Added #4 to the stable this weekend
 

I flew out to North Carolina and picked this thing up. I didn't need it, but I did want it. LOL

Had a great trip. Got to meet Troy finally, and had dinner with Trip and his wife on Saturday evening.

To bring it home, I rode 300 miles Saturday, 900 miles on Sunday, almost all of it in sub-50 degree temps. It was a little cool! This bike is amazing. It's definitely made for the type of riding I do. =)

Now to figure out how I can have room in the garage to actually work on anything now. Dangit! haha!

Sweet, now I am only one bike ahead of ya, and may be tied by weeks end :lol:

I think my days of purchases like that are now over :(

Nice bike... it's about time you got a brick motor. :nee:

Nice bike T. That should fit into the stable with all the others just fine.

I know I already said it, but I approve. :dthumb:

AND you got to try "eastern" Barbeque!


Glad she has a good home with someone who can appreciate her :rockwoot:

That is a great looking bike. Congratulations!

Will you be semi-retiring the Busa from touring now?

I've been looking at the Kawasaki Councours....I've modified my "power cruiser" to make it more cruise oriented as my riding tastes have changed...but it's not really the right tool for the job.

I'm still thinking about it....but I may well sell the M109-R in the Spring and buy one of these.

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...oncours_14.jpg

Is that a ram air duct between the lights? When the heck did they add that?

Triumph Sprint ST

While good, I wouldn't call that *barbeque*! You easterners are weird! LOL

I dunno what I'm gonna do yet. The R1150RT has been on my want list for a while, so I snagged it. I'll definitely keep the Busa, as there's not much of a market for a non-extended swingarm bike with 70k on it. LOL

I'll probably use it for some of the lighter touring in the neighboring states, but when I'm heading on the serious tours, the BMW will probably get the nod.

I have always dug the RT
:dthumb:

And here I was thinking, "Who were the second and third after Archren?"...

I was wondering if he counted her bikes in that figure. Or does he really have six

Where do you live G-Rex?

I am thinking about getting a long distance tourer..but have really no idea what to get.

I'm in Oklahoma City.

As for a long distance tourer, there are many options obviously. I had narrowed my list down to the RT based on a few things a while back before this deal ever came up.

FJR: Good looking bike. 6.6 gal fuel tank. 490 watt alternator output. The FJR was in the running, as it had the important things I wanted. Looks, lots of fuel, and a high output alternator. Only negative with the FJR was alot of complaints about heat.

Concours: 5.8 gal fuel tank. Don't remember the alternator output, but I remember it not being anything super impressive. Love the Concours too, and it would have been in the running, but I wasn't going to upgrade from the Busa for only .3 extra gallons of fuel capacity.

ST1300: 6.6 gal fuel tank. 700 watt alternator output I think it was. Great bike on paper, but it just didn't do anything for me in the looks department. I'm just not a Honda guy.

R1150RT: 6.6 gal fuel tank. 700 watt alternator output. Great looking motorcycle in my opinion. Adjustable seat height also. I think one of the others above had that too, but don't remember which without going back and researching again.

The other benefit for the BMW is this. How many do you see with 300,000 miles, 400,000 miles, or more? Many of them. This tells me they're doing something right. I want a bike that I can put serious miles on and it will keep going with regular maintenance.

Just my .02 cents worth. Maybe this will help you with your decision. If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me. I've looked at all of these bikes in depth at one time or another.

to echo Tracy

When I bought that RT it was the very first bike I set out to buy specifically purchase.

I did NOT get a killer deal on it….as a matter of fact it was used and was only $2000 under what I could have gotten many new “leftover” models for. But yet I wanted THAT particular bike.
I wanted a specific color as well. So I flew to south florida and rode it back to upper NC like Tracy did. And had a shit-eatin grin on my face all the way back.
I too did loads of research on sport touring bikes prior to my choice. But the kicker was watching “The Italian Job” and seeing those bagless RT’s bein flogged like motards. I thought “yeah yeah, more Hollywood CGI” until I went to the BMW shop and rode a few.
I was SHOCKED! Granted it’s not got the absolute arm ripping torque that the Concours 14 has, but after 300 miles on the concours, your buddy will be asking to ride the RT for the NEXT gas hop I guarantee!
If you can have a sportbike AND a touring bike, there is no question an RT is something to consider. ESPECIALLY one that’s a STUPID deal that you would be kicking yourself in the ass for years if you DIDN’T take
.

Didnt yamaha resolve the heat issue with the fjrs, heard the rerouted something in the bodywork.

Supposedly on the 06/07's that was resolved. But you still read complaints about it.

FJR's have a cult following, and their owners seem to be MUCH more defensive than typical bike whores.

I've NEVER been loyal to one brand over another....there are plus' and minus' for every single mfg and bike....but never have I seen overprotection of a single model of bike like the FJR :lol:

I've ridden a few and liked them....just like the RT better. :idk:

I was kicking around the fjr vs the connie as potential replacemtns for the priller. I like the looks of the fjr a lot better, but it seems the kawi got much better writeups last year. problem for me is theyre too heavy, would prefer someting in the 500 pound range instead.

Once you add bags, and the stuff you cram in them, they ALL are porkers!

What it came down to for ME was; which bike would I be the least tired after riding either 1000 miles on the hiway or 500 miles on the parkway at a good clip.

I did NC to Mexico on a busa, and NC to Canada on a K1200S and NC to Key West on a Blackbird.

Of the three the K1200S was the best in the curves, the blackbird the best for mile eating and the busa was just bad-ass all the time. But when loaded down they all three handled poorly. And at the end of the day on a trip, that RT made you dissapointed that you had to stop. Whereas all the OTHER bikes that were more sport than touring had me begging for shorter fuel stops (after about 700 miles)

Suspension was key for me. I HAD a sportbike...so why did I need another one? While the RT was pretty nimble, overall it had a VERY tall suspension and long travel, and ate bumps and crappy roads like they were chocolate syrup. And while it weighed more than the FJ or concours, once rolling (and even rolling SLOW) the weigh difference dissapeared.

i think for me weight is more of an issue since its biggest role is a commuter with some touring thrown in, I have done a few NY to GA/NC trips and wasnt too bad, I was hurtin at the end but after 14 hrs in the saddle its expected. I also have to fight NYC traffic and bad roads so something a bit more nimble is important. If aprilia redid the futura and improved the electrics and maybe added heated grips it would be perfect for my needs.

Nuff said!

What do the motocycle cops use up there?

hardleys. Those guys are nuts and can ride. I have seen them fly down some of the NYC hwys with the shitty pavement at speeds I wouldnt consider on a sportbike.

Around here its a mix between hd, f800 gs, and the drz

NYC hwy and nassau and suffolk counties are all on harleys. Not sure about upstate and I think the troopers are on harleys too.

The few bike cops we have up here are on Harleys. Very few troopers on bikes - mostly local PD

only time I realy see the MC cops is for funeral processions and parades

Wouldn't that be more a reflection on the typical owner vs the bike itself?

See em regularly out in Suffolk county.
They really need to get those guys outta of the Harley mindset and get them proper riding gear and uniforms.

Nice Beemer

You have 5 bikes? What do you have again??? :scratch:

Goldwings and Gixxer 600s

2 gsxr 750's9trying to sell one of them)
aprilia futura
suzuki tl1000S
buell 1125r

now how many are in pieces?

:whistle:

HEY!!!

I resemble that remark. LOL

:lol: you too

just one :lol:

Nice writeup...thanks.

Troy...what heating stuff is on the RT? When it comes to being cold I'm a pussy. It has to be 80F or higher or I'm cold. Shit...it gets 50F here and I'm freezing riding home with full gear and a neck scarf. IMO, the BMWs look the coolest.

Grips, and you can GET the heated seats on the 05-newer from BMW OR you can get them from Corbin on the 04-olders as well.

The thing about the 04-older RT's is the area you tuck you legs in is completely out of the airstream, and the mirrors block the wind off your hands. Get an oversized windscreen and you're in a cacoon!

Plus with the heat rising up off the air cooled motor, if you angle the windscreen just right, you can get all of that heat as well.

With heated socks, I rode in 26 degree weather for 3 hours last year and was SWEATING when I stopped.