^^^^^ Mine has a bazillion tiny hex head fasteners to get at anything!
No ride here yet. 30 degrees this AM.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
I rolled the big BMW GS out of my garage last week when we had a nice day. This is my one bike that doesn’t have a battery tender quick connect attachment. I figured starting it every few weeks would maintain the battery. I was wrong.

Can you guess where BMW put the battery? Hmmm where would the least logical place be? Under the gas-tank? YES! That’s exactly where zee German designer decided to hide the battery.

What year is your GS? I've owned 8 BMWs and all of them have an accessory outlet to plug in a battery tender/charger but in order to use it you have to have the BMW specific charger.

I'm glad you were able to get out and enjoy some time yesterday, joat. I did the same thing. Last weekend was clear but cold and windy. I hate fighting wind- it takes all the fun out of it.

What model? Any pics? I've had a 2010 Fat Bob for a little over two years now- great bike.

For me, looking for, seeing, and relishing in my beautiful surroundings while out on the bike is one of the biggest things which makes life worth living. I try to free my mind and just enjoy the sensory input. The bike below me, the road ahead, the blue sky and the air moving over me.

My preferred 2-hour loop is just shy of 90 miles and brings me through some nice hilly terrain to the South and then out onto the plains- huge valleys with mountains off in the distance to the North, South and West, and ranch-land as far as you can see to the East. After about 20 miles of this stretch it's West through farmland for about 12 miles where people grown hay and corn, and have cattle. Also Alpacas. One family has a small herd of Longhorns right around their house on a small lot. There is also a ramshackle barn where a goat, a miniature horse and a standard horse share a stall and paddock space. Yesterday only the mini horse was out. I like seeing those friends and sometimes stop and watch them for a minute or two.

Then heading North back toward home there is a small touristy town with a popular tavern on one end of the road. The lot is usually packed, with lots of bikes. Yesterday only just a few bikes, and the busy stretch of road full of shops and galleries was mostly empty and quiet.

About three miles South of home there is a country store with a gas station where I fill up. There was a small group of riders there as I pulled in. It was good to see people still living their lives.

Waiting for it to warm up a bit more and then I'll wash the truck and the wife's jeep, have some lunch, feed the horses, and then maybe get back out there.

One thing about all of the Harleys I have owned- very easy to get to the batteries.

Heading out for a ride in about a half hour. I ride year round here, but a couple weeks ago I pulled a hammy so I haven't trusted myself to be able to hold up my nearly 1000 lb beast.

quote:

Originally posted by AH.74:

What model? Any pics? I've had a 2010 Fat Bob for a little over two years now- great bike.


One thing about all of the Harleys I have owned- very easy to get to the batteries.

2018 Harley Low Rider https://imgur.com/a/MNCQDMp

Hope this works to see the picture. I suck using any other pic hosting site.
Agreed with the battery placement on Harleys. Enjoy.

Calugo, it’s a 2001.

Nice Harley joat. The VTwin didn't do much for me until I started putting miles on the Scout. Quite enjoy it & the torque is nice.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
Nice Harley joat. The VTwin didn't do much for me until I started putting miles on the Scout. Quite enjoy it & the torque is nice.

I had a Scout before this bike, loved it.
I put a Hacker full exhaust system on it and it would wake the dead.
Glad you enjoy it and it's nice bike.

Are you in the Toledo area Jo? I'm in Kenton. We may have to meet in the middle sometime for a ride.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
I rolled the big BMW GS out of my garage last week when we had a nice day. This is my one bike that doesn’t have a battery tender quick connect attachment. I figured starting it every few weeks would maintain the battery. I was wrong.

Can you guess where BMW put the battery? Hmmm where would the least logical place be? Under the gas-tank? YES! That’s exactly where zee German designer decided to hide the battery.

It's been my experience that post Airhead BMW's really require their batteries to be changed back up to capacity every few weeks. Just starting them or even taking them on brief rides won't do it, in fact may do just the opposite.

Just from memory but can't you access the battery terminals by simply lifting the rear of the tank? Still not convenient.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ridewv,

quote:

Originally posted by joatmonv:

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
Nice Harley joat. The VTwin didn't do much for me until I started putting miles on the Scout. Quite enjoy it & the torque is nice.

I had a Scout before this bike, loved it.
I put a Hacker full exhaust system on it and it would wake the dead.
Glad you enjoy it and it's nice bike.

Mine [by posession, actually belongs to my father in law, but is stored in my garage] is an 01 Scout. Factory pipes, but gutted, so it's loud but not wake the dead loud.

Just got back from an hour ride with him, he was on his Victory CC Tour. Took the long way round to Academy, which had no ammo on the shelves.

30 mile ride to a 6 mile destination.

quote:

Originally posted by Krazeehorse:
Are you in the Toledo area Jo? I'm in Kenton. We may have to meet in the middle sometime for a ride.

Warren/Youngstown area.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:

quote:

Originally posted by joatmonv:

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
Nice Harley joat. The VTwin didn't do much for me until I started putting miles on the Scout. Quite enjoy it & the torque is nice.

I had a Scout before this bike, loved it.
I put a Hacker full exhaust system on it and it would wake the dead.
Glad you enjoy it and it's nice bike.

30 mile ride to a 6 mile destination.

Those are the best rides. You know where you want to go but don't have to go there directly.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
I rolled the big BMW GS out of my garage last week when we had a nice day. This is my one bike that doesn’t have a battery tender quick connect attachment. I figured starting it every few weeks would maintain the battery. I was wrong.

If you're going to go in where the battery is mounted, you might take the opportunity to put one in.

I bought a 2013 BMW F700GS in mid-February. Took it out for a ride a few days ago just to break loose from the house. I've now noticed that oncoming riders will wave to you. Makes for a nice "brotherhood".

Sounds like you went thru the Harbor and over Pymatuming.

It got a new battery installed in 2019. As soon as I get this damned BMW steet legal im flipping this piece of shit.

I’m going to get something new and reliable. 99.9% sure it’s going to be that new GSX-R1000

I’ve got 3 BMWs in the garage. A 1078 R80/7 with a little over 300,000 miles on and it was my first BMW motorcycle. I’ve beat this one like a little drum. Rode it every day for 10 years. Next was the 1985 K100RT Longitudinally facing inline 4 cylinder with 86,000 miles that puts 100 BHP to the ground. It’s really twitchy and nervous and likes to run at 5 grand and 85 mph. It makes me a little nervous. And the last one a 1996 R1100RT with 80,000 miles that is a dream to ride. She’s pretty good size but light on her feet. Lots of storage space. Need to keep her above 3,000 rpms to keep her in the power band. They are different motorcycles that’s for sure but they have a pretty decent following. I live in NW Arkansas. We have some of best riding in the country and Bikes Blues and BBQ is about an hour away. I went to that once and didn’t go back. Ride smart Ride safe.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
It got a new battery installed in 2019. As soon as I get this damned BMW steet legal im flipping this piece of shit.

I’m going to get something new and reliable. 99.9% sure it’s going to be that new GSX-R1000

I understand your frustration. In retrospect you should have wired on a Tender lead like on all your other bikes... especially seeing how it is a BMW!

Newer BMW's are pretty darn reliable as are Suzuki's, and Honda's, and......

quote:

Originally posted by Sigfest:
Sounds like you went thru the Harbor and over Pymatuming.

Close.
I was up in Ashtabula but the lake I crossed was Mosquito on my way back home.

When I got my bike out Saturday my daughter decided that she wanted to go on the ride with me. This surprised me because I told her it was going to be a fairly long ride and she usually doesn't like to ride for more than an hour or so. She insisted that she was ready for a long ride, so...






The ride ended up being 178.4 miles. I was VERY impressed with her. Other than her scaring the crap out of me by yelling; "dad slow down, slow down!" I had unleashed the 2300cc beast a bit and got up to the 70 mph speed limit pretty quickly. Turns out she scared the crap out of me because she thought I was leaving the two other bikes that were with us and she thought that I "needed to let them catch up." Even with that she did good. She didn't fidget, squirm, or complain, I hardly knew she was back there. When we stopped she acted very clam and mature... I was thoroughly impressed.