Today's minor irritation...

[jtb]

In general I do like the LC, but (as widely predicted here) I do feel like I've spent £13k to help BMW figure out all the bugs.

Anyway: so far I've had the usual delivery delays for the Vario panniers; then, they wouldn't fit because of some alignment issue with the subframes (solved with the installation of official BMW washers); then, I ordered the aux lights, but gave up after waiting five weeks for parts; I've got the same clunky gearbox issue as others (unresolved); the weep hole oil leak (solved, apparently with a new water pump); the draggy clutch (improved by the removal of some of the clutch fluid by the dealer); missing panel fixings (following the new water pump installation - so now the panels on my bike are zip-tied together in true GS style); the return of the weep hole oil leak (uh-oh) and today this happened:

What's happened here? I just undid the lock to remove the nav, and the barrel came out with the key. I'm assuming its not meant to do this - or is it?

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[Gazzabart]

No it's not Jimmy
A call to BUMW req

 

[jtb]

No it's not Jimmy
A call to BUMW req

Ta. Bike's going back to e dealer on Thursday anyway, so that I can hear their excuses for failing to refit the panels when they replaced the water pump. I'll add this to the list, along with why replacing the water pump has apparently not stopped oil from coming out of the weep hole.

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[Bucephalus]

First Generation bikes.

There was a time when I was young and impetuous and had the money to waste on fast bikes and fast women, and used to fall in love as quickly, have my heart broken, and buy a new bike to deflect the pain, have my heart broken and engage in a fatal attraction to deflect the pain; talking early Ducati's here.
I digress, I am now much older, just as impetuous, sadly though no longer have the looks or cash to finance the "Love Safaris" and motorcycle adventures.
I had one of the first K1200s in the UK Aarrgh K1600GT Aarrgh don't ask, I am now settled with the GSA which I've had about as long as my current wife, each who share similar traits, again I digress, I don't want a WC, but I am confident it will evolve to be a great bike, but it does annoy me that BMW (and the rest) use customers nowadays to finish the development of their motorcycles, provided a personal injury law suit cannot be attributed to a defect, get it out!!

Dealers Mantra:
i) Never accept liability.
ii) No recall is necessary.
iii) They all do that Sir, character!

IMO BMW did take liberties during the boom years with those who were new to motorcycles, were new to the "Character" of the finest motorbike after those horrible smooth and reliable Japanese bikes, and those who had city bonuses to blow..I witnessed it and was often "The Judas Goat" at a certain dealer where I was a sad "Hang Around" a deal clinching ask a satisfied customer standing there with his (free) coffee; after 5 bikes, free coffee, where's my calculator.
Anyway, I've digressed again, so, in short DON'T BUY A FIRST GENERATION BIKE.
However, if you can afford it Spunk it, enjoy bikes, use it before you lose, live life, wing it try and get away with it, wring it's neck, chase the horizon, FcUk it, if you was sensible you wouldn't have a bike anyway. Sorry I've digressed, think its time for my medication.

 

[Hammy]

if you can afford it Spunk it, enjoy bikes, use it before you lose, live life, wing it try and get away with it, wring it's neck, chase the horizon, FcUk it, if you was sensible you wouldn't have a bike anyway. Sorry I've digressed, think its time for my medication.

This may be my new mantra

 

[Gazzabart]

gotta say this
i thought BMW did mega testing on the bike prior to launch
was it half a million miles or somthing like that during two years of R&D
who the fuck was riding the bikes ?????
Undercover double agent KTM testers

 

[DING-DONG]

gotta say this
i thought BMW did mega testing on the bike prior to launch
was it half a million miles or somthing like that during two years of R&D

Half a million maybe ! but not on the rd it was a test cell, we are the true R&D riders but we had to pay em 15k !

 

[Gossy]

gotta say this
i thought BMW did mega testing on the bike prior to launch
was it half a million miles or somthing like that during two years of R&D
who the fuck was riding the bikes ?????
Undercover double agent KTM testers

The half million miles was fully supported, the bike had to succeed.

 

[Hammam]

See it that way: no one is a better tester of a new bike in everyday, real life conditions than the owner-rider of the bike. So, this method has got to be good.

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

Anyway: so far I've had the usual delivery delays for the Vario panniers; then, they wouldn't fit because of some alignment issue with the subframes (solved with the installation of official BMW washers);

They're not washers, they're shims

 

[GSTourer]

Half a million maybe ! but not on the rd it was a test cell, we are the true R&D riders but we chose to pay em 15k !

Fixed.

 

[twizzle]

That's the new style anti theft device....

In general I do like the LC, but (as widely predicted here) I do feel like I've spent £13k to help BMW figure out all the bugs.

Anyway: so far I've had the usual delivery delays for the Vario panniers; then, they wouldn't fit because of some alignment issue with the subframes (solved with the installation of official BMW washers); then, I ordered the aux lights, but gave up after waiting five weeks for parts; I've got the same clunky gearbox issue as others (unresolved); the weep hole oil leak (solved, apparently with a new water pump); the draggy clutch (improved by the removal of some of the clutch fluid by the dealer); missing panel fixings (following the new water pump installation - so now the panels on my bike are zip-tied together in true GS style); the return of the weep hole oil leak (uh-oh) and today this happened:

What's happened here? I just undid the lock to remove the nav, and the barrel came out with the key. I'm assuming its not meant to do this - or is it?

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[jtb]

That's the new style anti theft device....

The dealer called me this afternoon, ahead of tomorrow's visit. Apparently they've had a few instances of lock barrels not staying in the nav mount...

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[jtb]

They're not washers, they're shims

Sorry. Official BMW shims. [They got me to sign something when they fitted these official BMW shims so that they could put it through as a warranty claim...]

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[telbenj]

agree

See it that way: no one is a better tester of a new bike in everyday, real life conditions than the owner-rider of the bike. So, this method has got to be good.

Plus they have all the experience from the previous model and as published in nearly every mag out there it is a great improvement so can only get better.

Terry

 

[Sooty09]

Remember the when the Hillman Imp (The Glasgow Mini) was launched. The testing of the new engine and chassis was very thorough. Just to make sure it was better than the development tests showed the cars were loaned to the young apprentices for extensive owner road testing, The results were very encouraging with few problems.
Come launch time it was found the front side lights were too low to pass the legal requirements, the solution was like something BMW would do, packers were put under the springs to raise the lights to the required height upsetting all the steering geometry.
The cars were launched and within weeks many were back with blown head gaskets. The problem was most were sold to shoppers and lady drivers who spent most time stuck in city traffic, All the testing was done by hard driving testers who had no idea how the final product would be driven.
So BMW the solution to your testing problem, send me a PM and a collection time and Ill be happy to drive your next development bike, (ps as a proper test Ill drop it onto both sides at 5mph to make sure crash protection works)

 

[Myke Rocks]

Not just the Hillman Imp

Remember the when the Hillman Imp
The cars were launched and within weeks many were back with blown head gaskets. The problem was most were sold to shoppers and lady drivers who spent most time stuck in city traffic, All the testing was done by hard driving testers who had no idea how the final product would be driven.

Triumph Stag:
V8 engine was perfect if you drove the life out of it, but boiled in traffic, becuse the water pump was inadequate for town use.

BSA launched their 50cc Beagle as a competitor for the Honda 50.
No horn, so you had to fit one before taking it onto the road.
Tested in the Welsh mountains, but not in traffic, where they seized.
Myke

 

[duckspeed]

They're not washers, they're shims

And six inch nails are "steel dowels".............

 

[jtb]

Short visit to the dealer this morning. They reckon that the recurrence of the oil leak is probably just residue blowing out from the previous leak...

New lock barrel fitted to nav mount, and missing fairing clips fitted.

While I was in there I noticed what looked like a 2014 build GS TE, with the steering damper:

... and also what looked like a redesigned ABS/ASC/ESA switch:

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[Jotski]

Short visit to the dealer this morning. They reckon that the recurrence of the oil leak is probably just residue blowing out from the previous leak...

New lock barrel fitted to nav mount, and missing fairing clips fitted.

While I was in there I noticed what looked like a 2014 build GS TE, with the steering damper:

... and also what looked like a redesigned ABS/ASC/ESA switch:

Cheers
Jimmy

Nice work ! That must be. 2014 since the damper looks like its welded to the forks. Looks like it will get covered in crap being located above the wheel those seals won't last long !