Order Cancelled...

[JimmyB1970]

I finally went away from Harley's and ordered a loaded RT (right after the recall). Well, got a call today from my dealer. BMW is halting 2014 production and will resume with the 2015 model. My loaded RT would not be in until late Sept (but no guarantee), so they gave me the option of cancelling the order.

 

I'll put in my order in the Winter to get it in the Spring I guess, if they get it going again.

[AndyS]

Hi Jimmy

Welcome to the forum. Keep us all posted on developments.

Always good to have new faces (well, names) around here.

[A-Red Bill]

Here is a guarantee if you try for a September delivery. Uncertainty and frustration. Waiting till spring is a good call.

[racer7]

Its only shocks that have to be produced and, where necessary, distributed to dealers who already have bikes sold or in inventory.

 

A good manufacturing organization should be able to hold to an established schedule for this, probably staging priorities. My guess would be bikes sold and bikes at dealers would come ahead of restarting production lines if the shock maker isn't able to substantially ramp up production rates to shorten time lines.

 

If I wanted the bike I'd just let the order stand. OTOH, if I wanted some bike right now, one could either buy something else, negotiate some kind of a buy something/swap later deal with the dealer.

 

Anyway, hope you get what you want and now you know why some of uws won't buy first year BMW bikes.

[Downer]

I ended up in a similar situation. I put a deposit down on Tues and I think the stop ride came out on Thurs. I got a call several days ago that my production spot had been cancelled. My dealer did have a bike available from somebody who had given up waiting for delivery. He told me that bikes that had reached a certain point in the production schedule would be completed and this was one of them. He was hopeful that this bike would arrive close to my original delivery date.

 

Today I got a call with another option. He said he had got allocated a couple of 2015s and asked if I wanted to wait for one of those. He mentioned the new color option and I took a look and since I was not thrilled with the 3 colors on the 2014 have decided to wait for the 2015. My plans for riding in Sep were shot anyway with the unknown delivery schedule.

 

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

[Hypeman]

...got a call several days ago that my production spot had been cancelled. ...asked if I wanted to wait for one of those. He mentioned the new color option ...

 

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

 

Agreed. I got a call from my dealer today and he didn't mention anything about my spot being canceled....yet.

 

What are these '15 color options you speak of?

[WBinDE]

Here is a guarantee if you try for a September delivery. Uncertainty and frustration. Waiting till spring is a good call.

IIRC, the Germans take August off, so if the bike isn't built by the end of July, it won't get built until September, as a 2015 model. Add transatlantic shipping, US Customs, and transportation to your dealer and it makes sense that actually getting a 2015 model in September would be iffy.

 

Assuming, of course, that corrected shocks are available to the production line at the beginning of September. I'd think that the first 8000 would be earmarked for existing bikes.

[Downer]

I have been told it is consistently 4 weeks for the start of production to arrival at the dealership on the East Coast.

 

The production rate of the shocks is still the determining factor.

 

Who knows when that will become public knowledge.

 

 

[Hypeman]

Here's what I just heard from my dealer:

 

"Hey Brian,

 

The last update I got from BMW said that all of the bikes that have had production started ( which includes yours ) will be built and shipped by August! So, although I cannot yet tell you exactly when, the bike will be making its way here sooner than later.

 

I am truly sorry for the delay, and thank you for your patience and understanding. It is very much appreciated. "

 

I wonder if my situation differs from the OP, in that my order was placed several weeks before the recall?

 

 

[Scotto]

Has anyone on here that has a deposit on a bike had any kind of offer from BMW

so you would not cancel your order on an existing 2014 RT ?

[Davejr1200]

Has anyone on here that has a deposit on a bike had any kind of offer from BMW

so you would not cancel your order on an existing 2014 RT ?

Yes, I received a £500 voucher for my "inconvenience" after e-mailing CS and cc'ing the CEO of BMW Motorrad.

[WBinDE]

My dealer said he'd try to sweeten the deal in light of the delay. No idea what kind of sweetener he has in mind, I've put another 3000 miles on my trade since putting the deposit down, and depending on when the RT is finally available may well put another 3000 or more. So instead of trading a GTL with 10,000 miles and 3 months of warranty I'll have one with 16,000 miles and no warranty.

 

I have to say the keyless start on the '15s is attractive enough to me that I might switch my deposit. The loss of Quartz Blue is disappointing, though. Maybe I can get him to swap the tupperware?

[Mustang Guy]

Keyless start? That seems very dangerous. Does it have a line-lock parking brake and a huge grippy kickstand pad?

 

When would a keyless start come in handy on a bike anyway? Winter to warm up the seat and grips?

 

I am not trying to be funny. It really doesn't make sense.

[Alfred02]

Keyless start? That seems very dangerous. Does it have a line-lock parking brake and a huge grippy kickstand pad?

 

When would a keyless start come in handy on a bike anyway? Winter to warm up the seat and grips?

 

I am not trying to be funny. It really doesn't make sense.

Apparently more and more of the new bikes have this ability and it appears to be popular.

Not my cup of tea and each to their own, but I won't be paying for it to have it added to my 2014 model, that's for sure.

 

[Jeff in VA]

I don't think it can be retrofitted at any reasonable cost.

[TEWKS]

Keyless start?

 

Yeah, I'd end up losing the key I'm sure. I thought I read the 15's will have a keyless gas cap also, that would be kinda neat.

 

Thought about selling back the 14 and waiting on the 15 but I've got money sunk into the wheels and top case.

 

I may just buy a Honda with the $2,500.

 

Pat

[szurszewski]

Keyless start? That seems very dangerous. Does it have a line-lock parking brake and a huge grippy kickstand pad?

 

When would a keyless start come in handy on a bike anyway? Winter to warm up the seat and grips?

 

I am not trying to be funny. It really doesn't make sense.

 

You're thinking of remote start, like one would use, as you say, to start a vehicle before you reach it (to warm the car/engine, or to cool the passenger compartment); the idea here is keyless start, like MANY new cars have; the fob has to be in very close proximity and you push a button in/on the vehicle instead of inserting turning the key. So, instead of having to fumble your keys in and out of your jacket/pants/wherever with your gloves on after gearing up/fueling up/having lunch, you just hop on, push on, and go.

[Jeff in VA]

I have what Mercedes calls "Keyless Go" in my car. I will never buy another car without it.

[strataj]

I don’t own a car with push button start but I’ve driven a lot, I rent often. I think on a bike it would be great. On cars you can walk up to a locked vehicle touch the handle then open it without ever reaching in your pocket. Touch to start button and off you go. I would assume the same for the on a bike, unlocking the door is sweet . Just keep the fob in your pocket (pick one). I do wonder how the gas cap works.

 

Jay

 

[Jeff in VA]

The gas cap is keyless as well

[KarlG]

I have had a bike (Duc 1200 MTS) and several autos with this technology. Like Jeff, it is annoying when I drive an auto without it.

 

The bike is different. The keyless ignition works well and there is a warning on the dash when the key battery is running low and back up systems for key failure to start the bike. Very rare reports of problems, and there are backup systems if/when a problem occurs.

 

The electronic keyless locking gas caps have proven problematic, at times, when the units fail. There have been a fair number of reported failures. It is not really tied to a key sensor but works on the same principle as an auto locking gas cap, taking power from an ignition switched circuit. After the bike is turned off, you have 60 sec to open the cap before it locks again. The cap has a small locking electronic switch and connects via a power cord to the CANBUS. Some owners have zero problems and some went through two and gave up and went back to a keyed lock or a traditional keyless, non electronic, non locking cap. The failure rate was sufficiently low to not result in any recalls and the most problems seemed to occur in the first few years (2010-2012) of introduction.

 

No idea what BMWs system will be like and hopefully will not be problematic on some units. IMO, if they source that technology from the vendors that have been producing the units or components for @ the last 5 years, a lot of the teething production problems will be well sorted.