[dsn_klr650] bmw r1150 gs motorcycles conquer canyonlands: (nklr)

[Verle Nelson]

The Moab Dual Sport "Get Together" (euphemism for "Rally") will never be the same. For several years now, rally attendees, mostly mounted on Kawasaki KLR650 motorcycles, have amused themselves by poking fun at BMW riders. Foremost among those poked were the F650 riders whose machines most resemble the KLR650 in purpose but are widely regarded as too big, to heavy and too expensive by KLR650 riders. The even bigger, heavier and more expensive GS model BMWs, especially the really big, heavy and expensive models of recent years, are usually dismissed out-of-hand as barely suited for graded gravel roads, much less capable of traveling rough 4WD trails. But after this year's rally, still in progress as I write, this all may change. A respected and long time rally goer chose not to ride his KLR650 to this year's rally but came, instead, on his R100GS PD. He was accompanied by two friends on R1150GS models (somehow, I question now whether these were really 1150s or 1100s that were upgraded in the telling during the course of the evening). On the way to Moab, they traveled several roads and trails in Colorado's San Juan mountains. Among the notable 4WD roads were: Engineer Pass and Cinnamon Pass. After arriving in Moab, these three GS riders, perhaps flushed with success on rough, rocky, mountain roads as high as 13,000 feet in altitude, then proceeded on an overnight trip around the White Rim Trail in the company of several riders on KLR650s. I first heard about these rides from the respected rider himself and also from one of the KLR riders on the overnight White Rim ride who, coincidentally, had ridden Engineer and Cinnamon passes on the same day as the GS riders (he reportrd that melting snow made Engineer Pass a little slick in places). But yesterday throughout the evening, I heard this story repeated several times by rally goers who were obviously impressed. Here's the kicker: it is said that, throughout these rides, no one dropped a BMW GS motorcycle. "Very impressive," I allowed. "Yeah," someone said. "Even the GS riders seemed impressed." And so it is: the world of dual sport motorcycling can change in sudden and unexpected ways. Hot on the heels of _Motorcycle World_ magazine choosing the R1150GS as "Best Sport Touring motorcycle of the decade," two unnamed riders ride them where no R1150GS motorcycles have gone before -- or have they? Now we wonder. A rush to BMW dealers might be expected except it is said that all R1150GS models for this year are already sold. Will this shortage result in backlash sales for the new F650GS arriving next month? As of yesterday evening, no GS rider had yet attempted Lockhart Basin. Somehow, it now seems inevitable. BeemerBigDawg! Where are you? Verle Nelson Cedaredge, CO

[Zachariah Mully]

But as the saying goes: "It is not what you ride, but that you ride" As long as you're on two wheels, I wave. Congrats to the GS'ers, they must have been sore after those rides And to all you bastards in Moab while the rest of us are trapped at our desks, Bah Humbug! Zack Verle Nelson wrote:

> The Moab Dual Sport "Get Together" (euphemism for "Rally") will never be the > same. For several years now, rally attendees, mostly mounted on Kawasaki > KLR650 motorcycles, have amused themselves by poking fun at BMW riders. > Foremost among those poked were the F650 riders whose machines most resemble > the KLR650 in purpose but are widely regarded as too big, to heavy and too > expensive by KLR650 riders. The even bigger, heavier and more expensive GS > model BMWs, especially the really big, heavy and expensive models of recent > years, are usually dismissed out-of-hand as barely suited for graded gravel > roads, much less capable of traveling rough 4WD trails. But after this > year's rally, still in progress as I write, this all may change. > > A respected and long time rally goer chose not to ride his KLR650 to this > year's rally but came, instead, on his R100GS PD. He was accompanied by two > friends on R1150GS models (somehow, I question now whether these were really > 1150s or 1100s that were upgraded in the telling during the course of the > evening). On the way to Moab, they traveled several roads and trails in > Colorado's San Juan mountains. Among the notable 4WD roads were: Engineer > Pass and Cinnamon Pass. After arriving in Moab, these three GS riders, > perhaps flushed with success on rough, rocky, mountain roads as high as > 13,000 feet in altitude, then proceeded on an overnight trip around the > White Rim Trail in the company of several riders on KLR650s. > > I first heard about these rides from the respected rider himself and also > from one of the KLR riders on the overnight White Rim ride who, > coincidentally, had ridden Engineer and Cinnamon passes on the same day as > the GS riders (he reportrd that melting snow made Engineer Pass a little > slick in places). But yesterday throughout the evening, I heard this story > repeated several times by rally goers who were obviously impressed. Here's > the kicker: it is said that, throughout these rides, no one dropped a BMW GS > motorcycle. > > "Very impressive," I allowed. > "Yeah," someone said. "Even the GS riders seemed impressed." > > And so it is: the world of dual sport motorcycling can change in sudden and > unexpected ways. Hot on the heels of _Motorcycle World_ magazine choosing > the R1150GS as "Best Sport Touring motorcycle of the decade," two unnamed > riders ride them where no R1150GS motorcycles have gone before -- or have > they? Now we wonder. > > A rush to BMW dealers might be expected except it is said that all R1150GS > models for this year are already sold. Will this shortage result in backlash > sales for the new F650GS arriving next month? > > As of yesterday evening, no GS rider had yet attempted Lockhart Basin. > Somehow, it now seems inevitable. BeemerBigDawg! Where are you? > > Verle Nelson > Cedaredge, CO > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Remember four years of good friends, bad clothes, explosive chemistry > experiments. > http://click.egroups.com/1/4051/5/_/911801/_/960498058/ > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > Support Dual Sport News... dsneditor@... > Let's keep this list SPAM free! > > Visit our site at http://www.egroups.com/group/DSN_klr650 > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@egroups.com

[TNBMWRIDER@aol.com]

Verle - Being a Beemer rider too, I enjoyed your rally and Beemer report. Thanks, David W. Moulder TNBMWRIDER@... Riders Association of the MidSouth (RAMS) Treasurer RAMS # 127 BMWMOA #49736 1994 R100GS "Bumblebee" 1997 KLR 650 "Bluebird"

[Mark]

I dunno, I've been to Moab before but didn't ride there. But, from the pix I've seen so far, the place looks freakin' paved. Mark (a hard sell, but hoping to go there next year) B2 A2 At 5:33 PM -0400 6/08/2000, Zachariah Mully wrote:

>But as the saying goes: >"It is not what you ride, but that you ride" > >As long as you're on two wheels, I wave. > >Congrats to the GS'ers, they must have been sore after those rides >And to all you bastards in Moab while the rest of us are trapped at our desks, >Bah Humbug! > >Zack > >Verle Nelson wrote: > >> The Moab Dual Sport "Get Together" (euphemism for "Rally") will never be the >> same. For several years now, rally attendees, mostly mounted on Kawasaki >> KLR650 motorcycles, have amused themselves by poking fun at BMW riders. >> Foremost among those poked were the F650 riders whose machines most resemble >> the KLR650 in purpose but are widely regarded as too big, to heavy and too >> expensive by KLR650 riders. The even bigger, heavier and more expensive GS >> model BMWs, especially the really big, heavy and expensive models of recent >> years, are usually dismissed out-of-hand as barely suited for graded gravel >> roads, much less capable of traveling rough 4WD trails. But after this >> year's rally, still in progress as I write, this all may change. >> >> A respected and long time rally goer chose not to ride his KLR650 to this >> year's rally but came, instead, on his R100GS PD. He was accompanied by two >> friends on R1150GS models (somehow, I question now whether these were really >> 1150s or 1100s that were upgraded in the telling during the course of the >> evening). On the way to Moab, they traveled several roads and trails in >> Colorado's San Juan mountains. Among the notable 4WD roads were: Engineer >> Pass and Cinnamon Pass. After arriving in Moab, these three GS riders, >> perhaps flushed with success on rough, rocky, mountain roads as high as >> 13,000 feet in altitude, then proceeded on an overnight trip around the >> White Rim Trail in the company of several riders on KLR650s. >> >> I first heard about these rides from the respected rider himself and also >> from one of the KLR riders on the overnight White Rim ride who, >> coincidentally, had ridden Engineer and Cinnamon passes on the same day as >> the GS riders (he reportrd that melting snow made Engineer Pass a little >> slick in places). But yesterday throughout the evening, I heard this story >> repeated several times by rally goers who were obviously impressed. Here's >> the kicker: it is said that, throughout these rides, no one dropped a BMW GS >> motorcycle. >> >> "Very impressive," I allowed. >> "Yeah," someone said. "Even the GS riders seemed impressed." >> >> And so it is: the world of dual sport motorcycling can change in sudden and >> unexpected ways. Hot on the heels of _Motorcycle World_ magazine choosing >> the R1150GS as "Best Sport Touring motorcycle of the decade," two unnamed >> riders ride them where no R1150GS motorcycles have gone before -- or have >> they? Now we wonder. >> >> A rush to BMW dealers might be expected except it is said that all R1150GS >> models for this year are already sold. Will this shortage result in backlash >> sales for the new F650GS arriving next month? >> >> As of yesterday evening, no GS rider had yet attempted Lockhart Basin. >> Somehow, it now seems inevitable. BeemerBigDawg! Where are you? >> >> Verle Nelson >> Cedaredge, CO >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> Remember four years of good friends, bad clothes, explosive chemistry >> experiments. >> http://click.egroups.com/1/4051/5/_/911801/_/960498058/ >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >> Visit the KLR650 archives at >> http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 >> Support Dual Sport News... dsneditor@... >> Let's keep this list SPAM free! >> >> Visit our site at http://www.egroups.com/group/DSN_klr650 >> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: >> DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@egroups.com > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Remember four years of good friends, bad clothes, explosive chemistry >experiments. >http://click.egroups.com/1/4051/5/_/911801/_/960499839/ >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >Visit the KLR650 archives at >http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 >Support Dual Sport News... dsneditor@... >Let's keep this list SPAM free! > >Visit our site at http://www.egroups.com/group/DSN_klr650 >To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: >DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@egroups.com

[Verle Nelson]

> I dunno, I've been to Moab before but didn't ride there. But, from > the pix I've seen so far, the place looks freakin' paved. > Mark (a hard sell, but hoping to go there next year)

The most popular trails near Moab are easy for a good rider; those you ride for the stunning scenery. Riders wishing to be challenged can find trails that only an observed-trials rider could conquer. Verle Nelson Cedaredge, CO

[bill e goat]

> > > I dunno, I've been to Moab before but didn't ride > there. But, from > > the pix I've seen so far, the place looks freakin' > paved. > > Mark (a hard sell, but hoping to go there next > year) > > The most popular trails near Moab are easy for a > good rider; those you ride > for the stunning scenery. Riders wishing to be > challenged can find trails > that only an observed-trials rider could conquer.

I've been through Moab twice, on my R1100RS, and although I was enjoying the scenery and the good riding et cetera, all I was really wishing was that I had ridden my KLR, so I could enjoy the many, many dirt roads which were obviously in abundance. And the same feeling goes for much of Utah, not just the Moab area......lots and lots of places to ride, with lots of accompanying great scenery, not to mention nice creeks in which to cool off, bathe, whatever.... __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Photos -- now, 100 FREE prints! http://photos.yahoo.com