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Oct. 28, 2020 -
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Lenox Road Dec. 1, 2020
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How I got this bike Because of the experiences I hadbwith both of the previous R1200c's, I was always on the lookout for another. When I saw this one listed on Facebook Marketplace with 39,000 miles and the price marked down from $4,000 to $3,000 (firm?), I was interested. I talked to the owner who said he's 79 and has had the bike since 1998. That's as close to one-owner as it gets. I went to Whitesides Road (off Fishhouse Road) with Andrea P, test rode it on a cold rainy day in late October, and trailered it home. There is a lien on the title but it's with BMW Financial Services. I sent them an email requesting a lien release, but still had to call two times to finally get it. The title showed he bought it with just 2,092 miles back in Oct. 1998. Now, 39,015 miles. The bike had these extras:
bagsIt came with the tool kit and an extra oil filter and a disk brake lock. |
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Work Log: Blue shoe cream for the handgrips and black for the seat and luggage Flexible covers for the handlebar wiring Rear drive gear oil 75-90 synthetic Gear oil synthetic 75-140 for the transmission (1 qt.) Engine oil 20-50 full synthetic (3.75 qt.) Sticker removed from swingarm Turn signal stabilized Spark plugs NGK 2095 / Bosch BKR7EKC-N center electrode Steel braided front brake lines installed when the stock line froze up before I even rode the bike. Lien release letter obtained from BMW Financial Services |
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| Steinmetz Park Dec. 1, 2020 |
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First Ride: After installing the metal-braided front brake lines I went for a ride on Dec. 1, a 50 degree day. The brakes are even firmer than stock. The ride is good too with the seat and suspension suiting me well, though the windshield cuts across my line of vision, as I expected. I do a 6 mile ride and get some fresh gas. |
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2021 The bike gets registered March 18th, using the license plate from the Suzuki DRZ 400 that was sold in the spring of 2020. The suspension seems to work better than the other R1200C's that I owned. Set to the highest setting, 7. No bottoming and a solid feel on bumps. Tires are nearly new. |
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Lock 8 |
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On a very hot summer day, I ride 1/2 mile
and the bike suddenly quits. No power to anything when the key is turned.
I trailer the bike back to the shop and remove the side panels, the seat and
the gas tank (after draining several gallons out). The battery failed and
was completely dead. But a when a new battery was connected there was a big
flash spark. I know it's not any fuses because they check out fine. I
diagnose a short (on the wires on the hot side of the battery touching the
frame) but cannot find it. So the bike sits out
the season while I try to come up with a plan to get it fixed. |
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2022 On Sept. 1, 2022, I trailer the bike to Heid's Hodaka in Johnsburg NY. In just a few minutes Paul finds the shorted wires touching the frame in front of the ABS unit. He bends them away and the problem is solved with the bike never coming off the trailer. I put some insulating material in the exact trouble spot and wrap more wire covering on other places which are accessible for this. |
| The tank, seat and
side panels go back on Sept. 7. All the electrlcs work so it's time to
put some gas in and ride. |
 Voorheesville Sept. 14, 2022 |
| The first ride is Sept. 8 for 30 miles and everything is fine. The bike has a pleasant, soft-ish ride, perhaps because it has 39,200 miles and it's back in the stable of ready-to-ride bikes. |
| The rear suspension is softened to 5 which improves the ride over bumps. |
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2023 First ride of the season at 19,412 miles. |
 May 8, 2023 Vincent Ave  New Scotland - Rt. 308 |
Edited May 8, 2023