went to view a BMW R80ST... help me decide please...shall i buy?

vteec

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hello
i have just been to a gentleman who has an original 1983 BMW R80ST.
this gentleman bought the bike new himself and did not use it a lot, in fact it has 7,400 kms only on the clock.

i honestly do not think he is lying to me but i am in two minds if i should believe him it has only that kms, the bike is in an overall not in a perfect condition but has the usual age related marks that the owner did not wash and polish the bike regularly.

to be fair he was always away on business and the bike would remain garage for months and months.

it does not have any nasty corrosion or rust.

he showed me the hand grips how unused they are and they seem to be original, so it can be it has only that kms.
bike starts on the button and settles to a nice ideal with choke.

the only non original things are a nasty top case and a local garage put an in line fuel filter to the pipe that connects to the open/close/reserve tap, for some reason or another... do you think this could have caused damage to the engine?
and to reverse this i just need to replace the hose pipe?

can you fill me in with all your knowledge and weak points on this model, details below:
DGM 50 266 OM
F-NR 6056200
ENGINE 6056200

index.php

index.php

index.php

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Someone more knowledgeable than me will be along soon.

All depends on the price. These are very sought after. Take of the ugly screen and top box and you have yourself an excellent bike, some say the best handling airhead.

Go for it.
 
The screen is not original. The fuel filter is a good idea as it can help stop the carbs from flooding. It may need renewing.

All depends on price - it looks like it could do with some TLC.
 
Which country are you in? Not UK/Ireland/USA I presume as you mention Km which wouldn't be the case with a new bike in those areas.

Any documentation for services which might indicate mileage over the years?
I cant see the pics here on a PC with explorer or chrome but obviously others seem to be able to see them.
 
I can't see the pictures either.

Does the gentleman have a service book for the bike?
In your country do you have some kind of annual check of the bike?

Using either of these documents you could verify the mileage (or km's).

As Tuftywhite says, these are becoming more popular.

They are easy to work on, and the spares situation is good.

Technical knowledge on here abounds.

Make sure you pay a fair price and you will have a nice bike to use.
 
Well they sell for about an average price of £2,500 over here in Blighty. Not many have a service record these days. I personally don't think they are as collectable as the internet would have us believe but they are a good all-rounder type of bike. The fuel filter is a common 'mod' so nothing to worry about there. Sound like a good one if the price is right :-)
 
thank you for the replies, much appreciated.

the screen appears to be original, it has a bmw badge embossed in the plastic itself and he has an invoice for that with relevant part numbers for the screen and fitting kit.
 
Kenny said:
I personally don't think they are as collectable as the internet would have us believe but they are a good all-rounder type of bike. Sound like a good one if the price is right :-)
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My thoughts exactly. When mine was original, it was pleasant enough but out of its depth on fast dual carriageways - and hopeless two-up with luggage. Often quoted as being 'the best handling airhead' keep in mind that that's by 30+ years old standards and things have moved on. BMW made almost 6000 of them and a fair few seem to survive. Personally I find the US styling a bit awkward. At the right money it's a fun Sunday bike which probably won't depreciate too much. There are cheaper, easier to maintain, more modern commuters. For the same money, an early oil head roadster is a better everyday ride:yikes:goodnight
 
Dogbytes said:
My thoughts exactly. When mine was original, it was pleasant enough but out of its depth on fast dual carriageways - and hopeless two-up with luggage. Often quoted as being 'the best handling airhead' keep in mind that that's by 30+ years old standards and things have moved on. BMW made almost 6000 of them and a fair few seem to survive. Personally I find the US styling a bit awkward. At the right money it's a fun Sunday bike which probably won't depreciate too much. There are cheaper, easier to maintain, more modern commuters. For the same money, an early oil head roadster is a better everyday ride:yikes:goodnight
Click to expand...

Burn the Witch......:D
 
I'd say that JB's valuation is about right, the other consideration is that there will be a fair bit of work to get it looking/running good and if you are not capable of doing it yourself it will cost you plenty to pay someone else. Good luck though, go for it.
 
I see the doom and gloom merchants are in town.

Not everyone wants new and shiny. Some of us like the old and just about running. In time, it could be a thing of beauty, but for now, runs and is okay.

When I bought my R80g/s it was just about okay, and did me 10 years of riding before I decided to get it restored. This one could be fine for a while and fettled as and when.
 
tuftywhite said:
I see the doom and gloom merchants are in town.

Not everyone wants new and shiny. Some of us like the old and just about running. In time, it could be a thing of beauty, but for now, runs and is okay.

When I bought my R80g/s it was just about okay, and did me 10 years of riding before I decided to get it restored. This one could be fine for a while and fettled as and when.
Click to expand...

Well said that man!

My G/S isn't new and it isnt shiny. 32 years old, patina, witness marks, wear/tear - all good as far as Im concerned. If I wanted to I could restore it, but then I would never use the bastard as I would worry about it getting damaged/dirty or otherwise unshiney. Now i ride it all weathers, all surfaces, and love it for what it is.

Good used condition but mechanically spot on is where im at!

Vtec - Buy it, fix whats broken, ride it , enjoy it. Job done.
 
thank you all.

tuffywhite and solidstate100, you are reading my mind, I am not really into having a spanking new 1983 r80st, I am after a useable fun classic bmw.
 
I had a 1981 r80st in the 80s. I loved it and did around 50,000 miles on it including several 2-up tours to France, Scotland, Holland etc. At the time it seemed roomy enough and carried our luggage easily but compared to a modern bike it is tiny. (Or is it me that's bigger? ).

It had just enough power to cruise at around 80 two up, a bit more solo but was a bit thirsty at those speeds. The BMW screen was an option that I always wanted as it is an upright riding position on a naked bike. I fitted a crappy aftermarket item and later some lower bars - from R100RS that were the best. The suspension is very soft and the clutch/ gearbox / shaft is very direct: you need careful use of the clutch at low speed otherwise it lurches and clunks all over the place. If you have had an old airhead before this will be no surpise, if not take your time to learn how to ride it smoothly.

Problems...... Misting up speedo is caused by a leak around the trip reset button; leaking gearbox seal behind the clutch, wear on the centre stand bushes means the wheels won't be clear of the ground and it will fall off the stand; splits in carb diaphragm plagued me; the carbs went out of balance after about 5 miles! I got rust all round the headlamp bracket looks like yours is the same), and the oem exhaust rotted and was a right bastard to remove. I didn't like the self retracting side stand - a right awkward thing to put down and in my opinion added to the risk of the bike falling . Overall though a great bike and I would have another in a heartbeat. At £1500 to £2000 it would be a great buy.
 
AustinW said:
I had a 1981 r80st in the 80s. I loved it and did around 50,000 miles on it including several 2-up tours to France, Scotland, Holland etc. At the time it seemed roomy enough and carried our luggage easily but compared to a modern bike it is tiny. (Or is it me that's bigger? ).

It had just enough power to cruise at around 80 two up, a bit more solo but was a bit thirsty at those speeds. The BMW screen was an option that I always wanted as it is an upright riding position on a naked bike. I fitted a crappy aftermarket item and later some lower bars - from R100RS that were the best.

Problems...... Misting up speedo is cussed by a leak around the trip reset button; leaking gearbox seal behind the clutch, wear on the centre stand bushes means the wheels won't be clear of the ground and it will fall off the stand; splits in carb diaphragm plagued me; the carbs went out of balance after about 5 miles! I got rust all round the headlamp bracket looks like yours is the same), and the oem exhaust rotted and was a right bastard to remove. Overall a great bike and I would have another in a heartbeat. At £1500 to £2000 it would be a great buy.
Click to expand...



What about BMW 's fabled build quality of 1980's airheads - rust, I'm shocked
 
I had one of those, loved it. Not lightening fast but quick enough most of the time and handled well either solo or with a pillion. Easy to work on, never had a bit of trouble with mine.....well, apart from my big feet knocking the float bowl clip off.
Not a big tank and only used to get 35-40 out of mone so was looking for petrol stations after a hundred miles or so.
I'm after a second bike and would certainly consider another one.

....edit....ohhh, and mine was red so would have been much faster than a silver one :D
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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