Friday, June 6, 2008

Romantic Dreams & Foolish Thoughts

I have always loved being outside seeing the world. I satisfy the need for exploration most often in a solo capacity which explains the sports I tend to enjoy like endurance cycling, mountain biking, and long distance running. The latter of which is pretty much long gone with the miles really taking a toll on my knees.


I have, of late, become infatuated with the idea of a new toy, the R1200 GS motorcycle.


No... not the redneck limousine behind the bike...yes I like pickups, but...





As for some background, I have ridden motorcycles since my father, wisely or unwisely depending on your viewpoint, bought a Honda 200 back when I was 15 or so. Unfortunately, I haven’t found one that really fit me or what I wanted to do enough to warrant me getting one. Dramatic pause...Until Now!

I sense that Brenna, my parents, and the inlaws just had an involuntary shudder as I typed those words in...

Bryce on the other hand just had a fit of joy and is probably dreaming of picking out a matching helmet in his size...Holy Cow...That thought just gave the older generation another shudder... Ok, I'll stop now.

As for the many styles of bikes:

I love the look, power and handling of street/sport bikes, but I don’t really need the speed that they provide because I know I would foolishly go and use it…as often as possible. Plus its hard to see the scenery as it blurs by you at 125mph.

Score one for me making a smart move!


I also like the look and history behind the Harley bikes, not the mechanical issues of course though... In the end I have shied away from buying one because I am not old enough, rough looking enough, and more importantly wealthy enough to go and purchase one of those overpriced things.

Score two for me deciding to not look like a young-educated-really-out-of-place-Wannabe-Hell’s Angel.

But the enduro styling (very funky) and the utilitarian approach BMW has put into the GS is wonderful. What I would really like to do on a bike would be to cover long distances with the potential for riding on more than just the smooth tarmac of interstates. (i.e. really bad roads) I don’t want the big heavy Goldwing styling of the luxury touring bikes. The GS would accomodate the comfort needed to ride a long way with much more panache, and let me know when anyone would take the Goldwing off on a bad gravel road to avoid taking major interstates all the time?

Also, I am intrigued by the endurance elements of riding in lousy conditions with rain suits, cold weather gear, a tent (maybe), moron motorists that find motorcycles the perfect invisibility cloak (definitely), and all the rest. That’s about the same as the pedaling around I do even now. This would just be an extension of that.

I do want to make sure, for Brenna’s sake mostly, that there is a reason I called this post Romantic Dreams.

I never buy stuff on credit if I can help it, and that eliminates the potential for an “impulse purchase” of something expensive like this. In following with my really boring policy of not pushing the family finances off a cliff to have instant gratification, I will have a couple of years to save up for this. During which time, the uber-cool Minivan will die, the car with need some type of major repair, and something else will come up before I can even get close to pulling the trigger on buying a toy like this.


This is just a dream that is fun to think about, and I get the added benefit of actively saving for it which feels like I am actually going to have a chance to do it. Of course, in the end, I will just have a supply of cash to buy or repair something practical for the family instead. The reality of what will be bought with the savings is kind of a let down, but it’s good to dream some.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Reason numbers 1-99 not to buy a bike:

The drivers who will pull a left turn in front of you, with you subsequently becoming their "passenger".

Take it from your boneheaded friend who realized bikes are not safe around cars - and sold his.