Still kicking myself for not getting the F800 ST as my first bike.
Elk, I don’t see a number on that modern classic 1098.
Blueknight, I must ride up to Mt Washingron now that I live in RI.
If you have not ridden the Blue Ridge Parkway it is highly recommend and the other high point on the east coast. Just don’t tell those from NH Mt Michell is the higher than Mt Washington.
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My wife and I have done the Blue Ridge on a few occasions. We also rode the Dragon’s Tail. There is a not so well known road in the Green Mountains of Vermont called the Appalachian Gap. Not very high but with pitches of 15% or more. Some of the curves are very tight. You can almost see your tail lights in the rear view mirror. VT 17 over the Gap is only open during the Summer months. Lots of motorcycle videos on YouTube.
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Now, we are talking! In the summer of 2019 we road from Stamford, CT to Burlington, VT for the week. Road the entire length of RT8/100, Appalachian Gap, and the Gap between Stowe & Smuggle’s Notch.
Still need to ride NH, ME and Lake Placid, NY.
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Lake Placid is a gorgeous place to ride.
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Geoff and I rode the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2010 as part of our 6-week tour of the US. Good scenery, undemanding road. The photo is from N Carolina and shows my increasingly loathed FJR1300, and Geoff (who was only just into his 70’s in those days). He is still going strong.
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I’m about 35 miles from the Parkway and can gain access at Grand Father Mtn. The Parkway can be dangerous in the next month with all the leaf lookers looking at the scenery instead of the road.
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And wet leaves are slippery.
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And the Parkway visitors sometimes stop in the middle of the road to look at deer! Watch out.
I’m about 10 miles from the Parkway near mile marker 165. We’ve been to Grandfather Mountain and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
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A few years ago my friend and I left here and rode the back roads to Front Royal and spent the night, the next day we rode Sky Line Drive and the Parkway to Fancy Gap Va and stopped for the night. The next day we rode the rest of the Parkway to Cherokee, up over the mountain to Gatlinburg and back home.
Another great ride is the Pig Trail in Arkansas. I’ve never done it on a bike but have in my Spyder.
https://www.arkansas.com/ozark/tours-experiences/pig-trail-scenic-byway
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I, too, enjoy the Pig Trail and have ridden it on sport bikes multiple times.
Arkansas has many amazing roads, in excellent condition, little traffic.
I bought mine out of town. Negotiated the deal and drove up to Milwaukee to get it. When I go to pick it up there is a hang tag on it for BMW ladies riding gear. I grab it and turn to the salesman and say “wait, are you selling me a lady bike???” He gets this horrified look on his face and starts stuttering thinking he’s lost the sale (they were also a Harley dealer). I let him off the hook right away. “I know that’s how it’s marketed. I wanted this bike anyway because it suits me. I don’t play that game and I’m confident this is the bike for me. Relax.”
I guess I’m kind of a jerk sometimes.
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I don’t use chains often, anymore, but when I do I it’s an EK 3D.
Agreed, very fortunate my wife rides and really well at that.
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While my wife doesn’t ride, but as a percentage the dozen (or more) women I’ve ridden with on technical tracks and roadways were better at feeling the surface and knowing the limits of traction than the percentage of men. A softer touch perhaps.
Miss the Italian style of the Dicati & the sound of the full Termignoni Termignoni exhaust otherwise the BMW R 1250 RS is just about perfect.
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