PD or not PD? That is the question

[Gelandestrasse]

A friend has asked how his R80G/S (Feb 87) can be identified as a 'factory' PD. He said something about '999' but I've no clue. Is there any clarification out there or link to a similar thread, please?

 

[cookie]

 

[Stirlingmoz]

Does this photo assist ?



Seems to suggest the model code for a PD is 592 and the model code 999 relates to a R65GS ?

Not sure if a model code can be related to a chassis number ?

 

[Gelandestrasse]

Thanks - probably helped http://bmbikes.bmw-club.org.uk/paintcodes/whites.htm also shows these numbers as paint codes.

Is there a range of frame numbers that are G/S PDs?

 

[SteveHop]

You have to contact Group BMW Classic for a letter of authentication .
I also went into my local BMW motorrad dealer who told me several times that the could not help .Then one day a youg lad in there managed to find and print off the bikes warrenty information , even though its a 1986 .This showed date of manufacture, warrenty start date , colour coding and a few other build details . Mine showed it was a 999 model and a 719 deviation from production bike.

 

[Gelandestrasse]

Thanks, Steve - What on earth does 999 and 719 mean to you, please?

 

[Grantiii]

Thanks, Steve - What on earth does 999 and 719 mean to you, please?

Hello Tim
I have one of the original 10 UK supplied R80g/s Paris Dakar which I bought a couple of years ago from Gary Burton.
Gary sold it to me with a huge history file.
This included a photo of computer screen at a BMW main dealer showing my bike.
I have attached that Pic with part of my reg & chassis no obscured.
It shows bike supplied new by Gus Kuhn.
I have the original invoice from them.

Suggest you ask your friend to ask his local BMW Dealer for a printout, using his vin no.

 

[SteveHop]

999 is the colour scheme .
719 from BMW website

What is the BMW option 719 history?


Since 1923, the abbreviation 719 has been representing special, individual customer requests at BMW Motorrad, which have been created at our plants as special orders on the basis of great craftsmanship and a significant attention to detail.

 

[Gelandestrasse]

All done, it's a PD; he's happy.

 

[oldenoughtoknowbetter]

All done, it's a PD; he's happy.

Here's another angle. Heard from more than one source that there was really no such thing as an official "PD". BMW apparently pulled standard g/s bikes off the production line and gave them the extra PD spec. There was no distinction from the frame numbers which bike was to be a g/s or a which bike a g/s PD.
The bikes with the genuinely signed tanks would undoubtedly have been "factory" models, but most tank signatures have long since eroded or tank been repainted/replaced. To add further complication, some UK (and probably also overseas) dealers did their own conversions to "PD" to enhance sales. Consequently, even bikes obtained with an original dealer sales invoice isn't guaranteed to be a "factory" model.
The distinction between g/s and PD wasn't particularly important at the time of original sale; you bought a PD if you preferred the look or needed a larger tank. Only since then have the PDs generated higher sales value disproportionate to the original cost of the extras. If your bike was made within the PD production time-frame then it might be a genuine PD, but then again, it might not.
That's how I've understood the situation to be for many years. It might be wrong but I'm just relating what I've heard from more than one source,

 

[Deise]

Here's another angle. Heard from more than one source that there was really no such thing as an official "PD". BMW apparently pulled standard g/s bikes off the production line and gave them the extra PD spec. There was no distinction from the frame numbers which bike was to be a g/s or a which bike a g/s PD.
The bikes with the genuinely signed tanks would undoubtedly have been "factory" models, but most tank signatures have long since eroded or tank been repainted/replaced. To add further complication, some UK (and probably also overseas) dealers did their own conversions to "PD" to enhance sales. Consequently, even bikes obtained with an original dealer sales invoice isn't guaranteed to be a "factory" model.
The distinction between g/s and PD wasn't particularly important at the time of original sale; you bought a PD if you preferred the look or needed a larger tank. Only since then have the PDs generated higher sales value disproportionate to the original cost of the extras. If your bike was made within the PD production time-frame then it might be a genuine PD, but then again, it might not.
That's how I've understood the situation to be for many years. It might be wrong but I'm just relating what I've heard from more than one source,

This seems credible.

Another angle - the paint code under seat of mine is 592 but on BMW printout it is 999. Go figure.