Serious design and security fault

[chad]

Thanks David, you really are a w'anchor (I hope I got that right at least, it's great having this club name, isn't it)

Where's the tool kit, so I can look for the starry wheel bolt key?

in the case with the flowery drivers next to the tub of sparkly sprinkle stuff,,

on another note if you drive a car with something sticking out at the side you could fall foul of the boys in blue

how have we got away with the big sticky out bits on our bikes,,surely these are a health hazard

 

[chad]

I'm sure a fellow 1200 owner will be able point this out for you (my 1100 doesn't have locking wheel nuts).

Don't forget to locate and familiarise yourself with the jack.

do they come with a crane then

 

[Zoomboxer]

I have looked again.

The bolts are starry, not like anything else I have ever seen.

Are these normal?

I am sure they are not. I am now worried I may have been given a bike with the wrong bolts.

Who can I talk to about it?

Thank you for your support.

If it wasn't for you guys I wouldn't have a clue.

See your first post - this is BMW's attempt at reducing the theft of rear wheels. Research has shown that the screwdriver of choice for thieves is a Flat Headed Blade Screwdriver which means your wheels are now safe as it will not fit your starry bolts. However, this is not apparent to your normal mouth breathing wheel nicker and he/she will attempt to have them off. To save your starry bolt heads getting chewed up (they are of cheap manufacture anyway) it is recommended that when you park up you loosen the bolts with the correct tool enabling them to be removed by hand only. If the wheel is still there please do not forget to do them up again before riding off.

 

[karlp]

I have an easy solution to this common problem.

Put the bike on its centre stand then .............. put a brick under the back wheel.

It is now upright and both wheels are on the ground

 

[DavidJames]

Thanks David, you really are a w'anchor (I hope I got that right at least, it's great having this club name, isn't it)

Where's the tool kit, so I can look for the starry wheel bolt key?

No problem Wapping

To be honest you sound like a bit of a d!ck head, so you had probably best take it to an expert to take a look for you. There is an excellent independant mechanic on this very forum called 'Steptoe' who is quite local to you. I would strongly suggest just arriving at his home, completely unannounced, preferably outside of business hours and telling him to help you.

Do let us know how you get on.

If for some unknown reason you need the help of a good Proctologist after your visit to Steptoe and you can no longer find the keys to your bike, there are a few forum members that might be able to help.

 

[HORIZONTALLY OPPOSED]

That is just offensive.

If you do not have anything positive to contribute. Don't bother!

Jeez!

Which part, the catching the bus? it's not as offensive as it sounds, some of the people using them are reputedly quite nice. You may find a pushbike is the answer, you can get folding ones I believe, they take very little space up, you have to unfold them to ride of course otherwise they prove to be quite uncomfortable & handling becomes an issue............not sure what oil is used on the chain I'm afraid but confident some nice Tosser will be willing to share this information with you, possibly even let you have a sample to try.

 

[Wapping]

I have an easy solution to this common problem.

Put the bike on its centre stand then .............. put a brick under the back wheel.

It is now upright and both wheels are on the ground

Got it!

I could take a brick out of one of the brick filled panniers.

But will it mean I will have to carry a spare brick, to keep everthing in ballance? Someone told me that it is vital to be ballanced.

On a really positive note, I am sure I once heard that some bricks have sort of dents in them. They are called toads, I think. Am I right?

If so these will be useful as I can keep things in the gaps. There doesn't seem to be much space anywhere for anything, so I may have found a useful tip for everyone by accident. Crikey, I do hope so.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

No problem Wapping

To be honest you sound like a bit of a d!ck head, so you had probably best take it to an expert to take a look for you. There is an excellent independant mechanic on this very forum called 'Steptoe' who is quite local to you. I would strongly suggest just arriving at his home, completely unannounced, preferably outside of business hours and telling him to help you.

Do let us know how you get on.

If for some unknown reason you need the help of a good Proctologist after your visit to Steptoe and you can no longer find the keys to your bike, there are a few forum members that might be able to help.

Problem is, this so call expert Steptoe, is feckin luddite and won't touch 1200's so you may find more than your keys where the sun don't shine.

Richard, I would suggest you ring "technical" and I'm sure they will have the answer

Oh, and have you read the manual perchance or is this wheel problem not covered? I'm sure it's in section 61 paragraph 14 1/2 but I better go and check.

 

[DavidJames]

Got it!

I could take a brick out of one of the brick filled panniers.

But will it mean I will have to carry a spare brick, to keep everthing in ballance? Someone told me that it is vital to be ballanced.

On a really positive note, I am sure I once heard that some bricks have sort of dents in them. They are called toads, I think. Am I right?

If so these will be useful as I can keep things in the gaps. There doesn't seem to be much space anywhere for anything, so I may have found a useful tip for everyone by accident. Crikey, I do hope so.

Again you are falling into a common newbie mistake. You need to get either an 'air brick' or and engineering brick. These bricks were designed by Touratech as they have lots of holes drilled into them (like their bash plates and other aluminium proctetion parts). This not only increases air flow, but critical reduces weight without losing strength and provides handy additional storage space.

 

[karlp]

Again you are falling into a common newbie mistake. You need to get either an 'air brick' or and engineering brick. These bricks were designed by Touratech as they have lots of holes drilled into them (like their bash plates and other aluminium proctetion parts). This not only increases air flow, but critical reduces weight without losing strength and provides handy additional storage space.

This has got me thinking !!!!

Why not have a hollow brick and then fill it with Hydrogen.

That way the more you put in the panniers the less thay will weigh -- so when you take it out of the pannier the back end will actually drop slightly.

The bike will also weight less so the wimps can pick them up unaided.

 

[DavidHale]

Well, whenever I'm staying in strange places or Wales I always take the wheels off and carry them up to my room, that way none of the local ruffians can steal them.
What sort of bags do people put their wheels in when they carry them up to their rooms? Do BMW do a special set for this purpose? I think they should!!

 

[DavidJames]

This has got me thinking !!!!

Why not have a hollow brick and then fill it with Hydrogen.

That way the more you put in the panniers the less thay will weigh -- so when you take it out of the pannier the back end will actually drop slightly.

The bike will also weight less so the wimps can pick them up unaided.

It is a fine idea in theory, but where would you carry all of the tools and spares need for an around the world expidition (even though you are only going to Tesco)?

I guess that's where the ubiqitous tosser dry bag and tie down straps come into their own

 

[John Armstrong]

Does anyone have any ideas?

Yes thanks

 

[Dainese Brave]

On a really positive note, I am sure I once heard that some bricks have sort of dents in them. They are called toads, I think. Am I right?

Wapping....these 'spaces' in the bricks are actually called frogs and not toads.

.....I only mention this cos if you go into your local BMW dealers and ask for the special BMW anti-theft wheel chock bricks with the 'toads' in them, for storage in your panniers...then using the wrong term will only cause much merriment to the parts department and make you look a little silly.

hope that helps

 

[Deleted Account 180923001]

I have been looking at my 1200 and am very worried.

I have just noticed that when the motorcycle is parked up on its centre stand (that is a puff I can tell you) the rear wheel is right off the ground. This is an appalling technical design fault and needs to be remedied at once, through a recall at the very least.

The rear wheel is hung on with just a few bolts open to easy access. I am very worried that when I am away anyone could just remove the wheel and have it away. At least proper motorcycles seem to have a chain to hold the rear wheel on, why can't BMW do the same?

What happens when I am asleep in my bed? Anyone could do it and I wouldn't notice until I rode off.

I had thought about leaving the panniers on, weighed down with bricks, as they would at least hold the rear wheel on the ground, making a thief's job more difficult. But that only lifts the front wheel off the ground and a thief will steal that. The front wheel security is dreadful, even fewer bolts than the back and very small at that. Do BMW not know how important a front wheel is? When that is off, I think the front will drop down and the back wheel come up, again. Am I right? It is a very worrying position to be in.

Do BMW not have any common sense? This is an expensive around the world motorcycle but badly let down by shoddy design. I often leave my motorcycle unattended for up to 20 minutes in Tesco's carpark, who knows what could happen? I wish I had thought about it before I had bought it. I bet they hope people steal the wheels, as we will have to buy news ones. How much are they, by the way and where can I get them? Maybe I should carry a spare, does anyone do that? Pictures, please so I can see.

Is everyone's bike like this, or just mine?

Does anyone have any ideas?

Bugger, you're right. I'd never have realised this till you pointed it out. Thing is, being the law abiding cit. that I am, I felt that I had a moral, if indeed, not a legal obligation to inform my insurance company of this flaw. I called BMW insurance who agreed, the rear wheel could easily be stolen but fortunately came to my assitance. They simply mentioned the phrase 'extra risk' and asked me to withdraw my credit card from my wallet and give them the 16 digits ...... I can now relax and thank you for bring this to mine and BMW Insurances' attention.

gordo'

ps. BMW Insurance must allow their staff to watch comedy programs on TV during work, cos I could hear a load of laughter in the background.

 

[Toad]

Rather then risk it being stolen I have kept my original 1200 in my garage for the last 3 years

Have you considered removing the rear wheel and carrying it with you round Tesco?

 

[Thunder]

I have looked again.

The bolts are starry, not like anything else I have ever seen.

Are these normal?

I am sure they are not. I am now worried I may have been given a bike with the wrong bolts.

Who can I talk to about it?

Thank you for your support.

If it wasn't for you guys I wouldn't have a clue.

I've just searched "starry" on the site and found 28 separate threads containing that word.

Seems like it might be a common problem, I'll go and read them and let you know.

 

[chad]

I've just searched "starfish" on the site and found 28 separate threads containing that word. and the word chocolate

and now your thinking is this related to all 1200 posts

 

[Dainese Brave]

This thread certainly has made me wonder.....

.....Wapping is right, and I've never really realised the serious nature of the threat my GSA is inflicting on me.

For instance....

....the weight! What are BMW thinking of???
Imagine the damage a machine of that weight would cause if it landed on me!!!...it would only have to topple over on me and I'd be a goner!...even worse if it landed on a neighbour, or pedestrian, resulting in a hefty lawsuit against me!
Surely making a machine that heavy is corporate neglect, and I'm going to demand a lighter bike under warranty!

.....then there's the all those times when I park it, and result in putting myself in peril from thieves and muggers who would slit my throat just to steal my panniers...or wheels...or bricks that I carry in my panniers to protect my wheels!

...and what about the petrol?!?! Not only do they make what is a lethal ball of metal killing machine...they then fill it full of petrol so it's a bloody bomb too!!! It's ridiculous, and BMW must be called to task on this one!!

I'm going to demand a full refund as soon as I can!!

....or a warning sticker to place on my handguard to make all the problems disappear.

 

[Thunder]

and now your thinking is this related to all 1200 posts

Yah bugger, actually had to check my own post!!!