10 news this morning

[lemieuxmc@yahoo.com 0]

I love talking about science.

[Crawdaddy 96]

The new BMW's are nice, but so is my refrigerator. Legends are created by the human spirit, not the latest computer controlled, catalytic converted, non-owner repairable techno marvel.

I think you'll enjoy this post in ADV rider......Doug is riding around the world on a 62' Chopper!!!......he loaded his bike up for transport from Russia to Japan with two newish (and broken down) BMW's

"Vladivostok! The end of the line, as far as my trip in Russia goes. I spent a week here, just hanging out with friends, & dicking with customs. Here is a tip, don’t ship in or out thru Vladi, use zarubino or another port. I spent over 2 days at customs. Why is leaving by road so easy? Who knows. But it sucked!

I met a couple other Americans here, they are also taking the boat to japan, with an 04 & an 08 BMW GS. The 08 blew the motor, & the 04 wont run, fuel or electric problems.

Of course I am always ready to point out to them that my 47 year old harley is still running fine. I think they may be getting tored of the BMW jokes, but damn….. its hard to stop! "

Specific Post: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.ph...p;postcount=812

GREAT Trip Report/Thread: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=462017

[lemieuxmc@yahoo.com 0]

I've been following his adventure... great attitude!

[Kevin 0]

Recently I watched "Long Way Round" and actually laughed out loud at the part where Claudio (photographer) had a failure of his R1200 brakes. The fellows couldn't fix it so they purchased a twin cylinder, 2 stroke in Mongolia ($1,500? Do you take Visa?) I think it was an MZ . Claudio is heard to comment "It's so light and easy to handle!" Later they had a problem and some passing Mongolians helped them repair it with the supplied tool kit and a locally obtained BFR.

The BMW your are referring too!

The frame developed a crack in the frame. They attempted to weld the frame but neglected to disconnect the computer-thus fried the computer unit-thus no brakes as they are ABS controlled. This was an operator/welder problem.

These same guys attempted to get KTM's for the tour, but KTM backed out at the last minute as the bikes were not capable of making this long distance trip.

BMW stands for (Bring Money With You)

KTM Stands for (Kant Take Much)

Not that I am partial!

[Jaynen 0]

I thought it was because KTM's expert said they would die trying to do their plan when they wanted to go

[kiwi 0]

Just like my boat, I had 2 good days with my BMW. The day I bought it and the day I sold it.

[RogerTOWM 0]

I think it's just silly that the bureaucrats have bankrupted our state, and don't want to take my money for a Dual Sport motorcycle that I'm really going to have on the street about 5% of it's life cycle.

I will never understand why things happen in government the way they do. Too many politicians are only looking out for themselves and the interest groups that give them big money to get re-elected. For every good politician I can show you 5 bad ones.

CA needs to take some notes from AZ on the DMV especially.

I love San Diego, but I can't wait to be in a financial position to leave and stop supporting such a corrupt state.

It must be a Roger thing because I feel the same way as Strega.

[TrophyHunter 15]

I still think back to sitting on a hill at Superstition watching an agricultural burn. All of us together revving our bikes endlessly until they blew wouldn't put as much crap in the air as that one field burn. They prolly got a permit though....

....so they could do it "legally"

[RogerTOWM 0]

The BMW your are referring too!

The frame developed a crack in the frame. They attempted to weld the frame but neglected to disconnect the computer-thus fried the computer unit-thus no brakes as they are ABS controlled. This was an operator/welder problem.

These same guys attempted to get KTM's for the tour, but KTM backed out at the last minute as the bikes were not capable of making this long distance trip.

BMW stands for (Bring Money With You)

KTM Stands for (Kant Take Much)

Not that I am partial!

Kevin I wasn’t there but I heard that KTM wasn’t going to pay for the trip like BMW did and that is why they were not getting KTM 950s. Not what the show said but…

I also don’t think KTM bikes would be breaking their frames like that. That being said they did have those bikes way overloaded. They brought way to much stuff including tool kits in a metal box! They had three bikes; they only needed one set of tools for the three bikes.

Also they dropped their bikes way more times then I drop the 990. They are better riders then I am. So I figure I don’t drop my bike as many times as them because I have a better bike!

BMW (Breaks Most Ways)

KTM (King of The Mountain)

Not that I’m Partial!

Now where did I put my Kool-aid?

[Kevin 0]

So far for staying on topic---------------

All I can say is that BMW sold a lot of bikes off of that movie, and thus continuing the image of the GS Line as the "go to bike" for traveling abroad. This, I don't think can be debated(but with this crowd-maybe)

[lemieuxmc@yahoo.com 0]

The frame didn't "develop" a crack, it broke. Yes they were way overloaded, Google "Nimrod". For all of the precise German engineering, you would think that the electronics would be isolated or a warning would be prominent. In the film Charley stated that KTM didn't sponsor them because they didn't think they would "make it"... I don't think they meant dead, just DNF. In my opinion one of the most important design concepts is "How can you fix it if it breaks". The very sophisticated ABS is just spiffy when it's under warranty on the Autobahn, but the drum rear on my airhead is pretty much indestructible.

I also enjoyed the DVD of Boorman at the Dakar, but again in way over his head, and on the wrong bike. He would have done better with a 2002 XR400 off of Craigs list. In order to finish first, you must first finish... so skill in controlling the bike to avoid crashing or hitting rocks is way more important than going fast. A normal knobby tire can only transmit about 35 hp to the ground, and that is about how much power it takes to go 100mph so throttle control is critical to avoid needless wheelspin. Unless you are the kind of guy who can consistently run 80-100 mph in the dirt you won't go any faster on the big bike than the smaller one.

[justinhambleton 0]

I am worried about them staying in business too, as these are our only two real Husqvarna shops in the county and Motoforza is about 2 miles away from my house. I like dealing with the parts guy there.

Ron Bishop Motorcycles is a 'real' Husqvarna dealer in Escondido. He's a one man show, but can get you what you need and is a superb mechanic.

www.ronbishopmotorcycles.com

[Zenosan 2]

I am worried about them staying in business too, as these are our only two real Husqvarna shops in the county and Motoforza is about 2 miles away from my house. I like dealing with the parts guy there.

Ron Bishop Motorcycles is a 'real' Husqvarna dealer in Escondido. He's a one man show, but can get you what you need and is a superb mechanic.

www.ronbishopmotorcycles.com

I have been using Ron Bishop for parts and shock rebuilds for years. He is an old time Husky dealer and knows what he is doing. I try to give him whatever business I can. He is a small one man shop but that seems to be enough. I have yet to figure out why they would allow a new Husky dealership practically down the street from his place.

[lemieuxmc@yahoo.com 0]

I just got read the latest issue of Cycle World and if you are interested in this whole "street legal"/ CA registration stuff, you should check out the 1978 CX500 bobber on page 44. That's right, it's a 1978 CX 500... says so right on the title!

[KTMrad 514]

have yet to figure out why they would allow a new Husky dealership practically down the street from his place.

Because Ron Bishop is a one man show and doesn't sell many bikes.

I had Ron work on my 640 when it needed a new rod bearing........(the rod problem was my own fault, not the bike's.)

[cmayer31 3]

In regard to the original post, here's an article with Paul from GPs comments on his side of the story. Seems CARBs side was awfully one side, but we already knew that...it is after all a CA collections regime .

Husqvarna Dealers Lose Fight to DMV and CARB

There's more to the article, including the authors commentary, but I chose to just quote a smaller portion of it.

...From Paul Lima, GP Motorcycles:

In response to a press release issued by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as one of the effected parties, I feel compelled to comment to what was an inaccurate and very misleading press release issued by CARB.

In 2004 my dealership GP Motorcycles retailed some model year 2004 and 2005 Husqvarna off-road motorcycles. After the fact I learned that license plates had been issued for these units by the State of California Dept of Motor Vehicles. Questioning this after the first few plates were issued, I contacted DMV employees in charge of registrations. I was assured that the VIN numbers in question qualified for license plates. Subsequent to that conversation I shared this information with our customers - that they may receive a plate when the bike was registered.

As was always my practice, all DMV forms were filled out properly to the best of my knowledge. Never was a customer told that he or she was buying a street legal motorcycle nor that the motorcycle could become street legal.

Shortly thereafter we were visited by a CARB and a DMV investigator. The CARB investigator informed us initially that the problem was between the CARB and the DMV. However, that investigator also implied that it was the personal opinion of that investigator that it was my responsibility to make sure that the DMV gave me the right registrations. From that moment on I took great pains to correct the DMV every time they issued a plate in error for one of our retailed bikes. At all times I complied with all that was required of me, and in fact expended great time, effort and money to contact purchasers and to help retrieve and reregister erroneously registered and plated bikes. The DMV itself issued a letter to all purchasers stating the plates were in fact issued in error. All of the customers we spoke to understood the error was with DMV, and not with GP Motorcycles.

It's important to point out that I was only one of several dealers affected by the DMV error. CARB initially insisted that I should pay $100,000 to make the matter "go away" but I refused, as I felt (and still feel) I had done nothing wrong, and frankly CARB was unable / unwilling to tell me just exactly what it was they felt I had done wrong. After all, every bike I sold was certified for sale by CARB. Convinced that I were in the right I sought legal counsel and began the fight that ultimately I was forced to abandon simply because it became too expensive to continue.

Four years, a pile of money invested, and many headaches later I bought my peace by settling with CARB. In stark contrast to the press release issued by CARB, the truth is I was never "fined by CARB" nor did I ever "modify" the bikes I sold. In short, I admitted no wrongdoing, and settled to avoid penalties on some very technical points that, were they proven, may have cost me my business. I bought my peace, case closed, and I was prepared to move on. Every motorcycle dealer in California was apprised of the settlement (deterrent value) both by CARB per their web site, the DMV's web site and of course the motor cycle dealer's association web site and publication.

Apparently that was not enough for CARB. I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised, since it was clear they were willing to put me out of business in order to bring the DMV to task, but still the press release to the general public was shocking to me. It served no productive purpose that I could discern, since all dealerships were aware of the settlement. I can only conclude that the press release to the general public was a gratuitous attempt to damage my business - apparently as punishment for having taken them on. What is particularly galling is that the wording of the press release misrepresented what had transpired. CARB has tried to imply that I was fined by them (never happened) and that the fine was imposed for "modifying bikes" (again, never happened.) So to be clear, I was not fined - I settled to stop the litigation costs; I admitted no wrongdoing and I never modified a single bike that was the subject of this action.

After several years of very close dealings with CARB I find a less than impressive bunch. Arrogant beyond belief, even to the point of condescension. It seems to me they only peripherally interested in environmental issue, but they are absolutely obsessed with the exercise of their power. They are vindictive and nasty, and I now see they also have little interest in accuracy in their communications.

GP Motorcycles, the dealership I founded, has been in business for 18 years and I believe enjoys a great reputation within the community and with our customers. With the exception of this CARB issue, we have never been taken to court. We have no record of customer complaints. We have always prided ourselves on treating people fairly and honestly and our only mistake was passing along information from the DMV that we had every reason to believe was correct.

Ironically, after all that has transpired, nothing has changed with the DMV and they are still continuing to issue license plates for off-road motorcycles!

Even in these extremely difficult economic times California law makers continue to squeeze money from hard working small business people like myself as well as thousands of others who provide jobs and generate the very tax dollars that keep this state running. I find it sadder still that in addition to that, the State, publishing an inaccurate, misleading and unnecessary press release, apparently now wants to damage our reputation in the eyes of the general public.

Understand that between them, ARB and the DMV have every VIN number of every vehicle that is legally brought into California and should be well aware of their intended use. But as we've now learned these agencies apparently still can't get it right and issue the correct registrations. So they rely upon using our tax dollars to punish the very small business people who, as I have learned so painfully, must pay for their very steep learning curve. It's time the State of California and all its agencies learn to do their job right in the first place, and correct their own errors when they do not.

[Strega 0]

That is no incredibly f*cked up of CARB to do. That is not right.

Why can't SOMEONE take them to task??

[TrophyHunter 15]

Why can't SOMEONE take them to task??

Cuz you get your cycle shop targeted.

I just succeeded in a year long battle with the DMV over City Use Taxes. I'll write it up in the MO section in the future.