2012 has been an interesting year...Leslie got a new job and is now working for BC Transplant as an Organ Donation Coordinator and Organ Donation Specialist.
Cheryl continues to do well in her police career and we got engaged. Wedding will be next August 2013. More info please read below.
Cheryl and I met in 1997 in Bellingham, Washington. We kept in touch over the year via the internet plus flying back and forth. Before we both knew it I moved all the way across the country to a new country no less in march 1998 and been here ever since. I, meaning Leslie grew up in New York on Long Island where her family still remains except my brother.
Went to College in upstate NY and grad school back on Long Island where I got my Masters Degree in Social Work. In 1999 I started working as an Intensive Care Unit Social Worker at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, BC and loved my job after all those years.
Cheryl grew up in the lower mainland of BC and many of her family members are here as well. Beautiful place to grow up and go to school. Throughout Cheryl's teenage years and adulthood she worked for her mother's family business. However, at the ripe old age of 35 she decided to embark upon a career in law enforcement which she has been enjoying for over 5 years. Cheryl has found a passion within the Police force working with kids in schools.
We have been together as partner's for 15 years and after Cheryl graduated Depot (Police Training) we both got motorcycles and our licenses. I grew up on bikes and Cheryl always wanted to learn to ride. Learning was easy for Cheryl and getting back on a bike for me just made sense. Cheryl thinks I am obsessed with bikes but to be honest once she is on the road I can't stop her.
Cheryl loves video games, I love wild life, Cheryl dreams about white sandy tropical beaches, I dream about seeing the polar bears in Hudson Bay, Manitoba.
Opposites attract and we both share a passion for adventure motorcycle touring. We learned this after buying our first 2010 BMW F650GS bikes. We travel well together making sure we are both taking care of ourselves. Cheryl is the brains, mechanic, navigator and packer, I am the organizer/planner.
Cheryl is the quiet one, I am the loud New Yorker. Cheryl loves video games, I love live web cams featuring Bald Eagles, Falcons, osprey's and Owls. In the end it seems to work.
Looks like fun bit as far as riding in big groups like that I typically look to follow well behind the pack as what normally happens is you tend to over ride trying to set, or keep up with, a pace that is just slightly ahead of your capabilities.
No matter what they say, the 1200 is a huge beast in the dirt. Drive hard for half a day and lay it down then try to pick it up. My friend who has a 1200 looks to my F800 and likes what he sees. He is thinking that he may go to the 800 as it is a bit more nimble and lighter but still more than capable to tour.
That being said i look at his 1200 and think that might be a bike I would like to step up to. Decisions, decisions, decisions, still have another years warranty on the 800 so may let the bugs get worked out of the new 1200 and take the plunge.
like they said in the video the 1200 is not for the novice rider and just like anything else, if you have the skills to take that bike where it wants to go…then it’s probably the bike to own regardless of weight. That is why we have choices. I just love seeing videos like this showing the road bikers what they are missing!
I had a F-650 several years ago that I rode basically from Vegas to Phoenix and back in a day and that little bike beat me up. By the end, it was no fun at all. I know the 1200 is well known for gobbling up highway miles but how is that 800 between the 650 and 1200? I’ve been riding my whole life and can handle any bike but want to get insight from an 800 owner.
My 2 cents as a F8GS owner:
The F8GS is no touring bike. The position might be comfortable but the seat is rock hard and very narrow. Easily fixed with an AirHawk cushion or similar tho. The standard screen is great for off-road but comes short for HWY riding (lots of buffeting and noise). It has enough power to overtake other vehicles with ease but it vibrates more and more over 130 km/h (80 mph). It’s not a wife-carrier, for that get a 1200 bike. Fun on twisty roads with the right tyres. Get the gadgets (ABS, heated grips, etc) b/c they are worth it.
Cheers,
Alberto.
the new ESA is quite interesting on this 800. We will be getting our seats tweaked as we are way too familiar with the OEM plank. To be fair though the low seat allows you to move your ass back a bit into the pit of the seat…there is an area where you actually get relief from the pressure points being stressed. In the end though we will modify out Renzaco seats, make sure the nose of the seats are made more narrow and use gel inserts. A local woman will be doing this and when she does I will blog about it and review how she does.