BMW Motorcycles

[ducatitan]

Hi, what happened to your abs? fixed by reset?

 

The abs is fine. Just the lights were flashing alternately. Yes, it was fixed by reset. Didn't see how he did it tho... But should be same as what was described here.

[mamat]

Ride a 1100GS. Had my cam tensioner changed by Eris at M-technik recently. Seem a good job. Maybe you can check with him?

 

what model year is ur bike and wats its mileage? my bike has the same engine and is currently at 76K kms.no signs of cam chain wear yet

[coolcat]

Hiya, all ....

 

From what I heard, the R1100 series will have incorrectly flashing if the battery is weak. So sometimes that is the "cause" and not ABS faulty.

 

Cheers

 

Cat

[ducatitan]

what model year is ur bike and wats its mileage? my bike has the same engine and is currently at 76K kms.no signs of cam chain wear yet

 

It was the tensioner that got "jammed" which may affect the guide. Not sure whether the chain requires replacement. Hopefully not!

 

95 model. 62k. Urs?

[ducatitan]

Hiya, all ....

 

From what I heard, the R1100 series will have incorrectly flashing if the battery is weak. So sometimes that is the "cause" and not ABS faulty.

 

Cheers

 

Cat

 

That's definitely a possiblity. Cos sometimes I will get ABS "error" when I start my bike. But problem solved by switching ignition off and on again.

 

I suppose the sure way to know that your ABS is working or not, is to look out for that "cranking sound"?

[mamat]

It was the tensioner that got "jammed" which may affect the guide. Not sure whether the chain requires replacement. Hopefully not!

 

95 model. 62k. Urs?

 

wow low miles for a '95.mine's a '99 roadster.here's proof that regular maintanence is essential for long engine life

http://www.lonestarcycle.com/hank3.htm

[Guest Mr.Black]

wow low miles for a '95.mine's a '99 roadster.here's proof that regular maintanence is essential for long engine life

http://www.lonestarcycle.com/hank3.htm

 

Any GS is always a good bike...:thumb:

[coolcat]

It was the tensioner that got "jammed" which may affect the guide. Not sure whether the chain requires replacement. Hopefully not!

 

95 model. 62k. Urs?

 

From what I understand, there's a little piece of plastic that is usually the problem. This makes interesting reading ...

 

http://r1150r.org/board/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11195&hilit=tensioner

 

cheers

 

cat

[ducatitan]

A little plastic that has the potential to wreak serious damage if left unchecked!

 

Any F650GS riders here? How's the ride compared to a R series GS?

[twisticles]

for f800gs owners >>> do you guys feel that the engine block is too high up and when riding it gets too hot near ur groin area....

 

The engine block is not too high up when going through water

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3522/3243314257_fc64efd954.jpg?v=0

 

And if your groin is getting too hot, you're not riding fast enough

[twisticles]

Oh I should probably introduce myself...

 

I'm british, been here 2 months, seriously thinking about importing my F800GS from the UK, seems it would be a lot cheaper than going to PML for another one!

 

I might be mad to think of importing the 800GS, but this is THE bike of my dreams, it will be the last bike I ever buy, its that incredible.

 

You can commute, scratch in the twisties, do long distance motorways and then take it off-road when you get there - what more could you want?!?

 

Yeah the tank may be only 16L, but in real life thats >200miles! The engine is that efficient.

 

The bike falls over nicely too

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2037/2551104465_d4bf115a09.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3167/2551927374_c8730c5b65.jpg?v=0

 

Thankfully not my bike, but a loaner from BMW at their off-road school

 

And in case you're interested, here is a little write-up of a short trip I did at the end of last september:

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160925

 

Plenty of good information about the 800GS too

[ducatitan]

OMG... I hope I din silence this thread with a harmless question.

[ducatitan]

Here's an interesting read about choosing a F650GS.

Why am I considering a F650GS twin?

I started biking again less than four years ago after a gap of 28 years. Since then I've covered almost 100,000 miles, much of which has been outside the UK. I've now done something like 3,000 miles of piste riding in North Africa. Much of this is solo, exploring areas that are unknown to me, and I tend to combine touring and offroad in the same trip.

 

Whilst it's brilliant as an intercontinental ballistic missile, the R1200GSA is somewhat big and heavy on unknown pistes so I bought a Honda XR400R to experiment. This was great fun and inspired me to greater things on the 1200GSA, but there were a number of drawbacks--the weak rear subframe means no pillion possibility and poor luggage capacity, the fuel range was extremely poor, the seat was relatively high and uncomfortable and there wasn't an electric start. Whilst it's a gutsy bike it was obviously not happy with travelling at speed on tarmac 'liaison' sections.

 

I considered the G650 Xchallenge and booked one of these for a day in the Brecon Beacons. It is much better than the XR400 at higher speeds and can take luggage, but the fuel tank is far too small for my mixed tour/trail purposes and it still has a high and uncomfortable seat. I looked at buying an XT660 and indeed the new Ténére looks like it be a good compromise road/piste bike, but with a single cylinder and lower power it wouldn't be that good on motorways.

 

The new F650GS seems to tick all the boxes for me. Good luggage capability, reasonable fuel range, lowish comfortable seat and electric start. With 70+bhp and two cylinders it would be fine for motorway blasts, and the pricing is extremely keen against the Ténére and other alternatives.

But why the F650GS rather than the F800GS?

For a start it's £1200 cheaper! If this was a replacement for the 1200GSA I would start off looking at the F800GS, but this will probably be a second bike. I have yet to ride the F800GS so my mind isn't irrevocably made up but I don't particularly value those items that differentiate the F800.

- yes the 800 screen is bigger, but probably not high enough.

- yes the 800 has a bash plate, but it's plastic and not big enough

- yes the 800 has twin rotors (discs) at the front but single should be OK

- don't understand/wouldn't appreciate USD forks

- don't value the different handlebars

 

I prefer the tubeless tyres on the F650 as they can be plugged without having to take the wheel off and mend the tube, they are also safer in case of a blow-out. I'm not fased by the idea of cast wheels, my 12GS had cast wheels and was fine.

 

The other two points are ride height where the 800 has better ground clearance (but higher seat), and the cosmetic looks where having an 800 sticker rather than a 650 means you have hairier balls, and female riders gain a moustache.

 

So, on to the ride. What did I think of it?

First impressions. I can get both feet absolutely flat on the floor with the standard seat. The engine is very smooth and quiet. The clutch is light, the gearbox smooth and the fueling is spot on--it's very easy to control at low speed either offroad or in heavy traffic. The engine pulls well from low revs with no obvious power step. It's a well-behaved bike for less experienced riders.

 

My hands were cold as handguards aren't standard on either the 650 or 800GS. The screen is low--especially on the 650--and I was feeling the wind blast, but then I looked down and realised I was doing 75 mph. Woops (and 4000 revs is 70 mph). If you keep to 60-65 mph the standard screen is fine, but for motorways a higher screen is needed. The screen from the F800GS is higher, alternatively TT sells both higher screens and clip-on screen spoilers.

 

I briefly took the bike up to 100mph and whilst there wasn't as much power as the 1200GS, it didn't seem that far off. It easily pulls from 35mph in top. There's less 'character' to the engine but it's very enjoyable. The switchgear is traditional BMW. The brake reservoir in on a flexible mount and tends to wave around in the rider's face in a distracting way.

 

I did about a mile offroad on some deeply rutted tracks and fields. At one time I stalled the engine going uphill in second, probably due to the engine not having quite the pull of the 1200, but otherwise I felt very confident. After seeing the amount of damage caused to non-boxer (Xchallenge) bikes at the Welsh offroad school I am concerned, however, whether the optional crash bars are enough to protect the plastics of the 'tank' area. On the positive side the handlebars were good and I wouldn't need risers.

 

The front brake is a single disc, as opposed to twin rotors on the F800. Someone on UKGSer suggested the bike would pull to one side, so I tried high-speed halts. Despite activating ABS there was no side pull. I guess the point of the twin rotors is to minimise heat-induced fade in places like the Alps.

 

The major surprise was fuel consumption. Travelling at 65-70 mph I would normally get 52-55 mpg on the 1200GSA; with the F650GS I got 71 mpg!

 

I haven't made up my mind whether to get the bike or not. I need to do a back-to-back next week with the 800GS to see what I would be missing by going for the 800's 'little sister'.

 

Tim

[ducatitan]

Sorry, double post...

Edited February 2, 2009 by ducatitan

[THE BEAST]

yar. going this year?

 

i wanted to go for endau rompin trip. couldnt take the leave leh. sighz. else off road riding would be a good exp

 

It's a 'wait and see' situation.

[fooz]

Found this vid of a gabbylim's 1200GSA having ignition startup problems couple of mths ago.the accent and IU was a giveaway dat's he's s'porean.heehee.i believe the bike's brand new.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id2PEaToQmQ

 

and this another hickey during idling http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBtKvderQr4

 

hi guys,

heard that the GS sensors are a perennial problem since the gs1100.

esp, the ignition. how do u guys cope with it?

do u guys bring extra sensors during touring?

or, is there a diagnostics for impending failure?

 

just want learn more, as im contemplating a pre-owned GS.

[coolcat]

hi guys,

heard that the GS sensors are a perennial problem since the gs1100.

esp, the ignition. how do u guys cope with it?

do u guys bring extra sensors during touring?

or, is there a diagnostics for impending failure?

 

just want learn more, as im contemplating a pre-owned GS.

 

I assume that you are referring to the Hall Sensor in the oilheads. As I understand it, this is a sensor thingy located within the alternator cover. Water is the worst enemy, time the second. Hence never never direct spray at this section, and if it is a wear and tear breakdown, replacement is the only option. Known to breakdown after 4 years or so, so I'm in the danger zone

 

I know people who bring along when touring, but to me the know-how to changing it is crucial. As in most cases not difficult if you know how. The part is a metal plate with 2 hall sensor mounted, BMW part number 12-11-7-673-277.

 

Difficult to preempt failure, IMHO, save for a $400+ at PML change.

 

Cheers

 

Cat

[coolcat]

To: ducatitan

 

The F650GS is one of the bikes that I really like when I passed my Cl 2. At that time it was going for $11K to $14k used, only a bit less than a full-fledged boxer. Well, decide to get a bigger bigger bike and see if I can handle it and ... the rest is history.

 

It is a good bike, but IMHO, a lot of the $$ goes into the branding. A DRZ or a good old Honda XR or even an AT would have less problems with lesser care. Having said that, to me it is very much a head turner.

 

The new Yammie Tenere ... hmmmm

 

http://www.kaliteliresimler.com/data/media/39/Yamaha_XT660Z_Tenere_2008.jpg

 

Cat

[I_Ride_A_Bike]

Oh I should probably introduce myself...

 

I'm british, been here 2 months, seriously thinking about importing my F800GS from the UK, seems it would be a lot cheaper than going to PML for another one!

 

I might be mad to think of importing the 800GS, but this is THE bike of my dreams, it will be the last bike I ever buy, its that incredible.

 

You can commute, scratch in the twisties, do long distance motorways and then take it off-road when you get there - what more could you want?!?

 

Yeah the tank may be only 16L, but in real life thats >200miles! The engine is that efficient.

 

The bike falls over nicely too

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2037/2551104465_d4bf115a09.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3167/2551927374_c8730c5b65.jpg?v=0

 

Thankfully not my bike, but a loaner from BMW at their off-road school

 

And in case you're interested, here is a little write-up of a short trip I did at the end of last september:

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160925

 

Plenty of good information about the 800GS too

 

hey! yea, your ID looked familiar!

must have seen you around @ UKgser.com..

see you around the small 'town' of singapore one of these days...and hopefully on that great F800GS!

[fooz]

I assume that you are referring to the Hall Sensor in the oilheads. As I understand it, this is a sensor thingy located within the alternator cover. Water is the worst enemy, time the second. Hence never never direct spray at this section, and if it is a wear and tear breakdown, replacement is the only option. Known to breakdown after 4 years or so, so I'm in the danger zone

 

I know people who bring along when touring, but to me the know-how to changing it is crucial. As in most cases not difficult if you know how. The part is a metal plate with 2 hall sensor mounted, BMW part number 12-11-7-673-277.

 

Difficult to preempt failure, IMHO, save for a $400+ at PML change.

 

Cheers

 

Cat

 

 

thanks for the insight coolcat!

so, that means, if it fails on the way to thailand.

thats it man..

only way is to tow back...

[luN]

Hi guys,

 

Any of you currently using Corbin seat with the ovalbac backrest?

[coolcat]

thanks for the insight coolcat!

so, that means, if it fails on the way to thailand.

thats it man..

only way is to tow back...

 

Yes and no. Recently one bike I was with (not Beemer) broke down and I deposited the bike at a Malaysian's home for safekeep, then later got it fixed by a Singapore-based mech there and rode it back later Like I've said, carrying a Hall Sensor along is feasible but only if you know what to do with it! In fairness, I think critical failures apply to most makes of bikes, not just beemers. It is not too bad, breaking down in Malaysia.

 

Towing in Malaysia kills, know of a Super4 that paid RM900 back from Pekan, East Coast. I dunno if PML provides free tow in Malaysia.

 

To Lun ...

 

Mate of mind got Corbin and backrest on his ride; the backrest is a god-send.

 

cheers

 

Cat

 

Cheers

 

Cat

[yem_paul]

Known to breakdown after 4 years or so, so I'm in the danger zone

 

 

 

Know of one which broke down after 2 years ...

[fooz]

Yes and no. Recently one bike I was with (not Beemer) broke down and I deposited the bike at a Malaysian's home for safekeep, then later got it fixed by a Singapore-based mech there and rode it back later Like I've said, carrying a Hall Sensor along is feasible but only if you know what to do with it! In fairness, I think critical failures apply to most makes of bikes, not just beemers. It is not too bad, breaking down in Malaysia.

 

Towing in Malaysia kills, know of a Super4 that paid RM900 back from Pekan, East Coast. I dunno if PML provides free tow in Malaysia.

free tow in Msia? i highly doubt so.

unless, perhaps, brandnew bikes still under warranty.

 

maybe, the safest way, is to change it before every major trip.

 

hw about the gs650 or dakars?

do they have the same electronics problem as their bigger bro?

 

 

Know of one which broke down after 2 years ...

 

yeap.

i do know of peeps failing in 2years.

i wld say, 2 - 4yrs is the range...

[Phang]

No history of Hall effect sensor replacement according to the service booklet and feedback from the previous owner. I guess I must check the condition of the HES wires one of these days. Mine is an early 2002 R1150R, already 7 years.