is my bike 04 or 05 model year

[rom]

Just curious about what my bike model year would be.
Looking at the left side of the gas tank after taking off the plastic panel, I found the manufacture date of my blue 12GS being 10/04. The dealer said this bike is a model year 05.

So I do not quite get how BMW categorize their bike as being 04 05 or 06. The bike has been in Bangkok showroom since early Dec 04 but I took delivery first week of Jan.

Can anyone enlighten me on this? Thanks

 

[swebb]

I'm not 100% sure, (maybe somebody else will confirm/deny) but i think it's all about which month it rolls off the production line.

I think as a general rule of thumb, they start producing the new years bikes around Sept/Oct, which would explain why yours is stamped as 10/04, and yet still an 05 bike..... reason behind it, is if they waited till 05 to produce 05 bikes, imagine how long the waiting lists would be !!!

hope that helps....

 

[plasmatron]

my bike was manufactured in Sept '04 but it is a '05 model year... I know becuase it says so along with the VIN on on the laminated, embossed BMW certificate of origin I got with the bike...

if yours was manufactured in October I'd say there's a damn good chance it's an '05 year model...

btw, good to see there's at least one other Asia based 12GS'er on this forum... I'm in Taiwan, but I think you've got the better deal riding wise over there in Thailand!...

plasmatron

 

[rom]

my bike was manufactured in Sept '04 but it is a '05 model year... I know becuase it says so along with the VIN on on the laminated, embossed BMW certificate of origin I got with the bike...

if yours was manufactured in October I'd say there's a damn good chance it's an '05 year model...

btw, good to see there's at least one other Asia based 12GS'er on this forum... I'm in Taiwan, but I think you've got the better deal riding wise over there in Thailand!...

plasmatron

Hi Plasmatron,
Ride in this SEA region is fantastic. Fuel is cheap, food cheaper, lodging is great and with great people you get to know along the way.
How big is the 12GS population in Taiwan? In Thailand, you will be surprised.. there is around 40-50 units since BMW Thailand started taking order toward end 2003. Mine was the first one out of showroom in 2005. Paid USD20K for the ABS servo assisted unit here. How is the price in Taiwan?

 

[Carrera]

Every bike released from the factory after September 1st. is a 05 model.

 

[GSmonkey]

If you've got not much of a tool kit and no puncture repair kit, you are lucky enough to have an '05.

 

[plasmatron]

rom, I am surpsied there are that many 12GS's in Thailand!, I've been on a few trips around Thailand on rented bikes before, but nothing major... I'd love to arrange a few months off and take a trip down the SEA peninsula... Although I've only seen CB400's and the like to rent in Thailand before, is there any way to rent a GS in Thailand?...

All BMW bikes are very popular here in Taiwan... The "government" here only dropped their import ban on bikes over 150cc 2 years ago, so the market is very new... They are still maintaining underhanded "non-tarrif" restrictions to free trade despite the WTO telling them they aren't allowed to, the sods... That means there is around 48% cumulative import duty on motorcycles over 250cc ... for that reason standard '05 12GS's are selling for US$26,000... I managed to negociate the deal of the century on mine and got a servo ABS, heated grips, chromed exhaust and cross spoke wheels '05 model for US$24,500... still bloody expensive though...

BMW are shifting a lot of 12GS's around here... I'd guess they are moving around 7 bikes per month island wide, and it's a small island... cannot imagine why some of the Taiwanese guys buy them... even with the lower seat they can only just touch the ground on tippy toes and tend to drop their bikes on every offroad pothole... then again it is a great bike no matter who you are...

plasmatron