2007 BMW F800 S

THE MOTOR ON MY 2007 BMW F800S STARTED KNOCKING IN THE SPRING OF 2011. THIS IS APPROX 6 MONTHS AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. I BROUGHT THE BIKE IN TO THE DEALER. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS FINE. THIS PROCESS WAS REPEATED TWO MORE TIMES. FINALLY THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED AND DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER FOUND COMPLETE PISTON FAILURE (PISTON SLAP). THE PISTON SKIRT WAS GRINDING INTO THE CYLINDER WALL. BOTH THE PISTONS AND BARRELS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE COST OF THE REPAIR IS MORE THAN THE VALUE OF THE BIKE. BASED ON VISUAL EVIDENCE OF THE DAMAGE I HAVE FOUND AT LEAST ONE ENGINEER THAT STATED IT CLEARLY STARTED HAPPENING WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 16000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS A TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. I HAVE FOUND DOZENS OF OTHERS THAT OWN THE SAME VEHICLE AND MODEL YEAR THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME FAILURE. I FEEL BMW IS TRYING TO AVOID DOING THE CORRECT THING BY NOT RECALLING THE ENGINE PARTS. BMW TOLD ME THE BIKE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. *TR

I AM WRITING YOU TO PLEASE URGE INVESTIGATION OF ALL BMW F800S AND F800ST MOTORCYCLES. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING A PROBLEM WITH THESE MOTORCYCLES SINCE I PURCHASED MY 2007 F800S FOR THE FIRST TIME IN JUNE OF 2009. SOON AFTER I PURCHASED THE MOTORCYCLE, MY REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED CAUSING A SEVERE WOBBLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BEARING AND ECCENTRIC AXLE WHICH THEY SAY WAS "IMPROVED" WITH A HARDER STEEL IN THE AXLE. FAST FORWARD JUST OVER A YEAR LATER (12/2/10) MY REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED AGAIN. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE SAME EXACT DEALER AND THEY HAVE NOT MADE ANY OTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO THE DESIGN SINCE MY LAST TIME THERE. THERE ARE COUNTLESS OF DOCUMENTS THAT SHOW THESE ARE FAILING FOR RIDERS ALL AROUND THE U.S. WITH THESE MOTORCYCLES AND BMW CLEARLY STATES THAT IT IS NOT A DESIGN FLAW ON THEIR PART AND HAS BEEN REFUSING ANY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM TO ITS OWNERS. PLEASE HELP. *TR

BMW MOTORCYCLE: ENGINE STALLING, DYING, AT IDLE OR DURING SLOW GEAR CHANGE, DOWNSHIFT, AFTER ENGINE IS FULLY WARMED UP, ONGOING PROBLEM EVEN AFTER DEALER TRIED TO FIX. SEVERAL SIMILAR REPORTS ON BMW RIDERS FORUM. CAUSES UNSAFE OPERATION IF STALLING ON TURN, OR AT INTERSECTION. HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AVOID CRASH AND GET OFF HIGHWAY SO FAR. CONTINUES TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY. NO APPARENT RHYME OR REASON, BUT ALWAYS AFTER BIKE HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, FULLY WARMED UP. WILL ALWAYS RE-START BUT WILL DIE AGAIN OF NOT HELD ABOVE IDLE. VERY TRICKY AFTER STOP AT INTERSECTION OR ON A TURN. DEALER HAS TRIED REPLACING BREATHER HOSES AND UPDATING PROGRAMMING. DID NOT REPLACE FUEL PUMP, WHICH SOME PEOPLE ON WEB HAVE RECOMMENDED. PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED, HAPPENS EVERY TIME MOTORCYCLE IS OPERATED 20+ MINUTES. *TR

SPORADIC ENGINE STALL WHILE DOWNSHIFTING AT BOTH HIGH AND LOW SPEEDS. COMMON COMPLAINT, BUT NO RECALL ISSUED. ENGINE STALLS WHILE IN MOTION, COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. *TR

SPORADIC ENGINE STALL WHILE DOWNSHIFTING AT BOTH HIGH AND LOW SPEEDS. COMMON COMPLAINT, BUT NO RECALL ISSUED. ENGINE STALLS WHILE IN MOTION, COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. *TR