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[saddlebow]

After ten happy years on this forum which paralleled more than 25 happy years riding a series of HDs including 3 CVOs, two other fat boys, a deluxe, a 1200 cc sporty for fun, and an old bagger I kept on the east coast for when I visited my parents, I am sorry to announce that I've gone to the dark side.  I've traded my 15 CVO Street glide, silver and loaded up for touring, with 30K miles on it. Took it to Sturgis with my son twice; rode it all over the west coast and used it practically as a daily commuter for quite a while.  But as age increased, strength declined, and the docs filled me full of metal hips, I found that the HD got to be too tough to manage at low speeds and in parking lots, despite the comfort on the road.
So I"m now the proud owner of a new BMW K1600 GT Sport, which is a couple of hundred pounds lighter, very nimble, and still has cross country cruising abilities.  I resisted going this way for a long time, but the wrestling got to be too much, and the Beemer is a revelation: 160 HP, 6 cylinder, legitimate 150 mph cruiser that handles like a ducati in the twists and cruises in comfort. 
I'm looking for another old bagger to mess with for weekend fun but it's going to take a while to get off the high this new bike gives me.
Wanted to say that although I've never been a big contributor here, this site has been the best resource that was available and gave me insight, fun stuff to read, good advice, and lots of information that I'm sure I couldn't find anywhere else.  There's a lot of great people here ,and great camaraderie and fellowship.  I'm not sure the Beemr guys will ever be able to match that....
Thanks for the memories and I"ll still be around lurking, and if you see a a pair of owl eye lights  coming at your rear view mirrors that blow by with a screaming engine and a wave, it might be me.....

[saddlebow]

on the road back from Sturgis 2015

[Scott7d]

I've ridden the sport touring bikes like that, and I'd be lying if I said there was not a big smile on my face after. I still contemplate getting an older Concours or Honda ST from time to time.

The main thing is, you found a way to keep riding while remaining comfortable. And at 160HP at that! Congrats on the new bike!

[BigLew]

Yep, Congrats!

BigLew

[RGlideKid]

I'd like to ask you to stick around for a while.  Your membership here costs you nothing, anyway.
I'm guessing there are a lot of folks here who will be interested in your impressions of the Beemer past the initial ones.  I know I'd be one of them.
So give us an update from time to time.  We promise to be gentle if you decide to dump the Beemer and come back to a Harley!  But something tells me you'd only buy another Harley as a second bike in the stable.
Congratulations on the new scoot!

[saddlebow]

RG KID
Thanks for the invite.
I will stick around for sure, and I've already got almost 4K miles on the new bike in about a month. ( I ride a lot.) I'm leaving early tomorrow to go to Burlingame from LA for work, stay over night and depending on weather and time, take a wandering ride back home through some of the good ride roads up that way. I'll try to take pics and notes, it's an area I've ridden a lot so should be good for comparison and a road report.   I can already tell you that the biggest immediate difference between the two as far as performance is the throttle response and acceleration at speed.  65-100 is instantaneous, making getting around blockers on the road really easy. It will hit 105 in 4th, and late one night I backed off at 140 when it was still getting up.  I ran from Las Vegas to LA a week ago Friday in the biggest rainstorm in the last ten years, without any trouble and actually enjoying the ride in a way that did not happen a lot in weather on the HDs. More later, I have not gotten over my Harley 'jones' and never will, but I love to ride too much to have to fight it all the time.
bc

[ultrarider123]

But as age increased, strength declined, and the docs filled me full of metal hips, I found that the HD got to be too tough to manage at low speeds and in parking lots, despite the comfort on the road.

First off, I'm glad for you on the new ride and, as others have stated and you've replied, glad you will still be with us on the forum.

Now to my question.  Going from the SG to the sport tour BMW, how is it different in the sitting position with your above mentioned medical issues?  Is the BMW better on your physical issues than the SG?  I'm asking because we are all getting older and things are wearing out (my knees at some point) so I'm always keeping an eye out for options when that time comes. 

See you down the road...I'll wave as you flash by 

[saddlebow]

BMW is better, and better than I expected.  I've always thought of the hd as a barca lounger with a big motor, and got used to that position.  I assumed that the BMW would not be comfortable for a long ride, but there were so many guys riding them all over the country and all over Europe on long high speed tours.  The Beemer makes you sit straight up, and if you focus you keep your back straight and are lined up right, and over 6 hours, at least, (the longest I've been on it at one time) i got off, and never thought about whether I was stiff or sore.  Usual routine getting off the harley for the same length of time is a big stretch, then a few twists and turns to get the knots out. 
Depending on your size, you can raise and pull back the bars and raise and lower the seat, and theres a lot of tweaking that can be done (all this is in reference to the big tourer, the K1600 GT, which is =to a street glide, the 1600 GTL is the Ultra with full back seat and box.) I have found that the stock position is fine for me (I'm 5'9', 160 lbs). 
Whether from the change of seating position or the suspension  geometry of the bike, it feels very light on its feet, and has been very easy for me to learn to throw around and handle in tight quarters, solving exactly the HD problems I  had.
I totally get the HD experience and want to find a way to stay in it.  But I also go back and forth between LA, Santa Barbara, Las Vegas, and various places in Norcal [Ran from Calabasas to Burlingame this morning, about 375 miles.)  The HD was wearing me out. The Beemer is proving to be a much more flexible and comfortable ride day in and day out.  And its faster than stink!

[Dan_Lockwood]

A couple here have gone to the Beemer and sold it and kept the HD.  I think Rob May was one of them.  I believe one of the issues was the BSR was not comfortable wind wise, not for sure though.

I'll have to say I bet they're as smooth as can be with the inline 6.

Good luck with your new ride.

Sometimes I think that if I had my feed further back under me that my legs would be doing some of the work instead of my spine taking all the bounce.  All I ever rode in the past I had my feet back under me and I liked it.

[CVODON]

Congratulations on the new bike. I considered that move in '15. Went and rode one at a unnamed dealer who I almost had to beg, then got on the internet and did some research and after all the complaints and problems they listed (which I discounted by 50% as whining) I passed because it hurt my knees, made my back ache awful (I've had 2 surgeries on it), servicing dealer would be a 120 mile plus ride and they were not very friendly, my wife thought it was ugly and lack of color choices (maybe trivial but mattered to me). Went next day and traded for my 15 RGCVO and have always felt like I made the correct move.

 

[RAINEY]

Congrats on the new Beemer.  There are days that I miss my R1200RT when I get into the twisty roads.  I tried the K1600GT and K1600GTL.  They were nice bikes with smooth power that went on forever.  Enjoy the ride and the lean angle.

Jason