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Adunis

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Am I mad ?
I have an irrepressible urge to change my 98 1100gs which has a mere 61k miles up and is as reliable as a lump hammer,for a 1200gs ideally post Evo brake pre water cooled one.
Can someone please school me on the actual reality of their "reliability" /issues please my head is melted trying to actually interpret all the internet horror stories.
Please n thanks in advance.
 
Like yourself I had a 1100gs - gearbox replaced at 95000 miles - changed up to a 2010 1200GSA in 2016 - 13000 miles on the clock - no problems until this year have had a new starter motor put in (72,000 miles) & the final drive went (gearbox end) 75,000miles - had it replaced - now at 80,000 miles & love it - thought the 1100 was a good bike but my 1200 is way more enjoyable (to me) in every way.
 
Had a totally reliable 1150 then bought a brand new 1200 in 2007, not sure this would be post evo or not. Lovely bike to ride, but build quality/reliability was crap.
In the space of 17k it let me down on a tour of Spain, went through 3 batteries, 2 ECU units, needed new rear wheel bearings and was told at the 17k service that the rear shock was weeping and would soon need replacing which considering it had never carried a passenger was, pardon the pun, shocking, plus it had developed a disturbing noise albeit faint from the shaft housing, it was time to move it on. This was back in about 2010.
Would I have another GS, not a chance.
 
2010 model here. Issues: (miles)

* shocks die early. Rear goes around 30k, front around 45k
* final drive needed replacing around 60k (should have got it rebuilt at 45k and would have saved a lot of grief)
* fuel pump assembly started leaking, had to replace the entire unit at 66k
* replaced camchain tensioners at around 60k (the left one is PITA to get at)
* front wheel bearing needed doing at 50k
* heated grips die as soon as it gets cold enough to need them (guessing about 20k)

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk
 
2006 GSA

Almost 140.000 miles now.
Original clutch.
Original gearbox.
Original starter motor.
Original servo/abs.
Original alternator.
Original heated grips still working. Though they are a little worn so I put some heat shrink covers on them.
Fuel injectors etc have never been touched.
Clutch fluid never changed.
Original front wheel bearings

though on my recent trip to the baltics there is a little bit of a whine so I might replace them soon .
2nd set of brake discs.
Brake calipers have just been cleaned, never stripped.
Wilbur's shocks fitted years ago.
On its second battery. I only replaced it because the Odyssey was at least 12 years old,working fine. so I fitted a motobatt.

Bad things
11 fuel strips.
Rear shock leaked and was replaced under warranty at 29.000 miles. Before I fitted the Wilbur's.
Fuel pump and controller at 97.000 miles
Shaft drive replaced under warranty around 50.000 miles.
Final drive rebuilt by BMW at about 40.000 miles. Rebuilt again by mikeyboy at about 70.000 miles. Fine since.
I replaced the upper throttle cable last year because the outer sheathing was breaking up and it was going rusty.
Front engine cover powdercoated years ago by mikeyboy.
Uses about a quarter to half a litre of oil between changes.
 
It's the randomness that gets me,
Now I should mention I am a mechanic so the actual work doesn't scare me obvs is rather not do it, presumably at this stage 2nd hand/spurious parts workarounds bypasses etc are a well trodden route?
In my head 07to10 reg would be the sweet spot non Evo brakes and single can heads ,I believe,no objection to the twincams but they command a bit more cash at least so it seems here in Ireland......
 
Twimcam is a better engine, I enjoy it much more than the previous one. If you can get the engine remapped and bypass the exhaust flap and cat.

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Oh I forgot about the tyre pressure sensors. I've replaced front and rear twice. The last time I just used Chinese knockoffs (my thinking was the official ones are crap so what's to lose)
 
I really think it depends on what you are going to use the bike for.

I find the R1200 twin cam very buzzy on the wrists.
In my brief period of ownership.
I have had to replaced the crank shaft rear oil seal 3 times, (original seal failure and 2 aftermarket).
Had both shocks refurbished.
The Alternator failed Electrically, I was lucky that the break in the windings was obvious so I could effect a repair. However, they usually seize through broken corroded casings.
The exhaust flap failed very early on so that has been bypassed.
The bike is sitting at 35k miles.

I will get rid of the R1200 long before I part with my R1150
 
I'm beginning to think I may just heep the tractor and get a tdm900 with the cost to change.I seem to have an affinity with the agricultural.......
 
Geese, I think I may be suffering from PTSD. Your post stirred a memory in me that the exhaust flap thingy died at around 40k.

Heat shields on the vario pannier is also crap. They fall to pieces, and they don't stock them anymore.
 
Ian J Hartley said:
I find the R1200 twin cam very buzzy on the wrists.
Click to expand...


can't ride mine for more than 20 mins without and 2 days of issues with my right hand (its like it gives white finger of the hand), tried tightening engine mounts, they weren't loose - but gave them a bit for good measure, balanced the carbs and then checked but found it already had super heavy bar-end weights - its miles worse than the older 1200 engine - those can do 1000 miles in a day without issue
 
botus said:
can't ride mine for more than 20 mins without and 2 days of issues with my right hand (its like it gives white finger of the hand), tried tightening engine mounts, they weren't loose - but gave them a bit for good measure, balanced the carbs and then checked but found it already had super heavy bar-end weights - its miles worse than the older 1200 engine - those can do 1000 miles in a day without issue
Click to expand...
Interestingly, I'm getting this buzz at the moment, I have to assume it's because I have put the stock headers back on. When I had the aftermarket akropovich headers which bypassed the cat I had no issues with buzz, though it was loud enough to have me worry about the neighbours.

I think I'm going to put the after market headers on again.
 
Adunis said:
I'm beginning to think I may just heep the tractor and get a tdm900 with the cost to change.I seem to have an affinity with the agricultural.......
Click to expand...
I've had 2 single cam R1200GSs and 2 twin-cam GSAs over 13 years. I've had none of the buzzy issues - can ride all day long. And play tennis at the end of the day. Never had an oil leak. My twin-cam GSA is a pleasure to ride. As far as reliability goes it's down to how it's been cared for, like any machine. Issues I have had are the immobiliser ring sensor failing, and a failing fuel pump controller. These needed recovery by AA. But after 17 years it's only been twice. My 1100GS which I had for 66k miles/11 years never let me down (wait - battery failed in France but I got back with bump starts), but was slower, heavier and didn't handle like the R1200GS/A. But I was the first owner of that bike and looked after it.

You won't know until you try one - take a mate's bike out and see how the other half live!
 
Over 30 years with GSs. Had 2 x 1100GSs from new and loved them, i preferred them to the 1150 as I did see the need for 6 gears. I’ve had 2 Hexheads, 2007 GSA from new then a 2007 GS, then 2017 GS and 2018 GSA, both new but I couldn’t get on with them so have just gone back to a 2010 GS anniversary.
Prior to the 1100, I had the old air heads, 3 in total, an 80 and 2 x 100s - I really loved them - but the 1100 was a monster step up. None of the bikes after the 1100 have been anywhere near such a leap forward. The 1100 gave us everything, the power you need with brakes and handling to match.
Throughout my personal history with BMW everyone has always said that “they don’t make them like the used to”. Well I’ve been hearing that for over 3 decades and it’s nonsense - BMW make the best bikes as economically as they can at the time that they make them. Machines have the potential to fail at times.
So, in summary, the 1100, in my opinion is a great machine, the 1200 is also a great machine just more modern. A little bit more power, no real improvement in handling or brakes and the comfort level is about the same. If it has come time to change there are many more 1200s available when compared with 1100s.
Happy riding.
 
I'm getting the general sense that 07-10ish bikes seen to be the sweet spot.......
 
06 hexhead

New starter
Rear cardon drive rebuild
Changed the shocks for lowered
Servoectomised
New TPS
New battery

2011 TC
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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