BMW #1 in Europe
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Go to any gathering of BMW riders and count how many bikes are on the sidestand. They don't even bother. Even if you can extend the sidestand from the saddle, and even if you can see if it's deployed, the bikes just don't lean into it like they're supposed to.
On the other hand, BMW center stands are a thing of joy. Easy to use and perfectly balanced. Take off the front wheel, it rocks to the rear - take of the rear wheel, it rocks to the front. Take out the oil plug, it rocks back and forth gently to expel all of the old oil. (Ok, the last one I made up, but the rest is true.)
On the other hand, BMW center stands are a thing of joy. Easy to use and perfectly balanced. Take off the front wheel, it rocks to the rear - take of the rear wheel, it rocks to the front. Take out the oil plug, it rocks back and forth gently to expel all of the old oil. (Ok, the last one I made up, but the rest is true.)
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10,900 Posts
Dastardly yet fixed
Speaking of the dastards. My leakage problem was finally diagnosed as a bad o-ring around the speedometer sensor. When they would clean up the oil and do a two mile test ride it wouldn't build up enough pressure to leak. Then I would take it out for a thrashing and oil would leak out the top and down the back.
Anyway, I went for a 350 mile ride on Saturday. We did one clockwise lap of the Salton Sea-middle of nowhere California. The desert is beautiful this time of year (82 degrees that day) and I didn't spill a drop. No parts fell off either!
The damn CD player kept mistracking though. That will be my next thing to ***** about.
Speaking of the dastards. My leakage problem was finally diagnosed as a bad o-ring around the speedometer sensor. When they would clean up the oil and do a two mile test ride it wouldn't build up enough pressure to leak. Then I would take it out for a thrashing and oil would leak out the top and down the back.
Anyway, I went for a 350 mile ride on Saturday. We did one clockwise lap of the Salton Sea-middle of nowhere California. The desert is beautiful this time of year (82 degrees that day) and I didn't spill a drop. No parts fell off either!
The damn CD player kept mistracking though. That will be my next thing to ***** about.
RTFM! Ze Chermans haff a spechial vay of gettink ze sidestand down. Vat you do is dismount ven ze machine is at rest in ze same vay as you vould from a horse, zen vile standing beside ze machine ze sidestand may be extended wiz ze boot, and ze machine lowered on to it. Zis is standard Prussian Cavalry practice and no ozzer Vay vill be tolerated!
And if you think I'm making this up, have a look at a 1970s/80s BMW owners manual, where there are photos of people doing exactly this in the BMW-approved manner...
And if you think I'm making this up, have a look at a 1970s/80s BMW owners manual, where there are photos of people doing exactly this in the BMW-approved manner...
The new Rockster looks cool, it should help sales even more. Check it out >>
http://www.bikenet.co.za/news/December/bmwrockster.html
http://www.bikenet.co.za/news/December/bmwrockster.html
Joined
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10,900 Posts
Re: Dastardly yet fixed
I love it. It really brings a different perspective to riding than a sportbike. We've had a lot of rain so I was noticing how green everything was in the mountains, the beautiful desert landscape, the godawful smell of the Salton Sea.
Also, it really has a lot more oomph in stock trim than I expected. I had no problem passing cars when I had to (that may be a different story with a passenger and gear).
On the way back home through the backside of the mountains up to Julian,CA, I pushed it a bit to see how she would do in the twisties. It turns really well for such a heavy machine but the floorboards are really what limit cornering. After three or four scrapes and eased up a bit so I wouldn't disintegrate them on my first real ride.
No buyer's remorse here. I love it.
I love it. It really brings a different perspective to riding than a sportbike. We've had a lot of rain so I was noticing how green everything was in the mountains, the beautiful desert landscape, the godawful smell of the Salton Sea.
Also, it really has a lot more oomph in stock trim than I expected. I had no problem passing cars when I had to (that may be a different story with a passenger and gear).
On the way back home through the backside of the mountains up to Julian,CA, I pushed it a bit to see how she would do in the twisties. It turns really well for such a heavy machine but the floorboards are really what limit cornering. After three or four scrapes and eased up a bit so I wouldn't disintegrate them on my first real ride.
No buyer's remorse here. I love it.
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