LIFE IN THE FAST LANE • LONG DISTANCE TOURING ON A SPORT BIKE

The test of the machine is the satisfaction it gives you. There isn’t any other test.  If the machine produces tranquillity it’s right. If it disturbs you it’s wrong; until either the machine or your mind is changed.”

– Robert M. Persig

The quote opening this post is from the classic book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. An Inquiry into Values”.  I also used this quote to start chapter 9 of my book Road Work: Images and Insights of a Modern Day Explorer.  Why?  Because it is a truth that simply can’t be denied…especially by any motorcyclist.

Over the past four decades, and more than a quarter million miles in the saddle, I’ve owned a number of different motorcycles.  I’ve enjoyed most of them, loved some, and only really regretted one.  At times I’ve had more than one bike in the barn because, as you probably understand, different bikes do different things well.  There is no such thing as the perfect bike, a reality so profound that I devoted an entire chapter of my book solely to the topic.

Over a period of nearly 25 years I rode a number of different Harley-Davidson® motorcycles, piling up the most mileage on three different ElectraGlide® touring models.  These were wonderful machines for eating up long stretches of interstate reliably and comfortably.  Sadly, a few years back I started to suffer from a degenerative condition which has left my lower right leg weak and my right foot without feeling.  It was becoming increasingly more challenging for me to push the big 900+ pound American V-Twin out of parking spots and such.  I was faced with a difficult decision.  Give up riding or ride something smaller.

Giving up riding after nearly 40 years was out of the question.  It is truly a big part of who I am.  Some folks really do “Live To Ride”.  So the search for a suitable, smaller bike began.  In the fall of 2017 I located a brand new 2016 “leftover” BMW F800 GT® at MAX BMW in South Windsor, Connecticut.  I did a little research online and made an appointment to visit the dealership for a thorough test ride.  Little did I know that it would be the final ride I took on my ElectraGlide®.  I traded the old “Geezer Glide” in on the sporty German machine, rode it home that day and haven’t looked back since.

I’m not going to tell you it was love at first sight.  I had grown accustomed to the comfort of the big touring bike and was a bit unnerved on the ride home, getting blown all over the highway by wind gusts that wouldn’t even make the heavyweight Harley flinch.  The small windscreen did little to protect my upper body and face, pain was developing between my shoulder blades from leaning over the low slung handlebars and the saddle had me longing to find a nice comfortable concrete park bench to park my butt on.  I knew that some compromises were inevitable and that some things would have to be changed to make this a viable long distance mount.

Let the farkle-ing begin! (Harley riders use the word “customize”.  BMW owners say “Farkle”).  The origin of the word Farkle is in dispute.  Some say it is a combination of the words function and sparkle.  Others say it is an acronym for Fancy Accessory, Really Kool, Likely Expensive.  Either one works for me…I just knew some changes were in order.

The F800 GT® was marketed by BMW as a sport touring bike…which is to say it didn’t do either (sport or tour) exceptionally well.  It’s that old “jack of all trades” syndrome.  A fine compromise, but the word compromise can’t play too big a role in the life of a long distance rider.  I got to work immediately.

First order of business was to raise the handlebars up a couple of inches to a less aggressive but substantially more comfortable height.  Compared to the American V-Twin aftermarket, with thousand page thick catalogs full of bolt on accessories and shiny chrome trinkets, the availability of BMW aftermarket parts is somewhat limited.  After scouring all the internet forums I decided on a set of bar risers made in Germany by Verholen.  Installation required re-routing the throttle and clutch cables and all of the electrical handlebar switch wiring; along with extending the front wheel brake line; but the result was well worth the cost and effort.  I would now adopt a much more comfortable riding position for long days in the saddle.

Speaking of saddles, the lean and mean stock BMW one had to go.  I replaced it with a touring model made by Sargent Cycle Products.  This seat is extremely comfortable, features a nice sized tool compartment on its underside and is even offered in an electrically heated version.

The tiny stock windshield looks great for a sport bike, but does little to afford the protection needed for a long distance rider.  I replaced the stock windshield with the Puig touring model with a light grey tint.  This screen is awesome!  Not only does it take all of the wind pressure off the rider’s chest and face, but literally sheds water around the rider when riding in the rain.  Even in torrential downpours you stay dry…providing you keep moving, of course.

Even though this particular bike was outfitted with BMW’s Premium Package (including Electronic Suspension Adjustment, Automatic Stability Control, Traction Control, ABS Brakes, Heated Handgrips, Center Stand, etc.) the F800 GT® was never offered with electronic cruise control; an absolute necessity when riding long distances.  Aftermarket solutions are known to be very expensive, difficult to install and marginally reliable.  I opted instead to install a Kaoko throttle lock.  Some pundits argue that throttle locks are inherently unsafe, but after tens of thousands of miles I have found it to be very intuitive to operate safely.  The Kaoko unit, though pricy, is extremely well made and esthetically perfect.  Looking at it one would think that it is a factory-installed item.

The side cases (panniers) and top case are the factory BMW offerings.  Though noticeably smaller than the ones I’d grown accustomed to on the Harley they hold everything I need for serious touring as well as the photography I enjoy when out on the road. (See my previous post, The Right Stuff • What’s In My Camera Bag, for detailed photos of how my expensive camera gear is packed for motorcycling adventures).  A model-specific BMW Motorrad® tank bag sits atop the air box and a First Gear Torrent® waterproof duffle bag, strapped on the passenger pillion, rounds out my storage needs.

I also relocated the factory BMW GPS Navigation unit (manufactured by Garmin®) to a RAM® mount on the left side of the handlebar.  This is now in a much more convenient and viewable position than the stock mount, which had to be replaced anyway when I swapped out the risers.

So what’s it like touring on this bike?  It is absolutely incredible!  It took a little time and quite a few modifications, but I’m in love with this little machine.  Do I miss the big Harley?  Sometimes, yeah.  I miss the luxury of lumbering along the interstate in the comfort of a La-Z-Boy® recliner.  I miss the rock solid weight on windy days.  I miss having a stereo system built into the fairing; a problem I’ve solved by installing a Cardo Packtalk Bold® communicator with JBL speakers in my helmet.  It operates via Bluetooth and can access every one of the 5,000 songs on my iPhone with great fidelity.  Sometimes I even miss the rash bark of those Harley straight pipes…especially when an inattentive cager is drifting into my lane.  Most of all I miss having my girlfriend on the back of the bike.  She doesn’t have the same affection for this new bike that I do and has chosen not to join me on rides any longer.  For that I am really sad.  We travelled tens of thousands of miles together on a couple of my Harleys and made a whole lot of wonderful memories, but unfortunately necessity dictated this change to a smaller bike.

What did I gain?  A bunch.  A whole bunch!  This bike is a true high performance machine.  My lifestyle is a lot less hurried these days and I choose to take the roads less traveled as much as possible.  I am no longer an interstate warrior with a limited amount of time to get to places quickly. I much prefer the scenic back roads to the super slabs.  When you get into the mountains or hit the twisties it is a whole different animal.  This bike eats up the pavement with speed and precision, lending itself to a much more “spirited” riding experience than any behemoth big twin touring bike could ever hope to offer.  I know.  I’ve ridden them both.  A lot.

The only question now is what the future holds.  When I bought this bike I said it would probably be my last motorcycle; but I had said that about my last Harley, too.  I’m truly of the mindset that “You don’t give up riding when you get old.  You get old when you give up riding”.  I’ve been racking up the miles on this machine and, sadly, BMW doesn’t offer this mid-sized sport touring model any longer.  It has been replaced with their new F900XR® model, a worthy successor that offers 15 additional horsepower (a very exciting prospect on a bike this size), adaptive LED headlamps, a TFT display, BMW’s proprietary Wonder Wheel controller and electronic cruise control.  Furthermore, BMW is billing this bike as an Adventure-Sport model that can be easily fitted with the durable and functional aluminum luggage cases normally seen on ADV bikes.  

The only ‘downside’ I see with the new model is that its final drive is a chain, not a belt.  I’ve ridden nothing but belt drive bikes since the mid 90’s and have never, ever had a drive belt failure or even the slightest maintenance issues.  I know chains have been around much longer and are easier to replace than belts, but it does kind of feel like a step backwards to me.  I’ve gotten real used to the no fuss quietness and cleanliness of belt driven bikes.

So…What are some of you folks touring on these days?  Anyone else out there doing long distance touring on a sport bike?  Leave a comment below and be sure to subscribe to Roadwork USA for notifications, breaking news and special offers.