Things to Look out For..The search Continues.

[pete.keys]

I like the look of this: could be a good bet depending on what it goes for and what your budget is


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170787928952&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1123#ht_1106wt_1392

 

[Rob Farmer]

If it runs and the lights etc work then you can budget for all of them to break down at some point. If they don't work then budget to make them work.
Airheads.......Bad for the wallet, great for the soul

Your my hero Flip. never in all my life have I known anybody have so much hassle from one bike and still bounce back

 

[Flipfly]

Your my hero Flip. never in all my life have I known anybody have so much hassle from one bike and still bounce back

Gearbox out tomorrow (expect a phone call )

 

[Rob Farmer]

Gearbox out tomorrow (expect a phone call )

Numbers been changed

 

[Flipfly]

Numbers been changed

Tis ok, I know where you live!! I have 2 Fursty Ferrets just in case

 

[flytoolow]

OK,

Well sorry Ive not replied for a while..so I'll surmise what Ive gathered from all this..

1) Check Wheels, spokes, final drive, and head race.

Check spokes all OK, play on the rear hub- for bearings, Final Drive - not clunking too much, oil weeping from drive shaft casings
Bounce the front a few times for head race bearings.
Run it on tickover & see if the charge warning light is staying on

Check electrics, and Valves...else budget for replacement..
Timing chain...Well Im half deaf anyway...so Ill budget for that as well...

Timing chain rattle is common and a doddle to do.
If it's close to 40K miles, ask if exhaust valves have been replaced.
....plus damn good piss up..

Take the original cost of the bike, double it...and round up to the nearest 10K...for the Piss up ...

Check the tank...

May be worth having a look in the tank.

...If everthing is perfect...count on the cost to fix it...else...just count on having to fix it......If it's clean...dont touch it...if its not...just don't touch it ( ...But I figure yours was being a PITA when you wrote that..:Nina

If it runs and the lights etc work then you can budget for all of them to break down at some point. If they don't work then budget to make them work.

If it is very clean, then I would walk away as the seller is obviously trying to hide something. A dirty one is worth staying clear of too as they are a bugger to clean up to hide any of the things that may be wrong.
Airheads.......Bad for the wallet, great for the soul

..

Well over the weekend I did check one out at a dealers...and Ill take a walk...Although I was offered a test ride...

http://www.commerce-moto.ch/detail/detail.cfm?id=500011&form_kundennr=423&auswahl=1&nav=occasionen&form_marke=BMW&form_modell=R%2080&form_modell_manuell=&form_kat=&form_ccm=&km_min=&km_max=&preis_min=&preis_max=&form_jahrvon=&form_jahrbis=&form_reg=&form_farbe=&form_kat_ausw=&leist_min=&leist_max=&form_opt=&occ=0&vorf=0&vorj=0&isOpen=0&form_occ&form_vorf&form_vorj&anbieter=mosimann-hans-motos&ort=worb...

It was brought back from Africa at some recent stage of its life and looks like the guy had been riding it in the sea...all the wheels were coroded and quite a few chips in the paint work. I asked if the price was flexible...and the Swiss "definitely not!" was uttered...So...Im still biding my time and looking around...

Ill keep y'all posted and thanks for the advice...

F2L

 

[Rob Farmer]

If you made sense of the drivvle posted on this thread your a better man than me

 

[Flipfly]

An airhead is a labour of love, you buy one at your own peril

Where I was cominng from is no matter what you buy, you'll be fixing it shortly.

Buy because you feel the love and you "get it", not because you want a brilliant bike that's reliable and trustworthy. That way you'll never be disappointed. Annoyed yes, frustrated, most definately!, but you know you've only got yourself to blame so that makes you feel better

You may be lucky, some are, but I'm sure most of the members here have stripped more than a few parts off their bikes to fix them.

 

[flytoolow]

An airhead is a labour of love, you buy one at your own peril

Where I was cominng from is no matter what you buy, you'll be fixing it shortly.

Buy because you feel the love and you "get it", not because you want a brilliant bike that's reliable and trustworthy. That way you'll never be disappointed. Annoyed yes, frustrated, most definately!, but you know you've only got yourself to blame so that makes you feel better

You may be lucky, some are, but I'm sure most of the members here have stripped more than a few parts off their bikes to fix them.

...You're not telling me I should buy a Honda are you ?

It seems that these airheads are more than just "buy & ride"...but more of a "life long commitment"

But I do kinda enjoy the odd tinkering with a spanner (although I did swear a little when 10 (..yes 10..) litres of engine oil spilled onto the driveway because I didnt have the drain plug open on the oil bucket ). Given the time, Ill have a go at almost anything)
I figure the best thing to do is go and have a test ride on something...just to see if I like this "airhead experience"..

Cheers

F2L
6

 

[Flipfly]

...You're not telling me I should buy a Honda are you ?

It seems that these airheads are more than just "buy & ride"...but more of a "life long commitment"

But I do kinda enjoy the odd tinkering with a spanner (although I did swear a little when 10 (..yes 10..) litres of engine oil spilled onto the driveway because I didnt have the drain plug open on the oil bucket ). Given the time, Ill have a go at almost anything)
I figure the best thing to do is go and have a test ride on something...just to see if I like this "airhead experience"..

Cheers

F2L
6

The thing with an airhead is you'll ride one and probably say "what's all the fuss about".

The monos are particularly strange when you first ride them, as the back jacks up under power. This was muted as a failure of the design by bike mags and they were frowned upon by the sportsbike fraternity. However, those of us in the know know that, if you use it to your advantage, it actually helps get the front end to turn tighter. The phrase "in slow - out fast" was coined specifically for the monos

The paralevers are far more "normal" to ride. Not the fastest things around, but if you like a bike that challenges you rather than cossets you, the paralever is the tool for the job. They are usually fast in to bends thankls to the lack of decent brakes, lol

My wife has a Honda Transalp. It is uber reliable, super forgiving, comfortable, economical, smooth, quiet and and all the other things you "think" you want out of a bike. It is a supreme peice of engineering. It is also completely characterless and boring to ride, much like most modern bikes.
The last time I rode a sportbike I was whistling into my helmet at 170 thinking "ho hum, been here, done that". Everytime I ride the Airhead I shit me sen that it'll either breakdown or go straight through a hedge, it's what biking is all about........fear

 

[High-Tower]

The more I read on this thread (and the airhead section in general) the more I want one. But I want to keep the GSA as well. Shame about the lack of space in the garage and lack of money in the bank. I could work around the first, but not the second.

 

[Flipfly]

The more I read on this thread (and the airhead section in general) the more I want one. But I want to keep the GSA as well. Shame about the lack of space in the garage and lack of money in the bank. I could work around the first, but not the second.

You could try this to start with

If that doesn't work then you better start saving

 

[flytoolow]

After reading your comments...I think I should change my previous statement!...

It seems that these airheads are more than just "buy & ride"...but more of a "COMMITMENT OF LIFE"

 

[Flipfly]

After reading your comments...I think I should change my previous statement!...

There's always a solution

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PGMUGjlV5HU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[fayeslane]

An airhead is a labour of love, you buy one at your own peril

Where I was cominng from is no matter what you buy, you'll be fixing it shortly.

Buy because you feel the love and you "get it", not because you want a brilliant bike that's reliable and trustworthy. That way you'll never be disappointed. Annoyed yes, frustrated, most definately!, but you know you've only got yourself to blame so that makes you feel better

You may be lucky, some are, but I'm sure most of the members here have stripped more than a few parts off their bikes to fix them.

I have owned about 20 airheads and never had a significant problem. Preventative maintenance helps eg diode board upgrade. The problem areas are well documented eg. water ingress through speedo cable hole, so can be addressed before problems arise. Most of the problems that occur seem to be natural attrition like starters, clutches, charging system, seals and bearings; not unusual on older, high mileage bikes. Finding one belonging to a fussy, mechanically sympathetic owner would be a good start. Buy a good one and make it better.

Having said that I reckon Oz airheads benefit from living in a drier climate.

 

[Flipfly]

I have owned about 20 airheads and never had a significant problem. Preventative maintenance helps eg diode board upgrade. The problem areas are well documented eg. water ingress through speedo cable hole, so can be addressed before problems arise. Most of the problems that occur seem to be natural attrition like starters, clutches, charging system, seals and bearings; not unusual on older, high mileage bikes. Finding one belonging to a fussy, mechanically sympathetic owner would be a good start. Buy a good one and make it better.

Having said that I reckon Oz airheads benefit from living in a drier climate.

I'm sure that a drier climate would help.

Don't let me put anyone off, I love Bertha and all her foibles. The little g/s that I owned before her was a peach of a bike to ride and (although the battery was always flat!!) it never let me down.

All I'm saying is they are a classic bike and will have degraded over the years. One of the problems is you can never know whats really going to go next, same as with any other old bike. But the GS does have some unique quirks. Once you get to grips with them, they are easier to live with, but if you are a newbie to them (as I was), the experience can soon turn to unexpected shite before you can say "feckin thing"

Plenty out there will say their airheads are the most reliable things on the road, but forget to mention all the tweaks, upgrades and regular mechanicals they do to keep them "the most reliable bike on the road".