2001 K1200 RS mid year change ??

[newbie]

I got my first road bike Feb07, 96 r1100rs, and love it. But I have the fever for a four cyl and love the look of the K1200rs. I recently road one and now love it even more.
So I've been shopping and have found a 2001 with 8k at a fair price, $7300. The question is how it compairs to others of the same year. The one I'm looking at has 3 anomalies. The mirrors are chrome and oval shape, the fairing under the engine is silver instead of black like the others I'v seen, and finally the K1200RS is on the front fairing in large print instead of below the rear seat.
What does this mean?

Thanks,
Newbie (but growing)

[john1691]

Sounds like someone did some mod's. None of the K12's had chrome mirrors, they either came as round, single stalk (up to '01, and later GT's) or were the oval, dual stalk. All belly pans were black, regardless of year, as they are a softer compoud plastic, not like the painted parts on the bike. Not sure why the stickers would be differant, other than the parts were repainted or replaced, and the newer style sticker put on. Of course I could be all wrong...........:)

I have a '00 K1200RS (same as '01) which I have done a bunch of work on, and I helped rebuild a '02 K1200RS for a friend, so I have spent a good bit of time on the parts fiche as well as the Clymer manual.

Check the prices on Ebay as well as IBMWR and our MOA classifieds section for a good sampling. Of course your location will have some fluxuation, but for the most part, due to the internet, prices stay pretty close across the board.

Good luck! I love my K12!

[SweetT]

I would bet that the bike has been wrecked. When I laid down my K1200 last summer the mirror was busted, there was a big scrape in the fairing, and the black plastic belly pan was ground through in a couple of places. Coincidentally there are the same parts that are different on the bike you're looking at, right? Granted these bikes are built pretty tough, so a crash that will ruin the bodywork may not affect the frame or engine at all. But I would remain skeptical. The typical BMW owner doesn't spend money on chorme mirrors, big stickers, or painted belly pans to try and customize a bike. They spend money on custom seats and GPSes!