BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

My first BMW was an R60/5 just about like this one. This isn't my old bike, just a picture I found on google but mine was the same silver color. I actually bought it new in 1971 at Cycle City in Suitland, Maryland.

Subconciously I think one of the reasons I bought the silver R1200R is it reminds me a little of the old bike. I was thinking about taking off the letters on the gas tank and maybe getting some blue pinstripes. Anybody have a good picture of the current model bike with the black tank with the pinstripes? And what do you think it would look like without the letters?

Methinks a little heat from a blow dryer will soften the adhesive enough to peel it off.

whitelightning wrote:Methinks a little heat from a blow dryer will soften the adhesive enough to peel it off.

Exactly right. A little slow application of warm air from a hair dryer will soften the letters and/or stripes. Then I used my thumb nail to peel them off and a little Goo Gone to remove any residual stickiness. I, too, was motivated by the "clean" look of earlier boxers. Here is a photo taken last year just after I removed the lettering.

One of the early members of the board (who has since sold his R I believe) removed the letters from his Granite Gray bike and it really made it look good. I kind of like the look of your Black bike w/o the letters Ron, but I think I'll keep mine for now

Ron, thanks for posting that. I do believe your tank could use some pinstripes though. The chrome headers look good.

i'd love to try this, but i'm wondering how much new lettering would cost if I don't like the "naked" look...

also, has anyone tried painting an R12 "classic" silver ?

(i've got a feeling it could look seriously sexy - here's a quick and dirty mockup :

[quote="mattbr"]i'd love to try this, but i'm wondering how much new lettering would cost if I don't like the "naked" look...

Here's proof that I've spent too much time looking through the parts catalog: White is $40.88 per side, the other colors are $47.03 per side.

• No Part Number Description QtyThis is the recomended quantity. Price is for each one. Once you click on BUY, you will be able to specify how many items you want to add to your cart. Each
  01 51147703485 model lettering r1200r, left (WHITE) BUY 1 $40.88
  01 51147703486 model lettering r1200r, right (WHITE) BUY 1 $40.88
  01 51147703551 model lettering r1200r, left (NACHTSCHW. MATT) BUY 1 $47.03
  01 51147703552 model lettering r1200r, right (NACHTSCHW. MATT) BUY 1 $47.03
  01 51147703553 model lettering r1200r, left (NIGHT BLACK) BUY 1 $47.03
  01 51147703554 model lettering r1200r, right (NIGHT BLACK) BUY 1 $47.03
  01 51147703549 model lettering r1200r, left (TITAN SILVER) BUY 1 $47.03
  01 51147703550 model lettering r1200r, right (TITAN SILVER) BUY 1 $47.03

I've thought about taking the bike down to a vinyl sign shop and asking them for a price to duplicate the letters. Then, if I don't like the bare look, they can make a set. More color choices that way too.

Mine had the black lettering over Crystal Grey - looked so good (yuck) that I removed them the afternoon of the first day. I simply lifted the corner of each letter with my fingernail and they all came right of with very little residue. Took perhaps 10 minutes going very slowly.

The bike looks so much more classic without them that I've never contemplated replacing them. I have colour coded panniers and topcase and the black lettering would clash 'orribly.

Here it is:
http://picasaweb.google.com/billstanhop ... 8640323762
http://picasaweb.google.com/billstanhop ... 7230258370

Here's mine without lettering. When brand new, I removed the lettering as soon as I got bike home. Just simply lifted an edge and pulled it right off. No gunk left on tank and just took a little Scratchex to lightly polish area.

I had bike custom painted, even better in person. I also had the textured side panels of the Givis color-matched. I normally rode bike as naked version.


Here is original paint with letters off...

Yep, blew them off accidentally with the HP washer

One of the first things I did.

Hmm. I can't make up my mind. It looks slick without, but a little strange. Could we take a poll?How many like it with the lettering, how many without?

Peter

I've been thinking about doing this for a while now so thanks guys for posting your pics. It helped me make up my mind. That lettering is coming off this weekend. I really like the cleaner, more classic look with them removed.

Tanks like that always make me think they've been repaired after a crash and are ready for finishing off after a re-spray

I removed mine. I like the tank without the letters. It was easy. Parked in the sun on a warm day. Did the fingernail thing as mentioned above. Finished off by removing the sticky stuff with a citrus based cleaner and waxed with mothers carnuba. Two and a half hours including several breaks.

Good luck!

famousperson wrote: It looks slick without, but a little strange

Actually, the traditional BMW tank has only the roundel, so I actually found having the model designation on my tank a little strange. Since the Roadster harks back to BMW lineage, I find the bare tank suits the bike better. The model designation was distributed between the side panel (R series) or fairing (K series) and the tail - or just the side panel. Of course, the change in size and shape of side panels made this a bit pointless on BMWs as well as lesser marques (oh, hiss). The R1150GS and R1150R were the first to have model designations on the tank, IIRC. The R1100RS and R1150RS had fairing designations, as did later airheads (R100RT/LT and R100RS).

rex akro wrote:Tanks like that always make me think they've been repaired after a crash and are ready for finishing off after a re-spray

Since anyone actualy trying to hide a crash would proabaly use the lettering, this doesn't fuss me.

Black lettering on a black tank might look good, or maybe just different. Flat black lettering on a shiny tank you know.
I have been scared to take the letters off mine. I don't let the looks affect me much. I mean I love the way it looks but I am more into gadgetry and functional farkeling than beautifying the bike right now. Although I would still love a set of R1200S wheels for my bike.

Mark