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Mid-South ride, eat, and meet

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I was up at the dealer looking at all the new rigs. Their salesman was Joe Ortega, kinda famous on the Memphis motorcycle scene. Barry, we gotta new bike just in, already sold. The buyer is letting us keep it for a week. Yea man, let’s see it. He took me to the back and showed me the new LT. I was floored; it was so gorgeous. Man, what a bike.
 
Compact Drive System

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BMW even gave there new drive train a name; Compact Drive System. Very automotive. Th old school Opposed Twin guys were slow to warm up to it.
 
‘87 K100RS Motorsport

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I didn’t know a lot of guys on Beemers at the time, I usually went by Leo Goff’s shop on Tutwiler on Saturdays and hung out. That seemed to be a popular hangout for that crowd. A guy rode up on one of these. He was telling Leo all about his latest rides. I was impressed. Leo introduced me to Skip Roberts. I think he was a commercial airline pilot. He kept that bike supersano immaculate. It just seemed so sophisticated, cool, upscale, swoopy, fast and it just standing on it’s center stand on the driveway. I was just daydreaming.
 
I’m skipping around too much. Didn’t my thoughts on the LT. I was riding my /5 back to the house, pulled off Highway 64, I glanced over to a local gas station and thought I caught a glimpse of a BMW in a pack of bikes. U-turned around and went back to the station. It wasn’t one but a whole pack of Beemers. It was the BMWRAMS out for a ride. One bike caught my eye, it was a K100LT, rode up and met Ken Futrell. Is this the LT I saw at the dealer the other week. Yep. Ken was happy to tell the whole story about it. He was center stage telling me about the bike. Yes, it was the latest, greatest. Left and finished my ride back to the house, must be nice to have a bike like that. :bow
 
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About that same time I was over at Leo’s shop and Leo mentioned he was looking to buy a new K100RT from the dealer, if I remember correctly they were discounting them $1000. I was over at his shop the day he went to get it. He came back a little later riding the bike. It came with saddle bags. A couple of other guys were there that rode K’s. They were talking fuel injection, triple disk brakes, electronic dash, overall performance; all I could do was listen. I was looking over at the little /5; Carburetors, drum brakes, 30 rompin/stompin hp. They were Jet Age and I was Stone Age. The bike Leo got was pretty much like the picture. They all went inside, I drifted over, put my hand on the throttle; I’m going to get one somehow, some day.
 
I occasionally ordered parts from the local dealer; pretty much hit and miss. They didn’t much care for the bikes or the riders. They were making a ton of money off H/D riders. Those guys spent money hand over fist. BMW riders pretty fugal and tight with their bucks. We were 2nd class patrons at the dealer. They didn’t know BMW parts from, take your pick. They didn’t know and didn’t want to know. Pretty sad affair for us BMW riders. Memphis and the Mid-South was the backwater hinterland.
 
Capital Cycle

I was over at Leo’s shop unloading on the sad state of affairs. He reached over and picked up a small catalog opened it and went thru marking part numbers and making a parts list. When he got thru he handed it to me; call Hall and order these parts. Be sure to talk to Hall, tell him Leo made your list. Any questions, hand me the phone. Got it.:thumb
 
Waiting for the parts, sitting in Leo’s shop, watching him work; I asked about the dealer situation. It’s terrible. He looked at me and smiled. Barry, U know how much it costs to open a BMW dealer. Ain’t gotta clue. Well the joke is U start with a large fortune and if your lucky you’ll end up with small fortune. That is if U don’t go bankrupt. Got it. Be thankful we got a dealership in this backwater city. OK.
 
About a week later the parts showed at Leo's. Leo scheduled me in to get the work done a Saturday morning.
Rode over, put the bike on the lift and Leo got to work. During the work session, Leo said Barry we gotta problem. What?
A part was broken not seen in the inspection. Leo had a pretty extensive BMW parts inventory. He was gone for about 15 minutes. Naw, ain't got it. Leo was on the phone to the dealer. Yep, they got it. The dealer is about 30 minutes away. Barry, U gotta go get it. The K100 is parked outside with the keys, take it and go get ur parts. Are U serious? About time U rode a K.; a quick tutorial and I was off.
 
I was off for a quick 20 minute ride to the dealer. Nirvana. Went in and got the parts. The brake light had stayed on too long. Oh yea, tap both brakes and the brake light go's out. Remember the tutorial. Back on the bike, I wished I had a 50 mile ride back. All to quick I was back at the shop. Leo stuck his head out the shop door; how was it, Smiling. Ah, Leo I didn't want to come back. I know, now your hooked. Let's get bike finished up so U can ride home.
 
Thx, pretty much staying home and socially distancing. Just telling old war stories to occupy myself in this Dystopian world we live in now.:wave
 
Cool Pic

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After U ride for 30 years, U generally figure out what works for U.
I like to start with a standard bike and add what I want. The front bike is a ‘85 K100. The only year a plain K100 was imported to the USA. This one accessorized with Touring windshield, spot lamp kit, crash bars, bags, tank bag, rear rack and bags. Perfect startup for me. In fact I’m building one.

Same for the following airhead. I like the International Touring Windshield, additional spotlamps, crashbars, bags, Tank bag, rally pac (60’s Mustang talk for additional gauges). This bike would be a good starter bike for me.

Just noticed the tank bag on the K100. It has the insert and it raises it up pretty high. I’ve ran the same bag like this the same way. I generally try not to do this now. I ride solo, and that’s a bit much for me. Looks cool in the pic, everything so tidy.
 
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This picture is informative. The K75 on top and the K100RT bottom. The guy on the RT with his knees in the fairing. I’m 6’2’’; my knees were alway banging the back of the lower fairing. I removed the fairing from my RT. I have a couple of headlight assemblies from K75’s to install on my K100. I like K75’s; but I also like the extra 20hp the K100 over the K75. To each his/her own. Ps my knees hurt looking at that pic.
 
I have seen guys trim the RT fairing to get clearance. Some were total chop jobs and some were actually done pretty good. If I did it, it would me a chop job, not a pretty picture. I’m pretty good using reciprocating saws, hacksaws, files etc. on metal; but on a fairing; naw.
 
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I want to ride my K100. I’m getting a little older, so generally I avoid riding a lot at night, but sometimes I have to. A little more light is a good thing. I also think they look good. People think your a serious rider. :whistle
 
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