Oh Well

[Ceeby]

Just joined! (see "Greetings from the Algarve" in newbie thread)

Went down to Faro collect my new 1200GS today, only to be told "its not ready". Hardly surprising here in Portugal as you need to add at least a couple of hours onto all timings bless 'em.

However, when I asked to see the Bike it was basically in bits, with another new GS stripped as well in an effort to provide doner parts, they say that the starter button wouldn't work and the side panels seats, handlebars etc were all off the bike, when I asked what was wrong they said they didn't know. So now I am a bit worried if I am buying a lemon. My last GS had to go back to the dealers in the first week due to a split fuel tank (I did tell you Kev!), so I am wondering if there are any new problems to look out for?

Anyone any clues as to what the problem could be?, quite gutted actually as I was planning a nice ride up into the Alentejo with my son tomorrow. They have however lent me an R1200 RT, which although a bit large is quite an entertaining piece of kit!

Cheers

 

[squid]

Serious comments in tech sections please

Dahoum

 

[marcus]

Next time, record the conversation when they promise something by a certain time.

It appears that sort of thing hasn't been thought of.....

Having spent a bit of time in Portugal I can understand more why the brazilians take the piss out of them so much.

They make the Spanish on friday afternoon appear to be workaholic coked-up speed freaks.

Problems more likely to lie with your portuguese garage than BMW.......

 

[Brian ROSEN]

In shop final assembly

The bike will have arrived in a wooden crate (assuming it is the same in Portugal as in France) and the dealer has to fix on the front wheel, the screen and various other bits. This gives him a fair amount of scope for getting things wrong!

 

[Ceeby]

The bike will have arrived in a wooden crate (assuming it is the same in Portugal as in France) and the dealer has to fix on the front wheel, the screen and various other bits. This gives him a fair amount of scope for getting things wrong!

Correct. The bike I brought was in the showroom all fixed together so I assumed that everything would have been OK, even had a full oil sight glass.

Still, we'll see what they say and I am quite happy swapping my XT660 for their R1200 RT for the time being.

 

[marcus]

Serious comments in tech sections please

Dahoum

equally oops....

 

[squid]

Serious comments in tech sections please

Dahoum

Hadn't better say it was.

I bet the fault is something quite basic - do the bikes get started prior to leaving the factory or do they wait for final assembly by the dealer?

 

[Magwych]

However, when I asked to see the Bike it was basically in bits, with another new GS stripped as well in an effort to provide doner parts, they say that the starter button wouldn't work

Usual culprits seem to be clutch switch, gear position sensor and sidestand switch.

If its Portugal then the more pressing it is the longer it will take...

 

[Ceeby]

Update, I went to the dealers today as I hadn't heard anthing since Friday, one guy in car sales and the bike bloke nowhere to be seen (well it was very early 10.00am)

Went round to the workshops, totally unchallenged, past my XT and 20 other bikes all with keys in, could have helped myself!, GS sitting there untouched, screwdriver still in exactly same place on seat, paperwork still on rack on same page, charger still connected, rest of bike on floor (they found enough bits to put the black one back together though so thats back in the showroom!)

Not too bothered at the moment, as I'm back to the UK Monday for a week so only a few more days without the GS. In fact this has worked out OK as I still have the RT (which I believe is the same engine?). I sold my last GS at only a couple of thousand miles, so I have never ridden a properly bedded in 1200. The RT has about 10k KM on it, and it is faster and smoother than I ever remember the GS being, so the miles really do add to the feel and performance of these engines.

I'll probably get the bike on about the 13th Nov now, am well looking forward to it!

 

[Brian ROSEN]

The best of luck!

It is true that they do run more smoothly after 10,000 or so kilometres. The RT is basically the same engine but with a higher compression ratio than the GS - 12 instead of 11 to 1 giving a bit more bhp, (not allowed in France!) there are other differences which will affect the feel of the bike such as fatter tyres , different rake and trail etc. etc. If you send Nippy normans a cheque for £15 total (which includes postage in Europe) you will receive the Haynes manual which covers all the 1200 twins and you will become at least as knowledgeable as I am!.
I just hope that once they have eventually put your machine together they will prove capable of servicing it correctly.

 

[Ceeby]

It is true that they do run more smoothly after 10,000 or so kilometres. The RT is basically the same engine but with a higher compression ratio than the GS - 12 instead of 11 to 1 giving a bit more bhp, (not allowed in France!) there are other differences which will affect the feel of the bike such as fatter tyres , different rake and trail etc. etc. If you send Nippy normans a cheque for £15 total (which includes postage in Europe) you will receive the Haynes manual which covers all the 1200 twins and you will become at least as knowledgeable as I am!.
I just hope that once they have eventually put your machine together they will prove capable of servicing it correctly.

Thanks for that Brian. WRT the Haynes manual, I noticed it covers the 04-06 model years, is that because of when it was printed or are the 07's any different.?

If I can get one quick enough then I might even go to the dealers and attempt to put it together myself!

I don't really have any concerns about their ability to service the bikes, I just have to take into account the cultural differences between my old home and my new one!

Cheers

 

[Dennis the Menace]

do the bikes get started prior to leaving the factory or do they wait for final assembly by the dealer?

Yes they do. Start up first time and ride into diagnostic/test facilitity/rolling road (Remember this is a stone cold engine run for the very first time) Onto rolling road, first gear and reved to rev limiter, change to second gear and reved to rev limiter. Same proceedure to sixth gear. Full brake applied to see if ABS and brakes are okay and any faults shown on diagonistic equipment. Re set everything and same proceedure i.e. reved to rev limiter to sixth gear and full brake applied. Bike is then ridden out of Test Facility (only through a plastic curtain). Oil is drained out of bike for re cycling, re usable oil filter is unscrewed, new oil and filter replaced.

So thats your brand new bike been up to the rev limiter in every gear twice, maybe not sixth gear, using recyled oil and a recycled oil filter.

Carry on using the bike as above, you will have lots of fun and a good engine.

 

[Ceeby]

Yes they do. Start up first time and ride into diagnostic/test facilitity/rolling road (Remember this is a stone cold engine run for the very first time) Onto rolling road, first gear and reved to rev limiter, change to second gear and reved to rev limiter. Same proceedure to sixth gear. Full brake applied to see if ABS and brakes are okay and any faults shown on diagonistic equipment. Re set everything and same proceedure i.e. reved to rev limiter to sixth gear and full brake applied. Bike is then ridden out of Test Facility (only through a plastic curtain). Oil is drained out of bike for re cycling, re usable oil filter is unscrewed, new oil and filter replaced.

So thats your brand new bike been up to the rev limiter in every gear twice, maybe not sixth gear, using recyled oil and a recycled oil filter.

Carry on using the bike as above, you will have lots of fun and a good engine.

Agreed, thrash a new engine, thats what I have always done in Cars and on Bikes, always seems to give good results and gets teething problems out of the way!

 

[Ceeby]

Just picked it up!, according to the dealer it was "nothing serious" (3 week wait for that!)

Great to be back on the GS, haven't ridden one for over 2 years now, still grin inducing! Rode back via the back roads in the hills, weather glorious, still the best handling bike I have ridden!