Want a 1200GS but worried about drive leak

[Seed]

Piggers/GS Monkey,

Thanks for your further reassurance on the manoeuvrability in town. I guess the fact that it's a horizontally-opposed twin keeps the C of G reasonably low.

From all the helpful replies I've received, the conclusion seems to be that it's a great all-round bike that's up to any task you can throw at it , but that there is still a question mark over the reliability of the final drive.

Does anyone know if BMW has formally acknowledged the problem and done anything to rectify it at production stage?

Thanks again everyone for all your help and advice. I can't wait for the test ride at the weekend!

Cheers,

Seed

 

[SQD8R]

40,000 km no issues. I'm 5'9 250 and work out consistently so the weight isn't an issue for me. But I know guys around the same height weighing 160 that have no issues with the weight either.

 

[Clive]

(July 04 bike) - I got to 18,000 miles and thought I'd got away with it, but then had Final drive leak/Wheel movement. Eventually got a new Final drive under warranty.

Just picked bike up after 36,000 mile service and they have ordered another final drive as "small amount of play detected" - I hope they don't have to replace them every 18,000 miles

 

[garyten]

I believe from reading more into this issue that BMW are maybe going to sort it out, it was published in the latest edition of BMW ON. Here's a link to a post ive found. http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8337&page=3

Im just ready to try a GS after 22 years of jap bikes, currently using a Hayabusa
and just waiting for some positive sign of a "cure" to the final drive problem. Im not to keen to shell out nearly 9K for a bike that may be OK, an expensive lottery ticket. I know it doesnt effect all the bikes, but, it seems to have some ratio of 1 in 5 or less. Either a quality control problem or design flaw.

Seems from the link above BMW maybe changing the bearing / Bearings and this may finally put this drive problem to rest.

 

[marcus]

IN TRAFFIC

The 1200GS is an absolute doddle

Head at range rover driver height
Headlight quite high up gets seen easily by car drivers
Good steering lock & easy to turn at full lock
Good mirrors
Bags of torque
ABS
Servo brakes
Electrickerly confuses theives
Take speed bumps "without slowing down"
I'm 5'8 and it's no problem at all

 

[Aurelius]

Are the standard tyres (Metzeler Tourance I believe) any good? I'm so used to sports or sport touring road tyres (eg Bridgestone 010s or 020s) that I'm a bit worried about a semi-enduro tyre having a lack of grip and feel for road riding.

I once made the mistake of following a former 250 GP racer into a tight turn, thinking, "if he can go that fast, so can I". It was a decreasing radius turn, and I wound up leaning the bike so far over that the footpeg folded up and the left cylinder guard scraped the road. Amazingly, there was no loss of traction from the Tourance tires. I only wish they made them for my K1200S.

 

[Tsiklonaut]

I once made the mistake of following a former 250 GP racer into a tight turn, thinking, "if he can go that fast, so can I". It was a decreasing radius turn, and I wound up leaning the bike so far over that the footpeg folded up and the left cylinder guard scraped the road. Amazingly, there was no loss of traction from the Tourance tires. I only wish they made them for my K1200S.

Always blame the tires

Good pic indeed!

I think he runs circles around K1200S with TKC80s fit under GS on twisties

 

[Tractorpilot]

Never bother with the 'blade now

Got mine last year. 5,000 trouble free miles up now. Gone through one set of tyres. My mates looked worried and offered helpful comments about senility and tractors. Yes, it does feel agricultural but the fireblade is in the garage and they call it the turbo-tractor now. They simply don't get away from me on anything less than a dual track. Manouvreability and grunt at corners is excellent and more importantly smooth and linear. I do a 40 mile each way commute (longer than I need to but you should see the B roads). At each end of the trip I have about 10 minutes of filtering through traffic in Worcester/Gloucester. I am 5'8" and use a standard seat on low setting and find it OK.

Last year I was working away and used to take a week's gear (office clothes etc) for a journey of 2-3 hours each way. Loaded, she behaved perfectly.

Does anything you need - all-rounder

In traffic, one word says it - presence. Drivers know you are there. I found it usually makes filtering easier.

Awsome pic aurelius!!

 

[GSmonkey]

I've got 13.5k on my 12GS and no drive leaks so far.

I commute into london every day on the thing and its certainly not top heavy....in fact the weight feels quite low down with the engine.

The only downside for commuting is the overall width, but its 10x better than a sportsbike for the same duty.

Don't forget, no fekkin oil cleaning/lubing with the shafty

....I should add that oil did piss out of the gearbox and final drive at 18k......I spoke a bit too soon. Only off the road for 3 weeks