Buying a bike - need advice

[neiljg]

I'm planning on buying a new (or newer) bike this winter/early spring and was wondering if I could get some input from current owners. I live out in the country and would primarily use the bike for commuting, but want to be able to do some day trip type travelling with my wife. Went down to our local BMW dealer (2 hrs away) and fell in love with a rockster, but kind of concerned about 2 up riding and comfort. Any suggestions?

[riderR1150GSAdv]

That is often the most asked question and a toughie to answer as your ride is very personal. If you plan on 2 upping a lot, a rockster is not ideal. It is a great bike for 1 person as the yeeeehaaaaaaaw factor is great. Plan on an RT for the best compromise between sport and touring. I had an 04 and LOVED that bike! A new RT will cost about $12995,= NEW. It can pack a lot of stuff and when the saddlebags/cases are removed looks darn good too.
Good luck!! Hope you find your ride soon!;)

PS: Saw it was your first post, so..... Welcome to the board!!:thumb

[Cliffy777]

Hi - I live in the country and commute on my Rockster every day. I miss the back rest I had on my '01 R1100RL, or rather I should say Julie misses the back rest.
Have had my Rockster since July 7th of 2004. 14,720 miles later I am one happy customer. Very very happy customer.
Sure, you can get a fairing and all that other sisssy crap if you want to............(joke, joke - put the gun down Loraz).

[username]

talk to us more about your commute - how long is it, what kind of roads is it on, how often does it rain, and how long do you want your riding season to be? if youre just going to ride it on warm sunny days, any bike is great, just pick one.

are you going to ride in rain, or do long tours? you might want some fairing for that. i've got a nekkid bike, and in rain, i get capital w wet. in cold, i get cold. in short, i get the weather, 100%. the flip side is that in warmer weather, i get a wonderful airblast.

also, your wardrobe will be as important as the bike you get. with the right winter/rain suit, the bike won't matter much. (note - when i say winter, i'm likely talking about your spring/fall gear.) with the wrong equipment, they'll all suck in bad weather. a fogging visor or a frozen crotch can make the best motorcycle in the world a nightmare, especially since if youre physically uncomfortable, youre likely to be distracted, and then are riding less safely. (frozen crotches, in general are lousy, and you will not experience the phenomenon of 'ball lightening' but that is a different topic altogether. :D )

hope some of this helps. keep us posted!

[Braddog]

When taking a passenger, remember the old saying, "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."

That said, I rode standard Honda CB's and Yamaha DT's as a kid, and a Honda cruiser as a 40-something adult. Then I bought an old RS with a full fairing. I don't know that I'd ever want to ride without a fairing again, or at least not very far.

The suggestion for a seat with a backrest is a good one. That will give your passenger a feeling of security and add to their comfort. I'm sure you can get seats or seatbacks for almost any newer model of BMW, if you don't find one that already has one.

[lkchris]

In my view, nearly everyone that buys a bike without a fairing soon wants a fairing. Pretty much, you can't put a fairing on a Rockster.

[Cliffy777]

Well, some of us don't want a fairing! (My last three bikes have been nekkid and I kinda like it that way.)
They are making some nice looking windshields for the Rockster if that helps your decision making. Can't remember the company, but I think they had an ad in the last ON.

[neiljg]

Well, I've certainly got a lot to think about Thanks to all for the good input. One of my concerns about having an naked bike is that we have a pretty short riding season, and wanting to extend it as long as possible might necessitate (at least for me) having at least a windshield. The dealer suggested I look at a k1200rs, which might be more comfortable for 2 up riding, but I have a 40 mile commute to work on wonderful winding country roads, and while my wife says that she wants to go on day trips, how often they will actually happen is yet to be seen. She has yet to go on anything longer than trips to town with me on my old honda cb750. I guess it might just be that the bike is to me what her horse is to her.

[alien_hitchhiker]

Neil, noticing that you live in Maine & hearing that your wife is sort of interested in riding with you. I also have to suggest a RT.

You probably know better than me how drastically weather can change between the time you ride to work and the time you finally roll home. Nothing beats a full fairing when you have to rely on your bike to get you there. Windshields and 1/2 fairings help but they just don't compare to the real thing. I'm able to ride my RT year round in the Appalachians in North Carolina, with the help of some electric heat, of course.

As far as two-up riding, I feel that the oilhead RT is a fair compromise between a bike that provides decent comfort for two and one that is still plenty of fun to ride solo. My wife & I have toured together on three different bikes and our current R1100RT is her favorite by far (the others: 1980 Yamaha XS 850 with Vetter Fairing; 1985 K100RT). She has even ridden cross country with me. Of course, the K1200GT, especially with a little saddle tweaking, would also do the trick. Anyway, there's one more opinionated rider's opinion.
Steve

[bikerfish1100]

as an ex-Conn rider, i understand the conditions of riding in Maine. if you want a season that is longer than May-Sept, get something with a fairing. i'd even suggest a lightly used K1100RS or RT (unless your heart is set on a big twin). You should be able to find something very well outfitted in the $5-$7thou range, it will give you heat (mmmm) worth about 10 degrees over air temps, they are stone-cold reliable, and quite comfortable for 2-up. i'm on an R11S now, but that's after 15 years of K bikes. the S is much more fun, and handles back road twisties so much better- but the K is the better cold weather bike, and the better 2-up tourer. just something else to consider.

[MarkF]

Originally posted by Cliffy777
Well, some of us don't want a fairing! (My last three bikes have been nekkid and I kinda like it that way.)

Yeah, Cliffy! I admit I do like a small flyscreen or cafe fairing. But, I'm with ya bro.

MarkF