New 1200 GS BMW Tank slappers

[100milesaway]

Just read in Bike magazine about the new bike launch in South Africa. The general opinion of the new bike was very good !!!! BUT !!!! on the last day of testing going down a regulation part of road at 75 mph the bike went into a violent tank slapper that the rider just about saved, it was so savage that it broke the lock stop off one side,( which from the picture looked like part of the frame). More alarmingly, this was not the only incident of the bike tank slapping, two other riders reported having the same nasty experience. This coming right at the launch of the new model has probably got the alarm bells ringing at BMW.

[O.C.]

Geoff I too heard about this (from Gordy) it must be of MASSIVE concern to BMW if its true.

I seem to remember the last time something like this happened with a new bike was with the Suzuki TL 1000 S   

[100milesaway]

Very true Rog, Also this was the same launch that Kevin Ash was killed, and no details have been released yet on what happened in that incident. Very concerning I think.

[Winston Smith]

I cannot say anything specific, but I have heard from a good and reliable source that poor Kevin's death was not the bike misbehaving - nor was it his own fault.

[O.C.]

I cannot say anything specific, but I have heard from a good and reliable source that poor Kevin's death was not the bike misbehaving - nor was it his own fault.

Chris, I'm not surprised to hear you say that,

Kevin Ash was obviously an extremely experienced biker and journalist, if the bike had been to blame I reckon that a full enquiry would have taken place by now.

[pistole]

- there is a thread which is like a couple of hundred pages long on the ADV Riders forum on this.

- imho : knowing BMW , they will release the bike anyway and let the owners beta test for them.

.

[trousersnake01]

Honda had this also with the pan European, which killed five coppers and eventually the Honda test rider before a coroner ordered the bikes to be removed from the police bike fleet which murdered the sales of the pan.

 

[2kwacks]

Honda had this also with the pan European, which killed five coppers and eventually the Honda test rider before a coroner ordered the bikes to be removed from the police bike fleet which murdered the sales of the pan.

it goes with out saying...  any person killed or seriously injured on any bike no matter who or wherever the blame lies is a tragedy but honda would stongly dispute the st1300 was to blame under the above said circumstances. infact I've 2 friends who have the st1300 and they have never encounted tank slappers I prefer not to comment on what I think caused the police spec st1300 to tank slap at high speed. I also took my police advanced riders course on the police spec st1300 and the st1300 gave me no concerns for worry at speed, however I would point out that the police spec st1300 is front end light due to all the police spec equipment that is installed under the single seat conversion at the rear of the bike and there are 2 sirens together with various other police spec equipment around the handlebars that also could be caught with a strong wind so it's possible with excessive speed and strong wind this could make the front end light causing possible a tank slapper. but take into consideration there are plenty of st1300 riders who carry extra weight at the rear in the form of pillions and have had no such problems. 

[SirToU]

But surely 2k, its possible to adjust the suspension to push the weight forward again?  I know talking to the cambrishireshire police about the GTR, they are not allowed to change anything and everthing has to be OEM, including those bloody aweful tyres.

Neil

[Winston Smith]

Wondered how long it would be before Pan-Gate raised it's head with everyone chipping their ten penneth.

The previous three posts are inaccurate.

I was a Police rider.  I used the flawed Pan's.  I have ex colleagues who were involved in the testing of the bikes.  I know the other lad who was on the course when one of the riders who was killed.  I have also met and discussed at length, the fatal with the coroner who dealt with it, using it as a case study.

[2kwacks]

But surely 2k, its possible to adjust the suspension to push the weight forward again?  I know talking to the cambrishireshire police about the GTR, they are not allowed to change anything and everthing has to be OEM, including those bloody aweful tyres.

Neil

the gtr1400 suspension technology leaves the out dated st1300 in the jurassic period and the same can be said about the rest of the machine as well. non technical staff are not supposed to alter suspension settings but the st1300 is a well respected capable long distance tourer but may not be ideally aerodynamicly designed for the 140 m.p.h top speed in excessive winds.

[Winston Smith]

The suspension units on the ST-P were uprated units and were pre-set to account for the average rider PPE and additional equipment on machines.

 

[SirToU]

its interesting, that one of the first things you should do before getting in any vehicle is make you you are comfortable and it works to your expectations.  after all, as Advanced Riders, we are taught POWDER or variations of it.  and yet here we are discussing what should and shouldn't be done.

anyway, rather than get into long drawnout discussions, which we are all capable of doing.  I'll quit now