2009 bmw g450x | GTAMotorcycle.com

2009 bmw g450x

I82l8

Well-known member
HI everybody,
I'm currently looking at 2009 BMW G450X with 3200km and have a couple of questions:

  1. What would be a fair price?
  2. Anything I should look out for?
Thanks.
 
I helped a friend buy one of those earlier in this season. It's a really neat bike in many ways and a pain in the *** in other ways:
1- the kickstand is by far the worst and weakest design I have ever seen. From research I learned that they all suffered from this inept design and bmw did try to remedy (or bandage) the issue with some updates but for my friend's bike, I essentially modified the hole in the frame where the stand attaches with a larger diameter bolt that I had shaved and shaped to drop in from behind. It works but he still needs to replace the actual stand (it's really weak and has dents and bends) and bmw says they're back ordered until later this year...
2- check long and hard for oil leaks - they're not terribly common but everything that bolts together on these engines seems to utilize rubber o-rings which can dry out and cause leaks over time. If you do find leaks or evidence of leaks, investigate further until you're satisfied
3- check fork seals for leaking - not a huge deal but if the leaking is excessive, you'll want to know how much was lost over time and budget for a re-seal and fork freshening service
4- check the rear shock - it's a quality Ohlins unit and they are fantastic but as with anything a,aging, not terribly cheap if it requires immediate attention or service
5- there's no ignition key so don't expect to find an ignition barrel - the bike can be fired up with nothing but a press of the button and when it's shut down, the ignition circuit shut down is slightly delayed (about 30 seconds) - only you can decide if you're comfortable with this
6- check wheels for warping or other damage. Hit each and every spoke with something metallic and listen for individual spokes that don't sound like the others - this would indicate a need to tighten spokes or possibly a sign of previous rim / spoke damage / replacement
7- look for obvious things like blue smoke from the exhaust indicating oil comsumption. Some oil consumption is acceptable as with other high performance off road bikes, they do eat some oil especially when ridden at high RPMs for sustained periods of time (long highway stints, etc)
8- the seat is only slightly better than sitting on top of a dull rusty axe held in place with metal nails - if you're planning to spend any time in the saddle, you may want to look at your options for alternative seats and / or mods
9- the headlight is atrocious - at night it magically turns everything in front darker rather than lighter :) - you can do something as simple as a replacement LED module designed to be plug 'n play or spend more and more remedying it (or do nothing and avoid night riding)
10- the rear subframe is actually quite substantial but the small extension that supports the very long rear fender and license plate holder is weak and poorly designed - don't be surprised if it feels like it's just a few bumps away from falling off. I've been thinking about how to reinforce the one on my friend's bike but I've been too busy riding my bike instead to really care too much at this point
11- it's fuel injected which means it relies more heavily on battery health than a bike with a carb - I'd expect given its age (regardless of mileage) that the one you're looking at is likely due for a new battery. The other thing to check since it is fuel injected is the inside of the fuel tank (if you can actually view the bottom) and look for dirt - a sign of a lot of dirt could lead to clogged filters and injectors; both of those things would need to be addressed as both of those impact how hard the fuel pump has had to work to keep up with the engine's demands for fuel. A replacement fuel pump is not cheap
12- bmw is not an easy source for parts (availability and pricing) especially given that they didn't produce many of these for very long. Dealing with this should be a consideration depending on your patience and tolerance.

the bike my friend got is clean, came from its original owner and had decent service records - his has a bit more mileage than the one you mention and he paid $4000. Depending on many factors, I think a fair price for a very clean low mileage example can be as high as $4500 but any more than that and there are other choices in life that could / should be considered. Cool bike, hope you're not short-legged, they're fairly tall.
 
Thank you very much for taking the time to type this response.
I guess I'll look for something less 'technological' such as a WR or XR 400 instead.
 
Hey, I'm not saying not to buy it, just go in with eyes open. I'm not really sure a WR450 is going to be less technological or complicated - these are racing machines with lights. They are amazing and highly capable bikes that require maintenance and a careful inspection prior to committing to buying them. I doubt you'd be disappointed if you get it as long as you set your expectations. I actually really like the bike my friend got and despite everything I've said, I would only choose NOT to buy it because of the hassle of getting parts from BMW. I ride KTMs and they have their shtick too but I've drank the orange cool aid for years and I love them.
 
Personally, I wouldn't buy anything with a limited production. Plus I hated the g450x when I rode it, weird design. Obviously a personal observation, ymmv.
 

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