The truth is, I was inspired by watching the first stages of the Dakar on TV. It is true that the machines there bear no resemblance, now that they are 450 cc rockets, and it is true that there is no terrain like the Fiambala or the Atacama desert anywhere within a several thousand miles of here (I did find a little gravel ;-), but no matter. Once upon a time, the GS PD won that event more than once, and inspired the production version that I have. It says Paris Dakar right on the bike! So my ride for a series of errands around suburban America on this day was the R100GS PD. The contrast could not be more striking, but I had a good time anyway. Much as I love this bike, I am hard pressed to imagine how anything like it could have blazed across northern Africa even 20 years ago. I imagine that the bikes are so much better today, and that it took supreme riding skills and stamina to make it through that race back then. Much respect.
Wayne,
The fairing and graphics on that bike are just fabulous. I can't imagine you not getting thumbs up riding that bike anywhere….oh well, maybe not in downtown Hellertown!