100K

100K Miles Plus

(Dal on his 1985 K100 RS BMW and Jane on her 1982 BMW LS 650cc with Pichler fairing)

If you were looking for a used motorcycle, on the average the odometer would read in the teens: That's roughly about the time you change the front tire. What would it be like to have an odometer with one more digit?

One of the only motorcycle manufacturers . which prides itself in a product that can get up to 100K plus is BMW. I have met many riders who look at 100K as the break in period. Dal Smilie is one of them. The Big Sky country around Helena, Montana is his home. Dal is a member of the American Motorcyclist Association and functions as Vice Chairman on the. Board of Trustees. He has won the BMWMOA annual mileage contest twice, with over 50,000 miles ridden during the six month period the contest lasts. He recently traded up to, an ABS 1991 K I OORS BMW, but before that owned a 1985 BMW, Kl00RS.

He states, "l really like to ride my motorcycle. 1 often ride over for the Oregon S00 in May. As the AMA Trustee for the Northwest, I often. ride the bike to AMA board meetings."

GAZETTE - What made you stay with the '85 for so long? Did you consider at the time you ought it that you would roll the odometer
DAL- I my 1985 K100RS on September 6, 1984. I traded it on November 15, 1991. BMWs odometer does not "roll" until 1,000,000 miles. My paltry 221,000 miles are not even one quarter of the way to that figure. I didn't really think about putting 200,000 miles on the bike. 1 rode 6,000 miles in the first September I had the bike, because it was new and it was fun riding a new bike. Somehow the miles were just fun to put on. The mileage thing ended up with me winning the BMWMOA high mileage contest in both 1985 and 1987, with over 51,000 each year: These contests are for the Six month period between mid April and mid October. Motorcyclist magazine, listed me in their 1991 "top ten " awards for high mileage.''
GAZETTE - If you could make some modifications to improve the bike what would they be, or, what have you done to improve it?
DAL - I kept the stock seat, even the stock shocks. I wouldn't really change anything. 1 bought a new 1991 with ABS brakes. 1t gets, about 60 miles per tank more, but the low profile tires wear out faster and cost lots more.

GAZETTE - What are your choices in tires? Have you discovered better ones than when you started?
DAL.- I have tried all kinds of tires. In 1985 I went through 17 tires. I like the highway rated touring tires from Pirelli and Metzeler Marathons. They won't fit on the 1991 bike

GAZETTE - What oil do you use and how often do you change your oil (crank, fork and filter)?
DAL - I use BMW oil and change engine oil and filter every 5,000 miles. 1 change fork oil every 10,000 miles.
GAZETTE- Do you prefer riding with others or by yourself?
DAL – I usually ride by myself. I do participate in quite a few events, however. Coming from Montana, I have been in three or more Rose City 5OOs for example. I am Vice Chairman of the AMA Board of Trustees; so I try to get around a lot. My wife, Jane is my customary riding partner. She rides much, less than I, but she has 80,000 miles on her current bike
GAZETTE - How many miles do you average each year?
DAL - I have ridden 400,000 miles on BMWs since 1977. I am riding about 20,000 miles per year at this time. My average is down a bit from '85 and'87.

GAZETTE - Have you had any close calls?
DAL- I am most scared of deer. I have been . too close to many deer." I had a very close call • on ice last year; sliding towards an interstate - barrier at about 70 m.p.h. 1 actually fell down`' on the bike once at about~35 m.p.h. very embarrassing. l fell right in front of my wife and luckily she choose to miss me as l slid along I nearly got hit by a golden eagle last year. I always have cars doing odd things around me; but I take that in stride; it's expected.

GAZETTE - What are the worst riding conditions you've ever been in?
DAL - Worst conditions? I had a fogged up face, shield one morning in the rain on a black, glistening twister in an ultra dark morning at 4:30 AM on the Rose City 500. The head lights of the bike behind me were adding to my blindness. One and half inch hail in Wyoming , gumbo clay after a rain in Wyoming, windstorm in Iowa, snow and ice covered roads in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Austria. The worst may have been being absolutely stopped m a traffic jam in Yellowstone with a grizzly bear about 25 yards away. We were appetizer's on wheels with no way to escape.

GAZETTE -What have you learned about riding that would be helpful to someone who is starting out?
DAL.-Ridings is so much fun. For A starter, take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course. Ride a little dirt bike off-road for a while. Develop a mind set about looking out for car drivers’ upcoming silly antics, they are liable to hurt you. You need a sense of awareness. about what ` they are going to do all around you.. Watch for ` what their likely next move will be. If you get hit by a stupid driver, it is usually also your fault, because` car drivers; predictably; are going to do you in. Your well being is in your hands. I don’t even get mad anymore when they do stupid things, because I expect them to. Often, they have no clue about what they did.

GAZETTE- If you could lead a tour on your favorite ride, where would it be?
DAL -Favorite ride? Impossible to say Usually it is the last best place l have been. I like the solace of the big country in Nevada, South East, Oregon and Eastern, Montana. I like the special roads like Lolo Pass, in Idaho; Route 20 in Washington; Beartooth Hwy. in Wyoming and Montana; the Million Dollar Hwy. in Colorado. I had a great ride in Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula one fall afternoon, a great ride down Colorado's Cache La Poudre-River, great rides on any road over Wyoming's Big Horn Mountains. It is hard to beat the ride up to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympics. Lake Louise to Jasper is grand. Riding in the Alps is really good. Arizona has a lots of good ridings. It is all good and getting better. Lately, I’ve been having a lot of fun on a dual sport bike. There are many good things down those gravel and dirt roads. I just went over Lewis & Clark’s Trail through Lolo Pass but up on the ridges where they went. Pretty Sweet.

Thanks, Dal For sharing some of your valuable and well-earned experiences with all of us Gazette readers. Keep on rolling!

Originally Appeared in Portland Sport/Touring Center-Portland Off-Road Center Gazette