I Just Noticed Something on the Forum

[Jay in Ohio]

There seems to be subtle jabbing at the BMWs.

Therefore, I must add a short story:

Friday, I met my family after work for a dinner out. It was a nice day so we sat outside, both to enjoy the weather and keep an eye on my FJR. There was a BMW (R1200RT? - is that such a thing? I may not be remembering it properly - it WAS nice!) sorta clogging up what little MC parking was there. So I was parked not-too-close, but closer than normal, such that he had to pay attetion when he left.

Well, a younger-middle-aged good-looking man (much like myself) sauntered out, covetously regarded my FJR for a moment, then looked around to see if anyone had caught him ogling my ride.

He swung a leg over, started his bike (which did not sound good idling in the parking lot - it sounded much better when he rode by later), cranked up his radio, backed it out, adjusted his sun glasses, and proceeded to leave.

At the end of the lot he then performed one of the tightest turns I've seen on a motorcycle, and returned to his parking spot.

?????????

He cooly shut off his bike and walked back inside.

Moments later he returned, carrying his helmet and his wallet. (I hope he wasn't drinkin' too much)

Kinda pointless story, but I thought it was funny. Maybe you hadda be there.

J

 

[majicmaker]

He wanted everyone to see who's bike it was. Need we say any more?

 

[bigjohnsd]

Bring More Wallet

 

[Panman]

After riding for some forty four years I have noticed that we are all pretty much the same. We always think it is in good fun...............

 

[FJRBluesman]

Funny, your story fits the Beemer riders perfectly... We just don't understand them.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Maybe he had one of those new high-speed credit cards that notifies him when he forgets it somewhere, and he left it in his helmet. AND, FWIW, those beemers are very easy to do tight turns with. Just the way they balance. They're very easy to ride. Easier at slow speeds than my FJR, but not nearly as fun!!

 

[dcarver]

He was testing the final drive in the parking lot before leaving to ride home?

 

[Fontanaman]

....younger-middle-aged good-looking man..... Hold the fort now. This is a dichotomy!

Everybody knows BMW owners are usually are with the pipe and slipper set.

Hell I used to own a BMW and smoked cigars and wore Birkenstocks. Damn near the same thing.

 

[Denver_FJR]

There seems to be subtle jabbing at the BMWs.

Subtle? It's practically a sport!

 

[Fontanaman]

There seems to be subtle jabbing at the BMWs.

Subtle? It's practically a sport!

Fixed it for you Denver_FJR.

 

[yamafitter]

There seems to be subtle jabbing at the BMWs.

Subtle? It's practically a sport!

Who......me????

 

[BanjoBoy]

Sum of us have made the mistake of owning the unreliable, fragile, high maintenance brand, butt they is great bikes fer posing, 'n that's wut that feller wuz do'in.

Bring More Wallet

Buy Mor Warranty

 

[El Toro Joe]

Hell I used to own a BMW and smoked cigars and wore Birkenstocks.

I get the BMW and smoking cigars thing...but Birkenstocks...REALLY???

 

[Fly Bye]

Everyone should own a BMW at least once in thier life.

I did, once.

 

[HelzBelz]

There is a guy at work who rides a BMW k1200GT, he's got a lot of the same farkles that I do (ZUMO with satellite, Ram mount for phone) . He has BMW sport grips (so do I).

He wears a one piece aerostich. I wear kevlar lined pants, and one of three moto specific jackets depending on weather. He usually crosses in front of me when I am sitting at a light near my house. We usually arrive at work within minutes of each other. So for a year I have been trying to catch him to strike up a chat. (Stalker am I?, no but it does sound that way)

One day I parked my bike in Motorcycle parking after lunch, next to his. As I was walking back into work, I see him coming out to go to lunch. he has his aerostich halfway on, and helmet in hand. (dedicated to safety,,)

He sees me finish parking and we are now walking toward each other. He makes a hard left turn toward the car parking lot. and keeps walking. I thought I might just stand and watch until he had to circle back.

Weird.

Maybe he thinks I am Gay? Or Straight? OR Beemers are cheaper to service than FJR's? I don't care. He is a doctor (I work at a hospital, and I am just a guy who manages the data that gets us reimbursed so he can get paid. IE. I fix his mistakes)

<<Vincent Price voice/>>He will talk to me... oh he WILL talk to me. Muha ha ha ha ha, mu ha ha ha ha ..<<Vincent Price Voice>>

 

[Bounce]

Everyone should own a BMW at least once in thier life.
I did, once.

Like they should own an Alfa Romeo at least once (so they can appreciate every other vehicle they own the rest of their lives)?

 

[Fontanaman]

Hell I used to own a BMW and smoked cigars and wore Birkenstocks.

I get the BMW and smoking cigars thing...but Birkenstocks...REALLY???

I sold the BMW years ago, quit smoking cigars recently but I still wear Birkenstocks. In fact I wear them at work everyday. I suffer from hyperhidrosis (sweaty feet) so it is way to get relief from foot rot. It is a good thing I am a desk jockey. TMI right?

 

[El Toro Joe]

Hell I used to own a BMW and smoked cigars and wore Birkenstocks.

I get the BMW and smoking cigars thing...but Birkenstocks...REALLY???

I sold the BMW years ago, quit smoking cigars recently but I still wear Birkenstocks. In fact I wear them at work everyday. I suffer from hyperhidrosis (sweaty feet) so it is way to get relief from foot rot. It is a good thing I am a desk jockey. TMI right?

 

[Klubis]

Everyone should own a BMW at least once in thier life.
I did, once.

Like they should own an Alfa Romeo at least once (so they can appreciate every other vehicle they own the rest of their lives)?

Oh this brought back some memories. I've never owned a BMW, so I guess I have to that on my bucket list. I did, however own an Alpha.

In my sophomore year at Lehigh U., I was the proud owner of a '69 CL350. I loved that bike. My buds and I went to a used car dealer who specialized in Ferraris and Lambos. He had a '63 Alpha Romeo Guilietta Sprint Spider Veloce Special in the lot. Carolina blue in color. Ferraris and Lambos were out of the question dollar wise, but he only wanted $1,500 for the Alpha. We took it for a test ride and I noticed a nasty noise coming from the rear. It was a bearing. The dealer/owner/mechanic went to his closet of used parts and under a bunch of half shafts and roaches he found a bearing that would work.

Were there alarm bells going off in my head? Absolutely not. All I could think of was DOHC and sodium filled exhaust valves. I told my dad about the deal. Over the phone I could hear him cringe as I was talking about getting a FLFC (funny little foreign car). We were from Pittsburgh, and the mills back then actually still produced steel. Dad said offer him a grand, which I did, and which the dealer jumped on.

I sold my beloved CL350 to finance part of the Alpha, and then began my summer vacation. I got a summer job working for US Steel as a riggers helper at the Duquesne Works. Man, did I take some crap from the mill hunks about my FLFC. My best friend had a Triumph 500 Trophy at the time. Whichever one of us had a date drove the Alpha, the other rode the Trumph. It was really pretty cool except for when the Alpha went down, which was only 3 times over 3 months.

First time the clutch went out. Dad said "I told you so" and wouldn't help, but Izzy the neighbor across the street ( who was Dad's age) was there for me. Changing the clutch on that thing required some real creativity and bending of wrenches to get where I couldn't get. But we got it done. The wrenches that Izzy bent for me are still some of my most prized possessions.

Now Izzy's daughter was my age and she was the most beautiful girl I ever met. I kept after her to go out with me but she never would. Except once, and that was when I got tickets to see the Beatles at the Civic Arena. But I digress.

The Alpa's second failure happened when I was on a date with the second most beautiful girl I ever knew. Dad had to come get me and tow me home with a bull rope. The problem turned out to be a swallowed valve. So I pulled the head, bought a valve, and had a machine shop instal, seat, and lap the valve. While the head was off I got my first look at cam-on-bucket valve actuation. Also, even then in my infancy as a shade tree mechanic, I could tell that the cam lobes and bucket surfaces were nearly FUBAR. So I put it back together but it wouldn't start. Dad decided that it was ok to help me at that point, and he suggested I might have the cams off by 180. He was right, and she started right up after repositioning the cams.

The third failure was another clutch. And I am not hard on clutches. Maybe my best friend was?

So 3 months, 3 failures. When it ran, it ran great compared to any other 1300cc cage. But the best experience I had as an Alpha owner was riding my best friend's Trumph when he had a date.

And now for the funniest part of the story. I had become convinced that Dad was right about FLFCs. GM and Ford had both recently introduced small cars, so I determined to get one of them. For $2,300 I drove out of the dealers lot with a brand new Chevy Vega with 3 on the floor. I suppose it could have been worse, though. I might have bought a Pinto (practically impossible not to oxplode).

I wish I still had that CL350.