BMW OWNERS NEWS – A PUBLICATION OF THE BMW MOTORCYCLE OWNERS OF AMERICA
MAY 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS www.bmwmoa.org
MAY 2016
www.firstgear-usa.com
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Table of Contents features
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discover birmingham By Bill Wiegand #180584 They may not have names like Going-to-the-Sun Road or Tail of the Dragon, but great motorcycle roads and destinations are all around us. With the help of some local MOA members, we take a ride and see the sights around Birmingham, Alabama.
An expat comes home, Part II By Neale Bayly #196896 In part two of his feature, Bayly recalls the England he knew as a youth while introducing his son Patrick to his long-lost relatives and the country he knew as a younger man.
alphabet soup By Jim Auckley #148105 In Missouri, county roads are designated by letters rather than numbers, and it only takes a moment to remember what twisted pretzels those alphabet soup roads are to cure his green-eyed envy of the exotic rides Auckley sees illustrated in BMW Owners News.
ON THE COVER: Custom built by Eddie and Bill Plam of Wunderlich America, this sweet R 100 RT is set to be raffled off by the MOA Foundation during Das Rally! in Hamburg, New York, this summer. Photo by Bill Wiegand #180584
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BMW OWNERS NEWS  May 2016
The BMW MOA and MOATM are trademarks of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America.
the club 4 Owners News Contributors 8 Headlight Finally!, by Bill Wiegand 10 President's Column Stocked and Ready, by Chuck Manley 12 Shiny Side Up The Extraction, by Ron Davis 14 Picture This First Spring Ride 16 Rider to Rider Letters from the membership 20 2016 MOA Getaway planner
discovery 60 Adventure Log The Old Man and his Gold,
Member tested/ product news 22 inRoute v4.0, iXS Madox all-season boots, Revved! Obsessions of a
lifestyle 100 Flashback A look back at our MOA history 102 Mileage Slaves I wish I was fast like Richard or Ron,
Midlife Motorcyclist, Rok Straps, Wolfman Overland Duffle.
40 B uy three liters of BMW Advantec oil with a filter and get a fourth liter free, BMW MOA motorcycle blogs available at bmwmoa.org, BMW MOA Life Membership to be given away at each Weekend Getaway, KOA offers BMW MOA members a free one-year membership in the KOA Value Kard Rewards program, BMW MOA Rally registration is open, Eric Peterson steps down as High Mileage Honor Roll Coordinator and is replaced by Jim Heberling, Jim Wright steps down as MOA Consumer Liaison, corrected 2015 Mileage Contest totals for Arizona, Arkansas and California, Orphan list for vintage BMW motorcycles available, Wunderlich America builds custom R 100 RT for BMW MOA Foundation Rally, BMW MOA Regional Coordinators introduced.
tech 48 Keep ‘em Flying Butterflies, Fireworks and a Slash Five, by Matthew Parkhouse
52 56
I just needed an oil change, Part III, by Wes Fleming Carbon Fiber or Bust, by Dale Sanderson
by Shawn Thomas
64 Long Distance Style
Voyage to the Sea of Loud Pipes,
by Deb Gasque
skills 94 Ask a Pro Small bike and Big Fun, by Lee Parks 96 Ride Well Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, by Marven Ewen
by David Cwi
104 Jack the Riepe
The Battered Baby Harp Seal Look,
by Jack Riepe
events 108 The Ride of 1812 116 BMW MOA Rally Das Rally! needs your help 118 Rally rides offered by EagleRider and Gray Line Rally Tours 120 GEARS Training at the Rally 122 Three days of Rally seminars and workshops 123 Celebrating the birthplace of the hamburger 124 GS Giant's Gypsy Tour to the Rally 126 When and Where Places to go and things to see 135 Advertiser Index 136 Talelight
May 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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CONTRIBUTORS 1 . Wes Fleming tried being a rock star for 25 years, but gave all that up to focus on motorcycles. His mother still hasn’t forgiven him. The first new motorcycle he ever bought got run over by a car – with him still in the saddle. He discovered BMWs thanks to a friend in 2001 and has been riding trendy, not-so-trendy and sidecar-equipped BMWs ever since. Wes currently holds down multiple jobs, including motorcycle shop office boy and history professor, and when he’s not helping his teenage daughter with her homework, they’re out somewhere in their sidecar rig. 2. A writer of limited ability, Jack Riepe is confined by the absolute truth. Hobbled by arthritis, he types his stories by pounding a shot glass on a keyboard—with his foot, and rumors that he is in the Brazilian Witness Protection Program are only partially true. If you like his column, you’ll love his book, “Conversations With A Motorcycle,” an autobiographical account of his early years on a motorcycle, when women unleashed their passion—on everyone but him. Email jack. riepe@gmail.com for more information. 3. Marven Ewen has been riding motorcycles since 1986 and has been an MOA member since 2007. He currently rides an R 1200 RT and a Triumph Street Triple. He is a Family Physician in Minnesota with more than 20 years of experience, including emergency medicine, and is also medical director of Allied Medical Training, an EMT training school.
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BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
4. Dancin’ Dave Cwi is a Life Member of the MOA as well as a Premier Member of the Iron Butt Association. He’s owned every series of BMW motorcycle from the /2 to the modern RT, and has burned out his wife, who once loved motorcycling but sold her bikes after two trips with Dave. He pays for his riding addiction via marketing stints, including work in Power Sports. You will see him down the road. 5. Deb Gasque, also known as “The Fashionista,” has been a licensed motorcyclist for 6 years and has embraced every aspect of the long distance motorcycling lifestyle, including earning a membership into the Iron Butt Association. Deb recently joined the ranks of motojournalism and enjoys sharing her passion for two-wheeled adventures through published articles and her blog page at www.TheFashionistaHasAn IronButt.com. 6. Jim Auckley enjoyed a three-decade career as a writer and editor with the Missouri Department of Conservation, producing articles on wildlife, forests and fishing and hunting for a monthly magazine. Thanks to the Vietnam-era G.I. Bill, Jim was able to earn a bachelor of journalism degree from the University of Missouri back in the 70s. After a lay-off from motorcycling, he returned to riding 12 years ago. He takes off once or twice a year for Eureka Springs to enjoy the winding roads of northwest Arkansas. His 2009 R1200GS has 48,000 miles on it, much of that accumulated on day rides west and southwest of his home in suburban St. Louis, Missouri.
www.maxbmw.com
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BMW OWNERS NEWS  May 2016
Das Rally! Giveaway
Built by Wunderlich America specifically for the MOA Foundation, this R 100 Custom could be yours. See page 42 for more details. Photo by Bill Wiegand #180584
May 2016  BMW OWNERS NEWS
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headlight Magazine of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America MANAGING EDITOR
Bill Wiegand bill@bmwmoa.org
Finally! By Bill Wiegand #180584
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Ron Davis • Wes Fleming • Joe Tatulli ART DIRECTOR
Karin Halker karin@bmwmoa.org CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Alisa Clickenger • David Cwi Marven Ewen • Deb Gasque Chris “Teach” McNeil • Lee Parks Matthew Parkhouse • Jack Riepe Shirley and Brian Rix • Shawn Thomas ADVERTISING
Advertising materials, including chartered club rally display advertising, should be sent to our Advertising Office. Please contact Chris Hughes for display rates, sizes and terms. Chris Hughes chris@bmwmoa.org 11030 North Forker Road, Spokane, WA 99217 509-921-2713 (p) 509-921-2713 (f ) BMW MOTORCYCLE OWNERS OF AMERICA
640 S. Main Street, Ste. 201 Greenville, SC 29601 864-438-0962 (p) 864-250-0038 (f )
Submissions should be sent to the BMW MOA office or editor@bmwmoa.org. Submissions accepted only from current members of the BMW MOA and assume granting of first serial publication rights within and on the BMW MOA website and use in any future compendium of articles. No payments will be made and submissions will not be returned. The BMW MOA reserves the right to refuse, edit or modify submissions. Opinions and positions stated in materials/articles herein are those of the authors and not by the fact of publication necessarily those of BMW MOA; publication of advertising material is not an endorsement by BMW MOA of the advertised product or service. The material is presented as information for the reader. BMW MOA does not perform independent research on submitted articles or advertising. Change of address notification and membership inquiries should be made to the BMW MOA office or membership@bmwmoa.org. BMW MOA membership is $40/yr. and includes the BMW Owners News, which is not available separately. Each additional family member is $10 without a subscription. Canadian members add $12 for postal surcharge. The BMW MOA and MOA™ are trademarks of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America.
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BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
AT LAST, IT’S HERE!
It’s been frustrating couple of months for those of us in the northern half of the country where crazy late-season blizzards and unseasonably cold weather have kept bikes in garages and basements much longer than usual. Whenever I travel to a place where the riding season never ends, I return home wondering why I live in the snow belt. Perhaps in the north we all suffer a kind of Stockholm Syndrome where, through our extensive exposure to weather conditions that make riding impossible, we accept and endure it. We complain about it and look forward to its end but we deal with it. I believe some have even come to enjoy it, but for me, the best part of skiing was taking off my boots and drinking something strong and warm. If I want to see snow, I can shake my snow globe and to me, the first day of Spring should be a national holiday. In his Shiny Side Up piece this month, Ron Davis of Scandinavia, Wisc., describes his routine late each fall of moving his motorcycle inside to keep it warm and make sure it knows it’s loved. He swears that the practice has kept it out of the shop for expensive repairs and believes a loved bike is a happy bike and a happy bike will never leave you stranded. Apparently, if you live in the town of Scandinavia in northern Wisconsin, Norway in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, or Moscow, Indiana, that’s what you’ve got to do. Not a psychologist by trade, Ron has no hard data to support his claim and only his seatof-the-pants anecdotal evidence, but hey, if it works don’t change. I’ll admit I also brought my bikes down into the basement during the long, cold Green Bay winters and think there may be credence to what Ron says. Regardless of your method of off-season storage, we’ve all made it through winter and are riding again and all seems right with the world. With all of our Chartered Club rallies and events, MOA Getaways and the BMW MOA International Rally in Hamburg, N.Y., this July, I’m predicting the need for several sets of tires being replaced on my bikes. While I look forward to riding to and enjoying those events each year, something I’m really excited about is a new project we’ve just begun for BMW Owners News called the Discovery series. Our goal with the Discovery series is to enlist the help and expertise of the MOA to ride, photograph and write about the roads and area attractions known best by the people who live there. While all of us can easily name a handful of well known bucket-list roads, like the Tail of the Dragon in North Carolina, the Beartooth Highway on the Montana/Wyoming border or Colorado’s Million Dollar Highway, it’s the hidden gems of asphalt found everywhere that we hope you’re willing to share with your fellow MOA members. Along with the great roads are the sights unique to each area. The World’s Largest Brick standing in front of Jenkin’s Brick Company in Montgomery, Ala., or the Nuclear Waste Adventure Trail and Museum in Weldon Spring, Missouri, or even the UFO Landing Port in Poland, Wisc., are all attractions, which simply by their names create an overwhelming interest to ride to. Are there lesser-known roads nearby that you believe are as good as those better-known ones? We’d love to hear about them and promise to only share their locations with our BMW MOA brothers and sisters. See you on the road.
www.bmwmotorcycles.com
PRESIDENTSCOLUMN
Stocked and ready OUR MISSION
To foster communication and a sense of family among BMW motorcycle enthusiasts BMW MOA OFFICERS
Chuck Manley, President 309-825-8445; cmanley@bmwmoa.org Jackie Hughes, Vice President 509-928-3261; jhughes@bmwmoa.org Muriel Farrington, Secretary 802-295-6511; mfarrington@bmwmoa.org Wes Fitzer, Treasurer 918-441-2114; jwfitzer@yahoo.com BMW MOA DIRECTORS
Jean Excell 719-650-6215; jeanexcell@bmwmoa.org Greg Feeler 208-376-5137; gregf@e-moto.org Vance Harrelson 205-621-1682; weridebmw@bellsouth.net Stan Herman 719-250-4358; hermanhaus1@msn.com Bill Hooykaas 705-329-2683; hooykaas@bmwmoa.org BMW MOA VOLUNTEER STAFF
Steve Brunner, Mileage Contest Coordinator 910-822-4368, steveb@bmwmoa.org Jim Heberling, High Mileage Coordinator 309-530-1951, jheberling@bmwmoa.org Deb Lower, Ambassador Liaison 719-510-9452, ldeborah@comcast.net Dutch and Kate Lammers 2016 BMW MOA Rally Chairs 2016rallychair@bmwmoa.org BMW MOTORCYCLE OWNERS OF AMERICA
640 640 S. Main Street, Ste. 201 Greenville, SC 29601
Robert C. Aldridge, Executive Director bob@bmwmoa.org Ted Moyer, Director of Membership & Marketing tedm@bmwmoa.org Ken Engelman, Director of Business Development ken@bmwmoa.org Bill Wiegand, Managing Editor bill@bmwmoa.org Karin Halker, Art Director karin@bmwmoa.org Lesa Howard, Membership Services lesa@bmwmoa.org Amanda Faraj, Membership Services amanda@bmwmoa.org Ray Tubbs, Digital Marketing Manager ray@bmwmoa.org
By Chuck Manley #12106 HELLO EVERYONE! IN EARLY MARCH A FRIEND AND I MADE OUR
annual spring trip to Gateway BMW in St. Louis. As I mentioned last month, a trip to the dealer at that time of year is a cure for cabin fever. A great cure it was, as the shop was busy servicing customer bikes and prepping new bikes for delivery. The main reason for our trip was to stock up on maintenance supplies for the 2016 riding season. Like many of you, I perform a number of the basic maintenance services, including oil and filter changes, transmission and final drive fluid changes, and tire changes. There is nothing more aggravating than not having the necessary supplies at hand when you need to perform a service, especially when the dealer is 180 miles away. You could say the folks in the parts department were glad to see us. In addition to our list of needed supplies, a couple of friends had also called in orders for us to pick up. The truck was full when we left, with cases of oil, assorted filters for K, R and F bikes, quarts of drive train fluids, tires, and dozens of assorted size crush washers...and a pair of gloves! Yes, we're very optimistic that it's going to be a great year to ride! Recently our son Ryan applied for and received his BMW MOA 100,000 Mile Award. The High Mileage Award is another BMW MOA program that is included with your BMW MOA membership! This program recognizes accumulated miles ridden on BMW motorcycles in 100,000-mile increments. Applying for the High Mileage Award is easy. Simply go to bmwmoa.org, click the "Connect" link, scroll down and click the "High Mileage" link. Here you'll find program details, and you can download the High Mileage Award form. Members that have qualified for High Mileage Awards are listed in the the High Mileage Hall of Fame following the article. If you've ridden the miles, you deserve to be recognized. Why not download the award form today? Did you know there is a NEW Member Marketplace? Sure enough, the NEW Member Marketplace launched on March 1. Developed exclusively for use by BMW MOA members, it's another FREE member benefit. Looking to buy parts, gear, or a new-to-you ride? Check out the Marketplace. Have gear, parts, or accessories you no longer need? List them in the Marketplace. Go to bmwmoa.org, navigate to the Member Marketplace, login with your username and password, and follow the prompts to list your items or browse the current listings. Speaking of NEW benefits for BMW MOA members, did you know there's a new MOA Hotline? If you have phone service, the MOA Hotline is here to help. It's powered by Global Rescue and can get you the help you may need while on the road. Stranded, need a motel room or road side assistance? Call the MOA Hotline at 617-426-6621. The MOA Hotline is another FREE benefit included with your BMW MOA membership! To the delight of all you Rally Rats out there, the 2016 riding season is in full swing! The “When and Where” pages continue to be loaded with rallies, events, day rides and getaways. Multiple activities compete for your participation almost every weekend. Some of our friends have been hosting events for years. There's the 44th Original Mini Rally in Michigan, the 40th Hiawatha Rally in Minnesota, the 40th Iowa Rally, and the 44th Cascade Country Rendezvous in Washington. Then there is the annual Four Winds Rally in Pennsylvania. Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Four Winds Rally is the longest consecutive running rally in North America! Details for these and dozens of other events can be found in the Owners News and at bmwmoa.org. In closing, remember regardless of the distance every ride is an adventure! Thank You for Being a Member!
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BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
www.michelinmotorcycle.com
the club 12
shinysideup
The Extraction By Ron Davis #111820 AFTER
A
LONG,
cold winter on the “Frozen Tundra” here in Wisconsin, we usually can expect to be teased by a day or two of unseasonably warm weather in March. However, I’ve fallen for that false promise of spring before and stubbornly fight the urge to bring the bike out of dry dock before April Fool’s Day. Come to think of it though, holding off probably has less to do with my strength of will and more to do with the effort it takes to get my bike back on the road. You see, I’m one of those guys who actually brings his bike into the house for the off season. Yes, I do have a garage, but it’s a small one, only one stall, and it’s unheated, so I know I would worry all winter long about the effects of pogoing temperatures. As my favorite BMW mechanic once told me, “These bikes don’t like to sit in the cold.” Adding to my worries would be the likelihood of my bike trading some paint with my snowblower or my wife’s Ford, not to mention my garage’s open door policy when it comes to mice. But I also have more selfish reasons for bringing the bike in. There’s a special kind of comfort that comes from being able to sneak a longing look at the bike every time I go down to the basement to stoke our wood burner. After all, a bike left in the garage can get lonely. And, on a sub-zero weekend, being able to fondle and farkle in a cozy space with close proximity to a comfy rocking chair and a “beer fridge” (mandatory in Wisconsin) is hard to beat. So my bike waits on its centerstand mid-November through March, but
BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
once our road has slipped the bonds of its icy slicks and ruts in April, preparations for The Extraction begin. First, I call up my buddy Ralph for some help. He invariably gives me his usual “You know, I’m a very busy guy” (He’s been retired for four years, and whenever I visit, he seems to be “busy” watching Formula One and MotoGP races.) Ralph owes me, since some years I’ve also stabled his Bonny in my basement space. Next, I start prepping the runway. The threshold to our basement is raised about 10 inches, so ramps have to be set up. In addition, the basement door has to be removed, and laundry baskets, miscellaneous drum set parts, bins of Christmas ornaments and my wife’s monstrous elliptical machine have to be repositioned. On the bike, mirrors must be folded in, bar ends slipped off, and luggage racks removed. Once Ralph arrives, inevitably a little dance of egos has to take place before the actual bull work can begin. Ralph recites his usual collection of wiseacre remarks, knowing he has me in his power: “Doesn’t your daughter have a big, strong boyfriend?” and “Isn’t that my torque wrench?” and “I see your exercise machine makes a nifty clothes rack.” Then we do a quick review of how this is going to work—Yes, Ralph, once more, you will push, I will ride. A diabolical progression of close-quarter y-turns then gets the bike headed the right way, interspersed with various grunts, groans, unintelligible directions, and Ralph’s hilarious mock exclamations, always interrupted of course by the UPS guy, the propane guy, Jehovah’s Witnesses, or a lost turkey hunter. Getting through the door is the hard part. My handle bars measure 34 inches, the doorway is 32, so there are considerable leans, twists, frantic commands, and
clenched-teeth interpretations of the terms “left” and “right.” Finally the bike and I coast down the ramp on the other side and break out into the first sunlight the bike has seen in five months. The big finale is seeing if the motor will actually start. Invariably, the kill switch has gotten nudged, the key hasn’t been turned, or I’ve forgotten the kickstand has to be up, but in most cases, like a melodramatic TV defibrillator scene (Clear!), the bike comes to life. The grip is twisted, the throaty exhaust clears its throat, and it’s suddenly bike season again. But the ritual is not over. Ralph collects his well-earned payment of a cup of coffee and a morning bun from the local Trout Bum Bakery, and we exchange our latest complaints about other people (They’re the worst!). Eventually Ralph senses I’m eager to go for a ride, gathers his little white dog Jack and cuts his visit short. Once Ralph is gone, taking the bike out on the road is a tentative, cobweb-clearing affair, full of the familiar, first-ride-of-theyear fumbling. My shifts are tentative, I toddle through the turns, and I realize reviving last year’s skills and confidence will take some miles. However, in April, the prospects for future moto adventures appear ahead, beckoning and limitless, while memories of the bike’s winter incarceration fade well behind.
www.hannigantrikes.com
www.sistersmotorcycleride.com
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Picturethis
We asked our online readers to submit their photos showing
First Spring Ride 1
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1. T he white blooms on the trees and the green grass captured along my first ride of spring. Mark Tenney #45313 Chapel Hill, North Carolina
2. Trying to make my way on the Trail Ridge Road from Estes Park, Colorado, to Milner Pass in Rocky Mountain National Park. Rob Keller #144330 Bismarck, North Dakota
3. Spring in Texas means bluebonnets. I found these near Brenham, Texas. Bob Burrahm #180710 San Antonio, Texas 6 4. The Sierra Nevadas in the distance while riding west along the north perimeter of Death Valley, California. James Elliott #185857 Paulden, Arizona
5. The spiral grade near Lewiston, Idaho. Chuck Bouis #200532 Clarkston, Washington
6. M ile marker 10.8 on the Blue Ridge Parkway just south of Raven’s Roost Overlook. William Gwin #38971 Waynesboro, Virginia 7 7. N othing says spring quite like the “Super Bloom” in Death Valley National Park. Orlyn Fordham #141663 Minden, Nevada
8. G erman Valley off Route 33 between Franklin and Brandywine, West Virginia. Walter Halaja #60972 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
For July, our Picture This theme is "Favorite Place" One photo may be submitted per member and the best selected for publication in the BMW Owners News. Send your high resolution image, image description and member number to editor@bmwmoa.org.
May 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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RIDERTORIDER Send your letters and comments to: editor@bmwmoa.org
Saving what you've got
I knew my hearing would get worse as I grew older and also knew that riding would aggravate the problem, as it has been shown that exposure to high frequency wind noise is a major contributor to hearing damage. My hearing acuity has decreased in spite of the fact that during 40 years of riding, I have always worn hearing protection. I have tried everything from custom-molded appliances to foam and hard ear plugs with only limited success. I knew I had come to the point where I would have to limit my riding or find a better solution to protect my remaining hearing. I recently saw that Sena had a Noise-Control helmet, but I didn’t need a replacement helmet. I also knew of noise cancellation technology for air travel and found many products available from one to three hundred dollars. The high-end product was manufactured by Bose and because of their reputation, I called their sales division. They had no information regarding the use of their product with a motorcycle helmet and cautioned that riding earphones might preclude hearing honking or emergency vehicles. What they did tell me made me think it might be my solution. I am pleased to report that their earphones have reduced wind howl by at least 90 percent, yet I can hear my horn with no difficulty and do not think I will have any difficulty hearing approaching emergency vehicles. Riding has become quieter and more pleasant. The Bose unit has a rechargeable battery and is very light. It includes three sizes of earbuds to insure a good fit. Sena is the first manufacturer to incorporate sound reduction technology into helmets, but I believe we will see this become a standard for helmets in the future. I wish I had this option years ago. Antonio San Martin M.D. #68519 San Antonio, Texas
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BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
A statement of reliability
I have been riding BMWs since 1975 and have accumulated more than 500,000 miles on the brand. I have also been a BMW dealer for 21 of the last 40 years. I can say I have seen many bikes in need of repair, and I can assure Mr. Yuhas that both the ST 1100 and FJR have their own sets of problems. I recently stopped at Engle Motors, and the subject of conversation was an FJR final drive failure. Other members have been on the offensive regarding BMW reliability, and I would like to say that BMW never hid a potential problem and was proactive in every way to insure customer safety and satisfaction. By the way I've ridden all over Mexico, Alaska and the lower 48 and never carried a spare part. As my pal Norman Jones told me when we traveled to Mexico in 1977, "If you take something, it will never be the right part." Julius Dusterhoft #6299 Iowa City, Iowa
Touring articles wanted
Regarding Owners News, I’m disappointed by the lack of road tour articles, as if highway riding is bland and without challenges beyond monkey-butt. In my opinion, I ride the best bike out there, a BMW K 1600 GTL. I ride daily, and it’s my primary mode of transportation, including grocery shopping and trips to Home Depot. I am not a weekend warrior heading out alone or with a group, for a hamburger 100 miles away. Owners News seems solely oriented to the GS rider. Granted, more GS bikes are sold than K bikes, but we are just as interested and dedicated as off-road riders. And let me be clear, super highways are not the only paved roads that big bikes tour on. We just prefer pavement over dirt and gravel. I challenge many riders to undertake
the adventure of navigating congested inner city streets, packed commuter highways, drunken Saturday night parking lots, semi’s changing lanes in traffic or suburbanites who ignore stop signs. That is truly adventure riding, especially on a 750 plus pound bike with a passenger and luggage. For instance, how do you manage a big bike on soft surfaces, aplenty on highway shoulders? How do you turn in crowded situations or back up while your bike is pointing downhill or uphill. How do you camp with a big bike when the surfaces are soft or what are some suggestions regarding packing or carrying extra fuel? All of the same questions adventure riders seek answers for apply to touring bikes. I find most of my answers in on-line discussion groups dedicated to the GTL, but I don’t expect to be totally ignored by the MOA as Owners News does. It’s getting so that my membership in the MOA is being challenged. I used to rely on the advertisements for information, but I’ve just about covered all the one’s that are pertinent. If it wasn’t for the BMW Owners Anonymous book, which I haven’t used yet, I’d be hard pressed to justify remaining a member. Really good, solid product reviews and recommendations with photos for the big bike would be appreciated. America is not just remarkable to see from a trail. There are roads, inns and establishments all along paved roads like the Blue Ridge that don’t just cater to those trying to get 300 curves out of the trip. Besides, people, when you’re riding the Tail of The Dragon you’re looking at the pavement, not the scenery. When you’re navigating a trail, you’re looking at the ruts, rocks, branches and obstacles, not the scenery. Give me a reason to stay. Eric Kuritzky #189895 Orlando, Florida Thank you for your letter Eric. This is not the
first time we’ve heard remarks like yours regarding the lack of articles geared toward our K 1600 riding members. As you know, the stories you read each month in BMW Owners News are written by MOA members and you’ve asked some interesting questions that I hope will spur K 1600 riders to take action and contribute. Regarding a reason to stay, in addition to BMW Owners News and the Owners Anonymous book, additional reasons to maintain your membership each year are the MOA forum, the annual BMW MOA International Rally, our ever growing list of Weekend Getaways and Chartered Club rallies, the member marketplace, mileage contests, the MOA Gear Store, MOA Hotline, Platinum Roadside Assistance and Tire Protection and the discounts MOA members receive on things used everyday, including BMW Advantec Oil, KOA camping and much, much more. –Editor
A theory of lean
I have just read the letter from Tyszka and the answer from McNeil regarding "leaning out," or the transfer of a rider’s center of gravity away from the bike’s center of gravity. Shifting the rider off the side of the bike results in the bike leaning to the opposite direction. The combined rider and bike center of gravity still acts through the tire’s contact patch. This contact patch is no longer in the center of the tire's tread. The physics can be used as observed by Tyszka and explained by McNeil to increase ground clearance when racing. If the road is where you are riding, you will not likely have any need of this riding style as you will not be rubbing the hard parts of your bike on the pavement, but there is yet another effect of leaning the bike by shifting rider weight. Most riders have likely noticed that tires always wear out first at the center of the tread and at very low mileage. You can shift your weight off to the side and cause the bike to lean over, resulting in wearing the tire away from the center of the tread. If you lean to the outside while cornering, the bike will be banked deeper. If metal starts to scrape, reduce the amount of rider "lean out" and the noise will go away. If you "hang off" while traveling
straight, the bike will be leaned and tire wear will not be on the center of the tread. By using this theory and avoiding riding a bike on the center tread you should be able to stretch your tire life, but it will still wear out on center first. Lean in or lean out, and as long as the metal is not touching the ground, you are only changing where your tire's tread is wearing. Mark Howson #37273 Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario
Write more Mr. Barnett
Just when we have given up on people being able to write proper English and express themselves, along comes Bob Barnett in his letter to the editor, “Why we ride” in the March 2016 issue of BMW Owners News. Now certainly most of the authors of columns, articles, and letters to the editor in the Owners News write well and even with great humor—Jack Riepe being at the top of that list. However, trying to explain WHY we ride and doing it successfully with apparent great ease and eloquence, Mr. Barnett has indeed set the bar quite high. We respectively ask Mr. Barnett to submit either short or longer articles to future issues of Owners News. Suzanne and Stephen Weston #21714 and #21713 Parker, Colorado
Great product and service
Several years ago I purchased a World Sport seat from Sargent Cycle Products for my R 1200 GS. The seat has been very comfortable and has held up well, and I’ve done three Iron Butt rides on the Sargent saddle. However, for some unknown reason, the retaining pin on the passenger seat recently broke off, so I sent it to Sargent to be repaired, fully expecting to pay the costs since the warranty must have expired long ago. But Sargent repaired the seat and even replaced a rubber cover for the underseat storage compartment at no cost with no questions asked. It’s great to see a company willing to stand by its products and support its customers in such an exemplary manner.
That’s a rare thing nowadays, and companies like Sargent deserve our loyalty and support. Raymond Seto #123105 Santa Paula, California
Remembering Patty
A flood of memories came to me after reading Ron Davis’“Little bike, big lessons” in the March issue of Owners News. My motorcycle career began aboard a small Indian mini-bike (wish I still had it) and graduated to a Bridgestone 175 (wish I NEVER had bought it) and then onto a new 1973 Yamaha RD350 “giant killer.” My best memory came when Ron recalled his girlfriend wrapping “her arms tightly around me and putting her chin on my shoulder as we tooled along.” I had a flood of memories of a pretty girl name Patty with long blonde hair who rode with me with her chin on my shoulder so I could hear her talk. I had not thought of Patty in decades, and it was fun to recall a small piece of my teenage years. Thanks, Ron! Mike Cloke #192163 Clarkston, Washington
Abbreviations?
It was distracting to not know these unfamiliar acronyms in the Motosafe article in the December issue of Owners News: first sentence, “...each BRC I teach...?” What is BRC? What is an HOV lane? From the pictures, I noticed they were in California, but we don't have any in Wisconsin. I don't have much time to scan these articles and even less time to google abbreviations and try to guess at meanings. Can someone please clarify what the author of the article is talking about? Peter Feneht #148459 Madison, Wisconsin Sorry for the abbreviation confusion Peter. BRC is an acronym for the Motorcyle Safety Foundation's Basic RiderCourse. The acronym HOV refers to High Occupancy Vehicle lane, or car-pool lane, where vehicles must typically be carrying two people or more occupants to ride there. Motorcycles are exempt from that rule. –Editor
May 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS
17
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BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
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2016 MOA S
everal years ago, the MOA Getaway idea was introduced to provide a smaller event where members and friends could gather at great locations all over North America. The events are designed to be smaller than
a traditional rally setting and are typically hotel based with no need to pack your ThermaRest and tent. Because MOA Getaway events are typically designed for approximately 100 attendees, they are sure to sell out. We have a fantastic line up for 2016 already and are working to add more. Visit bmwmoa.org and click on the Events tab for details and registration information. See you soon at an MOA Getaway!
Eureka Springs, Arkans as August 19-21
Muskoka, On tario
We will return for the second time to the historic village of Eurek a Springs, located in the northwest corne r of Arkansas. This too is a beautiful area to ride or spend the day in town leisurely searching through the quaint shops.
May
27-29 This year we are excited to return for our second North -of-the-Border Getaway. Our base will be be autiful Camp Tamarac, situated on over 12 00 rugged acre s of pines and granite surrou nding its own very large private lake. You w ill have the chan ce to explore the area on road or get dirty on the network of AT V trails av ailable.
ho ene, Ida l A ’ d r u -18 Coe mber 16 ake new
Septe members and m the area and ur fellow
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BMW OWNERS NEWS  May 2016
y the Join yo f sights you enjo s a s plenty o d n y jo frie n auE re the be l resort. beautifu take off and explo or close by area! ounding tiful surr
Getaways cky Pineville, Kentu1
September 9-1 nd time to this
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Colorado Springs, C olorado Septe m
ber 30-Oc Come vis tober it one of A merica’s gre 2 with Pikes atest town Peak and s spectacula your door r rid step cyclist’s dre . Colorado Springs is ing at a motoram town. Sp weekend b y never lea end your Getaway ving town the moun or ride into tains and not spend town at all a ny time in !
Black Ri ver
Septem Falls, Wiscon ber 3 sin This w ill be ou 0-October 2 r first ev Falls,
ent in B but jud lack Rive ging fro previous r m the suc events in cess at this will nearby be a hit Tomah, too W street an d off roa ! There will be is., both d riding The wea opp th this eve er will be cool a ortunities. nt is dur nd crisp ing the , and the cran harvest berries! time for
s, Texas Marble Fallr 18-20
Novembe r 2016 and looks like a
is a lot ew spot fo This is a n t in central Texas there e S ! d e Fre ericksgreat on ing nearby d lu c in re earby points to explo and other n h c a b n e k c burg, Lu of interest.
Southwest ern, Utah Se pte
mber 23-25 R eturn to w here the MO A Getaway all started. concept Visit the ne arby nation or take off al parks in any dire ction, and find adventu you will re awaits yo u!
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inRoute v 4.0
Nearly flawless navigation for your iPhone By Matt DeWald #174635 THE REQUIRED FEATURES FOR A
cellphone routing app would seem to be reasonably simple: • voice navigation • easy-to-use routing • sufficient number of waypoints to create the perfect route • file-sharing functions for GPX files • navigation adaptability if a rider deviates from a planned course. Unfortunately, finding all these features bundled together in one phone app was impossible…until the January 2016 release of inRoute v 4.0. Created by Carob Labs LLC, inRoute combines all the critical functions for routing and navigation in one place. Importantly, this app (available only for iOS) can replace the expense and aggravation of having a separate GPS unit and has the ability to quickly create routes that get you to your desired destination. In order to leverage the full spectrum of features, users will need to purchase two in-app additions: “Route Planner Premium” which allows up to 25 waypoints versus five in the default version, waypoint optimization, GPX file sharing, weather forecasts and other information, and “Navigation & Severe Weather” which includes voice navigation with severe weather alerts. They cost $4.99 and $9.99, respectively, when purchased separately, or $11.99 when purchased as a bundle. Do not hesitate! Get the bundle and start riding your new routes.
Test equipment
To test the latest edition of inRoute, I used an Apple iPhone 6 on iOS version 9.2.1. Throughout the test, I appreciated smooth transitions from
22
BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
one waypoint to the next. There were no interruptions in navigation, turns were timely announced with adequate notice, and no user intervention was required. The voicespoken directions allowed me to secure the phone in my tankbag and keep my eyes on the road. However, a mounted, weatherproof case, such as a RAM Mount, may be a reasonable option for riders who like to see the map while riding. Additionally, I used an Interphone F5MC Communicator (tested in BMW Owners News February 2016, page 26) to wirelessly connect the iPhone to the communicator’s helmet speakers, along with No Noise Hearing Protectors (tested in BMW Owners News September 2014, page 118). Alternatively, riders can use high-quality, noise-reducing speaker headphones, such as a pair from Etymotic Research.
First impressions
InRoute (when fully bundled as previously discussed) provides rider-friendly information about the route such as elevation, curviness, and weather. The GPS will drain the iPhone battery quickly, so make provisions to power the phone from the bike’s 12V DC system or a supplemental battery pack if long trips are planned. Because the iPhone can play music while using inRoute, I enjoyed listening to my favorite tunes on long stretches, and the voice instructions politely interrupted
when necessary to provide directions.
Creating routes
Creating routes within inRoute is very simple. Whether using addresses, GPS coordinates, or dropped pins, inRoute connects waypoints. If the route is not lining up as desired, removing pins and changing the route order is quick and easy. Significantly, inRoute allows the user to start and end the route at the same point. Therefore, whether the rider is taking a 250-mile westward route or a 250-mile loop that begins and
ends at home, inRoute rises to the occasion. The app nicely provides the mileage and estimated time to complete the route as designed.
Misfires
On the downside, inRoute’s import function is imperfect, though still highly manageable. Because inRoute only allows 25 waypoints per route, the same applies to imports from other GPX programs. For instance, when uploading a GPX file from another program, the 25-waypoint limitation in inRoute means that the full details of a more elaborate route cannot be imported. inRoute gets the gist of the route, but does not get every turn with perfection. I had mixed reactions about inRoute’s ability to improvise when I deviated from the planned route. I liked that the app stayed focused on navigating to the next waypoint. (Google Maps and Apple Maps could do this seamlessly.) However, inRoute frustratingly repeats, “Recalculating, return to route when possible,” when I spontaneously changed course during navigation. This can be particularly annoying after the fifth announcement. The good news is that it will stop the chant when the shortest distance to the next waypoint is ahead of you and not behind you. inRoute does not include a route tracker. Therefore, I recommend purchasing Speedometer by Stanislav Dvoychenko (free with limited features or $3.99 for full features), which is only available for iOS, to work along with inRoute. By recording routes, Speedometer allows the user to view where he or she has been, share routes with other riders, and export routes into GPX and KML (Google Earth) files. Don’t waffle on this decision; splurge for the full-feature app.
Comparative apps
The path forward
Next up, I look forward to using inRoute to getting my riding companion and me to Hamburg, N.Y., for Das Rally. An eighthour journey featuring carefully selected backroads should appropriately test inRoute’s limits. For a total cost of $11.99, inRoute provides a complete suite of routing functionality, including route creation, voice navigation and waypoints. Compared to the cost of a navigation device that can easily reach $800 or more, inRoute definitely outweighs buying a separate GPS unit and provides smooth, voice-directed navigation. PROS: voice navigation, adaptability when there is a change in route, ability to upload and export GPX files CONS: “Recalculating, return to route when possible;” allows 25 waypoints (which can hinder GPX imports); not available on Android
May 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS
23
www.ztechnik.com
During my pursuit of the perfect app, I extensively tested Google Maps, Apple Maps, Ride Planner, GPSies+, Scout Maps, Rever, GPS Drive, MotionX-GPS, MapQuest, and Garmin. These apps range in price from free (such as for Google and Apple Maps) to $60 for Garmin.
Google Maps was the closest to providing a complete set of routing features. At one point, Google Maps allowed uploads of routes from the desktop to the app. Aside from the random disappearance of that function, it was not capable of maintaining routes shaped like loops (for instance, where the start and end points were the same). However, it is by far the best app when looking to go from point-to-point with little or no planning, especially with its non-highway options. Garmin’s app turns off voice instructions when the rider deviates from the planned course. In addition to its high price point, creating waypoints is difficult and time consuming on a mobile device. It also cannot import a GPX file. Mapquest also completely fails to handle deviations from the planned route, which is significantly limiting when the rider is in the mood to meander and explore or accidently misses a turn. When this happens, Mapquest tries to navigate the rider to the start of the route. The only solution is to completely shut down Mapquest and switch over to Google Maps or Apple Maps.
member tested 24
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iXS Madox All-Season boots By Jerry Riederer #135671 I’VE NEVER GIVEN A LOT OF
combination of supple, water resistant nappa calf leather and an extremely tough textile. A waterproof GORE-TEX® membrane lines the entire boot. The breathabil-
resistant. Tough reinforcement pads, located on the top inside toe area, prevent wear to the boot, whether the shift lever is on the right or left. The toe profile is nicely tapered and makes for an easy fit under the shift lever. iXS Madox boots have been tested and classified as personal protective equipment according to EU guidelines. They have earned the highest level certification (Level 2) for impact, abrasion/cut resistance and rigidity. Toe and heel cups are strengthened, and padding is added to the shin and ankle areas to protect from crushing or scraping. The boots are about midcalf height with a generous top opening to prevent chafing. The closure is a full length zipper on the arch side of the boot with a waterproof leather hook-and-loop over-flap for additional protection.
thought to my riding boots. Of course I always wear appropriate footwear as part of my ATGATT (“All The Gear All The Time”) approach to riding; however, I’ve not spent much time considering the relative virtues of one boot over another. I really just want my boots to quietly go about their job without much fuss. I want warm feet during those cold spring and fall rides. I want cool comfort in late July, and I want dry feet anytime the clouds open up overhead. Is that too much to ask from one pair of motorcycle boots? Not with the Madox AllSeason Boots from iXS. The iXS Motorcycle Fashion brand of clothing is based in Switzerland and has been around since 1979. While Road test this brand may be relaWell, that’s enough assessing tively new to the US marthe boots from the comfort of ket, iXS has been very my office chair; time to take popular in the European them out on the road. My first and Asian markets for ride was on a 62 degree, sunny decades. The company September day, which admittakes pride in providing tedly did not test their water uncompromisingly safe resistance, but did give me an motorcycle apparel that idea of their general comfort is fashionable, functional and function. The boots fit and comfortable. The comfortably right out of the Madox boot is the flag- Outstanding quality, comfort and function make the Madox boot a sound box. It should be noted that ship of their touring boot investment. they are Euro-sized, and I had line. As with other iXS to trust the iXS sizing chart ity of the GORE-TEX® inner lining along products that I have tested, these which told me to order one size smaller with the combination of outer materials boots scream quality right out of the than I have worn before. This was definitely maintains optimal climate comfort for your box. They feel substantial in the hand, the right move; the boots fit perfectly. On feet, even in the most diverse weather conwith impressive quality materials and the road, the boots felt comfortable in my ditions. The sole is slip, scuff and oil workmanship. The uppers are a standard riding position. The left boot
BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
RENT BMWs IN CALIFORNIA
profile allows the toe to slide easily under the shift lever without binding. This first ride lasted about two hours, and the boots remained comfortable throughout. My initial test ride gave me the confidence to trust these boots for a major expedition. I wore the boots down to the BMW RA’s national rally in Harrison, Ark. The two-day trip down from Wisconsin was quite warm, but my feet stayed cool and dry in the breathable Madox boots combined with merino wool riding socks. Once I reached the Ozark Mountains, I enjoyed several great rides where temperatures varied between 40-70 degrees depending on elevation. Again, the Madox boots kept my feet warm, dry and comfortable. These boots aren’t just comfortable on the bike. While at the rally, I walked miles in them and found them to be as comfortable as any street shoe. On my ride home, the boots were really put to the test as I rode for two days through constant rain and drizzle in temperatures varying between 45-60 degrees. At the end of each day, my feet were the only part of me that was still warm and dry. A few months later, I decided to put the boots to one more test and wore them sledding on an 18 degree day in Wisconsin. They held up perfectly and kept me warm, despite the extreme weather and non-traditional activity. The iXS Madox boots exceeded all expectations and passed every test I threw their way with flying colors. Out of the box fit is perfect as long as you trust the iXS sizing chart, and they are as stylish as an all-black motorcycle boot can possibly be. Quality like this doesn’t come cheap, but at the end of a long, damp day of riding, you’ll be glad you spent a few extra dollars. iXS Madox boots: $369. Contact: Ixsusa.com PROS: High quality materials and workmanship with exceptional performance, comfort, and style. CONS: Near the top of price range for similar products.
May 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS
25
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Revved!
Obsessions of a Midlife Motorcyclist By Ron Davis #111820 LOOKING FOR A MOTORCYCLE
book featuring life or death encounters with road bandits, heroic expeditions crossing trackless wastelands, or tense confrontations with armed border guards? To paraphrase that famous Stormtrooper, this is not the book you’re looking for. Instead, Revved! Obsessions of a Midlife Motorcyclist by Stuart A. Kirk offers a thoughtful, elegantly-written narrative of one man’s reintroduction to the motorcycling life that will resonate with practically any rider who shares his “obsessions.” Following a preface by Melissa Holbrook Pierson (The Perfect Vehicle), Kirk’s story begins with an ignominious account of his first real ride after taking a 20-year break from motorcycling. Aboard his shiny, fresh-out-of- the-box BMW R 75 S, he crashes. But instead of giving up his dream of becoming a motorcyclist, he begins a methodical journey through stages of studying, outfitting himself with the proper gear, attending training classes, and practicing riding technique, which he comes to recognize are essential milestones on the road to experiencing the sublime pleasures motorcycling can present. Flannery O’Connor once wrote something to the effect that she wouldn’t read “the Lord’s own book” if it didn’t hold her attention. It’s a view I share, especially since in my role as an English teacher, I’m besieged each day with all kinds of writing I have to read, whether it holds my attention or not. Divided into a series of essays of
BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
varying length such as “Terrors of the Track,” “Finding My Niche,” and “Lane Splitting in La-La Land,” Revved! easily kept me engaged. Kirk’s storytelling is free from awkward prose and long, philosophical dis-
courses, and this kept me reading at a steady pace, almost like a gentle cruise down a favorite highway. One facet of the book I found intriguing was the attention Kirk gives to the social aspect of his burgeoning motorcycling experience. A former professor of social welfare at UCLA and Columbia as well as the author and co-author of a host of books
on social welfare, psychiatry, and psychology, Stuart Kirk devotes considerable space to his efforts to join and even create small communities of riding compatriots. I’ve never been much of a joiner when it comes to riding, but reading how Kirk systemically seeks out motorcyclist gathering points to find a group of like-minded riders and then describes the benefits of riding with a group have made me reconsider this dimension of motorcycling I’m sure many riders enjoy. As community building is one of the most remarked-on benefits of belonging to the MOA, I’m sure many member-readers will be nodding in agreement as they “listen” to the quiet conversation Kirk’s book provides. Readers will also appreciate Kirk’s descriptions of some of the best roads for motorcycling in Southern California and Arizona. Having owned something like 30 motorcycles and toured over much of the country, Stuart Kirk can obviously speak with the voice of experience, and though some of the author’s advice on gear and techniques like cornering and lane splitting may be familiar to more experienced riders, these passages will be helpful to neophytes and are not delivered pedantically. Revved! Obsessions of a Midlife Motorcyclist is a road map for those just saddling up for their journey into motorcycling and, at the same time, a reflective trip log for those who have been riding for years. “Obsessed” or not, riders of all types are sure to find a run through this book will enhance their joy of motorcycling. Revved! Obsessions of a Midlife Motorcyclist, 178 pages, Corkscrew Publishing. Available from Amazon.com, $16.95 paperback/$9.95 Kindle.
www.ceebaileys.com/cycle
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Rok Straps By Wes Fleming, #87301 WHEN I THINK BACK ON ALL THE
ways I tied things to the back of my motorcycle, I shudder a little and thank Karl Rapp, Soichiro Honda and George Hendee that I’m still alive. Rope. Twine. Bungee cords. Bungee nets. Flat web straps. Leather belts. PACKING TAPE. Ratcheting tie-down straps. Seriously, it’s amazing I’m still here to tell you about my experience with Rok Straps. I was at the murderously hot and humid Bloomsburg Rally a few years ago and found myself needing to transport some extra stuff home for a friend, but I’d given my trusty (and old) bungee net to somebody else struggling to strap gear to their bike.
At one of the vendor booths—I forget who it was now—they were selling these Rok Straps in a variety of colors. Some had hooks on the ends, but the ones that drew my attention had no hooks, but instead, loops at their ends. The gimmick was that you loop the ends around a frame member or grab handle, then load your gear and secure it with the straps. One side stretches a bit; the two ends buckle together and then the non-stretchy side has the adjustment. It’s easy – just pull on the end of the strap until your gear is secure. I keep two Rok Straps across the back seat of my R 1200 GS all the time just in case I have to transport something. I didn’t learn until later how innovative the Rok Straps are. The flat design keeps them from rolling out of place like a typical
cord or rope. The stretch material seems sturdy beyond my needs, and even though mine stay on the bike and are exposed to rain, sun and even the occasional snowflake, they have not deteriorated in the least and continue to provide enough tension to keep my cargo secure. The bright yellow, high-visibility color hasn’t faded, and the lack of hooks on the ends of the straps has kept my bike (and my cargo) scratch-free. Currently on my third set of Rok Straps, I find myself foolishly loaning them to people, then finding out they like them as much as I do, which invariably means I have to buy a new set. Rok Straps are inexpensive enough so it’s not a burden to keep a set or two in the top case. Just don’t loan them out; you won’t get them back!
Available in many sizes and lengths, Rok Straps secure to your bike via loops and connect with a buckle. Visit rokstraps.com/moto for info.
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BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
www.schuberth.com
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Wolfman Overland Duffle An “everything bag” for adventurers By Ron Davis #111820 SINCE ITS STARTUP IN 1992, WOLF-
man has steadily earned a worldwide reputation for its American-made soft luggage for motorcycles. With a focus on producing versatile and tough stowage for dual-purpose and adventure riding, the Colorado manufacturer offers an extensive line of tailbags, saddle bags, tank bags and tank panniers. Among their new and updated products for 2016 is the Overland Duffel, a large tail/rack bag that may become one of their most successful designs yet. A permanent part of my everyday gear, my Wolfman Backhawk tank bag seems almost custom made for bikes like my BMW F 700 GS. The Overland Duffel also has an innovative, ridersensitive design, spurning the usual cylindrical shape for more of a pillow profile, 20 inches wide, 15 inches long, and 9 inches high. Wolfman rates the duffel’s storage capacity at 45 liters, but
in real world terms, I was able to easily pack in the following: a pair of Darien pants, an armored summer jacket, a jacket liner, rain pants, gloves, a complete change of clothing, a water bottle and a toiletries kit, not to mention a bunch of doodads stored in a detachable, zippered pouch that lies across the top of all of this. That see-through, clear mesh pouch in the Overland measures about 10 by 10 inches and clips to two internal compression straps, but despite the obsession motorcycle clothing and luggage designers seem to have with pockets, the pouch is the only separate compartment in this duffel. Frankly, with a lot of compartments and pockets, I often have trouble remembering where I put things, so I like the one-bagholds-all approach. Riders more fond of orderliness could of course use stuff sacks
Two internal compression straps are featured in the Overland duffle and buckle to a clear mesh pouch for small, quickly accessible items.
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BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
The new Overland Duffle from Wolfman Luggage is a tough, attractive solution for holding about 45 liters of gear.
to sort their gear. The zipper for the cover of the duffel winds around in a full “U,” making it easy to survey all the contents of the bag, and the brawny, two-way zipper is covered by a wide flap. Wolfman always seems to come up with novel answers to the question, “How do I carry this bag when it’s off the bike?” The Overland includes two wide, clip-on straps that convert the bag to a backpack. True, it’s not a backpack with a frame and waist or chest belt, but I found it comfortable and could easily see wearing it around as I drool my way through the vendor area at Das Rally! or to and from a campsite or motel room. A third strap is included that clips to two D-rings on the duffel, so it can be carried over the shoulder through an airport, where it conforms to carry-on restrictions. Suitcase? Carry handles are featured at both ends and on the middle of the top. As with much of its line, the construction of Wolfman’s Overland Duffel features heavy duty, 1680 denier ballistic vinyl fabric with substantial vinyl side panels. Though tough and good looking, it’s not waterproof, so Wolfman offers an optional rip-stop nylon rain cover with a cord-lock to keep it secure ($18.99). I didn’t get caught in any rain with the bag on my bike, but the rain
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cover should keep your gear dry, though it’s possible the bottom of the bag could become damp in a ride through a prolonged downpour. Since the bag bristles with a plethora of attachment points, riders can easily buckle on bottle holsters, stuff sacks and other gear, and all those docking features also make the bag adaptable for mounting on most bikes. Included with the duffel are two adjustable, loop-ended straps with polycarbonate buckles for securing the bag. I positioned the bag just aft on an F 700’s pillion seat and rear rack, using the bike’s side case mounts as anchor points, though with the Overland’s oval shape, riders using a topbox may find the forward edge of the duffel crowds right up to their backs. Full of gear, the bag’s low profile offered little wind resistance and was stable at speed. Empty, I used some Touratech Zega-Belts to compress the Overland to keep it from flapping around, but the fabric on this bag is so heavy, that probably was not necessary. For around $160 plus shipping, Wolfman’s Overland Duffel may be one motorcycle accessory good for the life of the user. Ease of use, functional design, and versatility, also hallmarks of all the Wolfman gear I’ve tested, make this a solid storage solution for those looking to carry their gear over both the road and the trail.
www.imtbike.com
PROS: Life of the user construction, versatility in transport and fitment CONS: Not waterproof without rain cover
May 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS
31
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www.re-psycle.com 11
11
new
PRoductnews Buy three, get one liter free
BMW Motorrad USA recently announced that all current BMW MOA members are eligible to receive a free liter of BMW Motorrad Advantec engine oil. MOA members may present their valid membership card at any participating BMW Motorrad dealer for a free liter of Advantec Ultimate or Pro when buying at least three liters and one BMW oil filter over the parts counter or with a 600 mile break-in service, scheduled maintenance service or between scheduled service appointments. Advantec Pro 15W-50 and Ultimate 5W-40 engine oils were specifically developed for BMW Motorrad high-performance engines and use unique formulas to guarantee long-term performance. MOA members are limited to one free liter of Advantec per individual visit, per repair order or per parts invoice. The offer is valid now through March 31, 2017. For more information, visit your local BMW Motorrad dealer.
The MOA's motorcycle diaries
Corbin offers saddle for new R 1200 RS
Corbin's Dual Sport saddle for the new BMW R 1200 RS features high density Comfort Cell foam which allows a clean profile while providing a firm, supportive ride. The seating position is also ergonomically shaped to fit the curve of a rider’s body while providing better weight distribution. The new seat is constructed using genuine leather, allowing it to breathe and conform to the foam shape during break-in. The saddle is also available in a heated version for both the rider and passenger positions. MSRP for the Corbin Canyon Dual Sport seat is $453 for the unheated option and $593 with heat. For more information, visit corbin.com.
What do Pam Fisher, Rick Klain, John Phillips, Kurtis Minder and Jon Graham all have in common? First, they’re MOA members; second, they’re bloggers! Writing about racing (including MotoGP, WSBK and F1), safety and training, Airheads and camping (both rough and not so rough), they’re part of a new section of the MOA’s website, www. bmwmoa.org. Click on “NAV” in the menu bar, then on “BLOGS” to access the newest section of the site. All are welcome to comment on any of the blogs, and anybody can add fun, interesting and motorcycle-related videos to the MotoVideo blog. More blogs (and more posts on the existing blogs) are coming in the future, so subscribe now and stay tuned! See our Twitter feed (@BMWMOA) for links and more info.
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BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
Life Membership Getaway Prize
The BMW MOA Weekend Getaways have been a huge success with MOA members. Spread across the United States and Canada, Weekend Getaways offer a smaller, more intimate opportunity to meet like-minded BMW riders in fun and exciting locales surrounded by some great roads. The number of MOA Getaways jumped to nine for 2016 with more dates and venues being planned. If great motorcycling roads and camaraderie of old and new MOA friends aren’t enough to get you on your bike, maybe the grand prize being given away at each Getaway will. This year, one lucky MOA member at each of the nine currently scheduled Getaways will win a LIFETIME MOA MEMBERSHIP. For more information about the 2016 MOA Getaways and to register, visit bmwmoa.org and click on the Events tab.
l
Have you registered for Das Rally yet?
Registration for the 44th BMW MOA Rally is open. Visit bmwmoa.org and click on the DAS RALLY! link at the top of the page. See you in Hamburg this summer!
KOA Value Kard
KOA is now offering BMW MOA members a free one-year trial membership in the KOA Value Kard Rewards program. With membership to Value Kard Rewards, BMW MOA members receive 10 percent off the daily registration rate at nearly 500 KOA campgrounds in North America. Additionally, members will earn Value Kard points redeemable toward savings on future stays and access to member only offers. To get your KOA Value Kard, get your promotional PIN number in your MOA member profile at bmwmoa.org then visit valuekard. com/bmwmoa and register. Some restrictions do apply.
Metzeler RACETEC RR COMPK tires now available
First announced in January but now coming onto the market are Metzeler’s RACETEC RR COMPK Slick for track day riders and RACETEC RR Slick for full-on racing. The RR Slick is available in K1 and K2 compounds, while the COMPK Slick is designed for higher mileage that track day riders demand. These tires round out the RR family, which includes the SPORTEC M7 RR and RACETEC RR. Metzeler’s commitments to grip, handling and riding precision reach their zenith with these tires, whether the rider is a competitive racer or just having fun on the track.
May 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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High Mileage Honor Roll and Consumer Liaison volunteer changes THE VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE OF THE BMW MOA BOARD
of Directors would like to offer their sincere thank you and appreciation to Eric Peterson #15737 and Jim Wright #99250 for their years of outstanding volunteer service to our organization. Since May of 2012 Eric Peterson has served the MOA as the High Mileage Honor Roll Coordinator. He assumed his responsibilities from his good friend and fellow Colorado rider Tony Black, and for the past four years he has followed and recorded the progress of high mileage BMW MOA riders as they approached each 100,000-mile plateau. Moving all of the previous paper mileage records to a spreadsheet he now manages on his computer was a big hurdle Peterson faced initially, and now, as he hands off the High Mileage Honor Roll responsibilities, he does so with the simple passing of a CD. An MOA member since 1980, Peterson’s own mileage total aboard BMW motorcycles is itself significant, as he is approaching 400,000 miles. Taking over for Peterson will be Jim Heberling #191926 of Le Roy, Ill. An MOA member since 2013, Heberling has served the organization as a volunteer at BMW MOA International Rallies in St. Paul, Minn., and Billings, Mont., and he is looking forward to working again with the Go-fer team this summer in Hamburg, N.Y. Heberling began riding in 1965 and joined the MOA after buying his current bike, a 2013 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure, upon his retirement. He now enjoys riding to rallies, both in the Midwest and at BMW MOA events across the country, as well as volunteering his time to his church and local Audubon society. Jim Wright of Tyron, N.C., joined the BMW MOA in 1999 and became the BMW MOA Consumer Liaison in 2010 after seeing a request for volunteers in BMW Owners News. Wright’s professional background includes 40 years of work in the pulp, paper and forest products industry where he was involved in Human Resources, with a significant emphasis on labor relations, contract negotiations and administration. He believes the skills he developed in those areas, including problem solving and determining creditability, made his role as MOA Consumer Liaison easier. “I have enjoyed helping members solve problems, sometimes with a degree of creativity,” Wright said. Working with BMW MOA members, he has dealt with problems ranging from complex mechanical issues to simple
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BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
interpersonal differences, where listening carefully and making thoughtful recommendations has often settled disputes. According to Wright, sometimes all that was involved was getting two parties to talk to one another, while at other times a degree of persistence was necessary to get one side or the other to open their minds and try to find a solution. Wright has always enjoyed solving problems and “likes things to have clear, clean conclusions.” Currently, the BMW MOA’s Consumer Liaison position is vacant, and members interested in the position are urged to contact BMW MOA Executive Director Bob Aldridge at bob@bmwmoa.org or by calling the BMW MOA office at 864-438-0962.
W A N T E D CONSU MER LIAISON
• Are you a problem solver? • Are you good at fin ding creative solutio ns? • Do you have the ab ility to maintain a balanced viewpoint on difficult issues?
The BMW MOA is curre ntly seeking a voluntee r to fill the position of Consumer Liaison. As one of seve ral “Key Volunteers,” this position serves the members hip of the MOA by acting as a facilitator to help our members resolve consumer-rel ated issues. Applicants for this po sition require no forma l legal experience, however some background in comp laint and grievance resolution would be preferred. If this sounds like so mething that fits yo ur personality, we would love to tal k to you! Contact: bob@bmwm oa.org
www.bmwmotorcycles.com/gearup
news
NEWS
2015 MOA Mileage Contest correction THE 2015 BMW MOA MILEAGE CONTEST
results posted in our April issue did not include finishers from the states of Arkansas and California and incorrectly listed our Arizona finishers. In our search for the reason, we've discovered that Microsoft Word and Adobe ARIZONA - 26 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 MOA # Name Year Model Year Model 94648 Bob Still 2013 F800GT 2014 R1200GSA 39115 Heidi Still 2007 F650GSA 2009 F800ST 114540 Darrel Wells 2013 K1600GT 2007 R1200GS 110283 John Kersh 2008 R1200RT 1997 R1100GS 58537 Deryle Mehrten 2008 K1200GT 2002 K1200RS 108299 Tim Kash 2013 R1200GS-WC 131796 Michael Shaffer 2014 R1200RT 53274 Brian Ott 1995 R100RT 60547 Richard Lee Schmidt 1998 R1100R 1994 R100GSPD 100503 Scott Swanson 2011 R1200RT 2014 R1200GSA 172496 Ray Blecker 2011 R1200R 2015 S1000R 40624 Steve T. Skrabak 2013 R1200GS 2015 R1200GS 38304 Stephen Cantrill 2013 R1200R 2016 R1200RS 141364 Randy Young 2006 K1200LT 104544 Jodi Koller-Smee 2006 F650GS 2008 F800ST 152952 Steve Keller 2009 R1200GSA 100047 Robert Kruse 1996 R1100RT 1975 R75/6 62287 Angie Brennan 2004 K1200RS 2007 F800ST 34477 Shelley Hogan 2008 F800ST 189927 Paul Parsons 1995 R1100GS 1282 Philip Zell 2014 K1600GT 34467 Chet Gandy 2007 R1200RT 2010 K1300GT 110196 Bern Juracka 2002 R1150RT 152951 Heather Keller 2009 F650GS 94778 Deborah Josselyn 2002 R1150R 163660 Steven Cass 2010 R1200RT 2006 F650GS ARKANSAS - 6 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 MOA # Name Year Model Year Model 103656 Steve Barnhill 2014 R1200GSA-WC 182290 Bob Martin 2006 R1200GSA 181824 Mike Causey 2009 R1200RT 1973 R75/5 39280 Wally Melik 2013 R1200RT 62350 Pattie Melik 2004 R1150RS 188682 Keith Wood 2000 R1100R CALIFORNIA - 48 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 MOA # Name Year Model Year Model 25244 Dave McQueeney 2013 R1200R 2002 R1150R 137679 Ralph Fox 2004 R1150R 2009 R1200GSA 137690 John Katics 2000 R1100R 2007 R1200GS 129629 William Lopez-Hertan 2005 R1150R 125972 David Swift 2007 R1200RT 2004 R1150GSA 67993 Colt Self 1995 R100GSPD 1999 R1100S 137667 Jim Bullen 2009 K1300GT 2012 K1600GT
TOTAL MILES 26,750 25,010 21,619 14,891 14,051 13,117 13,093 12,580 12,172 10,585 10,08 9,807 9,727 9,386 9,118 8,349 8,338 8,104 7,525 7,111 5,373 4,201 4,017 2,395 1,779 1,192 270,375
InDesign don't play well together, and for some reason, InDesign did not import the correct information as it usually does. This is an embarrassing omission of the information from our MOA brothers and sisters from those three states who faithfully sent in their mileage information, and
we apologize for any misunderstanding or disappointment this may have caused. Below are the full and correct listings of the finishers from the affected states. –Editor
108960 113211 138157 99616 42793 108471 183647 112737 189557 158033 34496 124867 92422 87816 32980 92368 26224 124627 197578 137129 184503
111615 Ellen Welter 2013 F800GT 2015 F700GS 6,727 13902 Gary Paun 2001 K1200LT 2008 K1200LT 6,712 130343 Karen Rice 2005 F650GS 2015 F700 6,255 131253 Steve Thorns 2014 R1200GS-WC 6,199 11500 Carl Schultes 1998 R1100RT 2009 K1300GT 6,127 139140 Chris Thorns 2013 R1200GS-WC 5,831 158163 Don Strand 2014 K1600GT 5,739 105084 Fred Morgan 2003 K1200GT 2007 K1200RSpt 5,533 110762 Marv Lewis 1999 K1200LT 1983 R80ST 5,226 205186 Paul Stark 2015 R1200RT 5,126 68566 David Tegen 1997 F650 1994 R1100RS 5,084 177315 Ken Clark 2009 R1200RT 3,882 102653 Bill Reitz 2006 K1200LT 3,288 122684 Ed Anjel 2005 R1200GS 3,162 108765 Charlene McLauchlan 2000 R1200C 2012 F800GS 2,887 194483 Lance Harrison 1993 K75S 2,790 192020 Michelle Lawson 2003 F650CS 2015 Loaner 2,465 99852 Ron Hanford 2009 R1200RT 2,334 113876 Steven Kesinger 2003 K1200GT 1994 R100GS 2,263 89398 Harald Westendorf 2006 R1200GSA 705 439,625
Colleen Sepulveda 2010 R1200GS Dale McNeely Jr 1985 Ursula 2003 Greda Bryan Holladay 2004 K1200RS Peter Perrin 2000 R1150GS 2012 K1600GT Larry Rochellle 2010 R1200GSA Philip Graber 2010 R1200GS Ren Voss 2013 R1200RT Jeanie Thurston 2013 R1200RT Marv Watkins 2011 R1200RT Ernesto Rivera 2009 F650GS Mark Lawless 1996 K1100RS John Beaver 1999 R1100RT 2009 F800GS Dewayne Harkov 2000 R1100RT 2008 R1200GSA Sharron Zoyhofski 2014 F700GS Guenther Hofen 2006 R1200RT 1983 R100RT Howard Meiseles 2010 K1300S Fulton Martin 2008 R1200GS Charles Setter 2005 k1200LT Clayton Jolley 2002 R1150RT Lynn Fowler 2014 F800GT Ted Viers 2014 R1200RT
13,423 12,713 12,246 11,851 11,826 11,753 9,836 9,812 9,102 9,046 8,875 8,703 8,698 8,427 8,188 7,958 7,644 7,488 7,462 7,343 7,148
TOTAL MILES 16,561 14,353 11,100 10,450 6,800 6,318 65,582 TOTAL MILES 32,818 24,855 22,961 21,041 18,271 16,180 15,622
www.countryrode.com
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BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
www.throttlerocker.com
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Machu Picchu – May 7 & Sept. 10, 2016 Bolivia – Aug. 6 & Sept. 24, 2016 • Ushuaia – Nov. 18, 2016
13 years of experience organizing motorcycle tours. The largest BMW motorcycle travel company in Latin America. BMW International Travel Partner. BMW Dealer for Southern Chile. info@motoaventura.cl www.motoaventura.cl www.motoaventura.cl
Independent touring or guided tours with multilingual guide, mechanic and support vehicle.
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May 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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NEW
NEWS
Vintage BMW orphan list available By Kurt Schrader #20774 PRIOR TO THE LATE 1930S, ENGINE AND
frame chassis numbers did not match as delivered from the factory in Munich. They weren’t even close! For example, for the late 1920s R 52, the chassis numbers ranged from 20000 to 30600, while the engine numbers were listed from 47001 to 51383. Later in the 1930s, the numbering became a little more ordered. The R 35 and R 75, produced in the late 1930s and early 1940s respectively, were the first instances when the numbers began to match on delivered motorcycles. Matching numbers comes into play when motorcycles are bought and sold, and it is more than a passing interest to those who are hoping to keep together a slice of history by having a vehicle with at least the same frame and engine it had when delivered from the factory. “They are only new once” is often heard, but for a group of motorcycle enthusiasts, having the motorcycle the way it first existed is high on their list. Some like to just ride them, but some like to relish in the piece of history they own. However, stuff happens over time, where frames and engines are no longer together. As we all know, frames get bent and need to be replaced. Engines expire sometimes in tragic ways, and they too are replaced. Another popular pastime is to take a later engine and literally stuff it into an older frame, creating what is called a conversion. The engines from the 1970s are often put into frames from the 1960s, especially the Earles fork frames. The better conversions often include an upgrade for the brakes as well. After all, the only thing more important than having more power is having the ability to slow down. I’ve even seen Oilhead engines squeezed into these older www.twistedthrottle.com/bmw
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BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
frames in well-engineered conversions, and even mounting Volkswagen engines in these older frames was a fun pursuit at one time. Since 2009, a website has been maintaining a list – a catalogue of the numbers for frames and engines long separated from their mates. Those who own these orphaned items are open to finding the owners of the other half of the motorcycle in hopes of bring their bike back together. The website was developed by the BMW Veteran Motorcycle Club of America and can be found at http://bmwvmca.org/. After entering the website, find the Orphan List on the left side. The list is organized by model number and includes the engine or frame number, what the current owner’s intentions are, and an email contact. Some listings are for people who happen to have one of these items and are looking to pass them along (which translates to selling), while others are looking to find a missing item for the orphaned part they already have. Having the email contact lets the interested parties work out the details of the transaction.
Scattered through the list of frames and engines are other items like steering stem badges that people have somehow ended up with. These were plates that were screwed to the steering stem in the 1950s and 1960s, which in effect made some motorcycles triple matching! Also in this orphan list are old titles, and a recent addition is the “Kraftfahrzeugbrief ” or Motor Vehicle Letter. These are the German “papers” that came with the delivery of each bike from the factory. If you’re interested in this side of motorcycle ownership, please review the orphan list at the website given above. If you have buried away in your garage an item from the list and would like to see it mated again, check the list and make contact with the individual. That sounds like motorcycle Karma, please let me know if such an event happens, so that the list can be updated. There have been five or six reunions in the past, so it does happen! If you are interested in having items that you own included in the list, please contact me at kurt@bmwmoa.org, and I’ll be glad to update the website. www.twistedthrottle.com/s1000xr May 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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BMW OWNERS NEWS  May 2016
NEWS
MOA Foundation to give away Wunderlich R 100 Custom Classic WHEN
IT
ROLLED
OFF THE
BMW
Motorrad assembly line more than 30 years ago, it carried the model designation R 100 RT. It sported a large, aerodynamically developed fairing with built-in air vents that provided the rider excellent touring comfort. In the back were detachable Krauser-built saddlebags, and it was green. It was pretty nice bike back in 1983. That was then – this is now! The Wunderlich America shop in Watsonville, Calif., has just introduced its latest custom creation from the minds of Eddie and Bill Plam: the Wunderlich “Custom Classic.” This sweet custom build begins with a powder coated boxer motor featuring every moving part rebuilt or replaced as was each
seal, gasket, nut and bolt. All told, more than $10,000 in upgraded Wunderlich goodies and accessories have been installed. Some of those goodies include a pair of 40 mm Dell’Orto carbs, a Valeo starter, an Anti-Gravity battery, an oil cooler kit and twin 38mm Hoske Black Chrome mufflers. To make it ride as good as it looks, a pair of Ohlins Street Performance shocks with black springs are mounted in back, while fork preload adjusters take care of the ride up front. Other highlights on the goodie list include a 36mm clip-on handlebar set featuring bar-end turn signals, Motogadget M-Unit V2 digital control unit, Motogadget motoscope speed indicator, Devil’s Eye LED taillight, Tarozzi Café rearset, Monza
fuel cap, snowflake wheels powdercoated black and much, much more. As cool as this beauty is, the best part of all is that it could be yours with your entry into the BMW MOA Foundation raffle. Tickets for the raffle go on sale May 1 and will be available through June 30. Tickets are $25 each, or to increase your chances to win, buy five for $100. The drawing for the Wunderlich R 100 Custom Classic will take place Saturday, July 16, at the Das Rally! concert stage, and winners need not be present to win. Visit bmwmoa.org today and take the first step to bringing this baby home! Proceeds for this raffle will be used to support the BMW MOA Foundation and continued rider education and safety.
May 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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Skin protection from the first mile to the last. LDComfort’s Dual Layer fabric keeps you drier. Undergarments for serious riders. View our full line of undergarments at
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1.888.642.7091
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May 2016  BMW OWNERS NEWS
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NEWS
Meet the MOA Regional Coordinators THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE
BMW Motorcycle Owners of America reads, “To foster communication and a sense of family among BMW motorcycle enthusiasts.” While some of our members interpret that as meaning tent camping at a rally, others consider it participation in an online forum. Maybe it’s the BMW Owners News, the Owners Anonymous book or possibly the connections made through social media or MOA Chartered Clubs. How we interact is as varied as the number of our organization’s members. If we are to survive and thrive as a club, we must discover new ways of serving the greatest number of “BMW motorcycle enthusiasts,” regardless of how our members choose to participate or the motorcycles they choose to ride. We are not unique in that we publish a magazine, maintain a website and forum or a Facebook page. What makes the MOA unique is our people, and our challenge is finding the best way to spread the word about what it means to be a member. In an effort to improve communication with MOA Chartered Clubs, BMW dealerships and unaffiliated BMW riders and to insure the life and growth of our organization, the Volunteer Committee of the MOA Board of Directors believed that a group of dedicated volunteers located geographically throughout the United States was the best way to move forward. Hence, the BMW MOA Regional Coordinator program was created. The development of the program began with a basic map of the United States indicating the location of each BMW Motorrad dealership, every BMW MOA Chartered Club and member concentrations based on zip
BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
codes. From there, twelve to fifteen regions were roughly defined, based on those concentrations. At the same time, interested candidates filled out questionnaires asking, among other things, about their Chartered Club and MOA experience, other volunteer experience as well as their professional background and why they were interested in the position. Once that information was gathered, the volunteer committee interviewed promising candidates, narrowed the field and presented their initial selections to the full MOA Board of Directors for approval. Then, along with MOA Executive Director Bob Aldridge and Director Stan Herman, the candidates spent a weekend together late last fall where they learned about the history of the BMW MOA, MOA chartered clubs, the MOA’s relationship with BMW Motorrad dealers, the BMW NA and the International Council of BMW Clubs as well as a host of other topics. The initial goals of each Regional Coordinator include making monthly contact with each BMW Motorrad dealer in their region, contacting their regionally assigned MOA Chartered Club quarterly and hosting a single day event at least once each year. Because the Regional Coordinator is a new concept for the MOA, these goals are expected to change over time, and each Coordinator has been given latitude in developing the program in a way that best serves his or her area. Regional Coordinators are also expected to expand their contact area as their volunteer time permits. Other MOA members stepping forward to volunteer their time to assist the Regional Coordinators will provide the fastest and surest pathway to program expansion. The Regional Coordinator program returns to the grass roots principles that created the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America many years ago and strives to bring together like-minded, BMW-riding motorcyclists to share experiences, improve communication and allow more people to
get involved with this wonderful group of riders. Here are the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America Regional Coordinators:
David Abrams #79642
Lees Summit, Missouri With a territory covering much of the Midwest, Abrams began riding motorcycles in 1982 and bought his first BMW, a silver R 100S from Engle Motors in Kansas City, when he was 22. Thirty years later, Abrams still frequents the same dealer and over that time has owned many BMW models including Airheads, Oilheads, Chromeheads, K bikes, F bikes as well as several GSes and currently rides a 2007 R 1200 GS. Abrams calls himself an “avid safety junkie” and manages a community college motorcycle safety and training program in Kansas City and along with his fiance’, trains dozens of new riders each year. He has also served as an MOA Rider Performance University instructor and has volunteered for the Land of Oz rally. Abrams looks forward to meeting other MOA members out on the road and working to build our membership through the Regional Coordinator program.
Sam Booth #44259
Athens, Ohio I began riding in 1984 with my first motorcycle, a 1968 R50/2. Ever since, I have owned and ridden nearly every type of model with over 14 owned at one time or another. In that time I have made a new family, best friends, and comrades in fellowship with an host of fellow MOA'ers. I didn't get into the volunteering aspect of the BMW MOA until the 2011 National
Rally at Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, where I was asked to pursue a historical theme for activities by the rally master. That experience opened the floodgates of even more participation in the sport I have come to dedicate my non-teaching life. Iron Butt member status has fulfilled my longing for long distance riding. Satisfaction complete. Just do it folks, volunteer for a rewarding experience in this fine club of ours.
Carlos Dao #197337
South Miami, Florida Carlos Dao only began riding motorcycles about 10 years ago when he bought a Honda scooter to avoid the horrible traffic in Caracas, Venezuela. As Dao moved on to bigger bikes, his riding became a passion overriding other hobbies including golf, skydiving and scuba diving. He soon joined the BMW Motoclub of Venezuela in search of more adventures, rides and friends and before long was riding to Colombia and Brazil, as well as traveling all over Venezuela. For the 2013-2015 period, Dao served as president of the BMW Motoclub of Venezuela. In that position, his primary objectives were to grow the membership as well as improve the quality and number of trips, getaways, activities and benefits for our members. At the end of 2014, Dao moved to Miami, Florida, and is very excited to serve the MOA as a Regional Coordinator.
www.ayresadventures.com
Ken Decroo #178241
Running Springs, California Ken Decroo lives in the San Bernardino Mountains with his wife, Tammy. When not
May 2016  BMW OWNERS NEWS
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www.bingcarburetor.com
new
NEWS
writing, he loves to ride his BMW R 1200 GSA down the Baja peninsula to beaches and bays without names and has ridden throughout North America and Latin America often accompanied by Tammy riding her R 1200 GS. Now on his 7th BMW, Decroo’s love affair with motorcycling began when he was 11 years old. Decroo has worked in the world of research and wild animal training on university projects and in the motion picture industry for many years. He holds advanced degrees in anthropology and education.
Frank Florio #129302
Saratoga Springs, New York I am fortunate to live a balanced life with three wonderful children, a woman I love to come home to, an interesting/secure career and the time to pursue my passion of riding motorcycles and the camaraderie of riding with a group of other passionate BMW riders is a bonus! Since 1995 when I started riding, I've been a member of the MOA and have owned two BMW R 1200 RTs and am now on my second K 1600 GTL. With the help of some of the founding members of the chartered club #130 we were able to resurrect the Saratoga BMW Thoroughbreds. Though I travel extensively throughout the Mid Atlantic and New England states for work, Saratoga Springs, New York, is home. I was drawn to volunteer as a Regional Coordinator because it gave me the opportunity to answer the question, "What can I do for the BMW riding community that has done so much for me?" I look forward to working with you.
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BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
Cliff Jones #84978
Scottsdale, Arizona It’s truly an honor to serve as a Regional Coordinator for the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America. I have lived in Scottsdale, Arizona, for the last 30 years and it was about that long ago that I started riding motorcycles. I joined MOA in 2008 when I was finally able to afford my first “real motorcycle” a 2008 BMW K 1200 S and since that time, I’ve become obsessed with my BMWs. I currently ride and love my 2015 R 1200 GS, the third GS I’ve owned, and I write and work as a digital marketing consultant. If you’re ever in the Phoenix area, please look me up! Thanks for letting me be of service.
John Malnor #186706
Grand Rapids, Michigan I’m a GS rider living in Grand Rapids, Michigan with my wife Sally and together we are adapting to life as an empty
nesters. I’ve spent much of his life working with dealers and distributors as well as helping build great team and customer experiences and I love meeting new people and working to help get new things moving forward. I’m also a member of the West Michigan BMW Riders (Charter Club #230).
Bruce McKelvy #127096
Lansdale, Pennsylvania I have ridden BMW's since 1995 and logged more than 275,000 miles over that time while riding through 49 of our United States and all but one province of Canada. My passion is touring on my BMW R 1200 GS and K 1200 LT with Hannigan sidecar.
Years ago, in an attempt to connect with other riders, several of us founded the Mac Pac Eating and Wrenching Society (Chartered Club #289) in my garage. Through this club we have connected with others sharing our passion while making life-long friends. I hope to share that passion and help others as a Regional Coordinator for the BMW MOA.
Gordy Olson #109041
Sacramento, California I am a retired U.S. diplomat who served (and rode) in the Middle East, Africa, Washington, DC and at the United Nations. My Regional Coordinator area of responsibility includes Northern California, Northern Nevada, Oregon and Washington. I’ve been riding since I was a teenager and currently sit atop a 2013 BMW R 1200 GS which took the place of the 1993 K 75 S that I rode for the previous ten years and for the past five years, I’ve been president of the River City Beemers here in Sacramento.
Lee Schumacher #26393
Aspen, Colorado I began riding motorcycles in 1974 with a ’72 Honda CL350 that I bought for $400 and after my wife and I toured the northeast with only a tankbag and a backpack we were hooked for life. I had to sell the bike when I went to law school but broke even at $400! A friend with an R75 with a Windjammer made me want a BMW and the first thing I bought after school was a 1982 BMW R 100 RT in red smoke. I only had that bike for one summer as a road collapsed in front of me and the bike fell 700 feet; I walked away with a few bruises along with a renewed commitment to ATGATT. I joined MOA in ’82 and became a Charter Life member in ’84 during the rally at
www.dmcsidecars.com
Laguna Seca. I’ve been to 21 national rallies and many local like Top O’ the Rockies and received my 100,000 mile award in 1995 but then quit counting. I own 5 BMW motorcycles including a 1955 R 27, 1968 R69S with Ural sidecar, 1983 R 100 RS, 1995 R 1100 RS and a 2014 R 1200 GSA plus a Harley, a Ducati, a ’48 Indian, a 1910 Yale, a KTM 450 and various other dirt bikes. I like to ride!
Bryan Whitehead #130842
www.motoskiveez.com
Lake Forest, Illinois I've been riding since 1977 and at that time my bikes included a series of Hondas including a very fast Black Honda CB750SS that I rode across large parts of America. I took a hiatus from riding when we started our family and got back in the saddle about ten years ago when I made a genuine 'Barn Find' rescuing a 1984 BMW K 100 RS that had suffered through 15 years of storage in an Iowa barn. Once I got the bike home, I bought a Haynes manual and over the course of a long Chicago winter fully restored it repainting it to it’s original Silver color. The BMW MOA website proved invaluable during that time in diagnosing and repairing special K bike problems and I was able to learn of tips and tricks that even the local dealer didn’t know of. The RS was followed by a series of Boxers and K bikes, each special in their own way. I currently ride a 2005 R 1200 GS and am looking forward to riding to Deadhorse for the third time this June. I fund all of this as a consultant for a Big Four accounting firm.
May 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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www.imtbike.com
www.bmwmcsem.com
TECH
keepemflying
Butterflies, fireworks and a Slash Five By Matthew Parkhouse #13272 I
GUESS
YOU
could call this the half-way point of the trip. After leaving Colorado Springs just over two weeks ago, I am writing this in central Mexico. As I rode straight south into the "real" tropics, I hung out with millions of Monarch butterflies up in the mountains of Michoacan and spent a few days on the beach in my favorite coastal town, Playa Azul. More time at the beach won out over going to the volcano Paricatin, even though it was kind of close by. Right now I'm in the middle of my stay in Tultepec, near Mexico City. I've come here for the Fiesta de San Juan de Dios, who is the patron saint of pyrotechnicians, and the Fiesta is a
two-week fireworks extravaganza. I'm catching the first few days, including the "Castillo" competition, a mass launching of hand-made, paper hot air balloons (globos) and the notorious "Concorso y Quema de Torros," where a parade of paper mâché bulls make their way through the town to the central town square. The bulls, ranging in size from what a kid could carry over his head, to massive things on wheels pushed by a dozen people. They are so large that a man leading them holds up power lines as the parade proceeds to the square. There are groups of folks, sort of like the New Orleans Mardi Gras crews, who work together to build a large bull every year. The artwork is beautiful, and it seems sad that they will be blown up and burned at the end of the day. The bulls are stuffed with fireworks and are ignited in the square where crowds of young men dance among the exploding inferno to demonstrate their
manhood, I suppose. Me, I hid behind the trees when I shot pictures of the event with stickless rockets flying everywhere. I was recalling last year, when I was struck about five times. A nearby truck trailer served as a first aid station and was well attended. It is an amazing event that we would NEVER see in the safety-conscious U.S. After the "Night of the Bulls," I'll head to the Gulf Coast and into the Yucatan, where I hope to stay in the same Merida hotel we were in last year. Susanna will fly into Cancun, about 180 miles away, where I'll pick her up, so we can ride two-up back to Merida. We're planning a couple of day trips around the city, relaxing in the old colonial town, and after our week together, I'll take Susanna back to the Cancun Airport and then start heading north toward home. This is my 12th bike trip to Mexico since the mid-80s, and the bike I'm riding is a ‘72 R 75/5 I picked up in 1987 as a $500 "there's
At the shore at Playa Azul. Just about my favorite beach town. This is my fifth stay there, I believe
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BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
As the evening wore on, about four trucks pulled into the square and a couple of dozen men started unloading large 4-, 5- and 8-inch mortars. With much grinning and laughing, they set them up along one edge of the crowd in the square and tied the fuses together (while smoking!). There were probably 50 or so of these mortars.
The mortars started launching aerial shells with much noise as the castillos began their effects. As with the show of the other night, each castillo went for about 15 minutes, while the mortars and ground fireworks all blended in together in a small town square full of people.
a bad knock in the engine" bargain. I dealt with the bad rod bearing (thankfully no damage to the crankshaft), did quite of bit of checking and servicing, and started using it as my "Mexico Bike." This is trip number 11 for the old Slash Five, and I've detailed in earlier columns the various things that were problematic on the past trip. So far on this run, things have gone quite well. The one issue I have had to get out the tool kit for cropped up after I had ridden up some rather bad roads to get to the El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Preserve in the mountains of Michoacan. This area is the end point of the butterflies' annual migration from the U.S. and Canada. It WAS impressive, trees were literally covered with the orange insects. But after I rode back down the mountain I noticed a hesitation in the running of the 750 twin's engine. Because the symptom appeared suddenly, I figured there was a problem to figure out and remedy. My first thought was water in the carbs, so I purchased a spray can of carb cleaner at an "auto partes" store and then found a grassy wide spot in the road to begin my work. I carefully tore into each carb and found a small bit of water, though not enough to cause the hesitation. I also took a look at the diaphragms on each side, as a torn diaphragm could easily have been the cause of the problem. I had spares packed with me but decided they weren’t needed; the carbs were in fine shape. In the motel parking area later that night, I checked the valves and found them very close to the settings I had positioned them when I went through the bike back home. I rode out of the mountains to Playa Azul the next day and found the bike rideable, even with the engine stumbling on a regular basis. I just wanted to find out and correct this problem. At this point, I figured I had ruled out everything except for a potential issue with the ignition system. The day after arriving at the Costa de Sol hotel, I lifted the tank and started checking the timing. The bike had been set up with points-triggered electronic ignition years ago, so I figured if the black box was failing, I could easily revert to
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keepemflying
the stock points ignition system. I also used my ohmmeter to check the pair of spark plug wires as the plug caps can open up and create poor running issues. Both checked out okay with a normal Slash Five 1K ohm resistance. Then, as I looked for the wire that led to the points, I noticed that the Dyna booster system wire that should have been firmly plugged into it was not attached. After static timing the points with a test lamp, they were fine, right on the "S" mark on the flywheel; I plugged the two wires back together. The bike then sure started easier, and my guess
BMW OWNERS NEWS  May 2016
is that the two wires worked themselves loose with all the banging and bumping I was doing on those bad mountain roads. Though they remained in contact with each other to allow the black box to fire, they would regularly lose contact and cause a stumble. It just happened that I was getting low on pesos, so I needed to ride to the next town, Lazaro Cadenas, to a banco and use the ATM. It seems these days that's how most travelers get the currency of the country they are in. On the ride to the bank the next morning, the bike ran as well as it ever has. I had hoped it would with the problem fixed, the engine as finely
tuned as it could be, and the carbs having just been nicely cleaned out. With that problem solved, my only other bike problem was losing a bolt out of one of the bag mounts. With one more night in Tultepec, I attended the "Globos" event, which proved to be a lot more than kids sending up paper hot air balloons. Three castillos had been built in the town square and as the evening wore on with a mass globos ascension and bands playing away, a group of 30 men arrived in several trucks. With much smirking and grinning, they began setting up racks of 5-, 6- and 8-inch mortar tubes on the edge of the crowded square, apparently
The castillos as the sun goes down. The entire field was packed with people, standing and watching the towers.
as an unplanned addition to the festivities. Soon, they began dropping aerial shells down into the tubes and then chained the fuses together. Several were SMOKING as they did this! As this was being done, a small religious procession came by carrying banners and a glass case with an image of their saint, along with brass band and drums. Many of the procession members were waving sparklers just ten feet from the loaded mortar racks! Then around midnight, everything started going up, with a barrage of mortar shells blasting straight overhead as the first castillo lit up. People were all around the mortar racks and the castillos, which were more traditional than the competition earlier being made of split bamboo. This continued on for hours, and around 1 a.m. I finally headed for my hotel to fall asleep to a constant barrage of booms and bangs. Despite the "relaxed" attitude regarding safety, no fires or injuries were reported. Next month, I will cover my last night here in Tultepec and the "running of the bulls," as well as our time in the Yucatan and Merida and my dash back to home. I sure hope Susanna finds the two-incheslonger LWB seat more comfortable as we two-up around the country down there. I also hope that I don't have any mechanical adventures to relate either. This may well be my last long, slow trip through Mexico. While I don't mind travelling alone on these rides, neither Susanna nor I like the uncertainty of being several thousand miles apart, even though almost every hotel I have stayed in has WiFi, allowing us to keep in touch via email and FaceTime. It’s all very different from my early trips where I would hunt for a "casseta de telefonos" to have an operator place expensive, albeit short calls back home every few days. All in all, we will probably venture somewhere else next winter.
www.getarmorpants.com May 2016  BMW OWNERS NEWS
51
TECH
I just needed an
OIL CHANGE
By Wes Fleming #87301
A multi-part saga
Part Three: Crossing TDC easy, it’s not fast, and I’d never done it before, so I wasn’t looking forward to this being the problem. George put a leak-down tester 1200 GS (see Part Two), I discovered a disconcerting problem: on both cylinders. The left cylinder tested nice and (air) tight. The I couldn’t turn the engine past a certain point. It stuck tight at right cylinder whistled like a construction worker trying to get a some point in the rotation, whether I turned the engine forpretty girl’s attention. wards or backwards and no matter how fast or slow I turned it “OK, you’ve got to pull the cylinder head,” George said, looking via the crankshaft pulley. longingly at the R 1150 RT he still needed to put a clutch in to help My boss, George Mangicaro of Beemers Uber Alles, quipped, pay the rent. “Let’s do it.” “Well, that’s not good.” He strikes me as a master of underThe iconic BMW statement at times. boxer engine is a marvel After turning the of modern technology. engine back and forth A lot of the rotating several times, we figaction takes place inside ured out that the the case—the part under sticking point was at the fuel tank. The top dead center exploding work that gets (TDC) or rather, done to turn the cranknearly TDC. Someshaft and make the bike thing prevented one go happens in those cylof the pistons from inders that stick out the moving through TDC sides of the engine. The and through the rest outermost part is the of the cycle. (Note: cylinder head cover; this both pistons are at is what comes off to TDC at the same time, check and adjust the one in the compresvalve clearances. One of sion stroke and one in the cylinder head covers the exhaust stroke.) is also where you add oil There are several Performing a leak-down test on the left cylinder. to the engine. Whether things that could preit’s the left or right cover depends on what generation motorcycle vent the engine from turning through TDC, and most of them you have. are bad. The worst-case scenario here was that in all my stallInboard from the cylinder head cover is the cylinder head. This ing and starting from the fuel pump controller issue (see Part is where the valves are, as well as the springs and mechanisms that One), a valve stem bent. If a valve stem bends enough, it could keep the valves pointed and moving where and when they’re supprevent the valve from seating properly, leaving it protruding posed to. The fuel-air mixture comes in from the throttle body at into the combustion chamber. When the piston got close to the the rear of the cylinder head, and the exhaust gasses exit out the end of its stroke, the top of the piston would contact the profront. truding valve and stop. If this happens while the engine is runWith the cylinder head off you can see the piston, and the piston ning, we refer to it as “piston-assisted valve closure,” and the is inside the cylinder. Gaskets separate each major component from valve could easily damage the piston, requiring a whole lot of the next, and if you’re this far into the engine, chances are you’re work. smarter than I am and already have all the gaskets you’ll need to Replacing a valve is a straightforward process, but it’s not AS I REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR BELT ON MY 2005 R
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BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
Old and new cylinder head gaskets; you need two, but they're reversible, so it's just one part number.
Always use the proper size Torx socket - and once the cam chain sprocket bolt is out, secure the cam chain to the sprocket with a zip tie to prevent timing mishaps while the head is off.
replace. I had to wait for the UPS man to bring mine. The gaskets between the cylinder head cover and the cylinder head are reusable – just remember to clean them and rotate the donut-shaped gasket for the spark plug tunnel one direction or the other when you put it back on. The three-piece gasket between the cylinder head and the cylinder is not reusable, however, and neither George nor I had one. We continued pulling the cylinder head anyway, though, despite knowing we couldn’t reassemble the cylinder completely. If we found a bent valve, we’d have to order parts anyway. To get the cylinder head off, the throttle body has to come off, and you’ll need a special tool to hold the engine in place while the timing chain sprocket comes off. You can buy the special tool from a BMW dealer, but you can also make one for yourself.
small M6 bolts. Then it’s just four nuts – loosen each a quarter turn in a crisscross pattern, then loosen them another quarter turn, and by that time, you can likely spin them off with your fingers. With the cylinder head free of the engine, we could examine the valves from all angles. None of them looked bent, which was odd given the problem crossing TDC I encountered. Flustered, I looked to George for advice. “That might be the problem there,” he said, pointing at the piston. Pistons take a lot of abuse. Most of the carbon created in the combustion chamber is superheated, vaporized and ejected out the exhaust valves, but tiny bits of carbon get deposited on the piston face, too. It was clear just from looking at the crusty ring of carbon deposits around the edge of the right piston that we’d found the reason I couldn’t hand-turn the engine past TDC. The obvious question was whether that amount of buildup would have prevented the starter from turning the engine past TDC, and if it didn’t, what would happen as a result. I wasn’t interested in learning the answer to that question and set about scraping all of that carbon residue off the surface of the piston with a razor blade.
BMW does, of course, make a special tool to hold the engine at TDC. It costs $36, it's short and it can't easily be secured to the frame with a zip tie, so it can fall out. This penny tech solution is cheap, easy and effective.
Once you secure the timing (aka camshaft, or cam) chain—and seriously, you don’t want to drop that, because you’ll likely have to crack the case open to retrieve it—removing the cylinder head from the cylinder is surprisingly simple. Remove the cam chain tensioner (easier to do on the right cylinder than the left), then zip-tie the cam chain to its sprocket before removing the bolt holding it in place. Next is the the long M10 bolt above the cam chain sprocket and three
With the cylinder head off and draining in a pan, it's easy to see the crusty, burnt buildup on the piston face.
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TEC
Carefully. VERY CAREFULLY. It would be all too easy to gouge the piston face and ruin the piston. Doing that would result in my bike being off the road for weeks, if not months, and probably some hard thinking about whether or not it was even worth fixing at that point. Ten minutes of carb-cleanerassisted meticulous scraping cleaned up the surface of the piston to my satisfaction. The gaskets finally came, and I put the right cylinder back together, though George did the reinstallation of the timing
"Be careful," "take your time" and "a new piston costs $400" were my mantras as I scraped as much of the carbon off the piston as I could.
chain. I will have to remember to put the bike back on the lift after 600 miles and retorque the cylinder head nuts; this is standard practice whether the bike is new or has had extensive service. With the cylinder head back in place, there was absolutely no difficulty turning the engine past TDC. I could hand-crank the engine through the entire cycle, forwards and backwards, as if nothing had ever been wrong in the first place. It didn’t even take much effort. I’m just a little obsessive about my motorcycles, and even though George said it probably wasn’t necessary, I insisted on pulling the other cylinder head to check the left piston. I did adhere to his admonition to do just one cylinder at a time, which helps ensure the timing chains don’t get out of whack. The left piston face was in rough shape as well, but lacked the crusty ring of carbon buildup that plagued the right piston. After I finished torquing the cylinder head nuts on the left side, I had to put the throttle body and all its various electrical, mechanical and hose connections back in place. The clamps on the air hoses are reusable, but they are absolutely infuriating to secure unless you’re using a very long set of needle-nosed pliers. Before I secured the last clamp to the hose coming out of the air box, I decided I ought to clean all the grease and grime off it first. “Is this normal?” I asked George. “This much grease on the outside of the air box?” He came over with a flashlight,
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BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
shined it on the air box and then on the back of the transmission, and said, “No, but I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Worry about this instead—you need a new slave cylinder. Maybe a new clutch, These clamps on the suction pipes are too, if clutch fluid got maddeningly difficult to get back on; a pair of needle-nose pliers that open wide do the trick. into there.” I decided I wouldn’t worry about that until I put the engine back together and verified that all my hard work on the cylinders proved fruitful. With a new clutch output cylinder (aka slave cylinder) on order, I started hoping I didn’t need a new clutch as well. As if to add insult to injury, George noticed I hadn’t put the left side cam chain tensioner back into place. It would have been faster to take the entire throttle body assembly back apart to get at the tensioner the easy way, but apparently I don’t care about easy when I can spend a half an hour trying to figure out a way to hold it down against the tension of the chain and turn it at the same time. Even with the bad news about the clutch slave cylinder and the possibility that I might be learning how to replace a clutch, being able to turn the engine through its entire cycle with no catching or hesitation brought a bit of satisfaction. Two steps forward, one step back, but still making progress. On the left cylinder, it's a lot easier to replace the cam chain tensioner before reinstalling the throttle body.
www.bmwmotorcycles.com
TEC
Carbon fiber or bust By Dale Sanderson A
RECENT
INSTALLATION
OF
Akrapovic Sport Silencers on my 2013 K 1600 GT caused me concern—not from a performance or sound perspective, and certainly not from their gorgeous looks. What caused me concern was their appearance in relation to the rest of my bike. Gone are the pebbled aluminum end caps and accent pieces existing on the stock exhaust cans, now replaced by beautiful titanium sleeves and carbon fiber accents. Yet the pebbled aluminum catalytic converter covers (“cat cov-
My carbon fiber catalytic converter covers.
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BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
ers”) remain, now isolated in appearance from their stock exhaust mates. I really never did like the looks of the pebbled aluminum parts, and now even less so since the cat covers stand out like a Harley at a Beemer rally. The lines in my bike had been affected thanks to Akrapovic, and I knew that I had to do something about it. Therefore, the birth of my carbon fiber venture. I quickly realized that the solution to my problem would be to create a carbon fiber look to the cat covers, a look which would match the carbon fiber pieces on the Akrapovic silencers. I first considered vinyl
carbon fiber wrap, then quickly dismissed the thought, opining that such vinyl wrap would not hold up to the heat emitting from the catalytic converter and/or exhaust pipe. Moreover, I had always considered such wrap to be faux carbon fiber, with its often cheap appearance. No, it had to be the real thing or nothing at all. And nothing at all was not an option. I canvassed the internet seemingly for hours, varying my parameter searches in hopes of finding some web site or blog germane to my topic. It is not like “carbon fiber cat cover” in a search field yields any
relevant results. I finally expanded my search to include carbon fiber fabricators and came upon an outfit (Koncept Cars) that, among other things, offers custom carbon fiber parts for automobiles for sale. Koncept Cars is primarily a web-based company which fills internet orders throughout the United States. And its headquarters just happens to be located about 30 minutes from my house. Using the contact function in its web site, I emailed Koncept Cars and explained my predicament. Within 24 hours, I received a reply from Kofi LeGrand-Sawyer, the owner/proprietor of Koncept Cars, who suggested that we meet and discuss the issue. I met with Kofi the following week and expressed in more detail what it was I wished to achieve. Kofi is personable and a car guy in the truest sense, and his passion for cars led him to start a business that caters to nothing but car enthusiasts. Rather than speak to all that Kofi’s company has to offer, a visit to koncepcars.com would better serve the reader. I fashion Kofi more or less a broker, drawing on his stable of suppliers and fabricators to fulfill his clients’ custom needs and desires. Kofi listened intently to what I had to say, and as he began to speak he produced part of a center console from a Tesla Model S, which appeared to be comprised entirely of carbon fiber. Kofi explained that it is a stock part which had been overlaid with carbon fiber. I was amazed at the quality of the work—the fit and finish were perfect, and my discerning eyes could detect no signs of overlay. I was hooked then and there, barely hearing Kofi say that the same thing could be done to my cat covers. And Kofi is no stranger to sales: The sample he produced expertly softened me to his quote of $ 1,300 for both cat covers, a price I was more than willing to pay to bring back a congruent flow to my K 1600 GT. Shortly thereafter, I provided Kofi with two new cat covers, leaving only the details of what pattern and finish the carbon fiber weave would take. Kofi and I agreed to conduct research independent of the other, with the goal of finding the exact pattern that matches the carbon fiber existing on
Happy with the quality and appearance of the catalytic converter covers, I began looking for other places I could place carbon fiber and replaced the chrome windshield mounts.
the Akrapovic silencers. We both arrived at the same carbon fiber pattern: A “plain 1x1” weave, which Kofi confirmed through one of his sources is the weave pattern for the carbon fiber parts used by Akrapovc on its silencers. Selection of the finish proved to be more choice on my part than anything else. At least as pertains to the silencers on the K 1600 GT, Akrapovic uses a matte finish for the carbon fiber end caps and a gloss finish for the carbon fiber accent pieces located just forward of the titanium sleeves. Being that the cat covers are located closest to the Akrapovic carbon fiber accent pieces finished in gloss, I decided to go with a gloss finish for my project.
About three weeks later, my cat covers were ready for pickup. I met Kofi at his office, and he displayed to me for the first time the cat covers, now overlaid with carbon fiber. At first glance, I immediately told Kofi, “These are way too nice to put on my bike.” The cat covers were beautiful— pieces of art—and the fit and finish of the carbon fiber overlays were perfect. Kofi and his fabricator certainly did not disappoint. I collected the pieces and headed home, with designs on immediately installing them on my bike. Even though my new-look cat covers are simply bolt-on parts, I had given some thought to their installation. During my
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initial meeting with Kofi, I expressed concern whether the proximity of the cat covers to the exhaust system and its associated heat would cause a problem for the carbon fiber overlays. Kofi did not perceive it to be an issue, but reminded me that my project is virgin territory for him. After subsequent research in the area of heat conduction, I decided upon titanium and stainless steel fasteners, as both metals tend to be poor conductors of heat. And I found that a titanium Torx T25 button head cap screw used in conjunction with a # 10 stainless steel washer nicely replicates the look of the OEM fastener. I replaced the stock cat covers with the carbon fiber ones and was pleased to see that the lines in my bike again flowed. The transformation is nothing short of amazing. My new cat covers match perfectly in pattern and finish with their Akrapovic carbon fiber mates. But I knew that the true test would be in the ride—whether the overlaid cat covers would hold up to the heat of the exhaust system. I immediately geared up and headed out for a test ride, with a stop at one of the local BMW dealerships to show off my K 1600 GT’s new look. About 50 miles and an hour later, I was back in my garage, eager to see how the cat covers had fared. To my dismay, I could see what appeared to be a silver ring that had formed at the outer edge of one of the fasteners. A closer inspection of that mounting hole revealed that the bare metal of the cat cover was now exposed at the outer rim of the stainless steel washer used with the titanium screw. Inspection of the other three mounting holes also revealed signs of distress to the carbon fiber overlays. There now appeared cuts, cracks and crevices in the once pristine carbon fiber. All damage was confined to the immediate area surrounding the mounting holes—the rest of the carbon fiber overlays remain perfect.
BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
I thereupon sent Kofi an email message, complete with pics of the now-damaged areas, and requested his thoughts on the matter. I also inquired if and how a remedy could be effected. Kofi, after consultation with his fabricator, replied that the heat generated by the exhaust system likely transferred to the fasteners and correspondingly caused shrinkage at points of contact and the noted damage to the carbon fiber overlays. He also told me that it was an easy fix, and requested that I return the cat covers to him. I did so, and within about a week’s time, was again meeting with Kofi to pick up my repaired cat covers. Upon inspection, I could tell that the cat covers had suffered repairs to the areas surrounding the mounting holes, and, though acceptable to me, they are no longer the perfect cat covers that I had initially installed on my bike. The repairs were done at no charge to me, and Kofi and I chalked the initial installation up to a learning experience. But now it was time to get it right. Back to the internet I went, this time concentrating on ways to adequately buffer heat transfer from metals. I learned PTFE (Teflon) to be such a buffer, and it is routinely used in high-temperature applications. I also took a close look at the fasteners used by Akrapovic in fitting its carbon fiber accent pieces to my silencers and noted what appeared to be non-metallic (likely Teflon) washers directly beneath the screw caps. During my internet searches I also learned that attaching carbon fiber products to any surface should be done with care, using fastening techniques that disperse the stress caused to the carbon fiber at time of installation. Armed with this new knowledge, I procured Teflon washers of the appropriate inner and outer diameters, and even found carbon fiber washers of an outer diameter that would cover all signs of repair to the cat covers, yet look natural to the installation. Using a combination of stainless steel, Teflon, and carbon fiber washers, I devised an order to fastening the cat covers that hopefully would not only minimize if not eliminate the transfer of heat to the carbon fiber overlays, but also adequately disperse
any stress to the overlays caused by the fasteners. Moreover, the ordering visually appeared natural to me—like it was supposed to look that way. I re-installed the carbon fiber cat covers using my newlydevised fastening sequence and was happy to see that I had hit my mark, at least as pertains to the visual aspect of the installation. But, again, the proof of my success would be in the ride. I thereupon embarked on a similar ride to that taken after initial installation, but this time more anxious in the return to my garage. Upon dismount, I thoroughly inspected each mounting hole and found no signs of distress to the carbon fiber overlays. Nor have any subsequent rides produced any such signs. Feeling a sense of both relief and accomplishment, I am at the point now where I inspect the cat covers only when I check the air pressures in my tires. Fueled by the look of the carbon fiber cat covers at first view, I knew that I would want to overlay with carbon fiber other parts to my bike. I intently surveyed my K 1600 GT, looking for areas that would benefit from carbon fiber, yet not overwhelm the bike. I ultimately decided to overlay with carbon fiber those parts on my GT which come as standard in chrome on the K 1600 GTL. Such a venture would produce a nice bridge between the K 1600 GT and K 1600 GTL, while complimenting the carbon fiber already existing on my bike. I chose to start with the windshield trim pieces, and again Koncept Cars did not disappoint. But because of the small and deep recesses in the area of the mounting holes, the fabricator had a difficult time producing perfect carbon fiber overlays to those recesses. I was not overly concerned, because I knew that I now had an array of suitable washers on which to draw to conceal the defects. Using a combination of stainless steel and carbon fiber washers, I was able to fill the recesses and produce a finished look to the installed carbon fiber windshield trim pieces. Any imperfections are now covered, and the fasteners virtually take on an OE. look. A knowledgeable purist would have to be looking closely to notice the difference.
T H E
A L L- N E W
A R A I
C O R S A I R® - X
“Everyone
deserves a great helmet.”
Own e r a n d CE O o f A RA I H E L M E T, LT D.
At Arai, this is more than cheap talk. It’s a guiding principle. Because whether you’re a racer, an expert or a beginner, you deserve the best possible head protection. And our all-new Corsair-X, which incorporates everything we’ve learned in 66-plus years of building helmets, is the cream of the Arai crop. And given Arai’s leadership and technology, that’s saying a lot!
THE ARAI STORY:
P A R T
Amazingly Quiet
1
Arai is a unique company. We are family-owned, and always will be. It’s no slogan: Our name is on every helmet we build, each a testament to our family name, our reputation, and our unflinching commitment to building the very best head protection.
Ultimate Comfort
We build each helmet by hand, which is expensive and time-consuming. But it’s the only way we can ensure that every helmet meets our exacting standards, each one built the Arai Way. Each helmet must meet exacting standards, or it gets thrown away. We will never change for the sake of efficiency or cost savings. The protection of our customers and racers has always been – and will always be – our #1 goal.
Extreme Venting
We push design and technology relentlessly, which is why the all-new Corsair-X is the most advanced helmet we’ve ever built. Its more rounded shape, totally new Variable Axis System (VAS) shield, and updated venting offer new levels of protection and comfort. All of which explains why millions of motorcycle enthusiasts and racers choose Arai, and have for more than six decades. Exceptional Visibility
www.araiamericas.com Learn more at araiamericas.com NO HELMET CAN PROTECT THE WEARER AGAINST ALL FORESEEABLE IMPACTS. NOTHING IS A SUBSTITUTE FOR SAFE RIDING PRACTICES.
Quick & Easy
discovery 60
adventurelog
The Old Man and his Gold By Shawn Thomas #91122 HIS
NAME
WAS
John. He lived in South Carolina and was a snappy dresser. And he was in trouble. That's pretty much all I knew. How to help him was anyone’s guess. We were on tour, traveling the country teaching people how to ride Adventure Motorcycles. At the behest of BMW, my brother Lance and I had been on the road, off and on for the better part of two years. It was grueling work: wake up at 5 a.m., travel to the training grounds, figure out how to mold the landscape to our needs, put on clinics for five to fifty people, pack up and drive 200 miles to our next event site. Then start over. Usually we had around five events back to back, though in this instance it was more. On the upside, the job was supremely rewarding. In just a few hours we would turn off-road novices into confident adventure riders. To be certain, they weren't ready for a "Long Way Round" trip, but they knew enough to be competent, and they exuded gratitude for what they learned. Very rewarding work. We had just finished event seven and were making our way north to a nameless hotel in the Carolinas. It was hot, the kind of heat where no amount of air conditioning was enough. But we blasted it anyway, sweat-sticking to the buffalo hide seats of our Ford transport rig. Yuck. At about 4 p.m., as the back roads wound us along a rural path, we came across a construction zone. Heavy machinery busied themselves, causing a solid stretch of standstill traffic. We were caught in the middle, lazily waiting for the man with a sign to
BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
indicate our turn to move. I looked around. The landscape was studded with hills, their tops shrouded in a thicket of trees so dense they could not be penetrated by sight. The road builders of old had blasted a path through these hills, carving a road much as Moses parted the sea. We were at the base of two foothills, or rather a single hill that had been cut to make way for our road. Rough rocky innards of the hill were exposed, rising up 50 feet on either side of our rig. I stared, marveling for a moment at the result of an amazing engineering feat that lay before me. I smirked at the notion of being put in charge of the dynamite that had been used to blast this path; I would have blown myself to bits before doing any good with such power. Just then, I caught sight of something amiss. Outside my window, rocks and pebbles cascaded their way down the hill, coming to rest at the roadside. Soon, another flurry of rock came down, again stopping just underneath my door. Curious. I rolled down my window. No longer held at bay by the tinted glass, sunlight and heat poured in. My brother let out a groan of complaint. "Dude. It’s HOT. Close the window, will ya?" I muttered something and looked up, searching for the source of the rock slide. Whoa. At the top of the hill, a man sat clinging to a sapling. He was old, easily 80, and looked confused. "Dude. There's a guy up on the hill," I said to my brother. I turned back and caught eyes with the elder man. I raised my voice and shouted, "How ya doing up there?!" The man looked down at me, wide eyed. "I-- I'm not sure." "Are you okay? Do you need help?" “I think so." I turned to my brother. "The guy needs help. I think he's stuck up there." I slipped on my footwear and hopped out as Lance voiced incredulous protest. "Find a spot up
ahead to pull over, I'll sort this out and come to you," I said, and closed the door. Looking up, I saw the severity of my challenge. The man was at the top of the hill, about 50 feet up. There was no path to him, and the sides were far too steep to allow for an easy traverse. "How in the hell did he get up there?" I mumbled, perplexed. It was as if he had fallen from the sky, landing at the sapling he clung to. There was no easy way to him that I could see, save for straight up. I started climbing. The ascent was steep and challenging, and it became painfully clear that I was not prepared for the task. At the completion of our training I had slipped on some cargo shorts, a t-shirt and sandals, perfect attire for navigating a long drive on a hot day; for mountain climbing, not so much. The climb was steep and shale-covered, my sandals filling with edgy pea gravel at every step. Thick tufts of foliage sprang out from the hillside, which I used as grab points and footing. Slowly I zigzagged my way up, huffing and puffing as I closed the distance to the mystery man. Soon I was upon him. He was clinging to a pine sapling, about four feet down from the top of the mountain. He was old and frail, easily 80-85 years old. He was dressed in a suit befitting a man of stature, the kind you might see with a top hat and cane in those old timey movies set in Roaring Twenties New York. His shoes were glossed to a sheen, defiled with patches of dust. We locked eyes. "Hiya, I'm Shawn," I said, as if I were selling insurance. I learned long ago that the response to fear and pain was, in part, casual nonchalance. No need to further anxiety with an intense demeanor. "I'm John," he answered, his voice thick with age and exhaustion. We shook hands. "Well John, you look like a guy with a problem. What brings you to this corner of the world?" "I was trying to climb down, and I lost my footing. Can you help me?"
"No problem John, happy to help." I looked around. Going down could be achieved easily enough, but not for him. "Is there a way off this hill without going straight down?" "There's a path at the top, that's how I got here." That was good to hear. We needed another way out. "Okay, John, I'm going to the top. Then I'm going to reach down and pull you up, okay?" He nodded. "Sit tight and we'll get you out of here." I finished the climb, clamoring my way to the hilltop. There the ground was green, an untouched landscape in an otherwise scarred and barren region. Before me, and old rusty fence line gave way to a dense, seemingly impenetrable forest. I turned and reached for John. "Okay my friend, just grab my hand, and I'll hoist you up." Tentatively he reached, and I took hold of his arm. On a 3-count I pulled, easily hoisting his frail frame to the top. "There we go, now let’s find some shade, shall we?" We found a spot under the canopy of trees and enjoyed respite from the sun and heat. We were both sweating, though I worried more for John than myself. Only moments ago I had been relaxing in an airconditioned cabin, where John had been in the heat for lord knows how long. I turned to him. "So John, how'd you end up on this hilltop?" He took long, labored breaths. "I was looking for a path to take my horse and buggy, and I got lost. I tried to climb down, but it was too steep and I got stuck." "Ahh, I see. Well no worries, we'll get you out of here," I said calmingly. But I was not feeling calm. Horse and buggy? Was this guy for real? I decided it was time to call in the cavalry. I knew when I was beat, and a mountaintop with no water and a confused old man was well outside my comfort zone. I went for my phone to make a 911 call and...uh oh. My phone was nestled safely next to my wallet…in the truck. During my climb the traffic had started moving, and now the rig and my brother were completely out of sight. Damn. I thought through my options, of which there were few. This was
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a mess. "Well John, I see no way out of here but the way you came. What say we go on a little adventure?" John looked up at me. He seemed even weaker, his exhaustion palpable. "I don’t know that I can.” "Okay, no problem. Do you think you could ride on my back? If so, I think I can carry you out." "Yes, I think I can do that." So there I was, an old man on my back, scouting a path through the thicket to whatever lay ahead. Just another day in the world of Adventure Riding. We found a spot in the old fence that would allow passage, and John beckoned to a path familiar to him. We entered the tree line, dodging brush and stepping clumsily over fallen logs. Clearly there was a path, though I was not convinced it was made by humans. What kind of animals inhabit the forests of South Carolina? Probably soulless killing machines, I thought, considering the luck I was having. Along the way we talked, chattering about nothing in particular, just passing the time as we made our way through the thicket. Eventually, the forest gave way to an old dirt road, hopefully heading in the direction of the highway. "How ya feeling John, you think you can walk now that there's a road?" "Yes, I think I can, thanks." He slid off my back and took to his own two feet. I looked him over, he seemed refreshed. "Okay then, let’s take a walk to the road, shall we?" We walked together, slow and deliberate, making our way toward the familiar. The main road was out of sight, though I could hear the sound of slow-moving vehicles as they made their way through the construction zone. Soon I caught sight of a mini-van, parked on the dirt road. Seeing us, a man stepped
BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
out of the driver’s side door. "You guys okay?!” he yelled toward us. Turns out the man in the van had also been stuck in traffic, not far from my brother and me. He had witnessed John and my struggles and deduced that indeed there was trouble. He had pulled out of traffic and started looking for a way to help us. He came across the dirt road and took a chance that we would emerge from this area, should we manage to brave our way off the hilltop. "Yeah we could use a hand!" I called back, yelling to be heard over the distance. "We’ll come to you, okay?!" He agreed, and John and I made our way toward the stranger in the van. "Well John, that gentleman over there wants to help us. Looks like we're about out of this mess, wouldn't ya say?" "Looks that way," John answered with a smile. "I want to thank you for helping me." "Oh it's no problem, John. Folks have to look out for each other, ya know?" John reached into his pocket, clasping at its contents. "Here, I want you to have this. As a thank you." He removed his hand, now swollen with unknown belongings. He hovered his hand over mine, and opened it. Several coins fell into my open palm. I looked at them. They were solid gold. "...John. Whoa. Are these what I think they are?" "Gold. One ounce each," John said, with a hint of pride. "I have a gold mine ya see, and I have lots of gold." He reached into his pocket, where more coins jingled. He produced another handful, which promptly fell into my other palm. My head was spinning. Twenty Thousand? Thirty? Probably I had never held so much money in my life, most certainly never so much pure gold. I looked dumbfounded at John. "It's yours," he said. “Come to my gold mine, and I'll give you more.” I thought about John and his gold mine, the horse buggy, and the adventure we just had. Then a new image came to mind. An old man, frail and somewhat senile, cashing out his life savings for gold coins. His
financial future might literally be in my hands. I took a deep breath. "Aw John, I can't take your money. The code of a Good Samaritan demands that I help you for free." I handed the coins back to him. He looked me over, his frailty coming through once more. "Okay Shawn, but it’s yours if you change your mind." "Hey, do me a favor, will ya John? I'm gonna see if this guy in the minivan can give you a ride. If it works out, I'll have him take you to a clinic to get checked out. When you meet him, don't tell him about your coins, okay? In fact, don't tell anyone. Let’s just keep that between you and me, okay?” "Okay, Shawn, I trust you.” I met the man in the van, and explained the situation. He seemed trustworthy enough, and I felt comfortable sending John with him. I helped John into the van. “Off you go, my friend, stay out of trouble, okay?” And with an unceremonious wave, the two headed off. It wasn't until the taillights faded that I realized I WAS TOTALLY LOST. I had no idea where I was, where my brother was, or how to solve either problem. But soon the sound of heavy equipment cut through the quiet, and I followed it to find the construction zone that had been the catalyst of my adventure. Soon I was on familiar ground, walking in the heat until I came to find the rig I had abandoned, parked precariously on the roadside. It took a good deal of time to share the tale with my brother and to convince him that abandoning him in the middle of nowhere was the only available option. He had been angry and concerned, but eventually agreed that I had probably made the right call. When I finished my tale, he replied, "Next time you go saving someone, take your cellphone, okay?" A fine idea indeed!
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Longdistancestyle
Voyage to the Sea of Loud Pipes By Deb Gasque #182082 I AWOKE EARLY THAT MORNING
in March, and after a few blinks to get my eyes open and focused, I spent a few moments easing my brain into consciousness via a quick peek at my social media accounts. I didn’t sleep much the night before out of pure excitement for my first ride of the 2016 season, a ride that had a very mystical quest involved. With my brain sputtering, I proceeded straight for the coffee pot, and after savoring several cups of my favorite dark brew, continued with the preparations of getting my two-wheeled steed ready for the road. Pulling out of the driveway that morning, with a fresh sun peeking above the horizon, my playlist
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shuffled up a song that gave me chills and made me smile, Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic.” It was the essence of this trip, and I sang out the line, “let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic.” You see, I was heading for the 75th Annual Daytona Bike Week. You may ask, “Why?” Well, because I am a true adventurer. I decided to take this trip to experience the unknown, to submerge myself into this pool of diverse culture that was 75 years old, and from what I have heard and read, is loud, rogue and scraggly around the edges. I ask you, “Why not?” Just once, I wanted to wade through this vast sea of loud pipes and come away with an understanding of how another motorcycle culture enjoys their two-wheeled gatherings. So, I twisted that throttle and set sail on my voyage.
It was a “slab” kind of day, with the mission of arriving early into my home base for the long weekend. I was staying with friends who reside in Ormond Beach, just up the coast from Daytona…close enough to the action, but far enough away to sleep peacefully at night. (These particular friends also ride a Harley-Davidson Tri Glide and were going to be my guides through the weekend expedition.) As I coasted down Interstate 95, I passed trailer after trailer after trailer full of bikes. I also received several thumbsups from the drivers pulling those trailers. It made me giggle wondering if they knew there was a Fashionista under all of that gear…one with an Iron Butt, no less. At one stop, I was little perplexed when I overhead a couple discussing the fact that they didn’t know BMW made motorcycles. Yikes…
Left, At the track. Above, Gasque (center) with some new friends met in Daytona. Below, Watching a Supercross race with friends at the famous Daytona International Speedway.
Following a safe arrival to my friends’ home, a fun happy hour and a delicious meal, it was off for some rest for the big weekend ahead. The next morning, after a casual start with good coffee and even better conversation, we departed from the harbor for our sightseeing cruise, with a plan of starting the day with a ride on the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail (Old Dixie Highway). It was spectacular! We rode down a gorgeous two-lane road covered in an ancient canopy of live oak trees and native Florida palms and greenery with not much traffic at all. We stopped midway through to view the Dummett Sugar Mill Ruins, a sugar and rum distillery which dates back to the early 1800s. Following that stop, we rode through more canopied roads and peaceful saltwater marshes full of statuesque birds fishing for their meals. So far, this Bike Week wasn’t feeling too rogue or scraggly at all. As we made our way south that afternoon towards a much-needed lunch stop and closer to the mighty mothership of Bike Week, a low hum could be heard in the distance, which grew to a loud rumble as we drew near. We made it…we were finally entering the sea of loud pipes. Of course, large schools of Harleys were bountiful, but there were many other fish in that sea as well: Indian, Victory, Buell, Honda,
Kawasaki, Yamaha, Triumph, and the list went on. I squealed with delight when I saw a rare sight, a fellow BMW rider or two. Much like sea urchins, we were just “there,” clinging to the walls while the dizzying masses swam by. Our lunch destination was the Brickyard Lounge and Grill. Clearly it was a locals’ biker bar, but I must say they serve THE best cheeseburger I have ever come across, by far. (It was so good I stopped in the next day for another!) With my body full of hearty protein, I was ready to experience the true biker scene, Main Street, Daytona. It was an intentional plan to visit Bike Week during the first weekend of this 10-day event, as the crowds were fairly light and traffic wasn’t too terribly clogged. Otherwise, a trip down Main Street would have certainly meant an hour or more of fender to fender traffic and a definite overheat of my ’94 R1100 RS. I quickly learned that a ride down Main Street automatically enters you into the “parade,” like it or not. Main Street, Daytona, is the true center of the sea of loud pipes. It’s lined with smoky, mischievous biker bars; big chrome-covered bikes parked curiously close to each other; and tight
crowds wearing denim, black accoutrements, leather, big boots, tattoos, piercings, bandannas and really badass expressions on their faces. Above all, I found myself wondering why the angry faces. I can certainly handle personal choices of fashion, but I truly pondered the rough demeanors on seemingly very nice people. After taking a couple of parade loops myself and then parking the bike, I stood in the crowd to watch the other two-wheeled machines making their way down the line. The sights were incredible…there were so many motorcycles that were astonishing, impeccable rides. Then there were the sights that really got your attention: incredible, giant Boss Hogs, stretched out “Big Wheels” (as I called them); a large pack of
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young, super silly guys riding mopeds; a biker chick in a neck-toboot, neon pink-netted bodysuit with not much underneath; some strange, rolling cheeseburger on three wheels; and an old dude riding an antique BMW and wearing a crusty, ancient helmet who made three passes in my short time there…I wasn’t sure how to feel about that. At some point while watching the tide of riders on display, I found two of my campadres in the crowd, Iron Butt Association members. I approached them with a huge smile and a hug. They were a little taken aback by my approach, but smiled big when they realized we were teammates in the long-distance world. Very cool. We were kindred souls in the waves of that vast sea. I enjoyed a great dose of the biker culture that evening and decided to
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head for safe harbor with my captains leading the way on their pretty little threewheeled Harley. I was quickly beginning to realize that although all of us motorcyclists share the love of riding, our particular pools where we gather and bob around together are quite different. And that’s okay! The next day was the most exciting to me, personally. I drove my sweet “Henrietta” on the beaches of Daytona. There I was, riding seaside with nothing but sand and tidal pools between me and the mighty Atlantic Ocean. Surreal, indeed, and a highlight in my motorcycling history. Later that day was an exciting visit to a . As I made my way home that evening, feeling like a jellyfish bobbing amongst the vast sea of loud pipes cruising late into the night, I realized that although I had ultimate respect for this culture of bikers, it just wasn’t for me. The lifestyle of cruising, stopping, cruising, stopping, cruising, stopping is not
me. I’m definitely a long-distance style girl! The following morning, I pointed my bow towards home and set sail…swimming quietly and gracefully upstream on my trusty Beemer as the mass of loud pipes were fin to fin streaming downstream. I spent much of the ride homeward reflecting on my voyage and the experiences. And suddenly, there it was again…a random shuffle of my iTunes playlist, and Van Morrison’s voice was again piping out the line “let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic…” Chills and my smile immediately followed, and somehow I knew it was a sign. I, indeed, had traveled to the mystical sea of loud pipes with soul and spirit flying…and my soul and spirit drifted away with much more than I had ever imagined…an amazing experience that taught me that I am just fine being a Fashionista with an Iron Butt riding her BMW.
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Inside the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum.
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Once a pig iron-producing blast furnace, Sloss Furnaces is now a National Historic Landmark with a museum and nationally recognized metal arts program.
The 16th Street Baptist Church, the target of racially motivated bombings that killed four girls in the midst of the American Civil Rights Movement.
Freedom Walk within Kelly Ingram Park across the street from the 16th Avenue Baptist Church and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. May 2016  BMW OWNERS NEWS
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By Bill Wiegand #180584
T
hey may not have iconic names like Going to the Sun, Beartooth Pass or Tail of the Dragon, but fantastic motorcycle destinations worthy of being added to any rider’s bucket list exist across our great country, with many of them closer than we may know. These are the roads that offer a quick afternoon adventure or a weekend camping trip. They are the alphabet roads of Wisconsin, the web of roads connected to California State Route 35 generally know as Skyline Boulevard, or virtually any other beautiful stretch of asphalt or dirt that makes you want to ride. Maps can get us there, but it’s the people who live there and know these roads like the backs of their hands who can take us off the beaten path, show us something special and truly help us discover a new area. It’s that local knowledge of the best roads to ride, the great places to eat and the interesting things to see and do that make a trip unforgettable.
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It was late November as I drove south from Chicago with a borrowed 2015 BMW R 1200 RS in the bed of my F150. As good as it looked in my garage, I needed to get the bike to Alabama, where Ted Moyer would spend the next couple of days riding it on the meandering Alabama asphalt surrounding his Birmingham home and then offer his thoughts about it. Friends know him as a great guy. Personable in a southern kind of way and vastly knowledgeable about BMW motorcycles, he’s particularly fond of the boxer S models. He’s owned several over the years, but now his garage holds an ‘78 R 100 RS
Motorsport and an ’06 R 1200 RT. Friends also know him as a guy with a garage full of other motorcycles, most of which are either projects or simply don’t run for various reasons. Ted was the guy I knew who would be best suited to give a sound evaluation of the new RS. The trip had another purpose as well. Along with Ted and a couple of other BMW MOA members living in the area, our plan was to ride some of the great roads around Birmingham, with me writing about our experience while sprinkling in a bit of Birmingham history and culture. Riding on some of the local BMW riders’
favorite roads would offer outsiders a bit of insider knowledge and a reason to ride there, either while passing through or after making it their ultimate destination. Ted was saying goodbye to his wife as I pulled into his driveway. Though she greeted me with a smile and a “Good morning,” I sensed Teresa wasn’t truly excited by the thought of yet another motorcycle in their garage. She had grown fond of parking there each night and not having to deal with wind, rain or other elements each morning. I assured her the RS had not found its forever home, and with a skeptical smile, she headed to work.
“I’ve got Vance, Lee and Rob meeting us in an hour at the store,” Ted said, “and here are the keys to your bike.” I didn’t recognize the logo on the key. “You’re riding the V-Strom,” he said. “I’ve lent the RT to a buddy, the RS has a dead battery and nothing else is running right now.” Well, I’m riding a motorcycle, the temperature is at least 30 degrees warmer than it is back in Illinois and an adventure is about to begin. “Great” was about all I could muster in reply.
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While Suzuki’s 650cc V-Strom is a fine motorcycle, I immediately missed my S 1000 XR but rationalized this new experience, thinking what better way to appreciate what you have than to have it taken away for a while? With the push of the starter button and a quick familiarization with the controls, we were off. I’d put a couple thousand miles on the new RS and had my own opinions, so I was anxious to hear Ted’s. As we approached the store, the Harrelson brothers were already there waiting, and despite me riding Ted’s Suzuki, they jokingly agreed to let me ride along. I found it ironic that the meeting point was next to the School for Amazing Kids of Helena. I never did ask if there was any significance with this meeting point, and the conversation immediately turned to the route. Vance, the high-miler of the group, said he had the perfect ride laid out, and after a few moments of getting reacquainted, we were off. Behind Vance on his R 1200 GS Adventure was Ted on the RS, Rob on his F 800 GS, me bringing up the rear, and Lee riding sweep on his beloved R 1150 R. We were riding and all was good, and I found myself thinking about how much I’d looked forward to this trip. After a few miles on County Highway 17, we quickly escaped civilization with a right turn onto County Highway 22, which soon merged with County Highway 10. With the trees bare, the gently rolling roads reminded me a bit of southwestern Wisconsin just after the autumn leaves had fallen, but
The crumbling remains of the brick furnace built in 1862 by owners of the Bibb County Iron Company and later sold to the Confederate States of America before being destroyed by Union troops.
before the snow and ice made riding impossible. After a stop for photography, a crude sign pointed to “The House that God Built.” As the Yankee among the group, I was curious and followed the arrow, hoping the rest of the group would notice. Luckily, they did and Shelby County Road 251 took us northeast. Sure enough, about a half mile later we rode past the church mentioned on the sign. Though I’m sure the quality of His message is great there, God must have used nonunion labor to build the structure we passed. We continued down the road until it abruptly ended at the Cahaba River.
A long, leaf-covered road known only to residents living in the area.
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The Cahaba is Alabama’s longest freeflowing river and contains a greater number of fish species per mile than any other river in North America. In fact, eight of the 131 fish species found here occur nowhere else in the world. It is a biological treasure as well as Birmingham’s primary water source. Where the dirt road met the river, a lane of concrete just visible beneath the water tempted us with a means get to the other side, but none of us was willing to challenge the unknown. A few minutes later, a battlescarred Toyota Tacoma did what we were afraid to do, chugging and twisting its way
over. We turned around and left the way we had come anyway. Back on 10 we continued our lazy and meandering ride through the Alabama countryside and though a tiny town with the grand name of Marvel. Something must have happened there, but other than the town’s founder, Benjamin Franklin Roden financing the first street car system in Birmingham in the 1870s, things have been pretty quiet since the post office closed in 1973. To give us a bit of the rich history of the area, Vance led us down County Road 62 and to the Brierfield Ironworks Historical State Park. According to park documents, the Bibb County Iron Company began producing “the toughest and most suitable iron for making guns” in 1862 in an effort to make a fortune from the South’s desperate need for war materials. The notoriety for making superior iron so impressed Richmond that a year later the Confederate government purchased the ironworks and soon added a second furnace and rolling mill. It didn’t take long for the mill’s reputation to grow beyond state lines and become known to Union authorities as well. In the early morning hours of March 31, 1865, the Federal Tenth Missouri Cavalry set fire to the works. During the post-Civil War Reconstruction period, the first coke was used in 1876 to smelt iron at the Oxmoor furnace. Thus, the foundation was set for the steel industry that would eventually establish the city of Birmingham as an industrial and railroad transportation center with a focus on mining and the iron and steel industry. Following our morning history lesson, we got back on the road, with Vance leading us to another of his favorite places – Rolling Mill Road. We came upon an old cemetery and felt like trespassers on what seemed more like a private driveway than a public road. Markers dating from the turn of the 20th century dotted the landscape, as did the more recent addition of a headstone cut in the shape of a Harley-Davidson. While we couldn’t tell what brought the resident lying there to this final resting place, we all agreed he loved his Harley. Denny Tower on the south end of the Quad at the University of Alabama.
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After passing the small towns of Wilton, Montevallo and Calera, it was time for lunch. Before we could reach Columbiana, a small roadside marker indicating a Confederate cemetery caught my eye, and again I veered right. Two miles up the road and hidden among the trees is the Shelby Springs Confederate Cemetery. Again, the awesome history of the area haunted me as I photographed the site. As soon as the rest of the group found me, it was time for lunch in Columbiana, where a large sign announcing “FOOD” got our attention. “Real Southern cookin’,” Vance said with his Alabama twang. He was right; most of the menu was foreign to me. I took the safe route and ordered what Vance did. To maintain peace in these parts, it’s suggested that when entering diners or watering holes one pay attention to whether the establishment is waving flags displaying the script “A” of the University of Alabama or the block “A” placed over the letter “U” of Auburn University, as spontaneous fights could break out at any moment. As a preemptive measure, our choice for lunch that
day flew both. Still, the lively banter between the patrons first heard when we sat down continued as we walked out an hour later. Back on the road with barbecue and collard greens threatening an after-lunch coma, we turned onto County Highway 25 just past the town of Vincent for what Vance said would Home of the best ribs in Tuscaloosa. be the best part of the ride. He was telling the truth. Tight corners, fast sweepers and hills enthusiasts five floors of displays housing a delighted us as we began the trek back to collection of more than 1,350 motorcycles Birmingham. An hour or so later Ted and I which span more than 100 years of producwaved goodbye to the Harrelsons and tion. Additionally, the world’s most extenheaded toward the famed Barber Vintage sive collection of Lotus racecars resides Motorsports Museum. Though Ted says there. he’s visited many times, he had no problem Barber is motorcycle paradise like no making another stop there to show me other, and visitors may find entire afteraround. noons can quickly disappear. Any motorcyLocated at the 830-acre Barber Motorsclist visiting Birmingham must go to Barber. ports Park, the museum offers motorsport
Gorgas House, located on the northwest corner of the Quad, was one of four campus buildings to survive the Civil War fires that destroyed the campus.
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A cool and crisp late autumn morning made the next day a great time to be on a motorcycle. When we rode out of Hoover, the road led us south through the towns of Bessemer, Hueytown, Concord and Rock Creek. They were all built long ago as simple mining company towns. From Lock 17 Road, we turned onto Nancy Ann Bend Road, having been attracted by the “No Outlet” sign we saw and the Oak Grove Mine sign. A long, curving road built to service the mine brought us past huge slag piles filling and leveling the once rugged hilly terrain. A little further down the road we found the active Oak Grove Mine. Just a year ago, the massive operation was still producing roughly 3.6 million tons of coal per year despite the coal industry reeling from the recent recession and downturn in Alabama coal production. Coal prices have tumbled across the Central Appalachia region, yet like steel, coal production remains an integral part of the area economy. To see one open pit coal mine is to have seen them all, and we left the same way we came in. Back on Lock 17 Road, we rode to its namesake, the actual Lock 17 near Burchfield Branch Park on the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway. The meandering road ended at Holt Lake, and we had no option but to go back the way we came to continue our lazy day of exploration. The names of the roads we traveled sometimes seemed to make no sense. The GPS led us down Groundhog Road, which became County Road 59 before becoming Lock 17 Road again. We continued past more open pit mines near the small towns of Searles, Brookwood and Peterson. Veteran’s Memorial Parkway took us into our destination of Tuscaloosa. A tour of the University of Alabama campus would have to wait. Significant time had passed since leaving Hoover, and a late lunch was in order. I had yet to reach my southern barbecue saturation point, so we headed off to Dreamland Bar-B-Que. There’s something about the smell outside a good barbecue joint that makes you smile and your stomach growl at the exact same time. Dreamland did both. A brick mason by trade, legend has it that as John “Big Daddy” Bishop searched for a way to support his family, and he believed either a mortuary or a restaurant was in his future. The story goes that after much
From atop a mountain of slab, the Oak Grove Mine processing equipment is seen in the distance.
prayer, God told Bishop in a dream that he should build a café next to his home. That was 1958, which, coincidentally, was the first year that Paul “Bear” Bryant began coaching at Alabama. Today, Dreamland Bar-B-Que serves their delicious ribs and white bread at seven locations across Alabama, and like Dreamland, the Crimson Tide has done pretty well, too. Bellies full, we rode the short mile or so to the University of Alabama campus. Arriving from the east on University Boulevard, the unmistakable look of student housing, buildings and signage lets you know you’re on a college campus. Riding past the Walk of Champions in front of Bryant Denny Stadium, you know you’re at the University of Alabama. Construction of the university campus began in 1828, following the move of the Alabama state capital from Cahaba to Tuscaloosa two years earlier. The 22-acre quad at the heart of the campus is home to most of the university’s original buildings. In the early days of the American Civil War, the University of Alabama was considered the “West Point of the South.” On March 29, 1865, General John T. Croxton, along with 1,500 cavalrymen, came to Tuscaloosa with orders to destroy the bridge, factories, mills, university and “whatever else may be of benefit to the Rebel cause.” Only four buildings survive today, as Tuscaloosa, which had managed to get through
four years of the war unscathed, ran out of luck less than a week before Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia on April 9, 1865. A violent EF4 multiple-vortex tornado devastated the area just east of campus in April of 2011, and the destruction was still visible as we began our ride back to Hoover. As good as the riding is in the outlying area, Birmingham is a city rich in both history and culture. A ride there is not complete without visiting the Civil Rights District. In 1963, Birmingham’s Reverend Fred Shuttleworth and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. captured the nation’s attention here with the struggle they led against the city’s system of segregation and the police dogs, water hoses and brutality levied against them by police commissioner Eugene “Bull” Connor. Not far from Birmingham’s downtown is Sloss Furnace. It was instrumental in the growth of the city through the production of iron and is now recognized as a National Historic Landmark. Sloss Furnace is also the site of a two-day music and lifestyle festival each July. Attractions like this, an annual BBQ and Blues festival, a jazz festival and the unique cuisine of the south found throughout the area all help make Birmingham a destination to add to every bucket list of rides.
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Riding BMW's new R 1200 RS By Ted Moyer #100360 OVER THE YEARS, I’VE OWNED SEVEN R
series BMWs equipped with the telelever and paralever suspension systems, including three R 1100 S models. I drank the Kool-Aid. I am a believer, and have made the claim that if it weren’t for this suspension technology, BMW would have nothing. Well, while that isn’t exactly true, it was always a good way to light the fire under the pants of a few airhead riders I know! Given this love affair with BMW’s unique suspension systems, I was perplexed to see the development of the R nineT, R 1200 R and R 1200 RS with traditional fork front ends, and I was sure this would be the end of BMW motorcycles as we know it. As much as I wanted to love the new bikes, I just couldn’t get past what I considered to be a step back in time to a standard front end. That is, until I spent the day soaking up every curvy road I could
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find on a new R 1200 RS. My first impression of the bike was very good. I have always had a soft spot for sport-tourers, and this bike definitely scratches the sport itch in any sport-touring setup. I love the lines of the bike and the updated look. Photographs just don’t do it justice; in person, it’s a very striking motorcycle, stylish and good looking. My last S was put out to pasture after I found my wrists and knees too tweaked after moderately long days. I didn’t think I would ever reach “that age,” but it always found me after a 600-mile day. To my delight, the seating position of the new RS is terrific, and the reach to the bars, though a little aggressive, is still comfortable. Fire up the boxer motor, and it has that familiar wethead roar. All the switches and controls seem to be in the right places, and the test bike was equipped with saddlebags
capable of holding plenty of gear—maybe even as much as my current RT. On the open road, the R 1200 RS is simply a joy to ride. After a few miles to get acclimated with my new friend, I began to take it up a notch and enjoyed every bit of the very capable wethead. Entering the first curve, I was dead shocked at the stability of the R 1200 RS. Never did it dive or bobble, even with decent application of the brakes. Sure, it moves with changes in brake pressure and acceleration as any motorcycle would, but it is absolutely as stable and confidence inspiring as any teleleverequipped bike I have ever owned. Once I got past the shock that this suspension could possibly be as good as a telelever machine, the RS brought back memories of my first ride on the R 1100 S, a motorcycle I have always loved. The S was a nimble and responsive motorcycle with
just enough power and acceleration to keep me happy. Though it is a fun bike I could ride all day and a very competent one-up tourer, the RS beats it hands down. The riding position of the RS is more comfortable than the S, the engine and transmission are better, and I can’t stop gushing about the suspension. The RS feels slightly longer than the S, but still just as nimble. I’d also be willing to bet it is a better two-up option than the R 1100 S. I will say that I am not sold on the shift assist option, mostly because I couldn’t operate it smoothly. Even when trying to accelerate hard and get the maximum out of the bike, I couldn’t get it quite right. Maybe with some more practice! I logged several hundred miles over a couple of days, and I have no complaints. The new BMW R 1200 RS is a very impressive motorcycle, absolutely as good as it looks. Maybe my remaining days on the sport side of sport-touring aren’t as short as I thought. That’s good news for BMW, but not such good news for my wife’s side of the garage!
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and in here We have it all, so you don’t have to think about it at all. Post-ride, rest in our spacious guest rooms. Relax knowing your bike is safe and secure. Refuel at our very own Myrtie Mae’s Café. And ride out on the beautiful byways in and around Eureka Springs.
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AN EXPAT COMES
HOME Part 2
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Story by Neale Bayly #196896 Photos by Neale Bayly and Patrick Bayly The days slide by with fish suppers, curries, day trips up and over the Rest and Be Thankful to Inverary, and slow, thoughtful rides to the small village of Kilmacolm, where I spent my teenage years. It was a wild time with a mixed bag of memories, from my first love to occasionally being caught in the religious hatred and violence that was prevalent in the late 1970s. Sitting holding someone’s face together with paper towels after he’s been stabbed with a broken bottle or having your head stitched up with no anesthetic leaves a few dark shadows, but the midsummer sunlight chases them away as I show my son the beauty of this area. He loves the old pubs that have been serving ale for hundreds of years and the magnificent churches that have been opening their door to the faithful even longer. Not much has changed in these parts, but my only connection now is to my family, and it’s a tough ride south as we say goodbye and roll for England. On this trip, Patrick will see his cousins, his aunt and uncle, and his grandmother, who all make up parts of the DNA he feels but can’t touch. It’s his history, his story, his fabric woven with the predominant influence he has from America. What is going through his mind right now as we ride through the peaceful countryside? Out here, the fields and hedgerows haven’t changed for decades, maybe centuries, a large number of landscapes identical to those I passed through as a child. My conscious mind doesn’t recognize a lot of it, but deep inside, it connects to something stored internally like an ancestral code to navigate by that we lose piece by piece with our evergrowing reliance on electronics and electronic voices telling us what to do. The words of my Incan buddy, Flavio, echo through my mind from journeys taken into the wild places of Peru: “There are no signs out here, amigo,” and I smile inside my helmet. There are still untamed places on the planet, but they are shrinking daily, and I wonder what will Patrick have to work with at my age. Can progress possibly keep up this frenetic pace? As my eyes absorb the landscape, I realize
I will always see Britain with my early 1980s eyes. Punk rock evolved through the New Romantics, unemployment escalated, we went to war with Argentina, and Japanese motorcycles ruled the roads. A well-sorted Triumph Bonneville could still catch you out in an impromptu race along a country lane, but even their days were numbered as
my weapon of choice. The Honda CBX550 hit the streets, but BMWs were few and far between and until this time were decidedly boring, the preserve of mature, well-heeled riders who for some bizarre reason rode long distance. For a generation addicted to racing along the lanes and trying to pull birds at the pub, the BMWs weren’t
Left, Hadrian's Wall. Above, A cathedral in the city of Bath.
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attractive. Even the poor old Flying Brick (BMW’s K 100 to those too young and tender to remember that nickname) did nothing to improve our view. The R 80 GS was the first BMW that got on my radar with its exploits racing the Paris/Dakar, and I would go on to own one, but by the time Patrick was invented, I was riding a slick, race-framed Triumph T595. He cut his motorcycle teeth riding on the gas tank of the Triumph as a small boy, and by the time he graduated to the passenger seat, he had been on many a test bike. At the age of five, a Yamaha PW50 started his twowheeled career, but not before he began to master my digital SLR, having his first pictures published in a magazine at the age of seven. Moving on through XR80s to XR100s, a TTR125 and now a Honda CRF150, he is both a proficient motorcycle rider and a photographer as we work our way south past Hadrian’s Wall and then through the Lake District. I hitchhiked here from Scotland when I was 15 years old for a camping trip, but even though the scenery and villages are beyond spectacular, we don’t stop long. We are on a mission to make Wales by nightfall, so there are some easy miles on the motorway to sit and think. After 30 years away I’m not a Brit anymore, but then I’m not American either, which is clear to me on a daily basis from my default thought process. Am I a man without a country? Maybe the world is my
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Above left, A tea shop on the main street in Brixham, South Devon. Above right, The old jail house at Inverary in the west of Scotland. Below, A Dartmoor country home.
home, as we are all just tourists stopping off on planet Earth as part of some cosmic journey around the universe, traveling on one day as dust and particles, or members of a chosen group who have been promised eternal bliss for their faith, depending on your belief. To an Englishman I sound American. To an American I sound like an Englishman. Patrick’s Englishness is more hidden, and he will never have trouble with this form of identity.
Out on the roads, Patrick is a great passenger. Well engaged for the ride, he moves in unison with me, and it’s here I realize where my love of the whole motorcycle experience comes from. The roads require meticulous attention to detail as I work the gears to ensure the right amount of forward motion for the constantly changing conditions. The roads here weren’t built for a modern marvel of technology with fuel injection and 120 horsepower, so the
The Lake District.
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strictest attention is needed due to all the blind rises, hairpin turns, gravel and sudden downhill sections we encounter. On an old air-cooled Triumph twin, there would be little need to brake as you carved through the heart of the English countryside. These roads beautifully follow the contour of the land, up hill and down dale, and mostly run through the center of the small villages where front doors open onto the street. Each moment is like an invitation card to stop and explore, but we ride on. Nightfall sees us in Wales enjoying a fish supper in the garden of a bed and breakfast inn as the surrounding countryside slowly fades out of view in the advancing twilight. Today we ride for England through the historic city of Bath, where we will do battle with tourists for photos and eat lunch in a hip restaurant. Rural country lanes will lead us south and then one last push on the motorway, where slowly the hills and valleys coming into focus will take us home. I’ve ridden these roads a hundred times, creating a myriad of wilder motorcycle memories, but there are also moments of quieter and deeper reflection. My mother is 86 years old this year and has slowed significantly after being the charging matriarch for so many decades. Lives have ended, marriages floundered, children grown,
people moved on. Over the next few days, Patrick and I ride to most of my favorite places, enjoying the best English summer weather in my memory. The Brits are pissing and moaning about the heat, so it’s business as usual for the locals. We ride ferryboats across the River Dart, fishing boats along the coast, then meander through the South Hams along roads barely wide enough for a small car before spending a day with my friend Wibbly and his family traveling to and across Dartmoor. Patrick and I ride the BMW, and he spends a lot of time shooting pictures as we ride. The view from the top of Haytor looks down across the area we have just been riding, with the sea a brilliant blue smudge across the horizon. We have visited sandy beaches, dined in 600-yearold buildings, visited monasteries and churches dating back over 1,000 years, and seen a good number of my friends from the formative years. Nick Roskelly, the man who built my Laverda back in the day, has restored an old Z900, and it’s a fabulous job. Somewhat famous in these parts for his incredible Harleton, which uses a 1942 WLC 45-cubicinch Harley engine in a 1960 Norton Wideline Featherbed frame, it’s a sign of the times that this old biker is working on
Overlooking the River Dart in Devon near the Royal Dartmouth Naval College.
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Japanese bikes. We make a point of visiting Les Harris’ old Triumph shop at the end of the high street in my home town, where I stared in wonder at the shiny motorcycles as a boy. Harris is the man who kept Triumph alive for the five-year interval after Meriden closed their doors in 1983 and Hinckley opened theirs in 1988, so it’s a little ironic that his building is now an Asian convenience store. I shoot a picture of Nick’s Kawasaki in front of it for posterity. All too soon, it’s time to say goodbye and head back to London for our return flight. We have to drop the BMW and stage up at a hotel for the night before our metal bird takes us back to America. Patrick and I have spent the last two weeks with no communication devices, becoming more connected without our cell phones. We’ve played games on pad and paper, talked excitedly about the day’s ride and what’s to come, and worked in perfect harmony from photography to packing. We’ve ridden through my memories and created a whole set of new ones we can share. The world has changed and so have I, but the one conclusive thought that ties the whole journey together is that the spirit of travel and adventure made possible from the saddle of a motorcycle is just the same as it ever was, no matter what or where your ride.
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ALPHABET SOUP BY JIM AUCKLEY #148105
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OO
N N T HH
WW Y N
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I
anticipate each new edition of the Owners News. When I come in from the mailbox, I retreat to a worn leather recliner and savor the magazine in the natural light from a large window. I’m delighted, but after an initial page-through without actually reading anything but the titles and a few photo captions—just to get the lay of the new magazine—I have a creeping feeling of jealousy. Here are stories of people riding across continents, riding through Switzerland or touring the oh-so-scenic western United States. I’m jealous because 95 percent of my riding is local, most of it on twolane rural blacktops. As an aging baby-boomer and someone who is downstream of two spinal stenosis surgeries, I’m mostly limited to day rides of three to five hours near home. In my state, county roads are designated by letters rather than numbers, and it only takes a moment of remembering what twisted pretzels those alphabet soup roads are to cure my green-eyed envy of the exotic
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rides I see illustrated in the Owners News. I live in Lewis and Clark country, near the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. The landforms here provide two outstanding foundations for twisting, hill-struck roads. Bluffs lining the Missouri
River are threaded with small blacktops weaving their way through openings in the maple-clad uplands. Just to the south is a large limestone plain that nature has been at work on for a long time; the hills strain to be called Ozark mountains, but the valleys,
cut by years of generous rainfall, are deep, winding and inviting for a rider on an easysteering BMW R 1200 GS. The best of the Ozark-foothills traces are the alphabet roads. I have an easy 15-minute ride from my garage door to OO. This road connects the far west end of a suburban Route 66 byway to the real ghost of historical Route 66 at a town called Pacific. OO is only a few miles long, but it traverses a rolling landscape of pastures and timber, and it includes one flat-out, blind curve that I always navigate with two fingers draped over my front brake lever. There is a patch of field here, just below a house, that, in spring, includes the densest ranks of daffodil flowers I have ever seen—short lived, but gorgeous in their moment. OO feeds me into Route N, which leads to at least four alphabet roads heading south into the cave-riddled limestone that forms a landscape my grandfather once called “rough country.” NN is a 10-mile treat that includes a multitude of curves, two of which will scare an unwary cyclist. That wonderful yellow road
sign with the arrow graphic, twisted like the devil’s backbone, stands roadside. I can make a loop ride out of this trip by working my way to HH and following it back to the north. Even better is to drop off on Route Y for a few miles and hook up with WW. This road starts out easily, but quickly turns into one of the highest rated rides on my Butler motorcycle map of the Ozarks. I pass a shambling building here with a sign that announces “Joe Mamma’s Hilltop Tavern,” just before connecting with WW, and though I have yet to see the lights on in the place, I love the quirky name. I count 34 curves in the 10-mile length of WW. I am fortunate to be able to often ride on weekdays. The alphabet roads are remarkably free of traffic through the body of a day in the middle of the week (in mid-morning there is the random mail truck, and in the afternoon maybe a school bus making its rounds). It’s unusual to get stuck behind a car or, more likely, a pickup or logging truck. WW is a marvel of curves and elevation changes, and it includes fields and woods with few houses in its length. Others are not shy about hanging their vehicles over the yellow line when rounding
curves, curves that I feel my way through with the knowledge that oncoming traffic may not honor what should be my space… not theirs. The culprit is often a pickup pulling a big trailer with a garden tiller strapped on, or, if it’s deer season, a raft of ATVs. The window on my GS tank bag holds a folded down map of the state, though it is largely hidden by a half-dozen sticky notes bearing jumbles of encrypted letters. Each slip of paper is a loop ride that I frequent. The smallest of these simply reads “H…E left…Y right…YY left…A right.” Doesn’t sound like much, but it is a guide to a fun ride that I sometimes key into a portion of a larger loop route. My much-loved, longest day ride starts with Highway T (country folks will simply call this T road), morphing into V. Next I follow to a state highway; it’s a numbered road, but one of the best in the state, with several curves that notably raise the pucker factor. I find my way to P and on to double D, a road that flows through a national forest with timber pressing both road shoulders, a road not only laden with curves but with the best possible scenery. One more numbered highway and I am at a cross-road
called Bixby. There is a little country store here that makes sandwiches and has a decent restroom; on summer weekends, that parking area is often loaded with twowheelers. Off-road riders find fun nearby, too. I like to sit at a table at the back of the store where I can see a half-dozen hummingbird feeders hanging off a railing. It’s not unusual for there to be 30 or more of the little birds boiling around the nectar dispensers all at once. After relaxing a halfhour, I head for home. The entire ride is some 225 miles. I’ll retrace some of my steps north, then cut off on another road called “T,” and this one is a supple passage through state-owned forests with almost no sign (other than the road itself) of the hand of man. I travel this road wishing it would continue forever. At its end, I will follow H to the southern tip of the previously mentioned WW and enjoy its flowing contours. NN is next and then…bang, I’m almost back in the city. I’m planning a ride for tomorrow. I predict a curvaceous delight…brought to me by highways K, P and DD! Close-to-home motorcycling does not get any better than this.
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Small bikes and big fun By Lee Parks #162125
Q:
Last month’s reader question was about trying to find the correct-sized dual-sport bike. Of course, as I explained, that depended on several factors only he could answer. While I hopefully answered his question on the pros and cons of the different sub-categories of dual-sports, it dawned on me that I didn’t really get to make the case for small bikes that I would have liked. If you’ll indulge me this month, I’d like to dive a little deeper into why I love the smaller machines so much.
A:
I was reminded of this when a private lesson student came to my house recently for a combination of on- and off-road riding lessons. Yes, I’m fortunate to live near some great street roads and have dirt bike training tracks in my front and backyards in the California desert. He has only been riding for three years, but in that time he has ridden over 30,000 miles, including in the Italian Alps, and has taken every riding and track course he could sign up for. He was shocked to discover that of the 10 bikes in my garage, the largest one was only 675cc. You could say that the discussion that ensued was yours truly making a case for why I love small displacement, lightweight bikes. Having a father who rode meant that I was the lucky kid on the block who got a 1981 Suzuki RM80 (13 hp, 136 lbs.) as a 12th birthday present. Because of my age, a small, lightweight bike was the only option for starting my riding career. Because it was a motocross racer, however, it was
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also amazingly fast and exhilarating to ride. Two years later when I outgrew it, I graduated to a 1983 RM125 (26 hp, 201 lbs.). I could barely touch the ground with one foot, but it wasn’t too intimidating like the 250s and 500s. Because of that, I was able to concentrate on my riding technique instead of being scared the formula I have followed to this day. In college, when I switched to road racing, I chose to start on a Kawasaki GPz305 (29 hp, 362 lbs.). Some of my most memorable racing battles were against another rider in the novice class on a 1983 GPz1100 (110 hp, 586 lbs.). We would run identical lap times with me passing in the turns and him motoring by on the straights. While the best-financed novice racers at the time were riding GSX-Rs and Hurricanes, they were often afraid to really push their bikes in the turns because of the high horsepower and expensive bodywork. As a result, I was able to learn the racing skills more quickly and moved up to the Expert class in record time. After cutting my teeth on the 305, I switched to a 1988 Yamaha FZR400R (50 hp, 410 lbs.) and began winning races in the Southwest. After college, I went back to my twostroke roots and started racing 250 GP bikes. My 1988 Yamaha TZ250U (66 hp, 239 lbs.) made the 400 feel like a tank. It was pure, simple and faster through the turns than I thought possible. Unfortunately it also required huge amounts of maintenance, as in three hours of wrenching for every one hour of riding. On the plus side, I had never had so much fun on a motorcycle before. There was something primal about such a little bike between myself and the road. At this point I figured that if the light weight of a 250 was cool, the only thing even more fundamental would be a 125 GP bike. So out went the 250 and in came a 1993 Honda RS125 (40 hp, 160 lbs.). There is
something almost magical that happens when riding a motorcycle that weighs less than you do. You just think about turning, and the bike is already half way there. The bike becomes an extension of you like the sword to a samurai warrior. It all came to a head in 1994. I had become so “one” with my motorcycle that I felt I needed to see what we could do on the national stage. As a starving motorcycle journalist, I knew I didn’t have enough money to enter the AMA Superbike Championship in the 125GP class in its exhibition year. But I did have almost enough credit. Every credit card I owned was maxed out that year, and it took me five full years to pay off the debt from pursuing my dream of becoming a national champion. Finishing second overall in the national championship that year as a rookie was practically a dream come true. At the same time, I decided that I needed a street bike to commute through the jungle that is LA traffic, so I bought a used 1988 Honda Hawk GT (42 hp, 400 lbs.). I put 120,000 miles on that bike until it was replaced by a 1999 Suzuki SV650 (65 hp, 417 lbs.). By the time I celebrated my 31st birthday and being finally out of debt, the racing bug decided to rear its ugly head once more. Living in Baltimore at the time, WERA was just starting a lightweight class in its national endurance series, and I knew what I had to do. Joining a rookie team as the “old guy” and wanting a place to test out the techniques from my upcoming Total Control book, we thought we’d do a few East Coast races for fun. After climbing into second place in the points, we realized we had a statistical chance to win the championship if we finished the rest of the series. Out came the credit cards again and, low and behold, we actually did it. A small bunch riders whose mutual love of small displacement, lightweight bikes won a national championship on their first try. While it
S-T-R-E-T-C-H O-U-T with Highway Peg Brackets for BMW R1100/1150/1200 years 1994-2009
may not have been quite the “Miracle on Ice” of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, to an over-the-hill motorcycle journalist like myself, it might as well have been. Today, as comfort becomes as important as performance to my 46-year-old bones, my student points out that my garage is devoid of full-dress or supersport liter bikes. Instead, a 2010 Triumph Street Triple R (95 hp, 400 lbs.) has become my sport/ track day/teaching bike, a 2010 BMW G450X (46 hp, 283 lbs.) is my dual-sport bike, and a 2008 Suzuki DR650 (42 hp, 380 lbs.) is my touring/commuting mount. After a 25-year absence, I returned to motocross racing for a couple years in the 40 to 50-year-old Vet class and now ride a Husky FC350 (50 hp, 234 lbs.) against a field of mostly 450s. But my favorite bike in the fleet is a 2008 Honda CRF150R (22 hp, 172 lbs.) that I’ve set up for supermoto racing. In its first ever race weekend, I won both heats and both races against experienced competitors in two classes. Could it be I was just having the most fun out there? It turns out that my 48-year-old student had a similar epiphany when I made him park his 1000cc sportbike and get on a 2007 Yamaha TTR125LE (7 hp, 198 lbs.) for the first portion of the dirt lesson. At 6'2", he felt a little silly on such a diminutive machine. But because of the small size and low horsepower, he felt comfortable enough to try the techniques I was teaching him until he was power-sliding around turns like a real dirt tracker after only a couple hours. When I later put him on the much taller and faster BMW G450X, he was able to transfer what he learned on the TTR almost immediately. You would never have known it was his first time on the dirt, and he made me very proud. By the end of the day he asked, “How could anyone learn how to ride a 450 dirt bike without getting on a TTR first?” Couldn’t have said it better myself. While the big and fast bikes continue to get all the headlines, the ones that deliver the most “smiles per mile” for me continue to be the small displacement, lightweight machines – and that’s the most important spec of any motorcycle.
May 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS
95
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RIDEWELL
Dealing with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Do your fingers go numb when you ride? By Marven Ewen #150506 you ride if it is contributing to the problem. Keep your hands warm and dry on cold or our bikes to have wet rides. Relax your grip. When safe to do some character. The so on a long ride, consider using some sort throbbing of a twin of cruise control so you can relax your engine or the snarl throttle hand. If that isn’t possible, consider of an inline four getting an assistive device such as a Throtexcites us. We not tle Rocker or Cramp Buster. only enjoy the If this is a persistent, recurrent problem sound of these mechanical wonders, that won’t improve no matter what you do, but we can actually feel the bike come see your doctor. In milder cases, non-suralive through the handgrips. There is gical options such as night splints can help a point, however, when the tactile because many people sleep with their pleasure becomes pain due to motorwrists flexed at night, exacerbating the cycle-specific issues, environmental problem. Sometimes, conditions or steroid injections or human factors. BOTH ENVIRONMENTAL AND PERSONAL short-term steroids If you often given orally might be notice that your PREDISPOSING FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO used; however, if fingers get numb DEVELOPMENT OF CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME, these measures don’t riding, you may help and there is have a condition SUCH AS PERSISTENT PRESSURE ON THE PALM, nerve damage docucalled Carpal TunVIBRATION, COLD TEMPERATURE, REPETITIVE USE OF mented by Electronel Syndrome. In myography (EMG), this condition, one THE HAND, OR HOLDING THE WRIST FLEXED OR then surgery is indiof the nerves that EXTENDED FOR LONGER PERIODS. cated. An EMG is an carries sensory and electrodiagnostic test motor information WOW, SOUNDS LIKE RIDING A MOTORCYCLE! your doctor or hand through the wrist surgeon can order to the hand, known that measures how as the Median the nerve is functioning and is thereby able This is a treatable condition, but like nerve, gets compressed. As it passes to objectively document damage. most things it would be better not to over the palm side of the wrist from A hand surgeon will correct the problem develop it in the first place. If left untreated the forearm to the hand, it has to pass by performing a Carpal Tunnel Release. It over time, it can progress to nerve damage, under the carpal ligament. This is a is often done with a small scope, resulting with loss of sensation and wasting of some fibrous tissue between wrist bones. in a smaller incision. In this surgery, the of the muscles in the hand. Maintain your Several flexor tendons accompany carpal ligament is cut and thereby relieves motorcycle to limit any unnecessary the median nerve through this narpressure on the nerve. Not a big deal with mechanical vibration. Make sure the posirow space. If this space becomes too regard to surgical risk, but you will lose tion of your handlebars makes sense ergonarrow relative to its contents, pressome riding time as you recover. Expect to nomically—you don’t want to have sure is put on the nerve. This is felt as be in a splint for about a week and have unnecessary pressure on your palms or to a tingly, numb, and painful sensation some physical therapy afterward. use a grip that is unnatural. Ensure your that extends to the thumb, index finRide in comfort and stay well. gloves fit properly. Remove anything such ger, middle finger and thumb side of as a watch or bracelet from your wrist while the ring finger. MOST OF US LIKE
96
BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
Both environmental and personal predisposing factors contribute to development of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, such as persistent pressure on the palm, vibration, cold temperature, repetitive use of the hand, or holding the wrist flexed or extended for longer periods. Wow, sounds like riding a motorcycle! Why doesn’t everyone have it? Because there are personal factors involved such as genetic predisposition, obesity, gender (women are affected three times more often), pregnancy, and connective tissue diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
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lifestyle 100
flashback
25 years ago KIM DROMLEWICZ
#41856 WAS
vacationing in Istanbul, Turkey, when he stopped in an old printing shop and saw the 1938 R51 he photographed for the May 1991 Owners News cover. Despite the exposed wires and disrepair, it was a runner. With the BMW MOA International Rally scheduled for Flagstaff that year, much of the May 1991 issue was dedicated to stories of rally interest. Detailing a good way to get from El Paso, Texas, to Flagstaff, Bruce Carlisle wrote, “Deming to Lordsburg to Clifton, you’re talking Buicks and cruise controls! If you’re among the living, stop in Las Cruces. On the old motel strip off the
BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
interstate you’ll find numerous first-class motels for $20, but better yet, a quarter mile south of I-10 on the Old Mesilla Road is The Lantern, a restaurant you’ll want to visit each time you’re in the area, especially if that little one-armed waitress is on duty! Talk about a ‘ray of sunshine!’” Beneath the headline “Iron Beemer Butts,” Dave McQueeney was reported to have ridden his seven motorcycles 69,954 miles in 1990 to take home another first place in the Iron Butt Association’s High Mileage contest that year. Coincidentally, Dave took top honors in the 2015 BMW MOA Mileage Contest for the state of California by riding his 2013 R 1200 R and 2002 R 1150 R a total of 32,818 miles. In his story titled “Hellride,” Tom Harbrecht detailed his trip from Indiana to Rapid City, South Dakota, for the BMW MOA International Rally the previous summer with his then 12-year-old daughter Joanna in his 1962 750/2 conversion with Ural sidecar. While Joanna loved motorcycles and was excited about the trip, Harbrecht had never taken his sidecar rig for an extended trip, and after a few pre-ride maintenance items and Joanna taking a bit longer to be ready than anticipated, they were off. Along the way, they learned several hard and fast rules to live by when traveling by motorcycle. As he was delayed while waiting for his daughter, Harbrecht discovered Rule #1, which states that “Timetables and motorcycles are non sequiturs.” One may have nothing to do with the other. Later, when it began to sprinkle while riding across Illinois and after seeing Joanna’s $4.95 rain suit being shredded by the wind, Harbrecht realized Rule #2, which states that “Cheap is Cheap!” At one point, Harbrecht and Joanna were saved while stranded at the side of the road with their first flat tire by a couple of initially intimidating, yet truly friendly and compassionate Harley chopper riders. Later, after suffering their second flat, they were rescued by a suspicious
trio in a beat-up Chevy Vega. Another rule was provided: Appearances are deceiving, or if you prefer, you cannot judge a book by its cover. A little further down the road the BMW Owners Anonymous book brought Rich from his home in the middle of Iowa to the rescue with valve and timing adjustments and a tire replacement, and with a renewed appreciation for their fellow MOA members, Harbrecht and his daughter were back on the road. Or so it seemed. Still to come before reaching their final destination was the thunderous roar of a departed muffler, flocks of teenage boys materializing out of nowhere at each gas stop when Joanna took off her helmet, and the gale-like crosswinds of South Dakota. Finally, as they pulled into Rapid City, Harbrecht realized, “The ordeal of the last three days faded into nothing. We were here, at Rapid City, the center of the motorcycle universe. As we pulled into the rally grounds, we were greeted by familiar, smiling faces, and all was right with the universe.” The motorcycling community and computers were brought together in a new way in November 1990 with the GE Network for Information Exchange. Genie is the consumer-oriented marketing department of General Electric Information Services and motorcyclists from throughout the United States and Canada can now use their computers to form an electronic “community.”
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lifestyl 102
mileageslaves
I wish I was fast like Richard or Ron By David Cwi #28490 STOP
ME
IF
you’ve heard this story before. I’m talking about when I first came to realize that there is fast and then there is FAST. I owe this bit of knowledge to Richard and one eye-opening day in the Smokies. Chasing after him that day, I did learn that I had the nerve to pass folks standing in the way of our quick progress if they insisted on dawdling on narrow technical roads. And that well-developed passing “skill” still accounts for why, in the twisties, I’m faster than some of you. I stuff you behind a car I’ve passed without hesitation while you have second thoughts, thereby allowing me to get some lead time. While I’m not the fastest in the pack, I console myself with the knowledge that I always know exactly what my bikes can do when accelerating from HERE to THERE. But, you guessed it, by looking on the bright side of my twisty skill set I’ve already digressed. I’m trying to remember just how far back in time this story goes. While I want to say I was on an airhead, for some reason I keep picturing my incredibly tall, old school tank bag on an ’85 K bike with a custom eight gallon Ray Randolph tank, low bars, and a narrow Pichler fairing. And I keep picturing Richard on a Honda Hawk GT NT650. If that’s true, then I must have been riding the K that day, since the Honda Hawk was introduced in 1988. By then, I was riding the K. The Honda was a naked bike weighing in at maybe 400 pounds wet. With its 30 inch seat height and
BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
53-inch wheel base, it looked like a toy to me. In contrast, I had this black K bike that allowed me to roll along, comfortably lying on the bag with hands atop low bars. I mean, I was tre cool. How hard could it be to keep up with Richard in the Smokies? I mean his “toy” made less than 40 hp. Piece of cake. No problem. Or so I thought. Richard made it simple at a club rally: “If you want to just come down to the Smokies, I’ll show you some great riding.” Back then I was basically a “slab guy” who lived in the East and went to rallies on interstates with no serious practice time on back roads, nothing like the riding in the Smokies. So I’d not spent much time at all on “technical roads.” But I still had the illusion that my skill set was up to the task. However, to put it bluntly, Richard “schooled” me. It took maybe three minutes before I was flabbergasted. I mean, he just took off. And for sure he never gave passing a second thought; he just went. My first reaction was simple: He knows the roads and I don’t. You are more likely to be fearless (or stupid) if you think you know what’s around every corner and if the road holds no surprises, you are ready for that decreasing radius upcoming. Years later, I had an education about corners and their psychology from Susan Galpin during her seminar on “Conquering Corners Before They Conquer You.” Susan is all about “quick riding” on technical roads, which means she literally enters and exits corners while never hitting her brakes. While you are charging into the corner, desperately shaving off speed and over shooting the apex, she is quickly motivating around in the right gear and leaving you to wonder how the heck she does it. (FYI, her seminar and on-road coaching is free and probably this year in the Smokies. You might even check out YouTube, searching “Susan Galpin.”) So there I eventually was, basking in her
practical wisdom and taking in her knowledge. I hoped to get better, but better only happens with practice, which of course others had time for, but not me. To this day I can recall her elucidating the difference between right hand corners and left hand corners from the panicked rider’s point of view. But before getting to that, let’s finish up the Richard story. Richard and Susan had a very effective way of making me realize that I was the problem and not the bike. Often as part of her seminar Susan will ask you to get behind her while she rides YOUR bike through the corners with you as passenger. (Having never been a passenger before on a motorcycle, there is a picture of me getting off the bike the first time and kissing the tarmac.) Now early K bikes were a problem for those of us coming off airheads. K 100’s are top heavy to begin with (so we claimed), and if you added a custom fuel tank with more fuel up top and put a giant tank bag on top of that, you compounded the problem. While airheads approaching corners were forgivingly “flickable,” things were different on a K bike. You had to shave off speed, pick a line and power your way through a corner, and the early bikes had no ABS. So clearly my problem in staying with Richard was the bike. That little, snazzy red Honda Hawk was the ideal weapon for the twisties while I, poor I, was hampered obviously by my K Bike slab-mobile. And then my bubble was burst. “Say Dave, I’ve never ridden one of those K bikes. What do you say we swap bikes?” Oh, dear. You can guess the result of that exercise. He just took off!! That was my first day encountering the mysteries of left and right hand corners. For years afterward I hooked a trailer to that bike and REALLY learned about cornering, as the trailer has no brake and insists on
pushing you. But, I do not want to steal Susan’s thunder. Take out a piece of paper and draw thee a road with a left and right hand corner. This is not a track day “road.” This is the real world of two-lane riding. Run your finger down your two-lane road and miss the right hander then miss the left. You’ll get the picture of why these corners are psychologically different. Make either of them blind corners, and that just makes it more fun. I asked Susan recently if I was getting slower as I got older or were the guys I was encountering going faster on the current generation of BMWs. Her response: “You’re not slower. They are faster. And once they crash, they’ll learn to be Quick riders rather than Fast riders.” Now all of this came back with a rush this year as I encountered a member of this new generation that includes a bunch of guys who haul their “track bike” to the track or just trailer it to great riding roads. That whole concept was new to me.
Ron signs on for the First Annual Raider Fall Rendezvous held this year in West Virginia. Ron is a guy who hauls his bike to the twisties but wants to do a bit more “Iron Tush” style riding, or so he asserts. As it turns out, the route on the way to WVA includes great roads he knows well. “Dave,” he emails, “there are great riding roads across Kentucky on the way to West Virginia. I know them well. Meet me in Dry Ridge, Kentucky, and I’ll lead the way.” Well now, that seemed like a great idea. But Double D is nobody’s fool. “Ron,” I respond, “what’s the route? I’ll create a GPX file and share it with you.” Meaning, I want this locked and loaded in my GPS. Naturally, Ron didn’t need a GPX file, as he knows the roads. And I didn’t have the heart to tell him that DD needed the GPX file because I expected him to leave me in the dust and wanted to make sure that eventually our paths crossed when he bothered to notice and stopped. As it turned out, he did not notice and
eventually did lose me, but before that happened he did stop to get off the bike and take a picture. I can still see him. He pulled off the road and is facing me 100. I stop. In my mind’s eye I see the road in reverse perspective from his point of view. I realize that if a bike were coming at me they’d be seeing a sharp enough right hand turn, slightly off camber. “Ron, somebody crashed here, didn’t they?” He laughs. “Yes, and every time I’m here I stop take a picture and send it to them.” That’s tough love and a devilish sense of humor. I sit there, wondering for a moment if there is a corner coming up that Ron plans to help me remember. But all goes well, and the trip was great. Each Spring I keep telling myself that this year is my year to practice going FAST. But then I confront that next blind corner on some technical road, and I tell myself to just keep going Quick. Maybe though, this is the year you want to practice getting up to speed. I’ve got a camera. See you down the road.
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May 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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lifestyle 104
jacktheriepe
The Battered Baby Harp Seal Look By The Nearly Late Jack Riepe #116117 ROMANCE
AND
motorcycle riding are inseparable as far as I am concerned. I have believed this since 1975, when I got my first bike, a Kawasaki H2, because I knew it would help me find a girlfriend. I was 19 years old then and believed all kinds of peculiar notions. This one was based on close personal observation, however. I noticed that every Harley, Norton, or Triumph rider of that era had a hot pillion patootie wrapped around them like a python. All I had to do was get a bike and wait for a brunette or a blonde to settle on the back like a kind of air fern. (Naturally, there was more to it than this, and I learned the hard way, as explained in my book, Conversations With A Motorcycle.) It’s 40 years later, and I still believe that motorcycles are catalysts for deep romantic involvement. In my case, these involvements can last 18 years or three hours, whichever is likely to come first. The sound of a motorcycle has a hypnotic effect on many women, which is immediately shattered by the sound of my voice. My last great romantic liaison endured as long as it did because I didn’t speak for six weeks and simply jazzed the throttle to communicate. (The bike was a 1995 K 75, however, and this delightful woman came to the conclusion that I whined about everything. When she finally did hear my voice, she jumped off the back while we were doing 107 mph on a local interstate.) Some motorcycles generate more romantic encounters than others.
BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
The legendary Harley-Davidson still kickstarts a huge number of vibro-mances, perhaps more than any other piece of two-wheeled driveway art. But romance has to go beyond chrome and a numbing idle. Iconic BMW R bike riders have discovered that true love begins with incredible mileage. Go to any Teutonic-oriented rally (I highly recommend the Four Winds Rally just outside of Pittsburgh or the Finger Lakes Rally in New York for authentic BMW rider-tude.) and you’ll find wellmaintained R bikes and well-preserved R bike riders in the traditional Alpha dog stance. They have discovered a certain breed of woman is attracted to a bike with a simpler design, with the natural weathering of miles, and an odometer that reads like a millionaire’s bank statement—rife with zeroes after three or four digits. These are the riders who can be heard to say, “I started out from Tierra del Fuego, yesterday.” You can see they are used to having ladies utter, “Estas un hombre.” Regrettably, rides of this duration sap their bodies of electrolytes and often leave them with a blank look in their eyes (the riders, not the women they hope to attract). Riders of the mechanically complex but conceptually perfect K bikes have a much harder row to hoe. For one thing, the speedos on their rigs start at 80 miles per hour, and the windscreens have a permanent backward bend from resisting breezes in excess of tornado force. Mileage means nothing to these riders. They measure distance in fines paid, farm animals caught up in their wakes, and soil samples from different states trapped in the bike’s various filters. The atmosphere surrounding K bike pilots is often choked with cigar smoke or fumes given off by Bourbon or sour mashtainted sweat. And considering that all K bike models are generally regarded as an acquired taste looks-wise, few women
come up and say, “Wow, that bike is the perfect balance of weight to horsepower, let’s go get a drink.” As a committed K bike rider, romance has slipped through my hands more often than a greased trout. (Now there is an analogy that will raise a few eyebrows.) That is until I discovered a secret power that I alone possess: The Battered Baby Harp Seal Look. By relaxing certain muscles in my face, while looking out of the tops of my blue eyes, I conjure up a facial expression that reminds women of a baby harp seal. These are the incredibly cute pups of a Canadian seal species that scamper about on the ice until they are clubbed to death by Canadian wildlife enthusiasts. The Jack Riepe “Battered Baby Harp Seal Look” works better than any line I can deliver or any gift I can present. Possibly because anything clever that I say or anything of a thoughtful nature I can give is an immediate tip-off that I have big plans for the lady in question. Most women would enter the witness protection program five minutes after I said “hello” to them. Not now. My patented “Battered Baby Seal Look” implies a level of sincerity and sensitivity that no mortal man can rightly possess. Some of you will scoff at this, claiming it is more of my nonsense. But I have a witness... Several summers ago, members of the Mac-Pac (the premier chartered BMW riding club serving southeast Pennsylvania) and I were having dinner at a local tiki joint. I was sharing a draft at the bar with Matt Piechota, who is your basic R bikeriding engineering type, incapable of a lie or even an exaggeration. The barmaid was a super-attractive young thing that seemed to regard our crowd as escapees from a Turkish prison laundry. I was determined to make her turn in my direction and smile. So I began describing the “Battered Baby Harp Seal Look” in stage whispers that
Jack Riepe is again writing his column after spending 76 days in the hospital for various infections generally associated with Third World truck stops. He is speaking at Americade in Lake George, N.Y., this June and attending the MOA Rally in Hamburg, N.Y. this July. His revised version of Conversations With A Motorcycle, the one with the “Doucheville” chapters, is expected out this May. The sequel, Motorcycles Speak Louder Than Words, is scheduled to be released as a limited edition at the BMW MOA Rally. To reserve copies of either book, please email your name, address, and telephone number to jack.riepe@gmail. com. Please put: “Book Reservation” in the subject line. Please specify “Conversations With A Motorcycle - The D-ville Edition,” or the sequel, “Motorcycles Speak Louder Than Words” in the text.
May 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS
105
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Mine is 10 years old.) She gave me that appraising look that challenges any male biker to say something. I knew better. I sipped a glass of amber anguish from the tap and gave her the Battered Baby Harp Seal Look. “I know that look,” she said, biting her lower lip. Five minutes later I was clinging to her waist on the back of an R bike as she rode to a remote cabin in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. “Nice cabin,” I said, stepping inside. The place was decorated in a unique rustic style. Hides from elk, moose, and deer covered the floor. A series of leg-hold traps were pegged to one wall, ranging in size from bear to muskrat. Head mounts and stuffed birds were in every room. A dog sled hung from the ceiling. “Let’s see that look again,” she said, picking up a club. “I was born and raised in Canada.”
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could be heard across the bar. The pretty young thing (PYT) bartender glanced at me with a look she might have given a horsefly. Yet the moment of truth arrived, and I let the BBHSL loose with reckless abandon. The barmaid was oblivious, and Piechota guffawed. It was at that point another woman, sitting at the bar, bought me a drink and sent over her business card. Her cell number was handwritten on the back. I explained that my aim was off by about four inches but that the effect of “The Look” was indisputable. I went over to thank the nice lady, who was having a spirited discussion with her boyfriend, who, in turn, was really pissed about the business card thing. I was recently again relationshipfree and open to suggestion. (I am seasonally single, as I am hard on women and disc brakes, with both worn and burned after 4,000 miles.) A local watering hole oozed the strains of Steppenwolf ’s “Magic Carpet Ride,” and I could detect the aroma of gushing beer taps at 400 yards. There was the usual array of Harleys and cookie-cutter cruisers parked out front—plus one weathered BMW R bike with 780,678 miles on the clock. This bike was immaculate, save for the tattered inspection sticker from Tierra del Fuego on the fork and for the seat, which was nicely weathered except in the butt area. This blackened butt outline indicated an hourglass derriere, common to the female of the species. I entered the saloon with caution. Female R bike riders and black widow spiders are alleged to have similar mating habits. She wasn’t hard to spot at the bar, considering she was drinking from a skull. The Harley riders had given her some space, which I casually occupied, as I was wearing my classic BMW “Sturgis” shirt. (This may be the best BMW tee shirt ever printed.
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The Ride of 1812 By Bann Price #141927 OKAY, SO YOU’RE DOING YOUR
planning for July’s “Das Rally” in Hamburg, New York. Apart from the journey to the rally, there are plenty of great places to ride in the area, and in doing your planning for a day ride while at the rally, you must of course consider time. But, not time just in terms of hours—time in terms of centuries. From Hamburg you can actually ride backwards two hundred years, in fact, to the War of 1812-1814. This truly nation-building conflict saw some of its most hotly contested and bloodiest battles in the small area on both sides of the Niagara River between Buffalo, New York, and Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.
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While the area is now a shining example of how two nations can live together in peace, it was not so back then, when the inevitable consequences of war turned Niagara into a burnt out wasteland. There are reminders and remnants of that war throughout the region, all worth a visit, and getting to them is quick and easy, with lots of good riding and interesting places to visit along the route. The War of 1812-1814 is one of the only wars in written history which is entitled using dates, probably because it is sometimes hard to determine why it was fought. Not that there was not enough provocation. The British, heavily engaged in
fighting Napoleon Bonaparte in Europe, were behaving in a very high-handed manner toward its former colony, blockading American trade in Europe and seizing American shipping on the high seas in search of seamen to man their warships. Diplomacy was a lengthy process in those days, and by the time some of the irritants had been negotiated away in England, the United States Congress had already
Old Fort Niagara, the French Castle.
declared war on Great Britain. The war saw large naval engagements on the Great Lakes and on the high seas with both capital cities, Washington and York (now Toronto) being burned, largely as a result of naval bombardments. The fighting on land was mainly conducted by local militias, supported by the British and American regular army and most significantly, by their respective native allies. It spanned the North American continent from the head of the Great Lakes to the city of New Orleans. The first land battle involved the British capture of Fort Mackinac—the American garrison had unfortunately not been informed that the two countries were at war, so it was a fairly easy victory—and the final battle saw a British army defeated at the Battle of New Orleans, a victory which took place after the peace treaty had been signed in 1814. But much of the fighting took place along the Niagara River, and some of the battlefields and forts are still there, just waiting
to be visited by Beemer riders. So here is a suggested tour, which takes about a day but really takes you back a couple of hundred years. Start by crossing to the Canadian side. Your U.S. dollar goes a lot farther over here. Don’t forget to bring your passport! A quick half hour trip from the Fairgrounds via Highway 5 and the I-190 will bring you to the Peace Bridge which crosses to the Canadian side. Times for crossing the bridge vary according to the humour of the customs people, but another half an hour should do it. Once over the bridge, follow Highway 124 and Lakeshore Boulevard to Old Fort Erie. The fort itself was fought over, destroyed and rebuilt a couple of times during the fighting and spent most of the war in American hands. It was the jump-off point for the American invasion of Niagara in 1814, and the British siege of the fort later in that year makes it Canada’s bloodiest battlefield. It is well preserved as an historical site with an interpretive center
and appropriately-clothed interactors who are happy to give you a tour. From Old Fort Erie, hop back onto Lakeshore Boulevard (which turns into the Niagara Parkway) and follow a slow (30 minute) but very pleasant ride along the riverside to the next historical stop, the Chippawa Battlefield. Unique in the Niagara area as it has been used only as farmland since the battle 202 years ago, it really is only an open field with a monument and a walking tour. It was a significant battle, however, as it was the first time that the fledging American regular army fought and defeated British Army regulars—and Napoleonic veterans to boot. Trained and led by Brigadier General Winfield Scott, the Americans forced the British back onto their defences around Queenston and required them to reinforce the region. The Americans were eventually pushed back to Old Fort Erie, but they maintained ownership of that Fort and a footprint on the Canadian side of the border for the remain-
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der of the war. The next part of the ride continues along the Niagara Parkway to Queenston Heights. About 15 kilometers, it should take you only about 20 minutes if you can resist a chance to stop and look at the Niagara Falls. You’ll know when you are getting close as the spray from the falls is visible from quite a distance, and the roar of the water can overpower the sound of your nice quiet Beemer. The view is really spectacular as both the American and Canadian sides of the falls are spread out in all their glory, and while you will not need to change into your wet weather gear, you are really not far from all of that rushing water at any time during this short trip. The short climb up to Queenston Heights from the Niagara Parkway is another worthwhile stop. A very pleasant park, many battle site monuments, and a nice restaurant with an outdoor patio and spectacular views of the Niagara River gorge are all highlights here. The battle itself took place in 1812 and was one of the early but crucial engagements of the war. The American regulars crossed the Niagara, and taking the British by surprise, they would have won the battle on the Canadian side, but the American militia troops, which
BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
Above, a British artillery emcampment. Below, American militia and native allies. Right, Brock Memorial.
formed a significant part of the attacking force, refused to cross the river, as they had signed up only to fight on home soil. This lack of reinforcements allowed the British to rush fresh troops into the fray, and the American regulars were forced back across the river to Lewiston. The British reinforcements who turned the tide were led by Major General Isaac Brock, the British
commander in the region, but he was killed in the counterattack. Brock is one of Canada’s war heroes, and his name can be found on streets, schools, universities and towns across Canada. From Queenston Heights the ride has a couple of options. There’s no reason that you cannot do both options, but staying on the Canadian side has its advantages, as
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Troops forming up.
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another 15 minutes on the Niagara Parkway will take you to Fort George and the small but very pretty town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Both are worth a visit; Niagara-on-the-Lake is touristy, and nearby Fort George, a well preserved relict of the war, was another site which was fought over and changed hands during the war. In 1813, a combined artillery bombardment from Fort Niagara and from the American fleet in the mouth of the river, plus an amphibious assault by troops led by then Colonel Winfield Scott forced the British to abandon the fort. Apart from Fort George and Still guarding the approach from the river.
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Niagara-on-the-Lake, staying on the Canadian side has a further advantage as one of Canada’s finest wine regions starts right along the Parkway itself, and some fine little wineries are just a quick turn off the road. If you have the time, the Niagara Wine Route, farther north along Highway 81, is a good ride and there are many attractive wineries. Remember not to swallow when you taste the wines! The second option from Queenston Heights is to cross the bridge back onto the American side, and for a nice scenic ride, take a combination of the Robert Moses Parkway and Road 18F through Lewiston and Youngstown up to Old Fort Niagara. The Fort is the real jewel of the Niagara
fortifications, originally built by the French in the 1720s and added to throughout the period leading up to the War of 1812. At the end of the war, it was actually in British hands and was used as the launch point for a terrible attack on Lewiston. That town was a significant location also as it was the headquarters of the American forces during the early parts of the fighting and was the jumping off point for the Battle of Queenston Heights. Attacked and burned by the British in December of 1813, the population of Lewiston was saved by a counterattack on the invaders by the “Tuscorora Heros,” native allies from the local Tuscorora village. So, if you have made it to Lewiston, you
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have done the whole tour, and it is probably getting to be time to head back to the rally site for the evening’s entertainment. The slab is the quickest way back, with the advantage of not having to wind your way through the streets of Bufflao. The War of 1812-14 formally ended with the Treaty of Ghent, signed on Christmas Eve, 1814, but it actually ended two weeks later in New Orleans with the defeat of the British by American forces led by Andrew Jackson. It has been called the “war that both sides won” and the “war that nobody won,” but it was a true nation-building conflict for both Canada and the United States. The Canadians of all backgrounds united to work with the British to repel the American invaders, and the American people solidified their nationhood won so dearly during the Revolutionary War by fighting the dominant world power to a standstill. It built a deep sense of pride on both sides of the border, but it also led to the conviction that it should never happen again. As Canadians and Americans have been fast friends ever since, your tour of the battle sites and the countryside as it is now gives a real appreciation of the future our forefathers fought for over two hundred years ago.
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Das Rally! could use your help By Paul Ruffell #119204, Volunteers Chair FREQUENTLY, NEW MOA MEM-
bers visiting our forum for the first time will ask what there is to do at an MOA International Rally for three days. Some responders suggest the seminars, the live entertainment each evening, the rider skills courses and even the test drives on new BMWs. Others suggest watching or participating in the GS Giant events, checking out the latest rider and motorcycle gear, going back in time by visiting BMW vintage displays, and of course, browsing the thousands of BMW motorcycles of every make, model and year parked all over the fairgrounds. However, another suggestion always mentioned is to offer to help as a rally volunteer. The success of our BMW MOA International Rally each year is dependent upon the willingness of our members to pitch in and offer just a few hours of their time. Unlike many other national motorcycle events, MOA rallies are almost completely driven by volunteers, and all agree that volunteering is a quick way to both make new friends and really feel like a part of the BMW MOA Rally each year. When our
members share the goal of making the rally a success, the results are always feelings of ownership and pride, and a bond is created with MOA brothers and sisters. Many of these new friendships will last a lifetime. Ask those who have volunteered year after year, and you’ll learn that they couldn’t
imagine not working at the rally; it’s just really fun for them. Several years ago, someone estimated that it took about 13,000 hours of labor to put on a rally, and for the last 43 years, MOA members have made it happen. From the rally chairs working and planning for
more than 12 months, to the committee chairs preparing for nearly four months, to the members who simply arrive at the gate and ask “What can I do?”, with your help, we’ll do it again in 2016 for the 44th time. This is a your chance to not only be involved in the success of our rally, but also to take advantage of an opportunity to create lifetime friendships with BMW riders from throughout North America. Please feel free to email myself or Muriel and let us know if you’d like to help. There are many committees needing help, and finding an area that you would enjoy helping out will be a simple task. Additional opportunities for volunteers can still be found once the rally begins by visiting the Volunteers Booth in the MOA Building at the rally. Please check your rally program for location. We look forward to seeing you in Hamburg this summer. Please don’t hesitate to join our team and help us make the 2016 BMW MOA International Rally a great success. Paul Ruffell, Volunteers Chair hamburgvolunteers@gmail.com Muriel Farrington, Volunteers Co-Chair mmfarrington1@juno.com
www.bmca.com/moa
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Ride to the Rally with EagleRider EAGLERIDER
PITTSBURGH
IS
offering special deals and organizing a group ride for MOA members planning on attending this summer’s rally. BMW MOA members can get a 10 percent discount on any motorcycle rental, free full-face helmet and jacket, as well as free transportation to and from the Pittsburg airport or local hotels.
On the morning of July 14, at 9 a.m., a guided group ride and support van will leave EagleRider Pittsburgh for a scenic 250-mile ride to Das Rally! with arrival at the Hamburg grounds expected about 6 p.m. All MOA members are welcome to join the ride, even if riding their own motorcycle. On the morning of the 17th, the group will make another scenic ride back to Pittsburgh.
EagleRider Pittsburgh is owned by avid GS Adventure rider and BMW MOA member Richard Hagerty and offers BMW touring, adventure, and sport motorcycles. For more information, call 412-276-1300.
Gray Line offering Falls and beer tours GRAY LINE TOURS HAS ORGA-
nized two tour opportunities for BMW MOA members attending the BMW MOA International Rally in Hamburg. The first tour will be offered on Friday, July 15, and will offer rally goers a five-hour experience with visits and tastings at three area breweries, including the Flying Bison Brewery,
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the Big Ditch Brewing Company, and the Resurgence Brewery. After the brewery tours, a light lunch will be provided at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, said to be the birthplace of the Buffalo chicken wing. The tour begins at 9 a.m. and is scheduled to return to the rally grounds at 2:15 p.m. Cost is $67 per person. Gray Line’s second tour will take rally goers to Niagara Falls and the surrounding
area. The tour will depart the Hamburg Fairgrounds on Saturday morning, July 16, at 8 a.m. and head to the United States side of the Falls, visiting Goat Island and Terrapin Point to see the Upper Niagara Rapids and American Falls. Then the tour will head to Niagara Falls Reservation State Park. Members of the tour will then descend from the Prospect Point observation tower into the Niagara Gorge and board the Maid of the Mist for a cruise to the base of Horseshoe Falls. Once back on land and after a lunch stop at the Hard Rock Café, guests will cross over into Canada for a driving tour of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and return to the rally grounds at about 2 p.m. The cost for Gray Line’s Niagara Falls tour is $89 per person, and passports are required for entry into Canada. For more information and to register for either tour, visit bmwmoa.org/page/rally16news.
www.bmwmoa.org
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GEARS Training at the Rally By Sarah Hall LAST SUMMER, MY DAD AND I
planned a motorcycle road trip beginning in Hood River, Ore., and heading to Billings, Mont., with our return taking us through Yellowstone National Park. We began our trip riding through the Gorge and into Washington state with me behind my dad on his BMW F 800 GS. That evening, we spent the night in a small motel in Milton, Ore., before heading out again before sunrise the next morning for Billings. Throughout much of our journey we rode along streams and rivers, and eventually the terrain became more hilly, slowly transforming into mountains of jagged rocks forming one side of the road with steep drop-offs bordering the other. Riding through Idaho and through many small Montana towns, we arrived in Billings, where we were greeted by an enormous crowd of motorcyclists. Once grassy areas were colored like jelly beans with hundreds of colorful tents and motorcycles, ranging from old Harleys to the newest BMWs. After a bit of searching, we found an open spot where we set up camp. Though my first day at the rally was supposed to be my first day at the GEARS Training, a motorcycle camp which introduces young riders to all aspects of riding, I soon found out we’d arrived a day late and weren’t able to participate in the riding portion of the training. Despite that, I heard a lot about the cool stuff my
BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
newly-made friends were doing, like getting huge air off of the jumps and the cool dirt track that was being built. Since I wasn’t able to ride with everyone else, Voni Glaves offered to let me ride a scooter. Although I had already received some basic rider training from my dad, an instructor with Team Oregon Rider Training, I had fun practicing the drills Voni set up for me with the scooter. On one of the
last days of GEARS Training, I was invited to participate in a Rider’s Safety Course. There, along with a small group of friends, I spent the day learning what to do in the event of a motorcycle crash, including how to survey a patient for injuries, remove a helmet safely and administer the basics of CPR. During our free time, my friends and I practiced our skills on a motorcycle simulator inside the exibit hall, and later we visited the GS Giants area. We all found the GS Giants to be really awesome. The course they had built for the GS Giant competition included a barrel weave, slow hill cimb, teeter-totter, sand trap and several other obstacles.
Participants in the competion were able to test their skills; some made it through effortlessly, while others struggled. One of the kids from our camp even decided to try it. But the coolest part was when the pros from the BMW Performance Center rode it and made it look so simple. Finally, at the end of our three-day rally adventure, my dad and I packed up and set out for Yellowstone. Along the way, we passed through a cute little ski town where dozens of vintage cars lined the streets. As we entered Yellowstone, we were immediately greeted by bison. As we weaved our way back and forth up the mountain sides and gained altitude, the forests and grass became thinner and the air noticably colder. Looking down the sides of the mountains, I could see the valley at the bottom getting smaller and smaller. When we reached 10,900 feet and the top of Beartooth Pass, I decided to explore the peak, where melting snow had formed pools of freshwater just a little below us and beautiful wildflowers grew among the rocks and grass. Further into the park, we passed Bear Mountain and Old Faithful, and before long, we were home. I’ll always remember this ride with my dad as an amazing trip filled with new adventures and scenery, and I look forward to riding with my dad again this summer to the BMW MOA Rally in Hamburg, N.Y. My dad says he can’t think of any better way than participating in GEARS training to get young people riding, while at the same time instilling a sense of responsibility and safety. I look forward to seeing the friends I made in Billings and another adventure.
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www.coloradomotorcycleadventures.com
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Three days of Rally seminar fun LISTEN TO THE WORDS, EXPERI-
ence the sights, share the intrigue, make friends and connections, swap tips on places to go and things to do, or learn how to fix up and up-grade your bike. In short, attend a seminar or workshop at Das Rally! Anyone attending a BMW MOA International Rally has the opportunity to be an active participant in hundreds of seminars and workshops during the three days of non-stop fun. The Hamburg rally promises to have the best lineup ever. Not only do we have professionals who will be coming in to share the
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latest in BMW innovations and gear, but also others will be there to entice us to ride the roads of far off places as well as the less traveled roads here at home. Industry leaders will be on hand to tell us about tires, GPS technology and safety concerns that affect us all, and hands-on workshops will be offered by members for those who are ready to do some “wrenching.” Last year’s rally included seminars on servicing bikes of practically any age and on understanding ever-changing motorcycle technology. The best in tires, seats, riding clothing and helmets were all subjects of seminars, as were topics such as how to deal with a dropped bike or a fall. Sharing the
trials and tribulations of touring, listening to panel discussions with amazing riders, and discussing topics pertinent to the MOA were also just a few of the themes featured in seminars. The seminars and workshops scheduled for this year will be as varied and exciting as those of the past. Besides attending, consider sharing your own expertise, your stories and your friendship by giving a seminar or workshop in Hamburg this summer. For more information on Das Rally! seminars, visit bmwmoa.org and click on the Das Rally tab.
www.tourbikes.com
Celebrate the birthplace of the hamburger THE VILLAGE
OF
HAMBURG,
NEW
York, holds “Burger Fest” each year to celebrate the birth of the hamburger, first created there 131 years ago. Legend has it that Frank and Charles Menches, a couple of vendors who traveled the world’s fair route, first concocted the hamburger in 1885 for the Erie County Fair at the Hamburg Fairgrounds. They were later also credited with creating Cracker Jacks™ and the ice cream cone! The story goes that the Menches brothers ran out of their usual pork sausage on that hot, fateful day at the fair and turned to a local butcher to replenish their supplies. When no pork was available, the butcher suggested they use ground beef. The Menches brothers purchased the beef, but added several secret ingredients, including coffee grounds, to create a unique flavor,
and the hamburger was born. According to historical records, the burger got its name when a customer asked what this wonderful sandwich was called and one of the brothers looked up and, seeing the Hamburg Fairgrounds sign, said, “Why, the hamburger, of course.” Descendants of the Menches brothers of Ohio, who are still in the restaurant industry three generations later, have traveled to Hamburg to participate in several Burger Fest celebrations over the years. Burger Fest is a one-day, annual outdoor community event with food, music and entertainment, which is held on Main and Buffalo Streets in the Village of Hamburg. It just happens to fall on the Saturday of Das Rally! in Hamburg, 2016! Hope to see you there!
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CHIEF JOSEPH RALLY June 17-19, 2016 John Day, Oregon Sponsored by
BMW Riders of Oregon (BMWRO) Charter #83
Green grass Tent and RV camping on fairgrounds in John Day, OR. Motels and restaurants three blocks away. Best riding in the West. www.bmwro.org Visit bmwro.org for registration and details. For questions, e-mail
bmwro.cjrallymaster@gmail.com
Phone: 541-689-2822
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GS Giant’s Gypsy Tour to the Rally BACK IN 2011, 75 PEOPLE TRAV-
eled to the Allegheny National Forest of Pennsylvania to take a chance on a brand new event. Though most of those attending had never met before, by the end of the week they had formed life-long friendships and the GS Giants charter club was born. This summer, the club will go back to its roots. So, you’re wondering, “What’s this all about?” I’ll start by telling you what it’s not about. It’s not about being the best rider, and no one should feel intimidated. Skill levels range from no off-pavement experience to seasoned rock garden riders. This event is about challenging yourself to become more comfortable getting off the beaten path. To accomplish this, fellow Giants will be there to offer guidance, advice, and a helping hand when it comes time to pick you up and dust you off. They may even hand you a beer at the end of the day. While we all have an affinity for dirt, our road-riding friends are also welcome and won’t be disappointed as they skewer the scenic twisties that Pennsylvania has to offer. A fee of $120 per person gets you three days of primo camping, a daily catered breakfast, hearty dinners and cold micro brews to fuel the tall tales at the end of the day, not to mention swag and door prizes! In addition, we’ll throw in a bunch of new best friends and the opportunity to catch up with some old ones. This event will be the source of some of the best
BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
laughs that life has to offer! The GS Giant Gypsy Tour is simple: Riders converge at various locations across the country, then ride together and arrive at our host facility in Sigel, Pa., on Sunday, July 10. Ride in on your own or hook up with one of the various Gypsy Caravans.
Take an adventure detour on the way to earn points toward prizes and the coveted title of GS Giant 2016. Most importantly, plan to be at “Camper’s Paradise” on Sunday, July 10, by 3 p.m. to check in and enjoy a Big Backyard BBQ. We’ll then spend Monday and Tuesday, July 11-12, exploring the Allegheny National Forest, the Cook State Forest and the surrounding areas while collecting GS BS points by visiting some of the unique sites
that Pennsylvania has to offer. On Wednesday July 13, we bid our hosts goodbye as we pack up and take an adventurous route to Hamburg, N.Y., for the BMW MOA International Rally. At Das Rally!, a custombuilt GS Giant track awaits for our play and practice, as does the GS Giant competition and events for all skill levels. Training options, adventure riding seminars and much more GS fun will be available, in addition to all that the MOA has to offer. Located in the Allegheny National Forest, Camper’s Paradise is our host location for the Gypsy Tour. Premium tent camping is included in your registration fee; however, RV sites and cabins are available at their standard rates. Please visit their website (www.campersparadise. net) and contact them directly to make a reservation. And be sure to tell them you are a GS Giant! The GS Giant’s Gypsy Tour promises to be the biggest and best yet! Lately we see that the Giants are often imitated but never duplicated. Make a plan for the event that started all the madness! Find a Sharpie and put this on your calendar! Registration begins on April 1 by visiting the GS Giant’s web page at www.gsgiants.com and clicking on the “Events” tab. Lastly, we cannot do this event or any other without the help of our GS Giant volunteers. We need your help to make this a GIANT success. Please contact the event organizers, Tracy Novacich at tracy@ novacich.com or Mark Carrera markcarrera@msn.com, to learn how you can help.
www.bmwmcchattanooga.com
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5/6/2016 – 5/8/2016
2nd Annual Hopewell Road Rally
Location: Logan, Ohio Contact: Sam Booth samrbooth@yahoo.com Come enjoy two night camping, hot showers, Friday and Saturday night dinners, endless coffee/tea, campfires, door prizes, Saturday night movies, self-guided rides and two guided historical rides covering the earthworks and effigy mounds of southeastern Ohio.
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The Original Mini Rally
Location: Sturgis, Michigan Contact: Mike Hart, bathartx46x@comcast. net or call 269-317-9951 Website: bcbmwclub.com Celebrate spring at the Green Valley Campground in Sturgis, Michigan for the 44th Original Mini-Rally hosted by the BMW Club of Battle Creek.
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Blue Ridge Hi Pass Boogie
Location: Ashville, North Carolina Contact: Linda Cox abmwrevents@gmail.com Enjoy dual sport, pleasure and endurance routes over the majestic Appalachian high country and hidden mountain valleys.
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5/13/2016 – 5/15/2016
Natural State Campout
Location: Morrillton, Arkansas Contact: Roy Kilduff 501-329-8859 rod.kilduff@conwaycorp.net A no-frills campout at Corps of Engineers Cherokee Park on the north bank of the Arkansas River, southwest of downtown Morrilton, AR. Complimentary coffee and lots of good roads.
Detailed information for all events is available online at: bmwmoa.org
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5/14/2016 – 5/15/2016
New Sweden 450
Location: Cherry Hill, New Jersey Contact: Ron Cesaretti, ns450@newswedenbmwriders.com or call 856-425-4040. The New Sweden 450 is simply 450 miles of amazing roads through the Delaware Valley area, a night of camping and more with 100 of your fellow riders.
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5/20/2016 – 5/22/2016
Morton’s BMW Spring Fling
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia Website: mortonsbmw.com You’re invited to the sixth annual Spring Fling Rally, sponsored by Morton’s BMW Motorcycles, for a weekend of good fun, great food, fantastic roads, and terrific camaraderie.
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European Riders Rally
5/20/2016 – 5/22/2016
Downeast Rally
Location: Phippsburg, Maine Contact: David Eskelund 207-809-2689 rally@bmwrsm.org Enjoy 3 days & 2 nights of Oceanside camping at Hermit Island Campground. Friday night chowders & chili, Sat. morning breakfast, Sat. evening lobster dinner & Sun. morning breakfast. Guided rides, maps for self-guided rides will be available.
9
5/20/2016 – 5/22/2016
Battlefield Memorial Workers Rally Location: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Contact: Sam Booth, samrbooth@ yahoo.com A BMW rally devoted to a day helping the National Park Service doing battlefield restoration along with great riding, food and fellowship.
10
5/20/2016 – 5/22/2016
42nd Annual Great River Road Rally Location: Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin Contact: rally@madisonbmwclub.org www.madisonbmwclub.org/gr3 We are returning to Veteran’s Park at the intersection of Highways US 61 & 131. Join us in beautiful Soldiers Grove,
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5/21/2016
4th Annual Texas National Picnic
Location: Jacksonville, Texas Contact: Rich Barnhart, detbmw@gmail. com or call 836-645-4549 Join us for the Fourth Annual Texas National Picnic at Love’s Lookout Visitor Center for this one-day event with no fee.
5/20/2016 – 5/22/2016
Location: Burkesville, Kentucky Contact: pw630@aol.com Join us for some of the best riding in Kentucky and Tennessee from curvy asphalt roads to rocky creek crossings. Camping is free in the city park.
8
Wisconsin, located at the epicenter of the best riding roads in the state.
BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
12
5/26/2016 –5/29/2016
17th Annual Rok Rally A.K.A “The Firefly Rally” Location: Del Ria, Tennessee Contact: Jerry Dobrianski 423-587-1718 twocreekstn@aol.com It is our pleasure to host our 17th Annual ROK Rally in conjunction with an amazing synchronized firefly show by Mother Nature at T.W.O. Creeks Camp area in Del Rio, Tennessee Memorial Day weekend! In addition to East Tennessee’s great mountain roads, it’s possible to enhance your riding experience to NC, KY, VA or WV! Experience a small, peaceful rally in a beautiful setting with great riding!
13
5/27/2016 – 5/30/2016
Cass Rally
Location: Arbovale, West Virginia Contact: Michael Harper, motoman1150rt@ hotmail.com Thank you for joint us at the 2015 Rally. We are looking for forward to seeing everyone over Memorial Day weekend! Ride Safe!
14
5/27/2016–5/29/2016
27th Charter Oak Rally
Location: Eastford, Connecticut Contact: Brian Fisk, rider_06416@yahoo.com or Joan Dahlstrom, davidjoandahlstrom@ gmail.com The 27th Charter Oak Rally will be held at our new location at Camp Nahaco in Eastford, CT, on Crystal Pond just off of Weeks Rd.
15
5/27/2016 – 5/29/2016
27th Annual “Great Chicken Rally”
Location: Dunlap, Tennessee Website: www.bmwmoal.org Join us in the beautiful Sequatchie Valley in
Dunlap, Tennessee, for two nights camping, great riding and lots of food. Registration forms online at www.bmwmoal.org under the Rally tab.
16
5/27/2016 – 5/29/2016
MOA Getaway Muskoka, Ontario
Location: Muskoka, Ontario Contact: Bill Hooykaas, hooykaas@ bmwmoa.org. Come join the fun in our second annual MOA Getaway in Canada. We have moved the Getaway about 30 miles north into the heart of granite country with windswept pines and rocky outcrops surrounding the thousands of glacial lakes in the area.
17
5/27/2016 – 5/30/2016
44th Annual ‘49er Rally
Location: Mariposa, California Contact: Tom Connolly 49erchair@bmwnorcal.org Join us at the Mariposa Fairgrounds, just south of Mariposa, California, off Hwy 49, gateway to Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada Foothills! Includes four nights flat grassy camping. Visit www.bmwnorcal.org/49er
18
5/28/2016 – 5/29/2016
Mayhem
Location: Dunlap, Tennessee Contact: Jim Kalahan jeepmand64@roadrunner.com Ride the AL and TN mountain trails that only the locals know! Event is free with your Great Chicken Rally fee. More info and register at www.gsgiants.com
June 19
6/3/2016 – 6/5/2016
40th Annual Hiawatha Rally
Location: Money Creek, Minnesota Contact: hiawatharally2016@gmail.com or visit www.bmwmocm.com Join the BMW Motorcycle Owners Club of Minnesota for the 40th Annual Hiawatha Rally for camping, food and great riding.
6/3/2016 – 6/5/2016
20 Adv in Oz
Location: Warnock Lake, Kansas Contact: Karen Mans neraksr@gmail.com Hold on to your Toto! This event is free with your admission to the Kansas City Club’s Land of Oz rally. More info and register at www.gsgiants.com.
21
6/3/2016 – 6/5/2016
Mighty 190 Rendezvous
Location: Springville, California Contact: KJeff Jackson jjackson@birnsandsawyer.com Join the Airheads Beemer Club for a civilized camping weekend in the heart of beautiful Camp Nelson, CA. We’ll be in a privately owned campground with flush toilets, showers, etc.
22
6/3/2016 – 6/5/2016
2016 Land of Oz Rally
Location: Atchinson, Kansas Contact: Don Hamblin, bmwscooter@ gmail.com or call 256-479-5606 or 816-600-2475 Join us for the 2016 Land of Oz Rally at our new location at Warnock Lake Park in Atchinson, Kansas, for an even better weekend of history, mystery and entertainment!
23
www.alaskaleather.com
Beemerboneyard.com www.beemerboneyard.com
6/9/2016 – 6/12/2016
40th Annual Iowa Rally
Location: Middle Amana, Iowa Website: purestodge.org or email psta. rally@gmail.com or call 319-930-0051. Join the Pure Stodge Touring Association for our special 40th Annual Iowa Rall, located in the heart of the historical Amana Colonies, for the best food, music and camping ever!
24
www.bluerimtours.com
Used Oil‐Head, K‐Bike & Hex‐Head Parts – 50% of New or Less New Maintenance Parts & Tools – WAY BELOW Retail Prices NO BACKORDERS – ORDERS SHIP IN 24 HOURS
10% BMW MOA Discount Online Orders Only
6/10/2016 – 6/12/2016
24th Gathering of the Clans
Location: Ferguson, North Carolina Contact: Charlie Smith 276-628-3251 bmwcharlie@embarqmail.com Airheads, those who ride airheads, and other esteemed members of the motorcycling community are invited for a weekend of friends, fun and fantastic roads.
Enter code BMWMOA in source code box @ checkout & click “apply” Liqui‐Molyoil ‐ oil, fuel & air filters – 12/24K maintenance kits – brake pads & rotors – fuel pumps – Hall sensors – repair manuals & dvds–tools – fuel line disconnect sets – fuel injection controllers – exhausts – batteries & chargers – master cylinders & rebuild kits – starters – spark plugs & wires – cables – radiator fans – alt belts – fender extenders – Carbtune carb/TB synchronizers
May 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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ORDER ONLINE 24/7 – M/C, Visa, Discover, Paypal 973.775.3495 M‐F 12‐5PM
event
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25
6/10/2016 – 6/12/2016
14th Laurel Highlands BMW Riders Campout Location: Somerset, Pennsylvania Contact: Jason Kaplitz gsjay@ kaplitz.com or call 814-615-9138 Join the Laurel Highlands BMW Riders for some great riding, great campground, great food and friends in the scenic Laurel Highlands of Somerset County, PA.
gmail.com or call (801) 597-1678 Join us for camping along a spring-fed creek, with plenty of shade and grass to pitch your tent and park your bike. Great riding in the area with lots of curves. GS ride and day ride to Bentonville on Saturday.
July 7/3/2016 – 7/24/2016
6/10/2016 – 6/12/2016
26 Pemi River Rally
Location: Thornton, New Hampshire Contact: Bob Blethen tnkdriver@ gmail.com Our Toy Box will be there, a blazing campfire, an excellent Saturday Pig Roast and canopy tent, and of course some of the finest BMW riders in the land. Twisty roads in every direction, and a lot of great off road riding.
27
6/16/2016 – 6/19/2016
16th Annual Red Rock Rendezvous Rally Location: Panguitch, Utah Contact: Jeff Thurmond 801-243-0660 jeffthurmond@hotmail.com or visit beehivebeemers.org Beehive Beemers Motorcycle Club of Utah – invites all to Utah’s color country featuring day rides to Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Grand Canyon National Parks and more.
30 Sisters Centennial Motorcycle Ride Location: Brooklyn, New York Contact: Alisa Clickenger alisa@womensmotorcycletours.com Starts in Brooklyn, NY and ends across the country in San Francisco, CA following the route of the Van Buren Sisters.
31
7/7/2016 – 7/9/2016
Bighorn Stampede
Location: Burgess Junction, Wyoming Contact: ederdg1@gmail.com If you missed it last year and can’t make the National, be sure to be at the Bear Lodge for another big time. More info and register at www.gsgiants.com.
32
7/8/2016 – 7/10/2016
YB Adventurous?
Location: Harrisville, New Hampshire Contact: Ken Springhetti kz1000@hotmail. com This is the pre-party to The GS Giant event. It’s never to early to start an adventure! More info and register at www.gsgiants.com.
6/17/2016 – 6/19/2016
28 Chief Joseph Rally
Location: John Day, Oregon Contact: bmwro.cjrrallymaster@ gmail.com or call 541-689-2822 There is lots of green grass for tent camping and plenty of RV spots with motels and restaurants just three blocks away. Meet old friends and make new friends with dinner provided on Friday and Saturday nights. 6/17/2016 – 6/19/2016
29 2016 MotoMo Rally
Location: Crane, Missouri Contact: Steve Kronberger kronie12@
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BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
33
7/10/2016 – 7/17/2016
The GS Giant
Location: Hamburg, New York Contact: Tracy Novacich tracy@novacich.com It’s “Back to the BIGinning”… where the GS Giants got started. We’re going to have a huge time! More info and register at www. gsgiants.com. 7/12/2016 – 7/13/2016
34 GEARS Training at Das Rally Location: Hamburg, New York Contact: Peter Perrin peterpldma@4000e.com GEARS Training returns for the MOA’s youngest members. The BMW MOA Foundation
will offer free riding instruction for 24 students at the Erie County Fairgrounds.
35
7/14/2016 – 7/17/2016
2016 BMW MOA International Rally
Location: Hamburg, New York Contact: Kate and Dutch Lammers, 2016rallychairs@bmwmoa.org There is so much to see and do in the Western New York and the Great Lakes Regions. A short ride in any direction will net a wonderful destination. To the west, beautiful Woodlawn beach on the shores of Lake Erie beckons. To the north is Niagara Falls (need we say more?) and the revitalized city of Buffalo with its beautiful new waterfront, theatre district, renowned dining and fabulous architecture. Venture east and visit the charming village of East Aurora on your way to the scenic Finger Lakes region and Letchworth State Park. Just to the south are roads that will take you through the picturesque ski areas of Ellicottville and Springville. 7/21/2016 – 7/24/2016
36 44th Annual Cascade Country
Rendezvous
Location: Republic, Washington Contact: www.wsbmwr.org Held at the Ferry County Fairgrounds in Republic Washington, we have fabulous paved and off-pavement riding, great camping, good food and camaraderie.
37
Rally
7/21/2016 – 7/24/2016
45th Annual Top O’ the Rockies
Location: Paonia, Colorado Contact: Matthew Baroody - Rally Master BMWMCC topotherockies@bmwmcc.org (720) 560-3784 Riding is why we come, and some of the best roads in the state are nearby including, Hwys.133, 65 and 92, rated as the most technical in Colorado. Enjoy hundreds of miles of adventure riding as well as three nearby National Parks. There are wine tours, hiking, a beer garden, vendors and live music. 7/22/2016 – 7/24/2016
38 Rocky Bow BMW Riders Rally Location: Turner Valley, Alberta Canada
Contact: Ekke A. G. Kok bmwlunaticfringe@hotmail.com Located in the centre of historic Turner Valley and within walking distance to stores and restaurants, historical land marks and even a distillery with many good riding roads nearby.
August 8/5/2016 – 8/7/2016
39 21st Annual Damn Yankees Rally Location: Heath, Massachusetts Contact: Bill Cusack, bcusack@comcast.net Join us for our annual flagship event, where all proceeds are donated to local charities. Located in beautiful Heath, MA, the 21st annual Damn Yankees Rally is rustic camping at one of New England’s oldest operating fairgrounds. 8/11/2016 – 8/14/2016
40 2016 Stanley Stomp
Location: Grandjean, Idaho Contact: Mark Whaley registrar@coolpaw.net Grandjean is at the gateway to the Sawtooth Wilderness Area with incredible riding destinations in every direction. There are some backwoods amenities – the site is located at the Sawtooth Lodge which features a heated pool, shower houses, several bathrooms with flush toilets, two meadows for camping, cabins available and natural hot springs within walking distance. 8/12/2016 – 8/14/2016
41
34th Annual Huskerally
Location: Franklin, Nebraska Contact: Jayney Solo jayneysolo@cox.net or call 402-676-1739 Nestled in the beautiful Republican Valley of south central Nebraska, the Nightriders offer a weekend of great food and fun. Meet others who share your love of the open road, good company, shaded camping, hot showers and the best rally food. 8/12/2016 – 8/14/2016
42 39th Annual Daniel Boone Rally Location: Boone, North Carolina
May 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS
131
www.bmwbmw.org
event
whenandwhere
Contact: John Olsakovsky rally@carolinasbmwmoa.org The Carolina BMW Motorcycle Owners Association invites you to join us again for great roads, hospitality and camaraderie in the cool North Carolina mountain air.
43
8/18/2016 – 8/21/2016
17th Beartooth Rendezvous
Location: Red Lodge, Montana Contact: Gary Smith, registrar@ beartoothbeemers.org or call 406-259-4927. Join us at the Lions Camp, ten miles south of Red Lodge, Montana. Ample camping and cabins available with a mountain stream nearby.
44
8/18/2016 – 8/21/2016
Rockmor - The Rocky Mountain Oyster Rally Location: Buena Vista, Colorado Contact: Bex Becker bexxer@mac.com You’ll have a top box load of happy braaaping, laughing, challenging, cavorting, mind-bending, tasting, illuminating, aerobraking, fishtailing, exhilarating, storytelling, fellowshipping and comradering! (ok we just made up that last word!) More info and register at www.gsgiants.com 8/18/2016 – 8/21/2016
45 Nakusp Hotsprings Rally Location: Nakusp, British Columbia Contact: Grant Fengstad at grant@ fengstad.ca or visit, nakusprally2016@beeceebeemers.com Reconnect with old friends and ride some of the most scenic twisties in the northwest at our 15th visit to Nakusp, British Columbia. Enjoy the hospitality of the nicest small town in BC.
46 8/19/2016 – 8/21/2016
Four Winds 50th Anniversary Rally, Pennsylvania Location: Fairmount City, Pennsylvania Contact: www.4windsbmw.org Join us as we celebrate our 50th Annual Rally, the longest consecutive
132
BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
BMW rally in North America, in Scenic Western, Pennsylvania.
47 8/19/2016 – 8/21/2016
14th Annual Return to Trenton Rally Location: Trenton, Ontario Contact: Cheryl Gzik, prez@ltbmwr.ca Come to Centennial Park on the shores of Lake Ontario in Trenton, Ontario, for the 14th Annual Return to Trenton Rally!
48
8/19/2016 – 8/21/2016
Lime Rockz Rally
Location: Lakeville, Connecticut Contact: John Shields jjshields01@cox.net Rally on a Racetrack! Camp out under a canopy of trees overlooking one of the most beautiful race courses in the East and arise to the hum of the Skip Barber Race Series Formula cars on the track.
49 8/19/2016 – 8/21/2016
MOA Getaway Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Location: Eureka Springs, Arkansas Contact: Melissa Coller or Steve Kronberger mlcrn5358@gmail.com There’s a reason people love to come here! The Eureka Springs story began well over 100 years ago with tales of miraculous healing from 63 mineral springs gushing from a rocky wilderness. Today, Eureka Springs will refresh you as the authentic “America’s Victorian Village.”
50
8/30/2016 – 9/3/2016
Curve Cowboy Reunion
Location: Monterey, California Contact: www.curvecowboyreunion.com Want an opportunity to check off some boxes: The Pacific Coast Highway? Big Sur? Carmel? Hearst Castle? Cannery Row? The Monterey Bay Aquarium? CCR 2016 is Monterey’s Hyatt Regency, a full service hotel.
September 51
9/2/2016 – 9/5/2016
42nd Finger Lakes Rally
Location: Watkins Glen, New York Contact: rally@fingerlakesbmw.org
www.fingerlakesbmw.org Located 3 miles west of Watkins Glen, NY just off Route 329 in Watkins Glen State Park, it is the perfect base to come and experience the many touring opportunities in one of the most scenic areas of New York State.
52
9/8/2016 – 9/11/2016
Wailin’ Wayne Weekend
Location: New Straitsville, Ohio Contact: Chad Warner thewigllc@gmail.com The three W’s stand for Wowie Wow Wow! That’s what the riding is like in the Wayne Forest. More info and register at www. gsgiants.com.
53
9/9/2016 – 9/11/2016
34th Green Mountain Rally Location: Goshen, Vermont Contact: Dan Walton rally@vtbmwmov.org
In the midst of the Green Mountains, once again enjoy the best home cooking, great Vermont self-guided tours, live bluegrass music, door prizes and more. For more information, visit www.vtbmwmov.org.
54 9/9/2016 – 9/11/2016
MOA Getaway Pineville, Kentucky
Location: Pineville, Kentucky Contact: Vance Harrelson alabeemer@gmail.com The MOA will host another great MOA Getaway at the Pine Mountain State Resort Park on Sept. 9-11, 2016. This beautiful state park will be the base of operations for all the amazing riding and great exploring to be done in the area.
55
9/9/2016 – 9/11/2016
Bavarian Mountain Weekend Location: Sipapu, New Mexico Contact: David Hudson rally@loebmwr.org 505-890-8972 Join us for the 32nd Bavarian Mountain Weekend Rally sponsored by the Land of Enchantment BMW Riders in Sipapu, NM, located 25 miles SE of Taos, NM on state highway 518.
56
9/16/2016 – 9/18/2016
Autumn Beemer Bash
Location: Quincy, California Contact: bashinfo@comcast.net or call 925-443-2070 Famous CCBR coffee, beer garden, two nights camping w/early camping available, Saturday night BBQ, two continental breakfasts, GS ride, poker run, vendors, and speakers.
57
9/16/2016 – 9/18/2016
Twin Valley Rally
Location: Meadows of Dan, Virginia Contact: Seth Pagani twinvalleyrally@gmail.com Willville is located right in the middle of some of the finest motorcycle roads in the state. In the seven years that we have been putting on this rally, we believe it has earned the reputation for being one of the best anywhere.
myers.sharon@comcast.net or call (309) 828-0918 Camp, ride and fellowship with the Dinks. Check out more details and any updates on the Dinky Dozen Facebook page 9/23/2016 – 9/25/2016
59 Whackey Hat Campout Location: Jamaica, Vermont Contact: John Van Hook jvanhook@comcast.net This year we are returning to our roots by returning to Jamaica State Park in Jamaica, Vermont. The Whackey Hat is the last official Yankee Beemer campout of the season. In its first year the YBs didn’t let a bit of rain spoil the fun so in a fit of PMS (parked motorcycle syndrome) the attendees started crafting hats out of whatever they could find. Soon judges were recruited to decide the “best� hat. 9/16/2016 – 9/18/2016
58
9/16/2016 – 9/18/2016
Dinky Dozen BMW Motorcycle Club Campout Location: Pontiac, Illinois Contact: Sharon Fulks
60 MOA Getaway
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Location: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Contact: Jackie Hughes galuprider@yahoo.com
Located in northern Idaho, this lakefront resort offers five-star amenities in a beautifully rugged setting. Join us in the beautiful Red Lion Templin’s Hotel on the River, where comfortable luxury meets outdoor adventure and guests enjoy premium ACCOMMODATIONS and plush AMENITIES in a beautifully scenic location.
61
9/23/2016 – 9/25/2016
30th Annual Hoosier Beemer Rally
Location: North Vernon, Indiana Contact: Jeff Kernen jrkernen@yahoo.com Come ride southeastern Indiana and experience some of the best roads in the Midwest!
62
9/23/2016 – 9/25/2016
13th Annual Thunder Mountain Rendezvous Location: Hotchkiss, Colorado Contact: Gary Campbell gcampbell44@ yahoo.com or call 970-210-2604 Come join us at the Delta County Fairgrounds in downtown Hotchkiss on Color weekend on the Western Slope of Colorado.
On The Level
BMW Magazine Think outside the Boxer www.bmwra.org/join
" $ ' " # & $ ! #$
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May 2016  BMW OWNERS NEWS
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event
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9/23/2016 – 9/25/2016
63 34th Annual Last Chance
Rally
Location: Buena, New Jersey Contact: Peter J. Lisko Jr. pjliskojr@ verizon.net or call 856-589-7015 Shaded camp sites, cabins and local hotels to accommodate your travel preference. Enjoy a relaxing weekend of field events, riding destinations, awards, comradery and sumptuous food.
64
9/23/2016 – 9/25/2016
MOA Getaway St. George, Utah
Location: St. George, Utah Contact: Jackie Hughes, jhughes@ bmwmoa.org St. George is located about 40 miles south of Cedar City, slightly closer to the Grand Canyon and even closer to Zion than Cedar City is. It offers more options for dining and shopping for those who so desire. There is still easy access to the other National Parks in the area. 9/30/2016 – 10/2/2016
65 2016 Rams Rally
Location: Parker’s Crossroads, Tennessee Contact: www.bmwrams.com/ the-rams-rally The Rider’s Association of The MidSouth (The RAMS) invites you to join us for the RAMS Rally in Parker’s Crossroads, Tennessee.
67
9/30/2016 – 10/2/2016
MOA Getaway Colorado Springs, Colorado
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Contact: Stan Herman hermanhaus1@msn. com or call (719) 250-4358 Come visit one of America’s greatest towns with Pikes Peak and spectacular riding at your door step. Colorado Springs is a motorcyclist’s dream town.
October 10/7/2016 – 10/9/2016
68 Colonial Virginia Rally Location: Lenexa, Virginia Contact: Carol Beals cebeals@gmail.com 757-287-5594 Tour rally site is the Rockahock Campground just a little north of Williamsburg and just outside of the Historical Triangle of VA. Many wonderful historical sites (Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown) are close by with great riding roads.
69
10/7/2016 – 10/9/2016
41st Falling Leaf Rally
Location: Potosi, Missouri Contact: bmwfallingleaf@yahoo.com Experience the spectacular roads and beautiful scenery of the Missouri Ozarks at the 41st Falling Leaf Rally. Join the Gateway Riders at the Washington County Fairgrounds for one of the last weekends of the season. Good friends, unmatched riding, great rally. 10/13/2016 – 10/16/2016
66
9/30/2016 – 10/2/2016
MOA Getaway Black River Falls, Wisconsin
Location: Black River Ralls, Wisconsin Contact: Sue Rihn sue@beemerhill.com Early Fall means beautiful color in the western edge of Wisconsin. The air turns slightly cooler, the days get a little shorter and the fun is just beginning. Join us for the inaugural Getaway Weekend in Black River Falls.
134
BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
70 AIM EXPO USA
Location: Orlando, Florida Contact: AIMExpo (949) 517-7501 Don’t miss the fun! AIMExpo is a one-of-akind motorcycling experience that brings together enthusiasts and industry insiders in one arena! Demo the latest models at the innovative AIMExpo Outdoors!, see and purchase the newest motorcycling products directly on the show floor, meet celebrities, learn tips and tricks from the pros and much more.
71
10/14/2016 – 10/16/2016
ADV Ribfest
Location: Centerville, Tennessee Contact: Jim Bean tnfrijole@gmail.com All the trails you can ride, all the ribs you can eat… none better! More info and register at www.gsgiants.com.
November 72
11/11/2016 – 11/13/2016
15th Annual Cajun Swamp Scooter Rally Location: Lafayette, Louisiana Contact: swampscooters.net Come have a good time with us. Great food with great music. Kick some tires and tell some lies. The roads are not great, but the food is the best.
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11/18/2016 – 11/20/2016
MOA Getaway Marble Falls, Texas
Location: Marble Falls, Texas Contact: Paul Mulhern pmulhern@swbell.net This year’s weekend getaway in Marble Falls, Texas is centered in the heart of the highland lakes region of the state and the host hotel will be right on the water. This area has something for everyone.
advertiserindex Abus Security............................................... 42 Action Stations/Bohn Armor.......... 25, 51 Adriatic Moto Tours................................... 90 ADV Depot.................................................... 42 Adventure Designs.................................... 85 Adventure New Zealand Tours............. 68 AeroFlow....................................................... 98 Aerostich-RiderWearHouse.................... 43 Alaska Leather...........................................129 Alaska Motorcycle Adventures............. 99 ALTRider......................................................... 43 Arai Helmets................................................. 59 Ayres Adventures....................................... 45 Beach’s Motorcycle Adventures.........116 BeadRider...................................................... 99 Beemer Boneyard....................................129 Beemer Shop, The...................................... 79 Best Rest Products..................................... 68 Best Rest Products..................................... 68 Best Western Inn of the Ozarks............. 79 Bing Agency................................................. 45 BMW MOA Foundation...............................97, 119 BMW Motorrad................................9, 35, 55 BMW of Pensacola..................................... 85 BMW of Southeast Michigan................. 47 BMW Performance Center....................117 Bob’s BMW.................................................... 93 Bombar’s Beemers..................................... 91 Boxer Works Service.................................. 18 British Motorcycle Gear.........................106 BullRack.......................................................123 California Motorcycle Rental...............117 Cee Baileys Aircraft Plastic.............27, 106 Chief Joseph Rally....................................123 Colorado Motorcycle Adventures.....121 Colorado Tourbike Rentals...................123 Corbin Pacific............................................... 93 Country Rode Motowerks....................... 36 Crampbuster/Throttle Rocker............... 37 Cyclenutz....................................................... 18 DMC Sidecars............................................... 47 Dubbelju Motorcycle Rentals................ 25 Dyna Beads.................................................117
Eaglerider Pittsburgh............................... 37 Edelweiss Bike Travel..............................115 EPM Hyper Pro..........................................105 Euro Moto Electrics................................... 68 First Gear......................................................IBC Geza Gear...................................................... 68 Giant Loop.................................................... 61 GS-911 Diagnostic Tool............................ 85 GSM Motorent............................................. 99 Hannigan Motorsports............................ 13 Hawks Products.......................................... 95 Helmet Sun Blocker................................... 61 Ilium Works.................................................103 IMTBIKE TOURS................................... 31, 47 Johnstown Thunder.................................. 98 Kermit Chair Company............................. 43 Kinekt Gear Ring......................................... 90 LadyRidersWear.......................................... 95 LD Comfort................................................... 43 Legal Speeding Enterprises................... 43 M4Moto-psa.......................................37, 121 MachineartMoto......................................121 Max BMW Motorcycles...............................5 MC Wheel Repair........................................ 31 Michelin Tire................................................. 11 MOA Gear Shop.......................................... 92 MOA Member Benefits..........................101 Morton’s BMW Motorcycles................... 66 Moto Aventura............................................ 37 Moto-Bins...................................................... 95 Motohansa Tools (The Beemer Shop)... 99 Motonation..................................................BC Motorcycle Releif Project - psa............. 99 Motorcycle Travel Network.................... 91 Motorex USA..............................................122 Motorrad Elektrik....................................... 68 Motorworks - UK........................................ 68 Motoskiveez................................................. 47 MotoStays..................................................... 99 Mountain Master Truck Equipment....106 Next Adventure Wealth Advisors......... 25 No-Mar Enterprises................................... 90 N’Vision Creative........................................ 31
Olympia Moto Sports..............................IFC On The Level Magazine...........................133 Overseas Speedometer........................... 99 Palo Alto Speedometer............................ 95 Pandora’s European Motorsports.......125 Parabellum................................................... 43 Paradise Motorcycle Tours...................... 95 Paris Corp./My Weego............................121 Peru Motors.................................................. 61 Pirat’s Lair...................................................... 42 Progressive Insurance.............................. 19 Ransomed Heart......................................107 RawHyde Adventures............................... 69 Ray Atwood Cycles.................................... 25 Redverz.......................................................... 67 Remus USA................................................... 63 Re-Psycle BMW Parts................................ 31 Rich Phillips Leather.................................. 42 Rider Magazine..........................................131 RoadRUNNER Magazine........................129 Russel Cycle Products............................... 37 Sargent Cycle Products............................ 18 Schuberth Helmets................................... 29 Seat Concepts............................................. 85 Side Kicker (AKS Engineering)............... 37 Sisters Centenial Ride............................... 13 Spiegler.......................................................... 18 Square Root Rally.....................................131 Stop ‘n Go....................................................117 Street Eagle Motorcycle Rentals...........106 StrongBilt (StrongRak)............................. 18 Suburban Machinery................................ 43 Throttlemeister........................................... 68 Total Control/Lee Parks Designs...... 85, 91 Touratech.........................................................1 Twisted Throttle................................... 38, 39 Venture Heat................................................ 90 Westco Battery............................................ 90 Wilbers USA.................................................. 61 Wolfman Luggage..................................... 91 Wunderlich................................................... 91 Ztechnik......................................................... 23
BMW ON (ISSN:1080-5729) (USPS: 735-590) (BMW Owners News) is published monthly by BMW Motorcycle Owners of America Inc., 640 S. Main Street, Suite 201, Greenville, SC 29601. Periodicals postage paid at Pewaukee, Wisconsin and additional mailing offices. Opinions and positions stated in materials/articles herein are those of the authors and not by the fact of publication necessarily those of BMW MOA; publication of advertising material is not an endorsement by BMW MOA of the advertised product or service. The material is presented as information for the reader. BMW MOA does not perform independent research on submitted articles or advertising. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO BMW ON, 640 S. Main Street, Suite 201, Greenville, SC 29601 © 2016 by BMW Motorcycle Owners of America Inc. All information furnished herein is provided by and for the members of BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, Inc. Unless otherwise stated, none of the information (including technical material) printed herein necessarily bears endorsement or approval by BMW MOA, BMW NA, the factory or the editors. The editors and publisher cannot be held liable for its accuracy. Printed in the USA. Volume 46, Number 5.
May 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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talelight
Sweet Curves The scenic and winding roads of Letchworth State Park in western New York are just a short ride from Das Rally! in Hamburg. Photo by Bill Wiegand #180584
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BMW OWNERS NEWS  May 2016
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MAY 2016