Rode a BMW nine T last night

[Tetge]

I forgot to add that if you ever heard a tuned Ducati with the correct million dollar aftermarket exhaust, there is nothing that sounds better on earth. Well, perhaps I should limit that to motorcycles, but, they make wonderful sounds.

[jhwalker]

I forgot to add that if you ever heard a tuned Ducati with the correct million dollar aftermarket exhaust, there is nothing that sounds better on earth. Well, perhaps I should limit that to motorcycles, but, they make wonderful sounds.

You have convinced me that I will be the first guy in Mexico to have problems with his Ducati if I buy one... As many of these nine T's that are selling -- and they way they have pulled the dealers off of their usual high moral/ethical perches -- someone will counter. But I have never owned a BMW motorcycle, sort of because I always thought of them as grampaw's bike. But, I am grampaw now... Maybe we can keep this thread going for the next two years while I figure it out. And someday more people will notice the number of posts on this thread and get caught up in the witty repartee and decide make this a real thread (your post was appreciated, Juan).

[xbacksideslider]

The older air cooled boxers are cheap and reliable, many of them low mileage. They are the only ones I'd consider and then only for two up touring. The new ones are too expensive to acquire and maintain, and then I don't want to appear to be of and with the snoots.

I've ridden a couple boxers on day rides and could barely get around the engine's torque effect and the drive shaft effects. Weird.

[jhwalker]

The older air cooled boxers are cheap and reliable, many of them low mileage. They are the only ones I'd consider and then only for two up touring. The new ones are too expensive to acquire and maintain, and then I don't want to appear to be of and with the snoots.

I've ridden a couple boxers on day rides and could barely get around the engine's torque effect and the drive shaft effects. Weird.

Did you watch the two BMW vids? Those bikesn looked like a bunch of "rat rides", which is certainly not something I would associate with typical BMW owners. The only other BMW owner that I new over the years (other than the guy whose nine T I rode) had an old beater that he dearly loved. He was a motorcycle mechanic and was always working on newer, nicer bikes.

[xbacksideslider]

No I did not watch the videos and just now I tried to but the page took a minute or two to load before I could even try to find the video, so I gave up.

No doubt BMW is trying to change their image to suit what they think retired children of the 60's and 70's want. If H-D and Ford can do it, why not BMW? Now the look is more casual, no more crew cut flat bellied blond blue eyed Teutonics.

My attitude comes from all those guys over the years who let everyone know that their BMW was better . . . . . when it wasn't.

They were slow. Usually the rider too.

If big bucks were spent on lightening the drive train, an over bore, and opening the head up, then it still had handling quirks that had to be ridden around such as the rear rising and provoking under steer up front when you were on the gas, and the rear wheel sucking up off the road/reducing ground clearance provoking over steer up front when on the brakes/decel.

Go back into the 60's and guys would tell you how bitchin their BMW's Earles forks were; they lifted the steering head, increased ground clearance, and caused under steer on the brakes - which offset what the shaft at the rear was doing.

I say "quirks" because these handling issues CAN be ridden around, your motor memory, your reflexes just have to be re-learned and re-set. They are good bikes, solid, reliable, well built. So, yeah, an old air cooled 900 or 1000 with less than 50,000 miles . . . for $1500, I could do that. Perfect for day trips with my wife.

[jhwalker]

Here is an interesting article on some custom versions of the Nine T.
http://www.bikeexif.com/r-nine-t

[jhwalker]

I checked in with the guy I know here in Mexico about how he feels about his BMW these days.

"My bike is a R1150GS Adventure, 2002. I left on my trip with 10k on the odometer. The trip was 65k, through various terrain. Besides general maintenance, the bike was outstanding. I put Ohlins on the bike before I left and had to rebuild them three times before the rear shock finally snapped in Kenya. I would never buy Ohlins again, not for an adventure bike. I replaced rear end seals and bearing at about 75k. Otherwise, the bike performed great, burning shitty fuel in Bolivia and Sudan, accelerating like a champ at 15,000-ft, starting in freezing cold, no vapor locks in extreme heat, etc... A bit heavy at times but when everyone else was tightening chains, changing sprockets, tuning carbs, adding octane ...... I was in the pub drinking beer!

Now the bike is a daily commuter, and I have not been taking care of it like I should, but no complaints. It has 97k miles on it now. If I were to do it all again, I would take the same bike. "

Dat's a lotta miles.

[Brakelate]

Wow. That IS impressive . For both bike and rider.

Makes me wonder now about that new "fancy" Ohlins rear shock I have sitting in the box out in the garage. I've been waiting to have it all re-sprung, fluids changed and set up when I do the front forks to match.

Funny... It is designed, sprung and designed to bolt right on an early "E" model.

If nothing more, it sure is pretty looking.

I think the stories are endless of people snapping shocks, rear subframes and the like on "Around the World" type trips. Often due to overloading with all the gear required, and just the non-stop abuse the machinery takes on Third World 'roads' or off roading entirely for vast distances.

[jhwalker]

Funny... It is designed, sprung and designed to bolt right on an early "E" model.

Devil...

[Brakelate]

Just saying.

Funny, how things go through cycles. Sure all makes and models have good runs and bad ones over the years. Though like the BMW Adventure bikes, the early ones really carved out a unique segment. The K90(?) really was the pioneer that seemed to plant the seed that began the trend to branch away from the "One Motorcycle" mindset. Sure, there was the late '60's UJM 'do it all' attitude to take that one bike and apply it equally across all applications. Perhaps it was ride what you have, because that is all you got. I am sure that went on since the dawn of time, same as all those Model T's bouncing across America with not a paved road in sight.

But, BMW kept on building with the "Adventure / Reliability" reputation up through perhaps 2002 (?) Then they got seriously complicated, heavy... and VERY nice! (Depending on one's own intent and interpretation of what an "Adventure" is and how many miles and under what conditions that involves.

The last decade seems to have relied heavily on their previous track record, with all sorts of final drive failures (shaft drive) and other glitches, including failing to properly protect their highly exposed, extremely fragile cylinder heads.

Now, with all the competition from various makers on all levels, from hard core (KTM) to mainstream and affordable (Yamaha & Suzuki) they have been forced to "up" their game, or at least repair their image and really sink their teeth into this whole ADVRider wave of popularity while it lasts. Like Custom Built "Celebrity / Themed" choppers to Bobbers and made to look "home made" Cafe' or Rat bikes, this too shall pass eventually.

Heck, even the "Retro" '70 standards are coming back (Honda's CB1100) and others. * Check out this bike, and his collection. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-CB-2013-h ... otorcycles

Probably more bike than anyone ever really needs, 90% of the time.

Anyway - James, ask your buddy what his opinion on the current line of BMW's is, just for conversation sake.