Project Gold(ie)

This is more of a reflective post. Mainly to record that project Gold was a thing.

When I moved to the Midwest in 2012, I figured it would not be worthwhile to have a motorcycle. Up until then, I had always lived in geographies with considerable variety in terrain. Northern and Southern California, as well as the mid-Atlantic primarily. Each had easy access to interesting roads, hills, mountains. All great for weekend excursions by car or motorcycle. The Midwest and especially Chicagoland, is mainly flat. Roadways are primarily straight and in cardinal directions. Shorelines and riverbanks are typically under private ownership and roadways rarely follow them for long. Hills are rare and mountains are just a memory. All this means that I live in a terrible place for two-wheeled life. At least the kind that I enjoy.

There are a great many Harley riders here during the warmer weekends. Their culture seems to be primarily to ride a short distance to a bar, club, restaurant and visit with others of their ilk. To get to a road that is truly engaging takes a few hours, so there’s not a lot of reward compared to other locales. This is why I never planned on owning motorcycles in the Midwest.

Over the years, I slowly began to miss riding. Often finding myself fantasizing about getting back to it and looking at various motorcycle sites. Eventually, I reached the tipping point. When I no longer cared that the roads weren’t great or the weather wasn’t great. I eventually broke down and bought a new motorcycle.

At the time, I was only looking for something to use here and there. Something to use when everything fell into place and I could get on the road for a bit to have some time focused on riding. Touring was not on the list of uses, nor was adventure riding, or sport riding. I just wanted something fun and simple. No need for all the technology of a modern bike. No need for lots of bodywork. Just a couple wheels and a reliable platform for some fun.

I opted for a 2021 RnineT Scrambler. There was a lot of debate between different colors and options. I liked bits of the Urban GS, bits of the standard RnineT, and bits of the scrambler. In the end, I was able to get the wheels swapped from an Urban GS, making the scrambler the best compromise. The Goldilocks option, hence the name.

The RnineT is a model I had been keeping an eye on for years. As BMW’s first retro offering, I appreciated their unique take on a modern retro bike. While the model has its roots in a modern interpretation of the classic R90s, the production model washes that tribute styling away. It is it’s own bike.. Modern in design and capability, classic in its purpose. It was the only thing at the time that seemed to strike this balance. The closest thing it can be compared to is the general style of old school cafe racers, even though it doesn’t look like any of them too much.

The RnineT is the last BMW boxer to forego liquid cooling, using the last air and oil cooled motor BMW makes. There is no fuel gauge, only a simple instrument display with primarily analog clocks, and no extraneous bodywork. It’s raw, but somehow refined. All of these things will make it an enduring classic and it is a great bike to ride.

These bikes have a strong following with owners who are engaged (online) with each other heavily. While I never found a local group who knew much about them, enthusiasts are very active online. This is helped by the one of the built in purposes of the model itself. Unlike most modern bikes, it is designed to be customized. Everything is easy to access and there is a thriving market for accessories, modifications, and add-on parts.

Owners can do anything from simple cosmetic updates to full extensive style and performance modifications, allowing the bike to be adapted to the specific desires of the owner. Some may simply add some decals, or a tail tidy. Others may choose to remove the rear subframe, air box, add an aftermarket exhaust, and pod filters. The options are nearly limitless.

Riding this around, the most common question I get is “How long did it take to restore?”. It does such a great job of communicating classic style that casual observers generally assume it’s a decades old bike that has been lovingly rebuilt. It’s easy to lose the obvious signs of the modern engine and other mechanicals when the overall lines and character are so well executed. Many think it’s like something they’ve seen in the past, long ago, and can’t quite place. I almost begin to feel like a fraud when I tell people it’s a new bike.

In riding, it has the character you will either love or hate. Like all boxer-twins, it leans to the side when you start it or rev the engine. This is the motor’s torque pushing the frame to the side. While that may sound alarming, it is something that most owners get used to very quickly and it does not pose a safety risk at all. The motor is low and wide, which gives it a very stable feel on the road. Easy to handle and with brilliant power delivery, it is easy to forget that it’s actually a moderately heavy bike. Without any real wind protection, you get the full experience of riding. It’s definitely as old school as a modern bike can get.

Over time, I made several modifications to suite my preferences. Fairly soon after buying, I installed bar-end mirrors to clean up the front a bit. I also added smaller LED turn indicators which needed some custom 3D printed mounts which I made over a weekend. I did experience some moderate buffeting in the front-end at higher speeds, but adding a small aluminum fly screen improved airflow enough to settle that down.

A titanium header pipe opened up the exhaust just enough to give it a stronger road presence while adding a nice bit of contrasting color after time. The factory seat is worth about 90 minutes and not much more. After that, a sore rear is in the rider’s future. I added a slightly more padded seat to address that and it made a huge improvement. Finally a tank rack, and side case provided a usable amount of storage without needing a backpack.

In its final form, Goldie is a wonderful bike. Great to ride here and there and full have personality. It’s largely a modern version of what I am building in Project Red. And that’s what has become my challenge. Over time, my interests have shifted. I have made peace with the riding in my area and have begun to miss some of the creature comforts of a more genuinely modern bike. For several months, I have been mulling over if I will keep both Project Red and Gold. I think there will be just too much overlap in how I will use each of them.

It was a tough decision and one that I have experienced some regret over, but I have traded Goldie in for a new bike. The replacement will be a 2023 R1250RS. Now that I have two classic airheads, there is plenty of pure riding experience to be had when I want. For other times, it will be nice to have a modern dash, dynamic suspension, fuel gauge, and heated seats and grips.

The RnineT is a fantastic bike and I may end up with another one in the future. It all depends on what vacancies are in my garage.