Yes, I’ve already begun ordering my “farkles” for the new bike I have coming in August. Not certain where that word comes from, but means the extra items and parts one adds to a stock, straight off the floor, motorcycle.

What I got today, was two new Pelican 1550 cases which I will adapt to fit on the sides of the bike for saddle bag type luggage. They are hard, durable, watertight, hold a lot of stuff and really look the bomb on a GS bike!

The necessary rack system to hold them onto the bike was ordered from Happy Trails up in Oregon. I used the same set-up on the little Thumper I had last year, only this go-round I added the strong top-case luggage rack as well.

My windshield should arrive next week from Cee Bailey. Its an 18″ touring version which may or may not require additional support which BMW sells for my bike at a nominal cost.

I also have a support bar for two front fog lights which has the locations to attach any kind of light. I am thinking of just using my old Hella FF50s unless I find they draw too much wattage. If so I’ll find a set that is about 35 watts each. I don’t ride that much at night, I just want cars to see me from the front and the additional lights will make me more visible and AGAIN, look really cool on the bike!

Its hard to believe its been 40 years since we graduated from high school back in 1969. I went to a small rural school called Ernest Ward High School and there were only 42 graduates in our class. Four have passed away and there were several who could not be tracked down, but the ones who showed up Saturday had a good time despite the balmy June heat.

We all look so old! The REALLY old ones are the faculty members who joined us. Mrs. Godwin was there early but had to leave. She’ll be 99 years old in December.

We had a catered banquet of BBQ chicken, potatoe salad, green beans, and baked beans followed by strawberry shortcake for dessert.

There was entertainment with a Dolly Parton lookalike who came and actually sang to us, and many door prizes throughout the evening.

An occasional cool breeze kept it from being absolutely unbearable in the heat and we all had lots of fun rehashing old memories of high school days gone by.

I knew I needed to just go ahead and get it done!

On Thursday I rode the black Roadster down to the dealer and had them give me a firm estimate on a trade-in value. They came up with $3,000 for my beloved 2003 R1150R with 79,450 miles on her. I accepted the value and went ahead and placed the order for my new bike. The F650GS twin is the best bike I’ve seen for my needs at this time, so I chose the Flame Red variety without the ABS option. That alone saved me $900 right there!

By the time I got home I had a phone message from them that the 2009 models could no longer be ordered and I would have to get a new 2010. However, it comes in different colors, so I could not get the Flame Red version. The color is not really important to me so I opted for the new Aluminum White Metallic Silver color. Who knows what it will actually be, but chances are it will be a “silver” of some sort.

They gave me a build date of the 28th week and 7th day, which by my reckoning, comes to about the middle of July. Then it gets shipped here from the Deutsche Motherland arriving, hopefully, the first part of August.

It should look something like this…

I had to get out yesterday and run some errands, so I drove by the BMW dealership to take a look at that R1200R. Sorry, no pics.

It was pretty clean actually. The dealer had not had time to clean it up spiffy like, but it was in fair shape. I noticed some signs of UN-use on several oil line connections with some sort of residue that revealed it has just been sitting for some time. 5,050 miles on it and it started right up when cranked, but I wasn’t overly impressed to spring for it. I still have my eye out for that F650GS twin…Now apparently (unofficially) dubbed the F658GS since it has the same 800cc engine as the F800GS. This so as not to confuse it with the older model single cylinder F650GS, one of which I owned last year.

I have a shout out via my local club forum to see if anyone has one of these new F650GSs, so I can go take a look and at least sit on it for a minute. No word back from that yet.

Today, I need to take my bike down for a trade-in value estimate and then if I decide to order one I’ll have it ready to swap on paper.

The F658GS is becoming more and more attractive to me. It turns out the power curve is the same or even greater than the F800GS up to about 5500rpms. Then from there to about 8000 the F800 pulls ahead, but above 6,000rpms I would be going much faster than I need to anyway! It has cast wheels vs spokes and uses tubeless tires rather than the tubes found on the F800. With me riding mostly paved highways, this is a better option for me. It also is lower to the ground making it nicer to add a custom seat, which I will need.

Well, here it is Sunday again and I have to sit around and wait for a BMW dealership to open on Tuesday so I can continue my new bike shopping. My Atlanta dealer salesman called and left me a message last night that he had gotten in a used R1200R and would sell it to me for $9500…I believe was the price. Haven’t seen it to know what it has on it or how many miles it has, but come Tuesday I’ll go take a look.

I’m also wanting to do more looking for a new F650GS Twin.

That may be the more reasonable choice at this point in time for me.

It sets a good 2 inches plus, lower than the F800GS which I tried last week. It is the same 798 CC engine that has been tuned down to 71 HP rather than the 85HP, but with similar performance such as mileage, etc. but burns regular gas. It has tubeless tires rather than the tubed tires on the F800. Another plus as far I’m concerned. Exact same ergonomics but lower to the ground.

The R1200R boxer engine is, of course, a nicer option, but even with the greater power, nicer suspension and increased comfort factors, it does not have a water cooled engine with 60+ mpg fuel usage that the smaller bike has. And it costs well over 6 grand more than the F650 when you add in all the factory-included options that most models on the showroom floor come with.

There were some things about the little F650 Thumper bike that I disliked, but there were also some things I really liked, like the gas mileage, the easily maneuverable weight, and the ease of maintenance on the smaller Rotax engine. This new F650 Twin seems to have included all my likes, and then changed the things I “disliked”, to fit me better. There’s still the little problem of excessive heat coming up onto my legs at the faux gas tank. I think I can deal with that however. The bike just fits me better, especially knowing the lower position in relation to the F800.

Right now the local dealers don’t have one to look at…Not until mid July, but I could just go ahead a pull the trigger and order one without the ABS. 4-6 weeks later it would be here, unfortunately AFTER the summer riding season is over.

In the meantime I have been packing up my old system cases for a buyer. This includes changing the lock tumblers where another key will work. I had to dismantle the locks and pull out all the tumblers for that project.

The photo below describes how to replace the tumblers to fit a new key.

Hopefully the new owner can keep up with all those tiny springs and pieces as he is re-keying his locks. The system cases have served me well, but I bought the bike without them and I”m trading it in without them.

Its a simple procedure to remove the lock from the case. You just have to have the case latches OPEN for that to happen. And you can’t open the cases right now without my key. So I had to remove the tumblers so the case could be opened with any key.

Hope he figures it out!

I’ve been torn about getting this new bike! I mean really torn! I’ve been selling off my R1150R farkles with the idea that I would eventually get an new bike, but I still can’t decide what to do. I realize there are millions of people out there in the world who wish they had my problems, but to me this is a major part of my life these days and I think I should make the right decision…for ME!

With that in mind, I hopped on the Roadster this morning and took off to rev up the battery some and pay a little visit to the BMW dealer. My goal was to test ride the two F800 bikes they have there: the F800GS and the F800ST.

I arrived there a little before noon and was out the door with the GS bike by 12:10. I rode one like this but with the bags on the back.

Then I rode this one.

Neither one suited my “fancy” ! The GS has a much better upright seating position, which I like, but the seat would need to be replaced with something more suitable to my behind. Then that would make the ground to seat level even higher making my toes just touching the ground. Not too good.

The ST made me feel like I was on my granddaughter’s tricycle! My legs were so cramped up under me and my body was pitched over in a crouching position, making me very uncomfortable. I could barely reach the mirrors to adjust them, and that felt awkward as well.

Now back to the drawing board…Maybe a new R1200R? I’m even less sure of what to do now.

Since school has been out for a while now and I was set free a little over a week ago, I have decided to go ahead and trade my beloved bike for a newer model. That said, I’ve been trying to remove and sell most of the modification and improved parts that I added after I bought the bike. So far I’ve managed to sell most of the items on the R1150R.NET web site to other Roadster owners.

I still have the BMW system cases that go on the back and they should sell eventually. I’m now down to maintenance parts I bought for future services on the bike. Like spark plugs, repair manuals, oil filter wrench and an air filter, etc.

It’s sort of sad to be doing this too. This was the first bike I bought/owned since about 1980 or ‘82. I bought a used Honda CB750 back then and rode it for a short time. After becoming dissatisfied with it I sold it and just “lurked” at dealers and ogled bikes from a distance until 2002, when I got the 2003 R1150R. The rest is history.

I’m looking seriously at this:

Parts continue to be removed from the trusty steed, for sale and/or possible trades.

The Bill Mayer saddle has found a new owner in Iowa. Actually a buddy of mine from the R1150R.Net web site has agreed to purchase the seat. An older stock BMW seat will be replacing it next week.

It has served me well, and is still in very good condition.

I also sent off my Wunderlich, keyed, oil filler cap to a new owner somewhere north of me…I tend to forget details like that.

Here’s a photo of the stock cap and the one I used for a while and then sold the other day.:-)

Quite often I would forget the little hex key on the chain and find myself scrounging around for something to open the cap with. I would inevitably just take a house key and push it in kind of crooked and twist. That worked in a pinch, but the hex key made it a snap, for any who are contemplating this mod.

Jenny and I took a break yesterday from all the wheelin’ and dealin’, and drove over to my son’s house for my grandson’s first birthday party. Lots of folks and good food to enjoy. Of course the party was all about the little towheaded tike. He’s a bruiser!

The slideshow!

Well, I’ve managed to sell a few more extras off the old girl. Today I’m packaging up the MotoTechniques Barbacks that I’ve used since I bought the bike back in ‘03. I’m sort of anxious to see how it handles without them in my original position!

Yesterday I mailed off the aluminum cam cap covers I replaced at about 30,000 miles. The plastic OEM ones sort of leaked oil occasionally, but I think it was from putting them back in with dirty o-rings after a valve adjustment.

These metal ones cost me a pretty penny so I have recouped some of my expense this way.