Ex police 1150RT. Advice please.

[brut33]

I spotted this on eBay.
I was wondering if it was possible to remove the panniers or are they a permanent fixture.
Also how much room is inside the pillion top box thingy.
It seems rather low milage for an ex cop bike.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2005-05-B...e36c1ce&pid=100009&rk=2&rkt=2&sd=272238122612

 

[ricardo]

From my experience, the panniers are removable.
The topbox jobby is not huge, even with the radio removed, probably about 1/2 a pannier size.
And they don't do many miles these days and spend most of their days parked up with nobody to ride them.

 

[richardbd]

Nice looking bike though, from what you can see in the photos...

 

[simondippenhall]

Nice looking bike though, from what you can see in the photos...

but no description in the ad?

 

[brut33]

but no description in the ad?

There was a description by the seller, but it seems to have vanished??

 

[steve hughes]

Im sure there was a thread on here recently about the perils of buying ex police bikes. The consensus was dont!

 

[wreck diver]

There' are good and bad plod bikes just the same as,you can get from a private seller.

Take someone with you who knows BM,s when you go to view and budget to poss spend a few quid on it?
Good luck

 

[MikeO]

Avon & Somerset police bikes had a separate calibrated speedo and odometer, so the BMW odometer would be at zero when sold. I would try to find out whether this was the case with whatever force used this one...

 

[brut33]

There was a description by the seller, but it seems to have vanished??

The description is back.

.....and thanks for the advice so far.

 

[brut33]

Avon & Somerset police bikes had a separate calibrated speedo and odometer, so the BMW odometer would be at zero when sold. I would try to find out whether this was the case with whatever force used this one...

Blimey, the cops clocking bikes.

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[ricardo]

I'd have one. Lancs have an unmarked GS that I'd take off their hands.

 

[AberdeenAngus]

Blimey, the cops clocking bikes.

Thanks for the heads up.

Nowt illegal about clocking bikes.

 

[Sky Bear]

Avon & Somerset police bikes had a separate calibrated speedo and odometer, so the BMW odometer would be at zero when sold. I would try to find out whether this was the case with whatever force used this one...

I would be interested to know where you got that bit of information from. I have had vehicles from A&S, my old force, and they have always had the calibrated speedo with full miles on at time of sale left in. I have never heard of any force removing them in so very curious. I will ask next time at MT.

As said earlier some vehicles are good and some will need a lot of work. Things that need doing will always get done and this is where the cost is no issue so "it must be a well looked after vehicle" side of the story started. The flip side is it MAY have been used hard. If a district response car yes if a district run around pcso vehicle no and everything inbetween. What it will need is all the usual consumables. No one fits new discs, brakes shocks etc and then sells it. The garage will dispose of it as these are all comming up in its year of sale.

No different to a private sale from a mop, it's up to you to inspect it and make a decision. Good luck in your hunt.

SB

 

[MikeO]

I would be interested to know where you got that bit of information from. I have had vehicles from A&S, my old force, and they have always had the calibrated speedo with full miles on at time of sale left in. I have never heard of any force removing them in so very curious. I will ask next time at MT.

As said earlier some vehicles are good and some will need a lot of work. Things that need doing will always get done and this is where the cost is no issue so "it must be a well looked after vehicle" side of the story started. The flip side is it MAY have been used hard. If a district response car yes if a district run around pcso vehicle no and everything inbetween. What it will need is all the usual consumables. No one fits new discs, brakes shocks etc and then sells it. The garage will dispose of it as these are all comming up in its year of sale.

No different to a private sale from a mop, it's up to you to inspect it and make a decision. Good luck in your hunt.

SB

Well, I rode bikes for them, so you have it from the horse's mouth...

The BMW speedo was disconnected (these were R80RTs) and a calibrated speedo fitted to the fairing, driven by an extended speedo cable. At sale, the cable was replaced with the original, the calibrated speedo (along with radio, lights, horns etc) removed and the bike sold, with full details of its actual mileage, at auction.

From memory, we sold the city bikes at 90k and the county ones at 120k - but it was a while ago, so I may have those figures wrong. In any case the OEM speedo would have zero, or just delivery miles on them.

 

[Decompressing]

Well, I rode bikes for them, so you have it from the horse's mouth...

The BMW speedo was disconnected (these were R80RTs) and a calibrated speedo fitted to the fairing, driven by an extended speedo cable. At sale, the cable was replaced with the original, the calibrated speedo (along with radio, lights, horns etc) removed and the bike sold, with full details of its actual mileage, at auction.

From memory, we sold the city bikes at 90k and the county ones at 120k - but it was a while ago, so I may have those figures wrong. In any case the OEM speedo would have zero, or just delivery miles on them.

Yes, that's was the case with most forces many years ago when they ran separately calibrated speedos. Then, with a combination of things happening like, no more mechanically driven speedos, newer technologies / electronics it became more difficult to do this. Pretty much all UK forces use a company called IRS in Nottingham who calibrate the OE fit speedometer on the vehicle and substitute a new speedo face which just shows the graduation more accurately. As far as I remember, IRS have probably been doing this now for the last 25-30 years at least.

 

[Sky Bear]

Yes, that's was the case with most forces many years ago when they ran separately calibrated speedos. Then, with a combination of things happening like, no more mechanically driven speedos, newer technologies / electronics it became more difficult to do this. Pretty much all UK forces use a company called IRS in Nottingham who calibrate the OE fit speedometer on the vehicle and substitute a new speedo face which just shows the graduation more accurately. As far as I remember, IRS have probably been doing this now for the last 25-30 years at least.

Yes must have been before my time with the force as I have only ever seen separate speedometer in old training videos of dubious quality. Anything I have ever driven has been an IRS calibrated speedo as mentioned.

 

[Martyn H]

Avon & Somerset police bikes had a separate calibrated speedo and odometer, so the BMW odometer would be at zero when sold. I would try to find out whether this was the case with whatever force used this one...

That was the case with the old airheads, but not for years. The BMW speedo is calibrated & certificated by a company in Notts. (IRS) & stays with the bike. I think the latter process started with the K Series so 1980's. The first job BMW's I rode had the second speedo driven as well as the BMW speedo, so the BMW speedo was still your odometer. Then, in the 80RT era, the BMW speedo was disconnected, & a large, very legible it must be said, speedo was mounted on top of the dash.

 

[Martyn H]

I know it's not a cracking shot, but this ex-Met R80 shows the separate clock. The in-car shot is a similar, if not identical, speedo head.

 

[Decompressing]

That was the case with the old airheads, but not for years. The BMW speedo is calibrated & certificated by a company in Notts. (IRS) & stays with the bike. I think the latter process started with the K Series so 1980's. The first job BMW's I rode had the second speedo driven as well as the BMW speedo, so the BMW speedo was still your odometer. Then, in the 80RT era, the BMW speedo was disconnected, & a large, very legible it must be said, speedo was mounted on top of the dash.

hello, is there an echo in here....?

 

[Martyn H]

hello, is there an echo in here....?

I knew the level of the likely audience........so included pics..........