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Show Me Your Welds, Please?!

FWIW I'm in the automotive industry, and came from the fabricated machine tool industry. I have both welded and specified welds, Your welds (and the similar welds on my '18 1250RT) are as 'sloppy' as they get. No doubt there's sufficient penetration and bond, but aesthetically they're poor quality. They are so poor that in fact it it doubtful that they are done robotically. You want to see a 'perfect' weld, find a robotic weld.
The OP is right. BMW can and should do better. Just because.
 
I was trying to remember problems with welds coming apart. The last time I recall this being a problem was in 2008 when 2003-2004 year model Goldwings were recalled due to frame weld cracks. I recall Honda being made aware of the situation long before the recall was issued.

There is a good deal written on the web about the problems folks had with the issue. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2005/RCRIT-05V027-5077.pdf

https://www.goldwingfacts.com/threads/gl1800-frames-cracks.292515/#post-322787

At any rate, I would not worry until you start seeing little cracks in the weld.

Last I heard the govt. can't recall ugly.




E.
 
Last edited:
Here's the welds on my 2016 R1200RS.

Welds.jpg

Welds (2).jpg


This is the frame member I asked if it was aluminum on the RT.
Welds - Copy.jpg
 
In my 2nd picture I can see a couple spots I could have done a better job of cleaning :)
 
I can only guess it's those pesky water spots.

My hat's off to you, I spent about 6 hours cleaning my RT recently, and came nowhere near that level.

Of course, I only clean it about once a year on average. Usually in the winter, but this has been a different kind of year for me.
 
Stebe said:
My hat's off to you, I spent about 6 hours cleaning my RT recently, and came nowhere near that level.
Click to expand...

Six hours? I don't spend six hours cleaning my RT in a year, maybe two years and I wash it fairly often. I can do a decent job in about 15 minutes. It won't get sterile, but it will look good from 25 feet. Plus I also get comments on my spotless bike.
 
PoorUB said:
Six hours? I don't spend six hours cleaning my RT in a year, maybe two years and I wash it fairly often. I can do a decent job in about 15 minutes. It won't get sterile, but it will look good from 25 feet. Plus I also get comments on my spotless bike.
Click to expand...

Yeah, me too, usually. However, recovering from my recent quintuple bypass surgery, I was not able to ride it, and I was getting lonely without it. You're right, the RT almost never needs washing compared to my Harleys. Another thing to like! :dance
 
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