A New Stablemate

[PaulG]

A couple of weeks ago I posted a rant in A Sure Deal Down the Drain regarding a fruitless attempt at buying a 1999 BMW R1100RT.  I was bummed out for a bit, then couple of nights later at work I was perusing Kijiji.... aaannnd.... I found a 2001 R1150RT in Bracebridge, ON (about 2hrs north of Toronto) with less than 30,000 km on it. Wha-wha-whhaaat?   

I showed it to my wife to see if the her commitment was still there in going halvesies on it, (I could tell it was waning... )   I took a ride up there to check it out. I likey. I arranged to come back last weekend with my wife to take it for a test ride for an hr.  We rode through the Muskoka cottage country. She likey.   Now it's in our driveway. It's got the sidebags and a large Givi topcase with a backrest that will hold 2 helmets. Electric windscreen, and Blaupunkt stereo. New tires. battery,  and fresh service for fluids and filters.

It's from Switzerland. They brought it with them when they emigrated in 04, and in near showroom condition.   The FJ will remain in the family.  I will keep both insured for the remaining year, and prob take the FJ off the road for some overdue TLC after this season is over.

Now to pay the piper. Bathroom reno before summers over.

[Ted Schefelbein]

Nice bike. Hope you have many good miles, and, come to your senses, and get back on the FJ.

Just kidding. Ride safely.

Ted

[fj1289]

Nice bike. Hope you have many good miles, and, come to your senses, and get back on the FJ.

Just kidding. Ride safely.

Ted

Now that he has the "comfy" bike, the FJ can become the hot rod!  I see big bores, cams, flat slides, and much more in your future...

[PaulG]

Don't worry. The FJ ain't goin' nowheres.  Just need to get ahead of things before they accumulate.  She still runs great other than oil consumption is creeping up.  Cosmetics need addressing with plastic repairs, front fender rehab.  I have some ideas re upgrades which I will mull over through the winter.

The Beemer will be for more two-up touring as the wife hasn't been keen on the FJ for quite a while now.   Don't know why as its kitted out more on the touring side. Oh well whaddya gonna do?  Besides, "it's not for me, it's for us" (and the fact she paid 1/2) made it an easy buy.

I hadn't really considered buying another bike, but the seed got planted with the previous fiasco, then this one popped up.  With such low mileage I knew something similar wouldn't appear again, so I - er - we took the leap.

[ribbert]

Paul, you're a legend, you have the respect and admiration of every bike owner everywhere. You not only got a new bike past her and got to keep the old one, and got her thinking you did it for her, but, got her to pay half! Take a bow.....that is expert level then some.

I don't know why, but RT's are a perennial favourite in pillion surveys, maybe your wife did some googling?

I believe some of the aftermarket screens offer a substantial improvement, but other than that, I don't think there's much in the way of mods they need, despite their age.They're no rocket ship but they're fast enough and have all the power you need to do all the two-up touring with luggage you want, and the short wheel base makes them quite nimble around town and in the twisties (and you get a 6 speed box!)

Paul, I'm sure you'll get a lot of enjoyment from the RT. Those opposed twins are not everyone's cup of tea but if you like them, the feeling of that big twin working away on the highway is magic, almost hypnotic.

Be sure to tell you wife what a great choice she made at every opportunity, it will pave the way for future purchases.

However, all this goodness comes at a price, you will now be categorised as a BMW rider and as such you will be snubbed by other riders, they won't engage in casual banter with you, wave to you or even park near you. It gets worse though, BMW club members will assume you are one them and it's at that point that you start to wonder if having a BMW is worth it.

If I had to make a choice between an RT and an FJ, it would be easy, I'd choose to keep both!

The bike you've bought looks like a beauty, and the mileage, wow! Enjoy.

Noel

[PaulG]

Golly Gee, I'm blushing.    I've owned two boxers in the past, (78 R80 & 97 R1100GS), so I'm familiar with the twin characteristics, not so much the "community". The FJ Owners is the only "organized" group I've ever joined - anywhere for anything.  About the only downside of owning a boxer is finding a dealer that treats you like something other than an ATM.

Funny though, in the 10 odd years I owned those two bikes, I never met or rode with another beemer owner.     But I've met and rode with many FJ owners in the last 13yrs since I've owned my mine.     Don't know if that says more about me or everyone else....

[Ted Schefelbein]

I have one BMW story, from the dark ages of my youth.

I rode my Honda CB900F to a friends apartment complex, for reasons I don't remember, but, it likely involved some sort of beer compensated labor on my part-people can figure that part of your character flaws fairly quickly, and use it to their advantage. It was hot out, a nice summer day. I was outside, waiting for whatever was going to happen, when a guy pulled up on the very first gen K100. He parked it in the middle of the lot, on it's side stand, gave me a nod, and went into the building. It was so new it didn't have a plate on it yet. My friend came out, and we sat on a picnic table in the shade for about ten minutes. As our heroic BMW rider came out, he stopped to put his helmet on, just in time to see the K100 fall on it's side.
The gas had boiled in the tank, and run down the side stand, melting the asphalt under it, and caused the bike to fall.
I never looked at BMWs the same way, after that day.

Hey, good luck with the new ride.

Ted