Reliability

[Bimble Yonder]

Always seeing posts from troubled owners on how reliable or unreliable the 1200 GS is or is not. Mine has been laid up in the garage through the long cold winter and I'm happy to report that it started first time after leaving her all lone for the last fourteen weeks. The once a week optimiser saved the battery and renewed my faith in good old German engineering.

By the way, I'd recommend three months on the lash in Singapore to anyone as a cure all for the winter blues!,

 

[gipsymagpie]

Depends how you use it...

Yep, totally reliable when not used and kept in a garage. It's the damn riding that b$%%£$ks things up.

 

[forest biker]

Always seeing posts from troubled owners on how reliable or unreliable the 1200 GS is or is not. Mine has been laid up in the garage through the long cold winter and I'm happy to report that it started first time after leaving her all lone for the last fourteen weeks. The once a week optimiser saved the battery and renewed my faith in good old German engineering.

By the way, I'd recommend three months on the lash in Singapore to anyone as a cure all for the winter blues!,

If id just spent 3 mths in singapore on the lash , i wouldnt give a s**t if it started or not but glad it did for you

 

[JPB]

Had my '04 GS just over five years, ride it all year round and take it touring in Europe every year and it's been 100% reliable. Although you will hear reports from unlucky people who've had problems, the large majority of us are enjoying trouble-free biking. They're really great bikes!

 

[mr badger]

Mine sat outside when I was ill for 10 weeks without being ridden. Ice and snow, no cover. Started first poke. 30 month old battery, you know, the rubbish OEM ones.

Really don't see the obsession folk have with keeping bikes on an Optimate.

 

[Monty]

30 month old battery, you know, the rubbish OEM ones.

Oh you mean the top quality OEM ones like the one that died suddenly after about a year on my bike.

Don't forget the top quality OEM brake discs that I needed to have replaced under warranty too.

Still love the bike, though. She's great.

Matt

 

[Poley]

Hmm, when I hear that someone's been on the lash in Singapore, I don't automatically think of that as a good time ... I hope the marks have faded

 

[ianran]

Hmm, when I hear that someone's been on the lash in Singapore, I don't automatically think of that as a good time ... I hope the marks have faded

Yep, very committed those S&M folks

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

Mine sat outside when I was ill for 10 weeks without being ridden. Ice and snow, no cover. Started first poke. 30 month old battery, you know, the rubbish OEM ones.

Really don't see the obsession folk have with keeping bikes on an Optimate.

click click click click click click click click click click

 

[Rasher]

My ZZR knackered a battery at warranty +1 month - just how they are designed never expected top quality OEM one, but it worked for 2 years and probably only died because I left it for two months..

I have charged up my GS battery a couple of times over the winter just to be sure, I could blab on about not having to do that with my car, but that is used almost every day, I bet if I left it sat for 4-6 months it would not start.

A battery is a consumable....that often outlasts the Final Drive Unit - a pity you cannot get a better one of them for £50.