ultrasound
Registered user
I do agree some in the dealer network do make me wonder, especially when they routinely overfill the oil at service or charge £70 pound labour to change a front tyre.
AdieL
Guest
I am so glad someone else has the same problem. I had to remove almost half a litre after the last service just to bring the level to the very max mark. Had such a row with the dealer as this isn't the first time that I don't want to go in there again.I have sworn from now on to do my own servicing as I sure I will do a better job. Only problem is I'm going to have to cancel my extended warranty which is a bit worrying. I've never taken a warranty out on anything else before but a GS is a different matter!
veefour
Registered user
I've had my new 1200GS for about 6 weeks now after coming from a 2002 VFR VTEC (in fact Hubarb I remember you from Bikers Oracle 
) which I'd had for 7 years. I can't say I cover a huge amount of miles but I've been pretty surprised by some of the issues commonly experienced by people on here - especially for a brand that is supposed to be premium and have a price tag to match.
Mine didn't get off the the best start when the cam sensor fault kicked in on the way home from picking it up causing it to stall changing doen and lock up the rear - just what you want on your brand new 15 mile bike
Reading some of the stuff on here I do wonder what I have in store but my only consolation is that it has 2 years warranty and I'll probably extend for the third year. The bike is on the leasing scheme so I'm hoping not to keep it beyond 3 years. As it stands it seems to be running ok but I'm still not convinced. It doesnt seems as smooth as the demo bike I tried bit it could be me being paranoid after the shakey start I had with it. 
By comparison the VFR had reasonably regular servicing and never once missed a beat. When it went it looked as good as the day I got it and the new owner was a very happy man so why can't BMW match that level of finish and quality?
) which I'd had for 7 years. I can't say I cover a huge amount of miles but I've been pretty surprised by some of the issues commonly experienced by people on here - especially for a brand that is supposed to be premium and have a price tag to match.Mine didn't get off the the best start when the cam sensor fault kicked in on the way home from picking it up causing it to stall changing doen and lock up the rear - just what you want on your brand new 15 mile bike
Reading some of the stuff on here I do wonder what I have in store but my only consolation is that it has 2 years warranty and I'll probably extend for the third year. The bike is on the leasing scheme so I'm hoping not to keep it beyond 3 years. As it stands it seems to be running ok but I'm still not convinced. It doesnt seems as smooth as the demo bike I tried bit it could be me being paranoid after the shakey start I had with it. By comparison the VFR had reasonably regular servicing and never once missed a beat. When it went it looked as good as the day I got it and the new owner was a very happy man so why can't BMW match that level of finish and quality?
ask yourself how many GS's are sold? Compared with the (relative) low posts of build / reliability.
People don't join forums (generally) to say how reliable their bike is and how its never let them down. They join to fix issues or rant!
33k miles on my GS now, 3k in past 2 months. Not missed a beat!
People don't join forums (generally) to say how reliable their bike is and how its never let them down. They join to fix issues or rant!
33k miles on my GS now, 3k in past 2 months. Not missed a beat!
hubarb spong
Guest
Or it's a case of you reap what you sow.............
To be fair I dont think it is?
I will admit to not being anal about cleaning every last bit of the bike to within an inch of its life but I did clean it well every week.
As for preparing it for bad weather, no I did not ACF it but I did use some protect and ride but found it to be harder to clean that off than just clean the dirt off
I do seem to have just had a bad one as I know there are some nice clean ones out there that get far more abuse than I gave mine. I suppose the real issue for me was BMW effectively washing their hands of it, I expected far better than this.
hubarb spong
Guest
Whats the new bike then so everybody can start slagging it off ??
I considered the new Tiger and even an FJR but I have gone back to what I know and got a 59 abs VFR
By comparison my 04 VFR (hi veefour, I remember you too
) had more winter usage than my GS and far less cleaning, it was spotless and never missed a beat. Not sure if its my bad experiance with the GS but the VFR still brings a smile to my face when I ride it, something the GS never realy did
I considered the new Tiger and even an FJR but I have gone back to what I know and got a 59 abs VFR
By comparison my 04 VFR (hi veefour, I remember you too
Bugger thats what I used to ride!
Its the one bike I wouldn't slag off after 4 faultless years with mine and it still looked as good as new when I chopped it in for my GSA
original_concept
Registered user
Coopers in Boldon at a guess?
Get a whole decent road specific tyre for less than they charge to fit one:
http://www.nationalbiketyres.co.uk/...elin-pilot-road-110/80-r19-59v/prod_1578.html
Do people actually pay £70?
slystewart
Guest
Its a BMW
You see this kinda post on here a lot ..some one with a list of faults ..rusting and other issues.
I have to keep telling my self this is a BMW bike...top of the range in many bike circles...and its a GS or GSA ,the go round the world any condition any weather bike,they should never rust and should go on for ever...its the price we pay when we buy this bike
You see this kinda post on here a lot ..some one with a list of faults ..rusting and other issues.
I have to keep telling my self this is a BMW bike...top of the range in many bike circles...and its a GS or GSA ,the go round the world any condition any weather bike,they should never rust and should go on for ever...its the price we pay when we buy this bike
smartbear
Registered user
get real
you are being unrealistic not expecting any corrosion no matter how you treat it-its not going to happen.
you are being unrealistic not expecting any corrosion no matter how you treat it-its not going to happen.
GSwadd
Registered user
I pity you guys in cold climates. My 1200 is a 2006 model and only been washed maybe 9 times since I bought it, if that. 20 mins and a little elbow grease and it comes up looking showroom new and it has been ridden in all weathers. I will admit to a little rust on the front discs and bolts and also the lower fork leg where the paint has worn off from road debris but that's about it. It is the most expensive bike I have ever owned and I seem to treat it the worst of all I have owned yet no great problems. The standard battery that has been in since new is getting a little lazy though, and wouldn't start the bike until it had a charge last week, but I can forgive that as it was a cool morning. 
chad
Registered user
I pity you guys in cold climates. My 1200 is a 2006 model and only been washed maybe 9 times since I bought it, if that. 20 mins and a little elbow grease and it comes up looking showroom new and it has been ridden in all weathers. I will admit to a little rust on the front discs and bolts and also the lower fork leg where the paint has worn off from road debris but that's about it. It is the most expensive bike I have ever owned and I seem to treat it the worst of all I have owned yet no great problems. The standard battery that has been in since new is getting a little lazy though, and wouldn't start the bike until it had a charge last week, but I can forgive that as it was a cool morning.
take your warm and sunny climate and shove it up your......
i think the biggest issue here is the shit they spread on the roads , not so much the weather,
however my 03 1150 comes up like a shiny new pin every wash
Yellow Peril
Registered user
Hmmm have owned 2 12's both of which I have used and abused, I rarely clean them, each gets/got a clean and polish in the spring and thats was it. Dealer is fully aware of my atitude to cleaning to the point "you service it you clean it as it costs so much" neither bike failed during use, both have had standard corrision issues with timing cover but with the amount of crap that gets thrown at them it is no surprise. Both have been well looked after at service time by my local dealer and the latest one will remain in the stable for a long time to come.
Sometimes I do wonder if GS's just ain't built for continous anal cleaning, reading these forums it stikes me that it is these over cleaned bikes that fail to preform on a regular basis.
Sometimes I do wonder if GS's just ain't built for continous anal cleaning, reading these forums it stikes me that it is these over cleaned bikes that fail to preform on a regular basis.
hubarb spong
Guest
Hi hubarb spong,
Think I remember you from the VFR forums, I've had 2 Vtecs in the past and thoroughly enjoyed them. Hope you have better luck with the new bike.
Cheers
hubarb spong
Guest
I did ask myself if I was being unrealistic with my expectations of the GS but I really dont think I am. Its sold as a (rather expensive) all seasons, go anywhere machine. Now what I asked of it was no more than any of my previous bikes and the treatment it recieved was also the same as my other bikes.
I also thought that maybe it wasnt a case of the GS being poor but a case of the VFR being so good that just caused the comparison to be so poor towards the GS? but then thinking about my other bikes they were all better in all honesty even my old SV650 faired better in the corrosion and failure stakes
So my conclusion is the GS (or specifically MY GS) is a poor product.
Lucky you're not in Ireland, €127 an hour here which converts to £104
How much was your final drive to sort out? And were you given a reason why it went?
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