This is the new baby: 2005 R12GS (bike review).
This page is the September page, but there are entries from August
so that the story of the search and bringing the new bikie home is on one page.

The new bike search has begun. Initially I thought that I just wanted another 2003 Sprint ST. Tragic as the event was, the demise of that wonderful bike opens the door. Minimum next requirement is ABS. The 2005 Sprint ST has ABS but we did not like each other on our first date nor the second. It's a very nice looking bike, loaded with features, including a gas gauge that tells you how many miles are left in the tank. The problem is that it feels more like a sport bike than a sport-touring bike. I want to be able to ride more than 500 miles a day, not less.

I'm looking at the Aprilia CapoNord ETV, the KTM 950 (undoubtedly way too tall), and whatever GS model BMW has that I can ride. It is a bummer having a 29" inseam and not weighing enough to compress the suspension. If you are interested in a bike, but you can't test ride it because it's too tall, how can you find out if you really like it? Modifying a bike's suspection is usually possible. Still, that's an adjustment you make after you buy the bike, it is a bit more involved than a twist of the screwdriver to adjust the preload before a demo ride.

Here's the CapoNord ETV: I've seen speculation on the Capo forum at apriliaforum.com that ETV stands for Extra Terrestrial Vehicle, Euro Touring Vehicle, and Extra Testosterone Volume. The 2005 model has ABS standard. Its "short" seat is 31.5 inches. I wonder if Frey Daytona makes a platform version of their Lady Star boots?

Meanwhile I'm fighting off bike-loss depression. Next weekend I'll be at Sears Point / Infineon managing Team Roadkill's entry in the 2005 AFM endurance race (the link goes to Mark's story in Road Racer). All that planning, list-making, and post-mortem analysis I did last year paid off. This year's planning session was short and sweet. We're not going for a spot on the podium, but we'll be organized and we're going to have a great time.

BMW K1200S

The sales manager at CalMoto said, "... to be fair, you should test ride of the BMW K1200 S." "Right. Oh go ahead, twist my arm. Sure, if it will make you happy."

This bike is a new design for BMW, and has been getting rave reviews. It is flying out of dealerships for a mere $18,000. A little tech talk - a transverse inline 4, 1157cc, 167HP, 545 lbs wet weight (including ABS and ESA), 174MPH, Hossack-inspired new Duolever front suspension, new maintenance-free final drive. My Sprint ST was 460 lbs. The K1200 suspension is amazing - under way, the bike felt lighter than the Sprint. My Sprint had lots of torque; satisfaction would coat my tongue every time I called on the bike to accelerate us out of a situation. There is so much torque and horsepower on the K1200 that during the merge onto highway, the bike knocked my head back as I clicked through the gears. Dennis was riding in back of me, he thought I was stretching my neck. Ha!

The K1200 is wonderful - there is nothing that I don't like about it. But I'm concerned that I would develop bad habits on this bike. I'd rather have more skill and less power. And, it just isn't the bike I want to ride across Canada on. My next bike is going to be an enduro touring style bike.

BMW R1200 GS

I can't test ride this bike, and at the moment it is one of the top two - the other is the Capo. (Scuderia was supposed to get a few in this week,and I was hoping to test ride it today, but that didn't happen.) Quick tech overview: Air-cooled/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke, 1170 cc, 100 bhp @ 7,000 rpm, 496 lbs, ABS brakes.

Even with the "short" seat, my boots barely touch the ground. Peter rode this bike (a red one) while I was on the K1200S. My current strategy is to have him ride the bikes that I'm serious about and ask lots of questions. If I decide to buy, I'll have the bike's suspension modified to meet my needs. Peter liked this bike although he was concerned about the vibration in the hand grips. I have heard so much good stuff about this bike from a rider I trust, who is about my same build, that although I had taken it off the short list, it is now back on.

The GS is the older sibling of the F650 CS, which I loved. There's an emotional draw to this bike, even if the cylinders remind me of a wart hog I saw from the ground level viewing window of Treetops in Aberdare National Park in Kenya.

* * *

The next few weeks will be focused on butt-testing and test-riding bikes. Even so, it isn't just the bike that I'm looking at. When I had the Suzuki GZ 250, I had bad experiences at two different dealers that specialize in Japanese bikes. I'm not all that impressed with the consistency of service Peter gets for the VFR, so I'm not inclined to buy Japanese, although there are many fine machines out there, and it would certainly save me a heckuva lot of money. I'm quite spoiled by CalMoto - I like the fact that their sales manager is a woman (I've bought two bikes from her), and one of the customer service reps is also female. I just have a problem with male sales goons - when I ask about adjustments for the levers, and the adjustment isn't sufficient for me, what I want to hear is "we can make it work for you". I don't think laughing at the customer, as if it is a joke that she has small hands, is good way to close a deal with a prospect.

Scuderia West (the Aprilia dealer) has an excellent reputation among my rider friends. The only draw back to buying a bike from them is they are about an hour's drive away. And, honestly, I'm a little concerned about the financial stability of the Aprilia business entity, they were bought out by Piaggio (another Italian scooter manufacturer) in August, 2004.

It is hard to be patient. I'm going to get a crick in my neck if I don't get a bike soon - everytime a motorcycle goes by I turn my head to see what it is. I probably shouldn't be driving a car because I'm so easily distracted by anything on two wheels.

Decision: the 2005 R1200 GS. The "short" seat is at Sid's Upholstery, becoming "shorter". The bike is going to Aftershocks in Palo Alto where it is going to receive a pair of Ohlins shocks. The objective is to enable me to ride it to work, or load it up and ride it across Canada, or, Peter may ride it. As usual, doing business with Carolyn the sales manager and Tanya the finance manager at CalBMW in Mountain View was a pleasure.

Am I excited about the new bike? Honestly, I'm a little numb right now. You know that old chestnut, "Be careful what you ask for, you might get it"? At the moment it feels more like, "Be careful what you dream about doing with your life, the universe might put the tools in front of you. Will you be ready to seize them?".

By the end of next week I hope to seize the handle bars and throw a leg over this beauty and actually feel the balls of my feet touch down. It's going to take some time to learn to ride this bike - yet another whole new animal.

I want to say that I chose the GS more out of need, and not because the Caponord ETV failed to please. I feel sorry for Scuderia - you can't sell a bike if you haven't got inventory. Scuderia expected shipment, but Aprilia couldn't provide any specific dates for delivery so my waiting period simply timed out. I am disappointed that I never even got to see a 2005 Capo, let alone the very cool looking 2006 bikes.

Doug from Forty Years on Two Wheels who is in love with his Caponord pointed out that I'm not exactly suffering with a consolation prize.

"... (Aprilia is) committed to improving things but when one has bike fever and there is no bike to buy it's not much consolation. Anyway, it's not like the GS is an old toad, you've got a great bike there and if you can avoid the crickets next time this one should give you many years of adventures."

I was hoping to ride my new bike home today, but alas, even with the lowered "low" seat it must stay at the shop so the bike can be lowered 1.5 inches. I will have the same ground contact that I had with the Sprint - the balls of my feet - that's just enough to give me confidence. They are also customizing the side stand to meet the needs of this low-rider GS. Business is good at Aftershocks, I won't get to see my bike until next Wednesday.

I rode the bike home from Aftershocks, maybe half a mile if I want to exaggerate. First time I rode it was in the Aftershocks parking lot. That shaft drive packs quite a wallop. I can tell you right now - that the bike and I have a lot to learn about each other. I feel like a beginner again - this bike is quite different from anything I've ever ridden and I find it rather intimidating. My toes barely touch down right now but I'm trusting Phil, the owner of Aftershocks, who assures me that the bike will settle in (and down, literally) in about two to three thousand miles. So I had better get riding.

Carolyn at CalBMW worked really hard to keep me from doing the virgin ride on the bike with the saddlebags. Get used to the bike without the bags first, she says.

I was hoping to open a bottle of champagne to celebrate the bike's arrival, but I'm going to wait until Saturday night, after the first ride to Berkeley - about a hundred mile round trip.

The bike is ready to go. It has its hardcases, and a tank bag. WIth the Triumph I had a method for riding to work with my computer and work shoes that was dependent on the hard cases. Using an elastic net to keep the pile of stuff on the seat works fine, but it looks sloppy., and it won't work well in the rain.

Saturday I went to the dealership to pick up the hardcases and get a tank bag. Pat adjusted the height of the mounting bolts for the cases. He asked if I was enjoying the bike. "I'm afraid of it." I confessed. His laugh was of understanding, his eyes conveyed encouragement.

Several people came over to see the new baby, and accepted my invitation to try out the ride height. I watched their faces carefully as they settled into the seat and felt their entire foot come into contact with the ground. If eye balls were attached to the brain with bungee cords, eye balls would have ejected from their sockets and bounced around on the ground. Everyone had a story about riding a tall bike and coming to an unplanned stop where the crown of the road fell away steeply. More than one person had lowered their foot to the ground, found nothing to stabilize on and fallen over. This will be my fate if I'm not hyper-vigilant.

For the next two thousand miles, I have to ride this bike paying lots of attention to the degree of level of the road. I've had to find a new place to park at work. At intersections, I lean the bike to the high side of the road, and only put one half of a foot down. What little around-town riding I've done reassures me I've got the right bike - this is the bike I will ride across Alcan (the Alaskan - Canadian highway) someday. If you're not familiar with Alcan here is one of many interesting links to motorcyclist's stories of riding this one-of-a-kind, perhaps once in a lifetime road across the north American continent.

Carolyn, who also owns this model of GS, tells me that when she and the bike had logged 2,500 miles with each other, suddenly the bike got way faster. That's the second data point I've received that I need 2,000 -3,000 of time in the saddle before this bike and I get a groove going. So, why aren't I out riding today? 'Cause there aren't enough hours in the day and I've got household chores. I didn't get to ride to Berkeley yesterday due to unexpected circumstances, so that champage bottle is still in the refrigerator. Soon.

The bottle of champagne is still in the refrigerator, but the bike has been across the Dumbarton bridge, the Bay Bridge (twice), to the Safeway in the Diamond Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, and all the way home on 280. The bottle stays in the refrigerator until I get past the 600 mile mark, and no longer have to short-shift the bike to keep the rpm under 4,000. Talk about motorycle blue balls - do you know how hard it is to stay under 4,000 rpm on a bike like this?