USA Touring - R nineT Style #RnineT #BMWMotorrad The success of the BMW R nineT is due to many factors, including its puristic design, the hand-built feel of the workmanship and the fact that it is ideally suited to customisation. For most owners though, its simply the way it looks that sold it to them in the first place. There are those, however, who bought it specifically to ride – and to ride it a long way. Among them is 36-year-old American Sean Patrick, who has recently completed a 2,500 mile road-trip on his nineT, and believes more owners should do the same... It may sound like a bit of a journalists cliché, but for Sean Patrick, life really is about the journey. This is a guy who has packed quite a lot into the last decade, including living as an ordained Theravadan monk in Thailand; establishing a successful Mac repair business in Denver and Boulder, Colorado; learning to ride a motorcycle; and becoming a father for the first time. Oh yes, and hes also getting married soon, which was one of the reasons why he wanted to take off on a motorcycle road-trip with a good friend. As for the nineT, Sean was attracted to it for a couple of reasons: the first being the ease of customisation. “I enjoy taking cars and bikes that are already amazing to start with and then finding ways to add my own personal touch and to make them even better,” he says. “I was drawn to the cafe racer design as well as the high quality materials of the nineT.” Interestingly, it was watching the SOULFUEL internet movie produced by an in-house BMW film team that actually inspired Sean to buy the air/oil-cooled custom boxer in the first place. “As far as the point of inspiration for buying the nineT, BMW released a lengthy promo video for the bike that really caught my attention. It was the first time that I had considered buying a BMW. I was definitely sold and put an order in for one the week they were released. Since then, a lot of motorcyclists have commented to me their surprise that the nineT is a BMW because of the body style compared to most BMWs you see. Everyone comments on what a good looking bike it is.” With its strong emotional appeal, this classic roadster has definitely attracted many followers due to its looks, but after riding more than 2,500 miles, Sean was pleasantly surprised that it has the comfort and power to match its stylish appearance. And while its no RT, GT or GTL, it is a classic boxer you can definitely tour on. In this case, Sean just strapped a waterproof bag containing camping gear onto the rear and off he went, armed with nothing more than an iPhone for photos, money for food and water, and a 10mm Glock for protection against bears and mountain lions often sighted in the areas they were planning to camp in. “Honestly, I was surprised that I wasnt as sore as I thought I would be after riding the nineT for eight days straight! Being a sport bike its obviously not the most ideal choice for long distances, but how fun it is to ride more than makes up for some soreness. In fact, I would rate the riding experience as excellent. The nineT feels like such a safe and well-built bike that it has inspired me to become a better rider; to be the kind of rider that a bike of this calibre deserves.” As these photographs show, Sean is lucky to live in a part of the USA seemingly tailor-made for motorcycling, with fantastic weather, breath-taking landscapes and the kind of roads and scenery that will appeal to any rider. As such, Sean believes that the Colorado, Utah and Arizona States he journeyed through would be an ideal destination for European riders to explore on a fly-ride trip. “The area I toured in has by far some of the most breath-taking scenery in the country and would most definitely be an ideal route for European riders to come and explore,” he says. “The roads on this route are well maintained, there are plenty of camping and/or hotel options, and in the course of one day you can experience snowy mountains and hot desert; all while riding through areas with very distinct and different aspects of American culture. Furthermore, the nineT absolutely suits the roads here in Colorado. There are some beautiful, scenic routes and the nineT has the power and agility as well as the braking ability that you want while riding through mountain passes.” Of course, one road-trip often leads to another and Sean is already thinking about the next tour on the nineT, this time along the famous Pacific Coast Highway, starting in Big Sur and heading up to the border of Oregon. Hes done this route in a car before and is convinced that experiencing all this Californian coastline has to offer while being on the nineT would be amazing – and wed have to agree with him. For nineT owners, prospective owners and fans of the classic boxer conceived for maximum customisation, there is an independent forum dedicated to this innovative motorcycle and what enthusiasts are doing with it. See more at ninetowners
Posted on: Tue, 26 Aug 2014 08:02:59 +0000
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