So many awesome bikes and so little time to own them all so what's a retired guy with a serious scooter addiction to do?
I have three bikes presently: K1600GT, S1000RR, and a KLR. I may be putting the epic road trip phase of my life behind me. The experiences I've had from the saddle of my 1600GT are nothing less than bucket list stuff and they've been chronicled on here in ride reports:
http://www.k1600forum.com/forum/bmw-k1600-ride-reports/68402-2014-ride-report.html
http://www.k1600forum.com/forum/bmw-k1600-ride-reports/32129-annapolis-glacier-back.html
For the last couple of years, my interests have been focused on track days and adventure riding with a heavy off-road component. I live on the east coast of the US and this is where I found myself this year on my KLR in Utah and Nevada during a 5,500 mile trip:
Black Dragon Canyon
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Nevada northern ranges:
![Image]()
And the full ride report is currently being posted up on ADVrider:
My first adventure ride - the TAT | Adventure Rider
I've tried, and enjoyed, riding my S1000RR on the street but it is constantly testing my self control to the point where the adult in me is about to take over and make it a dedicated track bike before I land in the Graybar Hotel. If I do, that's going to leave a hole in my line up that isn't really filled very well by either the 1600 or the KLR. That hole is the Sunday ride bike or the 2 day West Virginia twisties bike. The 1600 is sitting there, paid for, and is an awesome bike for those rides and if I didn't already own it I'd most likely be looking to buy one. But now that I've thoroughly explored the country over 4 years on that bike, and my mission for it is much shorter in days and miles, I'm feeling like I should move on.
I have no idea what I'll find myself on next because there are so many bikes that I would love to have to keep my track and adventure bikes company in the garage. I'm definitely going to go ride the R1200RS and if the Ducati or KTM dealers weren't more than a hour away I'd be looking really hard at a Multistrada or the 1290 Adventure bikes. I'll also look pretty hard at the S1000R and S1000XR and another very tempting option is my good buddy Alan who's thinking he might be ready to part with his well maintained 1290 Super Duke - that thing is a beast of a hooligan bike that would be a lot of fun for running around town while being more comfortable than the track bike. A whole 'nuther way to go would be to swap out of the 1600 into a GS. The GS really isn't the weapon that will work for my adventure riding - way too big and heavy - but it makes a fine day ride or multi-day ride bike that is as fun in the twisties as around town.
I know there are some people that own multiple supersports or sport tourers but for me it's more about the experience than owning and caring for the bike. Each of my bikes enables a different experience and since the epic road trip phase of my life may be checked off, I'll be looking around for what excites me for those one to two day twisty road safaris out into the hills.
I have three bikes presently: K1600GT, S1000RR, and a KLR. I may be putting the epic road trip phase of my life behind me. The experiences I've had from the saddle of my 1600GT are nothing less than bucket list stuff and they've been chronicled on here in ride reports:
http://www.k1600forum.com/forum/bmw-k1600-ride-reports/68402-2014-ride-report.html
http://www.k1600forum.com/forum/bmw-k1600-ride-reports/32129-annapolis-glacier-back.html
For the last couple of years, my interests have been focused on track days and adventure riding with a heavy off-road component. I live on the east coast of the US and this is where I found myself this year on my KLR in Utah and Nevada during a 5,500 mile trip:
Black Dragon Canyon
Nevada northern ranges:
And the full ride report is currently being posted up on ADVrider:
My first adventure ride - the TAT | Adventure Rider
I've tried, and enjoyed, riding my S1000RR on the street but it is constantly testing my self control to the point where the adult in me is about to take over and make it a dedicated track bike before I land in the Graybar Hotel. If I do, that's going to leave a hole in my line up that isn't really filled very well by either the 1600 or the KLR. That hole is the Sunday ride bike or the 2 day West Virginia twisties bike. The 1600 is sitting there, paid for, and is an awesome bike for those rides and if I didn't already own it I'd most likely be looking to buy one. But now that I've thoroughly explored the country over 4 years on that bike, and my mission for it is much shorter in days and miles, I'm feeling like I should move on.
I have no idea what I'll find myself on next because there are so many bikes that I would love to have to keep my track and adventure bikes company in the garage. I'm definitely going to go ride the R1200RS and if the Ducati or KTM dealers weren't more than a hour away I'd be looking really hard at a Multistrada or the 1290 Adventure bikes. I'll also look pretty hard at the S1000R and S1000XR and another very tempting option is my good buddy Alan who's thinking he might be ready to part with his well maintained 1290 Super Duke - that thing is a beast of a hooligan bike that would be a lot of fun for running around town while being more comfortable than the track bike. A whole 'nuther way to go would be to swap out of the 1600 into a GS. The GS really isn't the weapon that will work for my adventure riding - way too big and heavy - but it makes a fine day ride or multi-day ride bike that is as fun in the twisties as around town.
I know there are some people that own multiple supersports or sport tourers but for me it's more about the experience than owning and caring for the bike. Each of my bikes enables a different experience and since the epic road trip phase of my life may be checked off, I'll be looking around for what excites me for those one to two day twisty road safaris out into the hills.
