[wa1200lt]

All, I'm close to becoming part of the BMW community. She(who must be obeyed, my wife of 33 yrs) has given the go ahead to purchase an L T for our touring pleasure. We are looking at a 2001 with just under 8000 miles, a 2002 with 34.8 Kmiles and a 2005 with just under 14 Kmiles.

Here is what I'm considering:

2001. Owner asking too much. If he'll come down to a reasonable price this would be a good choice but no electro-hyd center stand. Is this a big deal?

2002. Great price, great shape. Good value but not first color choice and mileage is highest of the three.

2005. Absolutely spotless, price good, dealer serviced, owner took CD changer to put in his new bike. Will the single disk player atop the tank play MP3 format CD's? If so, then this is probably my favorite. If not, could a BMW auto player be subbed in for the tank to single disk CD player without losing fingertip control of it's functions?

Thanks for looking at this post.

Wa1200lt

 

[jkersh1]

The only CD's I ever play in either the CD drive, or the 6 CD changer, are home burned. But the tunes aren't in MP3 format 'per se' but have been burned into CD cda format.

If I understand your question, the CD changer is the same one the BMW cars use, and will plug right in to the wiring harness. You might find someone here who has their changer out and is looking to clean the garage. A lot of folks have yanked the changers, and hooked up their ipods through one of several methods. You can search the site and find out lots more.

Personally, I wouldn't let the lack of the electo-centerstand be a deal breaker if you are happy with everything else. I'm an average sized guy and don't have a problem, even with a fully loaded bike, getting it up on the centerstand.

 

[dglenn1]

If the CD is the only hesitation on the '05 go for it. The CD player will not play MP3's but I don't find my CD player all that useful anyway. Mine skips like crazy and the dealer says there is nothing wrong with it. I tried it a couple of times early on but it drove me completely bonkers. You are going to want to rig up an IPOD (non-CD) solution no matter what you do. I thought CD players would have phased out out by now anyway. They are a complex mechanical mechanism that is born to break, subject to dirt and can't handle vibration all that well. Out of the four or five I've had in vehicles, only one is still operable.

Did the PO take the wire harness with the Changer? If not, then you are in phat city!!! Get a DICE or similar interface to the ipod and forget the CD's all together. Mine doesn't have the harness, otherwise I would have done something awhile ago.

The Electro centerstand on the '05 is nice, but not a deal breaker. Many folks work the manual stand just fine. The geometry upgrades and brakes however are far more significant. On the downside, most have said the driver seats on the earlier models were more comfortable than the '05.
Good luck. You'll get plenty of good input here.

 

[wa1200lt]

Thanks gentlemen. Great answers to my questions. All 3 bikes have great things going for them but that e/m centerstand is so gee whiz! Good to know that it's not a deal breaker though. The PO did leave the harness in the right side case so it looks like the options are there.

Thanks again for the input.

 

[Diolach]

I have a 2002 LT that has 42k miles on it and I love it. I've never had a problem getting it up on the center stand either. I will usually put it on the center stand as I have a mosquito fogger when I fire it up if I leave it on the side stand.

 

[seahorst]

I am new to a 2001 LT and had concerns about the centerstand, I have found that it is amazingly esy to get the bike up on the centerstand. Much easier than my 530 pound Virago. I aslo happen to have my CD changer out of the bike and would be willing to part with it. If interested after you choose, send me an email.

 

[wa1200lt]

Diolach, Seahorst more good information. I will order the money next week and then a few days before I receive the money. This waiting is KILLING me! I have visions of cruising down the road on one of these beauties. The only part of me I notice is that big " I can't believe it's mine" grin on my face. Like when I got my first John Deere tractor except faster, more comfortable and a whole lot less dusty!.

 

[seahorst]

Funny, I know that same grin! Theonly problem is the weather has been so crappy that I haven't gotten out on it enough yet.

 

[wa1200lt]

The weather here in the Northwest has been pretty crappy to with the exception of last weekend. I rode my Honda SilverWing(the old v-twin 500cc type) on a 250 mile ride on Sunday. It got up to 76 deg, not a cloud in the sky. Unbelievable weather for this time of year.

 

[Bloodhound]

I have a 02 and have had no problems. If you have to have the 6 disc CD player PM me and I will give you deal on my that I took out. Like the i-pod much better and the extra room in the case.

 

[VRodPete]

Looks like there are plenty of 6 CD changers out there - I also have one I removed after I verified it was working, so if there are others looking for one PM me.

 

[wa1200lt]

Vrod, is that your Mooney in your avatar?

 

[Toolman]

Add another available CD changer to the pile. I've got one that I'd like to part with too.

 

[jrlakin]

I have one I would part with too. I bought the Dice unit and use my Ipod. Only trouble is sometimes I have to unplug it all and let it reset itself.

 

[wa1200lt]

When you adapt an iPOD to work on the L T. do the volume control systems built into the bike still work? The changer cable is still in the bike as one forum member mentioned is important.

 

[VRodPete]

Vrod, is that your Mooney in your avatar?

Yes it is. I own it with two other partners.

 

[Cochinosucio]

Go with the 05. The cd changer is easily replaced on ebay for around $100, and more importantly, the throttle cables are better, and the suspension on the 05 is better.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE MY 99, but an 05 has many upgrades. It is all personal choice, but don't let a simple thing like a cd changer sway you away from possibly a great bike........

 

[Caveno]

Go with the 05. Not cause of the centerstand - its the whole package. Plus they're a bit lower and easier to control at slower speeds, and more horsepower.

Forget the 2001 - tons of FD failures.

 

[wa1200lt]

Is this the 4% final drive failure I've been reading about? It appears from what I'm reading that BMW's fix was a design change around a bearing. If one has the problem I'm assming that BMW would no longer have any interest in making the repair under a recall etc so what would the cost (for the repair. I'm handy enough with a wrench, what about parts. Also, would the repair include the design changes?

Thanks for all this priceless info.

 

[IronRey]

Get the '05...I just replaced my CD changer with a NEO IPOD interface, you can control it from the cluster and you even get the song/album information on your readout...With no adverse effect on your other audio systems. If you want help or ideas installing a NEO (if you go that route) give me a yell, I can walk you through it.