Hello y'all...just thought I would expand a little upon my introduction.I've been v. pleasantly surprised by the nice peeps I've met in the chatroom here so far, and am really looking forward to getting on the road with the bike again, and perhaps meeting some of you at one of the runs/rideouts/rallies.  I'd rather come to meet y'all on my bike, but as David Neale pointed out in another post that there were events to which I could come along in a car, I might just do that, if it looks like the bike is going to be delayed.
My BMW r80 G/S has 38000 miles on the clock, and has been garaged since the mid-nineties, when I returned to full-time education. The financial constraints of living on a student loan, not to mention the distraction of a mo'bike sitting outside on summer days, when I was supposed to be slaving over resits forced this decision upon me. I first (legally) swung a leg o'er a bike in 1973, and for the next 20 years was never without one kind or another. 
After the usual succession of Bantams, Tiger Cubs, Barracudas I bought and ran a Honda CL 350, then had a Commando 850, unil it was written off following a spat with a taxi, driven by a one-legged Irishman.  Various other Jap bikes  figured in my life until I bought my BMW, in the mid-80's.
I stopped riding in winter about that time, as (a) I was starting to learn to play guitar, and frozen fingers didn't help, and (b) an idiot car driver nearly wiped me out as she fish-tailed whilst trying to overtake me in a blizzard  I rode for a few more years, but not in winter, and then put the bike off of the road and got down to studying. 
My bonny BMW was then garaged and remained that way, moving house with me several times (much to the frustration of my long-suffering partner) until lately. Facing early retirement due to ill-health, I stripped her down (the bike that is...not the long-suffering partner  ) and had the frame blasted and powder-coated; bit by bit I'm getting her back to running order, and the main problem seems to be the exhaust. I bought and ran the bike with a 2-into-1 Piper...a lovely sound, I can assure you, but as time went by, I had to modify the baffle to escape the attention of the boys in blue. Sooo now, with a more mature (??) outlook, I am looking to procure a s/h s/s original G/S type of exhaust system, if anyone out there knows of one  Other than that, I'm looking forward to being back on the road for next year, if not this one (health permitting) and would like to consider that long-cherished dream of visiting the BMW factory in Bavaria  Sorry to ramble on for so long, folks...y'all take care and ride safe! See you around DM                                                                                                                                                                               

Thanks for the rundown MD. It looks like it's all coming together for you and hope we all see you at a meeting soon I will be heading up your way in August for the Thunder in the Glans rally at Aviemore. Shouldn't be too far for you. It is organised by HOG. you don't need a Harley, I haven't. Check out events you may just fancy it.   Link to event. http://www.bikermatch.co.uk/sites/bm/events/event_details.asp?event_id=4139                                                                                                                                                                             

Hey Dingus ! Nice to see you here !! I had a BSA Bantam for my first bike - I hated it and mt dad hated it cos I didnt know how to get it to go and was always asking my dad to help me !! I know that I would make the effort now though ! Hope to see ya around !

Jood x