numbers 990 in it. I mean, 3 major failures and you buy a new one!

At the risk of going round in circles, KTM have had some pretty interesting reliability issues.
Anyway my legs are too short for the 990

 

[Skippy]

Oooh, Do tell!

At the risk of going round in circles, KTM have had some pretty interesting reliability issues.
Anyway my legs are too short for the 990

KTM? Reliability problems? Really? Like what?

Tell all cos I'm interested.

Skip.

 

[snoopy]

At the risk of going round in circles, KTM have had some pretty interesting reliability issues.
Anyway my legs are too short for the 990

As has the 1200 my friend!

I saw a brand spanking new 990 at the gym yesterday and had a go on one last week. What beauty! The 990 simply murders the 1200. Only somebody with attachment to the BMW brand would go for a 1200 after seeing and riding a 990

 

[marcus]

hey snoops & skips -

I know the katoom has had "general reliability" issues and dodgy fuelling but that's 3rd hand info (hey, but this is the internet )

I see a matt black / grey adventure on the way home sometimes. Great looking bit of kit. Not sure about the skinny front tyre. And the seat is modelled straight out of the Spanish Inquisition.

If I had longer than a 32' inside leg I'd have a go though, that's for sure!

On the subject of reliability generally, I was looking at a car mag last week (can't remember which) but they had a section where disgruntled owners write in and whinge about dodgy new cars and try to get them sorted out in that Esther-Ranson fashion

The list included
Audi
BMW
Honda
Renault
Mercedes
to name a few.

now I get a little impatient with the "oh my god the demister on my passenger side door mirror isn't working I demand an immediate full refund unde rSale of Goods Act" state of affairs you see sometimes, but most of these were pretty serious.


My conclusion (reluctant) is that all manufacturers occasionally produce friday british-leyland machines. Bloody ridiculous in the age of "total quality management" but there it is.

I had a 12GS that was shit. Now I have one that is good, and I'm

 

[Tricky]

I have moved on

I am entirely of a disagreeingness. You haven't in fact moved on - because your still here.

but I do like to take the piss out of you lot, and do get a laugh at all the tales of woe,

How great. How nice. How wonderful for you.

all entirely predictable but the board does have its uses though apart from entertainment

What a load of tummy rubbish.

in the same period the Honda CBR1100XX has had 1 recall on 4 versions and the CBR900 has also had 1 recall on 6 versions, says it all really.

Do please take off those rose-tinted spectacles that you’re borrowing from Mr Honda and take a look at these pictures of my friends Blackbird. These were taken in Switzerland last week after it broke down for the second time on our trip and had to be trailered away.

Spot the yellow GS in the background Jimb? (I'll give you a clue. It's in the first picture as I know your visions a bit blinkered)

That was the reliable one on our trip that was...

 

[JohnC]

I have moved on but I do like to take the piss out of you lot, and do get a laugh at all the tales of woe, all entirely predictable but the board does have its uses though apart from entertainment, just very occaisionally there is a nugget of information which is usefull, like the one about the VOSA recall site, if you take a look you'll see that in the last 6 years there have been 10 recall notices on BMW R series alone, in the same period the Honda CBR1100XX has had 1 recall on 4 versions and the CBR900 has also had 1 recall on 6 versions, says it all really.

I'm glad I dont have to carry around this amount of emotional baggage. Fair do's and well done for mentally toughing it out

 

[steveh]

blimey thats a tight fit

I am entirely of a disagreeingness. You haven't in fact moved on - because your still here.




How great. How nice. How wonderful for you.



What a load of tummy rubbish.




Do please take off those rose-tinted spectacles that you’re borrowing from Mr Honda and take a look at these pictures of my friends Blackbird. These were taken in Switzerland last week after it broke down for the second time on our trip and had to be trailered away.

Spot the yellow GS in the background Jimb? (I'll give you a clue. It's in the first picture as I know your visions a bit blinkered)

That was the reliable one on our trip that was...

couldn't they of got a bigger trailer for that bike?

 

[Tobers]

KTM stuff for Skippy:

The LC8 engine in the 950 has had the following 4 changes:

1) different clutch push rod
2) starter clutch bolt torque change
3) different head bolts
4) something else that I cant remember

I'm pretty sure that all the mods are standard on later (2005 on) 950s and all 990s. All earlier 950s should have been done on warranty.

 

[minkyhead]

you pouring salt into my wounds or what

Prices are steep in Norway especially cars/mc's etc.

My GS - heated grips, alarm, ABS, alloys cost - are you sitting down?

approx £17350 all the poor quality you could want included

And, when it's in for guarantee work, we don't get a loan bike to use

Dahoum - my 12's are great too - to ride that is - it's just the apparent lack of QC

wow about in line with the price of beer thats a lot of wonga
i niticed when i was there there were a lot of older bikes what we call [and probebly you guys ]call classics saw more than a few gpz 900s [ist liquid cooled ones ] also three cbxs in two weeks thats more than ive seen here in the last 15 years ...
i can understand why they are still pressed into service ...same thing with cars lots of younger people patroling the village centres in old old cars acting like mad max ... now i know why ??? hope you get it back quick ...steve

 

[minkyhead]

Sorry about the hyjack but the Video's were super!!
The music excellant!! Who or what artist is singing on the Route 13 action?
Thanks.

ta m8 .... yanni .... british airways theme tune dont know the real title cbut that will do the job on most searches

 

[NorthernBoy]

The problem really, is what to replace a GS with? Certainly not another BMW

That is the problem that I am grappling with.

Despite the bike being on a par with British leyland's 1970s heyday, in terms of quality, it is still, in my mind, the best bike there is.

Now that I have seen that the dealers appear to be able to be as shoddy as the bike, though, I don't know what the next bike will be.