Why do we pay so much for a BMW??

[markkeogh]

Having bought my 1150GS Adventure last October, got used to the general clunks, bangs, etc, and settled into what is no doubt a great bike to ride, I was more than a little disappointed with the way it took a winter of riding.
When I bought it, the usual front fork brace corrosion was obvious and a couple of other things here and there at 14,000m. Now I like my bikes to stay in good condition and having had four Japanese 35,000m plus bikes in all conditions (all year riders me and the instructor wife inc. snow and ice) they all looked in very good codition when sold on, all from having a thorough weekly full clean all year round and no using 'protective sprays'.
This GS is rubbish, 18,500 miles (4500 of mine this winter) and the only parts not corroding are the tank (I hope) and plastics, even the master cylinder covers and right mirror have joined the corrosion explosion and you can't tell me they are not easy to get to.
I complained to BMW Motorrad, purely to sound off really, but they advised me to go to the dealer, so I duly did. Got the usual 'they do that sir' and told that they would send pics to Motorrad but don't expect much, despite Motorrad stating 'it is unuasual for BMW's to show signs of corrosion.
Ha, I looked around the five sub 16,000m 1200GS's in the showroom and you couldn't have made a mint one from all five. Then to add insult to injury the guy offers me £4500 on a 52 plate bike I payed £6400 for six months ago.
I am now faced with a big bill to get this bike to a good standard again in powder coat and paint.
Oh, and don't give me the rubbish about British salt, we don't see our older cars rotting and corroding any faster because of the new salt types, no, they actually do proper salt tests instead of finding cheap finishing alternatives. For god's sake I took a BLade through two winters and put 14,000 miles on it, all weathers, and it only showed corrosion on the very end of the end can.
It about time we stopped paying inflated prices for a BMW badge when all it seems to mean over virtually any other manufacturer is, it corrodes faster and 'has a BMW badge'.
I'll be keeping it for it's abilities but please, somebody out there must know someone who can influence BMW to become something more than just a name for their money. In my opinion at the moment they don't deserve the collosal price they command or a reputation half that they currently have.

 

[gingercoastie]

The only way they would listen, is if we stop buying.

 

[D6]

i think you got a bad 1150, mines 5yr old and in mint cond,,,cnt say owt about the 12,s though

 

[kokoro]

gsa corrode

Hi mate ive had the 1150gs and i now own 1998 1100GS and the 1100gs is better built in everyway!

 

[mikepg]

Could it be allot to do with the gamble of buying second hand?

I have had a few BMW's on the last 25 years, ridden all year 'round and never ever experienced the tales of woe expressed by a few regarding rusting bits and bobs. I don't keep them overly spick and span, but always wash off with cold water during the salting season

Perhaps it is down to how the bike was maintained prior to getting hold of it?

It's a bike - and they rust in the end..

Sorry to hear that you are so angry Mark.

 

[Sergeant Pluck]

'it is unuasual for BMW's to show signs of corrosion'

......

 

[Trippy]

Then to add insult to injury the guy offers me £4500 on a 52 plate bike I payed £6400 for six months ago.

You need to buy wiser, I bought a 55 plate SE 18 months ago for £6500 and a dealer offered me that last month. My Speed Triple lost £100 in 18 months of ownership and my 1100GS made £900 in 12 months.

The only way they would listen, is if we stop buying.

What like they do with TT

 

[instructor Boy]

Careful Mark,

Posts with comments like yours don't exist! its not the bike; its you thats been wrong. I'm sure someone will be along shortly to remind you of the error of your ways. Just get your wallet out and order up the oe parts then everything will be fine and dandy

 

[markkeogh]

Being careful

I know I should be more careful, but after 40+ years of feeling more and more like the buying public is getting shafted by politicians, taxes, fuel, buy-it-now, two-for-one, food shortages, do-gooders, etc, etc, someones got to make a stand. I just wish the country as a whole had more of the old spirit to stand up and say 'NO' just once.
Ho hum!!

 

[cookie]

I know I should be more careful, but after 40+ years of feeling more and more like the buying public is getting shafted by politicians, taxes, fuel, buy-it-now, two-for-one, food shortages, do-gooders, etc, etc, someones got to make a stand. I just wish the country as a whole had more of the old spirit to stand up and say 'NO' just once.
Ho hum!!

lead by example.

 

[Steptoe]

Careful Mark,

Posts with comments like yours don't exist! its not the bike; its you thats been wrong.

try a search - corrosion. Then you can sit back and read all the previous moans, and then realise you aren't the only perfect person.

 

[Nin]

Mine's alright - but then I have got an 1100 ...

 

[motobiker]

Mine's alright - but then I have got an 1100 ...

I think... the 1100 was built up to a budget.. whereas the 1150 was built down.

The only reason I can see was that BMW went a bit overboard with the 1100.. they made a few mistakes (as usual) with the very earliest ones... but overbuilt them - having something to prove with the new engine design and so on.

Almost like they were apologetic for dumping the airhead design and were determined to make a quality replacement - that would sell and not be derided by their customer base.

My first 1100 cost me £9,700+ which i would hazard makes it the most expensive GS of all.. when you factor in inflation and such.

 

[D6]

i recon theres not much wrong with the 1150,s either, if u think they are crap, vote with your feet, i for one will keep mine, thanks, better built than most jap stuff, (mot tester 20years, ran a shop for 6 years so i do know the score, i know you do too)
ok, its got a few quirks, but better than most of the soul less rice burners,markkeogh, buy an 1100, and sell the 1150?uggs has done nearly 80,000 and alls well so maybe the 1100,s the one?definatly,DONT buy a 12
i find running a bm is a whole lot LESS bother than a jap, (iv had over 80 jap bikes)
and easier to mend too
i,ll be keeping mine, and doing the miles i feel no other could do as well (for me, anyway)

 

[turnipbmw]

Do we pay alot for BMW's ?

They made their reputation on bikes that cost 3 times as much as the British equivalents.

Even my '81 R100RS was twice the price of a GS1000 Suzuki

It seems to me that they are about the same as Japs now and in my mind, they are a better finished bike.

 

[BBB61]

My first 1100 cost me £9,700+ which i would hazard makes it the most expensive GS of all.. when you factor in inflation and such.

That would be about right Tony. I bought my first 1100GS in December 1996. It was one year old with 12000 on the clock but it had the heated grips and BMW panniers as part of the deal. It set me back £7595. A new one at the time was £9285 on the road. ABS was standard.

 

[Engineer]

Having bought my 1150GS Adventure last October, got used to the general clunks, bangs, etc, and settled into what is no doubt a great bike to ride, I was more than a little disappointed with the way it took a winter of riding.
When I bought it, the usual front fork brace corrosion was obvious and a couple of other things here and there at 14,000m. Now I like my bikes to stay in good condition and having had four Japanese 35,000m plus bikes in all conditions (all year riders me and the instructor wife inc. snow and ice) they all looked in very good codition when sold on, all from having a thorough weekly full clean all year round and no using 'protective sprays'.
This GS is rubbish, 18,500 miles (4500 of mine this winter) and the only parts not corroding are the tank (I hope) and plastics, even the master cylinder covers and right mirror have joined the corrosion explosion and you can't tell me they are not easy to get to.
I complained to BMW Motorrad, purely to sound off really, but they advised me to go to the dealer, so I duly did. Got the usual 'they do that sir' and told that they would send pics to Motorrad but don't expect much, despite Motorrad stating 'it is unuasual for BMW's to show signs of corrosion.
Ha, I looked around the five sub 16,000m 1200GS's in the showroom and you couldn't have made a mint one from all five. Then to add insult to injury the guy offers me £4500 on a 52 plate bike I payed £6400 for six months ago.
I am now faced with a big bill to get this bike to a good standard again in powder coat and paint.
Oh, and don't give me the rubbish about British salt, we don't see our older cars rotting and corroding any faster because of the new salt types, no, they actually do proper salt tests instead of finding cheap finishing alternatives. For god's sake I took a BLade through two winters and put 14,000 miles on it, all weathers, and it only showed corrosion on the very end of the end can.
It about time we stopped paying inflated prices for a BMW badge when all it seems to mean over virtually any other manufacturer is, it corrodes faster and 'has a BMW badge'.
I'll be keeping it for it's abilities but please, somebody out there must know someone who can influence BMW to become something more than just a name for their money. In my opinion at the moment they don't deserve the collosal price they command or a reputation half that they currently have.

The 1150s were a bit rubbish as far as corrosion goes - you should have bought a 1200

 

[Dave Barrett]

There may well be some truth in the "British salt" theory. Having owned 2x1150GS's, an 1150RS and now a 1200GS, all four bikes ridden year-round - I've never had any corrosion issues, and we have far more severe winters here in the South of Germany than you get in the UK - from November until March, every dry day shows roads completely white from the salting activities.

 

[WGD1340]

.....