112,864 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Change engine oil (self-service)

1 ea. Oil filter #11 42 7 673 541 $16.53 (from Santa Rosa BMW)
1 ea. Washer #07 11 9 963 252 $0.97 ( " " )
5 qt. Castrol GTX 20W50 motor oil $19.95 (from Kragen)

Tax: $1.62
Total: $39.07

Change rear drive oil (self-service)

1 qt. BMW 75W90 GL5 Super Synthetic gear oil $24.97 (from Santa Rosa BMW)

Tax: $2.31
Total: $27.28

Used approx. 225ml of the gear oil. This was the first time I've personally changed the rear drive oil. I was assured this was done at the 97,596-mile service, but I was doubtful (there was no final drive oil charge on the invoice.) Though I didn't measure the oil that drained from the drive, it was a surprisingly low volume (and fairly dark, though not opaque.) The drive shaft splines and the rear drive input splines were dry - little if any grease had been used when the shaft was replaced. I was surprised at the quantity of sand, oil and grit inside the "gator" that protects these components. (The final drive input shaft seal seemed okay.) Cleaned up the area and applied "Moly 60" grease to the splines, around the drive shaft u-joint and to the gator sealing surfaces.

(Jim Bade offers an outstanding write-up for this procedure on the "r1200gs.info" website. Jim, and others, recommend using 75W140 synthetic oil. Santa Rosa BMW uses 75W90. I don't know the source of this confusion.)

Change out rear wheels (self-service)

Picked up a nail in my new rear Anakee, so I had to mount the spare cast wheel with the Metzeler Tourance while I attempt to patch the nail hole. (There ought to be a law against nails!) For liability reasons, local motorcycle shops will not patch a motorcycle tire, and I know it's not advisable (tell that to all the adventurers traveling the world!), but I am going to try to fix the tire and maintain it as a spare. (That baby cost me $225!)

Maybe it's only in America that after a nail puncture, no matter how minor, we automatically dispose of a tire . I know in many other countries I visited, this would be considered absolutely insane. If you ride on a patched or plugged tire (and I've done it many times), you moderate your riding behavior, and are continually aware of the potential for a failure.


The following work done at Northbay Motorsport:

Replace front tire (mount on cast wheel for a spare)

1 ea. Michelin Anakee 110/80R19 $136.00 (marked down from $186.95)

Labor: $14.00
Tax: $12.58
Total: $162.58

Replaced the Metzeler Tourance that had 17,065 miles on it.

Remove punctured rear tire from spoked rim

Labor: $9.00

112,500 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Possible transmission output shaft seal leak

Noticed lately gear oil seeping from where the forward drive shaft boot is clamped to the back of the transmission housing.

As the fifth anniversary nears

Since beginning this on-line record in 2004, I took note of the internet searches that brought readers to this blog. From these observations, it is clear that others have experienced virtually all the little (and not so little) problems I describe below. It may be uncommon for a single unit to be so plagued, however the issues themselves are not unique.

This blog has been cited, debated and even ridiculed in numerous motorcycle discussion forums. (Here is my response to such a debate on the excellent UKGSer.com website.) I have read reports from many who have had similar experiences, and have seen the "BMW apologists" dismiss this account as full of "whining, complaining and misinformation," while providing testimony of their own trouble-free rides. (To my knowledge, there is no misinformation here. Where errors have been pointed out, I have corrected the record. In many instances, I am merely relaying what I have been told by BMW technicians and service managers.)

Obviously, each bike and each rider is different. Riding conditions, loads and usage vary widely. This is merely the account of one rider and one machine.

It is important to be mentally prepared for adversity, even if it never arrives. Whether this blog reflects your personal experience or not, it can be useful to know the challenges others have faced.

Consider what you would do if your fuel pump electronics suddenly failed, or the clutch self-destructs. It's not a silly exercise.

I experienced both events while riding in traffic at highway speeds. You don't have a lot of time to react. I was fortunate enough in each circumstance to safely avoid other motorists as I moved to the shoulder.

My fuel pump electronics module failed long before NHTSA elevated the defect to the level of a recall and notified 2005 GS owners. And there are things that neither BMW nor our Federal agencies deem worthy of an official recall campaign, though they might still impact the rider's safety.

The fuel pump electronics have failed twice and the clutch three times, so when I ride, I'm aware it is a very real possibility and don't allow myself to be complacent. Others have reported drive shaft and rear drive failures, two additional areas to be attentive to on these machines. When you don't have a protective cage, you tend to take these threats a little more personally.

None of this, however, discourages me from riding, and enjoying the open road.

110,368 miles

Frank's Motorcycle Sales, Essex Junction, VT

Replace rear tire

1 ea. Michelin Anakee 150/70VR17 $224.95
1 ea. Valve #36317653064 $5.02
2 ea. 45g wheel weight $9.60

Mounting and balancing: no charge

Discount: <$27.31>
Tax: $12.74

Total: $225.00

This tire was a "take-off" from a new bike. (Buyer wanted different tires.)

This is the first time I've run a complete set of Anakees.

Total mileage on the Metzeler Tourance that was replaced: 13,771 miles.

109,365 miles

Waterbury, Vermont

Mount spoked wheels with "new" front tire

Removed the cast wheels (after 17,065 miles, the front Tourance is worn out. The rear, with 8,000 miles on it, still has some life left .)

But I wanted to put the spoked wheels back on because the front wheel still has a new Michelin Anakee 110/80R19 on it. (Purchased at Hi-Tech Motorsports, Billings, Montana, then mounted on June 1, 2007 at North Bay Motorsports.) North Bay improperly mounted the Anakee back then, and it never did hold air. So I just had Frank's Motorcycle Sales of Essex Junction, VT remount it.

The rear spoked wheel is still mounted with a Metzeler Tourance, that was also taken off the bike June 1, 2007. That tire has 12,768 miles, but looks like I should get several months' service out of it.

Mounting tire at Frank's:

1 ea. Tire valve #36317653064 $5.02
2 ea. 25 gram wheel weight #36311454311 $5.24

Labor (dismount, clean rim, remount and balance): $56.25

Tax: $0.72

Total: $67.23

Changing of wheels was done by me.

108,350 miles

Waterbury, VT

DWA warning message on cockpit

This warning appeared briefly, yesterday and today. I asked the mechanics at "Frank's Motorcycle Sales" to check on the significance of this message. They said it was an alarm system fault. Since I have NEVER used the alarm on this motorcycle, I decided to ignore the warning.

106,692 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Valve adjustment (self-service)

Re-adjusted valve clearances to correct tolerances: 0.15mm (intake) and 0.30mm (exhaust)

Replace parking lamp

1 ea. Sylvania #194LL 14V, 4.6W bulb (2/pack) $4.85 (from Kragen Auto Parts)

106,580 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Valve adjustment (self-service)

For the first time, I used the feeler gauges purchased in 2005 from BMW of San Francisco for the R1200GS. (All previous valve adjustments were done by dealerships.)

I noticed the gauges provided were 0.10 mm (intake) and 0.20 mm (exhaust). Followed the excellent procedure write-up on the R1200GS.info website. However, that site shows the clearances as 0.15 and 0.30 respectively.

I then consulted the BMW R1200GS service manual CD and it too shows 0.15 and 0.30. I set the valve clearances with the gauges I have, but will have to figure out why I was sold 0.10 and 0.20 gauges.

Found one of the left valve cover screw sockets stripped out. Since this is the first time I've personally removed the cover, I must assume a technician had over-torqued the screw.

105,930 miles

Santa Rosa, CA (BMW parts purchased at Marin BMW/Marin Moto)

Replace rear axle outer seal (self-service)

1 ea. Shaft seal #33117679862 $18.45

Tax: $1.52
Total: $19.97

Seal last replaced at 74,800 miles.

Replace rear brake pads (self-service)

1 st. EBC brake pads #FA363HH $38.95 (purchased at Northbay Motorsport)

Tax: $3.12
Total: $42.07

Last replaced at 91,904 miles. 14,000 miles from this last set of (BMW) pads.

Service (self-service)

1 ea. Air filter #13717672552 $24.45
4 ea. Spark plugs #12127671301 $69.80
1 ea. Oil filter #11427673541 $17.75
2 ea. Valve cover inner gasket #11127673087 $14.90
2 ea. Hex head valve cover gasket #11127673086 $56.90

Tax: $15.16
Total: $198.96

4 qt. Castrol GTX 20W50 oil $15.96 (from Kragen Auto Parts)

Tax: $1.28
Total: $17.14

Total parts and supplies: $278.14


Comment: The prices on BMW parts represent a greater than 50% increase from those paid just 15 months ago. This is insane!

The labor charge at Marin BMW is now $102 per hour. This leaves little option but to perform as much of the service on my own as possible. BMW needs a reality check - their price inflation cannot continue unchecked, especially considering the current economy.

105,765 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Rear axle outer seal is failing

This seal failed at around 37,000 and 74,000 miles. I guess it's time for it to fail again.

After noting the oil leakage at 105,200 miles (November 18th), I cleaned the bike and watched for further sign of leakage, but none was noted until today, and this is clearly around the rear axle seal. I checked the rear drive oil level, and found it high (opening the plug, the oil squirted out, as if under pressure.) It may have been over-filled at the last service. Could that result in the seal leakage/failure? I also noted the oil is very dark - almost like old engine oil. This cannot be good! (This oil was supposedly changed at 97,596 miles.)

105,200 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Gear oil leaking from driveshaft housing

Substantial leakage noted after 1,500-mile ride to Las Vegas and back. (Rear wheel rim and tire splattered with oil, small puddle on rim after sitting overnight.) Suspect transmission output shaft seal has failed. Topped up transmission with 4 oz. of gear oil. (Source could possibly be final drive seal, but lowered transmission oil level seems to indicate otherwise.)

102,900 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Change front brake pads (self-service)

Replaced the "EBC" pads with the used BMW ("Brembo") pads replaced at 101,294 miles. After adding the anti-squeal rubberized washers, I began experiencing front brakes "grabbing" or "shuddering" (as if the rotors were warped.)

The "HH"-rated "EBC" pads (recommended by a fellow rider on AdventureRider.com) have a higher friction rating than the "Brembo" pads (rated "FF".)

Replacing the EBCs with the BMW pads has eliminated the grabbing. And the squealing has also been eliminated.

So, it seems a $20 washer kit (which should be a $1 washer kit!) has eliminated the brake squealing, where in the past, new discs and new brake pads have been mistakenly advised as the solution.

102,744 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Install front brake "anti-squeal" kit (self-service)

10 ea. #34 11 7 697 387 Rubberized thrust washers (D=8.5mm) $9.53
10 ea. #34 11 7 682 434 Rubberized thrust washers (D=13.7mm) $9.53

Tax: $1.48
Total: $20.54

This kit and installation should have been covered under BMW Service Information Bulletin #34 007 05 (037) dated June 2005

Despite my repeated complaints of brake squeal, no service technicians have ever mentioned this solution to me. And the local dealer would not cover parts and installation under warranty. A minor expense, but very disappointing.

A test ride after installation produced no brake squealing.

Question from a reader

A blog reader wrote to me today:

I'm considering purchasing a 2008 R1200GS but after reviewing your blog I'm having second thoughts. Do you think BMW has made a serious attempt at addressing the issue of reliability with their product? Are you aware of fixes in the later models which addressed mechanical problems incurred during your trip?

I have often received similar inquiries, so I thought I'd post my response:

If I had the cash, I don't think I'd hesitate to buy a 2008 R1200GS.

But it depends upon what you will be doing with your motorcycle.

I've done roughly 5% of the mileage (>5,000 miles) off-pavement. That's hard on a big, heavy bike, and you pay for it (driveline, brakes, struts, wheels, tires, and repairs from falls.) If you're going to ride North American or European highways, it's a blast. If you're going to ride the Pan American to South America, it's great. But if you intend to do much of your riding where there are no roads, it's going to take a toll on your wallet, I think. Consider something smaller and lighter.

BMW has addressed a number of the problems encountered on early models. (But if you've seen "Long Way Down", 2 of 3 new GSs in the film blew out their rear struts in the first leg of their trans-Africa trip. And they weren't even heavily-loaded - they had support vehicles carrying gear. So they still have "issues" to work on!)

The bike can take abuse, but every machine has its limits.

All that said, I love riding it, and can't imagine riding anything else. (And it's my only vehicle, so I'm "stuck" with it!)

Note: in the comments below, reader "Sunny" corrects the record:

It should be said though that they changed the standard rear suspension to Öhlins. It were the ölins that broke, when they changed them back to the standard ones, everything went fine.

Thanks, Sunny.

101,375 miles

Northbay Motorsport, Santa Rosa, CA

Replace rear tire

1 ea. Rear tire, Metzeler Tourance 150/70VR17 $152.00 ($140.89 at americanmototire.com)

Mounting and balancing: $18.00
Tax: $12.32

Total: $184.32

Old tire had 13,000 miles - probably about 1,000 miles longer than when I should have changed it out.

101,294 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Replace front brake pads (self-service)

2 sets (4 pads) Front brake pads, EBC #FA335HH $99.90

Tax: $7.99
Total: $107.89

In attempt to eliminate brake squealing that has been growing steadily worse over the past 50k miles or so, I'm trying EBC pads instead of the stock Brembo pads. I have read of others who have found the EBC pads less prone to squealing. It's worth a try. (The Brembo pads I'm replacing still have plenty of life left on them.)

On several occasions, mechanics have identified the cause as "warped rotors". Now, I think they were mistaken. I think only the set of front rotors replaced at 18,192 miles was actually warped (characterized by a "pulsing" or "grabbing" sensation.)

If this doesn't reduce or eliminate the problem, I'll probably look at replacing rotors and/or calipers. (Wheel trueness does not seem to be the problem, since the squealing is about the same whether I'm running the cast wheel or the spoked wheel.) Applying lithium grease or "brake quiet" to the backing plates eliminates the squealing for only a very short time - maybe 15 minutes of around-town riding.

***

Tonight, I came across a discussion on Adventure Rider that mentions a June 2005 BMW Service Information Bulletin - #34 007 05 (037) which, "in the event of a customer complaining of front wheel squeal" calls for changing out the brake disc mounting hardware and installing an "anti-squeal kit", which includes rubberized thrust washers. (See: advrider.com)

Jeez! All this time complaining about brake squeal and no shop has ever suggested this fix!

101,055 miles

Santa Rosa BMW

Replace clutch plate and transmission input shaft seal

Leaking seal caused gear oil contamination of new clutch plate. All work was done under warranty. (This is the fourth clutch plate for this bike. Two were contaminated by oil seal leaks.)

1 ea. Clutch Plate #21-21-7-697-737 $0.00
1 ea. Seal #23-12-7-705-086 $0.00

Total cost: $6.00 (for a loaner R1200R!)

Thanks to Dennis Gonzales, owner of Santa Rosa BMW for the extraordinary customer care!

100,950 miles

Windsor, CA

Transmission input shaft seal leak

Problem identified by mechanics at Santa Rosa BMW today. Will pull transmission and repair next week.

Review of the First 100k Miles

Over and above normal maintenance and service items, and apart from any damage caused by accidents, I've had to replace the components listed below. (I include brake components, since this machine seems to eat them up. As I write this, my front brake discs and rear brake pads are again in need of replacement.)

The list is surprising, considering I'm a fairly conservative rider, have rarely taken the bike over 90 mph, avoid hard braking and unlike Charley Boorman on all his GS adventures, I've never done wheelies with this bike. I intend to hold on to it a long time (if I can afford it!)

New, the bike cost $18,610, including panniers and top box. The "extraordinary" costs below, if paid out-of-pocket (a number of them were covered by warranty), would run another $15,000 - 80% of the cost of the new bike. (Parts, labor and tax rates vary widely, however based upon my first-hand experience, this is a fairly reasonable estimate.)

I think it's time for another "conversation" with BMW of North America. What I would like to ask them: "is this considered normal 'wear and tear'?" If so, you might want to budget a bit higher when considering the purchase of a new BMW R1200GS (and check if the new "extended warranties" cover the following items.)

Battery
Brake disc, front (6)
Brake disc, rear (2)
Brake pads, front (3 sets, 12 pads)
Brake pads, rear (6 sets, 12 pads)
Charcoal canister
Clutch assembly (2)
Clutch cable
Drive shaft
Drive shaft boots
Fuel pump regulator (fuel pump electronics)(2)
Fuel gauge (replaced fuel pump assembly)
Seal, clutch input shaft
Seal, rear axle, inner
Seal, rear axle, outer (2)
Seal, speedometer pick-up
Seal, transmission, rear
Speedometer (replaced instrument cluster)
Splash guard rear(2)(Did not replace after 2nd one broke)
Spring strut, front
Spring strut, rear
Starter
Top box (inadequate fastening system)
Transmission

100,000 miles

Las Vegas, Nevada

Transmission leaking oil

For several days, I had been smelling gear oil burning, but could not locate the source. I now find the transmission housing is leaking a significant amount of oil where it mates to the engine housing. The leakage is underneath the bike, dripping onto the skid plate, and onto the front of the catalytic converter - which is causing the burning smell.

99,185 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Brake lamp failure - burned out

1 ea. Brake lamp #3216922114 (from stock) $0.00

98,053 miles

Santa Rosa BMW, Windsor CA

Replace transmission

Returned to Santa Rosa BMW to have the transmission oil leak repaired. In the process of inspecting it, the owner said that they would pull it out and replace it. He found another used transmission in his stock. He said it had no issues.

All work was performed at no charge, and a loaner (2008 F800S) provided. And again, there was no charge for the transmission.

The transmission has been installed and is operating perfectly. (What a remarkable difference! No "clunking" shifts, no mis-shifts, and no oil leaks!)

Now, the machine is operating beautifully. Time to travel!

98,000 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Transmission faulty, leaking oil

Persistent, but inconsistent failure to up-shift from 1st to 2nd gear. Transmission often sticks in the neutral position. Sometimes succeeds in shifting after several attempts, sometimes requires downshifting to 1st before again trying to shift to 2nd.

This was the transmission installed a little over two weeks ago, a "used" transmission that had been changed out under warranty. The reported defect was an oil leak, which they said proved to be false.

Since I paid nothing for the transmission, only the cost of installation, I have decided to "work with it" and try and adjust my own "programming" to compensate for and adjust to this "challenge".

The options are to install a new transmission ($3,299.44), search for a used transmission and take a chance on that, dismantle this transmission and try to diagnose the issue (unlikely to be a cost-saving undertaking, according to the BMW shop owner) or to work with it "as is". I told the owner that I can't see throwing away a transmission that only had 1,000 miles on it. (Not consistent with my environmental side!) I want to see how many miles I can get out of this thing.

The primary oil leak, apparently from the potentiometer housing, should be repaired in the coming days.

97,596 miles

Santa Rosa BMW, Windsor, CA

Replace transmission, clutch assembly and clutch Bowden cable

1 ea. Transmission Assembly (used) N/C (new transmission: $3,259.44)
1 ea. Clutch Plate #21-21-7-697-737 $160.50
1 ea. Coupling #21-21-7-704-866 $151.85
1 ea. Clutch Bowden Cable #21-52-7-675-102 $120.50
1 ea. Potentiometer #23-00-7-698-580 $145.50*
1 ea. O-Ring #33-11-7-695-218 $3.50
1 ea. Gasket Ring #33-33-7-699-630 $31.99
1 ea. Rubber Boot #33-17-7-685-052 $48.50
1 ea. Rubber Boot #33-17-7-685-599 $42.50**
1 ea. Mineral Oil #07-51-0-398-494 $4.98

Labor: $522.00

Mechanic's notes: Replaced clutch assembly, found input shaft and clutch plate splines sheared. Installed a used transmission at no charge. Will sometimes show a false neutral due to not replacing potentiometer. Replaced the clutch cable.

My note: In first day of use, some difficulty with transmission: while in motion, shifting from 1st to 2nd, transmission wants to lock in on neutral. May take two or three attempts to reach 2nd. "Hopefully" it just needs some breaking in. (Transmission has about 1,000 miles on it.)

Replace driveshaft

1 ea. Driveshaft #26-11-7-665-803 $548.00

Mechanic's note: Drive shaft is worn, needs to be replaced.

Labor: $00.00

Replace starter (Bendix gear not retracting)

1 ea. Starter 12-41-2-306-140 $350.50

Mechanic's note: Replaced the worn out starter with a new starter.

Labor: $00.00

Replace speedometer pick-up seal

1 ea. Shaft (Speedo Pick Up) Seal #33-11-7-679-864 $22.50

Mechanic's note: Speedo pick up seal is worn, and needs to be replaced. Final drive seal does not have to be replaced.

Labor: $261.00

Inspect front brakes (brakes squealing at stops)

Labor: $43.50

Mechanic's note: Installed brake compound on the pads. Test rode the bike, there is no longer a brake squeal.

My note: after ten miles, brake squeal returned.

Oil service (6,000-mile)

1 ea. Oil filter #11-42-7-673-541 $15.95
4 qt. 20W/50 engine oil $34.00
1.4 qt. Gear oil 80W90 GL-5 $13.86
4 ea. Crush gaskets $3.96

Mechanic's note: Changed engine oil and filter, transmission and final drive fluid.

Labor: $43.50

Tax: $131.65

Total: $2,700.24

* Potentiometer was billed, but not replaced. I declined refund, as transmission was installed at no charge.

** Rear driveshaft boot was billed, but not replaced. Refunded later.

97,596 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Clutch or drive shaft failure?

Loud screeching sound and complete loss of power to the rear wheel while riding on the freeway. Pushed bike home - four miles.

(Also I now see that drive shaft replacement instructions are completely absent from my BMW R1200GS Service Manual disc. Gotta love it.)

97,000 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

(Inner) rear axle seal leaking?

96,021 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Headlamp low-beam failure

1 ea. Head lamp, H7L 12V55W #63-21-7-160-781 (from stock) $0.00

92,300 miles

North Bay Motorsports, Santa Rosa, CA

Replace front tire

Metzeler Tourance 110/80VR19 $120.95

(Match on-line pricing, almost.)

Tax: $9.68
Tire disposal: $2.00
Mounting and balancing: $10.00

Total: $142.63

Note: Replaced the "Dunlop D607 Trailmax" that originally came on the bike. That tire had roughly 21,000 miles on it! Incredibly long-wearing, but I still much prefer the handling of the Tourance.

91,904 miles

BMW of San Francisco

Major (24,000-mile) service

1 ea. Oil filter #11-42-7-673-541 $12.08
1 ea. O-Ring #07-11-9-904-950 $2.40
2 ea. Gasket #11-12-7-673-087 $12.10
2 ea. Gasket #11-12-7-673-086 $29.40
4 ea. Spark plugs #12-12-7-671-301 $44.48
1 ea. Air filter #13-71-7-672-552 $15.92
2 ea. (no description) #13-54-1-460-594 $3.52
1 ea. Alternator belt #12-31-7-681-841 (from my stock) $0.00
4 ea. 20W/50 oil $20.00
1 ea. Brake fluid $3.95

Labor: $243.75
Supplies: $20.00

Requested they check front fork fluid and fork operation. No comments at conclusion of service.

Replace rear brake disc and brake pads

1 ea. Brake disc #34-21-7-664-102 $159.20
1 ea. Mounting #34-21-7-671-876 $12.48
1 st. Brake pads #34-21-7-660-281 (from my stock) $0.00

Labor: $56.25

Note: mechanic states rear axle seal is not leaking. Rear drive fluid level is correct. So, where did the gear oil that was on my rear brake disc and wheel come from? They have no idea.

Replace right side mirror mount

1 ea. Clamp support #32-72-7-664-677 $31.23
1 ea. Bracket, right #32-72-7-684-576 $8.24
1 ea. Fitting #51-16-7-673-982 (No charge)

Labor: $49.75
Tax: $29.84

Total: $730.61

90,970 miles

Sierra Buttes, California

Dropped bike on Forest Service road

Broken right mirror
Broken right handguard brace

90,500 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Rear brake disc severely worn

(Surface shows warping or what might be called "cupping")

88,378 miles

Northbay Motorsport, Santa Rosa, CA

Mount new rear tire on alloy rim (off bike)

1 ea. Rear tire, Metzeler Tourance 150/70VR17 $129.36

Tax: $10.35
Labor: $10.00

(They again matched on-line price from American Motorcycle Tire.)

Removed the spoked rim with the old Metzeler. That tire has 12,768 miles, but still has life on it. I'll keep it mounted on the spoked rim as a spare.

Remount front cast alloy wheel with original Dunlop Trailmax tire

This tire has over 17,000 miles on it, but still shows decent tread

Mount new front tire on spoked rim (for spare)

1 ea. Front tire, Michelin Anakee 110/80R19 $153.99

(Purchased at Hi-Tech Motorsports, Billings, MT. No tax - gotta love Montana!)

Labor: $24.00
Disposal: $2.00

Total: $329.70

83,576 miles

Essex Center, VT

Front brake discs warped

This is my fourth set of discs. Will need replacement upon return to California, if not sooner. (They were beginning to show signs of warpage at 75,000 miles, before I left.)

Average lifetime for front discs is under 20,000 miles when traveling loaded with gear.

Oil service

1 ea. Oil filter #11427673541 $15.10
1 ea. Seal #07119963252 $0.60
4 qt. 20W50 engine oil $22.16

Labor: $41.25
Chemical charge: $3.00
Tax: $2.27

Total: $84.38

80,785 miles

Touch of Class Motorcycles, Phillipsburg, New Jersey

Replace front and rear struts

Installed used BMW struts (taken from owner's personal bike after 200 miles' usage)

1 ea. Front Strut (used) $200.00
1 ea. Rear Strut (used) $500.00

Labor: $115.00
Tax: $4.03

Total: $819.03

80,233 miles

Frank's Motorcycle Sales, Essex Center, VT

Parts purchase

1 st. Rear brake pads (for spares) #34212335465: $65.25

Tax: $3.92

Total: $69.17

80,400 miles

Massachusetts

Rear strut failure

Seal blew, releasing all fluid

80,200 miles

Waterbury, VT

Replace fuel pump electronics (self-service)

Replaced original unit that had failed once previously.

1 ea. Fuel pump electronics #16147694378 $83.79

10% shipping charge: $8.37
Sales tax: $7.37

Total: $100.27

(Purchased at Ride West BMW, Seattle, WA. Note charge for shipping. This is quite annoying. BMW dealers stock relatively few parts these days. They assume the customer can wait for delivery, and pay for the shipping cost! This part in particular should be a stock item, since it has been a common problem for the R1200GS.)

75,970 miles

Napa, CA

Fuel pump electronics failure

40 miles into my cross-country trip. Bike died. Not getting fuel. After pushing two miles, had bike towed home to Santa Rosa. Re-installed an old unit that had failed in Mexico two years ago (due to moisture.) Bike started right up.

Read more about it at timtraveler.com.

75,610 miles

Northbay Motorsport, Santa Rosa, CA

Replace rear tire (off bike)

1 ea. Rear tire, Metzeler Tourance 150/70VR17 $129.36

Tax: $10.35
Labor: $10.00
Tire disposal: $2.00

Total: $151.71

(They matched on-line price from American Motorcycle Tire.)

74,800 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Replace rear axle outer seal (self-service)

1 ea. Shaft seal #33117679863 $15.99

Tax: $1.24

Total: $17.23

Note: the new seal is a much different design, with rubber "baffles".

Topped up rear drive oil: about 2 oz. 75W140 Super Synthetic

Topped up transmission: about 4 oz. of same

74,600 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Low beam failure (self-service)

1 ea. Bulb #63-21-7-160-797 (from my stock) $0.00

73,688 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Rear drive seal is failing again

This seal failed in Chile, at around 37,000 miles, and was replaced in Santiago.

72,762 miles

BMW of San Francisco

Major (12,000-mile) service

1 ea. Oil filter #11-42-7-673-541 $13.46
1 ea. O-Ring #07-11-9-904-950 $2.70
2 ea. Gasket #11-12-7-673-087 $11.66
2 ea. Gasket #11-12-7-673-086 $30.60
1 ea. Air filter #13-71-7-672-552 $17.55
4 ea. Spark Plugs #12-12-7-671-301 $46.64
4 qt. 20W/50 engine oil #07-51-0-412-040 $19.64
1 ea. Brake fluid $3.95

Labor: $250.00

(Did not replace alternator belt, since that was replaced at 56k)

Replace battery

1 ea. Battery #61-21-7-661-896 $96.30

Labor: $10.00

Renew final drive fluid

1 ea. O-Ring #07-11-9-905-198 $1.35
1 ea. O-Ring #33-11-7-695-219 $1.13

Labor: $70.00

Accessory purchase

Since the BMW tire repair kit fails to work on Metzeler Tourance tires, I decided to try a heavier-duty repair kit.

1 ea. Tubeless tire plug kit #150213 $29.66

Tax: $23.02

Total: $623.71


Louder than normal gearbox noise?

According to technician, this could be worn clutch plates rattling - considered normal with this kind of wear.

Work deferred

When cold, starter pinion remains engaged momentarily after starter button is released. Replacing clutch and flywheel (which will probably be required soon) may remedy this.

Apparently drive shaft is showing some rust (from water in housing at some point), and u-joints are no longer tight. Technician recommends replacing drive shaft.

Front strut is leaking fluid, and is losing its dampening

72,560 miles

Santa Rosa, California

Battery failing to hold charge

Had to jump-start the bike after stopping in town. Nights have been in the 30s lately. Though I have a trickle charger, I haven't used it (that is, until now.)

I'll try using it as a battery tender and see how much more life I can get out of this battery (now two years old.)

72,410 miles

Santa Rosa, California

Flat rear tire - change wheels (self-service)

Rear tire punctured by a nail. Using the BMW repair kit, was unable to plug the Metzeler Tourance tire. (I've gone through two or three BMW repair kits now, including at least 8 plugs, and have been unable to repair a Tourance with this kit! The plugs always tear when trying to insert them, and two of the insertion tools broke!)

Fortunately, I have a set of spoked wheels mounted with tires that still have decent tread.

So, I replaced the cast alloy wheels with the spoked wheels, and transfered the front brake discs over. Curiously, the front brakes, which had been screeching during slow braking, now operate quietly.

November 27th marked two years since I took delivery of the bike.

70,938 miles

Santa Rosa, California

Replace rear brake pads (self-service)

1 st. Rear brake pads #34212335465 (from my stock) $0.00

68,884 miles

Alamosa, Colorado

Front spring strut seal failure

Will need to replace strut at next service

66,970 miles

Cambridge, Ohio

Brake lamp failure

This is caused by corrosion and dirt build-up on lamp and contacts. Without rear splash guard (which I have not replaced since having two of them break off), brake lamp housing collects excessive moisture, dust and mud. I thought this contamination was entering around the lens, but now realize the back of the housing is not sealed, but is open to the elements. Seems like a lousy design.

65,500 miles

Canadian Border near Derby Line, VT

Battery discharged

Running with an electric vest and heated grips proved too much for the battery. About a 10-minute wait in line at the border. Idled with these accessories on, resulting in nearly complete discharge of the battery. (Shut down to talk to the customs officer. Trying to re-start, it barely turned over.)(Occurred again in Quebec City.)

65,171 miles

Frank's Motorcycle Sales, Essex Center, VT

Oil service

1 ea. Oil filter #11427673541 $14.95
1 ea. Seal #07119963252 $0.50
4 qt. 20W50 engine oil #07511467605 $19.80

Labor: $27.50
Chemical charge: $3.00
Tax: $2.12

Total: $67.87

64,450 miles

Bob's BMW, Jessup, MD

Replace rear tire (off bike)

1 ea. Rear tire, Metzeler Tourance 150/70VR17 $164.95
1 ea. Valve stem, rubber #3631653064 $3.79

Supplies: $2.03
Labor: $40.50

Parts purchase:

1 st. Rear brake pads (for back-up) #34212335465 $61.39
1 ea. Vacuum nipple cap #13547694924 $1.39

Tax: $11.58

Total: $285.63

Replace original Dunlop Trailmax tire that came with the bike. Ran it for 4,000 miles before replacing cast wheels with spoked wheels (for the "Americas Trip"). Remounted cast wheels for this trip and ran this tire another 5,150 miles, for a total of 9,150 miles on the Dunlop.

62,500 miles

Natchez, Mississippi

Replace front brake pads (self-service)

1 st. Front brake pads (2 pair) #34117671780 (from my stock) $0.00

43,303 miles on old set.

Old brake pads had begun to squeal during light braking. Inspected old pads - not completely worn. New pads did not eliminate the noise. Apparently this is due to vibration between brake pad backing plate and housing. (I'm told lithium grease will help reduce this, however I did not have any available at the time.)

59,235 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Change out wheels and tires (self-service)

Front brake discs are warped, so I remounted the original cast front wheel with original discs and original Dunlop Trailmax tire and the original rear wheel/tire assembly. (These had been used for the first 4,000 miles. For the "Americas Trip", I replaced them with spoked wheels, Metzeler Tourance tires, and a complete front disc assembly.)

58,000 miles (approximately)

Santa Rosa, CA

Starter Bendix gear occasionally fails to disengage

Signs that the starter may soon need replacement. On cold start-ups, the starter continues to engage after the engine has started firing.

56,735 miles

BMW of San Francisco

Replace instrument cluster (warranty)

This should solve the intermittent speedometer failure. Apparently, BMW has recently distributed a bulletin pertaining to this issue.

1 ea. Instrument cluster #62-11-7-700-751 $0.00

The new cluster features a slightly different LCD configuration.

56,138 miles

BMW of San Francisco

Major (12,000-mile) service

1 ea. Oil filter #11-42-7-673-541 $13.46
1 ea. O-Ring #07-11-9-904-950 $2.70
2 ea. Gasket #11-12-7-673-087 $8.10
2 ea. Gasket #11-12-7-673-086 $30.60
1 ea. Air filter #13-71-7-672-552 $17.55
2 ea. O-ring #13-31-7-659-110 $5.40
1 ea. Fan belt #12-31-7-681-841 $16.20
4 ea. 20W/50 oil $14.00
1 ea. Brake fluid $3.95
0.8 ea. Synthetic gear oil $4.40

Parts: $94.01
Labor: $375.00
Supplies: $22.35

Replace speedometer (warranty)

This is to remedy the previously-reported occasional failure of the speedometer

1 ea. Instrument cluster #62-11-7-700-751 (Special order)

Technician's note: renew instrument cluster as per bulletin.

Check clutch life

The day before service, while exiting a freeway, tried to engage the clutch and the gears created quite a racket. The clutch did not seem operational. Persisted for several blocks until I stopped the bike. When I resumed, everything seemed normal. Driving to BMW of SF this morning, everything seemed normal.

Technician's note: "clutch feels fine." Mechanics not sure what could have caused it. One said a pebble might have gotten kicked into transmission (is there an opening?)

Low beam failure (not the bulb - I tried several spares)

Discovered pilot bulb burned out, but no apparent problem with low beam!

1 ea. Bulb #63-21-7-160-797 $1.30

White smoke on start-up (occasionally)(check valves)

Technician says this is "considered "normal".

Louder than normal gearbox noise?

Considered "normal" movement of shafts, according to technician.

Misfiring on deceleration (and downhill slopes)

Technician says the Major Service should take care of this.

Replace two broken turn signal lenses

2 ea. Lens #63-13-7-667-767 $17.50 (why are these SO expensive?)
2 ea. Screws #63-13-7-654-275 $1.90

Check rear drive for unusual play - possible contributor to excessive rear brake pad wear? (Other riders have pointed to excess play in the rear drive as the cause of excess brake pad wear.)

Technician's comment: "rear drive is tight."

Perform sensor line recall

1 ea. Case holder #34-51-7-695-906 $0.00
1 ea. Screw, 4x10 #07-11-9-900-439 $0.00

Perform brake banjo recall

1 ea. Hollow bolt #34-32-7-702-422 $0.00
2 ea. Seal ring #07-11-9-963-072 $0.00

Replace seat holding straps

(These flimsy rubber straps that hold the seat height adjusting bars in place showed signs of aging and cracking, even when the bike was brand new!)

4 ea. Holding strap #52-53-7-653-537 $11.88

Tax: $12.66

Total: $546.60


Credit for returned parts never used on my trip

1 ea. Clutch lever #32-72-7-691-637 <$33.53>
1 ea. Mirror #51-16-7-667-717 <$29.48>
1 ea. Brake lever #32-72-7-691-636 <$33.53>

Tax: <$8.21>

Total credit: <$104.75>

54,800 miles

Possible valve problem

This morning (and also a few days ago), there was a cloud of bluish-white smoke coming out of the exhaust when first starting the engine in the morning. Suspect a worn valve guide or stuck valve.

I'll take the bike in for full service next week.

A "Conversation" with BMW Motorrad USA

Following my "Americas Trip", I thought it would be useful to contact BMW Motorrad USA to discuss issues I experienced with the new bike. Below is the full extent of the "conversation". (As the webmaster assured, no one contacted me to discuss these issues.)

-----Original Message-----
From: Webmaster@bmwmotorcycles.com [mailto:Webmaster@bmwmotorcycles.com]
Sent: Monday, May 22, 2006 6:30 AM
To: timtraveler@msn.com
Subject: RE: [bmw-admin] [visitor-feedback] Message from site visitor [1-393814275]

Dear Mr. Campion,

Thank you for the detailed feedback. I will forward this information to the engineering department here at BMW Motorrad USA.

Regards,
BMW Motorrad USA


-----Original Message-----

From: timtraveler@msn.com
Sent: 5/22/2006 12:00:00 AM
To:
Subject: [bmw-admin] [visitor-feedback] Message from site visitor [1-393814275]

Thank you for the opportunity to submit this feedback.

Please see the following link where I have detailed all the service and
repairs for my R1200GS during a 46,000-mile Prudhoe Bay to Tierra del Fuego
ride.

http://bmwr1200gsservicehistory.blogspot.com/

The following items are noteworthy for a new motorcycle:

6,000 miles: output shaft seal and clutch failure (replace both)

10,613 miles: rear mudguard sheared off from vibration (replaced, and that
one too failed at 31,000 miles.)

18,310 miles: clutch slave cylinder seal failed

19,192 miles: front brake discs warped (these discs had been installed new at 4,000 miles, when I changed the bike over to spoked wheels for the journey.)

22,735 miles: fuel gauge failure (fuel pump assembly replaced)

26,550 miles: fuel pump regulator failed (in Mexico. Pushed bike back to U.S.!)

31,000 miles; Rear mud guard sheared off again (weakness in mounting configuration)

35,600 miles: speedometer failure

37,700 mile: rear drive seal fails

38,420 miles: rear drive and brake rotor failed (rotor cupped)

38,420 miles: front discs warped again (for several thousand miles)

Quite a list, and several $1,000s more than I would hope to spend on a new bike!

The good news is that the R1200GS is a real work horse. I traveled fully-loaded for 11 months, through all kinds of weather and terrain.

And, for the past 15,000 miles it has required no repairs, other than tires and brake pads.

By the way: this bike really eats up rear brake pads (every 6 to 8,000 miles.) Other riders claim this is due to a loose rear drive that causes a slight shimmy in the rear end, resulting in the pads riding the disc more than they should.

I know the fuel pump regulator has been addressed in a recall. That was a nasty one: I was stranded in Mexico when it failed, forced to have the bike hauled to near the border, then PUSHED the bike eight miles (in summer heat) across the border into Brownsville, TX.

And even then, BMW Roadside Assistance could offer no assistance in the Brownsville area. The nearest service was in San Antonio, a towing cost of over $1,000!)(Needless to say, I repaired it myself in Brownsville, with parts shipped in at my expense.)

Another MAJOR problem for the R1200GS is (was?) the lack of front tires in Central and South America. I finally found them in Santiago, Chile, after beginning my search in Panama! (I had one flown from the U.S. to Peru for about $350 in shipping costs!) Dealers simply don't (or at least, didn't) stock them!

I would be very interested in feedback on these issues.

Sincerely,

Timothy Campion
Kenwood, California

The full story of my journey can be found at:

http://timtraveler.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Webmaster@bmwmotorcycles.com [mailto:Webmaster@bmwmotorcycles.com]
Sent: Monday, May 15, 2006 2:58 PM
To: timtraveler@msn.com
Subject: RE: [bmw-admin] [visitor-feedback] Message from site visitor
[1-393814275]

Dear Mr. Campion,

You may submit your details via this email string. I'll be happy to forward it on for review. While I cannot guarantee that someone will call you to discuss these matters personally, I can guarantee that your feedback will be heard.

Regards,
BMW Motorrad USA


-----Original Message-----

From: timtraveler@msn.com
Sent: 5/15/2006 12:00:00 AM
To:
Subject: [bmw-admin] [visitor-feedback] Message from site visitor [1-393814275]

It is part testimonial, part critique and feedback loop for engineers and designers.

Numerous issues plagued me early on:

Clutch failure
Output shaft seal failure
Clutch seal failure
Rear drive seal failure
Premature brake pad and disc failures (front and rear)
Rear mudguard failure (twice before removing altogether)
Fuel pump control unit failure
Speedometer failure
Electronics anomalies
Front fender design flaw (resulting in numerous falls!)
And more...

That said, the bike is still an awesome and outstanding machine!

But it is not such a simple story, or testimonial. I would appreciate having access to someone who would actually "listen" and respond. I am certain future riders would benefit.

Sincerely,

Timothy Campion


-----Original Message-----
From: Webmaster@bmwmotorcycles.com [mailto:Webmaster@bmwmotorcycles.com]
Sent: Monday, May 15, 2006 2:07 PM
To: timtraveler@msn.com
Subject: RE: [bmw-admin] [visitor-feedback] Message from site visitor
[1-393814275]

Dear Mr. Campion,

Thank you for contacting BMW Motorrad USA. We appreciate your interest in providing a testimonial of your adventures.

If you would like to submit your story, please visit http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/bikes/submit_testimonial.jsp. We look forward to hearing your story. Please note that these submissions are reviewed by BMW Motorrad USA management.

If you have any further questions, please respond to this e-mail or contact the Customer Relations and Services Department at 1-800-831-1117. Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time.

Regards,

BMW Motorrad USA


-----Original Message-----

From: timtraveler@msn.com
Sent: 5/15/2006 12:00:00 AM
To: webmaster@bmwmotorcycles.com
Subject: [bmw-admin] [visitor-feedback] Message from site visitor

Timothy Campion sent the following message from the site:

I just completed an eleven-month 46,000-mile ride around the Americas, from Prudhoe
Bay to Tierra del Fuego.

I was riding a 2005 R1200GS.

I would like to discuss my experiences, both good and bad, as it relates to this machine.

Who would be the appropriate contact?

Sincerely,

Timothy Campion
Kenwood, CA

timtraveler@msn.com

Within months of purchasing my bike, I began the practice of strapping my top box in place for added security. This, after hearing of others losing their top boxes. Yesterday the strap did not prevent the top box from flying off and bouncing down the road with my laptop computer inside.

54,250 miles

Top box falls off

Despite the added security of a nylon strap, lost the top box after hitting a small bump in the road. The box, containing my laptop computer, bounced down the road. At the California Adventure Rally last year, I spoke with another GS rider who said he had lost three top boxes! (That is why I began strapping the box in addition to latching it.)

Top box is now unusable. (New one is approximately $530!)

53,000 miles

Speedometer failure (intermittent)

Speedometer continues to fail intermittently. It usually will recover after a re-start, or even after a period of continuous riding.

51,255 miles

BMW Motorcycles of Las Vegas, Nevada

Oil change

Oil filter #11427673541 (from my stock) $0.00
20W50 Oil (3 @ $4.94, 1 from my stock) $14.82

Replace air filter

1 ea. Air filter element #13717672552 $21.84

Replace rear brake pads

1 st. Rear brake pads #34212335465 (from my stock) $0.00

Labor (for brakes, filters): $80.00

Replace front and rear tires

1 ea. Front tire, Metzeler Tourance 110/80VR19 $140.51
1 ea. Rear tire, Metzeler Tourance 150/70VR17 $147.57
2 ea. Wheel weights $18.14
2 ea. D-15 valve #36311454963 (1 from my stock) $4.00

Labor: $80.00

Front tire life: 16,170 miles
Rear tire life: 7,280 miles
(The Brazilian "Pirelli" proved to be a much better value than I first thought!)

Recall: replace fuel pump electronics seal

1 ea. Seal #16147694717 $0.00

Recall: reprogram for "flat battery"

Shop supplies: $4.80

Hazardous materials: $4.00

Sales tax: $27.61

Total: $543.92

46,275 miles

Bimota, Santiago, Chile

Replace rear tire

Rear tire (Metzeler) shot after 6,500 miles: one nail and numerous tiny leaks (Ruta 40 in Argentina gave it a pounding!)

Re-installed Pirelli MT60 (from La Paz)

Labor: $38.00

Repair neutral sensor

Adjusted sensor (linked to clutch lever) to allow ignition while in gear

Labor: $10.00

45,270 miles

Cordasco Motohaus (BMW), Buenos Aires

Parts purchased

1 ea. Oil filter #11427673541 $25.70
4 ea. Spark plugs #12127677560 $86.67!
1 L Castrol 20W50 engine oil $4.00

(Also picked up a set of rear brake pads left for me by another rider who had borrowed a set from me. He paid $98.70 for the replacements!)

43,575 miles

Argentina's Ruta 3

Can only start bike in neutral

Various plastic dust caps falling off

(Illustrated in pre-trip photo above)

Speedometer continues to be sporadic

What I call the R1200GS's "Achille's Heel": inadequate clearance between front tire and fender will allow mud buildup within minutes, with a resulting locking of front wheel and loss of control. Stopping to clear the mud usually required 15 minutes of work. After cleaning, it was good for about another three or four minutes of riding. (This photo was along Argentina's Ruta 40. Virtually identical conditions were encountered in Panama's Darien Province.)

(I later concluded that reducing the tire pressure to about 20 pounds might have helped lessen the difficulty.)

Read more at timtraveler.com.

39,130 miles

Chile and Argentine

Various electronic problems over past few days

39,130 – Speedometer functions intermittently (needle slowly falls to zero, or near zero, even at sustained speeds)

39,353 – Brake failure warning, EWS and light failure – all bogus warnings?

39,440 – Speedometer stops again, then okay 100 miles later.

39,900 - Speedometer not working much of the day

39,000 miles

Bimota, Santiago, Chile

Replace rear tire

1 ea. Rear tire, Metzeler "Tourance" 150/80VR17 $249.60

(Purchased from "MX Racing", Santiago)

Mount tire

$40.00 for mounting at Bimota (expensive, but includes wash and espresso!)

(No balancing - told it's unnecessary for rear)

The Pirelli MT60, which still has plenty of life, kept as a spare. Prefer the "Tourance" for its toughness and durability.

38,750 miles

Genco S.A., Mendoza, Argentina

Parts purchase

Alternator belt $48.70 (for spare)

38,700 miles

Low speed shimmy in front end

May be the load causing this, but it is more pronounced now, even though the load has been reduce

(This was later identified as a sign of a "cupped tire", though this tire only had about 3,600 miles on it.)

Front brakes disks bad

This is a recurrent and persistent problem.

This area was the source of a number of problems: twice, the rear mud guard sheared off from vibration. After the second loss, I stopped riding with one. The rear axle outer seal (housed under the circular black dust cap) failed, and the rear brake disc was found to be "cupped" and required replacement.

38,420 miles

Williamson Balfour Motors (Inchcape), Santiago, Chile

36,000-mile (60,000 Km) Service

Replace rear brake rotor (cupped)

Replace rear axle outer seal (labor - warranty)

Front brake discs warped (No parts available - did not repair)

Labor

Service $193.80
Change rear brake disc $44.80
Change brake fluids $29.80

Materials

Clean brakes $10.50
Brake fluid DOT4 $11.76
20W/50 HXP motor oil (4) $36.00
Brake fluid DOT4 $11.76
75W/90 Synthetic oil (1) $36.00
"Liquido embrague moto" $10.00
"Insumos" (5) $10.00

Parts

Oil filter $22.34
Washer $0.78
Air filter $30.54
Alternator belt 4PK592 $38.34
Rear brake disk $573.25
External seal $37.94*
Internal seal $4.28

*Item not stocked. A non-BMW substitute was found.

Replace right pannier (damaged in Panama)

Pannier $457.26

Subtotal: $1,574.96
Discount: $168.52
Net: $1,406.45
IVA: $267.21

Total: $1,673.68

Read more about it at timtraveler.com.

37,700 miles

Agua Verde, Chile

Outer rear axle seal leaking

Significant leak, spraying oil on rear tire and wheel

(Must wait until Santiago to repair.)

36,700 miles

La Paz, Bolivia

Replacement parts received from BMW of San Francisco

4 ea. Valve cover screws 11-12-7-658-634 $19.60
1 ea. Right Turn Signal Lens 63-13-7-667-767 $7.99
1 st. Touratech windshield support 044-0380 $27.88
1 ea. Valve cover, right side 11-12-7-673-080 $130.05
1 ea. Valve cover safety bar 71-60-7-684-308 $50.49
1 ea. Valve cover gasket 11-12-7-673-086 $13.43
1 ea. Gasket 11-12-7-673-087 (charged, not received) $3.19

Tax: $22.01
Shipping, customs, duties, fees: $105.34

Total: $379.99

36,700 miles

La Paz, Bolivia

Replace rear tire

Again, 150/17/R17 rear tires were not available in Panama, Colombia, Ecuador or Peru. I was unwilling to pay another $400 to have a tire shipped from the United States (or $800 to ship from Chile!) So, I opted for an undersized rear tire that is available to get me to Santiago, Chile.

1 ea. Rear tire, Pirelli MT60 140/80 R17 $65.00

(Price includes shipping from Jaime Medina in Sucre, Bolivia. )

Labor, mounting of tire at "Sucoser", La Paz: $3.00

Total: $68.00!

36,700 miles

La Paz, Bolivia

Right valve cover leaking

Temporary patch from Cusco failed. Replacement parts ordered from BMW of SF, to ship DHL.

Rear tire punctured

Unable to patch with BMW tire repair kit (after 5 plugs and 1 insertion tool broke)(BMW tire repair kit apparently ineffective on steel-belted Metzeler Tourances!) Tire to be replaced here.

A low-speed fall (in rock) forced the BMW engine guard into the cylinder head, damaging the valve cover. (In has been pulled forward again in this picture.)

The ABS(?) plastic valve cover guards are easily broken with the slightest impact. At $50.49 each, I've have already replaced both sides, and the current ones are broken! Inadequate design.

A crack in the valve cover (lower right) has been repaired with epoxy. (The seal failed within two days.)

36,225 miles

Cusco, Peru

Accident repairs

Valve cover patched (with JB Weld-type epoxy)
Valve cover bolt straightened; damaged bolt and grommets moved to upper left position

Will try to replace parts in Santiago, Chile

36,200 miles

Puerto Malaga, Peru

Accident (low speed) - dropped bike after exiting river

BMW engine guard pushed into right head, damaging cooling fins
Plastic valve cover guard broken
Cracked right valve cover
Bent one valve cover bolt, damaging rubber and metal grommets
Cockpit assembly mounting frame bent
Right side gas tank cowling forward fasteners snapped
Plastic windshield mounts broken
Windshield slightly damaged
Right front indicator lens broken

Note: BMW engine guard provides little protection if bike is in motion when it falls. There is little support against impact from the front. It is effective if the bike topples from a stationary position. Not a great design.

Read more at timtraveler.com.

35,600 miles

Near Puquia, Peru

Speedometer failure

Speedo reads 0 to 20 mph, when bike is moving 45+.

Odometer not affected.

(The next day, the speedo was working properly.)

35,085 miles

Lima, Peru

Replace front tire

(after 15,893 miles)

1 ea. Front tire, Metzeler "Tourance" 110/80VR19 $153.95
Tax: $9.24
Shipping from Vermont: $323.26

Total: $486.45!

(I avoided additional VAT by having Frank's list the value of the tire at $63.19.)

(The 110/80VR19, or equivalent, was non-stock in Panama, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Delivery time was quoted in "weeks". To ship a single Metzeler tire from Williamson-Balfour BMW in Santiago to Lima, Peru would cost $800! It is outrageous for a BMW dealer to fail to stock these tires. In Ecuador, I tried to buy a tire off one of the half dozen or so new R1200GSs the dealer had. "You can then order a tire to replace it," I said. They wouldn't do it.)

33,950 miles

MotoPower Honda, Lima, Peru

Oil service (self-service)

Except oil, all parts from my stock

1 ea. Oil filter #11427673541 $0.00
1 ea. Oil filter crush washer $0.00
4 ea. Spark plugs #12127677560 $0.00
1 st. Rear brake pads #34212335465 $0.00
4 qt. Mobil 20W50 engine oil $13.42

Shop labor (brake pads): $3.00

Intermittent brake lamp failure

1 ea. Brake lamp #3216922114 (from stock) $0.00

Total: $16.42

31,000 miles

Darien and Panama City

Splash guard breaks again (due to vibration, unrelated to fall)

Top bolt snapped. Removed and gave to Panama City BMW. Will not replace.

Left pannier damaged in fall.

Repaired at Panama City BMW

Right pannier smashed in fall.

Temporarily repaired at Panama City BMW

Right front turn signal lens broken in fall.

Replaced at no charge, Panama City BMW

1 pr. Front brake pads (for spares) #34117671780 $90.02
1 qt. 20W50 engine oil $4.45
Tax: $4.82

Total: $101.09

Read more about it at timtraveler.com.

The fuel pump electronics that failed soon after crossing into Mexico

26,550 miles

South of Matamoros, Mexico

Failure to start - fuel pump regulator (electronics) failure

Required towing the bike about 20 miles to near U.S.-Mexico border (for which I paid $50), then pushing loaded bike another 3 miles across to U.S. Customs.

From the U.S. side, called BMW "Roadside Assistance". They reported no towing companies that could tow motorcycles in the Brownsville area. The nearest is San Antonio. I would be responsible for towing charges to the Austin BMW shop, above the policy's $100 coverage. (The towing cost quoted: $1,000!)

Had to push the bike another 5 miles, to a relatively safe location at a hotel.

Lester at "Frank's" says this failure is due to a design flaw. He has seen this problem numerous times: water accumulates under the fuel pump electronics module and eventually short-circuits the unit. He has resorted to modifying the assemblies on his customers' bikes to eliminate the problem. Lester said he has repeatedly brought this to the attention of BMW engineers.

Parts sent via Fed Ex from "Frank's" in Vermont. Replaced fuel pump regulator (self-service).

Read more about it at timtraveler.com.

Fuel pump regulator #16147676324 $78.50
O-ring #16147687166 $0.45
Special handling charge: $25.00
Fed Ex charges: $150.00
Towing: $50.00
Taxi: $25.00

Total: $303.95 (plus two days' extra hotel charges!)

26,493 miles

Change air filter

1 ea. Air filter (from my stock) #13717672552 $0.00

25,930 miles

Lone Star BMW Triumph, Austin, Texas

Perform 6,000 mile service

Labor (2.39 hours) $143.40
Oil filter #11427673541 $12.83
Seal #07119963252 $0.32
20W50 oil (40) #07511467605 $14.00
Shop supplies $3.00

Replace rear tire

Labor (0.75 hours) $45.00
Tourance 150/70VR17 #11011279 $165.00
Tire disposal fee $2.00
D-15 valve #36311454963 $2.97

Tire life: 11,207 miles

Replace rear brake pads

Labor (.25 hours) $15.00
Rear pads #34212335465 $64.66
Rear pads (spare set) #34212335465 $64.66

Replace low beam

Labor (.16 hours) $9.60
Xenon H7 55W #62040 $19.99

Parts & supplies

20W50 oil (spare quart) #07511467608 $3.98
H7 head lamp (2 spares) #63217160781 $19.08
Bulb 12V5/21W clear (spare) #07119978384 $2.23
Tax $37.30

Total: $625.17

25,925 miles

Low beam failure.

Replaced bulb (from stock)

22,819 miles

Large "EWS" warning.

Turning key off and on, eliminated the warning. (This was the third or forth time the warning has come on - on previous occasions, it required multiple computer check cycles to clear the warning.)

22,735 miles

Frank’s Motorcycle Sales & Service, Essex Center, VT

Charcoal cannister inlet (or outlet) nipple snapped off. Possible clearance issue.

Replaced cannister. Lester (owner) said he has seen this problem several times.

Carbon cannister #16131464924 $0.00 (Warranty)
Rubber supports (2) #52531232904 $0.00 (Warranty)

Fuel gauge reading erratically - replace fuel pump.

Fuel pump assembly # 16147684348 $0.00 (Warranty)

Inlet (or outlet) snapped off of charcoal cannister. According to Lester it's a design flaw. He's seen this numerous times.

19,192 miles

Frank’s Motorcycle Sales & Service, Essex Center, VT

Perform Major Service (24,000-mile) per BMW 0317 - R1200GS Schedule

Adjusted valves, checked brakes, check fluids and tires, test rode

Oil filter #11427673541 $12.10
Seal #07119963252 $0.50
Gasket #11127673087 $5.00
20W50 oil (4) #07511467605 $15.00
Synthetic Gear Oil 75W140 #07510395257 $14.95
DOT 4 Brake Fluid (2) $8.04
Spark plugs (4) #12127677560 $35.60
Air filter element #13717672552 $15.40

Replace front tire

Metzeler Tourance 110/80VR19 $153.95
D-15 valve #36311454963 $2.80
10 gram wheel weight #36311451959 $2.32

Tire life: 13,365 miles

Brake light failure warning.

Contacts cleaned (absence of splash guard/mudguard is the cause)

Leaking transmission seal, behind clutch slave cylinder.

Replaced shaft seal.

Seal #2312765019 $0.00 (Warranty)
Labor (2.75 hours) $0.00 (Warranty)

Forward drive shaft boot is leaking

(Strap was not tensioned by previous technician. Service error.)

8-cable strap #61131377134 $0.95

Replace rear splash guard (mudguard) under warranty.

Top box is loose.

No action taken. (They have no solution for this.)

Front brakes are not smooth.

Discs are warped. Replace discs and pads (Not covered by warranty)

Front brake pads (2 sets) #34117671780 $158.50
Front brake disc (2) #34117676550 $370.00
Rear brake pads (1 set)(spares) #34212335465 $61.00

Labor (4.5 hours) $247.50

Total: $1,154.98

18,310 miles

Erhard BMW Motorcycles, Canton, MI

Rear brakes squealing, front brakes grabbing

Replace rear brake pads (completely worn down to metal)(rotor still serviceable). Will service front brakes in Vermont.

Rear brake pads (1 set)(from my stock) #34212335465 $0.00
Labor: $32.00

1 ea. BMW clutch fluid #07-51-0-398-494 $7.50
Supplies: $1.60
Tax: $0.55

Total: $41.65


Leaking oil at boot from transmission to drive shaft.

Will have serviced in Vermont

Possible leak at rear of transmission at shift potentiometer.

Will have serviced in Vermont

18,000 miles

Michigan

Gear oil leaking from drive shaft boot onto catalytic converter.

Stock windshield mounts (plastic pins to which the screws attach) quickly wear out resulting in excessive windshield vibration and noise. An after-market "Touratech" replacement set (costing over $30) eliminates the problem.

15,360 miles

Montana

Windshield rattle becoming progressively worse

In Lewistown, I stopped at the "Ace Hardware" store and purchased four small rubber o-rings for $2.94. Larry Saenz at BMW of SF suggested using these as a fix for the windshield rattle that has grown progressively worse over recent weeks. Fitting an o-ring to the two plastic pins attaching the windshield to the lower swivel mount completely eliminated the rattle. Thanks, Larry! (And to BMW: you need to find a better solution!)

4 ea. O-rings $2.94

14,723 miles

Blackfoot Motosports, Calgary, Alberta

Replace rear tire

(Customer-supplied. Purchased in Anchorage, Alaska and carried until Calgary)

1 ea. Metzeler Tourance 150/70HR17 $0.00
Labor: $40.00
Supplies: $4.00

Tire life: 8,896 miles

Additional parts

1 ea. Headlamp bulb, H7 #09471-12188-CDN (spare) $11.47

Tax: $3.88
Total: $59.35

12,000 miles

The Motorcycle Shop, Anchorage, Alaska

12,000-Mile Service

Asked for a "12,000 mile service". The service manager asked me what I wanted them to do, "change the oil?"

"I guess..."

1 ea. Oil filter #11427673541 $14.95
1 ea. Crush washer $0.75
4 qt. BMW 10W40 engine oil #07511467607-1 $17.00

Supplies: $4.90
Labor: $70.00

Brake lamp failure

Replaced bulb, though the filaments had not burned out. The technician said "the computer is sensitive."

1 ea. Bulb 12V21.5W #07119978384 $2.95

Additional Parts

1 ea. Rear tire, Metzeler Tourance 150/70HR17 $212.95

Total: $323.50 (no tax in Alaska!)

10,613 miles

Along Dalton Highway, mudguard broke from vibration. One bolt snapped off, others worked loose.

Detached and discarded

Read more about my visit to Deadhorse at timtraveler.com.

8,314 miles

Clutch has "spongy" feel

Found the hand guard gets twisted and interferes with clutch operation. Straightened guard.

6,200 miles

Santa Rosa, CA

Right front brake caliper detached – top bolt missing, bottom bolt loose

Bolt replaced, torques checked by BMW of Santa Rosa

Mechanic error. "Will bill to BMW of SF."

5,827 miles

BMW of San Francisco

Transmission input shaft seal failure causes clutch failure

Mechanic's note: crankshaft gearbox is leaking oil and clutch is beginning to slip. Removed gearbox and found input shaft seal leaking. Renewed leaking seal and oil-fouled clutch. (Warranty)

1 ea. Shaft seal #23-12-7-667-733 $0.00
1 ea. Clutch plate #21-21-7-668-720 $0.00
1 ea. Cover #21-21-7-668-721 $0.00
1 ea. Pressure plate #21-21-7-668-719 $0.00
6 ea. Bolt #21-21-2-332-469 $0.00

Perform 6,000 mile service

2 ea. Gasket #11-12-7-673-087 $5.62
1 ea. Oil filter #11-42-7-673-541 $8.43
4 ea. #07-51-1-467-608A $9.84
4 qt. 20W50 engine oil $14.00 (oil billed twice?)
1 ea. Crush washer $0.40

Labor: $261.66

Change out tires

Remove Continental TKC80 tires and mount Metzeler "Tourance" tires, front and rear for "Americas Trip".

1 ea. Front tire, Metzeler Tourance 110/80/VR19 $130.86
1 ea. Rear tire, Metzeler Tourance 150/70/VR17 $158.91

Labor: $118.50

(Grant Johnson of "Horizons Unlimited" personally recommended the Tourance as the best tire for this journey. After only 2,000 miles, the TKC80s were sufficiently worn, they weren't worth keeping. Another reason to choose the Metzeler for a long journey.)

Waste: $2.00
Preferred customer discount: < $50.00
Tax: $27.89

Total: $688.11

(Loaner motorcycle provided at no charge.)


Additional parts and accessories for "Americas Trip"

2 ea. Spark plug #12-12-7-677-560 $15.36
2 ea. ASA bolt #07-12-9-904-798 $2.26
2 ea. Pin #46-54-7-684-716 $36.00
3 ea. Spoke #36-31-7-664-595 $4.47
3 ea. Spoke #36-31-7-664-594 $4.50
6 ea. Spoke nipple #36-31-1-452-727 $10.56
6 ea. Stud #07-11-9-904-003 $0.78
2 ea. Tire valve, D-15 #36-31-1-454-963 $3.48
2 ea. Screw #46-63-7-676-995 $11.30
1 st. Front brake pads #34-11-7-671-780 $71.33
1 ea. Front brake pad mounting set #34-11-7-660-850 $14.85
1 st. Rear brake pads #34-21-2-335-465 $54.90
1 ea. Mounting #34-21-7-671-876 $16.83
1 ea. Power socket adapter #99-99-0-000-058-6 $21.21

Tax: $22.78
Total parts and accessories: $290.61

(Prices reflect 10% discount.)

4,000 miles

BMW of San Francisco

Install spoke wheel and disc brake assemblies with Continental TKC-80 tires

1 ea. Front Wheel #36-33-7-664-711 $639.00
1 ea. Rear Wheel #36-11-7-664-731 $706.50
2 ea. Front brake disc #34-1 1-7-876-550 $333.00
1 ea. Sensor ring #34-52-7-687-325 $46.13
10 ea. Thrust washer #34-11-7-661-877 $39.90
10 ea. Washer #34-11-2-314-888 $16.60
10 ea. Pulley #34-1 1-2-335-745 $54.70
10 ea. Bolt #34-11-2-330-619 $14.20
1 ea. Rear brake disc #3421-7-664-102 $173.70
5 ea. Bolt #34-21-2-331-275 $5.65
5 ea. Wheel bolt #36-31-7-668-389 $23.80
4 ea. Wheel weights $8.00
1 ea. Front tire, Continental TKC8O 110/80/19 $101.11
1 ea. Rear tire, Continental TKC8O tire 150/70/17 $128.31

Labor: $151.68

Accessories:

1 ea. BMW tank-top bag #71-60-7-687-604 $256.50
1 ea. R1200GS repair manual CD #01-59-7-693-541 $112.50

(Prices reflect 10% discount on parts)

Install engine guard

1 ea. BMW engine guard $338.36
Labor: $98.00

Install auxiliary electrical socket

1 ea. Socket #71-60-7-685-121 $40.50
Labor: $49.00

Check intermittent non-start condition (key recognition issue?) and flat battery condition

Per technician: battery checks out good. Found software non-current. Updated software.

Check rear brake pedal play: too much play?

"Feels normal" per technician

Gear shifter sticks in 1st position

Technician thinks it’s part of normal break-in


Tax: $257.60
Total: $3,594.54


Additional parts and accessories for "Americas Trip"

2 ea. Headlight bulb, H7 #63-12-8-361-289 $$16.20
2 ea. Bulb, 12V10W #07-50-9-063-575 $2.22
1 ea. Bulb, Long Last #63-21-6-922-174 $2.70
1 ea. Spanner #71-11-1-112-893 $3.26
1 ea. Wrench #71-11-7-667-641 $8.71
1 ea. Wrench #07-11-9-999-117 $3.50
1 ea. Clutch lever #32-72-7-691-637 $33.53*
1 ea. Brake lever #32-72-7-691-636 $33.53*
1 ea. Mirror #51-16-7-667-717 $29.48*
1 ea. Shift lever #23-41-7-670-378 $63.00
2 ea. Air filter #13-71-7-672-552 $27.72
1 ea. Cover #11-12-7-677-368 $2.48
1 ea. O-ring, oil filler #07-11-9-904-950
1 ea. Oil filter #11-42-7-673-541 $10.13
2 ea. Spark plugs #12-12-7-677-560 $15.36
1 ea. BMW tire repair kit (spare) #71-11-2-332-083 $20.25
1 pk. Valve templates, 0.10mm #07135122 $2.99
1 pk. Valve templates, 0.20mm #07135124 $2.99
1 ea. M/C jumper cables #11095 $17.31
1 ea. BMW brake fluid, 12 oz. #81-22-0-142-156 $2.79
1 ea. BMW hypoid gear oil #07-51-1-467-611 $4.39
1 ea. Airman travel pump $27.00
1 ea. Tire tube, 19" $6.85
1 ea. Tire tube, 17" $6.85
1 ea. BMW charging device #71-60-7-688-865 $103.50
4 qt. BMW 10W40 engine oil #07-51-1-467-607 $11.44

Tax: $44.46
Total parts and accessories: $568.31

(Parts, accessory and supply prices reflect 10% discount.)

*Items returned to BMW of San Francisco for full credit following trip.

3,365 miles

BMW of San Francisco

Oil change

Removed "Syntec" synthetic oil, replaced with BMW 10W40 engine oil. The bike had been using excess oil, I thought: about a quart every thousand miles. I was told that, until the rings properly seat, this oil consumption is not unusual.

Having misunderstood the mechanic's recommendation, I had mistakenly topped off the engine with about two quarts of "Syntec" 20w50.

1 ea. Oil Filter #11-42-7-673-541 $10.13
1 ea. Crush washer $0.40
4 qt. BMW 10W40 engine oil (4 @ $3.50) $14.00

Labor: $49.00
Waste: $2.00
Tax: $2.09

Total: $77.62

2,600 miles

Santa Rosa, California

Dead battery

Trying to start the bike in the morning, found battery was completely discharged. No obvious cause of the problem.

Removed battery and re-charged. Bike subsequently ran fine.

1,400 miles

Las Vegas, NV

Engine oil warning light on (three days after 600-mile service!)

Low one quart of oil. Added standard 10W40.

600 Miles

BMW of San Francisco

Perform 600-mile service

Cost: N/C (per sales agreement)

Read more.

17 miles

BMW of San Francisco

Purchased new 2005 BMW R1200GS

Serial #WB10317A15ZL76427, manufactured September 2004

Bike equipped with "Vario" right and left side panniers and "Vario" top box.

Total price: $18,609.63