I am satisfied that my $1,000 offer on the BMW R1150RS motorcycle I used to own was reasonable, and that I will again end up enjoying that refined touring motorcycle that leans a bit towards the Sport/Touring class.
Jeff dove into a wiring and electrical makeover that he never completed. There are parts missing from the BMW that may be challenging to replace. I will earn my ride when it finally hits the road again.
The 2012 Suzuki Doctor Zee (DR Z400S) on the other hand appears to be one of those rare barn finds that always fall into someone else’s lap, not mine. See They followed me home. Can I keep them?
I just completed my inspection, service and oil change on a decade old, desirable, torquey, dual-sport thumper. I somewhat indifferently offered $1,000 for it as well – and ended up with a gen-u-ine DEAL more from ignorance than planning or scheming.
I knew the prior owner pretty well, but had no idea how little he rode his small, scrappy get-around scooter… or that it would need as much TLC as I felt compelled to give it. His wizardry with radios and antennas had me thinking he was meticulous everywhere. Not so much.
Yesterday I replaced the very dead batteries on both bikes. Until I applied juice to the console, the actual hours/miles Doctor Zee had run were a mystery I could only guess at based on its youthful condition. Wow! 933 miles total!
The weather today was a little misty by the time I completed my project. It fogged the face-shield on my helmet, so I didn’t ride far, but in those seven miles, I was quite favorably impressed with the quality of the design and the condition of my new Doctor Zee.
Until now I was not convinced it would be a “keeper”. I now am. It is.
Comparatively lightweight, agile, and economical, I will be comfortable just knocking around the neighborhood on this one, where taking the big sport/touring Beemer out will be more along the lines of road-eating rides.
Amazing luxury, methinks, to have one of each. I have been a bit envious of those who had one for either mood or occasion, and now I am one of them.
I snuck in the back door when nobody was looking.
Well, I will have when the Beemer comes back to life.
That will take more than a weekend.
By the way, included in my “package deal” were two XL sets of heavy winter leather overalls and one XL heavy winter leather motorcycle jacket. Both too big for me by an X, and very heavy for June, even on a drizzly day,
I wore them today because we could not find my modern anti-abrasion suits that we used for the Beemer when we last had it.
Fershur, those leathers are too heavy, too big and too much for short trips on a tall bike. It was quite a chore to heft my leg over Doctor Zee’s saddle with the bulky leathers on.
On the other hand, the weather gods would have to throw some really awesome stuff at me before it penetrated that shielding. Of course, by then I would have no interest in riding a motorcycle at all.
Four-wheel-drive and snow tires come to mind.
