RIDERTORIDER Send your letters and comments to:
editor@bmwmoa.org
Where's MacGyver? I’m normally not one to grumble and
complain, but I have to take exception with the response that Lee Parks offered in April’s “Ask A Pro.” The question was one that I too have been wondering about: Without the time to dedicate to formal mechanical training, where’s a good place to begin building up “MacGyver-like” knowledge that will serve one when embarking on longer adventure trips (when self-sufficiency is a must)? Rather than answering the question
directly, Lee (in my opinion) wasted the potential of his 750-word platform by recounting a story of a time when he didn’t properly reattach his brakes after a repair. From my own experience, three years ago I had the good fortune of riding the (Lawrence Hacking) Overland Adven- ture Rally with a group that included a world-famous adventure rider. One of our group was riding a vintage Ural, and at the first fuel stop we discovered that the key to his gas cap was over 100 kilometers away. Our options were definitely limited after the bike’s owner balked at the idea of punching-out the cap’s lock. What to do? One brilliant rider had the knowledge
to save the day. He got me to pull my GSA alongside the Ural, reached into the right side of my bike and—without looking— disconnected some portion of the fuel system (a return line, perhaps?) knowing that my bike would continue to run with the hose off. In effect, he had just created a gas pump. We disconnected the fuel line from the bottom of the Ural’s gas tank and (with a short section of borrowed hose) proceeded to pump gas from my bike into the Ural, bottom-up. Voila! Problem solved, but that certainly
wasn’t any solution that I would’ve known about. The real value of Owners News for an Average Joe like me is that I read the magazine to learn from experts, pros and those who’ve blazed the (adventure) trail before me. I tuck tidbits of technical
18 BMW OWNERS NEWS June 2016
information away in my brain, I dog-ear pages of ridden routes, and I put Post-It notes on other pages, all in an effort to build up my knowledge for the days when I’m going to be out for weeks at a time. April’s question would have been the per- fect opportunity for Lee to have shared his pro wisdom and responded with some- thing like, “Here are the top 10 things that will likely happen to your bike on an adventure trip and how best to respond.” I, for one, look forward to the day when a resource like that is available, and if it already is, somebody please let me know where to find it.
Andrew Rourke #199725 Kitchener, Ontario
Dear Lee Parks, Thank you so much for your informative and educational column in April's Owners News. It takes a big man to tell others about a
screw-up, but it makes you a much bigger man to share it and pass along cautions as you have done. I never miss your writings and thank you once again. Len Lipton #198918 Norwalk, Connecticut
BMW reliability I feel compelled to comment on the ques- tion of BMW reliability. I have been riding for more than 50
years and have ridden a wide variety of motorcycles including Bridgestones, Pen- tons, Hondas, Harleys and BMWs. Now, while my experiences are only mine, I am very confident in the overall reliability of BMWs.
Last August, I traveled to Alaska and back on a 2013 R 1200 GS, riding approxi- mately 10,000 miles, including some side trips. The only services needed were oil changes and tires, and I experienced zero mechanical or electrical issues. So, I can
say with confidence that BMW is a very trusted brand to me. However, it concerns me that BMW is
receiving negative feedback from an "extensive" Consumer Reports survey.
I
have not seen this survey, but assume Bud McIntire has, based on his comments in April 2016 BMW Owners News. His com- ments are spot on. BMW Corporate needs to address these issues and quickly, or it will tarnish their hard earned reputation for reliability. The marketplace is far too competitive for BMW to falter while hop- ing to maintain or expand its market share.
Paul Goulding #125603 Devils Lake, North Dakota
PTSD and therapy This article titled “My Therapist’s Initials are GS” by Tom Larson in the March issue hit home for me in more than one way. First, I was ecstatic that someone had
moved forward and put into motion what I had only been talking of doing, since I was unable to connect with the right part- ners to make it a reality. As a 26-year and still serving veteran I can completely relate to the article. When I came back from an Iraq tour in 2008, my peace was found on my then new 2009 F 800 GS. I quickly learned that time on my GS pro- vided me a source of stress relief, one that was also noticeable from my wife's per- spective. It took a few years, but I finally realized that what I was experiencing could benefit others as well, which ignited my original idea. Our veterans who carry the invisible
wounds of PTSD and TBI need the help and support just as much as those who suffer physical and viewable wounds. We as a country and society can't afford to continue to lose our nation’s most pre- cious resources to these invisible wounds at the current rates. We have lost more veterans at home than on the battle field,
W
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