Info on '92 BMW R100GS Police Issue
 

In my search for the perfect beemer for the California to Chile trip, I came accross a local mechanic who is selling what he is referring to as a '92 Police GS. It supposedly has a sordid past of being used by narcotics officers in California to bust people here at the ports. Here's the laundry list: PD tank, full sized speedo and tach, auxiliary guages (voltage and clock) heated grips, power for heated vest, fog lights, brembo front caliper, serious rear rack, front crash cage, skid plate, etc etc. The frame and engine numbers match the paperwork.

He did a sloppy frame off on it, and didn't even take it the last 10% of the way to make it look good. After a test ride through the severe angles of Potrero hill, this thing is a tank with a very strong motor for the extra weight. He's asking 5500 for it, and I'm finding other lower mileage GS's that are in much better cosmetic shape.

Is this thing worth it? Will the extra weight just be a burdon? Does anyone have any information on what came on Police GS's or even if they exist? Can I have BMW run the vin to see what it originally came with?

Thanks!

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Lizette and Bill Chapman
South America here we come!

Dear Lizette and Bill

Have you bought a GS yet? The one you describe sounds like a standard Paris-Dakar model with a few extra instruments. Prices for them in the UK are high (i just paid £4000 for an excellent 30,000 mile bike). They're cheaper in Europe, as they were one of the biggest selling models there.

If it is ex-police, the thing to look for would be an uprated alternator - the standard one is pants. Its essential if you plan to use extra power eating equipment like heated clothes and fog lamps. If the red charge lamp is flickering on at all when the engine is running, be suspicious - it may mean an alternator problem (the rotors die at about 30,000), or just a knackered battery.

The GS-PD is a solidly built go-anywhere machine. Two other things that go wrong with them are the dry joint in the shaft drive - which supposedly needs attention often in dry conditions, along with the gear-selector mechanism (yep, i got stuck in 4th on my second journey). Also, watch out for the side-stands - they are a little tricky to operate, and are often modified. With loads of luggage on the back they tend to topple forwards.

Hope that is some help.

Rob