[Miggs]

Packed in on the commute home from work. Probably fuel pump controller.

Starting to get very disillusioned over BMW reliability. I'm 56, owned and ridden bikes since 17...mostly japanese. I've had more issues with this RT than the rest put together!

I think I'm going back to the land of the rising sun (and peace of mind)

Rant over

 

[Firenailer]

Well sorry to hear that but, have a nice trip... :wave

This is only my second Beemer so I can't speak to the whole history of reliability, but I've accumulated nearly 60,000 miles on mine over the years without a single breakdown. I think that they're pretty good bikes, and I'm pretty sure I'd buy another..

 

[jimk23]

Sorry to hear about your trouble. I can understand your thoughts on this. You expect to have a trouble free bike with a BMW. I certainly do.

 

[wvpc]

Sorry to hear of your trouble. What year RT do you havce and how many kilometers?

 

[Miggs]

Sorry to hear of your trouble. What year RT do you havce and how many kilometers?

It's a 2005 - 17,000 miles (~27k kms)

 

[hallzee]

Over 200,000 BMW miles, and never stranded (save for a tire failure).

Knocking on wood, and throwing salt over my shoulder...

Sorry to hear yours is less than perfect. FWIW, I also have 95,000 worry free Yamaha miles. Maybe I'm just lucky!

 

[heavynikonf3]

Over 200,000 BMW miles, and never stranded (save for a tire failure).

Knocking on wood, and throwing salt over my shoulder...

Sorry to hear yours is less than perfect. FWIW, I also have 95,000 worry free Yamaha miles. Maybe I'm just lucky!

Me too, 206,000 on my first RT and looking at 26K trouble free miles on this one. I am sorry to hear about your troubles. I did almost 60K on my Road King without so much as a burned out bulb. On the other hand, both of my beloved BSA's *^%&*^%$#[email protected]#!!!!!!

 

[AntRT]

Had to have my 2011 RT flat bedded to the shop from getting stranded (wouldn't start) Once on the computer it showed the kill switch engaged at all times so they replaced the entire housing on the spot and sent me on my way.

What turned a crappy event into a good one was the way my dealer treated me which is yet another reason I love my BMW. Shit happens in life, even to brand new bikes, cars, boats, etc.

 

[casamere]

Miggs, Sold my 05 two weeks ago before anything major happened, already had a few faults that should not happen to a BMW. Was thinking of the new RT but my money is going here in January ( sorry BMW ).

http://www.dealernews.com/dealernews/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=778763

Bought this to be going on with, not a BMW badge anywhere to be seen.

 

[Danrt1100]

I have had some expensive issues with mine as well, although I admittedly do have an older bike, but then all of my bikes are old. Always have been. Frankly, I have too much other stuff going on to buy a new or near new motorcycle. But to this point an old bike did not mean poor reliability, at least not for me. Maybe I have had amazing luck that is catching up to me.

Some people are lucky, maybe most people, and have had no issues whatsoever. Either that or they really baby it, or spend mile after mile in the same gear on the freeway.

The moral of the story for me is this: If you are going to get an older motorcycle you should probably not buy a BMW. Get something else that costs next to nothing in comparison, and then if something goes wrong you are not going to be out that much, even in a worse case scenario. A motorcycle is a motorcycle is a motorcycle, so get one that will not cost an arm and a leg. Sorry, but I guess I am not loyal to any particular brand, and I have been riding for 35 years.

 

[ka5ysy]

Miggs, Sold my 05 two weeks ago before anything major happened, already had a few faults that should not happen to a BMW. Was thinking of the new RT but my money is going here in January ( sorry BMW ).

http://www.dealernews.com/dealernews/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=778763

Bought this to be going on with, not a BMW badge anywhere to be seen.

If they still use Lucas electrics, good luck. And a Gen 1 bike at that

 

[Ponch]

I let down my BMW yesterday. I didn't ride it. :bmw:

 

[Miggs]

Miggs, Sold my 05 two weeks ago before anything major happened, already had a few faults that should not happen to a BMW. Was thinking of the new RT but my money is going here in January ( sorry BMW ).

http://www.dealernews.com/dealernews/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=778763

Bought this to be going on with, not a BMW badge anywhere to be seen.

I absolutely loved my 955 Sprint ST, probably enjoyed riding that bike more than any other.
This new Trophy however, at 301kgs is just too much of a lump of lard for me.

Used to commute on a Burgman too! (without breaking down!)

I am seriously toying with the idea of a late Blackbird, decked out with luggage when needed. Always fancied one, and want to do it before they (and me!) get too old! :histerica

 

[Alfred02]

Miggs, Sold my 05 two weeks ago before anything major happened, already had a few faults that should not happen to a BMW. Was thinking of the new RT but my money is going here in January ( sorry BMW ).

http://www.dealernews.com/dealernews/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=778763

Bought this to be going on with, not a BMW badge anywhere to be seen.

Wow
Talking about copyright theft.

 

[casamere]

Wow
Talking about copyright theft.

Alfred02, I'll let them fight that one out between themselves, but if it means that I don't suffer the failure of :- 2x fuel strips, 1x fuel pump controller, ESA front strut, 1x rear wheel bearing, 1x warped rear disc, right hand indicator switch (water ingress) and lastly the ignition unit at 23k I will be quite happy to buy Triumph. And this is all before I have to spend 2,500 AUD on a new clutch.

 

[Monty2007]

Miggs, Sold my 05 two weeks ago before anything major happened, already had a few faults that should not happen to a BMW. Was thinking of the new RT but my money is going here in January ( sorry BMW ).

http://www.dealernews.com/dealernews/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=778763

Bought this to be going on with, not a BMW badge anywhere to be seen.

My 2001 Trophy was plagued by carburetor and ignition issues and never would really run properly for long periods of time. Starting it was always difficult and getting it to run right at low RPM for longer than a two to three weeks took a lot of work. I spent more time wrenching it myself or having it serviced than I rode it.

I like the look of the new Trophy and I hear that the quality and reliability of the newer models is really good. The Trophy being a new model would make me want to wait and see how reputation of the new develops. I just don't think I could pull the trigger on one right now.

My 2011 is my first BMW and so far it has ran flawlessly. I put 12,000 miles on the Triumph over the 10 years I owned it and have 6,000 miles on the BMW in less than a year.

Anyway, I am sorry to hear about the issues some of the forum members are having with their RT's. If I left BMW I am not sure what direction I would turn. Good luck with what ever you buy.

 

[Risky]

Alfred02, I'll let them fight that one out between themselves, but if it means that I don't suffer the failure of :- 2x fuel strips, 1x fuel pump controller, ESA front strut, 1x rear wheel bearing, 1x warped rear disc, right hand indicator switch (water ingress) and lastly the ignition unit at 23k I will be quite happy to buy Triumph. And this is all before I have to spend 2,500 AUD on a new clutch.

Man, I fell your pain :cussing: With all this trouble, was it covered under warranty?
I think that a Great dealer would have you feel better about your investment on this motorcycle.
I have great support from mine (dealer) and even if I had that much trouble you have had I would still not think badly of BMW. Yes you have had your share of it and could easily say you got a Lemon.

 

[casamere]

Man, I fell your pain :cussing: With all this trouble, was it covered under warranty?

Hi Risky, Yes, it was under warranty but not by choice. I passed my UK motorcycle test in 1966 and have riden them for the best part of 45yrs (time out for family). In that time I must admit I have never owned a british bike. They have all been Japanese in one guise or another, but I have never carried extended warranty on any bike I have owned culminating on Honda's GoldWing. It was while under the dealer's 12mnth warranty that the fuel strip failed and at the end the rear bearing was spotted on a service that there was a problem. So I decided to extend the warranty and glad I did!!.. But the point I am trying to make is with all the technology that has preceded the 1200RT and spending 15000CAD, I did not expect the bike to be at a dealers for a total of 14days for all these jobs to be rectified when I should have been riding. The final nail in the coffin (as they say in UK) is the ignition unit. This has a story to it that is peculiar to the 2005 RT that I owned and unless you are interested I will not subject you to it!!..
Lastly, I am not here to pull the RT down, quite the opposite. I loved the RT as a touring bike it was quick,nimble and transported me and my luggage mile after mile in absolute comfort. All these failures occurred near home, had I been miles from home touring I would not have been pleased. I suppose I was unlucky as a few other owners have been even with the new model but enough was enough for me with BMW.
Thanks for staying with my story and to all you guys that have this bike enjoy it as I did. but when the love affair and confidence with a motorcycle die the affair is ended!!..

 

[vulch]

Hi i have owned my 06 RT for 3 months now it has 38000 km 32000 when i got it and the more i read on this forum the the more terrified i get about going on a trip with this bike .I also have a suzuki with the same mileage and have no fear about taking it on a trip .Is there anything that can be said to ease my worries about this bike .I understand that forums can sometimes be mostly negative but this one seems to be full of problems.Thanks

 

[Alfred02]

Alfred02, I'll let them fight that one out between themselves, but if it means that I don't suffer the failure of :- 2x fuel strips, 1x fuel pump controller, ESA front strut, 1x rear wheel bearing, 1x warped rear disc, right hand indicator switch (water ingress) and lastly the ignition unit at 23k I will be quite happy to buy Triumph. And this is all before I have to spend 2,500 AUD on a new clutch.

I am actually not disagreeing with you. It does look like a sweet bike.
We have a local Triumph dealer, so when it hits the floor, I go and have a look.

The reason we pay so much for the BMW's (apart from the name) is the development costs of all these new devices.
Of course other manufacturers will copy the ideas that seem to sell, i.e ABS, heated grips, heated seats, electric windscreen etc etc.
BMW makes the money as they are the first, having developed the technology, which of course costs a lot of money in research.
What is disappointing and I do fully agree here, is that they also should be the one that have got it all sorted out properly before anybody else, who copy and then still have to work out the bugs in the real world.
Unfortunate, that doesn't seem to be happening here.
The whole drive train issues, which just seem to move from one area to the next on the next new model plus still ongoing ABS issues are disappointing.

I am not too concerned about the small items like switches etc, although annoying, it happens with any brand and are usually resolved without too many hassles and even outside of warranty, are not a bank breaker.

But the main components as above, should be covered by BMW even outside the warranty, as parts like final drives, drive shafts, "U" joints should last the life of the bike and should never fail.

Still, despite just having a 2005 R1200RT purchased 2nd hand (which by the way has a crack in the wheel flange..known issue) I still love the bike.
At work we do have a few Triumph's and Honda ST1300.
They just don't excite me what so ever.
The Triumph Trophy SE however being basically a copy of a mix of the BMW bikes, might be a different story.
We will see what their final cost will be and what warranty they offer.