1200 ADV New panniers FAILURE!

BiG DoM

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Reported from US Advrider site - the much heralded new panniers seem to have weaknesses when put through their paces!!!? :eek: :eek :eek:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.phpp=2627353&posted=1#post2627353


QOUTE:

R 1200 GS Adventure - 3K mile feedback

I just returned from Africa, riding the new bike. BMW of Spain is doing an Around the World GS Event and 4 new GS Adventures are touring the globe. I was selected to ride Africa and I finished in Madrid, Spain. The journey was about 3,000 miles for me. Half was off road, and half on.

The bike is awesome. Handling, shifting, sliding, jumping, rider comfort, the bike does it all. I own an 1150 Adventure, but the new bike is a lot more refined. The wind screen is a home run out of the park.

The stock metal saddle bags broke several different ways, so those need a re-design. This happened on all four bikes, and the bags failed over and over.
Careful if you have a trip planned and are going to use these bags.

This bike will be a huge hit. It's easier to ride than the older Adventure primarily due to the superb handling at both low and high speed. Comfort is unmatched for a "dirt" bike and I was surprised how well the suspension worked off road.

I rode dirt, rocks, sand, high speed gravel and asphalt and the bike performed beautifully. If you own one, congratulations. If you want one, go get it. They'll sell like hot cakes.

Check out the site for the Around the World GS Event:

www.vueltalmundobmw.com
 
Numpty Ken.

It's posts #75 and #77 on this thread: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131577&page=2

The bags fell off the bikes several times. We solved that by using giant straps around the bag (and mount) to hold them in place. If you end up having to do this, careful on the exhaust side. We melted a few straps.

Then the buckles broke. First the locks, then the buckle itself. They sort of snap shut and the buckle would pop back open by itself. Since we had the straps on anyway, we just didn't latch the tops.

Lastly, the slightest tip over would grenade the black plastic corners and leave them shattered.

The bags were not worthy of the brand, but with some slight re-design, they can be fixed. The original bags on the first 1150 Adventures had issues as well. BMW took care of the problem.
Click to expand...
Tim
 
GSA Boxes

Yeah, what a surprise.
I had an 1150 GSA. On those boxes the plastic hinges would crack.
I now ride a 1200 GS and use Touratech Zegas which are not ideal but the mounting frame is sturdy as the boxes are crude.
Rhodie
 
'scuse me as I pretend to be surprised having given up completely on BMW "variobox" system on the 12GS and got refund.
 
I wouldnt be worried if I had these panniers......I was riding round Maroc about 6 weeks ago and came by these guys at a petrol station.

We chatted for a while and I gave the bikes a good look over as they were the first 1200 Adv's I had seen close up. The bikes had all taken a real beating, they had been 'playing' round the dunes and pistes with road tyres.....I think its fair to say they had fallen over more than most bikes would in a lifetime (and at only 2000 km :eek: ). I was told that one bike cartwheeled down a dune :eek: Some riders admited to being inexperienced off road, so not surprising they came off. Apparantly BMW supplied the bikes with the wrong tyres.

You can see from the photos attached, one bike with no paniers was particularly hard done to, you can see the crash bar is snapped and the light taped on. I dont think any panniers would have stood up to what they had put them through.

Oh, and check out their support vehicle, a Hummer. :ymca that summed them up really. All the gear no idea.

Morocco0152.jpg

Morocco0151.jpg


Rich

Just noticed, no OS mirror on that bike either
 
HondaMan said:
I wouldnt be worried if I had these panniers......I was riding round Maroc about 6 weeks ago and came by these guys at a petrol station.

We chatted for a while and I gave the bikes a good look over as they were the first 1200 Adv's I had seen close up. The bikes had all taken a real beating, they had been 'playing' round the dunes and pistes with road tyres.....I think its fair to say they had fallen over more than most bikes would in a lifetime (and at only 2000 km :eek: ). I was told that one bike cartwheeled down a dune :eek: Some riders admited to being inexperienced off road, so not surprising they came off. Apparantly BMW supplied the bikes with the wrong tyres.

You can see from the photos attached, one bike with no paniers was particularly hard done to, you can see the crash bar is snapped and the light taped on. I dont think any panniers would have stood up to what they had put them through.

Oh, and check out their support vehicle, a Hummer. :ymca that summed them up really. All the gear no idea.



Rich

Just noticed, no OS mirror on that bike either
Click to expand...


Have you also noticed the seat is a low seat from a standard 1200? and the rack is bent down at the back.

Using anakees off road is madness :eek: I love them on the road but when I ventured in to a field it felt like I was on spoons.
 
Charlie Boorman used touratech. Looks like BM listened to him cos they now have touratech panniers on the new Adv. Apparently they are made by touratech and not one of their third psrty suppliers. They look great and price seems ok compared to similar other ones. Apparently these panniers for the 1200GS too.
 
Is the strap around the panniers on the other bike an indication of the reported problem?
 
Yep!

Saw these bikes on Saturday last and everyone of the bikes (4) in total was using straps to hold the panniers onto the racks. There is also as report of one guy losing one in Canada on the way home from collection.

Here's a picture showing the straps, they are from the bike crates the bike come in.

Nice development program on those then:D :eek:

P4280019a.jpg
 
Commuter said:
Here's a picture showing the straps, they are from the bike crates the bike come in.
Click to expand...

Steptoe uses them with Hepco & Beckers....
 

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Very handy they are too!

I blagged about half a dozen from my dealer (they only bin them when they unpack a bike). Always carry a couple, best use so far is adding to ferry tie-downs. :thumb
 
The stock metal saddle bags broke several different ways, so those need a re-design. This happened on all four bikes, and the bags failed over and over.
Careful if you have a trip planned and are going to use these bags.

maybe this is why we cant get any then!
 
I picked my ADV panniers up yesterday ... put them on and off a few times in the car park before riding off and I have to say that I can see how the latch/lock might be not fully cammed home.

I chatted with the dealer while he was installing them, then made sure to remove one as I wasn't convinced by its fitment. I re-fitted it, keeping rearward pressure while locking the cam lock and it engaged around the frame a lot more positively.

As the frame set is round tube, it seems important to make sure that the cam lock goes as far round the frame as poss. then locks. Due to the cam action I can see how it would be easy to still close the lock whilst the cam high point is on (not past) the highpoint of the frame, the cam leverage aids this!

Hence my point about pushing the pannier rearward whilst locking it ...

If it proves to be the locking mechanism which releases (v. unlikely I think) then it would seem simple to drill a vertical hole down thru the closed cam lock and drop a pin thru with an R clip on the end. That would be an acceptable extra safety measure for me as I don't intend these to come off and on much (at all) on a long tour.

Having played with the panniers tho, I think it very likely that the cam is engaging too early and hence not completely securing the pannier, then its vibrating free.

HTH
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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