For Sale - 1999 R1100GS

Sorry - This Bike is Sold

The same friend that is selling the R1100RS has added his other bike to the pool.  I just took these pictures today and will post them here.  I don't have all the sale details except that it is a 1999 BMW R1100GS with 58,000 plus miles.  This bike, as well as his RS, have many mods and upgrades.  I know that he rides his GS more than the RS.  

Update: Asking price for the GS: $5,500.  As of today this is the only place it has been listed.

His contact info:

Frank (Pancho)
McAllen, TX
956-686-2803 

R1100GS

Stock Seat - Bags Off

Bike has 2 or 3 windshields

Steering Stop & Stainless Steel Brake Lines

Ohlins Front & Rear

58,262 Miles as of 12/13/2012

ABS, Heated Grips, GPS Mount, PIAA Lights, Hand Guards, & More

BMW Bags and Tank Bag in Place

Marsee Tank Bag

Set up for touring

Sargent Seat in Place

Indy 500 Race 2012

Dario Franchitti Leading the Pack at 2012 Indy 500 Race

My brother and I grew up watching the Indy 500 on TV back in the days when the popular names were Parnelli Jones (won it in 1963), AJ Foyt, Jim Clark, and Dan Gurney. Things have changed quite a bit since then. Parnelli Jones was the first race car driver to break the 150mph limit in qualifying, today the qualifying leaders are just shy of 230 mph. This year it was Ryan Briscoe at 226.484mph.   

Irma & Ricardo

My wife, Irma, and I flew from McAllen, Texas to Indianapolis, Indiana on a Friday afternoon so that we have plenty of time before Sunday's race. We stayed with my son's father in-law, Marvin, in Carmel, a bedroom community to Indianapolis with some great history and plenty of green spaces. Marvin and his wife live in a great area with a small lake behind their backyard. The race starts at 12 noon on Sunday leaving Memorial Day (Monday) for a possible makeup day if there's a rain delay on Sunday. We made our way to the track by leaving Carmel at 9:15am. Marvin had given us directions to the raceway via the back roads which would get us close to the track without having to deal with the long traffic lines, just imagine 300,000 people all headed to the same place at the same time!

We parked on a side street just across the massive parking areas reserved for the race which left us with about a half mile's walk to the track. To give you an idea of how big the track area is, the loop is approximately 2.5 miles and fits 10 Rose Bowls within the track.  Fortunately our gate was the closest to us as we walked up to the the stadium. We were inside before 11am, but too close to the pre-race ceremonies to try and get inside the race track. Within the oval there's a museum, the race car paddock, and lots of other stuff going on, but it's a good walk since things can be over a mile away from you.   

My son Geraldo & his wife Ali

The pre-race ceremonies had past champions parade by as well as antique race cars, a parade honoring our veterans, and a special ceremony honoring Dan Wheldon the 2005 and 2011 Indy winner who died last year in a racing accident. They passed out white sunglasses to everyone as we wore them on the ceremonial lap as well as on laps 26 and 98, his car numbers when he won the Indy 500.
This year's race was the hottest on record. Without a cloud in the sky the temperatures quickly shot into the 90's and the track temperature was at 120 or 130 degrees. There was another major difference as well, the race cars changed dramatically from last year. Before this year the Indy cars were V8s, now they're turbo-charged V6s so racing dynamics changed. Turbo lag caused cars to drop off if they released the accelerator at the wrong time making it tougher to makeup any lost time. This was evident in another record set that day, there were over 31+ lead changes in this race, a new record. So all in all, it was a historic race and a great one to see. As it was stated by the drivers, this race was not one of preserving gas, just flat out racing which made it more exciting.
My money (play money) was on two time champion Dario Franchitti simply because he was bumped in the rear during the first yellow caution flag, sometime early in the race, well under the first 20 laps, by another driver pulling from pit row. It spun Dario into his pit damaging his car's nose and it had to be replaced.  By the time he was back out on the track, still under yellow, he was dead last.
Dario was in the Number 50 Target Honda powered vehicle. The Honda cars were getting less mileage than the Chevys during the month-long time trials, but for some reason during the race the Honda cars were getting better mileage than the Chevy's, about two laps more per tank is what I remember hearing. That was a great advantage for the Honda cars and apparently they had been taking a beating this Indy season from the Chevy power plants prior to this Indy race.

It was somewhat ironic when I went down under the stands about the halfway mark to get a cap for myself and one for my brother. I picked the one I really liked, of which they only had two remaining, and as it turned out they were Dario Franchitti's racing cap. So it's without question that I brought Dario enough luck to win his third Indy 500. Dario is a Scottish racer married to Ashley Judd the movie star who was prancing around once Dario won the race. Times are different today than in the past. The field of racers had 24 foreign racers and only nine American drivers, and the field included three women. A very different makeup from the 90's.
Noteworthy were the two Lotus powered race cars that were black-flagged (pulled from the race) for going too slow. Reminds me of the British MGs and Triumphs I use to drive, I remember the Lucas electrical stuff, affectionally known as the Prince of Darkness.
Dario must have some basic racing skills because he went from trailing the field after that pit stop incident to winning the race. He was not the home town favorite, but he did put on a great race. The finish was under the Yellow flag and all three of Dario's victories have been under Yellow. This time, on the last lap and entering the first curve, Takuma Sato made a charge to pass Dario, but was squeezed out by Dario. Sato bumped Dario's rear left tire, spun out and Dario managed to keep his car from skidding out. Dario stayed in front of the field so he was declared the winner since there's no passing under yellow. As Sato said the following day, "I'm a small guy, but I needed one more inch".
The next day I read some of the radio communications between drivers and their pit crews and it seemed apparent to me that Marco Andretti was the biggest whiner in my opinion. He complained about the cars in front, his car, and the pit crew's failure to adjust or replace his rear tail section. One of the fan favorites had to be Tony Kanann. He briefly led as he zoomed past four or five drivers as they lifted the yellow and went to green.

Three Across Going Into Turn 4!

All in all, it was a great race to see. Seeing it on television for years still doesn't prepare you for the absolute rush that comes over you as they speed by on that very first lap. All the senses are in play as you see the entire field, hear the hum as those engines revving to the 12,000 rpm redline, and smell of the track and rubber. It's an unforgettable experience and definitely something I've had on my bucket list.

South Padre Island Seafood

Okay, it's in Port Isabel and not really on South Padre Island, but if you want some good seafood at a great price try Joe's Oyster Bar on the mainland just before crossing the causeway to SPI. It's just a few blocks before the causeway on the north side (left as you head to SPI) just one block off the main drag, directly behind the Lone Star National Bank drive through, at 207 Maxan St. in Port Isabel, Texas 78578. You'll likely find Joe Castillo the owner standing behind the cash register taking orders and handling the Mini Mart traffic. So you can stroll in and just buy seafood, drinks, and other stuff, but the main attraction has to be the restaurant. It's cozy and you get the sense that you're not paying for artificial ambiance like you normally do on the island.

Joe's Oyster Bar in Port Isabel

My wife and I rode out to SPI for the day, spent some time at Clayton's Bar which is beachside and out towards the end of the developed Island, just before and behind La Quinta Hotel. It's a modernized Wanna Wanna's, but it's much bigger, with better sitting and imho better food, and definitely cleaner restrooms. Of course, the beer is just as good. There's also plenty of parking and a small section close to the entrance for motorcycle parking. We decided to eat an appetizer at Clayton's and then have the grilled flounder at Joe's. A wise decision. The food is great, the prices are even better and although it can be crowded, it just feels more like a restaurant should. Our table was next to a couple that had just arrived from Oklahoma City. They asked us if we were on a bike or trike and I replied that we're on an Ultra Classic Harley, but probably working our way towards a trike if this aging thing didn't slow down. They were in good sprits having just escaped some of the tornadoes that hit around Oklahoma City.

Yep, They'll Grill Your Catch!

Lots of Shrimp

Joe greeted us at the cash register and we mentioned that he had a great place. He smiled and thanked us and said, "and it sure beats the prices on the island, don't it?". That's for sure! Next time you're headed to SPI I'd recommend a one block detour just before crossing over to SPI for some good seafood at very reasonable prices.

Main Resturant Section

Mini Mart Carries the Essentials

Drinks Priced Right!

View Larger Map

The Big Apple: New York City

Subway Wall Street Stop

Although this is not a motorcycle touring review it covers this past week's trip to visit the ole grandson, Rome,  in New York City. He's all of 18 months and living in Brooklyn with my son and daughter in-law, Aldo and Ali. We spent four nights and five days in NYC staying at the Millennium Hilton which is directly in front of "Ground Zero" where the twin towers once stood. We stayed in the Financial District close to Aldo and Ali's work sites, each within two or three blocks from the hotel. They would come in from Brooklyn on the subway with Rome and drop him off with us on Thursday and Friday while they were at work.
As all grandparents must do, we proceeded to spoil our grandson by first catching the subway uptown by Central Park and going to FAO Schwarz the famous toy store. Ezra (Rome) went bonkers at FAO, grabbing stuffed dogs, dinosaurs, and ponies. He would grab one then drop it when he saw the next best thing except for a stuffed horse that was about 18 inches tall and $80 which he never let go of. We got the horse, a ball, and a book before he caused anymore pocket book damage.
We had a good time visiting, but NYC is definitely not South Texas. It's true what they say that there is always something to do in NYC. It's an exciting pace, but surprisingly you can find places that give you the feeling of getting away from the crowds.
We used the subway system extensively after learning the a cab ride would only take lots more time and lots more money to get you to the same places you can get to on the subway. We would buy $20 tickets and those would be good for about two days worth of use. Once we figured out which subway to take things got easy for us. There was a subway entrance right in front of the hotel entrance, another less than half a block away, and another about two and half blocks from the hotel.
We chose our hotel based on being close to our kids places of work, but being literally right across the street from ground zero of the World Trade Center Buildings was a very sobering experience. We visited the visitor's center which showed what is being built on ground zero as well as housing artifacts from 911.
We spent four nights and five days in the Big Apple. Had a good time and enjoyed seeing our kids and our grand son, but we were also happy to get home to Mission, Texas.

Construction at Ground Zero

Fire Fighter's Coat from Ground Zero

Helmet

View of Empire State Bldg from our hotel room.

New York Film Academy

Here's what my daughter in-law said about some of the restaurants we visited:

 NYC Weekend Restaurant Reviews:
Friend of a Farmer - Union Square:  It's a delicious, family friendly brunch.  Don't let the line deter you - it moves quickly. Worst comes to worst, grab a coffee from 71 Irving to keep you happy until you sit.  We sat relatively quickly even while passing up open tables to wait for one where we could park sleeping-toddler-in-stroller
next to us.
(All meals taste better with child sleeping!) The raisin bread french toast with a side of sausage (and syrup over everything) was delicious, and things like french press coffee and fresh squeezed juice give you that pampered feel that really makes brunch BRUNCH.
Old Town Tavern - Union Square:  Sneak your way to the back  or head upstairs to find a spot to sit at this crowded, historic old-timey tavern.  The wood and tin ceilings will impress you.  The staff is friendly and even the dumb waiter is entertaining.  Fries (both shoe string and wedge) hit the spot along with a decent beer selection.

This place is a lot like Pete's Tavern (also Union Square) but bigger and the food is not quite as good, but still a great place to go.
Oka Sushi - Financial District: Usually awesome sushi, even the vegetable dish was satisfying here.  Just got into the mochi balls and they have the regulars like red bean and green tea and also mango (which is what it took to get my husband and family to enjoy the weird texture of this little treat). Toddlers enjoy the stairs, which are hidden to downstairs so you can entertain them that way if you have to.
Adrienne's - Stone Street: Split an old fashioned pizza and fight over the crispy mini pepperonis or try a modern mini pizza for a new

treat - you won't regret any way you go here - except either ordering too much or not being able to finish all the deliciousness you hoped for.  If  you have time before or after, head to The Vintry for a romantic or shi-shi feeling glass of wine or bourbon (get some roasted olives too) or over to The Dubliner and try their homemade namesake brew.  Preggos can opt for a 2 oz. glass of wine or half-pint at each place respectively.
Cubana Cafe - Park Slope: Delicious, reasonable, and family-friendly.  Any dish is delicious and each different from each other.  Try some varieties of plantains, like the sweet dark

maduros or the crispy chip ones, to liven up all your choices.  Mojitos will do that too, but this preggo had to pass this time.
Also, there was one more West Village Seafood/Italian joint that coincided with the end of a beautiful walk from Union Square through NYU's street and into Washington Square Park.  It was the one uncrowded place in town it seemed but the food was great and we walked out (rolled out) full and happy. I'll try to remember for you.