09-21-2016, 10:42 AM
(09-21-2016, 07:32 AM)The ferret_imp Wrote: On paper the 2012 BMW R1200R is the perfect bike for me. Light weight, powerful,, shaft drive, available low seat, available hard bags and trunk, avilable heated grips, available fly screen. I even rented one for 2 weeks to ride around Europe. ..and liked it. Only problem... It's not a Honda ( or Japanese even) so sketchy dealer network, complicated electronics packages, reputed reliability problems, expensive parts and service. It might be worth the risk to me used, but not at full price. Still I'd hate to lose a final drive someplace in N Dakota or Idaho or something.I've never heard the BMW dealer network characterized as "sketchy", but I live in a different part of the country and my experience has been anything but that. But "reputed reliability problems" and "losing a final drive?" Internet horror stories can bias us against certain bikes, but I'd suggest they can be one-sided. Lots of BMW owners are able to ride these bikes serious miles for a reason, just like your ST. They're definitely not perfect, and they're not always easy or inexpensive to maintain, but they're impressively engineered and very nicely assembled.
I think the publicized issues of late have stemmed from BMW's decision to increasingly outsource major part assemblies, rather than manufacture them in-house. My F800GT is largely an assembly of purchased components and absolutely doesn't have the same sense of "BMW" as my previous R-bikes, K-bikes, or current K1200RS. Still, it's a lot of fun to ride and checks off the items I want for a mid-weight sports-tourer. Happy to let anyone take it for a go if they're in the area.