drdata
Guest
Also posted at ADV rider.
Just hit 10K miles on the Rotes Panzer today and figured I would celebrate with a short report. With little exception all miles are on super slab hauling my 230 + arse to work and back; one-up with just a tail bag.
The bike is an R1200GS with integral ABS, heated grips, spoke wheels, Tourances, and an August 04 build date.
Modifications:
Added hyperlights deluxe (running and brake lights)
HB crash bars
Martin Fab. Light bar w/Hella ff50s
Freeway blaster low-note horn, no relay direct to OEM harness
Scorpio 1 bike alarm, no ignition interlock or proximity
Remus revolution can, aluminum, baffle long gone; y-pipe being considered
Cee Baily +3 +4, which I have removed for summer (back to stock)
Service:
I have had the dealer perform both .6k and 6k service. To my knowledge no recall actions or updated fuel maps, and I asked.
I changed the oil/filter each 3K with castrol 20/50. I wasted money once on Motul, until I understood wet/dry clutch.
Rear pads were all but gone at 9K. Replaced with sintered version and suspect that originals were (incorrectly) organics.
I got a twinmax and did TPS at 4K; found it was one index off at full sensitivity just after dealer 6K service.
I needed about.5 quarts between the 6K service and 9K change. I pretty much followed the manual for break in, but did rev beyond 4k now and then. After 600 miles I started riding as I planned to ride it. I have had no issue with the charging system, but have only gone a maximum of 7 days w/o operation. When I do start the puppy, its 42 miles before she sleeps again, so charging should not be an issue. I run 89 octain (mid grade), and get about 42 MPH splitting LA traffic.
Problems have been few and far between, and none have forced a get off:
Loose bash plate upon delivery. Tech added washer, fixed.
Around 8K miles I picked up a shimmy with front brake at speed. Scheduled for dealer analysis this Friday, I tried sanding down pad deposit and reseating to no avail. I expect a warped rotor diagnosis. I never ride two up, nor do I carry bags. Aside from some ABS/residual brake test I have not hammered the breaks. I’ll update thread with the outcome. I have heard of several warped rotor warranty replacements, despite the “myth of warped rotors” and all that.
I had a yellow engine error once, along with erratic idle. Power off, reset throttle, and issue never reappeared. I think this was due to turning throttle during POST while removing from center stand.
I think this is about it. I feel compelled to mention that I have not (touch wood) had any weirdness w/servos or ABS. I had a tendency to use almost all rear-brake and have had ice-patch when riding lane separator bumps. I have not had an issue with only front braking (linked, I know), in similar situations. Hard to remember now if the front let go when the rear was hopping (anti-stoppie), but the solution (with stock shocks) was to use front brake, which is better form anyway, especially given the ABS factor.
I bought this bike because I believed that the GS/Dakar type bikes were bullet proof chick magnets. Although the miles have been slab, I seriously had to consider getting to work via fire road/wash in the event of another earthquake induced f-way collapse. No gold wing for me. So far this has been the best bike I have ever owned, but I have only owned 3, and this one costs 6X more than my other rides (Honda Xl350, 85, bought new, Honda XL 600, 86, bought used).
So far the bike has been extremely reliable, but I am a bit disheartened by all the talk on these boards of servo problems, FD failures and the mysterious spline lubage. I have to admit that I came into this feeling that BMW was beyond reproach in matters of QC and engineering. Perhaps a typical victim of marquee marketing…. I try to temper all this against the understanding that it is folks w/problems that squeak the loudest, and hope that we just do not here from all the folks with 600K on the original FD because they are too busy touring. It is these feeling that have prompted me to share my experience, the hope being a bit more balance.
Cheers and ride safe.
Just hit 10K miles on the Rotes Panzer today and figured I would celebrate with a short report. With little exception all miles are on super slab hauling my 230 + arse to work and back; one-up with just a tail bag.
The bike is an R1200GS with integral ABS, heated grips, spoke wheels, Tourances, and an August 04 build date.
Modifications:
Added hyperlights deluxe (running and brake lights)
HB crash bars
Martin Fab. Light bar w/Hella ff50s
Freeway blaster low-note horn, no relay direct to OEM harness
Scorpio 1 bike alarm, no ignition interlock or proximity
Remus revolution can, aluminum, baffle long gone; y-pipe being considered
Cee Baily +3 +4, which I have removed for summer (back to stock)
Service:
I have had the dealer perform both .6k and 6k service. To my knowledge no recall actions or updated fuel maps, and I asked.
I changed the oil/filter each 3K with castrol 20/50. I wasted money once on Motul, until I understood wet/dry clutch.
Rear pads were all but gone at 9K. Replaced with sintered version and suspect that originals were (incorrectly) organics.
I got a twinmax and did TPS at 4K; found it was one index off at full sensitivity just after dealer 6K service.
I needed about.5 quarts between the 6K service and 9K change. I pretty much followed the manual for break in, but did rev beyond 4k now and then. After 600 miles I started riding as I planned to ride it. I have had no issue with the charging system, but have only gone a maximum of 7 days w/o operation. When I do start the puppy, its 42 miles before she sleeps again, so charging should not be an issue. I run 89 octain (mid grade), and get about 42 MPH splitting LA traffic.
Problems have been few and far between, and none have forced a get off:
Loose bash plate upon delivery. Tech added washer, fixed.
Around 8K miles I picked up a shimmy with front brake at speed. Scheduled for dealer analysis this Friday, I tried sanding down pad deposit and reseating to no avail. I expect a warped rotor diagnosis. I never ride two up, nor do I carry bags. Aside from some ABS/residual brake test I have not hammered the breaks. I’ll update thread with the outcome. I have heard of several warped rotor warranty replacements, despite the “myth of warped rotors” and all that.
I had a yellow engine error once, along with erratic idle. Power off, reset throttle, and issue never reappeared. I think this was due to turning throttle during POST while removing from center stand.
I think this is about it. I feel compelled to mention that I have not (touch wood) had any weirdness w/servos or ABS. I had a tendency to use almost all rear-brake and have had ice-patch when riding lane separator bumps. I have not had an issue with only front braking (linked, I know), in similar situations. Hard to remember now if the front let go when the rear was hopping (anti-stoppie), but the solution (with stock shocks) was to use front brake, which is better form anyway, especially given the ABS factor.
I bought this bike because I believed that the GS/Dakar type bikes were bullet proof chick magnets. Although the miles have been slab, I seriously had to consider getting to work via fire road/wash in the event of another earthquake induced f-way collapse. No gold wing for me. So far this has been the best bike I have ever owned, but I have only owned 3, and this one costs 6X more than my other rides (Honda Xl350, 85, bought new, Honda XL 600, 86, bought used).
So far the bike has been extremely reliable, but I am a bit disheartened by all the talk on these boards of servo problems, FD failures and the mysterious spline lubage. I have to admit that I came into this feeling that BMW was beyond reproach in matters of QC and engineering. Perhaps a typical victim of marquee marketing…. I try to temper all this against the understanding that it is folks w/problems that squeak the loudest, and hope that we just do not here from all the folks with 600K on the original FD because they are too busy touring. It is these feeling that have prompted me to share my experience, the hope being a bit more balance.
Cheers and ride safe.
