Thanks for your comment -- and spot on, nothing better than a great bike on an awesome road. The world has so many cool places to ride. So many miles possible, so little time, haha. Cheers!

I'm with you on that. It would have been nice to preserve Route 66 intact but it was cobbled apart for the Interstates. Sections of it don't exist anymore, others run to dead-ends. Trying a Chicago to LA run on 66 would be a frustrating patchwork. No one is responsible for overseeing the whole thing. Individual states, counties decide how to treat it. But some stretches are still there, and they are fun. Thanks for the comment.

Glad you enjoyed it -- thanks for the comment!

Thanks for the comment. Glad you liked the diversion.

@boolacalaca absolutely - well done!

A tip of the hat to you, sir! Glad you liked it. Thanks for the comment! And much obliged if you decide to pass it along. Another one of mine you might like, all on Route 66 -- "Time to Zoom" kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHSWi6KQbt6BfpI

How true! We meet many interesting people riding motorcycles on the back roads --- something I really enjoy. Glad the video reminded you of your own fun encounters. Thanks so much for the comment!

Summed it up, short and sweet. Thanks!

Much thanks for your comment, glad to hear you're getting some enjoyment from the videos. I hear ya about seeing the RS and actual riding. That's not going away. I just like to have fun and experiment with storytelling. I'm not switching to AI-generated content, but it's fun to explore its potential sometimes. I too enjoy those old school cowboy characters -- have you seen my video called "Time to Zoom"? Ride on!

Thanks for the great feedback! Glad to hear you like watching the vids as much as I enjoy making them. Cheers!

Not only no, but hell no! Thanks for the recommended addition. I hear ya.

You beat me in a way that's an inspiration and that's great! Glad to hear from another rider staying young by persisting in their passions. Thanks so much for your comment! I enjoy making these videos but it's terrific to know someone else gets some enjoyment from them too. Cheers!

😂 -- got a good laugh from your comment, thanks!

The kind of feeling that stays with you like it happened yesterday. Thanks for your comment.

You can order an RS from BMW with their aluminum tubular handlebar option that is more like GS handlebars. And there are other aftermarket options that do the same, like from Wunderlich. There are also handlebar risers one can get to make the seating position more upright. People who do this give mixed reviews, some love the difference it makes, others not so much, it's really an individual thing of body type, height, riding style, etc. But it's good to know the options are out there. Thanks so much for your comment.

Now that I've ridden the RT, even though I think the RS is great, I would have a tough time deciding between getting a 2025 RT or RS. I might be forced to keep the RS I have and also get a new RT. Then it would be interesting to see over time which one I rode more. And yes, the RT's luggage and glove box is sweet, perfect for touring. Thanks so much for your comment. Cheers!

Totally agree - the RT is the choice if one does long distance touring thereby getting into all kinds of weather. Plus the added features and storage of the RT can't be beat. And no, I kept it in road mode for my first go at it but you are right, switching to dynamic would have changed things up and made it more sporty. Both bikes in the video were in road mode, even when he was on my RS. I asked my friend (who owns the RT) what ride mode he usually keeps in it and he said road. I was surprised at that since he can ride in it road mode like it's a sports bike. A lot of riding sports performance seems to come from experience and skill rather than ride mode or even the size of bike. I've seen a pro on a 600cc bike win every lap at the track against liter bikes simply because the pro zipped by the liter bikes in the corners making up for any burst of speed the liter bikes had in the straights. The 600cc bike acted more "sporty" than the liter bikes with less experienced riders because the pro knew how to make it sporty and take advantage of the whole track, not just the straightaways. My friend has a lot more sports bike experience than me so I doubt I could match him even in dynamic mode, haha. But again, you are correct, if I had switched into dynamic mode the RT's responsiveness would have perked up. Thanks for your comment!

It's great to hear from someone who's had the compete experience from RT to GS to RS. I agree with you, I'd rather add some mods to the RS rather than give it up. Sounds like you've got quite a nice selection of mods on yours. I'm planning on risers but don't know if I install them myself will I run into problems with the cabling that doesn't appear to have enough slack for the rise without more major adjustment, the kind I don't want to do myself. I'm tall so I don't think I need a new high seat but a more comfortable touring seat would be nice. I know the new 1300's will be tempting and I've been going steadily on longer and longer rides so I know the RT would appeal -- but like you, I don't want to give up the greatness of the RS feel and agility. Thanks for your comment!

Thanks for your comment - you have great first-hand experience with both Harleys and the RT. It's smart to go beyond the test ride and actually rent some bikes and try them out for real. While some people do manage to tour on Harleys (I met one at the Grand Canyon riding two-up from Utah heading to Texas), it's certainly true that the RT design is superior for doing long miles. If I primarily did multi-state, multi-day rides I would definitely go get me a RT, a fantastic bike. And thanks for pointing out the windshield thing - I've ridden again with my RT friend since making this video and checked that out and I bet my observation was due to three things -- he had the RT windshield in the highest up position, my GoPro is chin-mounted which lowers the perspective below eye-level, and having ridden the RS for so long, I was actually riding the RT in the RS leaned-over sports position by habit and so even though I'm 6'2" I was looking through the shield -- plus the RT windshield admittedly is larger than the one on the RS and I have the RS shield in its lowest position. If I lowered the RT screen, sat up straight, and maybe even mounted my GoPro on top of the helmet (not sure this one is necessary), the experience all around would have been different. Thanks for pointing that out.

I was born in LA, lived there for 40 years, rode bikes for 17 years in LA and Ventura counties -- loved the variety of roads available, used to race Decker and Malibu Canyon to the beach, loved zooming up PCH, my buddies and I used to race from Thousand Oaks to the 405/101 Interchange to see who could get there first avoiding the CHP. Fun times. Yep, Wickenburg and Prescott through Skull Valley, uo through Jerome -- a great ride among many great rides in AZ. This is my first video including Hogs, most of my vids are simply about rides and the feeling of biking, agreed. And yeah, I hear good stuff about the Shad bags. Right now I have SW-Motech. When you make the schlep from LA let me know, maybe we can ride together along some of these high desert 2 lane wonders. Cheers!

All of that is my stomping grounds. Latigo, Piuma, Stunt Rd, Las Flores, Stuff off of Topanga. Big and lil Tijunga Cyns. Angeles Forest Highway, North front range of San Gabes, all the way to Wrightwood. At 66, I'm older and slower, the destination is secondary, the journey and the view on the way there is primary these days. Stop, stretch, see, and listen to that Boxer purr. My '22 1250 RT didn't come with the amp or a radio, just speakers. Did some PlaceritavCyn and L'il Tujunga today for a quickie. I look back, and realize how little I knew when I bought the HD Sport Glide. Heavy and work to ride. The BMW is pretty effortless, and the ride comfy.

A lot of great information about the bikes, especially the RT. No question it's a fantastic tourer which retains enough sport feel to keep it lively. With difference circumstances, I'd have an RT next to my RS ready to go in the garage. Thanks for the comment and adding your extensive experience to the discussion. Cheers!

Great to hear your perspective on a combination of these bikes. Totally agree about the "hidden treasures" of BMW -- the RS/R don't get the publicity of the GS but those who ride the RS/R know the secrets of that treasure. Thanks so much for your comment!

Interesting experiences, thanks for your perspective.

Nice to hear from someone with such varied bike experience. And yes, the SW Motech saddlebags suit me fine for the kind of riding I do. Thanks for your comment.

What you say is so true. One may have to go from bike to bike until the right mix of style and features meshes well with what a rider is looking for. So much comes down to the overall feel of the bike and does it match with the type of riding a person most enjoys. There are always trade-offs. I do like the wind protection, comfort and features of the RT but I would miss the sports feel and better connection to the road that the RS gives. I would like to do more long-distance, multi-day rides and may have to sacrifice the sports posture to fully enjoy it. That's why having both bikes (RT and RS) would be cool, to switch off. But I wonder -- if I had both, would over time I wind up preferring one over the other? It's an experiment I'd like to try, haha. Thanks for your comment - it was interesting hearing the details of your journey to the bike right for you.

So glad you enjoyed it! The route --- Iron Springs Road through Skull Valley and Kirkland over to 89 South down through Yarnell and Congress then 93 South into Wickenburg -- and back. This route has a lot of road-style variety -- long sweepers, tight twisties, and remote straights, something for everyone. About 140 mile round trip, a decent ride to get breakfast.

@@boolacalaca Thanks! From the Mesa area , so this one will be a good one.

That's nice to hear -- thanks!

Yep, I ride a R1250RS -- fantastic bike, but there are so many cool bikes, haha! Thanks for the comment.

Thanks for the feedback - that's great to hear!

I can't argue with that, haha! My RS is great. Thanks for the comment.

It's great to get feedback from someone who has the RT -- yes, it's an amazing bike, who would think a grand tourer could be ridden like a sports bike, but it can! I see my friend do it all the time. Both bikes look fantastic in their class, but yes, I like the looks of the RS in being so powerful but streamlined. All the best to you in North Wales! Cheers!

Good point! That's also why it's good to have a friend who has one so at least sometimes you can swap. Thanks for the comment.

Exactly right! Thanks for the comment.

Thanks for you comment! That would be fun to watch a group of RTs at the track!

It's great getting feedback from someone who has had both bikes - thanks! I agree, for me the RS will tour but one must be stoic about it to tour super long distance. I do 300-400 mile days but so far I can't see doing 4-8 days in a row over thousands of miles on the RS. I would love to test ride the R1300RT - I hear they're getting rid of the clutch on it.

I have incredible up days riding it, just the occasional down day. I keep mine up on the Keweenaw Peninsula where you can ride the entire coastline in a couple hrs. It’s the ride home to MN that reminds me how comfortable the old 98RT was.

Thanks for leaving your feedback, glad you enjoyed what happened on "the swap."

Working on this video took me back there again. Some memories are more than memories. Thanks for listening to my story.

Thanks for the comment -- much appreciated.

Yeah, there is so much history about the place, it was a challenge deciding how much to include before talking too much, haha. Glad to hear you enjoyed riding back in time a bit. Thanks for the comment!

I know exactly what you mean and I'm sorry you miss the point. KZbin has lots of RS videos doing precisely what you ask, you can watch them all day and they all say basically the same thing -- dry stats, facts, and personal opinions that people easily dismiss. I've watched them and while they try to inform me over and over again about the same things, they don't inspire me, they don't convey the remarkable feeling of riding the RS. This video is blatantly "not typical" precisely because the goal is to give the viewer a feeling and not just the same list of stats and facts they get in hundreds of other videos. It's meant to be a break from the dry norm and go more for the feeling of the ride. If you want more stats and facts, try a couple of my other videos -- (goodbye) Triumph Tiger Sport 660 / (hello) BMW R1250RS (kzbin.info/www/bejne/rouUiIt_eMZ2irs) -- or Unequaled Moments - BMW R1250RS (kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIubeoOobJ6nb5I). Or better yet, since you've already owned a RS for the last three years, thereby obviously know about its comfort, power, brakes, etc., it would be great if you made your own video sharing the stats and facts you already know about the RS. I'll be looking forward to seeing it -- and hopefully it won't duplicate the same stats and facts about the RS one can get in a hundred other videos on KZbin.

Yeah, it's easy to rack up the miles on the open roads around where I'm at --- thanks for the comment!

Hello to themadscot! I see you saw my other video "Unequaled Moments" - that sums up some of my feeling about the RS months after trading in my Tiger. I enjoyed the Tiger to get back into riding after so long, but as you can see by the many long roads and busy Interstate highways around me, I quickly found out for my area and doing more touring type of riding, I needed more power and touring features. I felt a bit blown around on the Interstate highways on the Tiger and with large trucks typically doing 130 kph, it's nice to have the torque and power of the RS's 136hp boxer engine. Also for me on the long roads cruise control is indispensable. I'm glad I got the RS, given the kind of riding I do. For shorter commutes, the Tiger would have been fine. I'm 6' 2" so it's easy for me to flat-foot the RS. There's a woman in the UK (usernamekate on KZbin) and she's 5'4" and reviewed the RS four years ago and had no problem handling the bike, you can watch her review (kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3u2iXyXYpuaha8si=vpymEN91Qvymo387). The main thing is try it out for yourself, the height probably won't be the issue you think it is. Plus, the center of gravity on the RS is low since the boxer engine is mounted low, which gives the bike a great, well-planted feel. The "S" in RS is for Sport, so the riding position is a bit leaned forward, but that's why BMW calls the RS a Sports Tourer, so make sure you're comfortable with a more sporty body position. Either that, or you can get handlebar risers to sit more up straight. The GS is dual-sport for off-road capability which I didn't' need and the RT is the maximum touring bike but I like to retain some sport feel to the ride. You can see from the specs that the RS beats the Tiger 660 in power and features - but bikes in two different classes really can't be compared. Both are great for what they are designed for. I'm glad I have the RS - it's a fun, powerful bike that can do long tours or short twisties. Wishing you the best in your decision and on future rides! If you get across the pond sometime come to Arizona and we'll go for a ride! Cheers!

@boolacalaca Hey buddie, yeah, I set my heart on the RS now but then got it ripped apart... after seeing the perfect bike about 230 miles away from my home (which for British people is like forever far because we don't have the same flat huge roads as you have ) I contacted the dealer but they were offering only 4075 for my 22 reg with only 8499 miles .... and it was leaving a 5.9K balance, which was totally out of my reach... I thought I'd have less of a gap to make the difference, so it blew those thoughts off the table like a tornado would wish a feather up in the sky... i guess i knew the price I thought it's worth and I was bang on the money but didn't consider dealers have to mark up costs, so what i wanted was more retail prices opposed to dealership buyers' price.. . I know my plans now to sit tight with the baby Tiger lol and get some funds behind me , be sensible and wait till I can bridge that gap without putting myself into stupid debt for a hobbie only to worry about costs etc because fuel for example here is around 8.10 dollars per gallon, and I know the bikes don't need much for a full tank I guess it all adds up.. plus I need more gear only have one of trousers and one jacket and they are heavyweight ones for cold/rain etc so it's super warm when the rare days we get sunshine here haha.. plus 3 years old on bikes I am not seasoned for winter rides so again more costs up coming....... sometimes passion needs to take a pillion seat in life and let the rational side of myself do the riding .. but you're right it looks like a terrific bike.... I wasn't sure about it being 2 cylinder and the one I saw sounded a bit tappety, that's the only way I can describe it, like tappets on an old car, perhaps that's the boxer engine , having never heard another run I don't know if that's just the sound they make, but unfortunately my immediate financial gap closed my door of dreams on the RS for now...... I am lucky I have the Tiger, so blessed in that sense .... I am not a greedy person and try to live within my own budgets as debt only causes stress and worry.... so I'll park my RS dream and make sure my shed has enough space for one when the right time arrives..... it looks longer than the Tiger perhaps it's the fork rake angle that does that but damm it's a fine looking bike too the one I saw came with the full set of panniers and a top box . I'll check that link. Of course ,I know it can be lowered to about 740 mm seat height, which works for me. Appreciate the time to reply and the offer of a ride if iam over the pond , likewise the same at this end, Scotland has much to offer, check out my random rift video, it's got some snap shots around from Scotland and of course my own guitar and backing handy work... take care safe riding ahead hope to catch up on your next travels soon

@@themadscot34 I'm glad you sent a follow-up message - I was wondering how it was turning out for you. Sounds like you're doing the right thing for now -- it's best not to rush decisions like this when emotion alone says yes! yes! but one must consider all the real factors involved. Bikes are expensive hobbies and part of enjoying the ride is knowing the deal and follow-up costs work out comfortably. No sense accepting a bad trade-in deal just because having the new bike would be so nice. You already have a great bike with the Tiger -- as I said in my video, I really liked my Tiger and if I could I would have kept it and also got the R1250RS and have them both! From what you said, the roads around your area sound great for the Tiger and you'll have lots of fun riding them on the Triumph --- all the while you wait for better conditions to possibly move to the RS. I do strongly suggest that you go to a BMW dealer and at least do a test ride on a RS just to see how it feels. That will help decide whether or not it's something to plan for in the future or not. As far as the RS engine, the boxer is a classic with over 100 years of engineering refinement, the latest addition is the ShiftCam technology that is great at sensing how much of the engine to engage based upon RPM and gear. Yes, the boxer has a distinctive sound -- and like many kinds of bikes, one either loves the sound or is unimpressed. Actually, the sound of the RS engine changes depending on how the ShiftCam components are responding -- it sounds different in very slow speed maneuvers versus at higher RPMs when maximum torque kicks in. Another thing one should consider in getting a new bike that is often overlooked in the excitement of it is the ongoing maintenance cost that various bikes demand. While Beamers are designed and built well, regular BMW maintenance is not cheap and must be factored in to the overall cost of the bike over time. Ultimately it comes down to what kind of riding one likes to do, the kind of riding one mostly does. Fitting the bike to the typical kind of riding you like to do probably will work out best in the long run. If you go for a RS test ride, send me a note back and tell me your reactions to it -- it would be great to hear what you think once you've ridden it. Happy trails my friend!

@@boolacalaca yeah buddie wise words from you indeed.. loads of factors to include for sure, I always budget monthly for costs even if not needed and keep an account for that alone, so well practiced in that side, just need to get some income tucked away and see from there. I think I’d only test ride when I had the money , I know I’d end up disappointed if I test rode the BMW and loved it , only to not be able to buy it, yes it would let me know, but am a right now kinda guy, hate waiting lol, if I want something and can afford it then I will review it (check) look at them a bit more (check) see if I can afford it (dammmm). Then make a purchase or walk away…. I am slowly side stepping this one for now… I know what you mean on the noise of the bikes, guess I’d have to experience the tones on the bike when it’s pulling through the gears to love it, or let it grow. I don’t ride crazy anyway so not a red-line gear kinda person, I always think the tiger could do with a 7th gear for cruising haha, tired changing up good few times thinking I was in 5th 🤣… I’ll continue to look at bikes as it’s in my blood now. I know the costs that come with the BMW,s. (from having a car) so guess the bikes are just as costly for their dealer only range. Good things come to those who wait… I am patient in some aspects of life m I’ll apply that now and see how long I last 😜. Safe riding ahead my friend . Keep in touch

I totally agree with you - I really don't recommend putting a patch over one eye while riding. Maybe I should make the legal disclaimer that I suggest this only as a thought experiment! I'm glad you liked the video. Thanks so much for the comment!