R 80 G/S wanted for magazine feature

[robdixon]

Hello everybody,
I wonder if you could help. I write for Classic Bike magazine and we're planning a feature on the R80G/S. We're looking for a bike to write about in the article and I contacted BMW GB and they suggested asking this forum. Ideally we'd like an early machine, preferably a white one with the orange seat. We don't necessarily look for pristine machines, they just need to be clean and tidy, in original style livery and more or less standard condition.

If anyone would be kind enough to help us this is what is involved;

We need to have the bike for a day, under normal circumstances we'd be able to give aout 10 days notice. The bike is fully insured by Bauer Publishing and great care is taken with test bikes. The photo shoot would consist of a series of static shots plus some shots of me riding the bike. For the G/S shoot I've got a location in Shropshire in mind along a quiet green lane [nothing too ambitious] If you have a G/S you be willing to lend and live near a photogenic location we'd be happy to do the shoot in your neck of the woods .

If you want to accompany the bike on the shoot we'd be very happy to have you along and buy you a spot o lunch into the bargain! If on the other hand you're happy just to let us get on with it we can send a fully insured bike transport specialist who will collect and return the bike at your convenience.
I owned an original G/S80 back in the day so please be assured it will be ridden sympathetically.

If you can help please send an email to me at [email protected]

 

[Rob Farmer]

Your fellow journos have really taken the piss and soured the water when they have been lent bikes or used them for photo shoots from this site in the past. All have sworn they'd take care of the bikes or give some simple reward of some sort None have ever bothered once the shoots been in the bag.

 

[SeanW]

Rob - would you be willing to name names (for my personal interest)?

I don't know Rob Dixon, but not all journalists are complete tossers. A few are even almost reasonable people.

 

[the civil one]

Rob - would you be willing to name names (for my personal interest)?

I don't know Rob Dixon, but not all journalists are complete tossers. A few are even almost reasonable people.

I have one here , Which i will kindly give you ,, If you want to restore it ...

 

[pete.keys]

this guy has a rather splendid one for sale on ebay and he might even appreciate the publicity for it

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=261119516683&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1123

 

[Devon]

I have been approached by several Magazines over the years asking to use my M/C for an article and I have agreed on the basis they don't race, wheely or abuse my machine. Never had a problem and enjoyed chatting to the journos and photographers. In fact, my GSPD Classic is being featured in next months Classic Motorcycle Mechanics (they put a large picture of it in the present mag and exclaimed they were testing the 1100GS next month in big bold print ).
I took my shiny newly restored G/S to Sherlocks today as I finished putting it back together last week and couldn't trace an electrical fault: as I am crap at electrics I thought I would let their workshop sort it and balance the carbs at the same time. It should be done by the end of the end of the week hopefully. robdixon, am I right in thinking Frank Westworth is editing your mag for the next few months? If he is, he lives about 25 miles from me and I would happily let him have my bike for a day if no one here will lend you a G/S.

 

[Rob Farmer]

Rob - would you be willing to name names (for my personal interest)?

I don't know Rob Dixon, but not all journalists are complete tossers. A few are even almost reasonable people.

cant remember the guys name as its a few years ago but he lives over peterborough way, his wife is the photographer, nice people i think they started used bike guide or were involved with it. they came and did a photoshoot using my g/s that appeared in classic mechanics and a few other magazines. the reward for using my bike was supposed to be a cd with the pictures from the shoot i ended up receiving 1 picture via email and being told the date the magazine was coming out for the rest.

colt leant his bike to one mag, may have been mcn while you were the editor , i dont think he ever received the promised reward.

there have been others but ill let the guys speak for themselves if they want to.

 

[SeanW]

colt leant his bike to one mag, may have been mcn while you were the editor , i dont think he ever received the promised reward.

... though I suspect early G/Ss wouldn't have been much on the news agenda back then.

On an unrelated topic - You didn't happen to have a spare gear linkage with rose joints in all that stuff you recently acquired did you Rob?

 

[Rob Farmer]

On an unrelated topic - You didn't happen to have a spare gear linkage with rose joints in all that stuff you recently acquired did you Rob?

It was all twin shock stuff Sean. They have a bent piece of thick wire under a rubber boot.

 

[BillN]

I once "lend" a Bike mag 3 of my Bikes, a R80GS Basic, a R1150GSA and a R100GS PD.
They picked the Bikes up in Hampshire and took me to N Yorks were we met up with a few other guys....... it was a long drive up there ...... we had an good evening meal and stayed in a nice pub courtesy of the Bike mag.

As a gesture they promised a "set of tyres" for one of the Bikes - I got a front tyre which did not fit
They promised photos of the shoot and a copy of the Bike mag - I got neither - I bought the mag myself, but would have really liked the photos - I was told after the event that the photos, (of my bikes), were copyright of the photographer and if I wanted any I could buy them from him ... I contacted him but he never replied to me.... (his email was something like snapper@ whatever)........ the original journalist did not really want to know once he had achieved his objective ... so I got no help from him

All three bikes were ridden extensively by a number of riders and used off road

It was a long two days ....... I rode the GSA back from N Yorks and they delivered the other two Bikes back to me a midnight.

It was a disappointing experience.

(reading Rob's post the Bike mag was based Peterborough way - not sure exactly where - they were part of a large publishing group)

 

[Bendy toy]

For perspective on the story, this rather bad tempered thread leads eventually to a Bonhams advert.

http://m.bonhams.com/auctions/20147...acets=False&page_anchor=q2_2=Bmw&m2=2&b2=list

The price seems a lot for a tatty bike and its not even a PD. But hey Suzuki GT380s (admittedly good ones) are up for even more.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1972-SUZU...2324649?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item1e70d98da9

 

[Colt]

Hi Rob,
you lent yours out for wheelies

I lent my bike out.
Similar experience to Bill.Once the shoot was done, no one really bothered.
perhaps my expectations were too high.

i was promised professional photos and a years subscription, and of course the fact I was getting my bike in a mag for free..
Not much really for lending your bike for a couple of days.
If the mags make money out of the features, surely they could offer something more of a fee.If you.

Basically the mag was in the newsagents weeks before I received my free copy
(this was after chasing it up a few times ,no one had sent me a copy.)
oh and the bike came back with a flat battery, and was dirtier than when it went out..



The annual subscription was reneigned on.The two photos were like enlarged holiday snaps.
Like Bill I was told I could buy the professional ones from the photographer who had copyright.
Shame really,especially that I have a bike that you have described,it has put me off.
It seems like the experience I had is shared by others .It seems to much hassle for the lender.The mags are the ones who gain out of it.
Jason

 

[Rob Farmer]

Hi Rob,
you lent yours out for wheelies

To be honest I didn't mind that. I was as keen to see it as he was and he did ask three times If I was ok with him wheeling. Impressive riding but after lots of wheelies it eventually buggered a bearing in the gearbox and snapped a clamp on the fork slider. The gearbox was pretty tired anyway so I wasn't too bothered.

Found this one on the Internet somewhere

 

[Rob Farmer]

I don't think your expectations were too high at all Colt. At the end of the day it's what they promised up front for borrowing the bike. It certainly isn't expecting too much for somebody to honour that.

BillN put a lot of effort into his and got one useless tyre in return.

 

[Colt]

http://www.windcheetah.co.uk/sterling-prices.html
Looks like rob dixon's company has a few nice bikes as well

 

[Rob Farmer]

If I'd known he was a cyclist I'd have simply told him to F%ck off

 

[2gses]

G/S

Is he after one like one of mine?

 

[Rob Farmer]

Is he after one like one of mine?

I think he wants the rare standard machine. Those Dakars are as common as muck Chris, you can't turn round without tripping over one.

 

[Colt]

Wow the Trio, I remembered that great day.
now that would be a good feature pic

 

[how much]

Wow the Trio, I remembered that great day.
now that would be a good feature pic

Jason hi how are you doing? (i still have your pannier rail hung up in my garage)

can you remember who's was who's Dakar in that photo? just wondering if one was Thunders that eventually became mine?

D