Well first you must qualify what "so bad" is. Anyway, Hulk had a recent malfunction where (as best I can tell) the tire drive system would not engage the train and forced an evacuation of the ride from inside the lift tunnel.
As far as the reliability, sure you havent hear of too many spectacular chain breaks on B&Ms, but as RideMan Dave alluded to, there are several other problems that B&Ms face, that arent as "eye-catching" as a chain break, but can shut down the coaster nevertheless.
Specifically speaking of SFA's S:ROS, not to make excuses, but very little time elapsed between the pouring of footers to the first public rides, due to SFA problems with the local PG County zoning board. Most of the B&Ms, however, have had the opportunity to be constructed *well* in advance of opening day. That allows for time to work out any SNAFUs.
Why has Intamin killed 3 chains this year? The real answer is "I dont know". Do I believe, like Jeff, that it was just dumb luck? No. Do I believe, like some, that there is some inherent design flaw? Balderdash! If there was a design flaw in S:ROS, it would have been revealed in SFDL's version. The best explanation I can proffer is that there was a flaw in the actual chain material. IMO, there was a bad batch of steel somewhere. If the chains were all from this batch, then there you have it. (NOTE: While I am a licensed Engineering Intern, my specialty is NOT in forensic engineering.....YET).
And once again revisiting the apples/oranges thing. While you *say* that it completely different, it seems to me that you just contend that B&M has better apples (a point not without merit), not a different fruit. I will simply disagree with you here and leave it at that.
lata,
jeremy