Jim Silly-Balls posted:

HenryJLittlefinger posted:

ffs, this guy:

"I need some help understanding the focus of this world known as “adventure rider” as I am a newbie to this concept.

Maybe I am just expecting to read stories and questions from those who have done and those that have actually beat the living S*#T out of things and want to share real world experience with others as to what works and to pass on the wisdom or impart that knowledge to those who are honestly asking for guidance; not from those who want to do something, and seem to have lots of time and money to pontificate on buying and installing fancy equipment on their bike. To each their own and I am not trying, or want to, piss on any persons’ parade, never will; but other than the entertainment factor of reading how well some new expensive piece of equipment fits or seems to work on a GS, and smiling that the old adage of a fool and their money are soon parted; it all seems a good waste of time for those who are seeking honest opinions. I often see the same on YouTube. I guess those people are too busy riding.

I must start by saying am not a newbie to the topic of having fun on 2, 3, 4 wheels or tracked machines. I have ridden or driven almost every kind of on-road, off road and snow recreational vehicle there is. I have been a BMWMOA member since 1977, and I still own my first BMW. I have so many miles on M/C’s I cannot begin to estimate the total. I started playing in the woods and fields of upstate NY in the 1960’s on these vehicles, in fact one of my best friend’s father was a Bultaco dealer, selling out of their barn (no fancy showrooms in those days), who let us kids freely ride anything in his stable and never got mad when we brought it back in less than new condition. Now I know now he was just finding out what parts to inventory because if us kids didn’t break it, no one else would either. I have ridden motorcycles in every kind of weather from heat to snow. Once on a spring ride with a girlfriend during the college years, we got caught an hour from home in an accumulating snow storm. Dumped her at a diner, rode back to her apt., got her car as I didn’t own a car and went back to get her. I should have listened to the gods and left her at the diner because she is now an ex-wife. Bottom line is my “adventure stories” are numerous and seldom involve equipment purchases or having purchased the absolutely perfect overpriced item.

Over all those years, the number of times I had to rely on a tool kits I can count on one hand, maintenance and not riding too fast or crazy is the key. My tool kits have comprised a means of “jerry rigging” things until I can limp it to a proper place to fix it with my real tools or a garage. If we ran out of fuel then we were a fool. Heated gear meant you bought another newspaper to stuff in your pants and leather bomber jacket. Waterproof Luggage for most of my riding years has been duffle bags with plastic garbage bag liners. Until I bought my R1150RT I never had luggage “matching” the bike. Most of this time the headlights barely illuminated past the front tire at idle and not much farther when riding down the road or fields. If you crashed because you didn’t see the problem, then you were going too drat fast. Bike to bike comms was hand signals and giving the car driver the finger. Not for nothing my one and only crash was in 1971, even off road tip overs have been few and far between. But then again, I am not balls to the wall rider, plan not to fall, and practice riding all the time.

So what confuses me is how did we do all that for all those years without worrying about the proper over protective crash bars, special tank bags that incorporate everything including a margarita blender, complete tool kits that you can overhaul the bike, lighting that would illuminate a sports stadium, extra filtered water, fuel, helicopter support, on and on. And unless it isn’t overpriced - it is absolutely no drat good.

I bought my GSA because my last trip to NS I saw a couple guys dump their bikes on a ferry steel deck screwing up their fancy plastic parts, and I ended up misunderstanding a local’s direction and ended up miles and miles out of my way on a dirt road in a logging camp. I had no problems but, decided that my RT with all its plastic isn’t suited to those conditions (too expensive if stuff happens) so I bought the GSA for something that if it gets broken or trashed it is less problematic to heal. The only thing I have added to the GSA is a loud horn, a couple of $50 LED lights for contrast purposes, and an ADMORE Led light (which I have on all my bikes). I use a $60 Nelson Rigg tank bag for years and it works fine in all kinds of weather. If it rains, I use zip lock bags for waterproofing gear if needed. Then again, I plan ahead.

Now it seems that I am not an “adventure rider” if I don’t spend thousands on overpriced lights, overpriced crash bars and plates, overpriced tank bags, the perfect luggage, and have a Snap-on truck right behind me all the time. Possibly that is just good marketing talking.

Help! Please explain what I am missing?"

HenryJLittlefinger posted:

Thread is: Proper etiquette for passing *slow* groups

HenryJLittlefinger posted:

right arm posted:

This is the most effort ever undertaken to not say the nword

Rev. Dr. Moses P. Lester posted:

Forgot to post the custom bike

Coydog posted:

Why do they all TYPE like that with big BLOCKS of barely intelligible gibberish and use words like "trounce" (you know the word like bounce but tr like trounce). Just a question!