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

[pritch]

I put it to you me old chum that you have a serious case of 'what bike next ?'disease .

Not yet I hope. I've only had the Triumph a coupla weeks - and loving it. Did just renew my BIKE subscription though...

And I agree with your comments re the R100RS. I like the older ones but, as good as they are, the newer ones are just too ugly.

Notwithstanding that though I've got a raffle ticket in an F800R.

[martybabe]

Not yet I hope. I've only had the Triumph a coupla weeks - and loving it. Did just renew my BIKE subscription though...

And I agree with your comments re the R100RS. I like the older ones but, as good as they are, the newer ones are just too ugly.

Notwithstanding that though I've got a raffle ticket in an F800R.

Triumph !!! nobody tells me anything so you've recently recovered from the 'what bike next' syndrome, that explains a lot. Fair play big guy, so when do I get to see it, when, when?

[PrincessBandit]

Balu was very taken with the R12 a while ago and very tempted to surrender his Burgman in order to own the beemer. Others have drawn his eye as well, namely the 1250 bandit and Vstrom but he keeps coming back to the beemer.

It is the siren which is trying to lure him away from the burger!

[martybabe]

Balu was very taken with the R12 a while ago and very tempted to surrender his Burgman in order to own the beemer. Others have drawn his eye as well, namely the 1250 bandit and Vstrom but he keeps coming back to the beemer.

It is the siren which is trying to lure him away from the burger!

Aye, a lovely piece of kit, got a bit more zip in the engine this year too. I would very much like to have one of those please Mr Lottery man in the sky.

[Gremlin]

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.

I reckon two types by a BMW. Either posers, or at least very gentle folk, sorta bought for the BMW image, or Long Way Round/Down stuff, and then the real riders, who clock up big km, keep losing time every time they head out the door etc.

Life is short... live it the way you want. After clocking up about 1500km over the weekend, its all making sense, and while quirky and not perfect in some ways, the head decision is slowly making the heart come to realise it was the perfect decision, and why didn't I do it sooner. Hopefully I hold onto this one for years... its expensive changing bikes

[martybabe]

I reckon two types by a BMW. Either posers, or at least very gentle folk, sorta bought for the BMW image, or Long Way Round/Down stuff, and then the real riders, who clock up big km, keep losing time every time they head out the door etc.

Life is short... live it the way you want. After clocking up about 1500km over the weekend, its all making sense, and while quirky and not perfect in some ways, the head decision is slowly making the heart come to realise it was the perfect decision, and why didn't I do it sooner. Hopefully I hold onto this one for years... its expensive changing bikes

Very well put. I have no data on this but I wouldn't be surprised to find that BMW owners change their bikes less frequently than other makes, maybe, they certainly seem to be built as keepers and the more ks I put on mine the more I like it.

Not perfect as you say but really good at just about every thing. If I had to be critical...I think the top box is ugly and there is to much vibration through the handle bars for a continent eater but that really is it. For the first time in my 35 years of riding I don't want to change anything on the bike, it doesn't need it, it's just built to ride till you've had enough.

1500k in a weekend is pretty impressive Grem

[shrub]

a 1981 Moto Guzzi le Mans 850. It was uncomfortable at any speed under 130, crap around town and had stupidly heavy throttle and clutch, yet I would wake up on a Saturday morning with no plans and arrive home well after dark having done 600 - 1000 kms. My arse would be numb, my wrists and back would be hurting like there's no tomorrow, yet I loved riding that bike like no other before or since.

[martybabe]

a 1981 Moto Guzzi le Mans 850. It was uncomfortable at any speed under 130, crap around town and had stupidly heavy throttle and clutch, yet I would wake up on a Saturday morning with no plans and arrive home well after dark having done 600 - 1000 kms. My arse would be numb, my wrists and back would be hurting like there's no tomorrow, yet I loved riding that bike like no other before or since.

Yup that is a surprise but you clearly understand what I'm going on about. Come to think Of it, I've seen many a bike out there and wondered what the attraction could be, It's not immediately obvious to the ignorant, like myself, why a somewhat uninspiring, ordinary looking and generally forgettable bike would be the bike of choice for some riders (other than financial constraints of course) but I sure do get it now.

It is perfectly possible for a bike that doesn't excel in any particular category to make sense as an overall package. What may not add up as a bunch of statistics on paper can ultimately prove to have , in spades, the best quality of all, true ride-ability. No swooning at it's beauty every time I open the garage doors, no moto GP contender, no crowds of admirers everywhere we go, no classic status or any other 'normal' reason why anyone would desire one. Except that behind that rather dull facade hides a very very good bike.

[Motu]

That's why BMW had to keep producing the airhead long after they tried to kill it - customers demanded they keep making them.By the mid '80's they were the slowest most uncool bike on the road - it shouldn't have been a bike that could sell,but was still 40% of their sales.BMW had to come up with something better than a 25 year old bike that still did everything right.

[Highlander]

It is a great thing that we are all different and looking for different things form our motorcycling experience.
For me one of the things that appealed about the BMW was the slightly uneven, rattle / pop / thump of the boxer engine. Almost like a heart beat, feels like it is alive rather than the soul less silky smooth of the Japanese inline 4.

[martybabe]

That's why BMW had to keep producing the airhead long after they tried to kill it - customers demanded they keep making them.By the mid '80's they were the slowest most uncool bike on the road - it shouldn't have been a bike that could sell,but was still 40% of their sales.BMW had to come up with something better than a 25 year old bike that still did everything right.

Well they got something right, I had two boxers way back when, a 1000rt and a 1000rs, both pretty good, both decent cycles but not quite the class act of my 1100rs. I assume the 1150 and 1200 variants are equally good.

Almost like a heart beat, feels like it is alive rather than the soul less silky smooth of the Japanese inline 4.

Daft to put human attributes on a machine I guess but it does have human like characteristics and I feel like I've got a trusted old mate in the garage now.

Ever one for an eye on the next bike though, if this 10 year old bike is so sorted what must the R1200s be like? I see the 1200RT has won loads of accolades as the best tourer ever....still a bit bloomin fugly though. R1200, R1200gs, boxer cup rep, mmm nom nom.

[Highlander]

....still a bit bloomin fugly though...

But how much of it do you see when you are riding?

Like they say you don't look at the mantel piece while you are stoking the fire

[martybabe]

But how much of it do you see when you are riding?

Like they say you don't look at the mantel piece while you are stoking the fire

Good point, I'd have to keep riding it forever so I wouldn't have to look at the front end...sounds like a blardy good plan Mr lander

[Gremlin]

Ever one for an eye on the next bike though, if this 10 year old bike is so sorted what must the R1200s be like? I see the 1200RT has won loads of accolades as the best tourer ever....still a bit bloomin fugly though. R1200, R1200gs, boxer cup rep, mmm nom nom.

You're already emotionally cheating on your current girl!!

[monkeymcbean]

Yup that is a surprise but you clearly understand what I'm going on about. Come to think Of it, I've seen many a bike out there and wondered what the attraction could be, It's not immediately obvious to the ignorant, like myself, why a somewhat uninspiring, ordinary looking and generally forgettable bike would be the bike of choice for some riders (other than financial constraints of course) but I sure do get it now.

It is perfectly possible for a bike that doesn't excel in any particular category to make sense as an overall package. What may not add up as a bunch of statistics on paper can ultimately prove to have , in spades, the best quality of all, true ride-ability. No swooning at it's beauty every time I open the garage doors, no moto GP contender, no crowds of admirers everywhere we go, no classic status or any other 'normal' reason why anyone would desire one. Except that behind that rather dull facade hides a very very good bike.

My bike I learnt on was all the above mentioned to me a 'Suzuki TU 250' I rode it everywhere back roads, dirt roads, definelty not many busy highway roads.
I did not know what any other bikes where like to ride, it was just such a new way to travel about for me.
My Suzuki 650 bandit was my first big bike and that was great to lots of touring.
I have a BMW f800s now and had it for a year, I really like this bike, its got 28,000 kms on it and I have not seen another bike I would like to replace it for now.

I've added a few 'farkels' to it, some functional some cosmetic. I hope that rotex engine holds out for a while yet. Im going to hate to have to park it up for winter down here, guess it will mean getting the push bike out.....ho hum.