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I bought it specifically for a long cross country trip (Bay To Bay), and found out that the bike is a real gem. It consists of BMW R259 series motor (the same as in the R1100RS), the excellent Telelever front suspension, Paralever rear suspension and single sided swingarm, and an effective and comfortable riding position. The bike makes about 90 rear wheel horsepower, and the excellent suspension and chassis lets you make good use of it. I bought the bike in used, with 12,000 miles on it, in late September of 1998, and put over 18000 miles on it the first year and some odd. My first weekend consisted of taking the bike to Deal’s Gap and flogging it back and forth through the mountain passes. The peg feelers touch down first, then the body work on the right, the side stand lugs on the left. I ended up snapping off one of the peg feelers at Deal’s Gap. No biggie, but it was a great gauge of where the bike was in a turn. On the Bay to Bay trip, the rear shock crapped out, so I replaced it with a Fox Shock at California BMW/Triumph (link). The Fox doesn’t have the nifty remote preload adjuster that the stock shock has, and that makes it annoying -- you can’t crank up the preload easily for two up riding. The bike is one of the best I’ve ever owned.
Babe has been through a lot. We rode back home through Hurrican Dennis on Labor Day weekend 1999. She's hauled me to Daytona twice, and managed all weather conditions from snow to sweltering heat. If I could have only one bike, this would be it.
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Josh Fielek. All rights reserved.
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