Checking in from PEI Canada

After deciding to get back into biking after a 38 year break (wife, 4 kids, job... you know the drill) I originally went back to the brand I'd left and bought a lightly used Honda 1100 Shadow. Great bike, reliable, solid, reasonably quick all that stuff but something was missing... and realized I wasn't smiling enough. Next stop a Harley Wide Glide with pipes! loud, fun, a little more power... all was well; then my wife decided to join me and the wide glide didn't work for two up for any distance. Next stop H-D ElectraGlide Classic. Nice bike, comfy two up on the highway, could cruise all day but holy smoke what a handful around town, especially two up. At close to 900 pounds I found myself reluctant to just hop on for a trip to the corner store. Started doing research and the BMW R1200RT kept coming up. A shade over 600 lbs., 125 hp, and when you check out the pricing they are pretty reasonable in their basic form. By the time I checked them out and realized the real life examples come out pretty well equipped (and several thousand $'s) more I was hooked. Today my 2017 BMW R1200RT is stowed away with my first 7000 kms on the odometer after 2.5 months of use. Even convinced my (15+ year H-D riding) brother to trade in his E'Glide for my bike's twin. Now we are touring the Maritimes together and looking forward to some trips to the US next summer. last summer I even joined up with the BMW Owners of Nova Scotia for a late summer trip around the famed Cabot Trail. So now I'm a proud BMW owner with a big grin on my face as I enjoy my RT and count the days till the tarp comes off.

Welcome to the MOA Darrell... you carry a lot of family influence! Those RT's will serve you both well during extended travels and on local rides.
Hope to say Hello on the road or at a rally sometime.

"travel'n" john

Welcome to the family, Darrell! Next year's family reunion is just down the road in Iowa. Hope to see you there!

I was amazed at the size of PEI when I rode up there. My wife is an Anne of Green Gables fanatic and from the movies I thought one could easily walk everywhere on the island!

Beautiful country!

Pete and Tulliver

Welcome to the MOA Forum Darrell. As others have said. and you already know, the R1200RTW will put smiles on your faces for years to come.

It was great riding and spending time with you and Gary, on our Annual Fall Colours Ride around the Cabot Trail this October.

As Peter mentioned, the 2018 BMW MOA International Rally is coming up (July 12-15). It is at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa. I'm riding there as will some other BMWONS members. It's too early to identify how many, but keep in-touch if you'd like to consider riding as a group. Personally, my curent plan is a 2-day ride to Toronto, spend a day in Toronto with friends and pick-up another rider there who used to ride with us in Nova Scotia in the 70's, then do a 2-day secondary highway ride to the rally. Likely head back through the US as I like riding through the Lake Placid - White Mountains areas whenever feasible.
Rally Web-section: http://www.bmwmoa.org/news/344127/Des-Moines-is-the-Winner-for-2018.htm
Rally Forum section: https://forums.bmwmoa.org/forumdisplay.php?11-Rally-Forum

You could do your first rally in Nova Scotia. BMWONS is co-hosting the 2018 Bluenose Rally this year (July 6-8).
It has been running longer than the MOA Rally (longest continuously running Rally in Canada) and is the FIM Continental Rally for North America. There is a limit of 350 this year so if you want to attend don't leave it until the last minute. You especially don't want to miss the BMWONS hosted Friday evening Bavarian Beer Garden where we give away beer!!!
http://www.bluenoserally.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=50&Itemid=182

2018 is going to be a big year for BMWONS. It is our 40th Anniversary as a Club, we're MOA Charter Club #097. So we will be having a 40th Anniversary Weekend in the Annapolis Valley, June 16-17, with rides and a banquet. Both of our two Founding members and three of our five Charter members are still active in the Club and will be riding there! There will be a Club announcement early next year.

Here are links to the various BMWONS media so you can keep in touch with us throughout the year:
Website (being redone/updated): http://www.bmwons.ca/index.html
Forum (being redone/updated): http://bmwons.forumpro.fr/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1024778357650484/

Also, if you and/or Gary would like to join BMWONS here a link for doing that: http://msreg.com/BMWONS-Membership-2018

Welcome to the Forum Darrell!

Being in PEI, you are lucky to have so many interesting places to ride and explore in nearby NB, NS, Nfld and Quebec' Gaspé Bay area, and of course your own picturesque province.

Hope that you can make it to our rally in Des Moines in July.

Cheers!