Damaged me ring, yet another EWS thread

[Nickmarcus]

Yes I know there are numerous threads on the dreaded EWS message and having joined the fecking club this afternoon with 355 miles on a brand new bike and wasted a perfectly good Easter Monday waiting for the recovery vehicle to arrived I've just been reading them but am wondering just how what percentage of owners have had the problem so am posting a poll.

Will let it run for a week so if you own a 1200 GS or GSa post your experience.

Had the EWS problem in Italy last year on a 07 gs. BMW assist replaced EWS ring and put myself and mate up overnight in hotel. Lost a bit of faith in that bike. Just changed to 08 gs. I would have thought all EWS rings would be fine by now. I will just have to wait and see. Only done 180 miles so far.

 

[harry]

No probs myself, looks to me if it's going to happen it occurs early in the bike's life, so if you get a couple of thousand done it won't happen?

No doubt someone will be along to say different

 

[FlatRabbit]

pardon the ignorance. EWS?????

Enjoy Walkin' Sonny?

 

[g.s.john]

does elton john get this much trouble with his ring?

 

[GS TRV]

Should have bought a Suzuki

 

[Thunder]

Should have bought a Suzuki

Get back to fiddling with your marital aid you!

 

[Ali-bear]

That's pretty bad currently 22 yes 46 no, so about a third.

But it is a biassed sample because we are more likely to look at this thread and vote if we have already suffered from the dodgy ring thing

EW are Stranded

 

[GS TRV]

Get back to fiddling with your marital aid you!

I can't help it

 

[Thunder]

That's pretty bad currently 22 yes 46 no, so about a third.

But it is a biassed sample because we are more likely to look at this thread and vote if we have already suffered from the dodgy ring thing

EW are Stranded

Fair point and I deliberately avoiding going to every single EWS thread and posting a link to this thread, and possibly it could have been an idea just to leave EWS out of the title, however it's still a flaming significant number of problems.

And before anyone says it I'm only interested cause it's happened to me.

 

[HondaMan]

No probs myself, looks to me if it's going to happen it occurs early in the bike's life, so if you get a couple of thousand done it won't happen?

No doubt someone will be along to say different

Was thinking the same, the couple I have read about have had less than 1k on the clock.....but going from the poll its a bigger problem than I thought.

Anyone know if it's replaced with the same item or a revised ring piece?

 

[cusi]

Just a thought, is there a common theme apart from early failure such as bluetooth or other such bling which may corrupt the EWS?

 

[garyten]

I am very disappointed to here this is still happening on the 08 bikes, i would of thought they could sort this out by now, as it seems to affect the whole range of BMW bikes. ( Fuel Pump Controllers seem to be a hit and miss issue as well)

Im not sure how to vote on this, as it has happened to me shortly after buying my 06 1200 Gs. Being new to the BMW brand, and not understanding what EWS meant, i just thought i hadn't switched the ignition on properly and just switched it off, then on again, and carried on driving, ignorant of what had actually happened, until i read around some of the forums.

Reading on, it seems that some owners are now traveling with spare Fuel Pump Controllers, and Ring Antennas, as a get home fix, which is not really what you would expect to be doing with a "Prestige Brand" on a Technologically superior, (as in not Chinese or Korean Built), 2008 vehicle, (Not 1988).
(No pun intended to any Chinese or other Asian persons/ Makers)

Surely by now the technology exists to repair or override some of these electronic failures by means of "Chip and Pin Technology", by putting the Vehicle into a basic, or low power mode, with warning light, to get to a Dealer or home.

Im planing to change my 06 next year and would really love to buy another GS, i still love the design, and the overall driving experience, best Bike ive had after 23 years of Jap Bikes. ( Traded A 00 HAYABUSA for my 06 GS )

Sorry for my rant, feel better now, Gary

 

[Thunder]

Just a thought, is there a common theme apart from early failure such as bluetooth or other such bling which may corrupt the EWS?

I've read a thread asking if those effected had GPS fitted when it happened and it seems as many did as didn't so no proof that its a contributory factor.

 

[Thunder]

I am very disappointed to here this is still happening on the 08 bikes, i would of thought they could sort this out by now, as it seems to affect the whole range of BMW bikes. ( Fuel Pump Controllers seem to be a hit and miss issue as well)

Im not sure how to vote on this, as it has happened to me shortly after buying my 06 1200 Gs. Being new to the BMW brand, and not understanding what EWS meant, i just thought i hadn't switched the ignition on properly and just switched it off, then on again, and carried on driving, ignorant of what had actually happened, until i read around some of the forums.

Reading on, it seems that some owners are now traveling with spare Fuel Pump Controllers, and Ring Antennas, as a get home fix, which is not really what you would expect to be doing with a "Prestige Brand" on a Technologically superior, (as in not Chinese or Korean Built), 2008 vehicle, (Not 1988).
(No pun intended to any Chinese or other Asian persons/ Makers)

Surely by now the technology exists to repair or override some of these electronic failures by means of "Chip and Pin Technology", by putting the Vehicle into a basic, or low power mode, with warning light, to get to a Dealer or home.

Im planing to change my 06 next year and would really love to buy another GS, i still love the design, and the overall driving experience, best Bike ive had after 23 years of Jap Bikes. ( Traded A 00 HAYABUSA for my 06 GS )

Sorry for my rant, feel better now, Gary

GAry as far as I'm concerned that was not a rant just a relevent contribution on the subject, if you want a rant you should have heard me on Monday afternoon in Dundalk explaining what had happened to BMW assist and helping them find where Dundalk was as it was not on their database

Personally I have had previous bikes with a chip in the key and an immobilizer and never experienced or heard of a problem on owners forums so why it seems to be an issue for BMW bikes gord knows.

As I've said previously I had no EWS issues with my 2006 bike, I had a failed fuel relay which was replaced and on the 08 bike the tank has been redesigned to deal with water pooling in the relay so it should not happen again.

As for the ring antenna I shall be asking if it's just a straight replacement for the original.

 

[Malc G]

Hi Guys
New to this site and never thought this would be my first post, I bought an 08 GSA on 4th of this month and have put 601 miles on it. It was booked in for the first service today but this morning went to start it and got the EWS error showing, tried changing keys etc before calling the dealer. "never heard of this before" he said (lying B#####d) you need to call BMW assist. went back to the bike to give it one more try and it started. I now have their loan bike and they can't get the replacement part for 7 days. not best impressed but hey up till today the bike was great and I can't wait to get it back.

 

[TERRY RYAN]

wonder if the f800gs will have the same problem only time will tell I suppose


which will be first bumble bee or Gay grey

 

[Thunder]

Hi Guys
New to this site and never thought this would be my first post, I bought an 08 GSA on 4th of this month and have put 601 miles on it. It was booked in for the first service today but this morning went to start it and got the EWS error showing, tried changing keys etc before calling the dealer. "never heard of this before" he said (lying B#####d) you need to call BMW assist. went back to the bike to give it one more try and it started. I now have their loan bike and they can't get the replacement part for 7 days. not best impressed but hey up till today the bike was great and I can't wait to get it back.

I'm hoping my dealer got the last ring antenna in stock this morning, not heard anything from them today but will ring first thing in the morning for an update.

Welcome to the collective BTW

 

[Ali-bear]

I was near a power line when mine failed and I think (well I know in fact, and as I am a professional electronics engineer of some standing in the community, you should believe me when I tell you) that EM interference will not help the system contact the key via the ring antenna. If the ring antenna is faulty, perhaps due to poor component manufacture, it won't work very well either. As a replacement ring piece seems to cure the problem, I believe this is the main factor.

But the fact remains, if you take your GS or GSA on some adventure-touring somewhere and the effing ring breaks, you are royally stuck.

So, its a great anti-theft deterrence, but it doesn't belong on our GS's.

 

[Thunder]

From a conversation with the dealer this morning it appears that BMW UK do not have any ring antennas in stock and a spare will have to come from Germany.

It appears that a new part number has appeared on the system indicating the ring is different from the one fitted on the bike.

 

[John Armstrong]

From a conversation with the dealer this morning it appears that BMW UK do not have any ring antennas in stock and a spare will have to come from Germany.

It appears that a new part number has appeared on the system indicating the ring is different from the one fitted on the bike.

New and improved?

Wonder if we all ask for one if it'll put their spares system into meltdown