So I met up with a friend who has been part of this ST owners club for years at their annual rally. This year it was in Moscow, ID.

Yes I was the odd man out but there were three other BMWs there including a 1300GT from BC.

They were like any other brand rally where they talked about their rides and the things they do to them (farkleing). My bike on the other hand is basically stock.

ST: hey we installed a heated seat. Needs to be plugged in when we want to use it and then both seats are on.
Me: Mine electrics seats are stock...seperate controls too.
ST: One day I hope to get that $1500 cruise control that a aftermarket ST outfit makes.
Me: I have one, came stock with the bike.
ST: we just had a cool tech talk with the ST aftermarket suspension guy. Told us of how we can upgrade to an manually adjustable suspension....but man it costs big time.
Me: Mmmm I have electric controlled suspension from a little button on my bars. Yep it came with the bike.
ST: you windshield moves?
Me: yep.
ST: I need a new tire but the yahoos around here don't have the right mounting rigs to deal with the ST's wheel which has the ABS sensors on it.
Me: What? My wheel comes off with four bolts. All the brakes and sensor stuff stays on the bike. Who designed the ST?
ST: Those BMWs have shaft problems right?
Me: Every bike has some sort of problems we all deal with. I deal with it....I change the oil and pray.

Loaned my bike to my friend for a ride......DANG that thing is fast he says. I was doing 80 in 2nd. Well duh. I told you.

While out for a ride with some of these guys we would pass cars and I needed to wait until the ST in front of my was even with the passed car's front wheel before i even started to pass becasue I would catch the guy(ST) before he got back in the correct lane. Dang they're slow.

My GT ran good in the rain and mountains. I did have problems coming back through Sacramento in the heat (90s+) when my engine did not want to idle. I had to keep it revved up. When I finally arrived home (200miles later) it ran fine again.

And so I still enjoyed the ride. Had two days of 600+ miles. My arms and knees were the only real problems after that type of ride.

Well, Peter Egan says is funner to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow.
What I think is funner than that is to ride a fast bike fast, flying by some slow bike that the owner thinks is fast.
Gilly

Liked the conversation with ST! Yeah. Its why I like the thing too. The good stuff doesn't have to be added on and that was the deciding factor over an FJ. Well that and an affinity for beemers since this replaced a '93 K11LT. Got home last night from a run to Anchorage for work last week, 360 miles one way from Fairbanks. Had cold and rain the whole trip down, never warmer than 51F and the Gerbing wire harness failed, but heated seat and grips on high did the job and I love the cruise control. It was hard rain in heavy traffic at 70+mph coming into Anchorage, like riding through a waterfall of rain and spray but never once did the bike feel out of sorts. fortunately the goin home ride north yesterday was warm and clear. I showed a few cagers what going round a tight bend really means... ahh the joy of disappearing things in the mirror.

I like your description of taking the curve but the last time I did that a cop was waiting on the other side.