You want a nice reliable BMW, you do

Are new BMs that bad ?

Really.

'Cos I want a K1200S...

D.

 

Quickly now
item 330069645038
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BMW-GEARBOX-1...ryZ76120QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

 

Hmm just a thought, I could pick it up for you. Can be garaged here for a
few days.

ebay 130131308816
1987 BMW K75S SILVER ULTRA LOW MILEAGE 36,000 MILES

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....akeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:uk

 

I know, crying shame really 'cos it looks just perfect.

 

well, it's based on the California, which is definitely a cruiser. And
one of the Jap cruisers (Suzuki Intruder??) has flat bars too.

 

Appreciate the thought, but no thanks - the last thing I need at the
moment is another bike. Got to clear some space first.

 

Ah yes, I've seen that on the Gpz550 I used to have.

Right, tyres aren't that big a problem for me as most of my riding is on
motorways at fairly constant speeds.

Hmm. You do know how heavily the M20 is policed?

Guess I'll give it four weeks until Nige sells his "brilliant" example
then .

 

*ding*. It's comfy, filters easily because it's rather narrow without
the panniers and will sit at 80-90 all day long. And the weather
protection is superb.

There's someone with a K1200LT in the same carpark and I keep looking at
that wondering how they went from the 1100 to *that*.

 

Modern BMWs aren't any more reliable either, and hardly anybody makes
something that's comparable to a K1100LT. That's the reason while
they're still popular. Like the 1100 Pan Euro, because it's a better
bike than the 1300.

Yes, I can think of one or two bikes that are as comfy (at least for me)
and have the same kind of weather protection. They'd probably get me
banned from UKRM for life, too.

 

Exactly my own sentiments, from start to finish.

I remember Hog singing the praises of his ex-Plod one, when he was
trying to get me to sell it, and I just didn't see what he was on about.
I do now. It is fabulously good at doing the job it was designed to do.

 

Effortless hours in the saddle at any speed and quick if you have the
bollox or giving Loz a reason d'etre?

 

Well, I've done (approximately):

- 10k on one K100; no breakdowns (although I did replace the rings
because it drank a bit of oil- it had done >100k).

- 60k on another (it had done almost 60k when I bought it). Three
breakdowns; 1 and 2 due to a failed fuel pump solder joint, 2 due to my
kinking a fuel pipe when putting the tank back on.

- 10k on my current K75 (it's done almost 70k now), no breakdowns but I
did have to replace the clutch when I bought it.

- 9k on my K1100 (it's done about 48k now), no breakdowns.

So, I don't think that old BMWs are unreliable. Some might be, others
aren't. I have the impression that new BMWs are less reliable.

If I was convinced something newer would offer me the weather protection
of a K series fairing, had the road presence (to make people think it's
a police bike...) and was as easy and reliable to ride, I'd get it.
Unfortunately I don't think it's out there at the moment.

Anyway, you're not really in a position to judge, you've only had one
shitty old boxer IIRC.

 

Will that be the one with less miles and in far better condition than
the one he bought?

 

Well, I've done:

- about 10k on a K100 16V. Sold on because of my arm injury - bike was
fine. However it happened to be a pranged one I rebuilt.
- about 4k on a K75S that I bought with 100k+ on the clock. Never broke
down, but the gearbox was getting knackered. Sold for spares and
repair, though.
- 6k since I bought the K1100LT in February. No breakdown until last
night, and given that all it had had was a couple of cleans and a full
service just after I bought it, that's not bad.

I have tried to think of something that'll meet those criteria and I
haven't come up with something either. The GS and the KTM Adventure
twins have the road presence but not the weather protection. Glodwings,
K1200LTs, Trophys and Harley tourers probably have the weather
protection but either don't filter that well and/or are massively
expensive.

1100GS, AFAIR.

 

No problems apart from the ones that have already been diagnosed by
UKRM.

 

He had a R1150GS and still has a R65 IIRC

[1] TM www.thatinvokesadisturbingimage.com

 

I know about the 65, couldn't remember if it was an 1100 or an 1150...

Yeah I know, sad cunts'r'us.

 

Ah. I didn't remember correctly. Still boxers. Pah.

 

<Nods>

 

The panniers come off very easily, then the widest point is the bars.

Redline is actually at 8000rpm. Something disappointing happens at around
8300 (limiter?) but it's still just about possible to get illegal on a
French autoroute in 2nd, which is more than enough for me.