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New Member, 1st BMW, Middle TN

redrhino

New member
I got my first bike, a "well used" '77 Suzuki TS75, when I was 10 years old. My neighborhood was full of boys my age with bikes and we had acres and acres of undeveloped woods to build trails, jumps, berms, camp, and ride. I punished that little Suzuki dual-sport and after a year I was sitting on a brand new '78 Honda XR75. Little did we know, we were adventure riders. Not much has changed through the years...the bikes got bigger, the friends older, and the excursions farther but the spirit of adventure is even deeper.

So how did I come into possession of a BMW? I recently rode the MABDR on my KTM 790ADV R. When we reached Lawrenceville PA our group split ways to each head different directions home. I rode solo 3 days down through PA, WV, KY and back into TN. Somewhere in the back of my mind a voice said "don't you want a more street oriented adventure bike?" As the miles flew past, soon I was thinking, "if I were to get a more street oriented adventure bike...what would it be?" By the time I got home I was convinced...I NEED a new bike and the perfect bike would be a BMW GS! I reached this conclusion having only seen BMW motorcycles from afar...never ridden one, don't know anyone that owns one, never even sat on one. So, I decided to rent a 2020 R1250GS Adventure for 24 hours...don't ride a BMW if you don't want to buy a BMW. This started me down the journey of which GS is for me.

I started looking for an R1150GS (if it's good enough for Ewan and Charlie right?) and I found one in perfect condition, low miles and contacted the owner. Unfortunately for me, he decided to take the listing down...said he was too attached to the bike and couldn't part with it. 10 years of memories and adventures. What...? So the search continued until I found a '08 R1200GS Adventure in pristine condition with 20k miles (and hey, Charlie and Ewan rode one of these as well right?). I brought her home. She's red and now named the Red Rhino...something about the beak reminds me of a rhino.

I look forward to engaging and learning from the MOA community. I'm a BMW noob and have a lot to learn. Let's ride...
 

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Welcome from Newfoundland. You don't ike your 790 on the street? I find my 640 Adventure just fine on the street and have toured it extensively.
 
A few comments - firstly I hope that the OP (RedRhino) does understand that red is the fastest color, so easy on the right wrist. [It isn't an accident that astronomers measure the speed of receding stars by using the "red shift"!] Secondly there will be an opportunity to see many more BMW bikes (including many "flavors" of GS bikes) in Lebanon, TN in June (19-21); see link below -

And lastly, the video below illustrates some other (sort of sciency) things that one can do with a red GS -
 
Hallo Big Red from central Tenn, from the Tennessee River valley area of northern Alabama.

U really need to Show Up in Lebanon TN in June to see what a great BMWMOA National Rally is all about {even if U just drop by with a Day-Pass}! You’ll see things U never could’ve imagined regarding BMWs & their enthusiastic riders... I’m sure you’re gonna get many Miles & Smiles on that wicked Big GS you’ve finally discovered... April 1st starts the next annual BMW MOA Mileage Contest - Get Registered! This BMW business might become more addicting than you ever could’ve understood in those olde times. Jus sayin, I’ve been riding BMWs all around the world since my first BMW in 1975... :nod So take my word for it... Start recording your annual BMW mileage... :thumb You too can achieve mileage certificates suitable for framing...
https://www.bmwmoa.org/page/mileagecontest

FWIW, we take our newer BMWs to Pandora’s Euro Motorsports in Chattanooga when it’s time for some trusted maintenance... For our Vintage BMWs, we get them serviced out back in the Team-1402 garage. The next Airhead Tech-Day & barley therapy session is planned for the Last Saturday in March should the need to Meet & Greet some like-minded riders get too strong to ignore... :kbasa

When you’re ready to get serious about socialization, pick the nearest MOA Chartered club near you and Join Up! - Alabama has just one club; Tennessee has three cause you’re so very horizontally separated!

https://www.bmwmoa.org/page/charteredclubs

Keep the rubber side down, Big Red!
Happy Trails whenever U can.
HSV-Phil --- & --- HSV-Karen
USAF-Ret'd — & — USN-Ret’d
'14 K16GT ———— '16 R1200RS
'75 R90S ——-—— '82 R100CS
’09 KLX250S ——— ’88 R100RT
’05 Vespa 200L -—-- ’11 Vespa GTS 300
President of MOA CC-05: mailto: president@bmwmoal.org
Airmarshal of CC-214
 
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