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Re: Am curious



Erik,
Your description of the K12 below is perfect, except you forgot the
reliabilty issue. Modern BMW have *got* to be *the most unreliable*
bikes money can buy. I agree with virtually every comment, but must
point out that I ran a very active K12 site with hundreds of
participants off my home server. While I did not create the excellent
page (authored by Vic Salemme) I had the opportunity to watch it for
over a year and collect statistical information. I owned my own K12 at
the time. Modern BMWs self-destruct in more than a few isolated cases
and are just too complicated for their own good. Some of the the
regrettably common problems included chronically leaking shaft seals,
prematurely corroding body elements, electrical problems related to
starting in the cold (non-starting), all kinds of weird ABS brake issues
and master cylinder brake lever action issues that are often dangerous,
and spontaeous severe coolant leaks that have injured and even KILLED
one individual who was unfortunate enough to have all his coolant blow
out over his tires causing an immediate fatal crash! After letters to
the VP of BMW NA threatening action by US government agencies, I got rid
of my K12 fixed and in the end lost $8000 USD selling it a price
reflective of the 50% depreciation a BMW undergoes as soon as you drive
it off the lot. After three BMWs, I'm not going back in hurry -  good
riddens. My friend has done OK with his at 40,000 miles, but many others
have had serious problems of all kinds, including having all engine oil
come out in the street due to defective clutch washers and the
phenomenon of chronic front-rim denting (too heavy for front end). I
wouldn't take a K12 if you gave it too me for free.

On the other hand, my wife and I put more than 37,000 miles (combined)
on our ST2/ST4 duo last year. My wife was on the ST2 and I on the ST4.
Both bikes did well till the ST2 developed this strange problem where if
you shut it off warm it would not start again (not vapor lock, of this
we are sure). Nobody could solve it so we sold it with the problem and
somebody else can tolerate it. It also blew coolant at high altitudes
when it got hot, which is a messy, bizarre problem in places like
Leadville and Telluride Colorado. The ST4 is in the opinion of both my
wife and myself a driving masterpiece. It would be hard to imagine a
more stylish, comfortable, functional, superbly powered, sport-touring
motorcycle, except that it blew its engine at 16,500 miles going only 30
MPH in traffic. While we limped home on one cylinder, together with the
ST2's weird problems it shattered our confidence in the Ducati marquis
 >for serious long-distance endurance-type riding that we do. If the ST4
were reliable and it engine had not gone pop, we would be driving a pair
of those beauties. But it did and we have big trips planned to remote
places. Life's too short for a flaky motorcycle, so we just purchased a
pair of 2000 Sprint RS. We take delivery end of March.

Greg Girard




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