[Pneumaticautomatic]

Hey Adam, apologies for the delayed response - prob missed the email notification.

Well, the R18 is a beautiful motorcycle. If I had the room, and the inclination to have a second, I would (re)acquire one in a heartbeat. However, I had to choose one and it’s primary purpose was daily commuting, and the occasional longer ride (I‘ve never done cross country rides, maybe someday). Anyway, so I did this for about a year on the R18 and while the bike itself is extremely stable and deceptively nimble, the pain points slowly became clearer. I am about 6’ and had the base R18. I did eventually end up getting a Corbin seat but was afraid of going too high in fear of screwing the dynamics. That said, my legs would cramp up often (for other reasons as well), there was literally no wind protection, and the gas tank was too small causing too frequent fill-ups. The lack of luggage space quickly became a hassle, where I would end up using the car instead so that was a big factor as well. I don’t know if you’ve tried one out yet, but compared to an RT, it vibrates a lot more extremely perceptibly (prob by design) which is cool for a weekend garage queen, but gets tiresome on a daily basis.

Bottom line for me I guess, was that I needed something more comfortable and refined, with more lockable luggage space so I could spend longer riding and less time on logistics.

Hope that helps! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

-Vikki

Vikki,

That's exactly what I needed to know. THANK YOU for your thoughtful response! Great people on this forum, eh?

Yeah, I was looking at it as a second bike, but you just can't beat the RT for practical riding. Except maybe to add a GS as a second bike... ;-)

Happy New Year, amiga.

Adam

 

[Pneumaticautomatic]

Hey there riders, brand new to the forum. I have no scoot right now! Previous bikes while living in California:
2013 Aprilia Shiver 750
View attachment 181096

2017 Honda CBR500RA
View attachment 181097


But now that I live in North Central Florida, USA there's no mountain twisties to ride!

Seriously considering picking up a 2014-2016 R1200RT.

BUT you have miles of beautiful beach, sun and sand to cruise by when you ride! Probably lots of interesting places to stop, eat and drink, too. I'd love to move to Florida, but it just never seems to happen based on work-related issues. Sigh... someday.

Welcome!

Adam

 

[vikkis]

Vikki,

That's exactly what I needed to know. THANK YOU for your thoughtful response! Great people on this forum, eh?

Yeah, I was looking at it as a second bike, but you just can't beat the RT for practical riding. Except maybe to add a GS as a second bike... ;-)

Happy New Year, amiga.

Adam

Happy New Year Adam!

 

[WFO]

Some small towns in Texas.

 

[Pneumaticautomatic]

Some small towns in Texas. View attachment 181340

Love it! Those little towns are disappearing, too, but then they become interesting ghost towns, like I used to see in parts of Colorado, Utah and New Mexico.

 

[Scott9999]

Love it! Those little towns are disappearing, too, but then they become interesting ghost towns, like I used to see in parts of Colorado, Utah and New Mexico.

I was just chatting (well, texting) with my cousin who's doing some touring of the South at the moment. He said that he's always been searching for that "Mayberry" town, but in reality, most of the small towns across America are rotting or drying up. He said that if he grew up there, he might still feel some affinity, but that they fail to live up to the ideal dream he (and most) had of small town, middle America.

I told him in reply that I'd seen the real Mayberry, that it was just a dirty, fake Hollywood set. 😁 We all wanna "go back", but what we left behind is usually nothing like what we remembered.

 

[kbob12]

When I took my wife cross-country 25 years ago to visit my home town in Northern NJ, we stopped in Hillsdale, NJ where I went to high school. She said the town looked like Mayberry in color. Pretty funny!
My wife was shocked we traveled 3,000 miles in 54 hours... stopping 2 nights to get a little rest, shower, eat and whatnot. She decided to fly home while I returned 54 hours later. I did stop to take photos each way, too.
I no longer drink Red Bull, or any caffeine.

 

[WFO]

There are still a lot of small Ghost towns in Texas. Many of the actual "downtowns" are forgotten since the other parts of the town out by the highways have big new homes and shopping centers.
Many of these towns go back to these old "downtowns" and resurrect them and end up a neat place for restaurants and shops. It takes a while. The further you go in west Texas the more these towns dry up. (literally) Its funny how Big things were when you were a kid and you back as an adult and the aren't really that big.
The city of Bug Tussle got its name when during an ice cream social a swarm of grass hoppers ruined the party and they called the town Bug Tussel.

 

[Pneumaticautomatic]

I was just chatting (well, texting) with my cousin who's doing some touring of the South at the moment. He said that he's always been searching for that "Mayberry" town, but in reality, most of the small towns across America are rotting or drying up. He said that if he grew up there, he might still feel some affinity, but that they fail to live up to the ideal dream he (and most) had of small town, middle America.

I told him in reply that I'd seen the real Mayberry, that it was just a dirty, fake Hollywood set. 😁 We all wanna "go back", but what we left behind is usually nothing like what we remembered.

Scott,

You wax poetic, as usual, and you really struck a chord. We all know the old saw, "You can never go home again." To that I would add, "There's no white so white as white remembered."

I visited the old neighborhood a couple years ago. All I could think was how small it was, how gentrified it had become, and how quickly the years had all gone by. It was bittersweet, to be sure. But I daresay that the reason we ride bikes like the RT and the GS is because we're people who want to get out there and experience as much as we can. We don't seek out the "BMW GS Domestic Non-Touring Model," we get the "Adventure." Am I saying too much?

 

[Scott9999]

Am I saying too much?

Naw. Verbosity is MY M.O.. 🤣

 

[BernieEcht]

My 2018 R1200RT at 86k miles., after my New Year’s Day Ride in heavy fog. A little dirty.

 

[queenbryleigh]

My 2018 R1200RT at 86k miles., after my New Year’s Day Ride in heavy fog. A little dirty. View attachment 181366

she’s pretty! The white ones often remind me of police bikes…

 

[Mellow]

 

[queenbryleigh]

View attachment 181367

I can't believe no-one asked the obvious question - is your Racing Blue RT a Transformer or a Decepticon?

 

[Mellow]

Transformer on the highway, Decepticon in the twisties.

 

[mikeberlinger]

Just picked up my 2023. Lots to learn coming from cruisers for over 35 years

 

[Pneumaticautomatic]

Just picked up my 2023. Lots to learn coming from cruisers for over 35 years View attachment 181446

That’s part of the fun though, right? You give up some cool points, but pretty is as pretty does.

 

[Scott9999]

Just picked up my 2023. Lots to learn coming from cruisers for over 35 years View attachment 181446

Well, here's your first hint: (Pssst: "Now ya can REALLY lean into those corners without worrying as much about scraping the pegs.") 😁

 

[PadG]

Well, here's your first hint: (Pssst: "Now ya can REALLY lean into those corners without worrying as much about scraping the pegs.") 😁

Now, THAT's more like it! The RT is a sport-tourer, which is very far from being a cruiser. If you bought it because you like the look, that's fine, but unless you ride it the way that the bike is intended to be ridden, then it's somewhat of a wast! Nice looking bike though . . . . .

 

[Fast1]

My 2018 R1200RT at 86k miles., after my New Year’s Day Ride in heavy fog. A little dirty.

Stock saddle with just an aftermarket saddle cover for 86K miles???

Tell about about the saddle cover and is it a game changer?