STUBBS
undead
my clutch switch is playing up got to do a continuaty test on saturday
Reliability, the statistics.
- Thread starter Gas'd Off
- Start date
A blown bulb, a puncture & a dead RH indicator switch (promptly replaced under warranty) in 25000km 
Levelling out at 1 in 5 owners having serious failures. Anyone know how that compares to other brands? Maybe that is average? Seems the highest failure rate is the under ten thousand mile owners. How many of those folks sell say "I think I'll stick with Honda" 
On the upside though, 4 out of 5 owner have good reliability
On the upside though, 4 out of 5 owner have good reliability
Aurelius
Registered user
Atkule said:Levelling out at 1 in 5 owners having serious failures. Anyone know how that compares to other brands? Maybe that is average? Seems the highest failure rate is the under ten thousand mile owners. How many of those folks sell say "I think I'll stick with Honda"
On the upside though, 4 out of 5 owner have good reliability
Having been a member of various non-BMW owner's groups over the last ten year, my impression is that while the number of complaints is roughly the same, they differ in two important respects: the age/mileage of the bike in question, and the seriousness of the problems. Of the Japanese bikes I've owned, a few have had problems which seems to be typical of that model, but usually these problems only crop up on older bike, or ones with high mileage. You don't typically hear stories about transmissions or final drives failing within the first year or two, as you do on BMW owners forums. Secondly, the problems tend to be fairly minor. Certain model Hondas, for instance, are known for charging system problems. Usually this requires replacing a burned out regulator/rectifier. In rare cases, the alternator itself needs to be replaced. I've had this happen on three Hondas, but in each instance I was able to spot the problem early on, or limp home on a drained battery. In every case, I was able to make the repairs myself rather than having to take it back to the dealership. Had these bikes suffered a failed transmission or final drive, it would have left me stranded, the repairs would have been very expensive, and I wouldn't have been able to perform the work myself. It was this consideration (among others) that convinced me to sell my R1150GS; I simply couldn't trust the bike any longer on long road trips. As things turned out, my GS suffered a final drive failure just two weeks after I'd sold it.
Did 17,000+kms w/o any maintance on my 1100 to Iran in august month and back, only kicking it. The only bike i saw helplessly broken down was a jap (Yamaha Super Tenere 
)
Met Norwigean guy on 1200GS and he's been driving it 20,000+km since he bought it new for he's trip to China. And you should have seen he's riding style! He was an ex motocross rider and he works as an actor - very emotional mix. He had no technical problems on his 1200GS that's mostly known as the most unreliable GS ever. I thought that was me who's kicking the bike, but that norweigan had only 2 settings for throttle, on/off that is. He was soloing with lighter setup, so it was hard for me to keep up two up full of luggage. We spent fantastic (rather extreme) riding time together with him on potholed Elborz mountain roads in Iran. (Well, I ended up tightening my telelever bolt two times coz of suspension killing)
I think the truth is about that most of those guys who complain is that they know absolutely nothing about bike's technical side, or very little and let all the maintenance and repairs be done by dealers who doesn't give a shite about YOUR bike's health, meaning their job is NOT done with motivation and care = recipe for another brakedown. Guys who constanly monitor their bike's health by their own, doing all the maintenance and work on their own, have hundreds of K-s trouble free miles. Knowing your bike throughoutly means you know when and what to expect, you know weak spots, you know strong spots and you ride/maintain it accordingly. That goes to all bikes, not only GS.
That's my vision about the real truth and "huge complaint voices" that we hear much louder than from those lot of people having no complaints thus they're "silent" and just ride, they aren't internet addicted tossers like we mostly are, voting the polls and always moaning'n'bolloxing As you all know: it's always the bad news that makes the news.
Re: final drive bearing and seal - i consider them as a consumable parts i.e. like chains on chained bikes. I've done more than 60K on my both 1100s, that's on our legenarily shite tar roads and about half of it on gravel, and none have broken or leaked. BUTTT EVEN if they'd broke down constantly on some every 30Ks i'd still prefer the paralever shaft any time above pain-in-the-arse chain (for me, even with scottoiler). I'm carrying the main bearing and seal with me on travels, they take very little space, times less than a chain set (that "GSers spare chain set" is about 3X cheaper than a chain+sprocket set for chained bikes, btw if you didn't know
). You find hot exhaust on your bike and a freezer (if can't find bearing puller) anywhere in the world meaning you can replace it on the road knowing how to do it just like replacing a chain set.
Bottom line: would take my trusty 1100 RTW today.
)Met Norwigean guy on 1200GS and he's been driving it 20,000+km since he bought it new for he's trip to China. And you should have seen he's riding style! He was an ex motocross rider and he works as an actor - very emotional mix. He had no technical problems on his 1200GS that's mostly known as the most unreliable GS ever. I thought that was me who's kicking the bike, but that norweigan had only 2 settings for throttle, on/off that is. He was soloing with lighter setup, so it was hard for me to keep up two up full of luggage. We spent fantastic (rather extreme) riding time together with him on potholed Elborz mountain roads in Iran. (Well, I ended up tightening my telelever bolt two times coz of suspension killing
) I think the truth is about that most of those guys who complain is that they know absolutely nothing about bike's technical side, or very little and let all the maintenance and repairs be done by dealers who doesn't give a shite about YOUR bike's health, meaning their job is NOT done with motivation and care = recipe for another brakedown. Guys who constanly monitor their bike's health by their own, doing all the maintenance and work on their own, have hundreds of K-s trouble free miles. Knowing your bike throughoutly means you know when and what to expect, you know weak spots, you know strong spots and you ride/maintain it accordingly. That goes to all bikes, not only GS.
That's my vision about the real truth and "huge complaint voices" that we hear much louder than from those lot of people having no complaints thus they're "silent" and just ride, they aren't internet addicted tossers like we mostly are, voting the polls and always moaning'n'bolloxing
As you all know: it's always the bad news that makes the news. Re: final drive bearing and seal - i consider them as a consumable parts i.e. like chains on chained bikes. I've done more than 60K on my both 1100s, that's on our legenarily shite tar roads and about half of it on gravel, and none have broken or leaked. BUTTT EVEN if they'd broke down constantly on some every 30Ks i'd still prefer the paralever shaft any time above pain-in-the-arse chain (for me, even with scottoiler). I'm carrying the main bearing and seal with me on travels, they take very little space, times less than a chain set (that "GSers spare chain set" is about 3X cheaper than a chain+sprocket set for chained bikes, btw if you didn't know
). You find hot exhaust on your bike and a freezer (if can't find bearing puller) anywhere in the world meaning you can replace it on the road knowing how to do it just like replacing a chain set. Bottom line: would take my trusty 1100 RTW today.
bmwdumptruck
Guest
I assume the fact that my 2000 1150 with 42k spent all of Easter back in the comforts of the dealers worshop comes under 'getting all my spanners out'?
Well it did, and its done 39 miles since and the oil leak form the bellhousing is back again. Good job it's under warranty.
I had an 11rs a few years back, took it from 8k to 24k in less than 2 years, no real major breakdowns, but the constant fettling to keep it right and then both head gaskets blowing in France on holiday brought the affair to an end,and gave me my name of bmwdumptruck.
Always wanted a GS, and in Jan this year bought one. I kind of hoped the 1150 engine would be better than the 1100. And that the GS chassis would suite the utility flat twin engine better than a sport tourer RS. And I suppose it does, but the Blackbird that has been my main bike since the RS still sits in the garage, and as the GS is spending so much time in the dealers, its now taxed and back on the road.
But now I have a dilemma. Which to take to Austria in July?
The GS is hardly developing 'Trust', but has full warranty, inc breakdown and insurance cover etc. But its panniers are tiny and I have to carry everything for two.
The Bird has full Givi luggage thats done two trips already, and it's never missed a beat. The most annoying thing is getting the scottoiler to work properly, rather than dumping the whole lot on the chain in 100 miles or none at all in 500 miles.
Two recent similar distance trips, one on each, have also proved the Bird to be more comfortable as well.
So it looks like I'm taking the Bird again, even though I'll have to buy insurance and extend my RAC cover to europe even though I won't need it.
My misses say's I have to sell one of them, but the GS was so much fun, especially in Jan and Feb in the crap weather, but can I justify so much expence for a winter hack...
I can see the Bird going in the local rag, but for a few thou over what its worth just to keep her quite for a while
Well it did, and its done 39 miles since and the oil leak form the bellhousing is back again. Good job it's under warranty.
I had an 11rs a few years back, took it from 8k to 24k in less than 2 years, no real major breakdowns, but the constant fettling to keep it right and then both head gaskets blowing in France on holiday brought the affair to an end,and gave me my name of bmwdumptruck.
Always wanted a GS, and in Jan this year bought one. I kind of hoped the 1150 engine would be better than the 1100. And that the GS chassis would suite the utility flat twin engine better than a sport tourer RS. And I suppose it does, but the Blackbird that has been my main bike since the RS still sits in the garage, and as the GS is spending so much time in the dealers, its now taxed and back on the road.
But now I have a dilemma. Which to take to Austria in July?
The GS is hardly developing 'Trust', but has full warranty, inc breakdown and insurance cover etc. But its panniers are tiny and I have to carry everything for two.
The Bird has full Givi luggage thats done two trips already, and it's never missed a beat. The most annoying thing is getting the scottoiler to work properly, rather than dumping the whole lot on the chain in 100 miles or none at all in 500 miles.
Two recent similar distance trips, one on each, have also proved the Bird to be more comfortable as well.
So it looks like I'm taking the Bird again, even though I'll have to buy insurance and extend my RAC cover to europe even though I won't need it.
My misses say's I have to sell one of them, but the GS was so much fun, especially in Jan and Feb in the crap weather, but can I justify so much expence for a winter hack...
I can see the Bird going in the local rag, but for a few thou over what its worth just to keep her quite for a while
TENTOONE
Guest
Keep the Bird. The day BMW wins a Moto GP is the day they match Honda for reliability etc. Someone wrote here serious GS problems running at one in five bikes? Thats horrendous.
I try not to read these threads as I'm still trying to build up my confidence in the GS.
The problem is I've come from many happy & trouble free continental trips on several VFR's without a single problem for the last 8 years .
I've been a pretty active member of the vfr club & have never heard of one gear box failure in 8 years.The only common fault is Reg/Rec which can you believe Honda will stand by for 5 years.These can be replaced for about £60 anyway.
Ok I can hear you say well wtf did you get a GS well I guess it's when in the Alpes etc every other bikes a GS & I wanted to slow down a bit I love riding it & can't wait to do my first trip around the Alsace on it.
It's also just something I feel I have to get out of my system .Now if I get many thousand trouble free miles I'll be a very happy bunny if I don't I somehow think it'll be back to Honda which I sincerely hope doesn't happen.
So please for us newbies to the GS world lets have loads of positive points
The problem is I've come from many happy & trouble free continental trips on several VFR's without a single problem for the last 8 years .
I've been a pretty active member of the vfr club & have never heard of one gear box failure in 8 years.The only common fault is Reg/Rec which can you believe Honda will stand by for 5 years.These can be replaced for about £60 anyway.
Ok I can hear you say well wtf did you get a GS well I guess it's when in the Alpes etc every other bikes a GS & I wanted to slow down a bit I love riding it & can't wait to do my first trip around the Alsace on it.
It's also just something I feel I have to get out of my system .Now if I get many thousand trouble free miles I'll be a very happy bunny if I don't I somehow think it'll be back to Honda which I sincerely hope doesn't happen.
So please for us newbies to the GS world lets have loads of positive points
TENTOONE
Guest
Talking of reliability, it would appear the buying public is finally voting with its feet: I read just yesterday in a motorcycle trade journal BMW motorcylce sales for the last quater were down 10% as opposed to the likes of Yamaha which were up 22.5%. Infact it appeared BMW was the only maufacturer to suffer such a turn off in sales.
Damn lies and statistics huh?
Damn lies and statistics huh?
TENTOONE
Guest
I ride a Honda these days. Sorry
TENTOONE said:
Which journal was that then?
Bigtwin
Guest
Aurelius said:Having been a member of various non-BMW owner's groups over the last ten year, my impression is that while the number of complaints is roughly the same, they differ in two important respects: the age/mileage of the bike in question, and the seriousness of the problems. Of the Japanese bikes I've owned, a few have had problems which seems to be typical of that model, but usually these problems only crop up on older bike, or ones with high mileage. You don't typically hear stories about transmissions or final drives failing within the first year or two, as you do on BMW owners forums. Secondly, the problems tend to be fairly minor. Certain model Hondas, for instance, are known for charging system problems. Usually this requires replacing a burned out regulator/rectifier. In rare cases, the alternator itself needs to be replaced. I've had this happen on three Hondas, but in each instance I was able to spot the problem early on, or limp home on a drained battery. In every case, I was able to make the repairs myself rather than having to take it back to the dealership. Had these bikes suffered a failed transmission or final drive, it would have left me stranded, the repairs would have been very expensive, and I wouldn't have been able to perform the work myself. It was this consideration (among others) that convinced me to sell my R1150GS; I simply couldn't trust the bike any longer on long road trips. As things turned out, my GS suffered a final drive failure just two weeks after I'd sold it.
Seems a pretty fair analysis. But let's face it, who actually buys a BM for reliability these days anyway?
Soon as Honda makes a shaftie bike with Paralever type suspension, BM are dead in the water.
Ian916
Registered user
slight problem with this poll. I do not own a GS (yet) so should not vote, but I cannot see the results until I vote So could this poll be edited to include a button for me?? Or perhaps I am just being difficult? 
So could this poll be edited to include a button for me?? Or perhaps I am just being difficult? 
Bigtwin said:
Inclined to agree with that..........
Echo some of whats been said. My 1200 Gs has had more problems in the 20 months I've had it than 1 Kawasaki and Hondas too many to mention that I've previously owned. I've said it before, and will say it again now, I don't believe that the 1200 Gs has earned it's place as a premium model. Over the weekend the bike cut out twice for no apparent reason which I can add to the other problems I've encountered.
I'm becoming a little concerned re the press always stating that the reliabilty of the bike is second to none. It seems to fly in tha face of my, and others experiences. Mind you the press still refer to the VFR 400 as being a sweet handling bike despite the fact that many are over 10 yrs old and are knackered. that the down pipes of a ZZR 600 are prone to rotting and need replacing within a couple of years etc etc. I suspect they may be trotting out the old platitudes and not examining the facts!
I'm becoming a little concerned re the press always stating that the reliabilty of the bike is second to none. It seems to fly in tha face of my, and others experiences. Mind you the press still refer to the VFR 400 as being a sweet handling bike despite the fact that many are over 10 yrs old and are knackered. that the down pipes of a ZZR 600 are prone to rotting and need replacing within a couple of years etc etc. I suspect they may be trotting out the old platitudes and not examining the facts!
I'm so dense 
beermonster
Registered user
I ticked 50 - 100,000 no probs, I have a 2001 1150 which has 81,000 miles on the clock, just did not qualify my vote sorry so here goes.
I have had the bike from new, I have replaced the final drive bearing around 65,000 miles, the battery around 70,000 and one fork seal around 75,000 miles. I do my own servicing and use the bike every day, plus a couple couple of continetal trips a year.
I regard the above items as consumables, as people have already said replacing one bearing is cheaper than maybe four chain and sprocket sets. Have decided to hang onto this ugly beast as it just won't go away. My partner does not drive and I hate cars so the carrying capacity of the bus is a must, particularly as we tent it.
Finish well lets just say it looks like a dog, but I rarely clean it so that's maybe down to me (Stainless fastner kit has perked her up) . It has been reliable and cheap to run, easy peasey servicing and well cheap on tyres and insurance. Thanks Mr BMW!!!
Ok until it spew it's ring!
I have had the bike from new, I have replaced the final drive bearing around 65,000 miles, the battery around 70,000 and one fork seal around 75,000 miles. I do my own servicing and use the bike every day, plus a couple couple of continetal trips a year.
I regard the above items as consumables, as people have already said replacing one bearing is cheaper than maybe four chain and sprocket sets. Have decided to hang onto this ugly beast as it just won't go away.
My partner does not drive and I hate cars so the carrying capacity of the bus is a must, particularly as we tent it.Finish well lets just say it looks like a dog, but I rarely clean it so that's maybe down to me (Stainless fastner kit has perked her up) . It has been reliable and cheap to run, easy peasey servicing and well cheap on tyres and insurance. Thanks Mr BMW!!!
Ok until it spew it's ring!
955matt
Registered user
Hi,I'm new here but thought i would cast my vote.:1999 1150gs with 43k on the clock when i bought it last month now has 46k, had service history up to 18k then only an oil change here and there 
Now had full service and only found normal service items needed replacing,looks a bit tatty here and there only because of not being looked after before.
My other bike is a ducati 916 which every one said would be unreliable
but have had it four years and put 10k on it and had no problems.
Being a mechanic for twenty years means i probably have a bit more sympathy for my bikes,but I believe that if you treat them right and look after them and ride round there faults instead of making an issue out of them you will have a much better time together.
Thats not to say my bikes get an easy life as both have seen track time.
Hope they both dont read this and play up now
Matt
Now had full service and only found normal service items needed replacing,looks a bit tatty here and there only because of not being looked after before.
My other bike is a ducati 916 which every one said would be unreliable
but have had it four years and put 10k on it and had no problems.Being a mechanic for twenty years means i probably have a bit more sympathy for my bikes,but I believe that if you treat them right and look after them and ride round there faults instead of making an issue out of them you will have a much better time together.
Thats not to say my bikes get an easy life as both have seen track time.
Hope they both dont read this and play up now
Matt
