2021 FE Clutch issue

[BixBoxerBrad]

I bought my FE then end of 2021. At 500 miles, it stopped going into neutral. A certified BMW shop topped off the fluid and said good to go. No look at why it was low at that mileage.

A few thousand miles later, happened again, same treatment.

A few thousand more, the upper line burst sending me into the inner wall of my garage.

BMW dealer got it replaced under warranty but it took over 2 weeks to get the part. They said all set.

Less than a thousand miles later the clutch craps out at 50 mph almost killing me.

It's been in a BMW shop since November 12, 2024. When they finally agreed to replace the master cylinder, another 3 weeks for parts, then test drive showd cooked clutch. Another two weeks to get authorization to replace under warranty. 2 weeks for parts... Oops there's a special tool kit. Still waiting on that.

 

[BER18 100]

Wow, that is discouraging. I have been riding Beemers since 2008 and never had a mechanical problem. Did have an electrical issue more than once though.

 

[BixBoxerBrad]

yeah, me too. I had a 1975 R75 that was bullet proof. I'm much less bothered by the part defect itself, but extremely pissed off at BMW who are entirely in control of these delays and how they are proceeding.

 

[Mr. Efficiency]

So, my clutch cable was defective from the factory. Started leaking a week after buying the bike. Combine this with my engine came with a poorly assembled left piston assembly, I was mighty displeased. But the clutch breaking? Thats a big ole honkin old school BMW dry clutch… I don’t even know how it could break unless fluid gets on it. But I will tell you I love my R18 but my experiences with BMW North America were so bad and my dealer lied so badly about pretty much everything that after owning a dozen BMW motorcycles I am done with them. And its not the bikes; it is the downright unfair and deceptive practices their dealers and customer service use

 

[BixBoxerBrad]

So, my clutch cable was defective from the factory. Started leaking a week after buying the bike. Combine this with my engine came with a poorly assembled left piston assembly, I was mighty displeased. But the clutch breaking? Thats a big ole honkin old school BMW dry clutch… I don’t even know how it could break unless fluid gets on it. But I will tell you I love my R18 but my experiences with BMW North America were so bad and my dealer lied so badly about pretty much everything that after owning a dozen BMW motorcycles I am done with them. And its not the bikes; it is the downright unfair and deceptive practices their dealers and customer service use

agree.

 

[BER18 100]

I’m sorry to hear of your bad experience with BMW.
Shucks, I have always been happy with the mechanical side of their bikes.

 

[BixBoxerBrad]

I bought my FE then end of 2021. At 500 miles, it stopped going into neutral. A certified BMW shop topped off the fluid and said good to go. No look at why it was low at that mileage.

A few thousand miles later, happened again, same treatment.

A few thousand more, the upper line burst sending me into the inner wall of my garage.

BMW dealer got it replaced under warranty but it took over 2 weeks to get the part. They said all set.

Less than a thousand miles later the clutch craps out at 50 mph almost killing me.

It's been in a BMW shop since November 12, 2024. When they finally agreed to replace the master cylinder, another 3 weeks for parts, then test drive showd cooked clutch. Another two weeks to get authorization to replace under warranty. 2 weeks for parts... Oops there's a special tool kit. Still waiting on that.

15 March, 20205 update. The tool kit arrived last week. Buttoned up the bike, but now it doesn’t start. no spark. BMW thinks maybe a faulty ECU. Looking back, I did have an out-of-the-blue no-start that spontaneously resolved on the side of the road waiting for roadside assist. I’ve told my “Executive Customer Service” person at Motorrad that they need to consider this a Lemon Law situation and start looking for ways to replace this bike.

 

[Mr. Efficiency]

I’m sorry to hear of your bad experience with BMW.
Shucks, I have always been happy with the mechanical side of their bikes.

Well, thats the thing. For example, I’ve had every iteration of the GS, From the R80 up. Plain and simple, my R18 had some manufacturing defects and they were not prepared for, nor did they seem to care, about them. As long as your bike is OK they are great with taking my money. Things went pear shaped and they treated me like a shill. The bikes themselves, still love them but their customer service capability in the US is egregious. It took a letter from a lawyer to get them to take action and my dealer, who I always knew was a crook, showed his true colors. Hey, I don’t think they make a bad product but to be good and earn all that extra cash for things like high maintenance cost you have to have 0 failures on the customer service front.
Manufacturing defects, no big deal; never buy the first year of any product let the buyer beware. But to have given them probably over a hundred thousand dollars and then get treated that way… no way.

I had an R100 Paris/Dakar. I ran that bike into the ground. I mean ran it into the ground. When the clutch broke, BMW goodwilled the part and the bike had an insane number of miles on it. It made me a believer. Fast forward 30 years and now they won’t take immediate action on a defective bike they had just assembled a few months ago. I am truly done with them; I purchased a Harley Pan American as my new ADV bike and I will tell you, those guys bend over backwards to make sure it’s done right.