exgman
Active member
I've been reading the various posts on the MOA and other Forums regarding the lack of DVD manuals from BMW dealers, and the apparent offering of an expensive service access to BMW motorcycle service directions under the BMW TIS 2.0 System. I wrote via email to what appeared to be an informational address for TIS (Technical Information Service), and also to BMW MOA Customer Service. Today, I received a response from BMW Customer Care, but as yet have heard nothing from the TIS.
Here is the inquiry which I emailed yesterday:
"Greetings - My name is John Gamel and I am the "Consumer Liaison" for the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America. We're a club of about 30,000 members and my role as a volunteer is to assist members with their BMW and other motorcycles. I have had some useful communication with Mark Pechko of BMW NA Customer Service, and have Ccd him on this email.
The reason I'm writing is because there is substantial interest on the part of BMW motorcycle owners in the apparent transition from maintenance/repair manuals in DVD form to the BMW TIS system. I was looking through the online PDF from 2019 titled TIS 2.0. As you may know, many BMW motorcycle owners enjoy maintaining, upgrading, and repairing their BMW motorcycles themselves. When the DVDs and other after-market manuals were available, this facilitated that process. For many owners who are not near a BMW Motorrad dealer, this work kept their motorcycles in excellent condition. With the advent of TIS and the disappearance of the DVD manuals from the parts system, many members are frustrated in their desire to do accurate work on their bikes.
I'm hoping you might provide me some information about the TIS system. I think it would be useful to know if BMW NA sees it as a resource for individual owners of motorcycles to use, and if so, the best ways to access the system. In reading some of the TIS 2.0 PDF I can see that the types of computers and software on which the TIS can be viewed and accessed are specified. In addition to that, would an individual owner be advised to have certain software or hardware to access information that their motorcycle is storing, and needed for repair or maintenance?
Finally, my view is that an individual owner who needed the resources of the TIS could easily afford the $30 purchase cost of a day's usage of the TIS. I presume that this would give one-time access to a substantial amount of information about the motorcycle he/she owns. Perhaps access once or twice a year would be enough. If the intent of the TIS is to have ready access, and would not be suitable for occasional review by an owner, it would be useful to know that.
Thank you for reading my email. I am lucky to have an excellent BMW dealer "Quaker City Motor Sports" close by. As a result, I find that I don't have to subject my R1200RT to my inept mechanical abilities.
Thanks again - John Gamel / BMW Motorcycle Owners of America Consumer Liaison"
I sent a copy of my email to MOA President Reece Mullins, who wrote also as a follow-on to my email.
Today, I heard from BMW Motorrad Executive Customer Care:
Thank you both for writing. BMW Motorrad has discontinued the resale of the DVD repair manuals. I have no further information at this time but we are aware of this concern.
Kind Regards,
Mark
----------------
BMW Group
Mark Pechko
Executive Customer Care, Motorrad
Customer Relations and Services
Perhaps I will receive a response from someone at TIS and if so, I'll post that response as part of this thread.
I know there is intense interest in this subject both here and on other forums. I have had some interchange with forum member lkchris regarding this. Considering that BMW NA has now ended distribution/sale of the DVDs which many members found useful, perhaps it would be possible for the company to find another path to help a large number of BMW motorcycle owners.
I look forward to your comments...
Here is the inquiry which I emailed yesterday:
"Greetings - My name is John Gamel and I am the "Consumer Liaison" for the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America. We're a club of about 30,000 members and my role as a volunteer is to assist members with their BMW and other motorcycles. I have had some useful communication with Mark Pechko of BMW NA Customer Service, and have Ccd him on this email.
The reason I'm writing is because there is substantial interest on the part of BMW motorcycle owners in the apparent transition from maintenance/repair manuals in DVD form to the BMW TIS system. I was looking through the online PDF from 2019 titled TIS 2.0. As you may know, many BMW motorcycle owners enjoy maintaining, upgrading, and repairing their BMW motorcycles themselves. When the DVDs and other after-market manuals were available, this facilitated that process. For many owners who are not near a BMW Motorrad dealer, this work kept their motorcycles in excellent condition. With the advent of TIS and the disappearance of the DVD manuals from the parts system, many members are frustrated in their desire to do accurate work on their bikes.
I'm hoping you might provide me some information about the TIS system. I think it would be useful to know if BMW NA sees it as a resource for individual owners of motorcycles to use, and if so, the best ways to access the system. In reading some of the TIS 2.0 PDF I can see that the types of computers and software on which the TIS can be viewed and accessed are specified. In addition to that, would an individual owner be advised to have certain software or hardware to access information that their motorcycle is storing, and needed for repair or maintenance?
Finally, my view is that an individual owner who needed the resources of the TIS could easily afford the $30 purchase cost of a day's usage of the TIS. I presume that this would give one-time access to a substantial amount of information about the motorcycle he/she owns. Perhaps access once or twice a year would be enough. If the intent of the TIS is to have ready access, and would not be suitable for occasional review by an owner, it would be useful to know that.
Thank you for reading my email. I am lucky to have an excellent BMW dealer "Quaker City Motor Sports" close by. As a result, I find that I don't have to subject my R1200RT to my inept mechanical abilities.
Thanks again - John Gamel / BMW Motorcycle Owners of America Consumer Liaison"
I sent a copy of my email to MOA President Reece Mullins, who wrote also as a follow-on to my email.
Today, I heard from BMW Motorrad Executive Customer Care:
Thank you both for writing. BMW Motorrad has discontinued the resale of the DVD repair manuals. I have no further information at this time but we are aware of this concern.
Kind Regards,
Mark
----------------
BMW Group
Mark Pechko
Executive Customer Care, Motorrad
Customer Relations and Services
Perhaps I will receive a response from someone at TIS and if so, I'll post that response as part of this thread.
I know there is intense interest in this subject both here and on other forums. I have had some interchange with forum member lkchris regarding this. Considering that BMW NA has now ended distribution/sale of the DVDs which many members found useful, perhaps it would be possible for the company to find another path to help a large number of BMW motorcycle owners.
I look forward to your comments...