Meet my new Ride (and our old ones)

Not much activity on here lately because my GS was reaching 30K after the Ireland Trip, I started to look at a trade in before I needed to spend the best part of £1.5K (predicting clutch replacement and other work). With the up-coming tour of the Alps in September I thought how nice it would be to embark the tour on a new bike. I took a test ride (Rybrook Wolverhampton) on a 2018 R1200GS TE Exclusive. After a three hour test ride I was smitten. All that was left was to hand over my requirements (Nav 6, Vario Panniers and Top Box, Engine Bars and Tank Bag) to Helen and let her attempt to negotiate a TE Exclusive with the complimentary BMW TFT Connectivity and three year warranty. She always says if she can't get a good deal it's a no-go, and much to my surprise after much negotiating between several dealerships to my utter amazement and relief she didn't let me down !

My new BMW R1200 GS Exclusive having just landed the day before at  Rybrook.

A few days later all equipped at home just after the long way home via Bridgnorth!

I have to say this bike is amazing. The handling, smoothness and responsiveness is sublime and the extras - Dynamic adaptive suspension is something to behold. I have a total of 450 miles minimum to run-in before the first service prior to my ride to the Alps with Steve and the rest of Motorrad tours, so a few local round trips to run up the miles are such a pleasure!

Iced Metallic Chocolate - on the top of Long Mynd, Shrophsire.

 

The BMW Connectivity TFT and the combined Navigator 6 showing 58 MPG. The connectivity is great - connected to my Schuberth C4 Helmet and Mobile Phone was easy, I can now make and receive calls via the TFT and using the GS handlebar thumb wheel control the Nav' 6. I'm still finding out other features e.g. the various display options to show while riding e.g. tyre pressures, temperature and fuel all on one screen as well as the 'My Vehicle' screen below. Initially, when these TFT's were released I was sceptical - but now I'm sold for the simple reason that you can see more information clearly and on one single screen. Other features like cruise control work great - can't wait for the M40 ride down to Folkestone now. Roll on next month and those Alpine passes !

Recently, Lindsay sent me pictures of himself and some of his old bikes, and since I now have a new bike I thought it fun to post a few pics of our early old bikes too. Unfortunately, I could only find one  of mine, the one below of my first bike - the Suzuki GP 100 Sport model (fitted with chrome front mudguard and disc brakes). This was brand new bought from the Motorcycle Mart in Kidderminster back when they were in Mill St. The reg. OAB 717Y (1982) I bought using money from my 18th Birthday to get me to and from work and Worcester Technical College.  I think it was a grand total of £585.00, and I had it on HP with free RAC Star Rider Training (I still have my Silver Star somewhere). The bike was 2 stroke with a separate 2 stroke oil tank (luxury). I went everywhere on this bike (pictured outside a girlfriends house).  With my head down I could get 72 MPH - and I did reach 73 just before it seized along the Stourport Road leaving me to snatch the clutch in pretty sharpish and a bit of a brown 'Belstaff ' trouser moment ! 

Me around this time - with more hair (spot the Rush Moving Pictures Tour Sweatshirt).

Here's a pic of me around the same time sat on the wall outside the Wood Colliers Arms in Bewdley. 

A stock Suzuki GS 250 - same colour but mine was a bit more  er ..customised.

Eventually after I passed my bike test I sold the GP 100 to my Dad - who got back into biking to commute to work years after selling his last BSA Bantam 175. He was really pleased with the Suzuki - no oil leaks and always started first time. I ended up buying a ratty looking GS 250 with cow-horns bars (what is it with me and GS's eh?) off my mate Dean fitted with a 2 into 1 exhaust that had a wicked power band. 

Suzuki GSX 250

I always lusted after the GSX variant of the same OHC 250 four stroke as was fitted to the GS. I loved the sporty style and the rear end, so eventually managed to get my hands on one by again swapping the GP 100 back off my Dad for the GS (that he absolutely loved the sit up and beg style) and trading it in for the GSX. This was a cracking bike  until the novelty wore off. Not long after owning it I lost the baffles in the exhaust at speed 'cos the pipes were rotten and coming back from seeing Jasper Carrot show or Meatloaf  concert (can't remember which) at the Odeon in Brum I had a rear tyre flat. A cold November night coming along the twisty section between Blakedown and Kidderminster the rear end started to shimmy around me thinking I was simply shivering in my leather jacket and jeans, when I stopped at the Land Oak lights I couldn't get moving again looked down the tyre was completely flat. I dumped the bike at the Railway Station thumbed a lift home wondering if the bike would still be there in the morning - and it was! However, the following day while parked outside my mum and dads house with the flat tyre it was stolen! Biking days over for a while - the insurance payout went toward my first car, but I always hoped to get another bike someday. Little did I know it would be 20 years ! 

So, here's Lindsay and two of his old Jumpers and Cardigans I swear I've seen him wearing recently, in his own words: 

BSA C15 , around 1971

Ape hangers , chrome tank, headlight and front mudguard and rack , hand painted gold straight through Mega , stuffed with chicken wire , nice sparks at night when it back fired !!!

Yamaha YDS 7 1972

Went like a rocket , thrashed all the English bike about at the time, only my mate on a his Norton commando  could keep up LOL.