The First Beem Of A New Dawn

What a more appropriate moment to join the ranks of world traveling beemsters than the one you realize sheer speed is not all there is to motorcycle riding?
I haven't always thought that but my early days on a motorbike did not had the support of the technology to tackle the realm of speed, at least as it is today perceived by Japanese or Italian supersport or superbike motorcycles owners. Let me give you a clue: after numerous bicycles and a moped, my first two wheeled vehicle with an engine, clutch and proper gear box, was a locally produced, two strokes, 49ccm, contraption called Mobra (from “mo”-torcycles and “bra”-sov, the city where the factory was). The first winter we had together was spent in the house, in my room at the first floor of my grandparents house, where I hauled it with the help of a mate almost as intoxicated with motorbikes as I was… well, you have to keep in mind I was only 17 so give me a break. The Mobra with it’s minuscule bore had to slug around about 80!, yes, 80kg (about 175lbs) of it’s own weight plus the 55-60kg teenager I was, and could still do, in almost ideal conditions I have to admit, up to 70km/h (43mph), which please believe me, is not much on a straight line but when you take it to the bends with rubbers having the fiction index of a wet weasel, can be quite a challenge. For the rest of the time spent riding it, one could just enjoy the scenery at a very safe pace. After it, more 2 strokes, bigger bores (250ccm the most) eastern block (czech and east german) motorcycles followed but none took me to warp speeds the modern big bore bikes did in the last years. But enough with the paleontology of my motorcycling days. I will put this link though if someone is curious to see how the dear old Mobra looked like (not mine unfortunately as I was less keen on keeping visual records at that time): Mobra

So yes, on the 28th August 2007, I got hold of my first ever BMW motorcycle. It's a yellow 1200GS that I simply have fallen in love with at a test drive two weeks before that date... I had to have this bike! It looks big and sluggish but once in motion it feels incredible nimble and willing to follow your every whim... well, except maybe the one of going fast, but this is or should be no surprise from a BMW boxer engine, enduro-touring motorcycle. And you also have to consider that my last set of 2 wheels was an R1 Yamaha than really could fly. I felt in awe about how the beemer handled but was totally unimpressed when I twisted the gas open... it felt like I forgot to turn the engine on. So I very fast organized a joint ride with a mate who got hold of his, exact same model, few days before, in order to switch bikes and see if there was something wrong with this actual piece or this is just how these things work. It was a great relief to notice that his bike – it was in the break-in period, mind you – was even more sluggish than mine who had 2000km (1250ml) on the clock. So that it was: I knew the bike does not go fast... but it didn’t matter, I was hooked.