Couple of questions

[BMW GS Motorrad Fan]

I've got a couple of questions regarding my 2014 R1200GS liquid-cooled ...

1. The gearbox seems quite rough and the gear selections don't always feel very precise. I especially hate it when you're stopped somewhere in neutral and need to select first - it makes a loud clunk and or grinding noise. My bike currently has 500km's on the clock. Will this get better with time?

2. I'm coming up for my 1,000km service soon. I stay in the north of Johannesburg so my closest dealers are Northside Motorcycles and Lyndhurst Auto. Which of those dealerships would you recommend for servicing? I've serviced at Northside Motorcycles in the past and know Steve quite well, but don't know what Lyndhurst Auto is like. I bought the bike from Lyndhurst, but have had bad experiences in the past with my car there.

3. What is my 1,000km service going to cost me?

4. The windscreen on my bike rattles quite a lot - is that normal or is there something I can do to rectify it?

[Manic]

Northside all the way

[TheBear]

I've got a couple of questions regarding my 2014 R1200GS liquid-cooled ...

1. The gearbox seems quite rough and the gear selections don't always feel very precise. I especial hate it when you're stopped somewhere in neutral and need to select first - it makes a loud clunk and or grinding noise. My bike currently has 500km's on the clock. Will this get better with time?

Janee.  The gearbox is crap, at best!  I hate that huge clunk myself.  The one part of the bike that detracts from the overall excellence.  You'd think BMW could do better.  Mine is at 3000km no better and my wife's is at 13000km no better, so it probably does not get better.

2. I'm coming up for my 1,000km service soon. I stay in the north of Johannesburg so my closest dealers are Northside Motorcycles and Lyndhurst Auto. Which of those dealerships would you recommend for servicing? I've serviced at Northside Motorcycles in the past and know Steve quite well, but don't know what Lyndhurst Auto is like. I bought the bike from Lyndhurst, but have had bad experiences in the past with my car there.

I have heard Northside is better.  I use Bavarian in Centurion myself, so can't say from personal experience.


3. What is my 1,000km service going to cost me?

At Bavarian about R1400.  Could be much more than that elsewhere depending on whether they use 5W or 10W oil.

4. The windscreen on my bike rattles quite a lot - is that normal or is there something I can do to rectify it?

Jip.  It does rattle easily.  Ask them to repair, but it will start again soon enough.  Check out the forum vendors like Flying Brick or GPS4Africa.  They sell a gadget that solves that.

[BMW GS Motorrad Fan]

Northside all the way

Thanks Manic

[BMW GS Motorrad Fan]

I've got a couple of questions regarding my 2014 R1200GS liquid-cooled ...

1. The gearbox seems quite rough and the gear selections don't always feel very precise. I especial hate it when you're stopped somewhere in neutral and need to select first - it makes a loud clunk and or grinding noise. My bike currently has 500km's on the clock. Will this get better with time?

Janee.  The gearbox is crap, at best!  I hate that huge clunk myself.  The one part of the bike that detracts from the overall excellence.  You'd think BMW could do better.  Mine is at 3000km no better and my wife's is at 13000km no better, so it probably does not get better.

2. I'm coming up for my 1,000km service soon. I stay in the north of Johannesburg so my closest dealers are Northside Motorcycles and Lyndhurst Auto. Which of those dealerships would you recommend for servicing? I've serviced at Northside Motorcycles in the past and know Steve quite well, but don't know what Lyndhurst Auto is like. I bought the bike from Lyndhurst, but have had bad experiences in the past with my car there.

I have heard Northside is better.  I use Bavarian in Centurion myself, so can't say from personal experience.


3. What is my 1,000km service going to cost me?

At Bavarian about R1400.  Could be much more than that elsewhere depending on whether they use 5W or 10W oil.

4. The windscreen on my bike rattles quite a lot - is that normal or is there something I can do to rectify it?

Jip.  It does rattle easily.  Ask them to repair, but it will start again soon enough.  Check out the forum vendors like Flying Brick or GPS4Africa.  They sell a gadget that solves that.

Thank you AMZ - really appreciate your feedback.

I'll double check with Northside Motorcycles what oil they use on the bikes.
I will see if I can find that gadget you mentioned Flying Brick and GPS4Africa sell.
I agree with you completely regarding the gearbox - it detracts completely from the overall experience of the bike. I'd say apart from the gearbox, the bike is absolutely amazing!

[OomD]

I've got a couple of questions regarding my 2014 R1200GS liquid-cooled ...

1. The gearbox seems quite rough and the gear selections don't always feel very precise. I especially hate it when you're stopped somewhere in neutral and need to select first - it makes a loud clunk and or grinding noise. My bike currently has 500km's on the clock. Will this get better with time?
Having had a Harley before coming to BMW the clunky gearbox does not bother me too much.

2. I'm coming up for my 1,000km service soon. I stay in the north of Johannesburg so my closest dealers are Northside Motorcycles and Lyndhurst Auto. Which of those dealerships would you recommend for servicing? I've serviced at Northside Motorcycles in the past and know Steve quite well, but don't know what Lyndhurst Auto is like. I bought the bike from Lyndhurst, but have had bad experiences in the past with my car there.

3. What is my 1,000km service going to cost me?
I paid R1295 at Bavarian 2 weeks ago...

4. The windscreen on my bike rattles quite a lot - is that normal or is there something I can do to rectify it?
Apparently they even crack eventually, I've read about a few guys that have had their's replaced. Mine doesn't rattle really, it seems quite stable.

Most of all... congrats and enjoy this fabulous bike!

[Nox]

I've got a couple of questions regarding my 2014 R1200GS liquid-cooled ...

1. The gearbox seems quite rough and the gear selections don't always feel very precise. I especially hate it when you're stopped somewhere in neutral and need to select first - it makes a loud clunk and or grinding noise. My bike currently has 500km's on the clock. Will this get better with time?

2. I'm coming up for my 1,000km service soon. I stay in the north of Johannesburg so my closest dealers are Northside Motorcycles and Lyndhurst Auto. Which of those dealerships would you recommend for servicing? I've serviced at Northside Motorcycles in the past and know Steve quite well, but don't know what Lyndhurst Auto is like. I bought the bike from Lyndhurst, but have had bad experiences in the past with my car there.

3. What is my 1,000km service going to cost me?

4. The windscreen on my bike rattles quite a lot - is that normal or is there something I can do to rectify it?

1. The bike's gearbox will remain clunky, however the shifts will become smoother as the selectors wears in. I remember when I bought my 2014, the first robot, I could not get it from 3rd to second, and had to press the gear lever hard, and two days later all was fine. Given that it took me an entire weekend to get to a 1000km.

2. Cant comment on that - Live in the Free State.

3. Myne was about R1500

4. I have installed a Wunderlicht stabilizer on mine, which works well.

[Draadwerk]

What eveyone said. I have had my windscreen replaced at about 6500km with the new designed brackets and all. No cracks yet, 2500 km further.

About the rattling windscreen, look in the road and you don't even notice the windscreen after a while. You get used to it, and it doesn't bother you after a while.

If by rattling you mean noise- ride faster and that problem is solved as well 😄👍

[BMW GS Motorrad Fan]

I've got a couple of questions regarding my 2014 R1200GS liquid-cooled ...

1. The gearbox seems quite rough and the gear selections don't always feel very precise. I especially hate it when you're stopped somewhere in neutral and need to select first - it makes a loud clunk and or grinding noise. My bike currently has 500km's on the clock. Will this get better with time?
Having had a Harley before coming to BMW the clunky gearbox does not bother me too much.

2. I'm coming up for my 1,000km service soon. I stay in the north of Johannesburg so my closest dealers are Northside Motorcycles and Lyndhurst Auto. Which of those dealerships would you recommend for servicing? I've serviced at Northside Motorcycles in the past and know Steve quite well, but don't know what Lyndhurst Auto is like. I bought the bike from Lyndhurst, but have had bad experiences in the past with my car there.

3. What is my 1,000km service going to cost me?
I paid R1295 at Bavarian 2 weeks ago...

4. The windscreen on my bike rattles quite a lot - is that normal or is there something I can do to rectify it?
Apparently they even crack eventually, I've read about a few guys that have had their's replaced. Mine doesn't rattle really, it seems quite stable.

Most of all... congrats and enjoy this fabulous bike!

Thank you OomD 

[BMW GS Motorrad Fan]

I've got a couple of questions regarding my 2014 R1200GS liquid-cooled ...

1. The gearbox seems quite rough and the gear selections don't always feel very precise. I especially hate it when you're stopped somewhere in neutral and need to select first - it makes a loud clunk and or grinding noise. My bike currently has 500km's on the clock. Will this get better with time?

2. I'm coming up for my 1,000km service soon. I stay in the north of Johannesburg so my closest dealers are Northside Motorcycles and Lyndhurst Auto. Which of those dealerships would you recommend for servicing? I've serviced at Northside Motorcycles in the past and know Steve quite well, but don't know what Lyndhurst Auto is like. I bought the bike from Lyndhurst, but have had bad experiences in the past with my car there.

3. What is my 1,000km service going to cost me?

4. The windscreen on my bike rattles quite a lot - is that normal or is there something I can do to rectify it?

1. The bike's gearbox will remain clunky, however the shifts will become smoother as the selectors wears in. I remember when I bought my 2014, the first robot, I could not get it from 3rd to second, and had to press the gear lever hard, and two days later all was fine. Given that it took me an entire weekend to get to a 1000km.

2. Cant comment on that - Live in the Free State.

3. Myne was about R1500

4. I have installed a Wunderlicht stabilizer on mine, which works well.

I've seen the Wunderlicht stabilizer advertised at a few places ... Is it easy to install?
You say it works well and resolved the rattle issue?

[BMW GS Motorrad Fan]

What eveyone said. I have had my windscreen replaced at about 6500km with the new designed brackets and all. No cracks yet, 2500 km further.

About the rattling windscreen, look in the road and you don't even notice the windscreen after a while. You get used to it, and it doesn't bother you after a while.

If by rattling you mean noise- ride faster and that problem is solved as well 😄👍

  I think that's the problem Draadwerk - more speed is required 

[COLES]

I will not accept that you the owner of the bike should go out and buy brackets to make the screen better BMW MUST FIX IT

Strange how things work  I was by the dealer that there was only one oil the manufacture specified and that is Castrol Power 1 Racing 4T 5W-40 which one can buy at most Midas stores much cheaper than the dealer.

Buy your oil )Midas),oil filter from dealer you end up paying only for the hour labor

[Draadwerk]

I will not accept that you the owner of the bike should go out and buy brackets to make the screen better BMW MUST FIX IT

Strange how things work  I was by the dealer that there was only one oil the manufacture specified and that is Castrol Power 1 Racing 4T 5W-40 which one can buy at most Midas stores much cheaper than the dealer.

Buy your oil )Midas),oil filter from dealer you end up paying only for the hour labor

My bike is now due for its 10 000km service. Is there a list or manual or something that describes what exactly should be serviced, what parts would be needed, and can I buy from Midas and just give to agents to use in service?

Anyone tried doing this before? Would the dealer be amenable to servicing with parts that I bought elsewhere?

Also, would that not have any effect on the warranty, as they might easily turn around and say I supplied an inferior product, because it would be obvious that the parts were not bought from them, should anything go wrong.

Is it worth the risk? What say you?

[Lord Knormoer]

Draadwerk, I would have to check if I still have the 10k list somewhere. I found one early this year just before I took my bike.

Regarding supplying parts for the service, in my experience our ZA dealers are not that keen. However, I would be really surprised if you find any part/consumable for the K50 at an independant parts dealer. I would guess that if you did and it's not the original part that it will affect warranty. I personally would not take the chance given the cost of the service as a % of the bike's purchase price.

Just my opinion.

[Draadwerk]

LKM- I also share that view. Look, oil is freely available, and I suppose that would be the biggest expense at the service. But yes, if you don't buy from stealers, I also have doubts about them honouring the warranty later on.

What did you pay for the 10K service?

[Lord Knormoer]

R1700 if I remember correctly.

[COLES]

Gents read carefully what I posted  Oil from Midas or who ever stocks it one pays premium price at the BMW dealer there is no discount on goods from the Parts department

Oil filter is a must from the Dealer

Go back in history on this very site there was a great discussion on the price that the oil cost when having you L C SERVICE for the first time(1000km) dealer price

My first service cost me under R1000 I supplied oil bought filter from dealer

Hey fellows only trying to help works for me   

[Draadwerk]

Thanks Coles. I really want to follow your advice. What oil to buy from Midas though? How much? Or shall I ask the stealer to give me a list?

Also, what do you estimate the savings to be when buying from Midas instead of dealers?

I am thinking of letting the stealers sign a letter that I supplied them with oil that was of an equal or better quality. I think I will be able to persuade them to do so. If I can manage that, the door is open for future and huge savings I suppose

[lecap]

At some early stage BMW specified only Castrol Power 1 Racing in grade 5W40 to be used and they said it will void the warranty to use some thing else and it's the only oil approved to work in their all fancy wet clutch and engine oil lubricated gear box.
Accidentally Castrol SA did not import this oil (only its 10W50 grade cousin) and again accidentally BMW stocked and sold the required oil at an obscene price close to the one of high end perfume.
But rest assured D&G or Chanel#5 does work better on the ladies

You can anyway get 5W40 JASO MA spec motorcycle engine oil (that's what BMW basically specifies) and you can get it for a good price too. (I charge R80 per litre) I would still recommend that you ask the workshop BEFORE you rock up there with your own supplies. You also would not go to the pub with your own beer and ask them only for a chair and a glass

[VaalBaas]

Another one of those difficult debatable points - Its just a pity that you can buy oil say for Rx and then the stealers or some other workshops charge Rx times 2 and labour.

Labour is what you expecet and I would not mind a 25% mark up on parts - thats business