Delray
Well-known member
Sometimes the bike finds you ....
I've been riding a Burgman 400 since last summer when I bought a pretty white one in Buffalo, New York and rode it home to South Florida. Great bike, tons of fun with a big, solid ride and 73 mpg in the mountains of Pennsylvania!
For the last few months, I've been pining for the fjords -- no wait, that's the dead parrot in the Monty Python skit. I've been pining to own another BMW C 650 GT, my sixth. I looked at a lot online but couldn't find my buying specs: late model, low mileage, BMW top case. I knew I'd buy one eventually. I had a $300 Utopia driver's backrest from the last GT waiting on my shelf, the BMW Service Manual on DVD, BMW tools like variator holder, oil filter wrench and torx bits.
Yesterday, without a thought of GT's in my brain, I rode my Burgman to my son's house. He asked me to sit with my granddaughter while he ran. It was a last minute thing because she was home from school with a cough. I'd planned on working out at LA Fitness, so I dressed for it, with my usual German tri-color compression sleeves on my calves. I figured I'd hit a new LA Fitness location near his house. He recommended another that was even closer, so I went there.
After my workout (2.5 miles on a treadmill at 3.8 mph carrying 7.5 lb. hand weights and throwing punches all the way, intense!), I was getting ready to climb on my Burgman when a guy approached. He asked about my bike and my socks. He was a friendly soul, born in Germany, with a David Crosby, walrus-mustache. I told him about the Burgman, said I loved it but really wanted to get another C 650 GT.
"Maybe you would like to buy mine," he said. "I'm thinking about giving up riding. I'm getting up there in years."
Turns out he had a showroom-condition, blue 2019 GT in his garage with 1,190 miles, and a matching BMW top case. He said he had no idea what price to ask for the bike. I told him I'd agreed with the owner of a white 2020 GT in Birmingham, Alabama that I'd buy his bike for $7,500 in the Spring if it was still available. My guy said he was okay with that price. I got it knocked down to $7,250 by saying I was buying a 2019, not a '20, and he was good with that.
With the price settled, I offered to follow him to his house to check out the bike. It was flawless but definitely underused, groaning a little as he started it up for the first time in months. I listened to it purr perfectly and said, "I like it, the price is right, when do you want to sell it?"
He shrugged and said, "I'm flexible, when would you like to do it?" I said, "How about now?" I'd ride home, shower, go to the bank and return. When I got back, we traded bike and title for cash, shook hands and I said, "I'm really glad I all the various circumstances of this day put me in the exact place where you decided to walk up and say hello."
It was completely serendipitous. Also relaxed, natural, enjoyable, like it was meant to be. We both enjoyed the experience immensely. The bike felt amazing on the ride home, powerful and sure with proper BMW gravitas. I loved it, felt like a kid who just got the best toy in the world, and I didn't do a single thing to find it yesterday.
Sometimes the bike finds you.
I've been riding a Burgman 400 since last summer when I bought a pretty white one in Buffalo, New York and rode it home to South Florida. Great bike, tons of fun with a big, solid ride and 73 mpg in the mountains of Pennsylvania!
For the last few months, I've been pining for the fjords -- no wait, that's the dead parrot in the Monty Python skit. I've been pining to own another BMW C 650 GT, my sixth. I looked at a lot online but couldn't find my buying specs: late model, low mileage, BMW top case. I knew I'd buy one eventually. I had a $300 Utopia driver's backrest from the last GT waiting on my shelf, the BMW Service Manual on DVD, BMW tools like variator holder, oil filter wrench and torx bits.
Yesterday, without a thought of GT's in my brain, I rode my Burgman to my son's house. He asked me to sit with my granddaughter while he ran. It was a last minute thing because she was home from school with a cough. I'd planned on working out at LA Fitness, so I dressed for it, with my usual German tri-color compression sleeves on my calves. I figured I'd hit a new LA Fitness location near his house. He recommended another that was even closer, so I went there.
After my workout (2.5 miles on a treadmill at 3.8 mph carrying 7.5 lb. hand weights and throwing punches all the way, intense!), I was getting ready to climb on my Burgman when a guy approached. He asked about my bike and my socks. He was a friendly soul, born in Germany, with a David Crosby, walrus-mustache. I told him about the Burgman, said I loved it but really wanted to get another C 650 GT.
"Maybe you would like to buy mine," he said. "I'm thinking about giving up riding. I'm getting up there in years."
Turns out he had a showroom-condition, blue 2019 GT in his garage with 1,190 miles, and a matching BMW top case. He said he had no idea what price to ask for the bike. I told him I'd agreed with the owner of a white 2020 GT in Birmingham, Alabama that I'd buy his bike for $7,500 in the Spring if it was still available. My guy said he was okay with that price. I got it knocked down to $7,250 by saying I was buying a 2019, not a '20, and he was good with that.
With the price settled, I offered to follow him to his house to check out the bike. It was flawless but definitely underused, groaning a little as he started it up for the first time in months. I listened to it purr perfectly and said, "I like it, the price is right, when do you want to sell it?"
He shrugged and said, "I'm flexible, when would you like to do it?" I said, "How about now?" I'd ride home, shower, go to the bank and return. When I got back, we traded bike and title for cash, shook hands and I said, "I'm really glad I all the various circumstances of this day put me in the exact place where you decided to walk up and say hello."
It was completely serendipitous. Also relaxed, natural, enjoyable, like it was meant to be. We both enjoyed the experience immensely. The bike felt amazing on the ride home, powerful and sure with proper BMW gravitas. I loved it, felt like a kid who just got the best toy in the world, and I didn't do a single thing to find it yesterday.
Sometimes the bike finds you.
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or are they made in US ?