A nice dilemma

austin

Well-Known Member
My 1200gsa is getting a bit long in the tooth. It’s now at 86,000 miles, very scruffy and corroded and the latest issue in what feels like it’s annual hissy fit is a seized alternator together with some frozen and or sheared bolts meaning I can’t get it off. It’s going to have to go to a professional.

So perhaps tickety tock a new bike. The dilemma is what to get. I took a a 1250gsa out today. Absolutely awesome but at £18500 it’s stupid money and I can’t justify it. It’s a soulless bike too. Plus there’s probably another £1000 or more on panniers and other doo-dahs needed. I did also wonder what on earth I needed 135bhp for (it’s insanrly fadt)and all the modes and many of the other features seem completely lost on me. The LC1200s don’t do it for me either. And overall on BMW’s I am suspicious of their longevity due to wafer thin poor paint.

I love the look of the new Moto Guzzi V85TT But at “just” 80 bhp I do wonder whether there will just a few too many occasions when the 20-30 extra on my 1200 would be sorely missed. Still I might ask for a test ride. Nearest dealers are Denbigh or Thirsk.

Crf1000 and it’s ATAS bro are quite appealing but when I looked at them were very small for pillion+ lots of stuff. Very low payload limit iirc.

Vstrom . Hmmmm. It would forever be compared to my 1200 and I don’t think it would be in its favour. I know Steve likes his big bird but I can’t honestly say I have ever thought, hmmm a Vstrom now there’s a bike I could see myself on. Same with triumph tigers , and Yamaha xt1200.

In the adv bike sector not a lot else floats my boat much. I am considering a very different style of bike. Not a Harley but something like a Triumph Thunderbird Storm. -1700cc twin in a cruiser/hot rod package. I would feel a right Pratt on it though. I don’t think it’s a current bike in the uk though.

I am stuck I think. The only bike that I thought would be better than my 1200 was the gsa 1250 but after a test ride I am not sure it is.

I am giving serious consideration to getting Mikeyboy at Overland and Classic to give it a refurb as well as fixing the alternator and fixing a few other minor issues. My guesstimate at costs are something like £500 for the alternator, 20-30 hours to strip and rebuild the bike (he charged my £45/hour two years ago when he did the final drive so prob about £50/he now). Say £1000 to £2000 for labour. Powder coating and parts say another £2000. £4,000 ish gets me a mostly refurbed bike.

Like I said a nice dilemma. Any thoughts anyone.


Or, buy an old restored but emerging classic. Perhaps GS11xx, xrv750. RD350.
 

nick949

Well-Known Member
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Terrible dilemma Austin.
Get an old Loop frame Guzzi - you know it's what you really want. You won't care about only having 65bhp. Let those squids blast by - they'll never be as cool as you. AND, you'll have zero depreciation,no matter however many miles you put on it. Oh yes - and you can take it anywhere you'd take your GS. Am I kidding? Only a little.

Nick
 
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austin

Well-Known Member
An older Guzzi has crossed my mind Nick. Or an older airhead BMW. The prices here though are crazy.
 

Philwhiskeydrinker

Well-Known Member
Flog it and look for a tidy pampered low miles twin cam, it would cost less than the refurb and you are back to a nice/low mileage bike.

Or bite the bullet and get an xtz1200!

Sent from my SM-A320FL using Tapatalk
 

Barftone

Well-Known Member
Im with Phil. Revamping older bikes unless they are collectable will bring up other age related probs. I had a close look at the Guzzi the other week and although charming (that was the best I could think of) I think it has the cheap guzzi engine (read finish) related more to the 750 rather than the litre plus ones. Have you tried the KTMs and Africa's?
 

Lowflyer

Well-Known Member
Austin,

It's a dilemma that I find myself in also, my GSA is similar. Although it has never let me down and I love it to bits on long hauls ( not that mine are anywhere near yours :p ) For two up it's great, though at the moment the wife can't get her leg over ( me or the bike :D ) so I am beginning to stray also. KTM maybe ? we'll see.
But I have to say, park the GSA next to my old AT in a car park and you can guess which one creates the most interest. :cool2:

Good luck with your quest, for what it's worth, a second hand GSA minter looks to be the best option in my opinion.
 

nick949

Well-Known Member
Im with Phil. Revamping older bikes unless they are collectable will bring up other age related probs. I had a close look at the Guzzi the other week and although charming (that was the best I could think of) I think it has the cheap guzzi engine (read finish) related more to the 750 rather than the litre plus ones. Have you tried the KTMs and Africa's?

Interestingly, a local lad recently bought a newish Guzzi V7 which, compared to most 750's is asthmatic to say the least. His KTM 990 lingers in his garage while the Guzzi gets the miles.

ADV bikes have joined road rockets and cruisers as yesterday's news. Is there anything more ho-hum than yet another GSA? :whistle:. Having said all this, if I were in Austin's position, and knowing his riding patterns, I'd be looking very closely at a very slightly used, fully farkled Yamaha Super Tenere.
 

Stuart D

Active Member
Forum Supporter
I recently bought a low mileage FI Vara instead of my CBR as Anne was looking to share some bike trips. We've just come back from the Picos, only for a week with Anne, and it was faultless but am I right assuming you've had one? As a few have said a Super Tenere would be suitable steed, if not that exciting, but there's plenty of low mileage secondhand bargains to be had. Wigan Yamaha always have good deals on new, you only need a bare machine because you won't want hose designer luggage systems. Good luck
 

austin

Well-Known Member
Flog it and look for a tidy pampered low miles twin cam, it would cost less than the refurb and you are back to a nice/low mileage bike.

Or bite the bullet and get an xtz1200!

Sent from my SM-A320FL using Tapatalk

Nah, I never really liked the XTZ1200. Plus a mate had one and all the paint fell off the engine within about 6 months. I think his was a bad un as he loads of little issues with it.

Im with Phil. Revamping older bikes unless they are collectable will bring up other age related probs. I had a close look at the Guzzi the other week and although charming (that was the best I could think of) I think it has the cheap guzzi engine (read finish) related more to the 750 rather than the litre plus ones. Have you tried the KTMs and Africa's?

I did have a good look at the CRF1000 and the ATAS version. Saddle looks very small for two and the payload limit means that rider plus pillion just about gets you to the limit, or in our case over it, And thats without luggage. An overloaded bike is a horrible handful - see Varadero comment below. Thats the beauty of the GSA - it has avery high payload and just shrugs off the weight. KTM, yeah perhaps I should take a proper look. I know the 1090 was quite highly rated and quite a bargain IIRC. The nearest Guzzi dealer is 80 miles or so away. Perhaps I will make the effort to go and look and perhaps book a test ride.

Austin,

It's a dilemma that I find myself in also, my GSA is similar. Although it has never let me down and I love it to bits on long hauls ( not that mine are anywhere near yours :p ) For two up it's great, though at the moment the wife can't get her leg over ( me or the bike :D ) so I am beginning to stray also. KTM maybe ? we'll see.
But I have to say, park the GSA next to my old AT in a car park and you can guess which one creates the most interest. :cool2:

Good luck with your quest, for what it's worth, a second hand GSA minter looks to be the best option in my opinion.

I have taken most of the back of the bike off today so I can clean it and paint it up. I think you are all right, attempting to do a professional refurb on this bike would cost an bloody fortune. I am just going to clean it, rub it down and paint the black bits with black smoothrite. It won't be particularly pretty but it will be better than it is now. And if I decide to sell it will at least presentable. I have also been running an oily cloth over the rest of the bike and doesn't look so bad. So once I decide how I am going to get the alternator fixed and the get it all back together it should look ok again and I may just keep on riding until the right bike comes along.

I am quite fancying a change of style of bike. i.e. not an ADV bike. There is a very tidy looking BMW R1200R for sale on UKGser and I find a Triumph Speedmaster 1200 strangely appealing as I have never previously given cruiser styles a second look. Either would be fine for general riding about solo or with pillion, and with a bit of invention I am sure I can strap some luggage on the Triumph so we would go travelling, although perhaps not camping.

Interestingly, a local lad recently bought a newish Guzzi V7 which, compared to most 750's is asthmatic to say the least. His KTM 990 lingers in his garage while the Guzzi gets the miles.

ADV bikes have joined road rockets and cruisers as yesterday's news. Is there anything more ho-hum than yet another GSA? :whistle:. Having said all this, if I were in Austin's position, and knowing his riding patterns, I'd be looking very closely at a very slightly used, fully farkled Yamaha Super Tenere.

Riding patterns seem to be changing Nick. We didn't really go anywhere on the bike last year (the new MX5 got all the miles and trips) and will again this year I am sure. Hence the interest in something like a Triumph Speedmaster. I know what you and John mean about having something a bit different - interesting to own and to others, and with a riding style that doesnt require insane speeds to enjoy the bike properly.

I recently bought a low mileage FI Vara instead of my CBR as Anne was looking to share some bike trips. We've just come back from the Picos, only for a week with Anne, and it was faultless but am I right assuming you've had one? As a few have said a Super Tenere would be suitable steed, if not that exciting, but there's plenty of low mileage secondhand bargains to be had. Wigan Yamaha always have good deals on new, you only need a bare machine because you won't want hose designer luggage systems. Good luck

Yeah I did have a Vara. Mine wasn't faultless though (alternator problems) and when fully loaded with pillion was horrible. And I mean awful to ride, poor handling and uncomfortable. We did one long trip on it (France and Spain) and pretty much said never again. As a solo bike it was great though.

Part of of my dilemma is I have to find a bike that suits to ride solo, and with pillion and can also be loaded up to its capacity and beyond and comfortably ridden for weeks and weeks loaded up like that. The GS range seems to be perfect. Pan European possibly but again a bike I have never looked fondly at. Same with a Goldwing (sorry Stuart).
 
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austin

Well-Known Member
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Here are some pics of the scabbiness beneath the seat and the front engine cover. Other than that and the seized alternator the bike is ok. I might just solve my dilemma by keeping it once it’s all back together.
 

Lowflyer

Well-Known Member
Nothing that a bit of wet n dry and a rattle tin wouldn't fix :D
Doesn't look that bad tbh
Good luck :thumbsup:
Looks like a keeper ?
 

austin

Well-Known Member
Maybe John but the bike is just 8 years old and has had a pretty easy life really: Not commuted on, Minimal winter use, vast majority of miles in warm dry places albeit mostly hugely overloaded. I reckon some of the rust on the subframe is due to stress flexing it and cracking the paint. Tbh though the back end came apart very easily - no fixings rusted apart from Ali corrosion where steel is fixed to it. One spacer for the pannier frame literally crumbled in my hand.

I just need some more W&D, some of that naphtha stuff and a good paintbrush and the smoothrite will be slapped on the subframe. I will worry about the front engine casing another time after its is back on the road. Then there is the wheels / hubs - again mainly corrosion where stainless meets ali.
 

nick949

Well-Known Member
So keep it as your winter hack and treat yourself to something swish and new. I know there's room in your garage for two bikes.:thumbsup:
 

Lowflyer

Well-Known Member
If you can get a shot of a compressor and a grit gun, fill it full of soda. Takes no time at all, plus the soda is not as harse as the grit, just wash it away. I did my beamer front engine cover and the engine and frame of my Africa twin at the same time. If a ham fisted Teuchter can do it, anybody can :D
 

austin

Well-Known Member
So keep it as your winter hack and treat yourself to something swish and new. I know there's room in your garage for two bikes.:thumbsup:

That may well be what happens. Still leaves the dilemma of what to get though as I keep circling back to another GSA.

If you can get a shot of a compressor and a grit gun, fill it full of soda. Takes no time at all, plus the soda is not as harse as the grit, just wash it away. I did my beamer front engine cover and the engine and frame of my Africa twin at the same time. If a ham fisted Teuchter can do it, anybody can :D

I don’t know anyone with a compressor but getting something like that did cross my mind as I remembered your thread about it. When you did your GS front engine cover did you remove it or blast it and paint it in situ?
 

Lowflyer

Well-Known Member
You know me Austin, rufty tufty good enoughty :D Did in situ. Because Soda isn't that coarse, simple masking tape and paper worked fine. Tbh didn't spend a great deal of time on it as was more concerned with getting the AT back together. If I was doing it again, I would do the same as you have and strip the back end, then blast it with soda.
Because I am " in the trade ;)" I borrowed an 85 cfm road compressor and just throttled back the supply. Worked a treat, see if you can get a weekend hire ? or "borrow" from some pikey :eek:

Good luck
 

Dee Dub

Active Member
Regarding a new bike, there's what makes sense given the riding you do now and expect to do in the foreseeable future (rather than what you have done in the past). Then there's what fires your soul. The two may not be the same. I imagine that, like me, you agree too much emphasis is given to spec sheets. X cc, Y bhp, Z mph... I have enjoyed riding a range of bikes and found bikes that people look down on (e.g. Deauville, Wee Strom) have their merits. Time for a retro? A scrambler? A tourer? A cruiser? Why not? Give it a try and change it at a later date. You aren't marrying the damn thing!

Regarding renovating your old bike, maybe it's a chance to do a complete strip-down-and-rebuild-like-new? Take your time and enjoy!
 

nick949

Well-Known Member
Ah. I have it. You're a big lad Austin. How about adding a Rocket 3 to your garage. It would be an interesting counterpoint to the GSA and scratch that cruiser itch.
 

austin

Well-Known Member
Ah. I have it. You're a big lad Austin. How about adding a Rocket 3 to your garage. It would be an interesting counterpoint to the GSA and scratch that cruiser itch.

A Rocket Bloody 3. Hah hah hah. :lolgroup: I was after something a bit cool:ride:. Besides I don't think it would go in the garage and I would never turn it round to get it out again.

You see I think this is a cool looking bike. Seat's a bit low and ground clearance could be a problem, but its still cool.
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