All the GS...

[MojoToot]

OK, to show I do have a sense of humor. This is the license plate on my 2013 GSW.

Not exactly sure of your original intent.

BETA can be used several ways*

*2nd in order
*latest revision
*custom dual-sport/trials motorcycle brand name
*financial risk
*climbing advise
and several others..............

SO.....a few of them might fit the bill pretty well.

speaking of brand bashing.......in my search for a shaft driven ADV bike, the new Stelvio caught my eye. Then I saw a couple magazine articles, praising it "better than expected" off-pavement abilities.

So I ventured into a Guzzi dealer to get a better look. The dealer told me that if I wanted it to ride around close to home, it would prob'ly be OK but don't take it too far from home and expect it to make it back.

I thought that this guy is a bit eccentric, shouldn't he be trying to sell it to me?

I made a second trip to another dealer AND was told basically the same thing in slightly different words.

Crossed the Guzzi off my short list.

EDIT: BETA.......BMW Earth's True Alpha

 

[EricV]

It's not that much about owning "other brands". It's about knowing it's a beta product, yet still paying top dollar for it anyway. Madness. It's about BMW advertising their products as world class, and falling way short of neighborhood class. Then blaming the customer if something breaks or fails. Even when they know full well it's a known issue. When our transmission had to be rebuilt because the gears were galling and it was eating itself at 35k miles, we were told "You ride too much in 6th gear." Really? : Apparently the F650GS is just a city bike, despite all their advertising as an around the world bike for women.

@MojoToot - Beta in this regard is essentially a not ready for production bike. They are still working the bugs out, but using customers to find out what breaks, then quietly changing those things, sometimes with changes that are not reflected in updated part numbers, letters to dealers telling them to swap out parts when bikes come in, but nothing to customers warning them that they know of an issue. It's just fine to wait until they have it, then fix it, or better still, hope that it happens after the warranty expires and charge them to fix it.

ThreePutt has a good sense of humor, but he really is a beta tester for BMW. An experience he's paying for, rather than being paid for.

 

[MojoToot]

It's not that much about owning "other brands". It's about knowing it's a beta product, yet still paying top dollar for it anyway. Madness. It's about BMW advertising their products as world class, and falling way short of neighborhood class. Then blaming the customer if something breaks or fails. Even when they know full well it's a known issue. When our transmission had to be rebuilt because the gears were galling and it was eating itself at 35k miles, we were told "You ride too much in 6th gear." Really? : Apparently the F650GS is just a city bike, despite all their advertising as an around the world bike for women.

@MojoToot - Beta in this regard is essentially a not ready for production bike. They are still working the bugs out, but using customers to find out what breaks, then quietly changing those things, sometimes with changes that are not reflected in updated part numbers, letters to dealers telling them to swap out parts when bikes come in, but nothing to customers warning them that they know of an issue. It's just fine to wait until they have it, then fix it, or better still, hope that it happens after the warranty expires and charge them to fix it.

ThreePutt has a good sense of humor, but he really is a beta tester for BMW. An experience he's paying for, rather than being paid for.

Gotcha! Now I get it. (I'm a little slow @ times.........)

 

[RaginCajunUSL]

OK, to show I do have a sense of humor. This is the license plate on my 2013 GSW.

Threeputt, well said and well played!!!! lol

Plus love your nickname as well...sigh...can unfortunately easily appreciate it!

 

[Bigbore4]

<snipped>

speaking of brand bashing.......in my search for a shaft driven ADV bike, the new Stelvio caught my eye. Then I saw a couple magazine articles, praising it "better than expected" off-pavement abilities.

So I ventured into a Guzzi dealer to get a better look. The dealer told me that if I wanted it to ride around close to home, it would prob'ly be OK but don't take it too far from home and expect it to make it back.

I thought that this guy is a bit eccentric, shouldn't he be trying to sell it to me?

I made a second trip to another dealer AND was told basically the same thing in slightly different words.

Crossed the Guzzi off my short list.

EDIT: BETA.......BMW Earth's True Alpha

This past weeken My brother left Helena MT Thursday on his Stelvio and beat us to the campground near Road America around noon on Friday. He left RA Sunday morning and was home in MT Monday evening about the same time we were. He has about 7K miles on his, no issues. Now if ya do have an issue on a 'Guzi, might be a long haul between dealers!

I too think Threeputt has atwisted and awesome sense of humor.

My axe to grind with BMW and others is cost. I get way more 'Yuks per Buck' on my Yammer Hammers than just about any other.

 

[Clevermonkey]

When I think of brand bashing, I always think of a a friend who was the worst Harley basher I ever met, seriously. After a motorcycle accident permanently reduced the range of motion in his knee, he is now the biggest Harley fan ever.

It's all about what you like and what you need. If the owner is happy, I am happy for him.

 

[rem]

Come on, guys. Political discussions are just going to incite a riot. Please go to the debate room with this stuff, or get each other's personal emails and go at it. This is not the place for politics. If this continues, I'll move it to the debate room. If it stays on topic, I'll leave it here. Your call. R

 

[Venture]

I deleted posts from this thread, and I *hate* doing that. Please keep things relevant and in the correct discussion forums. There is a "Debate Room" if you want to stir the pot, anything goes there.

 

[creggur]

The thread was started on a joke! C'mon guys - don't take this stuff so serious...

 

[adventurelounger]

As the original poster, I'll second that and then some. Just thought "all the GS without the BS" was a funny, reductionist way to look at my new S10. It was a brain-fart. As we say in the ad-biz, "it's just a line!" I even proclaimed my lifelong affection for BMW.

Didn't meant to provoke such, um, intensity. Thanks for getting the joke, creggur!

 

[creggur]

As the original poster, I'll second that and then some. Just thought "all the GS without the BS" was a funny, reductionist way to look at my new S10. It was a brain-fart. As we say in the ad-biz, "it's just a line!" I even proclaimed my lifelong affection for BMW.

Didn't meant to provoke such, um, intensity. Thanks for getting the joke, creggur!

Written a few taglines over the years that didn't get the *applause* I thought they would...

Thought this one was pretty good actually. Ya know...in a, "I'm cutting-up on an Internet forum" kinda way...


People seem to lose perspective on the whole *cutting-up* thing. Or, simply lack the ability to not take themselves sooo serious, and every social interaction they experience with a 'fight-or-flight' reaction...

 

[kmac]

Love the plate 3...too funny.
As to the bashing issue, I have been known to knock some things at times, but I would not knock a person for riding a different brand of bike. I am however completely entitled to my opinion of what I think of something. I currently own a BMW and just parted out another...I will not own another....fool me once shame on you, fool me twice I am an idiot or something like that.

I can like or dislike something based on my experience.

I will continue to shake my head in disgust at any tricycle rider I see that is not disabled though...

{edited because I misspelled "is"} ::025::

 

[Roge]

I hear the GS is a good camping bike ::018::

 

[offcamber]

: : :

All the whining about brand bashing.....

::021::

Ride more worry less....about the GS

 

[Big Blu]

: : :

All the whining about BMW's....


::021::

Paul

 

[Clevermonkey]

It's funny because the tag line expresses part of why I went with the ST. But the BS that turned me off was the local dealer of said German steel; they were at first pushy then dismissive when they learned I wasn't buying a bike that day. The local Yami dealer was great. Who the heck wants to have to deal with a bunch of snotty bastards every time he wants a part for his bike?

 

[Didg]

If someone has had a bad experience with a product (bike or farkles) or a dealer, then telling others about it on forums is giving good consumer advice.
That to me, is not brand bashing and forum members should not feel under pressure to only say nice things all the time. (Just my opinion of course).

BMW have only got themselves to blame for any justified flack they get, they have made themselves a "Marmite" company. You can't just take or leave BMW, they seem to provoke an extreme reaction in people.
You either "fall blindly in love" with them, (I've used the word "blindly" intentionally), or you wonder what all the fuss is about.
It's a bit like being an atheist and listening to a Scientologist talk about Scientology, the atheist will think "how can you fall for all that BS" and have reactions like ??? ) and
No other bike manufacturer does this to people to anything like the extent BMW do.

It's like my work buddy who I've mentioned on here before, he says it doesn't matter how badly he's treated at dealerships, how much he gets charged for stuff or how many problems he gets, he will ALWAYS keep going back to BMW for more, he "just loves them".
He has other brands of bikes (a Honda and a Kawasaki just now) as well as his RT but they just come and go, kind of like "affairs" but he's married to BMW.

I rip into him about BM's most days but fortunately he has a good sense of humour.
The other day he was chatting to a customer who had with him his almost new R1200RT, talking about BM's of course. I came strolling over and my mate says to the guy,

"my colleague here has the Super Tenere over there (points)"

and the guy says,
"A decent bike eh! I've had loads of Yam's, much prefer them to BM's.

My mate holds his hands to his head and says,
"Oh! don't say that, I'll never hear the last of it".

Man! It was funny. ::025::

 

[Clevermonkey]

I dunno HD is pretty marmite this side of the pond.

 

[rem]

It would be nice to see the moderator step up and attempt to make this a positive place w/o all the bashing. That just might win more $$ support from some of the crew, ya know, vote with your pocket book. Do you hear me Mr Mod?

Paul

I hear you. Regarding moderators, please be aware of a few things.
1. I am frequently away for a few days at a time. I just got back from a bike trip to Keno, Yukon.
2. Right now, I seem to be the only functioning moderator. There is a lot to read. I have another life, so I don't spend my entire time perusing the Forum.
3. My Internet service up here is obscenely expensive. The more time I spend in the Forum, the more it costs me. It is a real concern.
4. I am still amazed at some of the nonsense that goes on here. While this is one of the most polite exchanges I've seen on the Internet, I am still amazed at how adult human beings - SOME adult human beings - seem to be totally incapable of responding in a reasonable, intelligent manner to many posts. This Forum should be able to "moderate" itself. Unfortunately, that is just not the case. We do what we can. Sometimes you agree, sometimes you don't. Sometimes we are accused of not being diligent enough, sometimes we are accused of "over policing". Cant' win. There are no hard and fast rules regarding the duties of a moderator. You just try to encourage people to treat each other respectfully, and get along. No one wants to kick anyone out, although there is certainly the capability to do that.


My advice, for what it's worth: Control yourselves. Always be polite, consider the other guy's feelings. READ YOUR COMMENTS before the post them. Accept that not EVERYONE is going to agree with you. That doesn't make them wrong, nor you right. This is a brotherhood of sorts. Be respectful. If you really think someone has posted something REALLY stupid (and a few of you do from time to time), then IGNORE the post. These people like the attention they receive from saying something outrageous, hostile, ignorant, offensive, whatever. DO NOT RESPOND, and they will go away. They will cease and desist, for it is the attention they crave.


Control yourselves, and guys like me won't even be necessary. Play nice. If you don't like what you read, walk away. The culprit will fade away into the woodwork.


Putting out stupid little feud fires between a few members is not a pleasant activity for me. I don't enjoy it. I try to defuse with humour, and more often than not, I'm successful. But it doesn't always work. So just don't engage in the first place. That would be most helpful for all of us. As of right now, I'm sort of a lone moderator in the woods. I'll do what I can, but in the end, it is entirely up to the members as to what kind of Forum you want and deserve. Be kind to each other. It will pay big benefits farther on down the road.

Let's be careful out there. R. ::020::

 

[Andylaser]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTTO3dn2MQc