Riding a Retro

Every motorcycle is not built equally.  Motorcycles, like automobiles, fit into various categories that appeal to what kind of riding the motorcyclist wants to do or how the rider wants to look upon a motorcycle.  They also can appeal to a rider aesthetically as in the case of the R Nine T for Bill.  The R Nine T is a retro motorcycle, designed to look more like an old-fashioned motorcycle than a modern one.  Sometimes, though, the retro motorcycles go a little too far in channeling the past.

            I have mentioned before that the R Nine T lacks a fuel gauge on its one clock.  Luckily for me, I ride it alongside Bill on the Triumph Rocket which is a bit of a gas guzzler but as a modern cruiser motorcycle, has a gas gauge.  We learned before today’s ride that the R Nine T also does not have a low-oil warning light reminding us of the earliest days of motorcycle riding.

            On some instinct Bill wanted to check the oil in my bike.  This involved laying on the garage floor to check the little oil level window.  According to the little window, there was no oil.  We had a half a quart of motorcycle oil left from the last oil fill up, so Bill added that into the right cylinder head hoping the oil level would at least register.  When he checked, we discovered that there was plenty of oil, so Bill deduced that the oil level indicated empty when it was getting low but not low enough to blow out the engine.

            Now we’re left with the question as to why BMW would leave off an oil-warning light.  The motorcycle is not completely old-fashioned.  I have ABS (anti-lock brake system), traction control, ride modes, a digital odometer, and cruise control.  Why are these features included but not safety measures such as a low oil warning light and a gas gauge?  I do wonder what the engineers were thinking.  Motorcycles mostly appeal to young men who are not the most conscientious riders.  But then I remembered the MSF course.

            During the book-learning portion of the MSF course, we reviewed “T-CLOCS.”  T-CLOCS stands for:  T—tires and wheels, C—controls, L—lights and engine, O—oil and other fluids, C—chassis, and S—stands.  Back in that classroom, I was brand new to motorcycles, so much of T-CLOCS went in and out of my ears.  And I suppose owners of more modern designed motorcycles can rely on the features of that bike to do most of T-CLOCS for them.  But in owning a retro motorcycle, I realize now how important T-CLOCS is.  And I also understand that while I’ve been slack, Bill hasn’t.  Bill has owned motorcycles for a long time, so he learned to ride when the only way to check everything was by checking everything.  His first Harley-Davidson didn’t even have turn indicators.

            Speaking of turn indicators, one quirky design of the R Nine T is that the turn signals are self-cancelling whereas on most other motorcycles, including the 310 and Scrambler I’ve owned, the rider has to cancel the signals.  Again BMW engineers-why that feature and not a low-oil warning light?  At least we solved the mystery of how to check the oil and, luckily, there was plenty to allow me to ride and to keep me riding in this lovely, cool autumn weather.