Since my last post early this month the weather has not been very kind to riders of two wheeled vehicles. If it has not been cold it has been raining. The only motorcycle riding I have done has been running a few errands and fulfilling my caregiving responsibilities for my dad. I have gotten out on my bicycle a few times, but those have been cold and windy rides.
When I wrote in early April I noted that I had made an appointment to get the 24,000 mile service done on the GSA. I brought it in on the morning of April 4th and my wife picked me up in her Camry. The quote for the service and the installation of new Metzeler Tournance Next tires was just over $1000.00. We were not even home when my cell phone rang. The BMW technician had found a leaking cam chain tensioner bolt gasket. The gasket itself cost $1.50, but installing it would involve one and a half hours of labor at $95.00 per hour. This was the beginning of a long week of phone calls with Tytler's Cycle.
The bike was supposed to be ready for pickup the next day. I had agreed to volunteer at the library book sale that morning and figured to get the bike that afternoon. At about 9:30 that morning Tytler was calling again. The battery in my bike had been on the charger all night and was still not fully charged. The service representative said I needed a new one. He said the battery they recommend cost $150.00 The battery was the original and had lasted through five riding seasons, so it was reasonable to expect that it needed to be replaced. In truth, the bike started very hard on its first start this spring and seemed to struggle at times when I pressed the starter button.
So now the bill has increased at least $300.00. Later that afternoon I noticed Tytler's number coming up on my cell phone again. With much trepidation I answered. This time the service rep reported that the new battery they had intended to install in my GSA was defective and they would have to order a new one. At least this call did not cost me any more money.
The next day was Thursday and I did not hear anything from the dealer. I was happy to let them keep the bike and make sure all was right. After lunch on Friday I called and Aaron, the service writer, said the bike was ready. He said the bill was $1405.00, which was somewhat less than I had feared it might be. I had found a $50.00 service coupon on the BMW Motorrad website and after he applied that I was down to $1355.00 including the tax. I drove my Tacoma out there, picked up the bike and went for a little test ride. When I got home and reviewed the bill I noticed that the battery cost $50.00 less than I was quoted, so that was a pleasant surprise.
About two days later I got an email from Tytler's informing me that I had earned enough points to qualify for $60.00 in gift cards that could be used in their store. I did not have the oil and filter changed during this appointment as I had done it myself about 2200 miles earlier. So now with the gift cards I will have almost enough money to buy the four quarts of synthetic oil and a filter I will need to make the change.
The service was not inexpensive and the week was rather stressful, but in the end I was happy with the experience. The dealership was fair and made the repairs that were necessary. These bikes are expensive to purchase and it is important that they be maintained correctly from a safety as well as a longevity standpoint. I have no intentions of buying another new BMW motorcycle, so this is money well spent.
Now I just need some decent riding weather to enjoy my refreshed BMW R1200 GSA.
Friday, April 21, 2017
Sunday, April 2, 2017
A Ride to Sand Country
The day dawned clear and cold with the promise of an afternoon warm up. After getting a few little jobs done around the house and eating a good lunch I went up to the man cave to get out the big German beast.
Before donning my riding gear I disconnected the charger and walked the bike into the sunshine. It always warms the seat enough to make me forget that BMW did not offer heated seats on the 2011 model GSAs. My plan was to make a stop at my dealer to schedule the 24,000 mile service and then take that trip to Waupaca. The sand country of Waushara County is usually the warmest part of the state, so my early spring and late fall rides will tend to go in that direction.
The Beemer started right up and soon I was cruising into Tytler's Cycle in De Pere. I talked to the service representative about what needed to be done to the bike. Frustratingly for me, BMW does not publish a maintenance schedule in their owner's manuals. It is possible to find schedules online, but it still ends up being a discussion with the service department as to what needs to be done at the recommended 6000 mile service intervals. Once we had that part of the work scheduled we took a look at my Metzeler Tourance Next tires. They have 12,000 miles on them and appeared to have a bit of life left. But after he checked them with the depth gauge we decided that they will be replaced next week. I cannot complain about getting that many miles out of a set of bike tires and the dealer will put Tourance Nexts on again.
Before leaving I stopped in the showroom. Tytler is a Victory dealer and they have a few left in stock. My salesman said there are discounts available and people are interested in buying them. It was announced in January that Victory motorcycles will no longer be manufactured by Polaris and some buyers see it as an opportunity that won't come again. Polaris has promised to provide parts and service for ten years, so that gives new owners a certain sense of comfort, I suppose.
Once back outside I suited up and headed south on I 41. The mid day traffic moved smoothly and it was easy to keep a 70 mile per hour pace without a lot of lane changing. There is a big flyover under construction near Neenah, but otherwise the ride to Oshkosh was uneventful. I turned west on State Highway 21 and felt the wind from the north become a crosswind.
After passing through Omro and Redgranite I saw a sign for Lake Alpine County Park. Turning right, I went less than a mile before pulling into an empty parking lot. Late March and mid-week there was no one around to enjoy the beautiful setting. The lake was deep blue and it was easy to imagine the this as a great place for a summer picnic.
I instinctively slowed to the posted speed limit in Wild Rose and continued on toward Waupaca. It was getting progressively cooler as I got further north and the late afternoon sun began to slant. I had enjoyed the ride and kept the boxer engine purring north and east until I arrived back in the garage. The odometer indicated a ride of about 180 miles. Almost unbelievably more snow is forecast, so the bike is under cover until further notice.
Before donning my riding gear I disconnected the charger and walked the bike into the sunshine. It always warms the seat enough to make me forget that BMW did not offer heated seats on the 2011 model GSAs. My plan was to make a stop at my dealer to schedule the 24,000 mile service and then take that trip to Waupaca. The sand country of Waushara County is usually the warmest part of the state, so my early spring and late fall rides will tend to go in that direction.
The Beemer started right up and soon I was cruising into Tytler's Cycle in De Pere. I talked to the service representative about what needed to be done to the bike. Frustratingly for me, BMW does not publish a maintenance schedule in their owner's manuals. It is possible to find schedules online, but it still ends up being a discussion with the service department as to what needs to be done at the recommended 6000 mile service intervals. Once we had that part of the work scheduled we took a look at my Metzeler Tourance Next tires. They have 12,000 miles on them and appeared to have a bit of life left. But after he checked them with the depth gauge we decided that they will be replaced next week. I cannot complain about getting that many miles out of a set of bike tires and the dealer will put Tourance Nexts on again.
Before leaving I stopped in the showroom. Tytler is a Victory dealer and they have a few left in stock. My salesman said there are discounts available and people are interested in buying them. It was announced in January that Victory motorcycles will no longer be manufactured by Polaris and some buyers see it as an opportunity that won't come again. Polaris has promised to provide parts and service for ten years, so that gives new owners a certain sense of comfort, I suppose.
Once back outside I suited up and headed south on I 41. The mid day traffic moved smoothly and it was easy to keep a 70 mile per hour pace without a lot of lane changing. There is a big flyover under construction near Neenah, but otherwise the ride to Oshkosh was uneventful. I turned west on State Highway 21 and felt the wind from the north become a crosswind.
After passing through Omro and Redgranite I saw a sign for Lake Alpine County Park. Turning right, I went less than a mile before pulling into an empty parking lot. Late March and mid-week there was no one around to enjoy the beautiful setting. The lake was deep blue and it was easy to imagine the this as a great place for a summer picnic.
Back on the bike, I made a gas and beverage stop at the Kwik Trip in Wautoma. The place was busy, but they always have enough checkouts open to live up to the name on the building. When I pulled back out onto 21 the dash on my bike showed 58 degrees, about 10 more than it was back in Green Bay. The bright sunshine felt wonderful as I powered north onto State Highway 22 in Wautoma.
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