Another new member, sort of......

Hi Ladies and Gents,

I just joined this fine organization and I am a new member in as much as I've never been a BMW MOA member before but I don't feel like a new member. My Dad, Les Rhodes, was a hard core BMW rider for most of my life. He was active in the local club in the Houston area, a lifetime member of the BMWMOA and an Ambassador for the MOA for many years. As such, there's been a BMW motorcycle in the garage for most of my teen and adult years and always an MOA magazine in the house. I bought my first Beemer in 1988, an '83 R80RT used from my Dad and rode it for almost six years. My new 2013 R1200RT is my second BMW motorcycle (all Dad had to say was, "It's about time!" ) and I have to say, it's much more than I could have expected. I've only got a bit over 1500 miles on it so far but I can already feel the engine loosening up and can't wait to make my first long ride with it. Life is good!

Ride Safe,
Steve R.

Welcome, Steve! What took ya so long???

Newstar said:

Welcome, Steve! What took ya so long???

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You know, I don't really know. Just really enjoying it now!

Welcome!

Glad you finally got around to joining.

You come from a fine linage and will fit in here nicely.

How about a pic of that new bike?????

sibud said:

Welcome!

Glad you finally got around to joining.

You come from a fine linage and will fit in here nicely.

How about a pic of that new bike?????

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Thanks! As for a pic of the bike, that'll be a while. I just sent my seat to Russell Cycle Products this morning (www.day-long.com). I'm hoping to get it back by the second week in September. Once I've got it back together, I'll try to get some pictures taken.

Ride Safe,
Steve R.

Hi Steve,
I am a newbie to BMW MOA myself and wanted to say welcome! That R1200 you have is an awesome bike. I hope one day to graduate to that model once I get my skills honed in on my F650GS. Can't wait to see the pictures. Take care and be safe.

Bruce S.

Thanks Moose! I've always like the R/RT bikes. My first Beemer was a '79 R650. I know, I said the R80RT was my first Beemer in my opening post but I had forgotten about the ol 650 at that point. It was a standard bike I added a fairing to but it was never quite what I thought it would be. It wasn't bad, just not what I expected. My Dad bought an '83 R80RT new and rode it until the K bikes came out. I ultimately bought it from him in '88 and kept it for about five years and put 32k on it. It was everything I wanted/needed in a bike at that time and thoroughly enjoyed it. My R1200RT reminds me a lot of that old R80. The lineage is definitely there although the R12 is way superior in every measureable sense. I'm loving it!

I've got the seat off my R12 sent in to Russell Day-Long saddles for conversion. They should have started on it yesterday and I'm hoping I get back by a week from Friday. That might be wishful thinking on my part but you never know. I'll post up some pics when I get the seat back.

You enjoy that F650. If I lived closer to an area where I could do the off road trails, I'd have looked hard at the GS models. As it is, the R1200RT is proving more than I had hoped for. After 4.5 years on a Harley Ultra Classic weighing almost 900 lbs, the R1200RT feels like a featherweight at only 580 lbs. When you're ready for the change, I'm sure you'll enjoy it too!

Ride Safe,
Steve R.

Here's some pics!

Every forum does this a little different so here goes!

Here's some more pics!

A
I'll be darned, it worked! Here's a couple more.



Just got my Russell Day-Long saddle conversion back this afternoon. Talk about a "major" improvement! This is my fifth one. The other four being installed on an '83 R80RT, '93 Goldwing, '98 ST1100, and '09 Harley Ultra Classic. Haven't gotten a bad one yet and after a brief test ride today, I can already tell this one's a keeper too. They're not the cheapest way to go but they sure do work! www.day-long.com

Ride Safe,
Steve R.

Thats one sweet bike ......... See ya out there.

jandhumphreyme said:

Thats one sweet bike ......... See ya out there.

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Looking forward to it. I see you're in Maine. I went skiing there once with friends. I've never been up in the New England area in the summer time yet. I've covered just about everywhere else in the continental US but haven't been up your way. It's definitely on my bucket list!

Ride Safe,
Steve

PS: Thanks!

Ooh! Your new R1200RT is very nice! Have fun riding it!