So, here is my other bike:2004 FJR 1300. This is a fantastic bike on the pavement. Not so good though when the pavement ends. Hence the need for the new BMW GS1200 Adventure.
Here is a great photo of Conchita trying to fit everything on the bike. Those are grapes and who knows what's in the other bag!!!
This Indian was fun to ride-but alas-it was too macho for me.
2002 KTM LC4- this was a fun trail/ back roads bike, but in the end it just wasnt what I was looking for. Ok in the dirt, mediocre on the highway. I had to get the front forks revalved- they were way too soft from stock- might have had someting to do with my 230 pounds (of muscle?). It also was a real pain to start when it was cold. This picture was taken on the top of Canoe Mountain near Valemount, British Columbia.
Tuesday, July 4, 2006
Only three more sleeps until I pick up the new BMW. Chris at Wolf BMW says that the hard cases may not be in by Friday. Oh well, at least I will have the top case to put some things into and I may pick up a tank bag ( $480.00-ouch) as well. Here is what the new beast will look like. The off road tires sure make it look more aggressive. I will get a set as soon as the road ones are worn out. Shouldn't be too long!!
Wednesday, July 5, 2006
I insured the new bike today and was surprised at how cheap it was. Full coverage with $500 deductible was a meagre $675.00. About $200.00 cheaper than the FJR. Pretty good for a bike that costs almost twice as much. I could not get and actual plate for it because anything you register in Alberta, has to be in Alberta at the time. I ended up getting an "in transit" sticker for 5 days, but I will throw the plate off the FJR on there just so I dont get stopped every two miles. Still totally legal the way I see it.
Anyway, I guess I will not be adding to this blog for five days or so while I pick up the Bemeer. Should have a few good photos to post when I do though.
July 11, 2006- Made it home!!!
4500km and four days later- I am back in Cold Lake with the new bike. Mine is the same as the one pictured on the left here but it is grey instead of red (pictures down below).
I love this bike!!! The suspension is fantastic. The riding position is great-standing or sitting. And it just looks so rugged!!
I took a few backroads (highways on the map) in Saskatchewan on the way back and I was impressed-by how bad the roads actually were and how good the bike handles them.
There are a few things though that are not perfect, but I think with a little fiddling- these things can be fixed.
So, the two major things that I was not impressed with was the SEAT!! Very uncomfortable for long distance riding. I stood up through every little town that I rode through and my ass was still sore. I will definately have to look into getting that changed-possibly to a Sargent seat.
http://www.sargentcycle.com/bmwwsr12gs.htm
The other thing was a bit of a loose/light front end at higher speeds (over 130 km/h). The dealer suggested this might be because of the dual sport tires. I have read that other people have experienced this too. The good thing is that it doesnt seem to want to go into a full fledged high speed wobble. I am surprised that BMW actually lets these bikes out of the showroom like that. There was a few times when I was thinking -Hey--this is a bit freaky. I wonder if a steering damper would help? It is the same when you take the beast on soft gravel roads. I guess with the tires and the extra suspension travel it wont act like a sports bike. Anyway, I was wondering if those guys that are jumping them in the dessert on the BMW websites-crash right after landing!!!! hahah We just dont get to see THOSE pictures.
The dealer had a little room ( office ) with a garage door on the front of it. This is where they bring new owners to brief them on the bikes. When everything was all done and I was ready to go I just jumped on and rode right out of the office - it was neat.
The poeple at Wolf BMW treated me very well. They were very friendly and helpful. It was nice that they were a smaller dealership- rather than the "mega" 5 brand dealers we have here in Alberta.
Here are my two brothers (?) in law. I think that they might have been more excited than I was, if that's possible!. That's Lionel trying it out.
I left the dealer in London at 11:30AM on Friday the 7th. It was 650km to Gatineau and it took me 7 hours via the 401 (boring- I know-but I had to make some miles). After surprising my sisters and having a few beers, it was time for bed. I guess the three hour drive to Edmonton, the midnight flight and the bike ride caught up to me. I was "bagged".
My sister Debbie and her husband Leo decided to ride with me for the first couple of hours when I was heading back to London on Saturday morning. I was surprised that they actually got up and went for a ride at 4AM! It was nice to have some company. Debbie rides a 650 v-strom while Leo opted for the more "macho" 1000 v-strom. Neither one is a match for the Beemer!!- Just kidding guys.
Here we are at Mcdonalds for breakfast. It was the only place we could find that was open at 6AM.
(this is where I would insert the photo- if this &^%$#@*( ing would work !!!!- I will keep trying-stay tuned). Hey- I guess 10th time is the charm.
After a mediocre breakfast (thanks anyways Leo! ahah) I headed off on my own and arrived at Wolf BMW at 11:30 AM (a half hour late-they never mentioned it). While the bike was getting serviced, I borrowed a GS 650 (felt like a 250) and found myself a nice big Maple Tree to sleep under in a nearby park. Three hours seemed to go by really fast. Before I knew it, I had to head back to pick up the GS ( thank god it wasnt a 650-GS!).
New oil, valve check and $300 and I was ready to roll again.
I took Dave ( the mechanics ) suggestion and avoided all the main highways. Instead I hit some of the less travelled secondary roads on my way up to the ferry in Tobermoray. It is a two hour ferry ride across Lake Huron over to the Manitoulin Islands which got me to highway 1 (Trans-Canada).
On the way up, I went through the town of Brussels. Not the same Brussels where I was born though. This was Brussels Ontario!
Personal and a little off topic- do not read!
Hello Conchiiiiiiiiita. I tried calling you when I got home today to let you know that Big Bad Bri made it home safe and sound. All is well.Except for two little chips out of my helmet from a bathroom door that was real anxious to close. Arrrgggg---what a piss off. Oh well, at least I didnt crash the bike. I did almost drop it a couple of times. It is really tall and I am on my tip toes to touch the ground. Should be fun when you are on with me and we are all loaded up!!! Anyways, I love ya and talk at ya later. Hey!!! Are you guys reading this!!??? How nosey!!
Back to the trip.........
At the ferry, I met a couple- Ivan and ???? (sorry)from Hamilton(?) or was it Oshawa? doubling on a Valkyrie and Dave from Armprior Ont. riding a ZX 1100. None of us knew each other, but we all ended up staying at the same hotel ( Dave and I shared a room to save money) and having breakfast together in the morning. Dave is showing Ivan one of his riding secrets. Unscented baby wipes to clear windshields and visors. Looked like it worked really well.
I will post more later, I need some sleep.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Wednesday, July 12th, 2006
All righty then......just got back from a little ride. This time in the dirt. Hard packed dirt. It was fantastic. I think that this bike will be a whole lot of fun with a bit of practice. It is easier to throw around than thought. The suspension keeps on impressing me.
Anyway, back to the trip. So, where was I?? Ahh yes, still in Ontario- the never ending province. After I left my new friends, I headed through Sault St Marie up to Thunder Bay, hitting a torrential downpour in the process. The temp gauge on the bike read 6 degrees. My "waterproof " gloves were soaked right through. The new GS tank bag filled up with water (sort of). The water proof part is actualy inside the bag, so the water goes through the outer shell and gets stopped by this inner liner that has a pull string to sinch tight. You then snap the liner to the top of the outer shell inside. So water pools inside the bag, but your gear does not get wet. It is a very strange setup. You would think that BMW would have been able to come up with a better design. While I am talking about the tank bag, I might as well say that it gets in my way for stand up riding as well. Good thing I got this one second hand-only $300!!! Undoing the bag for refueling is a bit of a pain as well. I do like the size of the bag and the way it fits on the bike though. It is really solid and doesnt flop around at all.
With the knobbie tires I was able to pass pretty much everyone on the road when it was raining. I could see the water pooled on the surface and had no problems at all doing 120 km/h through it. I know that my FJR would have been doing a little bit of hydro-plaining. One guy thought I was nuts - he mentioned it to me when I stopped for lunch up the road. He was driving a Ford Escape and had it in 4 wheel drive and slowed to 70 km/h because there was so much water on the road.
Here is the nice little hotel I stayed at in Thunder Bay. The Pine View Inn. After an 1100 km day, I slept really well.
A good spot on the side of the road for a one hour nap somewhere in Saskatchewan.
The next day ( Monday) would be the farthest I have ever ridden in 16 hours. 1450 km!! Left Thunderbay at 8AM and arrived in a small town called Metford Saskachewan (south east of Prince Albert) at 10:30 PM (I crossed two time zones in the process). I know that the guys that do "the iron butt rally" do 1000 miles a day for ten days. I am pretty sure I could not handle that. Not on the GS anyway. Can you believe that two days later my ass is still sore!!! I am NOT kidding!
Tuesday ended up being a leisurely ride of 560km. I arrived into Cold Lake at 3 PM. Almost exactly 4 days after I picked up the bike. The odometer now reads 4550 kms.
Here is what the tire looked like when I arrived home. It probably has another 1500-2000 km in it. I liked the tire. It performed really well on the road. Cornering was not a problem and there was very little vibration. Too bad it didnt last a little longer. I cant see putting on a "street" tire, wouldnt that be defeating the whole purpose of buying the GS in the first place? I will try to find a tire that maybe isnt quite as aggressive as this one. From what I understand, they are either 10 % street or 10 % dirt- no in between. Very strange indeed. 
Ahhhhh..... back home safe and sound.
Saturday, July 15th
I have been reading on different websites about poeple not being able to get the BMW sidecases. Mine are back ordered as well. I called the dealer to see if it there was more to it than a simple backorder and I was told that he has not heard of some of the things that I have been reading about: Hundreds of backorders, fire at the touratech plant, cases may never be available etc. I personally cant see why they would never be available if they are so popular. Usually companies dont stop making a product when there is such a high demand. Hopefully they will come in before October of 2007!!!
As for the quality of the cases-no problems yet with the topcase at least. I have heard and a friend of mine has witnessed (in Alaska) many cases (especially topcases) flying off. I think that these are mostly the BMW expandable cases. I would be very suprised if anyone is having the same problems with the touratech made topcases like the one that I have. It is rock solid on there. All metal mounting. No plastic at all.
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Here are a couple of photos with the case mounted in the forward position. I find that my back does hit the case now and then when riding more aggressively. Looks pretty neat though. Isnt that whats it all about after all-looks!!! hahahha. You can see that I removed the mounting hardware for the side cases as well. No sense having the hardware if I dont have anything to mount on it!.
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It took me about 30 minutes to move the case mount on the rear rack. Some of the holes were not lining up perfectly and needed a bit of persuation. Worked in the end though.
Just got back from another little ride. The more I ride the more I like. Will have to dial up the front preload on the spring though. I got maybe a foot of air over a little rise and it came down a little hard. It is still set on the stock position-second up from softest. There are five positions- I think I will try the fourth. The manual recommends the fifth position for off-road riding , but I dont want to screw up the road handling too much.
Anyway, Big Bad Bri is off to meet up with his sexy better half!!
Friday August 18th, 2006.
All righty then. We are back from our European treck. After three weeks of being away, I was looking forward to a good ride. Maybe I was a little over zealous because I had my first spill on the GS. Nothing serious. Basically just fell over on a sidehill. 1st gear is WAY too tall. The bike stalled on me while doing a slow up/across hill climb and I fell over. It was the picking up of the bike that was the real challenge. Especially when it fell down the hill. It is a real heavy unit. Even for a man of my stature!!! Ended up with a couple of scratches on the head guard. I guess it is bound to happen a few more times, so it is good to get a few scratches as early as possible.
The side cases were waiting for me when we got home (I guess we can't believe everything that we read on the net-really!?). I have not tried them on the bike yet, but Conchita and I might head out for a weekend camping trip on the BMW before the end of summer.
I also found out that my request for a 10-week holiday has been approved !!!! Yeee haaa. Things are starting to come together.
THE TRIP:
The trip that we are planning will start at the beginning of October 2007. The route details have not been pinned down yet, but it sounds like we will be riding from Edmonton, Alberta through the US, Mexico and Central America right to the Southern tip of South America to a place called Tierra Del Fuego. We will most likely stick to the Western side of the continent going through Colombia,Ecuador, Peru,and Chile etc. After ten weeks of sheer bliss ( hopefully) we will ship our bikes home from wherever we are at the time.
There will be four of us on the trip. Conchita and I-doubling on the GS of course! and two other friends -each on their own bikes. Dave will be riding a red GS just like mine, and Dan will be "the outcast" riding the KTM 950 Adventure.
Let the planning begin!!!
Here is the South America crew: Dan-(already had his KTM for the trip), Conchita, and Dave. This was taken at the 2006 Ride for Sight in Olds.
Wednesday Sept 6, 2006
Conchita is heading to Edmonton for the weekend. She is going to the "Phantom of the Opra". Which leaves me free to go for a little ride ( and I am NOT on-call!). First stop will be at a friends in Red Deer on Friday night and then at Blackfoot Cycle in Calgary on Saturday for a new Continental TCK 80 rear tire. Then off to Banff to visit yet another friend-yes, I have at least TWO friends!.
Seems Blackfoot is down to thier last two TCK 80 tires, and they thought it was a good idea to put a deposit on one to gaurantee that I would get it. Maybe what I have read on the net about them being hard to find has some truth to it- not like the rumour of the side cases.!!
So, by the time I get to Calgary for the new tire, I will have racked up the grand total of 6000km's.
Hmmm...what brand is missing from this sign??
After staying overnight with friends in Red Deer (thanks Ken and Linda), I was up early on Saturday to get to my appointment with Blackfoot Cycle. It took two hours for the tire to be installed. During that time, I learned that the the stock GS seat will fit on the adventure as well as the optional low seat. Which dropped me down at least two inches. It was quite comfy, but I think that I am still going with the Sargent seat.
After that, it was off to Banff to visit even MORE friends (thanks Chris and Audrea). Chris was grooving the Adventure, even though it couldnt quite keep up to his $1000 V-Max. Of course I was on the V-Max at the time. If I had been on the adventure, things might have been different!!!! hahahha
Then with a new tire on, I was ready to tackle 500km's of the forestry trunk road that runs along the Eastern border of the Canadian Rockies.
By the way, for any that are interested. Always buy the TCK 80's that are made in Korea. I saw a Gs1150 at the dealer with 1900 km's on it and the rear tire looked like it only had another 1000 km's in it. It was a TCK 80-but made in Germany!!! We all know how bad those German products are!!!! hahah
If you look closely, you can see the sheep on the road.
I met some guys along the trunk road. Both were riding KLR 650's. Matt was from Edmonton and was touring around with his girlfriend. Mike was from Calgary on his way to Terrace. He is in the middle of the photo, and that is his bike there all loaded up with camping gear.I rode the whole trunk road with him (and nothing fell off!!!). It took us approximately 9 hours. It was good to have a riding partner. Thanks Mike!!
Mike decided to set up camp near Robb, so I was on my own for the last 80 Km stretch to Hinton. Where I surprised Jeff and Kellie- inviting myself for a sleep over. It only cost me a 24 pack of beer. (thanks Guys).
As I was taking some back roads home, I came across this very nice train trestle. I believe it was called Rochfort Bridge.
No issues to report with the bike. It ran perfect. Except it was scarey on certain sections of the trunk road. Felt like I was riding on a bunch of marbles (which I pretty much was). I was surprised to find out though that Mike was experiencing the same difficulties on his 650. Maybe I am just asking for too much. Easing up on the throttle was the easy and wise fix. There was only a few corners where I had my butt cheeks clenched. Next time I will try to remember to deactivate the ABS before I "ride the marbles".
Tuesday, Oct 17- 2006
How depressing!!! It's just about time to store the bikes. I am hoping to get a few more short rides in before the snow actually starts. Maybe this weekend!!!
With winter coming, I started to look into what I was going to do with the battery over the winter. Take it out? Leave it in? I knew that the battery could be charged through the powerlet socket that came with the bike. However, that would have required buying the $200+ battery charger from BMW. I wasnt too keen on that. Besides, the CANBUS system on the bike monitors the battery charge and actually shuts down the link to the charger via the powerlet plug and will not cycle it back on again until the ignition key is turned on. Weird system.
I ended up buying a "Battery Tender" for $80 and hooked it up directly to the battery terminals (it comes with a quick connect plug). It monitors battery voltage and cycles on and off when required.
Of course in the BMW manual it stresses the fact not to use anything but what they recommend or you could fry the CANBUS. So far so good-nothing fried yet. Also, the bike's alarm system will stay on as long as the charger is plugged in. Without the tender, the alarm was only good for 5-7 days. The bike is set up to shut off the alarm when the battery voltage drops too low so that the bike can still be started. Thats great, but what good is an alarm that turns itself off!? I am assuming that it was only meant to be on maybe one or two nights at a time when out on the road. The way it is set up now, at least I can have the alarm on all the time.
These photos show the Battery Tender quick connect. It can also be used for accessories like a heated vest when riding.
Next will be a GPS. I am looking at the Garmin Zumo. Made especially for bikes. Here is the website:
http://www.garmin.com/products/zumo/
Ahhhh....it's only money....
Speaking of money; is anyone interested in a 2004 FJR in mint shape that has NEVER been pushed beyond the speed limit ;-) ?
Thursday, November 9th
I sold the FJR today-boo hoo. I was sorry to see it go- and going it is-all the way to the Ukraine!!! From my garage into a U-Haul trailer and then directly into a sea container.
I am thinking that I will end up with another FJR one day. Maybe when I get too scared to go off-road with the Beemer. It is possible!!!
