No particular place to go but I don't give a feck.

[martybabe]

I purchased a BMW R1100rs a few months ago, primarily because I wanted a decent two up steed to take the Bride on outings around Godzone. Frankly the credit card size pillion seat on the Harley didn't exactly inspire much confidence in her for happy holiday jaunts, that plus it broke down every trip (quite reliable in it's un-reliability really).

So anyway, I looked at a lot of bikes on the short list and The Beemer came out tops in terms of condition, price and suitability for the purpose. I have no particular allegiance to BMW, it just seemed to be the best deal around when I went searching.

A rather strange thing has happened to me in the short time I've had the German though, more and more the Bride has been left at home to read her books while I buggered off in search of nice places to take her on future trips

Hourly blats turned into a couple of hours, a couple of hours turned into half the day, half the day turned into......

Yup, it kind of snuck up on me but the Beemer has turned me back into a motorcyclist, not someone that rides a bike a bit once in a while but back into an enthusiastic two wheeled adventurer that I thought was gone forever.

I suppose it dawned on me yesterday when I set off for a quick sortie over the newly sealed Mount messenger, the Beemer lost the ability to U-turn for some reason so I ended up doing a seven hour circular route, 550ks , no map and no reason other than I could. I remember seeing Lake Taw Paw somewhere on route and Mount rupertpayoo, but it didn't really matter where I was, I was lost in the joy of going wherever I was going.

I've not enjoyed the sheer pleasure of motorcycling for motorcycling's sake for many a year but the Beemer just brings it out of me, we have adventures out there together just because it's fun.

Right, having said all that, I best make it clear that I'm not suggesting that BMW is biking nirvana for all of you. I read somewhere that the R1100rs is great at nothing but good at everything and I think that about sums it up for me. It's never gonna win any particular category against it's peers but, for me, it gets kinda 7-8 out of ten for everything. It feels a bit special, it's easy to use, it's long legged and comfortable and it's got a very usable turn of speed when required.

In short, for what appears to be a very sensible and therefore not necessarily very desirable bike it has re-ignited everything I once loved about biking, just setting off for the horizon with no particular place to go, for the sheer fucken joy of it.

Martybabe biking Nirvana ? Possibly, all I know is I can't wait for the wind and rain to stop so I can waste some more Petrol money.

How about yous guys, any particular bike made you remember why you took up biking in the first place, anyone bought a bike not expecting much but fell in love with the darned thing. Bloody weird, I end up buying a 10 year old, rather uninspiring bike, that I think may be of some use and in the fullness of time it has become one of the very best bikes I've ever had, simply because I get so much pleasure from it.

[Gremlin]

Yes, BMW is biking nirvana.... I may be biased

[MIXONE]

Funny you should say that Marty.My brother bought the same bike about 6 months ago with the same result.Got it at a bargain price too.

[martybabe]

Yes, BMW is biking nirvana.... I may be biased

I can't help but concur, however, It's not so much the make of bike it's just that every once in a while on a bikers journey you just kinda click with a particular bike and despite not being super fast, super fashionable or even super desirable, this old German Horse has surprised me with how much bloody fun I can have on it.

As I consider most of the road going Beemers that came after mine to be a bit on the Fuggly side of unattractive, The GS has shot to the top of the list for a most likely future replacement though

[Motu]

BMW don't play the numbers game - they don't have the highest HP,fastest top speed,quickest 1/4 mile...but they are a riders bike.Ride one for more than a squirt around the block and it all seems to make sense.I've had to modify mine to get it to where I want - but now I feel it's the bike I've spent over 40 years trying to find.

[wingnutt]

yep, brought a 86 goldwing about 4 years ago, for no other reason that I wanted to get back into riding, and I had always wanted a goldwing though had never ridden one.

I surprised me just how great an alrounder it is, and so great to ride that when I take off, no less than 300kms plus is required for the day!

the BMW is a great bike congrats.

[martybabe]

Funny you should say that Marty.My brother bought the same bike about 6 months ago with the same result.Got it at a bargain price too.

Good for him, I feel his joy, obviously a man of good taste

BMW don't play the numbers game - they don't have the highest HP,fastest top speed,quickest 1/4 mile...but they are a riders bike.Ride one for more than a squirt around the block and it all seems to make sense.I've had to modify mine to get it to where I want - but now I feel it's the bike I've spent over 40 years trying to find.

Persactly, a riders bike, Such a good balance of all aspects of riding, not just horses and speed.

no less than 300kms plus is required for the day!

Ha, you are so on it my mate

[froggyfrenchman]

BMW don't play the numbers game - they don't have the highest HP,fastest top speed,quickest 1/4 mile...but they are a riders bike.Ride one for more than a squirt around the block and it all seems to make sense.I've had to modify mine to get it to where I want - but now I feel it's the bike I've spent over 40 years trying to find.

Usually true, but they broke that mould with the R1000SS.

I have to agree with the sum ups of the R1100RS though, there is something about that bike that makes touring far more enjoyable. I dont own one, but my folks have had three in a row. Its on Trademe at the moment, and if i could possibly fit another bike in the shed (already 7 in a single) Then i would buy it tomorow.

[NodMan:Me]

Good on you Marty You have got the disease just like so many of us here!

I dont share your admiration for that particular bike but I have the same disease!

Yesterday when a certain kwaka 1000 wouldnt fire up a little 500 jumped outa the shed at me and I disappeared for 8 hours just because the road was there...(or in places like Kawakawa it wasnt there cause it was still underwater) but it didnt matter

my only problem was cruising down a great metal road at what I thought was the posted speed limit when I realised that this little bike was wearing an MPH speedo and obviously I was enjoying myself WAY too much so I had to return back to the penitentiary and take my medication!

[raftn]

I purchased a BMW R1100rs a few months ago, primarily because I wanted a decent two up steed to take the Bride on outings around Godzone. Frankly the credit card size pillion seat on the Harley didn't exactly inspire much confidence in her for happy holiday jaunts, that plus it broke down every trip (quite reliable in it's un-reliability really).

So anyway, I looked at a lot of bikes on the short list and The Beemer came out tops in terms of condition, price and suitability for the purpose. I have no particular allegiance to BMW, it just seemed to be the best deal around when I went searching.

A rather strange thing has happened to me in the short time I've had the German though, more and more the Bride has been left at home to read her books while I buggered off in search of nice places to take her on future trips

Hourly blats turned into a couple of hours, a couple of hours turned into half the day, half the day turned into......

Yup, it kind of snuck up on me but the Beemer has turned me back into a motorcyclist, not someone that rides a bike a bit once in a while but back into an enthusiastic two wheeled adventurer that I thought was gone forever.

I suppose it dawned on me yesterday when I set off for a quick sortie over the newly sealed Mount messenger, the Beemer lost the ability to U-turn for some reason so I ended up doing a seven hour circular route, 550ks , no map and no reason other than I could. I remember seeing Lake Taw Paw somewhere on route and Mount rupertpayoo, but it didn't really matter where I was, I was lost in the joy of going wherever I was going.

I've not enjoyed the sheer pleasure of motorcycling for motorcycling's sake for many a year but the Beemer just brings it out of me, we have adventures out there together just because it's fun.

Right, having said all that, I best make it clear that I'm not suggesting that BMW is biking nirvana for all of you. I read somewhere that the R1100rs is great at nothing but good at everything and I think that about sums it up for me. It's never gonna win any particular category against it's peers but, for me, it gets kinda 7-8 out of ten for everything. It feels a bit special, it's easy to use, it's long legged and comfortable and it's got a very usable turn of speed when required.

In short, for what appears to be a very sensible and therefore not necessarily very desirable bike it has re-ignited everything I once loved about biking, just setting off for the horizon with no particular place to go, for the sheer fucken joy of it.

Martybabe biking Nirvana ? Possibly, all I know is I can't wait for the wind and rain to stop so I can waste some more Petrol money.

How about yous guys, any particular bike made you remember why you took up biking in the first place, anyone bought a bike not expecting much but fell in love with the darned thing. Bloody weird, I end up buying a 10 year old, rather uninspiring bike, that I think may be of some use and in the fullness of time it has become one of the very best bikes I've ever had, simply because I get so much pleasure from it.

Fantastic post Martybabe, you have captured what motorcycling is all about, and the fact you have reignited tyour passion is just brilliant. Keepit up.....just great.

[pritch]

BMW don't play the numbers game - they don't have the highest HP,fastest top speed,quickest 1/4 mile...

That's the old BMW. The new BMW is the most powerful bike BIKE magazine has ever tested, and the first to actually make more HP than the maker claimed.

[martybabe]

I have to agree with the sum ups of the R1100RS though, there is something about that bike that makes touring far more enjoyable. I dont own one, but my folks have had three in a row.

Then your folks certainly know a good thing when they find one

Good on you Marty You have got the disease just like so many of us here!


Yesterday when a certain kwaka 1000 wouldnt fire up a little 500 jumped outa the shed at me and I disappeared for 8 hours just because the road was there.

!

There you go, different bike, exactly the same buzz, good for you mate.

Fantastic post Martybabe, you have captured what motorcycling is all about, and the fact you have reignited tyour passion is just brilliant. Keepit up.....just great.

How extraordinarily nice of you, clearly I'm not alone in my passion, it just went away for a while, who'd of thought I'd find it in an old German bus, ain't life great sometimes.

That's the old BMW. The new BMW is the most powerful bike BIKE magazine has ever tested, and the first to actually make more HP than the maker claimed.

You may not be aware but I stalk you around these pages because you've always got something interesting to say. Can't help noticing however, that most of your posts lately are quotes and specs from articles you've read in bike magazines.

I put it to you me old chum that you have a serious case of 'what bike next ?'disease . A malady that causes one to study even minutia of detail on bikes you're not even that interested in and lust after bikes you can't even get hold of.

I wish you a speedy recovery mate

[Highlander]

BMW don't play the numbers game - they don't have the highest HP,fastest top speed,quickest 1/4 mile...but they are a riders bike.Ride one for more than a squirt around the block and it all seems to make sense.I've had to modify mine to get it to where I want - but now I feel it's the bike I've spent over 40 years trying to find.

When I was looking for a new bike (new to me anyway brand spanking just isn't within my budget for a few years yet), I wasn't considering BMW until one appeared that met what I was looking for at a price that was acceptable.
I asked a friend who I knew had had one, his advice was to take it for at least 200km to test ride. He said that BMW do things quite different and it feels weird at first but after a bit just feels right.
I did, though I was sold after the first 100km

Not the prettiest bike around, but 18 months on I get a "Happy Glow" every time I ride it. Even the look is growing on me.

Last week it was WOF time, 25 km from home to bike shop to do the WOF, 300Km from bike shop to home.

[martybabe]

When I was looking for a new bike (new to me anyway brand spanking just isn't within my budget for a few years yet), I wasn't considering BMW until one appeared that met what I was looking for at a price that was acceptable.
I asked a friend who I knew had had one, his advice was to take it for at least 200km to test ride. He said that BMW do things quite different and it feels weird at first but after a bit just feels right.
I did, though I was sold after the first 100km

Not the prettiest bike around, but 18 months on I get a "Happy Glow" every time I ride it. Even the look is growing on me.

Last week it was WOF time, 25 km from home to bike shop to do the WOF, 300Km from bike shop to home.

That's the way, you know exactly what I'm talking about I'm quietly contemplating the boxer cup version of your bike, a good buy d'ya think?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-349807665.htm

[Highlander]

That's the way, you know exactly what I'm talking about I'm quietly contemplating the boxer cup version of your bike, a good buy d'ya think?

The ONLY thing I don't like about my bike is that under all that fairing they only hid a 17 litre tank, guess that goes with the "Sport bike" tag though. Still a lot more tourer in ride position than a number of Touring bikes I tested.

The Boxer Cup version would be a real hoot. Bit of extra perk over mine (not that I've found the top end of mine yet)