badseed
Race Dog
I am rid of the thing , got the cash and can at last vent my spleen.
Before you or any other buys a C650 scooter read my report.
I commute over 100km a day and with the traffic and fuel price a scooter seemed the ideal vehicle and when BM announced the scoots last year I was early in line for a test. Donfords in Stellenbosch gave me a test unit for two days and I was sold. Great power, handling and wind deflecting as well as ok fuel ecconomy. The bike had a bit of a shudder on pull away which I mentioned to the dealer pincipal but he explained it away as just new and would bed in.
My new scoot arrived early December and was great for month one. After the first service (R1500) the shudder on my scoot started. I took it back at about 1700km and they rode it around and they looked blankly and claimed it should go away , just ride it and if it gets worse bring it back. The shudder got worse and worse and became a grinding whine , especially when with a pillion. They kept repairing the thing with various patch efforts that would last a few hundred km and the it would return to the shudder. The clutch also started slipping badly and developed a sudden release on deceleration causing the scoot to release and shoot forwards when coming to a stop (dangerous). At about 7000km a bigger repair was done, more grinding away and realigning some shaft or something and I was told a new clutch would be coming from the factory to be fitted at the 10000 service. One week later and the clutch was now so bad I hated riding the thing as well as not being able to pillion as it got so bad. Six weeks later and the 10000km service and still no new clutch which arrived a month later. 1000km after fitment the problem started all over again.
During this seven month period I was given various loan bikes by Donfords, among them a couple C650 and C600 scooters, and they had all started developing the same clutch issue. I also got to spend a couple of weeks on the new 800GS and really enjoyed it as a town bike/commute. By August (8 months of ownership and 14000km) I was truly 'gatvol' of the scoot that was now standing in the workshop with no date for the arrival of more parts and `i approached Donfords about a swop for a GS800 with the same or close to kms , considering both bikes retailed for the same price new. Their offer was I pay in R45000,00 and I get a GS. ( I need their drugs )
I did some internet research and discovered that about 25% of the 19000 of these scoots sold in Europe have the same problem and that BMW have been aware of and trying to fix since last year and that the surprise they showed when I brought up the problems was bullshit. They have been aware of the issue and are rumored to be working on an alternative clutch they had hoped to have had by July this year. In the mean time the scoots are standing waiting for parts. My research seems to point to the clutch being to small for the weight (250kg+) and the power of the scoots. I had other issues like a recurring issue with the alarm system and premature disc pad ware.
Finally BMW bought the scooter back from me last week. I took a loss of R29000,00 and bought another KTM. MY 2008 990S has over 80000km and the only time it has been to the dealer is for a service and when I chucked it down mountains or completely submerged it under water (no damage at all). My previous 950 I sold at 55000km and its sole repair was a water pump o'ring.
AND THEY ARE STILL SELLING THE MODEL.
IT HAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM , THEY CAN"T FIX IT , AND THEY HAVE NO PARTS.
Before you or any other buys a C650 scooter read my report.
I commute over 100km a day and with the traffic and fuel price a scooter seemed the ideal vehicle and when BM announced the scoots last year I was early in line for a test. Donfords in Stellenbosch gave me a test unit for two days and I was sold. Great power, handling and wind deflecting as well as ok fuel ecconomy. The bike had a bit of a shudder on pull away which I mentioned to the dealer pincipal but he explained it away as just new and would bed in.
My new scoot arrived early December and was great for month one. After the first service (R1500) the shudder on my scoot started. I took it back at about 1700km and they rode it around and they looked blankly and claimed it should go away , just ride it and if it gets worse bring it back. The shudder got worse and worse and became a grinding whine , especially when with a pillion. They kept repairing the thing with various patch efforts that would last a few hundred km and the it would return to the shudder. The clutch also started slipping badly and developed a sudden release on deceleration causing the scoot to release and shoot forwards when coming to a stop (dangerous). At about 7000km a bigger repair was done, more grinding away and realigning some shaft or something and I was told a new clutch would be coming from the factory to be fitted at the 10000 service. One week later and the clutch was now so bad I hated riding the thing as well as not being able to pillion as it got so bad. Six weeks later and the 10000km service and still no new clutch which arrived a month later. 1000km after fitment the problem started all over again.
During this seven month period I was given various loan bikes by Donfords, among them a couple C650 and C600 scooters, and they had all started developing the same clutch issue. I also got to spend a couple of weeks on the new 800GS and really enjoyed it as a town bike/commute. By August (8 months of ownership and 14000km) I was truly 'gatvol' of the scoot that was now standing in the workshop with no date for the arrival of more parts and `i approached Donfords about a swop for a GS800 with the same or close to kms , considering both bikes retailed for the same price new. Their offer was I pay in R45000,00 and I get a GS. ( I need their drugs )
I did some internet research and discovered that about 25% of the 19000 of these scoots sold in Europe have the same problem and that BMW have been aware of and trying to fix since last year and that the surprise they showed when I brought up the problems was bullshit. They have been aware of the issue and are rumored to be working on an alternative clutch they had hoped to have had by July this year. In the mean time the scoots are standing waiting for parts. My research seems to point to the clutch being to small for the weight (250kg+) and the power of the scoots. I had other issues like a recurring issue with the alarm system and premature disc pad ware.
Finally BMW bought the scooter back from me last week. I took a loss of R29000,00 and bought another KTM. MY 2008 990S has over 80000km and the only time it has been to the dealer is for a service and when I chucked it down mountains or completely submerged it under water (no damage at all). My previous 950 I sold at 55000km and its sole repair was a water pump o'ring.
AND THEY ARE STILL SELLING THE MODEL.
IT HAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM , THEY CAN"T FIX IT , AND THEY HAVE NO PARTS.
