Looking for help and suggestions

[pricketts]

I am presently living in Japan and am looking at buying an R1200GS. I have located 2 on Yahoo Auctions:

ºÇ½ª½ÐÉÊ R1200GS ¥Ñ¥Ë¥¢3¸Ä¡ÚÆ°²èÍ*¡Û¥í¡¼¥ó²Ä ¥¢¥É¥Ù¥ó¥Á¥ã¡¼ - ·¡½Ð¤·¥Ð¥¤¥¯¥ª¡¼¥¯¥·¥ç¥ó - Yahoo!¥ª¡¼¥¯¥·¥ç¥ó

ºÇ½ª½ÐÉÊ ¥Ü¥Ã¥¯¥¹¡õ¥í¡¼¥·¡¼¥È R1200GS¡ÚÆ°²èÍ*¡Û¥í¡¼¥ó²Ä BMW - ·¡½Ð¤·¥Ð¥¤¥¯¥ª¡¼¥¯¥·¥ç¥ó - Yahoo!¥ª¡¼¥¯¥·¥ç¥ó


I realize all the info is in Japanese but the prices would be around 12k CDN.

A friend of mine told me there were brake issues with the 2005's ( I think it says those are 2004's). Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions?

Thanks,

PAul

[marc]

Ahh, the "Brake issues". The '04�`'06 bikes used power assist brakes which some folks dislike. If you dislike them them you'll not like the bike. Most fears about brake failures have, I think, proven to be overblown. Yes, the ABS unit can fail. That is true on both earlier and later versions of the brakes, too. The big difference is how the brakes feel if the ABS unit does fail. Some find that scary. Will you?

I'd strongly advise you try to get a test ride and see what you feel about the bike. As part of your test push the bike around with the ignition "off". That will tell you what the brakes feel like when you lose power or the ABS unit fails.

[pricketts]

Honestly, I am too much of a rookie to know the difference and buying off Yahoo Auction is a bit 'scary', and also means no test drive.

I rode a 79 GoldWing when I was 17, a 750 Interceptor around the same age and various dirt bikes my friends owned, etc., as time went on. I am not sure I care if i own ABS or not. I am so new to the bike scene these days that it is all new to me. All I care is that the damn thing stops.

Also, because I am I may have to buy off of yahoo ( being in japan) it is a bit unknowing what I may receive. Does that seem like a good price? I see the link didn't work, but it seems like a very clean couple of bikes.

P

[marc]

I don't know Japanese prices and I can't tell what years those bikes are. Rough US prices for a stock GS according to a local buyers guide are:

'10: $13,500
'09: $11,250
'08: $10,500
'07: $ 9,250
'06: $ 8,000

[pricketts]

Looks like they are 2005, going for about 12000 US. Low KMs and they have bags. Seems good, but again, scared to buy sight unseen.