BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

MacJ wrote: Just dropped the bike off at the dealer to have the new system fitted.
The bike is currently under an extended Insured BMW warranty. This apparently does not cover the exhaust system but BMW have agreed to supply the parts as 'Goodwill' provided I pay for the labour which is fine by me.
When I dropped the bike off I was told that I will also have to pay £100 excess on the warranty claim? ??? ?
'But it's not a warranty claim' says I, 'its a goodwill job by BMW'.
'But we still claim it back from BMW as a warranty claim' says they? ??? ?
I've read the warranty document and I don't follow as the warranty is issued by Allianz not BMW.
I feel a complaint to BMW customer services coming on!

That sounds like a load of bollocks, if it was a warranty claim, then you pay the £100 excess and nothing else. If you pay the labour and its goodwill, its nothing to do with warranty. I paid £60 contribution for mine, no warranty excess - because its not covered by warranty

They decided to drop the £100 'excess' when I picked the bike up.
It cost me £132 as they charged me 9 labour units to diagnose the fault and 8 to replace the exhaust.
Apart from visually I have nice shiney  header pipes there's no other difference to the bike.

Sent from my SM-A300FU using Tapatalk

Still better than full cost, good result and as you made a contribution, you get another 2 years guarantee. Which apparently you don't get if they replace it under warranty. I won't have the bike in two years  8)

I have been reading that the flap in the exhaust system is part of the noise reduction system, closing above 4k rpm to help the bikes meet noise limits in some EU countries. Presumably this also has performance implications. If this is the case - and clearly the bike can pass an MoT in the UK with it stuck open - I'm wondering if there is a good reason not to simply disconnect it, gaining a (probably negligible) power increase and a slightly more pronounced exhaust note?

Paggers wrote: I have been reading that the flap in the exhaust system is part of the noise reduction system, closing above 4k rpm to help the bikes meet noise limits in some EU countries. Presumably this also has performance implications. If this is the case - and clearly the bike can pass an MoT in the UK with it stuck open - I'm wondering if there is a good reason not to simply disconnect it, gaining a (probably negligible) power increase and a slightly more pronounced exhaust note?

Thats what the tech told me to do if BMW wouldn't pay for it. I didn't even notice it was stuck open. But it was picked up on an error code or something when they plugged the bike in, because when you start, it opens and closes and if it doesn't the computer knows. So if its buggered, when you trade, they will say, that is £1200 sir as the flap is not working. Or you don't tell them its disconnected, but they will find out at some point. As long as your within your first two years, they should replace it anyway. Or the other option is dump the headers and fit an aftermarket exhaust, then refit original at trade in

Having read these posts a self examination of my bike revealed the same issue, Having spoken to a very arrogant member of BMW staff and pointed out the bike was serviced by him 600 miles previously, i was firmly informed that this was not a service item and would not be revealed on the diagnostic.
The bike was returned to them 8 days ago, i still await whats going to be done , fabulous customer services, is my confidence going to be restored ? 

Convert wrote: Having read these posts a self examination of my bike revealed the same issue, Having spoken to a very arrogant member of BMW staff and pointed out the bike was serviced by him 600 miles previously, i was firmly informed that this was not a service item and would not be revealed on the diagnostic.
The bike was returned to them 8 days ago, i still await whats going to be done , fabulous customer services, is my confidence going to be restored ?

Not sure about the bit about not recognised on the diagnostic, if that is the case, how do they know its not working, do they switch it on and put their ear to it, or take the can off and look to see if it moves. Think that is rubbish, I understand it shows up as a fail when the computer is plugged in, it may not be an error code per say, but a pass fail indicator.

Anyone tried one of these to address this issue?  https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/servo-buddy-bmw-2010-2017#skus_tab

I asked in another thread what is causing this and why I read about it on this forum alone.

If you search the other 4 RT forums I am on you will never see it mentioned.  Now I was told in no uncertain terms it affect all Wetheads but if it does it is not reported on the forums I am on in the USA.

I have a 15 so I worry a bit about this as there is no fix for the wethead like there used to be replacing that section of pipe and done.

Now the flap function is checked by my GS-911 and I am sure the dealer uses his computer also.  With the bike not running when you run that function you plainly hear it open and close.

I think at next rear tire change I am going to use a carbon defogger like Sea Foam and follow it with some type of rust inhibitor. 

I do not get why this forum in the UK seems to report this problem more then US forums?  And while I was told it does, it is not being discussed or reported on the forums I am on.

I have seen people say it is carbon and recently was told it was rust.  Like I say I am going to warm the bike, pull the exhaust and spay it down with carbon cleaner and see what happens.  I will try to get pics if I can borrow a bore scope.

If you take off the end can, you can easily see the flap and touch it. Not sure why there is no mention on the US sites, it is also the same on the GS I believe. Mine went after two years, but I have friends who flap stuck after a year. People have had limited success with trying to keep it free, as it is on a fibre spindle, anything sprayed into it to keep it free just burns off.


It might be down to climate and usage. Mine went after about 6k.

Now I will say I am a DarkSider and run a CT however with the season getting close I wanted to go back to a PR3 on my stock rim.

So to get a handle on this exhaust flap I dug into it a bit today while changing my wheels out.

I used these item to clean it.  The old jean material I triple folded over and ran some wire through it.  I did this to shove it into the exhaust down to the cat so I did not get anything in or on the cat.


So this is what the flap looks like.

Re: Exhaust Pipe Flap Valve ThingyRe: Exhaust Pipe Flap Valve Thingy

This is part of the control of the flap.
Re: Exhaust Pipe Flap Valve ThingyRe: Exhaust Pipe Flap Valve Thingy

This is what it looks like at idle.

Re: Exhaust Pipe Flap Valve ThingyRe: Exhaust Pipe Flap Valve Thingy

And this is the flap control clean.
Re: Exhaust Pipe Flap Valve ThingyRe: Exhaust Pipe Flap Valve Thingy

I see no way based on what it looked like that it could freeze as I would think of the term.  Also I see no way to replace the flap or rhe control as it is a part of the exhaust header.  No way to replace those items that I can see unless you replace the entire set of pipes. 

So I think what is failing is the motor that those two cables got to on the flap control.  Right behind the brake pedal is a black box that those cables run to.  I suspect that is the part failing And I have misunderstood?

If not, it is either environment or gasoline differences that would seize that flap tight in that pipe.

I am trying to understand this issue and find a way to fend it off.  I did use the cable lube and then start the bike so the flap moved and then sprayed the cables again shut it off, rinse and repeat. 

So any thoughts on this from you guys would be great.

Nice pics. I try to keep mine as clean as yours but in a wet dirty UK winter its difficult. I clean mine regularly and use ACF50 to stop corrosion. At the moment mine is OK. I have also thought that the valve seizes due to corrosion. Its in a position that can get very dirty. Add road salt and the mechanism is going to rust if you don't get the covers off and clean it. Carbon build up is another theory but I'm not so sure.


If it fails then its either a new set of down pipes or just disconnect the cables from the motor, making sure the valve is struck in the open position. I know which I will do 

LAF said '[size=2px]So I think what is failing is the motor that those two cables got to on the flap control.  Right behind the brake pedal is a black box that those cables run to.  I suspect that is the part failing And I have misunderstood? '[/size]
[size=2px]
[/size]
[size=2px]I fear that you have misunderstood. When mine failed the motor was still operational and you could hear it attempting to move the valve. The cables actually move a small amount but the bearing on the flap was seized solid.[/size]
[size=2px]
[/size]
[size=2px]I am unsure if it is carbon or corrosion which caused the valve to seize but it does seem to be a design fault which can only be rectified by the replacement of the complete exhaust system. [/size]

Yes others on other forums have said the motor still works but indeed the flap is seized.

Since we remove our rear wheel every 7-10,000 miles I will spend the fifteen mins, and just clean it each time as I have done here.  Must say the first pic of it "dirty" is at 15K and it is a 2015 is not too bad.  I lost 14 months of riding due to a heel fracture 2 months after buying the bike so lower mileage then one would expect.

Just wanted to get some discussion going of it and maybe save someone a issue down the road.  It really is not that much to clean at all.

Next up is the never have I seen, or read, the shift linkage maintenance and lube.  Now on my LT we did it when it got sticky which was about once a year.  Have not been in it all the way, but it looks like the same set up on the linkage as the LT.