I have grown to hate my BMW

Surely there's no such thing as a good or bad make of bike.

I did 120K miles on a Honda and it never let me down, I sold it and bought another Honda and it drove me mad over the next 2 years with the amount of breakdowns. I've done well over 160K miles on my BMW 1100 but my mate has an 1150 which is a complete stinker!!!

Just buy the bike you want - if it's a Friday afternoon bike, get rid as quick as possible and get another - probability dictates it will be fine - hopefully :D
 
pauljenkins said:
BMW unfortunately consistently perform badly in reliability surveys.
The failure rate is pretty shocking
Click to expand...

Expectation management. Folk expect a lot from premium brands like BMW, so anything less than perfection and they're slated. By some cheap 'white goods' style item and when it lasts 5 years it's exceeded everyone's expectations and does fabulously well in such surveys.
 
As said, pre 2004 bikes were quite well made. Since then BMW has traded quality for higher production and to keep costs down and sales up.

The only issue with an 18+ year old bike which had a reputation for reliability, is the monkeys that have owned and maintained the bike in the past. My 28 year old R100GS has been reliable despite being maintained by me from new.
 
Sea Dog said:
Expectation management. Folk expect a lot from premium brands like BMW, so anything less than perfection and they're slated.
Click to expand...

What a load of crap.
I'd love to know which study or survey conducted concluded that.
A theory is no good on it's own.
It has to be backed up with evidence.
 
pauljenkins said:
What a load of crap.
I'd love to know which study or survey conducted concluded that.
A theory is no good on it's own.
It has to be backed up with evidence.
Click to expand...

The surveys don't conclude that, it's merely the consumer satisfaction perception issue that influences the responses they get. Read the JD Power survey (one of the more popular most quoted) results with the expectation management factor in mind. If you're not convinced it's a factor, fine, buy a Kia Picanto or something. It matters not whether you agree the theory, and I have no interest in trying to convince you otherwise but, in business, it's a pretty well accepted phenomenon.
 
Sea Dog said:
The surveys don't conclude that, it's merely the consumer satisfaction perception issue that influences the responses they get. Read the JD Power survey (one of the more popular most quoted) results with the expectation management factor in mind. If you're not convinced it's a factor, fine, buy a Kia Picanto or something. It matters not whether you agree the theory, and I have no interest in trying to convince you otherwise but, in business, it's a pretty well accepted phenomenon.
Click to expand...

Only applies to recent vehicles. If you buy an 18+ year old bike that has not been dealer serviced for its entire life, then you are inevitably, in the hands of the the previous owner/ bodger.
 
ChasF said:
Only applies to recent vehicles. If you buy an 18+ year old bike that has not been dealer serviced for its entire life, then you are inevitably, in the hands of the the previous owner/ bodger.
Click to expand...

I bought my 1100GS at around 75k with tons of dealer history. You wouldn't believe the things they did twice - like gearbox rebuilds on consecutive services - and swing arm bearings - and brake discs. Other than a Hall sensor which died in my garage, it's never let me down. Just come back from Picos/Pyrenees and coming up to 112000m. Shan't be moving it on any time soon. As others have said, find a decent independent, save some money and - more importantly - get it maintained properly. Just going back to the OP's valve issue, I would (again) recommend one of John's chips. Bike runs cooler, goes faster and uses less fuel.
 
Sea Dog said:
The surveys don't conclude that, it's merely the consumer satisfaction perception issue that influences the responses they get. Read the JD Power survey (one of the more popular most quoted) results with the expectation management factor in mind. If you're not convinced it's a factor, fine, buy a Kia Picanto or something. It matters not whether you agree the theory, and I have no interest in trying to convince you otherwise but, in business, it's a pretty well accepted phenomenon.
Click to expand...

Again, you're spouting your own views, rather than anything based on fact.
Where did you read or here that people expect more from BMW because it is perceived as a premium brand
Crap.
Fact is that BMW suffer more problems that most.
I have a friend who worked as a mechanic in a BMW workshop for 20 years.
He now works in a multi franchise Japanese dealership and tells me that he pretty much never see's any major warranty claims.
In the BMW workshop, they were relatively common.
We're not talking fussy customers with vibrating footpegs here.
No.
We're talking failed gearboxes and final drive being the most common mechanical problems.
Then there's the numerous electrical issues.
He told me that he lost count of the number of BMW's that turned up at his dealership on the back of trailers having suffered some sort of electrical issue that had stranded the owner.
Forget your premium brand nonsensical theory.
I would suggest to you that the owner of a Hyosung would be equally as pissed off as the BMW owner with these sorts of problems.
 
pauljenkins said:
Again, you're spouting your own views, rather than anything based on fact.
Where did you read or here that people expect more from BMW because it is perceived as a premium brand
Crap.
Fact is that BMW suffer more problems that most.
I have a friend who worked as a mechanic in a BMW workshop for 20 years.
He now works in a multi franchise Japanese dealership and tells me that he pretty much never see's any major warranty claims.
In the BMW workshop, they were relatively common.
We're not talking fussy customers with vibrating footpegs here.
No.
We're talking failed gearboxes and final drive being the most common mechanical problems.
Then there's the numerous electrical issues.
He told me that he lost count of the number of BMW's that turned up at his dealership on the back of trailers having suffered some sort of electrical issue that had stranded the owner.
Forget your premium brand nonsensical theory.
I would suggest to you that the owner of a Hyosung would be equally as pissed off as the BMW owner with these sorts of problems.
Click to expand...

Everyone's experience of ownership will differ. Mine has been very different to yours. Three 1150's one is still my main bike, and two 1200's in 14 years, none of them bought new and maybe 2 main dealer services in the 180,000 or so miles I've ridden them.

Actual faults / failures in that time ?
A fuel pipe connector on one of the 1150's ( think that cost about £10 ).

Fuel strip on the 1200 replaced under warranty.

Zero electrical faults unless you count headlamp bulbs which one of the 1200's consumed at the rate of one every 12 months.

Serviced at home with the very occasional independent to assist if I felt out of my depth.

Get a qualified opinion from an experienced independent as mentioned, then get it fixed or get it sold depending on the advice.
I rode Honda's for 20 years but for me, the GS is just about perfect.


Good luck.
 
Again, you're spouting your own views, rather than anything based on fact.
Click to expand...

This post made me chuckle. :D

Fact is that BMW suffer more problems that most.
Click to expand...

And how do we determine what is a fact?

I have a friend who worked as a mechanic in a BMW workshop ..............
Click to expand...

Great, now I know how to distinguish facts from hearsay I certainly won't be buying a new BMW anytime soon!
(Well not in the next 3 months anyway. ;) )

:rolllaugh
 
flatdog said:
…..so have you got the piece of shit home yet? had it looked at yet to determine whats up.
If not, I'll come and take it away.
That way you can fuck off with your negativity somewhere else….
or start using this forum as more than a fuckingwhingingcunt? that you come across as.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I'm just saying it how it is.
Perhaps in your world you prefer people to lie and say everything is fine, even when it is far from it.
I'm just realistic.
You're in denial.
I happen to think BMW make great riders machines.
Build quality however is lacking, but some of you guys worship at the alter of BMW and let them get away with it, much like the disciples of an egotistical cult leader robbing them blind, while they remain completely oblivious and blinded by their faith.
40% failure rate is shocking.
No way of defending that.
 
pauljenkins said:
Again, you're spouting your own views, rather than anything based on fact.
Where did you read or here that people expect more from BMW because it is perceived as a premium brand
Crap.
Fact is that BMW suffer more problems that most.
I have a friend who worked as a mechanic in a BMW workshop for 20 years.
He now works in a multi franchise Japanese dealership and tells me that he pretty much never see's any major warranty claims.
In the BMW workshop, they were relatively common.
We're not talking fussy customers with vibrating footpegs here.
No.
We're talking failed gearboxes and final drive being the most common mechanical problems.
Then there's the numerous electrical issues.
He told me that he lost count of the number of BMW's that turned up at his dealership on the back of trailers having suffered some sort of electrical issue that had stranded the owner.
Forget your premium brand nonsensical theory.
I would suggest to you that the owner of a Hyosung would be equally as pissed off as the BMW owner with these sorts of problems.
Click to expand...

Not my own view, not my own theory, so whether or not you like it or believe it is fine by me. If you don't like BMW bikes or feel they're too unreliable for you, that's fine by me too - ride something else.
 
pauljenkins said:
40% failure rate is shocking.
Click to expand...

Guess I've been lucky then, 4 BMWs over 11 years, by your reckoning I should have had major problems with 1.6 of them?
I'm pleased to tell you that just hasn't been the case, I've been very happy with all of them. Based on that fact why would I not consider another BMW? I'd rather make decisions based on my own experience rather than that of others.
By the way, consumer surveys are a snap shot of personal experiences or opinions of a particular product, they are not necessarily facts.
 
trebor said:
Guess I've been lucky then, 4 BMWs over 11 years, by your reckoning I should have had major problems with 1.6 of them?
I'm pleased to tell you that just hasn't been the case, I've been very happy with all of them. Based on that fact why would I not consider another BMW? I'd rather make decisions based on my own experience rather than that of others.
By the way, consumer surveys are a snap shot of personal experiences or opinions of a particular product, they are not necessarily facts.
Click to expand...

Same here, but a few more bikes. 12 BMW's (not just GS's) over 7 years, over the 'average' mileage ridden, and no reliability issues at all.:thumb
 
its a wind up..18 yr old bike, obviously not WELL maintained, loved, blessed :D send it to Mickeyboy or buy an LC
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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