Colorado State Patrol switched years ago to BMW R1200RT police bikes from Harley Road King police bikes. I asked the captain why. His response: “Lighter, better handling, faster, less breakdowns and significantly reduced maintenance costs.”
I am kind of surprised by the reduced maintenance costs. BMWs aren't cheap to maintain over the long run, particularly with clutch replacements with the older RTs. Cop bikes will go through clutches. All the rest is true though. Thanks for the comment.
I went to a safety course in Gastonia, NC a month ago and the cops there rode BMW. They had some Harleys also but only used them for training because they leak oil and handle poorly......according to them.
I am sure. My only advice is stay away from first year of models and make sure it's maintained on schedule. There are also caveats with certain models that could affect decisions. K1600s require valve adjustment checks and possibly adjustments. It's at least $500 just to check them. Other touring bikes have lower costs of maintenance and in this day and age, lower maintenance can be an engineering goal and is for some manufacturers of vehicles. I would even say to take the extended warranty from BMW if one wants to keep it a long time. That wasn't offered when I bought mine. Another factor is where one lives. Outside the US, problems are handled differently or not at all, like the fuel strip issue on hex head bikes. There was a 12 year extension in the US, outside of the US, they were on their own. Just download the maintenance sheets and follow them for the most part. If there are idiosyncratic problems with a particular model, well, keep an eye out for those potential issues.
Good points. I'll just say, when I was 30 I went to a BMW dealer for a demo day. I really wanted a R1200R at the time. I rode my Honda Magna there. I'll just say, I wasn't treated very well by the BMW crowd. It kind of rubbed me the wrong way, and I held a grudge for a long time. BUT... here were are in 2022 and I finally bought my first BMW (R1200RT) a couple months ago. I love it. I don't care what anyone else thinks about it. Most of my friends probably lean more towards the "HD" mentality, and I side with them on a lot of view points. But I'm a Mechanical Engineer with a focus on internal combustion engine design... enough said. The choice was obvious.
I am more like that too, but I had a failure with it that pissed me off. Throttle pulleys broke. It’s getting much more common and only affects 2005-2013 boxers. I love the design/engineering philosophy, making things that function well and well together, but they can fall victim to their own parsimony. It’s like they squeeze their vendors on unit cost and quality fade happens. We’ll see if I get another bike. My guess is no. I’m 60, just bought a car for my birthday and I want to retire in a few years. The other thing is, BMW doesn’t try to keep my business. It’s like the American business model is, once the sale is over, screw them, there’s always another customer around the corner. Thanks for commenting, I really do appreciate it.
...love my r1200rt 2010 and i am 64.....have it for 2 years and had a lot of japanese motorbikes in my life. This is for me the best motor-ride experience i have ever had!
While I would agree about maintaining a BMW product, some problems are beyond maintenance, especially on certain vintages. In General, I think they've gotten better, but I hear with your vintage, some folks are having issues with the DLC coating on cams and wear, even folks that had their bikes dealer serviced and one had it twice: The dealer replaced the cams under warranty and the replacements wore. It's not widespread per se, but enough to make one go huh? Again, some of these folks did it by the book for sure. I haven't heard any issues with the newer 1250s. Maybe they finally got their QA/QC together.
My 2011 R1200RT has 138,000 trouble free miles. I do my own maintenance (easy). That's .15/mile + gas, oil, tires, etc. Also, with a aftermarket seat, a very comfortable motorcycle. Great value!
I do my own maintenance and repairs as well, but BMW fucks up with some things and when they do it's fairly consistent in terms of the item, but it isn't consistent in terms of how they handle it. I don't drink kool aid or carry water, but I don't knock things without reason. Yes, some folks have many trouble free miles, some don't. There's a lot of variables in there that can't be accounted for in casual conversation.
@@transtar54 Wow. That sounds excessive. What caused the failures? I know oil leaks from the crank, balancer or transmission input shaft seals can cause clutch failures on those bikes.
In the UK, most police bikes are 1200RTs having switched from Pan Europeans following issues. Many years ago when I did an advanced riding course run by the police, I asked why BMW and they simply said "reliable and cheaper in the long run". I now own an RT myself and can agree parts & labour are definitely not cheap.. not brave enough to do my own servicing!
I've always serviced vehicles I own. It's not that bad if one is mechanically inclined. My only advice with BMW is do the maintenance on schedule, all of it, whether you do it yourself or the dealer does it and it'll cut down on problems.
Did watch ur video clip. Sorry to hear that... At the age of 61..now.. Had to buy my DREAM BIKE AT THE AGE OF 58...CHOSE THE 1250 ADV BMW....BOUGHT NEW...113.000KM ON CLOCK... HAD NO ISSUES ON BIKE SO FAR...JUST LOVE RIDING THAT MACHINE.... MY WARRANTY WILL BE EXPIRING SOON... WISH ME LUCK ...THAT I HAVE NO ISSUES ON MY GS.. WILL LOVE TO PUT 200.000KM ON MY DREAM BIKE
The warranties here usually are only 3 years, 36k miles. The drivetrain has been fine, it’s the stuff everyone else figured out that BMW does differently that screwed up. The new bikes like yours have throttle by wire. No pulley issues possible. The gas tanks use floats again. Just do the maintenance on schedule and you’ll be fine.
Have had 7 H-Ds. Tried the H-D togetherness thing where one rides in a group of 40-70 motorcycles and you constantly flirt with unconscious crash threats by newbys and hot-rods, the bar bikers inability to pass by the beer joint without slammin' a couple each stop then riding impaired (but cool) , or the condemnation comments from "real" bikers about problems with clothing that fall outside the "group approved" masquerade outfits. And, last but not least, the transgression of choosing a Honda or maybe Kawasaki interloper v-twin, h-d wannabe cruiser to join in the poker run. I'm on my 4th RT now and never feel the need to engage in such activities. Such a relief. Thanks for the opportunity to "vent". 🙂
Regarding final drives on R1200, 2005 - 2010 and a half. At around 50,000 miles, remove the final drive side case bolts and tap out the axle. Then replace the big bearing (6013-2rsr) and accompanying seal. If you do this proactively, the pinion bearings will last a long time. If you wait for the big bearing to go out, it may back contaminate the pinion bearings. When the big bearing goes bad, it typically goes bad very quickly. You don't want to be stranded far away from home. Just my two cents.
That’s one way to handle it, but it does require special tools most folks don’t have. One can take the final drive off and have a mechanic/dealership service do it too. BMW is a bit of a conundrum to me. There are things I like about their vehicles, like the design philosophy in terms of a complete balanced package, but their business model needs to be better. They aren’t alone. HD is worse in some ways, specifically the dealer model. I’m on the fence with getting a new bike. Probably won’t. I don’t enjoy riding as my opportunities are commuting and I can’t wait to retire to put it in context. It’s like eating your favorite meal in a cesspool. Anyway, your method will give reliable results for sure. Thanks for commenting.
Bought my fourth BMW a 2009 R1200 GSA brand new, serviced by BMW with the extended warranty for three years then did my own servicing with the following results after 5 years ownership and 76,000 miles: 3 final drive bearings 1 final drive housing bearing 1 oil leak front alternator housing 1 LHS heated grip 1 LHSR indicator 2 sets main stand bolts 2-3 replacement head light bulbs per annum Replaced the GSA with a ST1300 Pan European and never looked back. Once bitten twice shy I'm afraid.
It does go through headlight bulbs. I replaced mine with LEDs. I've heard about most of the problems you've had. It's disheartening. The ST is no longer made though, and I am not sure what I'd get with a new bike. Bikes in this class have gotten very expensive, good and not so good ones. Glad you found a bike that works for you.
Pan European ST1100 one of the best Honda product out there ever made. I bought 1991 model with 58k miles on it couple of years ago and to be honest that bike was a bulletproof by any means.Had also ST1300 but somehow that damn high speed stability of ST1100 was unbelivable. On German Autobahn I could drive for hours 100mph with hard winds and rain and that bike was like a train on tracks in compare to ST1300. But still ST1300 is excellnt bike which can be upgraded with cruise control.Better weather protection also but regarding stability and quality ST1100 even aftet so many years is a great bike, ofcourse the latest 2000 model with ABS and traction control.
@@OzBloke Cruise control can be installed on ST1300. Mine had one installed by previous owner. Worked like a charm. Only isue I had with ST1300 it was a low seat and my knees could not handle. BST1300 almost like riding a scooter that is how low it is. Similar to Suzuki Burgman. Best body position is on Enduro bikes...but then again it's missing weather protection.
Bmw 1250 Gs adv. 2022 Loving every moment of it... Bought brand new....just clocked my 10000.00km Mark....taking a long trip in a few days time with wife...
Good evening..Regarding my Gs 1250 Adventure...just love this machine..had been faithful to me from brand new..current km 122.000...Long Distance Runner...
Nice ride only that weird sound coming underneath from the crankshaft...😂😂😂 The new GS1250Hp is powerful and good balanced engine...but as I first rode that bike I though front wheel bearing got almost lose...no it was a damn crankshaft making noise between forks and windscreen direct in my ears I was like wtf...😂😂😂😂
love my 2001 beemer. don't really care what others think about me or the bike. if they dislike either of us, then clearly there is something wrong with them.
I rode BMW for about 10 years and I thought they were high maintenance then I bought a 2019 goldwing, brand new, the oil light started coming on at about 2,000 miles, it was at the dealer for months. It was finally declared a lemon, and not initially voluntarily by Honda, they made it hard on me. So I am back with BMW, got a 2022 R1250GSA we will see how that goes.
Yes sir..did read ur comments.. 1250 Gs adv...beautiful machine...from my side...just be good to the dealership staff...create a family BOND... I AM SURE THEY WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU AND THERE PRODUCT GS... FOR ME....I VISIT THEM FREQUENTLY ..I ONLY HAVE MY BIKE WASHED BY THEM.. WITH NO COST....AND AT TIMES I GET TO TEST RIDE MOST OF THE BIKES THAT ARE AVAILABLE... BUT MY GS....IS A DREAM BIKE TO ME.. BÈEN GOOD TO ME SO FAR.....WILL BE KEEPING IT FOR A LONG TIME...
From my experience BMWs are excellent motorcycles. First I had BMW R1150R for over 10 years (made 100 kkm +) and now, for last four years, I have GS 1200 LC (already made 40kkm with it). Both are perfect to ride and I never had any issues at all. I am from EU and many friends of mine drive BMWs as well and all, without exception are very satisfied. You are right, they are expensive, but in general its a life time bike. Proper mainteince + good tires and hit the road for many years to come.
You are right about the maintenance part. They have to be serviced on schedule or it will be more expensive down the road. What bothers me is the response or sometimes lack of it to problems that do exist that aren't owner caused. Sometimes BMW tries to reinvent the wheel when it's not necessary or a good idea, like the fuel strip. At other times they cheapen out on parts, particularly plastics and specifically with the bikes, throttle body pulleys on the 2005-2013 boxers. The difference between the EU and the US is the climate. I live in a desert and the heat will bring out problems with engineering that Europeans will never see, like with plastics. That said, I've had mine for 14 years. If I wasn't retiring, I'd have gotten a new BMW or newer one, but I have to be responsible on a fixed income.
And yet HD and other companies make money on brand tribalism. While you fall into a smaller subset, extrapolating one's experience into generalities is limiting.
what you are saying makes sense . However , there is always why not X Y or Z motorcycle, price, ride, reliability etc.. only for tall people ???! why ? the title of your video is mentioning BMW bikes and not the GS series. There are many BMW's suitable for short people as you know. Yes it cost more to maintain and maybe to repair once out of warranty but since I had my 1250 GS I never looked back. Again it is a matter of a personal choice. I would say Ride the bike that you like and on which you feel comfortable. Ride Safe
I don't own a GS. I'd prefer the GSA. Better ergonomics and wind protection. On the other hand, I've seen short folks ride GS and GSA's and tall/big folks ride low cruisers and look like a monkey fucking a football. The funny thing is I get much more views on this video than the one I have for Why To Buy a BMW. I don't ride much anymore anyway. I have other things going on and I am getting older and on top of that my old BMW does what I want it to when I do ride it that I haven't seriously considered getting a new one or any new bike. They've gone up 50% since I bought this one, my pay hasn't and looking at retirement, I don't need more debt. The only real advise I give in buying a bike is test ride as many as you can. Sometimes what we thought we wanted isn't right and/or we're surprised at something that we hadn't considered. Sort of how I came to the RT.
Comparing a HD to a Bmw is like chalk and cheese. Old tech cruiser that cant corner, front brakes suck and the rear suspension will have you booking a chiropractor. I used to have a pre dyna HD and never again. What you're riding is a tourer not a cruiser. Yes, buy a well maintained, looked after bike, maintain it with quality parts and oils and it will just keep going. I've had lots of different bikes over the years but settled on the RT as its a very versatile, stable and capable around fast corners. My last RT was a 2010 Hex engine and i sold that with over 100k miles... now riding a 2017 RT. Not one issue... i service it every 3K miles ( 5K ) kms. So easy to do an oil change and check the valves... I change the final drive oil every 6K miles.... 180ml of the good stuff... takes 10 mins... Any bike is only as good as the care and maintenance guven... Ride safe 😎
Maintenance matters, but there are common problems with some vehicles. At least common enough that we hear about if we’re listening and honest. I don’t drink any manufacturers kool aid. The comparison with HD is on price and the market position as well as the fact hd makes more than dynas, they make touring bikes too. BMW does some ridiculous things, like plastic throttle body pulleys, fuel strips, final drive issues(who has a lifetime fill?), water pumps that leak( the first couple years of the k16 and water boxer), switch gear on early cam heads, aluminum wheel hubs on final drives and leaky fuel pumps because the plastic cracks, remember the pulleys? None of this is maintenance related. Lastly, the hex heads last year was 2009. The cam head was introduced 2010. Seems BMW and HD have something else in common: owners that drink their respective kool aid.
Funnily enough most realiable bikes to this day for me were HD, Vespa and Gilera 🙂 All the japanese had some problems including broken camshaft on Yamaha Royal Star Venture (yeah the one everyone is saying how bulletproof they are - HAHA I say). That's why I am looking for BMW R1200RT now 😀 (but only years 2010 - 2013)
My most reliable bikes for me were Kawasakis. I have no doubt the modern/recent HDs are reliable. It looks like you are looking at camheads. The only issue that comes to mind with them was the switch gear. BMW had some revisions there in terms of parts.
I have a 2009. The only real issues I've had were: An ABS sensor cable that wore through from the front rotor, a known problem covered under warranty, broken throttle body pulleys and fuel strip failures, which were covered under an extended recall warranty. I did have a fuel leak a couple years after the first fuel pump recall, but I fixed that myself, it was just the dope used on the high pressure bung threads that failed, which would have been used on the recall. The throttle body pulley failure was the most troubling. BMW plays dumb while there have been many complaints to the NHTSA, to the extent the agency was calling people back. The new kawasaki's I've owned had fewer issues, none, but they were different bikes. If you go to the BMW Sport Touring Forum, there are several threads about the pulley issue and how to fix it yourself. A lot of people didn't realize their pulleys were cracked until they inspected them. When they fail, you're dead in the water. My guess is that heat is an issue. I live in Arizona and the plastic pulleys probably weren't designed for continuous 100+ degree days, some 115+. It never gets that hot in germany.
BMW riders: crazy eccentrics that ride when it’s 40 out and raining. Harley riders. Ride their SVO road glide with screaming eagle parts and wear the “dealer” shirt they got on vacation in Cancun on a warm Saturday in the summer and that’s about it.
Not cheap? I just bought a 2003 K1200GT for $2600. It has 23K miles, mint condition and better than any new K1600 built these days for 12x the cost. So yes they are cheap- if you’re not a moron and buy used.
That's a 20 year old bike. See what happens if you need to do the clutch or the ABS dies. The K1600 wouldn't be my first choice either, but at some point, they become more costly to own than they are worth. If you want to know more about the K1200 platform, check out Chris Harris's K1200LT rant.
The old one are classic. The chiropractor I had when I was young rode BMW and he probably had that model too. He would ride 30k miles a year. The thing is, BMWs seems to have issues with things that have already been figured out.
I have seen exceptions to that and some usually point to a poorly engineered design. I've heard of more than one K1300 owner having cam chain tensioner issues. The same problem can happen on the parallel twins of some years, both with catastrophic consequences and these people maintained the bikes. More than a few have had final drive issues with certain vintages of BMWs too, even though they maintained them well. Of course maintenance can't fix or impact some issues, like the fuel strip used on the R series from 2005-2010, or throttle body pulleys that break on the same vintage or the switch gear on 2010-2012 R bikes. Or the leaky water pumps on early K1600s and R1200 liquid cooled. Every member of my local MOA club that bought a K1600 when they came out had at least one water pump failure. One guy had four and bought a spare for trips. All of that said, I do think BMW has the best STs(I am partial to the R bikes), but there are periods of time/vintages where BMW shit the carpet because they cut corners with either QC or design, probably to save a penny. I do think they've gotten better in the last 5-6 years in that the idiosyncratic problems have mostly gone away. The only issues I have heard about are with cams on the newer R1200s, that lose the DLC and wear prematurely and in some cases the bikes were dealer maintained with BMW oils etc(One guy had the replacement cams go bad after a while). The other are clutch issues with the R18, but I am not sold completely on the latter. Of course one should maintain their vehicle properly and I would say especially for BMWs. They don't suffer poor maintenance well, as japanese bikes have a higher tolerance for. For instance, I know of a couple japanese bikes, a gold wing and a Vulcan Voyager that went over 700K KMs. that's nuts and it's a lot of riding. So, it all depends. Thanks for commenting.
@@2bradfoster There are, but again, BMW has had some glaring issues that were of their own making. As far as the K1300 goes, like my 2009 RT, it becomes a little harder to support as time goes by if things go south. A lot of dealers won't touch bikes that are older than 10 years. I've read about that pattern more and more. BMW generally is better than most with factory parts, but they won't be there forever and the prices are nuts. It's not like the airheads which are simple bikes. I've read where ZFE's or instrument clusters go out and the owner is stuck. Some parts require a dealer tool to install and if they won't touch a bike older than 10 years old, then you're really stuck. Then there's was the cancelation of factory manuals for the public. I've heard BMW rescinded that, but that was a big turn off with some owners. BMW would like us to trade every 3-4 years. I don't have that kind of scarole, but then I am not a typical BMW owner. I am not wealthy and I do all maintenance and repairs myself, although as I get older, I am getting tired of getting low working on stuff. If I was buying a new bike, I might look at the R18. It's very similar in upkeep with my RT. The K1600 is too involved to do valve adjustments, for me.
One, BMWs in general should have their brake systems flushed no less often than every 2 years. Two, that's an old bike and I don't know the service history, three, the ABS on those bikes will fail and most folks remove the ABS/bypass it to have non ABS braking. All that said, I would go through the brake system. A bike that old probably needs new brake hoses to the calipers and I would inspect the calipers for function/corrosion. If the brake fluid hasn't been changed often enough or the brake hoses are bad, the caliper can hang up and not release due to corrosion in the caliper or debris in the hose. The ABS might be malfunctioning too, but again, I am short on info here.
Hey Michael, thanks a million for your comment. You was considering a “great deal” on a bmw klt that probably would’ve cost me a small fortune and a ton of regret.
It's stupid to compare a BMW and a HD. After decades of BMW driving I can still hear! I have only replaced a battery and brakes. not a clutch yet although they are wearable parts. Take a look at the telever and duolever suspensions. Engineering marvels. My last bike an Aspencade was fine if you like slowing for the every turn, and into my old age, 66 I can have some real fun with my 97 R1100RT with confidence, which I purchased for $3000 american used. I don't have the cash required for a HD nor would I consider one.
I don’t think it’s stupid at all. Talking about bikes in the same price class. BMW makes mistakes with both engineering, manufacturing and vendor management(other manufacturers do too, to a greater or lesser extent depending on what) and often, they leave it the customer to pay for the mess BMW created. I agree they are the best functioning bikes, but whoever runs the company and more likely the corporate culture is asshattery. To put it another way, your experience is limited. The NHTSA has dozens of reports of broken throttle pulleys. They’ve even contacted those that reported, but given the age of the bikes, nothing will be done. All that said, I’m not tribal. I’ll call out any group, whether I belong or not, on their BS. Thanks for commenting.
As a VETERAN who served over seas ( communist East Germany- Berlin 1982/83) this is my thoughts on motorcycles. When I went to High School in Southern California everyone wore Levis. If you dident you were not cool. I apply this same to bikes. If your not riding a Harley then like that same group, you are not cool. But having ridden many different bikes CB Honda, KZ Kawasaki, Z1 Cafe bikes, RD, XR/XL and Harleys. The nicest handeling bike I have ridden and now own is the BMW RT. Loud harleys do NOTHING for me and they dont handle the twistys like other bikes and they can be loud and obnoxious. Often they rattle and all apart but hey they are cool......right? I have served my country, I was stationed in Germany, I drank their beer, I kiss their woman and im riding one of their motorcycles.
Well, let's try this again: I've owned 4 Kawasaki's before the Beemer, a KZ1000 too. I do wear Levis, but have for over 40 years. OK, 50. As far as Germany and the military, my dad was a tailgunner in a B-17 in the 8th air force and saw germany from the air. He rode a Triumph. I would have a hard time buying a HD. The manufacturer charges a surcharge on an already expensive motorcycle and then there is the dealer experience which normally is a competition to steal as much money from customers as possible. I agree that BMW makes the best combination of function with bikes, but their business model vis a vis issues needs to improve. Then there is the fact they don't sell factory manuals to customers anymore. I am still stung by the throttle body issue. Watch the BMW needs to F off video for info. I don't know if I'd buy one again. Mine still works and if it didn't, I don't know what I would get. What it comes down to is, they don't care about me being a customer, so I don't either.
I just can’t stand the culture behind HD. The whole sons of anarchy thing is brutally distasteful. BMW just offers more bang for the buck in terms of standard features. Think about how nice it is to adjust windshield by the push of a button. No HD offers that. BMW are lighter, quicker, and personally I think it’s more of a distinguished brand. They both are not cheap on labor and parts.
I would posit that most brands have some sort of brand tribalism, but what gets me is when beliefs trump evidence. BMWs tend to be designed for all around function, meaning they do everything well. HD, not so much. It's about narratives and beliefs. The thing is, beliefs are stronger than facts when selling something.
Не знаю у нас в России любят RT 1200 и полиция уже сменила эту модель на следующее поколение RT и так же довольны ! Обслуживать надо , но мот дарит хорошие эмоции ! Я отъездил на нём 4 года и не собираюсь менять , пробег 90.000 км
I don't know what year you have, but my advice is take care of it. Just don't let Putin know you're having so much fun with a German bike. He might make you trade for a Ural.
@@my.motorrad у меня 2009 г ) по поводу Путина , в России я живу именно в Москве очень хорошо берут и BMW и другие бренды Германии ! Путин к этому относиться хорошо , он смеется западу в лицо🔥🤙 🇷🇺 я люблю нашего президента , он лучший 🔥🔥🔥🔥💪💪💪💪
@@Dobro-777 Check those throttle body pulleys for cracks. I have another video about replacements and the guy who sells it is from Bulgaria. Good luck, zei mir gezunt und stark and До свидания!
I Boycotted BMW Motorcycles for their refusal to recall their Fuel Strip Problem 2009 R1200 GSA in Ireland. Pure RIP OFF, at top prices. I will Never Again be fooled.
I'm a 66 year old newby to motorcycles and have been looking at getting my first bike so I know very little about the culture that is experienced when you own a particular brand of bike. Like most things I couldn't care less what other people think of me in regards to what kind of a bike I ride. It sounds as though I might have quite a bit to learn. The type of things that I'm going to focus on certainly aren't going to be what other people think of me as I know that I have enough on my plate without worrying about frivolous things that I have little to no control over. I always try to be aware of as much as I can thus it has been noted that culturally there might be a few things I might want to keep an eye on. I've been a proponent of German engineering with a lot of different things and not just motorcycles so consequently BMW is one brand that is on my radar. Having said that I know that there are other brands that have excellent credibility other than BMW that are also worthy of consideration. The Japanese brands have several manufacturers that also have excellent reputations with Honda probably being the one that I have heard about the most for their excellent reliability and attention to detail. I don't plan on joining the massive Harley Davidson contingent in Sturgis anytime soon as I'm more about getting out and just riding on my own or with one other person so hopefully I won't be confronted with culturally sensitive riders on mass for quite some time.
I think in general, BMWs have improved, but the big four make solid reliable bikes. I’ve owned several Kawasakis and there was nothing amiss mechanically in terms of design and manufacturing. Honda makes great bikes too. Good luck with your purchase and riding and let me know what you ended up doing.
i am 69 now and bought my 2001 BMW a year ago. i have owned other bmws, all big 4 japanese, triumph, bsa and ? when i started riding AMF owned Harley. yes the bowling company. i got a bad taste in my mouth for HD and that has never changed. Harleys are like boats, a hole in the water (or garage) to pour money into. i got the bug to get a bike last summer after not riding for decades. i have been watching the TDF for many years and love watching them fly through the beautiful French countryside. somehow, and i don't know how my interest switched to motorcycles and it became something of an obsession. bottom line, i found a bike i liked in new york and had it shipped to me in chicago. EVERYONE hates the bike i bought which is an R1200C Phoenix. they hate the model and in many configurations i have to agree, but not the phoenix. there are probably some good deals for all bikes to be had used on cycletrader.com. let me say - wear all the gear. full face helmet (i don't use a face shield instead sun glasses or clear glasses), jacket, leg protection, gloves and boots. even on hot days, the air keeps you cool. motorcycle culture is of little to no importance to me. but that's me. oh, and practice. watch motojitsu here on youtube if you want to learn to ride well. motorcyclists are 28 times more likely to have an accident than a car. and 80% of those are in intersections. just some food for thought. happy trails!
@@jlg3315 the only thing that I fall short on is boots. I have them, just don’t wear them all the time. The 1200Cs were interesting bikes. I just don’t know why BMW neutered them. Easier to work on though and last forever.
I have had good luck with BMWs. They let you demo any bike before buying unlike Japanese brands. The sales and service staff is always nice. Follow the maintenance schedule religiously and you'll be just fine.
I do have a video Why Buy a BMW and I mention the demo factor. As far as dealers go, the two dealers in the city where I live are so so at best. The good BMW dealer is in another city 120 miles away In terms of maintenance, I do and I mention that too. Gotta follow it like an aircraft. Still, with some models/years, there are common issues that leave me scratching my head. I think they've improved in the last 5 years for the most part though.
@@my.motorrad I have resorted to buying a well maintained slightly used one owner BMWs for multiple reasons... price, recalls completed, and infant mortality issued resolved by first owner. Smart, I think.
@@avv2231 I tend to buy new with bikes. I am afraid to get someone else's problems. One thing with BMWs, never buy the first year of a new/updated model. Buy at least second year if not third. By then if there were any issues they've been worked out. The other reason I avoid used is lending rates are higher for used. I am not a typical BMW owner: Not wealthy/lawyer/doctor/investment broker whatever. I am a civil servant and I tend to keep my vehicles a long time. I've had my RT for 13 years now. The new ones are too expensive for me. Unless I get a promotion, I am probably done.
@@my.motorrad I completely understand. Usually with a bike in the $20k to $25k MSRP range, the first owners take outstanding care of their bikes. I agree about not buying the first year of a new/updated model, especially if they are powertrain updates. Color/trim are less of an issue. Also, I pay cash for my toys. I don't know why but psychologically, I tell myself, if I can't pay cash, I can't afford this toy. Again, it's totally personal and I respect other viewpoints.
@@avv2231 If I had to pay cash I'd be living in the hood and riding a Schwinn...Most folks are probably in that same boat. Thing is, my bike has gone up 50% for new since I bought mine and my salary hasn't. It's just the way it is.
I ve had 3 all gs , currently 2009 g650gs , which I bought on the calif Mexican border at 3:am , and rode home and rebuilt , I've also been a Mercedes Benz parts guy , 35 years , I acknowledge the point given , and well , I don't really care , iam not arrogant , and I look all American and for the most part , I don't care what you ride ill wave and say hi , I've has 2011 f650gs , 2014 f800gs ( I miss that bike } and then this 2009 g650 gs , not the pretty nor da ugly , and I had to learn how to deal with its quirks , after I learned I realized , how much I genuinely enjoy this bike . 1: gas milage 2: ease of working on, 3 simplistically, its a thumper it will tell you what's going on if you listen , its also lower then the other gs"s , iam 5 ft 11 , and its nice that if I have to come to a stop , after maybe some one drifts in my lane or some such, that if the ground is uneven , I've got both feet flat footed on the ground , not tippy toed , ill probably build another f800gs , as I love the power range , but ill lower it
I have a love/hate relationship with BMW. I love the engineering aesthetic for the most part, which is to say everything is about balanced performance for a superior product. They are more rational machines, than lets say american bikes, in general. On the other hand, some of the things the choose to do, like plastic throttle body pulleys that crack and break or a fuel strip that fails when a float works fine befuddles me, and more so their response to some of these issues, which is to say, that's the first we've heard of it, which is a lie. The last interchange I had with them in response to a comment I made on FB to someone in one of their ads was disheartening. Long story short, sorry you had problems with your bike(this was about the throttle body pulley issues on hexheads and probably some camheads) and good luck. OK. That's when I did the video on, why BMW has to F off. My personal ethics and their corporate ethics don't match. As far as the ride goes, I am tall, 6'5 and 34" inseam. I had to put a peg lowering kit, bar risers and a bigger windscreen to make the RT work for me. If I got another bike, IDK what it would be. The problem I have with HD is that when I have been in the dealerships I feel like an atheists at a pentecostal revival and then there is the cost, which is never what the price really is. Lots of built in dealer profit along the way that you really have to be a believer to buy into. I am not. I've owned japanese bikes and there's nothing wrong with that or them, but I like a little different. That and while the drivetrains are excellent in reliability. they cut corners elsewhere to keep prices competitive and margins good. I kind of think the best bike would be engineered by the germans, designed by the italians, built by the japanese and marketed by the americans.
I think most people don't really give much thought about why they buy a given brand of product due to emotions and conditioning from the market place. A related idea is why do people who stick with a given brand frequently trade for a newer version of bike from that brand when the changes are incremental and relatively minor. You often see the same thing with smart phones. If all our consumer product purchases were completely rational many businesses would go out and the economy would tank. Good to see you back.
The economy would tank if people were rational or they spent only what they earned. Sobering really. What was HW's thing? Just say no? :) You'd have to start CBT in the 3rd grade for that to work. Edward Bernays understood all of this and made a science of it.
@@cycletron agreed. Since around 1980, consumer debt has steadily increased as has loan terms. We’ve also gone from predominantly one earner families to two. Where does that productivity and labor value go? Follow the capital flow.
If it has 2 wheels, and you ride it, I respect you. All my friends own Harley's ..... I ride a BMW r1250 GSA, '22 model ...... love all bikes and the BMW riders I know from Houston are mostly blue collar like me ..... great folks ...... extremely knowledgeable and helpful . 🙂
I'd buy the BMW just because I l0athe the Harley and Indian USA beer burping fwkin warm apple pie community. Nothing against the Harley or Indian motorcycles themselves, they're just bikes, if I had one, I'd totally drive it and probably love it, but I wouldn't want to have anything to do with the other people that do. Shrug. The ultranationalistic motorcycle gangs are some l0athesome criminal organization characters.
That’s interesting coming from a chopper girl. That said, I still have my BMW and it’s unlikely to be replaced. Retirement is looming and I don’t need more debt. My complaint about HD, outside of value, is the dealer model and how the company supports that model, which is thievery. I won’t be a willing participant. Also, BMW has upped their game a bit.
@@my.motorrad I actually drive 1980's Honda cruisers, and I don't plan to replace them either. Chopper as in Huey helicopter. I've been looking at BMW's though with the side valve engines because I h8t3 working on anything any more. I want a bike that will last forever with as little maintenance as possible, and if I have to replace something, it should be dirt simple to replace. High MPG, runs like a Swiss watch, never breaks, and cheap replacable parts are what matter to me most. I want a hard working rugged mule, not a flashy sport bike race horse. I have to haul two weeks of groceries on it 25 miles into town and back year round, rain or snow or shine.
@@choppergirl the airheads are simple, but require maintenance newer bikes don’t, but they are easier to work on. If I was buying new, I might look at the R18 series. I’ve owned Kawasakis before this, cruisers and 4s. In terms of choppers, I have an appreciation for OH-6s. Huey’s are cool.
@@my.motorrad I've been window shopping for a 2007 or later Honda Shadow Spirit, when they switched to a 21" front wheel, or a 2012 when they switched to fuel injection. They seem to have been made for quite a long run. I watched an old BMW R1200RS video I think today that had all the bells and whistles on it like heated everything, fairings over all your body parts that get cold, and an electronically controlled windshield height, and I was like... from experience with lots of road behind me and wind blasting on me in the winter time... I want those creature comforts now, but jeez I don't want to pay that price... for a really old used bike. So... still mulling things over. My other two Hondas still run. They've sat for 4 years though in a chicken coop while I was blind, but I just got my eyes fixed, and I'm right in the middle of a brake job on both of them because that brake fluid was mud. I cleaned them up some of dirt and dirt daubers and spider webs, and put HEET in both of them. Got to warm up and change the oil on both, and then I'll be back on the road here shortly after 4 years of being stuck at home, unable to see to count my fingers if I held out my hand at arms length. That BMW R18 looks like a pretty nice bike. The faux hard tail had me fooled, I was like aww except it has a hard tail. I need something though in the 450cc-700cc range. What got me looking at BMW originally was the K75 Flying Brick but they are impossible to find.
@@choppergirl The K75's last forever with maintenance. I saw an example with over 400K miles. Can't go wrong with a Honda though. If I was going to get a bike in that size range, I'd get a KLR650, but I am tall. Then again, honda has that 700 or 750 parallel twin, forgot the model, CTX maybe. I've heard good things about them. BMW has some parallel twins too. My first bike was a 1978 KZ1000. I wish I still had it.
The most flawed motorcycle I ever had was a BMW K 1200 LT. If you use the side stand it poured white clouds of burned oil like a two-stroke on the restart. The rear brake sounded like it was on a lathe being cut, Final drives were failing not only on the LT, but on the other models that shared that same final drive..Two guys that rode together during the iron butt competition on bmws, they actually carried a spare final drive. What’s that tell you..That weird anti-dive front end design did not absorb kinetic energy of motion when you used the brakes. Normally a telescopic front end puts that energy into the fork springs as the front end compresses and dissipates that energy. But on the BMW with the anti-dive front and that no other manufacturer has ever copied,It had nowhere to go but to make the bike feel very much heavier and unstable especially if you have the handlebars turned. I’ve only dropped two motorcycles since the 1960s all the way up till 2022. Both of the bikes were the same BMW K 1200 LT, both times in parking Lots.. when I casually tried to make a joke out of it to other BMW K 1200 LT owners at a bike night, they all laughed and said, get used to it, everybody drops them.. I had a 70 mile an hour collision with a deer one night after sunset on the BMW. I will say this, that bike never moved. It crushed the headlight/ fairing area, both mirrors went straight to China because they didn’t have tethers like Honda did with their bikes the Honda Pacific Coast and the ST 1100. Same mirror design, Honda tethered their mirrors. BMW mirrors were $492 each that was in 2010. They’re probably $5000 each here in 2022.. that deer collision cost $5500 damage to the fairing, the fairing stay, the mirrors that were gone, and other bits. I will say that bike did not move when I collided with that deer. I just coasted to a stop without touching the gas or the brakes, I just pulled the clutch in and coasted to a stop, then I got excited.. I always change my brake fluids and clutch fluids on all my machines every single year.. it takes less than an hour, and cost less than five bucks and prevents problems.. because of the electric/Hydraulic braking system on that machine. You had to change the brake fluid at least every two years and, every place I read about doing the job on the Internet said don’t even think of doing it yourself at home because if you get air in the system, the brakes completely shut down, do you have to transport the bike with no brakes on a trailer to a dealer.. so I asked my local dealer how much to change the brake fluid, even though I was a motorcycle mechanic in three different dealerships in my youth before I got a real job.. in 2010, the dealer said the price is $850, plus parts, plus shop materials, plus disposal fee, plus tax. He said he could squeeze me in in three months.. needless to say I bought the attachment to make the master cylinder reservoir capacity larger to prevent it from sucking air in because of those electric brakes that you have to have the key on to bleed the brakes which would suck that tiny amount of brake fluid in the master cylinders dry in about three seconds without the large capacity attachment. then you would have the brake system completely shut down, and you would have to have the machine transported to the dealer..I did the job myself taking my time learning how to do it the first time in about an hr.. I was searching for a campground on a back road that was covered with fine gravel/cinders. I had to go down a paved road covered with these cinders/fly ash about 100 yards to the bottom of the hill. I tapped the brakes and the ABS took over on that BMW. I had no brakes front or rear. There was a 90° turn at the bottom of the hill that I was no way going to be able to stop or make that corner. luckily I was able to run through the grass at the bottom of the hill and crashed into a cyclone fence around in auto salvage yard. I only broke the front fender.. The brakes on that K 1200 LT had no feel below 10 miles an hour.. they were very powerful but they were very grabby because they were partially electric. I didn’t like using the front brakes at slow speeds. I didn’t like using the back brakes at slow speeds because of the grinding noise. I mentioned that grinding to the dealer, I asked what is that noise from. He said he can fix that. All I have to do is buy an aftermarket rotor and pads, $850.. The windshield was one of the ones you cannot look over. You always have to look through it. The problem with that is, it was very wavy and distorted. For the price of that machine, that windshield should’ve been as clear as a car windshield.. my K 1200 LT was very smooth and it had adequate power. I thought it was beautiful. I didn’t like how the security system kept resetting every time I stopped for gas and I had to dig out the key fob to turn off the security system all the time. I never could get used to the clumsy top-heavy feel, and the grabby no feel brake action compounded by the anti-dive and all that weight, I never got used to that bike, I tried for two years. I sold it and bought a Honda GL 1800 Goldwing. That machine was perfect, but you couldn’t get at anything without removing yards of plastic. Such as, it took me five hours to change the air filter. I used the Honda service manual , That got me step-by-step to the air cleaner, but the dealer even charge us five hours labor at $125 an hour now to change the air filter. I sold that Honda no matter how perfect it was because of how everything is buried in plastic. I went back and bought my third Yamaha venture. You can get to the water pump, the starter, the alternator, the slave cylinder, and the clutch on a royal star venture using just the tool kit at the side of the road and you don’t have to remove any plastic to get out those things. And it is a non-ABS motorcycle. I think ABS is for idiots. It’s a placebo on a motorcycle. On a car or a truck it’s different because you have three other wheels stopping you..But when your front wheel stops stopping you on a motorcycle, good luck
Thank you for that message, it give me some sense of validation about my own situation. I wish I had found it before April of 2023. I have acquired a beautiful, nearly pristine K1200GT and have already - twice - laid it down in a parking lot in the exact circumstances that you described. The front brake is so delicate at low speed and different from cruisers that I have ridden for over forty years. It did not just fall over; it literally bucked me off to the right in the blink of an eye, so quick and with no warning so I didn't have a chance to prevent it. My forward speed was one mile per hour, or less, at the time. My riding skills in general are top shelf, so this made me angry and embarrassed as hell. Luckily no witnesses! But I do love riding this bike down the road, it is smooth and amazing in every way. It was a good bargain. So I have to re-train my instincts after a bezillion miles on Vulcans and Vstars, else it will be for sale again in a few months.
So does it matter...NO. ride what you ride because you like it regardless of where it hails from. If you get caught up in that narrative, you are just weak minded. I ride with and say HI to everyone I meet on 2 wheels, whether I am riding my honda scooter, aprilia sportbike, harley, yamaha vstar, or one of my BMWs. No one cares, just effin RIDE.
There are a lot of weak minded folks then. If you look at the political landscape of late, there's a lot of tribalism and the sad thing is, a lot of people don't understand the identity foreclosure they've settled for. That said, I don't care what people ride or drive or drink or for the most part whatever, but a lot of money is made leveraging people on their beliefs and tribal identities and here we are.
If you can't work on the BMW on your own...don't buy anything except Japanese brands. Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki... BMW R1200RT or GS is a nice ride, but only for someone how can fix or change the part that is broken or need to be serviced. Buying a Japanese brand even 20+ years old can give you a lot of fun on the road without big investment which can't be said for German brand.
Most BMW riders I know have their bikes dealer serviced. Really, I am an outlier for a BMW owner. I don't use the dealer for anything, I do my own repairs and maintenance, I am not wealthy and own a shit ton of bikes and I don't drink the BMW kool-aid. I like some of the design philosophy of the bike, I just think they should have Honda build the bikes for BMW. Or Kawasaki.
Clutch fluid on my RT is mineral oil and doesn't have to be changed every 2 years. It doesn't absorb water. In fact BMW doesn't have a schedule for it. With the K1300's, the issues I've heard are cam chain tensioner. Keep at eye or ear on it as the miles pile up. In terms of maintenance, BMW intervals are 6K miles or 10k Km and also annual.
My first BMW was a 99 R1100RT with 10k miles on it. I rode it for another 142000 miles. It likely wasn't serviced as much as it might have been, but hardly an issue aside from regular consumables. Some folks have Shitty luck no matter what they ride. I have a 2009 R1200RT with nearly 70000 on the clock. We changed the fuel pump. It hadn't failed, just got talked into it as a precaution. Other than consumables it has needed nothing. I have another R12RT and a K1300GT. I've owned and ridden over 50 different bikes. With my history I'll stick with BMW, but I'd like to try an MG.
The 1100 was probably the best of the oilheads if not hexheads too. A guy in TX that has a motorcycle shop has over 500k on an 1100, original engine. The thing with BMWs, especially as we get into the 21st century is the odd shit that goes wrong that every other manufacturers gets right. Worse can be their response to some of the somewhat common issues, like your 2009 RT. Have you checked the throttle body pulleys? they tend to break after a time. BMW won't even admit it, but a lot of folks have had that problem(their cars of that vintage had plastics issues with engine components). Then there were the waterpumps on the K1600 when they first came out. Every member of my MOA club that bought a K16 then had to replace at least once. One guy went through four and decided to buy one to keep it on trips so it could be fixed quickly. I've not heard of other manufacturers having problems with throttle body pulleys, fuel strips(floats don't work?), water pumps. Some of the LC 1200s are having cam issues. I suppose if one wants a reliable high mileage touring bike they'd get a gold wing. What I do like about BMW(I did a video on why to buy them), is that the underlying philosophy is building a bike where everything works together well. It's competent. I just wish they'd not penny pinch on some things and/or dutch oven the engineering shit when a simpler solution would be better. Lastly, I am not a kool-aid drinker. I may like certain things, but that doesn't mean I don't call it/them on the BS. A lot of folks get into brand tribalism and resort to all sorts of confirmation bias and motivated reasoning. Bottom line is, BMW makes great bikes, only spoiled at times by the corporate BS of cutting corners. Remember the shocks on the early LC RTs? And then the Kevin Ash incident was swept under the rug. Gotta take the good with the bad and the ugly.
@@my.motorrad The throttle bodies is what a friend changed, I think. I gave him an 09 R12RT and those failed on a long trip. He changed mine when he got back. I had the comfort seat on the 99. The most comfortable bike ever . I've had the 1300 three years. I just took it on what should have been a 3000 mile round trip. I gave up after the first day, 750 miles. I love the engine, not much else. It is not the brand 4 me, but the ride. I got on my RT, and it felt like going from sitting on a rock to riding on a cloud. I love my RT. I remember my Suzuki 1100 LT going through a clutch in 40k. My 99 1100 clutch failed with 90k, only because I ran a road in Kansas that was being oiled at the time. Very little wear, but got oil soaked through the breather. I think a lot has to do with luck. That's what mechanics say I have a bunch of in regards to my bikes. I get much better fuel mileage, a lot has to do with riding at altitude.
Depends on the kool aid one drinks. I don't drink any. HD has gotten a lot better over the years, unfortunately some are stuck in 1983 knowledge of them. With BMW, they have improved in the last 5 years, but some iterations have the most stupid problems that seem to arise more than they should. If the GS works for you, great. Let me know how it is when it gets to be 10 years old and has 100k miles. Lastly, I''ve never owned a HD. I've ridden a few of them, but never owned one. See my comment about Kool Aid.
My 05 rt 1200 has been great to me love it done all the services and downloaded the rsa manual all i have done was oils fluids rear tires spark plugs and replaced the mirrors i lost
Ok. How many miles on it? Have you changed the final drive fluid? How is the ABS unit? You might want to check the throttle body pulleys. They can crack. There are a few threads on this on the BMW Sport Touring forum. I have BMWs shop manual and have done all maintenance and repairs on mine. The problem with BMW is they reinvent the wheel when it’s unnecessary and vendor quality issues times along with a schizophrenic approach to taking responsibility for either.
You'd be surprised how many short folks ride them. Look up @motoikandi . She's 5'2 and rides a GS. Me, I'm 6'5, so I have other problems with bikes. Funny thing though, my paternal grandfather was 5'1.
@@my.motorrad How does the RT fit you? I am 6'4 and ride an ST1300, I get very bad shoulder and upper back pain when riding it, I believe the handlebars are too low. Has the RT been good to you in those regards being that we are of similar height?
@@devianthousend I had to put peg lowering kit and bar risers(up and back) to make it work. Taller and wider screen too. Not very expensive at all, but necessary. Now it it is more like a GSA ergonomically with better wind protections.
The culture is driven out of the amount of bikes on the road. The more bikes in a market, the more culture. In Germany the culture is strong. Here, not so much bc you have less riders. Ride the bike you desire and that speaks to you. A bike doesn't make you fit into a culture. Stay healthy, ride safe 👍
The dominant bike culture here is HD. Outside of bikes, it’s fractured. I’m from NY and it’s different having been raised th and lived there than the south, west coast or Midwest for sure. I dig BMW because I’m somewhat left brained and function comes first, but there’s a link between aesthetics and function. Maybe Bauhaus is an example. The problem with the American business model is that it’s money for the top overall, just create and/or use narratives that resonate with a demo and that demo will do anything for the brand. Brand tribalism. The difference for me is that I’ll call out shortcomings and BS. I have little tolerance for perfidy. Thanks for commenting, I appreciate it.
Hey Jim good to see you posting again. if i could afford to keep two road bikes at the same time i would have a gs 850 but like you mentioned , i fall into the "short" category. But I do love my Harley Randytbird
BMW has had that issue for a long time. It can be worked around for those down to 5’7, but below that, someone would probably be one legging it at stops. Some do it though. There’s a woman that is tops on a 1250gsa and she’s like 5’2, but she’s very athletic.
Harley is tats beer and everything else. I bought a Harley trying to somewhat fit in that culture but being from Europe motorcycling is somewhat essential to go places not show off that you had 30-40 thousand backs just because. On the other hand beemers are for those that are older and established financially to say the least. I’m in neither of these cultures actually far from it hahah. I love both bikes cause they represent something for me and of course provide me with the riding styles I want. Harley easy ride down the highway and same with the beemer with maybe the optional dirt path…. Good stuff brother touched maybe the tip for f the iceberg but yeah I agree
I am in a similar place. I am not really tribal at all. I learned early that to understand things better, one has to look from the side of the stage, not cheering from the audience or worse, pandering from the stage. There are things I like and dislike about most things. I just don't get the all or nothing mentality. If I have an opinion on X, I must be for Y, as it goes with most tribalists. Heterodoxy is either unknown or anathema to them. All that said, the confirmation happened to me recently and that's what I cut out and did the cutaway. I had gone to HD of Scottsdale and I felt like a RC going to a pentecostal service or as I said, going to disney and realizing I wasn't part of the cast. Too much belief in the world and not enough knowledge, wisdom and honesty.
On the flip side if you are tall you want to buy a BMW especially the GS Adventures. Event he old airheads fit tall riders better than the Japanese bikes.
@@dasboototto I'm 6'5 34" inseam. I flat foot my RT fine with the suspension in 2 up. I didn't try the GSA, but the ergos felt better sitting on it. On my RT I had to put a peg lowering kit, bar risers and a Calsci XL windscreen to make it work for me. I've had cervical fusion, C2-6 and also L4-5 in my back. I really don't like forward tilt. I did test ride a HD PA and found the seat to pegs a little tight and the wind protection lacking.
@@my.motorrad I heard somewhere that a lot of Ironbutt riders use the R1250GSA for their rally bikes because of the ergos. I want to ride to the Artic someday (Deadhorse or Tuktoyaktuk) and I'm looking for a mount, but I can't justify the $ on any new bike. It has to be a bike thats affordable and has some foul weather protection. I'm always coming back to either a R1100GS with a big screen or R100RT.
On my 2nd GSA...like alot of us...we took the time and $ to develop our skills to appreciate these bikes...make the effort and walk the walk for a change.
A bit of a non-sequitur from you. As a declaration, I’m not particularly tribal. I grew up in an Eisenhower republican household, watched the Yankees, Giants, Rangers with dad, we drove Oldsmobiles and sometimes Chevy, dad rode a triumph before he met mom, and I was raised Episcopalian. Since then I have become politically independent, agnostic in religion, I might look up scores for sports, but I don’t really care how well they do, I don’t get paid by the teams and so it goes with vehicles. I’m not getting paid by dodge or BMW, so there’s that and even if I was, I’d probably still speak the truth, as I do at work. Tribalism begets group think and the suspension of disbelief. I just won’t go there as it’s dishonest. Maybe it’s from low egocentrism, maybe from not fitting in, but looking from the side of the stage gives a unique and more accurate perspective than cheering from the audience or the stage. In the end, it’s just a bike made by a faceless corporation whose major priority is making profit. Sure the German aesthetic comes through, good and bad, but as I said, BMW isn’t paying me, so I’m not bound to perfidy and mendacity with their products.
I hope the "culture" in the motorcycle environment is fading. But we are a society of sheep, so brand loyalties will always be a thing. I see it in every discussion about tires, beer and shoes. We are manipulated and exploited, especially those who have difficulty making friends or who have an intense need for attention. Is everyone trying so hard to be cool that real data is ignored? I will confess I was never good at being cool, and I go out of my way to avoid wearing costumes and acting like a cult member when it comes to motorcycles.
Short form is, social media companies hire psychologists to understand how to exploit beliefs to get people to consume more when coupled with directed advertising. It's not an accident. Brand tribalism has always been there, tribalism in general, but it's been taken to a scientific level. Edward Bernays started it in the 1920s. Anyway, division is profitable. A few of us stand at the side of the stage going WTF? George Carlin gave me a clue.
I didn't buy a brand of bike for a certain culture. I bought it 'cause it spoke to me. No, I'm not crazy. Well, 2 out of 3 personalities can't be wrong, right? Anyway, where were we? Yeah, I buy whatever vehicle speaks to me when experienced... and my Harley does that. Sat on a K1600B, didn't do anything for me. At some point it may, but it wasn't that day. Ride safe & ride often!
@@my.motorrad The look is #1, how it rides/feels/ergos is #2, and sound is a distant #3. Those are the things that speak to me about a bike. If I can't get over the looks, the rest is immaterial. If it doesn't ride the way I like, I'm out. My Harley feels right to me. The K1600B I sat on, well the bars felt skinny and like they belonged on a dirt bike, and I just wasn't sold on the whole look of it.
@@RoadReality Understood, but why? There are foundations beneath all beliefs and emotions that generate thinking and then action. Sometimes digging deeper can reveal things about ourselves that can be useful. My thesis about this is that most folks don't want to go there. Then I have to ask myself why? And here we are...sociology and social psych are very interesting subjects to me. I've always been interested in systems, how things work and why.
@@RoadReality It's even below that G RoadReality, but that's ok. Labels often fail to convey true meaning/identity. Still catching up on videos. I am a couple months behind.
Out of warranty, their cars can be a horror show. I've heard Mercedes is worse though. It seems like the order of the day in general is to make them work well until the warranty runs out. In other words, built in obsolescence. The other thing is, they want owners to use the dealer for everything. They took away factory manuals for resale to the public.
why do you guys always have to be riding a bike when you do a video ? Could you just stand next to the bike you're talking about so we can see the bike too? Ridiculous video.
I talk on the bike, stationary and camera facing on some videos. It comes down to opportunity. If I am commuting with the bike, I can use the ride to do videos. I find I don't get any better viewage being on camera too, so there's that. Watch my video Why BMW Needs to F Off if you want on camera and covering some of the same stuff in this video.
@@protectork9831 It's one of those things that I'd rather do front of camera in person or talking while riding. Doing a voice over while riding seems artificial to me. Can't make everyone happy though.
Depends on perspective. If you're a parochial individual like yourself, you might think that. There's a lot of space in there for a variety of human expressions, needs, desires, etc. If you want ignorance, look in the mirror.
Thanks, I've five that. My point is your reasons are $$, not Japanese, Short, do what BMW says to do for maintenance and reliability. 🙄Wow, none of that is anything but biased. I don't even have a BMW and I would not use those reasons is my biggest point. Culture?? What?? 😒
@@SfJames Even if you do what they say to do(I do), there can be problems depending in the vintage. In other words it has nothing to do with maintenance and has to do with manufacturing and engineering choices on their part, which is to save a penny here or there or reinvent the wheel when it's not necessary. Out of warranty, any problems with a BMW will hurt badly if you can't do your own repairs. The Japanese, for all their boringness in design, know how to produce reliable stuff. In terms of culture, brand tribalism is present in the groups that buy certain things. We see it with HD and even some BMW folks are absolute kool-aid drinkers(Maybe you've never perused the MOA.). I am not. Never will be. My reasoning is total value for the money spent. It's your choice. Lastly, I did it because I did a video on why to buy one and was just trying to hit some of the possibilities of why someone might not buy one.
I can't help you with your confirmation bias, selective exposure and mental retardation. I am not a democrat nor republican and being from NY I know more about trump than you do. He's a narcissist with some machiavellian tendencies for sure and a one or two trick pony. That said, I think you're going for a cheap reaffirmation of whatever is rolling around in your head.
Jeeze this is one boring video with mostly irrelevant non factual rubbish about BMW bikes. Over the passed 18 years I’ve owned 5 BMW bikes. Had a few recalls just like any other brand. I had one warranty issue that was sorted promptly without fuss. All brands get warranty issues now and again. What stood out for me owning BMW bikes was their reliability, excellent build quality and high resale value that can’t be said for all brands. I don’t currently own a BMW but I imagine I will at some point in the future.
Sorry, I’m not a kool aid drinker, but you are. I have more evidence than you do and it’s outside my experience. Maybe you’re better off with the Harley crowd or the Taliban.
Colorado State Patrol switched years ago to BMW R1200RT police bikes from Harley Road King police bikes. I asked the captain why. His response: “Lighter, better handling, faster, less breakdowns and significantly reduced maintenance costs.”
I am kind of surprised by the reduced maintenance costs. BMWs aren't cheap to maintain over the long run, particularly with clutch replacements with the older RTs. Cop bikes will go through clutches. All the rest is true though. Thanks for the comment.
I went to a safety course in Gastonia, NC a month ago and the cops there rode BMW. They had some Harleys also but only used them for training because they leak oil and handle poorly......according to them.
I'm using Bmw for long distance traveling and I'm absolutely happy.
I am sure. My only advice is stay away from first year of models and make sure it's maintained on schedule. There are also caveats with certain models that could affect decisions. K1600s require valve adjustment checks and possibly adjustments. It's at least $500 just to check them. Other touring bikes have lower costs of maintenance and in this day and age, lower maintenance can be an engineering goal and is for some manufacturers of vehicles. I would even say to take the extended warranty from BMW if one wants to keep it a long time. That wasn't offered when I bought mine. Another factor is where one lives. Outside the US, problems are handled differently or not at all, like the fuel strip issue on hex head bikes. There was a 12 year extension in the US, outside of the US, they were on their own. Just download the maintenance sheets and follow them for the most part. If there are idiosyncratic problems with a particular model, well, keep an eye out for those potential issues.
Good points. I'll just say, when I was 30 I went to a BMW dealer for a demo day. I really wanted a R1200R at the time. I rode my Honda Magna there. I'll just say, I wasn't treated very well by the BMW crowd. It kind of rubbed me the wrong way, and I held a grudge for a long time. BUT... here were are in 2022 and I finally bought my first BMW (R1200RT) a couple months ago. I love it. I don't care what anyone else thinks about it. Most of my friends probably lean more towards the "HD" mentality, and I side with them on a lot of view points. But I'm a Mechanical Engineer with a focus on internal combustion engine design... enough said. The choice was obvious.
I am more like that too, but I had a failure with it that pissed me off. Throttle pulleys broke. It’s getting much more common and only affects 2005-2013 boxers. I love the design/engineering philosophy, making things that function well and well together, but they can fall victim to their own parsimony. It’s like they squeeze their vendors on unit cost and quality fade happens. We’ll see if I get another bike. My guess is no. I’m 60, just bought a car for my birthday and I want to retire in a few years. The other thing is, BMW doesn’t try to keep my business. It’s like the American business model is, once the sale is over, screw them, there’s always another customer around the corner. Thanks for commenting, I really do appreciate it.
...love my r1200rt 2010 and i am 64.....have it for 2 years and had a lot of japanese motorbikes in my life. This is for me the best motor-ride experience i have ever had!
Maintain properly and they are superb machines. Love my '17 R1200RT.
While I would agree about maintaining a BMW product, some problems are beyond maintenance, especially on certain vintages. In General, I think they've gotten better, but I hear with your vintage, some folks are having issues with the DLC coating on cams and wear, even folks that had their bikes dealer serviced and one had it twice: The dealer replaced the cams under warranty and the replacements wore. It's not widespread per se, but enough to make one go huh? Again, some of these folks did it by the book for sure. I haven't heard any issues with the newer 1250s. Maybe they finally got their QA/QC together.
My 2011 R1200RT has 138,000 trouble free miles. I do my own maintenance (easy). That's .15/mile + gas, oil, tires, etc. Also, with a aftermarket seat, a very comfortable motorcycle. Great value!
I do my own maintenance and repairs as well, but BMW fucks up with some things and when they do it's fairly consistent in terms of the item, but it isn't consistent in terms of how they handle it. I don't drink kool aid or carry water, but I don't knock things without reason. Yes, some folks have many trouble free miles, some don't. There's a lot of variables in there that can't be accounted for in casual conversation.
Oh yeah, has the clutch ever been replaced?
I have 90.000 miles im on my third clutch 2.000 dollars each 2011 rt model
@@transtar54 Wow. That sounds excessive. What caused the failures? I know oil leaks from the crank, balancer or transmission input shaft seals can cause clutch failures on those bikes.
In the UK, most police bikes are 1200RTs having switched from Pan Europeans following issues.
Many years ago when I did an advanced riding course run by the police, I asked why BMW and they simply said "reliable and cheaper in the long run".
I now own an RT myself and can agree parts & labour are definitely not cheap.. not brave enough to do my own servicing!
I've always serviced vehicles I own. It's not that bad if one is mechanically inclined. My only advice with BMW is do the maintenance on schedule, all of it, whether you do it yourself or the dealer does it and it'll cut down on problems.
Did watch ur video clip.
Sorry to hear that...
At the age of 61..now..
Had to buy my
DREAM BIKE AT THE AGE OF 58...CHOSE THE 1250 ADV BMW....BOUGHT NEW...113.000KM ON CLOCK...
HAD NO ISSUES ON BIKE SO FAR...JUST LOVE RIDING THAT MACHINE....
MY WARRANTY WILL BE EXPIRING SOON...
WISH ME LUCK ...THAT I HAVE NO ISSUES ON MY GS..
WILL LOVE TO PUT
200.000KM ON MY DREAM BIKE
The warranties here usually are only 3 years, 36k miles. The drivetrain has been fine, it’s the stuff everyone else figured out that BMW does differently that screwed up.
The new bikes like yours have throttle by wire. No pulley issues possible. The gas tanks use floats again. Just do the maintenance on schedule and you’ll be fine.
Have had 7 H-Ds. Tried the H-D togetherness thing where one rides in a group of 40-70 motorcycles and you constantly flirt with unconscious crash threats by newbys and hot-rods, the bar bikers inability to pass by the beer joint without slammin' a couple each stop then riding impaired (but cool) , or the condemnation comments from "real" bikers about problems with clothing that fall outside the "group approved" masquerade outfits. And, last but not least, the transgression of choosing a Honda or maybe Kawasaki interloper v-twin, h-d wannabe cruiser to join in the poker run.
I'm on my 4th RT now and never feel the need to engage in such activities. Such a relief.
Thanks for the opportunity to "vent". 🙂
Regarding final drives on R1200, 2005 - 2010 and a half. At around 50,000 miles, remove the final drive side case bolts and tap out the axle. Then replace the big bearing (6013-2rsr) and accompanying seal. If you do this proactively, the pinion bearings will last a long time. If you wait for the big bearing to go out, it may back contaminate the pinion bearings. When the big bearing goes bad, it typically goes bad very quickly. You don't want to be stranded far away from home. Just my two cents.
That’s one way to handle it, but it does require special tools most folks don’t have. One can take the final drive off and have a mechanic/dealership service do it too.
BMW is a bit of a conundrum to me. There are things I like about their vehicles, like the design philosophy in terms of a complete balanced package, but their business model needs to be better. They aren’t alone. HD is worse in some ways, specifically the dealer model. I’m on the fence with getting a new bike. Probably won’t. I don’t enjoy riding as my opportunities are commuting and I can’t wait to retire to put it in context. It’s like eating your favorite meal in a cesspool. Anyway, your method will give reliable results for sure. Thanks for commenting.
What’s the sign to look for if it’s going bad
Bought my fourth BMW a 2009 R1200 GSA brand new, serviced by BMW with the extended warranty for three years then did my own servicing with the following results after 5 years ownership and 76,000 miles:
3 final drive bearings
1 final drive housing bearing
1 oil leak front alternator housing
1 LHS heated grip
1 LHSR indicator
2 sets main stand bolts
2-3 replacement head light bulbs per annum
Replaced the GSA with a ST1300 Pan European and never looked back. Once bitten twice shy I'm afraid.
It does go through headlight bulbs. I replaced mine with LEDs. I've heard about most of the problems you've had. It's disheartening. The ST is no longer made though, and I am not sure what I'd get with a new bike. Bikes in this class have gotten very expensive, good and not so good ones. Glad you found a bike that works for you.
All the ST 1300 needed was cruise control and a six speed ‘box = perfect bike! 😎👍
Pan European ST1100 one of the best Honda product out there ever made. I bought 1991 model with 58k miles on it couple of years ago and to be honest that bike was a bulletproof by any means.Had also ST1300 but somehow that damn high speed stability of ST1100 was unbelivable. On German Autobahn I could drive for hours 100mph with hard winds and rain and that bike was like a train on tracks in compare to ST1300. But still ST1300 is excellnt bike which can be upgraded with cruise control.Better weather protection also but regarding stability and quality ST1100 even aftet so many years is a great bike, ofcourse the latest 2000 model with ABS and traction control.
@@OzBloke Cruise control can be installed on ST1300. Mine had one installed by previous owner. Worked like a charm. Only isue I had with ST1300 it was a low seat and my knees could not handle. BST1300 almost like riding a scooter that is how low it is. Similar to Suzuki Burgman. Best body position is on Enduro bikes...but then again it's missing weather protection.
Bmw 1250 Gs adv. 2022
Loving every moment of it...
Bought brand new....just clocked my 10000.00km Mark....taking a long trip in a few days time with wife...
I like the GSA, read my comment I just made to dasboototto
I have the same year and model BMW in rally version. Loving every mile.... Btw, everything is high maintenance, you should see my wife....
Good evening..Regarding my Gs 1250 Adventure...just love this machine..had been faithful to me from brand new..current km 122.000...Long Distance Runner...
Nice ride only that weird sound coming underneath from the crankshaft...😂😂😂 The new GS1250Hp is powerful and good balanced engine...but as I first rode that bike I though front wheel bearing got almost lose...no it was a damn crankshaft making noise between forks and windscreen direct in my ears I was like wtf...😂😂😂😂
love my 2001 beemer. don't really care what others think about me or the bike. if they dislike either of us, then clearly there is something wrong with them.
The 1100 and 1150 RTs are the best looking ones ever. Maybe bikes ever.
@@my.motorradLove my Rockster.
@@teucer4 I remember them as well. Keep it running.
I rode BMW for about 10 years and I thought they were high maintenance then I bought a 2019 goldwing, brand new, the oil light started coming on at about 2,000 miles, it was at the dealer for months. It was finally declared a lemon, and not initially voluntarily by Honda, they made it hard on me. So I am back with BMW, got a 2022 R1250GSA we will see how that goes.
Yes sir..did read ur comments..
1250 Gs adv...beautiful machine...from my side...just be good to the dealership staff...create a family BOND...
I AM SURE THEY WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU AND THERE PRODUCT GS...
FOR ME....I VISIT THEM FREQUENTLY ..I ONLY HAVE MY BIKE WASHED BY THEM..
WITH NO COST....AND AT TIMES I GET TO TEST RIDE MOST OF THE BIKES THAT ARE AVAILABLE...
BUT MY GS....IS A DREAM BIKE TO ME.. BÈEN GOOD TO ME SO FAR.....WILL BE KEEPING IT FOR A LONG TIME...
From my experience BMWs are excellent motorcycles. First I had BMW R1150R for over 10 years (made 100 kkm +) and now, for last four years, I have GS 1200 LC (already made 40kkm with it). Both are perfect to ride and I never had any issues at all. I am from EU and many friends of mine drive BMWs as well and all, without exception are very satisfied. You are right, they are expensive, but in general its a life time bike. Proper mainteince + good tires and hit the road for many years to come.
You are right about the maintenance part. They have to be serviced on schedule or it will be more expensive down the road. What bothers me is the response or sometimes lack of it to problems that do exist that aren't owner caused. Sometimes BMW tries to reinvent the wheel when it's not necessary or a good idea, like the fuel strip. At other times they cheapen out on parts, particularly plastics and specifically with the bikes, throttle body pulleys on the 2005-2013 boxers. The difference between the EU and the US is the climate. I live in a desert and the heat will bring out problems with engineering that Europeans will never see, like with plastics.
That said, I've had mine for 14 years. If I wasn't retiring, I'd have gotten a new BMW or newer one, but I have to be responsible on a fixed income.
I don't care what anyone else thinks, I have ridden Harley, Honda, Suzuki, Triumph and BMW over the years and never thought about "group think".
And yet HD and other companies make money on brand tribalism. While you fall into a smaller subset, extrapolating one's experience into generalities is limiting.
what you are saying makes sense . However , there is always why not X Y or Z motorcycle, price, ride, reliability etc.. only for tall people ???! why ? the title of your video is mentioning BMW bikes and not the GS series. There are many BMW's suitable for short people as you know. Yes it cost more to maintain and maybe to repair once out of warranty but since I had my 1250 GS I never looked back. Again it is a matter of a personal choice. I would say Ride the bike that you like and on which you feel comfortable. Ride Safe
I don't own a GS. I'd prefer the GSA. Better ergonomics and wind protection. On the other hand, I've seen short folks ride GS and GSA's and tall/big folks ride low cruisers and look like a monkey fucking a football. The funny thing is I get much more views on this video than the one I have for Why To Buy a BMW. I don't ride much anymore anyway. I have other things going on and I am getting older and on top of that my old BMW does what I want it to when I do ride it that I haven't seriously considered getting a new one or any new bike. They've gone up 50% since I bought this one, my pay hasn't and looking at retirement, I don't need more debt. The only real advise I give in buying a bike is test ride as many as you can. Sometimes what we thought we wanted isn't right and/or we're surprised at something that we hadn't considered. Sort of how I came to the RT.
@@my.motorrad agree. The RT is a good bike that I tried and liked. Went with the GS instead given the big potholes and bad roads in Quebec.
@@Azantys What part of Quebec?
Comparing a HD to a Bmw is like chalk and cheese. Old tech cruiser that cant corner, front brakes suck and the rear suspension will have you booking a chiropractor. I used to have a pre dyna HD and never again. What you're riding is a tourer not a cruiser. Yes, buy a well maintained, looked after bike, maintain it with quality parts and oils and it will just keep going.
I've had lots of different bikes over the years but settled on the RT as its a very versatile, stable and capable around fast corners. My last RT was a 2010 Hex engine and i sold that with over 100k miles... now riding a 2017 RT. Not one issue... i service it every 3K miles ( 5K ) kms. So easy to do an oil change and check the valves...
I change the final drive oil every 6K miles.... 180ml of the good stuff... takes 10 mins...
Any bike is only as good as the care and maintenance guven...
Ride safe 😎
Maintenance matters, but there are common problems with some vehicles. At least common enough that we hear about if we’re listening and honest. I don’t drink any manufacturers kool aid. The comparison with HD is on price and the market position as well as the fact hd makes more than dynas, they make touring bikes too. BMW does some ridiculous things, like plastic throttle body pulleys, fuel strips, final drive issues(who has a lifetime fill?), water pumps that leak( the first couple years of the k16 and water boxer), switch gear on early cam heads, aluminum wheel hubs on final drives and leaky fuel pumps because the plastic cracks, remember the pulleys? None of this is maintenance related. Lastly, the hex heads last year was 2009. The cam head was introduced 2010. Seems BMW and HD have something else in common: owners that drink their respective kool aid.
Great to see you back. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Have a great day
Thanks Larry! I hope things are going well for you.
Funnily enough most realiable bikes to this day for me were HD, Vespa and Gilera 🙂 All the japanese had some problems including broken camshaft on Yamaha Royal Star Venture (yeah the one everyone is saying how bulletproof they are - HAHA I say). That's why I am looking for BMW R1200RT now 😀 (but only years 2010 - 2013)
My most reliable bikes for me were Kawasakis. I have no doubt the modern/recent HDs are reliable. It looks like you are looking at camheads. The only issue that comes to mind with them was the switch gear. BMW had some revisions there in terms of parts.
2008 R1200RT. 120,000 kms. Regularly maintained. Nil issues so far. Best bike I've ever owned. Ymmv.
I have a 2009. The only real issues I've had were: An ABS sensor cable that wore through from the front rotor, a known problem covered under warranty, broken throttle body pulleys and fuel strip failures, which were covered under an extended recall warranty. I did have a fuel leak a couple years after the first fuel pump recall, but I fixed that myself, it was just the dope used on the high pressure bung threads that failed, which would have been used on the recall. The throttle body pulley failure was the most troubling. BMW plays dumb while there have been many complaints to the NHTSA, to the extent the agency was calling people back. The new kawasaki's I've owned had fewer issues, none, but they were different bikes. If you go to the BMW Sport Touring Forum, there are several threads about the pulley issue and how to fix it yourself. A lot of people didn't realize their pulleys were cracked until they inspected them. When they fail, you're dead in the water. My guess is that heat is an issue. I live in Arizona and the plastic pulleys probably weren't designed for continuous 100+ degree days, some 115+. It never gets that hot in germany.
@@my.motorrad I'll be checking the pulley tomorrow. Thank you 👍👍👍
thats 6 and half minutes of my life that i will never get back
For some reason I wish it was more.
@@my.motorrad 🤣🤣🤣
BMW riders: crazy eccentrics that ride when it’s 40 out and raining.
Harley riders. Ride their SVO road glide with screaming eagle parts and wear the “dealer” shirt they got on vacation in Cancun on a warm Saturday in the summer and that’s about it.
There are times I quote Shakespeare: The sting in any rebuke is the truth.
Debated between the BMW1250gs and the Triumph Tiger 1200.......picked up the Tiger yesterday
Good luck with the new bike! Let us know how it goes.
He definetly belongs to Harley, not BMW.
Who? Not me. I am probably harder on HD, but for different reasons. What they allow their dealers to get away with is criminal.
Not cheap? I just bought a 2003 K1200GT for $2600. It has 23K miles, mint condition and better than any new K1600 built these days for 12x the cost. So yes they are cheap- if you’re not a moron and buy used.
That's a 20 year old bike. See what happens if you need to do the clutch or the ABS dies. The K1600 wouldn't be my first choice either, but at some point, they become more costly to own than they are worth. If you want to know more about the K1200 platform, check out Chris Harris's K1200LT rant.
I got bmw r100 RT 1980 i love no computer no problems
The old one are classic. The chiropractor I had when I was young rode BMW and he probably had that model too. He would ride 30k miles a year. The thing is, BMWs seems to have issues with things that have already been figured out.
2010 BMW k1300 GT. Best sport touring bike ever built. Maintain it and a beemer will give you 200 000kms no problem.
I have seen exceptions to that and some usually point to a poorly engineered design. I've heard of more than one K1300 owner having cam chain tensioner issues. The same problem can happen on the parallel twins of some years, both with catastrophic consequences and these people maintained the bikes. More than a few have had final drive issues with certain vintages of BMWs too, even though they maintained them well. Of course maintenance can't fix or impact some issues, like the fuel strip used on the R series from 2005-2010, or throttle body pulleys that break on the same vintage or the switch gear on 2010-2012 R bikes. Or the leaky water pumps on early K1600s and R1200 liquid cooled. Every member of my local MOA club that bought a K1600 when they came out had at least one water pump failure. One guy had four and bought a spare for trips.
All of that said, I do think BMW has the best STs(I am partial to the R bikes), but there are periods of time/vintages where BMW shit the carpet because they cut corners with either QC or design, probably to save a penny. I do think they've gotten better in the last 5-6 years in that the idiosyncratic problems have mostly gone away. The only issues I have heard about are with cams on the newer R1200s, that lose the DLC and wear prematurely and in some cases the bikes were dealer maintained with BMW oils etc(One guy had the replacement cams go bad after a while). The other are clutch issues with the R18, but I am not sold completely on the latter.
Of course one should maintain their vehicle properly and I would say especially for BMWs. They don't suffer poor maintenance well, as japanese bikes have a higher tolerance for. For instance, I know of a couple japanese bikes, a gold wing and a Vulcan Voyager that went over 700K KMs. that's nuts and it's a lot of riding.
So, it all depends. Thanks for commenting.
@@my.motorrad always exceptions to THE rule! Most of what you're referencing does not apply to the 2010 K1300 GT.
@@2bradfoster There are, but again, BMW has had some glaring issues that were of their own making. As far as the K1300 goes, like my 2009 RT, it becomes a little harder to support as time goes by if things go south. A lot of dealers won't touch bikes that are older than 10 years. I've read about that pattern more and more. BMW generally is better than most with factory parts, but they won't be there forever and the prices are nuts. It's not like the airheads which are simple bikes. I've read where ZFE's or instrument clusters go out and the owner is stuck. Some parts require a dealer tool to install and if they won't touch a bike older than 10 years old, then you're really stuck. Then there's was the cancelation of factory manuals for the public. I've heard BMW rescinded that, but that was a big turn off with some owners. BMW would like us to trade every 3-4 years. I don't have that kind of scarole, but then I am not a typical BMW owner. I am not wealthy and I do all maintenance and repairs myself, although as I get older, I am getting tired of getting low working on stuff. If I was buying a new bike, I might look at the R18. It's very similar in upkeep with my RT. The K1600 is too involved to do valve adjustments, for me.
I have a 1100gs 1996... the front brake brakes itself... do you know wgat can it be ?
One, BMWs in general should have their brake systems flushed no less often than every 2 years. Two, that's an old bike and I don't know the service history, three, the ABS on those bikes will fail and most folks remove the ABS/bypass it to have non ABS braking. All that said, I would go through the brake system. A bike that old probably needs new brake hoses to the calipers and I would inspect the calipers for function/corrosion. If the brake fluid hasn't been changed often enough or the brake hoses are bad, the caliper can hang up and not release due to corrosion in the caliper or debris in the hose. The ABS might be malfunctioning too, but again, I am short on info here.
Hey Michael, thanks a million for your comment. You was considering a “great deal” on a bmw klt that probably would’ve cost me a small fortune and a ton of regret.
@@clayfarnet970 I'd avoid a KLT. Chris Harris has an excellent rant video on it.
It's stupid to compare a BMW and a HD. After decades of BMW driving I can still hear! I have only replaced a battery and brakes. not a clutch yet although they are wearable parts. Take a look at the telever and duolever suspensions. Engineering marvels. My last bike an Aspencade was fine if you like slowing for the every turn, and into my old age, 66 I can have some real fun with my 97 R1100RT with confidence, which I purchased for $3000 american used. I don't have the cash required for a HD nor would I consider one.
I don’t think it’s stupid at all. Talking about bikes in the same price class. BMW makes mistakes with both engineering, manufacturing and vendor management(other manufacturers do too, to a greater or lesser extent depending on what) and often, they leave it the customer to pay for the mess BMW created. I agree they are the best functioning bikes, but whoever runs the company and more likely the corporate culture is asshattery. To put it another way, your experience is limited. The NHTSA has dozens of reports of broken throttle pulleys. They’ve even contacted those that reported, but given the age of the bikes, nothing will be done. All that said, I’m not tribal. I’ll call out any group, whether I belong or not, on their BS. Thanks for commenting.
As a VETERAN who served over seas ( communist East Germany- Berlin 1982/83) this is my thoughts on motorcycles. When I went to High School in Southern California everyone wore Levis. If you dident you were not cool. I apply this same to bikes. If your not riding a Harley then like that same group, you are not cool. But having ridden many different bikes CB Honda, KZ Kawasaki, Z1 Cafe bikes, RD, XR/XL and Harleys. The nicest handeling bike I have ridden and now own is the BMW RT. Loud harleys do NOTHING for me and they dont handle the twistys like other bikes and they can be loud and obnoxious. Often they rattle and all apart but hey they are cool......right? I have served my country, I was stationed in Germany, I drank their beer, I kiss their woman and im riding one of their motorcycles.
Well, let's try this again:
I've owned 4 Kawasaki's before the Beemer, a KZ1000 too. I do wear Levis, but have for over 40 years. OK, 50. As far as Germany and the military, my dad was a tailgunner in a B-17 in the 8th air force and saw germany from the air. He rode a Triumph. I would have a hard time buying a HD. The manufacturer charges a surcharge on an already expensive motorcycle and then there is the dealer experience which normally is a competition to steal as much money from customers as possible. I agree that BMW makes the best combination of function with bikes, but their business model vis a vis issues needs to improve. Then there is the fact they don't sell factory manuals to customers anymore. I am still stung by the throttle body issue. Watch the BMW needs to F off video for info. I don't know if I'd buy one again. Mine still works and if it didn't, I don't know what I would get. What it comes down to is, they don't care about me being a customer, so I don't either.
I was there 81-83 working for the Brits at the Stadium. Raced moto x at the US tank training center in Lichterfelde. Good place to be posted.
I just can’t stand the culture behind HD. The whole sons of anarchy thing is brutally distasteful. BMW just offers more bang for the buck in terms of standard features. Think about how nice it is to adjust windshield by the push of a button. No HD offers that. BMW are lighter, quicker, and personally I think it’s more of a distinguished brand. They both are not cheap on labor and parts.
I would posit that most brands have some sort of brand tribalism, but what gets me is when beliefs trump evidence. BMWs tend to be designed for all around function, meaning they do everything well. HD, not so much. It's about narratives and beliefs. The thing is, beliefs are stronger than facts when selling something.
My 2009 r1200rt is wonderful. so is my 95 r100rt !
I dig my 2009 too...Just think the company needs some work. Is your 95 the Mystic Red? That's a beautiful bike.
Не знаю у нас в России любят RT 1200 и полиция уже сменила эту модель на следующее поколение RT и так же довольны ! Обслуживать надо , но мот дарит хорошие эмоции ! Я отъездил на нём 4 года и не собираюсь менять , пробег 90.000 км
I don't know what year you have, but my advice is take care of it. Just don't let Putin know you're having so much fun with a German bike. He might make you trade for a Ural.
@@my.motorrad у меня 2009 г ) по поводу Путина , в России я живу именно в Москве очень хорошо берут и BMW и другие бренды Германии ! Путин к этому относиться хорошо , он смеется западу в лицо🔥🤙 🇷🇺 я люблю нашего президента , он лучший 🔥🔥🔥🔥💪💪💪💪
@@Dobro-777 Check those throttle body pulleys for cracks. I have another video about replacements and the guy who sells it is from Bulgaria. Good luck, zei mir gezunt und stark and До свидания!
Small dealer network like Can Am
Yes, it's small. The only smaller networks are probably Ural, Moto Guzzi and Ducati. Some states don't have BMW dealers at all.
I Boycotted BMW Motorcycles for their refusal to recall their Fuel Strip Problem 2009 R1200 GSA in Ireland.
Pure RIP OFF, at top prices.
I will Never Again be fooled.
I wonder why they would in the US and not in Ireland? I had mine replaced twice and it's not accurate. I use the trip meter to judge fillups.
@my.motorrad America is a bigger market, and not too concerned with a small market.
I'm a 66 year old newby to motorcycles and have been looking at getting my first bike so I know very little about the culture that is experienced when you own a particular brand of bike. Like most things I couldn't care less what other people think of me in regards to what kind of a bike I ride. It sounds as though I might have quite a bit to learn. The type of things that I'm going to focus on certainly aren't going to be what other people think of me as I know that I have enough on my plate without worrying about frivolous things that I have little to no control over. I always try to be aware of as much as I can thus it has been noted that culturally there might be a few things I might want to keep an eye on. I've been a proponent of German engineering with a lot of different things and not just motorcycles so consequently BMW is one brand that is on my radar. Having said that I know that there are other brands that have excellent credibility other than BMW that are also worthy of consideration. The Japanese brands have several manufacturers that also have excellent reputations with Honda probably being the one that I have heard about the most for their excellent reliability and attention to detail. I don't plan on joining the massive Harley Davidson contingent in Sturgis anytime soon as I'm more about getting out and just riding on my own or with one other person so hopefully I won't be confronted with culturally sensitive riders on mass for quite some time.
I think in general, BMWs have improved, but the big four make solid reliable bikes. I’ve owned several Kawasakis and there was nothing amiss mechanically in terms of design and manufacturing. Honda makes great bikes too.
Good luck with your purchase and riding and let me know what you ended up doing.
i am 69 now and bought my 2001 BMW a year ago. i have owned other bmws, all big 4 japanese, triumph, bsa and ? when i started riding AMF owned Harley. yes the bowling company. i got a bad taste in my mouth for HD and that has never changed. Harleys are like boats, a hole in the water (or garage) to pour money into. i got the bug to get a bike last summer after not riding for decades. i have been watching the TDF for many years and love watching them fly through the beautiful French countryside. somehow, and i don't know how my interest switched to motorcycles and it became something of an obsession. bottom line, i found a bike i liked in new york and had it shipped to me in chicago. EVERYONE hates the bike i bought which is an R1200C Phoenix. they hate the model and in many configurations i have to agree, but not the phoenix. there are probably some good deals for all bikes to be had used on cycletrader.com. let me say - wear all the gear. full face helmet (i don't use a face shield instead sun glasses or clear glasses), jacket, leg protection, gloves and boots. even on hot days, the air keeps you cool. motorcycle culture is of little to no importance to me. but that's me. oh, and practice. watch motojitsu here on youtube if you want to learn to ride well. motorcyclists are 28 times more likely to have an accident than a car. and 80% of those are in intersections. just some food for thought. happy trails!
@@jlg3315 the only thing that I fall short on is boots. I have them, just don’t wear them all the time.
The 1200Cs were interesting bikes. I just don’t know why BMW neutered them. Easier to work on though and last forever.
I have had good luck with BMWs. They let you demo any bike before buying unlike Japanese brands. The sales and service staff is always nice. Follow the maintenance schedule religiously and you'll be just fine.
I do have a video Why Buy a BMW and I mention the demo factor. As far as dealers go, the two dealers in the city where I live are so so at best. The good BMW dealer is in another city 120 miles away In terms of maintenance, I do and I mention that too. Gotta follow it like an aircraft. Still, with some models/years, there are common issues that leave me scratching my head. I think they've improved in the last 5 years for the most part though.
@@my.motorrad I have resorted to buying a well maintained slightly used one owner BMWs for multiple reasons... price, recalls completed, and infant mortality issued resolved by first owner. Smart, I think.
@@avv2231 I tend to buy new with bikes. I am afraid to get someone else's problems. One thing with BMWs, never buy the first year of a new/updated model. Buy at least second year if not third. By then if there were any issues they've been worked out. The other reason I avoid used is lending rates are higher for used. I am not a typical BMW owner: Not wealthy/lawyer/doctor/investment broker whatever. I am a civil servant and I tend to keep my vehicles a long time. I've had my RT for 13 years now. The new ones are too expensive for me. Unless I get a promotion, I am probably done.
@@my.motorrad I completely understand. Usually with a bike in the $20k to $25k MSRP range, the first owners take outstanding care of their bikes. I agree about not buying the first year of a new/updated model, especially if they are powertrain updates. Color/trim are less of an issue. Also, I pay cash for my toys. I don't know why but psychologically, I tell myself, if I can't pay cash, I can't afford this toy. Again, it's totally personal and I respect other viewpoints.
@@avv2231 If I had to pay cash I'd be living in the hood and riding a Schwinn...Most folks are probably in that same boat. Thing is, my bike has gone up 50% for new since I bought mine and my salary hasn't. It's just the way it is.
I ve had 3 all gs , currently 2009 g650gs , which I bought on the calif Mexican border at 3:am , and rode home and rebuilt , I've also been a Mercedes Benz parts guy , 35 years , I acknowledge the point given , and well , I don't really care , iam not arrogant , and I look all American and for the most part , I don't care what you ride ill wave and say hi , I've has 2011 f650gs , 2014 f800gs ( I miss that bike } and then this 2009 g650 gs , not the pretty nor da ugly , and I had to learn how to deal with its quirks , after I learned I realized , how much I genuinely enjoy this bike .
1: gas milage 2: ease of working on, 3 simplistically, its a thumper it will tell you what's going on if you listen , its also lower then the other gs"s , iam 5 ft 11 , and its nice that if I have to come to a stop , after maybe some one drifts in my lane or some such, that if the ground is uneven , I've got both feet flat footed on the ground , not tippy toed , ill probably build another f800gs , as I love the power range , but ill lower it
I have a love/hate relationship with BMW. I love the engineering aesthetic for the most part, which is to say everything is about balanced performance for a superior product. They are more rational machines, than lets say american bikes, in general. On the other hand, some of the things the choose to do, like plastic throttle body pulleys that crack and break or a fuel strip that fails when a float works fine befuddles me, and more so their response to some of these issues, which is to say, that's the first we've heard of it, which is a lie. The last interchange I had with them in response to a comment I made on FB to someone in one of their ads was disheartening. Long story short, sorry you had problems with your bike(this was about the throttle body pulley issues on hexheads and probably some camheads) and good luck. OK. That's when I did the video on, why BMW has to F off. My personal ethics and their corporate ethics don't match.
As far as the ride goes, I am tall, 6'5 and 34" inseam. I had to put a peg lowering kit, bar risers and a bigger windscreen to make the RT work for me. If I got another bike, IDK what it would be. The problem I have with HD is that when I have been in the dealerships I feel like an atheists at a pentecostal revival and then there is the cost, which is never what the price really is. Lots of built in dealer profit along the way that you really have to be a believer to buy into. I am not. I've owned japanese bikes and there's nothing wrong with that or them, but I like a little different. That and while the drivetrains are excellent in reliability. they cut corners elsewhere to keep prices competitive and margins good. I kind of think the best bike would be engineered by the germans, designed by the italians, built by the japanese and marketed by the americans.
I think most people don't really give much thought about why they buy a given brand of product due to emotions and conditioning from the market place. A related idea is why do people who stick with a given brand frequently trade for a newer version of bike from that brand when the changes are incremental and relatively minor. You often see the same thing with smart phones. If all our consumer product purchases were completely rational many businesses would go out and the economy would tank. Good to see you back.
The economy would tank if people were rational or they spent only what they earned. Sobering really. What was HW's thing? Just say no? :) You'd have to start CBT in the 3rd grade for that to work. Edward Bernays understood all of this and made a science of it.
@@my.motorrad There was a time when people spent within their means but that largely changed post WWII.
@@cycletron agreed. Since around 1980, consumer debt has steadily increased as has loan terms. We’ve also gone from predominantly one earner families to two. Where does that productivity and labor value go? Follow the capital flow.
If it has 2 wheels, and you ride it, I respect you. All my friends own Harley's ..... I ride a BMW r1250 GSA, '22 model ...... love all bikes and the BMW riders I know from Houston are mostly blue collar like me ..... great folks ...... extremely knowledgeable and helpful . 🙂
Check out my video, BMW Needs to F Off.
I'd buy the BMW just because I l0athe the Harley and Indian USA beer burping fwkin warm apple pie community.
Nothing against the Harley or Indian motorcycles themselves, they're just bikes, if I had one, I'd totally drive it and probably love it, but I wouldn't want to have anything to do with the other people that do. Shrug. The ultranationalistic motorcycle gangs are some l0athesome criminal organization characters.
That’s interesting coming from a chopper girl. That said, I still have my BMW and it’s unlikely to be replaced. Retirement is looming and I don’t need more debt. My complaint about HD, outside of value, is the dealer model and how the company supports that model, which is thievery. I won’t be a willing participant. Also, BMW has upped their game a bit.
@@my.motorrad I actually drive 1980's Honda cruisers, and I don't plan to replace them either. Chopper as in Huey helicopter. I've been looking at BMW's though with the side valve engines because I h8t3 working on anything any more. I want a bike that will last forever with as little maintenance as possible, and if I have to replace something, it should be dirt simple to replace.
High MPG, runs like a Swiss watch, never breaks, and cheap replacable parts are what matter to me most. I want a hard working rugged mule, not a flashy sport bike race horse. I have to haul two weeks of groceries on it 25 miles into town and back year round, rain or snow or shine.
@@choppergirl the airheads are simple, but require maintenance newer bikes don’t, but they are easier to work on. If I was buying new, I might look at the R18 series. I’ve owned Kawasakis before this, cruisers and 4s. In terms of choppers, I have an appreciation for OH-6s. Huey’s are cool.
@@my.motorrad I've been window shopping for a 2007 or later Honda Shadow Spirit, when they switched to a 21" front wheel, or a 2012 when they switched to fuel injection. They seem to have been made for quite a long run.
I watched an old BMW R1200RS video I think today that had all the bells and whistles on it like heated everything, fairings over all your body parts that get cold, and an electronically controlled windshield height, and I was like... from experience with lots of road behind me and wind blasting on me in the winter time... I want those creature comforts now, but jeez I don't want to pay that price... for a really old used bike.
So... still mulling things over. My other two Hondas still run. They've sat for 4 years though in a chicken coop while I was blind, but I just got my eyes fixed, and I'm right in the middle of a brake job on both of them because that brake fluid was mud. I cleaned them up some of dirt and dirt daubers and spider webs, and put HEET in both of them.
Got to warm up and change the oil on both, and then I'll be back on the road here shortly after 4 years of being stuck at home, unable to see to count my fingers if I held out my hand at arms length.
That BMW R18 looks like a pretty nice bike. The faux hard tail had me fooled, I was like aww except it has a hard tail. I need something though in the 450cc-700cc range. What got me looking at BMW originally was the K75 Flying Brick but they are impossible to find.
@@choppergirl The K75's last forever with maintenance. I saw an example with over 400K miles. Can't go wrong with a Honda though. If I was going to get a bike in that size range, I'd get a KLR650, but I am tall. Then again, honda has that 700 or 750 parallel twin, forgot the model, CTX maybe. I've heard good things about them. BMW has some parallel twins too. My first bike was a 1978 KZ1000. I wish I still had it.
The most flawed motorcycle I ever had was a BMW K 1200 LT.
If you use the side stand it poured white clouds of burned oil like a two-stroke on the restart. The rear brake sounded like it was on a lathe being cut, Final drives were failing not only on the LT, but on the other models that shared that same final drive..Two guys that rode together during the iron butt competition on bmws, they actually carried a spare final drive. What’s that tell you..That weird anti-dive front end design did not absorb kinetic energy of motion when you used the brakes. Normally a telescopic front end puts that energy into the fork springs as the front end compresses and dissipates that energy. But on the BMW with the anti-dive front and that no other manufacturer has ever copied,It had nowhere to go but to make the bike feel very much heavier and unstable especially if you have the handlebars turned. I’ve only dropped two motorcycles since the 1960s all the way up till 2022. Both of the bikes were the same BMW K 1200 LT, both times in parking Lots.. when I casually tried to make a joke out of it to other BMW K 1200 LT owners at a bike night, they all laughed and said, get used to it, everybody drops them..
I had a 70 mile an hour collision with a deer one night after sunset on the BMW. I will say this, that bike never moved. It crushed the headlight/ fairing area, both mirrors went straight to China because they didn’t have tethers like Honda did with their bikes the Honda Pacific Coast and the ST 1100. Same mirror design, Honda tethered their mirrors. BMW mirrors were $492 each that was in 2010. They’re probably $5000 each here in 2022.. that deer collision cost $5500 damage to the fairing, the fairing stay, the mirrors that were gone, and other bits. I will say that bike did not move when I collided with that deer. I just coasted to a stop without touching the gas or the brakes, I just pulled the clutch in and coasted to a stop, then I got excited..
I always change my brake fluids and clutch fluids on all my machines every single year.. it takes less than an hour, and cost less than five bucks and prevents problems..
because of the electric/Hydraulic braking system on that machine. You had to change the brake fluid at least every two years and, every place I read about doing the job on the Internet said don’t even think of doing it yourself at home because if you get air in the system, the brakes completely shut down, do you have to transport the bike with no brakes on a trailer to a dealer.. so I asked my local dealer how much to change the brake fluid, even though I was a motorcycle mechanic in three different dealerships in my youth before I got a real job.. in 2010, the dealer said the price is $850, plus parts, plus shop materials, plus disposal fee, plus tax. He said he could squeeze me in in three months..
needless to say I bought the attachment to make the master cylinder reservoir capacity larger to prevent it from sucking air in because of those electric brakes that you have to have the key on to bleed the brakes which would suck that tiny amount of brake fluid in the master cylinders dry in about three seconds without the large capacity attachment. then you would have the brake system completely shut down, and you would have to have the machine transported to the dealer..I did the job myself taking my time learning how to do it the first time in about an hr..
I was searching for a campground on a back road that was covered with fine gravel/cinders. I had to go down a paved road covered with these cinders/fly ash about 100 yards to the bottom of the hill. I tapped the brakes and the ABS took over on that BMW. I had no brakes front or rear. There was a 90° turn at the bottom of the hill that I was no way going to be able to stop or make that corner. luckily I was able to run through the grass at the bottom of the hill and crashed into a cyclone fence around in auto salvage yard. I only broke the front fender..
The brakes on that K 1200 LT had no feel below 10 miles an hour.. they were very powerful but they were very grabby because they were partially electric. I didn’t like using the front brakes at slow speeds. I didn’t like using the back brakes at slow speeds because of the grinding noise. I mentioned that grinding to the dealer, I asked what is that noise from. He said he can fix that. All I have to do is buy an aftermarket rotor and pads, $850..
The windshield was one of the ones you cannot look over. You always have to look through it. The problem with that is, it was very wavy and distorted. For the price of that machine, that windshield should’ve been as clear as a car windshield..
my K 1200 LT was very smooth and it had adequate power. I thought it was beautiful. I didn’t like how the security system kept resetting every time I stopped for gas and I had to dig out the key fob to turn off the security system all the time.
I never could get used to the clumsy top-heavy feel, and the grabby no feel brake action compounded by the anti-dive and all that weight, I never got used to that bike, I tried for two years. I sold it and bought a Honda GL 1800 Goldwing. That machine was perfect, but you couldn’t get at anything without removing yards of plastic. Such as, it took me five hours to change the air filter. I used the Honda service manual , That got me step-by-step to the air cleaner, but the dealer even charge us five hours labor at $125 an hour now to change the air filter. I sold that Honda no matter how perfect it was because of how everything is buried in plastic. I went back and bought my third Yamaha venture. You can get to the water pump, the starter, the alternator, the slave cylinder, and the clutch on a royal star venture using just the tool kit at the side of the road and you don’t have to remove any plastic to get out those things. And it is a non-ABS motorcycle. I think ABS is for idiots. It’s a placebo on a motorcycle. On a car or a truck it’s different because you have three other wheels stopping you..But when your front wheel stops stopping you on a motorcycle, good luck
I had responded and pinned your comment and RUclips deleted it. IDK why.
Check out Chris Harris' rant on the K1200LT and mine on Why BMW has to F off.
Thank you for that message, it give me some sense of validation about my own situation. I wish I had found it before April of 2023. I have acquired a beautiful, nearly pristine K1200GT and have already - twice - laid it down in a parking lot in the exact circumstances that you described. The front brake is so delicate at low speed and different from cruisers that I have ridden for over forty years. It did not just fall over; it literally bucked me off to the right in the blink of an eye, so quick and with no warning so I didn't have a chance to prevent it. My forward speed was one mile per hour, or less, at the time. My riding skills in general are top shelf, so this made me angry and embarrassed as hell. Luckily no witnesses! But I do love riding this bike down the road, it is smooth and amazing in every way. It was a good bargain. So I have to re-train my instincts after a bezillion miles on Vulcans and Vstars, else it will be for sale again in a few months.
So does it matter...NO. ride what you ride because you like it regardless of where it hails from. If you get caught up in that narrative, you are just weak minded. I ride with and say HI to everyone I meet on 2 wheels, whether I am riding my honda scooter, aprilia sportbike, harley, yamaha vstar, or one of my BMWs. No one cares, just effin RIDE.
There are a lot of weak minded folks then. If you look at the political landscape of late, there's a lot of tribalism and the sad thing is, a lot of people don't understand the identity foreclosure they've settled for. That said, I don't care what people ride or drive or drink or for the most part whatever, but a lot of money is made leveraging people on their beliefs and tribal identities and here we are.
@My Motorrad 100%! Companies and politicians take full advantage of the sheep among us ( who, unfortunately, are the majority)
If you can't work on the BMW on your own...don't buy anything except Japanese brands. Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki...
BMW R1200RT or GS is a nice ride, but only for someone how can fix or change the part that is broken or need to be serviced. Buying a Japanese brand even 20+ years old can give you a lot of fun on the road without big investment which can't be said for German brand.
Most BMW riders I know have their bikes dealer serviced. Really, I am an outlier for a BMW owner. I don't use the dealer for anything, I do my own repairs and maintenance, I am not wealthy and own a shit ton of bikes and I don't drink the BMW kool-aid. I like some of the design philosophy of the bike, I just think they should have Honda build the bikes for BMW. Or Kawasaki.
No issues with my 2013 K1300 at all. I do change fluids and filter every 6K km, and brake and clutch fluid every 2 years.
Clutch fluid on my RT is mineral oil and doesn't have to be changed every 2 years. It doesn't absorb water. In fact BMW doesn't have a schedule for it. With the K1300's, the issues I've heard are cam chain tensioner. Keep at eye or ear on it as the miles pile up. In terms of maintenance, BMW intervals are 6K miles or 10k Km and also annual.
My first BMW was a 99 R1100RT with 10k miles on it. I rode it for another 142000 miles. It likely wasn't serviced as much as it might have been, but hardly an issue aside from regular consumables. Some folks have Shitty luck no matter what they ride. I have a 2009 R1200RT with nearly 70000 on the clock. We changed the fuel pump. It hadn't failed, just got talked into it as a precaution. Other than consumables it has needed nothing. I have another R12RT and a K1300GT. I've owned and ridden over 50 different bikes. With my history I'll stick with BMW, but I'd like to try an MG.
The 1100 was probably the best of the oilheads if not hexheads too. A guy in TX that has a motorcycle shop has over 500k on an 1100, original engine. The thing with BMWs, especially as we get into the 21st century is the odd shit that goes wrong that every other manufacturers gets right. Worse can be their response to some of the somewhat common issues, like your 2009 RT. Have you checked the throttle body pulleys? they tend to break after a time. BMW won't even admit it, but a lot of folks have had that problem(their cars of that vintage had plastics issues with engine components). Then there were the waterpumps on the K1600 when they first came out. Every member of my MOA club that bought a K16 then had to replace at least once. One guy went through four and decided to buy one to keep it on trips so it could be fixed quickly. I've not heard of other manufacturers having problems with throttle body pulleys, fuel strips(floats don't work?), water pumps. Some of the LC 1200s are having cam issues. I suppose if one wants a reliable high mileage touring bike they'd get a gold wing. What I do like about BMW(I did a video on why to buy them), is that the underlying philosophy is building a bike where everything works together well. It's competent. I just wish they'd not penny pinch on some things and/or dutch oven the engineering shit when a simpler solution would be better.
Lastly, I am not a kool-aid drinker. I may like certain things, but that doesn't mean I don't call it/them on the BS. A lot of folks get into brand tribalism and resort to all sorts of confirmation bias and motivated reasoning. Bottom line is, BMW makes great bikes, only spoiled at times by the corporate BS of cutting corners. Remember the shocks on the early LC RTs? And then the Kevin Ash incident was swept under the rug. Gotta take the good with the bad and the ugly.
@@my.motorrad
The throttle bodies is what a friend changed, I think. I gave him an 09 R12RT and those failed on a long trip. He changed mine when he got back. I had the comfort seat on the 99. The most comfortable bike ever . I've had the 1300 three years. I just took it on what should have been a 3000 mile round trip. I gave up after the first day, 750 miles. I love the engine, not much else. It is not the brand 4 me, but the ride. I got on my RT, and it felt like going from sitting on a rock to riding on a cloud. I love my RT. I remember my Suzuki 1100 LT going through a clutch in 40k. My 99 1100 clutch failed with 90k, only because I ran a road in Kansas that was being oiled at the time. Very little wear, but got oil soaked through the breather. I think a lot has to do with luck. That's what mechanics say I have a bunch of in regards to my bikes. I get much better fuel mileage, a lot has to do with riding at altitude.
🤔🤔...harley Davidson reliable ? Ok man keep on buying them and enjoy ..... my GS is a multitool that goes ANYWHERE.... and has just no problem ever!
Depends on the kool aid one drinks. I don't drink any. HD has gotten a lot better over the years, unfortunately some are stuck in 1983 knowledge of them. With BMW, they have improved in the last 5 years, but some iterations have the most stupid problems that seem to arise more than they should. If the GS works for you, great. Let me know how it is when it gets to be 10 years old and has 100k miles. Lastly, I''ve never owned a HD. I've ridden a few of them, but never owned one. See my comment about Kool Aid.
My 05 rt 1200 has been great to me love it done all the services and downloaded the rsa manual all i have done was oils fluids rear tires spark plugs and replaced the mirrors i lost
Ok. How many miles on it? Have you changed the final drive fluid? How is the ABS unit?
You might want to check the throttle body pulleys. They can crack. There are a few threads on this on the BMW Sport Touring forum.
I have BMWs shop manual and have done all maintenance and repairs on mine. The problem with BMW is they reinvent the wheel when it’s unnecessary and vendor quality issues times along with a schizophrenic approach to taking responsibility for either.
I love motorcycles ! I’ll have one of each.
If only I could afford to
Only reason I never bought one is being a shortarse I couldn't get my leg over it 🤣
You'd be surprised how many short folks ride them. Look up @motoikandi . She's 5'2 and rides a GS. Me, I'm 6'5, so I have other problems with bikes. Funny thing though, my paternal grandfather was 5'1.
I'm 5'4" 78 years old and a wonderful 2022 GS1250 the best among my many BMW ownership.
@@danielver4484 ok.
@@my.motorrad How does the RT fit you? I am 6'4 and ride an ST1300, I get very bad shoulder and upper back pain when riding it, I believe the handlebars are too low. Has the RT been good to you in those regards being that we are of similar height?
@@devianthousend I had to put peg lowering kit and bar risers(up and back) to make it work. Taller and wider screen too. Not very expensive at all, but necessary. Now it it is more like a GSA ergonomically with better wind protections.
Great bikes. I prefer the boxers, did
have 1200s, it was ballistic 175 bhp
but for a younger rider than me.
I prefer the boxers too. The four cylinder engines buzz and the ergos aren’t optimal for me on the sportier bikes.
High maintenance bikes. Allways something
On certain models/years, it gets interesting for sure. At least it's not a Ducati. That's real torture. Even HDs require less maintenance.
The culture is driven out of the amount of bikes on the road.
The more bikes in a market, the more culture.
In Germany the culture is strong. Here, not so much bc you have less riders.
Ride the bike you desire and that speaks to you. A bike doesn't make you fit into a culture.
Stay healthy, ride safe 👍
The dominant bike culture here is HD. Outside of bikes, it’s fractured. I’m from NY and it’s different having been raised th and lived there than the south, west coast or Midwest for sure. I dig BMW because I’m somewhat left brained and function comes first, but there’s a link between aesthetics and function. Maybe Bauhaus is an example. The problem with the American business model is that it’s money for the top overall, just create and/or use narratives that resonate with a demo and that demo will do anything for the brand. Brand tribalism. The difference for me is that I’ll call out shortcomings and BS. I have little tolerance for perfidy. Thanks for commenting, I appreciate it.
Hey Jim good to see you posting again. if i could afford to keep two road bikes at the same time i would have a gs 850 but
like you mentioned , i fall into the "short" category. But I do love my Harley
Randytbird
BMW has had that issue for a long time. It can be worked around for those down to 5’7, but below that, someone would probably be one legging it at stops. Some do it though. There’s a woman that is tops on a 1250gsa and she’s like 5’2, but she’s very athletic.
jajaja HD más fiables jajaja
With some years, yes. HDs are probably easier to live with from a maintenance perspective. The newer BMWs in the last 4-5 years are better though.
Harley is tats beer and everything else. I bought a Harley trying to somewhat fit in that culture but being from Europe motorcycling is somewhat essential to go places not show off that you had 30-40 thousand backs just because. On the other hand beemers are for those that are older and established financially to say the least. I’m in neither of these cultures actually far from it hahah. I love both bikes cause they represent something for me and of course provide me with the riding styles I want. Harley easy ride down the highway and same with the beemer with maybe the optional dirt path…. Good stuff brother touched maybe the tip for f the iceberg but yeah I agree
I am in a similar place. I am not really tribal at all. I learned early that to understand things better, one has to look from the side of the stage, not cheering from the audience or worse, pandering from the stage. There are things I like and dislike about most things. I just don't get the all or nothing mentality. If I have an opinion on X, I must be for Y, as it goes with most tribalists. Heterodoxy is either unknown or anathema to them. All that said, the confirmation happened to me recently and that's what I cut out and did the cutaway. I had gone to HD of Scottsdale and I felt like a RC going to a pentecostal service or as I said, going to disney and realizing I wasn't part of the cast. Too much belief in the world and not enough knowledge, wisdom and honesty.
Not reliable?
Compared to Japanese bikes, not as much. It's not an either or proposition, but a matter of degree.
So what you're saying is just by Japanese, You will get more motorcycle for your money. Is better reliability easier is easier maintenance.
On the flip side if you are tall you want to buy a BMW especially the GS Adventures. Event he old airheads fit tall riders better than the Japanese bikes.
That’s true. The GSA was better, but my wife said she’d rather ride on one. She didn’t like the organ donor boxes.
@@my.motorrad A decade ago I test road a R1200GSA and was super comfortable. I'm 6'-4" and I was on tippy toes at lights.
@@dasboototto I'm 6'5 34" inseam. I flat foot my RT fine with the suspension in 2 up. I didn't try the GSA, but the ergos felt better sitting on it. On my RT I had to put a peg lowering kit, bar risers and a Calsci XL windscreen to make it work for me. I've had cervical fusion, C2-6 and also L4-5 in my back. I really don't like forward tilt. I did test ride a HD PA and found the seat to pegs a little tight and the wind protection lacking.
@@my.motorrad I heard somewhere that a lot of Ironbutt riders use the R1250GSA for their rally bikes because of the ergos. I want to ride to the Artic someday (Deadhorse or Tuktoyaktuk) and I'm looking for a mount, but I can't justify the $ on any new bike. It has to be a bike thats affordable and has some foul weather protection. I'm always coming back to either a R1100GS with a big screen or R100RT.
@@dasboototto old school, a 1150GSA would be cool. 1000 v Strom would work. They made those forever.
On my 2nd GSA...like alot of us...we took the time and $ to develop our skills to appreciate these bikes...make the effort and walk the walk for a change.
A bit of a non-sequitur from you. As a declaration, I’m not particularly tribal. I grew up in an Eisenhower republican household, watched the Yankees, Giants, Rangers with dad, we drove Oldsmobiles and sometimes Chevy, dad rode a triumph before he met mom, and I was raised Episcopalian. Since then I have become politically independent, agnostic in religion, I might look up scores for sports, but I don’t really care how well they do, I don’t get paid by the teams and so it goes with vehicles. I’m not getting paid by dodge or BMW, so there’s that and even if I was, I’d probably still speak the truth, as I do at work. Tribalism begets group think and the suspension of disbelief. I just won’t go there as it’s dishonest. Maybe it’s from low egocentrism, maybe from not fitting in, but looking from the side of the stage gives a unique and more accurate perspective than cheering from the audience or the stage.
In the end, it’s just a bike made by a faceless corporation whose major priority is making profit. Sure the German aesthetic comes through, good and bad, but as I said, BMW isn’t paying me, so I’m not bound to perfidy and mendacity with their products.
I hope the "culture" in the motorcycle environment is fading. But we are a society of sheep, so brand loyalties will always be a thing. I see it in every discussion about tires, beer and shoes. We are manipulated and exploited, especially those who have difficulty making friends or who have an intense need for attention. Is everyone trying so hard to be cool that real data is ignored? I will confess I was never good at being cool, and I go out of my way to avoid wearing costumes and acting like a cult member when it comes to motorcycles.
Short form is, social media companies hire psychologists to understand how to exploit beliefs to get people to consume more when coupled with directed advertising. It's not an accident. Brand tribalism has always been there, tribalism in general, but it's been taken to a scientific level. Edward Bernays started it in the 1920s. Anyway, division is profitable. A few of us stand at the side of the stage going WTF? George Carlin gave me a clue.
Hi more videos please about BMW
I will. It's been hot here, I don;'t like riding when it gets over 105. Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks for nothin' man, i was all set on buying a K1200RS and after watching your video, I've decided to buy a Hayabusa instead....hope you're happy!
Good luck with the new bike. Should be a lot of fun.
I just waisted 6 minutes of the rest of my life watching this.
Cool.
I didn't buy a brand of bike for a certain culture. I bought it 'cause it spoke to me. No, I'm not crazy. Well, 2 out of 3 personalities can't be wrong, right?
Anyway, where were we? Yeah, I buy whatever vehicle speaks to me when experienced... and my Harley does that. Sat on a K1600B, didn't do anything for me. At some point it may, but it wasn't that day.
Ride safe & ride often!
Yes, but do you understand why? There's more to spoke to me than people realize. Always ask why, asking Cui Bono helps too.
@@my.motorrad The look is #1, how it rides/feels/ergos is #2, and sound is a distant #3. Those are the things that speak to me about a bike. If I can't get over the looks, the rest is immaterial. If it doesn't ride the way I like, I'm out.
My Harley feels right to me. The K1600B I sat on, well the bars felt skinny and like they belonged on a dirt bike, and I just wasn't sold on the whole look of it.
@@RoadReality Understood, but why? There are foundations beneath all beliefs and emotions that generate thinking and then action. Sometimes digging deeper can reveal things about ourselves that can be useful. My thesis about this is that most folks don't want to go there. Then I have to ask myself why? And here we are...sociology and social psych are very interesting subjects to me. I've always been interested in systems, how things work and why.
@@my.motorrad Yeah, I can't explain the why. Maybe deep down I want to be a badass biker, but really I'm just a RUB of sorts.
@@RoadReality It's even below that G RoadReality, but that's ok. Labels often fail to convey true meaning/identity. Still catching up on videos. I am a couple months behind.
That’s a strange video…not buying a bike because of others,,I’m paying for it not them
Take a class in social psych and maybe it will help. People do all sorts of things to "belong". It's not so strange.
i will tell you why. because like there cars they are overpriced unreliable shite
Out of warranty, their cars can be a horror show. I've heard Mercedes is worse though. It seems like the order of the day in general is to make them work well until the warranty runs out. In other words, built in obsolescence. The other thing is, they want owners to use the dealer for everything. They took away factory manuals for resale to the public.
Oh but Petri, I have no culture! Yeah, but your ex-wife was such a dish!
Sorry, couldn't help myself... I'll see my way out.
why can't you yanks ever say what you're trying to say straight out, all I hear is uhmm ahmm ahmm, ffs spit it out
I guess. Maybe you can do a video and show me how it's done. Oh yeah, you haven't done any.
@@my.motorrad
those that can, do..
those that can’t, bitch…
I think you're biased against them without just cause.
In case you're blind or somehow missed the memo, I own one...
why do you guys always have to be riding a bike when you do a video ? Could you just stand next to the bike you're talking about so we can see the bike too? Ridiculous video.
I talk on the bike, stationary and camera facing on some videos. It comes down to opportunity. If I am commuting with the bike, I can use the ride to do videos. I find I don't get any better viewage being on camera too, so there's that. Watch my video Why BMW Needs to F Off if you want on camera and covering some of the same stuff in this video.
Do voice over
@@protectork9831 It's one of those things that I'd rather do front of camera in person or talking while riding. Doing a voice over while riding seems artificial to me. Can't make everyone happy though.
Ignorant reasons, how unfactual and biased.
Depends on perspective. If you're a parochial individual like yourself, you might think that. There's a lot of space in there for a variety of human expressions, needs, desires, etc. If you want ignorance, look in the mirror.
Thanks, I've five that. My point is your reasons are $$, not Japanese, Short, do what BMW says to do for maintenance and reliability. 🙄Wow, none of that is anything but biased. I don't even have a BMW and I would not use those reasons is my biggest point.
Culture?? What?? 😒
@@SfJames Even if you do what they say to do(I do), there can be problems depending in the vintage. In other words it has nothing to do with maintenance and has to do with manufacturing and engineering choices on their part, which is to save a penny here or there or reinvent the wheel when it's not necessary. Out of warranty, any problems with a BMW will hurt badly if you can't do your own repairs. The Japanese, for all their boringness in design, know how to produce reliable stuff. In terms of culture, brand tribalism is present in the groups that buy certain things. We see it with HD and even some BMW folks are absolute kool-aid drinkers(Maybe you've never perused the MOA.). I am not. Never will be. My reasoning is total value for the money spent. It's your choice. Lastly, I did it because I did a video on why to buy one and was just trying to hit some of the possibilities of why someone might not buy one.
Do you need to lay off the way bro the video didn’t make any sense at all
Neither do you, obviously.
z
Wauu in 6:38 nothing,not even one good info why????? because is bmw - expensive and maintenance is very important and expensive...😂😂😂😂
From the person with one subscriber and no videos.
I've watched your video and still don't see what point you're trying to make. Do you write speeches for trump?
I can't help you with your confirmation bias, selective exposure and mental retardation. I am not a democrat nor republican and being from NY I know more about trump than you do. He's a narcissist with some machiavellian tendencies for sure and a one or two trick pony. That said, I think you're going for a cheap reaffirmation of whatever is rolling around in your head.
Your full of it I own 3 rode all other bikes
Yeah, you're the paradigm of motorcycle ownership. Opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one and they all stink. Some people like yourself are one.
Jeeze this is one boring video with mostly irrelevant non factual rubbish about BMW bikes. Over the passed 18 years I’ve owned 5 BMW bikes. Had a few recalls just like any other brand. I had one warranty issue that was sorted promptly without fuss. All brands get warranty issues now and again. What stood out for me owning BMW bikes was their reliability, excellent build quality and high resale value that can’t be said for all brands. I don’t currently own a BMW but I imagine I will at some point in the future.
Sorry, I’m not a kool aid drinker, but you are. I have more evidence than you do and it’s outside my experience. Maybe you’re better off with the Harley crowd or the Taliban.
Get a bicycle!
Get a life!
Did you just say, "liberal"?
Thank you for keeping me from making a big mistake.
I'll go buy another Valkyrie now.
If only conservatives understood the definition of the word.