Has BMW worked the bugs out of the 800 by now?

[Ducksbane]

Originally Posted by Snowy

Yes, I'm in one of "those" moods.

My son worked in a KTM dealer and when I asked him he said "I call bullshit. If it's been a problem that long I would have got at least one with the number we sold, or at least someone would have had a sook about the possibility of it happening".

So there you have it.

Maybe the owners just ride them "real hard core"? Or maybe it's another internet myth? Who knows? Who cares?

Doesn't fix my BMW now...does it?

If it's a myth it's a profitable one for the Black Dog Cycle Works .... http://blackdogcw.com/black-dog-shop...90-detail.html

Not that I'm knocking the KTM really, they're great bikes and could be just what you want. I briefly fell in love with a 2007 model once, but after a while I just couldn't take the fueling anymore and eventually couldn't wait to give it back. Unlike the side stand location I have heard they've fixed this now.

My 2008 F800GS hasn't been trouble free ... I had most of the issues ... leaking water pump hose, leaking cam cover gasket, rear wheel bearings, etc .... but I must have had a good dealer because I got everyone of those things fixed for nothing and the updated parts seem to do the job. Since my warranty ran out I don't think I have had any problems at all. Few models of bike are completely trouble free, despite what their owners say ... KLR650 Doohickey, Suzuki DR650 exploding third gear. The most unreliable bike I ever owned was a KLR 600 which had an exploding engine/ gear box and a broken frame among other things.

So, to be fair to BMW, I think they have addressed most of the issues with the F800GS. If you want to ride them hard off road you do need to do something with the suspension, including perhaps an Indy Unlimited top shock bolt kit. I was hoping for the new model to be an F900GS with upgraded suspension, but I guess not. As I now have an adventurised XChallenge (which has kindly donated its fork cartridges to the 800) I might trade my 800 for something more road orientated anyway ... head says Triumph Tiger Explorer, heart says MultiStrada ! (having experienced the power (and the glory!) I can't quite get it out of my head ! )

[Stealth Rider]

My main concerns with the F650GS, the F800GS, and likely the new F700GS are these.

1.) Poor quality fuel injectors / Fuel Pump.

2.) Improperly toleranced rear hubs leading to repeated premature bearing failure.

I wonder if these issues have been positively addressed in the 2013 models?

[JRWooden]

Originally Posted by Stealth Rider

My main concerns with the F650GS, the F800GS, and likely the new F700GS are these.

1.) Poor quality fuel injectors.

2.) Improperly toleranced rear hubs leading to repeated premature bearing failure.

I wonder if these issues have been positively addressed in the 2013 models?

1) No clue on the fuel injectors/fuel pump ... I wish I did know more there ...

2) I am 99% sure that the rear hub problem was ONLY on the spoked rims (so F658GS and F700GS) unaffected.
It is also my understanding that the tolerance problem has been resolved, but I could be wrong on that ...

[itsatdm]

Originally Posted by Stealth Rider

My main concerns with the F650GS, the F800GS, and likely the new F700GS are these.

1.) Poor quality fuel injectors.

2.) Improperly toleranced rear hubs leading to repeated premature bearing failure.

I wonder if these issues have been positively addressed in the 2013 models?

1 What is so poor about the Bosch injectors? They are Bosch EV14 compact type. Used in a lot of vehicles. An off the shelf item. Injectors are pretty simple, this is new and improved with 7 orifices instead of 1 or 4. That makes the individual holes smaller. Don't run crap gas or use an injector cleaner and you should not have a problem.

2. I suspect the first batch of of wheel hubs had some constricted bores. Probably a worn boring tool at the supplier. Reports of bad bearings come and go. BMW seem to change bearing suppliers and is lackadaisical about how much grease is in them. When I changed my tire the first time I added more.

I should start a front axle is going break thread. BMW recalled 758 front axles in the US because they were too thin. I got one of those, they were on bikes made in July and August 2008. I am still surprised it is not all over the Internet. I guess not every owner belongs to ADV.

[ebrabaek]

It is not the injector's that are at fault. It is the corrosion of the fuel pump's aluminum parts....that flows down stream, and plugs the injectors.... But even that could be somehow triumphed, by pinging of the injectors at start up.... Morons at BMW could perhaps solve all this with a an update to the ecm that would do such..... But.....Nope.....

[Emmbeedee]

Originally Posted by Stealth Rider

My main concerns with the F650GS, the F800GS, and likely the new F700GS are these.

1.) Poor quality fuel injectors.

2.) Improperly toleranced rear hubs leading to repeated premature bearing failure.

I wonder if these issues have been positively addressed in the 2013 models?

My F800GS and my wife's F650GS twin are still on their original fuel injectors and wheel bearings, front and back... We have almost 80,000 kms on each bike, the 650 being a 2008, and the 800 is from '09.

[JRWooden]

Originally Posted by ebrabaek

It is not the injector's that are at fault. It is the corrosion of the fuel pump's aluminum parts....that flows down stream, and plugs the injectors.... But even that could be somehow triumphed, by pinging of the injectors at start up.... Morons at BMW could perhaps solve all this with a an update to the ecm that would do such..... But.....Nope.....

Joel also said that the injectors are run at reduced voltage ....

[itsatdm]

The injectors can be run up to 16 volts and they run about 9 to keep the noise down.

I suspect at 12 volts there would be a thread about "whats that clicking noise" Oh wait, we have one of those.

[MikeMike]

I've seen and have pics of an F658 with an early 09 build date where the rear wheel bearings were totally FUBAR and they came apart in many pieces when the wheel was removed.

The entire fuel system on the F bikes has had issues with the high ethanol fuels, there are posts on other forums about people being told by local dealers they'll need to run a chemical.

I have a feeling that with the new alternators and what appear to be a few other changes more than cosmetic, the newer F bikes will have far fewer teething problems. It is amazing to me that BMW would release a bike with the quantity of issues and "campaigns" as the original F models. They wouldn't think about marketing a car with these issues.

[ebrabaek]

Originally Posted by JRWooden

Joel also said that the injectors are run at reduced voltage ....

Correct..... But that is not the fault..... as they work fine at the reduced setting...... Less noisy.... etc... But they should ping at each start up, as so many other bikes do.That would fix soooooo many stuck injectors.

[Stealth Rider]

Originally Posted by Emmbeedee

My F800GS and my wife's F650GS twin are still on their original fuel injectors and wheel bearings, front and back... We have almost 80,000 kms on each bike, the 650 being a 2008, and the 800 is from '09.

Yeah, we've all read a few that actually have gone the distance, but that's not really issue or the question now is it? lol

[MikeMike]

That is quite an amazing feat by EmmBeeDee and the missus, considering the roads in Ottawa!

[PatrickM]

The Kalamatta colored F800GS has a lot more problems than the White or Blue ones that were released in 2013.

No one should get that color and instead should go after the typical Blue or White colors because of this. So far, many owners with the Kalamatta colored bikes have spent thousands on additional farkles to make the bike stand up to abuse and for customizations, in addition, they have a lot more miles and we know that mileage == wear, and wear increases the likelihood of failure.