Tell us about yourself and your bike!

[Visian]

we'll have to meet at phil's dream pit some time for Q and a ride!

ian

[BEDLAM]

we'll have to meet at phil's dream pit some time for Q and a ride!

ian

Oh, I LOVE that place. Forget Ridgewood, Phil's gets my vote everytime!

[Gottago]

Thanks Tim, But thats not quite true. I'm afraid all the time, I just don't have enough sense to let my fears stop me. Usually when I'm trying the hardest is when I do something really dorky like falling over in front of my peers. I know I have a terrible addiction to motorcycles but they are better and cheaper than drugs. The only thing I can't stand about cycles, is when someone calls me a "biker chick". First of all I'm not a "biker", secondly I'm not a "chick". I'm discovering the BMW crowd is a different caliper of riders.

Julie - +1 my sentiments exactly.

[GlobalRider]

I've been riding motorcycles since 1975.

Since then, I have bought 16 motorcycles; 10 Japanese and 6 BMW motorcycles.

Of those, I still own the:

• 1986 BMW R80 G/S Paris Dakar (bought used)
• 1990 BMW R100 GS (bought new)
• 2003 BMW R1150 GS Adventure (bought new and now my Alps touring motorcycle)
• 2002 Kawasaki KLR 650 (bought new)

Other BMWs I have owned:

• 1963 BMW R27 (nice to look at, but you can't really do much on a 250)
• 1980 BMW R65 (my 1995 to 2004 Alps touring motorcycle)
• 2004 BMW R1150 GS Adventure (my 2005 to 2009 Alps touring motorcycle till it was written off by a cell phone yapping teenager idiot)

I've done a few tours on this continent, but the vast majority of my touring has taken place in Europe, especially in the Alps which I have toured annually since 1995.

When it comes to motorcycling, Europe is hard to beat for countless reasons; attitudes towards motorcyclists are far better, the roads and scenery are near impossible to beat and the food and drink...well lets not even try to compare. I have yet to even get on two wheel locally this year...and it is August already...I'm enjoying my Porsche Carrera too much I guess.

Corsica...


Kaiserjaegerweg, Italy...



I like working in my reasonably well set-up workshop/garage where I create stuff and maintain my vehicles.

Future plans...early retirement and more riding in far away places.

[bullet]

... by the term "Beaten Path"
In my mind, it's not necessarily off-road but the paved road less taken.

[mapperjay]

I just recently bought a 2001 F650GS to include with my 2007 Ural Patrol--which is basically a distant cousin to the BMW.

So now when it's not snowing I can ride on two wheels! Hmmm. And now I can't figure out how to upload a photo of the F650GS. I swear I'm not playing favorites here!

[disconnected]

Howdy Folks. I bought my First BMW about 1.5 years ago. It is a R1100GS. I like it... ALOT!!! I almost parted with it this winter to buy a "newer" one, then I relized my 1100 was sorted out perfect for me! I live in Pittsburgh and am currently working on a new Charter Club called "gs dirtbagz", check it out yo... www.meetup.com/gsdirtbagz


greg







Now just cause im a showoff!

















[IMG][/IMG]

[Visian]

Howdy Folks. I bought my First BMW about 1.5 years ago. It is a R1100GS. I like it... ALOT!!! I almost parted with it this winter to buy a "newer" one, then I relized my 1100 was sorted out perfect for me! I live in Pittsburgh and am currently working on a new Charter Club called "gs dirtbagz", check it out yo... www.meetup.com/gsdirtbagz


greg

i've been warned about you...

really glad you're here and looking forward to the dirtbagz coming to the GS Giant's Gypsy Tour. it is gonna be in your back yard.

ian

[althotos]

hey, A.J. i grew up in Hollywood, FL.

if you're looking for places even remotely interesting to ride (outside of the Keys) try the Everglades National Park or anywhere north of Lake O.



bedlam - great username! interesting mix of items in your pic.

where in east TN? we have a place in WNC...

ian

Great idea, I'll have to look into it. Sorry I've been out of the loop for a while. Moved, relocated to Central Florida for a new job. Ride the bike to work several times a week.

[rodney.anderson@cox.net]

Hello All,

My name is Rod Anderson and I live in El Cajon, CA.

I started riding back in the mid '70's on anything I could borrow for a few minutes and bought a used '74 Honda CB360G in December of '74.

I traded that for a new '77 RD400 Yamaha which I rode for about 10 years in Colorado, Connecticut and San Diego until trading it on a leftover '83 Yamaha 650 Seca Turbo in the fall of '87.

I put 58K+ miles on the turbo until I retired from the Navy in Jan. of '96 and took a job that required me to carry tools. The motorcycle mostly stayed in the garage until the summer of '99 when work took us to New Jersey. I sold the motorcycle because I didn't think NJ was anywhere I would want to ride a bike. As it turns out the weather in NJ was much more suitable than in Colorado where I started riding, but there are those crazy NJ and NY drivers...

At the end of 04 we moved back to San Diego and I started to get the itch for another motorcycle, but it just didn't make sense until the boss decided to move the office into downtown, which put an end to carpooling with the wife.

After a nearly 15 year absence I started looking for a motorcycle. Shaft drive was a must and a good sized fairing to keep the cold off.

I considered the Yamaha FJ1300 and the Kawasaki Concours 14, but they haven't been out long enough for there to be many on the used market at the price I was willing to pay. I wasn't certain I would really enjoy riding again after so long. I had ridden my son's Suzuki DR650 and GS550, but neither of them really appealed to me.

I was looking on the internet and I noticed that the local BMW store had a 90 something K75S. I went in on a Tuesday afternoon to test ride it and some rascal had beat me to it. He put a deposit on it and I didn't get the chance to ride it.

On the following Saturday I went in to see if, just perhaps, he had backed out of the deal and I could get a test ride. Not only had he not backed out, he was there picking up the bike. Drat!

They did have an '02 K1200RS in a really pretty blue, but more money than I really wanted to spend and much heavier than I wanted and a bit more sporting riding position than I wanted, but man, did I like the color. I debated for 20 minutes or so and then asked if I could take it for a ride. I was hooked. I put a deposit down and finally took it home on Tuesday, February 1st.

I rode it 4350 miles in a bit over 3 and a half months, then dropped it off at a shop for it's 60K service and went away with the wife for a long weekend up at Crater Lake.

I had a voice mail from the shop late Saturday afternoon asking me to call, something about information about my bike. Cell phone coverage isn't very good up in that area, so with one thing and another, it was Tuesday before I called.

Saturday, after doing the service the mechanic had it out on a test ride and drove it into the back of a truck. The fairing, windshield and instrument panel were completely smashed.

To make a long story short, the shop's insurance carrier said the bike was a total loss and I have replaced the RS with an '01 R1100RT.

I've had the RT 3 weeks today and have put just over 1900 miles on it. It's not as smooth as the RS, but more comfortable and I'm very happy with it so far.

[bob814u]

My name is Steve Ayers. I bought my BMW R1100R from my best friend from School (Elementary - High School). He had wrecked it at 70 MPH without a helmet so his loving wife suggested he sell it. I replaced the Windshield (Thank you Jimmy Hayes) and the turn signal (thanks again Jimmy Hayes). Jimmy is the local BMW man. I decided to work on it myself then trailered it to North Dallas BMW to fix it. Thank you George. I love my R1100R. My daily commuter bike is a Yamaha TW200. When I want to let the wind blow through my hair (arm hair as I wear a helmet ALWAYS) I ride the BMW to work. It is nice in Texas when someone asks what kind of bike you ride and get wide eyed when you say BMW. Not everyone likes to kill their posture on a Harley.

[highplainsrider]

I became interested in motorbikes, in the late fifties, when our paper boy had a motorized bicycle. Then a neighbor rode over on a Cushman (sp) to give me a ride. While at H.S an underclassman rode up on a Triumph, not sure of the displacement, and did a wheelie and almost biffed the pavement. I was definitely hooked.
I discovered my nephew had purchased a motorcycle and I went over to look it over and ask to take it for a ride. He said, "sure". I never shifted or clutched in the manner one does on a motorcycle but I got use to it in a few miles.

Forward to 1966 and I bought a small displacement motorbike to get off base and ride the beach roadways. I met a girl and we took a few short rides until I sold the bike. That same girl rides with me today.

In 1979 I bought a CB 100 to ease the wear and tear on my '78 Thunderbird, four barrel carbs and all. The 100 was perfect for getting down the road a few miles to work and back.
My children got older and larger, so I bought a CX500 and rode it for a year. My bride and I took a few rides on it but the add-on fairing didn't satisfy me, nor the high spin of the tach.

I bought a new Shadow 500 and realized that that bike was not much more comfortable than the CB 100. I sold it.

A high school kid came to my house selling magazines. It was a money making project for him so I felt I had to ease his pain and looked over his list of possibilities. I took delivery of Motorcyclist Magazine. In one of the issues was the first K-model BMW's. I was hooked, big time.

I bought a slightly used K100 LT '85. I finally got my bride to take a long ride with me to western South Dakota. It was very nice and she became enthusiastic for future rides and even suggested we get "outfitted" for our future rides with boots, jackets, rainsuits, proper helmets (with intercoms), and proper gloves. From my note you can tell I didn't have those things already.

Fast forward fifteen years and we are at Bike Week Sturgis South Dakota and we had just gotten off of a ride on a K1200 LTI. I was stunned at what came from my brides lips, after I had wondered aloud about buying just one more "touring class" motorcycle? She said, 'this one is really comfortable, perhaps this model might be the one for us?' I smiled broadly and stuttered out, "yes, good idea". That November I rode to Sioux City Iowa to pick up the ride I have today.

We have made several long rides since moving to western South Dakota: To Tenton, On for the MOA international rally, twice to Oregon and once to southern Illinois, and a few lesser trips to family events.

Yes, the weight and size of the beast has caused me to put it down, at slow speeds, in a turning mode, twice with her on it. she has never like that sudden stop after sliding off the seat.

I guess, if I get to the point where I cannot hold it up anymore, I'll opt for a CAN-AM.

Ride'um if you got'um
PT

[highplainsrider]

Hello everyone! I'm a 39 y.o Army veteran of nine years who's originally from Texas. I know reside in Georgia. .. Oh, before I go, is there a cure for looking at my bike every minute I get? God bless all of you and be careful out there on the road. I pray that angels encamp round about each and everyone of you as you ride. Remember to SEE!!! Ziphyr

New BMW rider, I've been there. Yes, looking at the Beemer, is just fine. I still do. Navy/USMC vet and riding motorcycles thrills the heck out of me. Folks ask me if am afraid I'll leave my spouse a widow? I tell them that was a possibility forty years ago. My chance of survival are much better today.
PT

[highplainsrider]

Hi all,

My names Simon and my wife is Lisa. We've been members now (thanks to a good friend) for about 2 months now and thought it was time we sorted ourselves out and starting posting here.

We're both Brit's and left the UK 5-years ago to travel around the world for 2-years. Yeah, you can see the dillema We've been diagnosed as having 'Geographic Dyslexia Syndrome', just cant seem to find our way home.

I'm riding a 99' R1100GS and Lisa's on a 2002 F650GS.





Right now we're half way through our goal of riding to and through 122 countries and all seven continents. Actualy, I'm just following the wife, I havn't got a clue where I'm going

Back in 1999 I was involved in a serious motorcycle accident which, bar a few tendons, took 'OFF' my right foot and crushed my lower right leg. The result was almost 18-months of no walking, months of agonizing physiotherapy and 5 major operations over a 2 year period. Learning to walk again was the next big challenge. It's not all bad...18-months gives a person pause for thought and a time to reflect on the 'big picture'...hence selling everything, and finally deciding to make a long dreamt idea into a wonderful reality.

See you on the road. Ride safe but ride far!

Cheers
Simon T

Simon and Lisa, That is some serious gear!

PT

[highplainsrider]

You will all notice that my F650GS has mehr gelande als strasse on it. I use it on my Iowa farms because it is cheaper to operate than my diesel pickup. Only problem is mud mud mud.

I am planning to ride to Gillette around July 13 or 14 from Omaha...I have a HD 1200 Sportster too (kind of a pirty boy bike). But its not a mudder like the 650GS.

Looking forward to replies.

Fritz

................................
Fritz,
Sorry to have missed you on your pass thru. I live in Hot Springs and could have accompanied you to Gillette. However, I have not faithfully checked this site for posts or other notes.
I trust your ride to Gillette was a happy one? I hope you took a ride over the Bear Tooth Pass while you were in the country?
Off road stuff is not for me
PT