bmw's was del mar race weekend - rfi - nklr

[Ed Boyd]

Hey Bill, I got a chance to put about 80 miles on a brand new BMW R1150GS last week, (the same guy who loaned me his RC51, ended up selling the RC51 that same day, so he went home and got his brand new Beemer so I won't be without a ride home - nice guy). A great day, KLX 650R in the early morning, then the RC51 to work the long way, then the R1150GS after work for about 80 miles! Not having ridden a modern street bike in a while (last real street bike I rode was a early 90's FJ1200 - nice ride that one) I was amazed (could it be 'cause I'm used to bombing around on a KLX 650 dirt bike with a dual sport kit on it? -nah!). I really liked it. Heated grips, ABS, comfortable as all get out. Nice wide bars, flat seat, small windshield, 6 speed, fuel injected, good acceleration, and nice handling for a big bike. I wouldn't want to take it off road, but it was eating up the highway miles, 80-90 mph no problem. I could see a 500 hundred mile day no problem on that thing. Looks like it could handle 2 up pretty good too. It just made it to the top of my list for future street bike purchases. Its plenty expensive, but it felt right. Ed Duvall, WA '96 KLX650R '82 Katana 1000

--- In DSN_klr650@egroups.com, "Bill E Goat" wrote: > --- In DSN_klr650@egroups.com, k650dsn@a... wrote: > > I thought they were supposed to last forever like their bikes. > > > > Gino > > > Unfortunately (though I have given up owning K-bikes) my first K- bike > only went 102,000 before I sold it to a guy. The second one went to > 77,000 (I bought it at 16,000) with the only repair being a new > battery or two and footpeg rubbers, brake pads, et cetera. I never > checked the oil on that bike after I had had it for a year or so, it > never did use any. It was run very hard for most of those miles. I > am generally easy on the chassis but not easy on the motors. > > I don't expect that kind of reliability with the oilhead; it's a more > reliability-compromised design, but the reward is in the riding. It > is fast, reliable, and handles superbly. Oh, it is quite > comfortable, enough to make it from Truckee CA to Paonia CO in a day, > and the rider merely steps off the bike and enjoys a little brew and > light conversation...... > > My first motorcycle was a bmw R60, and it was so hammer-like in its > reliability while all my friends were trying to figure our what went > wrong with their Triumph/BSA/Norton electrical system or where to get > that Bultaco or Kawasaki piston that I was sold at that moment. I am > not proud of BMW's shameless marketing nowadays, but I do still ride > them, and when they provide me a lousy bike I will cut them out of > the diet, most likely. > > Bill > 98 KLR > 97 R1100RS (bmw # 11 for me)