BMW R 1200 ST. German techno cool
I've not been out on the Aprilia much in the last two months, once to the dealer to get it's 10k service and once just because I HAD to get out before I went bug-eyed from not riding. It was a chilly 105 degrees just before sunset so I decided that was as good a time as any.
Since the 10k service the bike has been running superbly with the low speed, off throttle response very crisp and clean finally. The dealer set the O2 a little higher than zero this time and installed the latest ECU mapping for the Capo and it pulls cleanly to redline in every gear. Read what you will into that.
Despite the heat and non-riding I'm getting semi-serious about buying a second bike. Saturday I'll be visiting a couple of dealers to see if I slip over the edge from temptation to ownership for the 39th time. Bikes under consideration are the BMW R1200ST and the Aprilia Futura.
What I should get what with my aches and pains and advancing age is a Goldwing but I'm not quite that far gone as yet. What I'm looking for is something interesting that can gobble up a lot of miles with a minimum of fuss or fatigue. The R1200ST seems like the techno hot ticket but costs about 50% more than the Futura so it may just come down to money. There are limits to finances even for famous moto-bloggers. ahem..
Common sense dictates that I should just spend $8200 and get another Kawasaki Concours but part of the mandate is that the bike be interesting. I loved my Concours, it was a very competent motorcycle that gobbled miles with a minimum of fuss but it wasn't interesting enough to make me burn with passion for another one. Burning with moto-lust seems to be one of my few pleasures these days as I burn in the sun at work.
Stay tuned.