Procrastination...

How does the saying going? "If it weren't for the last minute nothing would get done?"

So okay, the concept of organizing and packing is taking place slightly early. In preparation, as it were. But some things have woefully been left to the last minute. It is amazing how many things you think of that you want or need only when the last minute comes along.

Granted, a major service isn't quite something that is forgotten about. We saw it coming on the horizon. Oilburner wanted to get them out of the way two weeks ago. I wanted to hold off a week to try and get a few more miles on the clock. Sure a service is needed. But if I can get it 500 miles early instead of 1200... Unfortunately with my illness and the 108F/43C temperatures the miles didn't quite rack up the way I would have liked. So the GS is 900 miles early and the RT is 1200.

Oilburner really wanted our regular mechanics to take on this service and not leave it to another dealer along the road. So our shop is being gracious and squeezing us in, even though the shop is full and some mechanics are sick. They originally said to drop them off today and they would have them for us by Friday. When we explained the timeframe they offered to get them back to us tomorrow.

Little did they know what they were getting into.

I don't know about the RT. The GS will require brake fluid change, valve check, final drive fluid change, gear box fluid change, and regular ol' oil change. Sshhhooottttt. A couple weeks ago the GS went through an astounding amount of oil on a very long, hot, pushed ride. Oilburner was concerned because his bike hasn't used any oil in 12,000 miles. How could the GS be such a lemon that it used half a quart in 356 miles (573 km)? So he was considering requesting a leak and compression check during this service. However, in the last 600 miles (965 km) she hasn't been using any. So we will keep our eyes on it.

I don't think the RT requires anything special. The only non-standard issue to assess is a stalling at take off from idle. (Guess my GS isn't quite the damn lemon someone thinks it is. Hehehe)

So there really wasnt anything too out of the ordinary here...

 

until...

 

...someone started worrying about the rear tire on the GS. The bike is currently wearing the Metzler Tourance tires that came with it. With only 5,100 miles (8200 km) the rear tire has decidedly flat topped. I guess she has seen more highway than I would like. :(

Mind you, she could probably make it to Maine on the tire. There is decent tread left, but with at least 1000 miles (1609 km) of interstates ahead of us, history shows us it would probably be gone by Maine.

So what do you do? Do you replace on the road? Or just replace now so that you don't have to worry about finding a tire and fitting it into the schedule on the road? I understand if you are definitely putting enough miles on during a road trip that you have to change the shoes mid-trip no matter what. But this instance was squeezing another 1000 miles out, and then try to find an unusual tire.

Yesterday I started calling around just to see about availability of the tire locally. Hmmm...none to be had. I was leaning towards just making an appointment with the BMW dealer in Maine and have them get a tire in, in advance. But we also decided to see what our dealer might have. They have surprised us in the past.

Yep. They just made more work for themselves today. They had the stock Tourance available. They might even have had the Anakee. The problem was that they brought out the Heidenau... It was love at first sight for Oilburner.

We had to sit there and discuss economics versus practicality with everyone! Economically we should just put the rear Tourance on. Practically we should put the Tourance on since it is a street tire and will have less road noise.

Since when did economics OR practicality EVER mean a thing to us?!? At one time or another down the road those Heidenau's were going on that bike. It might as well be now. As one guy said, "They are sexy!". I know that I've been drooling over them since before I even had the GS. One gentlemen said that his experiences with them have been great, offering great traction in rain in the [paved] twisties, even being quieter than street tires. Who am I to argue with that experience? It wasn't like I was going to listen to the truth anyways. ;) Others chimed in that the longevity of the tire rivals the Tourance.

You can probably guess the outcome. :)

In addition to impulse tire purchases, we have also been fitted for ear plugs. I have tiny ears that don't tolerate foreign objects happily. I can't wear ear buds without severe pain within 30 minutes. The foam ear plugs are out. Literally. They won't even stay in my ears. Hoping that the ear plugs will reduce the wind noise and associated fatigue that it can cause, I pushed for an appointment last Friday.

It is a vicious cycle outfitting ourselves and motorbikes. Where's that winning lottery ticket??

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What's In A Number

24,901.55 - circumfrence of the earth at the equator, measured in miles
5280 - feet in a mile
451 - degrees in Fahrenheit at which paper burns
42 - The answer to Life, The Universe, and Everything


When can something be nicely worn in without being worn out? 

For kicks, Oilburner and I have been talking bikes.  (Like we've never done that before...)  I was wondering where is that magic mileage sweet spot when a bike goes from "nicely broken in" to "too many miles".  Where is that perfect line of a bike still being marketable versus someone having prejudices against the mileage.

My baby went in for her 42,000 mile service yesterday.  I didn't even look at the new DOHC Classic R1200R.  Well...I didn't look much.

I sat with the service manager and chatted and laughed.  I stood in the service bay talking with the tech working on my baby.  I played with the used oil, no metal shavings, no burnt smell.  I inspected the valves, the chains, the springs.

Then Oilburner arrives...

He starts looking around.  He starts talking.  He starts asking me if I am going to take a test ride.

I've never demo'ed a bike before.  I've never had enough confidence to jump on a bike that I don't own and take it for a spin.  I mean, how much am I going to have to pay if anything happens to a motorbike that I don't own.  This is the same reason that I never ride someone else's bike.  I've even been resistant to riding Oilburner's bikes in the past.  I had only ridden any of his previous bikes once each.

Somewhere along the way that changed.  And I can't pinpoint when it occurred.  A couple months ago, when he informed me that I would be riding his new bike home I didn't bat an eye.  Didn't have any queasy butterflies in my tummy.  I hopped on it and took it for a rrriiidddeeeee.  I'm suspecting my trepidation left me for good after Oilburner totaled his bike.  My subconscious thought process might have followed something along the lines that if he totaled a bike in one fell swoop, there wasn't much worse that I could do.

So back to the bike shop...

I decided to take that test ride finally.  Steve, our friendly, neighborhood sales guy, rode the Classic R1200R off the showroom floor.  Yes, I said rode.  It went over to the service bay to get a couple pounds of air.  Then she stood in the parking lot waiting for me to take her out.

We enjoyed a quick little romp, unfortunately rush hour traffic was closing in.  I took her over to a short, twisty little road I know.  Autos prevented full utilization of the best curves.  We also scooted over to the main thoroughfare to enjoy the high speeds against traffic.  She was an enjoyable bike.  There wasn't a "wow" factor.  She was so similar to my bike.  There didn't seem to be enough differences to justify a trade.  She was nice, just not nice enough.

Oilburner and I took a seat at the table, sipping some sodas and talking about the ride.

All the while is a big, beautiful R1200GS sitting in the sun, gleaming in front of me.  Hmmm...  In for a penny, in for a pound.

Steve checks it over and sets the seat on its lowest position.  I swing around to turn her on, only to realize the key has suddenly disappeared.  Explain that one to me...  Yeah.  Steve left the key in the seat lock.  hehe

We only get to spend a short time together.  Rush hour traffic had set in.  Any direction we traveled was going to be hindered and just spent burning a clutch up.  We went to a short little road with a couple of representative curves.  Wow.  WOW!  Four miles was way too short a time to get a feel for anything.  All I know is that I wouldn't mind spending a couple hundred more miles getting to know it.

So what would you guess that mileage line is on my precious bike?  I was thinking 50,000 miles might be getting there.  Boy was I wrong. It seems that my baby's time has passed.  Those who didn't know her don't want her.  She can be her 2007 model self, but would need to have 30 or so thousand miles on her, instead of the 42 that she has.  Finicky damn men.  Apparently no or old model doesn't matter.  But they can't have been well ridden. ;)

Darn.  I guess I will just have to keep her in the stable.

Miscellany

A previous post compared my R12R to my husbands R12RT.  One area that seems completely subjective to each person's individual tastes is the cockpit of their bike.  Should it move with, or independently of, the handlebars?  That will be the $64,000 question for the next 30 seconds.  Here are the respective motorbikes in question.  I could probably get used to independent handlebars...but I don't have to, so I won't.  :)  To each their own.  I don't necessarily think one is better than the other, just what one is accustomed to.

Just take a look at the differences in those control panels!?!  My R has a tight little panel, just the necessities.  His has these dials and space for speakers and humongous mirrors!  LOL

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A disheartening view :( 

...but my baby took great care of me over the weekend and it was my turn to return the favor.  She was going in for her 30K service and brake line recall.  Mr. Oilburner's was going in for its 12K service, new shoes and brake line recall also.  They should be back at home on Thursday.  :) 

I called to set appts for next week.  But they offered to send the trailer to pick the bikes up today.  I couldn't logically refuse.  It was just the emotional side that didn't want to let them go.

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I may fit in with this motley crew yet.  :)  Have crocs, will travel.  But notice the glass of wine and the baby camera.