Mythbusters....the 1200 isn't reliable!
- Thread starter Sgt Bilco
- Start date
......I prefer 'well ridden'......
jammyk
Guest
thumbs up
All the harranging about GS reliability - speaks a lot more about the rider/owner and expectations we have, rather than the bike.
I think the purchase price sets the expectations on exactly what is required to keep them in good order. if i buy a £2k snotter of a bike if it falls apart i dont squeal, but i also put more effort into maintenance...or not as the case may be.
If i spend circa £14k on a GS12ADV, and the slightest blemish appears i cry foul. its the financials not the build that i cry about...."why has such an expensive bike started to corrode?" its a bike, it will do that. cars do also, just you cant see it under the body work...
'54 reg 650 Thumper - no probs (14k miles in 1 year)
'56 reg gs12Adv - alarm receiver ring thingymebob failed - fixed never to fail again (fault)
Rear disc warped - lots of town riding and linked brakes wore out pads then disc - (rider) maintenance issue.
fog light switch LED illumination failed (after 2.5 years) (fault) and 26k miles in 2 years
General corrosion - driven through three winters with not washing or treatment - looked a damn site better than my friends fully faired Honda VFR 800. the Honda looked great when only viewing the plastics, looked shocking when viewing the internals!
08 plate gs1200 - rear ESA shock failed (fault) 1.5 years 11k miles
taking into account mileage and type of use (riden hard), i think i am getting good value for money.
Isn't that what counts?
All the harranging about GS reliability - speaks a lot more about the rider/owner and expectations we have, rather than the bike.
I think the purchase price sets the expectations on exactly what is required to keep them in good order. if i buy a £2k snotter of a bike if it falls apart i dont squeal, but i also put more effort into maintenance...or not as the case may be.
If i spend circa £14k on a GS12ADV, and the slightest blemish appears i cry foul. its the financials not the build that i cry about...."why has such an expensive bike started to corrode?" its a bike, it will do that. cars do also, just you cant see it under the body work...
'54 reg 650 Thumper - no probs (14k miles in 1 year)
'56 reg gs12Adv - alarm receiver ring thingymebob failed - fixed never to fail again (fault)
Rear disc warped - lots of town riding and linked brakes wore out pads then disc - (rider) maintenance issue.
fog light switch LED illumination failed (after 2.5 years) (fault) and 26k miles in 2 years
General corrosion - driven through three winters with not washing or treatment - looked a damn site better than my friends fully faired Honda VFR 800. the Honda looked great when only viewing the plastics, looked shocking when viewing the internals!
08 plate gs1200 - rear ESA shock failed (fault) 1.5 years 11k miles
taking into account mileage and type of use (riden hard), i think i am getting good value for money.
Isn't that what counts?
Errr ... I assume it's a mispront, but doesn't that make 16 bikes?
Errr ... I assume it's a mispront, but doesn't that make 16 bikes?
I would assume he means that there were 11 bikes in total. Out of those 11, 9 were 1200's and out of those , 7 were GSA's.
mikeconno
Registered user
I can say that my 98 plate Gixer 600 gave me no problems in the 12 months I owned it. Good value for the money, as I gained when trading it in. My 05 plated 1200GS, which i've owned since march this year, has given me a couple of issues since taking ownership, which I was little peeved about to say the least. However they have been fixed and I think its a great bike and i will buy another one in the future.
Mutley
Registered user
D6
Registered user
rental bikes ,light use eh? hmmmmmmm...
i dont think bm,s are as reliable as other makes now, even if they are, they oughta be, given the price,,,,
they have a bad rep on most forums nowadays, wonder why?
i dont think they did bad on bilko,s trip, but personally i wouldnt buy a bm newer than a 1150,
even the 4 cyls suffer from rot,
i get to see more now they are of mot,able age,,,,
put me off enough to buy jap again.......
i dont think bm,s are as reliable as other makes now, even if they are, they oughta be, given the price,,,,
they have a bad rep on most forums nowadays, wonder why?
i dont think they did bad on bilko,s trip, but personally i wouldnt buy a bm newer than a 1150,
even the 4 cyls suffer from rot,
i get to see more now they are of mot,able age,,,,
put me off enough to buy jap again.......
elefantman
Registered user
BMW bikes are cheap to buy by modern jap bike standards,the entry model GS is much cheaper than many bikes on offer from the big four manufacturers,and the quality of finish reflects this,don't confuse the price you pay with all the tat they add on with the bikes worth
If you buy a bike with a base price of 9k new then add 3k of unnecessary tat that will not nake it a 12k bike its still a 9k bike with 3k of optional extras
Those old enough to remember the BMW's of the 80's will know they were never unburstable even back then
,if you want a real one you need to go back much further
If you buy a bike with a base price of 9k new then add 3k of unnecessary tat that will not nake it a 12k bike its still a 9k bike with 3k of optional extras
Those old enough to remember the BMW's of the 80's will know they were never unburstable even back then
,if you want a real one you need to go back much further
Stretchamus
Registered user
gazzauk
Registered user
Lets face it , the more unecessary electronics BMW attach to the engine and suspension the more expensive they will be and the more unreliable to boot. But what the hell is happening with what appears to be, a constant stream of final drive problems, gbox:crank oil seal problems , battery problems , crappy peeling finish (especially on engine ) etc that BMW either dont want to and / or cant be arsed re designing or fixing, and i think the gs is a bloody expensive , compared to Jap machines.
elefantman
Registered user
If you think a base model GS is expensive then compare it to new model yamaha's or honda's,I do agree some people are willing to pay over the odds for used models for some reason though,the second hand prices asked simply do not reflect the cost when new
billynomates
Registered user
Theres quite a few issues here that on first looks they seem to make the GS series unreliable and with poor finishing.
But pop into any Jap showroom that sells second hand bikes and most 5 to 10 year old bikes will have no more than 2 TO 5K only been out in the dry never through the winter,thats the most common reason there reliability record appears so good most do fcuk all mileage in 10 years.
I saw 1 KTM 990SM with 3.5K on but had obviously been through a British winter and the finish was horrendus.
I would'nt have thought Batterys could be put down too a Brand specific problem after all there a consumable like tyres and pads.
But pop into any Jap showroom that sells second hand bikes and most 5 to 10 year old bikes will have no more than 2 TO 5K only been out in the dry never through the winter,thats the most common reason there reliability record appears so good most do fcuk all mileage in 10 years.
I saw 1 KTM 990SM with 3.5K on but had obviously been through a British winter and the finish was horrendus.
I would'nt have thought Batterys could be put down too a Brand specific problem after all there a consumable like tyres and pads.
Buttso
Registered user
have a 08 GSA, did 24,000 kms in 9 weeks through some very high and very low temps, off road .. fair amount of abuse
had only 1 problem... EWS... or engine wont start as I call it
the mechanical side of the bike was perfect.
now up to 48k.. still no problems, just took it off-roading in Wales, dogs abuse for the entire weekend.. then rode it all the way home to cork.. and into work this morning..
most complex machines have problems.. some worse than others.. I figure its how the manufacturer/dealer deals with those problems will shape how you feel about the machine.. (or it was in my case)
had only 1 problem... EWS... or engine wont start as I call it
the mechanical side of the bike was perfect.
now up to 48k.. still no problems, just took it off-roading in Wales, dogs abuse for the entire weekend.. then rode it all the way home to cork.. and into work this morning..
most complex machines have problems.. some worse than others.. I figure its how the manufacturer/dealer deals with those problems will shape how you feel about the machine.. (or it was in my case)
Johnny Dangerously
Registered user
I honestly don't think the GS is that expensive. The new Super Tenere is 13.5K! An FJR RRP's at around 14.5K! I'm sure you can get those a good couple of thousand cheaper, but that's still on par with a GS.
I think the main problem is that German and Japanese vehicles have swapped roles over the last couple of decades. Previously, japanese cars were innovative, and germans had good build quality. Now BM seem to be pushing the innovation boundaries at the slight detrement of quality. I don't mind personaly, but it just means I'd choose a different bike if reliability were my main driver. However, my GS (which I don't own anymore) was the perfect bike for me, I loved it, enjoyed riding it, liked looking at it, cleaning it etc!
My commuter is now an xt660x. Dead cheap, dead simple, dead cheap to fix if damaged, which suits my commuting needs!
I think the main problem is that German and Japanese vehicles have swapped roles over the last couple of decades. Previously, japanese cars were innovative, and germans had good build quality. Now BM seem to be pushing the innovation boundaries at the slight detrement of quality. I don't mind personaly, but it just means I'd choose a different bike if reliability were my main driver. However, my GS (which I don't own anymore) was the perfect bike for me, I loved it, enjoyed riding it, liked looking at it, cleaning it etc!
My commuter is now an xt660x. Dead cheap, dead simple, dead cheap to fix if damaged, which suits my commuting needs!
the lost soul
Registered user
:I think the GS1200A is top but wish BMW would make a small holder for hair gel..that would sort any problems out..
I think the GS1200A is top but wish BMW would make a small holder for hair gel..that would sort any problems out..
"Look, their"s one doing his hair"
JethroDog
Registered user
long road trip reliability
I just completed a 3000 mile/10 day trip to central Norway and back (Frankfurt) on my '09 R1200 GS. About 1000 miles were punishing off road miles (mud, gravel, water crossings, steep ascents/descents). I managed to average 45 miles per gallon (US gallons) and the only problem that I experienced was on the return trip after a very long day of autobahn riding the clutch hydraulics began to fail. Clutch actauation was improved by pumping the lever...otherwise the vibration from highway riding was putting bubbles into the fluid maybe making the initial squeeuze after long stretches somewhat ineffective? City riding with constant clutch and shifting maintains the clutch function, but noticabley quicker to engage than usual. I have a service appointment, but is anybody familiar with this problem?
Chris
R1200GS
R100RT
I just completed a 3000 mile/10 day trip to central Norway and back (Frankfurt) on my '09 R1200 GS. About 1000 miles were punishing off road miles (mud, gravel, water crossings, steep ascents/descents). I managed to average 45 miles per gallon (US gallons) and the only problem that I experienced was on the return trip after a very long day of autobahn riding the clutch hydraulics began to fail. Clutch actauation was improved by pumping the lever...otherwise the vibration from highway riding was putting bubbles into the fluid maybe making the initial squeeuze after long stretches somewhat ineffective? City riding with constant clutch and shifting maintains the clutch function, but noticabley quicker to engage than usual. I have a service appointment, but is anybody familiar with this problem?
Chris
R1200GS
R100RT
Similar threads
