Are BMW bikes really the best at the moment?

[670cc]

An Audi A6 is gonna see the shop more than a Honda Civic.

I'm straying from the topic here, but I looked up the Consumer Reports 2017 Auto Issue and saw the 2016 Audi A6 rated at "better than average" reliability, whereas the 2016 Honda Civic is rated "much worse than average" reliability. Maybe it's an isolated case with that model year, but in general, I think Honda automobiles have trended downward in reliability.

Now back to motorcycles. . . .

 

[Doc True]

This may explain quite a bit about the subject:

Consumer Reports will continue controversial motorcycle ratings - LA Times

 

[City Rider]

I like BMWs, but unfortunatelly I cannot afford them. My riding buddy rides R1200R and it's an amazing machine. That thing has it all: power, torque, comfort, good handling....
Still, I love healthy humor which is targeting BMW price tag. In this video, my favorite part is at 02:36.
[video=youtube;V5i0eoTPzR0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5i0eoTPzR0&t=172s[/video]

 

[anglachel]

Recently posted a question on ST-owners forum (HERE).
I was looking at the gold medal list of the recently finished 2017 IBR, first 22 riders. Of 22 riders 14 were riding BMW, 4 Honda, 3 Yamaha, 1 Kawasaki. BMW was REALLY dominating. Coincidence? Or BMW is becoming "the best tool" for long rides?
Yes, a rider is more important than a bike, of course. But, don't we all always look for the best tool in the shed, right?
Also, on the recent 13-day trip, I think 70%-80% of bikes we met ("local" cruisers exclude) were Beemers. Coincidence again? Is that because Mr. X rode one around the world, or Mr. Y rode one from Alaska to Argentina?
Beemes are good bikes, out of question. In my own opinion a bit overpriced. Almost two AT for one GSA. According to the (already famous) Consumer Reports Reliability list, very low on the list.

What am I missing?

To the op's original point, out of 22, 14 were BMW.

As a matter of fact out of the whole list of riders that I found most of them were BMW's followed by Honda, then Yamaha then Kawasaki...
And in the top 22 the number of winners were first BMW then Honda, then Yamaha, then Kawasaki.

See a pattern?
10 out of the 17 "did not finishes" were also BMW.

The "did not finish list" was BMW, then Yamaha, then Kawasaki and triumph*. (*tied at one each).
See a brand missing from that list?

Of course the IBR rally is a small sample set, and not all bikes started out from a uniform state or repair, or age... BMW's were certainly over sampled in this instance, so it's no surprise when they are also over sampled at the top or bottom of the list.

Lies damn lies and statistics.

 

[ld_rider]

Not at all - that's why there are a bajillion kinds of bikes.

I'm just saying folks like to bash certain bikes (HD & BMW come to mind quickly). Maybe it's mostly because they are very expensive.

I'm just saying folks like to defend certain bikes (HD and BMW come to mind quickly). Maybe it's mostly because they are very expensive.

 

[GregC]

These threads are always entertaining.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[HarveyM]

To the op's original point, out of 22, 14 were BMW.

As a matter of fact out of the whole list of riders that I found most of them were BMW's followed by Honda, then Yamaha then Kawasaki...
And in the top 22 the number of winners were first BMW then Honda, then Yamaha, then Kawasaki.

See a pattern?
10 out of the 17 "did not finishes" were also BMW.

The "did not finish list" was BMW, then Yamaha, then Kawasaki and triumph*. (*tied at one each).
See a brand missing from that list?

Of course the IBR rally is a small sample set, and not all bikes started out from a uniform state or repair, or age... BMW's were certainly over sampled in this instance, so it's no surprise when they are also over sampled at the top or bottom of the list.

Lies damn lies and statistics.

It was the best of bikes, it was the worst of bikes, it was the choice of wisdom, it was the choice of foolishness, it symbolized the epoch of belief, it symbolized the epoch of incredulity, it caused the season of Light, it caused the season of Darkness, it created the spring of hope, it created the winter of despair…

(Dickens- a tale of two BMWs)

 

[Edgett]

As a long-time VFR owner, I was considering a more "adult" motorcycle a few years ago and rented a BMW 1200RT from a local agency (Eagle Riders, and they were great!). I arrived and they wheeled out a brand new RT with about 50 miles on it. I got on the bike and tried to start it, but it would not turn over. Embarassed and figuring I'd missed the BMW secret starting technique, I asked for help. Their technician came over and, after going through the same routine I'd just done, could not get the bike fired. He said, "It's probably something minor. Let me take it into the shop." Five minutes later, he came back and said, "That one's going back to the dealer, but we've got another one with only 500 miles." He brought that one out and I took off for a day of riding. I really enjoyed the ride and the shaft drive, but I found that it had an annoying surge around 65 - 70 mph and the grip heaters would turn on and off intermittently. When I brought it back at the end of the day, one of the mechanics came out to check me in. He asked how I liked the bike and I told him what had happened, and why I'd rented the bike. He said, "We rent Hondas, Yamahas, BMW's and Harleys, but if I were you, I'd keep the VFR. The modern BMW's seem to generate weird electronics faults and are not nearly as reliable as your VFR." Sadly, this paralelled my experience with a BMW 335i - great car, flawed by electronic gremlins. I went ahead and bought a new VFR and am very happy. I think BMW makes great machines which are very enjoyable to ride, but I'm not willing to spend more money on a less reliable motorcycle. A loaded VFR800F with luggage is every bit as capable as a 1200RT, offering virtually identical performance, yet costs $6000 more. For two-up, a Yamaha FJR 1300 is superior to the BMW and still leaves $4000 in one's pocket.