BMW GS Update

Checkswrecks

Ungenear to broked stuff
Staff member
Global Moderator
2011 Site Supporter
Joined
Mar 7, 2011
Messages
11,489
Location
Damascus, MD
other options is just that , damn thing started up this evening …. WOT for the tenth try ..... and as for washing the bike , maybe once in 7 years .... I just normally use a damp rag and wipe it down …. just weird that it acted this way , never done this before.... had the recall harness done before moab trip and the bike runs and sounds different , but no starting issues till I tried Friday …. and as for a new bike , I still like my tenere …. got a lot of life left in her , but could decide to get a new machine at some point …. maybe some bad gas at last fill up (hope that's it cause it will go away ) I will play with it tomorrow see if it starts normally … it is not the miles on it , but it is a 12 model so age may be at play here. 8 years old by model ,I bought it new and have had it for 7 plus years , how long do I need to keep it before I can consider other "bike ' options . I just wanted it to start and that was the other options I was looking for . buying a new bike always fun , and Yamaha hasn't stepped up with an improved model , every other bike I might look at is from Europe …..
Getting a lot of thread drift here . . .

Forgot that you have a Gen1; hard start was a definite problem with some of them which ended with the release of the Gen2 bikes five years ago. Feel for your frustration.

Here's the thread about updating the Tenere: https://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?threads/new-model.27102/page-2

There are many about hard starts, including as the third pin down in this sub-forum: https://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?forums/power-exh.78/
 
Last edited:

Madhatter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2013
Messages
3,846
Location
buda texas
started started normally today …… what ever it was seemed to have cleared out , for now any way... just so every one knows I appreciate everyone who commented , even when pulling my chain. cant ride till I replace rear rotor any way .
 

Tenman

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2013
Messages
2,102
Location
Natchez Ms USA
This thread gave me a hard start today. I grinded wfo for a while and gave up. Came back a few hours and repeated. Nothing. Couldn't smell any gas. I got my tools to check my plugs and decided to give it one more try. I started cranking with the throttle closed this time and rolled it open while grinding. It immediately roared to life. WEird.
 

Madhatter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2013
Messages
3,846
Location
buda texas
I think we have hi-jacked this thread …… BMW makes great motorcycles , but they seem to be a bit less reliable than they could be ..... one hopes BMW would improve on this …. taking a peek on their forum or those on adv rider , seems they still have a few issues at time.... BMW invented this style of motorcycle , and we enjoy a great bike because of them ….. hope to test ride one someday soon , then I will no what the truth is .
 

Goldwing

Active Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2012
Messages
345
Location
Lindenhurst, NY
Well, pretty much the end of our riding season in NY and have put 3000 miles on my GS.

Still love the bike, even more now, and have no regrets or issues. The only very some dig is, I wish the heated grips had three positions rather than two. This is really picky I know but that would be the only thing I would improve.

I have ridden my GS more in one season than I did my S10 in four years of ownership!! I have ridden it even more than my Goldwing..........
 

yoyo

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2016
Messages
915
Location
Swansea UK
Goldwing , keep up the reports , interesting to see how it goes for you.
Same here, as much as I hear horror stories of reliability issues I'm still drawn to one. My very understanding other half even suggested getting one on PCP (like leasing) and keeping the S10 just in case!

Sent from my ELE-L29 using Tapatalk
 

Checkswrecks

Ungenear to broked stuff
Staff member
Global Moderator
2011 Site Supporter
Joined
Mar 7, 2011
Messages
11,489
Location
Damascus, MD
Well, pretty much the end of our riding season in NY and have put 3000 miles on my GS.

Still love the bike, even more now, and have no regrets or issues. The only very some dig is, I wish the heated grips had three positions rather than two. This is really picky I know but that would be the only thing I would improve.

I have ridden my GS more in one season than I did my S10 in four years of ownership!! I have ridden it even more than my Goldwing..........
3,000 miles? No wonder it's so reliable. If you don't ride it won't break.
[j/k]
:p
 

bmac

Active Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2012
Messages
284
Location
Florida, Wisconsin
Well, pretty much the end of our riding season in NY and have put 3000 miles on my GS.

Still love the bike, even more now, and have no regrets or issues. The only very some dig is, I wish the heated grips had three positions rather than two. This is really picky I know but that would be the only thing I would improve.

I have ridden my GS more in one season than I did my S10 in four years of ownership!! I have ridden it even more than my Goldwing..........
I just commented to a fellow 1250GS owner about the 2 position heated grips. It desperately needs a middle position. I find low too low and high too high. The system on the Super Tenere is much better with 3 positions that the rider can fine tune. I wish the GS had that capability.

A little over 10k on mine with no issues. I like it more everyday. It is a fantastic all around bike.
 

Sierra1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
14,817
Location
Joshua TX
On the Beemer, I used to use the high position until it got where I wanted it. Then drop it to low. With gloves, it would keep my hand/fingers comfortable; of course that was in Texas "winters".
 
Last edited:

Cycledude

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2016
Messages
3,998
Location
Rib lake wi
i prefer the heated grip control on the 2018 over the 2013 but actually they both work fine, the 2013 dial makes it a little harder to adjust accurately while riding . 1-2 bars is what I mostly use On the 2018.
 
B

ballisticexchris

Guest
The 1250GS, which is what I have, only has high and low heat positions
Yet another reason I like the Super Tenere. My bike has 10 temperature settings with three sub settings. There are 30 different settings to get the grips just right.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

holligl

Find the road less traveled...
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Messages
2,212
Location
IL/AZ
Yet another reason I like the Super Tenere. My bike has 10 temperature settings with three sub settings. There are 30 different settings to get the grips just right.
My understanding is there are 10 levels, you pick from the 10 for the three presets.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
R

RonH

Guest
Neighbors K1600 that tipped over on grass still has not moved. At least one year, probably two. Grass probably broke things too severely to repair, but don't know. BMW possibly has a tip sensor or the like that disables starting after a tipover, only resettable by a dealer.
 

Goldwing

Active Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2012
Messages
345
Location
Lindenhurst, NY
The GS is so superior over the S10 in every way, the lack of more than two levels for heated grips is by far not a deal breaker. Just a nice to have.
 
Top