Can you give us a short translation about what happened? (sorry, don't speak much German!

Was it 2 magazines testing (Motorrad and Tourenfahrer) ?
Did they do 3 different tests, 50K kms each? Or?

Which year/model GS was it? The 2014 LC version? (liquid cooled)
Jeez, I hope it wasn't that Japanese made transmission BMW are now using that replaced that Getrag one.

Good morning,

Thie magazines are testing and riding every new bike for 50.000 km and then write and give points for the good and bad things.
It was three different bikes failing. Two times the BMW 1200 GS at Tourenfahrer and Motorrad when it came out and now the brand new BMW 1200 GS LC at Motorrad Magazine.

At 44.000 km the journalist was riding on the highway when suddenly the transmission broke and parts of it went into the engine and destroyed it too. Cost: 7975,70 Euro + costs for the mechanic to change the engine.

http://www.motorradonline.de/dauerte...schaden/559102

They wrote the driver was lucky not to be killed and pointed out that this was nearly the same thing that also happened with the old model in 2005.

http://www.motorradonline.de/dauerte...1200-gs/104553

At the test of the Tourenfahrer, a valve was broken and destroyed the engine if this bike with less then 50.000 km:

http://www.tourenfahrer.de/index.php?id=639

BMW has some big quality problems. This is not me saying but the Magazins words, scince many also other BMW bikes failed the tets:

Motorschäden bei Dauertests - Motorrad-Dauertests - Dauertest-Zwischenbilanz: Motorschaden der Dauertest-BMW K 1300 GT - MOTORRAD

Dauertest BMW K 1200 RS (Motorschaden) - Motorrad-Dauertests - MOTORRAD

Bilanz nach 50 000 Kilometern - Motorrad-Dauertests - Dauertest BMW S 1000 RR: 50000 km mit dem BMW-Supersportler - MOTORRAD

The BMW F800 did not fail but had used up piston rings at 50.000 km wich is not good as well:

Geschafft - Motorrad-Dauertests - Dauertest-Abschlussbilanz BMW F 800 S - MOTORRAD

They also say it is conspicuous that things like this does not happen to the japanese motorbikes, who allways pass tests like this without any desasters. The onely japanese bike having engine problems in the tests the last years was a big 1600 Suzuki Choper dont find it right now.

"Auffällig ist auf jeden Fall, dass nach wie vor japanische Maschinen kaum von Desastern betroffen sind. Die Japaner waren immer schon vorn bezüglich Qualität und Verarbeitung, daran hat sich im Grundsatz nichts geändert. "

The BMW R1200 GS LC is only at place 18 in front of bikes who did finished the test without any problems, because it got 68 of 100 points for adjustable windscrean, electrical heated seat etc, while the expensive engine failure only was -5 points. Sam as a clutch cable would break or so.

The Honda Crosstourer and the big Triumph finished without real problems and are on Place 5 for Crosstourer and Place 4 Triumph and Yamaha Super Tenere on place 6. Best bike (of the ons you can still buy) at place one with 86 points is Honda CBR 600F, second place is Harley Davidson Road King and thirs place is Yamaha XJ6.

The magazine also tests good bikes again after a long time. They write how trustworthy the Transalps are and that this is cousing bad sleep at the mechanic workshops, because customers with a Transalp dont come:

Gebrauchte Honda Transalp richtig kaufen - Motorradtests - MOTORRAD

They also took apart a Honda Africa Twin after 260.000 km and complained that it was not rinning as new after more then 20 jears anymore but was still going:

Honda Africa Twin mit 265000 Kilometern - Motorradnachrichten - MOTORRAD

Thanks for the information!

wow! Three different bikes! ... all with problems? That is BAD for BMW!
We all have heard about BMW drive lines, shaft, bearings and such, but I thought the Boxer motor was solid. Friends I ride with on GS BMW's have had drive line/trans issues but no motor problems. WOW!

Have also heard of major problems with the F800 motors. But BMW are smart and move quickly to replace bad motors and keep things quiet.

I wonder if you remember the Motorrad project: "Alpentour" test? They used 15 to 20 different bikes, rode them all over the Alps for 3 weeks. The Suzuki DL650 Won the test walking away ... two years running. All good bikes in the test.

I read an English translation of the article, way back to mid 2000's or so? (2005 to 2007) I think the Wee Strom is the "New" Transalp!

Rumors now say Honda will do an ALL NEW Africa Twin. Intermot Milan show in November will let us know if rumor is true.