New Airhead Owner

[SteveM]

Nice bike you have there, and like you I prefer to keep mine standard as much as I can (or at least keep the standard bits to retrofit). From a quick glance I think the non-standard bits on yours are: the sidepanels, the rocker covers, the feet flaps, the fuel overflow pipe, the emblem in the rear wheel hub, the fuel filters and the twin disc setup. All sensible mods and I'm sure to be corrected by others! It looks like it has the original exhaust collector box and appears quite rusty - these are prone to holes (I've had a few in mine now). It also has the original side stand which are a bitch to use. I've finally got round to replacing mine with a Migsel one (of this parish) - believe me once you try the original you'll want to do the same.

Worth checking out the history of the driveshaft too as these are prone to go after as little as 30k miles although I'm still on the original at 67k!

Good luck with the bike - you'll not be disappointed and there's a wealth of knowledge on here to tap into.

Mike


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Cheers Mike. The bloke I bought it off has been brilliant and is obviously an airhead fan himself. He's invited us (me an Mrs M) over to drink beer, eat sausage and enjoy ourselves when we come and pick it up, I'll try and remember to ask him all the pertinent questions before getting too wasted

 

[Essexadventure]

See what a fun club you've joined!!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[markjackson]

You'll all be glad to hear that I'll be bringing the average age of the collective down by a good few years, after all I'm only 46

Hah! An Old timer!

Proper young people are only 45 and a quarter

P.S. I have brake envy.

 

[SteveM]

Hi all, today I received a Haynes and a Clymer manual from Amazon to help with my impending Airhead ownership and have noticed a small anomaly. According to the (German) registration documents the bike was first registered on 03/08/89, and as you can see below the front of the Clymer manual says 'R50/5 THROUGH R100PD ● 1970-1996' so I bought it on the basis that it would cover an '89 BMW R100GS PD (and it probably does). However, when you look at the back cover for the models covered it shows 'R100GS PD (1990-1996)'. I'm sure my bike is covered but my question is "were the first PD's offered in '89 or '90 - or even before, or is the manual wrong?'

 

[Rob Farmer]

There were a few changes to the bikes from 1990-96 compared to the 88-89 model. They changed from the conventional indicator switch to the K style paddles so the entire wiring harness is different along with the handlebar controls as well as lots of other little bits and pieces. Yours is covered from a wiring point of view by the standard wiring harness for the 100GS. The 89/89 bikes had a small revmeter that fits in the dash but it simply plugs into the harness like the add on pod revmeter for the standard GS.

 

[SteveM]

Thanks for that Rob. Just browsing the Haynes manual too, and found that they don't recognise an '89 R100GS PD either (3rd column below), must be because it's German and they weren't imported into the UK till 1993.

 

[Rob Farmer]

I've no idea why they haven't got it listed. There are a few of the guys on this site with 90,91 and 92 registered bikes as well as 89 models. There are also a few of the guys with the PD Classic that your haynes manual has listed as "Not imported"

It could be because the PD was available as a kit for the standard GS in 88 and only as a complete bike in 89.

 

[SteveM]

I've finally taken possession of my new pride and joy but now need to turn my attention to getting it road legal for the UK.
I've googled and searched on here (which by the way is crap) and have read of people doing this process in different ways.
Some people have found it harder than others and have had to fill out different forms and make different modifications etc. It's an '89 GS and was fully road legal in Germany before I bought it. The German plates were retained by the previous owner and the speedo reads in kph.
Can anyone tell me or point me in the right direction to get my GSPD registered in the UK as painlessly as possible. Thanks.

 

[Kenny]

Well you need to show MPH on the speedo. Headlight ( as it is German spec ) needs to dip to the left.

Need an M.O.T. then ( using chassis number )

Contact DVLA ( they have a splendid helpline ) as to cost etc of registering the bike and getting an age related number plate etc. Shouldn't be any problem re insurance.

 

[litelfun]

Hallo Regestering your bicke is a piece of piss I went down the DVLA in chester with my bicke and some blocke working in the DVLA thier give me a telling off for riding on germanplates witch I had been doing the last 2 years I informed him !!! apart from that its easy they dont want to see your bicke you dont even need a logbook ! but by me I had to fill aut a regerstation dockument from the details on my German logbook prity easy but the lady seen on my german Logbook that the speed was in KMH this was one day before the uk allso might have to convert to Kmh may be back in 2007 !
so I had to go back with conformation that the speed had been kaliberated to mph wich my brother wrote for me he is a mechcanik in the RLNI and 50 pound fee and bobs your unkel a few days later I recieved my registration number to tax and inschure my bicke the inschurance just used my frame number till my Docs come ! I have got my bicke back on german plates now :-( and just for any one else buying a bicke in Germany normaly you would leave the numberplate on the bicke and you sighn a agreement that you will register it in your name within 7 days if they faill to du that then the person will pay for ever inschurance and tax as you need the logbook and number plate to deregister it so any body selling for export will deregister it first they can give you the old logbook and numberplate with the bicke after the roade tax on the plate has been defaced if you want to ride the bicke home its not a problem for aboute 70 euro you can buy a 7 days plate that schould be aranged with the seller for you !!!

 

[Tetley]

First thing is to apply for a NOVA certificate. Fill in this form http://www.lambretta.co.uk/downloads/nova-form.pdf. HMRC will confirm no duty is due and give you a reference number, note this number in your accompanying letter with the V55/5 that you use when applying for first registration. You will also need to include proof of identity and address, plus first reg fee and RFL, MOT use the VIN no (as mentioned above) and the Farhrzeugbrief (ask for this to be returned). As the bike is over 10 yrs old you don't need to change the speedo for MPH. Copy everything that you send. Its quite painless really.
All of this is online...hopefully this will point you in the right direction.

C

 

[SteveM]

Thank you gentlemen, I'll be getting on it this week. Glad to know I'll not need to change the speedo as I want to keep it all looking original.

 

[Bubb]

pre 1992 PD....

Paris dakar bikes have a plastic tank, and these were NOT road legal in the UK pre 1992. (Con & use regs stated only metal petrol tanks allowed)... I had a 1991 BMW R100GS, bought new in May 1991 just prior to the change in the law....
The UK changed the law in 1992, and so BMW could then sell the PD in the UK.

So, although they were produced for European sale prior to 1992, they couldnt officially be registered for UK road use prior to the change in Condition & Use Regulations.



This PD looks ace..... twin discs, carbon side panels, kickstart.....

Ride safe y'all