oo7
Race Dog
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2007
- Messages
- 1,482
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Los Angeles, USA
- Bike
- BMW R1200GS Adventure
After recently relocating from Cape Town, South Africa to Los Angeles, USA, I found myself in the unfortunate state of being cage bound. This was weighing heavily on my mind – not just because I was unable to ride, but more so due to being completely unsure as to what bike I next want to acquire.
I had to (very reluctantly) let go of my trusted ’09 GSA in the Cape as the cost and red tape to import it into the US and specifically California just did not make sense. I am very familiar with the pre-LC GSA’s as I had done more than 100k’s on the two that I had owned up until that time, on both occasions without any major issues, so I knew what I have in these bikes. However, after all those miles I was keen to rather get onto the back of something else, but I just had no real idea what bike that will be.
So I went to test ride a HD FatBoy. And I loved it. Awesome bike, but the floorboards scraped around every corner. The eager salesman then had me pulling the ear of an even better looking machine, a Softail Deluxe. Not so scrapy around the corners, and really beautiful to look at. Mmmm. But buying a Harley will mean I will have to get another DS bike to be able to do some proper riding in addition to all the posing. My circumstances however were such that I only had space for one girlfriend. Yet I still went to ride the new 2016 Bonne T120. Again it was pleasing on the eye and I really enjoyed riding it, and that 1200 machine impressed me more than I could have hoped for. But it wasn’t really talking to me. So I hopped on to the Triumph Scrambler. Probably one of the most beautiful bikes money can buy off the floor today. And also a nice ride, but in a way quite similar to the Bonne, not as powerful though. Next stop was the Honda Dealership. Apparently due to an earthquake in Japan, there is a shortage of new AT models around, and they only had a DCT version. Loved the bike but HATED that gearbox. Feels like a big scooter. I cannot fathom how/why anyone want to go offroad with that box with no clutch? Anyhoo, to cut a long story short, after all these test rides I was inclined to wait for the standard shift AT, as I felt that may just be the bike…or just stop the silliness and buy another GSA. Which was what I did.
While I was busy pulling the trigger on a ’12 in Los Angeles with 11k on the clock, this one popped up in Charleston, South Carolina.
It was also a ’12, but with only just over 4k on the clock, some more accessories than the LA bike and a cool $1,000 lower priced and virtually in showroom condition:
- and with such low mileage on the clock, I knew I had to make a quick call, as it was priced to sell.
The long Haired Chief of Staff happened to be departing on a business trip for a few weeks, and I had some time on my hands, so why not!? Charleston may be on the other side of the continent, but hey, if Google Maps says it can be done in 37 hours, who am I to blow against the wind??
The next thing I know I was on the plane, harbouring exciting thoughts about the next few days
The gentlemen in Charleston that I bought the bike from very quickly became my new BFF. He was the personification of that legendary Southern hospitality that I have heard so much about. In the day and a half that I spent with him in Charleston my culinary, geographical and political boundaries certainly expanded:
Much of this I think should be ascribed to the fact that he is also an ex Saffer – born in Joburg ( I think) but relocated with his folks to North America at a young age. So certainly the right pedigree and genes ;-) !
He fetched me from the airport, put me up in a hotel for the night, fed me, and then I was taken on an interesting tour of Charleston. Unfortunately, it was pissing down for most of my time there, but I still managed to get a proper feel of that beautiful old city’s charm. The Historic Downtown District has been described as a living museum – a place that will see me again at the first opportunity. This is after all the place where the first shot in the Civil war was fired – Fort Sumter to be precise.
So, after completing all the formalities -which basically required me to sign on the back of the title deed while simultaneously parting with quite a few thousand George Washingtons, I took possession of my new girlfriend and then quite sadly also parted ways with my BFF.
I left Charleston on a very wet Thursday afternoon, at that time with only three destinations cast in stone: Atlanta, GA where I had to take care of some business, Fort Collins, CO where I wanted to visit some family, and Los Angeles, California – the place I call home these days. Those small bits on the map in-between these destinations were therefore a blank canvas – how exciting!
Leaving Charleston on the Thursday afternoon, I had a few days to kill as my meeting in Atlanta was only on Monday. I wanted to see a proper Southern Plantation, and also ride through the Smokey Mountains, as I was told of some great roads not too miss in those mountains.
First stop was at Middleton Place – the signboard said it was America’s oldest landscaped gardens:
Beautiful old tree at the entrance with a nice looking manor house:
Some more info on Middleton Place on their website: https://www.middletonplace.org/
After leaving the coast the rain was something of the past, and the hot and VEEERY humid climate was drenching me within my riding suit. I set the GPS towards the general direction of the Smokey Mountains and enjoyed seeing the South and North Carolina countryside for the first time. The people here are just great. Everywhere you stop someone will engage in kind conversation, which usually will include either a polite enquiry about the motorcycle or the accent or both.
I wonder if this ‘Evacuation Route’ was actually used during the last Hurricane that just passed through the US east coast?
I have yet to experience a more patriotic nation than the Americans!
Leaving the wonderfully friendly state of South Carolina
And entering red-neck country:
I had to (very reluctantly) let go of my trusted ’09 GSA in the Cape as the cost and red tape to import it into the US and specifically California just did not make sense. I am very familiar with the pre-LC GSA’s as I had done more than 100k’s on the two that I had owned up until that time, on both occasions without any major issues, so I knew what I have in these bikes. However, after all those miles I was keen to rather get onto the back of something else, but I just had no real idea what bike that will be.
So I went to test ride a HD FatBoy. And I loved it. Awesome bike, but the floorboards scraped around every corner. The eager salesman then had me pulling the ear of an even better looking machine, a Softail Deluxe. Not so scrapy around the corners, and really beautiful to look at. Mmmm. But buying a Harley will mean I will have to get another DS bike to be able to do some proper riding in addition to all the posing. My circumstances however were such that I only had space for one girlfriend. Yet I still went to ride the new 2016 Bonne T120. Again it was pleasing on the eye and I really enjoyed riding it, and that 1200 machine impressed me more than I could have hoped for. But it wasn’t really talking to me. So I hopped on to the Triumph Scrambler. Probably one of the most beautiful bikes money can buy off the floor today. And also a nice ride, but in a way quite similar to the Bonne, not as powerful though. Next stop was the Honda Dealership. Apparently due to an earthquake in Japan, there is a shortage of new AT models around, and they only had a DCT version. Loved the bike but HATED that gearbox. Feels like a big scooter. I cannot fathom how/why anyone want to go offroad with that box with no clutch? Anyhoo, to cut a long story short, after all these test rides I was inclined to wait for the standard shift AT, as I felt that may just be the bike…or just stop the silliness and buy another GSA. Which was what I did.
While I was busy pulling the trigger on a ’12 in Los Angeles with 11k on the clock, this one popped up in Charleston, South Carolina.
It was also a ’12, but with only just over 4k on the clock, some more accessories than the LA bike and a cool $1,000 lower priced and virtually in showroom condition:
- and with such low mileage on the clock, I knew I had to make a quick call, as it was priced to sell.
The long Haired Chief of Staff happened to be departing on a business trip for a few weeks, and I had some time on my hands, so why not!? Charleston may be on the other side of the continent, but hey, if Google Maps says it can be done in 37 hours, who am I to blow against the wind??
The next thing I know I was on the plane, harbouring exciting thoughts about the next few days
The gentlemen in Charleston that I bought the bike from very quickly became my new BFF. He was the personification of that legendary Southern hospitality that I have heard so much about. In the day and a half that I spent with him in Charleston my culinary, geographical and political boundaries certainly expanded:
Much of this I think should be ascribed to the fact that he is also an ex Saffer – born in Joburg ( I think) but relocated with his folks to North America at a young age. So certainly the right pedigree and genes ;-) !
He fetched me from the airport, put me up in a hotel for the night, fed me, and then I was taken on an interesting tour of Charleston. Unfortunately, it was pissing down for most of my time there, but I still managed to get a proper feel of that beautiful old city’s charm. The Historic Downtown District has been described as a living museum – a place that will see me again at the first opportunity. This is after all the place where the first shot in the Civil war was fired – Fort Sumter to be precise.
So, after completing all the formalities -which basically required me to sign on the back of the title deed while simultaneously parting with quite a few thousand George Washingtons, I took possession of my new girlfriend and then quite sadly also parted ways with my BFF.
I left Charleston on a very wet Thursday afternoon, at that time with only three destinations cast in stone: Atlanta, GA where I had to take care of some business, Fort Collins, CO where I wanted to visit some family, and Los Angeles, California – the place I call home these days. Those small bits on the map in-between these destinations were therefore a blank canvas – how exciting!
Leaving Charleston on the Thursday afternoon, I had a few days to kill as my meeting in Atlanta was only on Monday. I wanted to see a proper Southern Plantation, and also ride through the Smokey Mountains, as I was told of some great roads not too miss in those mountains.
First stop was at Middleton Place – the signboard said it was America’s oldest landscaped gardens:
Beautiful old tree at the entrance with a nice looking manor house:
Some more info on Middleton Place on their website: https://www.middletonplace.org/
After leaving the coast the rain was something of the past, and the hot and VEEERY humid climate was drenching me within my riding suit. I set the GPS towards the general direction of the Smokey Mountains and enjoyed seeing the South and North Carolina countryside for the first time. The people here are just great. Everywhere you stop someone will engage in kind conversation, which usually will include either a polite enquiry about the motorcycle or the accent or both.
I wonder if this ‘Evacuation Route’ was actually used during the last Hurricane that just passed through the US east coast?
I have yet to experience a more patriotic nation than the Americans!
Leaving the wonderfully friendly state of South Carolina
And entering red-neck country:
