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18 May 2010
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Gold Member
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Atlanta, GA / USA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie
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The trick IMHO is to laugh and walk away (or better still find common ground with the ones who are prepared to admit that what's right for them doesn't work for you).
Andy
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Now that is the ticket  . Unfortunately, a lost art, mastered by only a few... 
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Thomas
"Hey, ...I'm just ridin' shotgun" 
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19 May 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dave ede
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Well, I'm not ready to blow Starbucks off because of the article in the link you posted.
Most of the world was not prepared for what was happening that day. No corporate guideline or procedure was in place to deal with this unthinkable atrocity. People were dumbfounded, helpless, confused.
Other corporations reacted in a similar way like Starbucks. I had a personal experience with a rent-a-car company, who threatened to press charges if I didn't return the car as scheduled to the location stipulated in the rental agreement. I was stuck at a trade show in Las Vegas and drove 2,000 miles back to Atlanta, GA, collecting co-workers along the way, taking them home. I told the rental car place to "stick it".
As it turned out, all rent-a-car companies ended up not charging customers for "exotic" drop-off locations or excessive mileage. But, at the time, they did not know how to deal with the situation in the beginning either.
In the end, corporations are run by people. People, who in my opinion are entitled to make mistakes, especially when they correct them later. In distress situation, people cling to what they know. Only a minority of a few blessed folks can think on their feet without orders, guidelines and directions when disaster strikes. Could Starbucks have reacted faster? - properly they could have.
Just my $0.02 on that subject...
...and, cheers !
__________________
Thomas
"Hey, ...I'm just ridin' shotgun"
Last edited by T.REX63; 19 May 2010 at 04:12.
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19 May 2010
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: the midwest
Posts: 3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by greenmanalishi
Bloddy hell, lol I would be happy with just a garage. Its crap working on the bike on the patio when its cold and wet and you cant feel your fingers. maybe thats why I put six holes in a new inner tube replacing a soddding slow puncture!!  |
I have a heated garage, but almost never wash my bikes, except in preparation for maintenance. I don't care what they look like...I'm more intrigued with what the surrounding countryside looks like when I'm out riding.
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24 May 2010
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: vietnam
Posts: 47
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Lol (as they say in txt-land)
These kind of 'discussions' all end up on here, don't they? And I think it's all been covered, but to me, buying a new BMW with all the trick parts and never using it for what it was designed for is just the same as buying a watch that tells the time in 45 countries, a computer that has the same memory capacity as Stephen Hawkins or a mobile phone that has so many applications it can probably make tea.
And we're all guilty of that, aren't we.
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24 May 2010
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Touratwat warriors in pristine clown suits are a subject for pity ,BUT are a good source for little used second hand bikes and gear .
All in all, they should be encouraged .
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Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light. - Spike Milligan
"When you come to a fork in the road ,take it ! When you come to a spoon in the road ,take that also ."
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24 May 2010
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Wirral, England.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodger
Touratwat warriors in pristine clown suits are a subject for pity ,BUT are a good source for little used second hand bikes and gear .
All in all, they should be encouraged .
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Very true... My Arai Tour-x cross came from such a rider. Brand new, £130 
"Selling my brand new Tour-X as it doesn't match my new luggage - Only worn once from the Ewan and Charlie book signing day"
__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.
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25 May 2010
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Contributing Member
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Saltspring Island,Canada/Poole,UK
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodger
Touratwat warriors in pristine clown suits are a subject for pity ,BUT are a good source for little used second hand bikes and gear .
All in all, they should be encouraged .
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I like that one Dodger....very true.......let them take the depreciation before they sell it to us !
The way I look at it is, that let them farkle away with there machines, each one on a shiny GS means theres one less cage driver out there pulling out/turning in front of us without looking/indicating/checking blindspots etc - and at the end of the day I still wave to anyone I see coming the other way on a bike.
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20 Jun 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodger
Touratwat warriors in pristine clown suits are a subject for pity ,BUT are a good source for little used second hand bikes and gear .
All in all, they should be encouraged .
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I'm surprised at the level of hatred for Touratech stuff. I dont have any myself as the prices are ridiculous, but why do people get so vicious about it? It's like some debates on BMWs. Is it an antiGerman thing? I hope not: that would also be nasty.
T/tech doesnt do clown suits I think,or waxed cotton, but they might if vintage enthusiasts asked them.  
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20 Jun 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Caminando
I'm surprised at the level of hatred for Touratech stuff. I dont have any myself as the prices are ridiculous, but why do people get so vicious about it? It's like some debates on BMWs. Is it an antiGerman thing? I hope not: that would also be nasty.
T/tech doesnt do clown suits I think,or waxed cotton, but they might if vintage enthusiasts asked them. |
I can only speak for myself but I think many will be in agreement:-
As overland bikers, we tend to like and look out for other overland bikers. Novices or experts.
Touratech and BMW overcharge and exploit us with their rediculous prices and bullsh**t "must have" marketing.
Those who know better are just looking out for those who don't !! One could say just trying to deter would be overlanders from wasting half their travel budget on overpriced useless crap or on bikes that are really not designed for anything but going for frothy coffees.
__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.
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20 Jun 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mj
I just made the terrible mistake of returning to a BMW GS forum and actually reading a few topics posted there. It's not new to me that users there seem to be more concerned with looks of their superdupermegaexpensive bike & gear than anything else. After all that was one of the reasons why I swore never to return. However, some have managed to take it to the next level by actually asking about how to maintain, service, clean and polish their panniers (!!!!) so they still look new after two or three years. I actually had to read it twice to realize they were really talking about aluminium panniers, and how some GS riders seem to clean and polish them together with their bike after every rideout... now, the crazy thing was not somebody asking that question but the fact that immediately he received several answers how others do it, what they use to keep their panniers new and shiney, etc.
Out of interest I kept reading and looking for older threads, and realized that either the world around me has gone crazy or I have. Granted, there were no wannabe adventurers among the freakazoids (for those not getting this reference I'm referring to Ted's rant about wannabe adventurers in the Charley & Ewan thread) but your regular sunday-afternoon-ice-cream-parlor-posers who obviously need a fully equipped brand-new GS Adventure for that dangerous all-paved 2km trip from the heated garage (no kidding, there's people who actually have a heated garage for their GS so it won't "freeze"...) to the local strip.
Am I crazy for not having a heated garage, for not cleaning and polishing my bike after every rideout and for not being concerened about the looks of my Tesch aluminium panniers? What happened here, has it always been like that? I'm new to the GS world and used to ride a '89 Tenere until last November, so this is all very unfamiliar to me.
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The BMWGS site has no crap on it and there are only about 20 regular riders that plan ride out's and post on that site.
maybe you mean uk gser or gs uk site's ?
I think most bike forums have a large number of Kn'bs on them.
But,live and let live ,you don't have to meet them and ride with them.
That said I spent today cleaning the spokes on my bike and thinking of buying a £1000 Klim jacket....{ my arse }
stay safe
Dazzer
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20 Jun 2010
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Join Date: Feb 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by *Touring Ted*
Touratech and BMW overcharge and exploit us with their rediculous prices and bullsh**t "must have" marketing.
Those who know better are just looking out for those who don't !! One could say just trying to deter would be overlanders from wasting half their travel budget on overpriced useless crap or on bikes that are really not designed for anything but going for frothy coffees.
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Well, gee, that's a rather patronizing attitude. To say that BMW bikes and a lot of TT gear is "overpriced useless crap" or "not really designed for anything for going for frothy coffees" is simply ludicrous. You really consider that helpful to anyone?
Sure, a lot of people go overboard on TT stuff, or indeed bike prep in general, but if you want to help other bikers, give detailed comments about what does and doesn't work (like the recent report on the BMW 650 not faring well in Africa), rather your exaggerated, useless ranting.
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20 Jun 2010
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Contributing Member
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Join Date: Jul 2005
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Quote:
Originally Posted by motoreiter
Well, gee, that's a rather patronizing attitude. To say that BMW bikes and a lot of TT gear is "overpriced useless crap" or "not really designed for anything for going for frothy coffees" is simply ludicrous. You really consider that helpful to anyone?
Sure, a lot of people go overboard on TT stuff, or indeed bike prep in general, but if you want to help other bikers, give detailed comments about what does and doesn't work (like the recent report on the BMW 650 not faring well in Africa), rather your exaggerated, useless ranting.
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Do you ride a 1200GS ?? Probably !
And if you think TT isn't WAY overpriced and mostly totally useless "image accessory" junk then we're never going to see eye to eye !
Patronising ? I don't think so..... i was just answering Caminandos question. Just my opinion. No one has to listen.
And aren't we in the HU Bar ?? It's not intended to be helpful or unhelpful to anyone !
Ride safe ! Ted
__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.
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20 Jun 2010
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Join Date: Feb 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by *Touring Ted*
Do you ride a 1200GS ?? Probably !
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actually, I have both a GS and a GSA (different locations), love them both...
I would agree that in many cases there are better choices than TT (including buying nothing), but sometimes not. And sure, some of their stuff is not particularly useful, but the same is true of most of what we spend our money on. If I can buy some hard part for $50 that will reduce the chances of me breaking down in the middle of nowhere in Russia, in many cases I'll do, because it beats the alternative.
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20 Jun 2010
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: LONDONISTAN, England
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Quote:
Originally Posted by *Touring Ted*
Do you ride a 1200GS ?? Probably !
And if you think TT isn't WAY overpriced and mostly totally useless "image accessory" junk then we're never going to see eye to eye !
Patronising ? I don't think so..... i was just answering Caminandos question. Just my opinion. No one has to listen.
And aren't we in the HU Bar ?? It's not intended to be helpful or unhelpful to anyone !
Ride safe ! Ted
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Tourated.
It did not take alot of working out that he rides, or has ridden a GS1200, its in his profile!
I once had a set of TT panniers that I loved, the only reason I got rid of them was that I could not get a sensible price on a piece of shite called a F650 Funduro until I advertised the bike with the panniers.
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Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...
2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.
"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)
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Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.
Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!
What others say about HU...
"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia
"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK
"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia
"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA
"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada
"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa
"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia
"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany
Lots more comments here!
Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook
"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.
Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!
New to Horizons Unlimited?
New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!
Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.
Read more about Grant & Susan's story
Membership - help keep us going!
Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.
You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.
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helps answer the question - Why Go? Inspirational stories by veteran travellers Greg Frazier (5 times RTW), Peter and Kay Forwood (193 countries), Tiffany Coates (Mongolia Mayhem) and Rene Cormier (University of Gravel Roads).
Get Ready! covers planning, paperwork, medical and many other topics! "Inspirational and Awesome!" See the trailer here!
What stuff do I need - riding gear, clothing, camping gear, first aid kit, tires, maps and GPS? What don't I need? How do I pack it all in? Lots of opinions from over 150 travellers!
break down language barriers, overcome culture shock, ship the bike and deal with breakdowns and emergencies."Just makes me want to pack up and go!" See the trailer here!
Grant demystifies the black art of Tire Changing and Repair to help you STAY on the road! "Very informative and practical." See the trailer here!
Ladies on the Loose! For the first time ever, a motorcycle travel DVD made for women, by women! These intrepid women share their tips to help you plan your own motorcycle adventure. They also answer the women-only questions, and entertain you with amazing tales from the road! Presented by Lois Pryce, veteran solo traveller through South America and Africa and author of 'Lois on the Loose', and 'Red Tape and White Knuckles.'
Cotton or synth sweat-wicking t-shirts with the cool Horizons Unlimited graphic on the front and a snappy slogan (changing every year) on the back.
Show your route on your panniers. Great conversation starter when you meet people on the road!
Motorcycle and travel books to inspire and inform you!
The definitive guide to planning your motorcycle adventure! This insanely ambitious 2-year project has produced an informative and entertaining 5-part, 18 hour video series. "The ultimate round the world rider's how-to!" MCN UK.
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