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Gizmos

jammess

jammess

Jammess
I just finished reading the lengthy review in the Sept. Rider magazine on the K1600GTL and I find it a sad commentary on the status of today's high tech excuses for transportation simple as that. Next thing you know BMW will rip out a page from Tesla's play book and have the lights and horn on the K1600 keeping time with the audio system as it plays the German national anthem. Honest to god if you gave me one of these high tech wonders I would immediately slap a for sale sign on it no hesitation. I could go on and on about things like traction control activation even whilst navigating curves or being able to select passive or active riding modes but the long and short is if this is what motorcycling is coming to count me out simple as that. Before this is over most transportation vehicles be they 4 or 2 wheel will become throw away items just like so many other high tech devices in today's world like flat screen TVs to name one. Oh, and if you gave me an electric car it would get a for sale sign pasted on it as in right now faster than you can say: "1000 pound lithium ion battery". Come to think of it what do you think your electric car will be worth when its fifteen thousand dollar 1000 pound lithium ion battery warranty expires after 8 years? Well, for the auto manufacturers this will be a big plus because now they can sell you a new high tech wonder for another $50K and simply recycle your 8 year old high tech wonder and no I don't own a smart phone and god willing I never shall. Grrrr...

And now boys and girls we end another inspirational rant about life on planet earth what's left of it.:blah :blah :blah
 
Well, he does have a point.

Some people prefer to own simple quality things meant to last a lifetime.
i bought my first BMW for that very reason, an R60/5. It was repairable forever and a guy named Fred Tausch rode his some 600,000 miles. Many old airheads are still daily riders today, more than 50 years later.

New K1600s are expensive and beautiful bikes, but it’s unlikely any will still be running 50 years from now. We have lost something there.

I’m writing this on an ipad that is a few years old. It’s still pristine but has gotten slower over the years and software updates are no longer available. Every few years i have to buy a new one to do essentially the same thing as the old one. Apple has built obsolescence into the product and although expensive, they are still disposable. It doesn’t need to be that way.
 
Gosh darn, ya ain’t never goin’ to get me in that horseless carriage, old Trooper suits me just fine. A few oats, water, a little blacksmithing and she’s good to go. And no fancy saddles neither.
 
That was quite the rant, but it wasn't exactly inspirational, or even thought provoking, but you forgot to mention you don't want kids on your lawn. You may not like technology, but without you wouldn't have been able to post your opinion on this forum.

I've had BMW bikes for over 25 years and as many have, seen and experienced their numerous technology changes. Like many, when I attach luggage to my bike I like the idea of being able to set my pre-load at the touch of a button and adjust my traction control for a wet road by pushing another. When I rented a new F850GS in Greece last spring, the first thing I noticed was how legible the TFT display was, so much nicer than the "antiquated" display on my 6 year old R1200R.

If you don't like technology, fine. Nobody is forcing you to buy it. There are still plenty of really nice, low mileage airheads on the market - I know because I've been looking for one. It's nice to have choices.
 
davidsanders said:
………… There are still plenty of really nice, low mileage airheads on the market - I know because I've been looking for one. It's nice to have choices.
Click to expand...

Just don’t get one of those Airheads with an electronic ignition or disk brakes.! :)
 
jammess said:
I just finished reading the lengthy review in the Sept. Rider magazine on the K1600GTL and I find it a sad commentary on the status of today's high tech excuses for transportation simple as that. Next thing you know BMW will rip out a page from Tesla's play book and have the lights and horn on the K1600 keeping time with the audio system as it plays the German national anthem. Honest to god if you gave me one of these high tech wonders I would immediately slap a for sale sign on it no hesitation. I could go on and on about things like traction control activation even whilst navigating curves or being able to select passive or active riding modes but the long and short is if this is what motorcycling is coming to count me out simple as that. Before this is over most transportation vehicles be they 4 or 2 wheel will become throw away items just like so many other high tech devices in today's world like flat screen TVs to name one. Oh, and if you gave me an electric car it would get a for sale sign pasted on it as in right now faster than you can say: "1000 pound lithium ion battery". Come to think of it what do you think your electric car will be worth when its fifteen thousand dollar 1000 pound lithium ion battery warranty expires after 8 years? Well, for the auto manufacturers this will be a big plus because now they can sell you a new high tech wonder for another $50K and simply recycle your 8 year old high tech wonder and no I don't own a smart phone and god willing I never shall. Grrrr...

And now boys and girls we end another inspirational rant about life on planet earth what's left of it.:blah :blah :blah
Click to expand...

One of life's best moments is riding an old Airhead.....with electronic ignition and LED lighting of course.
 
Still riding

I'm still riding my 84, it does what I want, goes where I want, after years of regular maintenance as well as three major mechanical and mostly cosmetic overhauls along with added improvements the cost is still less cost than trading in every so often for a newer bike. and if my numbers are true, less than the cost of a current 22 RT at half the weight.

I don't pay Bite My Wallet prices to do a brake flush or repair the cruise control or for even oil changes. I don't have to take off expensive plastic panels to make repairs.

It won't end up recycled or in a land fill at least if I am lucky for another 20 years, after that, well that is up to my family. Simple clean pure motorcycling.

Lest you cry Luddite, I am using a modern computer, have a "smart" phone and have all the high tech bells and whistles in my current car. (no it is not a BMW, a more reliable and cheaper Japanese vehicle)

Threads like this pop up over and over again even so far back as the origins of electronic forums. I never understand why? I never understand myself why do I bother writing a reply? Some day I will get the answer to why but not today LOL St.
 
The problem with technology is it's always a net gain in either safety, comfort or convenience. Every tech gain will have negatives and caveats. The big ones are higher cost, more complexity, more failure points and more headaches.

But even though something like radar cruise control on my R18 is a $2,000 module with a plastic connector that sometimes doesn't recognize cars or bikes in front of me, it's been a net gain in safety, convenience and comfort.
 
Jammess, you're the perfect candidate for a Suzuki DR650. People ride around the world on those things. Go get yourself one and forget all about modern technology. :laugh
 
I’m not sure the argument is about technology so much as it is about utility and/or repairability.

Expensive or difficult to repair “improvements” of dubious practical value should always be reviewed with a critical eye. Motorized this or that or flashy displays may be fun to play with or brag about, but do they really bring much value to our riding experience? Some may say yes, but to others, not so much.

It’s a good thing we have choices, but as a long time BMW rider and proponent of simplicity, i too wonder about the direction taken by certain manufacturers regarding their product designs. It seems they are purposefully building long term revenue streams into the product. Do we as consumers really want that?
 
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On one point I agree with the original rant in that I would not buy a new K1600GTL, it's just not the bike I want. I have placed an order for a new R1250RT, so I guess that expresses my concerns with modern BMW motorcycles and the technology built into them. I'm kind of looking forward to all the new tech that is included in the new bike, some features I've already become accustom to with my F850GSA. I expect to ride it for 12 to 15 years, much like I have every other motorcycle I've owned. At the end of my time with it, it'll be worth whatever it's worth to sell or trade, the real value will be the years and miles of enjoyment I get from it.
 
Some really good points of view expressed here and I appreciate it. I bet you would never guess what I did before I retired. Nope, you're wrong...I was a telecommunications specialist and a pretty good one even if I do say so. I remember attending a week long seminar on the technical aspects of local area networking and the instructor saying on the last day of class that the most used LAN feature will be, wait for it, e-mail. To this I raised my hand and said, "Have you not ever heard of a telephone EPABX system with voice mail?" The instructor gave me a knowing smile and said, "There will come a day when you will eat those words". I often think back to that fateful day and was he right or what?

Truth is I could easily have lived my life without the WWW and I think mankind was in much better shape without social media which I for one will never ever participate in. And here I sit writing this post whilst dressed head to foot in clothes purchased from Amazon. Oh the irony!

Oh, I've given much thought to neutering my R1100RSL and installing a pair of Bing carbs but what I can't figure out how to do is provide for ignition without the ECU. Just doesn't seem to be an easy solution.
 
This is my perspective. Through the mid-1980’s, luxury vehicles seemed to be luxury due to high end materials and, in many cases, over engineered mechanical parts for longevity. However, vehicles have become more and more computerized since then. For better or worse, luxury vehicle manufacturers now seem to be at the cutting edge of technology in vehicles in order to provide the most features. Many of these features have been beneficial (e.g. ABS, EFI, etc.), but they have had their issues as the bugs are being worked out. I remember reading a few years ago that the number one or one of the most common complaints in vehicles has been the infotainment systems). So, I’m not surprised of the connectivity issues on our bikes.

BMW is a luxury brand; as such, their vehicles have many of these cutting-edge features. And yes, many of these features have had plenty of issues. I also think that as these cutting-edge features are added, their costs have had the bean counters look at other areas for cost cutting measures. Some of these cost cutting measures haven’t worked out so well for BMW (or other manufacturers for that matter). Granted there are other vehicle manufacturers that provide average everyday vehicles that to do not have all the cutting-edge features, and, consequently, have fewer issues. If that’s the type of vehicle you want, then go for one of those. But, don’t look at a luxury brand vehicle, then complain of all the cutting-edge features. That’s just the market today.
Anyway, I’m off my soap box.
 
jammess said:
Oh, I've given much thought to neutering my R1100RSL and installing a pair of Bing carbs but what I can't figure out how to do is provide for ignition without the ECU. Just doesn't seem to be an easy solution.
Click to expand...

To what end? The oilhead EFI is quite reliable and well proven. You would toss that aside for something that will require much work and constant attention to keep working properly?

My own former R1100RSL has run flawlessly for over 155,000 kms. It too is 29 years old and still going strong owned by my brother in law. Never did it ever have issues with anything electrical or electronic aside from me rewiring the hall effect sensor as a pre-emptive repair. There were some mechanical failures along the way, but never anything that necessitated roadside repairs. I still love that bike and it will be returning to my stable when I pass on my K1200GT and take the RS back in trade. Just the same, I do not have any aspirations of touring again on the RS, it was great in it's day, but it's just not as nice as modern bikes for touring. At least not for me.
 
That them there Florence, OR is the hotbed of high tech I tell ya an it discust me.. They added a fourth stop light but I protested it as completely unneccesary. Young'ns shopping at the new Safeway on the main drag should just sit there a spell while the never ending line of them lectric cars cars during rush hour clogs the only road through town. I didn't care for that new Tsunaamy warning system neighter. When its yur time, its yer time I say. The curved bridge over the river is still holding up. It bounces a bit more these days under those thousand pound car batteries, but they just need to chip a little of the rust of those hundert year old strusses corroding due to the salt air and gett'n thinner year by year an juss slap sommore lead-based green paint on em an they'll be jus fine. An no, I didn't write this here rant about technology on no smart phone nor putter, I typed it out on my trusty Smith-Corona and had the postman deliver it to the Editor of this here MOA so's you can all see what I think. An them stamp prices are gettn rediculous. Bring back the Pony Express.
 
Hey Rainman you done made my day. Lots of lol..lol..lol.. Yup, 4 stop lights and soon to be 5 at this rate. Here's a bit of trivia for you: In July of this year Florence was one of the 1% of places in the lower 48 with the coolest average temperature for the month. I think I'll stay I mean I been on this coast between Coos Bay and Florence for over 40 years so why not. Slept with the electric blanket on every night this summer, life's a b#$ch. Now watch even more people will try to move here.

Yeah, I gave up trying to figure out how to add a set of points for my R1100RSL ignition system but I tried. lol..lol.. Sometimes I think I'm bored.:banghead
 
jammess said:
Hey Rainman you done made my day. Lots of lol..lol..lol.. Yup, 4 stop lights and soon to be 5 at this rate. Here's a bit of trivia for you: In July of this year Florence was one of the 1% of places in the lower 48 with the coolest average temperature for the month. I think I'll stay I mean I been on this coast between Coos Bay and Florence for over 40 years so why not. Slept with the electric blanket on every night this summer, life's a b#$ch. Now watch even more people will try to move here.

Yeah, I gave up trying to figure out how to add a set of points for my R1100RSL ignition system but I tried. lol..lol.. Sometimes I think I'm bored.:banghead
Click to expand...

Have personally seen two houses damaged and two others totaled due to fires from electric blankets. I try to dissuade my friends from using them. Be careful of that technology!
Yup, Coos Bay to Florence, often the coolest, in the state, in summer and warmest in winter. (don't tell anyone)
 
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