Friday Forum Foraging: A Cheap Long-Distance Tourer
This 23 year-old BMW K1200LT may be showing a little bit of age, but it's cheap and only needs some minor TLC to take you across the country.
Some would say BMW's K1200LT doesn't get the credit it deserves for being an uber touring rig. Probably because a certain Honda Gold Wing keeps stealing all the touring thunder. However, if you're looking to do some serious touring, don't have a lot of money, but do have ambition and just a little bit of knowledge on how to fix stuff, this 2000 K1200LT is calling your name.
Coming to you from our sister site bmwlt.com, this K1200LT is being put up for sale by its original owner because he/she has admitted to themselves that they're too old to keep maintaining a motorcycle. However, with only 34,700 miles on the clock, this K12 is just getting started. Other than some faded paint and a clutch that has finally started slipping after two decades, the owner says the bike runs great and has lots of commonly problematic parts fixed or replaced.
Maybe the best part? The owner is only asking $1200. For that little money, it's worth taking a chance on. It's located in Florida, too, so if you decide to ride it home, you'll get to experience its touring prowess straight away.
We've copied the forum listing below, but if you're interested, be sure to hop over to bmwlt.com to reply to the seller (or you can email him).
I rode it yesterday. That should say a lot about but the bike, after 23 years of giving me pleasure and only 34700 miles on the odometer, she needs a new owner! We are both old now and I can't work on the bike anymore. I flushed the clutch lines a couple days ago, and on yesterday's ride, the clutch slipped for the first time in 23 years. I've fixed many minor things and a few harder things like the voltage regulator, fuel pump, hall effect sensor wires, stainless steel brake lines and caliper pistons and pads , tires, batteries, headlight and body repairs.
I know it is ugly now. Life happens. Help me out a little, Thanks.
It needs to be picked up from my place in Okeechobee, FL.
email me norman22635@gmail.com
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Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.
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I brought a late 90’s GS with 140k miles, in 2015 or so. Found out the clutch slipped with a heavy hand. So I drove her easy for over 2 yrs including a 4 state trip. Sold it with +160k miles when it got a bit obvious, for $1500. He and his buddy split it in half, installing a new clutch. She live on somewhere.
It can be done.
If you want a good laugh, look up Chris Harris and K1200LT rant on You Tube. He's a BMW mechanic and has some interesting things to say about the bike. Funny as hell.