03-30-2014, 04:23 AM
(03-30-2014, 04:11 AM)thessler3_imp Wrote: Just a comment on the BMW 1200GS. Yes, they are fast, comfortable, handle quite well, etcetera. Great luggage. Their styling appeals to some, but not to me. More importantly, they are not particularly reliable. My cousin and closest riding buddy has one he bought new that has about 33K miles on it and there have been many issues, including 3 rear brake rotors (defective carrier from factory), a failed clutch ( defective pressure plate from factory), front suspension problems and a couple more minor problems. The dealer gave him a hard time and refused to warranty the clutch, even though the pressure plate was very obviously incorrectly machined.
In comparison, my 2003 Gold Wing has had two very minor issues costing $35 and $136 in eleven years and 32,000 miles. That's reliable. I can get just about any part for my Hondas on-line at about 22% discount. Try that with a BMW.
Have to agree with thessler on this. I have heard lots of negative things about late-model GS reliability and poor dealer support in and out of warranty. They have a penchant for eating final drives among other well-known problems. Where I live the closest BMW dealer is 200 miles away. There are quite a few guys on the Super Tenere forum who are ex-GS owners because they got tired of the headaches. The Yamaha is a very good facsimile of a GS, for less money, and far fewer worries. I will admit having a certain bias as I am a current Super Tenere owner.