1999 BMW BMW

COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BY BMW. MR

DEFECT WAS DISCOVERED DURING INSPECTION. THE SPROCKET WAS LOOSE POSING A MAJOR DANGER TO THE RIDER. *AK

SOME OF THE 1999 BMW F650S CAME FROM THE FACTORY WITH THE VACUUM HOSE AND VENT HOSES FROM THE CARBURETOR REVERSED. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY IN RAIN, IS THAT THE BIKE WOULD STALL OUT. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, ON WET PAVEMENT, IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC IN THE DARK. IT WOULD STALL AT 55-60 MPH AND THEN SUDDENLY RESTART SENDING THE BIKE INTO A SKID. THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL. THE DEALER IN ATLANTA AND THE ONE IN KNOXVILLE STATED THAT THEY DID NOT RECEIVE A BULLETIN ABOUT THIS AND THUS, COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE MACHINE. WHILE IN COLORADO, I DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM WITH THE DEALER THERE AND HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF A PROBLEM. WE BOUGHT 2 OF THESE BIKES, BOTH WERE FACTORY INSTALLED INCORRECTLY AND WE HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED BY BMW. A LETTER TO BMW VP WAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED. BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE DID FAX A COPY OF THE BULLETIN TO THE LOCAL DEALER BUT HAVE NOT REALLY SEEMED INTERESTED IN THE PROBLEM. THERE HAS BEEN NO EXPLANATION OR EVEN APOLOGY. AND THERE ARE OTHERS OUT THERE ON

NEW XENON LIGHT BLIND THE ONCOMING DRIVER

THE NEW HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE HEADLAMPS ON MANY OF THESE LATE MODEL BMW (AND MERCEDES, ACURA, ETC.) CARS ARE EXCESSIVELY BRIGHT. WHILE THEY ALL SEEM WELL FOCUSED TO PROTECT THE ONCOMING DRIVER FROM TOO MUCH LIGHT, IN REAL-LIFE CONDITIONS WHERE ROADS ARE ANYTHING BUT PERFECTLY FLAT, EVEN THE OCCASIONAL EXPOSURE TO THE DIRECT BEAM OF THESE LIGHTS IS ENOUGH TO CAUSE TEMPORARY BLINDNESS. THOSE WHO THINK THAT THESE LAMPS IMPROVE THEIR NIGHT VISION ON DARK ROADS SHOULD FIRST TRY DIMMING THEIR INSTRUMENT PANNEL LIGHTING. *AK

HEADLIGHTS DO NOT PROJECT THE LIGHT FAR ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO SEE WELL AT NIGHT.*AK