bmwr1200c

How I got this bike

In the winter of 2014, I looked at a R1200 C in Amsterdam. Excellent looking, dark green with leather bags and a windshield for $4,600. I was unfamiliar with this odd looking BMW and hesitated to buy something so quirky. In the 3 days it took to research it's value and cult status, it was sold.

I was determined not to let a deal like that get away again. So when I saw this beauty with the James Bond movie, "Tomorrow Never Dies" color scheme, I bought it for the price listed, no hesitation this time.

Asymmetric Layout - 15,800 miles

Rode it home on a cold, windy day in early April with the prior owner's plate still on it. It's in very nice condition with just 15,800 miles. Came with a trickle charger, spare mirrors and owner's manual. Rear tire is good but front has significant weather cracking. Seat and grip leather are a bit dry.

Day 1 - Fold down Backrest

It's a different riding experience from what I'm used to. Lots of low end torque and no tachometer or windshield. Raised the angle of the handlebars. Bought Dark Navy shoe cream and treated the seat and handgrips so they look much less weathered.

Rode 100 miles on the first weekend it was registered. The front end seems very soft/compliant but the rear seems a bit stiff. Adjustable with tool kit wrench .

Manual calls for 93 or higher rated gas. Starts and runs beautifully. Slightly louder exhaust than the R1100R.

April 2015

It quickly has become a regular rider and a bike I show off to friends. New front tire done at M&S in Scotia in May. The controls take some getting adjusting to since they are different from those on Japanese bikes that I am used to.

Lake Road - Mariaville June 2015

With some changes, the bike has become more usable. I adjusted the 'chopper' bars a few times to raise the handgrips, then lowered them again to slightly less that the angle of the front forks. Putting on the wrist rest device that came with the bike reduced the twitchiness of the throttle when going over bumps. And while I thought the suspension was too stiff, softening the setting to 3 (from 4) caused it to bottom out on potholes and smaller bumps. Adjusted up to 5 keeps it from hard bottoming and that's good, but it still can feel harsh on lumpy roads.

Using the rear bag that came with the bike has made this a more friendly ride. Gas mileage is around 40 mpg. Oil change at 17,060 miles (4 quarts 20-50 Penzoil).

Altamont NY

Carrick Road Altamont

2016

First ride on March 8th. An early start to the season. 17, 350 miles. Windshield (National Cycle Dakota) installed on March 10th, $275 from Cruiser Customizing.com. Nice item with solid feeling mounts and excellent instructions. Suspension is back to the original setting of 4 after trying both softer and harder, but the ride is still jolting on bumps.

Gas stabilzer added Oct. 31 with 18,260 miles. Battery charged since it was a bit weak.

2017

Front brakes bled at 18,500 miles (May 24th). Rear shaft oil (80W-90) done at 18,550 miles. End of season with 18,891 miles.

Beard Road Albany County

2018

A cold and wet spring made it a slow season for selling any bikes. But a call from a guy in Michigan resulted in a 1 am sale on May 1, 2018. The bike was sold in the rain with cash exchanged in the parking lot behind Scotti's restaurant where the bike was kept in Carl's garage. The buyer drove straight through to get the bike and right back to Anne Harbor Michigan afterwards. The deal was arranged via phone calls and went easily with John helping remove the windshield and lowering the handlebars. I gave him a ramp with the bike and some tie-downs but ended up keeping the windshield. 18,891 miles.

BMW R1200C (1998)