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Change in the fleet

2K views 14 replies 9 participants last post by  arbolmano 
#1 ·
Land vehicle Vehicle Motorcycle Car Honda

I had to take my 2012 BMW R1200RT in for a recall and checked out the F700GS. Went down into Babylon yesterday and traded in the RT.
Not as amazing as the RT is but no slouch. I was always hesitant to take the RT on dirt roads and was forever cleaning it. I can flat foot my stumpy legs
with the GS and it is easier to split lanes with. Gave her a good test home on Hwy 33 and the handling is excellent, up to 50mph it's as good as the RT after that though the power and suspension are not even close. I bucked some fierce winds and found the stock "tall" fairing to be quite effective she was stable and reasonably comfortable. I'm sure it will be fine for dirt roads though, at least for me, off road adventures will still be the domain of the TW. I refuse to off road unless I can drag the bike out of trouble. Though it's 100LBS lighter than the RT there's no dragging this thing.
 
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#5 ·
The dirt poor bastards among us must live vicariously through the media-shared new bike purchases of people like you. So thanks for posting :) I envision my next new bike sitting in my driveway almost every day. Eventually it will materialize. In the meantime, I'll have to continue getting by by seeing other people get new bikes.
 
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#6 ·
That really is a spiffy looking bike, too!
 
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#7 ·
It's quite weird having a new motorcycle for me. Before I purchased my 2012 BMW I had a 1978 R100/7 BMW
that had gotten passed down from my mentor years ago. Then I got married and my wife came to me one day
and informed me that my old (and quite beloved) BMW was not safe compared to what technology has brought us today.
She had seen a discovery channel special about anti lock brakes, digital fuel management etc. She then said if I wanted to keep riding
I needed to get down and get a new BMW. I had already learned about not arguing with her so I did just that. Did I say my my wife rocks!
At the time I was commuting 120 miles a day on prime motorcycle roads. Thought I would own that unit forever, a 1200cc Sport touring unit.
Fast forward to last week when I took the 2012 n for a recall and saw the F700GS, and found that I could trade in the RT for it and not even give up very much money.
I no longer have the long commute going so it seemed a no brainer. I would say that my wife was correct, the newer bikes are considerably
safer with antilock brakes, as well as being tolerant of alcohol fuel blends. I don't know if I would ride streets anymore without ABS.
A real life saver.
 
#8 ·
I was at a BMW rally a few weeks ago and saw a guy with a brand new K1600GT. Different bike but same story...went in for a recall on his R1200RT and after being at the dealership traded in for the K1600. I was worried BMW would be losing out on a lot of money with that recall but they sure are selling bikes. ;) Hey, this might be a good time to buy a nice used R1200RT these days haha.

Jay Dub
 
#11 ·
Me?

I'm hankering for a 67-68 R60/5. (and a crapload of other bikes)
Saw a 67 at the beach a couple of weeks ago and fell in love with the plunger-like rear suspension and the clean lines.

I have a 78 R100/7 that is in storage and on the project list. My 95 R1100R is something I really didn't want, but was part of the deal with the 78. I put plates on it, and I have been leaving the Harleys home. I LOVE riding that Beemer. The seat is a bit of a nut crusher though.
 
#12 ·
I'm hankering for a 67-68 R60/5. ...My 95 R1100R is something I really didn't...I LOVE riding that Beemer. The seat is a bit of a nut crusher though.
Hey Smitty,
The R60/5 didn't come out until the 1970 model. I had one with a toaster tank and LOVED THAT BIKE and it's the only one I really really regret selling. The R60/2 would have been made from 1960-69. A R60/2 US would have been a 68-69. The R69S was produced from 1960 to 1969. The R69US was produced from 1968 to 1969.

For the R1100R it's pretty much what I have with some changes. Anyhow, I hated the stock seat. It hurt my tailbone, and put my buns and nutz to sleep. My knees hurt because of the seating position. I had Russell make me a "Day Long" saddle that raised up the seated position 2" and back 2". I told them about the pains I got on the stock seat. They nailed it. Tailbone pain gone, nothing falls asleep, and my knees don't hurt after riding from sun-up to sun-down. I have done many days of 700-1100 miles per day. It was expensive but it made the bike everything I wanted it to be and really reminds me of my R60/5 but on steroids!

Jay Dub
 
#14 ·
I would love to move the bars back on the R1100R, but evidently they don't make risers for the ABS bikes with the switchplate that sits over the bar bases. Anything to help me sit up straighter and off my um, er... nuts.

Could be that I'm just getting older and those things get in the way more and more.
When I was young, they got me into trouble, and now that I'm older, they are still at it. :)

Does anyone use anything to keep them out of the way? I was thinking a jockstrap or something. Never played sports, so have no idea if that will work.
It isn't just the Beemer that has this issue.
 
#15 ·
On my R100/7 the cure was a custom seat. Really liked the Corbin Canyon in leather. Same
concept on my R1200RT though I cheaped out and purchased a BMS second hand.
For airheads, a great source of info is snowbum (just google snowbum bmwtech) more info
than you thought imaginable.
 
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