CasterTroy
06-05-2009, 09:58 AM
finally sold my R1 and was able to secure the bike I’ve finally graduated too.....a 2004 RT1150RTL
This after a very refined search on most of the east coast. With SO many great prospects to choose from, I had to narrow the search to the year, color and equipment I wanted.
I found 3 that filled MOST of the requirements but only ONE that had them all. Trouble was, it was over 800 miles away in Fort Myers Florida.
GETTING it would present a unique challenge.
Do I really want to ride a bike I’m not familiar with 800 miles for its maiden voyage?
I had one day to do it (since my days off and Bills days off wouldn’t align until I was actually on vacation with the family) so did I REALLY want to do 800 miles in ONE DAY on a bike I’ve never ridden (other than test riding them at the BMW dealer)
The wife was worrie......my mother had already chewed thru her nails and was working on her elbow.....and the kids couldn’t wait to get a bike to ride on (they didn’t fit well on the R1)
The longest I had ridden in one days time was 504 miles when I rode the Busa to Mexico from NC in 07, and that was one of several 400+ mile days in which I didn’t feel stellar afterwards.
Could I do it?
Well…here I am at the airport at 4:30 am yesterday......I guess I’m GOING too
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt008.jpg
I get to Fort Myers at 9:56 where Bill (waylap) graciously picks me up from the airport and takes me to his home where he backs out his prize
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt010.jpg
He gives me a crash course on his mods…and what goes where….I’m overly impressed and happy as a kid in a candy store. We sign the appropriate paperwork, and at 11:35am I’m off ….can you see the grin?
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt011.jpg
I head down the road with puffy clouds, sun on my back (yeah it’s HOT in Florida!!! So just a few miles from Bills I stop to grab a cheeseburger, fill the camel-back pack up and shed the jacket and pants …I know….I know…but I had too.
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt014.jpg
The clouds started rolling in right before Tampa (1:20 pm) but it felt GREAT out on the road. Behind me I could see the darkness rolling in
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt017.jpg
After Ocala (2:45) I needed fuel
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt025.jpg
WOW...over 200 miles and I only stopped TOO fuel....this bike is AMAZING!!!! I've NEVER gone more than 140 miles on a bike and not wanted to be off and walk around.
So I fueled up, refilled the camel-back and got back on the road after 10 minutes….and then…….
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt019.jpg
And more
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt020.jpg
But then there was hope
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt021.jpg
Jacksonville (4:45pm) looked promising….but that was just a brief moment
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt028.jpg
However, just after Jax things started looking up….
Wow…is Georgia going to be nice?
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt031.jpg
Most of it was. I was able to make some time up lost in HEAVY rains in Florida thru Georgia and I got back on schedule.
No traffic and the cops already had people pulled over….so I could eat some hiway.
Time for fuel!!!
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt029.jpg
At the second fuel stop 50 miles south of Savannah (6:16pm) I put into practice some of the stuff I’d learned in lurking for so many weeks here. I popped the rear seat to access the front and adjusted the seat higher. WOW what a difference! I’m long legged and 6’-2” so that REALLY helped things.
Another life saver was the Cee Bailey seat. Man that was great. But the BIGGEST help was the Throttlemiester that was installed. I’ve had one of these on EVERY bike I’ve owned and was SO pleased to see one on this bike already.
At fuel stop #2 I was sufficiently wet, and the sun was nowhere to be seen. I was also getting cold now.
My compression shorts and top were somewhat damp, but a towel dry cleared that away. I choked down my 2 piece grilled meal from KFC, then slid into my Olympic suit, filled the camel pac with fresh ice, and set out to bust thru south Carolina.
BTW…I have no idea where I was, but this KFC 50 miles south of Savannah had to be the slowest “fast food” on the planet. Had I not already disrobed and placed all my wet gear on the table I would have left to go somewhere else to be served poorly
South Carolina was no picnic
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt035.jpg
South Carolina was when the sun decided to take a permanent dirt nap on me. It was now 7pm and the rain was set in for good….no more windows or breaks. I was SET. And against my own rule (stop only for gas and to choke some groceries down my neck) I decided to get a “5-hour energy”. If I’ve timed this right, then I’d be home in 5 hours, so I wouldn’t be up all night if I took it now as opposed to the last fuel stop (9:30) and that was a GOOD thing….it kicked in quick and gave me the boost I needed. Plus I kept hydrated with my camel back despite being inundated with water on my exterior.
Interesting observation: On the R1 when you hit rain you simply turn your head to the sides and the helmet clears. On the RT, if the screen was all the way up..the water just sits on the screen, and on your helmet. All the way down, and the wind and rain drives it’s way into your helmet….so the cool medium I found was just below the middle…where there was enough wind to generate flow across the windshield as well as the face shield.
I passed Walterboro SC at 8:30 and was relying now on the headlights, as well as the headlight of others to make myself aware of standing water (my only real fear)
I kept proper distances, and stayed OFF the painted lines….but the puddles and or obstacles in the road were going to be tricky.
THIS was where I had to remain loose. And NOT tense up. Tension will cause severe fatigue.
I had been able to remain loose up until this point by setting the throttlemiester and sitting on the passenger seat holding only the left grip. This allowed me to stretch my legs, my back & arms AND air out my tush. I did this every 100 miles or so. And with this exercise (IMHO) could have remained on the bike without stopping at all. This bike is amazing! Even my goldwing buddies are screaming to get off after 200 miles.
Columbia SC made for the last fuel stop (9:37) and I’m 7 min off schedule. I fueled up, and packed away the camel back. By now it had started to cause a strain on my back AND I was sufficiently hydrated. Shoot by osmosis alone I’d absorbed 7000 gallons of rainwater!
However, I was dry under my suit….and happy. But I still need to find some waterproof gloves. Mine were soaked and now causing my hands to look 99 yrs old…so I chucked them into the back bag.
Charlotte was a BEAR (11:00pm) as it had been raining all day there. Standing water, monsoon rains, and drivers not familiar with what the right lane is for, blockaded most of 77/85 for me…but with surgical precision and a desire to get home I bobbed and weaved enough to make a congressional hearing look like a Baptist minister ordination ceremony.
With less than an hour on my ETA I was pumped…but the rain fell harder here than anywhere…slowing me down…..CRIPPLING most cars as a matter of fact. I found myself doing 60 where CARS were using flashers and creeping.
I didn’t feel in danger though, and the roads were shedding the water well. It just so happened that I found the sweet spot on the windshield and had great vantage point of the road.
At 11:58 I pulled into the garage 833 miles and 12:23 later
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt007.jpg
And parked my new baby next to her new brother…the WILD child
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt037.jpg
I hung my suit out to dry, kissed my wife, took a 130degree shower and took my wrinkly behind to BED!!
This after a very refined search on most of the east coast. With SO many great prospects to choose from, I had to narrow the search to the year, color and equipment I wanted.
I found 3 that filled MOST of the requirements but only ONE that had them all. Trouble was, it was over 800 miles away in Fort Myers Florida.
GETTING it would present a unique challenge.
Do I really want to ride a bike I’m not familiar with 800 miles for its maiden voyage?
I had one day to do it (since my days off and Bills days off wouldn’t align until I was actually on vacation with the family) so did I REALLY want to do 800 miles in ONE DAY on a bike I’ve never ridden (other than test riding them at the BMW dealer)
The wife was worrie......my mother had already chewed thru her nails and was working on her elbow.....and the kids couldn’t wait to get a bike to ride on (they didn’t fit well on the R1)
The longest I had ridden in one days time was 504 miles when I rode the Busa to Mexico from NC in 07, and that was one of several 400+ mile days in which I didn’t feel stellar afterwards.
Could I do it?
Well…here I am at the airport at 4:30 am yesterday......I guess I’m GOING too
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt008.jpg
I get to Fort Myers at 9:56 where Bill (waylap) graciously picks me up from the airport and takes me to his home where he backs out his prize
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt010.jpg
He gives me a crash course on his mods…and what goes where….I’m overly impressed and happy as a kid in a candy store. We sign the appropriate paperwork, and at 11:35am I’m off ….can you see the grin?
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt011.jpg
I head down the road with puffy clouds, sun on my back (yeah it’s HOT in Florida!!! So just a few miles from Bills I stop to grab a cheeseburger, fill the camel-back pack up and shed the jacket and pants …I know….I know…but I had too.
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt014.jpg
The clouds started rolling in right before Tampa (1:20 pm) but it felt GREAT out on the road. Behind me I could see the darkness rolling in
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt017.jpg
After Ocala (2:45) I needed fuel
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt025.jpg
WOW...over 200 miles and I only stopped TOO fuel....this bike is AMAZING!!!! I've NEVER gone more than 140 miles on a bike and not wanted to be off and walk around.
So I fueled up, refilled the camel-back and got back on the road after 10 minutes….and then…….
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt019.jpg
And more
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt020.jpg
But then there was hope
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt021.jpg
Jacksonville (4:45pm) looked promising….but that was just a brief moment
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt028.jpg
However, just after Jax things started looking up….
Wow…is Georgia going to be nice?
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt031.jpg
Most of it was. I was able to make some time up lost in HEAVY rains in Florida thru Georgia and I got back on schedule.
No traffic and the cops already had people pulled over….so I could eat some hiway.
Time for fuel!!!
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt029.jpg
At the second fuel stop 50 miles south of Savannah (6:16pm) I put into practice some of the stuff I’d learned in lurking for so many weeks here. I popped the rear seat to access the front and adjusted the seat higher. WOW what a difference! I’m long legged and 6’-2” so that REALLY helped things.
Another life saver was the Cee Bailey seat. Man that was great. But the BIGGEST help was the Throttlemiester that was installed. I’ve had one of these on EVERY bike I’ve owned and was SO pleased to see one on this bike already.
At fuel stop #2 I was sufficiently wet, and the sun was nowhere to be seen. I was also getting cold now.
My compression shorts and top were somewhat damp, but a towel dry cleared that away. I choked down my 2 piece grilled meal from KFC, then slid into my Olympic suit, filled the camel pac with fresh ice, and set out to bust thru south Carolina.
BTW…I have no idea where I was, but this KFC 50 miles south of Savannah had to be the slowest “fast food” on the planet. Had I not already disrobed and placed all my wet gear on the table I would have left to go somewhere else to be served poorly
South Carolina was no picnic
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt035.jpg
South Carolina was when the sun decided to take a permanent dirt nap on me. It was now 7pm and the rain was set in for good….no more windows or breaks. I was SET. And against my own rule (stop only for gas and to choke some groceries down my neck) I decided to get a “5-hour energy”. If I’ve timed this right, then I’d be home in 5 hours, so I wouldn’t be up all night if I took it now as opposed to the last fuel stop (9:30) and that was a GOOD thing….it kicked in quick and gave me the boost I needed. Plus I kept hydrated with my camel back despite being inundated with water on my exterior.
Interesting observation: On the R1 when you hit rain you simply turn your head to the sides and the helmet clears. On the RT, if the screen was all the way up..the water just sits on the screen, and on your helmet. All the way down, and the wind and rain drives it’s way into your helmet….so the cool medium I found was just below the middle…where there was enough wind to generate flow across the windshield as well as the face shield.
I passed Walterboro SC at 8:30 and was relying now on the headlights, as well as the headlight of others to make myself aware of standing water (my only real fear)
I kept proper distances, and stayed OFF the painted lines….but the puddles and or obstacles in the road were going to be tricky.
THIS was where I had to remain loose. And NOT tense up. Tension will cause severe fatigue.
I had been able to remain loose up until this point by setting the throttlemiester and sitting on the passenger seat holding only the left grip. This allowed me to stretch my legs, my back & arms AND air out my tush. I did this every 100 miles or so. And with this exercise (IMHO) could have remained on the bike without stopping at all. This bike is amazing! Even my goldwing buddies are screaming to get off after 200 miles.
Columbia SC made for the last fuel stop (9:37) and I’m 7 min off schedule. I fueled up, and packed away the camel back. By now it had started to cause a strain on my back AND I was sufficiently hydrated. Shoot by osmosis alone I’d absorbed 7000 gallons of rainwater!
However, I was dry under my suit….and happy. But I still need to find some waterproof gloves. Mine were soaked and now causing my hands to look 99 yrs old…so I chucked them into the back bag.
Charlotte was a BEAR (11:00pm) as it had been raining all day there. Standing water, monsoon rains, and drivers not familiar with what the right lane is for, blockaded most of 77/85 for me…but with surgical precision and a desire to get home I bobbed and weaved enough to make a congressional hearing look like a Baptist minister ordination ceremony.
With less than an hour on my ETA I was pumped…but the rain fell harder here than anywhere…slowing me down…..CRIPPLING most cars as a matter of fact. I found myself doing 60 where CARS were using flashers and creeping.
I didn’t feel in danger though, and the roads were shedding the water well. It just so happened that I found the sweet spot on the windshield and had great vantage point of the road.
At 11:58 I pulled into the garage 833 miles and 12:23 later
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt007.jpg
And parked my new baby next to her new brother…the WILD child
http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/rt/rt037.jpg
I hung my suit out to dry, kissed my wife, took a 130degree shower and took my wrinkly behind to BED!!