[pedrrib]

Hi

I'm Pedro from Portugal and I'm considering the R1200R for my next bike. I've test riden it last week and really liked everything about it except for one thing: on tougher roads with bumps and holes a strange noise appears. It's sounds like something metallic is loose somewhere on the tank or the handle bar. At first, the dealer said it must have been a loose mirror but afterwards he said that actually it was the fuel sensor inside the fuel tank and that all R1200R's have this noise. He also says that nothing can be done about it.

For me, the sound was terrible.
Does everyone has this noise on their R1200R? Did anyone do anything about it?

Thanks,
Pedro

 

[Hoshiko]

Olá Pedro e bem vindo ao fórum.

I can tell you that i don't ride off-road but the roads in the area are not in the best condition, sometimes is impossible to avoid the potholes and I had hit many pretty hard. So far my bike has nothing that sounds like what you mentioned.

Is the dealer, trying to convince you to buy that specific bike? If so, my advice is to go somewhere else or buy another.

I know there is a problem more then few member had with the fuel readings, but no one mentioned any noise coming from the tank.

Lets see if anyone else has had that noise/problem and if they were able to fix it.

 

[pedrrib]

Thanks Hoshiko

Nice portuguese

I rode a demonstration bike so it was never meant for me to buy it. It's a pretty rare bike here in Portugal so I won't have another chance to ride another one unless I buy one.

When you ride on those bumpy roads do you get any kind of annoying noises from plastics or metals at all? I rode a 1200GS and it was absolutely solid and I expect the same for the R.

 

[yonderbob]

I do have the defective fuel strip, which is a known warranty issue with this bike, but I've never heard any inordinate noises. Since the dealer advised that they had to relocate the fuel strip on the first repair (I'm scheduled for the second attempt this weekend) I surmised that it must have been dislodged somehow because it was working when I left the dealership with it new. Although it started to malfunction on the way home. I don't ride on severely potholed roads, but have hit enough speed bumps, driveway lips, and other assorted road hazards to have heard something I would think. I'm guessing this is something else, like a loose or unsecured cable or spring somewhere under the tank.

Bob

 

[drDave]

Keys banging into the computer?

 

[las]

Floating

The front rotors on the bike are floating rotors. If you grab them, and wiggle them, they will move. Over small sharp bumps , they sometimes make a metallic clicking sound that gets transmitted up through the forks. Maybe, this is what you felt/heard.

 

[Clem]

Noise ?

I haven't ever had any noise with my Roadster. I'm just a rider, not a rocket scientist, but I can NOT imagine being able to hear the fuel strip inside the tank no matter how rough the road was. I call BS on that dealer's comment.

 

[Hoshiko]

I call BS on that dealer's comment.

Yep, apparently everyone at least in here thinks the same.

 

[pedrrib]

Thanks for your replies guys.

The only possible explanation for me is that the dealer might want to sell another model. I've shown some interest on the 1200GS too and I guess BMW is on a rush to sell its stock right now.

Keep those comments coming!

Cheers!

 

[mamac1963]

The front rotors on the bike are floating rotors. If you grab them, and wiggle them, they will move. Over small sharp bumps , they sometimes make a metallic clicking sound that gets transmitted up through the forks. Maybe, this is what you felt/heard.

I have exactly the same problem on mine that is brand new.
My dealer putted some silicone on that front end ring and noise stopped. But now the silicone has gone and that silly noise came back.
I don't know what to do with it...

 

[marchev]

I have exactly the same problem on mine that is brand new.
My dealer putted some silicone on that front end ring and noise stopped. But now the silicone has gone and that silly noise came back.
I don't know what to do with it...

Hi mamac1963
Please can you be more specific about the silicone... where did they put it and what is front end ring? Because I have the same problem with the noise from somewhere at the front of my bike and my dealer service was unable to do anything?? I will be greatfull... Or if someone has other ideas - please let me know.
Mine is R1200R classic is brand new - just did 6500 kilometers. The noise appeared 2 weeks ago, when i was riding on some pavement road. No problem on highways and tarmack.. Just on pavement and bad roads..
Thanks in advance

 

[2ruOteinviaggiO]

the noise come from the brake pad, see this video:

I hope this can help you, I put a piece of rubber between the pads and the little metal that is in the back!

 

[Dj10022]

I have the same problem. Hear a rattling noise when on roads that are not smooth. I keep ignoring it I don't know what it is.

 

[drDave]

No noise on my 12 Classic, even on my recently torn up, moon-cratered, pre-asphalted street. I've never ridden the bike on dirt roads or off road, so I can't speak to that.

The only behavior I don't like on awful roads is that if you have a 3 or 4 inch abrupt rise, from one part of the road to another, or from the road to a higher driveway (which they were nice enough to do when they took off the top coating of my street), the front wheel does not just "bump" over the lip, it really kind of "BANGS" over the lip. I'm guessing that's the telelever.

 

[twitch]

The only behavior I don't like on awful roads is that if you have a 3 or 4 inch abrupt rise, from one part of the road to another, or from the road to a higher driveway (which they were nice enough to do when they took off the top coating of my street), the front wheel does not just "bump" over the lip, it really kind of "BANGS" over the lip. I'm guessing that's the telelever.

I've noticed this too. But since it happens on both R1200R's I've ridden, I'm assuming it's one of those "nature of the beast" things. It doesn't seem to be coming from the wheel / lip though. Sounds closer to me than that.

 

[BoxerSigi]

I have the same Issue

... on tougher roads with bumps and holes a strange noise appears. It's sounds like something metallic is loose somewhere on the tank or the handle bar ...

Hi Pedro,

I own the R1200R 90 Years Modell and experience the very same issue you are describing. So far I have made around 4'000 km but I was never able to exactly tell from were this sound is coming from, so the fuel sensor within the tank, yeah, I think that perfectly matches.

I will meet my dealer to ask him about this, then report back what he tells me.

However, since I couldn't find any loose parts yet, I actually did not care to much about that noise. If it really is the fuel sensor, whcich I think it is, I will just ignore that sound, it is not nice, but for me not worth any further considerations.

Kind regards
BoxerSigi

 

[marchev]

strange noise on bad roads - may be brake pads

Guys, may be 2ruOteinviaggiO is right. The noise from jis video reminds a lot of mine and Pedro's problem. And as I see it from the posts in this topic - a problem to many people.
I will test the rubber between the pads and the plate which 2ruOteinviaggiO suggests and I will post results ASAP. May be the pads and plate was the place where MAMAC1963's dealer put silicone, but of-course the silicon will fall in time. Thanks to everyone.

PS. May be this noise is not important and I should ride ignoring it, but I am hearing it and it is annoying.
And come on - such a silly problem on a relatively expensive bike?

 

[Gerineldo]

I realize this thread has been quiet for years but for those of us with telelever R1200R bikes it may still be useful Info.

I own a 2014 R1200 R for the last 13 months and I’m gradually/slowly working on its quirks. One of them was the ‘knock’ that I would hear around the general undertank/suspension/steering areas when riding over rough surfaces/potholes/ridges. Initially thought it was a loose battery. Didn’t find much info on the knocking noise in the different forums I usually peruse: this one, advrider and bmwmotos.

After reading this thread I checked and ruled out the brake pad & disk possibility by riding over rough road patches while applying a touch of front brake pressure...the knocks remained. A mechanic friend of mine insisted it was a damaged or worn out front shock but I luckily didn’t follow his advice to get a new one.

Yesterday, with the guidance of a riding buddy, he found the source of the noise. It was caused by the steering damper hitting the wishbone structure of the telelever. The steering damper has A LOT of freedom to move about and follow the front suspension travel as it absorbs bumps. This high degree of freedom allows it to strike the wishbone.

The culprit...in the above pic the steering damper is in standard form.

I put a 3 inch length of rubber over the steering damper body, which the pic above shows. This eliminated the annoying noise. I’ll be looking for a softer rubber or sponge material to make it even quieter but even that stiff rubber tube used here solved it.

I also made a 5 second video to show how loud the knocking was but I found out I can’t upload videos here. Oh well, those pics and the text should be enough for anyone else going nuts with the noise on their own bike.

 

[Panzermann]

Great detective work, @Gerineldo!

I assume the degree of movement freedom of the damper is not due in some way to wear.

 

[Svaha!Dean]

Thanks @Gerineldo, I too ride a '14 model and will listen for this noise and make the correction as per your creative solution if it's a problem.