Is 2013 too old to be fixed??

[MotoRevive]

I enquired for a routine service for my 1150GSA, at a local Motorrad dealer. Just to get an idea on price…. They quoted me £1200 if they deemed it in not too poor condition.

That is definitely their "WE DON'T WANT TO DO IT" price.

I charge £350 for a major service on 1150's. A routine service is about £175.

To be fair to the good old 1150. It's incredibly rare you get seized fasteners on them. I very rarely have problems. They come from an era when BMW used quality fasteners with proper plating on them. And everything is CHUNKY

 

[PapaHayd]

That is definitely their "WE DON'T WANT TO DO" price.

I charge £350 for a major service on 1150's. A routine service is about £175.

To be fair to the good old 1150. It's incredibly rare you get seized fasteners on them. I very rarely have problems. They come from an era when BMW used quality fasteners with proper plating on them. And everything is CHUNKY

And they very quickly got the “I don’t want you to do it response”

 

[DrFarkoff]

If you do that in fifteen minutes you're either a F1 Pit crew or your a complete hack. I'm guessing the latter.

OR Have never actually done the job they just read it on the BikerMate forum ???

 

[TaskMule]

15 mins... You really do talk utter shit don't you.

I was at a main dealer when we were swapping these out. I've done HUNDREDS !!

You have to remove the rear wheel. Sometimes the exhaust. You have to drop the bevel box which means removing calliper and speed sensor. You then have to remove the shaft which 50% of the time is seized onto the output shaft so that requires displacing the front gaiter and using a variety of pry parts and fluids.

Putting a new shaft of can take 5 mins or five hours. Because the splines often need dressing. And of course cleaning and greasing. The position of the swingarm is also crucial. Often requiring the swingarm to be jacked up or even the lower shock bolt removing.

Then the reassembly of everything.

If you do that in fifteen minutes you're either a F1 Pit crew or your a complete hack. I'm guessing the latter.

Agreed, upon re-reading my post I don't know where my "15 min" claim came from. When I had my rear wheel off for tire change I pulled the shaft and reinstalled in an hour, no unexpected difficulties were encountered in that case. (1250gs). Still though these replacements don't cost BMW very much, dealers that run into problems need to do a lot of paperwork to get BMW to cover the extra time when problems occur. When I get my 1300 shaft replaced I will be paying for those earlier models free rep.

 

[TaskMule]

Sure. Because I observed absolutely nothing from working at main dealers for the last twenty years. Including two massive BMW main dealers. Of which I only left the last one in 2024.

Please bestow us with your wisdom. And I don't mean about bumming Moose.

I don't know what Motorrad dealerships are like in the UK but your statement

"Generally because their techs are only 20 years old and wouldn't know how to do anything on a bike that they don't see every day. They aren't thinkers. They're semi trained monkeys used to repetitive and simple service tasks."

doesn't reflect reality where I'm from, unless you're talking about the unlicensed apprentice. My dealer spends huge money getting their techs fully certified, and you aren't even considered for this training unless you're an experienced, trained and licensed mechanic to begin with. I have no problem calling out these blanket angry claims about well trained techs. They deserve twice the salary dealers pay them.

Also dealers don't like working on older bikes mainly because of the customers who don't want to pay and think they're being ripped off and then badmouth the dealership on forums

 

[TaskMule]

Yeah another Keyboard warrior that, Sadly does not ring true to the usual Canadian Good Attitude!

snip

"usual Canadian Good Attitude" That's a myth. We're collectively pissed the fuck off right now

 

[slimpickings]

"usual Canadian Good Attitude" That's a myth. We're collectively pissed the fuck off right now

Why . What up ?

 

[MotoRevive]

I don't know what Motorrad dealerships are like in the UK but your statement

"Generally because their techs are only 20 years old and wouldn't know how to do anything on a bike that they don't see every day. They aren't thinkers. They're semi trained monkeys used to repetitive and simple service tasks."

doesn't reflect reality where I'm from, unless you're talking about the unlicensed apprentice. My dealer spends huge money getting their techs fully certified, and you aren't even considered for this training unless you're an experienced, trained and licensed mechanic to begin with. I have no problem calling out these blanket angry claims about well trained techs. They deserve twice the salary dealers pay them.

Also dealers don't like working on older bikes mainly because of the customers who don't want to pay and think they're being ripped off and then badmouth the dealership on forums

It's likely just another symptom of the UK economy. It ain't good.

And it's probably the case that your dealers in Canada are very different to the UK.

I know a guy who owned dealers in Florida. He paid his techs like high skilled professionals. $90,000 USD a year. And that's what he got. A high skilled motivated team.

A motorcycle tech in the UK is lucky to be making more than minimum wage.

The last main dealership I worked at paid £27,500 a year. For a 50 hour week. With a disjointed bonus scheme. Literally lower paid than a supermarket shelf stacker at your favourite German Supermarket.

And you have to turn up with your own tools too. Work weekends. Forced overtime.

So as soon as any young tech has the ability, they generally go solo or take their tools and skills to another industry that pays more. Which is often a lower skilled job than a Motorcycle Technician.

The dealers here are generally just big companies now.. With corporate business models closer related to Amazon or McDonald's than your average mom and pop workshop.

Because they can't find or just won't hire any talent, they run drive through service and warranty centres.

And they have to charge sky high bills for that service to pay for big showrooms and high business costs.

The idea that these main dealer workshops are centers of engineering excellence is a complete fantasy. There is a reason you are directed to a service advisor. Most don't want their customers anywhere near the workshop.

The labour force is generally cheap semi skilled labour with high turnover.

It's not all dealers though..A few good ones hang on.

 

[DrFarkoff]

That brought some memories back! When I was at the dealership I got a hard time for taking bikes that had just come in that was covered in road salt (We went through a phase here in NI of adding salt to Molasses to make it stay on the roads longer!)

I took it to the hot wash (Distance of 6 feet plus) just to wash off the "MESS" before I worked on it and then rinsed it with cold water

It wasn't about anything "except" the 10 mins time that I was not at my ramp!!

The same "manager" wanted me to send bikes back out with stuck calipers and F650Gs first service was an oil and change and check a Plethora of items on a checklist (Mostly that parts and bolts were still tight!) and I used to get hassle for doing my job right!! Change the oil and filter and send it out was what I was told! Needless to say it was a VERY stressful business model they had us working to!!!

Pennywise and pound foolish is how I would describe it !

Yes and that is why the trade is dying on its feet !

 

[BIGJFH]

Checked with the warranty company and was told they'd cover a replacement ...so back to the shop again...bit of a round the houses chat and in for a replacement (its now had the switch done, the rear suspension unit replaced, the rear brake system "fixed" 3 times and Triggers Broom has been traded in against a Triumph......Ta Ta all

 

[Barnoe]

Checked with the warranty company and was told they'd cover a replacement ...so back to the shop again...bit of a round the houses chat and in for a replacement (its now had the switch done, the rear suspension unit replaced, the rear brake system "fixed" 3 times and Triggers Broom has been traded in against a Triumph......Ta Ta all

Nice.
Which Triumph have you gone for, a Tiger?

 

[theoneandonly]

This whole post is just bullshit

you're new here aren't you ?
before you open your gob , do a bit of digging to find out who you are talking to ....
so .... frog or newfie ?

ps , Canada is a big place where are you from ?
pps where you have put canada in your location , it should be Canada .

 

[zerax9]

I don't know what Motorrad dealerships are like in the UK...

...My dealer spends huge money getting their techs fully certified, and you aren't even considered for this training unless you're an experienced, trained and licensed mechanic to begin with....

Yeah... it's very slightly different over here...

 

[Steptoe]

Hmmmmm I disagree, I have had 6 1200/1250s since 2005 - sticking momentary and rocker switches were not that unusual, it happened to me 2 or 3 times - it was a switch quality control problem as it happened on new bikes, not only older bikes. My dealer replaced many switch clusters for this problem.
The early switch clusters also had an issue with water ingress due to perished rubber seals over the momentary buttons. I posted a complete switch disassembly with photos on this perishing issue many many years ago, can't find it now.

Having said all that. you are unlikely to get a 2013 switch cluster replaced free of charge - BMW will say that you have had reasonable amount of use out of the bike.

Only just read this

Your opening words “ Hmmmmm I disagree, I have had 6 1200/1250s since 2005 “ regarding my saying “switches sticking due to and tear”
It must obviously depend on how many times the switches have been pressed .. . Surely any idiot can see that makes a difference ..
You obviously didn’t press/operate your switches as often as some of my customers who live and ride around in London, and many suffered from intermittent operation and sticking of their switchgear
Also maybe if you owned your bikes for longer periods instead of frequently buying a new one the problem would show itself and your opinion might carry more weight.

 

[Santa-2512]

Agreed, upon re-reading my post I don't know where my "15 min" claim came from. When I had my rear wheel off for tire change I pulled the shaft and reinstalled in an hour, no unexpected difficulties were encountered in that case. (1250gs). Still though these replacements don't cost BMW very much, dealers that run into problems need to do a lot of paperwork to get BMW to cover the extra time when problems occur. When I get my 1300 shaft replaced I will be paying for those earlier models free rep.

What planet are you on,

 

[RadioFlyer]

Increasingly (in North America) dealers are refusing to work on bikes more than 10 years old. When you combine this with BMW having discontinued the sale of service manuals in 2021 (thus handicapping DIYers and independent techs) the resale value of used BMWs is sure to plummet.

 

[MotoRevive]

Increasingly (in North America) dealers are refusing to work on bikes more than 10 years old. When you combine this with BMW having discontinued the sale of service manuals in 2021 (thus handicapping DIYers and independent techs) the resale value of used BMWs is sure to plummet.

It's quite often the case in the UK now too. Most dealers won't touch a bike over ten years old. Unless you have a good relationship with the dealer or they know the bike is trouble free and something they are familiar with.

I understand why. They operate a conveyor belt system. Everything is timed and needs to move fast. There is simply no time or capacity for rusted and seized fasteners or for bikes their often young techs are unfamiliar with.

Older bikes DO have more issues.


FYI.. BMW manuals ARE available to independents. I have full access etc. BMW are VERY supportive of their independents.

But they don't just let any "under the arches" workshop have access. I had to apply and register. Prove my credentials. Be a proper LTD company. And become a BMW AOS registered workshop.

I now get "Pay as you go" access to all the online dealer manuals, technical resolutions, software ware updates, diagnostics etc. It's exactly the same set up as I was using when I was in the dealer Network.

It ain't cheap. About £9 per hour. Or £25 a day.


I do miss the days of Haynes, Clymer etc. Now a DIYer has to rely on Youtube. And even the most polished looking youtube channels are talking utter shite. Making it up as they go along .. Making money on the algorithm.

 

[Engineer]

Only just read this

Your opening words “ Hmmmmm I disagree, I have had 6 1200/1250s since 2005 “ regarding my saying “switches sticking due to and tear”
It must obviously depend on how many times the switches have been pressed .. . Surely any idiot can see that makes a difference ..
You obviously didn’t press/operate your switches as often as some of my customers who live and ride around in London, and many suffered from intermittent operation and sticking of their switchgear
Also maybe if you owned your bikes for longer periods instead of frequently buying a new one the problem would show itself and your opinion might carry more weight.

It was a common issue with the 1200 GS's - how much use the switches had was not very relevant.

 

[Steptoe]

It was a common issue with the 1200 GS's - how much use the switches had was not very relevant.

If you say so. You’re the expert.

 

[Engineer]

If you say so. You’re the expert.

It is my direct experience of owning several brand new GS's and getting my local dealer to fix the switch problems that arose - little expertise is needed in recognising when a switch is not operating correctly.