Hello. I sold my KLR 650 4 months ago in preparation for upgrading to a more powerful bike; I decided on a GSA. I found a 2008 GSA with 150,000 miles for $4795; the ad says they have a exhaustive maintenance history for the bike. Would you buy this bike? Seems like too much money to me. Also, how much life will this bike have before I have to replace the engine or some other major component? About me: 6'6" 240 pounds
Frankly I would not go for it based on the miles. I mean it might be the cleanest bike but..... You might want to consider other bikes (if your budget is tight). BMW service is not cheap. If you're willing to spend $7-$8K, you'd find decent machine.
Back in 2014 my 2007 GSA with 190,000 miles and Micatech panniers sold for $4000. Bike was clean as you can imagine for the mileage (all highway miles). It provided many years of enjoyment for the next owner. Motor, trans, clutch and final drive were all original. Only shocks were aftermarket (Ohlins) and driveshaft was changed at 60,000. The bikes will last easily 250,000-300,000 miles on the original engine top end.
I wouldn't pay almost 5 grand for a bike with 150,000 miles, regardless how detailed the maintenance records. Is your budget limited to 5 grand or can you spend more??? When buying a used bike I would search for the newest bike I could find with the fewest miles. If your budget is restricted to 5 grand you won't have much choice but to buy a high mileage bike that's several years old. I see you're in DC is this bike at Bob's or Morton's BMW?
Actually the bike is in PA. Cycle Trader is my main source for finding a bike. I'm willing to go out a few miles to get the bike and ride it back to DC; as long as it's within a 650 mile radius of DC, I'll travel to find my GSA. I really don't want to spend more than about $6000. I'm going to email the dealer with the high mileage bike and see if they'll take $3000ish; can't hurt to ask.
I got an 05gs with 50k for $4500 and probably could have done better on the forum here but it was an impulse buy :). Maintenance on these bikes in the key to longevity.
I’d search eBay motors and especially craigslist (search it nationwide, not city by city) for bikes in that price range. I’ve seen plenty of low/reasonable mileage, well-maintained bikes for your budget over time on those sites. cycletrader may be too rich/expensive for that market segment.
Skip looking for bikes at dealers. They'll typically charge a ton more than what you'll find from a seller on Craigslist. (Ask me how I know!) Crimsonghost has the right idea. Look for a well-maintained bike from an owner who loved the bike and treated it well. Be picky! Don't be afraid to walk away. Half the fun is the thrill of the chase. Good luck!
Try IBMWR.com for a GSA. There's one listed with 73000 miles in Vermont for $4500. Says all work done by Max BMW.
I wouldn't buy that bike for that much. IMHO not worth more than $3K. I know a guy who has been trying to sell his 60K mile R1200GSA for $6K and can't. It is very clean.
Just for reference: I sold my 145k mile '07 GSA in 2014 for $3,500 to a co-worker, and that was with it stripped of all aftermarket items. I'd even reinstalled the original shocks and had removed the pannier racks that came with the bike as original equipment, and I netted almost $2,000 reselling all the removed items. The bike needed nothing, ran flawlessly, was in great condition, had a new clutch and a detailed maintenance history. The co-worked turned around and quickly sold it on ebay for $4,800 or so. I wouldn't discount the '08 GSA you're considering just because of the miles if everything else about it is good, but I too think that price is steep. Good luck.
Clean I only on the outside, it's what's under the skin that counts most. That's more then I would pay and don't think it's worth thee risk. Sometime those bargains we think we are getting turn out not to be a bargain but rather a nightmare. It's likely you'll need new suspension bit just to make it safe and roadworthy. Hey, it's you $$'s spend them as you see fit but please don't return here bitching and moaning or bashing BMW's, it's happened before, when ya gotta put more $$ into it just to keep it running. Paul