Colyn
Aug 11th, 2008, 5:39 am
A process that started way back in February finally came to conclusion this weekend. When it became clear that BMW will not be bringing a new LT out before late 2010 or early 2011 I realised that I cannot ride my current LT till then because due to a really sad perception in the South African bike market my bike will be worthless. I cannot understand why the dealers are fueling this idiocy that 100,000 kms is very high for a LT or any K bike for that matter. Be it as it may I had to change now while I could still get a good price for it.
The Powers That Is at Motorrad ZA was fully aware of my intentions and in February I received a call ... "The last LT's are going into build now and if you want one you must order now or run the risk of not getting one." That settled it for me and I committed to the new bike. My dream machine was a dark gray with silver upholstery but I was told that the final batch is only available in black. Now the black look very stately and sophisticated but but with me living on a farm and having to travel at least 1 kilometer of dirt out to the main road will mean that my bike will always, and I mean always, be "dirty". Second issue is that my wife is dead set against a black bike because she maintains the visibility on the road is way too low. That settled the argument and part and parcel of the new purchase would be a complete respray.
My bike was supposed to be here in ZA during the last part of April and when the time came I phoned to confirm. Unbeknown to me the final build batch was interrupted by the factory to open up capacity for the newly launched F800GS and I was told that the build will be resumed during May. Well this meant that I had to wait a while longer. Not a big problem seeing that work issues is preventing me from riding much. During June I received a good offer on my GT and my son's Dakar and I exchanged the two bikes for a R1200GS which I collected on the 7th of July. On that day I was informed that my LT has arrived and would be ready for delivery in 14 days. This felt like overindulgence but it was just the way circumstances came together.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/003_MG_4106.jpg
Delivering the old LT to the dealer in Pretoria. The Bethlehem dealer collected it from here.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_0000.jpg
The arrival and subsequent stripping and repainting of the new LT. Sadly my request
for decent photos of the process did not materialize.
The past month was spent in trying to get the colour right and subsequently they gave up to match the Crystal silver of the GT. BMW was not able to supply the correct paint and the paint manufacturers ended up with their closest impression of the colour. All of this was unbeknown to me and all I got was weekly reports that that paint job was on schedule.
Up to this point I did not allow the excitement of the new bike to overtake me and carried on with my daily chores. Last week on Wednesday I received a call to tell me the LT will be ready for collection on Friday. This was the moment that I allowed the excitement to take root and the next 24 hours was filled with expectation. Roan told me that he would take is one son with him for the trip and Pierre would also collect his F650GS on the same day. That meant that Wiehann took me and Pierre down to Bethlehem with his car. We were told that the bikes will be ready at around 15h00 so we left Nelspruit at around 08h00.
We stopped for lunch at the Villiers One Stop while Roan and his son carried on. As we approached Bethlehem Roan phoned me and told me that the LT will not be ready before 16h00 and we met at a small pub for a snack while we waited. Pierre was very excited and I just lulled in the emotions of the moment. My biggest anticipation was to see how the paint turned out and it was with much apprehension that we left for the dealership.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_4957.jpg
First look and I had to stand for a while and savor the image. It was not what I expected and I
walked around the bike slowly. Soaking up the overall picture and starting to build a relationship
with the bike.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_4958.jpg
It was slowly sinking in and the more I looked at it the more I liked it. Only a biker
can understand this moment.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_4966.jpg
The salesman, Hentie, was obviously quite tense. He knew the match was not good and he
was concerned that I would freak out.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_4970.jpg
For me the full reality was sinking in slowly and then there was that special moment ...
the moment that my brain kicked in and made the new bike mine.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_4988.jpg
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_4993.jpg
The moment of truth and I think the smurk on my face says it all ...
"I love it !!!"
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5005.jpg
The friendly staff that made this deal come off smoothly.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5008.jpg
The first fuel up and a moment to save for the history books.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5011.jpg
Out on the open road ... this is where the LT belongs and where he can really come to life.
Roan was still at the workshop waiting for his tyre to be replaced and we decided that me and Pierre will leave for Clarens. We were concerned that he would be uncomfortable on the road at night. It was his first time on a bike on the road in his life and I kept a close eye on him as we snaked through the mountains towards Clarens.
Obviously Pierre was taking it slow and it suited me fine because the LT was brand new and needed some nurturing to get his innards settled for what was lying ahead. It was great to be back in the saddle of a big tourer and I enjoyed the freedom of the winter landscape. The sinking sun was painting everything in a rosy hue and my camera worked overtime.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5015.jpg
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5027.jpg
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5029.jpg
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5094.jpg
Pierre arriving in Clarens ... he looked quite smug on his new bike ...
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5114.jpg
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5118.jpg
Wiehann was a bit frustrated for being the designated driver of the cage ... but
it was great for me to have him with me.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5132.jpg
Marrow bones on toast ... not for the weight watchers.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5133.jpg
Roan chose the Eisbein ...
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5134.jpg
Me and Pierre opted for the Oxtail and Samp and it was simply delicious.
After a magnificent dinner and some great wine we all hit the beds with gusto. Tomorrow would bring new experiences and many new vistas but for tonight we all just wanted to curl up in a warm bed and allow the excitement of new bikes to drag us off to dreamland.
My first impressions of the LT is as expected ... not much different from the old one but the Xenon light makes a difference. I get the impression that the legs on the mainstand have been shortened. This means that the bike gets onto the stand much easier and it is also a lot easier to push it off the stand. Tomorrow it will be 600 kilometers and hopefully I will have a lit more to say.
Let me end todays report with a big thanks to Hentie of Hochland Motorrad.
The Powers That Is at Motorrad ZA was fully aware of my intentions and in February I received a call ... "The last LT's are going into build now and if you want one you must order now or run the risk of not getting one." That settled it for me and I committed to the new bike. My dream machine was a dark gray with silver upholstery but I was told that the final batch is only available in black. Now the black look very stately and sophisticated but but with me living on a farm and having to travel at least 1 kilometer of dirt out to the main road will mean that my bike will always, and I mean always, be "dirty". Second issue is that my wife is dead set against a black bike because she maintains the visibility on the road is way too low. That settled the argument and part and parcel of the new purchase would be a complete respray.
My bike was supposed to be here in ZA during the last part of April and when the time came I phoned to confirm. Unbeknown to me the final build batch was interrupted by the factory to open up capacity for the newly launched F800GS and I was told that the build will be resumed during May. Well this meant that I had to wait a while longer. Not a big problem seeing that work issues is preventing me from riding much. During June I received a good offer on my GT and my son's Dakar and I exchanged the two bikes for a R1200GS which I collected on the 7th of July. On that day I was informed that my LT has arrived and would be ready for delivery in 14 days. This felt like overindulgence but it was just the way circumstances came together.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/003_MG_4106.jpg
Delivering the old LT to the dealer in Pretoria. The Bethlehem dealer collected it from here.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_0000.jpg
The arrival and subsequent stripping and repainting of the new LT. Sadly my request
for decent photos of the process did not materialize.
The past month was spent in trying to get the colour right and subsequently they gave up to match the Crystal silver of the GT. BMW was not able to supply the correct paint and the paint manufacturers ended up with their closest impression of the colour. All of this was unbeknown to me and all I got was weekly reports that that paint job was on schedule.
Up to this point I did not allow the excitement of the new bike to overtake me and carried on with my daily chores. Last week on Wednesday I received a call to tell me the LT will be ready for collection on Friday. This was the moment that I allowed the excitement to take root and the next 24 hours was filled with expectation. Roan told me that he would take is one son with him for the trip and Pierre would also collect his F650GS on the same day. That meant that Wiehann took me and Pierre down to Bethlehem with his car. We were told that the bikes will be ready at around 15h00 so we left Nelspruit at around 08h00.
We stopped for lunch at the Villiers One Stop while Roan and his son carried on. As we approached Bethlehem Roan phoned me and told me that the LT will not be ready before 16h00 and we met at a small pub for a snack while we waited. Pierre was very excited and I just lulled in the emotions of the moment. My biggest anticipation was to see how the paint turned out and it was with much apprehension that we left for the dealership.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_4957.jpg
First look and I had to stand for a while and savor the image. It was not what I expected and I
walked around the bike slowly. Soaking up the overall picture and starting to build a relationship
with the bike.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_4958.jpg
It was slowly sinking in and the more I looked at it the more I liked it. Only a biker
can understand this moment.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_4966.jpg
The salesman, Hentie, was obviously quite tense. He knew the match was not good and he
was concerned that I would freak out.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_4970.jpg
For me the full reality was sinking in slowly and then there was that special moment ...
the moment that my brain kicked in and made the new bike mine.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_4988.jpg
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_4993.jpg
The moment of truth and I think the smurk on my face says it all ...
"I love it !!!"
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5005.jpg
The friendly staff that made this deal come off smoothly.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5008.jpg
The first fuel up and a moment to save for the history books.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5011.jpg
Out on the open road ... this is where the LT belongs and where he can really come to life.
Roan was still at the workshop waiting for his tyre to be replaced and we decided that me and Pierre will leave for Clarens. We were concerned that he would be uncomfortable on the road at night. It was his first time on a bike on the road in his life and I kept a close eye on him as we snaked through the mountains towards Clarens.
Obviously Pierre was taking it slow and it suited me fine because the LT was brand new and needed some nurturing to get his innards settled for what was lying ahead. It was great to be back in the saddle of a big tourer and I enjoyed the freedom of the winter landscape. The sinking sun was painting everything in a rosy hue and my camera worked overtime.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5015.jpg
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5027.jpg
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5029.jpg
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5094.jpg
Pierre arriving in Clarens ... he looked quite smug on his new bike ...
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5114.jpg
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5118.jpg
Wiehann was a bit frustrated for being the designated driver of the cage ... but
it was great for me to have him with me.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5132.jpg
Marrow bones on toast ... not for the weight watchers.
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5133.jpg
Roan chose the Eisbein ...
http://www.tripwired.co.za/JCS_Bucket/TW_Shots/Story01/004_MG_5134.jpg
Me and Pierre opted for the Oxtail and Samp and it was simply delicious.
After a magnificent dinner and some great wine we all hit the beds with gusto. Tomorrow would bring new experiences and many new vistas but for tonight we all just wanted to curl up in a warm bed and allow the excitement of new bikes to drag us off to dreamland.
My first impressions of the LT is as expected ... not much different from the old one but the Xenon light makes a difference. I get the impression that the legs on the mainstand have been shortened. This means that the bike gets onto the stand much easier and it is also a lot easier to push it off the stand. Tomorrow it will be 600 kilometers and hopefully I will have a lit more to say.
Let me end todays report with a big thanks to Hentie of Hochland Motorrad.