R100GS clock (and tacho) query

[boxerfrogs]

My eagerly awaited 1988 R100GS (24,000 miles) turned up on Saturday. Bought it on French eBay (I live in France) from a chap down south near Ste. Maxime. Ignored all the rules and purchased without viewing - just trusted photos and description (has a pricey 'White Power' rear shocker fitted which I took as a sign of previous caring owner). Luckily, turned out fine. Checked oil, pumped up tyres, put in fresh petrol and away she went. No problem.

Prior to collection, seller told me on the phone that the speedo was in miles not kilometres. Said it was because this GS was one of the first into France which seemed a bit odd, but never mind, just as long there wasn't a problem with the registration; and apparently it's okay. Excellent condition of bike seems to confirm low mileage.

However, all this has nowt to do with my main query, which is... the bike's fitted with a small tacho to the left of the speedo and a small clock to the right - are these standard issue (I can't see them mentioned in my Haynes manual)???? If so, would the clock eventually flatten the battery when the bike's left idle for, say, a month or two? And, if this is the case, is it an easy job to remove or disconnect the clock (I have a perfectly good wristwatch which does the job)???

AND... have been reading various postings and am now slightly concerned about dodgy starter motors. Is it worth investing in a spare item even though the fitted item seems to work okay? And, if so, which is recommended?

Would be hugely grateful for advice re. any of the above. And if there's any other technical advice or handy hints that you that you feel could be beneficial to a moron such as moi, do please fire ahead.

Many thanks.

 

[Rob Farmer]

The clock and rev meter were both optional extras for the bike. Both are worth decent money 2nd hand. Motobins sell new rev meters for around £160...they never seem to work properly though I have one of those clocks fitted to my Monolever. It has been left for long periods of time without any battery problems at all. If you are worried you need to take the headlight shell apart to get at the plug and socket behind the headlight.

Don't worry about the starter motor. If it goes it goes, just fit another one and wait another 20 years for that to screw up. I'd be more concerned about the driveshaft on a Paralever - they usually fail at 30k followed shortly by the gearbox

The best advice is just ride it and enjoy it

 

[Melch]

Starter Motor

Although the starters can be problematic on these, I certainly wouldn't go down the route of getting a spare just in case (if it aint broke don't fix it kind of thing). If you go down that road you'll end up spending 1000's on driveshafts, gearboxes, all electrical components etc etc and the list will carry on.
Don't be too worried about seeing problems being discussed on forums. That is what they are used for and and you can end up getting very paranoid that your bike is about to explode at any given moment!
I really like my R100GS, they are lovely to ride. Admittedly, I probably could have bought a small country for the amount I've spent on it (not all of it absolutely necessary ).
They do require a certain amount of fettling though.
Enjoy your new bike!

 

[(RIP) Proff]

I just happen to know to a GS KPH Speedo
and it's for sale, I'll ask Monk what he wants for it

 

[brassmonkey001]

And if you wanted to sell the speedo I'm sure I know someone who might want it.

 

[Sylvester]

I've seen a few of the double clock GS's sausageside and they look good. I wouldn't bother with the starter motor but maybe you should invest in an entire spare electrical system (only joking). Shaft drive faliure paranoia is only part of the fun.

 

[judge]

Re: MPH not KPH speedometer and the reason given - cows or bulls? Why would a bike built in Germany be supplied with MPH clocks if they were the first ones in France? Even the import only PD's (not sold in the UK due to the illegal plastic tank) only came with KPH clocks.

Re: Additional clocks:

As Farmer Barleymow says the clocks were optional extras, it could have been one of rev counter, time clock or voltmeter. I have no clock on my '93 PD and I wish I did - now that is taken care of by the Garmin Zumo which is always on it. What good is a wrist watch under and jacket and glove?

Re: Starter motor:

Your bike should have a Valeo starter motor, being French I'd say you're in a very good place to get it repaired/replaced should it need to. The magnets inside break up when the glue holding them on fails. Its is never usually an instant total fail and is unlikely ever to leave you stranded.

The Valeo is very good at starting the bike as opposed the the earlier Bosch which is a poorer starter but less prone to failure. Personally I'd just get on and enjoy the bike as has also been said here if you sit and get worried about all you read here you'll never ride it and would have bought a Honda

You will in your ownership have to get familiar with the tools and Haynes/Clymer manual or find a trusted mechanic who will take care of matters for you, one thing you won't be able to do is just ride it, airhead ownership is a way of life, welcome to it

 

[BillN]

If I remember correctly the Valeo Starter Motor was fitted to some of the small Peugeots and the like.........they are not expensive to replace.......rather than repair

It terms of weight it is a lot lighter than the Bosch

 

[boxerfrogs]

Crikey! Many thanks everyone for all your responses. Fascinating reading and a steep learning curve. Seems to me I have to just force myself to enjoy riding the beast in this crappy French countryside with all its boring views, tediously open roads and infernally sunny weather, with nae a care about when it'll break down, as, apparently, it surely will! Last time I adopted that attitude was over forty years ago as a scruffy student on a totally unreliable but hugely entertaining D1 Bantam which I bought for a fiver (I wuz robbed).

Think I'll keep the MPH speedo, tacho and clock. But thanks for kind offers to purchase. Reassuring to know the tacho and clock were extras. Bit concerned about the speedo being MPH so will contact seller to see if he can give me a bit more info regarding history. Trouble is, his English is about as good as my French. Crap, in other words. Will now attempt to add a rough transcript of our last phone conversation - totally confusing. Don't hold your breath though as I'll have to see if I can transfer it from my blog http://cestlavie.blog.co.uk and I'm useless at all this nerdy nonsense.

It worked! Conversation as follows...

Had a brief but interesting phone conversation yesterday with the chap who's selling me his BMW R100GS motorcycle. He speaks English marginally better than I speak French, so, after a bit of initial confusion, we ended up speaking in English. Part of the conversation went a bit like this:

Him: Ze alternator has mice. (I think he said 'alternator' but on reflection it may have been 'odometer'.)
Me: The alternator has mice!? (Bit worried that mice had been nibbling the electrics.)
Him: Yes, mice.
Me: Mice? Souris? (French for mice, I think.)
Him: (A tad confused...) Non, not souris. Mice!
Me: (Equally confused...) Mice... not souris?
Him: Yes, mice!! Ze alternator has mice, not kilometres!!
Me: Ah, miles!
Him: (Getting a bit flustered) YES!! MICE, MICE!!
Me: So, okay, the compteur (speedo) is in miles not kilometres. Yes?
Him: Voila! Yes! Ze compteur is in mice! Zis is because eet ees one of the first GSs en France.
Me: Is this a problem for the registration?
Him: Non. No probleme.

 

[Voyager]

I think you're going to fit in well here

Good luck with it.

(I paid £2,500 for my 1989 100GS in Nov 2005 . . . . total expenditure to date, excluding fuel, = £8,504.30 You know its worth it ).


Bob.

 

[(RIP) Proff]

I think you're going to fit in well here

Good luck with it.
Bob.

Having read a few pages of his Blog I'm damn sure he's going to fit in with us LOONIES !!!!


Nothing to do with the fact he lives in a Fabulous part of Frogland

 

[Ogmios]

so....
lemme get this straight;

you have a speedometer that reads in mice-per-hour,
rather than... kilograms-per-hour

yers...... you'll fit in nicely here

oh - note to self;
never buy anything described as a Rat Bike!

oh - and Welcome!

~~
Og,
invading France on a Guzzi in July

 

[boxerfrogs]

Bugger moi!!! So, Mister Voyager... you've spent more than £8000 on your GS in just three years!!! What went wrong? Everything? Being built by engineering geniuses of the meister race, I thought Beemers were supposed to be ludicrously reliable. The Ultimate Driving Machine and all that. I'm almost tempted to get rid of my newly-acquired black hole before it keels over and dies. Then invest in a really reliable bike like a 250 MZ. Had three of 'em over the years. Never had a problem.

 

[brassmonkey001]

Seems to me I have to just force myself to enjoy riding the beast in this crappy French countryside with all its boring views, tediously open roads and infernally sunny weather, with nae a care about when it'll break down, as, apparently, it surely will!

Sounds hellish, but I'm sure you'll come to bear it given enough time.

 

[Voyager]

Bugger moi!!! So, Mister Voyager... you've spent more than £8000 on your GS in just three years!!! What went wrong? Everything? Being built by engineering geniuses of the meister race, I thought Beemers were supposed to be ludicrously reliable.

Yes . . . Well . . .

Ten previous owners didn't help.

Plus its now 19 years old.

Plus its done over 55,000 miles.

Plus I like things to be right.

Plus I started getting paranoid from reading this site

It really doesn't matter what you buy - they all seem to cost the same. Newer bikes need less repair work, but cost more to start with.

E.G.

My 2003 K1200GT, bought with 10,000 miles and one previous owner in 2005. No failures, just dealer servicing and normal consumables, plus a couple of extras.

16,000 miles later, total cost to date = £10,212.79.


My 2004 R1150GS Adventure. bought in 2007 with 6,000 miles and one previous owner. Added lots of 'touratech' bits, dealer servicing, replaced the clutch slave cylinder plus normal consumables.

16,000 miles later, total cost to date = £9,664.81.


(Thank Christ SWMBO doesn't log on to this site and there's me complaining about the cost of her horses ).


Yer pays yer money . . .

Hopefully your airhead is already sorted and you will have less to buy (but if I was a betting man . . . . ).

Stop worrying - just get out and ride it.

Bob.

 

[boxerfrogs]

Many thanks Voyager for clarification. I shall indeed just get on the thing and ride, worrying not one dicky-oiseau about when the glue that holds her together (in the magnet dept. of the Valeo?) will finally come unstuck. Or the paralever blows up. Or the electrics conk out. Or the gearbox turns to jelly. Or any one of countless problems mentioned in this illuminating site rears its ugly head.

As you mentioned (sort of), one arrives at this font of all airhead wisdom, innocent, excited and wildly optimistic. Milliseconds later, reality dawns and paranoia, pessimism and fear take their hold. Strange that.

Anyway, putting all thoughts of negativity aside, I popped down to see the insurance chap yesterday, got signed up, and all for the princely sum of 70 euros (about £50 - but was considerably less until Gordon Brownarse worked his magic on the pound/euro exchange rate). So now I'm ready to hit the open road. Next stop the Prefecture at Gueret (local licensing centre) to get a carte grise (logbook - sort of) and a number plate.

However... (2 more daft questions)...

1) Am I right in presuming the R100GS runs on unleaded? (This question clearly proves you're dealing with an idiot.)

2) Does anyone happen to know my nearest BMW bike servicing centre OR a good local spannerman? (By 'local' I mean anywhere near the centre of France - I'm near Aubusson, 'twixt Limoges and Clermont Ferrand.) I tried to answer this question by Googling the laptop but failed miserably.

Many thanks. Have a spiffing day.

 

[Rob Farmer]

one arrives at this font of all airhead wisdom, innocent, excited and wildly optimistic. Milliseconds later, reality dawns and paranoia, pessimism and fear take their hold.

See how quickly we made you into a proper airhead owner

Each journey will be a lemming like leap into the void as you rattle and fart your way onto a new level of zen like self awareness. Enjoy the ride (just don't forget the bailing wire and duct tape).
Take comfort in the knowledge that there's a website full of like minded masochists who will readily take the piss and call you behind your back in your times of need

 

[boxerfrogs]

I'm so depressed about buying this apparently unreliable load of old rubbish that I suddenly realise I've entered a zen-like state of not really caring anymore. All I know is I'd rather break down out here in the deserted lanes of the Limousin backwoods than (and no offence meant) Basingstoke, Bognor or Burton Bradstock. And thanks for the advice about always carrying wire and duct-tape. Unfortunately I rarely have room for such useful items due to pockets and rucksack usually being full of 'baccy, Rizlas, Thermos, sarnies, the odd Tampax (seriously, she sneaks 'em into my rucksack pocket without me knowing; often with severely embarrassing results when I arrive at a petrol station or customs), the last bit of an old loo roll (she sneaks that in too), various old maps that bear no relation to modern roads, various old keys that have long since ceased to fit anything but which I daren't throw away just in case I'm wrong, a couple of old Fox's Glacier Mints that have turned to a sticky mess and become permanently attached to the inside of one of my Barbour jacket pockets, a couple of very old and unused Swan Vestas matches in case of fag-lighting emergency, a rolled up sheet of Baco-foil so I can be easily spotted by resue helicopters, blah, blah, blah (this list is endless) and a well-worn prayer mat and a compass so I can face east when kneeling.

 

[Voyager]

And don't forget a torch !

Bob.

 

[Rob Farmer]

and a well-worn prayer mat and a compass so I can face east when kneeling.

That will come in handy when you're tying to start the bike. The correct incantation is "All hail the great Valeo. Reward thy faithful servant" and then press the starter button - assuming you remembered to slaughter a black cockerel at midnight and prayed to all the appropriate gods associated with all the other mechanical parts of the bike first