All Over it.........

Lawrence, it's also a curious thing to me WHY this occurs,
but the strange fact that it does happen is well documented.
Some folks just don't walk their dogs, even as they profess to love them.:nerd:
Does work keep us that busy? Is ATGATT preventing us from taking a spin ?

Erin and I, being concerned BMW members,
would like you to purchase that unused jewel.
We feel confident it would give you hours of great joy,
not to mention Erin and I having a Roadster to borrow in Oz.
Our main concern is your happiness and positive karma. 0

I often encourage others to ride more often, and try not to worry so much.
A long ride does me more good than a massage. YMMV

 

The phenomena of people buying motorcycles but not riding them is common with all manufacturers and models. The truth is that there are a lot of people who simply never get the hang of riding. Many are scared to death from the moment they swing their leg over the seat until they park the bike in the garage at the end of the ride. When you think about it, it takes a lot of time and effort to master a motorcycle. Some people don't realize that when the buy a motorcycle. It is not until they have ridden for a while and their skill level is still not where it needs to be that they loose their enthusiasm for riding. Many don't want to admit this defeat and they will keep their motorcycles for years, putting few, if any miles on it.

I know a lot of Harley owners who only ride in one or two charity rides each year. The bike sits for the rest of the year. Even if they once knew how to ride, they don't get enough hours on the bike to maintain their riding skills. These folks are the reason that I quit participating in group rides.

Pete

Lawrence, it's also a curious thing to me WHY this occurs,
but the strange fact that it does happen is well documented.
Some folks just don't walk their dogs, even as they profess to love them.:nerd:
Does work keep us that busy? Is ATGATT preventing us from taking a spin ?

Erin and I, being concerned BMW members,
would like you to purchase that unused jewel.
We feel confident it would give you hours of great joy,
not to mention Erin and I having a Roadster to borrow in Oz.
Our main concern is your happiness and positive karma. 0

I often encourage others to ride more often, and try not to worry so much.
A long ride does me more good than a massage. YMMV

 

I am very seriously considering it! Unfortunately, it's in outer Sydney, so not available for a quick squizz nearer home: but I have flown down from here (it's only about 900km) and travelled by train to buy the Biarritz Blue I mentioned, so it can be done. I am, of course, completely mad! All my riding gear has gone, except for a pair of summer gloves and a pair of custom ear-plugs - hardly ATGATT! Did I happen to mention that I am mad?

 

That's a great looking bike. My mechanic is very fond of that motor and I must say that as much as I love my 2015 LC, there is not a ride that I wish it had a tele-lever.

 

90th Anniversary

I too have a thing for the 90th Anniversary!
and just wonder at the amount of second hand bikes for sale that are older models with few kilometres to match Lawrence.
Most people list 'my circumstances have changed' or 'need the money for another project'.
I too love a bargain found on Ebay, second hand leather jackets worn a couple of times, its great being a woman.

My fav brands are Moto Guzzi and BMW's with a sway to the small block V7's of the former, they are always coming up on the second hand market tempting me to buy them.

I think @Clem's idea is sound, a bike for you to fuss over in the garage and have for your occasional shorter rides.
A bike for us to borrow when visiting OZ 0 man that @Clem is cheeky.
I've not been to Brisbane.

 

Well, @Clem, the reason some people don't walk their dogs is very clear. However, @Panzermann can elaborate as he has first-hand experience.


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Yes, Mike - from my statistical analysis, walking the dogs is one of the more risky activities one can undertake. The only time I have broken a bone in my body is when walking my hounds.


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Yes, Mike - from my statistical analysis, walking the dogs is one of the more risky activities one can undertake. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My wife fell while walking Honey last October - broke two bones in her L wrist and boy did that slow her down. Not Honey's fault - she slipped on some jacaranda flowers that littered the footpath - they are very juicy, almost like a succulent, very slippery, and down she went. :frown2:

 

But would she have been there to slip, had she not been walking Honey ...


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But would she have been there to slip, had she not been walking Honey ...Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quite possibly - it was the shortest way home from the pub... :surprise:

 

PS You’ve just doubled the data set for my statistical analysis


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I have taken a tiny baby step and e-mailed the seller for some more details, and guidance on how to get to his place in outer Sydney, not an area I'm familiar with. Next comes by far the hardest part, which is to introduce the subject to Mrs Suburbia without giving too much away. I am owed many, many brownie points, having recently been nursing her at home for five weeks, after some nasty surgery and a cuppla unpleasant weeks in hospital. As a cook I make a wonderful MotoGP racer...

I may start off by taking out of the cupboard my gloves and ear-plugs, hoping they may attract some attention that could lead to a discussion that might eventuate in some gentle sobbing on my part. ... you get the picture. :frown2:

 

Sounds to me like this may be a done deal... :funnypost:

 

"a piffling 700km a year"

I can trump this with a Triumph 1200 Explorer XCa which was sold new in November 2017. When I bought it in October 2018 it had just 40 kms on the clock.

 

Gazzumped indeed, Ant! :wink2:

 

Seems like a double edged sword!!! Good that there are plenty of low mileage bikes to buy but bad that I'd get next to nothing for my high mileage R if I sold it.

 

Go for it LOS! You'll regret it if that bike gets away.

 

I am still in 'thinking-about-it-all' mode, and haven't yet plucked-up enough courage to broach the subject with my wife. Don't get me wrong - a very keen and enthusiastic biker herself in years gone by, she fully understands the draw that biking can have: her only concern would be my well-being as I nudge towards that big Eight-Oh.

Last night I was sitting deep in thought in my favourite chair, and I swear I was re-living the unique 'feel' of a boxer twin, sensing again the deep vibes of the pulsing engine at low revs, and the sudden lurch to the right as the throttle is blipped.

I also canvassed with myself what other bike would I be prepared to get to take up biking again. The answer was immediate - none!, other than the 9th Anniversary camhead that I'm discussing here, or maybe a Classic with its admitted drawback of tubed tyres that I had once before. Nothing else appeals.

I've heard back from the seller of the 90th Anniversary bike, and he has the good enough reason for selling it and quitting biking due to recent back surgery that apparently didn't work out as promised, leaving him in some pain and unable to ride. I guess it's a familiar scenario. :frown2:

 

Along these lines, a friend of mine recently bought a 2004 R1150R with a true 1,450 miles on it for around $4,000.

 

If you want it and can afford it LoS just do it, we only have one life and it must be lived.

 

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer here but IMHO LoS if you have to take so long to think about it then it's best to give it a miss, all well and good for folks to say YOLO but as we all get older we need to be mindful of the consequences of an accident (heaven forbid). When we are younger our broken bones repair much better, our reflexes are better and we're much more likely to recover (not always fully I might add).With older folk a small stumble can see the end of their time on the planet as other complications can arise. I think you're right in taking the time to consider the purchase.

 

Maybe get an older (cheaper) model just to tinker with and farkle around with to your heart's content, wash on Saturday mornings and run the engine, just to dry it off (and listen to the heartbeat of a Boxer). Even if you never ride it, it will be an excuse to keep playing with motorbikes (and come up with cheap farkles fabricated from materials sourced from Bunnings and Target etc). You could re-paint the centre stand and coat the cross-bar with some most excellent 19 mm irrigation tubing, etc. Perhaps it will inspire a grandchild to take up the hobby ...

 

Strange to say, perhaps, but I agree with what both mjgt and wasserboxer say here - and no apologies needed, wasser!

I discussed things with my loving wife, who expressed concern - but no surprise! - at the mooted return to two wheels. I also chatted to our paramedic son, who has done his fair share of scraping-up motorbikers from the Geelong-Melbourne Freeway in Victoria - and other roads - and himself suffering a badly-injured knee when he dropped his CBR1000 about 20 years ago, and still suffers the consequences. They both pretty much said what has been said here, yet fully understanding the call of the wild, as it were, and feeling my 'pain'. Each also said that the final call is mine alone...

I have to concede that the 'well-being' issues that lead to my abandoning this pastime less than a year ago are still with me, no better, but equally no worse. They will not disappear, but hopefully they will not worsen over time, and they are certainly not going to kill me. I'm conscious that my reflexes and concentration when driving are not quite up to Rossi standards these days, but I don't feel that I'm a danger to me or others, and my GP gave me an all-clear and OK to drive on my 79th birthday a cuppla months ago. This is a mandatory requirement here when licence-holders reach their 75th birthday.

It saddens me somewhat to have to conclude, then, that I will not be proceeding, and also that I shall stop looking at those ads! The bike in question is undoubtedly a great opportunity, and someone will love it.

Thanks for all the responses - I hope I didn't waste anyone's time. One of the great things about this Forum is the friendships one can make 'across the miles'! :frown2::frown2::frown2:

 

Strange to say, PZ, but truthful - my wife suggested exactly that! But I don't have the skills or know-how to do anything along those lines, and I'm one of those Blokes who needs things to be pretty near perfect! Now, if you lived nearby and could help...

 

The other option would be to look at a small and light scooter, more manageable, easy to mount, and still gives the 2 wheel feeling of freedom. There are a lot of very capable scooters out there, even for longer trips and while they are not a boxer, they could still be a pride and joy in the garage for a zip around without straining the body or the wallet.

 

My first motorbike as an adult was a triumph trident, fun capable and lots of personality . It’s not just about the freedom! It’s the machine. Good luck with your choice.

 

I should have mentioned that I do have in the garage a brand-new all-black bike that I've not yet had time or opportunity to put on the road. Not that it will be ridden on the road, for the Bayside area where I live is replete with cycle tracks, often running close to the Bay - see pic below.

The idea of taking this up is to get some exercise, maybe lose a bit of weight and some inches around my waist, and loosen-up my knee and hip joints, but if anyone should happen to have a spare Boxer engine lying around... :nerd:

 

I've had this dual suspension electric bike since May Lawrence.
Lot of fun. Got me out on a few lovely trails over the winter months, my commute to work is either this or one of the motorbikes.
Good thing is you can get a good enough work out without straining your joints, battery lasts a fair long time, unless you go everywhere in turbo.

 

A playing card pegged to the sub-frame will give you that boxer thrum, Lawrence

 

I doubt I could afford a BMW playing-card, Pz! :nerd:

 

Very, very good (and clever) indeed, Dean!

 

Hardly surprising, but after being listed for only a cuppla weeks this beauty has been sold, as it should have been for it was well-priced and apparently in as-new mint condition. I have known other Rs to sit awaiting a buyer for weeks and months. Sob! :crying:

 

The moral of the story being to not to sit on your Rs too long or you’ll miss out. :grin2:

 

Why is it so Vol 2...

Having said that I won't look at used ads any more after my recent exposure to a very appealing 90th Anniversary R, guess how I've spent a recent few minutes.

This time my attention was caught by an ad - which has been there for some time I think - for a mint-looking (and so-described) 2012 (2013 model) R1200 R Classic. Now, I have owned a Classic - may even have been a 2012/ 13 model. I liked it very much, with the minor reservation that the tubed tyres (because of the spoked wheels, which are otherwise very stylish IMHO) would have been a problem had a puncture occurred while on the road (and yes, yes! - I know that tyres can be modified to convert to full tubeless). Said bike has again had minor use at a mere 5232km, comes with new Michelin Power tyres, Remus can, PowerCommander, Puig rear hugger, BMW trickle-charger, BMW cover, 3-piece panniers/ top-box set up. Yours for a crisp $15,000.

Lower pic below shows my newly-acquired Classic in May 2014 before farkling with many farkles, including Puig rear hugger and Wunderlich Trophy fairing/ screen, painted to match.

 

That looks very nifty, erin! I see quite a few electric bikes around here as we have numerous and excellent cycling tracks. I may consider after some experience on my still as-yet unused pedal variety!