IIIV1D
L.A.
• on a 2002 BMW R1150RT
to Colorado and Back
I
...
Touring the
desert Southwest
with our butts
on fire.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY
BLAKE CONNER
After riding the 2002 BMW
Rl150RT in near-freezing temperatures in east Texas back in the spring
for the bike's introduction (and also for
the Rl150R's), I needed to confirm
that I really liked the bike. You see,
when I got on the bike the aftemoon of
our ride, I'd been freezing my butt off
on the R1150R - which doesn't have a
fairing - in 40-degree temperatures all
morning. Afte~ lunch that day, we
swapped bikes with the folks that had
been riding the RTs in unknowing
comfort all morning. I fell in love with
the bike right away, but I've never
been completely sure if I loved the
R1150RT just for its huge, adjustable
fairing and heated vest socket, or
because it was a good bike. So I figured, what better way to answer that
question than ride across the desert
Southwest in late July, two-up?
Let me set the scene for you. I've
never been the touring type. The
longest distances I'd ever ridden a
bike loaded down with luggage and
gear were the numerous trips from
Southern California to Laguna Sec a
Raceway to watch some form of racing. Being a complete touring novice,
I had to figure out what and what not
to take on the trip. I already had a
good idea of what I needed to bring in
terms of baggage, including my
fiancee, Karen; I didn't say that, did I?
Karen had never before been on a
motorcycle ride that lasted more than
a few hours, so our planned 2000mile journey was going to be a trial
by fire for her as well, to say the
least. We managed to pack and
repack our necessities until everything fit into the BMW's hard bags,
but it was a tight squeeze. I think the
bike was at least 60 pounds heavier
fully packed.
I keep getting asked why I chose
the R1150RT over the K 1200LT, and
the reason was that it was a bit less
obvious of a choice, and I figured it
would make the trip more interesting.
Besides, as I mentioned above, I
needed to confirm that I liked the RT
as much as I had in Texas.
The R1150RT takes a break just
outside of Bryce National Park in
southem Utah.
