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Loose brake caliper upon dealer delivery

3K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  shook sez 
#1 ·
People, i need a bit of advice here. Just bought a used '98 K1200RS directly from BMW dealer. Drove 150 miles yesterday and needed to wash the bike today. Upon inspection i found:

1) The rear brake caliper was loose and i mean loose. I can turn the retaining bolts with my fingers!!!

2) Rear tire inflation is at 38 PSI and riders handbook says it should be 41 PSI. This could be tire specific (Bridgestone BT020, 170/60-ZR17M/C), but seems low to me.

I'm shocked and angry. I've been riding 120 mph+ and testing the ABS system at lower speeds etc while having loose brakes and low tire pressure.

I know the saying that no one cares about your bike more than you so i should maybe have checked these things right away. But surely you gotta trust the dealer... guess not.

I'm done ranting, but what do you guys think? Should i have a "quiet word" or should i go in all guns blazing? The way i'm feeling right now i'm going with the latter option.

Thor
 
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#2 ·
Tires pressure is no biggie, people run lower than that on the track. As for loose caliper bolts.. I'd read the dealer the riot act... Other than that tighten them up.. might also be a sensible thing to check lots of other fastners for correct torque.
 
#3 ·
Check the bike over.

Every time you bring it home from having someone else work on it.

Shit happens, if it keeps happening is the time to go in all guns a-blazin.

Me ?? I'd have a quiet word with the service manager at first.

I once had a front tire replaced on a Suzuki I owned. Went drag racing at the
local track a couple nights later. Rode the bike 20 miles or so to the track, raced all
night, rode 20 or so miles home.

Next morning I stop at a stop sign on the way to work, look down and see the axle
coming out of the wheel. Seems the guy that replaced my tire neglected to put the
cotter pin back in the nut to hold the axle in place and it worked it's way loose.

I fixed it all at work, stopped by to tell the guy what happened and didn't even get a
"jeez, Im sorry" from him.

Never went back to him after that.

Do my own tires now too. :)
 
#4 ·
When you got the bike had they done any service work? Even doing work yourself, one day you will make a similar mistake and wonder how it happened. That's why most safety components have 2 fixing bolts!

As you just got the bike I'd complain lack of confidence in any work done or selling the bike with such a serious defect. Sometimes Managers aren't aware of staff competence until somebody complains. By complaining, rather than just walk away, you could be saving somebody elses life, if the techs are sloppy.

At minimum, I'd request all the checks be re-done as for a new bike delivery and a report given to you. Most new bikes arrive crated, so wheels brakes and tyres are all fit and torque items. Tires as you were told aren't in the frame. How accurate is your tire guage? I think tyres are an item you must take ownership for from day 1.

The 'Dealer' can be any number of people: trainees, part/full qualified techs, managers, sales, admin. It all has to work with checks & balances delivering safe bikes - It's the Managers job to ensure service procedures are followed and executed properly by the techs.



 
#5 ·
Dealers make mistakes. I'll forgive them for being human. And I can't comment on European dealers but American dealers, especially car dealers, have in my experience been unable to fix the problem or fix the problem without creating other problems over half of the time's I've taken a vehicle to them. That's why I fix mine myself, both 4 wheeled and 2 wheeled.

Bottom line, if you expect your dealer to fix things right the first time and want to be able to think that if it's been to the dealer then everthing is ok, then you're in for a lifetime of frustration.

Good luck,
Jerry
 
#6 ·
Ask the service manager why the rear calipers bolts weren't tight. They may have done some work on the bike in preparation to sell it, and it'll give him time to consider the work done. Then, even though it's a '98, I'd ask for a new bike inspection (or at least a safety inspection) with a report. Needless to say, tighten them up.

Tire pressure on the rear? Some have had the rear as low as 36, others as high as 42. Mine have come from the dealer at 38, and I put them up to 42. They're checking the tires, anyway...



 
#8 ·
to be safe

In a lot of workshops there are guys that are thinking about the past weekend until around wednesday noon, from then on they start thinking about the coming weekend......
This does not only happen in BMW workshops, it also happens in postal rooms, in computer departments etc. of almost all companies. Probably happens somewhere in the company you work for as well.
I understand that if you buy a bike from a dealer you do not expect this. If I have someone servicing my bike or car and I think they have been messing with wheels, brakes and/or steering I usually check it afterwards. Not anal about this, but I drive a fast car, have fast bikes and my wheels were not tightened to the right torque and the nuts came loose once. If you think about this: you put your life in the hands of a very young guy, pimples, greasy hair and a runny nose, thinking about the daughter of the boss all (or 99%) of the time. Checking vital parts does not hurt!

Frits van Straten
 
#9 ·
Outcome

Big thanks to all of you for your advice. After cooling off, i went with the "quiet word" option which was the general consensus in the replies i read.
Service manager apologised profusely and has offered a full safety inspection as well as fixing a few non-related items FOC.

Moral of the story:
1) Mistakes do happen.
2) Trust no one. Before riding, check all safety related items yourself, always.
3) Stay cool :)
 
#11 ·
tbp said:
Big thanks to all of you for your advice. After cooling off, i went with the "quiet word" option which was the general consensus in the replies i read.
Service manager apologised profusely and has offered a full safety inspection as well as fixing a few non-related items FOC.

Moral of the story:
1) Mistakes do happen.
2) Trust no one. Before riding, check all safety related items yourself, always.
3) Stay cool :)
Which dealer are you using? I used to deal with Maddocks in Dublin in the early 80s and they were good. I'm not sure if they still exist, as it has been a long time.
 
#12 ·
Ya just can't take anything for granted. I took a used bike out on a test ride last fall from a BMW dealer and wondered why it handled the way it did at elevated speeds. Found out later that it had significantly low air pressure in the tires. Pilots do walk arounds and checks, maybe we should do the same as a matter of course when dealing with an unknown bike.

George
 
#13 ·
geothepencil said:
Ya just can't take anything for granted. Pilots do walk arounds and checks, maybe we should do the same as a matter of course when dealing with an unknown bike.

George
Or, a known bike.

I check my bike out damned near EVERY time I get on it.
 
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