New to bmw - model and buying advice please

[firecat]

Hello,
I have been lurking on here for quite some time but have not yet bought my first bmw. There is so much info on here! I have read a great deal but, if I am honest i am rather bamboozled by much of its. I am posting this in the hope those of you more familiar with the bike/brand can give me some advice on whether I should pursue this particular bike. It is on eBay, viewing is not possible, money will not change hands unless the buyer is happy when collecting. The seller is a trader and has a good rep.
The bike is a 2017 with 6k on the clock, one dealer service, then stored for three years. Is this worth pursuing? What should I look out for? Any insights you can share would be appreciated. Thank you

The bike can be found here

BMW R1200GS R1200 GS LOW CHASSIS Only 6 K miles! Very good nick, well priced too | eBay UK

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for BMW R1200GS R1200 GS LOW CHASSIS Only 6 K miles! Very good nick, well priced too at the best online prices at eBay UK! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Just buy an airhead G/S
That’s the path to real nirvana

 

[Bravo]

Mileage is a bit high
I wouldn't get caught up in a bidding war for something that's been standing three years,I'd wait until something that caught my fancy came up on here.
Maybe a few more miles but they need to be used,this one you're looking at needs a bit of money spent on it too.

 

[littleade]

It's been stood longer than 3 years as the last MOT expired in Dec 2021 and since it's last MOT in Dec 2020 it's only done 47 miles between then and the new MOT in April this year so likely stood for most if not all of 2021 too.

A BMW dealer wouldn't sell it because of the service history. It should have had it's initial 600 mile service, then serviced at 6,000 Miles or annually which ever comes first. As it's now been stood for so long it would need the brake fluid changing as well as a service.

Not show stoppers IMO if you could get it at the right price but it's an auction, not buy it now so only time will tell what it finally goes for.

 

[Nick Marshall]

First a few questions.

Do you have a budget?
Do you need a low chassis bike?
Is it definitely a R1200GS that you’re after.

The eBay seller has been around for years. Never purchased a bike from him. However, have no reason not to.
Looking at the advert. The bike does look quite tidy. Centre stand and header pipes look clean. Few marks from the drop on both sides although can’t see much damage on the left in the pictures.

Replacement seat and screen and right hand hand-guard will cost about £150 on eBay. You could wrap the topbox or sell it and get a nicer one.

Good long mot and a money back guarantee.

But we don’t know what the price is as it’s on bids.
You waste 5 days wondering if you will win the bike.

There is only one BMW R1200GS listed for sale on the BMW Motorrad Used Bike Site and three R1200GS Adventure.
So if you particularly want a 1200GS it’s either a dealer, trader or private.

 

[siddo]

I've seen better ones for sale in this forum. Some good ones in the for sale section now.

 

[Posh Pete]

Make up your mind what you want. Put a wanted ad on here.

 

[wessie]

You would need to budget for a new set of tyres. They will be very old and maybe gone off, plus it looks like it has done mostly motorway miles with the chicken strips and flat profile of the rear.

Also, if you need a low version, do you really need a GS?

It is my view that most people wanting a 1200cc boxer BMW bike that is only ridden on road, would be better off with a lupin blue R1200RS. I came to this conclusion in 2016 and bought a new one. Less demand means you can get a nice one from a proper shop for not a lot - my old one, was sold earlier thus year by A&D for £5k. Yes it had 36000 miles on it but it had been used properly and serviced by BMW in the 9 years I owned it. There's even a review of it by @EKIMYRF on here somewhere. Do not be too worried about miles on these bikes if it has been looked after properly, especially as BMW give you a new shaft every 36000 miles for free.

 

[Guru Gora]

I’d buy on here.

I’ve had 5 or 6 bikes and have always found the sellers to be spot on.

Despite the banter there does appear to be some ‘honour amongst GSERs’

 

[Flintlock]

Some lovely GS's for sale on here

 

[Coppertop]

Just to throw it out there I bought my GSA from that seller and he was really professional and decent. Met me half way, took my px and I rode 300+ miles home. So if you like the bike I'd say go for it.

 

[theoneandonly]

colour matched crashbars ??? that's a new one.

 

[firecat]

Thanks for all the comments! Really helpful and quite a variety!
Budget up to 7.5k possibly more depending on the bike.
I have little legs! hence the interest in a low version. I also have a stent in my groin so I am looking for upright (ish) position. Last three bikes have been multistrada’s current 1260.
I want something different for a change and have never owned a bmw boxer.
I have no preference 1200/1250 I am not too keen on the looks of the 1150 - great bikes I understand just not what I am looking for. I rode a new one once but that was an age ago.
I am certainly not adverse to an RS it depends on the seating position, too acute an angle will cause me problems as will finding high position pegs.
The chap advertising seems very open and upfront.
I am in no hurry, I will look on the forum for sale as suggested.
How different is the seating between the 1200/1250 gs models? Or for that matter between the r/s models? I think a trip to vines/bahnstormer might be useful.

 

[Rusty]

I bought my GSA new from Bahnstormer nearly 8 yrs ago now and they were very easy to deal with and utterly professional I have to say. We all have different experiences of dealers on here but I go back there for a ride out and coffee a couple of times a year and I like it. Not a bad place to start your dealer search in my opinion.

 

[wessie]

the standard RS has a 20 degree forward lean - I reduced min with lowered pegs and raised bars which allowed me to ride it for 9 years.
I changed to a Moto Guzzi V85 last year as my hip needs an upright position now.

have a play with this https://cycle-ergo.com/

put in details of a bike you know hurts and one you know doesn't
then compare with bikes you desire

 

[firecat]

the standard RS has a 20 degree forward lean - I reduced min with lowered pegs and raised bars which allowed me to ride it for 9 years.
I changed to a Moto Guzzi V85 last year as my hip needs an upright position now.

have a play with this https://cycle-ergo.com/

put in details of a bike you know hurts and one you know doesn't
then compare with bikes you desire

That is a very useful tool, thanks for sharing. Whilst it did not have all the bikes I wanted to check out but near enough. The gs and multi have very similar hip and knee angles, the r/s are more acute so that is logical, the seat width affects how far you can get your feet down so that is one of the many variables to take into account- I am off to Bahnstormer to compare the gs to rs!

 

[Nick Marshall]

Black R1250GS just sold for £7000. Did you buy it?

 

[Blue]

Dont do it buy a KTM

 

[firecat]

Black R1250GS just sold for £7000. Did you buy it?

No, I was put off by the seller saying viewing was not possible. I like to see what I am buying but to be fair the seller did say if it was not as described no money would change hands. I was surprised that someone would buy new and then not service it correctly and invalidate what seems to be a pretty good warranty.

 

[littleade]

There's no real difference between the1200 and 1250 seating position. The factory lowered seat height is IIRC 800mm on the 1200 where as the standard GS is 850mm. The difference is split between a 30mm lower seat and 20mm lower suspension. You can get different height seats that fit both bikes, so for instance you coukd put a standard seat on a factory lowered bike that would give you a seat height of 830mm if the low seat didn't suit you. I had 2 1200 factory lowered GS' and a 1250. To me the 1250 engine was better than the 1200 and each bike was better than it's predecessor, evolution rather than revolution. I used Daytona M Star GTX boots on all 3 of my GS' with 25mm extra height in the heel and 8mm on the sole, but now I have Daytona Road Star GTX boots as the pegs to footrest distance is less on my 1250RS with a 790mm seat. You can also adjust the seat height on the GS via the mounts that have a high and low position at both the front and rear of the riders seat.