"They all do that Sir" ... is exactly what they came out with.

The excuses were unbelievable.... the BMW-SA National Sales Manager even uttered "don't you agree that in some cases pinging is not detremental and non-destructive, and merely the way the engine was saying it was still functional" - WHERE in your life have you ever heard such crap?

The way the American Consumer law protects their people was also mentioned, and basically the fact was agreed that because the South African Consumer law was not so strict - I had no recoursse!
In fact I was told that the vehicle's ECU was set for EU-3 standards and I was only one person to take on the system - therefore BMW-SA did not have enough to approach Germany for resolution to change the ECU mapping for use in Africa (in Europe they use 98 & 100 Octane - we used 95 Octane and at Sea-Level the HP output of the bike was only 92Hp instead of the marketed and promised 105HP - FALSE advertising!!)..... so much for caring about their clients!

After so-called checking and testing, not under the conditions we discussed, and with a riding style that purely disgussed me..... they declined to accept any responsibility or even to try and offer assistance.

The bike was garaged while we then hedged our options - however a family crisis arose in the UK, which meant I needed to sell my GSA ..... however I received a really good offer for the bike, which allowed me to purchase a brand new 2011 GSA a month ago in England - for less than I sold the 2009 SOHC for!

I have however only managed to do about 18 miles on the bike.... waiting for full UK license and Insurance to allow me to ride... will then see whether this one is any better?

Basically the attitude I received from BMW management sucked!! One' things for sure.... I'll never buy a BMW in SA ever again......

All that and you bought a brand new GS with the money???? :confused1::confused1::confused1:
Geez. Apparently you still think very highly of the model, brand, and riding experience. I'm not sure how seriously to take all your previous complaints, but I do begin to see why BMW would continue to treat their customers poorly: it's obviously a viable business plan!

Back to my Kawasakis and Suzuki.

Mark

+1 on that markharf.. seems utter madness to go near them again.

I have many many MZ's in many pieces. I'm am under no illusions that they really have any saving graces in terms of looks, performance, reliability, attractiveness to the opposite sex etc. In short they are, and really always were, pretty crap in the scheme of things.

However, give me a stormy night, a knackered bike and nothing more advanced than a can of cola and a Swiss army knife and can you guess what I hope the bike is?

Having learned that South African petrol is the issue, why start the learning curve at the bottom by buying a Triumph, Yamaha, Honda, Ural, Cagiva or whatever that's going to have an equally hopeless bit of design somewhere? Admittedly, after the F650 water pump thing I will never buy a new BMW again and I will never have any faith in any brand, but this also, logically, means using the hard gained knowledge should make the Rotax engined pig a logical choice for me. I guess Canard likes the 1200 when it works and knows them well.

Of course, as the great man (Homer Simpson) said; "Listen to the song in your heart, not the voices in your head".

Andy

I hope for Canard's sake that the BMW he bought in the UK is fault free as otherwise I suspect he'll find out that the only difference between there and here is the salesman's accent.

Good luck with the bike but "better the devil you know" is not a buying philosophy I'd have followed in his position.

Maybe he won't need to reflect on the truth of "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me" but based on what I've seen of the BMW experience I wouldn't bet on it.

I can see the logic behind some people's comments.

Why did I buy another BMW..... firstly it was my wife that originally convinced me to buy a GS. My first bikes were all Yamaha's and I managed to get a good deal on a BMW Dakar in 2007 after not riding for a few years. Absolutely lovedd the Dakkie - but 2-up (I'm 6'4 & she's 5'11) -with luggage... in Africa, we were going nowhere fast and teh Dakkie was not capable of carrying us around!

My wife fell in love with the look of the GSA.... (she's a marketing designer) and the comfort of the bike which we test-rode numerous times.
In fact the bike itself is not the problem here... rather the political crap the EU have come out with for their emmission control laws.
So running the GSA in SA with poor fuel and NOT adjusting the ECU to compensate... this was the real issue as well as BMW-SA's failure and cowardice to insist that Germany supplies the SA clients with alternate fuel mapping...... IN FACT - even pointing out that on BMW's Marketing Brochure there's mention made of "optional poor fuel mapping available" - did not get them to sort out the problem.
For those of you that still have those glossy pages... have a look under the specifications section where this is clearly mentioned....

The problem for BMW-SA was that .. if they did change the mapping - they would technically be admitting there's a fuel issue. THIS is what they did not want to do... and they literally bulldoze their client's or should I say BULLSHIT - into thinking the problem is not serious.

So to make a long story short - the vehicle is not the problem - it's like a race-horse with one of it's legs being shackled... by BMW!

The volcano eruption in Iceland pumped more carp into the atmosphere than any of our vehicles do....

The fact that I bought another GSA - well I'm hoping that being closer to Germany... if I do indeed have a problem, I'll feel NOTHING to ride over there and take the bike back to the factory (obviously being reasonable ..) and we do so love the actual bike and love touring on it.

I have always believed that any product is only as good as the service or support backing it receives.... here BMW in SA failed their brand!

I'm willing to try again... same bike , different country... however if it fails here as well... then I will sell the bike and replace it with either a Yamaha... or showing my age, a Triumph scrambler... maybe even a Norton!

The problem is not serious because you bought another bike from them. It would become serious if you sent them a photocopy of an invoice for another brand of bike to replace it.

Hi, I came across your post via Google. I am aware you have a 2009 model but I am experiencing something similar on my 2011 GSA. I have a post on ADVRider, do you think it is the same thing you referred to? Has your issue been resolved?

See:
2011 R1200GSA misfire or stall? - ADVrider

Kevin
Cape Town /\/¯¯¯¯¯\/\ South Africa

I wish, but BMW are not interested in single, individual customers.
They are not alone in that; in this day and age, manufacturers and service providers will react best to mass media coverage, lobbying and that form of activity that represents a body of people - the more the better.
Apart from that, I believe that BMW can still sell every 1200GS that comes off their production line.

Your BMW May be a LEMON, and don't expect help from BMW!


I have struggled a bit to understand the problem here because way back in this thread Canard says that you are using 95 octane fuel in SA which is commonly in use here in the UK, with no obvious detrimental pinging reported. Thereafter, does the reported issue come down to the higher ambient temperature issue that is mentioned (I haven't waded through the link to the SA website)?
It seems that Canards' solution to the problem was to move to the UK and buy another 1200GS - a newer model with less problems in the cold, dank, wet UK??!

__________________
Dave

Kevin - my issue as well as the problem with the other GS/GSA's that requested that BMW resolve the issue was merely met with total indifference.
Even the fact that the GS/GSA Sales brochure that they provide, states that there is a free optional "Poor Fuel Map" for the ECU listed under extra's - met with no response and I was told they could not do it as the bikes had to leave the factory with settings and emmissions that complied with the EU-standards.......... bugger the fact that we live in SA, have very hot temps, poor fuel etc.

I was also told catagorically by Steli Momos from BMW-SA that I was "just one client" and that there were too few of us to warrant them approaching BMW-GA to change or resolve the issue........... so much for customer relations.

There is a very long thread also dealing with these issues on the Wilddog.za.net website in SA........... have a looksee and good luck matey!

Issues like these will ONLY ever be resolved when the consumers stand together and affect their pockets,... then they will listen.

In the meantime....as Walkabout suggested.... I sold my GSA in South Africa beginning of last year........ bought a brand new DOHC in the UK for R20k less than I sold my 2009 GSA... (figures that we get nailed in SA) and my 2011 also came with all the bells & whistles and free Alu luggage (try getting that in SA).
The 2011 is perfect and runs like a dream......... on decent fuel and colder climate.

During my visit to Cape Town the past 2 months ... I bought myself a REAL bike (and I feel 17 again) ...... this 30yr-old XT550 is in pristine condition, starts first kick, DOES NOT PING and made me realise that my GSA would probably not be around in 30-yrs time (My mate has an old R75/5 Beemer that still runs sweet.... but then it doesn't have all the electronic crap the new bikes do)

So when visiting SA......... I'll be riding this beauty!

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