Noting but a new owner!

eire1400

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Cork ROI
As a happy 2003 single spark r1150gs owner I’ve never entertained thoughts of the fancy 1200 gsa’s until now.
I saw one advertised (2008 R1200gsa with 40+ miles on the clock) and thought I’d drive the 2 and a half hours to view as it needed ‘nothing but a new owner!’
It turns out that wasn’t technically true. As a 15 min walk around a showed it needs the following… (at leat)
*New rear shock…serious amount of oil around shock bottom, and bike is like a pogo stick. (ESA bike)
*Cover for starter motor.
*Right heated grip not working
*Left spotlight not working
*replacement beak plastic as cracked /badly repaired
*corrosion everywhere you would expect for a bike that’s been sitting under a cover with only 300 miles done since a service in Feb

Made the decision there and then to walk away, didn’t even make an offer.
Thinking about it since and maybe if the price was right, I could do the jobs required over the winter months and have her ready for spring?
Suppose the most expensive job would be getting shock rebuilt? Can this be done on ESA shock? Who does it an whats the cost roughly?
Any thoughts or leads on the other parts required?

Thanks in advance
 
Had my ESA Rear Shock Rebuilt and the Spring Upgraded by Luke (Dens0) at T-Tech Suspension recently.
Iirc, it was £240 all-in.
Top Bloke providing a Top Service....
 
A 2008 GSA doesn't have a starter motor cover, they are exposed.

They stopped fitting covers to them as part of the 'MU' (model upgrade) around 2008.

Left spotlight is probably a blown fuse or a duff lamp filament. There is a small fusebox for the spots under the LH front of the fuel tank.

A replacement RH heated grip is about £100 and takes about 20 minutes to fit. A good bargaining chip over the price.
 
Made the decision there and then to walk away, didn’t even make an offer.


I've often found that my Initial Gut Instinct proved right.
Maybe you made your Decision for a good reason, without actually realising it!!:nenau
 
Thanks for the replies.
Everything happens for a reason tho!
Telling the story of traveling for this bike has led me to a low mile jap imported r1150gsa.
So looks like I wont be venturing into hex head territory just yet.
Instead I've secured a second oil head! will throw up a few pics when I collect ..in the correct section of course.
Thanks again
 
Good decision! I own a 2008 GSA after 12 years on an 1150 and while I'm very happy, the one you saw sounds like dog.

A neglected bike like that with obvious things wrong that haven't been fixed makes me nervous for all the things that are wrong that you can't see!
 
A neglected bike like that with obvious things wrong that haven't been fixed makes me nervous for all the things that are wrong that you can't see!
A mint, low mileage one with FBMWSH can hide a few grand worth of Issues too, trust me!!
 
As a happy 2003 single spark r1150gs owner I’ve never entertained thoughts of the fancy 1200 gsa’s until now.
I saw one advertised (2008 R1200gsa with 40+ miles on the clock) and thought I’d drive the 2 and a half hours to view as it needed ‘nothing but a new owner!’
It turns out that wasn’t technically true. As a 15 min walk around a showed it needs the following… (at leat)
*New rear shock…serious amount of oil around shock bottom, and bike is like a pogo stick. (ESA bike)
*Cover for starter motor.
*Right heated grip not working
*Left spotlight not working
*replacement beak plastic as cracked /badly repaired
*corrosion everywhere you would expect for a bike that’s been sitting under a cover with only 300 miles done since a service in Feb

Made the decision there and then to walk away, didn’t even make an offer.
Thinking about it since and maybe if the price was right, I could do the jobs required over the winter months and have her ready for spring?
Suppose the most expensive job would be getting shock rebuilt? Can this be done on ESA shock? Who does it an whats the cost roughly?
Any thoughts or leads on the other parts required?

Thanks in advance

Walk away, I had a similar experience last week when I went to look at a used 30,000 mile r1150gs at a dealers ,it was an utter P.O.S cosmetically and he would not start it up, walked away and at the weekend picked up a genuine bike with 23,000 miles on the clock ftom a private seller and £600 cheaper.

Plenty out there for sale and remember minor mechanical bits are a damned sight cheaper to fix than corrosion on casings, sub frames etc
 
A
Made the decision there and then to walk away, didn’t even make an offer.
Thinking about it since and maybe if the price was right, I could do the jobs required over the winter months and have her ready for spring?
Suppose the most expensive job would be getting shock rebuilt? Can this be done on ESA shock? Who does it an whats the cost roughly?
Any thoughts or leads on the other parts required?

Walk away. Poorly maintained bike will just keep giving you grief most probably.
It's not that you are buying a rare vehicle.



@metropolis2k: you have to update your profile :D
 


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