Bot Today---broke Today

[TGR]

I just bought a brand new r1200rt today and was riding it home and it just stopped running. It stopped running in a really bad spot, no less. I pushed it out of the road and looked around the bike, couldn't find anything wrong and tried to start it and it started. I rode it about a mile and it died again, This time it wouldn't restart. The engine was turning over but no go. There was a full tank of gas by the dealer when I left so after just 30 miles I knew it couldn't be that. I called the dealer and he said it was very possibly "vapor lock". Now, the last time I heard that was on my 63 Chevy. Is that possible? What do you folks think it could be?
He sent a tow truck and after spending 21K I got a broken bike. Not fun to say the least!

[haughty]

I hope they picked it up ASAP and got you on your way. Sorry to hear of the problem.

I was going to be facetious and say " you bought a 63 chevy?" But I would understand your .. er.. GRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr clinching of teeth expletives etc...

Best of getting it fixed...

[TGR]

Actually they were very responsive and apologetic. I don't blame the dealer at all. they are an excellent group of people. If you ever get a chance to visited San Diego, go see North county Bmw in Escondido.
I've had 6 BMW's before and they have all been winners. I know "shit happens" so I'm not really mad. My number was just up.
What I'm really after here is really do you guys and gals think what might be the problem, with the limited information given.

[Semio]

Sounds like poor dealer prep to me. I'd chalk this one up against the dealership and begin looking for another dealer. Sucks, doesn't it?

I'd still serve notice to BMW-NA about this via registered mail. It will get their attention, and open a ticket. It might even light a fire under the asses of the local dealership. It will serve as strike one against BMW-NA under lemon law statutes. Hold their feet to the fire, and let the NA vs dealership work it out. It's not your problem who was at fault.

"BMW" screwed up. Dealer, NA, whatever... not your problem. BMW is at fault.

Don't accept anything less. You've paid for it already.

[TGR]

You know that was what I was thinking. So, next question is what is , "what is normally done on a dealer prep? When I get the bike back (?) is their some way to check or do to the bike to make sure it was done? Or should I just hope for the best ( what a pathetic thing to say re:BMW motorcycles)

[Tom_K]

You know that was what I was thinking. So, next question is what is , "what is normally done on a dealer prep? When I get the bike back (?) is their some way to check or do to the bike to make sure it was done? Or should I just hope for the best ( what a pathetic thing to say re:BMW motorcycles)

Every new vehicle I've purchased in the last 25 years came with a factory pre-delivery check list which was filled in and signed by the appropriate dealer representative. Didn't you get one?

Tom

[Stixx]

You know that was what I was thinking. So, next question is what is , "what is normally done on a dealer prep? When I get the bike back (?) is their some way to check or do to the bike to make sure it was done? Or should I just hope for the best ( what a pathetic thing to say re:BMW motorcycles)
Predelivery requires the dealer to ride it for 15 miles and they , not you would have been stranded if that was done. If it was done and you still got stranded , that might bode differently in my mind. My RT has quit for no reason several times since I bought it and I always restarted it and went on. It does shake your confidence and if mine ever does not restart on trying, I will begin to lose confidence.

As to the problem, their computer read out should show right away.

I bought a new car once that quit on the way out of the dealer lot. They had it for hours trying to isolate the problem. I found it for them it was a cracked ground wire going to the firewall. Metal fatique on a brand new ground strap, go figure. Point is it is usally something simple that causes these things once you find out what it is . Keep us posted , inquiring minds want to know .

[rferna12]

Sorry to hear this happened, but it is a machine built by humans, I hope, I don`t know if it is the same thing that happened to me coming back from North Carolina my 08 RT just quit, had fuel in the tank, waited around for about 20 minutes and it started again, just in case I topped off the gas tank, and it died again in 100 miles, long story short I had it towed back to Jacksonville where I trailered to Miami where I live, took it to the dealer and it was the electronic auxiliary fuel pump, this happened back on June, so far no more problems, it is a great bike, it will be fixed, even with a little sour taste I still have because of what happened and being reminded by my Harley riding friends constantly, I would not want to ride anything else, good luck :dance:

[jbrown]

Surely they've fixed the issue and you've gotten your new bike back by now?

If so, what was the problem?

[TGR]

OK. Got the bike back the very next day(today) and the problem was part salesman-part bike. The salesman said he "personally" filled the gas tank. Well he put less than a gallon in it. Because the bike stopped after just 30 some miles. The mechanic said it didn't have any gas in it. Well, the second part of the problem was that when the gas gets low, the computer tells you so. The computer said I had 287 miles to go! So even if he actually filled the tank, I would eventually had come across the problem. They replaced the broken part and everything is golden again.
He did tell me the mechanic did do the "pre-delivery prep" because he said they don't get paid until it's done. Well, between you and me, that sounds a little strange. But I got the bike back so that is all that matters to me.

[Semio]

Glad to hear everything worked out in the end.

So the mechanic, whose sole job is to ensure correct mechanical operation of the bike, insists he did "prep"? Yet he didn't catch that the fuel sensor showed a full tank when he knew the tank was not full.

Look - his job isn't to sell bikes, or order parts, or pay the rent. He has one simple job and he screwed up. He should own up to it. A technicians two assets are competence and integrity. Competence can be improved, but integrity cannot. It's all about trust.

Making excuses would have me looking for another mechanic.

[Stixx]

I started to suggest checking the gas tank but that seemed too obvious. It is always something simple. having run it out now you will have to see if that damaged the fuel pump or the guage strip. I never run mine long after the yellow light is on. Usually fill up again long before reserve.

[TGR]

Well, I'm glad to have it back and I went for a nice long ride and what a great ride it was.
I agree with you and am taking it to another place for the 600 mi. The place I bot it always gives great deals. The place is further away from my home than two other dealers who never gives any real serious deals so going the distance was worth it. The mechanics are obviously another story.
Now the dealer who doesn't give good deals have great mechanics. I've dealt with them on previous bikes and have never had a single complaint.
Ride on!

[cliffy109]

Well, I'm glad to have it back and I went for a nice long ride and what a great ride it was.
I agree with you and am taking it to another place for the 600 mi. The place I bot it always gives great deals. The place is further away from my home than two other dealers who never gives any real serious deals so going the distance was worth it. The mechanics are obviously another story.
Now the dealer who doesn't give good deals have great mechanics. I've dealt with them on previous bikes and have never had a single complaint.
Ride on!


The best price is not always the best deal. Your experience illustrates this perfectly.

[mjordans2000]

Well, I'm glad to have it back and I went for a nice long ride and what a great ride it was.
I agree with you and am taking it to another place for the 600 mi. The place I bot it always gives great deals. The place is further away from my home than two other dealers who never gives any real serious deals so going the distance was worth it. The mechanics are obviously another story.
Now the dealer who doesn't give good deals have great mechanics. I've dealt with them on previous bikes and have never had a single complaint.
Ride on!

Good dealers occasionally hire a less than skilled mechanic. Even good mechanics mess up from time to time. For years I avoided Browns Motor Works, not because the mechanic didn't tighten the oil drain plug and I had an oily mess when I got home, but because when I complained about them almost destroying my brand new bike the response was basically nothing was damaged, no big deal. Having my concerns about the careless treatment of my new baby blown off really pissed me off. Had they offered a sincere apology I would have considered it an honest mistake and continued to use them as my dealer. If your dealer was apologetic and made good on the issue I would give them another chance. It's a good idea to keep track of which mechanic did the work, if the problems occur more often with a particular mechanic feel free to request someone else.

[Mdcruiser]

By the way, how 'bout that cheapo salesman who put in 1 gallon of gasoline? Had he filled the tank, as every shop does with a new bike, you would have seen the "mileage to empty" not drop as you rode, and you would have known something was wrong. Likely you would never have been stranded. I think the tech probably assumed the tank was full, and this was a reasonable assumption. It's the salesman who should be chewed out.

[WINDMAN]

salesman filling up the gas tank??? He owes you a tank of gas just on principal. But the best news is the bike is OK. I have an '09 RT and same thing happened to me in a parking lot. 143 miles till empty and kaput! Fuel level sensor defective.

Happy riding!

[larrykay]

TGR, watch the fule gauge and the odometer. MY 2009GT's gauge is defective. the meter said 60 miles to go when I ran out ( in the dealers lot). The bike has been in for repair twice and they really have not solved the problem fully. They finally got the warning light to go on at 40 miles to go, but now the tank gauge never has the correct reading after I fill up.
Compare the odo vs the gauge.....

[Stixx]

All the gas guages seem defective at first. Few of them actually are. I have always noticed that after fill up there is no change in the guage. Eventually it catches up. Then I noticed as time went on it took less and less time to catch up.

Then this weekend. I filled up and probably packed it too much as I didn't want to have to stop again so I really filled it up. Then it got stuck on full. I thought it would never go down but finally it did .

To say the fuel guage on the RT is fickle is probably an understatement but overall it is fairly accurate . I trust it enough but always reset one of the two trip meters just so I know that if I've gone over 350 miles I better get some dang gas. LOL

rarely to I ever go that far but I actually did once. It held 6.9 gallons. Can you say ''running on fumes".

[TGR]

Doesn't it just amaze you, that after 86 years of making motorcycles, they can't make a reliable gas gage? What's wrong with this picture. Who's in charge of quality control? You know I've had many BMW bike's and I've never have been asked by anybody at BMW, the dealer or anybody what I like and don't like about the bike. Personally, I think BMW needs to do a better job or they are going to start to lose customers, if they haven't already.

[tvguy]

The Fuel Gage is a POS... I have had my bike in 5 times. It works for one tank of gas... then it stops at 1/4 tank. Goes to full when I fill up then it just stops dropping around 1/4.
Don't waste your time using it.