Is that you out there? Best wishes for the holidays to you and your family!
Have you been out riding at all recently? I was going to put something on the site but did not get around to it.
Did I tell you that I bought a new (almost new, only 8 months old and 6K miles on it when I got it) BMW? I had been hankering after one ever since I saw one in the airport in Zurich, as I was passing through, 2 years ago; its a BMW R1200S. The chappie I bought it from in New Orleans had spent a fortune on it and had put on an Akrapovic Titanium cat back exhaust and carbon fiber silencer, a carbon fiber belly pan, a carbon fiber rear wheel mudguard, a K&N type air filter and then a Rapid Bike 3 extra computer which remaps the fuel injection -ignition timing 3 D map! Anyway, it was a lot of moola he put into the bike and then he sold it to me for $10K less than he had put into it. He had bought the base bike new and had taken the BMW ABS (switchable) brake option, wide rear wheel rim, Ohlin shocks and even heated grips!
After spending all that money on the bike he then decided that he really wanted an Aprilia!! Anyway, I lucked out; even Eliane told me to buy it before someone else did. Below is a set of photos of my collection at the moment. The BMW R1200S and the Ural sidecar hack are in the US and my old (now restored) 1975 R90S, which I bought in 1976, while I worked for Yamaha in Amsterdam, is in France.
Last November 2 & 3 I went out to a two day riding camp at the Las Vegas Speedway race track. The camp was put on by the Keith Code California Superbike School. It was a blast and boy did I learn a lot. I am about 30% faster than I used to be. There are 4 levels and everyone starts at level 1; I made it through levels 1 & 2 in the two days and I can not wait to go back for levels 3 and 4. Below are a couple of pictures of me on day two, when I finally was beginning to be able to apply what they were tring to teach me. By the time I make it to level 4 I will get that knee firmly planted on the track!
When I got back after the riding camp I was curious about just how much power the BMW 1200S put to the rear wheel in it's slightly modified state. I found a co-operative Suzuki dealer here who had a rolling road and brought the bike in; 114 HP at the rear wheel corrected for temp and pressure. Not bad for an 'old' pushrod twin. At yamaha we used to allow 10% losses through the gear box and If I allow another 5% for losses through the drive shaft universal joints and the final drive unit, then the engine is making about 134 HP at the crank. It does feel strong....!
Anyway, enjoy the pictures; tell the others about my exploits. Ever hear from Dave Irving?
By the way, where in Holland does Terry (Branet Terry) live?
Any chance a few of you would like to organise a ride to my place in France this summer or early fall (Sept)?
http://www.facebook.com/album.
Cheers,
Mark
(Note from Roger:-
Click on the links above to see Mark's photos)
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