JustBendIt
Grey Hound
Re: WARNING: BE CAREFUL OF TONY FRANCE 0824036955 AND THE BIKES HE IS SELLING
Mandarin Yellow 2003 BMW R1150 GS with ABS and Heated Grips with 148 000 km
Full Original pannier set including Topbox
All manuals, service books and papers
Bike ready to go to first guy who rocks up
R45 000
Call TONY FRANCE of SA MOTORCYCLE TOURS & RENTALS on 082 403 6955 or 021 794 7887 or view at 34 Airlie Place, Constantia, Cape Town
BUT BE WARNED
I heard about this guy and his bikes from another Wild Dog on this forum and immediately went to go have a look
When I got there I met this "wonderful" 68 year old gentleman who opened his garage to reveal about 20 different BMW's he owns from F650GS to R1200GS and everything in between.
He explained that he runs a bike tour company and regularly upgrades bikes that have served their time to make way for newer models.
He does all the routine maintenance on the bikes himself and keeps a blackboard on the wall of his garage where he keeps track of what has been done to which bike. He told me that even though BMW specify oil changes evry 10 000 km he does it every 5000 km including changing the oil filter.
The bike I was interested in was a 2002 R1150GS with 126 000 km - a bit dirty and grubby but I think that was to be expected from an ex tour / rental bike. I rode the bike, all seemed OK, especially the elderly owner and his workshop and immediately bought the bike with no reservations or concerns whatsoever. He told me he didn't trust computers and banks and insisted I pay cash folding notes, which I did.
I collected the bike from him on Saturday afternoon and rode it 10 km to my house where I promptly gave it a wash to prepare it for Sunday morning's breakfast run with some other Wild Dogs to Franschoek.
The bike made it all of 40 km to Engen Wineland 1 Stop on the N1 leaving Cape Town. No matter what we did it refused to start. We towed it behind another 1150 back to a mate's house in Goodwood where we promptly set about trying to find out what was wrong.
The oil was drained and was as thick as tar (probably done 50 000 km in my opinion), the oil filter was practically seized to the sump, the spark plugs were so old they are probably the original plugs, the fuel filter was blocked with dirt, the air filter too - ALL BASIC MAINTENANCE ITEMS HAD BEEN COMPLETELY NEGLECTED
I called Tony to tell him the findings and ask him if he maybe knew why it would not start - I thought that since he has 4 R1150's he may have seen this before. He told me "I have never had any problems with this bike"
All oils have now been changed (over R1000 for all the stuff from BMW) and the bike is still dead. I delivered it to BMW Waterfront yesterday afternoon on my bakkie for them to try and revive it. I WAS NOT SURPRISED TO SEE ONE OF THE OTHER R1150GS (THE SILVER ONE THAT WAS ADVERTISED HERE) ALSO BEING TOWED IN A DAY AFTER IT WAS SOLD AND ALSO BROKEN.
I called Tony again yesterday and asked him if he was prepared to help me financially sort this problem out - he flatly refused and the conversation was brought to an abrupt end. I accept that I tested the bike and bought it "voetstoots" and shit happens but I did not expect to be BLATANTLY LIED TO by this elderly gentleman. On further investigation I was told by "Uncle" Johnny Fritz (owner of BMW Waterfront) that TONY only brings his bikes in when they are broken and won't start - no regular maintenance of any sort is done by them.
I fully expect the MODERATORS on this FORUM to delete this post just like they deleted my little rant yesterday afternoon BUT I think they will be doing the rest of you WILD DOGS a serious disservice if they do.
I believe this forum is not only a common sounding board for all adventure bike lovers BUT also a public service warning board too.
Will keep you posted on what turns out to be the problem with this "lovingly maintained R1150 GS"
Justin Bennetts
Powerflow Exhausts Tokai
Cape Town
Mandarin Yellow 2003 BMW R1150 GS with ABS and Heated Grips with 148 000 km
Full Original pannier set including Topbox
All manuals, service books and papers
Bike ready to go to first guy who rocks up
R45 000
Call TONY FRANCE of SA MOTORCYCLE TOURS & RENTALS on 082 403 6955 or 021 794 7887 or view at 34 Airlie Place, Constantia, Cape Town
BUT BE WARNED
I heard about this guy and his bikes from another Wild Dog on this forum and immediately went to go have a look
When I got there I met this "wonderful" 68 year old gentleman who opened his garage to reveal about 20 different BMW's he owns from F650GS to R1200GS and everything in between.
He explained that he runs a bike tour company and regularly upgrades bikes that have served their time to make way for newer models.
He does all the routine maintenance on the bikes himself and keeps a blackboard on the wall of his garage where he keeps track of what has been done to which bike. He told me that even though BMW specify oil changes evry 10 000 km he does it every 5000 km including changing the oil filter.
The bike I was interested in was a 2002 R1150GS with 126 000 km - a bit dirty and grubby but I think that was to be expected from an ex tour / rental bike. I rode the bike, all seemed OK, especially the elderly owner and his workshop and immediately bought the bike with no reservations or concerns whatsoever. He told me he didn't trust computers and banks and insisted I pay cash folding notes, which I did.
I collected the bike from him on Saturday afternoon and rode it 10 km to my house where I promptly gave it a wash to prepare it for Sunday morning's breakfast run with some other Wild Dogs to Franschoek.
The bike made it all of 40 km to Engen Wineland 1 Stop on the N1 leaving Cape Town. No matter what we did it refused to start. We towed it behind another 1150 back to a mate's house in Goodwood where we promptly set about trying to find out what was wrong.
The oil was drained and was as thick as tar (probably done 50 000 km in my opinion), the oil filter was practically seized to the sump, the spark plugs were so old they are probably the original plugs, the fuel filter was blocked with dirt, the air filter too - ALL BASIC MAINTENANCE ITEMS HAD BEEN COMPLETELY NEGLECTED
I called Tony to tell him the findings and ask him if he maybe knew why it would not start - I thought that since he has 4 R1150's he may have seen this before. He told me "I have never had any problems with this bike"
All oils have now been changed (over R1000 for all the stuff from BMW) and the bike is still dead. I delivered it to BMW Waterfront yesterday afternoon on my bakkie for them to try and revive it. I WAS NOT SURPRISED TO SEE ONE OF THE OTHER R1150GS (THE SILVER ONE THAT WAS ADVERTISED HERE) ALSO BEING TOWED IN A DAY AFTER IT WAS SOLD AND ALSO BROKEN.
I called Tony again yesterday and asked him if he was prepared to help me financially sort this problem out - he flatly refused and the conversation was brought to an abrupt end. I accept that I tested the bike and bought it "voetstoots" and shit happens but I did not expect to be BLATANTLY LIED TO by this elderly gentleman. On further investigation I was told by "Uncle" Johnny Fritz (owner of BMW Waterfront) that TONY only brings his bikes in when they are broken and won't start - no regular maintenance of any sort is done by them.
I fully expect the MODERATORS on this FORUM to delete this post just like they deleted my little rant yesterday afternoon BUT I think they will be doing the rest of you WILD DOGS a serious disservice if they do.
I believe this forum is not only a common sounding board for all adventure bike lovers BUT also a public service warning board too.
Will keep you posted on what turns out to be the problem with this "lovingly maintained R1150 GS"
Justin Bennetts
Powerflow Exhausts Tokai
Cape Town
