Smoaks U-Tube vlogs

[JamesW]

I occasionally watch the daily Smoaks U-Tube vlogs and the last two nights he has been changing tires on his new GSA demo bike and he talks about how road noise is reflected up at the rider and how it can be annoying which is apparently the main reason for swapping the tires.  After watching his videos I am totally convinced I want nothing to do with a newer BMW.  Just to remove and reinstall the front wheel without an owners manual with procedures and torque specs would be not the thing to do.  I'm more convinced than ever a newer motorcycle than the two I already own is simply not in the cards for me.  All of the complexity of today's machines and for what?  Smoaks is a well trained and very knowledgeable technician there is no doubt at the Vancouver, WA BMW dealer.  Much better him than me that's for sure.  The dealer in Vancouver is a motorcycle super store no doubt about that where they rep Indian, BMW, Honda, Yamaha, BRP and more.  Won't work on a bike as old as my BMW ('93 R1100RSL) because they apparently have no specs from BMW on the bike.  Sad, and now even OEM repair parts for the oldies are getting harder to find.  I just love it...NOT!  End of rant for  today.

[Ponch]

I think the longer one keeps a bike, the worse it gets to support. HD is probably the exception. Especially since bikes went to electronics and computers.  I have a 2009 RT and I don't ride much anymore. Getting a new one is 50% more than I paid for mine in 2010 new and my salary hasn't gone up 50% since then and at my age, I don't want more debt. There's also no incentive from BMW either. They don't care, so I don't. 

 

I've probably watched several hundred of his videos and I comment often. My daughter moved about 30 miles from where he works and on one of my visits I will visit him and Kelly. FWIW, he doesn't own BMWs. HDs, Suzuki, a Honda or two and a couple royal enfields. 

[JamesW]

No, Smoaks is definitely an HD guy and that's OK.  I really like the looks of his Road King.  I went on a ride today on my BMW down to Bandon and back about 150 miles and ended up kind of riding with a guy on a newer RK and I gotta say he really did a good job in the curves.  Maybe if I was younger.....  Anyway, it was a beautiful day and I really enjoyed the ride.  Yes, the BMW organization of today is very different than it was when I bought my first new airhead and I'm really not impressed.  Not saying I don't appreciate my '93 R1100RSL minus a bunch of whistles and bells.