Ten years and counting

I took delivery of my 2003 BMW K1200GT ten years ago today at Revard BMW Motorcycles in Indianapolis.

Since then, it’s carried me to eight BMW MOA rallies from Burlington, Vt., to Spokane, Wash. We’ve ridden the Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur a few times, been to the Colorado Rocky Mountains several times, Daytona Beach Bike Week once, and lots of places in between – about 67,000 miles in all.

The bike remains pretty much as I bought it with the addition of MotoLights, which I upgraded from halogen to LEDs last July, and an extra power outlet on the dashboard.

I retired the original Marsee tankbag last fall and replaced it with a Nelson Rigg bag that has a solar panel for charging iPhones and the like. I’ve also added a Garmin Zumo 550 GPS with XM Sirius satellite radio.

I had an aftermarket footpad for the rather pointy sidestand, but it sheared off while navigating the campground at the Return to Shiloh Rally a few years ago and I haven’t gotten around to re-attaching it.

I added a bracket to the underside of the luggage rack to attach a passenger backrest, but I can’t remember the last time I used it, since Maria hasn’t ridden pillion with me in years.

I also bought a pair of oversized saddlebags for longer rides, but packed tightly enough for the last couple of rallies that I was able to go with the color-matched stock bags.

The GT has been a splendid motorcycle, but it has never felt as comfortable as my old 1991 K100RS or Maria’s ‘94 K75S. That said, I look forward to many more miles in the saddle before I contemplate a new ride.