Buying an Ex offroad schools Bmw f800gs,

[mark2jag]

I'm in the process of buying an Ex Bmw Offroad school Bmw F800GS. Has anyone yet been brave enough to do so. If they have I would be most helpful for any info/advice, what to look out for, what to do/not do, etc etc etc....
Look forward to a reply of some sorts, if anyone CAN help me....

 

[Chris G]

I would have thought they would sort all the damage that is visible out, may be wise to check brake pads [they wear quick in mud], head stock bearings and make sure the steering stops are okay, radiator mounts [they are plastic] and I suppose a quick check of the dip stick for the engine oil[ make sure it aint milky- cos that could mean it's had a deep bath]

I think plenty of peeps have bought ex bmw bikes before with no big problems

 

[luckylucian]

The R1200Gs seem to trash gearboxes

Who's selling them?

 

[ronnie69]

want that one

Who's selling them?

+1

seem to remember looking at their sell off last year or the year before, but can't remember who it was selling them......... Go on, spill the beans.

 

[everywherevirtually]

heres what they look like before the sale

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Only £4995 from Vines BMW

You can get a pristine one from Ebay for little more

 

[Klanky]

But it is nice to see some GS's that look like they should......

I've just noticed tha the 800 in the piccie hasn't got crash bars fitted to it..that suprises me, given the amount of low-speed falling over it's probably experienced......that's assuming it's a training ground bike from BMW offroad.

 

[twisticles]

Hey everywherevirtually,

Was that picture taken early in the Season? By the time I got there (in May?) hardly any of the 800s had their air intake covers (the black bits below the tank panel) and most of the radiator surrounds were covered in black duct tape to hold them together.

I dunno if they sell them in that condition or replace bodywork?

Plastics aside, the 800 does OK in low speed spills without crash bars...its the brake and gear levers that suffer. Easy to bend back after a spill, but most of the ones I saw were odd mis-shapen beasts having been bent so many times. After my off, half of my gear lever snapped!v (But then, the school bikes have no indicators or mirrors to break in a spill either).

 

[Slowdown]

Personally, I wouldn't buy the one that went bouncing down one of the hills on the first off road school course of the year.

But Vines do seem to be able to shift them - well, they did last year......

 

[twisticles]

Images of the 800GS at BMW off-road school. 600 miles on the clock (so ridden ragged on the course during its run-in period):

Not surprising if they do this every day of the week:

Mod edit: image removed as oversize - click on http://i34.tinypic.com/fjdgrp.jpg to view

The tree on the left just appeared out of nowhere

 

[everywherevirtually]

I took the photo at the Touratech Travel Event in September. This was one of the more complete versions

the rear panels tended to have chunks out of them, the bmw badges were ripped off etc but considering the abuse they had suffered they were still pretty robust.

As you pointed out Twisticles the clutch and brake levers are always the things to get it first. I snapped the end off my clutch lever right at the beginning of a 600 miles trip. (I was not impressed with myself )

The TT handguards also tend to rotate around upon impact with the ground so I'm contemplating the sturdier bark busters!

 

[mark2jag]

buying ex offroad school f 800 gs

Bl**dy Hell!!!!! if the photos shown are typical then they should be a bl**dy sight less expensive than what im being asked for. As for being able to buy a goodun off ebay, I challange anyone reading this post to show me one from a trader, as the pound of flesh finance company I'm deling with wont let me buy privately.

The one i have earmarked for me has all the bells and whistles on it apart from an alarm,so come on people make my day for me, please

 

[nikp]

How much

Bl**dy Hell!!!!! if the photos shown are typical then they should be a bl**dy sight less expensive than what im being asked for. As for being able to buy a goodun off ebay, I challange anyone reading this post to show me one from a trader, as the pound of flesh finance company I'm deling with wont let me buy privately.

The one i have earmarked for me has all the bells and whistles on it apart from an alarm,so come on people make my day for me, please

Go on then...... how much you paying???????

 

[Spikehammer]

I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole, and I say that with good reason.

If you search this site you will find details of a 1200 that snapped it's drive shaft which, in turn, shattered the final drive housing. This happened at about 80mph. The rider, Nick, is lucky to be alive.

That bike came from the BMW Off Road School.

I have personally repaired that bike and the condition of it, under the skin, is horrendous.

The taper rollers in the swinging arm are both completely shot, no grease, most rollers disinergrated and the cages shattered. The fixed pivot point was siezed in to the extent that we had to drill it out, the adjustable one was cross threaded so badly I've had to get a new one and have had to dress the threads in pivot point on the bike. The torque arm was siezed at both ends and the brake caliper and pistons shot.

The bike is a disgrace.

The reason it's of importance is that BMW are now using this condition and their percieved level of maintenance as an excuse to walk away from any obligation to the rider who could have been killed. This is dispite the bike having a FULL BMW Service history, carried out in their shops and presumably at the Off Road Centre. When they found out the bike had been used off road they washed their hands of the whole thing!

Buy it at your own risk but right now I would say there are much, much better and safer options up for sale.

 

[digga]

as the pound of flesh finance company I'm deling with wont let me buy privately.

Well don't deal with them then

Finance via a Bank and YOU say where you spend the money

 

[mark2jag]

sadly i cant deal with a regular finance company, so.....

Sadly I am informed that my credit score even though i'm in a well paid, secure job (one of not many going these days)does not meet with "current lending criteria" and therefore they told me to fckoff, but politely. the bike in question is 5495, but like i said its got everything on it except an alarm (who said and dent free panels, silly booger). id still take it if they included a warranty that was worth something otHerwise i see me waiting for it to arrive, and take it from there I emailed a certain person in charge at BMW offroad school, with an indication that i wanted to know what it's condition is, but no joy (as yet!!) Wonder if they will even bother???
I really rate the GS800 and want one, soon as, and apart from robbing a bank, hehehe Any other USEFUL!!! suggestions would of course be gratefully received.. (currently got a 57 plate DL1000 with 9 k miles on it, and EVERYTHING, ERRR HELP!!!

 

[mark2jag]

message to everywhere virtually!!

if these are BMW OFFROAD school bikes, have you anymore. wonder if i might be able to spot mine,lol

 

[luckylucian]

I'd still be worried about previous over liberal use of a jetwash when cleaning the bike of mud, hence stripping vital grease out of the bearings

 

[Klanky]

Have a look at this:

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-u...e=BMW&model=F800&min_pr=&max_pr=&max_mileage=

If you're paying this through a dealer for a virtually new bike, I reckon that if you keep your eyes open you should be able to pick a bike up privately for a bit less.

 

[mark2jag]

Just to let you all know not bothering with the thrashed to death option, bought myself a new 800 GS with only 890 miles on it