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.
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:
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.
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