As official BMW dealer in Cancun is said to be really bad I'm looking for someone to fix my bike in the close proximity.

To cut the story short I've been cruising around Mexico on my 1200gs and decided to have a service check at Mexico City dealer's. Looks like it was a serious mistake as now I have problems with my bike that I can't figure out myself. I'm near Cancun now and Cancun's dealer is said to be even worse

The symptoms are the following:

1. When cold engine stalls and I need to rev up the gas in order to keep the RPMs
2. When on the first gear stalls frequently, overall RPMs are not stable and it gets worse
3. I can feel that output/power is much worse on both ends and it gets worse
4. Sound has changed - before I had exaust "caugh" only when I close gas, now it is all the time like series of caughs
5. Clutch became more tight - it is hard to hold it on first gear
6. When I try to move slower than the first gear allows using clutch there is SERIOUS vibration and "helicopterish" sound, engine stalls sometimes as well

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On a relaxed LONG trip all over Latin America

ugh...I don't recognize those symptoms, and don't know of any mechanics down that way. I would definitely search on ADVRider for those symptoms, maybe it will help you diagnose, and as bad as they might be a trip to the Cancun dealer might be in order, it doesn't sound like they could screw up the bike more than Mexico city did. I see that you've posted in all the right fora, hopefully you can make it to Cancun and wait a day or two for responses while you chill out on the beach!

Take it to the dealer and have them put it on the scope and contact Elena at Motorrad Mexico and see what the dealer did in Mexico City.

Comment: Now you know why some like to do their own service... you know what you did and should be able to undo it... no help there then...

Advice Now: Take it straight to the dealer. Even ring them up and book it in, so they know it is coming and what is wrong and can set time and expert aside for it. Then don't leave the area for a few days - test it and be prepared to take it straight back and complain if it is not good to go... leads to more waiting. So get the bike sorted first - then go see the sights, do the washing, banking, eat, swim, walk etc.

Advice future. Most of what you want done is
a) oil and filter change. You should be able to do this yourself. Very easy.

b) Valve adjustment. Bit more difficult, but again with some initial guide you should be able to do this yourself.

c) The rest is not frequently required! So I'd leave it alone until you come to a 'good dealer' and a place you will spend some time at (see the above 'advice now'). While a dealer will do it to keep things optimum, there is not usually that much change! After say 2 or 3 intervals you might notice a decrease in mileage/performance... but it in not worth the risk at an 'unknown dealer' who does not think you are coming back .

Veter , take a deep breath and calm down everybody

The symptoms you describe rang a bell when I read them last night
So, I went home and spoke to my brother who also owns a BMW GS 1200 since
new .
Last summer his bike also began running very poorly, refused to idle
normally, spitting and coughing , lack of power .
He resolved the problem alone without dealer intervention by the
simple expedient of BUYING AND INSTALLING
BRAND NEW SPARK PLUGS
He had been running a set of spark plugs for thousands of km
beyond the recommended replacement distance .
The BMW ignition system is now very sophisticated using a single
wire for all communication . When the spark plugs begin to wear out
their signals start to confuse the control computer. If you begin slipping
the clutch it adds to that confusion .

Your best bet is to go to the Cancun BMW dealer and buy a set of spark
plugs . This is the first thing the dealer would change anyway .
Your bike has dual plug heads so you need FOUR plugs.
BMW is really snooty about the plugs and you can only buy the
specified plugs Bosch RL5 LDE from BMW .
They are high priced "irridium " plugs with a very fine central electrode
and two side electrodes . Expect to pay around $80 for a set !
They are not sold at autoparts stores .
There is also an equivalent plug by NGK. the DCPR 8EKC also sold
only by BMW dealers
A third alternative is available from autoparts stores , by
NGK , the DCPR8 E IX . In this last example the IX can be
read as "nine" a heat range .
That DCPR8EIX. like the others is an "iridium " plug but
it has a single center electrode and a single side electrode
This is the set my brother put in and the bike was transformed
running normally ,as new.
If you do not trust the BMW dealer just obtain the Plugsand change
them yourself or go to a small Italika repair shop and let them help you
The most difficult part of the job will be removing the rubber
spark plug covers.
It is too easy to blame the last mechanic who may have touched your bike weeks
ago for your current problems .All bikes , even BMWs eventually wear
out parts.������
Did the Mexico City BMW dealer actually install new plugs? If so were they
of the spec iridium type or conventional plugs ?check your bills and notes which you
of course made in your little record of maintenance.
Do let us know how all this turns out .Buena suerte

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http://advrider.com/index.php?thread....207964/page-5 then scroll down to post #93

The other thing I though of last night...

Check the throttle cables ... where it splits into two cables, has one of those cables been 'unseated' from its correct position? With the luggage and travel we all do things we wouldn't do normally... so that is another possibility. Usually leads to rough running particularly at low engine speeds.

----------------------- Edit
End this thread - he has a lot more stuff over on
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=851737

Thank you everyone for your advice and support!

Sjoerd, the dealer in Mexico City didn't change spark plugs. I have the spare and will try to install them today, we will see how it works out

Warin, I already checked the cables, they are not the issue here

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On a relaxed LONG trip all over Latin America

Installed brand new spark plugs, nothing changed. I will take the bike to Cancun dealer's today

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On a relaxed LONG trip all over Latin America

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http://advrider.com/index.php?thread....207964/page-5 then scroll down to post #93

did the problem get solved? sounded like a clogged up airfilter, or bad gas witch cloggs up your fuelfilter.

I think it was a bad clutch, maybe he'll see this and provide more detail.

Yeah it was a bad clutch and fuel controller

Motomundo,

But you worked on my bike 3 weeks ago and rode it with good clutch already

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On a relaxed LONG trip all over Latin America

Veter, did you keep the old fuel pump controller? If you did, you can easily build a plug and play emergency fuel pump controller bypass cable with those parts. Simple to do, I can PM you the details if you like.
My fuel pump controller quit on me when I was a long way from home in the mountains one day, I did the Tim Cullis method of splicing the wires to get home. Worked great! I then made my own bypass cable that works with the ignition (the Burns cable that is sold has to be disconnected when you turn off your ignition or the pump will keep running) and is ready for if my new controller fails or someone else has the same problem.
The BMW fuel pump controllers are famous for failing. They never admitted the engineering fault and yet they did a redesign of it, if you have one that is powdercoated black, that is the updated and upgraded version.
The old gray/silver ones were the originals.

Mike,

Thanks for the info! I didn't keep it however, because I have more than 100 kgs of luggage so far and I don't have any incentive to add up even a gram

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On a relaxed LONG trip all over Latin America

Oh its you alex, hahahahahahahaha. send me some from colombia, cheers