Quick research on engine issue on WC motor.

theop

theop

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In short, thinking of re entering the BMW fold, as much as I may regret this.

Needs to be a tourer, proper. 1600 is out of question as I see 3 years on, the customer development is going too slowly, and bikes are full of gremlins still. Shame.

New rt1200 WC has caught my eye. I think it looks gorgeous and looks like it now gets the 20hp it always needed like nothing else. So, fewer and fewer reasons to resist. Apart from the fact I don't want to be another unpaid development rider.

So: please say you have no issues with current motor ( gearbox being crap is a given) or handicapped switchgear from lego they fitted to the k1200/1300 gt

Or: I ll buy yet another honda - 12 year old design Pan anyone ( at least it will never ever break) and leave you chaps and chapesses for another 3 years to get on with developing bmw's bikes for them.

Quick responses ?
 
Ive got my first BMW had it since may 2013 GS 1200 wc its the best bike ive ever had and will deffinatley be buying another BMW. now done 9000 miles and love it.

go for it you will be surprised
Terry
 
Quick response: mine's been back in for five separate warranty faults. I had a Pan for four years, it had one fault in that time which was that the 12v accessory socket came a bit loose...

Cheers
Jimmy
 
Basically the bike is brilliant but has a few problems:rolleyes:

If you can put up with a few visits to the dealer you won't regret it:thumby:
 
Picked up my WC GS on day 1 (March 2nd). Been back to the dealer 5 times since picking it up. Once to meet a friend, once so another could have a test ride on one, once for a cup of coffee, once for a can of ACF50. The last time I went in was to just say, hello and use the loo!!!!
 
As per Jonnyp, no issues since picking it up. Happily toured around UK and France ....it is noisier at idle than the older bikes , it does clonk into first and some have had some pretty bad experiences, but as per most sites those who are happy don't post an 'everything is fine' post every week. So :thumb2 from me
 
Had mine 2 months now and done 3k on it. Visited dealer 4 times since. Once to have the front brake lever replaced as faulty, once to take a mate to pickup his, once to pickup my new sat nav and once for a bacon sarnie and a coffee to pickup my complimentary superbike tickets.

The bike is not perfect but i personally don't think there is a bike out there that is. If you just ride it and stay off the forums that slag them off its a great bike and would buy another.
 
I've had my TE since April last year. It's taken me to the south of Spain and back and I've had no problems with it. I previously had a 2010 ADV and this engine is noticeably quicker. The gear change is fine and I love the cruise control and adjustable screen.
 
theop said:
In short, thinking of re entering the BMW fold, as much as I may regret this.

Needs to be a tourer, proper. 1600 is out of question as I see 3 years on, the customer development is going too slowly, and bikes are full of gremlins still. Shame.

New rt1200 WC has caught my eye. I think it looks gorgeous and looks like it now gets the 20hp it always needed like nothing else. So, fewer and fewer reasons to resist. Apart from the fact I don't want to be another unpaid development rider.

So: please say you have no issues with current motor ( gearbox being crap is a given) or handicapped switchgear from lego they fitted to the k1200/1300 gt

Or: I ll buy yet another honda - 12 year old design Pan anyone ( at least it will never ever break) and leave you chaps and chapesses for another 3 years to get on with developing bmw's bikes for them.

Quick responses ?
Click to expand...

The engine is bloody fantastic - there have been problems on some bikes with the switch gear and BMW have replaced it without quibbles, allegedly it has been redesigned so hopefully these issues will not be on the newer bikes.

If you want a 'proper' tourer then get the new R1200RT, if you want more fun get the GS.
 
Engineer said:
The engine is bloody fantastic - there have been problems on some bikes with the switch gear and BMW have replaced it without quibbles, allegedly it has been redesigned so hopefully these issues will not be on the newer bikes.

If you want a 'proper' tourer then get the new R1200RT, if you want more fun get the GS.
Click to expand...

In my opinion a GS Adventure is a proper tourer. Having compared a k1600 GT back to back with my GSA in torrential rain I know which one I'd rather tour on !

I'm on my way back from the NEC bike show and having seen the new LC Adventure in the flesh I would say test ride the new RT and GSA and buy either with total confidence. :bow
 
my thoughts

theop said:
In short, thinking of re entering the BMW fold, as much as I may regret this.

Needs to be a tourer, proper. 1600 is out of question as I see 3 years on, the customer development is going too slowly, and bikes are full of gremlins still. Shame.

New rt1200 WC has caught my eye. I think it looks gorgeous and looks like it now gets the 20hp it always needed like nothing else. So, fewer and fewer reasons to resist. Apart from the fact I don't want to be another unpaid development rider.

So: please say you have no issues with current motor ( gearbox being crap is a given) or handicapped switchgear from lego they fitted to the k1200/1300 gt

Or: I ll buy yet another honda - 12 year old design Pan anyone ( at least it will never ever break) and leave you chaps and chapesses for another 3 years to get on with developing bmw's bikes for them.

Quick responses ?
Click to expand...

I bought a 60 reg R1200RT six months ago after owning an ST1300 for ten years, so for what its worth hears my ten pence worth.
In ten years the PAN never let me down, and apart from servicing, tyres etc I never replaced any parts.

The switchgear on the RT is crap and BMW will not admit it. Both sides have now been replaced.
The engine is agricultural after the smooth V4.
I do however like the cruise control.

If Honda bring out a replacement for the PAN, I will go back to Honda in a flash.

Sorry, but that's how I feel.

Oh, and BMW customer service stinks.
 
Mad_Accountant said:
In my opinion a GS Adventure is a proper tourer. Having compared a k1600 GT back to back with my GSA in torrential rain I know which one I'd rather tour on !

I'm on my way back from the NEC bike show and having seen the new LC Adventure in the flesh I would say test ride the new RT and GSA and buy either with total confidence. :bow
Click to expand...

Load of old bollox, written there - a 12GSA TC is no better or worse than any other BMW in the range
 
To the OP;

I think the new RT will potentially make a cracking touring bike.

I spend all day sitting on a hexhead RT, It is comfortable, handles well, has IMO the best screen and wind dynamics on the market at the moment (ridden most of the big tourers ..) and is currently, only let down my a motor that has no proper va va voom. (Like, compete with a jap four va va voom..).

Whilst my LC motor in my GS aint no Kwak 1400GTR motor, (or K16 just to keep Trixie quiet), it's punchy, peachy and has great pick up and energy (now). Add that to the RT and suddenly you've got a bike that could trump all the big tourers out there.

:thumb2
 
GS_or_bust said:
I've had my TE since April last year. It's taken me to the south of Spain and back and I've had no problems with it. I previously had a 2010 ADV and this engine is noticeably quicker. The gear change is fine and I love the cruise control and adjustable screen.
Click to expand...

Really :eek :D

That must have been a very early prototype :augie
 
My Pan 1300 bored me to death.

Beautifully engineered, as reliable as an atomic clock, and utterly dull .... :P
 
woodman said:
I bought a 60 reg R1200RT six months ago after owning an ST1300 for ten years, so for what its worth hears my ten pence worth.
In ten years the PAN never let me down, and apart from servicing, tyres etc I never replaced any parts.

The switchgear on the RT is crap and BMW will not admit it. Both sides have now been replaced.
The engine is agricultural after the smooth V4.
I do however like the cruise control.

If Honda bring out a replacement for the PAN, I will go back to Honda in a flash.

Sorry, but that's how I feel.

Oh, and BMW customer service stinks.
Click to expand...


I m on that school of thought too. But the problem is, engine aside, the Pan is one old old bike. It feels top heavy, the back end looks its age, a general air of blandness. Some bland is good. But a Pan is 5 years too old, and they want 13.5k for it, which is plain robbery. If a new one were to come out, i d also have it tomorrow above anything else.

Point 2: BMW customer service is excellent, but it needs to be as their bikes - in component reliability terms and nothing else - are v poor. There is great dynamics, brand status and pedigree to spare, but small (or big in terms of valve drops and rear axle failures) niggles abound. The switch issues from 2005 onwards - beggars belief they have allowed it to go on for 8 years without changing suppliers - was the straw that killed it for me. Being imobilised by some bloody starter switch contact issue....

Anyway, I don't use my bikes for city riding, but for long weekly 3-4k mile rides in Europe, I am now ready for middle age (having done the GS1200 thing for 5 years). My other secret reality is that after 3 (slightly cramped) years on the "faster than most things" VFR1200, I find the aircooled 1200 motor, slightly pedestrian. Power is nice, even if it does not make you any faster A to B over a day or ten. In such terms a Pan beats the pre WC RT hands down.

Anyway, as Mad Accountant said above, I need to test ride the new WC motor in either format. From test reading, i think I ll find the new GS too "nervous" - too "multistrada-ish". I may enjoy this for an hour at a time, but it will be tiring to me over my prospect tours. I will give it a shot though.

I was on the NEC today too. The new RT looks like a winner. Almost checkbook at hand on sight alone. Rarely happens to me. You ve got to give it to BMW: They went from the ugliest touring bike of the last 40 years (arguably on the 1100/1150 RT) to the best looking one in 2 iterations. Let's see. What can go wrong.
 
Giles said:
To the OP;

I think the new RT will potentially make a cracking touring bike.

I spend all day sitting on a hexhead RT, It is comfortable, handles well, has IMO the best screen and wind dynamics on the market at the moment (ridden most of the big tourers ..) and is currently, only let down my a motor that has no proper va va voom. (Like, compete with a jap four va va voom..).

Whilst my LC motor in my GS aint no Kwak 1400GTR motor, (or K16 just to keep Trixie quiet), it's punchy, peachy and has great pick up and energy (now). Add that to the RT and suddenly you've got a bike that could trump all the big tourers out there.

:thumb2
Click to expand...

I waffle along for 10 mins, then I read this... Exactly myu thoughts in less waffly format... Test beckons...
 
Owned a R12RT 2008 model and did a lot of miles on the bike, rode it around the outside of Australia in 2010. Bike was very reliable , good wind protection, luggage, radio etc was all well thought out. Handling was great , I did happen to ride with a Pan rider and the RT would ride rings around the PAn, Pan scrapes like mad and is heavy and slow steering , not to mention the heat . I also had a 1200 Multi Strada which gave me my upright sports bike fix. I purchased the GSWC and sold the RT , I'd rate the GS as a much easier bike to ride and for me has all the features I want. The best thing is it has a motor with some response, the wet head is great. After a few months with the GS I found I did not want the Multi so it is gone and for now I find the GS does all I want. How much riding do I do, well I tour mainly and know over about 25,000 k's per year. Drive my car for work and family trips so he bike miles are distance ones. I find the GS wind protection good, heated grips not quite hot enough , handling good, performance good and comfort as good as the RT for me.

I run GPS and blue tooth so don't miss the radio and useless CD changer. I don't particularly like the look of the new RT , and if it weighs in like to old I'd definately take the GS.
 
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