RUST magazine: RUST#40

LONG TERMER
LONG TERMER
PART ONE
BMW R nineT
A new bike snuck into the RUST garage over the summer, almost unseen – and
holy cow, it’s a road bike! A good ‘un fortunately. Now somewhere between
reading Nick Sander’s latest tome and a tug on a peace pipe (we suspect) Warren
M. has come over all lyrical as he explains the future for this cool roadster…
Words: Warren Malschinger Images: JB
The condom-like dustcover
fits snuggly over the shape of
the R nineT in the back of the
garage. Although the newest
bike in the RUST stable it’s seen no
light for months. Touring around the
USA for weeks on end and the feverish
pace of pushing the development of
RUST along have meant the R nineT
has been left untouched since the
summer.
However, now that I’m back home
flickering thoughts are building in my
subconscious and catch my attention;
as a consequence the R nineT is now
loaded into the van for a journey south
to Portugal, its new home in Europe
and an escape from the dreary, wintery
salt-laden circular shores of the island
(Guernsey).
This bike demands a canvas, a
sunburst of crossroads and the endless
possibility of miles of opportunity over
which to develop its own provenance.
It’s not deserving of neglect, or being
confined to the ordinary. It was sort of
love at first sight for the R nineT and
me and rather than my appreciation
of the R nineT’s form and character
being diminished through the riding
experience, the more I ride the T,
the more I love it. It’s simple and
uncomplicated with a great chassis,
a well-balanced motor and engaging
looks that all collectively contribute to
create something special.
w
68
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