New Member from Raleigh, NC and proud owner of an ordered 2015 R1200RT

[AirBender]

Hello hello guys & gals,

My name is Brian, I live in the Raleigh/Durham Triangle area. After having recently returned from living and volunteering in Thailand & Cambodia with the Red Cross in S.E. Asia, I proudly ordered a 2015 R1200RT last week. My wife is just as much a part of this as I am, but sadly she is still in Thailand and not due here until sometime in December.
I started riding motorcycles in 1989 when my Dad surprised me an all aluminum Deltabox frame Yamaha FZR 400. I rode it on the street for about 6 months before we stripped it down and I began racing it in AMA & WERA lightweight Supersport & Lightweight Superbike for a few years up & down the East Coast. I gained some wonderful memories and made a strong bond w/ my Father out of that. After experiencing how difficult it is to stay above water without solid sponsorship in road racing, I decided to hang it up. Got out of the sport for quite a long time after that, but returned to motorcycles in 2009 when I bought an '09 Suzuki Hayabusa. Enjoyed the heck out of that and farkled it 6 ways from Sunday, but ended up selling it before going overseas. Returned to find my Dad was in the midst of putting together a custom naked '83 Goldwing which I am now helping him with and currently riding.

My wife and I have made a dedicated decision to make this wonderful sport of motorcycle touring a real part of our life for us and we are really looking forward to meeting & making new life long friends. If anyone can recommend any local BMW chapters, that would be appreciated as we'd like to join and support locally as well.

Now....what tires do you guys think are the best? And what oil do you recommend? ...... hahaha I'm joking! I'm joking! (where is the beating a dead horse emoticon?)

Here is what we ordered on our 1200RT which according to the dealer is scheduled to go into production the last week of October. It should go into code 150 by Nov 1st at which time we'll will receive the VIN #.... I'm hoping for a December 10th delivery date.

2015 BMW R1200RT $17,705
Color-
NOE San Marino Blue Metallic / Granite Grey Metallic Matte $350
Options-
Code- Description- MSRP-
230 Comfort Package: Includes 350 (Chrome Exhaust), 417 (Central Locking), 530 (TPM - Tire Pressure Monitor), 603 (Anti-Theft Alarm), 764 (Dual Accessory Socket) $850

233 Touring Package: Includes 191 (Dynamic ESA), 272 (GPS Preparation), 518 (Heated Seats), 538 (Cruise Control) $1,400

238 Dynamic Package: Includes 204 (Hill Start Control), 219 (Headlight Pro), 224 (Ride Modes Pro) $275

222 Gear Shift Assistant Pro $475

Seems like a good group of people here and I look forward to learning from each and everyone of you.

 

[Omega Man]

Welcome to the forum! Nice intro, I can tell you've done this before
Looks like you have all your motorcycling needs well organized and, with where you are located, you should have time to enjoy the new bike.
The Wethead forum is shaping up nicely and waiting for your picture of the new arrival.
Enjoy the forum.
Gary

 

[AirBender]

Welcome to the forum! Nice intro, I can tell you've done this before
Looks like you have all your motorcycling needs well organized and, with where you are located, you should have time to enjoy the new bike.
The Wethead forum is shaping up nicely and waiting for your picture of the new arrival.
Enjoy the forum.
Gary

Thanks Gary!

 

[okiegman]

Brian,

Welcome aboard!

I'm sure you and the wife will really enjoy the new ride. Post a pic once it's delivered.

You can ask about tires as long as you don't ask about oil.

There are a lot of good knowledgeable people on here when you do have questions.

Anyways, thanks for being a member!

Check out the local clubs and come see us in Billings at the international rally.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[AirBender]

Brian,

Welcome aboard!

I'm sure you and the wife will really enjoy the new ride. Post a pic once it's delivered.

You can ask about tires as long as you don't ask about oil.

There are a lot of good knowledgeable people on here when you do have questions.

Anyways, thanks for being a member!

Check out the local clubs and come see us in Billings at the international rally.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I'm definitely looking forward to the 2015 Rally. Keeping my eye out for the local clubs. Is there a place in the forum to view them?

 

[okiegman]

Look at the upper left corner of forum and hit the home button to get back to the home page. Then look on the right side for "find a chartered club" I think (I'm on my iPad so it doesn't render the same for me). If not there look across the top menu bar for chartered clubs. You can enter your state and it will pull up the chartered clubs and their contact information.

Hope this helps, sorry if not exactly right. Trying to do it from memory. Love my iPad but not always exactly the same as what you see on a computer.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[racer7]

Check for local club rides- can find the clubs through this website. The Triangle area guys used to meet regularly for (Sun I think) breakfast and ride starting south of Chapel Hill with a schedule that was on their website. Jon (service manager) or possibly Greg at the local dealer should be able hook you up if you can't find it through here or a google search for the club site.

Re area BMW rallies, there are plenty within a day ride of you- easily reached on your new RT.
For example, the "Savannah" GA rally (actually Tybee Island) in Dec (see event part of this site). Also, over at the BMWST site, the FART and START (fall and spring) rallies that attract about 50-70 serious riders, some female, some with spouses. The Morton's rally at Natural Bridge VA in May has always brought out a good number of spouses and female riders (see the Morton's website). Early this year MOA did a spring event at Fontana out by the Dragon- check to see were those events are next year. Georgia Mountain Rally or the Chicken Rally in Huntsville, AL if you like to camp (not far from the superb Barber Museum). And another dozen I didn't name in nice places in WV, KY, TN, GA etc etc. Would be a long note if I listed all those I can remember let alone look up the rest.

Plenty of technical help here, bmwst, or advrider should you need it while farkling your new one. Just post in the wethead section.

 

[wezul]

Geez, I think you'd at least be excited.
Enjoy

 

[wvpc]

Congrat's on what will be a fantastic machine. You may want to Bring More Wallet if your wife is riding pillion with the addition of a top box and fresh riding gear for her. Enjoy those sweet southern roads!

 

[AirBender]

Check for local club rides- can find the clubs through this website. The Triangle area guys used to meet regularly for (Sun I think) breakfast and ride starting south of Chapel Hill with a schedule that was on their website. Jon (service manager) or possibly Greg at the local dealer should be able hook you up if you can't find it through here or a google search for the club site.

Re area BMW rallies, there are plenty within a day ride of you- easily reached on your new RT.
For example, the "Savannah" GA rally (actually Tybee Island) in Dec (see event part of this site). Also, over at the BMWST site, the FART and START (fall and spring) rallies that attract about 50-70 serious riders, some female, some with spouses. The Morton's rally at Natural Bridge VA in May has always brought out a good number of spouses and female riders (see the Morton's website). Early this year MOA did a spring event at Fontana out by the Dragon- check to see were those events are next year. Georgia Mountain Rally or the Chicken Rally in Huntsville, AL if you like to camp (not far from the superb Barber Museum). And another dozen I didn't name in nice places in WV, KY, TN, GA etc etc. Would be a long note if I listed all those I can remember let alone look up the rest.

Plenty of technical help here, bmwst, or advrider should you need it while farkling your new one. Just post in the wethead section.

Great info racer7! I will make a note off all of these and be sure to stay on top of their upcoming 2015 dates. Much appreciated!

 

[AirBender]

Congrat's on what will be a fantastic machine. You may want to Bring More Wallet if your wife is riding pillion with the addition of a top box and fresh riding gear for her. Enjoy those sweet southern roads!

Yep...the credit card is already hiding in the closet from the beating it took on my gear....and we haven't even suited up the misses yet! lol Thanks for the reply

 

[fastdogs2]

New member in NC

Air,

There is a Raleigh/Fayetteville club called the Tarheel Travelers. I think meetings alternate between those two cities.

There is also a Sunday morning group of all makes/models that meets in the parking lot of the Carolina Brewery at the intersection of 15/501 and Rt. 64 in Pittsboro.

I live just south of Chapel Hill in northern Chatham County. There are some good motorcycle roads around Jordan Lake. The old Greensboro road west from Chapel Hill is a fun ride.

There are some great roads north of Raleigh around Falls Lake that are great rides.

Bill

 

[AirBender]

Air,

There is a Raleigh/Fayetteville club called the Tarheel Travelers. I think meetings alternate between those two cities.

There is also a Sunday morning group of all makes/models that meets in the parking lot of the Carolina Brewery at the intersection of 15/501 and Rt. 64 in Pittsboro.

I live just south of Chapel Hill in northern Chatham County. There are some good motorcycle roads around Jordan Lake. The old Greensboro road west from Chapel Hill is a fun ride.

There are some great roads north of Raleigh around Falls Lake that are great rides.

Bill

Hey Bill,

Tarheel Travelers sounds like a good start, I will try to get up with those guy & gals once my RT arrives. Do you belong to any local chapters? I have not done much riding out by Jordan Lake, but my old Sunday morning group used to burn up all the nice back roads around Falls of the Neuse. Please keep in touch and lets see if we can't meet up for a nice ride in the Chapel hill area sometime.

Cheers,

Brian

 

[fastdogs2]

New member from NC

Brian,

I don't belong to any local club. I either ride solo around home or with a friend who lives near Raleigh.

We ride a lot in West Virginia. The whole state has fantastic motorcycle roads and you can do day trips of 250 miles or so with ease from a base hotel in Beckley, Lewisburg or Huntington. It is close enough from the Raleigh area to make for a nice easy ride to wherever you are staying.

My friends and I attend the MOA rallies, if they are east coast or Midwest locations. We attended the St. Paul rally last July and had a great ride through the Michigan upper peninsula to get there. A very scenic ride back, down the Great River Road along the Mississippi River was nice, as well.

Send me a PM when your bike arrives. I assume you purchased through Garcia Moto, formerly Capitol BMW. They are great folks and the service department is top notch!

Bill

 

[jfmoore430]

Welcome to the clan. Be sure to join us on Sunday's around 9:30 am for the weekly meet up at the Carolina Brewery in Pittsboro next to Lowe's, a good crowd with lots of info on rides, farkels and food!

 

[elautzenheiser]

Hey, I was in Raleigh last weekend while visiting my brother who recently relocated there for a position in Goldsboro. I certainly like the weather better than here in OH! Sat on the new RT at the bike show last winter and it felt really comfortable and BMW made evolutionary changes while maintaining all the good things we love about the bikes. Enjoy!

 

[AirBender]

Hey, I was in Raleigh last weekend while visiting my brother who recently relocated there for a position in Goldsboro. I certainly like the weather better than here in OH! Sat on the new RT at the bike show last winter and it felt really comfortable and BMW made evolutionary changes while maintaining all the good things we love about the bikes. Enjoy!

Hey thanks for the reply....We are blessed to have some really nice year round riding weather here. Next time you are in the Raleigh/Goldsboro area visiting your bro....drop me a line and maybe we can get a ride in together.

Cheers,

Brian

 

[Danielle]

Welcome! You'll often find me at Carolina Brewery on Sunday mornings.

 

[AirBender]

Welcome! You'll often find me at Carolina Brewery on Sunday mornings.

Hey thanks Danielle. On Sundays at Carolina Brewery huh? Watching some NFL no doubt I'll shoot ya a PM here soon...maybe we can get together over a pint and lunch. That is unless you're a Dallas Cowboys fan! LOL ....I kid I kid....being a lifelong Redskins fan only brings tears and sorrow every season, but yet I go down with the ship every year.

 

[Danielle]

Hey thanks Danielle. On Sundays at Carolina Brewery huh? Watching some NFL no doubt I'll shoot ya a PM here soon...maybe we can get together over a pint and lunch. That is unless you're a Dallas Cowboys fan! LOL ....I kid I kid....being a lifelong Redskins fan only brings tears and sorrow every season, but yet I go down with the ship every year.

It's usually a bunch of bikers shooting the breeze there at the Pittsboro location on Sunday mornings. A Most roll in between 9 and 10.

I'm not much into sports; the Durham Bulls are it for me (we have season tickets.)