A matter of the utmost importance...

[Rocket]

Every now and then , you have to make a life-changing decision.....getting married, moving house, changing job , religion, partner or monthly bike mag. All mega decisions....

Well, I have come to a big decison in my life - I 've decided to convert my 07 R12 from silver to ,....mmm,.. which colour?

Tricky decision - think it has to be the black,.. but then.. white looks dead sexy and up to the minute, ..grey looks mysterious and individual (and according to some , the fastest) , blue looks very pretty (but reckon it needs a sunny country) ,... but the deep shine of black just looks so fabulous whatever the light....

At £375 its affordable, but not cheap (so the Ohlins will have to wait).

Please feel free to make suggestions on colours or paint jobs ....

...but definately not green, ....

[cwrose]

I say do something different. I, personally, like the brown metallic color of the 40 years of Berlin version or whatever. You could also do a classy deep metallic red. I can't say what color to paint it, but I do say you should do something unique.

Anyway, my $.02

[mogu83]

I'm partcial to black, four black bikes, but they are a pain to keep clean. If your going for a paint job go for something different, the cost is the same.

[Mollygrubber]

I think your paint looks lovely - get the Ohlins!

[AncientMariner]

+1 for keeping the silver and spending the cash on Ohlins. Unless your paint has been damaged somehow: There is something about repaints that just isn't the same. If you want to make that silver more unique, add some pin stripes or decals. You can do lot with silver.

[MJB]

Keep the silver

[celticus]

Red sounds good to me. Maybe if you have the courage i'll work it up also.
As for the Ohlins... I'd like to have a set some day but in the beginning I was told that by 20K miles my stock shocks would be worn out. They sure don't feel worn out to me.

Mark

[Caroanbill]

I can understand the desire for a colour that's different, or has a more immediate visual (or even visceral) impact ...

... but for rarity value and simple elegance, the Crystal Grey you have now is in a class of its own. It quietly exudes an air of refinement while other colours need to clamour for attention.

I need say no more.

[TT RDHS]

+1 for keeping the silver and spending the cash on Ohlins. Unless your paint has been damaged somehow: There is something about repaints that just isn't the same. If you want to make that silver more unique, add some pin stripes or decals. You can do lot with silver.

+2

[Ashveratu]

I have always been partial to OD green, or a nice flat desert tan color. Make sure to have the panniers painted as well.

[Rocket]

I say do something different. I, personally, like the brown metallic color of the 40 years of Berlin version or whatever. You could also do a classy deep metallic red. I can't say what color to paint it, but I do say you should do something unique.

Anyway, my $.02

Good point. Unique it will be, not just the standard paint scheme

[Rocket]

I think your paint looks lovely - get the Ohlins!

Very nice of you to say so, and I do like the silver, plus I 'm tempted by the Ohlins. Trouble is, I 've seen too many gorgeous photos of your black bikes!

[Rocket]

+1 for keeping the silver and spending the cash on Ohlins. Unless your paint has been damaged somehow: There is something about repaints that just isn't the same. If you want to make that silver more unique, add some pin stripes or decals. You can do lot with silver.

Interesting idea, but I 'm one of those guys who spends nearly as much time cleaning the bike as riding it, so black would be a benefit - slightest bit of dirt? - good excuse for a clean....sad , I know. It's a pride thing.

Oh, and I agree about the paint job problem, that's why I 've found a specialist and checked out his paint processes and samples. The quality is better than the factory version (not that BMW quality is that brilliant these days - more orange peel on my frame than in my fruit bowl).

[Rocket]

Keep the silver

OK, now that's 3 of you saying "keep the silver"......Guys, you're not helping here!......

[Rocket]

Red sounds good to me. Maybe if you have the courage i'll work it up also.
As for the Ohlins... I'd like to have a set some day but in the beginning I was told that by 20K miles my stock shocks would be worn out. They sure don't feel worn out to me.

Mark

...thankyou Mark. Some encouragement at last. (We have some good friends, above, who I suspect wished they'd bought a silver bike).

At less than 5k year , it'll take me a while to wear the stock units out. Ohlins do look cool though, and every mile would be more enjoyable with them on. Thought they were expensive at £460 a pop until I priced the rear shock on my KTM400 - £1200!

[Rocket]

I can understand the desire for a colour that's different, or has a more immediate visual (or even visceral) impact ...

... but for rarity value and simple elegance, the Crystal Grey you have now is in a class of its own. It quietly exudes an air of refinement while other colours need to clamour for attention.

I need say no more.

You're absolutely right, but I had a difficult childhood, my parents were poor, there were 4 of us to a bed....and I DO clamour for attention. Just ask my wife.
I 'm just not getting noticed enough with silver

[celticus]

On my old 1982 R100RS Airhead it seemed to me that a good washing and waxing really made the paint shine. On my new silver R1200R it just seems to make it clean. Most everyone uses water based paint these days at least that is what I am told. I wonder if it is the difference in paint that makes the difference in shine? Maybe black shines better but come to think of it the new black doesn't seem to shine like the old paint did at least to me. Could it be that the new politically correct water based paint just doesn't have the same shine potential as the old deadly chemicals paint?

Mark

[ka5ysy]

You already have the fastest color, so go with a suspension upgrade. Better use of funds for certain !

[celticus]

Maybe just a skull decal to break up the tedium until you can make up your mind.

Mark

[deilenberger]

Keep the silver

OK, now that's 3 of you saying "keep the silver"......Guys, you're not helping here!......

The Wunderlich one with the R90S paintjob on it looked pretty spectacular. Not an easy paint job to do - Holt in the USA is the this side of the pond is the master at it.. perhaps there is a resto shop in the UK that has done R90S's?

You might even think of a variant in colors - but keep the "smoke" effect.. would look very nice and cause you to obsessively polish the bike (NTTAWWT..)