WRIDR

As 'Caharly' referred to a few posts back, you have performed a huge service for a large group of the Older Rider Gang on this site, by accurately describing perils involved with Beemer Ownership. Most of us from time to time are guilty of serious brain cramps concerning BMW Reliability, and we begin drifting toward Dreamland concerning some of their more enticing Touring models. Three things: Welcome to The Club; you'll love it. Thanks for the Wake-up Call! Good luck with the arrival date of your new Best Friend. Rgds, WRIDR

Oh ohhh... that foto supposedly showing the bulk weight is "near the axle" IS misleading, even to these 75 yr old eyes. For our money, most of the engine and bulkier weight stuff is STILL well ahead of that axle. We're betting that tongue is supporting a LOT more weight than it should. Be VERY careful assuming otherwise. A load imbalance like that could produce significant issues at speed on the highways, INCLUDING the potential for a side-to-side weave action. (Anybody who missed that should go back and take another look at the foto.) If you've never experienced one, you have no idea how frightening - and disastrous it can get. The only recommended way to come out of it safely is to hang on to the wheel tight, and... speed up. That takes a lot of intestinal fortitude, along with a large dose of good luck. Rgds, WRIDR

Pretty simple; retired Journalist and motorcycle rider, confronting Ontario's licence restriction of only five characters, we coined a combo of writing and riding to come up with... WRIDR. Rgds, WRIDR.

This'll kill you Guys, and we apologize for being juuuust slightly off the thread, but... ...after nearly 60 years riding, and 20 odd bikes ranging up to a naked Wing, '08 FJR, '09 RSTD, and... (with apologies to the Purists); these days we ride a 2012 400 cc Yamaha Majesty ("Madge") Scoot, capable of nearly 100 mph w/all day cruise at 70-80 mph. For the Thread; we pay just over $300/yr!~ Laugh if you feel obligated, but... we've come home from Walmart with FOUR plastic shopping bags of stuff under seat, riding thru a rain squall for nearly 20 miles without getting uncomfortably "wet". FWIW: yeah, we still miss the 'feel' of throwing a leg over, BUT since it would hurt like Hallelujah to do that, we cope cuz it's still 'riding'. However - at Year #75 , there are no plans to attempt any cross-Continent runs on Madge. We do know of one guy who last year rode home to our dealership in Trenton, Ontario, from FLORIDA. Those WERE The Days.~ Rgds, WRIDR

Something to remember about THAT BRIDGE: there is NO 'Light Traffic' period for it... EVER! And that's without taking into consideration any roadwork. The BIG problem is TRUCKS. That's the major N/S route for all Canadian East Coast traffic down into the States (and vice versa). The only thing worse is when you end up behind one of those Airstream Caravans - plenty of them also on the route. Btw: it's encouraging to hear the road surface is being improved, hopefully removing the steel rail sections that have terrified Bikers for decades. (Disclaimer: it's been ten years since our last crossing; they may already be history.) What they cannot remove/improve is the pitch of that Bridge; one of the steepest, most intimidating pieces of roadwork we ever encountered. Rgds, WRIDR

Tomephil: Have you considered the Airhawk inflatable? Last time we bought one - over ten years back - they were under $200. Very well made, totally - easily - adjustable, and quite comfortable. Also very nice if your original seat is exposed to wet conditions, or the bike is left in lengthy sunlight situs while parked. You anchor them under the seat, or simply lay on top and then hide away while stopped when bike is parked for lengthy periods out of sight - i.e. meal time stops. They are extremely durable. Rgds, WRIDR

Something you might consider re: the RSTD kick stand... (Bear with us; lately the 75 yr old memory is a fuzzwad on details.) Cut down a piece of 2" aluminum strapping to about 5" or 6" length. Then drill 3/16" holes thru strap and kickstand, and rivets to hold the strap in place. Makes a huge difference in your peace of mind, isn't noticeable unless staring intently, and handles any situ short of loose sand. After prolonged usage, you might get a slight rattle, but a little caulk will quiet that down in a hurry. (You could paint match the strap, but really...??) Rgs, WRIDR

...like everyone else, we were stunned to read this tragic news. First, our heart-felt condolences to Yammerdan's Family. Then, and we're not sure which order to put these in... Who else could generate FOUR PAGES, and 54 condolence messages in a mere 12 hours (when this was written)?! Imagine what this must be doing to Dan's younger Brother. At least Yammerdan died doing something he loved to do. And he'll ride on forever, in our hearts and minds. Sincerely, WRIDR

As a lonnnng-retired Journalist, still mind-nimble enough to accurately read between the lines, it is indisputably safe to conclude our 'Boy-Joe' is juuuust a little excited about his long-looming new Ride. Bless you Joe, for cranking out more straight-from-the-heart, gut-tugging enthusiasm than we've seen anywhere in years. Wish - oh, how we wish - we could go with you!~ Rgds, WRIDR

...wouldn't the mild heat setting on a good quality hairdryer lift that off easily and painlessly, without damaging anything? Our local Yammy dealer suggested that to us for use on a old bike we'd purchased, to remove a bunch of stuck-on-crap. Worked like a dream, and relatively quick. Rgs, WRIDR

Glad to hear you'll be sticking around, FlyinFool! We love reading your posts, and they'd be a huge loss. One caution re: the FJR 1300... they are NOT a 'light' bike, compared to the Venture. Lighter, yes. But not much, AND they are arguably just as Top Heavy. Plus the seating position, AND the much taller 'climb on/off' issue, are things that would/will require serious adjustment, not an ideal circumstance for someone in your position. Lovely, totally reliable machine, AND it would do much more than you could ever wish for, but.... Rgds, WRIDR.

Definitely Natchez Trace offers a much better chance of enjoyable weather at that time of year. You have a TON 'riding' on good weather for this Trip, and the odds on NTP paying off for you are too good to ignore. Save 'The Ridge' for later; it will still be there. Rgds, WRIDR

We have a Friend who went from a suburban type 110' x 70' home to 7 acres. All he had when moving was a push mower. So he 'splurged' on a small riding mower from a big chain store. After two or three cuts, averaging two or three days, he re-started the Search. Ended up at a Deere dealer, and became fascinated with Zero Turns. Fortunately, a knowledgeable sales guy pointed out he'd be sitting with his ageing butt directly over the rear axle. Our Friend quickly figured out his butt would get a LOT older in a hurry. Goodbye Z-Turn, enter used Compact Tractor. Rgds, WRIDR

2009 was the last year for the RSTD. Maybe they referred to that? Rgds, WRIDR

Hi SpencerPJ: Reading all the posts so far, we are pleasantly surprised by all the positive comments about the RSTD!! (We owned an '09). The ONLY reasons for sale were age (73 then), and big time Health problems. We were 6'1" then. Thanks to Age now (76) and Arthritis, we're down to 5'10", and unable to handle either the weight, or height issues. Of the 20 bikes we've owned, the RSTD was our hands-down favorite for Looks, Handling, Comfort (including a 'Wing), Wind Protection, AND day-long riding enjoyment!! In our opinion the whine is getting more squawks than deserved - it is NOT that irritating, and kinda sounds like you're riding some sort of Turbo-equipped rocket ship. (Hey, whatever works!) Can't help you with seat issues; for years we've used an air-adjustable Airhawk seat cushion on all our bikes, resolving ANY issues for less than $200. The RSTD is definitely top heavy at slow speeds, but so is the RSV; at YOUR size this should not be an issue. Nor should reliability; the RSTDs came with a FIVE year warranty, but we never had a single problem; end of story. There is also a significant cost bonus, compared to the fairing-equipped RSVs. Perhaps the decision should be which bike is more practical for your needs; the long-distance cruising RSV, or the more versatile RSTD? How many long distance rides do you actually take in a year, vs. how often do you simply go riding? That's our story, and we're sticking to it. Rgds, WRIDR

Wow! After 'watching' this amazing site of yours for years and years, then finally signing up (Guilt a primary motivator), we seem to have suddenly caught the posting spirit in a hurry. Cowpuc (and others) covered off pretty much the gist of it all, but we'd like to add some thoughts that haven't really been mentioned yet. There usually is a sudden realization - FEAR!! - as in: OMIGAWD, who's gonna cover our regular salary needs, benefits, AND expenses!!! That will take care of itself once you settle in, and confidence grows. Best way to handle it is to simply ignore the sucker. Then as things become more comfortable for you, another realization surfaces: "Hey, nobody's telling us where to be, what to do, how many hours to spend on silly obligations, tasks that you felt were misdirected, or simply stupid. Bottom line: you have become your own BOSS. And... you will NEVER go back to working for someone else. That, knowing a bit about your personal work ethic (which is amazing), is guaranteed. You'll LOVE this, and also have the personal satisfaction of performing an extremely noble effort on behalf of your BIL's Family. Good for you, Don. We've never met, but we have nothing but the highest regard for a fellow who is an outstanding human being, and one helluva great Guy. Go get 'er done Son, (said the 76 yr old) we look forward to observing your future success. Rgds, WRIDR.

You Guys are NOT helping! We forgot 'The Attic'! Same size as the five bedroom-plus-Family-Room second story, and now FULL of Three Kids Stuff, along with our dearly beloved-but-now-departed Martyr-In-Law's "Don't you DARE throw that away!" furniture. Two buffets, one large Hutch, a FULL dining room suite!!, several 'priceless' chairs, and Organ that plays if the humidity drops below 30%. There's also another boat 'n trailer: a 12 footer with nearly new Yamaha 10 hp o.b., which was supposed to go to the youngest (44) Kid and Family, so they could learn to fish the Detroit River. That lasted ten days and one large wave from a passing Freighter, before The Kid reloaded with an 18 footer, and... we drove six hours to get it back! (Sigh.) Clarification: before anybody jumps in to accuse us of too much horn tooting, wait until YOU hit 76, with Kids 'n Grand Kids, and have (had) a nearly empty attic. We didn't want this barn; it came with the shoreline property we bought to retire on, so we could live out our Golden Years in peace and tranquility. We may need therapy... Rgds, WRIDR

Migawd, wish we hadn't started reading THIS thread! This coming Fall we will be 'downsizing' in MAGNUM mode. At 76, we already had to give up cutting the 2.5 acres of grass. If it doesn't stop snowing SOON, plowing our 1,000' driveway is gonna be next. THE PROBLEM: we live in a five bedroom barn with thirty-three 3' x 5' windows, many facing the waterfront. When the wind she blows from the Nort' by gar, you watch the needle on the 900 liter propane tank slide down... rather rapidly. So... we've put down a deposit to hold a nice 3 bdrm, two story home on a quiet court in town. Unfortunately, the lot is locked in by neighboring properties on all sides, and there's only one double garage... compared to TWO double garages here, plus the 2.5 acres to park stuff on. 'All' we have to do is figure out where our beloved 15 yr old John Deere 4100 compact tractor with bucket, 54" snow blower, and power-angling plow fits in the equation, along with a 2014 Acura MDX, 2012 Honda CR-V, a 2016 Yamaha AWD Wolverine SxS, a 2012 full-size 400 cc Yamaha Majesty Scooter, and a 18.5' Smoker Craft Pro Angler 182XL tin boat. That's just the BIG stuff. The second floor has five bedrooms, plus a Family room big enough to hold a 4' x 6' pool table, which the three youngest Grand Kids LOVE. We figure being in town - maybe just one truck; thereby getting the boat inside. But, that's as far as things have progressed at this point... one thing is certain; this is really gonna hurt!~ Rgds, WRIDR

Migawd, wish we hadn't started reading THIS thread! This coming Fall we will be 'downsizing' in MAGNUM mode. At 76, we already had to give up cutting the 2.5 acres of grass. If it doesn't stop snowing SOON, plowing our 1,000' driveway is gonna be next. THE PROBLEM: we live in a five bedroom barn with thirty-three 3' x 5' windows, many facing the waterfront. When the wind she blows from the Nort' by gar, you watch the needle on the 900 liter propane tank slide down... rather rapidly. So... we've put down a deposit to hold a nice 3 bdrm, two story home on a quiet court in town. Unfortunately, the lot is locked in by neighboring properties on all sides, and there's only one double garage... compared to TWO double garages here, plus the 2.5 acres to park stuff on. 'All' we have to do is figure out where our beloved 15 yr old John Deere 4100 compact tractor with bucket, 54" snow blower, and power-angling plow fits in the equation, along with a 2014 Acura MDX, 2012 Honda CR-V, a 2016 Yamaha AWD Wolverine SxS, a 2012 full-size 400 cc Yamaha Majesty Scooter, and a 18.5' Smoker Craft Pro Angler 182XL tin boat. That's just the BIG stuff. The second floor has five bedrooms, plus a Family room big enough to hold a 4' x 6' pool table, which the three youngest Grand Kids LOVE. We figure being in town - maybe just one truck; thereby getting the boat inside. But, that's as far as things have progressed at this point... one thing is certain; this is really gonna hurt!~ Rgds, WRIDR

Hey, congrats on the new bike! Good price for a bike that's running well enough to get you home with no problems aside from some high speed concerns! From a quick glance you really don't need to add anything right now EXCEPT a good set of Kuryakin GRIPS! Lose those things we're looking at as fast as you can - if for nothing else but handling in low speed situs (remember; top heavy!!!) The difference will be instantly noticeable, AND reassuring. If it was OUR bike, we'd run a 1000 miles as is, just to get comfortable with a bike that's totally foreign to what you've been riding. THEN go at 'er with a vengeance, and enjoy the Puttering Around. You have one huge advantage over most of us: location - NO WAITING UNTIL SPRING! Another thing we'd do is track down The Forum Guys in your area, and... TALK TO THEM. Again, congratulations! We loved the way you came on board with a legit purpose, and solid list of questions, then without any dilly-dallying around, you just went and grabbed The 'Wee Beastie'! You are obviously a Good Listener, and you'll LOVE the feedback available here. Rgds, WRIDR

Don, we suggested 'loading' the tires to provide the necessary extra back end weight. However, we've looked at your pix again (it IS a seriously beautiful machine), and we're pretty sure those rear tires are a LOT smaller than our JD 4100 compact's. Not sure they'd provide enough extra weight to make loading worthwhile - a rear blade is a much better idea, and sits further back for additional benefit. Somebody mentioned Calcium Chloride. That's what we had done 15 years ago. Somebody else mentioned corrosion, and that has happened to our wheels. Inner tubes solved the problem, but don't restore the wheels. Obviously water is a no-no for Winter in your area. Something else is available these days, which doesn't cause corrosion... unfortunately we can't remember what, but any dealer would know. Last thing - you probably know this too. If your property has any hills, with bucket on NEVER go on them in any direction except straight up and down. Running side-to-side on any hill will get very expensive in a hurry; for hospital bills, or funeral services. Rgds, WRIDR

Welcome, Malenurse! At 45,000 miles, that Bike is simply broken in (probably nicely if Original Owner's - can u check that?). The tip-off is the FIVE year warranty provided by Yamaha on most of these - ours was an '09 RSTD, and nothing failed. Two most common squawks have already been covered: Gear Whine (no big deal at all), and for sure it is TOP HEAVY in the parking lots - be aware we're talking nearly a half ton loaded with all your stuff. There's almost nothing to add aside from personal preferences like grips, seats, handle bar risers, and the like becuz the bike comes LOADED to begin with. Summing up: if you like the 'look', there nothing else to worry about. They'll run all day, all week, month, year - depending where you live. Take care of it, and there's a good chance the bike may outlive YOU!~ Then add in the 'Comfort Value' provided by this amazing site. These guys have the answer to ANY question or problem you might some day encounter. They are also VERY entertaining to gab with. RGDS, WRIDR

Hi Don: We've owned a similar-sized J-D 4100 compact: 4WD, dual range, w/power steering, AND Steering Brakes on the left side. Hopefully this one also has those - priceless when trying to move heavy snow. Despite the 4WD we always put chains on the REAR wheels, to assist in steering when shoving snow around in slippery conditions. Also consider adding a level indicator bar on the bucket in a visible spot to assist in NOT removing half of your gravel driveway. Hooks on the ends of the bucket's top bar will only be useful a million times. (Thank us later for that one.) Can't emphasize enough re: WEIGHT on the back end; both for traction, AND safety as mentioned above. The bucket can be your best friend (as you already know), or a lethal weapon - always run with bucket sitting LOW. We 'load' the rear tires, adding about 400 lbs in the right place, so there's nothing to add, or remove at any time. The 4100 was the only Deere tractor built by the Japanese. Over 16 years and 1800 hrs it has been completely trouble free save for batteries every five years. We assume this one will give you similar reliability. They have a great rep. The only problem we've had with the Deere is wasted time - a) Explaining to passersby who constantly stop to enquire what it is, where we got it, and/or would we sell it? b) Helping neighbors lift something that's too heavy for them.~ Don't ever let it go. Rgds, WRIDR

Not the same, but hopefully this will help a bit. In June of 2006 a tennis-ball sized tumor suddenly popped up on our collarbone. Wasn't difficult to figure out it was a deep doo-doo scenario. Oncology quickly confirmed the collar bone tumor was connected to the Prostate! (Who knew THAT???) Final diagnosis: Stage 4 Prostate Cancer, metastisized to the Pelvic Bone (incurable, maximum life span five years, IF lucky). Called the three Kids together, and we all decided the only way to deal with this mess was to ignore it as long as possible, and continue living 'The Good Life' while Health would allow it. Quick Math: it is now 2017; we're still kickin', and the only thing slowing us down is a side effect from Treatment - seriously 'enhanced' arthritic problems. Careful attention to Diet, along with a positive attitude are the only things we've done to keep going. We wish you the best for 2018, AND beyond. Every day Mister Sun shows up in the East is a huge win, and appreciating the support of your Loved Ones - Family AND Friends - will help immensely. Best wishes, WRIDR

Welcome aboard! We read your post, plus the comments so far, and think we noticed that no one had mentioned the unavoidable Gear Whine common to almost all RSVs, and the 05-09 RSTDs... (which should not be overlooked, particularly if you're not crazy about the appearance of the RSV model. You lose nothing in terms of wind protection, and do lose some weight.) Back to the Gear Whine... ...this is NOT a problem, it's a characteristic of The Breed. You'll get accustomed to it, and it will NEVER bother the bike - it's just there, and if you like, kinda sounds like a no-cost turbocharger. Don't even think about trying to fix it! One other comment: these suckers ARE top heavy. If you are older, and/or a bit challenged in the leg length area, you need to be VERY aware that a little too much lean at slow speeds can/will result in a dropped bike. Just be aware of it. Reliability is amazing; witness the FIVE year guarantee! Ever hear of a bike with a five year guarantee? You have now. Rgds, WRIDR