The mighty K refuses to start!!!

[chriscanning]

In fairness to Clarks they have just been taken over by the Blade group who ever they are and there in the process of of having new diagnostics put in and when I take mine in offered me a bike to use which declined my post was more about running more than one bike God knows how much hassle it's saved me over the years.

We have even had a bike break down in Dover RAC have turned up with a breakdown truck and rental car to get home and the following morning been back in Dover with another a bike on the way to Monza.

What is interesting we have trip in September to the Bol but that has become more complicated because we are now going else where before hand and all my logic and experience tell to go on the Tiger because I have never trusted my K and this latest episode confirms that riding around the UK and having a problem is a hassle but when you get the other side of the channel another ball game.

[Phmode]

When Warren, ('Roboduck' on the old site) had his breakdown in the Alps en-route to Greece in 2013, BMW Assist did almost everything it could to cock up the rest of their holiday, not that it was the Assist service's fault.

BMW said it couldn't get a new water pump for ten days!
BMW provided a hire car!
Warren does not have a car licence, never has had!
Mrs Warren did have a car licence, and a badly sprained right wrist!
Mrs Warren had never driven on the wrong side of the road before!
Mrs Warren had never driven a manual car (except during her test a million years previously)!
Mrs Warren gets ready to drive to Italy to catch the ferry to Greece (on the wrong side of the road with Warren changing gear for her when she remembered to tell him to and when he remembered how)!
BMW then point out that the hire car cannot be taken on the ferry to Greece!
Warren and Chris spend their Greek Odyssey in Italy and Switzerland (where they had been a million times before) rather than in Greece where they hadn't, badgering BMW about their broken bike!

C'est la vie!

Brian (who is sure other things could have gone wrong but isn't sure what  )

[kennyc]

a couple of years ago the final drive on my RT collapsed in Switzerland, no BMW assist on a 15 yr old bike  ~I did have recovery through Carol Nash, and they advised me to take the bike to the nearest main dealer, I got about half way before the bearing got so bad that there was noises from the rear and skipping of the back end 
Carol Nash via the AA managed to get a recovery truck to me in good time, and took me to the dealer.
then it all went pear shaped, I rang the dealer the next day to be told they couldn't look at it for at least a week and that parts would take several days after that! 
another few phone calls to the AA, and a little bit of negotiation meant that they recovered the bike back to my Hotel and agreed to cover the return trip if I repaired the bike, 2 days later the bike was on the road after I had the parts fed-exed from Motorworks, and Kenny was off home 
sometimes shit happens, and in the end sometimes you have to sort it out yourself.
of course if this happens with the K1200 they can repatriate its ass home I'm not going to try wrestling with electrical tomfoolery on holiday   

[chriscanning]

At the risk of appearing thick what do you mean by CN covered the cost of the trip home if you repaired it??

[kennyc]

At the risk of appearing thick what do you mean by CN covered the cost of the trip home if you repaired it??

sorry my bad, the AA agreed to provide the same breakdown cover for the return trip, something they technically didn't have to as they had already recovered the bike twice (once to the dealers and once from the dealers to my hotel) this was something I had to "negotiate" as it was outside their normal SOP
they did pay an amount towards the extra hotel nights cost, although the tight gits wouldn't pay for the extra ferry ticket needed because I had missed my return. in the end I was reassured by the fact that when I needed it there was help at the end of a phone.
(I also got to beat 7 bells out of my FD bearing and nothing beats the feeling of relief to be back on the road again )

[Phmode]

I'm intrigued to know what tools you had with you to allow the changing of final drive bearings 

Brian (who tends to carry a full BMW workshop, spares store and senior tech with him when outside the UK but isn't sure even that would suffice  )

[kennyc]

I'm intrigued to know what tools you had with you to allow the changing of final drive bearings 

Brian (who tends to carry a full BMW workshop, spares store and senior tech with him when outside the UK but isn't sure even that would suffice  )

I had to borrow, a hammer, 2 cold chisels and a 7mm allen key, everything else was in the standard tool kit, although I did cheat and used a mongo sized blowtorch to heat the bearing to get it on (the Steptoe guide suggests leaving the bearing on the exhaust headers with the engine ticking over )

[kennyc]

[alaskier]

'Evening all,

I have read this thread with concern. Are both handlebar switch clusters, right and left, subject to a recall? I had to replace the left hand cluster last January for which my dealer charged me about £350. Also, my dealer tells me that I am completely up to date on all recalls and that the wheel flange for my 2011 K1300GT is not subject to a recall. Earlier K1300GTs apparently but not mine.

The bike is in for a service a week next Friday so if anyone has proof of these recalls I would be very grateful.

To clarify, Cooper's have always been very good in the past about recalls, doing them during services as and when they occur so I am intrigued to know why they said nothing about my switch then told me I do not need the replacement flange!! Have I done something to offend them??


Cheers all,
Tony

[Phmode]

If you complain about the switchgear failing then they 'must' be swapped foc! So, if nothing has gone wrong they won't do anything.

I would speak to the dealer principal (head honcho) and express concern about being charged for the switchgear if it is covered by the 'not a recall because BMW almost never do recalls' thingummy.

If your bike is covered and they don't refund, go to BMW cust services.

Brian (who thinks it all depends on the dealer snd their attitude)

[Steve F]

Hi Tony,

Not so much a recall, more a case of whinging and moaning constructively at the dealer who services your bike, and, if you have a BMW Isured Warranty, then this will add significant weight to the case for having switchgear replaced at BMW UK expense. My LH switchgear failed approx 2 yrs ago and was replaced under a goodwill via Lovetts in Bristol (of whom I regularly use for servicing etc). However, as time has gone on, more and more of these cursed switchgear clusters have failed on UK (and rest of world) K bikes, and it appears that BMW UK are now obliging with stumping up for replacement switchgear cluster units, both sides as and when they fail. Therefore, you'd do well to discuss this with Coopers citing forums that back this up if they play ignorant, which should be unlikely. Good luck with your retrospective claim for the £350 you paid out. Let us know how you get on.

[frosty]

Since I have had mine I have had various switch failures .If I remember its 5 left hand and 2 right hand .All replaced FOC by CW Motorcycles in Dorchester. The last failure was about this time last year when the info button stopped working . That  time both sides were replaced (again FOC ) by what I was told were a new design of switch . So far so good but I bet that's put the curse on them now  . By the way , I have the extended warranty , of which I have without a doubt had my moneys worth . But that's several more stories for another time .
 Never had to whinge or moan with the folk in Dorchester either.

[Steve F]

B. Hell!! Total of seven switch clusters changed!! For info, what year's your K13GT and over what sort of timescale and frequency were your numerous switchgear units changed. I recall Tim (Box) saying previously that there was definitely a more positive feel to the latest switchgear operation, in this case the LH wrt to the indicator switch. I certainly noticed that was the case when my LH switchgear was changed. So, it'll be interesting to see if there's any obvious different 'feel' to the RH unit when I collect my bike tomorrow!

[frosty]

its a 09 .  Failures were on  indicators , high beam , heated grips, info button  .. Just about every thing except the start button . One time I took it in for replacement left side ( indicator switch ) and the replacement failed before I got back home . All of 7 miles ..  Would agree the "new" indicator switch is much more positive and almost "clicks " when you use it

[kennyc]

are these new switch cluster, with the Japanese style indicator switches better than the older BMW style indicator switch units ? or did they also suffer problems (can't see the need to change systems myself)