New member

[Eff]

Hi all, just registered. I've put a holding deposit on a '55 plate 1200 GS
(11,000 miles, 2 owners, FBMWSH) I've ridden GSs before but I haven't tried this one yet (deposit is refundable -in writing-) I'm also a member of
BMWland (cars) and Hayabusa & all things two wheeled
(er Hayabusas) I'm looking forward to test riding my new bike, all advice gratefully received. Cheers.

[pdxrmccgs]

Not sure what year a '55 plate is, but they are all good.

Welcome to the forum.

[gdayjr]

Whatever next.

I bet someone will tell me Suzuki make them as well.......??? Cars i mean.

What, and Honda....No way.

Triumph, who are they? Do they still make cars?, they couldn't before, so i hope they don't start now.

Who else?

Yamaha?
Ducati?

I just pray I never see a Harley car on the road, just imagine what it would look like..........


LOL

[Eff]

55 means Sept 2005 to March 2006 I don't know the exact date of first registration.

[Schtum]

Originally Posted by pdxrmccgs

Not sure what year a '55 plate is, but they are all good.

It's the second half of 2005 - UK registration plate. So it's one of the first series of the 1200. There are issues to be aware of with the early bikes, perhaps even more so than with the later ones. You'd hope that some 6 years later all the recalls will have been done.

[marc]

Originally Posted by Eff

55 means Sept 2005 to March 2006 I don't know the exact date of first registration.

Pull the small triangular black plastic cover off of the left side of the bike and you'll find a plate that will list the month/year that the bike was manufactured. That info is what you'll need when doing things like looking up and ordering parts.

Mine was made in May of 05 (0505 date).

[Eff]

Thanks, that's usefull. I know from my other bike that the year of first registration can be quite different from year of manufacture. By the way, the haggling's done and I'll be test riding the bike as soon as I get time; all being well I'll have it within a few days.

[Eff]

Oh and I've asked the dealer to provide documentary evidence of all re-calls done!

[Eff]

Well, I’ve ridden the bike and all is not well. There’s a droning coming from the bike which is road speed related (you can still hear it if you pull the clutch in and coast, no matter what gear you’re in) it sounds a bit like the sound you get from under inflated knobblies. I also noticed that when you pump the clutch with the engine running and the bike in neutral there is a small clunk as the clutch engages which may be related. I’m waiting to hear from them and of course I won’t buy it unless it’s fixed. Do any of you have any idea what may be wrong?

[marc]

Some tires howl more than others. My current front tire, a Heidenau K60, is noisy enough to hear three lanes over. What tires are on the bike?

If you put the bike on the center stand, engine off, in gear and try to move the rear wheel you'll get about 4 inches (100 mm) of play on the circumference of the wheel. This is the combination of normal FD, drive line, and transmission play. That is the likely source of your clunk.

There's another normal clunk, and that's the one you'll hear when shifting into first some (most?) of the time.

When it comes to a boxer you may find that the bike runs much better if you wear earplugs.