what to buy?

beaver

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Hi All.. First post here so please be kind :) I've been riding a tuned 1200 Bandit and my 1340 FXR for a few years now, but having had the Bandit for 19 years, I'm thinking its time for a change. I've had a couple of R100RS in the past and did a lot of touring on them in my younger days, I also bougth a R100gs, one of the first para-leavers and we very impressed with how nice it was to drive.

So, to the question.. I'm after a GS... I want a bike I can use to go to work on, that will take me and the good wife on weekends away, and also the longer trips if I ever get around to doing them... But I also want something I can play on at weekends... Love the poke of the 1200 Bandit but appreciate a GS will not be the same.. that said, low down torque is where its at.
So been looking around and I'm confused... You get early 1200's going for £3K-£13K... 1150's from £3K to £7K.. and 1100 £1K to £4K?... or there abouts.. so what is best?... I'd like to spend no more that £4K and appear to be looking at bikes around the 30,000 miles area.. you do get some with less, but then the £ obviously goes up...
All that said, I've seen some at 25K that are rough, but others at 60K that are mint... so engine / box wise, whats an acceptable milage?... Is a 60K unit still worth looking at?
and then the biggest question of all... 11 / 11.5 / 12?.. I'm just over 6' and like a big bike... so any thoughts on my way forward?... Many thanks for any advise.. John
 
So no thoughts on this :( There is a 1200 on a 2006 plate local with low miles... He's replaced the rear shock and fuel pump relay.. want £5.5K for it.. would this be a good buy, or do they have other issues??...
 
one the one hand you don't want to spend more than 4k and now your looking at a 5.5k bike?
buty the newest low milage 1200 you can find pref 08 on
 
Your into bikes and have obviously done a bit of homework, I think you need to narrow it down a bit and ask a more specific question as currently it's a bit like "what bike should I buy for £4k"?

This simply cannot be answered without knowing all about the bike and seeing pictures of it when your looking at this age - if it were a couple of years old and in new condition it would be an easy question, (but not for £4k!) but as condition and care will be more of an issue it's down to a specific bike - and you don't have one to ask about at this stage.

The only advice I can therefor give is go as new as you can afford and spend as much as you can afford and on the latest model you can afford - because if your talking about long trips and touring you want it to be reliable, not somone elses cast off.

I'd also seriously consider buying off a member here - not that it guarantees a good bike, but it's far more likely if they have been on here for a while and a regular member, at least you know they are interested in it and their reputation is likely worth more than making an extra few quid on a less tham honest bike - at least that is the way I see it.

Hope that helps a little - have a browse and don't spend all your budget on the bike, but try to get the bits you know you need - loke panniers, they could be £500+ buying later - I'm sure you will sood want some toys for it - it's very customisable.

James
 
So no thoughts on this :( There is a 1200 on a 2006 plate local with low miles... He's replaced the rear shock and fuel pump relay.. want £5.5K for it.. would this be a good buy, or do they have other issues??...

Jeez! My immaculate 2010 TC GSA with brand new tyres and FSH (26k miles) went for £6,300. That is a rip-off price

Al
 
Yes.. mission creep.. you start off at £4K and before you know it, your at £5.5?... I could buy a new one if it came to it.. but the use I'd get out of it against depresiation.. it would not be worth it.. So it's more about the level to pitch at I guess to get value for money...
Is an early 1200 a bike worth having?. Or is a nice, sorted 1150 a better option...
Thanks for all your comments anyway.. it always helps to duscuss with people who know.. Go into the dealer and they fill you will allsorts LOL.

Just talked to a guy with a 1200 for sale and he's had it 6 months let him down 5 times!.. obviously a very honest chap as he told me!... as the post above.. if the optimum is to pay £6.3 for a 2010 GSA then thats where I should look....

Just chewing it over.. I'd prefer the £4K area if there is anything good down there?

I did look at the one at M-Works, but 8 owners and 52K... mmmmm


(correction.. Its a Grahams.. thought he'd closed.. will have to find where he is now and take a look.. cheers)
 
Just had a quick ride on a 1150GS 02 plate with 40K on it... Mmmm slower than my 1979 R100RS?... was there something wrong with it or is this how they are?
also engine clacking quite a lot at tickover.. is this a cam chain?... must have had a GSA tank as it was huge...
 
Those are what we nick name " oil head" which is the single camshaft heads .
The variant which came out after that we nickname the "hex head" which has the twincam head. I think the twin cams first came out for 2010 .
As well as the twin cams the final drive on the later ones is a different variant which is vented , and set up for oil changes as opposed to the supposedly sealed for life.
These are well sorted machines that were at the end of a long string of development before the jump to the newer liquid cooled machines ( which inevitability had teething troubles)
I have had 2 of the twin cams 34 k on first - no issue
35 on current , which has needed needle bearings in drive shaft replaced (£149 at independent ) and an oil leak which was an oddity on this model
In summary if you can run to a 10/11/12/13 plate twincam , quite well sorted bikes and IMHO a joy to ride , best machine so far out ouf 37 ( over many years):thumb2
 
Have a look in the for sale section here www.tiger-explorer.com a very nice 2012 model with 35k and a full dealer history. A far far superior bike than the 1150gs and a far superior bike than the pre twin cam 1200gs.

But, if it's definitely a GS you want, save up a bit more, bide your time and get a Twin cam. The best GS ever built.
 
There was nothing wrong with the original R1200GSA.

This one at £5,500 could be worth some questions to the owner:
Maintenance records, photos of typical corrosion areas, tyre condition, and a feel for the owner?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-R1200...986614?hash=item2a8ff778b6:g:WAEAAOSwJs1Z0yxd

It has a full set of boxes (Say - £400-£500 worth)
There could be a couple of £hundred wiggle-room in that price too.

Al:D
 
Thanks for all your comments... I guess I should look to a hex head then to get what I want.. Or a Oil head if its a bargain...

Yes.. I do like Tigers especialy as they have gine shaft...

And Al.. good shot!.. that is the one thats let the owned down a good few times in the 6 weeks he's had it :)

ok.. the search goes on... cheers
 
Thanks for all your comments... I guess I should look to a hex head then to get what I want.. Or a Oil head if its a bargain...

Yes.. I do like Tigers especialy as they have gine shaft...

And Al.. good shot!.. that is the one thats let the owned down a good few times in the 6 weeks he's had it :)

ok.. the search goes on... cheers

Get yourself to Allan Jefferies and try a used watercooled one, they have stacks used in stock and the PCP rates seem ok, was having a nosey the other day. 2 year warranty on approved used too. They are a world away from the 1150 and 1200 earlier versions imho. Worth spending the extra and if you do it on a PCP you won't need to lay a load of dosh out up front.

I'm from Bradford too so I feel it's only right I give u some proper advice!
 
LOL.. the size of their showroom says it all for me... how much are they in there?... scared to even go in the place ;)

may have a trip to Grahams though....
 
LOL.. the size of their showroom says it all for me... how much are they in there?... scared to even go in the place ;)

may have a trip to Grahams though....

they have a few for 9k but there must be about 20 in stock. Each one has a finance print on it, some are about £100 a month from memory. Try one at least, trust me in a different league imho , rev happy and with 120bhp, and they would toast any bandit over most roads.
 
Hi.. I can't get on the for sale section.. not enough posts / not subscribed yet... do you have contact details so I can mail / txt you?.. Not sure if you can send me a PM??

It’s twelve quid!

Surely worth it, before you spend thousands on the wrong bike?
 
Beaver,

Oilhead (1100&1150) prices are all over the place (some of it is folkes chancing their arm over pricing), you pay a premium for an adventure version which can get you a 30l tank, taller suspension a lower 1st and lower 6th (which makes motorway cruising noiser and more vibey).
The screen is different but still crap unless you fit tobinators and a different seat.
.
The 1150 is a "charming" bike if taken in context against other newer machinery, as an everyday hack it will do that amicably. Your 4k budget will get you a very nice 02 single spark non servo abs model. The only real weak spot is the final drive bearing which can fail at some point around 50-70K but thats not a given. The paint on the front of the engine casing and on the heads can crack and peel. I personally think the 1150 adventure is not worth the premium they command from purely a pragmatic point of view.
Avoid the Servo if you can, there have been suffen failiures, its easy to remove and convert to non abs with no real drawbacks.

I'd have another 1150 Gs to blat round on for fun in addition to the one I have lugging the sidecar if its wasnt for practical reasons not to.
I do love mine but its old and antiquated now and belongs in that catagory (for the enthusiast). More modern machinery is just better in terms of riders experience.

I'd also look at the F800 as well.

The 1200 is the technically better bike, lighter, more economical, more power but lacks some of the oil heads charm, if you never ridden an oilhead you dont really know what your missing so go straight for the 1200.

If you can stretch to it, I'd go for a 1200GSA providing the saddle isnt too tall. The larger tank gives better weather protection and a 350mile tank range. Its debatable again whether the adventure is worth the premium over the standard GS. I personally like to ride in a bubble similar to that you get with a full on tourer so for me the GSA makes more sense.

One thing I can tell you is after the bandit you will hate the 1150GS when you first ride it and it will feel wheezy and awkward, its a grower, stick with it if you get one.
 


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