Page 28 - Riding On Autumn 2022
P. 28
BMW R1250GS
The following Thursday morning they were delivered back.
May 2021, after the first Excellent service.
NSW Covid lockdown, I
tested the BMW R18 for I did a night ride to test the magic self-levelling headlights. At
GXVN WKH\ ZHUH ¿QH WKH\ VWD\ KRUL]RQWDO QRW H[DFWO\ IROORZLQJ
Riding On. the curve of the bend but good enough. When full darkness
arrived, I was out near Bungonia and cursed the factory head-
I had taken my 2013 Triumph Tiger Explorer to the dealership lights, they werent bright enough for country riding with no
and left it there while I had the R18. While waiting on the R18, background street-lights, and, given it was pretty hairy, I risked
I had a wander around the showroom and had a close look
DW WKH VWRFN RI 7ULXPSK DQG %0: ELNHV RQ WKH ÀRRU *LYHQ , the Hume to get me back to Moss Vale. Mistake! almost side
had a black SUV and Yellow Boom Trike, the 40th anniversary swiped twice when overtaking, as the trucks didnt see me.
Not happy. So, I did some research and ordered the Denali
R1250GS caught my eye, gloss black with yellow decals, it .LW ' ¶V 0RXQWLQJ EUDFNHW &RPSDFW 6RXQGERPE % UHDU OLJKW
made me smile.
and the Cansmart. I had them sent to me and I did it myself
A week later, my mate Sam came over, proudly showing me successfully. YouTube was fully supportive with relevant videos
his Rallye GSA. My wife came and had a look and given I was and I took my time. Fully plug and play. Lesson learnt, dont
VLWWLQJ RQ LW ¿UPO\ VWDWHG WKDW LW ZDV WRR ELJ IRU PH :HOO , FDQ buy through a dealer as I had duplicate items left over where
give her credit for starting me thinking about that GS which had parts of the kit overlapped things like harnesses and controllers.
caught my eye a week earlier. Buy from a specialist supplier. Which is what my mate Sam did.
6R D IHZ GD\V EHIRUH , GURSSHG R WKH 5 , UDQJ WKH GHDOHU I then repeated the night ride and am now very happy. The
and traded in my Tiger, for the 40th Anniversary GS. I hadnt integration with the bike and the ability to make changes via
even ridden it. The big day came and I returned the R18 and the BMW Wonderwheel impresses me.
URGH WKH *6 KRPH 7KH PLVVXV ZDV D ELW IURVW\ DW ¿UVW DQG
again banned me from ever going to a dealership on my own! I then bought a kickstand enlarger and a cheap set of risers. I
bought the risers to see if they improved the riding triangle.
7KH\ GLG EXW , GRQ¶W KDYH FRQ¿GHQFH LQ WKHP VR KDYH RUGHUHG
I had added a few farkles to the order, Vario cases, a wrap to
hide the silver panel on the luggage cases (making the luggage a set of Rox Risers. Job done; they improved the triangle by
WDNLQJ ZHLJKW R WKH ZULVWV 6WLOO ZDLWLQJ IRU WKH 5R[ 5LVHUV
all black with matching yellow decals) a SatNav and a headlight
protector. Of course, only the SatNav was there when I picked I have since added a bash-plate under the centre-stand, and
up the bike.
extenders to the front and rear mud guards plus extenders to
, WKHQ ZLWK P\ PDWH 6DP NQRFNHG R WKH ¿UVW WKRXVDQG the hand guards. I had the wrap put on the Vario Cases, added
kilometres in double quick time. A ride to the Araluen Pub for another rack on top of the Vario cases with textile bags that
¿W , DOVR ¿WWHG D KHDGOLJKW SURWHFWRU P\VHOI LQ P\ RSLQLRQ ,
lunch covered a lot of those. The day after, our Gladys put us
LQWR D VHFRQG ORFNGRZQ , ZDV XQDEOH WR JHW WKDW ¿UVW VHUYLFH wouldnt buy the BMW version.
done as I live rural and the dealers were in the lockdown areas.
The bike has now had a few thousand kilometres put on it,
The weeks dragged by. I then, spoke with another BMW dealer sealed and unsealed roads (we have plenty of trails around
ZKR VHQW D YDQ IUHH RI FKDUJH GRZQ WR .DQJDURR 9DOOH\ DQG .DQJDURR 9DOOH\ SUREDEO\ WKH EHVW DOO URXQGHU ELNH , KDYH HYHU
picked up both mine and Sams bikes, on the Monday morning. ridden. The ride modes are amazing, I use Road and Enduro
the most, Dynamic is pointless when I am pack riding and
RIDING ON 28