FED UP WITH THE GS!!

[grr442]

Problem after problem with my GSA 2007,I really love this bike but decided to sell it,fuel gauge not working,tyre pressure sensors not working,heated grips not working,shaft drive failure (total rebuild) now the brake warning light is on and I know the abs isn't working as I've locked the back up a few times,anyone got any ideas on this please?
There are other niggles as well and you don't expect them on this quality of machine or am I expecting to much!!

 

[(RIP) Tunneruk]

Sorry to say you're not alone, I bought one new in 2007 and it was a spanner donkey which had a final drive rebuild at every scheduled service (amongst many other things)
It ruined my trust in all things 1200 I'm afraid, I sold mine and bought a KTM ...... never looked back!

 

[Mr K]

Just for the sake of balance, bought my 1200GS new in 2004 and love it.
It's my only bike and I can't imagine what I would replace it with..... there have been niggles, but all have been sorted via warranty or with assistance on here....

 

[Greenman14]

I wouldn't call most of the OP's problems "niggles" mostly these are significant and quite expensive faults; I wonder how many owners the bike has had if it's a wrong 'un?

And FWIW my 2012 model has been completely trouble free, though it's only done 15k miles, it's won't be getting a new owner any time soon either.

 

[Bendy toy]

Assuming this is not a P-take post - the bike is 8 years old so (**apart from the FD) these really are niggles

The tyre pressure sensors are old enough to need new batteries.
Here's an example http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-SNES-...CR2032-akku-/271579003143?hash=item3f3b5eb907

ABS is likely to need new motor brushes, There are a few threads on the subject.

Heated grips wear out but the wires are easy to fault(s) find.

** Mark 1 FD has a weak(er) bearing on the pinion shaft. A used later model FD will solve the problem. Sherlocks have one on eBay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Motor...31-11-2093L-/151776044181?hash=item23568ea495

 

[phillh]

I had my GSA for 4 years.

Did 12000 or so miles on it.

Serviced it myself.

It never missed a beat, looked as good when I sold it as when I bought it new.

Traded it in for a change.

Brilliant bike, very happy with replacement.

PH

 

[G5RJO]

Problem after problem with my GSA 2007,I really love this bike but decided to sell it,fuel gauge not working,tyre pressure sensors not working,heated grips not working,shaft drive failure (total rebuild) now the brake warning light is on and I know the abs isn't working as I've locked the back up a few times,anyone got any ideas on this please?
There are other niggles as well and you don't expect them on this quality of machine or am I expecting to much!!

These are minor ish issues really. If you were a subscriber I'd PM you my contact details. I could plug it in and give you a print out of the fault codes. My GSA has fast approaching 80k on it now (Nov 2008 model) and I do all my own servicing items. They're really cheap to run if you can wield a spanner and a hammer.

Roger.

 

[Mad_Accountant]

Sometimes (often) it's cheaper to run a newer bike. I have had my 2013 GS Adventure for two years with one minor warranty issue (tank scavenger pump thingy) and I have now extended the warranty for peace of mind. At £36 per month it's not for everyone but there's quite a lot that can go expensively wrong with a modern Beemer.

I love my GSA but I am downsizing and shall probably keep my old airhead (R100R) and let the moderns go.

The OP says "I really love this bike". Imagine what he would think of one of the last Hexheads (sorry but I really don't get on with the Liquid Cooled models) that run trouble free as they do for most of us?

Cheapest option is probably fix the bike, I can't speak for anyone else but I would never sell any vehicle with undisclosed faults so the ABS needs fixing anyway and the other stuff is relatively minor. Fix it up and run it some more or trade up to a recent low mileage GS. (Just don't change to an Explorer !)
Good luck

 

[Bendy toy]

When the cost of depreciation and finance interest is factored in an older bike in need of some repairs is still cheaper - usually
A good used Final Drive is about £350. Year one depreciation can be 10x that.

 

[sethmopp]

Coming up for 56000 on my 3 year old GSA and still going OK.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

When the cost of depreciation and finance interest is factored in an older bike in need of some repairs is still cheaper - usually
A good used Final Drive is about £350. Year one depreciation can be 10x that.

All true

If you take an 'arbitrary' £5000 to change to newer BMW bike every 2-3 years, which seems to be the rough cost to change these days, whether it's cash or PCP it is still the same as the money needs paying for somehow

If you ran & kept an older 'paid for' BMW bike and stuck £1000 a year in a pot for unforseen repairs, you'd still be better off

Other consumable running costs of a new v old bike, are the same whichever you choose

So unless you feel the need to swap to have the latest flash bike, saying it's cheaper to buy a new one - well you're only kidding yourself, aren't you

Cos it ain't

Be happy with what you ride, but new bikes aren't cheaper and PCP is just kidding you that you can afford it, because you cannot avoid the depreciation 'sting'

 

[Bendy toy]

You also get to customise your older bike without worrying about warranty issues. Of course its annoying when the big stuff goes titsup but hey its a machine - stuff happens.

 

[NZRalphy]

And what are you going to buy? Nothing compares. Seriously.

The ABS will likely need new brushes. There are web help pages.

Tyre pressure monitors need new battery's. Again there are links.

Cut the rubbers off the grips and find the broken wires.

Your final drive should have been replaced under warrantee. I'm guessing no one has checked the assembled clearances and the bearings are over loaded every time it is rebuilt. Buy a newer one on eBay.

 

[X21ekx]

Well put Johnny b

 

[Bendy toy]

Late model FDs are about £350. Or talk to Mikeyboy who will rebuild yours properly for the same money.
Much less cost than a new bike.
But if you are simply bored with the GS, stop looking for excuses and sell it.
Simples.

 

[Mr Bean]

Problem after problem with my GSA 2007,I really love this bike but decided to sell it,fuel gauge not working,tyre pressure sensors not working,heated grips not working,shaft drive failure (total rebuild) now the brake warning light is on and I know the abs isn't working as I've locked the back up a few times,anyone got any ideas on this please?
There are other niggles as well and you don't expect them on this quality of machine or am I expecting to much!!

I don't think you are expecting too much.

Although my RT does everything I need and expect, it isn't and hasn't been anywhere near as reliable and weather resistant as my previous Honda bikes.

But it is a better bike for me and my riding requirements than any of my previous which is why I will probably get another.

 

[Bendy toy]

I don't think you are expecting too much.

Although my RT does everything I need and expect, it isn't and hasn't been anywhere near as reliable and weather resistant as my previous Honda bikes.

But it is a better bike for me and my riding requirements than any of my previous which is why I will probably get another.

I was very unimpressed with the frame paint quality - 2008 GSA early water based paint.
When the FD went off to Mike for new bearings, I took the bike apart and had the frame (both ends) powder coated with a conductive zinc undercoat. It's now as close to galvanised as possible without the paint flaking issues and looks great. Of course, I had to strip the bike annoying on a "premium" product but as they say "if you want the job done properly ..."

 

[comberjohn]

Only bought my first GS, a 2010 TC, last March and would agree with most of the comments above.
Started with 13k miles and now have 23k, including 2k miles last week on a run to the Pyrenees and back. Never has missed a beat.
Have the extended warranty because of the recovery service and so, have to have serviced by BMW.
Tried out a R1200R while in for the last service. Nice bike but £6k to change without any toys, panniers, etc.!
My friend who went with me to the Pyrenees was on a KTM 1190 Adventure. Only 8k miles but has had lots of small, irritating problems.
Water in LED indicator, needs a new one for £30. Lazy starter and various corrosion that shouldn't be there.
Oh, and it wasn't very comfortable over long distance and more buzzy.
If I was in your position and like the bike, I would fix it and ride away.
Now, my last bike, a K1600GT, was one that I did lose sleep over if it went wrong. Love the GS!

 

[28jay]

Only bought my first GS, a 2010 TC, last March and would agree with most of the comments above.
Started with 13k miles and now have 23k, including 2k miles last week on a run to the Pyrenees and back. Never has missed a beat.
Have the extended warranty because of the recovery service and so, have to have serviced by BMW.
Tried out a R1200R while in for the last service. Nice bike but £6k to change without any toys, panniers, etc.!
My friend who went with me to the Pyrenees was on a KTM 1190 Adventure. Only 8k miles but has had lots of small, irritating problems.
Water in LED indicator, needs a new one for £30. Lazy starter and various corrosion that shouldn't be there.
Oh, and it wasn't very comfortable over long distance and more buzzy.
If I was in your position and like the bike, I would fix it and ride away.
Now, my last bike, a K1600GT, was one that I did lose sleep over if it went wrong. Love the GS!

A friend of mine has the 1190 adventure, when mentioning the lazy starter to the dealer the dealer put a 1290 starter on it. They said they know about it and to change if anyone mentions it.

 

[Mad_Accountant]

I have owned a standard 1200 GS and I am on my fifth GS Adventure and other than normal servicing I have had one fuel strip and one failure of the fuel scavenger pump thingy. The corrosion resistance of my latest bike has been excellent, residing in a damp(ish) garage it's done noticeable better than my C1s and my old k100 and R100R.

As a bike it's without peer but I am starting to reconsider its future purely due to its weight and bulk, certainly not for reasons of build quality or reliability. This may actually move me into the LC, a model of which I'm not particularly fond.

As said above, repair the bike and ride on.