ADVrideristä varastettuja juttuja "strange GS encounters".
--------------------------------------------
Strangest one was when a group of hard core swastika tatooed types on ratty HD's pull up next to me at the light. I noticed them checking the GS out and to my surprise the nearest one says" Fine aryan machine" with an approving nod. That one had me laughing all the way home.
--------------------------------------------
At a Concours d'Elegance type event, attended by mostly HD/V-twin riders a tanktop bubba and his girlfriend wandered by the GS and commented on the [then] Vario cases. He said, "What are those f*ing things? They look like filing cabinets?" I then challenged himto a dual to protect the honor of my then '05 GS...ah well, at least the first part was true!
-------------------------------------------
A Chinese gentleman walked up, and we talked about the bike for a while. His take on the Adventure and the Harley parked next to it: "That one (Harley) for look, this one for action!"
Next, the Harley owner walked up and complimented me on the bike. That was wild. His wife told him: "stop looking at it like that, our garage is full!"
-------------------------------------------
... its a stock 1150 GS Adventure. One guy chased me through 3-4 streets and down to my parking spot at the local BX to ask about... and salivate all over the bike, one retireee commented on the sheer size of the fuel tank, and a number of others just commented on how totally sturdy/utilitarian/rugged the bike looks... other than that, I get the occasional look-over followed by the thumbs-up...
-------------------------------------------
One happened when I rode into my garage which faces my backyard. As I'm closing the garage door I saw a guy who'd just sprinted up my driveway. He scared the hell out of me! He had followed me home just to ask me about my GS. I obliged him and we spoke for a short while. As I watched him leave (in part to make sure he did), I noticed he got into a late model M3.
--------------------------------------------
I've had people ask why I have ice coolers attached to the back of my bike, and why I would ruin a great bike with those huge ammo cans.
--------------------------------------------
I stopped to visit a harley riding friend and his comment was...."you buy the wierdest shit!"
I also had a woman in her 80s at a gas station tell me she would like a ride, I said "hop on!" and she she wished she had time, but didn't.
--------------------------------------------
I've heard everything from, "What the hell is that thing" to "Is that a four cylinder"? I always tell people to "stand back, It's loud" before I start it to ride off. They usually have a grin after they've heard it run.
--------------------------------------------
I had one fellow quite rudely ask me "How much did you pay for that?" I told him someone gave it to me and he looked stunned
--------------------------------------------
A guy walked up to me in a grocery store parking lot and asked if "those things were two big turbochargers or something?" He was pointing at my cylinder heads. Obviously I said yes...
--------------------------------------------
at the gas station
"damn, that thing holds a lot of gas" 1200ADV
--------------------------------------------
the one i hear the most is "what holds the back wheel on?"
--------------------------------------------
"Neat bike. So ... is it electric?" Nope, runs on gas.
"Hey, that's the bike the Star Wars guy rode around the world, right?" Yep.
And regarding my aux tank:
"Is that a beer keg on the back of your bike??" Absolutely.
--------------------------------------------
I get comments all the time, especially in this smaller town where there are no other BMW motorcycles. Most of the time it is something along the lines of "I had no idea BMW even made motorcycles." I did have an old guy (probably in his 80s) stop his pickup truck in the middle of a state highway to ask if it was a BMW. When I answered "yes" he yelled out "dem muthafuckas will run forEVa" (emphasis added to reflect his inflection). I laughed in my helmet for at least a mile after that.
--------------------------------------------
I took my 1150 GSA on a poker run that was 95% Harley riders. While waiting to enter a checkpoint parking lot a guy on a HD asked me if I was planning to ride over something. I said "yeah" and promptly rode over a tall curb and dirt center median to enter the parking lot ahead of everyone else!
--------------------------------------------
Maybe 7 or 8 years ago, before I owned a BMW, I probably freaked a guy out in Jacksonville, FL. Me & a buddy spotted a guy in his driveway next to his yellow GS. We pulled into his driveway, appearently two white guys in a purple Miata didn't look to gangsta, and the gentleman indulged us for quite a while answering questions about his bike. As it turns out, he was a photographer who flys to mexico, then to Cuba and takes lots of travel photos that the Cuban community buys up because they miss their home. He had lots of interesting stories. That'd make a great slogan "You meet the nicest people on a BMW."
--------------------------------------------
On two separate occassions, I've had Harley guys pay me compliments on the GS. Once recently, I was parked in front of a semi biker bar and when I went to leave, some Harley bikers (hanging out in front), told me that everyone that has walked past my bike has mentioned how good looking it was.
--------------------------------------------
On another occassion, I was in Death Valley getting gas when this Harley rider asked me if I can take my bike off road. I told him that that was the idea behind the bike. His response was to smile and say "outstanding!" He gave it a long hard look. I sort of got the impression that his Harley was on its way out.
--------------------------------------------
It depends on where I'm at as to the reactions I get. I have had many people come up and tell me what an "awesome" bike the GS is. Here in Cali I see a lot of GS's, and don't get a lot of looks. When I visited my brother in the Salt Lake City area I saw almost no GS's in that part of Utah. Driving through Salt Lake and Provo it seemed like every person in every car was staring at the bike.
--------------------------------------------
The one place where I get the biggest reaction is when I fuel up the GSA and go in to pay. When it's nearly empty, it can be up near $40 and the console operaters say" But you're on a motor bike?!!"
--------------------------------------------
I have been riding a GS for 14 years. There are not many where I live so it is pretty common to get the weird looks and oddball questions. The crazy part is that it is 99.999% men (read the posts, looks like it is for you too) These bikes are geek magnets.
--------------------------------------------
Here we are at Newcombs Ranch on a typical Sunday morning. Check out the Harley guys circling my GS. My friend Ara doing a fine job of answering questions.
--------------------------------------------
If I leave my bike in town, when I return to it, it's very difficult to make my way through the mob of women wondering who would ride such a bike. They're stroking the tank, petting the cylinders, sometimes sucking on the foot pegs.
--------------------------------------------
I was in front of the gym this summer, parked next to a harly. I was just starting to put my gear on when the owner of the harly and his friend came out, his friend says wow that's one cool bike! The harly rider says "thanks I just got it" then his friend says "no... that one!" pointing to my bike. I just had to laugh, and then I said to the other guy your bike's cool to dude...and road off.....LOL!
--------------------------------------------
Bought my '04 GSA this past summer, and needing it inspected took it down to the local garage which is run by 2 Harley riders.
The first guy is checking it out when the other ambles over and exclaims,
"Damn, all that thing needs is a Fifty Cal. mounted on it"
--------------------------------------------
I was in Daytona for BikeWeek on my 95 GSPD, with three riding buddies on their shiney new Harleys.
We were sitting in traffic at a light and the guy in front of us jumps out of his jeep with camera and askes me if he can take my picture.
I just laughed and said yes. He didn't give the Harley's a second look.
--------------------------------------------
I walked out of petsmart with a 50lb bag of dog food in a cart and my helmet in hand. I got some seriously strange looks walking out and as I loaded the bike.
--------------------------------------------
muok: perhana kun lähti viesti liian aikaisin eikä tätä saa poistettuakaan. Muokkaan tähän jatkoksi lisää noita lainauksia.
--------------------------------------------
Strangest one was when a group of hard core swastika tatooed types on ratty HD's pull up next to me at the light. I noticed them checking the GS out and to my surprise the nearest one says" Fine aryan machine" with an approving nod. That one had me laughing all the way home.
--------------------------------------------
At a Concours d'Elegance type event, attended by mostly HD/V-twin riders a tanktop bubba and his girlfriend wandered by the GS and commented on the [then] Vario cases. He said, "What are those f*ing things? They look like filing cabinets?" I then challenged himto a dual to protect the honor of my then '05 GS...ah well, at least the first part was true!
-------------------------------------------
A Chinese gentleman walked up, and we talked about the bike for a while. His take on the Adventure and the Harley parked next to it: "That one (Harley) for look, this one for action!"
Next, the Harley owner walked up and complimented me on the bike. That was wild. His wife told him: "stop looking at it like that, our garage is full!"
-------------------------------------------
... its a stock 1150 GS Adventure. One guy chased me through 3-4 streets and down to my parking spot at the local BX to ask about... and salivate all over the bike, one retireee commented on the sheer size of the fuel tank, and a number of others just commented on how totally sturdy/utilitarian/rugged the bike looks... other than that, I get the occasional look-over followed by the thumbs-up...
-------------------------------------------
One happened when I rode into my garage which faces my backyard. As I'm closing the garage door I saw a guy who'd just sprinted up my driveway. He scared the hell out of me! He had followed me home just to ask me about my GS. I obliged him and we spoke for a short while. As I watched him leave (in part to make sure he did), I noticed he got into a late model M3.
--------------------------------------------
I've had people ask why I have ice coolers attached to the back of my bike, and why I would ruin a great bike with those huge ammo cans.
--------------------------------------------
I stopped to visit a harley riding friend and his comment was...."you buy the wierdest shit!"
I also had a woman in her 80s at a gas station tell me she would like a ride, I said "hop on!" and she she wished she had time, but didn't.
--------------------------------------------
I've heard everything from, "What the hell is that thing" to "Is that a four cylinder"? I always tell people to "stand back, It's loud" before I start it to ride off. They usually have a grin after they've heard it run.
--------------------------------------------
I had one fellow quite rudely ask me "How much did you pay for that?" I told him someone gave it to me and he looked stunned
--------------------------------------------
A guy walked up to me in a grocery store parking lot and asked if "those things were two big turbochargers or something?" He was pointing at my cylinder heads. Obviously I said yes...
--------------------------------------------
at the gas station
"damn, that thing holds a lot of gas" 1200ADV
--------------------------------------------
the one i hear the most is "what holds the back wheel on?"
--------------------------------------------
"Neat bike. So ... is it electric?" Nope, runs on gas.
"Hey, that's the bike the Star Wars guy rode around the world, right?" Yep.
And regarding my aux tank:
"Is that a beer keg on the back of your bike??" Absolutely.
--------------------------------------------
I get comments all the time, especially in this smaller town where there are no other BMW motorcycles. Most of the time it is something along the lines of "I had no idea BMW even made motorcycles." I did have an old guy (probably in his 80s) stop his pickup truck in the middle of a state highway to ask if it was a BMW. When I answered "yes" he yelled out "dem muthafuckas will run forEVa" (emphasis added to reflect his inflection). I laughed in my helmet for at least a mile after that.
--------------------------------------------
I took my 1150 GSA on a poker run that was 95% Harley riders. While waiting to enter a checkpoint parking lot a guy on a HD asked me if I was planning to ride over something. I said "yeah" and promptly rode over a tall curb and dirt center median to enter the parking lot ahead of everyone else!
--------------------------------------------
Maybe 7 or 8 years ago, before I owned a BMW, I probably freaked a guy out in Jacksonville, FL. Me & a buddy spotted a guy in his driveway next to his yellow GS. We pulled into his driveway, appearently two white guys in a purple Miata didn't look to gangsta, and the gentleman indulged us for quite a while answering questions about his bike. As it turns out, he was a photographer who flys to mexico, then to Cuba and takes lots of travel photos that the Cuban community buys up because they miss their home. He had lots of interesting stories. That'd make a great slogan "You meet the nicest people on a BMW."
--------------------------------------------
On two separate occassions, I've had Harley guys pay me compliments on the GS. Once recently, I was parked in front of a semi biker bar and when I went to leave, some Harley bikers (hanging out in front), told me that everyone that has walked past my bike has mentioned how good looking it was.
--------------------------------------------
On another occassion, I was in Death Valley getting gas when this Harley rider asked me if I can take my bike off road. I told him that that was the idea behind the bike. His response was to smile and say "outstanding!" He gave it a long hard look. I sort of got the impression that his Harley was on its way out.
--------------------------------------------
It depends on where I'm at as to the reactions I get. I have had many people come up and tell me what an "awesome" bike the GS is. Here in Cali I see a lot of GS's, and don't get a lot of looks. When I visited my brother in the Salt Lake City area I saw almost no GS's in that part of Utah. Driving through Salt Lake and Provo it seemed like every person in every car was staring at the bike.
--------------------------------------------
The one place where I get the biggest reaction is when I fuel up the GSA and go in to pay. When it's nearly empty, it can be up near $40 and the console operaters say" But you're on a motor bike?!!"
--------------------------------------------
I have been riding a GS for 14 years. There are not many where I live so it is pretty common to get the weird looks and oddball questions. The crazy part is that it is 99.999% men (read the posts, looks like it is for you too) These bikes are geek magnets.
--------------------------------------------
Here we are at Newcombs Ranch on a typical Sunday morning. Check out the Harley guys circling my GS. My friend Ara doing a fine job of answering questions.
--------------------------------------------
If I leave my bike in town, when I return to it, it's very difficult to make my way through the mob of women wondering who would ride such a bike. They're stroking the tank, petting the cylinders, sometimes sucking on the foot pegs.
--------------------------------------------
I was in front of the gym this summer, parked next to a harly. I was just starting to put my gear on when the owner of the harly and his friend came out, his friend says wow that's one cool bike! The harly rider says "thanks I just got it" then his friend says "no... that one!" pointing to my bike. I just had to laugh, and then I said to the other guy your bike's cool to dude...and road off.....LOL!
--------------------------------------------
Bought my '04 GSA this past summer, and needing it inspected took it down to the local garage which is run by 2 Harley riders.
The first guy is checking it out when the other ambles over and exclaims,
"Damn, all that thing needs is a Fifty Cal. mounted on it"
--------------------------------------------
I was in Daytona for BikeWeek on my 95 GSPD, with three riding buddies on their shiney new Harleys.
We were sitting in traffic at a light and the guy in front of us jumps out of his jeep with camera and askes me if he can take my picture.
I just laughed and said yes. He didn't give the Harley's a second look.
--------------------------------------------
I walked out of petsmart with a 50lb bag of dog food in a cart and my helmet in hand. I got some seriously strange looks walking out and as I loaded the bike.
--------------------------------------------
muok: perhana kun lähti viesti liian aikaisin eikä tätä saa poistettuakaan. Muokkaan tähän jatkoksi lisää noita lainauksia.
