BMW reliability.

[Deleted account 111026]

Returning home today on my bike when it developed a mis-fire, eventually only running on one cylinder. After testing a few items, I found that the right-hand side sparkplug lead had failed.
I'm going to approach BMW on Monday and ask about a 'goodwill payment' towards it's replacement. The bike is a 1994 R1100GS with 142K on the speedometer.
I bought the BMW about 7 years ago expecting 100% reliability, but this has not been the case, it was only 3 years ago that the speedometer cable broke!
And people think the R1100GS is the best of the twins

 

[bart2181]

14years old,142k on clocks,speedo cable snapped,ht lead failed.you,ve just confirmed to me buying my 1100gs was the best move i ever made cheers matey

 

[(RIP) Bobble]

Bloody speedo cables.... didn't they do a recall?

 

[motobiker]

There was only ever 1 official (mandatory) recall on the 1100... and that was in 1994 (I believe) - loose bolts.

You'ld think they would be a bit more pro-active. all these faults are worrying and yet they (BMW) simply ignore them - expecting us poor owners to pick up the tab.

Its just NOT ON.

I had to replace the HT leads on mine a few months ago.. Bikes just 10yo in December. I feel ripped off buying this unreliable piece of shit.

 

[Trullion]

Right, that's it. I'm selling my 850 before I too incur such high expenditure. It's 9 years old in April, but as it has a smaller motor it's bound to wear out sooner........

 

[ianboydsnr]

in the voice of Albert Steptoe.

"You'll be laughing on the other side of your face when your hall sensor goes kaput"

 

[Deleted account 111026]

Interesting comment about recalls, apparently more than 39,000 R1100GSs were produced, yet in a few hours we've discovered that at least 2 bikes have suffered HT lead failure.
It's good that forums like this enable owners to discuss reliability issues and warn prospective owners of the likelihood of problems.
Did I mention how my R1100GS ran out of fuel once....?

 

[motobiker]

39,104 or 39,842 (depending on who you believe.)

and 2,242 850's (but that may be 'made up' too)

 

[Geno]

You lot crack me up . We all know that we ride the better bikes .The only reason they built was so short arse types could get their leg over , and get them to part with their richs when they passed through a puddle or got to much sun . Nice to know about the plug lead . and i want a recall on the speedo cable 11 years old and it just snapped with no warning ,not good enough . Take her real ease boys and girls.
Geno .

 

[(RIP) ugg]

Am very annoyed

My 1100 GS got mud on it other day, and it took two bottles of washing up liquid to wash it all off.

Is this coverd by the paintwork (none ,mud retention) waranty, its only done 87,500 miles

ugg

 

[John Armstrong]

My 1100 GS got mud on it other day, and it took two bottles of washing up liquid to wash it all off.

Better check on the corrosion warranty after all that washing up liquid

 

[ktmmark]

1994 1100 gs
Trust me to get a lemon
Headgaskets @ 50,000 (leaking oil)
Hall sensors @ 70,000
rear brake hose 85,000
clutch cable @ 75,000 & again & 90,000
rear caliper seals @ 91,000
waiting for the next thing to fail
what a shed

 

[Rob Farmer]

Before you disappear too far up your own backsides

The 1100 had 3 types of head gasket produced to cure persistent head gasket problems.

The Hall effect sensors have the wrong type of wiring fitted to them from the factory, this overheats shorting out the hall sensors. BMW did change the wiring but lots of people were stranded.

Gearbox problems were a nightmare on the early 1100. The 94/95 box was lucky if it lasted 20,000 miles. The replacement for this box suffered from very clunky gearchanges, this was changed again in 97 before they finally sorted the box out in 98/99 - that was 5 years of woe for owners.

The gearbox casing is a weak point - see Touratech hard parts.

The front end on the 1100 is inherently weak, there's only four 8mm bolts holding it together and these are threaded into aluminum. push the bike hard and you will feel the forks walk. Hit anything and the fork legs leave the bike throwing the front wheel up the road .

If you want fun wait until you have to take the exhaust downpipes off

The enjoyment you are having now is the result of a lot of suffering by early owners.

I've had two. Love em to bits and they are the best GS ever made by a long shot

 

[MattW]

Wise words from Rob

The 1100 had 3 types of head gasket produced to cure persistent head gasket problems.

Yup been there, hopefully sorted now with the later gaskets.

The Hall effect sensors have the wrong type of wiring fitted to them from the factory, this overheats shorting out the hall sensors. BMW did change the wiring but lots of people were stranded.

Can't do much about this until they fail, but I do stick rigidly to the 'no idling' rule to try and limit the heat build up at the front of the motor

Gearbox problems were a nightmare on the early 1100. The 94/95 box was lucky if it lasted 20,000 miles. The replacement for this box suffered from very clunky gearchanges, this was changed again in 97 before they finally sorted the box out in 98/99 - that was 5 years of woe for owners.

Well mines a 94 on its original box - again can't do much about it until something goes wrong, but its got 35k on it and isn't displaying the notorious 'skipping in third' symptom and it seems to shift fine. I did read that problems may have been caused by poor assembly - hopefully mine wasn't a friday afternoon job . I'll just keep changing the oil every 3k and give it to Scriminger to sort out if / when it goes pear shaped

The gearbox casing is a weak point - see Touratech hard parts.

Just bought the hard parts

The front end on the 1100 is inherently weak, there's only four 8mm bolts holding it together and these are threaded into aluminum. push the bike hard and you will feel the forks walk. Hit anything and the fork legs leave the bike throwing the front wheel up the road .

Not noticed this, but I don't push it hard (yet) so perhaps I get away with it....

If you want fun wait until you have to take the exhaust downpipes off

Yup - broke a stud on each side doing the head gaskets (see above). Got the broken bits removed / helicoiled and replaced all the studs with stainless / brass nuts (and lots of copperslip)

The enjoyment you are having now is the result of a lot of suffering by early owners.

I've had two. Love em to bits and they are the best GS ever made by a long shot

You forgot the un-anodised wheels on early 1100's Rob - complete knuckle breaking bitch to keep looking nice (if that sort of thing matters to you ).

But , all this said - it's my first 1100 and while I've not had any other GS to compare it to, I love it

 

[motobiker]

Forums that predate this one. the biggest complaint about the early bikes were the plastic tanks that were gas permeable. (not all of them - just some)

The seal that allowed oil into the clutch (not all of them - just some)

The gear box that went all wonky. (not all of them - just some)

Surging (not all of them - just some)

you see a theme developing here? BMW are real traditionalists so this theme has been continued, expanded and improved upon with the latest bikes.

All I can say is that this is my second 1100 and its been as faultless as the first was... apart from the tank shedding its liner and as mentioned the HT leads failing.

Neither of which have caused a total breakdown. I''ve not had that experience with either bikes.

'in theory' my bike is currently running in "limp mode" - despite that the engine pulls like a train and I'm getting circa 200 miles from a tank. = Limp mode.

One thing I've learnt after owning these bikes over 12 years is that its a fools game being paranoid. That kind of nonsense puts money into Touratwats coffers but achieves little else.

Just ride the thing - if it breaks down - fix it. if it doesn't - ride it more.

 

[Rob Farmer]

You forgot the un-anodised wheels on early 1100's Rob - complete knuckle breaking bitch to keep looking nice (if that sort of thing matters to you ).

Not a problem if you kept on top of them. To be honest I preferred them to the later anodised ones. This was my 95 plastic tanked bike.

 

[RickG]

Should have bought a 1200 if you want reliability..

 

[Rob Farmer]

The gearbox problem on the 94/95 bikes was down to the taper roller bearings used. If they were shimmed too tight the oil was squibed out and quickly wore through the hardening on the bearings. Audi 80's had the same problem. Both boxes built by Getrag and both from the same era.

The later boxes went to a roller bearing setup and a kit was available to upgrade the 94/95 boxes to 97 spec.

Some history on the 1100 gearbox problems here http://micapeak.com/bmw-gs/trans.html

Nice comment on Motorworks website "Due to the unreliable nature of the R850/1100 5 speed gearboxes"

 

[MattW]

Not a problem if you kept on top of them. To be honest I preferred them to the later anodised ones. This was my 95 plastic tanked bike.

Nice wheel Rob

Mine are ok - not as god as yours, but pretty good. As you say, I think a bit of regular tlc should keep them that way.

 

[Crapaud]

Did I mention how my R1100GS ran out of fuel once....?

So did mine! It must be a common problem with these. We need a big warning sticker on the petrol tank to remind us. Typical of the bloody Germans to cut corners and not fit this.

I even went to the expense of fitting the touratwat 41 litre tank to try to cure this problem and it only made it worse as I thought I would never need to fill up again. Imagine my shame and embarrassment in the Isle of Man when all the sports bike riders with there pathetic 12 litre tanks rode passed me whilst I pushed my 41lt tanked monster into the petrol station.