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22 Jul 2006
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: London
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GS Reliabilty ?
Hi all
I'm currently looking for a new steed to take me to foreign lands and have decided on a big trailie, probably a GS. I had a good look on the ukgser site and more than a few of the posts seemed to be slating the reliabilty of the 1200 which has really put me off. Obviously the GS is a popular option so it cant be that bad. I'm thinking more 1150 anyway but just looking for a little reassurance from some impartial people that they are in general a decent bike and worth the extra money.
Any opinions appreciated.
Thanks
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22 Jul 2006
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: USA
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If I had a choice of big GSs to do RTW, it would be pre-2 spark 1150. Like an '02.
You'll get many opinions, I'm sure
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22 Jul 2006
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland
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A decent bike, but worth the extra money? Hmm...
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*Disclaimer* - I am not saying my bike is better than your bike. I am not saying my way is better than your way. I am not mocking your religion/politics/other belief system. When reading my post imagine me sitting behind a frothing pint of ale, smiling and offering you a bag of peanuts. This is the sentiment in which my post is made. Please accept it as such!
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22 Jul 2006
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Location: BC, Canada
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Final drives !
The thought of having to rebuild one of those buggers in the middle of nowhere makes chains and sprockets look very appealing .
__________________
Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light. - Spike Milligan
"When you come to a fork in the road ,take it ! When you come to a spoon in the road ,take that also ."
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23 Jul 2006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodger
Final drives !
The thought of having to rebuild one of those buggers in the middle of nowhere makes chains and sprockets look very appealing .
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If you know your machine, a failing final drive will talk to you well before it becomes crispy toast.
I put the 4th rear drive bearing in my 1150, but now the motor is fked with a broken left cam chain rail at 155k miles.
The rear drive bearing and seal can be changed at most any type of mech shop. Just need to carry the spares with you.
The 1150s really don't have tranny probs, relatively speaking. The 2 spark and servo brake 1150s have their own slight issues.
The 1200s have various new bike issues that have not all been resolved yet. This bike is still an open can.
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23 Jul 2006
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-- " If you know your machine, a failing final drive will talk to you well before it becomes crispy toast " --
I know,
-- but I can slap new sprockets on my bike without special tools and be on my way with a chain sourced [ perhaps] from an agricultural dealer in less than an hour . Without having to go looking for a mech shop .
I love the IDEA of shaft drive , but BMW 's single sided swing arm [ IMHO ] puts too much stress on the bearing and is instrumental in it's short life expectancy .
Great for short trips , but heavily laden RTW ?
Maybe they have cured the problem with the 1200 GS - and I really hope so !
But I wouldn't choose one for RTW myself .
Now - that new and much awaited F 800 GS well that might just be the bike to tempt me to buy German .
__________________
Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light. - Spike Milligan
"When you come to a fork in the road ,take it ! When you come to a spoon in the road ,take that also ."
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