This is a very odd phenomena! BMW riders seem to need to justify not buying the Yamaha, Japanese riders seem to want to defend against not buying the BMW. The physcologists would have a ball! Purchase guilt?

As an ex-BMW owner I have no hard and fast feelings. Yes I hated BMW switch gear throughout both R1100's I had and both broke down through various bits of totally rubbish quality. Likewise I loved both my F650's and only had problems with the last one. So four BMW's and I sold three for reliability issues and one because I was stupid and though more power was a good thing. This is a very small sample!

I've owned (still own) MZ's and Urals. The former are a dream if you like two strokes the later a nightmare, but in the right circumstances I can see myself owning one of the new Urals just for the technology. I love my Triumph but no way is it flawless, the wiring is **** and the silencers should come with a dustpan and brush for the rust flakes. I wish I'd kept my XT it's only flaw was a really cheap exhaust system. I've had a lot to do with Guzzi's but would have another Triumph simply because they are easier to live with day to day because more people bought them.

There is no right answer for me until you look at the purchase price. The BMW's are overpriced by at least £2000 and to me that IS trading on the badge and the myth of better reliability. Others may have different stories and will make different choices but I won't pay the extra when I know the bikes have similar issues to the cheaper Japanese or other European version.

The black stories thing is common enough. I used to work in the truck brake industry even having some dealings with BMW on car stuff. The way any corporation manages issues is very similar. First you deny everything because most problems ARE caused by misuse and stupid customers or dealers. Second you can't do anything as solutions take time to develop so you wait. Finally you need need a controlled introduction of the fix that matches what you have available. From the customers point of view you look like you don't care, then you look like you don't know, then you seem to sneak out a solution. My German colleagues were always very poor at this and very slow which added to BMW's "reliability image" will get people talking. The Japanese were much slicker but lower key at everything, mostly the presentation, but in reality achieved roughly the same. Hence BMW can look like sneaky muppets and Yamaha sell factory tours to US businessmen who have quality issues of their own!

Bottom line though is back to the physcologists. Don't feel you need to justify your purchase. If you bought a BM and like it that's great, if you like the yam that's great too.

Andy