BMW service campaign for over 400,000 bikes

[GoldOxide_imp]

My buddy just took his 2018 R1200GS for a fix to his "SOS" button today. He purchased it 5 months ago as the 2nd owner through the local BMW dealer. The previous owner had only put 1800km on it in 3 years (what a waste). Not only did they fix the SOS button they replaced his entire shaft drive under warranty even though he was having no problems at all. They just said BMW paid for it with no explanation as to the problem???

Final shaft problems in the year of our Loard 2022 ??

Man, that is some crappy engineering.

Man. :dodgy:

Considering how long they have been making this bike it is a poor reflection on their quality processes yes.

Maybe their implementation is still good enough for on-road-only use?

If not, then for their vehicles that are typically over-engineered, they really need to over-engineer that component.

 

[Olyrider]

A couple of other BMW corporate policies that annoys BMW moto customers:

BMW loves to cite the explanation “operator error” when denying warranty claims…which they all-too-often do. This was the “reason” cited when denying responsibility for the antenna ring failures that kept occurring. We riders must have been inserting the key incorrectly in the ignition. A lot of us. You know…because putting a key in a keyhole is something that many of us just don’t know how to do.

BMW has produced some wonderful marketing vids for their different models. The videos for the GS1200, and F800GS, really get you excited about adventure riding off-pavement. Except, when you experience a suspension failure during the warranty period, they claim “operator error” because “the bikes weren’t designed to be ridden off-road”. The wheels on my F800GS certainly weren’t. Both rims needed to be replaced with stronger spokes/rims from Woodys Wheels. How unusual is it that so many riders of one specific model from one manufacturer know the name of a wheel specialist to put on suitably strong wheels for the weight of the bike?

 

[peterbaron]

BMW bull sh*t

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

A couple of other BMW corporate policies that annoys BMW moto customers:

BMW loves to cite the explanation “operator error” when denying warranty claims…which they all-too-often do. This was the “reason” cited when denying responsibility for the antenna ring failures that kept occurring. We riders must have been inserting the key incorrectly in the ignition. A lot of us. You know…because putting a key in a keyhole is something that many of us just don’t know how to do.

BMW has produced some wonderful marketing vids for their different models. The videos for the GS1200, and F800GS, really get you excited about adventure riding off-pavement. Except, when you experience a suspension failure during the warranty period, they claim “operator error” because “the bikes weren’t designed to be ridden off-road”. The wheels on my F800GS certainly weren’t. Both rims needed to be replaced with stronger spokes/rims from Woodys Wheels. How unusual is it that so many riders of one specific model from one manufacturer know the name of a wheel specialist to put on suitably strong wheels for the weight of the bike?

 

[redbirds_imp]

BMW's have had their share of problems since the demise of the air head models. My 1973 air head went 57,000 miles with only one repair needed, a front brake light switch. Routine maintenance was simple, valve adjustments done with the tools supplied in the comprehensive tool kit that came with the bike. I sold it to buy SCUBA gear in 1978; one of several poor decisions of my youth.

 

[DAC]

Sort of like the recall they had on the R1200RT back in 2014, I believe. Guys were salivating for that bike with dealerships taking big deposits. Four months later, in August, BMW came out with a do-not-ride recall for the ones with the electronically controlled rear shock. The shaft in the shock would shatter evidently. BMWs are cool bikes. Just watch the recalls and don't buy first year of a new issue.

 

[the Ferret]

I read on different forums that a lot of guys buy BMWs with the intention of trading or selling before the factory warrant runs out.

 

[Tev62]

I read on different forums that a lot of guys buy BMWs with the intention of trading or selling before the factory warrant runs out.

That does seem to be common alright. The dealer also told me they contact the owners 3 months before your standard warranty runs out to offer warranty extensions, at a cost of course.

 

[Cormanus]

I wonder what the take up is by the time owners have been in and out of the dealer's for various recalls?

 

[tommymck]

I dunno. As I said before, this particular thing doesn't seem to be a big deal at all. The "recall" amounts to your next service taking an extra 5 minutes at the dealer. I can't speak to the F series, but I purchased a '98 new and sold it a year ago...never had any expenses other than scheduled maintenance, some of which I did myself. I regularly take my 1250GS off-road. Nothing super challenging, but real off-road, and not just a gravel trail. Seems pretty fit for the task to me. Also had an RNineT which was a super bike. Didn't have it long enough to really evaluate reliability, but it was three years of trouble free riding.

I did recently have a crankshaft let go on my '57 R60. Maybe you guys are right! Whoever at BMW designed that thing should be taken out back and slapped around! Oh wait... I'm guessing that the crank outlived the designer. Oh well...

 

[Tev62]

It is true that you do tend to hear of all the bad stories rather than the ones where nothing ever happened. The bad cases also get exaggerated somewhat. But I met an old acquaintance a couple of weeks ago and told him I had recently put down a deposit on a GS, and he said, "oh no" I just got rid of my 2018, an unreliable bike and terrible money pit. I left rather deflated I have to say. I am willing to believe there are a lot more satisfied owners out there than dissatisfied though so fingers crossed.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

It is true that you do tend to hear of all the bad stories rather than the ones where nothing ever happened. The bad cases also get exaggerated somewhat. But I met an old acquaintance a couple of weeks ago and told him I had recently put down a deposit on a GS, and he said, "oh no" I just got rid of my 2018, an unreliable bike and terrible money pit. I left rather deflated I have to say. I am willing to believe there are a lot more satisfied owners out there than dissatisfied though so fingers crossed.

Bah! That was 2018. You'll make it work Tev. Savor the cometh journey.

 

[Tev62]

It is true that you do tend to hear of all the bad stories rather than the ones where nothing ever happened. The bad cases also get exaggerated somewhat. But I met an old acquaintance a couple of weeks ago and told him I had recently put down a deposit on a GS, and he said, "oh no" I just got rid of my 2018, an unreliable bike and terrible money pit. I left rather deflated I have to say. I am willing to believe there are a lot more satisfied owners out there than dissatisfied though so fingers crossed.

Bah! That was 2018. You'll make it work Tev. Savor the cometh journey.

I think so, sod it, it's only a bike.

 

[the Ferret]

It is true that you do tend to hear of all the bad stories rather than the ones where nothing ever happened. The bad cases also get exaggerated somewhat. But I met an old acquaintance a couple of weeks ago and told him I had recently put down a deposit on a GS, and he said, "oh no" I just got rid of my 2018, an unreliable bike and terrible money pit. I left rather deflated I have to say. I am willing to believe there are a lot more satisfied owners out there than dissatisfied though so fingers crossed.

Bah! That was 2018. You'll make it work Tev. Savor the cometh journey.

I think so, sod it, it's only a bike.

I think so, sod it, it's only a bike.
Good point. For most of us they come and go in fairly short order.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

It is true that you do tend to hear of all the bad stories rather than the ones where nothing ever happened. The bad cases also get exaggerated somewhat. But I met an old acquaintance a couple of weeks ago and told him I had recently put down a deposit on a GS, and he said, "oh no" I just got rid of my 2018, an unreliable bike and terrible money pit. I left rather deflated I have to say. I am willing to believe there are a lot more satisfied owners out there than dissatisfied though so fingers crossed.

Bah! That was 2018. You'll make it work Tev. Savor the cometh journey.

I think so, sod it, it's only a bike.

I think so, sod it, it's only a bike.
Sadly, it is so true.

Is this the required psychology for Beemer owners to give it up? :huh:

 

[Cormanus]

It is true that you do tend to hear of all the bad stories rather than the ones where nothing ever happened. The bad cases also get exaggerated somewhat. But I met an old acquaintance a couple of weeks ago and told him I had recently put down a deposit on a GS, and he said, "oh no" I just got rid of my 2018, an unreliable bike and terrible money pit. I left rather deflated I have to say. I am willing to believe there are a lot more satisfied owners out there than dissatisfied though so fingers crossed.

Bah! That was 2018. You'll make it work Tev. Savor the cometh journey.

I think so, sod it, it's only a bike.

I think so, sod it, it's only a bike.
Good point. For most of us they come and go in fairly short order.

I've had my current one more than 9 years now.

 

[the Ferret]

"Most of us" Cormanus lol, most of us. Also fairly short order to me is 5 years or less.

My 2013 CB 1100 made it one year (although it would have made it much longer if they hadn't brought out the DLX), I've had my Deluxe 8 years, my FJR made it 2 years, I've had my NC for 1 1/2 years.

Check with Mtneers or Kiowa Eagle for example lol

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

"Most of us" Cormanus lol, most of us. Also fairly short order to me is 5 years or less.

My 2013 CB 1100 made it one year (although it would have made it much longer if they hadn't brought out the DLX), I've had my Deluxe 8 years, my FJR made it 2 years, I've had my NC for 1 1/2 years.

Check with Mtneers or Kiowa Eagle for example lol

I hear ya.

I almost pulled the trigger on a VIN-of-the-day ...

 

[Cormanus]

Ferret, how long did you have the ST?

 

[the Ferret]

I had my ST 10 years. Ya find a good one ya keep it (ST-CB) lol