Broke down, help req

[er-minio]

Problem is that he's not a client of the dealer he's with. They'll put their regulars before him.

I might be wrong, but I think they are supposed to give priority to "traveling" bikes/clients.
It's ages since I've had a new BMW, but I remember at the time, in cases like this, the BMW support contract (Europassistance) available for all new bikes at the time, stated that they were supposed to provide you with a car (still... not an ideal solution).

I'm sorry for your vacations being disrupted like this guys.
I've had some issues with my GS while traveling in Europe last month (coil and/or TPS) and it was a bummer, but I managed to solve it in a few days.
Being stranded like you describe must be infuriating.

Hope you find a solution.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

It’s worth an ask, but they may have company policy/ insurance issues lending a bike to a foreigner.

Being in the EU (it's a non issue, probably)

When I went to the ABR Festival in July, Ducati brought over 60 bikes - all Italian registered and Yamaha had 20 T700's all German plated

As an Englishman, all I had to do is show my EU licence and sign the necessary booking/waiver/disclaimer and we were all allowed to ride these foreign plated bikes

Just like driving a Spanish plated hire car in Spain

 

[Wapping]

The general rule for most recovery / onward transport type arrangements is for the stricken rider to be provided with a car. Why? Not unreasonably perhaps, cars - especially hire cars - are very much more readily available throughout Europe than motorbikes. It really is that simple.

 

[er-minio]

Exactly. Car makes logistics WAY easier too.
(You can chuck all your crap in the boot...)

 

[Tractors are go]

The general rule for most recovery / onward transport type arrangements is for the stricken rider to be provided with a car. Why? Not unreasonably perhaps, cars - especially hire cars - are very much more readily available throughout Europe than motorbikes. It really is that simple.

I agree, save for where the warranty relates to a motorcycle. Is it that unreasonable when your bike will be fixed at a Motorrad dealer you get a replacement bike.

I have several friends who only have a motorcycle licence.

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[stolzy]

I might be wrong, but I think they are supposed to give priority to "traveling" bikes/clients.

That may well be the case, but what they’re supposed to do and what is commercially expedient might be very different.

When asked why they couldn’t attend to my bike ‘before next week at the earliest’. I was shown a workshop full of bikes awaiting service and repair.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Exactly. Car makes logistics WAY easier too.
(You can chuck all your crap in the boot...)

Why do we ride a motorcycle then?

 

[Paul S]

Why do we ride a motorcycle then?

.................think the point was that if you break down your luggage is unlikely to be transferable to a replacement hire/loan bike hence it being easier to chuck in the back of a car

 

[Arsey]

Why do we ride a motorcycle then?

So we have another thing to moan about online ...

 

[er-minio]

Why do we ride a motorcycle then?

I know, I'm not saying that is the best solution, but it is the most convenient solution (for them in most cases) if you are on foot.

your luggage is unlikely to be transferable to a replacement hire/loan bike hence it being easier to chuck in the back of a car

Exactly my point.

As I said earlier, my BMW roadside assistance policy stated that if the bike was unusable they were supposed to provide me with a car (3 series or else – that was stated every 6 lines... funny).
Still better than going back home on foot.

I don't make the rules.

That may well be the case, but what they’re supposed to do and what is commercially expedient might be very different.

Yes.
Some months ago, a friend from Italy broke down with his old 990Adv a few miles after Dover. He was going to the TT.
Bike cutting off, then shutting down, etc. etc. He called me as he was stranded on the side of the road.

I called almost every KTM dealer north and south of London (there is a thread about this in the KTM section).
Explained on the phone that they were traveling to the TT, asked if it was possible to have a quick look at the bike (in the meantime I was getting it recovered with a van) and no one of them even offered for them to pop over quickly as they were all "full for weeks".

We ended up recovering the bike in my lockup.
It was a broken battery connector. Replaced in approx. 15 minutes, they spent the night at mine and were on their way the morning after.


Same, this August on my way down to Genova, with the bike cutting out I stopped at a couple of BMW dealers searching for a replacement coil.
No one offere or had time to have a quick look at the bike. Not that I was expecting to, to be fair.

Managed to get the part while in Corsica.

 

[Tractors are go]

That may well be the case, but what they’re supposed to do and what is commercially expedient might be very different.

When asked why they couldn’t attend to my bike ‘before next week at the earliest’. I was shown a workshop full of bikes awaiting service and repair.

They get paid for warranty work and part of that agreement is vor are priority over others.

If a dealership doesn't want to honour the terms of the agreement, why would I trust them to do a proper job in fixing it ?

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[STMGSA]

I just got my 1250 GSA back from dealer in Carlisle with fuel pump replaced. My bike only cut out once, but did start again.... at a junction and almost had me off as I was turning right. Bike spent 12 days in dealers awaiting BMW input which was very slow in coming, then dealer had to wait of fuel pump coming from Germany. Fault warning stayed on screen and would not go away but bike still ran but roughly and left me with little confidence.

Can't fault dealer though went out of their way to resolve problems.

Taking bike out for big run this Saturday. I already posted about this issue on forum. Search Fault in engine control. I wish you luck getting yours fixed so you can enjoy the rest of your holiday.

 

[Wapping]

I agree, save for where the warranty relates to a motorcycle. Is it that unreasonable when your bike will be fixed at a Motorrad dealer you get a replacement bike.

I have several friends who only have a motorcycle licence.

Whiist most of the global motoring world holds a car licence.

As odd as it maybe seems dealerships do not have bikes lying around on the off chance that Angus McUnlucky drops in to say that his bike has expired and he wants something to take its place now and, oh by the way, as he lives in Troon, he’ll be taking it back to home, from where BMW Motorradio Venice can arrange to bring it back and no, he ain’t gonna accept that the only bike they might have is an S1000RR as his bloody full panniers ain’t gonna fit and how is he gonna bend his legs and he couldn’t trust himself with the power.... fade to close.


Meanwhile, in Troon, Ronald MacMadBiker has his bike checked in for some work before he sets off that afternoon. “Aye, ready fir three, nae bother” he is assured. At three he turns up, only to learn that they haven’t started on his bike and won’t before five at best, more likely tomorrow, as a nice Italian came by with a dead bike and his mates, all of whom were on their way to Cape Wrath for their holiday. So the dealership switched their entire attention to Mr Motorbiki Mateo, so his holiday would not be ruined, the dealership confident that a fellow biker would understand.

 

[Warlord]

Whiist most of the global motoring world holds a car licence.

As odd as it maybe seems dealerships do not have bikes lying around on the off chance that Angus McUnlucky drops in to say that his bike has expired and he wants something to take its place now and, oh by the way, as he lives in Troon, he’ll be taking it back to home, from where BMW Motorradio Venice can arrange to bring it back and no, he ain’t gonna accept that the only bike they might have is an S1000RR as his bloody full panniers ain’t gonna fit and how is he gonna bend his legs and he couldn’t trust himself with the power.... fade to close.

BMW are missing a trick here... that level of insurance would be another cash cow....

 

[Wapping]

BMW are missing a trick here... that level of insurance would be another cash cow....

They provide (very good) insurance; you get a car. Simple.

 

[Tractors are go]

Whiist most of the global motoring world holds a car licence.

As odd as it maybe seems dealerships do not have bikes lying around on the off chance that Angus McUnlucky drops in to say that his bike has expired and he wants something to take its place now and, oh by the way, as he lives in Troon, he’ll be taking it back to home, from where BMW Motorradio Venice can arrange to bring it back and no, he ain’t gonna accept that the only bike they might have is an S1000RR as his bloody full panniers ain’t gonna fit and how is he gonna bend his legs and he couldn’t trust himself with the power.... fade to close.


Meanwhile, in Troon, Ronald MacMadBiker has his bike checked in for some work before he sets off that afternoon. “Aye, ready fir three, nae bother” he is assured. At three he turns up, only to learn that they haven’t started on his bike and won’t before five at best, more likely tomorrow, as a nice Italian came by with a dead bike and his mates, all of whom were on their way to Cape Wrath for their holiday. So the dealership switched their entire attention to Mr Motorbiki Mateo, so his holiday would not be ruined, the dealership confident that a fellow biker would understand.

I never knew you know my cousin's, I'll say hello to them for you.

Part of me agrees with you. But I know of someone who got a gsa to replace his rt as he was in the great hinterland called Poland, so it can be done.

As for warranty work, if its vor it gets priority. Now if the dealers don't like it they can renegotiate with the mothership and the warranty company, the terms of the agreement.

Yes, if it was my bike and it wasn't ready I'd be even more of a bear with a sore head after hibernation than usual. That's why they charge the money they do, they're a business after all.

As for the dealers, Don't make your problems mine !


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[Wapping]

Yup, of course there are examples of where BMW / a dealership have a bike they can lend out to replace one that is damaged or broken down. Equally there will be examples of where dealerships (or simple private third party workshops) down tools to help. But nobody should expect it as the norm, just because their bike cost £19,000 two weeks ago.

What happens? Does a £19,000 bike automatically trump one of £13,000 which in turn trumps one of £10,000. Do holiday makers trump established customers?

The simple truth is, bikes really do not break down that often, thankfully. When they do, the cause is sometimes obvious (a puncture, a fiat battery) and mendable fairly quickly. Sometimes the cause is not so obvious and the symptoms vague, “Well it sort of stopped, mate” which probably translates into Italian as “A place where you draw water from under the ground, which was organised in order to halt sexual reproduction” and sometimes it’s feckin’ terminal, as when a piston rod bangs through the crankcase. To cater for all the variables and more is impossible but the customer will want it fixed and fixed NOW!

PS Please do say “Hiya” to your cousins.

 

[Alan R]

What does “vor” mean?
Alan R

 

[casbar]

What does “vor” mean?
Alan R

(VOR) Vehicle off the Road I would think

 

[adventuredon]

I agree, save for where the warranty relates to a motorcycle. Is it that unreasonable when your bike will be fixed at a Motorrad dealer you get a replacement bike.

I have several friends who only have a motorcycle licence.

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yeah, but if said bike provided does not have eaxactly the same pannier rails, its awkward