Spring came early to Vermont this year, and with 60-degree temps in the forecast, I opted to wake Pandora, the name I've taken to calling my oft-troublesome 2000 BMW R1100R, from her winter slumber. Thanks to the use of a smart charger, the battery was up to the task, but the lumpy idle reminded me I should have been more careful about draining the fuel in the tank last fall. With a fuel-filter change and throttle body synch already on my "to-do" list, I wasn't particularly concerned, and once warm, it idled well enough with the enrichener (the fuel-injection equivalent of a choke) turned off.

But then I rolled on a little bit of throttle, and the squeal from the front of the engine reminded me of the alternator belt's questionable age. Sure, I could simply tension the belt and hope for the best; after all, the ride from my driveway to the Hemmings offices is a mere six miles or so. Breaking a belt, however, would leave me stranded, requiring me to borrow a trailer or swap the part out at the side of the road, neither an ideal choice when a bit of preventative maintenance would avoid the issue entirely.

What do do you prefer? OEM? Premium? Generic?