My BMW R series

Suzuki Katana 3.0 I'm certain that you'll agree with me that BMW motorcycles are unique in its technology, futuristic in their appearance, are an absolute joy to ride and handles very well, even though they are expensive to maintain. But then again, what isn't expensive today? In my opinion, the trade of is really worth the money . However, as I've mentioned in a previous blog, it took me a long time to acquire a BMW . My reason for wanting a BMW is because I rode a Suzuki Katana GS650G for very many years and I was very impressed by its technology, overall appearance and ride-ability.   The balance of the Katana was superb, the handling was easy, the shaftie unlike a chain had no backlash, the front and rear disk breaks were unlike any other motorcycle I've had the pleasure to ride. It's four into one black-chromes exhaust had a very different pitch yet quite, but it was fast. Faster than the GSX 750 Katana that was later released. Beside, the Suzuki K...

Brake Failure If you've read my previous blog called "BMW Brake lines" , you would undoubtedly remember that I had a problem with a seized front brake calipers and a  ruptured  brake-hose. Since BMW / Motorad is closed for business on a Saturday or for that matter the entire weekend, I couldn't get the requisite break-hose in time, so that I could remedy the problem. So this morning, I telephone their spares department and requested a price for the  two brake hoses for  my BMW R1100RS . Namely the two 29cm long hoses with a banjo fitting at either of its end,  that sits between each front caliper and the fluid distribution T junction that's bolted to the root of the fork.   After a sort while, the spare parts sales person  returned to the phone , and gave me two  distinctly  different prices for the each of them. The left  hose was  R1859.00 and the right side R630.00. I was gobsmacked, my question to him was,  "Ho...

BMW R1100RS Brake lines Just a few days ago, I went to a business meeting held at a venue in upper Walmer Estate, just below De Waal Drive. Riding uphill from lower Woodstock with my BMW R1100RS was a breeze. After the meeting I left, but as I was riding, something very peculiar happened. Going downhill, I applied the front brake but it felt like the bike was held back a lot more, in relation to the amount of break pressure I applied.    When I approached the stop sign I came to a complete stop, h owever  w hen I pulled away from a standing-still position  the feeling of drag perpetuated and the bike behaved somewhat sluggish.  Seeing I was riding down a steep decline, I engaged my clutch to attain free-run. The bike progressively slowed down  and eventually came to a halt on the downhill. I then realized that either the front or the rear brakes was binding, alternatively that the front or rear axel was seizing or was at least starting to seize....

My BMW I've been a biker for some 40 years. Biking for me, is a life-style rather than a fad because I ride, hail, blow or snow. Talking about snow, I had snow blindness at one time whist going to a Buffalo Rally in Maseru , Lesotho several years ago. Whilst riding, the  continuously falling snow reduced my visibility so-much-so, that it eventually brought my travels to an abrupt stop.  BMW 1100RS I'd been riding with an open visor and snowflakes had been bombarding the pupils of my eyes for an extended period of time causing my eyeballs to freeze. I was totally unaware of what was happening to them until I starting seeing two images of everything. The vision of my left eye didn't coincide with the vision of my right eye any longer, causing me to see two distinct images, side by side though vertically displaced.   I was forced to park my Suzuki Katana GS650G on a pavement quite close to a Mobil filling station and went to have some much needed coffee at Wimp...