BMW F800GT Motorcycle Nettesheim Museum Beauty Shot Photo
As you peruse the images in this section of my web site you’ll notice that the majority of the pictures of my motorcycles were taken out on the road, during the course of the many road trips I have embarked upon in my lifetime. That is, after all, what I’m showcasing here…my travels as an adventure motorcyclist throughout The United States and Canada, and the wonderful sights I’ve had the pleasure of beholding during those journeys. This image is a bit out of character then. It is what photographers refer to as a "beauty shot"…a shot of the ‘product’ itself. In this case the product is my 2016 BMW F800GT sport touring motorcycle, a bike I have owned for a couple of years on which I have traveled, as of this date, approximately 25,000 miles on. In my humble opinion the BMW F800GT was the last ‘true’ sport touring motorcycle to leave the factory in Berlin. It is an example of the last of the breed available with its Rotax parallel twin motor made in Austria. Furthermore, the powers-to-be in Berlin are currently calling the R1250RT model their sport touring model. Make no mistake; the R1250RT is a magnificent touring machine, but it is entirely too big and too heavy to wear the "Sport" moniker any longer. Most sport touring motorcycles, from any manufacturer, don’t do either duty (sport or touring) as well as models offered specifically as sport bikes or touring bikes. Compromise is a given in the name of versatility. My riding these days is probably 90% touring and as such I have made a few choice modifications to the bike to make it a more capable long distance steed. For starters the stiff factory saddle was replaced with a wider and more roadworthy offering from Sargent. The small low profile windscreen was changed out to a larger model from Puig that does a marvelous job of streaming the wind and rain around my torso. The handlebars have been relocated back and higher towards the rider which alleviates strain on the riders neck and shoulders (though admittedly compromises the handling of the bike somewhat in higher speed, tight corners ridden at aggressive speeds). BMW panniers, top case and tank bag have been added to handle all the necessary gear that one carries when out on an extended adventure. Finally, the factory tires have been changed to ones that better handle inclement weather. My personal choice is the Metzeler RoadTec 01 tire…the best wet weather tire I have ridden on in nearly four decades of traveling. This image was created in front of the Route 66 garage vignette located at The Nettesheim Museum; one of the most extensive collections of vintage and contemporary BMW motorcycles anywhere in the world. As a motorcyclist, writer and photographer I get to combine all of my passions on a regular basis. This image was chosen for entry in one of the most prestigious international photography competitions in the world and was also featured in a prominent position in BMW Owners News; the official publication of BMW Motorcycle Owners of America. The image was created using a sophisticated light painting technique and is actually a composite image of some 25 separate exposures. It was captured using the unparalleled Nikon Z7 mirrorless camera and processed using Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop image editing software. Only a single small LED flashlight was used to illuminate the picture.