Wife's 2019 Honda Rebel 500 now with 24,000 miles (she likes to ride) on the clock never missed a beat. I was offered a BSA 650, but glad I stuck with my Yamaha MT.
Sorry to see you’re having a problem with the battery, I remember when I had my 2019 Interceptor they had a few batteries fail on them in the early days. In 2021 I bought a V7 Guzzi Stone from a local dealer and they went bust 4 weeks after I got it, an unsettling experience for sure. Superb video style by the way particularly the backwards section.
I have had dealings with Thor and I was not impressed.I have just purchased a Gold Star from Bridge Garage and was very impressed with their service and help . Before I purchased I had a talk to Mark at Lukas and he recommended Bridge . When buying a BSA you’re going to get the odd problem but with the right dealer it fine , the bike in my opinion is the best retro on the market by miles . Take the bike to a good dealer and they will sort it properly, my bike is a 2024 bike with an engine number only 1513 so it’s still early days for BSA . I have 3 other bikes on the road and for local trips I always go for the BSA .
I have had the same issue on my BSA Gold Star, just after the health check. In the end, I swapped out the 30 amp fuse for the ignition circuit, this is the second 30 amp fuse on the fuse box. Bike then reset itself and started straight away. I think simply disconnecting and reconnecting the battery would have the same effect. I suspect the immobiliser, but that is a guess. The bike has been fine since. It leaves some distrust of the bike, but I still love the way it rides.
@@CornishMotorcycleDiaries Yes, all seemed fine, but it took the mechanic a full day to do everything! I also had a few warranty claims done, including a sensor and replacing a few of the rubbers under the seat that sit on the frame.
That trailer is pretty good. Lot easier than others I've seen. At a time when bike sales are down, I can't understand the attitude of dealers, big and small.
I'll be interested to see your follow up video, mainly to gain some kind of understanding as to why the bike needed a new battery and why you had to shell out for something that I would have thought would be a warranty issue. It does not sound like a great dealership experience and 70 miles would not really be a practical solution for me so I would definitely be looking to get out of the bike A.S.A.P I think.
That hopefully will be coming. Others have had battery problems and had a better experience with their dealer. My bike has now had its Recall (AKA Health check) and checking the Alternator is one of the things included in that. There will be another video detailing my experience with the other dealer soon and spoiler alert, it was better.
I just had a thought, how come you had to pay for a battery. Surely thats a warranty issue? And at least a goodwill gesture with the issues you have had?
Evening Mr Exeter, it’s true that batteries are excluded and covered by the dealer who recovers warranty from his battery supplier. If as Mr Cornish did you buy one place and get serviced elsewhere they are not obligated and would normally call upon the manufacturer to assist. But looks like going the extra mile was not on the agenda. Going to Dawlish Sunday? If so I’ll look out to say hello.
@@LumpyCarbs ahh OK mate, yes I'm not sure yet mate, I've been out today, so I'm not sure if I'll have a ticket from the misses fir Sunday aswell. I'll see how it goes, it would be cool to meet you though 👍
Horrible situation, I'll be interested to hear the next instalment. I wonder how the problems with the bike, the dealers attitude and the amount of dealers dropping the brand are connected ? A dealer near me has stopped selling BSA and the split sounds like it was somewhat acrimonious. I did a video on what was happening with the brand in general ( prior to seeing your own one ) and I've since heard a few rumblings of discontent from a number of different parties🤔 ...Shame as I really liked the bike when I test rode one last year. ( Very nicely produced video BTW )
My local dealer in West Lancashire stopped selling BSAs on the 1st of Jan 2024 because, in his word's, they messed him about. I bought my black/chrome version on the 1st of March 2023 and paid £6800 ÷otr. This version is on sale new at £5500 so , like you, i lost faith in the company, if not the bike. Went to try a Honda costing virtually 9 grand and they offered me £2600 in part exchange. Thanks BSA, I like the bike but the company stink.
Not good. You certainly don't want to be out on the moor after dark, sir. 😳 You should have confidence when you buy a new bike. This scenario doesn't do much to help. Hope you get it sorted.
Sadly, it seems BSA don't much care for their customer satisfaction, a number of dealers ive heard of who have dropped the brand speak poorly of the UK importers both in terms of dealer technical support and unreasonable demands put onto dealers to shift new bikes. If they carry on this way it doesn't bode well for a future UK operation.🤔👍
And by dropping the price by such a big amount its put us poor souls who bought it first now looking at a massive loss if we try to sell it on. No more BSAs for me.
Sad, sad video. I admit that I don't know much about the new BSAs, but when you were messing around with it at the roadside, I did notice that there seemed to be a number of similarities to my Benelli Leoncino. Is the BSA made in China like the Leoncino? Thank you for the video! FG Rides in Pennsylvania, USA
I looked at the bsa,at a bike meeting,at Wainfleet,great event,..I was impressed with the look of the bike,and the dealership,seemed fine,..Freedom motorcycles,..BUT Ive always fixed my own bikes,and cars,The price drop must have upset a lot of people,to say the least!..after your experience,I'm having second thoughts,the battery,should have been replaced f.o.c.,that dealer doesn't sound like a nice man, probably won't be around for long, .
I had a similar electrical issue on my 2017 Harley Davidson Fatbob which I bought in January this year i had to be recoverd twice out of the six breakdowns it suffered in my first six months of ownership, the dealers had a few tries at repairing it but in the end I lost confidence in the bike and got rid of it, to be fair the dealer went above and beyond when I rejected the bike and did me a good deal on a brand new bike.
Your content is always top notch, and I can see the passion and effort you pour into every video. I believe you have incredible potential to reach a larger audience with a solid UA-cam strategy If you SEO your videos and use the right keywords and video tags, I think you can expect better results.
Thanks for all the comments, suggestions and support from this 'from-the-heart' video. Now, I feel it is time to move on and look to the future in a positive way, so I'm turning off commenting now as I think enough has been said. I also don't want this to turn into a BSA bashing thread.
Easy to say that now, but bear in mind the conditions (cold, dark) and my health (poor) and I didn't want to attempt it. The odd behaviour of the electrics also put me off.
Well i was thinking of getting a one of these but i wiĺl be buying a Honda or Triumph. I know that breakdowns happen but dealers leaving the franchise is a greater concern.
Agreed. My experience of this particular dealer is nothing but positive. I had a problem with the ABS light on my 250 Mutt although the brakes were absolutely fine. Colin (the owner) said Mutt were pretty good on warranty issues and, sure enough, the issue was resolved by replacing the whole speedo under warranty. The problem here ( I suspect) is more to do with BSA having read some of the comments below and above. Clearly, this owner has an issue and I feel for him as I suspect we all do. Although I bought a Mutt, my original deposit was for a Bullit/Bluroc 250 but the manufacturer couldn't meet the Euro5 emission standards at that time. Colin was banging his head against a brick wall with the manufacturer trying to get them to confirm if/when they could supply the bike to no avail. Let's not forget the mess Norton got into under the ownership of Stuart Garner. Owners/prospective buyers and dealers were left high and dry. I do hope BSA is not going down a similar path.
Although this is a new bike, the battery is ofter a warranty issue for the battery manufacturer, not the bike manufacturer. Similar to tires and wear items, like brake pads. However, the dealer could have shown a little more customer service and replaced the battery then recovered the cost from the battery company. That’s what my dealer would have done. BSA is certainly not helping themselves with how they’re treating their dealers and customers. And the dealers seem to be passing their frustrations on to the hapless buyers. Look forward to part two…
I think this episode is unique to this dealer. Others have had FOC replacements. Bear in mind that this was the SECOND dead battery for this bike and then in the 'Health Check' (Recall) they actually check... You'll have to watch the Health Check Video for that which is in a few videos time.
Paid £6000 for my Gold Star in May, price drop to £5000 4 weeks later. Back for flash upgrade twice and then immobilized fault. Recovered to the dealer and they put in a new wiring loom. Asked them for a part ex against a new Z600rs. Offered me £3200 on a ten week old bike. Riding it home I now have an engine oil leak. Thinking of buying one of these, then don't, this is probably the worst bike I have ever bought and I once bought CZ.I BSA deserve to go bust.
That's why I stick to Hondas and BMW's. Wouldn't touch the likes of BSA and Norton as their dealerships are as common as honest politicians and I can't see them being around in 2 years time to be honest. I have a Triumph aswell but I must say they haven't covered themselves in glory with me either.
So you'd say a BSA bike is just like a BSA from the good old days right? I've seen people on here say "there's no way this is anything like an old BSA, this is actually good" but this suggest otherwise.
Such a shame, breaking down is really grim at the best of times, never mind in the middle of nowhere. Might have missed it but what was wrong with the bike? What was THOR unhappy about, it’s not your fault? Don’t get that bit.
Did you actually get recovered to the dealership after it had closed for the evening. Most people with a bit of sense would get recovered to their home, and get the dealer to collect the bike during opening hours.
It's not a camera I use regularly, just happened to be on the bike fortunately. I left the time showing, so it could reflect the progress of the event.
Hi Andy, sorry to hear about this and overall I would say that your BSA ownership experience hasn't been the best so far. Clearly mostly minor niggles and who knows how many of those have been exacerbated by you r"charming and friendly" neighbourhood BSA dealer ? It sounds like you are getting to the point now where you are seriously considering cutting your losses and getting something else instead. That would be a shame IMO. As an example, my nearest RE dealer is also almost exactly 70 miles away. Yes, it's practically a whole day gone whenever I have to go there for anything but it's worth it to me because I trust them to look after my bikes. Don't rule out finding a great BSA dealer, even if they are further away, and suddenly having a whole new BSA ownership experience. That your local dealer doesn't deserve your custom is clear though. If you like the bike, don't give up on it, just because you've had a bad experience with your nearest dealer. It's all about the bike at the end of the day. If you love it enough.( as I do mine ), you'll find a way to deal with the day trips to the dealer. I just try to enjoy the rides over there. They are additional rides that I'd never have normally. Riding is good. So it's all good. If you still like the bike, maybe don't give up on it just yet (?). Cheers Andy, Garry
nightmare experience. Thing is each gremlin and failure dents your confidence in the bike. Hope you get it all sorted
Well ---- I was considering a BSA and visited Thor two weeks ago to look at it. You've saved me from an expensive mistake. Thanks
Glad I could help!
Wife's 2019 Honda Rebel 500 now with 24,000 miles (she likes to ride) on the clock never missed a beat.
I was offered a BSA 650, but glad I stuck with my Yamaha MT.
Sorry to see you’re having a problem with the battery, I remember when I had my 2019 Interceptor they had a few batteries fail on them in the early days. In 2021 I bought a V7 Guzzi Stone from a local dealer and they went bust 4 weeks after I got it, an unsettling experience for sure. Superb video style by the way particularly the backwards section.
Thank you!
I have had dealings with Thor and I was not impressed.I have just purchased a Gold Star from Bridge Garage and was very impressed with their service and help . Before I purchased I had a talk to Mark at Lukas and he recommended Bridge . When buying a BSA you’re going to get the odd problem but with the right dealer it fine , the bike in my opinion is the best retro on the market by miles . Take the bike to a good dealer and they will sort it properly, my bike is a 2024 bike with an engine number only 1513 so it’s still early days for BSA . I have 3 other bikes on the road and for local trips I always go for the BSA .
I have had the same issue on my BSA Gold Star, just after the health check. In the end, I swapped out the 30 amp fuse for the ignition circuit, this is the second 30 amp fuse on the fuse box. Bike then reset itself and started straight away. I think simply disconnecting and reconnecting the battery would have the same effect. I suspect the immobiliser, but that is a guess. The bike has been fine since. It leaves some distrust of the bike, but I still love the way it rides.
After the health check? That includes checking the alternator. Did your battery survive?
@@CornishMotorcycleDiaries
Yes, all seemed fine, but it took the mechanic a full day to do everything! I also had a few warranty claims done, including a sensor and replacing a few of the rubbers under the seat that sit on the frame.
Very interesting🤔 great video 😁 can’t wait for the next instalment and to find out how you ended up having to pay for a new battery😕
That's coming 😉
@@CornishMotorcycleDiaries excellent 😁
That trailer is pretty good. Lot easier than others I've seen. At a time when bike sales are down, I can't understand the attitude of dealers, big and small.
I'll be interested to see your follow up video, mainly to gain some kind of understanding as to why the bike needed a new battery and why you had to shell out for something that I would have thought would be a warranty issue. It does not sound like a great dealership experience and 70 miles would not really be a practical solution for me so I would definitely be looking to get out of the bike A.S.A.P I think.
That hopefully will be coming. Others have had battery problems and had a better experience with their dealer. My bike has now had its Recall (AKA Health check) and checking the Alternator is one of the things included in that. There will be another video detailing my experience with the other dealer soon and spoiler alert, it was better.
I just had a thought, how come you had to pay for a battery. Surely thats a warranty issue?
And at least a goodwill gesture with the issues you have had?
It's a long story, more in the next vid m8.
I don't think manufacturers cover batteries but I thought the same as you regarding a goodwill gesture.
Evening Mr Exeter, it’s true that batteries are excluded and covered by the dealer who recovers warranty from his battery supplier. If as Mr Cornish did you buy one place and get serviced elsewhere they are not obligated and would normally call upon the manufacturer to assist. But looks like going the extra mile was not on the agenda. Going to Dawlish Sunday? If so I’ll look out to say hello.
@@LumpyCarbs ahh OK mate, yes I'm not sure yet mate, I've been out today, so I'm not sure if I'll have a ticket from the misses fir Sunday aswell. I'll see how it goes, it would be cool to meet you though 👍
Horrible situation, I'll be interested to hear the next instalment. I wonder how the problems with the bike, the dealers attitude and the amount of dealers dropping the brand are connected ?
A dealer near me has stopped selling BSA and the split sounds like it was somewhat acrimonious.
I did a video on what was happening with the brand in general ( prior to seeing your own one ) and I've since heard a few rumblings of discontent from a number of different parties🤔 ...Shame as I really liked the bike when I test rode one last year. ( Very nicely produced video BTW )
Thank you 😊
My local dealer in West Lancashire stopped selling BSAs on the 1st of Jan 2024 because, in his word's, they messed him about. I bought my black/chrome version on the 1st of March 2023 and paid £6800 ÷otr. This version is on sale new at £5500 so , like you, i lost faith in the company, if not the bike. Went to try a Honda costing virtually 9 grand and they offered me £2600 in part exchange. Thanks BSA, I like the bike but the company stink.
I’m sorry you’ve been through this. Sounds horrible.
Not good. You certainly don't want to be out on the moor after dark, sir. 😳
You should have confidence when you buy a new bike. This scenario doesn't do much to help.
Hope you get it sorted.
Sadly, it seems BSA don't much care for their customer satisfaction, a number of dealers ive heard of who have dropped the brand speak poorly of the UK importers both in terms of dealer technical support and unreasonable demands put onto dealers to shift new bikes.
If they carry on this way it doesn't bode well for a future UK operation.🤔👍
And by dropping the price by such a big amount its put us poor souls who bought it first now looking at a massive loss if we try to sell it on. No more BSAs for me.
Sad, sad video. I admit that I don't know much about the new BSAs, but when you were messing around with it at the roadside, I did notice that there seemed to be a number of similarities to my Benelli Leoncino. Is the BSA made in China like the Leoncino? Thank you for the video!
FG Rides in Pennsylvania, USA
Visited Thor twice in past, rude owner both occasions. Won't visit a third time.
I looked at the bsa,at a bike meeting,at Wainfleet,great event,..I was impressed with the look of the bike,and the dealership,seemed fine,..Freedom motorcycles,..BUT Ive always fixed my own bikes,and cars,The price drop must have upset a lot of people,to say the least!..after your experience,I'm having second thoughts,the battery,should have been replaced f.o.c.,that dealer doesn't sound like a nice man, probably won't be around for long, .
That’s very scary music😳
I had a similar electrical issue on my 2017 Harley Davidson Fatbob which I bought in January this year i had to be recoverd twice out of the six breakdowns it suffered in my first six months of ownership, the dealers had a few tries at repairing it but in the end I lost confidence in the bike and got rid of it, to be fair the dealer went above and beyond when I rejected the bike and did me a good deal on a brand new bike.
Edit, I was considering a Goldstar but heard some worrying reports of bad dealers when problems arose.
That’s some rough luck.you’ve had some problems with this bike.
Bet you wish you’d kept the guzzi.
Well, no can't look back all the time can you. Nil carborundum👍
@@CornishMotorcycleDiaries true enough always moving forward.
@@CornishMotorcycleDiarieshi in
Your content is always top notch, and I can see the passion and effort you pour into every video. I believe you have incredible potential to reach a larger audience with a solid UA-cam strategy If you SEO your videos and use the right keywords and video tags, I think you can expect better results.
Thanks for all the comments, suggestions and support from this 'from-the-heart' video. Now, I feel it is time to move on and look to the future in a positive way, so I'm turning off commenting now as I think enough has been said. I also don't want this to turn into a BSA bashing thread.
Why didn't you try and bumb start the bike you had ignition?i used to race bsa 350 and 500 back in the sixties.
Easy to say that now, but bear in mind the conditions (cold, dark) and my health (poor) and I didn't want to attempt it. The odd behaviour of the electrics also put me off.
Well i was thinking of getting a one of these but i wiĺl be buying a Honda or Triumph. I know that breakdowns happen but dealers leaving the franchise is a greater concern.
Agreed. My experience of this particular dealer is nothing but positive. I had a problem with the ABS light on my 250 Mutt although the brakes were absolutely fine. Colin (the owner) said Mutt were pretty good on warranty issues and, sure enough, the issue was resolved by replacing the whole speedo under warranty. The problem here ( I suspect) is more to do with BSA having read some of the comments below and above. Clearly, this owner has an issue and I feel for him as I suspect we all do. Although I bought a Mutt, my original deposit was for a Bullit/Bluroc 250 but the manufacturer couldn't meet the Euro5 emission standards at that time. Colin was banging his head against a brick wall with the manufacturer trying to get them to confirm if/when they could supply the bike to no avail. Let's not forget the mess Norton got into under the ownership of Stuart Garner. Owners/prospective buyers and dealers were left high and dry. I do hope BSA is not going down a similar path.
Although this is a new bike, the battery is ofter a warranty issue for the battery manufacturer, not the bike manufacturer. Similar to tires and wear items, like brake pads. However, the dealer could have shown a little more customer service and replaced the battery then recovered the cost from the battery company. That’s what my dealer would have done. BSA is certainly not helping themselves with how they’re treating their dealers and customers. And the dealers seem to be passing their frustrations on to the hapless buyers. Look forward to part two…
I think this episode is unique to this dealer. Others have had FOC replacements. Bear in mind that this was the SECOND dead battery for this bike and then in the 'Health Check' (Recall) they actually check... You'll have to watch the Health Check Video for that which is in a few videos time.
Not good at all 🙂↕️ Glad you survived your time on the moors after dark 😱
No sign of The Beast of Bodmin fortunately 🙄
Was thinking about one seems customers don’t matter
I do think the support package from Lukas is a good one what with the 2+2 warranty and the comprehensive 'health check'
I live in New Zealand and have never seen one of these in the wild. If it was me, I would be trying to get a full refund.
Paid £6000 for my Gold Star in May, price drop to £5000 4 weeks later. Back for flash upgrade twice and then immobilized fault. Recovered to the dealer and they put in a new wiring loom. Asked them for a part ex against a new Z600rs. Offered me £3200 on a ten week old bike. Riding it home I now have an engine oil leak. Thinking of buying one of these, then don't, this is probably the worst bike I have ever bought and I once bought CZ.I
BSA deserve to go bust.
That's why I stick to Hondas and BMW's. Wouldn't touch the likes of BSA and Norton as their dealerships are as common as honest politicians and I can't see them being around in 2 years time to be honest. I have a Triumph aswell but I must say they haven't covered themselves in glory with me either.
So you'd say a BSA bike is just like a BSA from the good old days right? I've seen people on here say "there's no way this is anything like an old BSA, this is actually good" but this suggest otherwise.
Such a shame, breaking down is really grim at the best of times, never mind in the middle of nowhere. Might have missed it but what was wrong with the bike? What was THOR unhappy about, it’s not your fault? Don’t get that bit.
Ultimately he was unhappy because I didn't buy from him originally.
Did you actually get recovered to the dealership after it had closed for the evening. Most people with a bit of sense would get recovered to their home, and get the dealer to collect the bike during opening hours.
Yes, but I thought the that was the best place and I still do.
Not sure if I missed it but can I ask why breakdown guy didn't try & test anything? Seems odd to just throw in the towel & load bike.
Good point!
This is what happens with new type vehicles... especially....
Probably just a minor issue with a fuse....but your a plonker rider Rodney.
looks like electrical issues jumped into your camera, ancient dates showing!!!!
It's not a camera I use regularly, just happened to be on the bike fortunately. I left the time showing, so it could reflect the progress of the event.
Did you try bunping it off?
No see above, but wasn't the ideal situation.
You should have stayed with the Moto Guzzi😊.
Hi Andy,
sorry to hear about this and overall I would say that your BSA ownership experience hasn't been the best so far.
Clearly mostly minor niggles and who knows how many of those have been exacerbated by you r"charming and friendly" neighbourhood BSA dealer ?
It sounds like you are getting to the point now where you are seriously considering cutting your losses and getting something else instead.
That would be a shame IMO. As an example, my nearest RE dealer is also almost exactly 70 miles away. Yes, it's practically a whole day gone whenever I have to go there for anything but it's worth it to me because I trust them to look after my bikes. Don't rule out finding a great BSA dealer, even if they are further away, and suddenly having a whole new BSA ownership experience.
That your local dealer doesn't deserve your custom is clear though.
If you like the bike, don't give up on it, just because you've had a bad experience with your nearest dealer. It's all about the bike at the end of the day. If you love it enough.( as I do mine ), you'll find a way to deal with the day trips to the dealer. I just try to enjoy the rides over there. They are additional rides that I'd never have normally. Riding is good. So it's all good.
If you still like the bike, maybe don't give up on it just yet (?).
Cheers Andy,
Garry