R1200GS - Living With a Ticking Timebomb

[(RIP) Edvard Munch]

The day the banter stops is the day the site starts it's inexorable decline.

Much as we'd like to believe people visit sites like this only for technical information, useful as that is and polite reinforcement from nice people, in my experience that's far from the case.

There are lots of quiet little places on the web you can do that if that's what floats your boat.

On the flip side a site that tries to do nothing but banter is also doomed in the end and there are plenty of examples where people have tried that approach and failed too.

After many years the GS is still riding the crest of a wave and periodic new models keep the new punters rolling in but a lot of them will drift away to the next big thing.

Of course they'll not bother coming back to a dry technical site, however helpful it is, as there's no longer a need. They might stay on for a more invigorating experience tho'

I came here a few years ago as I was interested in buying a GS but for reasons I won't bore you with didn't. Much to the chagrin of some folk I stayed for the balance of technical help, just plain help and banter.

I'm now a few thousand miles into GSA ownership and greatly enjoying the experience but, GS or not, this is still one of the best 'forum' experiences still available IMHO.

Of course a few folk need to lighten up a bit but, if they did, boy would it be boring

 

[TLSgazza]

BMW GS1200 were never billed as indestructible tanks



Neil

If I remember correctly they were billed as "unstoppable" in the BMW adverts for years. Something that became very true when the abs on the missus's F800gs sent out wierd signals and the brakes failed a few times in the alps.
Anyway, quite a few problems with mine which have all been sorted out reasonably quickly under extended warranty, or by myself for things not covered by said warranty.
It's been a good 5 years but I'm going to be selling up soon and leaving the BMW circle.

 

[Mad_Accountant]

So, 41,000 miles in eight years and nothing (much) broke?

Wow. That's averaging almost 100 miles a week!

Ridiculous comment

 

[Mad_Accountant]

Coming to the 1200 technical section over the years has not been a joyous experience. It's not the newbies asking questions that have been asked before who make it more onerous than it should be but the gang who have never owned a 1200, or had a 20 minute test ride and think themselves an expert, or who have owned one for 5 minutes and decided it wasn't for them and keep on coming back to tell us why ad nauseum. Their comments are rarely useful or constructive.

They think it is amusing to make derogatory comments about the type of people who own a 1200. The comments were barely amusing back in 2004/5 when the 1200 first appeared and time has not been kind to their unfunny ramblings.

They keep on telling us what a piece of shit the 1200 is and how the older 1150/1100's are much superior.

I have no doubt there are owners out there who have had problems with their 1200's, but the same can be said of the 1150 and 1100's too. But taking the usual suspects seriously can lead to a bit of paranoia creeping in. The section would be much better if these people were more constructive in their comments and helpful, but I shouldn't be knocking the therapeutic value it has for those with low self esteem who feel the only way they can feel better is to keep on attacking others.

So, having bought a new 1200GS in July 2005 and finally selling it in June this year, what plethora of problems have I had with the bike, especially since the warranty expired in July 2007? Have I been knocking on the door of Steptoe or Steve Grover continually to sort out the problems?

In a word, no.

Here is a list of components I have had to replace since July 2007.

Battery x 2 (June 2008 and July 2011)
Seal behind alternator belt cover (October 2012)
Fuel pump controller (November 2012)

That's it! When I sold the bike it still had the original EWS, gearbox, clutch and final drive. I suspect my experience is echoed by many who either don't belong to forums or don't feel the need to post.

It has had the usual consumables over the years but it hasn't been heavy on brake pads and tyres, with BMW OEM front brake pads having a particularly good life. When sold it had just under 41000 miles on the clock and it had been used for a variety of tasks including touring, commuting to work and being used for instructing.

I replaced it with a 2012 GSA Triple Black which I kept for just under a year and did a run down to Javea in Spain in May, and a trip to the French Alps at the end of June. I sold this in September having done 6800 miles and replaced it with a Honda Crosstourer. There was nothing wrong with the GSA, it was a fine motorcycle and only showed one problem during my time with it (right indicator would come on at will, sorted with a new switch) but it was time to try something different.

So here's to a fine and capable motorcycle................................the R1200GS and GSA!!

Great posting, thanks.

Good luck with the Cross Tourer - any chance you'll be back sometime ?

 

[Steptoe]

The day the banter stops is the day the site starts it's inexorable decline.

Much as we'd like to believe people visit sites like this only for technical information, useful as that is and polite reinforcement from nice people, in my experience that's far from the case.

.

That's why i do so enjoy taking the piss while at the same time giving advice. And it usually gets remembered by others who have similar problems at a later date = double bubble help.

Just giving advice is so fecking boring .

I have trouble with my computer... i call up judge.
And rightfully get the piss taken out of me in a style that's an art form. .

 

[(RIP) Miff]

After all the comments stating how unreliable the 1200 hexhead is, imagine my surprise when after accidentally clicking onto the 850/1100/1150 oilhead section, I find that they seem to have just as many problems/reliability issues.

Apparently they get around this by calling them "Character"...

 

[Wapping]

I have trouble with my computer... i call up judge.
And rightfully get the piss taken out of me in a style that's an art form. .

Snap...

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

I have trouble with my computer... i call up judge.
And rightfully get the piss taken out of me in a style that's an art form. .

Same here, but he soon fixes it after a right Royal verbal fecking over

All part of the service we pay for

 

[mrtee43]

"The owners of the pre VTECs always slated the VTECs because, in their opinion, the VTEC was not as good as their chain driven cam jobbies. "

That should read " Gear driven cams" but I,m sure you knew that !

 

[mr badger]

There are some right wankers on this forum. And I don't mean tossers. Judgemental twats.

 

[birdseye]

You are being unrealistic. The question isnt whetherr everyone has problems with the 1200 or even whether a majority do so. Instead the question is whether more people have problems with the 1200 than do with say the crosstourer. And they do.

BMW have a quality image but the bike doesnt live up to this in reliability terms. It simply isnt Honda standard and Honda is 20% or more cheaper. That said I have just bought my third 1200gs for thecsame reason I bought a lotus rather than an mx5. Reliability isnt everything. Fun is.

 

[IJGser]

You are being unrealistic. The question isnt whetherr everyone has problems with the 1200 or even whether a majority do so. Instead the question is whether more people have problems with the 1200 than do with say the crosstourer. And they do.

BMW have a quality image but the bike doesnt live up to this in reliability terms. It simply isnt Honda standard and Honda is 20% or more cheaper. That said I have just bought my third 1200gs for thecsame reason I bought a lotus rather than an mx5. Reliability isnt everything. Fun is.

You wrote all that just so you could drop in the lotus didn't ya well I have a 8 year old mondeo and no GS but, I'm powered by my own smug self adorning appreciation.

 

[Fanum]

BMW have a quality image but the bike doesnt live up to this in reliability terms. It simply isnt Honda standard and Honda is 20% or more cheaper. That said I have just bought my third 1200gs for thecsame reason I bought a lotus rather than an mx5. Reliability isnt everything. Fun is.

I wonder if we were to gather the figures of miles ridden, adjusted for terrain, all year around use wear V summer only use and weights carried etc, would the perceived clash of reliability over projected image would hold up?

Genuine muse.......not provocation.

Personally, I doubt it would.

If I was setting off on a RTW tomorrow, a GS would be almost top of my list......not a new one I admit, not even the one I ride right now as my favourite GS version, but still, a BMW GS.

Equivalent mile for mile, I really doubt there are any other bikes that have notched up what the Gelande Strasse has, over the years

 

[Sgt Bilco]

I wonder if we were to gather the figures of miles ridden, adjusted for terrain, all year around use wear V summer only use and weights carried etc, would the perceived clash of reliability over projected image would hold up?

Genuine muse.......not provocation.

Personally, I doubt it would.

If I was setting off on a RTW tomorrow, a GS would be almost top of my list......not a new one I admit, not even the one I ride right now as my favourite GS version, but still, a BMW GS.

Equivalent mile for mile, I really doubt there are any other bikes that have notched up what the Gelande Strasse has, over the years

Spot on Bill There are 1000's of GS's out there doing all sorts of trips from the sunday bimble to RTW and most just get on with it. With the amount on the road any small issue will seem to be magnified. Using the cross dresser as a comparison is bollox because they have only sold about a dozen and most of those only go to Tesco as long as it's not raining

 

[Delboy777]

Spot on Bill There are 1000's of GS's out there doing all sorts of trips from the sunday bimble to RTW and most just get on with it. With the amount on the road any small issue will seem to be magnified. Using the cross dresser as a comparison is bollox because they have only sold about a dozen and most of those only go to Tesco as long as it's not raining

+1 thats exactly what i meant in post #17

 

[JerseyNeil]

"The owners of the pre VTECs always slated the VTECs because, in their opinion, the VTEC was not as good as their chain driven cam jobbies. "

That should read " Gear driven cams" but I,m sure you knew that !

Errr Yes. That's what I meant. What can I say I had a VTEC

Neil

 

[AndyBig]

I commute a return journey of 120 miles a day/on average 3 days a week all year round in all weather conditions except serious ice.

Over the past 7 years previously did this on an Aprilia Caponord and Moto Guzzi Stelvio, loved both bikes, especially the Caponord, but they both regularly let me down with small niggles.

I very reluctantly changed to a GS1200 TB, on the persuasive advice of an old mate who runs trips on GS's with Charley Borman across Africa. So far 12,000+ miles completely trouble free, so far best decision I ever made!

 

[Greenman14]

In 40 years of motorcycling, and don't ask how many miles, I got bored with counting, I have had the following roadside breakdowns

Fibre magneto drive gear on a Velocette (they all do that sir)
Starter motor failure on a Ducati Multistrada 1000
Fuel pump on a KTM 950 Supermoto (they all do that sir)

And a couple of punctures and a stone through the oil cooler of my new GS.

Bikes break down sometimes, but not very often. Enjoy.

 

[Dave56]

Despite the perceived badge of German quality and the high premium price of the product, while I loved riding my '07' GS I just got sick of the problems.
3 batteries
3 little "black" boxes
Rear wheel bearings
And the final straw a leaking rear shock after only 17,000 miles and that having never carried a pillion.
In spite of the various posts defending the GS, I personally didn't spend the thick end of 10,500k on supposedly "quality German engineering" to have so many bloody problems.
The fact that various posts have stated "BMW always covered the issue" does not excuse the fact that it should'nt have needed to be "covered" in the first place.
In spite of the "mines done a zillion miles without any problems" it has to be admitted that overall BMW are NOT the quality product we are all led to believe they are.
I recently spoke to a well respected and long established dealer who got rid of the franchise because of the constant stream of issues he was having with the GS's he sold. Say's it all really.

 

[zoot]

just a toy

bought a new gsa tb 61 plate before joining this site, otherwise I may still have my ktm 950 sm. with the problems the gs has itemised on the forums its a wonder they ever start in the dealers showrooms, when new, let alone after a few years of use. those who shout loudest or moan the most get noticed, usually southerners