Negative vibes please

[Mark Hooton]

Hi all, one of our Fellow Brethren (Savage) started an excellent thread recently called `positive vibes please` and I have myself posted very positive thoughts and opinions about my muchly loved GS & GSA

I don`t know if this will work (and my apologies to all if it doesn`t) but how about a thread for ONLY FAIR negative vibes - the knowledge which may benefit us all - rather than an opportunity for `BMW bashing` (which, to be fair we all see from time to time)

So, rather than a litany of defects and moaning what about a `fair` reporting of negative stuff which we may all learn from and to keep an eye on?

I`ll start the ball rolling with 2 observations, one from me and one I recently heard from a mate.

I think both my 2010 GSA and 2006 GS are bloody fantastic but, with the evidence in front of me, I can safely advise all that who might want to listen that IMHO the earlier bikes seems to be much better quality - although I love the bikes to bits I must say that if anyone had told me what I now know I would have bought an earlier model or mebbe those 1150`s we hear about........ So, if I can offer any advice (getting a positive from a negative if you see what I mean) to other people interested and that is to consider earlier models as they seem to have less problems - but i stress only in my humble opinion!

I continue to have ongoing issues with my bike - mostly also all experienced by other guys posting on this fine forum but I happily accept that it`s my choice to buy the bike and I remain happy to live with them - once again I am not BMW bashing, just sharing my opinions hoepfully in a fair way which may help others.

The next tale is quite a sad one actually and I`m not sure if there is indeed any postives to be had apart from my hope that BMW can get a valued customer back to the fold!

My mate bought his 2010 Anniversary from new and only after 10,000 miles he is selling it for a long list of problems including the final drive (yep in less than 10k miles). He has had the bike at the dealers for no less than 9 times and sadly even got lied to after they said they had done a 2 hour road test which was odd because the odometer only had 3 miles on the clock....... - not that it means everything but my mate isn`t the misleading type - he is a high ranking Policeman and unlike some (you get them in all walks of life) he has integrity and I am convinced he is telling the truth.

Such is his disappointment because they dealer cannot find out what is wrong with it but there painfully IS something wrong with it that he has now purchased a Yam Tenere and to be honest I wish him well! The only positive I can get from this is that we shouldn`t jump to negative conclusions only after a fault or two on our beloved GS`s and should try to work through them like he did before me move `from the fold`.

So, if anyone wishes to share any negatives which may help us all then I`d be pleased to see them and hopefully other members too - I wish I had had the sense to read about any posts on general quality, it might have helped me buy an even beter GS!

Ride safe and watch out for the cops

Mark

 

[Sleepy]

I have an 1150.. so for that reason I'm out...

...... but I have a few friends that have owned 1200's, all of them early models, and they have all changed them because of poor quality bits and bobs.

I always thought (maybe wrongly) that the first 1200's were the worst..

 

[APE]

I think both my 2010 GSA and 2006 GS are bloody fantastic but, with the evidence in front of me, I can safely advise all that who might want to listen that IMHO the earlier bikes seems to be much better quality - although I love the bikes to bits I must say that if anyone had told me what I now know I would have bought an earlier model or mebbe those 1150`s we hear about........ So, if I can offer any advice (getting a positive from a negative if you see what I mean) to other people interested and that is to consider earlier models as they seem to have less problems - but i stress only in my humble opinion!

I continue to have ongoing issues with my bike - mostly also all experienced by other guys posting on this fine forum but I happily accept that it`s my choice to buy the bike and I remain happy to live with them - once again I am not BMW bashing, just sharing my opinions hoepfully in a fair way which may help others.

Mark

I've owned a 1150, a 2006 and now a 2010 1200GS and have had the opposite experience. The 2010GS has done over 10,000 miles and hasn't skipped a beat. The 2006 model was a nightmare and had countless warranty claims over the 4 years I owned it. The 1150GS was okay but still experienced a failed final drive as well as a lot of corrosion.

Think you've just been unlucky with your current bike TBH

 

[autogs]

mark,not sure what your after mate,i had a 06 gs which had no probs at all,but the early ones should have fpc ews and fd probs.
my first 2010 gsa blew its g box to bits in 1200 miles,dealer changed the bike,my 2nd 2010 gsa has don 9000 miles now with no probs at all so my experience seems to be the other way round.

 

[st247]

05 1200gs, 40k miles. It's had a new alternator, clutch, final drive bearing failure, rotten subframe (holed in a few places), one of the heated grips has packed up and it has suffered from corrosion. A few minor electrical gremlins (wiring corroded in a couple of places).

TBH it's mainly down to how i treat it. I rode it through a couple of bad winters daily (cause of the alternator, corrosion and wiring). My lack of off road ability saw the clutch buggered after riding it somewhere it probably shouldn't have gone (well at least not with me riding it). And i'm not known for cleaning my bikes.

I expect if it had been a UJM it probably would have been in as bad or worse condition by now.

However, when i do ride it it still floats my boat.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Like autogs, don't know what you are fishing for Mark

One guy's negative point can be nothing to someone else. I, for instance, have always just sorted any problems if they have occured, and they have been minimal on my 70k GSA, without kicking up a song and dance

Things like corrosion just get dealt with and to me, it's all part of the ownership experience. All machines have issues and in reality, the 1200 is no better or worse than anything else.

 

[slydog]

love it

i love mine if it goes wrong il fix it end of story really

 

[Mark Hooton]

Well thats pleasing!

Well, I am pleased to see such a wide spread of experiences - I have this feeling that I might just be unlucky, which happens and I won`t get bent outa shape over it coz I love the bikes dearly.

Anyway, keeping on the theme of `negatives into positives` - my heated grips are very tempremental - keep on turning off and on when they seem to want to - dearship said `they are ok now` but I think they just cleared the previous fault reports................. (not that I am slagging them off!)

Has anyone had the negative of unreliable heated grips and found the answer to it? new grips mebbe? Some dark black art thingy to do with the canbus mebbe?

I`m pleased to see quite a fair and broad reporting of opinions by the way, thanks

 

[bod]

Well, I am pleased to see such a wide spread of experiences - I have this feeling that I might just be unlucky, which happens and I won`t get bent outa shape over it coz I love the bikes dearly.

Anyway, keeping on the theme of `negatives into positives` - my heated grips are very tempremental - keep on turning off and on when they seem to want to - dearship said `they are ok now` but I think they just cleared the previous fault reports................. (not that I am slagging them off!)

Has anyone had the negative of unreliable heated grips and found the answer to it? new grips mebbe? Some dark black art thingy to do with the canbus mebbe?

I`m pleased to see quite a fair and broad reporting of opinions by the way, thanks

My 55 plate had MUCH hotter grips than my twin cam!
Of the 2, I always thought my old bike would fail, but never did.
Just goes to show that reading to many negative vibes on here can start to brainwash you.
Like you Mark, I have had a fuel gauge issue with my twin cam, which to be fair, could have stayed broke if it wasn't under warranty.
Both great machines, but the twin cam needs to pretend it's a Honda if it want's to match the build quality & reliability of my old GS.
Either way, there is nothing else out there (unless made in the 70s) that float's my boat, and the whole emotional rollercoaster of GS ownership just keeps the passion burning.

 

[Mav]

Just over 60k on my 06GSA and been going great. Like Bilco, some issues but, particularly how hard I treat mine, seem reasonable to me. It didn't skip a beat doing 4000 miles, overloaded and 2up in just 8 days

I do hate the constant complaints as I'm pretty sure they're in the minority and simply cause the rest of us to lose confidence in the bike.

 

[CuzGS]

A few small gripes......

1. Everyone seems to fit a side stand enhancer, clearly they need to be bigger

2. Everyone seems to fit a front fender extender, clearly they need to be longer

3. Loads of people purchase expensive seats to travel a long way, errr it's a fucking distance bike !

On an adventure bike surely these should be standard, I don't buy a blue chip car and start changing seats etc ?? I realise that some things are necessary for off road e.g. Maybe a shorter front fender but when the massive majority are modifying then that is where the bog standard should be surely ?

Having said that I love my GSA and loved my GS so as I say, small gripes, do BMW have a lot of shares in TT and Twalcom by chance

 

[Mav]

A few small gripes......

1. Everyone seems to fit a side stand enhancer, clearly they need to be bigger

2. Everyone seems to fit a front fender extender, clearly they need to be longer

3. Loads of people purchase expensive seats to travel a long way, errr it's a fucking distance bike !

On an adventure bike surely these should be standard, I don't buy a blue chip car and start changing seats etc ?? I realise that some things are necessary for off road e.g. Maybe a shorter front fender but when the massive majority are modifying then that is where the bog standard should be surely ?

Having said that I love my GSA and loved my GS so as I say, small gripes, do BMW have a lot of shares in TT and Twalcom by chance

I only have the bigger foot for the side stand and thats because the previous owner put it on (I don't have one on the HP...). Seat is fine for long days

 

[Mark Hooton]

Just over 60k on my 06GSA and been going great. Like Bilco, some issues but, particularly how hard I treat mine, seem reasonable to me. It didn't skip a beat doing 4000 miles, overloaded and 2up in just 8 days

I do hate the constant complaints as I'm pretty sure they're in the minority and simply cause the rest of us to lose confidence in the bike.

Thats great news Mav but to be clear - I aint complaining - far from it, its a fantastic bike, I love it to bits and remain oooh soooo happy to live with the `roller coaster` (as one of us put it) of ownership.

I`m well impressed with the overloaded & 4k in 8days - awesome bike eh

I think if we all share the `issues` (possibly a better word than `negatives` to be fair) it will only make a great bike better - or have they already done that with the 1250................

And I`ll let you know how my mate gets on with his Tenere as a comparison - lets hope he is soon `back in the fold`

 

[autogs]

tbh the 1250 or whatever it is will create issues all of its own

 

[Mark Hooton]

tbh the 1250 or whatever it is will create issues all of its own

Yep I guess so and it`ll be interesting to see what they are and how they compare to our 1200 issues - I wonder if any of the design changes have been based on sorting out known issues...........

 

[autogs]

i doubt it if past history is anything to go by,but despite any faults i expect they will sell,imho there is nothing else as good for an one bike do it all machine(although the s10 is calling)

 

[Oldrat]

I see where Mark is coming from. I love my DOHC to bits. 8k and no problems cept the fuel guage needed resetting once.

Still there are some bits that could be improved upon with very little effort or cost. I reckon this is where he is going??

• Heated grips work but heat poorly and dissappoint, nowhere near as good as Oxfords or Honda OEM
  
• Rubber tool strap goes through a slot in rear mudguard which allows water into the ridiculously small storage area where I keep my comms., why not have a loop moulded on to the inner side.
  
• Needs a camel foot.
  
• Why does the exhaust need to be so round, wouldn't a much a narrower oval design work as well, and allow better pannier shape?

I'm not moaning about the bike, I just hate bad design. ( is there a reason the petrol flap opens front to back, rear to front would allow better access, especially for short riders! - or short pillion passengers - "yes I'm nearly finished on the computer dear")

Bad design is even more frustrating when manufacturers are quick to adapt models say different light mouldings or change a colour scheme on the tank/forks annually just to make more sales. So what difference in cost is there making the sidestand footprint a tad bigger compared to the cost different seat covers or paint jobs? Very little in £'s but quite a bit in reputation methinks.

 

[MIKE R]

My 52k 1150 has just had it's final drive rebuilt for the THIRD time in the last 15k, but this time by Steve Scriminger (other twice by a BM mechanic) so I hope it'll last a long, long time now.

By complete contrast my Dec 2011 GS sits in the garage with 3 miles on the clock. No issues at all.

I have, however done about 33k on other 1200s. I had one failed fuel pump relay.

Mike

 

[fizzer]

i do wish there was some sort of graph ,that showed the amount of bikes sold in that particular year ,and showing all work done for the next 50000 miles ,just to show the relavance of mileage/age of bike =problems.
i suppose when you think about it bmw,s do seem to end up with some high milages on ,where as most jap bikes seem to come out for a couple of hours on a sunny sunday.

 

[diplomaticdanny]

Bought my 06GSA in 2008 with 2000 miles, now have 30000 miles and have had to change one headlight bulb. No corrosion anywhere, was thinking about changing but bought wilbers instead, only done 100 or so miles since but feels like new bike. Absolutely love it, do extend BMW warranty every year though just in case (like peace of mind).

2001 1150GS, left in Oslo as the final drive failed (luckily on the way back from the longest day in Norway).