Grover
ShinySideUp
I've owned a few bikes in my years of riding. Yamaha, Kawasaki, and BMW. For the BMWs, I've owned a 1996 R1100RT, worked as an officer on a 2004 R1150RT, and owned a 2007 R1200RT and now a 2006 R1200RT bought from a dealer here in Jacksonville 2 weeks ago. For all the complaints I tend to find on the forums, all valid, I just want to point out the positive too.
Like many of you, I use my RT to tour long distance. I have found that the RT has ridden reliably through the Mojave Desert, the open roads of Arizona, the empty spaces of Death Valley, 395 from tip to tip of California, snow in Reno and Tahoe, rain in Bakersfield, Modoc National Forest, silent roads to Klamath, Stanislaus National Forest, and the list goes on (now that I live in Florida, I've new roads to explore). Most of those places are quite remote and lack service stations, cell phone towers, or even signs. Not once have I been stranded by a mechanical failure on my RTs. The ride has been comfortable and I love the size of my gas tank to get me from point A to B where I know the next station is 100 miles away. The windshield protects me, and the grips kept me warm. The bike not only looks great, but I TRUST it. Every time I rode, it was with my old motor partner. We were self-sufficient. We usually saw Harley riders in groups of four or more, mostly stopped as we passed them at a gas stations. Many times, unfortunately, we saw them on the side of the road repairing something and we made ourselves available. We know the BMW is not perfect. No bike is. But, in the eye of this beholder, I think my RT and my friend's '14 GS are two bikes that have evolved to provide the motorcycle rider with positive memories to share.
What are your stories?
Like many of you, I use my RT to tour long distance. I have found that the RT has ridden reliably through the Mojave Desert, the open roads of Arizona, the empty spaces of Death Valley, 395 from tip to tip of California, snow in Reno and Tahoe, rain in Bakersfield, Modoc National Forest, silent roads to Klamath, Stanislaus National Forest, and the list goes on (now that I live in Florida, I've new roads to explore). Most of those places are quite remote and lack service stations, cell phone towers, or even signs. Not once have I been stranded by a mechanical failure on my RTs. The ride has been comfortable and I love the size of my gas tank to get me from point A to B where I know the next station is 100 miles away. The windshield protects me, and the grips kept me warm. The bike not only looks great, but I TRUST it. Every time I rode, it was with my old motor partner. We were self-sufficient. We usually saw Harley riders in groups of four or more, mostly stopped as we passed them at a gas stations. Many times, unfortunately, we saw them on the side of the road repairing something and we made ourselves available. We know the BMW is not perfect. No bike is. But, in the eye of this beholder, I think my RT and my friend's '14 GS are two bikes that have evolved to provide the motorcycle rider with positive memories to share.
What are your stories?
