And yet another twist: the F650
In between the rain and dark moments, I found half an hour to drive down to the Golden Gardens and take some time to meditate. 
I brought my camera so finally I got the pictures necessary for that other great machine in my life: the BMW F650. In April 2006, an old dream was awoken by spring sunshine and the subsequent "all American" easy riders on my commuting trip in the morning: I had to get myself a two wheeler ! A Vespa scooter was my first idea, but they're bloody expensive on this side of the globe and limited in range. My love for mechanical precision and robustness led me soon to the R65, the legendary BMW boxer. Although I hate the cars, the motorbikes are unequalled and BMW having its roots in aerospace (the BMW sign is actually an icon of the propellerhead aircraft 
engines), made it all even more exciting. I browsed around, met some owners, read everything about it, and missed a few good opportunities. The summer arrived, and work load peaked, but in late September, through an Irish colleague (and now friend) the idea was reignited. Soon after that I was the proud owner of a BMW MOTORBIKE. 
I bought it for a nickle and a dime from some rich old fart, who only took it out on sunny Sunday afternoons (rare in Seattle). With only 7500 miles, a brand new shiny bike ! Options are endless: it's basically indestructable, with a reliable and simple mono cylinder rotax engine delivering an all-you-need 48hp. It's not as beautiful as a boxer, but it didn't take long to fall in love (see pic). Agile in traffic and equipped for rougher enduro trips, the F650 is one of the most versatile bikes ever built. Although the best has yet to come weatherwise, I've already put about 500 (wonderful) miles on it so far. New dreams are taking shape as I flip through pages of touring bags and camping gear...
I brought my camera so finally I got the pictures necessary for that other great machine in my life: the BMW F650. In April 2006, an old dream was awoken by spring sunshine and the subsequent "all American" easy riders on my commuting trip in the morning: I had to get myself a two wheeler ! A Vespa scooter was my first idea, but they're bloody expensive on this side of the globe and limited in range. My love for mechanical precision and robustness led me soon to the R65, the legendary BMW boxer. Although I hate the cars, the motorbikes are unequalled and BMW having its roots in aerospace (the BMW sign is actually an icon of the propellerhead aircraft 
engines), made it all even more exciting. I browsed around, met some owners, read everything about it, and missed a few good opportunities. The summer arrived, and work load peaked, but in late September, through an Irish colleague (and now friend) the idea was reignited. Soon after that I was the proud owner of a BMW MOTORBIKE. 
I bought it for a nickle and a dime from some rich old fart, who only took it out on sunny Sunday afternoons (rare in Seattle). With only 7500 miles, a brand new shiny bike ! Options are endless: it's basically indestructable, with a reliable and simple mono cylinder rotax engine delivering an all-you-need 48hp. It's not as beautiful as a boxer, but it didn't take long to fall in love (see pic). Agile in traffic and equipped for rougher enduro trips, the F650 is one of the most versatile bikes ever built. Although the best has yet to come weatherwise, I've already put about 500 (wonderful) miles on it so far. New dreams are taking shape as I flip through pages of touring bags and camping gear...Off I go !
Regards to you all, drive safely (mind the bikers !)
P.S. Don't tell my folks, it's a safe (slow) bike, and I got all the protective gear, but obviously it's riskier than sitting at home watching the simpsons...
posted by Stan (Stijn) at 6:38 PM
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