Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

Hi Arno, Ek stem saam dat dit slegte nuus is..........?? Maar dit is die eerste keer wat ek so 'n storie hoor. Is Speed Bike 'n BMW agent?? Het al baie van hulle gehoor maar nog nooit geweet hulle verkoop BM's nie. Op die positiewe kant kry hy ten minste 'n splinter nuwe enjin. Snaaks dat hy so lank gewag het vir 'n GSA, ek het al baie stories gehoor van mense wat baie viniger GSA's gekry het. Kom ons hoop dat sy teleurstelling nou iets van die verlede is.

Arno, BMW is going to be very effected by this type of incident. It hurts both BMW and the confidence of us customers. Be sure your friend approaches BMW in the correct mature way. I've seen several very vitriolic posts on the WilDogs Forum wrt to very negative reactions to their bad experience stories. Not all are from their "idiot fringe" (of which WDF has more than a few) but even some ill-advised posts from guys you'd expect to be rational. He should make formal complaint to BMW without publishing it to all n sundry and I'm sure BMW will give him peaceof mind like - a) reimburse him for his inconveniences and b) investigate why a local dealer could not supply a machine earlier. He is not a club member, which should not have pushed him that far down the queue. Keep us posted on the developments, but also an appeal to forum readers not to overeact etc unless you have all the facts. There's a bitter rider on the WDF who lost his brake servo pumps and the way he reacted publicly to BMW lost him any goodwill or support from all but the 'idiot fringe'. However this is of public interest as we are hearing stories of gear-box main bearings breaking up, of engine's that 'pink' and self-destruct through a software glitch and now a piston that drops out. Very worrying. So he phones BMW Motorrad roadside assist. They asked what's wrong and he explaIns. The service tech on the other side asks him. "Sir is that "PISSED AND BROKE" or PISTON BROKE?" Andyman Yup that's me. Standing up in the traffic on the 1150GSA.

Well said Andy. It must be difficult to remain calm in a situation as sketched above. Some time ago I had a BAD experience at a local computer company. The salestaff got the owner on the line for me - I politely (with grinding teeth) declined to talk to him and asked for his number. Once I calmed down and had all my facts neatly laid out I phoned him - a calm discussion followed. I got the apology I was looking for AND the issue was resolved in a few minutes. I find myself wondering about this spate of bad press. Yes, BM must definately clean house, but are there more "failures" lately, or does forums like these just help to make a small number of incidents look like a much bigger problem?

Andy, what you said is one reason why I have been so quiet lately, but it does not mean that I am very happy with my experiences (I had more), just happy with the good service from Shane at Atlantic Motorrad, without him to calm me down I won't have any hair left. BMW did nothing to help, the DEALER did.

Exactly William, You have shown great control over a very disturbing event. It is the power of your relationship. At the Nelson's Creek gathering I found myself in conversation with an 'expert' who was fed-up with all three dealers. He had being upset with one and moved to another and ity was only a matter of a few years before he had no dealers left and was generally pissied off with all three. Unfortunately, he had mouthed off aloud a few times too often and found neither very sympathetic to him. I have stayed with one dealer only since 1997, purely to build a solid relationship. and it has paid dividends many times over. Yes, we've had our fights, but we've worked through them and I am proud to have "my own mechanic" who knows my bike, me and can read my riding style from the wear n tear and the software downloads. He gives me meaningfull feedback. I maintain the very best relations with all three . and that is out of sheer pleasure. I find then all very great teams and what I enjoy most is popping in every now n again just to say Hi and catch up. I have always felt like family at either of the three and I don't get drawn into discussion on how either operate, and gladly neither do they. As for BMW SA, they are at arms length to you and I so it falls to our good relationships with our dealer to "make things work" The dealer in his turn makes the BMW SA thing tick over on our behalf. I too have a large ticket item go PHHHUTT at only 50oookm, but I'm leaving it in the good hands of my dealer to look after me. I feel confident they will do what can be done and better than I can in the long run. Andyman Yup that's me. Standing up in the traffic on the 1150GSA.

Geoff, Ja, Speed Bike in Bloemfontein en Klerksdorp is Motorrad agente. Hy was wel op die waglys vanaf Mei, en die nuus dat hy eers die fiets Januarie 2008 kan kry, het hom laat rondkyk. Andy, moenie bekommerd wees nie, ek het nie probeer om iemand sleg te sê nie. Jy sal sien dat daar selfs 'n kompliment in my "post" voorkom. Ek wou maar net inligting deurgee, want ek self sou graag wou geweet het as daar sulke gerugte is oor die fiets wat ek ry. Het gedink daar sal ander wees wat ook belangstel om te weet.

Hello William and fellow riders, Phew! that is disturbing news indeed. I have been mulling this incident in my mind for about 24 or so hours now and asked myself "how I would react".Please bear in mind that the 1200 is a leasure item and therefore am not dependent on the thing for business. I do agree with all the above and commend the words of wisdom. These B M W's are a mechanical item made up from a sum of parts sourced from a variety of suppliers around the world. Any item can fail at any given time despite having gone through a quality control check. And when that happens it's a case of: Then the fit hits the shan. The electronics of course is a thing of wizardy which very few of us really understand and when it fails you know where the finger is don't you.What's that song? "these boots are made for walkin!is that it? The software? B M Trouble-U must surely be aware of the problems, should this not have been upgraded during the PRE-DELIVERY service? In the above instances (and my own) where would you have been if the bike was of a different manafacture? would you have had to make the arrangements to get the bike to the selling dealer? Organising your wife or a buddy with a trailer to travel 400 or 500 Km's to fetch you and then return home? meanwhile you are standing in the pouring rain @ 2Deg.C. The BMW on call saved me, some time later sure BUT Jean and I were not left stranded. 10/10. To this day I am grateful to the organisation! The tech on the other side, my experience, I chatted to the rescuing mechanic who was then in a position to react to the situation. The big thing is HOW will BMW react to your problem and rectify it! NO new motor, forget it,new bike! and a 2 week holiday in the Camores. All the other bike manafacturers have had manafacturing glitches and survived and so will BMTrouble-u. Bum in the saddle, always.

Hi Guys, In conclusion to the above note, Service and parts availability is possibiley the most important factor when purchasing a unit of any description. You could well have the best item but no service and parts will leave you lost in the woods. How often have you heard the comment "parts on the way from X Y Z country is now 3 months of waiting time". No bum in the saddle. Bum in the saddle, always.

Cheezy, my brother in law bought a "grey" Honda. Something inside the engine went on early retirement. :( The local shops laughed and said they do not stock parts for grey bikes. It took 26 months, MONTHS not DAYS, before the bike started again. He had to pay each time that wrong parts were delivered. Surely any distributor, even BMW, can improve. But I am happy with the service I have experience - thus far, touch wood.

Hey Padlangs, I just love my BM GS it's darem a lekker ding, The service I have received through the years (I have been riding these things since 1979) has been brilliant. Tx to the boys @ Atlantic. To those of you that know Jeannette ask her this question " If you said to Cheesy It's me or the bike what would the answer be? "Start packing girl" But I am fortunate in that Mean Jean also loves biking any where any time any weather. Bum in the saddle, always.

This is the P.S. Furthermore I have a 1966 R 50 and I can still get any part I need to the thing within a few days. Hey Guys try and pull that stunt on any of the other manafacturers. Bum in the saddle, always.

Ek is die person wat Arna in sy comment na verwys. Ek post hierdie comment nie met die doel om BMW, enige van hul produkte of enige van hul werknemers in ‘n swak lig te stel nie. Ek het my 1200 Advanture op 13 Maart 2007 by ‘n Wes-Kaapse BMW handelaar bestel. Nadat hulle uiteidelik my meegedeel het dat ek nie my fiets voor die einde November of dalk selfs volgende jaar te wagte moet wees nie het ek begin rondbel. Miekie van der Westhuizen van Speedbike op Klerksdorp – ‘n erkende BMW Handelaar - het vir my ‘n fiets kon voorsien. Gevolglik het ek verlede Vrydag JHB toe gevlieg om die fiets te gaan haal. Miekie het great diens gelewer en selfs Vrydagaand die fiets vir my in Potch afgelewer. Saterdagoggend het ek in volmaakte bikerweer uit Potch gery. My plan was om Saterdagaand by my broer in die Karoo oor te slaap. Die eerste 200km het ek nie oor 100km/h gery nie en ek het ook voortdurend my spoed gewissel sonder om stremming op die enjin te plaas. My doel was om die enjin goed warm en los te maak. Om dit oor so ‘n lang afstand in te ry is nie noodwendig die beste ding vir ‘n fiets nie!! Vanaf omtrent Warrenton het ek die spoed begin vermeerder, maar nooit oor 130km/h gery nie. Sowat 30km vanaf Britstown het ek net krag op die fiets begin verloor. Toe ek by Britstown oor die treinbrug ry het die enjin uitgesny en ek moes die fiets stoot tot by die naaste garage. Gelukkig vir BMW is daar nie baie mense op straat in Britstown op ‘n Saterdagnamiddag nie en is die company nie blootgestel aan te veel negatiewe publisiteit nie! BMW se roadside assistance was great. Hulle het die BMW terug Kimberley toe ge-recover en vir my ‘n Avis motor laat kry. Die wêreldbeker eindstryd saam met die locals op Britstown is iets wat ek tot die einde van dae sal onthou. Maandag het BMW uit Kimberley my gekontak. Die fiets se enjin het gegroet – klaarblyklik het een van sy pistons gegaan. Dieselfde dag het BMW my nog gekontak met ‘n aanduiding dat hulle vir my ‘n nuwe fiets gaan lewer. Gevolglik begin my wag nou weer van voor af! Ek is nie seker wat die gemiddelde wagtyd vir nuwe kliënte by BMW is nie. Ek het begrip daarvoor dat BMW se eerste prioriteit is om na hul bestaande kliënte om te sien. My vraag is egter hoe lank die gemiddelde wagtyd vir nuwe kliënte by BMW is. As dit ‘n jaar is, dan het ek niks om oor te kla nie. As dit minder as ‘n jaar is, het ek rede om ongemaklik te raak?

Hello LMG Die aangeleentheid is al om baie kamp vure bespreek. Ek stem nie noodwendig saam met die volgende feite nie - maar hier is dit (soos ek dit verstaan). Daar is drie rol speler en dan die klient. BMW Duitsland besluit hoeveel fietse per jaar (van elke reeks) vervaardig gaan word. Hulle besluit ook hoeveel na elke deel van die wereld gestuur gaan word. Ons (die kliente) is totaal uitgelewer aan die duitsers se besluite. BMW Suid Afrika is ongelukkig nie veel meer as n middel-ganger tussen Duitsland en die klient nie. MAAR hulle besluit skynbaar hoe die fietse in Suid Afrika opgedeel word. Ons sal waarskynlik nooit uitvind watter wiskundige model gebruik word (lees, strooitjies trek) om te besluit hoe die fietse uitgereik word in SA nie. Dit wil wel blyk dat die Weskaap se "kwota" uitverkoop was toe jy bestel het. Ek kan my glad nie voorstel hoe dit moet voel om n handelaar te wees nie - jy het n klient, daar is fietse in die land, maar "hulle" se^ dat jy eers oor soveel maande weer kan kry om te verkoop. Laastens is daar die plaaslike handelaars. As hulle n fiets kan kry sal hulle beslis help. Soos jy al op die forum gesien het, die meeste van ons is baie tevrede met die na-verkope diens wat ons hier rond kry. Ek kon laas ook nie my 650 hier rond kry nie - het dit uiteindelik in Kimberley op gespoor. So ja ek weet hoe jy voel, of moet ek liewer se^ hoe jy gevoel het toe jy in fiets daar "bo" kon kry maar hier is nie plaaslik beskikbaar nie. Nou vir n bietjie goeie nuus! Dit is nie dat daar nie fietse in die land is nie - slegs die plaaslike kwota wat uitverkoop is. Dit is dus heel moontlik dat daar baie gou n fiets beskikbaar gemaak sal word vir jou - of so hoop ek.

Net om ook 'n woordjie by te las. Ek het op 20 April vanjaar my R1200GSA bestel by Donford op Stellenbosch. Ek het die "non-standard" model gekies in silwer = sonder die ABS en "heated grips". Donford het rondgesoek maar kon slegs die "full-house" weergawe vir my opspoor elders in die land (en dit was 'n witte). Die gevolg was dat my unieke GSA spesiaal vir my in Duitsland gebou moes word... Ek het my klaargemaak vir BAIE lank wag. Groot was my verbasing egter toe ek na slegs 8 weke voorsien is van 'n raamnommer uit Duitsland toe my fiets "gebore" is op die monteerband. In opsomming = presies 14 weke (3,5 maande) later is my spesiale "non-standard" Adventure afgelewer, kompleet met topbox en panniers. Nogmaals BAIE dankie aan John Carr en Donford. Wys jou, dit kan gedoen word...uit Duitsland. Jy hoef nie 12 maande te wag nie. Naskrif: Die Adventure is my 3-de BMW (so, om in die familie te wees help dalk..)

LMG, jy sou mos verlede Vrydag jou vervangings fiets gekry het soos BMW beloof het. Wat het toe gebeur, het hulle hulle belofte nagekom? Ek wil weet wanneer gaan ry ons?

Jammer Pieter, die handelaar wat my fiets moes lewer het ongelukkig verskeie beloftes die afgelope aantal weke teenoor my nie nagekom nie. Ek is gatvol vir hom en ek glo hy ook vir my. Na prokureursbriewe etc die afgelope week is die belofte dat dit komende Maandag afgelewer sal word. Ek hou duim vas, maar koester nie hoe verwagtings nie.

LMG, Ons hou maar duim vas vir jou ou maat, Remember, every bad begining has a good ending. Bum in the saddle, always.

Is dit nou die Klerksdorp handelaar? Help dit nie om BMW SA se klientediens self te skakel nie? Ek het met ander vervaardigers op so manier al baie goeie samewerking gekry. Sterkte, laat weet ons Maandag of jy hom gekry het.

Ek het vanmiddag my eerste 100km op die GSA gesit - my fiets is vanoggend 10h00 deur BMW by my huis afgelewer! What an amazing experience. Die wag was uit-en-uit die moeite werd. Vlg naweek vat ek die lang pad Karoo toe. Vroulief is meer entoesiaties as ek - en dit tel baie punte!!!!

WOW Wonderlik, gaan jy Wupertahl toe?

LMG, Congrats & may your mirrors never thouch the ground. I wish you many miles of smiles. Bum in the saddle, always.