Negative vibes please

[MELLOWYELLOW]

Well this is my first GS and I bought a 6 mnth old GSA with 4k on it.

I think it is outstanding and get a huge amount of enjoyment from owning and riding the thing.

I have 1 observation

1 - Why oh why do I have to put up with wheels that are neither round or straight juts coz they are spoked. Other manufactures can produce laced wheels that are true, why can't BMW. They state that its just one of those things and that spoked wheels are like that.

These are top drawer bikes and very expensive wheels, is it really too much to expect straight wheels. I intend to find a wheel builder and get them trued.


Otherwise an oustanding bike which I'll be keeping a long time

 

[st247]

The early bikes had an issue with the heated grips deforming the throttle grip and causing it to stick. I wonder if they've toned them down a bit to stop this happening on the new bikes.

 

[Blue Sweeper]

Since 2004, I have ridden to Morocco and back on a brand new 1200GS twice per year, once in the Spring and again in the Autumn. Then the next year I get another brand new 1200GS to ride, again it's been given to me to "test". Although one year, can't remember when, I took an 800GS to test.

There has only been two failures, the Fuel Pump Controller one year and the dreaded EWS when the antenna ring packed up, another year. Because the bikes weren't mine, I didn't exactly treat them with loving care, but apart from those two problems, which have thankfully been sorted now, I think they are fantastic bikes.

 

[Mark Hooton]

Eh?

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)

Sorry for being a retard - whats an `s10` mate?

 

[st247]

Yamaha Super Tenere S10

 

[autogs]

ta

i think they look good and not a blatent copy,may even grt a test ride soonish.

 

[BeamishTripleBlack]

The biggest gripe I have since buying a 1200gs is finding out that the BMW GS bike world is full of gripers! It's a shame that some on here post so many poision threads, I just dont get it . Sorry back to the point, I have had no major issues to speak of but the side stand does need slightly extending in my opinion, the bike comes over a long way when loaded and sh the adventure screen/winglets should be standard fit.

 

[IssacHunt]

The biggest gripe I have since buying a 1200gs is finding out that the BMW GS bike world is full of gripers! It's a shame that some on here post so many poision threads, I just dont get it . Sorry back to the point, I have had no major issues to speak of but the side stand does need slightly extending in my opinion, the bike comes over a long way when loaded and sh the adventure screen/winglets should be standard fit.

Hit the nail right on the head!!

Enough said really......

 

[sidestand]

My only gripe with my GSA is that I don't get enough time to go out on it as much as I'd like to

 

[APE]

The early bikes had an issue with the heated grips deforming the throttle grip and causing it to stick. I wonder if they've toned them down a bit to stop this happening on the new bikes.

I think the reason they're not as hot on the later model is the switch to an aluminium handlebar instead of steel which prevents them from getting as warm.

 

[Mark Hooton]

Thats nice!

Yamaha Super Tenere S10

Thanks for that mate - its what my pal has purchased after his very sad time with his GS - I must say it looks very nice but I prefer the looks of my beloved GSA - I`ll be interested to see how it fairs.........................

 

[Popell]

Well this is my first GS and I bought a 6 mnth old GSA with 4k on it.

I think it is outstanding and get a huge amount of enjoyment from owning and riding the thing.

I have 1 observation

1 - Why oh why do I have to put up with wheels that are neither round or straight juts coz they are spoked. Other manufactures can produce laced wheels that are true, why can't BMW. They state that its just one of those things and that spoked wheels are like that.

These are top drawer bikes and very expensive wheels, is it really too much to expect straight wheels. I intend to find a wheel builder and get them trued.


Otherwise an oustanding bike which I'll be keeping a long time

In Yorkshire too - and my wheels are not particularly round either, when you find a wheelright, let me know I would like mine true-ing too!

Back to the OP point, perhaps because I do not have the luxury of a dealer warrenty and I have not had a BMW before I don't have anyone to go whine to( no offence intended) but when the brake light blew, I replaced it, fuel gauge always drops from full to half at 105 miles then steadily and in a linear fashion to empty. Grips are too damned hot on full so I switch to half setting when toasty, bike has never fallen over but then I would find a stone or similar if leaving on soft ground. The petrol filler would be better around the other way but what the hell. Battery has been replace but then it as twice on my last bike(Honda).
My beak is long enough and I think the extender is for the fashion victim within us (yes I wanted one too, at first). I have switched to HID dipped and it is embarrassingly bright but is less well aimed than the original bulb.
I have a TT Kahedo comfort seat but didn't have a problem with the original (the TT plus the TT sports seat came with the bike)
Bike is 05 1200GS and I now fully expect every reported issue to befall me now that I have commented.............

 

[snerkler]

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.

Strange, I find they work perfectly well and find they provide enough heat in just the first setting, I've not felt the need to use the 2nd. However, the coldest I've ridden in is 1 degree.

 

[cookie]

i had to top the petrol in mine yesterday. bloody rubbish!

not the first time this has happened either

 

[MELLOWYELLOW]

In Yorkshire too - and my wheels are not particularly round either, when you find a wheelright, let me know I would like mine true-ing too!:

Dropped them into today at Premier Bikes at Askern nr Doncaster. I've had a couple of New bikes from there in the past, both Kawasaki's and always had them serviced there.

Steve the Mechanic really knows his onions, and apparently is a very good wheel builder.

He checked both wheels whilst I was there and he confimed that the front was arounnd 3mm out and could certainly do something with it. He struggled with the rear because of its single sided design, albeit he's gonna have go at finding a spindle adapter.

I'll be collecting at the weekend and report back

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

The dip beam bulb blew at 21000 miles and the fuel tank on my 06 GSA is too small

 

[cookie]

Dropped them into today at Premier Bikes at Askern nr Doncaster. I've had a couple of New bikes from there in the past, both Kawasaki's and always had them serviced there.

Steve the Mechanic really knows his onions, and apparently is a very good wheel builder.

He checked both wheels whilst I was there and he confimed that the front was arounnd 3mm out and could certainly do something with it. He struggled with the rear because of its single sided design, albeit he's gonna have go at finding a spindle adapter.

I'll be collecting at the weekend and report back

everybody i've ever spoken to on the subject has told me that truing a bmw wheel is not possible. they are not like normal spoked wheels at all.

 

[Farmer Palmer]

Yeah, BMW are rubbish.......The fuel tank on my GSA30 is too small and I have to keep filling it up every 320 miles and that's not all......My GSA looks a bit 'barbie girl' with it's knobbly tyres and tin biscuit boxes and it could do with a bit more 'road presence' if you know what I mean..........!

 

[Mark Hooton]

i had to top the petrol in mine yesterday. bloody rubbish!

not the first time this has happened either

I had to steer mine only yesterday - its off back, I`ve had enough

 

[sidestand]

Had to put new tyres on mine already - what's that all about then ?