mika
Still Wondering
The motorcycling world viewed from the saddle of a BMW. A daily look at all things BMW, Euro-bike, products and things I find interesting on the internet. With links to news, reviews, events, riding skills, maintenance and racing series updates. Morning Reads is a one stop shop for motorcycling information.
TodayÔÇÖs Birthdays / Calendar
BMW MOA Chartered Club:
club: North East High Plains Drifters, #158
founded: 2/1/1986
contact: Mike Marston (llmarston97@adelphia.net)
384 S. Witham Rd.
Auburn, ME 04210 US
www.thevicarstoyshop.com
meetings: No meetings, no dues, no t-shirts, no fights; they just ride!
events: Spring Rally, June, call for location, date and time
Fall Rally, invitation only
Gem??tlichkeit is the warm, comfortable feeling
one receives from pleasant surroundings and atmosphere.
I think you will find that when you come here.
Visit Milwaukee.org has been the source for this past weeks sites. Visit the site yourself and see what else interests you.
Tmcnet: Farmland preservation going to voters ÔÇô Washington County considering buying development rights.
Ozaukee ÔÇô Washington Daily News
Fond Du Lac Reporter
The Sheboygan Press
Daily Citizen, Beaver Dam
Weather
West Bend WI
Current
10 Day Forcast
United States
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
Canada
Meteorological Service of Canada
News:
Salcar
MotoLiam
Not much of a news day. Here is some car guy stuff, they are so easy to cover compared to bikes.
Techeblog.com: Jeremy Clarkson ÔÇô BMW ÔÇô video - In this Jeremy Clarkson segment, he pits the BMW M3 CSL against a 3.0 CSL.
Autospies.com: BMW SAVs will one be a hybrid?
Autospies.com: BMW regenerative braking model and this one is not a hyrbrid?
Autospies.com: X4 Crossover coupe
Carscoop.com: 1-series facelift video.
Timesonline.co.uk: Jeremy Clarkson continues to pass on the love he feels for BMW. This time it is the 335i SE Coupe. Something about a turd?
Germancarscene.com: Oldtime video of a civilian track day at Nurburg. Cars, bikes and some even stay upright.
Speedsportlife.com: Detroit Auto Show pictures.
eurocarblog.com: How big is the Porsche Panamera?
Jalopnik.com Paging Ponch and John
Feature:
Onewheeldrive.net: Ride Impressions ÔÇô Triumph Tiger.
The previous version of the Tiger had a small but loyal following. It was never the threat to the King of the Adventure hill that the GS and GS Adventure hold. It did not win the street going hearts of the press or riders as the GS did. It did hold down a tentative spot in both areas for Triumph.
The new Tiger has bolder strips even if it is lacking them in its paint scheme. Gone are the aspirations as an out of the box world traveler. That is left to the after market. The new Tiger was probably the sleeper of Intermot. The bike was met with something yawn. I see it as quietly stalking the back roads ready to take on BMW, Ducati and any other Super Motos other manufacturers produce and at a very competitive price point.
Compare the Tiger to the BMW GS with this early Cycle World riding impression of the 2005 BMW R1200GS.
Motorcycle Repair and Care:
r1150r.net: Front Suspension removal
Riding Skills:
Soundrider.com: Cornering Control ÔÇô Part 4, Weight and Balance
Sportrider.com: Braking - Street and Track
Technology:
flybook.biz: via GizmodoFlybook with mobile broadband another tankbag option.
Wonderings:
Saturday I putzed around the house and then went out to see who was around to play. I stopped at friends homes but no one was home. I went by my youngest daughterÔÇÖs home just in time to have lunch with them before they left as a family on an unexpected business trip with my son-in-law.
No one was available to play so I ended up doing the dealer loop near their home.
Three multi brand dealers in an area you could throw a large helmet over. It is a Saturday tire kickerÔÇÖs heaven. Normally my cover and excuse for the excursions is to look at helmets. In the process it is only reasonable that one would look at bikes also.
The first shop has Triumph, Ducati, Yamaha, Honda and a few more brands. After viewing the Ducs a red and white Triumph Scramble caught my eye. I kneeled down in the, I am taking a knowing look at some detail, position and told myself I could not buy a bike today. Just as the mantra was taking hold a 2006 ST carryover caught my eye.
I struggled to get up. Bad knees make it hard to pull off the cool guy move from model to model sometimes. Silver with matching bags the ST looked sleek and enticing. It was the non ABS model which is my preference. DANGER WILL ROBINSON They had already marked it down $1000. DANGER DANGER WILL ROBISON! I can not buy a bike today. I can not buy a bike today. I retreated to the helmet display to regain my composure.
The comment ÔÇ£I just looking at helmets todayÔÇØ will stave off all but the most determined sales person. It did not work on the young girl who was working the helmet area. She is new to motorcycle sales. Hired to work accessories and sell bikes to women she was having a slow day. For the next half hour the only thing that kept me from letting her part me from my money was my size 8 and a bit head. They did not have a helmet in stock that fit me. Telling her no I did not want to order one I took her card and escaped to the next dealer.
Many of you rave about your local Harley / Buell dealers and the customer service. I must have EUROPEAN BIKE RIDER tattooed on my forehead. I can walk into to one of these and no one talks to me. I swear I could start a bike up on the show room floor and they wouldnÔÇÖt look up from their cup of coffee. H-D dealerships are great places for me to collect my thoughts. After a tour of the bike showroom and a look at the ever growing stock of H-D branded stuff I went on to the BMW dealer.
I have been kicking tires at this dealers various locations since the late sixties. It has never been a BMW only dealer. If memory serves, they sold Brit bikes along with BMWs at one time. In addition to the BMW line they now have Kawasaki, Suzuki, various scooters snowmobiles and to my surprise Moto Guzzi bikes on the floor. They are a nice dealership, answer all my questions when asked, give my granddaughter cookies when she comes along on one of these excursions and leave me alone the rest of the time. It is a relationship that works well for me.
I had found a helmet that fit. It wasnÔÇÖt the color I wanted but the size worked. Maybe I would order one in the right color. I was taking it off when I spied a red MG Norge on a display riser. I put the helmet back and went for a look. DANGER WILL ROBINSONNI it spoke in broken Italian as I walked across the showroom floor. I like it. Lipstick red with just enough chrome silver and black to set my teenaged heart racing and like any teenaged boy when confronted by a beautiful girl I turned and ran into the used bike showroom. Bad move.
The used bike area is a long narrow affair. A salesman was selling used BMW 1200C to a couple. They were debating between two they had in their used inventory. The bike would be hers. The conversation between the couple left no doubt they would be buying a bike today. The husband already had his checkbook in hand. Which one of the two was the only question that remained? I walked farther into the used bikes and came to the part of the stock that just made the cut to remain on the floor. I had recovered. It was safe to go back now. I turned and then saw it. An elegant glowing German beauty I had not noticed when I burst into the used showroom to recover.
It is a 2004 R1150RS in two toned dark blue and frost blue. With less than 13k on the odometer she is barely broken in. Even sitting tucked shyly in a dark back corner of the area it glowed. It has system bags, a top case and tall wind screen. I saw some movement as I walked around it taking in every detail. Finally I had to leave. Did I tell you it glowed?
There is an old time salesman at this dealership. For years I have seen him when I come in for parts for the Roadster. We say hi. I think that is the only conversation that has ever passed between us. As I was leaving he walked up and briefly stopped me. ÔÇ£Give me a call when you decideÔÇØ was all he said as he handed me his card and I left.
Which to buy, is the question I asked myself as I slipped into the cage and started it up. Would I buy the stunning silver Triumph ST, the lipstick red MG Norge or the glowing RS was the question? At decision times like this, after weighing all the various factors we delude ourselves with in our decision process, it boils down to one question for me. Which one will I like best in five years? I have my doubts about the ST. The Norge, now that is a difficult one to answer. I will have to wonder about that for a while. The RS would be 8 years old then. Put a gun to my head and tell me I have to decide now; the answer is the RS.
WhatÔÇÖs to decide? I can not buy a bike. I need a job first. I will go back another day and buy the helmet. I need that. With luck the RS will be gone to a new owner with a heated garage.
This was one of those Saturdays that I should have made plans with friends.
Manufacturer of the Day:
CROCKER
Crocker Motorcycles ÔÇô Wikipedia
Crocker Motorcycle Co. homepage
Woot
Todays Woot
The Blog
Bike Candy:
TodayÔÇÖs Birthdays / Calendar
BMW MOA Chartered Club:
club: North East High Plains Drifters, #158
founded: 2/1/1986
contact: Mike Marston (llmarston97@adelphia.net)
384 S. Witham Rd.
Auburn, ME 04210 US
www.thevicarstoyshop.com
meetings: No meetings, no dues, no t-shirts, no fights; they just ride!
events: Spring Rally, June, call for location, date and time
Fall Rally, invitation only
Gem??tlichkeit is the warm, comfortable feeling
one receives from pleasant surroundings and atmosphere.
I think you will find that when you come here.
Visit Milwaukee.org has been the source for this past weeks sites. Visit the site yourself and see what else interests you.
Tmcnet: Farmland preservation going to voters ÔÇô Washington County considering buying development rights.
Ozaukee ÔÇô Washington Daily News
Fond Du Lac Reporter
The Sheboygan Press
Daily Citizen, Beaver Dam
Weather
West Bend WI
Current
10 Day Forcast
United States
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
Canada
Meteorological Service of Canada
News:
Salcar
MotoLiam
Not much of a news day. Here is some car guy stuff, they are so easy to cover compared to bikes.
Techeblog.com: Jeremy Clarkson ÔÇô BMW ÔÇô video - In this Jeremy Clarkson segment, he pits the BMW M3 CSL against a 3.0 CSL.
Autospies.com: BMW SAVs will one be a hybrid?
Autospies.com: BMW regenerative braking model and this one is not a hyrbrid?
Autospies.com: X4 Crossover coupe
Carscoop.com: 1-series facelift video.
Timesonline.co.uk: Jeremy Clarkson continues to pass on the love he feels for BMW. This time it is the 335i SE Coupe. Something about a turd?
Germancarscene.com: Oldtime video of a civilian track day at Nurburg. Cars, bikes and some even stay upright.
Speedsportlife.com: Detroit Auto Show pictures.
eurocarblog.com: How big is the Porsche Panamera?
Jalopnik.com Paging Ponch and John
Feature:
Onewheeldrive.net: Ride Impressions ÔÇô Triumph Tiger.
The previous version of the Tiger had a small but loyal following. It was never the threat to the King of the Adventure hill that the GS and GS Adventure hold. It did not win the street going hearts of the press or riders as the GS did. It did hold down a tentative spot in both areas for Triumph.
The new Tiger has bolder strips even if it is lacking them in its paint scheme. Gone are the aspirations as an out of the box world traveler. That is left to the after market. The new Tiger was probably the sleeper of Intermot. The bike was met with something yawn. I see it as quietly stalking the back roads ready to take on BMW, Ducati and any other Super Motos other manufacturers produce and at a very competitive price point.
Compare the Tiger to the BMW GS with this early Cycle World riding impression of the 2005 BMW R1200GS.
Motorcycle Repair and Care:
r1150r.net: Front Suspension removal
Riding Skills:
Soundrider.com: Cornering Control ÔÇô Part 4, Weight and Balance
Sportrider.com: Braking - Street and Track
Technology:
flybook.biz: via GizmodoFlybook with mobile broadband another tankbag option.
Wonderings:
Saturday I putzed around the house and then went out to see who was around to play. I stopped at friends homes but no one was home. I went by my youngest daughterÔÇÖs home just in time to have lunch with them before they left as a family on an unexpected business trip with my son-in-law.
No one was available to play so I ended up doing the dealer loop near their home.
Three multi brand dealers in an area you could throw a large helmet over. It is a Saturday tire kickerÔÇÖs heaven. Normally my cover and excuse for the excursions is to look at helmets. In the process it is only reasonable that one would look at bikes also.
The first shop has Triumph, Ducati, Yamaha, Honda and a few more brands. After viewing the Ducs a red and white Triumph Scramble caught my eye. I kneeled down in the, I am taking a knowing look at some detail, position and told myself I could not buy a bike today. Just as the mantra was taking hold a 2006 ST carryover caught my eye.
I struggled to get up. Bad knees make it hard to pull off the cool guy move from model to model sometimes. Silver with matching bags the ST looked sleek and enticing. It was the non ABS model which is my preference. DANGER WILL ROBINSON They had already marked it down $1000. DANGER DANGER WILL ROBISON! I can not buy a bike today. I can not buy a bike today. I retreated to the helmet display to regain my composure.
The comment ÔÇ£I just looking at helmets todayÔÇØ will stave off all but the most determined sales person. It did not work on the young girl who was working the helmet area. She is new to motorcycle sales. Hired to work accessories and sell bikes to women she was having a slow day. For the next half hour the only thing that kept me from letting her part me from my money was my size 8 and a bit head. They did not have a helmet in stock that fit me. Telling her no I did not want to order one I took her card and escaped to the next dealer.
Many of you rave about your local Harley / Buell dealers and the customer service. I must have EUROPEAN BIKE RIDER tattooed on my forehead. I can walk into to one of these and no one talks to me. I swear I could start a bike up on the show room floor and they wouldnÔÇÖt look up from their cup of coffee. H-D dealerships are great places for me to collect my thoughts. After a tour of the bike showroom and a look at the ever growing stock of H-D branded stuff I went on to the BMW dealer.
I have been kicking tires at this dealers various locations since the late sixties. It has never been a BMW only dealer. If memory serves, they sold Brit bikes along with BMWs at one time. In addition to the BMW line they now have Kawasaki, Suzuki, various scooters snowmobiles and to my surprise Moto Guzzi bikes on the floor. They are a nice dealership, answer all my questions when asked, give my granddaughter cookies when she comes along on one of these excursions and leave me alone the rest of the time. It is a relationship that works well for me.
I had found a helmet that fit. It wasnÔÇÖt the color I wanted but the size worked. Maybe I would order one in the right color. I was taking it off when I spied a red MG Norge on a display riser. I put the helmet back and went for a look. DANGER WILL ROBINSONNI it spoke in broken Italian as I walked across the showroom floor. I like it. Lipstick red with just enough chrome silver and black to set my teenaged heart racing and like any teenaged boy when confronted by a beautiful girl I turned and ran into the used bike showroom. Bad move.
The used bike area is a long narrow affair. A salesman was selling used BMW 1200C to a couple. They were debating between two they had in their used inventory. The bike would be hers. The conversation between the couple left no doubt they would be buying a bike today. The husband already had his checkbook in hand. Which one of the two was the only question that remained? I walked farther into the used bikes and came to the part of the stock that just made the cut to remain on the floor. I had recovered. It was safe to go back now. I turned and then saw it. An elegant glowing German beauty I had not noticed when I burst into the used showroom to recover.
It is a 2004 R1150RS in two toned dark blue and frost blue. With less than 13k on the odometer she is barely broken in. Even sitting tucked shyly in a dark back corner of the area it glowed. It has system bags, a top case and tall wind screen. I saw some movement as I walked around it taking in every detail. Finally I had to leave. Did I tell you it glowed?
There is an old time salesman at this dealership. For years I have seen him when I come in for parts for the Roadster. We say hi. I think that is the only conversation that has ever passed between us. As I was leaving he walked up and briefly stopped me. ÔÇ£Give me a call when you decideÔÇØ was all he said as he handed me his card and I left.
Which to buy, is the question I asked myself as I slipped into the cage and started it up. Would I buy the stunning silver Triumph ST, the lipstick red MG Norge or the glowing RS was the question? At decision times like this, after weighing all the various factors we delude ourselves with in our decision process, it boils down to one question for me. Which one will I like best in five years? I have my doubts about the ST. The Norge, now that is a difficult one to answer. I will have to wonder about that for a while. The RS would be 8 years old then. Put a gun to my head and tell me I have to decide now; the answer is the RS.
WhatÔÇÖs to decide? I can not buy a bike. I need a job first. I will go back another day and buy the helmet. I need that. With luck the RS will be gone to a new owner with a heated garage.
This was one of those Saturdays that I should have made plans with friends.
Manufacturer of the Day:
CROCKER
Crocker Motorcycles ÔÇô Wikipedia
Crocker Motorcycle Co. homepage
Woot
Todays Woot
The Blog
Bike Candy:
