BMW C600 reliability problems

[Tmaximus]

My BMW C600 Sport is 1 year old and has only done around 2800 miles, it has been off the road for 3 months during this period with drive line & transmission problems, has any other C600 owner had similar problems, and are there any high milage C600's out there ? Thanks Dougie

[Funkycowie]

Not to put you off but Sku-Torr posted on the MajestyUSA forum the following list of BMW C600 Sport issue that have come up...

1. Front body panels fly off (recalled)
2. New top box assembly bolts shear-off..BMW stopped selling to address issue
3. If the gas cap cover is open, you shear it off opening the seat
4. Front strut seal blew
5. Multiple riders stranded with loose/falling-off kickstands
6. Chronic stalling problem
7. Coolant leaks
8. Oil leaks from rear chain housing
9. Oil leak from DEFECTIVE engine castings, porous, must REPLACE ENTIRE ENGINE
10. Anti-theft stopped recognizing key...stranded
11. Front tire wore out at less than 4,000 miles
12. Brake reservoir cap vibrated-off. Dealer COULDN"T find part to stop leak, not in catalog
13. Burning rubber smell after riding
14. Clutch problems,; function, dusting, judder, etc.

http://majestyusa.com/forums/viewtopic. ... BMW#p90114" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MrGrumpy]

Doesn't sound good does it. I guess the old saying never to buy version 1.0 of anything is true!

Apart from the front tyre - I've barely got 4000 miles out of the front tyre on the Tmax mk3 & 4

[Funkycowie]

I usually manage at least 12-15k out of a front regardless of which scooter I have ridden, B125, Nexus 500, TMax...

[SkuTorr]

Another guy hit 10,000 miles with his C600Sport in the US, and after a growing NOISE in the lower/engine area that the Dealer attributed to just "loud valves" that should go away after enough time, his Timing Chain destroyed itself, bent valves and HOLED a PISTON.

It's been over 60 days and BMW has done NOTHING to repair/replace engine or replace bike entire. Just said, "Well, want your money back?..."

On the ITALIAN BMW Forum they have discussed defective Timing Chain Tensioners; THERE the dealers are replacing them (BEFORE they destroy the engine) under warrantee. When that rattling noise happens cold, the tensioner is NOT WORKING and the chain that drives the cams just slaps around until it eventually FAILS, catastrophically.

The actual FOUNDING Moderator of that Forum now wishes he had NEVER purchased his BMW but had kept his last (1 in a series of 6) Tmax, as they NEVER had the plethora of quality-related teething issues like the new BMW scoots. This on a Forum that BMW supports!

I got a BAD FEELING that BMW, who isn't selling as many as they assumed that they would, and hasn't really affected the Tmax Market with the C600Sport and is having the C650GT outsold by the New Burgman 650, might just PULL THE PLUG on the whole thing and orphan everyone...

They did it before with other underperforming models, and the supply-side quality/reliability problems, all subcontractor-related (CHINA, anyone...?), are probably too all-encompassing to rectify within their corporate balance sheet. Just write it off...they are selling TONS of the new GS1200!

[macamxthe1st]

Can I just add, out of all the bikes/scooters that I have owned by far the poorest for built were BMW. The last one was a RT1150 which had 15 warranty issues in the first 12 months and 14.000 miles. Was this just bad luck, I think not. I had a RT1100 which I initially thought may just be an bad example as that was rubbish as well, BMW,s quality/high residuals marketing is a very clever and successful "smoke and mirrors" exercise.

Geoff.

[jamie]

according to bmws sales figures for the first six months of this year the demand for the 650 gt is still outstripping supply
and over 7200 scooters were sold last year .. doesn't sound to shabby..

I will add having worked on the car side of bmw its not a brand id part with cash for .

[MjW]

That was quite a list Funky, wow.

I knew the new scoots would have some problems, seeing this was BMW's first move into maxis, but this, I didn't expect.

I hope BMW keeps at it and improves their scoots and not abandon the whole thing. The last thing we need is less competition.


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[Tmaximus]

Hi All - thanks very much for all your replies, I had no idea of some of these problems !! My main one just now relates to the final drive chain, I am on my second in under 3000 miles, it has no method of adjustment other than fitting larger plastic "slippers" under the lower chain run, there are 4 pitches and mine always seems to need the highest - number 4. The top chain run is allowed to "flail" unrestricted leading to excessive stretching and without any proper method of adjustment a new chain is needed - and so the whole cycle strats again. The transmission local to the primary drive belt utilises "dry" bearings throughout, the idea being that these cannot contaminate the primary drive belt with lubricant, however mine have all failed and screech loudly on take off. Apparently the shafts were turning within the bearing rather than the bearings rotating !!! I am not happy with my C600 and after 60,000 trouble free miles on TMax's I am going back to them !!

[Data]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that Kymco warned BMW at the design stage that the transmission design was not what they would advise to be used on a bike of this kind. But BMW wanted to stick with it much to Kymco's regret. Don't know how true that is, but makes you think. Kymco usually know what they are talking about and makes some quality kit. Certainly from the design point of view, and having had a cursory look at the design, I would never specify the use a final drive chain tensioned in that way and with dry bearings of that type in such a powerful engine. I wonder how many are failing.