BMW Half Cover

My last bike got pretty dusty over night in its usual parking spot (under a concrete porch). I found this great bmw cover that fits with side and top cases on, and just covers the top of the bike. image

Click on for more photos and description….

I got it from A&S BMW, and its inexpensive to start. They have an nice chart showing you different bmw models, and if you have top/side cases or not to figure out what size to get.

It comes in a nice little flat pouch. I didn’t realize at first that the pouch it comes in is actually the cover. You open the pouch up and the cover unfolds from it. When you are done, you fold it back in to itself. I actually took the lazy sleeping bag packing method when packing it back up. I just kept shoving it back in to itself… so now the pouch isn’t so flat anymore.. it gots a little belly now.

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Break In, and Cruising Speed

I’m still in my first few hundred miles. around 250. I’m trying to keep it under 5000 rpm for now, and not accelerating hard. I’m also trying to vary the speed of the engine, as the manual says to not let the engine stay at the same speeds during break in….

I’m going to take it for the 600 mile check up soon, and after that I’m going to start breaking it in my way. slowly but surely raising the rpm higher and higher over time. slow steady progression, letting the engine open up and breathe. i actually do this every time i ride or drive anything, i slowly run through all the gears, and with each time going through, ill pull higher in to the rpm’s then letting it wind down naturally. after a few times doing it the engine is more prepared to run through all the way, while being quicker to respond to the throttle.

on that note, since I’m staying under 5k rpm, i wanted to talk about cruising speeds. when researching the bike I read some people say that the bikes vibration gets more intense over 5000 rpm. to me that sounded fine, if I’m on the streets running through the gears i don’t mind extra vibration, but i was nervous about cruising speeds on the highway and vibration. 

on the 650, 5000 rpm in top gear (5th) would have me at 70mph. my ideal cruising speed is 75/80. it turns out that on the F700, cruising at 5000 rpm in top gear (6th), we are at 85 mph. thats above where i need to be, meaning that my ideal cruising speed turns out to be lower then 5000 rpm.

im not sure what the vibrations like above 5000 rpms yet, but i will within a week or so.

one more thing i have to add in here, i LOVE this bike : )