2011 bmw g 650 gs fork failure

[chris48]

Just trying to explore what happened here.

It looks like the axle broke away from the right hand fork, but as there was not total collapse it appears as if the other fork was capable (for a short time) of supporting all the weight without breaking. This may be a small consolation in terms of design.

The settlement of the remaining fork leg and random nature of the steering was obviously enough to tip the rider off.

[MZcountryboy]

This sucks, that it is happening again, but duly note that the MAX BMW parts fiche has no listings for the front suspension fork parts. No part numbers, no nothing.



http://www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com/fic...3&rnd=03252011


No pictures of the fork apart, or any showing the spring. No part numbers for anything related to the part of concern.

Huh.

[Dagny_Taggart]

Based on no more information than given, with the picture of the fork broken part/failure, the NTSB should force BMW to do an immediate investigation and potential recall of all models using that part.

This is the scariest thing I've seen in a long time in so far as new motorcycle part failure.

This will cause death and injury to someone... our first victim was relatively lucky.

Covering this under warranty is not good enough.... any suspect parts need to be found and destroyed.

[See-Double-You]

Originally Posted by Dagny_Taggart

Based on no more information than given, with the picture of the fork broken part/failure, the NTSB should force BMW to do an immediate investigation and potential recall of all models using that part.

This is the scariest thing I've seen in a long time in so far as new motorcycle part failure.

This will cause death and injury to someone... our first victim was relatively lucky.

Covering this under warranty is not good enough.... any suspect parts need to be found and destroyed.

NTSB is more of a planes & trains sort of agency.


You're thinking of: National Highway Traffic Safety Admin (NHTSA) who have already kissed BMWs buttocks.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/defects

[Dagny_Taggart]

If this had happened to one airplane, the fleet would be grounded until the fault was found.

You are right, I was thinking NHTSA but I am much more comfortable with the FAA and NTSB.

[SilentRay]

Antiquewidow

Glad your fork failure didn't cause more serious injuries to you. But even though it's been three days since it happened, i think you should go to the hospital and get thoroughly checked out. Back and neck injuries especially are nothing to take lightly.

[antiquewidow]

[bill pierce]

Originally Posted by lemieuxmc

I did a search and found this;

Crash in Destruction Bay

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=371650


It would also be prudent for owners of machines with old style castings to refer any concerns they may have to BMW to satisfy themselves of the safety of these castings.

I remember that thread, scarey stuff. I thought that this problem would have been fixed by now. but then from my experience with BMW they aren't big on living up to their problems.

It clearly looks like a bad casting. If it was just a bad design they would be braking right and left.

As others have said get a good lawyer. Do it for the sake of all BMW riders, its the only thing that will make them fix the problem.

[canyncarvr]

Originally Posted by antiquewidow

I didn't see this mentioned...

I'm not a lawyer, and I don't play one on TV...but...

There was a mention of an ER having to do with a cigarette. There was no mention of an ER visit in the OP. I'm not sure it happened.

IF you have not been to a medical facility, my $.02 is to get to one asap. Take lot'sa pics of everything..every road rash mark..every swollen part..and keep the clothes you had on at the time...UNwashed!

Get a copy of the doc's dictation on your visit. That dictation will (damn better should!) be explicit in the detail of every injury. There will be nothing of this sort: 'Patient fell off her bike..got kind'a scraped up/banged up.'

If there is NOT an explicit, detailed account of the damage...get to another doc immediately.

If the doc says records are not transcribed anymore, keep digging. Your doc/the ER doc may use voice recognition in the EMR (electronic medical record) process, but there is a medical record with a detailed account of your injuries.

GET IT! Make absolutely sure everything in it is correct..AND that everything IS in it.

..and every other similar record pertaining to follow-up visits for this accident.

Keeping a diary/log about it wouldn't be a bad idea. Two-three years from now, nothing will beat a daily log with inputs like: 'This is the fifth day I've awakened with a severe headache. Same as the ealier four days since the BMW fell apart.'


Absolutely beats (same time frame):

'What other injuries did you have?'

'I had a headache for awhile after the bike fell apart!.'

'For how long?'

'Awhile.'


Hope you heal well..in body and spirit.


Get back on that horse (OK...some OTHER horse) and ride!

[JDLuke]

Originally Posted by skipro3

Some idiot smacking the end of the axle to get to though and not realizing they need to loosen the pinch bolts perhaps? Someone dropping the whole bike without the front wheel on the ground off the loading crate?

I guess that idiot has some dirt on the boss or something, because he should have been fired years ago... He's also apparently a consistent idiot, because the shape of the eventual failure is always the same.

[Max Kool]

I want to know how the dealer will react to the TS.

Any update?

[Fraser01]

Hey Antiquewidow

Sorry to hear this has happened, you would have thought that after years of experience from the F650GS single they would have got it right second time round!

I seriously hope you get everything sorted!!

Do you have a wider shot showing more of the front end of the bike?

Regards

fraser01

[antiquewidow]

Thanks for all the support & info

[lemieuxmc]

Call for Skipro... Skipro to the white courtesy phone.

Showa has made millions of forks over the last 50+ years and how many of them have you seen break off like this?

I've been riding since 1967 and I've never seen any breakage like that except on these BMW's.

Do you suppose that Showa is making these forks to BMW's design and bid specs?

Do you think that BMW went to Showa and asked for the best forks they can make for use on a world traveling adventure bike that is the flagship of the marque, or is it possible that they wanted the cheapest possible thing to stick on their entry level, low end machine, and betting that most buyers won't ever ride it hard enough to stress them (and that's why the slightest flaw in casting or machining results in catastrophic failure)?

You are damn right that riding can be dangerous, and that's why it's a really bad idea to use the brands historical reputation for extreme durability and quality to sell an inferior piece of crap to unsuspecting noobs (like you perhaps?) who are paying a premium price that implies fine German engineering!

You strike me as the kind of person who might like to invest in a deal I have for some waterfront property in the Everglades at an especially good price, just for you!


PS for ChiTown; "and agreed with the outcome of the investigation"
What was the outcome? Did they find that the crossover brake hose was prone to catch on the knobby and throw you to the ground?
How many fork failure crashes are there that we don't hear about?
If a GS crashes in the forest and nobody hears it, did it really happen?
If you weren't wearing a helmet cam, would BMW have told you "Saugt, um Sie!"?

[tmotten]

Originally Posted by PeterW

Fork breaks at one end, wheel veers sideways, puts enormous forces on the axle, bends axle.

Don't see any reason to assume the axle was bent to start with here.

Pete

I'm thinking along those lines. A large enough momentary force during the crash after the seperation.

I hate the litigation culture that's growing world wide, but BM is just to plain arrogant to fix this worrying issue. Sure, there aren't many and only a few that we know about. But it just plain shouldn't happen. Rather have the rear end fail than this. First the parts get changed without any word on this. Then certain cases get settled with gag orders, it goes away for a while and now it reappears. Still no recall or word from BM. How long did it take for Toyota to take notice of their last big issue?