2010 BMW 1200 GS' - Wayne & Harry's Excellent Adventure - Part II

Re: Wayne & Harry's Excellent Adventure - Part II

More...



The 1200 GS and 1200 GS Adventure at the BMW Museum near Spartanburg, SC.

 

Re: Wayne & Harry's Excellent Adventure - Part II

More...

The group we met at the Motorcycle Campground...



Wayne

 

Re: Wayne & Harry's Excellent Adventure - Part II

Harry again:

We heard about the motorcycle campground from a guy who came over and talked to us at a gas station south of Spartanburg, SC. He was a middle aged guy who has traveled extensively on his motorcycles. He admitted to having owned 71 motorcycles over the years. He must have a list, to keep that number up to date.

The campground has wifi, a laundry, showers, a lounge with TV.

When traveling on a motorcycle, lots of times people will come up and strike up a conversation about bikes, or their first ride many years ago.

Harry

 

Re: Wayne & Harry's Excellent Adventure - Part II

Hi Karen:

Here you go...









Good Luck

Wayne

 

Re: Wayne & Harry's Excellent Adventure - Part II

Hi Al:

Harry says maybe next year

Wayne

 

Re: Wayne & Harry's Excellent Adventure - Part II

Hi All:

The bikes.



Road less traveled... On a 1200 GS no less!



Some Dragon action!



And a fast Suzuki in action...



Good Luck

Wayne

 

Re: Wayne & Harry's Excellent Adventure - Part II

Harry here again:

One thing we noticed at the "Dragon HQ," the motel, restaurant, store complex, which is the rally point for motorcyclists doing the Dragon was the camaradery, and the lack of brand rivalry. There was not the slightest bit of animosity between riders of different brands of motorcycles. As I described to Wayne, the general thought was "Anyone who can ride the Dragon and not wind up in the trees is okay, and it really doesn't matter what he is riding. The Dragon is a very demanding road with a huge number of very tight turns with nary a straight section anywhere, and many of the curves are decreasing radius turns that require a biker to do everything correctly to make it around and stay in his lane. The worst thing you could do would be to go wide in a turn and wind up in the opposing lane and hurt another biker.

On the way back from the campground, we saw at a gas station a couple with "his and hers" Goldwings. The guy did a snappy U-turn out from the gas pump, and his wife did an even tighter U-turn on that very large bike. She did it so well a CHP motor officer would have been envious.

Harry

 

Re: Wayne & Harry's Excellent Adventure - Part II

Hi Mike:

Just giving the mighty GS all the room it wanted

And look what I woke up with this morning



Good Luck

Wayne

 

Re: Wayne & Harry's Excellent Adventure - Part II

And more about our friends from Ocala, FL...

Joe left - Rod Center and Brad right​

They are members of the "Laid back, take it easy, I'll get there sooner or later motorcycle club." From 5 founding members, they now have close to 1,000, including people from England, Scotland, Italy, Sweden, Germany, Canada and Japan.

The club's banner has been taken by motorcycle to all states except Hawaii.

 

Re: Wayne & Harry's Excellent Adventure - Part II

Oh, and we are riding the premiere Adventure bike(s) in the world

First tank, Wayne's R1200GS: 4.789 gallons in 261.2 miles for 54.5416 mpg. Range to empty on bike computer 7 miles, in Fredericksburg, VA. AFCD was 56.0 (bike computer indicated average fuel economy.

Second fill 4.860 gallons, 270.8 miles for 55.72 mpg. AFCD read 57.3 mpg. Distance to empty was 4 miles.

Third fill, Roebuck, SC 4.779 gallons distance 248.4 miles. MPG was 51.977, AFCD was 54.7, dte was 1 mile.

Fourth fill Bryson City, NC 4.987 gallons, 304.5 miles, 61.05 mpg, aFCD 63.5 mpg, distance to empty was -10 miles.

Fifth fill - Draper, VA - 4.894 gallons, 278.7 miles, 57.476 mpg, aFCD 58.8 mpg, DTE +2.

Sixth Fill - Chambersburg, PA - 5.006 gallons, 289.8 miles, 57.890 mpg, aFCD 58.8 mpg, DTE -4.

Wayne: has issues with ergonomics on turn signals and other controls. You have to reach down and lift up to sound the horn and cancel the turn signals (although the turn signals are self-canceling).

Harry: I have no issues with switch gear layout, as they are standard BMW fare, and are the same as on my current BMW motorcycle and previous one.
I found the headlights to be excellent on my R1200GSA, with high beams lighting a very good distance ahead, as well as off the sides.

Wayne doesn't like the extra sound volume out of the Akropovic mufflers. I don't mind it. I don't feel it to be excessive. I believe that BMW is being realistic in marketing their bikes, and trying to offer customers what they want. I think the Akropvic's are optional equipment, too. These mufflers give a throaty "blat" that you may love, or not.

Wayne: I notice the big GS bikes attract favorable attention from most bikers, including Harley, Honda Goldwing and all the KTM riders.

 

Re: Wayne & Harry's Excellent Adventure - Part II

Hi All:

A few quick updates on the GS'.

Harry was riding the R 1200 GS Adventure all week with the following results:

Initial fill ODO - 702 miles
Final Fill ODO – 2302 miles

Total Distance – 1,600 miles

First Fill - Courtland, VA - 6.242 gallons
Second Fill - Dillion, SC - 5.815 gallons
Third Fill – Roebuck, SC - 4.755 gallons
Fourth Fill - Bryson, SC - 6.403 gallons
Fifth Fill – Draper, VA - 5.433 gallons
Sixth Fill – Chambersburg, PA – 5.244 gallons
Total gallons – 33.892 gallons

Final mpg: 1,600/33.892 = 47.209 mpg
Final aFCD = 50.0 mpg

Wayne

 

Re: Wayne & Harry's Excellent Adventure - Part II



We met this Goldwing rider at a gas stop. He was headed back to Texas, but was having some overheating problems with his bike



This couple was riding from California, on their way to Bangor, Maine. He was originally from Maine. I started telling him not to miss Camden, ME, a nice coastal town, and Bar Harbor, but since he was from Maine, I wasn’t telling him anything he didn’t already know.


This was a mixed group of Harley and BMW enthusiasts, on their way south for a combined bike/family get-together.

Wayne