Topic: Long Way Round

[nickjtc]

For those of us who haven't seen it, The Long Way Round (Ewan MacGregor(sp?) and Charlie Boorman on BMW's riding around the world) starts tomorrow night on OLN.

[cmorgan47]

it's pretty good. 
got it from netflix and even the wife enjoyed it--though that probably has more to do with mcgregor than the BMWs.

[superchode]

it's an entertaining series... i just wish it had more footage of them actually riding.

[nickjtc]

I'm looking forward to seeing how/why KTM dropped the ball on the use of their bikes, making them have to go to BMW.....

[martini]

Great viewing, much better then I expected. My wife also enjoyed it

[heffay]

and why... for the love of god... does everyone think beemers are IT?  i rode my stepmom's beemer from boulder to santa fe and back recently and let me tell you...

the vibration is unforgiving
they dance ALL OVER THE ROAD
and they're funny looking

the only reason i took it instead of mine was because i can't fit saddle bags on my zx7r (cb350 is my cruisin town ride)... had i been able to i woulda much rather been all crunched over on my bike than having to deal with the 3 things i said.

[nickjtc]

FWIW I always wanted a BMW, from the first days I started riding. Eventually, after 26 years, I was in a position to afford one. I really liked the R1100RS and ended up buying one in Montreal. The missis and I flew over on the 'red eye' from Vancouver and rode it back to BC.

Within a very short while I realised that, you know what, the BMW is just another motorcycle. Yes, it looked OK and performed really well (the first bike I ever owned capable of cruising at 100mph, indicated), but dealer back-up wasan't stellar (nearest dealer 350km away), and it wasn't (hushed tones) really that comfortable. I had it for a couple of years, and 32,000km, until a student came up to me one day and told me that he had a friend who wanted my bike. I didn't lose much money on it and went out and bought a KLR650.

I don't think I would ever buy a new BMW. They have really dropped the ball in the 'looks' department. Wouldn't mind one of the first R90S's as a collector. But frankly I am having too much fun with Sophie and the Mistress.

[jidai]

I too always wanted a beemer bike, still do. Say what you will about BMW bikes and how they handle or how they look now or how overpriced and finnicky they are. To these eyes nothing, and I mean NOTHING, looks better than a cafe-ed boxer BMW, like a /6 or similar.

What I'm talking about:

[img width= height=]http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/2299/bmwcaferacer2ey6.jpg[/img]

[img width= height=]http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/3319/bmwcaferacercj0.jpg[/img]

[img width= height=]http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/9429/rs54rearghtes9.jpg[/img]

[img width= height=]http://img433.imageshack.us/img433/3351/incompboxerwv2.jpg[/img]

[nickjtc]

[img width= height=]http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/9429/rs54rearghtes9.jpg[/img]

I like that one. Stripped to the bones, mean and rangy. With the Teutonic sense of humour for a seat!!!

[supersport_CB400F]

Seen the whole show and it's a gaggle of pussys who cant drive or ride or fix bikes for that matter   

[gar]

FWIW I always wanted a BMW, from the first days I started riding. Eventually, after 26 years, I was in a position to afford one. I really liked the R1100RS and ended up buying one in Montreal...Within a very short while I realised that, you know what, the BMW is just another motorcycle. ...I don't think I would ever buy a new BMW..frankly I am having too much fun with Sophie and the Mistress.

Thanks for opining. It reinforces something I've been feeling.  For a long time my thought was that when my servitude years come to an end (my main job is being "dad" now)  I'd get a new Beemer.  A real tour bike with ABS, single-side swingarm, and so forth.  But with my last two bikes I bought from the showroom (a CBR 600F2 and a 750 Magna) - they lacked character, I guess.  The CBR was extremely smooth, fast, a great wheelie bike...The buzzing engine reminded me of a sewing machine.  The Magna was a high caliber bike, too... but all I worried about was somebody stealing it.  My best memories are of the bikes I've adjusted the cams on, the bikes on which I've rebuilt calipers,  the ones that have idiosyncrasies, and a lot of character.  That is why I love my new old bike.  Despite the fact that I was in 3rd grade when it was manufacturered, it is a good match for me.  I'm looking forward to this and other vintage bikes in my future, rather than getting snowed by the manufacturer's marketing department.


On a tangent, an acquaintence of mine has a bike --what I thought was a vintage BMW the first time I saw it.  It is a Russian Ural.  The genesis of the bike was a that pre-WWII reverse engineered the BMW R71, or took over a BMW factory and produced their own Russian version.  The bikes have been made for decades, and are very similar to this very day.  No computer chips on these bikes.  He loves it.  Check out http://www.imz-ural.com/   

[nickjtc]

My best memories are of the bikes I've adjusted the cams on, the bikes on which I've rebuilt calipers,  the ones that have idiosyncrasies, and a lot of character.  That is why I love my new old bike.  Despite the fact that I was in 3rd grade when it was manufacturered, it is a good match for me.  I'm looking forward to this and other vintage bikes in my future, rather than getting snowed by the manufacturer's marketing department.

My thoughts, exactly. Hence the '79, '71 and '68.

[Ceej]

I borrowed the DVDs from a buddy and i really enjoyed it.  I would recomend watching it if you get a chance.

[putnaja1]

I wish they'd make the 10 episode version available in the USA..  It must be some deal with Amazon, where they can't sell the upgraded version until Amazon gets their stock of the initial version sold?  2 disc -vs- 3 disc new version.. Oh well, I guess 2 discs is better than nothin!