‘Bag a brick but be ready to break it’

BMW brick prices are creeping up. I mentioned the K1200LT recently, as an all-bells-and-whistles super-tourer for little money. The K100RS was available a few years ago for £1300-£1500 for a decent late one but today’s starting money for a nice low-mileage 8v model is a couple of grand. There’s one brick, though, that’s underpriced and ironically it’s the last, most powerful and fastest: the K1200RS. The last of these will be on a 2005 plate.

Early models had some issues, chiefly with cooling fans and engine failures which were attributed to manufacturing faults. It was fast – 155mph or so – and smooth, as the 1200 inline four got a balancer shaft (the triples had them from the start.) It was styled a bit like a teardrop: very aerodynamic. In true BMW style, it had a decent fuel tank, comfort and ergonomics. Panniers and other extras were available. You can pick them up for £1500 or so but choose your model carefully. From 2002 they got the servo brakes. You love them or hate them. I hated them. They can go catastrophically wrong as well, if the brake fluid change intervals aren’t rigidly adhered to. The final drive main bearing can fail. That’s pricey. Service history is a must. BMW also miscalculated the heat shielding for the left-hand pannier, which runs very close to the exhaust can and they can melt. Yep, mine did too. It’s worth a punt but regard it as disposable. If it goes wrong, the best thing to do is break it for parts.