Saddletramp
Well-known member
I started looking for a more road oriented bike last fall. My Super Tenere has been a great bike & suits me really well for the type of riding I usually do. I still ride it the most often. But after owning an FJR & C-14 Concours I really missed owning a touring bike. The search began.
My wife fell in love with the R1200RT we sat on two falls ago & we nearly bought one but were glad we didn't when the recall came out last summer. We never did ride one.
Late last fall I fell in love with & bought a used 2008 FJR. We've bought aftermarket seats, windshield, & other farkles to make it work for us. So far it's been great - but...I still keep talking about a R1200RT. I had a R1150GS & 2005 FJR when I met my wife 8 years ago & she know how much I liked both but mostly rode the BWM when solo.
So today, we had business in a city 90 miles away where a BMW dealer is located. Last night after dinner she asked if we were going to test ride a R1200RT. I was surprised she brought it up but thought it was a good idea.
We liked the presence of the bike. It appeared very comfortable & modern. We had a know-nothing salesman that couldn't even start the bike. I informed him that I believed the started was on the kill switch. Off it fired. The dummy then turned the radio up way too loud. My wife hates anything loud let alone country music. She wanted to bag the whole test ride right then & there.
The bike seemed to be very agile & maneuverable in the parking lot as I did a few tight turns & stops. One on the freeway doing 80 or so I commented to my wife via Bluetooth how much roomier my riding position seemed & it had better leg room to the footpegs & the wind noise was nil. My wife commented on how much wider her seat was & footpegs were perfect for her. My wife didn't like the noise & vibration of the engine around town but admitted it was smooth & quiet on the highway. Power wise it was quite spunky but both could feel it didn't have near the power at higher speeds as the FJR.
As we rode back to the dealership I asked my wife what she'd say if I said I have to have this bike. She commented that before we rode it that wouldn't have been a problem but after riding it after coming right off of 90 miles on the FJR she'd throw a fit. I laughed because I felt the same way.
When we mounted our FJR for the 90 mile ride home I said " And this one feels just right". She gave me a squeeze.
This wasn't meant to be a BMW bash. It was a great bike & I can see why people buy them. It's a comfortable well built machine. Just not quite as much for us as the FJR.
Safe riding!
My wife fell in love with the R1200RT we sat on two falls ago & we nearly bought one but were glad we didn't when the recall came out last summer. We never did ride one.
Late last fall I fell in love with & bought a used 2008 FJR. We've bought aftermarket seats, windshield, & other farkles to make it work for us. So far it's been great - but...I still keep talking about a R1200RT. I had a R1150GS & 2005 FJR when I met my wife 8 years ago & she know how much I liked both but mostly rode the BWM when solo.
So today, we had business in a city 90 miles away where a BMW dealer is located. Last night after dinner she asked if we were going to test ride a R1200RT. I was surprised she brought it up but thought it was a good idea.
We liked the presence of the bike. It appeared very comfortable & modern. We had a know-nothing salesman that couldn't even start the bike. I informed him that I believed the started was on the kill switch. Off it fired. The dummy then turned the radio up way too loud. My wife hates anything loud let alone country music. She wanted to bag the whole test ride right then & there.
The bike seemed to be very agile & maneuverable in the parking lot as I did a few tight turns & stops. One on the freeway doing 80 or so I commented to my wife via Bluetooth how much roomier my riding position seemed & it had better leg room to the footpegs & the wind noise was nil. My wife commented on how much wider her seat was & footpegs were perfect for her. My wife didn't like the noise & vibration of the engine around town but admitted it was smooth & quiet on the highway. Power wise it was quite spunky but both could feel it didn't have near the power at higher speeds as the FJR.
As we rode back to the dealership I asked my wife what she'd say if I said I have to have this bike. She commented that before we rode it that wouldn't have been a problem but after riding it after coming right off of 90 miles on the FJR she'd throw a fit. I laughed because I felt the same way.
When we mounted our FJR for the 90 mile ride home I said " And this one feels just right". She gave me a squeeze.
This wasn't meant to be a BMW bash. It was a great bike & I can see why people buy them. It's a comfortable well built machine. Just not quite as much for us as the FJR.
Safe riding!