Corrosion

[smileymiley]

Had my 6000 mile service last week. Although done at 7100 as BMW couldn't get me in any earlier!

Anyway, seems I need a new exhaust valve due to it sticking..
& a new swingarm due to the corrosion,  see pics, also got some bubbling on the cylinder heads!
[attachimg=1][attachimg=2]

[guest2360]

That not good after only a year.  Out of interest, what cleaning products do you use?   

[Chad]

What year is the bike? Surely this isn't an LC?!

[smileymiley]

What year is the bike? Surely this isn't an LC?!

Yep, 2014 R1200RT LC!
RTman10...
Bike has been cleaned with SDoc 100.... just the same as I cleaned my Blackbird for 7 years.

[Chad]

Miles, that's absolutely shocking!! I've had blistering/corrosion on all of my BMW's and actually believed BMW had sorted their inferior materials out on the LC. I've commented previously on how both my mates have Honda's whilst I've had BMW's and they've had no corrosion issues at all. Some believe that it's because of the cleaners that are used, personally I believe it's just inferior materials; if it was the cleaning products why do the bikes only corrode on the final drive unit & the front of the cylinders? After all we use the cleaning solution everywhere...
Either way I hope you get this sorted ok.

[Budman]

Would you mind posting when your bike was made. That way those of us that may have a manufactured date close to yours can keep an eye out for similar damage.  I check the bike over really well when I clean it but I think it would help to be more vigilant.


Thanks,


Bud

[Spencert231]

Would you mind posting when your bike was made. That way those of us that may have a manufactured date close to yours can keep an eye out for similar damage.  I check the bike over really well when I clean it but I think it would help to be more vigilant.


Good suggestion there from Bud. But I am genuinely shocked by those pictures it reminds me of Vauxhall (GMC) in the late 60s. I had thought we had turned that corner. In a couple of weeks time when I am fit to manhandle the bike I will make a point of cleaning down and scrutinising my bike and reporting the results to the forum if there's anything to report a little project for me. I will also get to test my Airforce Master Blaster. Raises the question on cleaning product and how do we maintain how bikes? Is there something about the batch of the production line? Is this a one off case? What did the unfortunate soul use to clean the bike? So many questions and more I should imagine?


Mikes I feel for you mate my bike is the same year so fingers crossed.

[guest2360]

Not come across SDoc100 before but on one review it was mentioned as its a gel it went on easier it was warmed. Anything warm on a bike that has any salt residue on it could spell big trouble, but as you say it didn't effect your Blackbird.    A it cleans without any rubbing required it must have some activating chemicals in it.   

[Levisp]

I've seen pictures like this on other forums and it certainly does not look good. SDoc100 is promoted as a very sensitive cleaner with corrosion inhibitors for bikes. Expensive stuff. I find it hard to see that any cleaner is responsible for this sort of blistering. Looks like a manufacturing problem unless the bike has been subjected to road salt and not cleaned. However if this is the case I would expect fasteners to corrode not paint to blister. I'm sure BMW will replace all the effected parts but it doesn't bode well for long ownership.

[guest2360]

Just been down my dealers.  There's some good news and some bad.  They tell me in the 13 months since the launch of the LC that have seen none with corrosion on the swing arm but have seen a couple with some on the engine casings.  That have seen corrosion on both parts on the GS.  All have been sorted under warranty. There is suspicion that chemical based cleaners don't help matters.     

[bunny2585]

Unbelievable! I also have surface rust on my front brake lines where they join the calipers. I use muc off and always acf 50 after drying the bike. I have a 2014 RT and the build quality is worrying me, I have had 3 new dashes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[smileymiley]

To answer your questions,
Picked the bike up in May 2014, I ride all year round, except snow, always have.
The bike is cleaned thoroughly once a week & during winter washed as often as I can in between. In fact as this is a new & costly machine I've probably looked after it better. This is how I've looked after all my bikes over the years. Never had any corrosion problems on any of the others. Always used SDoc100& even occasionally Muc off with not a bit of trouble.
I ACF50 all the fasteners, and at the start of winter last year ragged the chassis including the swingarm with it also..
What with the rear brake pad wear, that I still haven't got any conclusion on, considering the high price of the bike in the first place, I'm not happy.
By the way this is my first BMW.
Could possibly be my last!

Cheers

Miles

[Spencert231]

I think all of us without exception anticipate premium product at the price we have paid for our bikes and rightly so too. I would never have ever expected myself to fork out this price, but it was going to be my last big bike and I have always respected BMW work ethos and trying to stay ahead of the competition. It has been slightly marred recently on finding out what the compensation differences have been particularly between us and the USA.


My bike is under wraps for the next few weeks, I could go and take it out of R&R, but I think I need to be 100% fit just in case all is not well. So is it cleaning products or a quality issue?

[Chad]

It's a quality issue Spencer. The paint/alloy used is simply not fit for purpose. If the bikes can't bad weather (with regular cleaning) they should be sold with a warning; 'for dry summer use only'

[Chad]

That's a good point about the differences in compensation across the pound: my son had a mini cooperS which kept burning valves. It was a around £1300 a go to repair.  Reading on the forums we found the following: 1, the engines from 2007 are all made by Peugeot (gti). 2, Peugeot accepted there was a design flaw and so offered a modification fitted free of charge to Peugeot gti owners. 3, BMW MINI denied a design issue (even though Peugeot made the engines!) and refused to provide the modification or any compensation. 4, Letters from BMW MINI USA where posted on several forums saying they will compensate USA customers & give extended warranties. UK customers in their droves contacted BMW about this inequality but we're all denied & fobbed off with all kinds of reasons, including 'the engines are different' which according to Peugeot, are exactly the same! I fear that BMW is simply too big a company now to worry about the customer and about real quality. Let's face it, they're not struggling with sales, and purists will remain deluded in thinking BMW is something special and will never look beyond the badge...