And so it begins....

[Reardy Mister]

I haven't done an update on the R1200RT for a few weeks because we're having a bit of an issue, me and her. The fuelling, which I've been unsure about since day 1 but thought may sort itself, is not right. Its not a quirk, its not a foible, its just st. In any one hour commute, it will cough and or splutter 3 or 4 times. Sometimes if I coast to a stop, I can pull the clutch in and it will die altogether. At traffic lights, I have to be stopped with around 1600rpm dialled up, just to be sure I can move off smartly without stalling and low speed filtering requires constant "safety blips", where I'm just revving it regularly to ensure that if I need throttle, its ready to go.

I have refrained from mentioning much about the dealer I bought it from. They have been utter pants from the start to be honest. Rather than sell me this bike I basically had to wrestle it off them, doing all the chasing of the salesman myself who was never that interested in selling it to me in the first place. Typically, I rang the salesman I bought it off last week but couldn't reach him, left a message and like clockwork he didn't call back. Tuesday I rang him and told him the problem (he said it might require them to "balance the bike again" - they specialise in BS at this place) and he said he will get the service dept to call me. They didn't. Rang again Wednesday and he said he would make sure they called me. They didn't. Rang this morning and tried to explain the issue to a 23 yr old girl on the service desk, directly. The earliest booking they have is for September 30th. They might be able to "look at it" on Sept 11th.
"Define looking at it" I say.
"Well, they might be able to sort of take a look and see what the problem is." she says. Oh right, but not fix it?

I could get it recovered under the BMW approved used Warranty apparently, but then be left with no transport. Apparently you only get a loan bike if the bike is unrideable (which if it stalls mid corner or mid manoeuvre when I'm leaning against the acceleration, it might well be, only that will be my fault I expect).

So in my mind I hear the words "And so it begins." because this already feels like a long, arduous battle full of apathy and non-help with no satisfactory outcome and much inconvenience.

I really don't know if I have the energy for it or whether I just take it to an indy and fork out myself. Trouble is its under BMW finance and I need to keep the bike stock and just making the phone call to an indy will probably void the warranty somehow. Anyone got any experience of this or suggestions?

[Reardy Mister]

I don't want to bag them publicly in case its all been a series of misunderstandings and in actual fact they are renowned for their customer service and I've just been desperately unlucky. But yes, its an official BMW Motorrad outlet. In Guildford. Guildford in Surrey. And the name rhymes with "mines".

[Reardy Mister]

Thanks for all the mechanical tips and experience folks. Rang the dealer again today to get some help from the salesman. He assured me the service department would definitely definitely call today. That was at 8:30am. If don't hear something today I will call the dealer principal but to be honest, I don't hold high hopes.

I am interested in the angle I have seen taken elsewhere with BMW. To my mind, I bought that bike predominantly to commute on. As it is, I am having to try and compensate in my riding for it being not able to safely do that job (yesterday it conked out mid turn and I had to take a big foot-dab to keep it upright). That surely makes it unfit for purpose?

ETA: Yes, its a BMW Approved used. 2010, bought with less than 9000 miles on it.

[Reardy Mister]

Thanks for that contact.

Update:
As expected, I didn't get call yesterday from anyone. So today we upped the ante. I rang the man in charge of the Motorrad side of the dealership (unavailable, left a message) and then I went down there.
Whilst in there, Manager called back, so he came out of his office and was most helpful. He also had a word with the Service manager, who was also most helpful. From a service angle, the dealer really redeemed themselves this morning. Right up to the Manager even agreeing to drop a loan bike off at my house and take mine in for them to have a proper look up its skirt. BMW however, have not gone up in my estimations. Let me explain.
I managed to get them to plug the bike in to the diagnostics machine this morning and predictably the response came back "it doesn't show any faults". At this stage I am prepared for and even understanding of the service manager having to tow the BMW line to some extent. But I'm not having it.
After some more discussion the next line of defence was "do you blip the throttle? Oh don't blip the throttle, it makes it worse. You'll have to change your riding you see."
Nooo, nope. Not having that.
Next line of defence was "it's a characteristic of that engine." Nope, an engine cutting out before it's asked to, under normal operating conditions to is not a characteristic. It's a fault.
After a bit more parrying with what I can only describe as a beleaguered but well intentioned service manager, we got down to a few truths. Here are a few things you may be interested to know:

• it's a known problem. Dealers haven't been able to fix it and so far BMW has been unable or unwilling to fix it. This chap knew exactly the issue I was having and was even able to replicate it in the workshop at will.
• it's a problem with the twin cam engines, the previous single cam engines don't seem to do it
• it's because they run too lean
• it particularly effects bikes used for commuting which are used at slow speeds and low revs with constant on/off of the throttle
• the BMW ecu and map is not customisable to compensate
• so well known is the issue that when this service manager took his dealership demo bike across Europe, he fitted a power commander to it for the trip
• he told me if I took my bike to the alps on a hot day with warm and thin air, it would be almost unrideable
• the met police had the same issue when they upgraded to the twin cam engines and their bikes came back en masse with exactly the same complaint

Basically, if you want your twin cam R1200 to run properly around town and just better overall (his words were that it literally transforms it and I believe him, when riding you actually feel the ECU periodically strangling the engine, each pot has two spark plugs and it will cut out one each if sees the opportunity), you have to fit a power commander. BMW either cannot or will not bother their arse to sort it out and the service managers only apparent line of defence is to check a list of standard parts and failing that, try to convince the rider that he needs to retrain his riding style to compensate for a product that falls short.

The bike is now booked to be looked at in 10 days when it wil have one or two parts replaced just to be sure (sensors of sorts for the throttle, which I assume is fly by wire). Will wait and see what happens.

[Reardy Mister]

Golgarth said:

ah, the good old "they all do that sir" response.

It surely can't be acceptable that you have to modify a vehicle to make it rideable.

BMW have dropped their quality so far as to be laughable in recent years (both cars and bikes).

Indeed. If the answer comes back that it can't be put right without a PC, my response will be "well please by all means, fit a PC and Akro pipe at your expense and while you're there, ensure my warranty stays in tact." Which I imagine will go over like malaria.

[Reardy Mister]

Well it went in Friday. Was due back that day but they weren't sure they could get it back before I went off to start my weekend. So I asked them not to rush it and just to do what they had to do to get it right as I don't want it back until it is. I've not heard from them since. Which suits me because the loan bike is fking ace (though I'm pretty sure its thirstier) and I don't want to give it back.

[Reardy Mister]

Sushifiend said:

Reardy Mister said:

Which suits me because the loan bike is fking ace (though I'm pretty sure its thirstier) and I don't want to give it back.

What did they give you as a loaner?

Same model but this year's bike.

[Reardy Mister]

Nothing from the dealer until yesterday when I missed a call from the service advisor, asking me when I'd like to swap back to my bike. Called back FOUR times throughout the day leaving messages and no return phone call.

Have now put another call into the Mororrad Director. He must be a busy man...

I do rather fancy keeping the new one for the weekend mind you.

[Reardy Mister]

Only fair that I update this, as I have been somewhat vocal about the dealer.

To all intents and purposes, the bike is sorted, without (major) fuss, with a free loan bike and all under warranty and for that I am thankful to Vines (though you'd think they could see their way clear to not charging for the replacement headlight bulb whilst it was in, for my troubles). It does still stall more easily than I would like, but I would say its because its intolerant of anything other than generous throttle inputs, instead of a general propensity to just cut out, like before. Sadly, the weather has cooled considerably since I put it in and I've not done much on it since, so there might be an ambient air temp influencing its new found good manners. Nevertheless, the engine at idle is much crisper, each detonation is noticeably sharper and it picks up revs off idle more willingly. It does however still waver at idle, by as much 200rpm at times. Also of note is far less pop and bang on closing the throttle.

I am disappointed that no one at Vines saw fit to email me or even tell me what exactly they did to fix it. The Motorrad Director mentioned some sort of idle sensor replacement but he couldn't be sure.

Banhstormer have an M-Sport coloured GS in at the moment with the new motor and a few nice looking K1300Ses that I'd like to try, before my bike dissolves on the winter roads and is worth peanuts. So that's the next plan. My bike is nice but it lacks personality or dynamism. At least a GS has pretences to offroad and the 1300 has pace. And both have 80% of the comforts of the RT.