KwH
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/11/2006
Posts: 1703
Loc: Carmarthen, Dyfed
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...their front forks suffered a catastrophic structural failure at 85mph?
Wonder no more - it just happened to a friend of mine...
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=371650
She was hammering along like this, crossing the Canadian wilderness...
...end then suddenly she had a sudden massive, full on lock-to-lock, tankslapper, ending with her being catapulted off the bike, probably because this happened...
You are thinking... WTF?
Anyway, she ended up like this...
...but thanks to Mr Arai..
...and wearing good quality textile gear ('Icon' I think...), despite doing some serious rag-dolling she had no head injuries, and almost got away with it, which would have been a miracle...
...but arms really shouldn't be this shape, and the bones are supposed to be on the inside 
Cue hideous pain and being driven hundreds of miles to a hospital by a good samaritan, a hospital that promptly had her medivacced by ambulance plane back to the US for emergency surgery to fix a rather nasty compound fracture...
From June 2003, BMW beefed up the design of the castings around the spindles and ABS sensors on their F650GS, after several people had terrible life-threatening or fatal crashes caused by almost identical structural failures. However, althought they redesigned the parts, they never admitted there was a problem or did a recall...
So, if you or somebody you care about owns an F650GS manufactured before June 2003, you may well have good reason to be worried.
A bit of cursory research on the internet reveals at least eight of these incidents. Presumably there are many more that never made it to the internet, and/or are documented in a language other than English, and/or which were never explained or investigated, or after which the rider was in never again in a fit state to post about their forks snapping on them...
I'm not hopeful that BMW will suddenly now spontaneously decide to do the right thing about this by way of a recall, assuming that a metallurgist can confirm that what the pictures seem to show is correct. My friend has already been told to report this to the NHTSA (like VOSA in the states) to see if there is enough evidence for BMW to be forced to perform a recall. If the NHTSA don't go with it, my friend lives in the land of lawyers and product liability lawsuits, so she's probably going to try to make them herself. And if she doesn't, her insurer probably will...
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Ken Haylock
http://www.cix.co.uk/~kwh
"Ride what you like, how you like, as often as you like; but always take responsibilty for your actions." - Anonymous Zen Guru
"Obviously all I'll care about is if it's good for wheelies (i.e. fluffs up my meagre skills), and what free gift they give on the launch." - Anonymous Moto-Journalism Guru
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Phantombiker
member
Reged: 07/06/2007
Posts: 175
Loc: East Sussex
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That is f**king unbeleivable! do they not test the structural integrity of the componants before circulating the bike on the market? Jesus thats was truely shocking.
Glad your friend did'nt come off worse though, goes to show you really never know what can happen. I think that should be in SB's 'expect the unexpected' should'nt it? "random mechanical faliers resulting in hideous crashes".
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"Desire not to desire, and you will not value things you cannot obtain"
-
"Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people"
www.youtube.com/BIFPproductions
Check out the silliness!!
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KwH
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/11/2006
Posts: 1703
Loc: Carmarthen, Dyfed
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What is required I think is for the press to poke its long nose into this and give the pot a stir. Does anybody know a motorcycle magazine that might enjoy asking BMW some difficult questions about early F650GS front forks?
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Ken Haylock
http://www.cix.co.uk/~kwh
"Ride what you like, how you like, as often as you like; but always take responsibilty for your actions." - Anonymous Zen Guru
"Obviously all I'll care about is if it's good for wheelies (i.e. fluffs up my meagre skills), and what free gift they give on the launch." - Anonymous Moto-Journalism Guru
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shinybusa
veteran
Reged: 08/01/2008
Posts: 1417
Loc: The wet place....
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Jesus Christ...the Wife has just read this and can't beleive how lucky that girl is.! Just goes to show that a T shirt and Jeans don't work if the unexpected happens..I won't be buying a BMW thats for certain!
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EOD...EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL....
Is a science of vague assumptions, based on debatable figures, derived from inconclusive experiments performed by people of doubtful mental capability, with instruments of problematic accuracy....
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Biggles
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/05/2007
Posts: 2135
Loc: I am over here!
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Quote:
...Does anybody know a motorcycle magazine that might enjoy asking BMW some difficult questions about early F650GS front forks?
 somebody switch on the SB Bat light
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 I refuse to be a member of any Forum that would have me as a member
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chappers
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 31/12/2006
Posts: 5115
Loc: Mind your own business
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Sometimes you know you are about to have a shit day.
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If you Believe you will achieve,init.
Dizzee Rascal 2008.
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Biggles
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/05/2007
Posts: 2135
Loc: I am over here!
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oh fooooooook! now that is a guaranteed stoppie.
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I refuse to be a member of any Forum that would have me as a member
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xxrider
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/11/2006
Posts: 2151
Loc: Somewhere over the rainbow.......
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No, no, he'll be alright.........
He's got engine bars and everything.......
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The simplest questions are the most profound. Where were you born? Where is your home? Where are you going? What are you doing? Think about these once in a while and watch your answers change.
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Biggles
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/05/2007
Posts: 2135
Loc: I am over here!
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ironic he is the only one in the picture *not* wearing helmet or gloves.
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I refuse to be a member of any Forum that would have me as a member
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chappers
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 31/12/2006
Posts: 5115
Loc: Mind your own business
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Kevlar lined bandanna.
I think it's one of theose frozen moments in time, "if i could just go back a second"
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If you Believe you will achieve,init.
Dizzee Rascal 2008.
Edited by chappers (14/08/2008 19:04)
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makka
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 13/05/2007
Posts: 2490
Loc: Jungle, Near Byron Bay, Austra...
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Is that Dave Sonski?
Anyway he probably went Hayaaaaaaaaaa
and did a judo fall followed by a roll and got away with a couple of minor rashes.
Jeese Ken. Lucky woman.
I hope BMW get shamed by ALL the biking press, but especially the biking press with some integrity left (Hello UK).
This should get the recall and cost them millions in compensation.
Surely we should have been told?
Kinda destroys BMW's rep for me. Even for their cars.
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makka
drinking heavily
it's the only solution
Well, maybe meditation helps too.
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xxrider
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/11/2006
Posts: 2151
Loc: Somewhere over the rainbow.......
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Quote:
Is that Dave Sonski?
Nah, can't be...........
those jeans are nowhere NEAR flared enough...........
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The simplest questions are the most profound. Where were you born? Where is your home? Where are you going? What are you doing? Think about these once in a while and watch your answers change.
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Biggles
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/05/2007
Posts: 2135
Loc: I am over here!
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it's Chuck Norris-poor bike didn't stand a chance.
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I refuse to be a member of any Forum that would have me as a member
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KwH
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/11/2006
Posts: 1703
Loc: Carmarthen, Dyfed
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Quote:
Quote:
...Does anybody know a motorcycle magazine that might enjoy asking BMW some difficult questions about early F650GS front forks?
somebody switch on the SB Bat light
I think they be deliberately ignoring this thread :-(.
If they aren't, then if somebody from the Superbike Massive PM's me, I can give them the rider's email address so that they can get the word 'from the horses mouth' as it were...
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Ken Haylock
http://www.cix.co.uk/~kwh
"Ride what you like, how you like, as often as you like; but always take responsibilty for your actions." - Anonymous Zen Guru
"Obviously all I'll care about is if it's good for wheelies (i.e. fluffs up my meagre skills), and what free gift they give on the launch." - Anonymous Moto-Journalism Guru
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Biggles
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/05/2007
Posts: 2135
Loc: I am over here!
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actually i really think they should pick it up, give the mag some 'serious' cred too.
since seeing it I have spread the word to both peeps I know who ride bm's to tell their mates etc, but the mag would be far better.
of course they could be leaving it to MCN [yawn]
anyways abouts, that is one fucking nasty bit of equipment failure that has been properly documented and needs abit more pushing from somewhere
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I refuse to be a member of any Forum that would have me as a member
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chappers
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 31/12/2006
Posts: 5115
Loc: Mind your own business
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
...Does anybody know a motorcycle magazine that might enjoy asking BMW some difficult questions about early F650GS front forks?
<img src="http://www.superbike.co.uk/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> somebody switch on the SB Bat light
I think they be deliberately ignoring this thread :-(.
If they aren't, then if somebody from the Superbike Massive PM's me, I can give them the rider's email address so that they can get the word 'from the horses mouth' as it were...
I don't think SB are intentionally ignoring the thread their hands are tied.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaob6rQPKyc
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If you Believe you will achieve,init.
Dizzee Rascal 2008.
Edited by chappers (20/08/2008 18:48)
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shinybusa
veteran
Reged: 08/01/2008
Posts: 1417
Loc: The wet place....
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Are the SB staffers afraid that they won't get freebies off BMW, or that they won't get Invited to the media days abroad anymore??
Or is there a Lack of Moral Fibre involved.....?
Hmmmm, It looks like MCN (Yawn) may be the ones running with the story then.........!!
Come on SB , get a grip, do the right thing for us all and put pressure on the BMW peeps!! 
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EOD...EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL....
Is a science of vague assumptions, based on debatable figures, derived from inconclusive experiments performed by people of doubtful mental capability, with instruments of problematic accuracy....
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KwH
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/11/2006
Posts: 1703
Loc: Carmarthen, Dyfed
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
...Does anybody know a motorcycle magazine that might enjoy asking BMW some difficult questions about early F650GS front forks?
<img src="http://www.superbike.co.uk/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> somebody switch on the SB Bat light
I think they be deliberately ignoring this thread :-(.
If they aren't, then if somebody from the Superbike Massive PM's me, I can give them the rider's email address so that they can get the word 'from the horses mouth' as it were...
I don't think SB are intentionally ignoring the thread their hands are tied.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaob6rQPKyc
Such cynicism, in one so young.... ish...
If Superbike is afraid to bite the corporate hand that feeds it, or even give it a little nip now and then, I am very disappointed.
If some beancounter at BMW has decided that it's cheaper to let a small percentage of riders with the earlier design of F650GS front forks have serious and potentially fatal get-offs than it is to issue a recall for all of the affected bikes* then somebody ought to at least make an attempt at calling them to account!
*Maybe 35,000 F650GS bikes with those forks were sold worldwide before they changed the design to beef them up, so recalling every bike and replacing them will be a bloody expensive exercise, when perhaps 'only' fifty, or a hundred or two hundred or even three hundred of them are going to fail and pitch their riders down the road. Although if it is you or your loved one who has what happened to that woman happen to them, I doubt knowing that it wasn't all that common will be much comfort...
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Ken Haylock
http://www.cix.co.uk/~kwh
"Ride what you like, how you like, as often as you like; but always take responsibilty for your actions." - Anonymous Zen Guru
"Obviously all I'll care about is if it's good for wheelies (i.e. fluffs up my meagre skills), and what free gift they give on the launch." - Anonymous Moto-Journalism Guru
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KwH
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/11/2006
Posts: 1703
Loc: Carmarthen, Dyfed
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Quote:
Are the SB staffers afraid that they won't get freebies off BMW, or that they won't get Invited to the media days abroad anymore??
Or is there a Lack of Moral Fibre involved.....?
Hmmmm, It looks like MCN (Yawn) may be the ones running with the story then.........!!
Come on SB , get a grip, do the right thing for us all and put pressure on the BMW peeps!! <img src="http://www.superbike.co.uk/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
I'd have thought sticking it to an evil corporate empire would make Kenny a very happy man as well  .
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/complaints/...mp;refurl=email
That's the NHTSA complaint (the US version of VOSA). It says 65mph on there, but I believe that's mainly because that's the theoretical speed-limit in the Yukon...
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Ken Haylock
http://www.cix.co.uk/~kwh
"Ride what you like, how you like, as often as you like; but always take responsibilty for your actions." - Anonymous Zen Guru
"Obviously all I'll care about is if it's good for wheelies (i.e. fluffs up my meagre skills), and what free gift they give on the launch." - Anonymous Moto-Journalism Guru
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shinybusa
veteran
Reged: 08/01/2008
Posts: 1417
Loc: The wet place....
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I'd have thought sticking it to an evil corporate empire would make Kenny a very happy man as well
Unless Kenny has gone soft, and has been turned to the Dark Side........or maybe he's got a bit of the old Tuetonic about him????????
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EOD...EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL....
Is a science of vague assumptions, based on debatable figures, derived from inconclusive experiments performed by people of doubtful mental capability, with instruments of problematic accuracy....
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