Are BMW's worth the ??????

[Whosthedaddy]

Whats the general perception of BMW's, not just the Enduro types but more the K1200 (R,S and RS) series or the bike that seems to push my buttons the F800S.

https://www.bikez.com/pictures/bmw/2007/24589_0_1_2_f800s_Image%20credits%20-%20BMW.jpg

Do they have the same build quality and reliability as the cars or do the main dealers wear Armani overalls?

When in Oz I plan to get a new bike, I'll be using it to commute and get a car for the missus and kids. At this stage I'm not sure the exact location of where were will be living but some city commute will be a certainty as will a blast down some open roads.

I will be looking at some bigger cc bikes for sure. The F800 puts out less bhp than the 7 so not sure whether this will float my boat and does seem (according to reviews) to be a little awkward in and around tight filtering due to power delivery and gearbox at low revs.

The K series may be a little too expensive and the GS a little too tall (and ponsy).

Any views or opinions?

[shaun_04]

If I could afford one I'd definately get one. From experience, the R1100S is superb. Very reliable and well built.
If you're gunna use the bike for city commuting, have you considered a Scarver?

[Whosthedaddy]

[St0rmer66]

R1100S looks just like the F800S but obviously more power..

I sat on an F800S at Donington this year and I was genuinely surprised at how comfortable it was. It impressed me and I'm a self confessed sportsbike junkie. . The indicators on BMW's is a good idea, wish they did it on all bikes.
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:: Honda XR 125 L ('53) => Kawasaki GPZ 500S ('02) => Suzuki SV650S ('00) => Aprilia RSV-R ('51) ::

[G]

Seem overpriced in most cases, to me.
Can get some ok deals on the G650 range, but I'm guessing that's not what you're looking for.

I do like the idea of the F800GS, but for the rest of the F800 range, the way I see it, it doesn't offer much more over say a TRX850, or Ducati 1000ss which can be picked up for a lot less - thus rather bad value to my mind.

(And, of course, I'd only consider the F800GS for a plan that involves a decent amount of off-roading, where the bigger wheels etc help.)

[c_dug]

R1100s BCR is made of win sounds teh sex aswell, my dads one is lasting him well, and in the ~3 years hes had it nothing has gone wrong. Money well spent in his opinion

https://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee81/paddy2007dug/dadsbike.jpg

c_dug
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[neatbik]

I test rode an f800st a while ago. It was supremely comfortable, had a decent amount of torque and handled well i thought. The one i rode was fully loaded with the computer, heated grips and panniers. I remember thinking that it would make a brilliiant commuting and touring bike, but for me it just didnt have that edge - it was brilliant, but had no soul i guess

[mooky]

Some people I speak to say that BMW is still trading on its past reliability reputation ...
A few GS owners I have spoken to dont thing much about the BMW reliability ... The bikes have become increasingly complicated - and just about any problem now requires recovery & fixing by the dealer.
This is not to say the quality is really bad - just average

[Kickstart]

Hi

Personally, wait until you get there. And check the local prices and running costs.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Whosthedaddy]

I'm like a kid in a sweet shop at the moment, eager to get a new bike but can't till we move!

[Kickstart]

Hi

Likely when you get there you will find the prices / running costs dramatically different to the UK. New Japanese stuff seemed to be cheaper when we were there, but 2nd hand stuff was far more expensive. You might well find that their equivalent of road tax is far higher. And with a UK licence you will be limited on the insurance companies that will touch you.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Dom]

[Whosthedaddy]

I was under the impression that the Beemers would at least be a little more reliable than the Italians or Japs but it'd be a kick in the teeth to pay a fair whack on a bike and to have silly niggly problems from the start.

I'm sure it'll be different when we get out there but the volume of ads for second hand bikes seems dramatically less than over here. The distance to go and get them may be another contributing factor at the end of the day.

[Kickstart]

Hi

When we were there the equivalent of the Bike Trader magazine was pretty full.

Bikes do last longer there and are worth a hell of a lot more 2nd hand.

Not sure how long you have to get an Aus licence. You can exchange an Aus licence for a UK one but not sure about the other way round.

Drivers round Melbourne were pretty worrying. All dowdling slowly but pretty much sound asleep.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[G]

[Dom]

[G]

Very interesting bikes, but very hard to find, unfortunately:
https://www.highland.se/uploaded_files/20070509094126desertstorm.jpg
Click pic for more details.

168kg claimed weight, 85hp from a 950cc twin.
So we're talking KLR650 weight with KTM950 grunt (though not quite the top end).
Do see them pop up occasionally on visordown, ebay etc; but unfortunately never when I've had money to buy a bike. Sometimes some good deals out there as people don't know much about the.

[SonicTheHedge...]

From having a new BMW since Feb, and hanging around on the associated forums, it seems to come to this:
They're no more or less reliable over-all than any other manufacturer.

There are a few niggles - an across-the-range weak electrical component* that's currently under not-recall (I can't remember the term they're actually using), dealer service is variable, and vehicle recovery (if you use the BMW Assist) is focused on cars, so if you need a spare part then chances of it being a roadside fix are close to nil. (Their operative said their standard MO for bikers, if they have the part on board, is to hand them the part and sit there passing tools across...)

You may feel the GS is posey, but they're a lot of fun.

*I've had it 4500 miles now, and the one failure I encountered was that part - a transceiver for immobiliser signals, so when it was dead the bike wouldn't start.
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Previous: '00 G2 Bandit 600 Naked. Now: '08 BMW GS Adventure.

[Dom]

[Reppyboyo]

Supposedly great bikes but they are just too damn ugly.

[G]

It is their own engine - maybe initially based on two Husaberg engines? From what I've read up on it, reliability isn't too bad; maybe as they don't pump out that much power.

I think I've seen them go sell for not much over £3k for low-mileage good nick examples.

[Dr. DaveJPS]

know what i'm looking for now.... was thinking about a ktm 950 sm but a 2K saving is just so very tempting
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"intelligent inattention is preferable to unintelligent tinkering"
www.davejps.com

[G]

I don't know of the real weights or ride comparisons of the KTM to the Highland. The Highlands are very hard to find as I said, so I wouldn't bet on getting one and prices are likely to vary quite a lot I'd have thought.

If you do get one... can I have a go .

[Dom]

I had a quick look and can't see any that have been up for sale, let alone any that are going now. At £3k they'd be less than half the price of an F800 so definitely worth checking out. The F800 wins on appearances though - that front fairing reminds me of the skinny little one on the CBR125.
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Photos and that

[G]

Sorry, keeping it rather off-topic.
Don't get a big screen on the F800GS either really; though I'd agree the highland is quite 'utilitarian' as far as design goes.

I've been wondering how hard it would be to adapt my 675 for 'adventure' stlye purposes as I'm sure the 675 tiger will end up being a sucky-road bike ... it's got the power and lack of weight (175kgs weighed, with a little fuel, as it is).