daboo

I have used the TomTom Go app in the past. Unless I'm mistaken though, you can't import a route from another program like MyRoute. The other reason I'm not going in that direction is that unless you buy a ruggedized phone like a Kyocera, you're taking a good chance on ruining your smartphone. I've seen several threads where someone ruined several phones. It isn't the phone or GPS portion that dies, but the optical image stabilization. But it is a good suggestion and I'll take another look at the TomTom Go app. Chris

Great topic, and timely for me. FWIW, the Halocam M1 dash camera works well enough to watch your Garmin 595LM depart the bike, bounce at least 4 feet in the air on the first hit on the pavement, and then disappear forever. So now I'm looking for a new GPS. The 595 is out of the question. Prices are about $150 more than the Zumo XT. At first glance, it seemed great. Then I got to noticing the HUGE speed info and the other info area on the right bottom. And then there's a lot of features, I really don't need. So I'm pretty much looking at either the TomTom 550 or Garmin Zumo 396. Not sure which to chose. For those of you with a TomTom...how do you listen to music? I've heard you can do something with Siri or Google Now, but I'm not sure how well that works. I don't listen to music often, mainly on those long straight stretches of freeway that you sometimes can't avoid. Chris

BMW owners can be a little "wierd" at times. That's a non-scientific word, and probably someone can come up with a better word for it. I was on my first summer after retirement and going to a rally in Spearfish, SD. It was mid-afternoon and I thought a vanilla shake at the McDonalds ahead of me sounded great in the 95F temps. As I was pulling in, a rider on a R1200GS pulled in ahead of me. Inside, we talked for a few minutes. He was just absolutely frantic about finding a BMW dealership that would change the oil on his GS. This is the bike that supposedly can go anywhere. But the owners baby them like they will fall apart. I'm looking forward to the reviews of all these adventure-touring bikes. Walking up to them in a parking lot, they all look similar, but there will be subtle (and maybe not-so-subtle) differences in the way they ride and handle.

I like some of what they say...and I also noticed they had a caveat that will be interesting. I find it interesting that the model you see in the dealerships is the stripped down version. To anyone familiar with BMW, that's different. Normally, if you want that model, you have to order it from the factory. And that's where the caveat will be interesting. The reviewers have commented on the suspension being harsher than they liked. Hmm...you wouldn't believe how bad our roads are here in the Seattle area. Potholes are multiplying faster than the rabbits in my back yard. What I would want, is something that would soak up those potholes, not let me feel every bit of them. Chris

I think the reason for closing down motorcycling may have something to do with how far you travel...and then potentially carry the virus. By itself, motorcycling shouldn't be any different than walking down the street. Keep your distance and all will be well. But when I walk down the street, I'm still in my own neighborhood. When I ride for fun, I can easily be covering 400-500 miles in a day with multiple stops for food and gas. They originally had all the parks open here, but closed those as the people started congregating and ignoring the distance requirements. This was interesting. I wonder how much Mardi Gras contributed to spreading the disease? Chris

I don't disagree. I can only tell you what has happened on my own bike. If they vibrated any at all, I'd balance them. They just don't seem to. Chris

Probably a long post ahead. Hopefully, entertaining. Until recently, I always had the local dealership mount and balance my tires. At $25 or $30 a wheel, it was well worth it. That was riding the bike in and having them do everything. But then they jumped the price to $70 a wheel. Probably a fair price, but the shock of the enormous increase in cost, on top of the high cost of the tires and their short life, made me step back and think about this. So I started changing my own tires at home with a set of BeadPro tire irons. Balancing was the next issue to address. There was always a lot of weight it seemed on my wheels. To make a long story shorter, I decided to use balancing beads. They seemed to work fine, but were a problem trying to get into the tire without having them spill out. I didn't want to put them in through the valve stem because of the TPMS sensor, so put them in while the bead was loose. So while that set of tires was wearing out, I kept reading and trying to get smart on balancing tires. There's a red dot on many tires that indicates the place to put the tire on the rim. Hmm... So when it became time to change those tires out, I lost a lot of the balance beads. Okay, how about if I just see how bad the tires vibrate and we'll decide how much more of the balance beads I need. Turns out, the tires seemed perfectly smooth without any balance beads at all in them. And the stick on weights had long been removed. Wow. The next set of tires didn't even have a red dot. Oh-oh. How do I know where to put the tire? So when riding the bike, the tires again seemed balanced...without using anything to balance them. More reading. Someone wrote a tire manufacturer asking why their tires didn't have a red dot. The reply was that their tires are so well made now, that they don't require any balancing for the tire. If the tire is checked in the manufacturing process and found to be out of balance, it is scrapped. If any balancing is needed, it is for the wheel itself. Chris

Here's the prices I found with a search yesterday on Revzilla with one current rebate. Note: Michelin has a $50 rebate through 3/31. It doesn't make their tire inexpensive...it just brings it down to reality.I've been waiting for rebates, and some have come. Others might come in a couple weeks. Here's what it looks like with those potential rebates.Dunlop had a $40 rebate on their Roadsmart III tires from 3/1 to 4/30, and another from 7/1 to 8/31 last year. Hopefully, the timing will be similar for your planning purposes. Continental had a $60 rebate on their RoadAttack III tires from 4/1 to 6/30 last year. I'm hoping for this one. Not only is this my favorite tire, but they also offer free roadside assistance with the cost of their tires. Michelin has a current rebate as I wrote above of $50. It expires on 3/31.Other comments: You mentioned the Metzeler Roadtec 01 tires. The first set lasted me @6000 miles. I had the standard tire on front and back. When the Continental RA3 tires needed changing, I decided to give the Metzeler Roadtec 01 tires a second chance. Back when they first came out, the HWM version was recommended for the F800GT and I hadn't purchased that version. I thought maybe that would make a difference. So I purchased the HWM version this time around. I've had the tires on now for about 3000 miles and they look to be about half worn...which will have them last @6000 miles again, it seems. I find that tire to be no better than the Dunlop or Continental tires, but it wears about twice as fast. But...it looks pretty.Chris

Fleece lined pants won't do you much good in a fall. Knee pads not only keep your knees from shattering if you hit the ground, but also provide some insulation from the cold. You'll spend far less money on a good pair of riding pants...and be safer...than trying to codge together some kind of fairing lower. Winter riding is when you (you, in general) are more likely to fall, yet most people only want something that will keep them warm but rip through in a second...leaving their skin and bones to take care of the remaining time they are sliding on pavement. Chris

Thanks for the tip. I've gone up to Lake Roesiger and ridden in that area a lot, but never to Spada Lake. Chris

The weather limits riding in the PNW by more than simply riding in rain. That's not fun, but it is totally doable with the right gear. More limiting is the snow in the higher elevations. On another forum, a doctor from New Jersey decided to take a cross-country trip out here to experience some of the fantastic scenery we have. It was a waste of his time. He hit rain every day and wasn't thrilled to ride in rain. Worse though, he headed over to Mt. St. Helens with a friend of mine and they hit fog so deep from the snow that they couldn't see more than a few feet in front of them. And many of the treasures we have, can't be reached till the snow is plowed. But when you can get out...the scenery is drop-dead gorgeous! Chris

James invited me on a second ride. We headed over to Monroe and rode over Ben Howard Road. For those not in the area, it is a motorcyclists' dream road. Hills and dips, twists and turns. And the unexpected mud on the road from the rain washing out the side roads. It's always wonderful, but you can't be day-dreaming on it when the conditions are like this. But still nice. From there we headed east on US2 to Reiter Road. I've skipped it in the past. I think it is delightful and on my list of local roads to explore and enjoy. If you follow it long enough, it comes into the back of a town called Index. From there, we headed east on US2 to Skykomish, where we relaxed in some unexpected sun and looked out over the river. This was our turn-around point in Skykomish. I didn't need it, but I went inside and bought a cup of coffee to help them out. And to thank them for what they had done a couple months back. We got some unusual weather and Stevens Pass was closed for days. The owner drove out to his place to check if the power was out and if everything was okay and found his parking lot full of stranded motorists. He opened the place up so people could get warm and fed them sandwiches and whatever else he could find. He did a really good thing. Chris

I live in the north end, if you are looking for someone to ride with. Chris

Yes, I've been there. There's some nice riding if you head over to Kitsap Penninsula too. Nice views across the Sound. Little to no traffic. And you don't have to worry about snow. Chris

James invited me to join him in riding out as far as we could on the North Cascades Highway. We got as far as the Colonial Creek Campground before we reached the barriers that said the rest of the way was by foot. I had a wonderful time. James really knows the side roads up north. As he puts it, it keeps him sane when he has to get away from it all. Chris

I generally plan my routes out using two map programs. First, I use Google maps. I can add the terrain view to see which route might be more interesting. Then I can confirm it by using Street View. Once I get the route down, I switch over to Bing maps. There's a way to show gas stations along your route. Since my biggest limiter is range, I'll fix my route in the GPS by setting up the gas station stops as way points. That's actually saved my bacon a couple times. I was heading west and my route was going to take me across Lolo Pass. There's no gas for 100 miles. If you leave from somewhere like Missoula and head west, you may be tempted to skip the gas stations about an hour down the road. You don't "need" gas yet. But if you haven't planned your next stop, you could find that you run out somewhere in the middle of the Lolo Pass road. But with some planning, I've found I haven't needed any of the spare gas I've carried along with me. Chris

Ride. Over time, you'll get mud and other road spray debris caked on there and never see the blue. Chris

Sometimes, silly things become a "tradition". At NEWSTOC, Todd gathers up all sorts of things to give away at an "auction". Some of them are really worthwhile. One of them was a really tacky bumblebee wind chime. Well, I was the first recipient of this treasured item. There was no way I was carrying that thing back home across the Cascades. None. But when I was getting ready to leave, Todd was busy talking with some others around the corner of his home. I snuck back to the porch and hung the bumblebee wind chime on a hook...and left promptly. He didn't see it till I mentioned it on the forum a couple days later. By then, he was stuck with it till the next get together. It has since become a subject of lots of fun comments about how everyone hopes not to receive this coveted wind chime. We get a lot of good laughs about it. For NEWSTOC, we'll have riders coming from as far away as Alberta and Arizona. For the Bun Cooler, there'll be riders coming from California and some of the northern central states, probably Canada too. For the Death Valley get together, I might be coming the farthest, but there'll be riders coming probably from some of the south eastern states. It isn't that hard to turn a weekend event into something that's an adventure. Combine some nice roads on the way to and from and you've got a great ride. While the "reason" is the weekend event, the entire time is wonderful. Chris

This thread just popped up in my mind as I was looking at a bunch of posts on another forum. I belong to two riding "groups". One is a forum only, ST-Owners.org. The other is for the Kawasaki Concours Owners Group (COG). I think the "secret" they have is they get together and organize regional rides. One of my favorite rides is "NEWSTOC". It's held in Seven Bays, WA at the private residence of one of the forum members. He makes his yard open to camping and there's motels close by. It's just a wonderful time for some riders to get together, have fun riding during the day, and have fun sitting around telling tall tales around a campfire at night. The COG is an actual group. You can join just the forum, or you can help support the organization with some low-cost yearly dues. Like the ST owners, they organize rides. We must've had 20 posts tonight alone on the ride in Death Valley this April. There's a bunch of posts on the Bun Cooler in Kamiah Idaho coming up. I watched a member change his rear tire in the parking lot of the KOA motel with another member guiding him...and about 35 of us giving advice from our lawn chairs and drinking our favorite refreshments. The rides give the people an excuse to meet and see each other in person. The deep long lasting relationships develop from that. But it takes people to decide to make an effort initially to get it started. Chris

So I stopped by the local BMW dealer. He has one in the Galvanic Golden Metallic color. I told the salesman that the color wouldn't work for me. It isn't in my color wheel. (I learned about color wheels when I watched Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side.) Anyway, I think it would clash with my hi-vis jacket. Can't have that. But they do have some shade of white that would work.Salesman said that what I was looking at, wasn't what others were ordering? Really? I thought BMW dealers always ordered the top of the line versions. This one had cornering ABS and cornering traction control. What is missing? Well, cruise control, heated grips and one other option. How much more would that be? About another $3000. Wow...So here's the numbers: MSRP $12750 as equipped. Not a base model, but not with the top of the line package that includes cruise control and heated grips. Trade In $3600. 2014 BMW F800GT. Out the door with tax and license, etc at $11,883. First Impressions - the bike is tall for me. I'm touching just with my tippy toes. I'd have to get a lower seat. And with my legs down, the side edges of the seat cut into my thighs. The windscreen is tiny. You can adjust it up and down with a lever. There didn't seem to be any in-between position. The chain...well, looks like a chain. I wish it looked like a belt. It is interesting to look at a bike and know that you aren't lusting for it. It gives the buyer a definite advantage. Why would I consider one? I like the idea of cornering ABS and cornering traction control. The F900XR also has more suspension travel, which is a benefit with the poor roads in Washington State. But the bottom line is the bike didn't move me. At all. That's a personal opinion and I know it will move others. I was offered a test ride, and I'll probably take them up on one later when the temps aren't as cold. That could change my opinion. It'll be a fun way to spend an hour or so. But it was getting dark. Rush hour traffic was clogging the roads up, and the roads still have sand from the snow on them. And we still have areas of flooding. It just wasn't a good time.One of the things that always brings me back to reality is that last figure. $11,883. That doesn't include about $2-3000 in accessories like panniers. My F800GT is looking more attractive all the time.There was a R1250RS parked next to it. How much? Around $20,000. Plus the accessories and mods. But I think a used RS would be an attractive alternative. And if I really wanted a new bike, I think I'd do some serious looking at the alternatives like the Tracer GT, the Triumph Tiger and the Ducati Multistrada 950.Chris

I'd love to swap bikes some day for a few miles to get a feel for what you're talking about. But it would probably cost me a lot of money afterwards. My driving history has kept me from having too high of standards. My second car was a 66 from Germany. Two door, four on the floor. Bucket seats. Rear engine. Fast back. I loved it. Oh...and it would chirp the rear tires between first and second gear. No, it wasn't a Porsche. It was a 66 VW Beetle with 40 or 50 hp. My standards are low. Chris

By the time you get into those dollars, who quibbles about another couple hundred, or even a thousand. If it is on a loan, you only worry about the monthly payment. And if you can afford to pay cash...again, you don't worry. As my wife said once when we went to a restaurant, if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it. (I remember one restaurant where we did walk out when we saw the price. Not because we couldn't afford it, but thought you'd have to be stupid to pay that much for that little.) One of the advantages of buying used, is if you can find a bike with all the accessories you'd want included in the price. It saved me $3000 on my F800GT. I noted the choppy fueling comment also and that's the reason I didn't buy the FJ-09 years ago. I just couldn't see handling rush hour stop-n-go (mostly stop) traffic in Seattle with a throttle as choppy as the FJ-09 I test rode. I liked the comment the reviewer made though on how the throttle mapping is pretty smooth otherwise and not aggressive for the "normal" area you'd be riding in on a day to day basis. It makes it liveable. And when you want to really have some fun...just open it up. Your comment about the suspension makes me chuckle. You guys on whole are so much more into modifying your bikes than I am. I have a totally non-adjustable front suspension on my F800GT and the rear has an electronic suspension adjustment and manual preload adjustment. Yet, I'm very happy with it. You have much higher standards than I do. Someone else pointed out the benefit to the competition being that the manufacturers will be forced to improve and raise the bar for what they try to sell to be competitive. My feelings exactly. I may never buy another bike than my F800GT, but I can drool over what is out there and say to myself, "what if?". And if the magazine reviewers get smart and review these bikes, there might be some great reading. Chris

limpy88, BMW does make a fine bike. But I think they are like all the other manufacturers. They are all searching for the answer for where the market is going. They have to answer to the corporate execs and they have to answer to the shareholders. Yamaha got in front of things, and like the Democratic primaries, everyone wants to go after the one in front. (That's not a political statement, but we do see how each day and week, there's another front-runner...and all the others gang up on that person.) Yamaha brought out a wonderful bike. And if it wasn't the "front runner", why do you see everyone else trying to copy it? Ducati has its version. Triumph has its version. BMW has theirs. And if you debadged them all somehow, you'd have a hard time telling one from the other. You should be proud that there is that much attention given to duplicating the Tracer GT. It proves it is successful. And in the meantime, I sit back and enjoy the reviews. And I hide my wallet. It's a good thing I'm married, or I'd be pulling the wallet out and lightening the load. Chris

Really?! Shocked? I wasn't. The FJ-09 was super, and the Tracer GT is like the refinement of an already great bike into something wonderful.