Real Tyme Bicycle Rack for the BMW F800 GS
26 Jul 2011, written by Moto 0 CommentsI wouldn’t quite call it an obsession, but ever since I took delivery of my BMW F800 GS, I’ve been searching for a solution to carry a bicycle on it. I’ve considered cobbling something together with old rack parts and U-bolts. I’ve considered riding up to Logan and having Jake make me a prototype of his famous Jake Rack which I wrote about in a previous post (here’s a link to the Jake Rack post). But every now and again, I would see a rider in the Park City area riding the same black and yellow F800 GS with a Yakima bike tray and wheelfork on it. He was usually going the other way on the freeway, slipping away before I could get a good look at the set-up. I had friends who would say “hey I saw you this weekend on your BMW, the one with the bike rack, right?” I was starting to feel like I lived in some parallel universe. Then it happened. In the closing miles of a serendipitous bicycle ride that went by the new Trailside Bicycle Park, I saw the bumble bee with the bike rack in the parking lot. The owner was obviously doing a session in the park, because his shoes were down on the ground near his sidestand. I didn’t have my iPhone with me, but my riding partner shot a few images for me. My intent was to study the design and maybe fabricate something similar, but then a little discreet sticker caught my eye: Real Tyme Engineering. There was a phone number. I was in business.
The next day, I called the number and spoke with Jim Harvey. Jim is a one-man engineering and fabrication shop based in Salt Lake City. He informed me that his bike rack kit for the BMW F800 GS was in fact an in stock item which could be purchased from his website, Globetrottin.com. I explained that I wanted to retain my Touratech Luggage Rack, and Jim was very helpful in offering to take a look at my set-up and help fit some longer bolts. We planned to meet the following Monday so I could bring my bike down and see if we could make it work.
The rest is history, but I’ll tell you a few things about Jim and his rack kit.
- Jim Rides a KTM 990, and it is well-equiped with a few other parts he has designed and fabricated, such as skid plate, engine and fairing crash bars, and rear luggage racks.
- The bike rack kit for the F800 GS utilizes the original 4 mounting bolts on the tail of the bike. With a longer set of recessed flat head bolts, I had no problems mounting the kit on top of the spacers that come with the Touratech luggage plate, but under the plate itself.
- To mount a bike on your bike, you will still need a few more things, such as a Yakima Viper bike tray, or a Rocky Mounts bike tray. You’ll also need about 18-20″ of round Yakima crossbar. Anything shorter, and you might have a tough time getting a wheelfork on there. Oh yeah, you’ll need a wheelfork.
- The Yakima Viper works really well because the head of the tray that clamps the front fork of your bike is really small and fits well in the recess of the Real Tyme set-up. But I suspect an older model Thule or Rocky Mounts would work well too.
- Jim has also designed a bike rack kit for later model R1200 GS bikes. Call him up, if you are looking for a rack for a different bike, maybe he can help: 801-913-4116.
I’ll admit, when all is said and done, it looks kind of crazy to have a bicycle hanging off the back of your moto. Forget about your pillion seat, there’s no room for a passenger. In fact, doing head checks in traffic is interesting because all I see is my Campagnolo Super Record 11 speed shift/brake levers in my peripheral vision. But the rack is rock solid even at freeway speeds, and opens up a lot of possibilities for two-wheeled adventures. 2 wheels squared.
Measuring up Real Tyme bike rack for longer bolts.
Jim Harvey's personal KTM 990 test bike.
Jim contemplates another engineering challenge on a KTM 690 Enduro.
Example of a Real Tyme bike rack for the BMW R1200 GS.
Some late night garage time with the Yakima parts.
BMW F800 GS bike rack complete. 2 wheels squared.
Moto Cuisine of Morocco
23 Jun 2011, written by Moto 0 CommentsThe most-often asked question I’ve heard since returning from a 10 day motorcycle tour around Morocco: How was the food? The food was amazing. Simple and traditional would be the best way to describe it.
Our guide Tim assured us that all of the places we would eat on this trip were “safe” as he and his staff only took clients to clean and reputable establishments, and the key was to avoid drinking the tap water. That would also apply to ice, or eating leafy salads washed in tap water. Pretty much the same ground rules as if you were going to Mexico. I guess our candy-ass western stomachs can’t handle the bugs in the water, which is why I brought an emergency prescription for Cipro, just in case.
Back to the food. Most days, we had a simple euro-style breakfast consisting of coffee and tea, fresh squeezed orange juice, bread with butter and jam. On some days we also were offered Moroccan pancakes which were thin and light, more like a crepe. Closer to the city of Marrakech, we had yogurt, but way out on the route, there was none to be had. Lunches were usually at cafes chosen by Tim along the route, and most often we ate Brochettes of lamb, chicken and beef, always accompanied by heaping plates of hot frites. Another common lunch item was Tajine (also spelled Tagine, or Tajin). Tajine refers to the meal, as well as the traditional earthenware dish it is cooked in. The dish is a shallow baking dish with a volcano-like cover, that seals in all the juices while the contents are being baked or cooked over an open fire. We had many varieties of Tajine along the route. The main ingredient is usually chicken or Kefta (meatballs made from seasoned ground lamb), usually with a couple eggs cracked over the topped.
Dinners consisted of traditional Cous Cous, usually with a meat and steamed vegetables, and accompanied by a broth to pour over your pile. Sometimes we had simply seasoned pasta, and one time we had an interesting salad made up of cooked rice and tuna, garnished with all sorts of vegetables. After awhile, we got used to the plates of green and black olives that would always be offered prior to the meal. I got used to Steve always asking for vinegar. Desserts were usually cold and fresh local melon slices, very refreshing. But by the end of the trip, I think I may have had one too many servings of Tajine, and I was looking forward to a big El Chubasco burrito in Park City. The Cipro stayed in my travel bag, as any disturbances in the force were minor.
One of the many beautiful Tajines we devoured.
A traditional Cous Cous dish with chicken and steamed vegetables.
Tuna and Rice salad with garnishes of Vegetables.
Time for more Brochettes and Frites at a roadside cafe.
Salad made of tomatoes, green peppers, onions.
This was the best Tajine we had, lots of roasted chicken and vegetables.
The Weaping Tiger at Comptoir Darna in Marrakech.
Tim looks ready for more Tajine.
Custom Bike Rack On A BMW GS
09 May 2011, written by Moto 0 CommentsI’ve seen a few custom racks out there that motorcycle riders have fashioned so they can take their bicycles along for the adventure. I spotted this one parked outside the Park City Home Depot. The idea of packing up the mountain bike and heading down to Moab has always sounded good to me. This one is cool because it uses a standard and reliable Yakima full length tray, holding the bike off to one side (on the other side, this rider had a fork mount for the front wheel). Obviously a very custom job, by someone who was fairly handy with welding torches, as the support for the back of the wheel tray was integrated with the rear luggage rack. I’ve seen this guy a few times in the Park City area, but this was the first time I got a good look at the work. Ride on!
A Very Custom Job to mount a Yakima Bike Rack on a BMW GS.