Ozz
Registered user
In May 2014 I spent some of my retirement gratuity from 25yrs service in the Army on a new 14 plate R1200GS and returned to biking. Since that time the bike has been flawless (apart from a recall for switchgear and front master cylinder and a replaced exhaust for a stuck exhaust flap under warranty) and it’s done 36k miles across Europe and the UK.
However, about a year after the warranty expired I began to notice that the beginnings of corrosion mainly on the cast front wheel (between the spokes), the cylinder heads and under the gaiter between the shaft drive and the final drive
Now I will admit that the bike was my only way of getting around (until recently I did not have a car) and was used in all weathers and all seasons. But it was washed, cleaned and ACF’d but the corrosion was under the paint and protective layers - something that I know others faced, but I thought I’d escaped.
I had also always wanted a more individual Panzer. It’s a White TE but I’m not one for throwing a touratech catalogue at it - I have seen some shocking examples of just too much on some bikes, but each to their own. It does have a Puig touring screen, Altrider engine bars, radiator guards and rear luggage plate for the Kriega bags that I use, but that’s it.
So this winter I bit the bullet to sort the corrosion out and while that was going on to make the Panzer mine. So…
It’s been stripped bare - every nut and bolt - not by me (I’ll give a shout out to all involved at the end of the process)
The wheels have been blasted and powder coated gloss BMW M Deep Blue
Both front and rear frames have been blasted and powder coated gloss BMW M Red
The complete engine and transmission have had a similar process but to factory silver and the cylinder covers the deeper grey.
So now the rebuild will start. All seals, bearings and gaskets will be replaced with new and the shocks either rebuilt or replaced with Wilbers (if the budget allows). The final piece will be a wrap for the body work (from France) which picks out the BMW M Colour scheme. It won’t be to everyone’s taste, and the BMW M Colour scheme isn’t that original, but like I said...each to their own.
Hopefully it will be back on the road by the second bank holiday in May when I’, due to have a week in Scotland, if not sooner...I’ve missed it these last few months.
Being Stripped - <a href="https://imgur.com/C1VGsPQ"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/C1VGsPQ.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Back to Nothing - <a href="https://imgur.com/Abs1xKR"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Abs1xKR.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Engine Corrosion - <a href="https://imgur.com/hqJYDHg"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/hqJYDHg.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Frame's new coat (it isn't orange when you actually see it) - <a href="https://imgur.com/QDiUVIY"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/QDiUVIY.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Wheely nice - <a href="https://imgur.com/ayRq1Qu"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ayRq1Qu.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Engine cases - <a href="https://imgur.com/EsWr4q8"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/EsWr4q8.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Cylinder heads - <a href="https://imgur.com/4aGSBtQ"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/4aGSBtQ.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
However, about a year after the warranty expired I began to notice that the beginnings of corrosion mainly on the cast front wheel (between the spokes), the cylinder heads and under the gaiter between the shaft drive and the final drive
Now I will admit that the bike was my only way of getting around (until recently I did not have a car) and was used in all weathers and all seasons. But it was washed, cleaned and ACF’d but the corrosion was under the paint and protective layers - something that I know others faced, but I thought I’d escaped.
I had also always wanted a more individual Panzer. It’s a White TE but I’m not one for throwing a touratech catalogue at it - I have seen some shocking examples of just too much on some bikes, but each to their own. It does have a Puig touring screen, Altrider engine bars, radiator guards and rear luggage plate for the Kriega bags that I use, but that’s it.
So this winter I bit the bullet to sort the corrosion out and while that was going on to make the Panzer mine. So…
It’s been stripped bare - every nut and bolt - not by me (I’ll give a shout out to all involved at the end of the process)
The wheels have been blasted and powder coated gloss BMW M Deep Blue
Both front and rear frames have been blasted and powder coated gloss BMW M Red
The complete engine and transmission have had a similar process but to factory silver and the cylinder covers the deeper grey.
So now the rebuild will start. All seals, bearings and gaskets will be replaced with new and the shocks either rebuilt or replaced with Wilbers (if the budget allows). The final piece will be a wrap for the body work (from France) which picks out the BMW M Colour scheme. It won’t be to everyone’s taste, and the BMW M Colour scheme isn’t that original, but like I said...each to their own.
Hopefully it will be back on the road by the second bank holiday in May when I’, due to have a week in Scotland, if not sooner...I’ve missed it these last few months.
Being Stripped - <a href="https://imgur.com/C1VGsPQ"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/C1VGsPQ.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Back to Nothing - <a href="https://imgur.com/Abs1xKR"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Abs1xKR.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Engine Corrosion - <a href="https://imgur.com/hqJYDHg"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/hqJYDHg.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Frame's new coat (it isn't orange when you actually see it) - <a href="https://imgur.com/QDiUVIY"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/QDiUVIY.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Wheely nice - <a href="https://imgur.com/ayRq1Qu"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ayRq1Qu.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Engine cases - <a href="https://imgur.com/EsWr4q8"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/EsWr4q8.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Cylinder heads - <a href="https://imgur.com/4aGSBtQ"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/4aGSBtQ.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>