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As usual, BMW well represented in the IBR

For those following the IronButt Rally this year, looks like BMW leads the total number of bikes. This is just from interpreting the rally reports, no affiliation. Interesting spread of models within the brands. No Airheads, but there is a thumper...a KLR650. Maybe they should consider an award for miles per cylinder. :thumb

Ride safe Ironbutters.

Code:
BMW
F650GS.......:1
K1200LT......:2
K1300GT......:1
R1100RSL.....:1
R1100RT......:2
R1150GSADV...:2
R1200........:1
R1200GS......:6
R1200GSADV...:7
R1200RT......:10
------------------------
BMW Total: 33

Harley-Davidson
ElectraGlide.:1
Roadglide....:2
------------------------
Harley-Davidson Total: 3

Honda
CBR1100XX....:1
Goldwing.....:16
ST1300.......:9
------------------------
Honda Total: 26

Kawasaki
Concours.....:1
KLR650.......:1
XZ12R........:1
------------------------
Kawasaki Total: 3

Suzuki
DL650........:1
SV650........:1
------------------------
Suzuki Total: 2

Triumph
Trident......:1
------------------------
Triumph Total: 1

Yamaha
DL1000.......:1
FJR1300......:16
FZ1..........:1
RoadStar.....:1
------------------------
Yamaha Total: 19
 
Of the top 10:
5 Honda's
2Yamaha
3 BMW

I think two final drive failures on BMW. Seems like a lot for something that's not a problem. One rider on a 2011 RT with 19,000 miles at the end had a seal leaking on the final drive.
 
Only 2 final drive issues is far better than a previous years IBR where there were about 50% of the BMW entries that did not finish, most due to final drives.
 
IBR Finish Report

You can read the official story from the IBR 2011 finish here

Only 3 BMWs finished in the top ten this year, and the winner rode a Yamaha FJR1300. Five of the top 10 were on Hondas.

By all appearances, other marques have caught up with BMW reliability, and in some cases, bettered it. When I joined the IBA, BMWs were the brand of choice by a large majority of IBR riders. BMW dropped the ball by not admitting and solving the final drive and other issues, and today, newer IBR riders tend to look elsewhere.

If you attended IBR events in the past eight years or so, you heard Iron Butt leaders severely batter BMW's reputation. Many of these folks referred to relying on a BMW in the IBR as "drinking the Kool-Aid." BMW owners took a pretty solid beating for BMW's reliability issues.

Characteristically, BMW remained as stoic and silent as if their employees had been threatened, if they talked.
:hide
 
You can read the official story from the IBR 2011 finish here

Only 3 BMWs finished in the top ten this year, and the winner rode a Yamaha FJR1300. Five of the top 10 were on Hondas.

By all appearances, other marques have caught up with BMW reliability, and in some cases, bettered it. When I joined the IBA, BMWs were the brand of choice by a large majority of IBR riders. BMW dropped the ball by not admitting and solving the final drive and other issues, and today, newer IBR riders tend to look elsewhere.

If you attended IBR events in the past eight years or so, you heard Iron Butt leaders severely batter BMW's reputation. Many of these folks referred to relying on a BMW in the IBR as "drinking the Kool-Aid." BMW owners took a pretty solid beating for BMW's reliability issues.



Characteristically, BMW remained as stoic and silent as if their employees had been threatened, if they talked.
:hide

Our local BMW club is a BMW club in name only now. You can ride any 2 or 3 wheel machine to be in it. Good thing or the club would be shrinking rapidly. Every manufacturer has a design/quality problem now and then. The best ones admit it, fix it and make it right when a customer has a problem. My 2 cents.
 
If you attended IBR events in the past eight years or so, you heard Iron Butt leaders severely batter BMW's reputation. Many of these folks referred to relying on a BMW in the IBR as "drinking the Kool-Aid." BMW owners took a pretty solid beating for BMW's reliability issues.
:hide

It was a shame that Ken Meese, riding a K13000GT, was in the lead for this year's Rally until the last 24 hours, crashing in Nevada on Thursday evening.

It will be interesting to see whether the rally performance and durability of BMW GT's over the next few years will repair the battered reputation BMW has right now in the LD community for final drive problems.

The Yamaha FJR's stand out in this year's rally, IMO, as the most reliable ride: 7 of the top 20 finishers were on FJR 1300's. And all 16 of the FJR's that started the 2011 IBA rally in Washington made it to the finish in California.
 
It was a shame that Ken Meese, riding a K13000GT, was in the lead for this year's Rally until the last 24 hours, crashing in Nevada on Thursday evening.

It will be interesting to see whether the rally performance and durability of BMW GT's over the next few years will repair the battered reputation BMW has right now in the LD community for final drive problems.

The Yamaha FJR's stand out in this year's rally, IMO, as the most reliable ride: 7 of the top 20 finishers were on FJR 1300's. And all 16 of the FJR's that started the 2011 IBA rally in Washington made it to the finish in California.

Yep, FJR's did well and a new FJR cost about 25% less than an RT or GT. I like my RT, it's my second one, but I'll be looking hard at the competition next time.
 
I think the results indicate there is still a significant issue with our FDs. Progress was made, but FD failures should be a rareity in the IBR not an expectation.
 
First congrats to all who participated in this years event. Reliability for reliability most manufacturers make a great product which can withstand such "abuse". Seems like the Triumph made is a finisher this year.

The Ironbutt rally is more then just machine it's the rider. The abilities of the rider will make the difference between a high and low result. What I found disappointing were the DNF results for Harley mounted riders. Please no jokes.

Happy riding.
 
BMW no longer has the reputation that the airheads and early K bikes earned for the marque. Back in the 70's when I bought my first BMW, it was regarded as the most reliable long distance machine available. If something did break, it could be fixed by the rider usually.

I think BMW, like VW, has dropped the ball in search of gadgets to tempt buyers. They have lost the reliability factor by overcomplicating the vehicles with less than stellar engineering. Relying on gadgets like power brakes on a motorcycle, to show improvements was not the way to go. The cost and necessity of maintenance has skyrocketed with the brand and makes for an expensive choice in riding equipment.

Honda is now the reliability standard and BMW has fallen far behind. It's sad but as long as BMW relies on selling a "lifestyle" rather than a means of transportation it is not going to get better.
:dunno
 
The Ironbutt rally is more then just machine it's the rider. The abilities of the rider will make the difference between a high and low result. What I found disappointing were the DNF results for Harley mounted riders. Please no jokes.

It is widely thought that the rider wins or finishes the IBR. The machine he's on can enable or prevent that.
 
It is widely thought that the rider wins or finishes the IBR. The machine he's on can enable or prevent that.

Reading different forums over the years the emphasis it seems would be manufacturer bragging rights. Other forums are a bit more manufacturer/machine centric.

Now let's just wish those who did not finish due to accidents a speedy recovery.
 
According to the fjr-forum, Yamaha has finally stepped-up with a recall of an electrical issue that has occured on the "generation 2" (2006-now) models. This has not often been a dead-by-the-side-of-the-road failure but is finally being viewed by Yamaha as a safety issue. So, good for them (at last). Hello BMW... anybody listening?

pete
 
No Drama Honda and Yamaha

I visited the IBR checkpoint in Jacksonville. As far as I could tell none of the various Wings, FJRs, or ST1300s needed anything -- one FJR rider swapped tires that I noticed.

Most of the BMWs were also parked but the two getting the most attention that day were the GS bikes sitting under the front drive swapping parts -- one of the spectators visiting the checkpoint gave the IBR rider the drive shaft right out of his GS:

IMG_0322.jpg
 
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Only 2 final drive issues is far better than a previous years IBR where there were about 50% of the BMW entries that did not finish, most due to final drives.

Sad to read about, but for those of us who have not drank the BMW Kool-Aid, not exactly unexpected.

Shame on corporate BMW. :violin
 
I agree with Greenwald: Shame on Corporate BMW!

Don't forget - there was another BMW that failed. But he was a finisher when someone loaned him his Kawasaki Vulcan 500 to get from Amarillo, TX to the finish. AND, Chris Sakala who more than likely had a Top 5 finish on his R1200RT encountered unknown problems with his BMW. So halfway through the 3rd leg all he was trying to do was limp it in to the finish.

From my view, there are less problems for the BMWs than in the past, but there are less of them running the IBR, and they still are 'by far' the most unreliable brand. Which is too damn freaking bad as they make some damn nice bikes. I really think the new 1600s could be the Long Distance community's bike of choice in the future if it wasn't for that damned reliability issue. Many I have spoke to won't ever take the gamble on a first year BMW and will wait several years to see how things go. And even then aren't so sure.
 
Chris, Rear Tire, Not the Bike, AFAIK

Don't forget - there was another BMW that failed. But he was a finisher when someone loaned him his Kawasaki Vulcan 500 to get from Amarillo, TX to the finish. AND, Chris Sakala who more than likely had a Top 5 finish on his R1200RT encountered unknown problems with his BMW. So halfway through the 3rd leg all he was trying to do was limp it in to the finish.

From what I've been told (it ain't hearsay, a guy told me so), Chris had a rear tire come apart in Texas, which cost him a half day.
 
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