One day, 725 miles
Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 3:07 pm
I just completed a round trip from Houston to Artesia, N.M. I made the 725 mile one way trip in one day going out to Artesia. The 11 hour trip included 3 fuel stops and a stop at Subway.
My '02 roadster sported a Held tankbag and standard hardcases. I never seem to able to store much in those cases so I bought an Ortlieb bag from Riderwearhouse. Now that's a bag. Waterproof and in screaming yellow. Resting crossways over the pillion seat it balanced well presenting a nice visual for drivers to see.
One other option added was a beaded seat cover. I bought it from these nice folks: http://www.beadrider.com/ .
Honestly not stylish, but it really beats the stock seat for long distance and its a lot cheaper than buying an aftermarket seat. I find the stock seat satisfactory for most of my needs so the beads were an acceptable option. Besides they're easy on/off.
I bought a throttle lock for the trip and used it all of 5 minutes. Its just not for me. The "Throttle Rocker" works great. I've used one for years and I don't know why I thought I would need a throttle lock.
A couple of years ago I mounted a cycle computer ala Cycle Rob and its been great for accurate mileage/time/average speed/accurate speed. Normally I get about 47 miles to the gallon but the high speeds, bags, and Ortleib bag really ate into my normal average, yielding about 41.5 mpg. This can cause problems in west Texas where its a long way between pit stops. With patience and rocking the bike on its center stand I was able to fill the tank to the brim which probably added a comfortable 15 miles to a tank of fuel.
When I got to Artesia and I was covering the bike for a week's stay, I leaned over and checked the oil. Normally I keep it at the center of the viewport. After 725 miles the oil level was barely visible at the bottom of the window. I was a bit disappointed since I thought her thirst for oil was finally resolved, but I wrote it off to too many miles at high speeds taking their toll.
A week later prior to leaving on the return trip, I added a measured 8 ounces of oil, bringing the level back to the center of the viewport. Starting out in the late afternoon, I would only have three hours to make it to Ft. Stockton, Texas. So once again my 'R & I ride hard. After getting to the hotel for the evening I check the oil level. Now its at the 80% full mark! After 33,000 miles on this bike and my second BMW I still can't figure out where the oil hides when it checks low, but in reality it isn't.
The next day started at daylight. I avoided the dark beacuse of all the dead deer on the side of Interstate 10. My luck ran out when I was clocked doing 91 in a 75 zone. Now this may be academic, but the new speed limit for interstates in west Texas is 80 mph. Although the signs aren't available yet, the local revenue patrol uses 75 for their calculations.
This bike is remarkable. All day in the saddle. Stable, flickable, plenty of power. What else could I want? Oh sure I always "look" at other bikes, but when the hard questions are asked regarding what can they do that the 'R won't do, then reality reveals just how good this low end beemer really is.
As always, there's something that adds a scare to the whole plan of travel. Just two days before I was to leave on my trip, the clutch slave crapped out for the second time on this bike. The good news is that it was fixed the next day by BMW of NorthHouston. I give'em an A+. But I shudder to think what would have happend in BF, Texas if that slave had decided to fail.
One other note, the oil level is still at the 80% full mark. I guess she never used any oil.
My '02 roadster sported a Held tankbag and standard hardcases. I never seem to able to store much in those cases so I bought an Ortlieb bag from Riderwearhouse. Now that's a bag. Waterproof and in screaming yellow. Resting crossways over the pillion seat it balanced well presenting a nice visual for drivers to see.
One other option added was a beaded seat cover. I bought it from these nice folks: http://www.beadrider.com/ .
Honestly not stylish, but it really beats the stock seat for long distance and its a lot cheaper than buying an aftermarket seat. I find the stock seat satisfactory for most of my needs so the beads were an acceptable option. Besides they're easy on/off.
I bought a throttle lock for the trip and used it all of 5 minutes. Its just not for me. The "Throttle Rocker" works great. I've used one for years and I don't know why I thought I would need a throttle lock.
A couple of years ago I mounted a cycle computer ala Cycle Rob and its been great for accurate mileage/time/average speed/accurate speed. Normally I get about 47 miles to the gallon but the high speeds, bags, and Ortleib bag really ate into my normal average, yielding about 41.5 mpg. This can cause problems in west Texas where its a long way between pit stops. With patience and rocking the bike on its center stand I was able to fill the tank to the brim which probably added a comfortable 15 miles to a tank of fuel.
When I got to Artesia and I was covering the bike for a week's stay, I leaned over and checked the oil. Normally I keep it at the center of the viewport. After 725 miles the oil level was barely visible at the bottom of the window. I was a bit disappointed since I thought her thirst for oil was finally resolved, but I wrote it off to too many miles at high speeds taking their toll.
A week later prior to leaving on the return trip, I added a measured 8 ounces of oil, bringing the level back to the center of the viewport. Starting out in the late afternoon, I would only have three hours to make it to Ft. Stockton, Texas. So once again my 'R & I ride hard. After getting to the hotel for the evening I check the oil level. Now its at the 80% full mark! After 33,000 miles on this bike and my second BMW I still can't figure out where the oil hides when it checks low, but in reality it isn't.
The next day started at daylight. I avoided the dark beacuse of all the dead deer on the side of Interstate 10. My luck ran out when I was clocked doing 91 in a 75 zone. Now this may be academic, but the new speed limit for interstates in west Texas is 80 mph. Although the signs aren't available yet, the local revenue patrol uses 75 for their calculations.
This bike is remarkable. All day in the saddle. Stable, flickable, plenty of power. What else could I want? Oh sure I always "look" at other bikes, but when the hard questions are asked regarding what can they do that the 'R won't do, then reality reveals just how good this low end beemer really is.
As always, there's something that adds a scare to the whole plan of travel. Just two days before I was to leave on my trip, the clutch slave crapped out for the second time on this bike. The good news is that it was fixed the next day by BMW of NorthHouston. I give'em an A+. But I shudder to think what would have happend in BF, Texas if that slave had decided to fail.
One other note, the oil level is still at the 80% full mark. I guess she never used any oil.
(4000km) rally taking in the four extremeties of this wonderful country 
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