Goodbye to my trusty R1150R
Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 3:47 am
Well, I finally pulled the triger on a new GSA today.
Traded in my R1150R. I will miss that bike, but did not see owning 2 boxer bikes.
The new GSA has ABS, heated grips & the computer.
I decided to go with the path of least resistance & get the BMW panniers & top box. I do like the idea of them being keyed to the bike. They will have the boxes in when I return in 10 days for the 600 mile service.
I had a choice between a GSA with OEM foglights or the computer. I'm went with the computer after reading here that the OEM fog lights were pretty weak. I think I'll save up a bit & maybe look into some HID driving lights.
Because of some work obligations I did not make it to the dealer (West Valley Cycle) until after 1:30pm on Saturday. The bike had not been prepped, & it took them until about 5:00 to get it all together, road test it (they wanted to bed in the brakes), & off I went.
BTW, thought they gave me a fair deal.
I rode towards my house & decided to get some additional fuel in Tujunga, & then take the long way around to La Canada. I don't think I've spent this much just to top off a bike before.
Anyway, up the hill I go. Deer be damned. Riding up Big Tujunga Cyn Rd. I find myself thinking that this bike handles better than my "little" R1150R. What a joy of a big road bike. As it is getting later in the day I pulled off to snap a pick.
Getting back on I find that this bike really is tall. With the side stand on a down slope I can't seem to get her off the side stand. I actually had to dismount & coast her down towards the road. I either need to learn where to park or work on some tricks for the future. Of course there was that full tank.
I'm now on Upper Big Tujunga Rd, & coming up to Lynch Gultch Rd (I think that 's what it is), a dirt road, I decide to try out this off pavement stuff. A mile or so up the road I come to a little water crossing. I always turned back at this point when on the R1150R, so decide to press on today.
No problem with the GSA. Here's a shot with the water in the background.
I mean, why not ride a $20K bike through a muddy crossing on the first 2 hours of ownership, a mile down a desolate dirt road. What could wrong??
Anyway, made it past that one & the next one up the road. Got to do a few quick manuevers to avoid 3 yahoos in pickup trucks on some blind curves, I guess the road was not so desolate today. First time I've ever seen anyone on it.
Rode back to Angeles Crest Hwy (2) & down into La Canada. Got into some serious fog, visibility down to maybe 50 ft. Followed two fire trucks & an ambulance down the mountain. Hopefull the ambulance wasn't for a rider, but the odds on that are pretty poor on ACH on a saturday.
Back home & the bike has 75 miles on it. Had to go back to work Sat. night & put another 20 miles on it, along some very dark freeways. The headlight actually works ok IMO. Better than my R1150R before I put the HID on it.
Well, thats it for a couple of days. I'm taking my oldest daughter to visit Univ. of Oregon Sunday & Monday. The GSA will be waiting in the garage, with a nice layer of dirt & mud already on it.
Traded in my R1150R. I will miss that bike, but did not see owning 2 boxer bikes.
The new GSA has ABS, heated grips & the computer.
I decided to go with the path of least resistance & get the BMW panniers & top box. I do like the idea of them being keyed to the bike. They will have the boxes in when I return in 10 days for the 600 mile service.
I had a choice between a GSA with OEM foglights or the computer. I'm went with the computer after reading here that the OEM fog lights were pretty weak. I think I'll save up a bit & maybe look into some HID driving lights.
Because of some work obligations I did not make it to the dealer (West Valley Cycle) until after 1:30pm on Saturday. The bike had not been prepped, & it took them until about 5:00 to get it all together, road test it (they wanted to bed in the brakes), & off I went.
BTW, thought they gave me a fair deal.
I rode towards my house & decided to get some additional fuel in Tujunga, & then take the long way around to La Canada. I don't think I've spent this much just to top off a bike before.
Anyway, up the hill I go. Deer be damned. Riding up Big Tujunga Cyn Rd. I find myself thinking that this bike handles better than my "little" R1150R. What a joy of a big road bike. As it is getting later in the day I pulled off to snap a pick.
Getting back on I find that this bike really is tall. With the side stand on a down slope I can't seem to get her off the side stand. I actually had to dismount & coast her down towards the road. I either need to learn where to park or work on some tricks for the future. Of course there was that full tank.
I'm now on Upper Big Tujunga Rd, & coming up to Lynch Gultch Rd (I think that 's what it is), a dirt road, I decide to try out this off pavement stuff. A mile or so up the road I come to a little water crossing. I always turned back at this point when on the R1150R, so decide to press on today.
No problem with the GSA. Here's a shot with the water in the background.
I mean, why not ride a $20K bike through a muddy crossing on the first 2 hours of ownership, a mile down a desolate dirt road. What could wrong??
Anyway, made it past that one & the next one up the road. Got to do a few quick manuevers to avoid 3 yahoos in pickup trucks on some blind curves, I guess the road was not so desolate today. First time I've ever seen anyone on it.
Rode back to Angeles Crest Hwy (2) & down into La Canada. Got into some serious fog, visibility down to maybe 50 ft. Followed two fire trucks & an ambulance down the mountain. Hopefull the ambulance wasn't for a rider, but the odds on that are pretty poor on ACH on a saturday.
Back home & the bike has 75 miles on it. Had to go back to work Sat. night & put another 20 miles on it, along some very dark freeways. The headlight actually works ok IMO. Better than my R1150R before I put the HID on it.
Well, thats it for a couple of days. I'm taking my oldest daughter to visit Univ. of Oregon Sunday & Monday. The GSA will be waiting in the garage, with a nice layer of dirt & mud already on it.
