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Which Bike? Comments and Questions on what is the best bike for YOU, for YOUR trip. Note that we believe that ANY bike will do, so please remember that it's all down to PERSONAL OPINION. Technical Questions for all brands go in their own forum.
Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 14 Aug 2008
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Did i say anywhere that japanese bikes are more reliable than others?

I only said there are similar mileage record setting bikes of all brands & countries.


Did I say anywhere that bmw doesn't know how to make reliable bikes?

On the contrary, I said the K75/K100 really are admirable.
(but the japanese copy is also very, very good (honda ST1100))
The rotax F650GS also appears impressive - though i appreciate the simplicity of an aircooled engine.


I do feel bad when people engage me in intellectually unfair discussions by wanting to have it both ways.
One can't at the same time:
- call someone a liar because he bases himself on industry reports (which do exist, also at bmw) and not on "personal experience".
- call arguments based on those very "personal experiences" pointless/useless because one would miss "the whole picture";
& disregard hundreds of "personal experiences", gathered and weighed in rider reports & forum polls.
  #2  
Old 14 Aug 2008
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They say a picture is worth a thousand words , well maybe a video is worth ten thousand !
YouTube - SUZUKI DL-BMW 1150GS
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  #3  
Old 14 Aug 2008
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Er, would this be a bad time to (re) post this??
YouTube - Hitler's got the wrong bike.
  #4  
Old 15 Aug 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by uganduro View Post
I do feel bad when people engage me in intellectually unfair discussions by wanting to have it both ways.
One can't at the same time:
- call someone a liar because he bases himself on industry reports (which do exist, also at bmw) and not on "personal experience".
- call arguments based on those very "personal experiences" pointless/useless because one would miss "the whole picture";
& disregard hundreds of "personal experiences", gathered and weighed in rider reports & forum polls.
I agree with the latter part. I'm not native English, for me the fact said wrong is a lie, especially in the context of building someone's "bashing-scene" on it to make and find negative points. If the word 'lie' is too offensive somehow for native English speakers name me the alternative and I'll correct it.

And also agree on statistically weighted reports - BUT this must be done by unbiased organisation built up for statistical basis, not someone in the forum (and as said from my point of view: especially those who haven't owned a product but still try to rate them).

The only real-life reliability survey done I know on bike is the UK's 10,000 (statistical population selection) bikers surveyed back in 2004.

See here.

The results have been disputed many times here and in various other forums (i.e. BMW doesn't have any real offroad bikes that take the beating and are with short maintenance intervals etc factors of different makes), but there hasn't been any other hands-on survey on real-life reliability of motorcycles. That's the only statistics currently I know done on the reliability of bikes.

"Ride Magazine
English motorcycle magazine, Ride, has published their survey results amongst 10,000 motorcyclists in the United Kingdom in this month's publication.

The motorcyclists were asked how reliable their motorcycle is. Results:"

1. BMW (90%)
2. Honda (89.2%)
3. Yamaha (85.5%)
4. Triumph (84%)
5. Suzuki (83.2%)
6. Kawasaki (82.8%)
7. MZ (81.3%)
8. Harley-Davidson (80.1%)
9. Aprilia (77.1%)
10. KTM (74%)
11. Buell (72.2%)
12. Cagiva (70.5%)
13. Ducati (69.1%)
14. Moto Guzzi (68.8%)
15. CCM (63.8%)
"


As with any statistical result, it shows averages, anyone can interpret it in own way.
  #5  
Old 15 Aug 2008
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What?!? Moto Guzzi on 14th??! It can't be!



  #6  
Old 15 Aug 2008
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Wink
Hang on a minute!!

When the heck did Ural slip out of the top 10: they kept that one quiet....
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