servo question 1150rt

[slimpickings]

After reading loads of horror stories on here about the servo going tits

I am now in a mild state of paranoia

I have a 2004 rt low miles and am going off on a 14 day trip soon
The brakes on mine are spot on at the mo

My question is .. Is there any warning that there is a servo problem


Does it leave you with NO brakes

Would it be possible to ride it with a nacked servo

Why do they fail?. Is it poor maintenance?
Mine has recently had a full fluid change by main dealer

Do they pack up at higher mileage or what

Do they all do it?

Obviously if it packs up in the middle of the Alps it could get tricky


Bollox Bollox Bollox I like this bike ... but this bloody servo thing is pissing me off

 

[Myke Rocks]

Check the surveys on these items.

When you check the surveys (on this site) on these braking systems, you will find your paranoia is unjustified.
Like myself, the vast majority have had no problems.
I have now covered 35,000 miles with them, and love them.
Others, I am sorry to say, have been less fortunate, but the vast majority, like myself, have found them troublefree and are happy with them.
If they should fail, you still retain braking, albeit with much heavier brake lever and pedal inputs.
If you wish to discover how heavy, just turn off the ignition whilst freewheeling and try the brakes.
Myke

 

[graham2400]

R1150RT servo failure

Hello Slim

There's not too much reliable information on the net about failure rates of these servo things, but here is my experience . . . .

I had my 1150 RT from brand new, at 3 years and 2 months ownership ( MJ51 BNX where are you now ?) approx 20,000 miles at the time, one day while camping at Craven Arms, on start up the "brake failure" light flashed at 4 Hertz indicating no servo system. No warning whatsoever. It wasn't lying, the servo was dead. Faced with the options of 'AA relay' or 'give it a go' I decided to ride home (about 80 miles). I did get home, and yes, non servo brakes were rubbish but they did kind of work with a really big handfull, you wouldn't enjoy a long journey on them due to the self imposed timidity (big gaps needed between anything in front), but I reckon I could ride back from the Alps on them if they failed rather than the worry of getting the bike ferried back by others (accepting the much diminished enjoyment factor).

I took the bike to Williams BMW Manchester who after an hour of diagnostics (£80) pronounced the brake module was "dead" and will cost £1200 plus bits and labour to fix. Out of Warranty this was unacceptable to me so I took the servo to bits and found there was a circuitboard in it that had burned out (i.e nothing to do with servicing/bleeding etc.). I contacted BMW UK explaining this was not merchantable quality (I don't care that the warranty says 2 years , Sale of Goods Regs etc etc says . . . . ) and after a couple more letters got a new servo unit free of charge.

I traded the 1150RT in for a 2006 1200RT which also has servo brakes (BMW dropped them in 2007/08) and upto now at 44,000 miles no issues and they work just fine.

My advice is don't fret about it, if the worst happens your AA or european breakdown cover will get you and the bike home.

 

[slimpickings]

Thanks men

I will let you know how I get on