BMW Owners News August 2016

BMW OWNERS NEWS – A PUBLICATION OF THE BMW MOTORCYCLE OWNERS OF AMERICA

AUGUST 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS www.bmwmoa.org

AUGUST 2016

www.firstgear-usa.com

www.michelinmotorcycle.com

Table of Contents features

76 84 96

Lee harrelson, a member profile

By Bill Wiegand #180654 Older siblings are often to blame for the growth and maturation of the youngest in the family.

Lee Harrelson is a perfect example; he blames his older brothers for almost everything.

getting to know the bmw r 1200 rt

By Wes Fleming #87301 and Steve Hall #79776 BMW began producing RTs in the late 1970s and the model has evolved significantly over the years.

Wes Fleming and Steve Hall offer their thoughts on the newest water-cooled iteration.

downhill and off camber

By Katherine Helmetag #196517 Take the best parts of NĂźrburgring, add two miles of the best corners and craziest stretches together into bliss and you'll see why Grattan Raceway is Michigan's best poorly-kept secret.

ON THE COVER: Michael Dunlop catches air on his BMW S 1000 RR while shattering his own lap record and winning the 2016 Isle of Man TT Superbike class.

The BMW MOA and MOATM are trademarks of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America.

the club 4 Owners News Contributors 8 Headlight Benefits of Membership, by Bill Wiegand 10 From the Board 2016 Board of Directors Election Results 12 Shiny Side Up No Worries, by Ron Davis 14 Lessons from the Road, by Ken Decroo 16 Picture This Camaraderie 18 Rider to Rider Letters from our members 22 2016 MOA Getaway planner Member tested/ product news 24 REV’IT Outback 2 jacket and Enterprise

2 pants, Worse for Wear’s Crosstown Curvy Jeans, Motopressor Pocket Pump, Metzeler Roadtec 01, The Butterfly Man.

38 BMW

model updates for 2017, Motoskiveez Technical Riding Shirt, OptiMate Dual USB Charger, Touratech Desierto fairing, BMW Motorrad of Baton Rouge under new management, BMW’s 100th birthday celebration, Twisted Throttle S 1000 XR Pikes Peak Edition raffle tickets available, Dealing with Deer.

tech 50 Keep ‘em Flying Carb work and hydrostatic lock,

discovery 64 Adventure Log

Riding with Hailey, by Shawn

Thomas

70 Long Distance Style

Make your passion your paycheck,

by Deb Gasque

72 Adventure Trio

Mexico of Bust! by Sandy Borden

skills 106 Ask a Pro Making Riding Safety Cool, by Lee Parks 110 Ride Well Riding with Family, by Marven Ewen lifestyle 114 High Mileage by Jim Heberling 116 Jack the Riepe Ripped apart by the R Crowd at Das Rally! by Jack Riepe

118 Rallying for a Reason by Heidi Goehring events 120 When and Where Places to go and things to see 127 Advertiser Index 128 Talelight

by Matthew Parkhouse

52 I just needed an Oil Change, Part VI, by Wes Fleming 58 Nickt Uber Max, Dealing with Click, Click, Click

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

3

the club

1

2

3

4

5

6

CONTRIBUTORS 1 . D eb Gasque, also known as “The Fashionista,” has been a licensed motorcyclist for 6 years and has embraced every aspect of the longdistance 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.

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. Ron Davis has been a rider, off and on, for about 40 years.

Over that period, he’s also squeezed in a full time career teaching high school and university classes in writing, photography, and publishing while also working as a social media writer for the tourism industry in northwest Ontario and Associate Editor for BMW Owners News. His writing has been featured by BMW Owners News, BMW Motorcycle Magazine and The National Writing Project, and his essays, sometimes on

4

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

motorcycling, can be heard regularly on Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Wisconsin Life.” His recently completed novel for young adults, Sachem Summer, is about love, trout fishing and a BMW R50/2.

4. Terry, Sandy and Jack Borden, aka the “Adventure Trio”, are a family of three on two BMW GS motorcycles that have traveled across the states and beyond for almost ten years. They are currently on a speaking tour sharing stories from their journey to South America.

5. Lee Parks has been riding motorcycles since the age of 12 and finds his greatest joy in sharing the motorcycling experience with family and friends. This passion eventually led him to work in the motorcycle industry. Parks has an extensive racing background, has worked as the editorial director of Motorcycle Consumers News and founded Lee Parks Design in 2001 to create innovative products and services to help riders achieve “better living through motorcycling” and help companies better serve their customers.

6. Shawn Thomas has worked for many years in the motorcycle industry and is currently a rider coach and guide for RawHyde Adventures as well as a trainer for BMW Motorrad. While Thomas lives in California with his wife, daughter and son, his work takes him across the globe and stories he brings back with him are priceless.

www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com

Evening ride

Riding Highway 1 along the California coastline.

Photo by Mark Janda #198513

6

BMW OWNERS NEWS  August 2016

August 2016  BMW OWNERS NEWS

7

headlight Magazine of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America MANAGING EDITOR

Bill Wiegand bill@bmwmoa.org

Benefits of Membership

By Bill Wiegand #180584

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Ron Davis • Wes Fleming • Joe Tatulli ART DIRECTOR

Karin Halker karin@bmwmoa.org CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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.

8

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

CHECKING THE BIKE OVER BEFORE HEADING TO NORTH CAROLINA

for the MOA Getaway at Fontana Dam, I thought I had plenty of tread to take me the 1,200 or so miles. As the XR was on its original tires, I wasn’t sure what kind of mileage to expect, but online reviews offered estimates ranging from 3,000 to 6,500 miles. I knew I was okay.

The ride to and from Fontana Dam, though boring with too many Interstate miles, was uneventful, and once I was back in my garage I ordered a set of Continental Sport Attack 3s, which Shawn Thomas had recently reviewed for Owners News.

New tires mounted and oil changed, I was ready for my next trip which would take me to Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, for a weekend of MotoAmerica series racing at Road America. In addition to the racing, I was also looking forward to spending time with some of the Slimey Crud Motorcycle Gang, including my favorite motojournalist, Peter Egan.

Despite the showers that dampened spirits on Saturday, everything was perfect. Until Sunday morning, that is. As we were gathered outside, kicking tires and trading stories, I glanced at my bike, and something seemed awry. Not believing my new rear tire should have that much squat as the XR sat there on the sidestand, I walked over and gave the tire a literal kick.

Sure enough, my nearly-new Continental had reached its demise after fewer than 1,000 miles.

If that wasn’t bad enough, after digging through my luggage I realized I had neglected to pack my patch kit and compressor. As the topping on this distasteful sundae, I then remembered that I had never gotten around to adding the tire protection option to my MOA Roadside Assistance plan.

As MOA members, we’ve got an ever-growing list of benefits available to all of us. For just $40 annually, there’s the BMW Owners News, the MOA website, the forums, the Member Marketplace, the Owners Anonymous book, the Mileage Contest, the Event Calendar, Getaways, member discounts and, of course, our annual Rally. We also have the option of adding Roadside Assistance and Tire Protection to our membership.

I rolled the dice and lost because, had I spent just $39 more to add the tire protection to my coverage, I could have kept most of the $248 I spent on the new tire when I finally got home.

Even with the flat, my weekend in Elkhart Lake was fantastic, and I’d again like to thank Jim Rackow for the can of Fix-A-Flat and MOA members Sue Rihn and Tom Van Horn, not only for lending me their air compressor to make sure I got home, but also for their gracious hospitality as well.

While some may believe the only benefit of MOA membership is a glossy magazine each month, I know it offers much more. Beyond the laundry list of benefits that MOA membership affords each of us, I believe the greatest benefit is the friendship we share with our motorcycling brothers and sisters.

Ride Safe.

BMW Motorrad USA

Service & Original Parts

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OK AND WOW. BMW SERVICE & ORIGINAL PARTS

BMW Service stands for quality and precision in every detail, with specially trained technicians who use only Original BMW Parts and approved equipment. From oil changes to annual checkups and more, an authorized BMW Motorrad dealer will bring you peace of mind – so you can concentrate on enjoying the ride ahead. Find an authorized BMW Motorrad dealer at bmwmotorcycles.com. www.bmwmotorcycles.com

©2016 BMW Motorrad USA, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks.

The Ultimate Riding Machine™

fromtheboard

OUR MISSION

To foster communication and a sense of family among BMW motorcycle enthusiasts

MOA Board of Directors election results

BMW MOA DIRECTORS

Jean Excell 719-650-6215; jeanexcell@bmwmoa.org Wes Fitzer 918-441-2114; jwfitzer@yahoo.com Sam Garst 414-704-7767: guanocave@gmail.com Stan Herman 719-250-4358; hermanhaus1@msn.com Bill Hooykaas 705-329-2683; hooykaas@bmwmoa.org Jackie Hughes 509-928-3261; jhughes@bmwmoa.org Lisa Malachowsky 925-759-4360; lisa.malachowsky@gmail.com Reece Mullins 334-470-7770; rangerreece@mac.com Marc Souliere 918-441-2114; jwfitzer@yahoo.com

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

By Muriel Farrington, Secretary OUR BMW MOA ELECTION IS OVER,

and the results are in. Ballots were collected, counted, and reported by the independent firm of Renita M. Owens, CPA, LLC. of Greenville, South Carolina.

Congratulations to those who attained office, and a big thanks to all those who threw their hat in the ring. A total of 2,257 ballots were cast, up 919 from the last election in 2014.

Candidates Votes *Lisa Malachowsky ................. 993 *Reece Mullins ........................ 880 *Marc Souliere ......................... 880 *Sam Garst ................................828 Doug Laird ................................749 Chase Hinderstein ................... 718 John Rector .............................. 608 Ron McGilton........................... 550 Terry Hughes .......................... 507 James Gebhardt ........................455 Randy Logan ............................ 470 Bruce Peacock ......................... 436 Rudy Baumann .........................337 Total Votes Cast:.....................2,257 *Elected

What’s next?

The new board will meet in Hamburg and elect the officers; those results will be announced at the rally. I hope you take the time to introduce yourselves to the Board in Hamburg; they’d like to know what you’re thinking. Our next election is next year, 2017. Now is the time to think about running – or nudging a friend to run.

A big thanks goes to our Candidate Search Committee of Chairman Tom Buttars from Iowa and Co-chairs Don Hamlin from Missouri and Dave Swider from California for their service on the 2016 Candidate Search Committee. They put in a lot of time and effort into gathering packets, validating them and presenting them in the proper format for publication.

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, BMW Owners News 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

www.eagleriderpittsburgh.com

Ray Tubbs, Digital Marketing Manager ray@bmwmoa.org

10

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

www.cortech.net

the club 12

shinysideup

No worries?

By Ron Davis #111820 JUST

WHEN

IT

seemed we were going to remain snowless last December here in Wisconsin, winter storm warnings starting scrolling across our TV screen, and sure enough, just before New Year’s, a blizzard packing high winds and a foot of drifting snow crept in from the southwest under the cover of darkness. Temperatures stayed in the 20s, but the wind chills were dipping into single digits. Something, maybe that loose shutter I’d been meaning to fix or a downed tree branch started slapping on the outside of the house, but whatever it was, I decided nothing was going to lure me out on a night like that.

It apparently was an evening that called for a good book, but I was out of new stuff, so I went to my own little library for something worthy of a second look.

Scattered among the shelves were a good number of motorcycle tomes, many of them contenders: Peter Egan books, Paulsen’s Zero to Sixty, Noren’s Storm, Bill Stermer on the R 100 RS, Pirsig, Pierson, Ron Ayres. But my finger finally came to rest on a well-worn copy of Ted Simon’s Jupiter’s Travels. What better way to spend a snowbound evening than sharing a trek around the world on a motorcycle?

For those who haven’t yet read it, the story opens with Ted running out

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

of gas after taking a wrong turn in India near the end of his trip. His calm reaction to a breakdown like this (and his confidence in the prospects for the adventures it would lead to) really sets the tone for the whole book. The author’s memoir soon flashes back to the beginning of his journey, and about 80 pages in we see a differ-

ent Ted Simon. Tracing a rutted excuse for a road in eastern Africa, he describes a growing sense of dread about his fate on the trip, and he begins to fantasize about the countless things that could go wrong— crashes, injuries, mechanical failures, extreme weather. For some reason, the contrasts in Ted’s attitudes from the beginning to the end of his odyssey made me consider my own mental state when

riding.

I have to admit it, I’m a worrier. Maybe it’s because I’m so hopeless when it comes to mechanical issues, or maybe it’s just in my DNA (my brother used to spend hours driving around at night when his heebie jeebies got to him, my dad drank martinis).

Like Simon in the early part of his trek, once my thoughts are cloistered in my helmet, I think I tend to obsess a bit over what could go wrong. Is that the sound of a valve going south? Does that rear tire feel low? My tailbag’s still there, right? And is that a rain cloud?

Re-reading Simon’s book, I started thinking back to my own past “misadventures” and how, in retrospect, maybe things going wrong might just be…all right.

Take for instance when I panicked as my Honda 350’s rear wheel began squirming around with my first flat. Sure, it was an aggravation, and it meant talking one of my college roommates into chauffeuring me around on his little Suzuki dirt bike for a patch kit, but how else would I have learned (from the same roommate) how to break a bead or the nuances of setting the final drive chain tension correctly? About twenty years later, a drywall screw stranded me for a while at a BMW dealer in Green Bay, but while I was waiting I met a GS owner who was in for bent rim. He enlightened me on the concept of “target fixation” (he had failed to avoid a chunk of 4x4 on the highway). I also remember him describing his 1150 GS (a bike I knew practically nothing about at the time) as “heavy and slow” but still the “last bike I’ll ever want.”

Coming back from a MOA rally in West Bend, Wis., my buddy and I pulled into a

little town for gas, and as soon as I started up my F650, white smoke began pouring from the engine. I was in a panic, but my buddy Ralph sagely conjectured it was coolant and as long as I could keep the temperature warning light from coming on, we could probably make it the few miles to Mischler’s BMW in Beaver Dam. Fortunately they were keeping late hours because of the rally. In that waiting area, Ralph and I met a fellow traveler who had stopped in for a new clutch cable on his way down from the Twin Cities. His bike, buried under all sorts of leather fringe, getback whips, a yard of sheepskin, and a roll of canvas tarp, was a fairly ancient-looking airhead, and his almost religious devotion to the bike led me to thinking that maybe I should own one someday. (I did.)

The tables turned a year or two later on a trip headed for a rally in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Ralph’s Bonneville threw a spoke through its rear tire, and he had to call for a trailer. I ended up ditching the rally idea and tracking down a childhood pal in the U.P. who had just mustered out of the Air Force. On the deck of his lake cabin he served me generous helpings of venison burgers, Black Husky beer, and amazing stories of what it was like to “fly” a B-52’s fueling boom over Iraq.

The point of all this is that I’ve firmly resolved to stop worrying (or at least to worry less) when I’m in the saddle. As someone once told me, there are only two rules when it comes to motorcycle journeys. Rule Number One: Something will go wrong. Rule Number Two: Riders can’t change Rule Number One. Almost every breakdown, inadvertent detour, or weather problem I’ve encountered on a motorcycle has led to memories I never would have had and to people I never would have met if I had been driving a car, memories I never would have had and people I never would have met if everything had gone all right.

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

13

www.imtbike.com

Ride Brilliantly Every Day! Play your Beemer like a fiddle Our proven riding technology has helped thousands of riders break through to the next level! This is why Total Control was chosen by the U.S. Marine Corps to train its elite motorcycle mentors in advanced skills. Learn the secrets of Total Control at our 25+ locations. Call or click today for more info.

800.943.5638 • totalcontroltraining.net www.totalcontroltraining.com

www.bingcarburetor.com

the club 14

Lessons from the Road We should’ve gone to Costa Rica

By Ken Decroo #178241 A FEW YEARS AGO, MY BEST

friend Fritz passed away, but it wasn’t before he taught me one last lesson.

He was a big, larger-than-life man who lived life to the fullest, and I have often said that finding a good fishing or riding buddy is harder than finding a wife. And Fritz was the best buddy I ever had.

He was a man of many contradictions. He lived modestly but was a millionaire. He was a tall Viking but was the softest touch you ever met. He was the most successful contractor in our valley. He was a man’s man and my friend.

We had been planning a Costa Rica adventure for some time. The motos were ready, we began packing, and we set aside the dates. It was all we talked about for months. I poured over every route and studied all the possible tide charts and camping areas along the way. I thought the day would never come.

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

I was so excited that my friends grew tired of hearing about our plans. But a few days before we were actually scheduled to head out, Fritz called me and said he couldn’t make it. He said that a big job had come up that he could not pass up. I was livid, and we argued. He said he had doubled his bid but still was awarded the project. He finally paused and said, “Kenny, we can always go next year.”

I left on a long trip and was gone for months. We didn’t talk much during the time, as I was unplugged, traveling to white spots on the maps with no connectivity.

When I finally got back, there were several messages from Fritz’s daughter on the phone that said my friend was ill and I should come to see him right away.

Fritz had contracted cancer. What he had thought was a bad virus before I left had turned out to be lung cancer. I left immediately to see him, and we talked long into the evening. He weakly laughed as we recalled all the adventures we had been on and all the great times we had had. I looked

around his richly appointed house where we had spent so many evenings planning our adventures and realized all his stuff and money didn’t really count for much now. All we were talking about were the adventures we had shared. As though he had read my mind, he squeezed my hand firmly, eyes welling up, and said, “Kenny, we should have gone to Costa Rica.” My friend Fritz died the next day.

Life is precious and not guaranteed.

Don’t postpone that adventure and your dreams. Ride.

www.aksengineering.com

www.weisertechnik.com

Picturethis

1

We asked our online readers to submit their photos showing

Camaraderie 1. Riding in the Cascades with friends.

Bill Wiegand #180584 Champaign, Illinois 2. O ur BMW Club’s annual trip to see the infamous “Marfa Prada” store just outside Valentine, Texas.

Christopher Rice #204992 Austin, Texas

5. At

the top of the Million Dollar Highway.

Christopher Ross #130595 Wolfforth, Texas

3. S ixty years of camaraderie celebrated on Forest Road #52 overlooking the north form of the John Day River in eastern Oregon.

Ceona Chitwood #158885 Benton City, Washington

6. R iding with my wife through Deals Gap near our home in east Tennessee.

Hal Wiley #207542 Greenback, Tennessee

4. C elebrating our first ride on the Tail of the Dragon and the famous “Tree of Shame.”

Vince Kelly #181143 Allentown, Pennsylvania 2

3

4 7. J ohn and I met and have been riding together ever since buying identical ’12 K 1600 GTLs. Bob Simpson #188131 Yarker, Ontario

5 6

8. Two F 800 riders taking a break while riding the New Mexico White Sands Missile Range Road.

Kyle Keifer #205875 Grapevine, Texas

For November, our Picture This theme is Far Away Places. 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.

7

8

August 2016  BMW OWNERS NEWS

17

t

t

RIDERTORIDER Send your letters and comments to: editor@bmwmoa.org

A Tale of Three Cities

Recently my brother and I returned from an 8500 mile tour of the U.S. and Canada, traveling as far east as Nova Scotia from our homes near Lake Tahoe.

We knew that both bikes would require service and/or tires during the trip; however, since the route was fairly fluid, and we were on different service schedules; we weren’t sure exactly where or when. I saw that the odometer on my ’07 RT had clicked to 48K miles while visiting Niagara Falls. I started looking for dealerships that would be open during the next couple of days and came across Budds’ Motorrad in Oakville, Ontario. They were even open on the Monday I called.

John Parker, the Service Manager for the dealership was able to fit this traveler in that day and even managed to do an annual brake fluid flush along with the 48K service. While the actual BMW store is rather small, the service facility is large with very friendly service technicians doing the work. The store is attached to a Mini car dealership, so the service waiting area is in the showroom. The facility is superb with coffee/tea service, massage chairs and a shuttle driver that’ll drive you anywhere in town if you like.

After returning to the USA, my brother needed a 12K service on his ’16 GTL. We had spent the night in Groton, Connecticut, so he called Max BMW in South Windsor. Kyle Scheidel, the Service Manager, happily scheduled the service for that day and also managed to replace the RT’s starboard side headlamp bulb that had just extinguished itself that morning.

While getting closer to home, we got caught in rush hour traffic in Denver on another Monday. As we were trying to get off the freeway, my brother’s GTL picked up a piece glass in the rear tire, causing it to deflate. He had it towed to Foothills BMW and left a phone message with the dealership explaining what happened.

The next morning, David Mack, the

18

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

Service Manager for Foothills, was able to replace the rear tire first thing and get us on the road very quickly.

I just wanted to publicly pass along thanks to the people and dealerships involved and to make a special note to anyone traveling through those areas; these people will see to your needs.

David Allen #139753 Gardnerville, Nevada

MacGyver - Road fixes

I would like to offer some advice on the MacGyver letter in last month’s Owners News. Mr. Rourke rightly pointed out that Lee Parks missed the mark on the reader’s question. If I may, I would like to outline my experience in this matter.

I migrated to BMWs for their reliability and continue to drive them for the same reason. They can be a little more expensive than other brands, but the quality and design, in my opinion, easily make up for that extra expense. I have only had boxers because of the ease of access to the major maintenance components of the motorcycle. I am not a mechanic and have no formal training as such, but I cannot afford to pay someone $130 per hour to work on my bike, so I had to learn how to fix it myself. I now regularly give small seminars on everything from fixing flats on the road to maintenance tasks.

There are many sources of information on maintenance, tools and techniques for bike repairs, including the BMW Repair Manual, Haynes type manuals, the BMW MOA DIY forum, questions to the forum, and often the dealer. Often overlooked are the seminars at the MOA Rally, an invaluable source of training and information I have not found in any other organization. I have used all of these and try to be careful and make sure I have all the parts and tools necessary for the job before I start. I believe that if you start off

doing your own maintenance and simple repairs you will eventually get a good sense for the bike, its components and where everything is. The more you do, the more you will want to do and the more knowledge on how to fix the bike you will have.

I also have a close group of riders who like to gather at my shop to do maintenance, change tires and fix whatever else needs it. Not all of their bikes are BMWs. I learn a lot of good tips from this group, and it is good to see how other manufacturers solve a particular design issue.

On the road, I carry all the tools necessary to do all the tasks I can comfortably do, plus some parts I may need along the way. In addition, I carry a selection of nuts and bolts, cap screws, wire, duct tape, metal epoxy and rescue tape. Most important is my small computer with the BMW Repair Manual loaded on it and GS911 software. In addition, I load all the BMW dealers on the GPS in case of a real emergency.

For long trips, I may carry oil filters and oil, so I can do a service in a parking lot.

In the end, there is no list of all the tips and tricks that will solve all the emergency repairs you will encounter on the road.

Take all the resources you can carry and know how to use. Good maintenance will reduce the chance of on-the-road breakdowns, and if you do your own maintenance, you are more likely to see some things that may need attention outside of a conventional maintenance schedule.

David Nicholls #105258

I know MacGyver

When I started read the MacGyver letter in the June issue, it came to mind that I knew the answer: He lives in Colorado and his name is Matthew Parkhouse!

James St.Clair #6869 Zimmerman, Minnesota

Lesson learned

After reading about Sudafed in the “Flashback” article in the March 2016 issue, I had a flashback of my own.

In the early 1980's I was preparing to take a weekend trip from San Clemente, California, to Palm Springs on my new R 100 RT. My allergies were driving me crazy, so just before starting out, I took this new over the counter medicine called "nondrowsy Sudafed." About an hour into the trip, I couldn't keep my eyes open!

After stopping at a small burger joint and taking a nap on one of their picnic tables, I was able to continue on to Palm Springs. Even after arriving at the hotel, it took another nap before I was able to function normally.

This experience was a lesson learned about taking over-the-counter meds and the actual consequences. These days, when my allergies give me trouble on a ride, I just tough it out.

Jim Bodnar #9557 Litchfield Park, Arizona

Ignoring the K

Playing off of Eric Kuritzky’s timely and well-penned letter “Touring Articles Wanted” in the May issue of BMW ON, I have been biting my tongue for months, now, presuming that sooner or later someone on your editorial staff would realize that there is an entire subculture of K-Bike owners being continuously ignored within each and every issue of the BMW ON for at least the last several years.

Ironically, the last time I wrote to the editor of Owners News on this very same topic, was pre-Bill Wiegand and the overshadowing of anything BMW non-GS. To his credit, an exceptional article was brought forth several issues later illustrating the entire lineage of the K-Bike. Unfortunately, it was a short-lived romance, and our publication was again back on the Adventure-bike bandwagon.

As the owner of four separate K-series motorcycles since 1986, with the latest being the very first K 1200 R registered in Kansas (a new 2006 model put into service in June of 2005 and still ridden to this day), I have a deep affinity to the breed and believe it to be a far superior power

plant to the R-series Boxer layout. Let’s face it, the K 1200 R/S engine design was the precursor to the highly successful S 1000 RR and the various iterations it has spawned.

Unlike Mr. Kuritzky, no one has to convince me to remain a member of the MOA. I have benefitted greatly from my membership over the years and wouldn’t think of giving up on it. However, I would gratefully welcome some realistic editorial balance between the GS crowd and those like Jack Riepe, Eric Kuritzky, myself and thousands of others enthralled with the “K,” Steve Swanson #92277 Independence, Missouri

Holy Cow!

Imagine my reaction to the May issue.

Could this cover actually be an indication that the MOA is heading into a more modern and dare I say "Hip" evolution? I couldn't wait to tear into it and see all the cool stuff inside. Arrrghhh...

Nope, same old, same old. Another GPS article, a mid-life crisis book review, the conclusion (hopefully) of the forty-seven part series of getting an old bike ready for a Mexico trip and, oh no, now the second, forty-seven parts on the trip itself.

Carbon fiber, okay, here we go, now we're talkin'...dang, now we are at Daytona Bike Week with a fashionable iron butt. Did we fail to mention iron butt “fashionista” enough times? Some of the old guys may have missed it.

Missed the humor in Riepe's column; this keeps my record intact. A couple of good travel stories. What!?? No sincere story of yet another trip to Alaska or Peru?

Oh, yes of course, we have the Mexico trip to relive and relive, and relive, and so on.

Well, at least I have the cover.

Rally, here we come, Nope, Mustang Sally won't be there. Too many heart attacks in the audience from all the excitement. But Paul Thorn will. Whew, crank up the oxygen, thank goodness we can now sit still at a concert, not sweat and perhaps catch a few Z's.

With tongue firmly in cheek, Herbert Hummer #140014 Toledo, Ohio

Protecting against Zika

Marven Ewen's article regarding Zika and Microcephaly misleads or clouds the issue regarding their relationship.

Microcephaly has existed in Brazil and was noted in a Noam Chomsky article in 1993 titled "The Clinton Vision." Brazillian Medical Researchers found the condition to be so prevalent that they considered the children to be a new subspecies: ["pygmies" with 40 percent the brain capacity of normal humans.] Their finding was the trauma to the fetus was caused

by EXTREME MALNUTRITION. This long-standing condition conflicts with Mr. Ewen's statement, "There has been a rash of babies born in South America with Microcephaly, and it is thought to be the result of Zika infection."

There is not a sudden rash of babies born with this affliction, and Microcephaly has been occurring at least since 1993, with a known cause.

If you look at the actual studies you will find that 70 percent of mothers with children having Microcephaly DID NOT have the Zika Virus. Northeast Brazil is ground zero for heavy pesticide usage. It is the home for international agribusiness. Yet, no researchers tested the mothers for pesticides in their bloodstream. One of the most obvious potential causes for fetal trauma goes completely ignored when it confronts corporate agricultural business.

The U.S. is on pace to potentially have .0002 percent chance of pregnant mothers having Zika. That is two ten-thousandths of one percent! If you expand the number to the U.S. population at large, then the chance of getting Zika is .000000003 percent (rounded up!) which is too small for me to articulate verbally.

The odds get even smaller if you consider having Zika and a child with Microcephaly. With odds like that, who needs a guide to reducing risk?

Who is Marven Ewen, and does he get paid by the pharmaceutical manufacturers, the medical industry, or the CDC, which is requesting $1.9 billion taxpayer dollars to address this "epidemic?"

Peter Giarrantano #154828 Rohnert Park, California

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

19

g e proof packin With adventur ion. ar for explorat systems and ge

GO LIGHT. GO FAST. GO FAR. Ride with uswww.giantloopmoto.com at www.giantloopmoto.com

CUBA

people to people

www.stopngo.com

Since 1981

MOTODISCOVERY

.com

www.adaptivtech.com

experience authentic adventure

1(800)233-0564

www.motodiscovery.com www.motodiscovery.com 7, 12 and 13 day tours, private custom tours legal for USA citizens with flights direct from Miami OFAC General Lic. running November - May... Now is the time to experience Cuba

www.dynabeads.com www.suburban-machinery.com

20

BMW OWNERS NEWS  August 2016

www.motobins.co.uk

www.tourmaster.com

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 August , Arkansas We wil 19-21 lr

e historic turn for the se cond tim village of e in the n orthwes Eureka Springs to the , locate t corner too is a d beautifu of Arka nsa la day in town le rea to ride or s s. This pe isu the qua int shop rely searching nd the s. through

lifornia a C , y e r Monte st 26-28

ost a Augu rs of BMW, we will hutiful a e 100 yea ay in be

brat taw To cele remier MOA Ge sively for BMW P l x ia E c d and ia. clu spe Californ newly remodele tel , y re e t n t ho he Mo bers at t eachfron om b m e a , m s e A id MO es fr rey T st minut s Monte luxuriou Monterey Bay ju nery Row. on Can located Warf and ’s n a m r e Old Fish

22

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

entucky Pineville, Ker 9-11

Septemb second time to this turn for the Based

entucky.

We will re utheastern K so f o esort, t ar p great tate Park R S in ta n u o M dations at the Pine f accommo o ty e ri va cabthere are a e rooms and g d lo g in d u cl e this available, in whole lodg e th n e iv g n is one ins. We bee to book th t an w ill w year, so you sell quickly! early…it will

Getaways e, Idaho n e l A ’ d Coeur mber 16-18 ake new

Septe members and m the area and ur fellow

njoy the ty of sights Join yo s you e a s plen d n ie fr aut. Enjoy r o s re re the be l lo p fu x ti e u a d e n b ff a or take o a! close by are g in ound tiful surr

Southwest ern, Utah Se pte

mber 23-25 Return to where the M OA Getawa all started. y concept Visit the ne arby nation or take off al parks in a find adventu ny direction, and yo u will re awaits yo u!

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

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 !

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.

member teste 24

PRoductreviews

REV’IT! Outback 2 jacket and Enterprise 2 pants

By Marven Ewen #150506 ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN RIDING

for a few years probably has acquired a closet full of gear. I started out riding with a leather jacket and my old blue jeans when I was younger. Now older and wiser, I have a better sense of my mortality, so I prepare for my ride accordingly. I search for gear that will keep me safe yet comfortable. Manufacturers like REV’IT! have responded to consumer demand and are producing gear that is comfortable, safe, and stylish. If you want to feel well protected and yet be able to walk into a restaurant without looking like you are there to put out a fire, REV’IT! is for you.

I recently had the opportunity to test out the REV’IT! Outback 2 Jacket and Enterprise 2 Pants. REV’IT! is a European company that started in 1995 and has quickly become a leading premium brand with a design philosophy of producing gear that is comfortable, protective, and stylish.

The Outback 2 jacket ($349) is available in a variety of color combinations. The blue and white color option is really outstanding, but I wasn’t so sure how it would look after a full season of bugs traumatically meeting their end on it, so I chose the black and hi-vis version, which is also a really great looking jacket. The Enterprise pants come in black or silver. Again, I went for the black for the same reason. All the color options include reflective accents on the back, arms, and chest.

This jacket is composed of three separate, detachable layers. The inner jacket is a thermal liner held in place by snaps at the collar and cuffs. After removing this, I found a zipped in

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

waterproof/breathable hydratex liner which can also be removed. The outer jacket is made of 600D high density polyester with 1600D polyester at the arms for greater abrasion protection. It hasn’t been cold enough to wear the thermal liner, but I would expect by the overall quality of the jacket that it would keep me warm. Once all the layers are removed, the jacket was initially a bit too loose, but this was quickly remedied by snugging the various adjusters built into the jacket. It can be kept a bit loose, however, in order to effectively vent in warmer weather. There are two separate adjustment flaps on each sleeve in addition to adjustable waist straps and a cinchable cord in the hem. The waist adjustment straps are unique in that they are attached in such a way that they can be easily moved up or down several inches, thereby customizing the fit.

REV’IT! has also upped the game with some other innovative features. I really liked the collar on this jacket. Not only is it lined with soft neoprene, the snap-to-close position is also adjustable. In addition, there is a loop on the left side and an unobtrusive hook built in that allows you to keep the collar open if desired. The venting is also innovative; in addition to chest and upper back vents, the wrist closures incorporate two-way zippers. This smart design allows the wrist closures to also function as vents if desired, while keeping the jacket safely closed around the wrists. Finally, the

zips for the rain liner can be used to attach an optional cooling vest. As expected with a touring jacket, it is equipped with several generously-sized, lined, covered and secure pockets inside and out.

The Enterprise 2 pants ($199) are constructed of the same 600D polyester with additional 1600D over the knees. There are also some 880D stretch panels on the sides of the legs. A unique feature is the placement of sure grip patches on the ischial area, which will be welcome to anyone who rides a motorcycle with a slippery saddle seeking to avoid the dreaded slide into the tank on deceleration experience. The pants are also lined with Hydratex, which is supposed to be a breathable rain barrier.

Unfortunately, unlike the jacket liner, this liner is not removable.

Because of this and the fact that there are no vents, these pants can be a little warm in hot weather riding, especially if used as overpants. The lighter color option would likely be cooler. However, they definitely kept me dry when riding in heavy rain.

Overall the pants fit well and have some flex material just above the knee which makes them more comfortable on the bike.

Just like the jacket, the pockets are well made, and there is a large, lined pocket on the right thigh that is securely covered by a flap. The waist is adjustable with straps on each side which for me made it possible to wear them with or without street pants underneath. Entry zips extend from the

hem to the knee. A word of caution here: I did not fasten the ankle flap tightly on my first ride and caught my left pant leg on my foot peg feeler when lifting my foot up after a stop. Fortunately, I was able to get untangled before I needed to shift. After being sure to snug the fastener over my boot at the ankle, this never happened again. So, maybe this is just user error. In defense of REV’IT!, they likely placed the zipper and fastener on the inside of the leg because it is an area less prone to impact, which would be consistent with their design philosophy.

Knox CE­-approved, ventilated armor is standard in both the jacket shoulder/ elbows, and knees/hips of the pants. I am a fan of this armor because it is so light and inconspicuous. In fact, I wasn’t even aware of the hip armor while wearing the pants.

The jacket has a pocket for back armor to be added, but is not included.

I found this to be comfortable, welldesigned gear and felt quite safe with the jacket zipped to the pants. I think there is enough hi-vis to be conspicuous without overdoing it. It certainly kept me dry. I also like the big pocket on the back of the jacket where I can stow the rain liner for ready access; it doesn’t end up forgotten in the bottom of my closet. With regard to sizing, I ordered one size larger than I would usually wear, as they run slightly small. For a rider living in a moderate or cooler climate, this outfit would be the only suit you’d need and hard to beat for the price.

member tested

PRoductreviews

Worse for Wear Crosstown Curvy Jean

By Deb Gasque # THERE IS NOTHING LIKE SLIPPING ON

your favorite pair of jeans. You feel comfortable, at ease, and the world just seems right again. I’ve often wondered if it would be possible to find a pair of jeans that would make you feel good and look good, but would also fit within the standard of ATGATT. As I’ve researched the choices of women’s riding gear over the past few years, I always have been extremely disappointed and have just given up once I scanned over the sizing charts. For years I’ve just settled with the idea that standard women’s riding gear is simply not made for my hourglass figure. I was blessed with a curvy “Iron Butt,” if you will, and a proportionately smaller waist. In my gear quest, I’ve come across many other women with the same disappointments in the choices and sizes of ladies’ riding apparel. Thankfully, that is all beginning to change!

The newly launched company Worse for Wear just released their first item, the “Crosstown Curvy Jean,” this spring and, WOW, this product is

spot on, ladies! The company was created by BMW MOA member Laura Smith with her partner and husband Scott, and their mission has been to create super-stylish riding jeans that fit properly and offer superior protection on the road. It was out of Laura’s sheer desperation as a fellow motorcycle rider in search of decent gear that she took on this life-changing mission.

The Crosstown Curvy Jean is

26

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

made in the USA at the Worse for Wear headquarters in Richmond, Virginia. They are made with Armalith Denim which provides high-performance protection in an all-day comfortable fabric that is breathable and requires no heavy liner or layer for abrasion resistance. This top-quality fabric does its job. Additionally, the outer fabric of the armor pockets, “Tweave Duratech,” is super tough and ensures that the adjustable and removable Sas-Tec body armor stays in place, providing an additional layer of

abrasion protection at the knees and hips.

And when you slip these jeans on, they are smokin’ sexy!

When I received my very own pair of Crosstown Curvy Jeans from Worse for Wear, I had them on in minutes—the anticipation was overwhelming. Ladies, from the very beginning, they were amazing; they slipped right on and felt instantly comfortable. The knee pads are adjustable and super easy to access (while the jeans are off and turned inside out). It didn’t take me long to get the knees right for my legs and have a sit on my motorcycle to be sure everything felt good. And it did! I loved the hip pads as well; they are not overly bulky or rigid, but rather blend right into your physique and are actually very comfortable.

Once I got everything into place, I set out for a weekend of riding in my new Crosstown Curvy Jeans.

I spent many hours that June weekend testing out these jeans while riding around in heavy traffic and in extreme hot and humid temperatures. I will honestly report that these pants are very breathable and never felt stuffy or too heavy. Also, while riding many miles around town, I never felt them bunch up or pinch any part of my body. I love that they are cut higher in the back and tailored so as not to gape or show off any skin from behind. When I arrived at each destination, these riding jeans felt just like I was wearing a pair of my favorite jeans. This Fashionista felt confident in the fabrics of these jeans as protective riding gear, yet also felt super sassy, sexy and stylish as I made my rounds around town. The Worse for Wear Crosstown Curvy Jean definitely has my stamp of approval, ladies!

These high-quality jeans retail at $379, and though they are custom made for each individual, they ship within one to three weeks of ordering. Visit worsewear.com for more information.

www.wolfmanluggage.com

www.imtbike.com

www.euromotoelectrics.com

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

27

www.gezagear.com

member tested 28

PRoductreviews

Motopressor Pocket Pump

By Ron Davis #111820 NO ONE WANTS TO GET A FLAT

directly to my battery for a trickle charger, so it was easy to plug in and power up the Motopressor, but an SAE power cord is included with the unit. As most BMW owners are probably aware, CAN bus sys-

tire, but it happens, and if Murphy was right, it will happen at the worst possible time. Luckily, of the three flats I’ve had, two were discovered in the morning before I got on the road (slow leaks, drywall screws both), and the other suddenly occurred just as I was pulling into a parking lot and the bike started to slew sideways (nail). I’m not too handy mechanically, but I figure I probably could do a plug if I had to and usually carry a kit; however, up until lately my plan was to rely on CO2 cartridges or the kindness of strangers when it came to re-inflating a tire, until, that is, I got a Motopressor Pocket Pump.

There are more than a few portable air compressors suitable for carrying on a motorcycle on the market, but one thing that puts the Motopressor in the five finalists’ category is its economy of size. Stripped down to the bare essentials, the unit only weighs about a pound and is roughly the size of your hand.

Despite its small size, the Motopressor seems pretty effiThe Motopressor Pocket Pump can re-inflate a typical cient. In my own test, the pump motorcycle tire in about three minutes. took a 140/80 R17 rear tire from 5 to 40 psi in about three minutes. tems don’t like powering devices like the Rocky Creek Designs, which Motopressor from the stock power outlet. designed and markets the pump, The fused, SAE-fitted cord from the unit claims the diminutive wonder took itself is about six feet long, so there’s plenty an R 1200 GS rear to 28 psi in two of reach to any wheel. The business end of minutes and will inflate anything to the two foot air hose screws to the wheel’s over 100 psi. The pump draws about valve stem, making this a hands-free operafive amps at startup, and I found the tion, which is a good thing since the pump rate of inflation did not vary, whether quickly gets too hot to hold. I used my the bike’s motor was running or not. trusty MOA carabiner to hang the pump Hooking up and operating the while it was running. You will need to let Pocket Pump is easy. I already had a the pump cool down before stowing it in its power cord with an SAE plug wired

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

included neoprene pouch and returning it to your tank bag. The Motopressor does not have its own pressure gauge, so I’d advise also purchasing Rocky Creek’s inline Tire Gauge, which allows you to monitor pressure and, if necessary, adjust it with a bleed button. The pouch included with the pump is big enough to hold the pump, gauge, and a small plug kit.

The Motopressor Pocket Pump is CE approved, carries a five-year warranty, and is available from a host of vendors including Altrider, ebay, and of course Rocky Creek Designs for $40-50, and the optional, inline gauge goes for around $18. More information is available at rockycreekdesigns.com, and videos showing it in operation can be found on YouTube.

PROS: Tiny, powerful CONS: No pressure gauge on unit itself, too hot to handle

The $40-50 Motopressor Pocket Pump (shown with optional, inline tire gauge, $18) includes a neoprene pouch, battery cord with SAE plug, and six foot, fused power cord.

www.progressive.com

member teste 30

PRoductreviews

Metzeler’s new Roadtec 01

By Ray Tubbs #58606 PASSION ISN'T A WORD THAT USU-

ally comes to mind when the topic of tires comes up. Even for us twowheeled fanatics it usually comes down to round, black and (hopefully) full of air. Yet passion is what kept coming to mind when I was sitting across the table from Metzeler R & D Director Piero Misani in Frankfurt, Germany. It was the last night of the Metzeler Roadtec 01 preview, and though the discussion fluctuated from factories across the globe to creating tread compounds and even to the Isle of Man, the look in Peiro’s eyes carried the weight of a man driven by passion.

Metzeler has concentrated solely on motorcycle tires since 1979 and has long been a company of firsts. They claim the first tubeless tire, the first mass-produced Kevlar belt and the first zero-degree steel-belted radial motorcycle tire; their history is one of innovation. While the Roadtec 01 may not be included on any list of firsts just yet, the Z8 it replaces was a sport/ touring segment leader and five-time road test winner. Given that Metzeler calculates that 30 percent of the motorcycle tire market is geared toward sport touring tires, the Roadtec 01 represents a significant investment as well as an obviously important model for Metzeler, given the risks at stake.

Part of those expectations could be seen in the benchmarks set by the factory for their new sport touring marvel: 5 percent larger contact patch, 10 percent increase in mileage, and enhanced grip on dry, wet and low friction surfaces. Metzeler accomplishes this through a full silica compound front tire designed to increase wet weather traction. The varying demands of a rear tire dictated that the silica compound cover 80 percent

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

of the rear; it is also applied to 40 percent of the tread away from the center. This effectively creates a single compound center similar to a "slick" center area and is designed to both promote high speed stability and increase mileage. Once leaned over, the silica-based side compounds increase traction in other than ideal conditions. While tire compounds usually garner a larger share of the conversation at any tire intro, Metzeler states their biggest gains in meeting the engineering parameters came from tread design. A new rear tread design dubbed "Drops" and "Sabers" goes a long way towards visually explaining these improvements.

Metzeler’s investment was clearly seen when we visited the state-of-the-art factory in Breuberg. It wasn’t the kind of gritty, grim, smoky factory we normally see represented so well in television and movies, but a clean, organized, and automated facility with illumination reaching every corner.

While no visitors were allowed to take photos for security purposes, the tour provided key details to the manufacturing process.

Metzeler’s factory is fully automated; though they employ a small staff, those staff members are highly involved in the manufacturing process. They use steel molds, rather than aluminum alloy, to maintain long-term tread pattern integrity in the manufacturing process. But the primary benefit from all these automated innovations is extremely uniform tire consistency, which reduces the need for counterweights other than those for weight variances in the wheel and brake discs. Maybe jet lag had me exhausted at that point in the day, but I took the subject of tire manufacturing for granted until I saw the maze of pasta machine-like strands of precisely formulated rubber compounds being fed into exactly the right machines at exactly the right moment.

The second day of the focused visit was the one I most looked forward to (and most

relevant to any reviewer): the track day! I was curious to learn how the tires performed on the road as well.

Given a large selection of street bikes to choose from, I somehow ended up on a 2015 R 1200 GS. Given that I’ve ridden over 100,000 miles on various Gelände/Straßen of my own, I had a baseline of what to expect. My hopes were that this would let me focus solely on the tires and not the quirks of an unfamiliar motorcycle.

All one has to do is imagine every stereotype of quaint German towns to conjure up the scenery on our on our routes planned

by Metzler. Riding ranged from small towns with rough, well-used streets to broad sweepers through farm country on new pavement, with a good number of asphalt patches and changes in material thrown in.

As the temperatures started in the 40 degree range that day, I expected the Metzeler hired guns leading my group to start off slowly. I was mistaken.

Hitting the open roads with our group of 10 following, our hosts made quick work of the German landscape. The only concessions made were in the tiny towns crisscrossing the route, where we were held to strict (and suitably slow) speeds. The variety of surfaces we encountered caused no slips, no slides and no shudders, even in the cool temperature and when crossing farm roads littered with the recent evidence of livestock.

The second part of the riding day started with my small group on a wide variety of test tracks at the Bosch Proving Grounds in Boxberg. The Bosch track is a multi-discipline facility leased to various clients for their testing, and our focus there was using the wet and dry skid pads as well as their wet and dry road course and half-mile oval.

The proving grounds themselves contain other testing areas, such as a rough road track, hill management, noise measuring and a water fording point. The facility itself was impressive in scope as well; we observed

everything from the latest upcoming supercars and high-performance sedans to SUVs and delivery vans being put through their paces.

Confidence in the tires would be tested early as we were guided to the wet skid pad paved with Belgian blocks. As the technicians outlined our exercise, I was thankful that we weren’t testing the adjacent tiled wet surface. (I couldn’t imagine myself trying to stop a motorcycle on a wet bathroom floor.)

The exercise allowed us to take out identically prepared Suzuki Bandit 1250 ABS models, one with the previous generation Z8 tires and the other with the new Roadtec 01 tires, for three controlled stops from 40 kph. Both Suzukis were equipped with the same Metzeler data acquisition equipment that was used in developing the new Roadtec 01; it would measure braking distance and vehicle dynamics.

So, three trips each, get up to 40 kilometers per hour then stop as fast as you can on the Sett blocks? No problem. The first passes on the previous generation Z8 were sure and predictable. The typical squirm one felt as the brakes are applied more aggressively was present, as was the light, reassuring shudder from the ABS system.

The following three passes on the new 01 tires were similar, but free of any squirm or shudder. As the front forks compressed

further, the tires bit better and better with none of the previous sensations. Once the exercise was completed the technicians broke out the laptop to download each of our results. The mathematical results were as impressive as the tire feel during the test—our group averaged stops six feet shorter with the Roadtec 01 tires than with the Z8s. The technical staff further explained that the advanced data acquisition system they used allowed them to design the tread compound to complement the ABS on modern motorcycles and improve stopping distances and feel.

Our next stop was the road course or rather the “Handling Course” in Bosch terminology. Split into two variable configurations, it smacked of a high-class go-cart facility with one major difference; irrigation!

Rather than true irrigation being the goal, Bosch designed in sprinklers to saturate various portions of the track to

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

31

member tested 32

PRoductreviews

accurately test tire and vehicle dynamics in simulated rain events. With over 20 turns, dependent on configuration, the circuit took full advantage of over 25 feet in elevation changes with a design of uphill and downhill turns featuring decreasing radius and offcamber as well as flat corners.

After guiding us on the first two laps, an instructor soon pulled in and left us to our own devices. The first, dry half of the circuit proved challenging, but the saturated sections proved the story of the trip to me. My group increased speeds lap after lap until it was obvious the front bite of the Roadtec 01s was phenomenal. I found myself braking later every lap, all the while increasing cornering speed far beyond my expectations. Periodic stops every six laps or so allowed us to swap bikes and start the dance over, heading out on a different bike and increasing the speeds lap after lap. I wish I could say it was natural talent or great instruction, but the instructor

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

stayed out of the way and the talent, much like your cell phone, has a data cap on it.

Whether I tried one of the Yamaha MT 09s or 07s, the BMW S1000XR or the Honda CB1000R, I pushed harder each lap and the tires just stuck. I wish Metzeler had taken photos of the smiles on our faces when pulled our helmets off as that would describe the tires better than any prose could.

If anyone would have told me the 3,000 meter high-speed oval that closed the day would have been anti-climactic at the start of the day, I would have laughed. So Metzeler provides a BMW S1000RR, Kawasaki ZX-14R and Z1000SX as well as a Suzuki GSX-S 1000 and it proved dull?

Humorously enough in liability driven America, the session started with a very specific set of instructions from our Italian instructor “Go have fun.” As my group looked at each other and a couple of us attempted to ask for specific details, we were given a wave of his hand and a slightly more emphatic admonishment to have fun and were sent on our way.

Ostensibly we were limited to 160 kilometers in the first turn and three laps per bike. In the scientific interests of fun the speeds hovered over 250 kilometers per hour, and four-lap sprints ruled the session.

Consistent and steady with predictable turn-in and zero fade, the Roadtec 01s solidified their impressions as the day closed. Whether on the freight train of torque in the ZX-14 or the rocketship of speed with the BMW, the Roadtecs never wavered. No wiggle or squirm under highspeed braking and no fade regardless of speed.

The true underlying story here may be a non-story in many ways. The Roadtec 01s flat worked in every condition tested. They proved to be tires that didn’t waver under conditions that would have exceeded the limits of grip for most sport bike tires from five years ago. The passion on display from Piero Misani to every factory employee to every instructor is no doubt baked into every Metzeler tire. It doesn’t take passion to take advantage of that formula—just good common sense.

BMW Motorrad USA

Riders’ Equipment

TO ACTIVATE A/C, OPEN THROTTLE. GEAR UP. MAKE LIFE A RIDE.

When the temperature boils over, embrace the breeze. The AirFlow suit from BMW Motorrad combines ruggedly tough, abrasionresistant Dynatec with elastic AirTex breathable mesh inserts to deliver a new level of comfort. Never have durability and superior protection been so refreshing. Available in men’s and women’s cuts in two colors. Jacket MSRP $649. Pants MSRP $409.

Gear up at your authorized BMW Motorrad dealer or visit bmwmotorcycles.com/gearup. www.bmwmotorcycles.com/gearup ©2016 BMW Motorrad USA, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks.

The Ultimate Riding Machine™

member tested 34

PRoductreviews

The Butterfly Man A Book Review by John Rice #24267 "JUST WHEN THE CATERPILLAR

thought the world was over, it became a butterfly."

Brian House was a family man, a small-town lawyer, a respected mediator and a minister. His world was solving other people's problems, smoothing the way forward. He had been a motorcycle rider in his youth, but that part of life had taken a back seat to career and family. Then, with a phone call from his doctor, all that changed.

The Butterfly Man is an unsparing, candid account of a cancer diagnosis, the treatment and the aftermath, one not many would have the self-confidence to present to the world, but it most certainly is not a "cancer book." It is a journey tale, one by motorcycle and one inside Brian's head as he re-orders his priorities.

Brian thought he'd left motorcycling behind in the past, but like all of us with the two-wheeled gene, he found that there can be only dormancy, not cessation. He needed some time to think, some space to breathe, and a perspective only a motorcycle trip across this huge country can provide. While he recovered from the surgery, the odyssey began to take shape.

His account of the "war room" where he planned (by his own admission, somewhat obsessively) the grand

BMW OWNERS NEWS  August 2016

tour he would take (if only the U.S. Air Force would stop rescheduling his son's training) should be familiar to many of us.

He bought the wrong bike for his needs, a cruiser, but he had the intelligence and

maturity to admit it to himself and change his ways. His second choice was an excellent one, but not "the one" as he describes in terms any motorcyclist can understand.

He finally settled upon a BMW R 1200 GS, an Aerostitch Darien "banana jacket" and

set off west. Along the way he met the lady in a restaurant who discussed the fortitude of "T-Plus Love� and later, the guy who said he'd remember how to fly a plane once he got it back in the air. He had a beer or two in Silver City, New Mexico, with legendary Nick Sanders and a group of British excops who were riding across America collecting USA speeding tickets.

House is an Old West buff and has done his research well. He weaves in stories of the historical battles and characters associated with each of the places he visits.

We learn about such figures as Elfego Baca, who held off 80 attackers without receiving a scratch, and the myth vs. fact of Billy the Kid and the man who may have been the key figure in that legend.

I like reading travel stories and have read many of those from world travelers. House shows that one can stay inside the continental U.S. and inside one's head and have a worthy journey nonetheless.

So it is not a cancer book or a mid-life crisis book, but one about somebody doing it right. Doing the right thing about the diagnosis, about the treatment, and then about what to do next when you suddenly realize how temporary this life is.

It is about having the right attitude toward life, best considered from the saddle of a moving motorcycle.

The Butterfly Man is available at better bookstores, from the publisher RRP International LLC, and on Amazon.

Nobody Goes Where Weego!

JUMP STARTS

Gas Engines up to 6.4L | Diesel Engines up to 3.2L

CHARGES

Phones, Tablets, Laptops & More

POWERS

12V Accessories

LIGHTS

5 R AT E

D

I

P6

500 Lumen LED lasts up to 28 hours

Jump Starters

For Motorcycles, Cars, Trucks, Boats & More

Accessories

Powersports Tether & 12V Adapters

For more information, visit myweego.com www.myweego.com

Battery Packs

For charging phones & tablets Patents Pending. © 2016, Paris Corporation

info@motorelief.org

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

35

www.ceebaileys.com/cycle

BOMBAR’S SUSPENSION

CENTER

12

Adriatic Riviera Tour ride Croatia & Adriatic Coast

LAST SPOTS

years

August 27 - september 4

Traction, Stability, Comfort & Control

ESA Conversions, Shock & Spring Kits, Box Sets, Rebuild Services.

SUPERB SUSPENSION FOR ALL MODELS

919-450-7450 www.bombarsbeemers.com www.bombarsbeemers.com

highlightS www.adriaticmototours.com www.adriaticmototours.com

Dubrovnik, split, plitvice National park, Adriatic Coastal road, Hvar Island

www.parabellum.com

www.wunderlich-usa.com

new

PRoductnews

Touratech's Desierto IV fairing

Touratech’s new Desierto IV fairing for the BMW R 1200 GS and GSA reinterprets their concept of distinctive looks and ride comfort.

The windscreen itself sits at a steeper angle than the original, which is said to offer a superior ride while optimizing wind protection without adding turbulence at helmet level. Adjustment capabilities of the original Desierto fairing are retained, and the height and angle of the windscreen can be modified as required while riding.

Additionally, Touratech offers two windscreens for the Desierto IV: a small version that is visibly lower than the original GS screen and provides better ventilation, and a higher screen for touring and travelling. Both windscreens are available in clear or tinted versions with the side sections available in black, gray or white.

For more information, visit touratechusa.com.

BMW Motorrad announces facelifts for 2017

The 2017 BMW Motorrad model year will see a number of facelifts available at dealers beginning in August.

Moving forward, like the current R 1200 GS Adventure, all liquid-cooled boxer models will be fitted with a judder damper on the transmission output shaft.

New features also include a revised selector drum actuator, transmission shafts and transmission shaft bearing. An OBD indicator lamp (malfunction indicator light, or MIL) in the cockpit has also been added to meet EU4 requirements.

R 1200 GS The instrument panel of the R 1200 GS has now been redesigned and the range of optional BMW Motorrad accessories includes a new crash bar to allow cylinder protection covers to be mounted.

R 1200 GS Adventure In addition to the changes mentioned, the instrument panel of the R 1200 GS Adventure features a revised design and the color Ocean Blue metallic matte color is no longer available. Long a favorite of many, The GS Triple Black will be available and will feature the central fuel tank cover, storage compartment lid and front mudguard in Blackstorm metallic together with fuel tank side panels in Dark Slate metallic to give the legendary travel enduro a strikingly masculine look. Powerful technical accents are provided by the front and rear frame in Agate Grey in combination with the black engine, gearbox and swing arm.

Additionally, a new seat with striking GS symbol embossed on the passenger section rounds off the appearance of the new R 1200 GS Adventure Triple Black.

BMW R 1200 R, RS and RT In addition to the technical changes mentioned, the R 1200 R, RS and RT will include new paint options for 2017, but will have technical enhancements as well. With enhanced motorcycling safety in mind, available optional equipment now includes the bankingoptimized ABS Pro and the dynamic brake light (both in conjunction with the Riding Modes Pro option), as well as several new color options.

38

BMW OWNERS NEWS  August 2016

Moto-Skiveez expands product lineup

Known as a manufacturer of products designed to increase rider comfort, Moto-Skiveez® has recently expanded their product lineup to include a “Technical Riding Shirt.”

Their long-sleeve design is intended to help prevent the natural oils and salts in perspiration from contaminating a rider’s jacket by using a “Hydro-Sport” fabric that features rapid, moisture wicking properties to accelerate evaporation. A secondary fabric, lightweight and breathable, is positioned to maximize air flow to further aid in moisture evaporation and cooling.

Additional innovations include sleeves which are intentionally elongated to accommodate the curvature of the arm while a rider is in an upright riding position as well as a thumb hole to prevent the sleeves sliding up while putting on a jacket. The Technical Riding Shirt has been designed with a one-quarter length front zipper and a collar to help prevent chafing around the neck from a riding jacket.

The shirt is available online for $59.95, and for more information or to order, visit motoskiveez.com.

Changes at BMW Motorcycles of Baton Rouge

OptiMate dual USB charger

Ideal for any BMW motorcycle fitted with a 12mm DIN (“Hella”) socket, the OptiMate 0-105 dual USB charger delivers 3300mA through two USB sockets and enables riders to power or charge two devices at the same time.

The ergonomic design protrudes only 38mm (1.5") and the 90 degree USB outlet allows a cable to be routed close to the side of the motorcycle.

Equipped with bike battery protection, the dual USB charger is ideal for tourers and rally goers wanting to charge their phones, cameras and other devices after parking their bikes. The O-105 shuts off three hours after the engine is turned off, and if it senses a weak battery, the O-105 will warn the user and shut down the instant voltage drops to 12.3V. The weatherproof plug and seal design allows for use in any weather; it seals at insertion of the USB cable, and the “ride-tested” rubber cap keeps the unused USB socket watertight at speed. For more information, visit tecmate.com.

BMW has revved up the motorcycling community in Louisiana’s “Capital City” with new ownership and a completely remodeled retail facility at BMW Motorcycles of Baton Rouge. Under the leadership of Dealer Principals Jim and Susan Whitehead, the longtime exclusive BMW dealership located at 10545A Airline Highway offers a complete line of new and preowned BMW motorcycles, parts, accessories, apparel and service capabilities in a newly refurbished, 8,800 square foot retail facility and showroom. For Jim, it’s a homecoming of sorts, as he takes over the business that launched his career in the motorcycle industry two decades ago.

“We are guided by the simple principle that the customer always comes first,” says Jim, who joined Hebert Cycles (the precursor to the current BMW dealership) as a sales manager in 1996. “I’ve known most of our customers for 20 years. We’ve ridden many miles together, and we’re all friends.”

Jim and his staff maintain close ties to BMW clubs throughout Louisiana and regularly participate in the annual Cajun Swamp Scooter Rally, where Jim is a two-time winner of the Gumbo Cook-off.

“I cook up 10 gallons of shrimp and Andouille gumbo for the crowd, and there’s never a drop left,” says Jim, an avid gardener and chef, who believes he has a good shot at repeating his culinary success at this year’s rally scheduled for November 11-13.

When it comes to BMW motorcycles, Jim and his staff are eager to convey their years of knowledge and expertise to anyone who will listen. As for the gumbo recipe, don’t even ask!

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

39

news 40

news

Celebrate BMW's birthday all month THOUGH AUGUST 20 HAS BEEN

designated by the International Council of BMW Clubs as the official worldwide day to celebrate the 100th birthday of BMW, here in the U.S., the entire month has been declared a time of celebration for BMW MOA members!

As yet another exclusive benefit of BMW MOA membership, any MOA member who buys a new BMW motorcycle during the month of August along with $1,500 worth of accessories will receive a $500 credit good for additional BMW accessories. This incentive can be stacked on top of any existing BMW purchase incentives already in place.

Be sure to look for this special

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

credit voucher and additional details of this great promotion in this issue of BMW Owners News.

Even if you don’t buy a bike, all BMW MOA members are eligible for a free gift.

Just bring the voucher included in this issue of BMW Owners News to any BMW dealer during the month of August and BMW will send you your free BMW Easy Tube. It’s just another benefit of membership and available ONLY to BMW MOA members.

Additionally, many BMW Motorrad dealers across the United States will be hosting open houses on August 20, and all BMW MOA members invited to come out and not only see the latest and greatest from BMW, but also enjoy food, refreshments and other 100th anniversary gifts courtesy of your BMW MOA and the International

Council of BMW Clubs.

Enjoy a demo ride on a new BMW, take advantage of BMW’s Advantac oil promotion or simply turn in the voucher included in this issue of BMW Owners News for your free BMW Easy Tube. But whatever you do, be sure to mark Saturday, August 20 on your calendar as the day to visit your BMW Motorrad dealer.

But wait! There’s more!

August 26-28, the BMW MOA will be hosting a special Getaway in beautiful Monterey, California, at the luxurious Monterey Tides beachfront hotel located just minutes from Old Fisherman’s Warf, Cannery Row and the Pacific Coast Highway.

Feel the warm sand between your toes as you stroll along the Monterey Tides private

beach and watch as the sun sets over the Pacific. Join fellow BMW MOA members and enjoy three wonderful days and two glorious nights celebrating everything BMW. Included with this Premier Getaway will be a Friday night Beach Party featuring a barbecue and bonfire, as well as a formal dinner on Saturday evening. BMW Brand Ambassador Shawn Thomas will not only be leading two rides in the area he calls home, but will also be making a special presentation Saturday night. If all that isn’t enough to get you there, maybe the more than $50 in special BMW 100th Anniversary items to be given to all attending and a special commemorative Polo shirt will! To reserve your spot at the party, visit bmwmoa.org and click on the Events link.

The BMW MOA Getaway in Monterey is one of the many events celebrating BMW taking place in the Monterey area along with those hosted by the BMW Car Club of America. For a complete listing of those events, visit bmwcca.com.

It will be a long time before an event of this magnitude happens again, featuring incredible incentives only available to BMW MOA members who purchase a new BMW motorcycle, a free gift from BMW Motorrad simply for visiting your dealer, and open houses at selected BMW Motorrad dealers across the country with food, refreshments and BMW 100th Anniversary gifts. Don’t forget the Premier MOA Getaway at the Monterey Tides Hotel on the beach. What a great time it is to be a BMW Motorrad enthusiast!

You're invited to celebrate 100 years of BMW • Buy a new BMW motorcycle along with $1,500 worth of accessories during the month of August and receive a $500 credit good for additional BMW accessories.

• Visit any BMW dealer during August, give them the voucher included in the August issue of Owners News and BMW will send you a free BMW Easy Tube.

• Attend an open house at a selected BMW dealer on August 20th for free food, refreshments and other BMW 100th Anniversary gifts courtesy of the BMW MOA and the International Council of BMW Clubs.

• Join fellow BMW MOA members for a Premier MOA Getaway from August 26-28 at the beautiful Monterey Tides beachfront hotel.

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

41

news

42

BMW OWNERS NEWS  August 2016

Picture this S 1000 XR in your garage THIS VERY SPECIAL 2016 BMW S 1000 XR CUSTOM-

ized by Twisted Throttle was built to challenge Pikes Peak during the annual Broadmoor Pikes Peak International invitational automobile and motorcycle hill climb last June.

The race takes place each year on a 12.42-mile section of the Pikes Peak Highway, featuring 156 turns where competitors climb from the 9,390-foot starting line at Mile Marker 7 to the 14,115-foot finish line at the mountain’s summit. Part of what makes the race great is that as the drivers climb toward the summit, the thin air slows reflexes and saps mental and muscle strength in addition to robbing internal combustion engines of up to 30 percent of the power they started the race with.

Unfortunately, fans never got the chance to see the Twisted Throttle Pikes Peak Special S 1000 XR in action, as the entry didn’t move high enough on the waitlist to get the chance to tackle the mountain.

As it is set up, the bike is ready to tackle any mountain or road out there, and it is fully accessorized with SWMOTECH gear including Kobra handguards with turn signals and a Quick-Lock EVO City tank bag. To carry gear, there’s a DrySpec D78 luggage set. For protection there’s a long list of R&G goodies including engine case and clutch covers, frame sliders and fork protectors, oil cooler and radiator protection, a special exhaust hanger, and even a kickstand shoe.

Though it never got the chance to become the King of Pikes Peak, the Twisted Throttle Pikes Peak Special S 1000 XR could be yours with your entry into the latest BMW MOA Foundation raffle. Tickets for the raffle go on sale August 1, 2016, and will be available through September 30, 2016. Tickets are $25 each, or increase your chances to park this baby in your garage by buying five for $100.

The drawing for the Twisted Throttle Pikes Peak Special S 1000 XR will take place on October 15 at the American International Motorcycle Exposition in Orlando, Florida, and winners need not be present to win.

Proceeds for this raffle will be used to support the BMW MOA Foundation and continued rider education and safety. Visit bmwmoa.org today and take the first step to make the Twisted Throttle Pikes Peak Special S 1000 XR yours!

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

43

Since 1997

www.boxerworks-service.com BOXERWORKS-SERVICE.COM Specializing in AIRHEAD BMW Repairs.

We SERVICE all BMW models.

SIDECARS, CONVERSIONS, TECH SUPPORT. Custom FABRICATION, STAINLESS Lines, WHEEL BUILDING.

www.motoelekt.com

Dealer for HEIDENAU Tires.

1461 GREENSBORO HWY WATKINSVILLE, GA 30677 PHONE: 706.310.0699

AFTER HOURS: 706.614.4698

www.cyclenutz.com

GET YOUR BAGS

Off the Floor!

PICKUP TRUCK MOTORCYCLE LOADERS

AND UP ON THE WALL WHERE THEY'RE SAFE!

TRAVEL TRAILER, 5thWHEEL CARRIERS

PANNIER AND TOP CASE RACKS FOR 25+ BMWS

MOTORHOME MOTORCYCLE

BULLRACK

LOADING SYSTEMS ON CARRIERS PULLING A CAR NO WEIGHT ON RV

PANNIER WALL MOUNTS

order online at:

bullrack.com www.bullrack.com

MOA members SAVE 10% NOW! Use code “BMWMOA”

www.beemershop.com

www.mountainmaster.net MOUNTAINMASTER.NET 623-451-7121

www.bobsbmw.com

44

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

RENT BMWs IN CALIFORNIA

www.crampbuster.com

Dubbelju Motorcycle Rentals

STRONGRAK

www.dubbelju.com www.dubbelju.com

For - R1200RT, K1200GT, K1300GT, K1600GT & GTL

1.866.495.2774

812-382-4339

Order online at www.strongbilt.com strongbilt.com

www.helmetsunblocker.com

www.kinektdesign.com

www.KLIM.com www.klim.com

KLIM® LATITUDE JACKET AND PANT

© KLIM® 2016 GORE-TEX®, GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY® promise, GORE and designs are trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates.

www.beemershop.com

ENGINEERED FOR THE

EXPERIENCE

news

news

Deer, the motorcyclist’s menace

By Robert E. Vanderhoof #77941 THE

RALLY

IN

BILLINGS WAS

over, my 2013 GS Adventure packed and ready to go. I said goodbye to some old Poverty Riders from Florida, and I was ready to head back to Utah.

It was a beautiful July day, mild temperatures, sunshine, not a cloud in the sky. I had left the rally grounds early that morning without breakfast, so I stopped in Bozeman, at about 11 a.m. to eat an early lunch. On the road again and heading west, about 20 miles west of Bozeman the country opened up into large expanses of farm fields and sagebrush. I remember riding along at 70-75 mph, seeing the Spanish Peaks off to the south with the wide open road ahead of me and thinking, “What a great day for a ride.”

The flash was brief, but in a millisecond I recognized the image, now

46

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

unforgettably burned into my memory: a deer running full speed from the left, perpendicular to my line of travel, head down (like they run when busting through wooded thickets). Like a rocket it launched itself into the side of my bike, hitting me in the left arm and striking the bike just behind the front wheel. The bike pitched violently back and forth. For a brief moment I thought I could regain control, but I was skidding along the pavement before I knew it. After sliding for what seemed like an eternity, I stood up, briefly assessed my injuries and flagged down the first car to arrive. The whole encounter probably took less than seven seconds.

My story is not unusual. Deer-vehicle collisions (DVCs) are all too common, and despite declining deer populations, appear to be on the rise. The Wisconsin DOT reports that in 1978 and 1979 DVCs made

up just 5.1 percent and 4.7 percent of all crashes respectively. From 1996 to 2013, the number of DVCs averaged 15.3 percent.

State Farm estimates that in West Virginia an average motorist has a 1 in 40 chance of striking a deer over a 12-month period. A single county in Wisconsin reported 809 deer-vehicle collisions in 2013.

Most often when a car or truck is involved, the encounter means death for the deer and a minor inconvenience for the motorist. When a motorcycle is involved, however, both the deer and rider can share the same fate. According to AAA's MidAtlantic chapter, during 2010-2012 in Maryland and Virginia seven of eight deaths in fatal DVCs were motorcyclists. The Wisconsin DOT reports that 13 of 14 fatal DVCs in 2012 involved motorcycles. Across the country AAA estimates 70 percent of deer crash fatalities involve motorcycles.

These statistics, while startling, are certainly consistent with my experience during 20 years of riding. While on a cross country trip in 2002, my wife hit a deer on her K 75 in Wisconsin. After restoring the bike, I sold it to a fellow rider who also hit deer on two different occasions with the same bike! In fact, just about anyone even remotely associated with motorcycles knows several people who have hit deer while riding. Check out YouTube and you will find any number of sport-cam videos of riders hitting deer. While the threat to motorcyclists from deer is real and substantial, there are measures riders can take to lower their risk of hitting a deer while riding.

Know thine enemy. I've spent a good portion of my life studying deer and deer behavior. Not only did I write my master's thesis and Ph.D. dissertations on deer, I worked for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for over a dozen years as a deer management program leader. Fortunately, the average rider doesn't need a Ph.D. in deer to significantly lower their risk of a deer collision.

The first thing to know about deer behavior is that deer are crepuscular, which is a biological term for morning and evening. Daily deer activity is at its peak during the early morning and early evening hours. Unfortunately, it is at precisely those times when light is low and deer are most difficult to see. Deer are essentially invisible at night. Their coat is virtually non-reflective and blends into the background, a great adaptation to have when being chased by a predator but a grave disadvantage for motorcyclists trying to avoid them. At night, the only real chance of seeing a deer along the roadside is if the animal looks into your headlight. Deer, like many other animals, are adapted to foraging in low light conditions and possess a highly reflective layer of tissue in the eye. When riding at night, eye shine may be your best and

only clue that deer are nearby.

Deer mating season peaks in November throughout much of the country. This is important to know, because deer, particularly males, significantly increase their home range and activity during mating season. This behavior makes it much more likely to encounter a deer crossing the road during this time of year. A 2012 Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDL) report reveals that vehicle damage from hitting an animal is more than three-and-a-half times more likely in November than in August. Hunting season also occurs during this time of year. The elevated level of human activity in the woods increases the likelihood deer will be on the move.

IN A SEEMINGLY UNCONTROLLABLE SITUATION YOU HAVE CONTROL OVER ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL FACTORS IN SURVIVING, OR AVOIDING A COLLISION, SPEED.

Deer seldom travel alone. Seeing one often means there are more nearby. Because of their cryptic coloration, as you approach the deer you see, others often appear seeming out of nowhere. Female deer often travel with fawns or yearlings. A common behavior is for the doe to cross the road first and then signal her young to follow. If you see a deer looking back across the road in the opposite direction of its travel, expect other deer to cross.

Deer spook easily, especially during hunting season. Deer and many other animals exhibit what biologists term “flushing distance.” When that distance is broached

deer have evolved several predator avoidance behaviors, among them, the ability to leap great distances in seemingly random directions at very high rates of speed. This behavior is designed to momentarily confuse a predator and allow the deer to escape.

A seemingly calm and peaceful deer foraging along the road will suddenly bolt in an unpredictable manner as you approach.

Never assume that grazing deer will stay where they are while you pass.

Deer love cover, whether it’s the cover of darkness or that provided by vegetation. To a deer, a heavily traveled roadway provides a significant impediment to movement.

Deer prefer to cross roadways in those areas where vegetation is very near the road such as stream crossings or swampy areas. In areas where open farm fields dominate the landscape these “corridors” of deer movement can be hot spots for DVCs. Many of these areas are marked with deer crossing signs. Look for these yellow signs while riding. The reason the signs are there is because that particular stretch of road has exhibited high rates of DVCs in the past.

Let's assume you know you're in deer country, you realize it's the right time of year, the sun has set, and you've got vegetation next to the road. You spot a deer. The good news is you have actually seen the deer and you have time to react. The bad news is you may have seen one deer, but there are likely more nearby and they may be closer than the one you have spotted. Remember, deer are very difficult to see in low light conditions and they seldom travel alone. According to the published statistics you are now in a life-threatening situation, and you have no idea of how many deer there are or where they will be when you approach.

What's the appropriate response? Flash your lights? Blow the horn? These activities may take several seconds to initiate and complete. At 60 mph you just brought yourself anywhere between 80 and 260 ft closer to possible impact. These activities waste valuable time. They may cause the deer to

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

47

news

news

move, often unpredictably. Remember, there may be deer closer to you that you haven't seen yet. Blowing the horn or flashing the lights may spook one right into your path. You could swerve around the deer, but you have no idea if, when, or in what direction the deer will move. Also, you have vegetation near the road. Swerving the bike at high speed could send you off the road into the trees or into oncoming traffic.

In a seemingly uncontrollable situation you have control over one of the most critical factors in surviving, or avoiding a collision, SPEED. Remember, you’re lucky, you've actually seen the deer. You have time to react. The appropriate response is to brake and brake hard, keeping the bike upright.

The idea is to slow down faster than you think you need to, because it's the deer you don't see that may get you.

The faster you can reduce your speed, the more time you have to assess if there are other deer nearby and the better your chance of avoiding a collision. If the worst happens and you do collide with a deer, low speeds and a stable riding position will give you the best chance of remaining upright.

What about deer whistles? Deer whistles have been on the market for years. The claim is that the high-pitched sound they emit will somehow scare deer out of your path. Not only has this claim never been proven with hard data, the few credible, published studies involving whistles have shown no effect. A 1992 study in the Wildlife Society Bulletin could not detect any differences in responses from 150 groups of free-roaming mule deer to a vehicle with and without deer whistles. A 2009 Journal of Wildlife Management study concluded that the sounds typically generated by deer whistles did not alter behavior of free-ranging white-tailed deer in a manner that would prevent deer-vehicle collisions. Some of the deer whistles available today can cost upwards of $30. My advice to riders is to save your money and use it toward a good helmet.

While no riding behavior will completely eliminate the chance of hitting a deer, there is one that can significantly lessen the severity of the outcome. Many refer to it as ATGATT (all the gear, all the time). Back in July, standing along the road after just colliding with a deer at 75 mph and sliding down the pavement for nearly 100 yards, I realized I was standing. My bike was totaled, parts strewn across the roadway. The deer

lay on the side of the road gasping its last breath, and I was standing! Later at the trauma center in Bozeman, the staff looked at me in amazement after hearing what happened. The only injury I sustained was a fractured forearm, nothing a short cast and six weeks wouldn't fix. The attending, a puzzled look on his face, asked me, “What were you wearing?” I told him, “The usual, one-piece riding suit with body armor, full face helmet, riding boots, and gloves.” He looked me square in the eye and said in a low voice, “That's not the usual.” In my situation, I have no doubt that wearing good gear while riding greatly lessened the severity of my injuries and may have saved my life.

There is no riding behavior that will completely prevent a DVC, short of not riding at all, but knowing the risks, understanding deer behavior and modifying your actions accordingly will certainly reduce your chances of a serious collision.

I picked up my new GS Adventure in October. I even managed to get in a few hundred miles of riding before the snow fell. Come Spring, I'll be riding again. I've got two camping trips and two rallies planned for next year.

Ride on and ride safe.

Using Your Knowledge of Deer Behavior to Ride Smarter 1. Pay attention to wildlife crossing signs which mean SLOW DOWN. 2. Avoid riding at night particularly in high risk areas or at high-risk times. If you must ride at night in these areas, SLOW DOWN.

3. If you ride at night, use your high-beams as much as possible. Consider installing auxiliary lighting. The farther you can see the more time you have to react.

4. When riding in high-risk areas or times cover the brake to reduce reaction time.

5. When riding at night, eye-shine will likely be your first clue of animal activity ahead. Eye-shine is often hard to distinguish from roadside reflectors. If the shine twinkles or blinks, cover the brake.

6. To borrow a phrase from David Preston, “When the helmet drops, the bullshit stops.” Especially in high-risk areas and during high-risk times keeping your mind on the task at hand is essential. Deer may appear anywhere and at anytime. Being alert and “in the moment” will increase your chances of spotting deer while you still have time to act.

7. ATGATT. The threat of a DVC is real; if the worst comes to pass, you'll need all the protection you can get.

48

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

BMW Motorrad USA

Original BMW Engine Oil

ONLY ONE TEST REMAINS: YOURS.

ADVANTEC ORIGINAL BMW ENGINE OIL.

The testing is exhaustive. From bench engine durability to clutch performance to fuel and emissions efficiency, six gruelling trials on BMW motorcycle engines proved that Original BMW Engine Oils deliver protection, efficiency and cleanliness worthy of The Ultimate Riding Machine.™ We wouldn’t settle for less, and neither should you. bmwmotorcycles.com www.bmwmotorcycles.com

ADVANTEC is the official engine oil partner of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America and BMW Riders Association.

©2016 BMW Motorrad USA, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks.

The Ultimate Riding Machine™

TECH

keepemflying

Carb work and hydrostatic lock

By Matthew Parkhouse #13272

Carb Work

Summer is here! I try to do most of my airhead work outside, under our backyard trees. I have wound up one project, the “tightening up” of the carburetors on our four airhead BMWs. I talked a little bit about this job last month and figured I’d go into a bit more detail here.

When my Slash Five was crossing the 200,000-mile mark, I noticed wear marks on the slide needles of the carbs. These needles are mounted in the slides and work with the brass slide needle jets. The slide and needle work up and down, operated by the rubber diaphragm and engine vacuum. They are right in the middle of the intake passage and exposed to the fast moving air created by the intake strokes of the engine. Because the needle and jet are fixed in place, the same surfaces are constantly moving against each other. After 50,000 miles

or so, you can see a polished area on the needle. On a couple of VERY high mileage bikes, I have even seen a slight ovaling of the hole in the jet. When I replaced the four items (two needles and two jets) on my high-mileage Slash Five, it made a noticeable difference in how the engine ran and felt much smoother and “tighter” as I went down the road.

My Slash Five now has 424,000 miles on it, my “Mexico Bike” has well over 100,000 miles, the R 100 S has 47,000 on it, and Susanna’s R 100/7 has around 150,000 miles.

I decided to service the carbs on all four bikes. The needles and jets are different on each machine, so I had to take a look at an online parts fiche. I had most of the parts for the job in my box of carburetor parts, but I did have to order some of them from a dealer. The needles and jets each run around five or six dollars each. Doing each bike’s carbs cost about $22 for the four parts.

Replacement is straightforward. Going in from the underside to replace the needle jet, unscrew the main jet carrier (a good opportunity to clean out any water or dirt in

I am explaining the workings of the slide needle and diaphragm to Monte, a local rider who is preparing to ride to Alaska in a couple of weeks. His well-preserved 1995 airhead has about 75,000 miles on it so it is a good time to make the needle/ jet exchange.

50

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

there). When you have the brass jet in your hands, you can see the size numbers on the side. They are marked “2.66,” “2.68,” “2.70” and so on. They go in from the bottom.

With the new jets in place, go to the tops of the carbs. Unhook the throttle cable, remove the choke cable adjuster with the cable, and remove the choke return spring (if there is one). Unscrew the two or four small bolts holding the top in place. The top now will lift off, exposing the slide and diaphragm. Lift out the slide and check over the diaphragm. If the rubber part seems strong, it can be left in place. If it seems thin and stretched out, I would replace it.

Early slide needles are held in place by a spring clip inside the slide. The needle is grasped and pulled out while twisting. Pay attention to how many “notches” you feel as the needle comes out. The needle has four slots to allow the needle to be raised (richer) or lowered (leaner) in relation to the slide and the jet. The later Bing carbs also have needles with four notches but are held in place with a screwed-in plug. Unscrew the plug, and the needle falls out into your hand with a small clip attached. The settings can

After opening up the "downhill" carburetor, this is the oil I found. There is also visible oil in the needle jet and mixing tube area of the carb. With a good cleaning out, the R 100 S ran as it should and stopped smoking within a mile."

be changed by moving the small clip up or down. In real life, the top-most (richest) or bottom-most (leanest) settings are not used. The needle seems to be set at the factory on the richer of the two middle positions. Many people find the bike runs as well or better at the leaner of the two middle settings. As the carb goes back together, I apply a tiny bit of anti-seize to the two or four top screws.

I could feel a difference in how the Mexico bike ran on the few trips I took on it after doing this work. I have put it away for the summer and am back on Strider, my “original” Slash Five. As I noticed after the work done at 200,000 miles, the bike again runs noticeably better after getting the new parts. I haven’t really tested the R 100 S or Susanna’s R 100/7 but the work is done on both of them as well. I’ve also done this for a couple of the local riders who have airheads with high mileage.

Hydrostatic Lock

The R 100 S fell over about a month ago. It was in the back yard, on the side stand, and the wind was enough to push it over on the right side. It received a new scratch on the fairing but, thankfully, no major damage.

The bike does show that it has a few miles on it so the new marks sort of fit in. The bike was on its side for about 20 minutes.

When I picked it up, I was aware of the

possibility that oil had found its way into the combustion chamber. Over the years, I have repaired two or three airheads that had suffered bent connecting rods due to hydrostatic lock. I’ve also repaired bikes that suffered broken starter housings for the same reason.

Liquids do not compress. This is the principle behind hydraulic brakes and clutches. If there is liquid in the combustion chamber, either water or oil, the piston simply cannot get to the top of its compression stroke. If the other side manages to fire, the engine will rotate with the piston on the side with liquid in the chamber presenting an immovable barrier. The result usually is simply an engine that won’t turn over. On occasion, the engine will suffer a bent connecting rod. The “fix” is to be careful with a bike that has been on its side for more than a minute or so. When I laid my Slash Five on its side to extract that flat tire in front of my room in a Mexican hotel, I knew it would be okay because it was in that position for just 45 seconds or so. The R 100 S could have been down for up to 20 minutes. So, I picked it up, pulled and grounded both sparkplug caps and just touched the starter button. Sure enough, there was a “clunk” sound instead of the regular noise of a turning over engine.

I removed the spark plug on the “downhill” side, grounded it and hit the starter

The right-hand carburetor of the R 100 S after falling and spending around 20 minutes on its side. The intake valve obviously was open to allow the oil to get to the carb from the combustion chamber. I'm surprised that side of the engine ran at all!

button. A heavy oil mist was blasted out of the right spark plug hole as I idled the bike, with the left side firing away. After a minute of this, I turned the bike off, cleaned the oil off the extracted plug and put it back. I started the bike up again. LOTS of heavy white smoke! I rode the S for several miles and never really got rid of the smoke. It also did not feel like it was running properly. I figured there could be oil in the carburetor, so I delved into it. Sure enough, there were pools of oil in the area of the diaphragm. There was also oil in the needle jet/mixing tube area. I pulled all the jets and other parts out and cleaned them off with spray carb cleaner. When put back together, the bike ran much better, and the smoke quickly vanished. What could have been a major repair became a few minutes of cleanup to the right side of the engine.

I am starting to get excited about the Hamburg rally. Susanna and I are still deciding on bikes or the car to get there.

We’re combining the rally with a trip to New England to see the grandkids. Either way, we will be there and involved in various events. Susanna is the Door Prize Chair this year, and for the past two months or more, this activity has sort of taken over the house. When you enjoy the Rally, just remember A LOT of people are volunteering their time and talents to a very large extent to make it happen. See you there!

Ten miles after the fall-over, the bike was still blowing a LOT of smoke! It quickly went away after I gave the right-hand carb a good cleaning.

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

51

TEC

oil change

I just needed an

By Wes Fleming #87301

A multi-part saga

Part Six: A New Fuse Panel, Wiring Cleanup and Finally Changing the Oil FIXING UP MY 2005 R 1200 GS HAS BEEN A LONG ROAD

to this point, with a two-steps-forward-one-step-back feel to it, but the light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer.

A few months ago, my auxiliary HID lights stopped working. I checked out the end of the line and noticed that the terminal hot wire screwed into on my Centech AP-1 fuse block was burned and melted. I switched the lights to a different terminal, made sure the correct fuse was in there, and got on my way.

A few weeks later, my GPS started to switch to battery mode and back off it again, sometimes a few times a minute, but sometimes not at all during a ride. Then I noticed my battery charger stayed on the “not charging” indicator. I decided in the

The old Centech (top) and new Fuzeblock units. Note the fried terminal at the top right of the Centech and the corroded terminals on the old relay.

52

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

wake of all my other problems (see Part One through Part Five), instead of wondering or worrying about possible electrical issues, I’d tear the whole thing apart and start from scratch.

First up was a new fuse block. The Centech served me well until that one terminal burned, but I abused it by not keeping water, dirt and mud out of that compartment. I bought a Fuzeblock FZ-1, which has some differences over my old Centech. It’s not waterproof, but its cover fits more tightly, which will help keep water out.

It has a built-in relay, which cuts down on the number of wires under the seat in the first place. It’s also easy to change an accessory from switched (only works when the bike is on) to unswitched (always available) use by just moving the fuse from one set of lugs to the other.

This mess is a reminder that small things can have big effects down the road.

I tossed the stock tool kit and removed the rubber strap that held it in place; doing that left a small oblong hole in this compartment that was open to the space above the rear wheel. That hole contributed to the demise of the Centech. I plugged it with a piece of rubber and some glue (you can see it smeared on at the right side of the photo).

Above, All the removed components. Right, The aux socket connector – theoretically waterproof but obviously not actually so.

After removing the Centech, its relay and the spaghetti-like mess of wires running all over the place, I also removed some excess wiring from an old set of auxiliary lights and the auxiliary socket as well. The socket was broken and corroded, which was an indication that I hadn’t been taking very good care of it after riding in the rain.

Any fuse panel that supplies switched power needs a “trigger wire” – a connection to a wire that gets power when the ignition key gets turned to ON. A previous owner of my GS ran the trigger wire for the Centech to a wire on the diagnostic port. I’ve seen that done on other bikes, and it occasionally causes problems, so I wanted to remove that. I like to connect the trigger wire to the tail light; it’s more difficult, but I think it’s a more reliable connection in the long run. After incorporating the trigger wire into the tail light’s connector, I was ready to get to wiring things up.

With all the old wiring removed, all that was left was to find a place for the Fuzeblock’s fuse. I bought a common automotive/ marine waterproof fuse holder and screwed it down where the plate that holds the owner’s manual used to be. This enabled me to keep the “hot” wire to the battery as short as possible, though I did have to lengthen one of the wires to get to the Fuzeblock.

With the hot, ground and trigger wires measured, stripped and connected, the Fuzeblock was wired in and ready to go. Once everything was located (measure twice, cut once!), the wires got some support with a zip tie. With the Fuzeblock screwed to the base of the tool kit compartment and the wires zip-tied through a conveniently located hole, the whole thing looked and felt secure. After getting all of that done, I hooked up the new aux socket and ran its wires to the right place on the bike; I snipped off the socket’s fuse holder because I was going to run it through the fuse panel.

Removing the entire tail light assembly isn’t necessary, but you do have to take out the mounting screws and drop it down to get access to the wires.

The trigger wire (red with yellow stripe) crimped together with the tail light wire into one spade connector – this makes for a strong, reliable connection.

The Fuzeblock’s fuse holder has a crimped-on connector for the battery… …and a butt-spliced crimped connector to make the wire long enough to reach the Fuzeblock.

Crimped connections are easier to do (provided you have the right tool and connectors) than soldered connections. They’re not necessarily better than soldered connections, but they are easier to repair on the side of the road if necessary.

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

53

TEC Strategically placed zip ties not only hold wires in place, but relieve strain on the wires, helping them to stay connected more reliably.

I have five accessories that require power: HID driving lights, a FIAMM horn (130 decibels!), my Gerbing jacket liner, a set of heated Corbin seats and a Garmin zumo 590 GPS. The Fuzeblock has six sets of terminals; the sixth got the aux socket that was previously wired straight to the battery. Wiring the aux socket straight to the battery was something a lot of folks did on this generation of bikes, as otherwise you had to do a CAN bus dance to connect a battery charger; with the direct connection, there’s no process to remember. Running the socket through the fuse panel makes sense, as it can head off any possible issues that might cause the wiring to overheat. I set everything to switched power except for the GPS and the aux socket, because I want them to work when the ignition is off. After connecting all the accessory wires—some lengthened, others trimmed down—I labelled the Fuzeblock and closed it up.

With the electrics sorted, it was time to do what I initially set out to accomplish: CHANGE THE OIL! BMW specifies Castrol lubricants, and while I don’t always use them, this isn’t the place (or time) for a religious discussion about what oils you should use or whether to put 180 or 220 ml of gear oil in your final drive. When in doubt, and unless you have a strong opinion about these things, use what BMW says to use.

The clutch slave cylinder got fresh fluid when it got replaced (see Part Four), so after the engine, transmission and final drive got their oils, all that was left to do was flush and bleed the brake system.

Getting the cap off the master cylinder isn’t difficult, but it goes easier (and you’re less prone to make a mistake and break something) if you use the special BMW tool. Luckily, this one (p/n 83 30 0 402 038) is under $20, and you can order it from any BMW motorcycle dealer. It fits on both the brake fluid and the clutch fluid reservoirs. I’ll look at the brake system flush/ bleed process in a future article that looks at the linked/power brake and ABS system in general.

54

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

My goal was to keep the wiring neat and only as long as it needed to be. The ground wires for the horn and the HID lights are connected to the chassis, and since they weren’t problematic, I didn’t see any reason to move them.

Note how easy it is to change an accessory from switched to unswitched power—just move the fuse! This is one of the pros of the FZ-1.

Everything is labelled for quick and easy reference; since I didn’t hook up the heated seat, it’s not listed.

The only thing left to do was take the bike for a test ride! I wasn’t sure what to expect when I got on, but after replacing all the electrical components, I at least knew the battery had a full charge. It fired right up and sounded good.

I had never ridden a brand-new BMW, so I didn't know what they feel like when they’re fresh out of the crate. I imagine they feel like what riding my GS felt like on that test ride—spirited and ready for anything. The engine ran smoothly, the transmission shifted nicely, I braked with confidence, and my aux lights and GPS stayed on the whole time.

Using the BMW special tool to get into your brake and clutch fluid reservoirs makes the task easier and less prone to accidental damage to the components. At $18.48 as of this writing, it’s a small investment that could save you money in the long run.

Brake fluid should be clear and maybe slightly yellowish. If it’s brown or you see chunks in the reservoir, it’s time to clean and flush. BMW recommends servicing your brake system every two years.

Fresh oil on the ground is never a good sign, but in this case it was a minor issue. Oil leaking out from the ignition coil tunnel generally points to an improperly seated donut gasket. Rotate the gasket (replace if it’s damaged or torn) and try to get the cylinder head cover on correctly again. It sometimes takes me three or four tries.

Sometimes done for performance reasons, I had the wrap done to hide my rusty, crusty headers.

All back together and cooling off after the test ride.

After cooling down for a couple of hours, I noticed an oil spot under the left cylinder.

Since it was an oil leak that started this whole process, I thought it was ironic. I wasn’t concerned, though, as I knew what was going on. Surrounding the spark plug is a donut gasket; if you don’t get the cylinder head cover put on just right, oil can leak out around it. The easy way to check is to pull the ignition coil cover; when I did, there was fresh oil. Five minutes later I had the gasket and the cover reseated and the oil leak was gone.

The last step in this whole process was to ride for 600 miles, then retorque the cylinder heads and reset the valve clearances. This is typical and required any time you pull the heads off the bike. (See a video of this process at https://goo.gl/yuGVMt)

Even though it was a lot of work and cost a good bit of money for parts, I learned a lot about my motorcycle and feel good about doing most of the work myself. I’m lucky in that I have a pro mechanic to backstop me.

I was on the verge of selling my GS before these problems, but it runs so well now that I have definitely changed my mind. I don’t worry about the drive shaft, I shouldn’t need a clutch for a while and all the electronic accessories work all the time. It’s almost like owning a new bike. Almost.

Plus, I think it looks sharp with the wrapped pipes!

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

55

See us for these great products

Carrying Schuberth, Wunderlich, Powerlet, Olympia, Gerbings,Touratech, Twisted Throttle, and a full line of OEM BMW parts, accessories and apparel. www.beemershop.com

Check out page 112 for information on how to win a 2016 S 1000 XR Pikes Peak Edition custom built by Twisted Throttle.

Buy your raffle ticket now at bmwmoaf.org

BMW Motorcycles of Pensacola 6330 Pensacola Blvd.

Pensacola, FL 32505

(850) 466-5324

www.bmwmotorcyclesofpensacola.com www.bmwmotorcyclesofpensacola.com

www.iliumworks.com

56

BMW OWNERS NEWS  August 2016

From the magic Capadocia to the vibrating Bosphorus

www.gotournz.com

Riding the Ottoman Empire Edelweiss Classic Tour, Turkey

The great mix of different roads in combination with some of the most important historical places in the world, will turn this tour into the number one country on your bucket list!

AT A GLANCE

• START/FINISH: Nevsehir / Istanbul • DURATION: 12 days vacation, 10 riding days • PRICES START AT: US $5.570,- (per person)

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

57

M

www.day-long.com

wW M wW O w BO RE W. .eE d OK INF DEe O Llw We ING & EIis S SSsb BiIk KeE. .Cco Om

HIGHLIGHTS: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ürgüp, Güzelyurt, Konya, Side, Temple of Apollo, Myra, Patara Beach, Knidos, Aphrodisias, Ephesos, Bergama, Pergamon

TEC

Nicht Uber Max Dealing with click, click, click Q:

D ear Nicht Uber Max – I’m having trouble getting my 2009 G 450 X to start. It just goes “click, click, click” and won’t come to life. I installed a new battery in it but am still puzzled why it won’t start and want to know what else I can do to troubleshoot my problem. Is my problem a bad starter or something else? – Frank W.

A:

There are fewer sounds sadder than that “click click click” noise a bike makes when it won’t start. Solving the problem may not be as simple as replacing the battery, so there’s some steps to follow to try and find the problem.

The only tool you need to start testing is a digital volt-ohm meter (DVOM), also known as a voltmeter or multimeter.

A digital volt-ohm meter, or multimeter, doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. Having one small enough to carry on your bike as part of your regular tool kit could save you some hassle on the side of the road.

58

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

There are many on the market, but you don’t need anything special. Make sure it can read volts in direct current (DC) and resistance in ohms (Ω). The one I carry on my bike is a compact, auto-ranging multimeter made by Extech that cost about $40.

There are many available on either side of that price point.

When you get that dreaded “click click click,” the first thing to check is your battery. Make sure the connections to the battery are tight and clean (free from corrosion). After determining the connections are good, break out your DVOM. Verify you’ve got the leads connected properly, then touch the red lead to the positive terminal of your battery and the black lead to the negative terminal.

Here, the positive terminal as on the far side of the battery, with the negative terminal at the bottom of the photo.

You can test the battery by putting the DVOM probes on both terminals or by going from the positive terminal of the battery to a known good ground point on the bike (in this case, a screw that touches the frame).

If the readout is above 12 volts, chances are your battery is good, and you can move on to the load test. If the readout is below 12, it’s time to hook your battery up to a trickle charger for a few hours (or better yet, overnight).

Once you determine the battery is carrying 12+ volts, then you can test the battery under load. You can eliminate the possibility of a bound-up starter giving you a false dead battery result by using the headlight. Put the headlight on the high beam setting, then turn the key to “On.” If the battery still reads above 12 volts, then move on to testing things out with the starter button.

Load testing by using the starter button is easier with a helper.

Have one person hold the DVOM leads on the battery terminals, and with the bike’s ignition in the ON position, have the other person press the starter button (**BE SURE your bike is in NEUTRAL!**). No matter whether the bike starts or not, you should see a drop in the voltage readout. If the drop is minimal—a volt or two—your battery is okay. The amount of drop acceptable can vary and is dependent on your specific motorcycle; for instance, an older bike with points has a much lower threshold for acceptable voltage than a modern bike with an electronic ignition system.

With a modern bike, if the drop takes it much below 10 volts, you need a new battery. The problem there is that the battery is accepting a charge, but it’s just a surface charge. When a load is put to the battery—that is, when you try to start the motorcycle—the battery is not up to the task and has to be replaced.

Let’s say you’ve installed a brand-new battery and prepped it per the manufacturer’s instructions, but your bike still gives you the old “click click click.” The next step is to test the circuit’s continuity through the starter. BMW motorcycle starters carry the ground through the housing of the unit, so the number of wires going to your starter may vary. Find the main lug on the starter and verify the connection is clean and tight.

F, G and K bikes will have a starter with just one lug on it; make sure the connection is tight and free of debris and corrosion.

Modern R bike starters are similar to automotive starters in that the starter and solenoid are built into a common chassis. These are a little harder to test, but not ridiculously so.

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

59

TECH Starter Relay Open

Starter Relay Closed

This starter relay from an Airhead shows clear signs of corrosion and is indeed non-functional. In its resting state – that is, the starter button is not being pressed – its contacts are apart and no electricity flows through them. When the starter button gets pressed, electricity flows through the coil, turning it into a magnet. The magnet draws the upper arm down, making the contacts connect and flowing power from the battery to the starter.

BMW motorcycles have two different starter setups – one for horizontally-opposed twins, and one for pretty much everything else. Horizontally-opposed twins have a starter with a built-in solenoid hanging right off the side of it—just like an automotive starter. Other bikes (F, G, K) have a twopiece setup; the starter is in one place, and the solenoid is in another place, probably under a body panel somewhere. These are a little easier to test, but only just a little.

For the remainder of this article, let’s say your battery is putting out 12.5 volts. With the bike’s ignition off, touch one lead from your DVOM to the positive terminal on the battery and the other lead to the lug on the starter. This test will only tell you if your starter is absolutely dead; if the DVOM readout is 12.5 volts, then you know you’ve got continuity from the battery and through the starter to ground. If at this point the DVOM reads zero volts, there are a number of things that could be wrong, but it’s likely the problem lies within the starter itself. It could be as simple as corrosion between the starter chassis and the engine where it’s mounted, but it also could be that the brushes inside the starter have worn out. Either way and many ways in between, you likely need a new starter.

Testing the solenoid (or starter relay) is a logical next step.

There should be two big lugs, and there may be some smaller ones or even a wiring connector. It’s the big, heavy-duty connection points you want to use for your testing. One will have a cable coming (more or less) from the battery; the other lug will have a cable going to the starter.

The ignition solenoid is a type of relay, and it functions much as relays do. At rest, there is no electrical connection between the contacts. When power is applied—in this case, by you pressing the starter button, which sends current to the “trigger” lug on the solenoid (one of the smaller wiring connections)—the contacts inside the solenoid come together, sending power from the battery to the starter.

60

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

One of the things that can go wrong with the solenoid is that the contacts simply degrade or corrode over time. They’re getting zapped with 12.5 volts several times a day, after all, and that can leave debris behind on the contacts, which can then get dirtier over time and stop making a solid connection. Testing the solenoid is simple. You can use either the positive or negative terminal from your battery; it doesn’t matter which. Put one probe on a battery terminal and put the other probe on one of the solenoid lugs, noting the readout. Then touch the probe to the other lug on the solenoid and note that voltage as well.

You should get one readout at zero and one at 12.5 volts (or whatever your battery voltage is). If one of the readouts is anything other than zero or battery voltage, then it’s likely there’s a problem with your solenoid. If both solenoid lugs test the same, whether it’s at zero or 12.5 volts, the problem is likely the wiring between the battery and the solenoid, and that could include the connections at either end.

You can also test from the solenoid to the starter. Put one DVOM probe on the lug connecting the solenoid to the battery, and the other on the starter lug. If you get anything other than battery voltage (12.5V in the example here), then there’s a problem between the solenoid and the starter. As a backup, test from the other lug on the solenoid to the starter – you should get zero volts.

One of the frustrating aspects of chasing problems like this is that everything can test out okay, but your bike still won’t start because there’s some minute problem inside the starter that looks fine when you’re using a DVOM, but fails when you actually put the full load of the battery to the starter. Clearances are tight, and if things are degraded even a little bit, it can prevent the starter from functioning properly. If you’ve seen anybody bang the starter on their car or truck with a hammer and the thing magically starts after that, then you’ve experienced what can temporarily “fix” a stuck solenoid. If you’ve seen somebody rock their

can back and forth in gear to get it to start, you’ve seen what a dead spot in the starter’s brushes can do.

Between the battery, the solenoid, the starter and all the wiring connecting those three components together, there are a lot of things that can go wrong. Luckily, it’s relatively easy to use a digital volt-ohm meter to test the basics of the circuit, and that could point you right to the likely problem.

If you’re having a problem with your motorcycle that you’d like me to address, send your questions or issues to editor@ bmwmoa.org, and we’ll address your problem in a future issue. Next time I’ll discuss how BMW’s integral brakes function and go over why bleeding the brakes on a bike so equipped is a little more involved than it looks.

George Mangicaro owns Beemers Uber Alles, an independent BMW shop in Manassas, Virginia. His first BMW was a Slash 5 and he currently rides an R 1100 RT with over 140,000 miles on it.

It may be hard to determine which lug on the starter connects to the battery and which to the starter, but you’ll know once you start testing it with your DVOM. It’s important to make sure the contacts are clean and tight. Corrosion such as seen in this photo should be carefully cleaned and the nuts retightened after cleaning.

Set your DVOM to Volts DC (VDC) and use this handy reference chart.

Connect This

To This

Readout

Problem/No Problem

Battery + Battery + Battery + Battery + Battery + Battery + Battery + Solenoid IN Solenoid OUT Solenoid IN

Battery – (or ground) Battery – (or ground) Starter Lug Starter Lug Solenoid IN Solenoid OUT Solenoid OUT Starter Lug Starter Lug Starter Lug

12V (or more) <12V 12V <12V 0V 12V <12V 12V 0V <12V

No Problem Problem No Problem Problem No Problem No Problem Problem No Problem No Problem Problem

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

61

www.aerostich.com/on aerostich.com/on

Photo: Steve Williamson

© 2016

aero bmwon 08_2016.indd 1

www.seatconcepts.com

6/13/16 4:20 PM

www.mortonsbmw.com

www.mortonsbmw.com

Join the BMW MOA FACEBOOK page today! Get the MOA Newsfeed via Twitter for more BMW and motorcycle news – www.twitter.com/bmwmoa

62

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

www.remus.com

discovery

adventurelog

Riding with Hailey

By Shawn Thomas #91122 "DADDY? CAN WE

go for a motorcycle ride? Pleeeeeaaase?"

I get this a lot.

Probably it is a common request in any household containing both children and bikes. Oftentimes my kids see me ride off on adventures for work, returning smelly and dirt-covered with souvenirs and stories to share.

That they might someday wish to

follow in my passion was, I suppose, a forgone conclusion.

I have never encouraged motorcycle riding in my family, or for that matter, DIScouraged it. It's a dangerous endeavor on its own (I have a seemingly perpetual set of scrapes and bruises to prove it). These dangers are exacerbated by the modern distractions drivers are consumed by. It's a dangerous game to be sure, and as such, I've tried to impart to my children the risk as well as the joy that comes with a twowheeled lifestyle.

Motorcycles have an ageless appeal, attracting those with a desire for excitement and adventure. I caught the bug at a very young age, and soon it was clear that my daughter Hailey had caught it, too. Ever since her debut ride on a Honda 50, Hailey has bugged me for more. Any trip to the grocery store, the movies or appliance shopping, she would beg to go on the bike.

"Maybe next time," I would usually say, and when we did ride 2-up I would avoid anything more than quick, backroads jaunts.

August 2016â&#x20AC;&#x192; BMW OWNERS NEWS

65

discovery 66

adventurelog

for kids.

This worked for a while, but Hailey Luckily, I had an ace up my sleeve. Years wanted more, and she wasn't letting before, I was introduced to Michael Kaiser, up. Somewhere along the line I told owner of KinderRider, Inc. Michael had her we would go on a “big trip” when daughters of his own and had realized the she was older. Amid more pestering, potential for pint-sized riding apparel. He I added another, more specific milewent on to design his own line of jackets, stone: “Before your 10th birthday.” pants, boots and gloves, all tailored to Honestly, I don't remember ever sayaccommodate the young, street-riding ing this. But she did and took to enthusiast. All equipment is properly reminding me at random moments armored and protected. As a bonus, the and odd intervals. And with her jackets and pants have expansion zips, zipnameday fast approaching, it was pers at the sleeves and legs that reveal time to make good on my promise. lengthening areas, accommodating ineviPlans for the inaugural Fathertable growth spurts and increasing the lonDaughter Motorcycle Adventure began taking shape.

The itinerary: After equipping ourselves and my BMW R 1200 GS Adventure for five days of riding and camping, we would spend the first night at the 49er Motorcycle Rally in Mariposa, California, taking advantage of the opportunity to see Yosemite. Beyond that, we would crack open a map and choose destinations on the fly. This ride was just as much for her as for me, and I wanted each of us to have a say on where Shawn and Hailey ready to head out. we went. I knew enough about California to keep gevity of the gear. I called Michael and the ride interesting and figured I ordered his entire lineup. would highlight points of interest Next up was a helmet. Hailey had an offand see what Hailey found appealing. road lid, but it was not designed for street There was a lot preparation that riding. Usually she borrowed one of my needed to take place, and little time spare Arai helmets, but they were too big to do it, so I set to work. and bulky for her tiny noggin. A few manuThe first order of business was to facturers offer kids helmets, though in find a proper riding suit. Hailey had many cases it seems that quality is sacriher own set of off-road riding gear, ficed for price point. This would not do. which proved adequate for short We tested—and ultimately settled on—a hops here and there, but it was lackShoei Hornet X2 dual-sport helmet. Shoei ing in the areas of abrasion resistance has the benefit of multiple shell sizes, a or weather protection and surely total of five used in creating helmets from inadequate for a long ride. This was XS to XXL. They are heavy, compared to poised to be the most challenging many modern competitors, but they're element, it seemed, as manufacturers safe, comfortable, and Hailey loves hers. simply don't make street riding gear

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

We settled on a small, with additional OEM fitting pads to accommodate her head size and to leave room to grow.

A communications system was next.

Long ago I learned the value of rider-topassenger communication, as it adds an entirely new dimension to the joy of motorcycling. In riding with a child, I consider this a critical element. I wanted Hailey to be free to speak to me at any moment, especially if there was a problem. To achieve this, I turned to Sena, my long time go-to for motorcycle communications. The 20S model was perfect, as the controls were easily accessible for small gloved hands. In addition, their Advanced Noise Control feature made for crystal clear communication with minimal ambient interference. Since the Shoei helmet was designed to accommodate comm systems like the Sena, it was literally a perfect fit.

The final challenge was luggage. It was hard enough to pack for one rider, let alone two. Sure, some of the equipment—tent, cooking gear, etc,--could be shared, but there was other gear that would need to be doubled up. A bigger challenge was keeping Hailey safe and comfortable on the back of the bike. I wanted her to have a backrest, some sort of bag that would carry the bigger camping gear and offer something for her to lean on. For this I chose the Bags Connection dry bag, branded specifically for use by MotoQuest Motorcycle Tours and their customers. I also used BMW's OEM tank bag for my camera and other electronics, and their aluminum side panniers to carry clothes and the heavy stuff like tools and spare water. These were highlighted with a set of Parallel Pannier Case soft bags by Rugged Excursion Hardware.

They are made in Southern California by passionate enthusiasts and are some of the most well-built soft bags I have seen. In addition to storage, these offered arm rests for Hailey and a “wrap'”of protection to help keep her squarely on the passenger

August 2016â&#x20AC;&#x192; BMW OWNERS NEWS

67

discover

adventurelog

seat. Perfect.

With our gear installed, we were ready for our adventure. I collected Hailey at school (in full view of her gawking classmates, much to her joy), and we headed east toward Yosemite. Immediately, the benefits of this adventure were clear; suddenly I wasn't competing with electronics or the neighbor kids for Hailey's attention. We rode and talked, pointing out the odd animal or landmark, commenting on everything and nothing. We talked about her school, her interests, and her budding interest in boys. She asked all manner of odd questions, such as, "Can you get cancer from being a bully?" and "If the GPS says we're below sea level, why aren't we under water?"

When we entered Yosemite, her reactions were utterly priceless. The “oohs'” and “ahhs” filled my helmet via the Sena, punctuated by shoulder-slaps and demands that I look at whatever marvel she was pointing at.

Seeing these sights is always impressive, but a child’s eye adds a perspective we adults too often forget.

Our home in the wilderness.

68

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

During our adventure we traversed the high Sierras, reaching nearly 10,000 feet.

We saw ghost towns, snow and rain, and endless dirt roads throughout California and Nevada. When we'd had enough of the daily rides, we would seek out a campsite, set up our tent and equipment, then go exploring. We would make a meal out of dehydrated food packs, and then share ghost stories before going to bed. Each morning we would boil up some breakfast (more food packs), break camp, choose landmarks from the map and continue our trek. Along the way we would stop for food, fuel, or for opportune moments to marvel and shutterbug.

We made our share of mistakes, too, many that demand revision on our next adventure. First of all, one cannot expect a nine-year-old to manage a long day of riding. In five days we covered 900 miles, or about 180 miles a day. This is nothing for an experienced rider, but for Hailey, the last 50 miles each day were torture. A good mix of twisties and straights were appreciated. Too much of one, and she was either bored out of her mind or about to be sick in her helmet. Most of all, there was the stress for me. It is no small endeavor, taking such precious cargo on an adventure. My body

Hailey records her thoughts in her journal.

was in a perpetual state of heightened alertness as I scanned for sloppy drivers and roadside dangers. At the end of each day I was exhausted. Hailey, on the other hand, was full of energy, having been relaxing on the back of the bike all day. She insisted on being entertained. We had decided to leave her electronic distractions at home; next time I will certainly allow them, if just so I can take an hour for end-of-day relaxation.

All in all the adventure ended on a high note, with happy embraces and promises to plan a new adventure soon (she is now obsessed with seeing Yellowstone). Hailey remembers only the best parts of the ride and shares them with pride to friends and family.

Taking young offspring on a ride like this is not for everyone. Riding skill and experience are a must; I would suggest a rider first have plenty of seat time on a bike, preferably of the long distance sort.

Start slow with short, local 2-up rides in safe areas. Preparation is key, especially as it pertains to safety. Never skimp on ill-fitting or lackluster gear, either for yourself or especially for your kids. Most importantly, a rider must accept that these adventures— while extraordinary and life changing— also come with no small amount of risk.

For the sake of your children, consider this thoughtfully before taking on the task.

As for me, the bond with Hailey has never been stronger. It was everything I hoped it would be and more, a point of view she shares. Now to plan another ride while she's still willing to spend time with her old man!

www.aeroflowscreens.com

discover

Longdistancestyle

Make Your Passion Your Paycheck

By Deb Gasque #182082 GRINNING A GIANT GRIN, I THREW

my leg over the seat of my sweet, pearly white two-wheeled steed and set the GPS for the mountains of North Carolina, destination Little Switzerland. That May weekend, women from all over the country were gathering near the Blue Ridge Parkway to check out the first annual “Mountain Moxie” women’s motorcycling conference. My excitement that morning came on several levels. First, I was traveling on a motorcycle, and second, I was traveling solo. But I believe my biggest joy came from the anxious anticipation of attending this gathering of women motorcyclists for an entire weekend and celebrating our passion for two-wheeled adventures together.

As I made my way to the Blue Ridge Mountains that morning, choosing the quaint, sleepy backroads as my

route, I passed a billboard advertisement that highlighted the phrase “Make Your Passion Your Paycheck.” That set off a couple of hours of deep thoughts. But, little did I know how much that statement was going to ring true over the weekend. In fact, it was a bombshell that totally rocked my world.

Mountain Moxie was a longtime dream of Robin Dail, the woman who developed Moto Girl Cafe (a site dedicated to women who love motorcycles), and she did an allaround amazing job on every aspect of the conference. Robin is nothing short of a superhero; she is an associate professor at Duke University in the School of Nursing, teaching in the graduate programs and doing research around the thermal stability of premature infants to decrease their morbidity and mortality. As I said, a superhero…AND she’s a motorcyclist. Boom!

Robin put her dream into motion, a dream of creating a gathering of women who ride so they could learn about new products and better safety techniques, hear inspirational stories about women leaders in the motorcycling world, and just simply hang together, ride together and share their passion together. Ah, there it was…my first example of that profound statement from the billboard taking place before my very eyes.

During that weekend in the mountains I heard from many woman leaders: our very own BMW MOA member, Laura Smith of Worse for Wear, who was one of the three major conference sponsors and has just launched her fabulous “Crosstown Jeans” (see my review in Laura Smith of Worse for Wear, one of the three major conference sponsors.

70

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

this issue); extreme long-distance BMW rider, Gwen Phillips, who is truly iconic in the travels she has logged and the MacGyver-type doodads she has invented to make her travels more smooth; Sofi Tsingos, a brilliant, young custom motorcycle builder; Gail Biddulph, the first woman to have circumnavigated the coast of Great Britain, who through her life experiences, empowers other people to live to their full potential; Joi “SJ” Harris from the MotoGirlGT Team, the first African-American woman to road race in the United States,; Breeann Poland, a woman who has been involved with motorcycling most of her life and is now the Social Media and Digital Marketing Manager of Royal Enfield North America; Liz Sorrell, a Motorcycle Law Group attorney (and another major sponsor of the event), who passed along her vast knowledge of laws affecting motorcyclists; and several others that inspired us over the weekend. As I listened to each of these women tell their stories and explain how their passion for motorcycling has shaped their lives, I again heard the whisper from that billboard…“Make Your Passion Your Paycheck.”

Reflecting on what I took from Mountain Moxie and the theme from that billboard, I thought about the distinct pleasure I’ve had over this past year watching the progress of the aforementioned Laura Smith and her women’s riding apparel company, Worse for Wear. When I first interviewed Laura and her husband Scott back in 2015, they were hard at work putting those passionate wheels into motion, making Laura’s dream of providing women with safe, durable and stylish riding gear that fits come true. It’s been quite an inspiration to watch this chrysalis first-hand.

Considering recently published statistics which report that 25 percent of people who throw their legs over a motorcycle are female (including pilots and pillions), it’s no secret that we ladies are hard-core on the

and a serious leap of faith, Debra launched hunt for more riding products, such as her product line in the spring of 2015. Her those from Worse for Wear. Over the years, bags are selling very well as they are highly riding gear has slowly trickled over to our fashionable and extremely multi-funcgender, but typically it is an altered version tional, and their unique versatility crosses of men’s gear and is usually marketed in over to many lifestyles, not just pink or purple. This Fashionista, for one, motorcycling. can’t swallow that princess-colored pill…

But Debra hasn’t kept all the glory for sorry, guys. With our demographic steadily herself. She has collaborated with other on the rise, I have observed other women women breaking into the industry and has throughout the country who, just like Laura included them on her e-commerce site and Smith, have the goal of creating gear made in her booth space at events. Debra not only especially for women and our needs. Most recently, I’ve come across a network of very clever women in California who are making breakthroughs in this industry and have embraced the concept that I spied on the billboard that very fateful day, “Make Your Passion Your Paycheck.”

What really drew my attention to this group of women in California was the fact that they are all separately creating their own products, but they are also collaborating closely together to support one another.

Epic concept! I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking in depth with two of these women, Debra Chin of MotoChic Gear and Aliki Karayan of VnM Sportgear. They both share the same motivation for joining the world of women entrepreneurs: a passion to create riding gear made specifically for women, a passion which was hatched out of sheer des- Mountain Moxie attendee Beth Lavinder. peration from an obscenely limited made her passion her paycheck, but has ladies’ riding gear market. reciprocated her good fortune with other Debra Chin, founder of MotoChic Gear, women so that they, too, can see the fruits is originally from New York and is now of their labor. firmly planted in San Francisco. She is the I had the amazing opportunity to speak creator of the sassy “Lauren” bag and the to another one of those women, Aliki more compact “Valerie” bag. Debra’s pasKarayan of VnM Sportgear. Aliki is one sion began on the rear seat of her boycool chick, let me tell you! She spent her friend’s motorcycle. As a pillion, now rider, young life in Canada, then joined the milishe became extremely aggravated when she tary at age 18 and began a stint as a heavy discovered that the gear options available machine operator. It was there in the milifor women “were limited to the ‘shrink it tary that she was exposed to motorcycles and pink it’ approach taken by most mainthrough her teammates who were all guys stream manufacturers.” Through the comand loved fast machines. When Aliki sambination of her genuine knowledge of pled her first ride on two wheels, she was fashion (she previously owned a bridesmaid hooked. Almost 20 years later, she is a boutique), astute marketing background

California resident living the dream. Contracted by Honda, she is racing, demo riding and teaching track days. Once she was submerged into the super bike world, she also felt the pang of desperation to find gear designed specifically for women. In her words, she “started riding tracks and got pissed ‘cause I couldn't find good gear.”

With absolutely no design experience or garment manufacturing knowledge, Aliki started her insurmountable quest with a huge passion in her heart to overcome the odds. She did, indeed, turn her passion into a paycheck; her company, VnM Sportgear, produces high-performance compression base layers with high-quality fabrics that work when it’s “bloody hot and bloody cold,” also designing matching base layers for SuperBike teams. (Watch for my review of her products in a future issue.) Aliki is also a big proponent of women-helping-women in this industry. She sees herself and her California compadres as being a team, rather than competitors—they work together for the good of all women in the motorcycling world.

What an impressive and noble vision.

Flashback to that spring morning in May, when I was riding to Mountain Moxie…the ride was completely intoxicating as the fragrance of new blossoms and the delicious dewy air flowed into my helmet. Indeed, I was smiling big. And, as I fatefully raised my head towards that billboard and read, “Make Your Passion Your Paycheck,” I fistpumped at the statement, not truly understanding the depth of those words. And then I arrived at the Little Switzerland Inn, and in good time, it all became very, very clear.

(For more information on Mountain Moxie 2017 and Moto Girl Cafe, please visit www. motogirlcafe.com. For additional information on Worse for Wear, please visit www. worsewear.com. For more information on MotoChic Gear and VnM Sportgear products, please visit motochicgear.com.)

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

71

discovery

adventuretrio

Mexico or Bust!

Traversing the First of 15 Borders

By Sandy Borden #188051 MEXICO GETS TOO

much negative press. This was verified when my very good friend, Brooke, asked, “Are you bringing a gun to Mexico?” Ummm, no. That’s a guarantee that you will end up in jail. So, when we rolled up to that scary line in the sand that separated Arizona from mainland Mexico, we weren’t sure what to think.

Frightened? A wee bit, I’m not going to lie. Excited? Absolutely. After taking three weeks to say our goodbyes to the states, it was time to bust out the Spanish and enter that foreign land.

I was the first to roll up to the border agent. “Rojo? Verde?” Huh?!?

“ROJO? VERDE?” I just shrugged.

72

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

Apparently, I was supposed to pay attention to the glaring lights to my right to tell me if I was free to pass or stop for inspection. My lack of attention had just cost me a free “Get off the bike and open those side cases” party. The boys were just as lucky.

Fortunately, through the magic of all of those “Female Only” Horizons Unlimited meetings, I was enlightened to the one trick that keeps those border hands from sorting through your belongings. Tampons. Lots and lots of tampons. When sprinkled about the top of every bag and case, this ensures that the male guard would rather you sneak in a small child than have to search any further. It worked.

Instead of digging any deeper, the border agent just asked what else I was carrying and left it at that. Crisis averted. Thank you, feminine hygiene. The boys were also able to come through without hassle. I’ll admit we did have one secret weapon: Jack.

Our kiddo had attended a Spanish-immersion elementary school and was a fluent little gringo. This took the guards by surprise yet put them more at ease to have this Spanish speaking teen and his father roll on through. Next stop, the aduana.

One major mistake most first-timers make is not checking their bikes into Mexico. What does that mean? It means gathering all of your motorcycle documents (registration, insurance, etc.), passports, copies of passports, drivers license, more copies, and heading into the official offices just over the border. The thing is, you have to know what building to ask for because they assume you know what you’re doing.

It’s up to you to have done your homework and know enough Spanish to ask, “Donde este aduana?” With folder in hand and an assurance from the parking attendant that our bikes would be okay behind the locked gate, we headed into the unknown. To be

Parking with the police bikes.

honest, it was much easier than we anticipated. We had built up this unnecessary pressure within ourselves and, alas, we were free to go.

What’s the next thing you do after crossing the border? Get the hell away from the border! Seriously, most border towns are not known to be the safest nor the most pleasant of locales. We had set our sights on the town of Nuevo Casas Grande, an area just southeast of where we entered, with a town large enough to find a decent hotel for the night. You must remember that now all of our future hotel/hostel/ camping stays relied on one thing: secure parking. If we can’t park the bikes in front of our room or in the building, we don’t stay. Budget was also a major issue. Our daily budget was $100 to include gas, food, lodging and incidentals. Also, traveling as a threesome was more expensive than as a duo or solo. It was time to hone our

haggling skills. When we rolled into town along the major corridor, we began the hunt for a hotel. No. No. That one looks a bit shady. YES! We pulled into a rather large hotel with fingers crossed for success.

To our surprise, the young lad at the counter spoke English. Nice! Terry and Jack negotiated a fair price, and yes, we could park the bikes in front of the room. Even better. There was a supermarket within range and a restaurant on sight if we were feeling like a date night. We had found the ideal landing spot for the night.

The topic many motorcycle travelers don’t talk about is exhaustion, the drain you feel after days and weeks of mental and physical strain accompanied by the daily “Try not to die” ride around pot holes and through parades of donkeys. Our one night turned into three as the pressure of the previous four weeks weighed itself quite heavily on our need to rest and regroup. Even

Jack was feeling the need to stay in bed and refill the sleep bank. I’ll admit, I could barely get out of bed but did find the strength to venture outside every once in a while. By day three, we were feeling a bit more human and ready for the next phase of Operation Mexico. But we couldn’t leave town yet until we experienced our first real taste of the beautiful people of Mexico.

A parade had broken out along the main street in front of our hotel, and we weren’t about to miss it. Miles of local elementary and high school kids dressed up as super heroes, ‘50s sock-hop characters or banditos were riding on floats and dancing their way along the street. We asked a local what the occasion was, and he said that it was an annual parade that celebrated all the schools in town as well as the surrounding areas. We stood on the sidewalk and watched as the kids danced and sang their way along the parade route. I even received

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

73

discovery 74

adventuretrio

my first piece of farkle as a teenage boy adorned me with a homemade lei made of straws and plastic flowers. I beamed and he smiled back. How cool was this? We quickly learned that parades were to be our new norm as we made our way south. All too often we ended up being a part of the parade! When you’re rolling along in an unknown area going the wrong way on a one-way street, it’s bound to happen. If nothing else, the two giant motos provided some entertainment.

Was Mexico scary? No. Did we ever feel threatened? Never. Did we use our heads like we would in any part of the states, not putting ourselves in atrisk situations? Absolutely. Mexico is where we learned to put down any

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

Above, Jack with his guitar and some new friends in San Cristobal. Below, Caught in a parade.

preconceived notions about a country and just learn for ourselves. We talked to locals, wandered the beautifully lit squares at night, and just watched. Families walked arm-in-arm as friends gathered on the corners to talk and laugh while noshing on homemade vendor goodies. Couples

danced to the local bands as young kids twirled and danced to the music. This was our new view of Mexico. This was the real Mexico, and we were fortunate to experience it for ourselves. My advice? Turn off the TV, stop listening to opinions, and head south to find out for yourself. Cheers.

www.southsoundmotorcycles.com

Lee Harrelson Member Profile 8 pages

76

BMW OWNERS NEWSâ&#x20AC;&#x192; August 2016

Lee Harrelson A MEMBER PROFILE

By Bill Wiegand #180584

August 2016â&#x20AC;&#x192; BMW OWNERS NEWS

77

lder siblings are often to blame for the growth and maturation of the youngest in the family.

Lee Harrelson is a perfect example; he blames his older brothers for almost everything, including the reason he became a professional photographer, why he rides a BMW and even his deep love of music. It’s also the reason he’s served as the Entertainment Chair at every BMW MOA International Rally since 2009.

The youngest of five boys, Lee grew up like many of the babies of the family do.

Parental leniency is typically greater with younger children, and sometimes a wrong path can be taken by a son or two. Maybe Lee was simply hanging around with the wrong crowd. Whatever the reason, Lee was getting into trouble away from home, which one day led to he and a couple of friends being picked up by the police.

Scared and alone, Lee believed his only option was to run away from home to avoid the anger of his parents he thought were sure to kill him. During his “bout with juvenile delinquency,” it was his oldest brother Keith, a professional photographer, who took notice and pulled Lee under his wing.

“Keith handed me a 35mm camera and a roll of black and white film and told me to go take some pictures of my friends,” Lee said.

After Keith showed Lee the magical processes of film developing and print making, Lee discovered a passion he didn’t know he had. Before long his days as a delinquent faded in his life’s rear view mirror.

Excited about the new passion he’s discovered and apparently forgetting his parents’ anger, Lee recalls when he finally went home to report his plans to become a professional photographer. Knowing how Keith was struggling to become established and probably living on peanut butter, they were not impressed.

“I’ll never forget my father’s face,” Lee said. “He looked at me and just shook his head as if to say, ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea, son.’”

Despite their initial lack of enthusiasm, they supported his dream. Lee took the first step by taking a job at a local camera store. While the job didn’t offer the creative outlet that Lee so desperately sought, it brought him to a place he could share his love of photography with coworkers and

O

78

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

Left, An image from Lee's days as a fashion photographer. Above, In the studio.

customers.

It didn’t long for Lee to recognize the five or six working pros who frequented the store and did the work that he sought. Just as Keith had done, they became not only his mentors (whose brains he picked every time they came to the store), but the photographers he approached when he took his next step. Before long, Lee left the camera store and began working as an assistant for an area fashion photographer. Despite the cleanliness of the floors being one of his job responsibilities, he was working in a photography studio and soon was shooting product and catalog work by contract.

With youthful confidence and ready to take the next step to make his mark on the world, Lee packed everything he owned and moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, where he found work in a studio shooting fashion, tourism and commercial

advertising.

Lee loved the excitement of his work, the team and models he worked with and the ability to express himself creatively with a camera. Though he was living his dream shooting on the beaches of South Beach, he began to feel something was missing. His home in Birmingham, Ala., felt farther and farther away and the strong family ties binding the Harrelson family together so strongly began to tug on Lee’s heart. He missed his parents and the rest of his family. After two years in Florida, a job opening in the studio of Parisian, a Birmingham-based chain of upscale department stores, brought him home and the smile returned to his face.

Harrelson spent the next nine years traveling and creating fashion images across the country for not only Parisian, but Saks and Robinsons. Though he loved his work,

the travel began to take a toll. Calling fashion a “young single man’s kind of career,” about 16 years ago Harrelson made the decision to change specialties.

His initial fear of the huge change in his business model was made easier when he secured a contract for a local grocery chain as well as several contracts with cookbook publishers. Before long, Harrelson’s client list included names like Time Inc., Wendy’s, Chesters and Southern Living. The one-time delinquent given a camera by an older brother to get him off the streets was living his dream and able to keep the promise he made to his parents so many years earlier to become just like Keith.

As is the case with photography, Lee credits his brothers for developing his interest in motorcycling. A man of many dreams and also wanting to be like his motorcycle riding older brothers Rob and

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

79

80

BMW OWNERS NEWSâ&#x20AC;&#x192; August 2016

Vance, Lee built his first bike using a Briggs and Stratton lawnmower engine mounted in a simple tube frame. Lee hung out in the garage with his brothers when they were around and snuck rides on their bikes when they weren’t.

Like his brothers, Lee progressed through a long line of motorcycles including a strange mix of Suzukis and Yamahas and even used a Honda 750 for his only means of transportation for more than two years.

Despite his success at nearly every endeavor he undertook, about 12 years ago Lee came to the frustrating conclusion that he’d never become the golfer he wanted to be. Instead of the golf course, Lee found himself spending his weekends with his brother Vance riding one of his F 650 GSes. Golf clubs relegated to a dark and dusty garage corner, the BMW bug bit Lee hard and he bought a 2004 R 1150 R and was hooked. Keeping Vance’s license plate in view while riding the curvy roads surrounding Birmingham has become Lee’s prescription to clear his head and along with Rob, the Harrelson trio has become constant traveling companions making

many memorable trips around the country.

While Lee credits brother Keith for developing his love of photography and brothers Rob and Vance for his love of

FEW FAMILIES SEEM AS CLOSELY KNIT AS THE HARRELSONS, AND OVER TIME THE BOUNDARIES SEPARATING LEE’S PHOTOGRAPHY, MOTORCYCLING AND MUSIC HAVE BECOME MORE AND MORE BLURRED. motorcycling, it’s his remaining brother that he blames for his love of music. With a musical palate deeply rooted in the southern rock he listened to as a kid, Lee truly enjoys all genres including blues, country

and soul. “Nothing moves me more that some of the old recordings of the Staple Sisters, Wilson Pickett, Arthur Alexander and Aretha Franklin,” Lee confesses.

Back in the 1980s, Lee’s older brother Mark worked in the music industry. As had been the case with Keith, Vance and Rob, Mark had an energetic and enthusiastic little brother hanging around, so he did what any older brother would do – he put Lee to work. Long before Lee should have been anywhere near night clubs, Mark had Lee wrapping cords and moving amps for the bands he mixed sound for. Later, Lee helped Mark produce a show in Birmingham featuring Gregg Allman and some of the famous “Swampers” from Muscle Shoals. Looking back, Lee recalls a fun week full of rehearsals and band meals topped off by a great performance.

Few families seem as closely knit as the Harrelsons, and over time the boundaries separating Lee’s photography, motorcycling and music have become more and more blurred.

In 2009, Lee’s brother Vance was the cochair for the BMW MOA Rally in Johnson City, Tenn., and Lee accepted the invitation

Left, An image from a shoot for Grapico. Above, On the stage at the BMW MOA Rally.

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

81

Lee clears his head with an afternoon ride.

to chair the entertainment committee. It’s a position he’s held ever since, leaning on the music contacts he’s made over the years to bring quality acts to the annual BMW MOA Rally.

“I have been fortunate to work on some

82

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

very cool projects with some great artists with my favorite two being Paul Thorn and Gregg Allman,” Lee said. “I have recently started a film production company with five cinematographers, a sound engineer and a producer/editor. We hope to become

known for visual storytelling and just completing a nine minute documentary film for Firehouse Ministries to help build a new homeless shelter in Birmingham.

Harrelson says he considers himself lucky that photography has taken him

places and shown him things he wouldn’t otherwise have had the opportunity to see.

Friends describe Lee using phrases like “Salt of the Earth” to describe his friendly southern nature and personality that shuns the spotlight. Lee blames his mother for his

personable demeanor and prides himself in always saying please and thank you and understanding that he is part of a team and his portfolio represents the combined efforts of the stylists, creative directors and support staff he works with.

“It’s like a rock and roll band,” he said.

“The more you work with a group, the tighter the group gets.”

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

83

A TWO-WHEELED ROCKET SHIP

By Wes Fleming #87301

84

BMW OWNERS NEWSâ&#x20AC;&#x192; August 2016

August 2016â&#x20AC;&#x192; BMW OWNERS NEWS

85

T

here are all sorts of ways to ride these days and a BMW for every style. Luxury tourers have the K 1600 GTL. Racers have the S 1000 RR. Off-roaders have the GS in a variety of displacements. We’ve been told that sport tourers have the R 1200 RT, but the people telling us that are only partially correct.

I enjoy the luxury of having three BMWs at my disposal. My mainstay, day-to-day bike is the 2005 R 1200 GS that was the subject of the recent, multi-part tech series. In addition to the GS, I have a 1998 K 1200 RS with a Hannigan Classic sidecar that I use for taking my wife or kid on trips. Finally, for those lazy days, I picked up a 2003 R 1200 CLC over the winter and have been enjoying the cruiser lifestyle from time to time.

When I got this 2016 R 1200 RT to test, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I imagined I’d go into old man mode—after all, isn’t that who rides RTs? Old men? Stereotypes exist for a reason, right? Seeing as how I’m still under

86

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

50, I figured it would be a short test: I’d ride it, I’d hate it, I’d apologize for wasting everybody’s time.

I couldn’t have been more wrong more quickly. From the first time I rode the RT, I knew it was a bike that absolutely shouldn’t be restricted to old men. Instead of focusing on sport touring, by necessity I found myself focused on commuting. My roundtrip between home and work totals 45 miles, and nearly all of it is interstate highway. The first thing I noticed about the RT is that it compresses the highway time in a Star Trek-like fashion. Once I got on the highway, it seemed like the 19-mile highway stretch disappeared in time. Between the smooth power delivery and the cruise control, eating up highway miles on the RT is simply effortless.

After several weeks of commuting to work and going on longer rides on the weekends, I recognized an odd dichotomy with the RT. It both requires you to think less and causes you to think more. Thinking less comes from the physical operation of the motorcycle. The throttle is smooth and responds cleanly and crisply no matter

what riding mode you’re in (naturally, in Dynamic mode the response is more linear, but even in Rain mode you feel the bike responding immediately).

Shift Assist Pro makes changing gears almost an afterthought, especially in gears three through six. Whether you’re shifting up or down, the computer does the hard work, and you just toe the shift lever. It seems trite to use the word effortless again, but shifting when you don’t have to worry about the clutch really is effortless. Up or down, it doesn’t matter. The only hitch is that Shift Assist Pro has some difficulty getting into or out of first gear. The transition up from second to third is a little rough if you’re going slowly. The procedure I found that works best is to shift north of 5,000 rpm; with the engine turning fast, Shift Assist Pro can do its work most efficiently.

It’s an impressive bit of technology that suits tight, curvy roads, as you can shift up and down through the gears with impunity, never moving your left hand from the grip and never having to worry if you’re in the right gear.

The suspension functions quite well

without much active intervention from the rider. The system has the typical Rider, Rider + Luggage, and Rider + Passenger settings; at my weight and riding style, I found Rider + Luggage to be the best setting. I tried the Soft and Hard settings as well, but Normal gave me the best combination of comfort and feedback. Hard is truly hard, but it gives the feeling of being directly connected to the road through the hands, feet and seat. During technical riding, especially on complex back roads, the combination of Dynamic, Hard, and Rider + Luggage was perfect. Out on the highway, Normal and Soft made for a plush ride that could last all day, with the only distraction being a little noticeable heat coming off the left side and blowing onto the rider’s leg.

Thinking more comes from everything ancillary to the operation of the go and stop controls. This is a highly computerized motorcycle, and changing any of the settings requires the use of the Menu button and the Wonder Wheel. Scrolling is obvious—toward the front to go up, the rear to go down—and selecting an option takes just a quick “click” to the right. “Clicking” the wheel to the left exits back through the nested menus.

It is a little brain-taxing to have to navigate through the menus to activate the heated grips (which work great) or heated seat (which is AMAZING on a cold morning!), but BMW provides a shortcut. If you navigate to a menu you want to access quickly, pushing up on the Menu switch and holding it saves that menu in memory. Then you can hit the diamond icon on the Menu switch (up), and it navigates straight to that menu. I set my “favorite” menu to the heated grips, which puts the heated seat menu just one press of the Menu button away. The nice thing about the heat for the grips and the seat is that there are six settings from low to high rather than the two we’re used to with the Lo-Hi switches on previous generations of BMWs. Still, it’s a lot of thinking to do while you’re riding and should be paying attention to the road.

Some menus are unavailable while the bike is in motion, and that’s a good thing. Riding mode, suspension mode and other riding-specific settings are available on the move, but you don’t need to switch the clock from the 12-hour setting to the 24-hour at 45 miles per hour.

The only computer control issue I encountered was accidentally bumping the Wonder Wheel and skipping a song on the stereo when reaching my thumb for the turn signal switch. I recommend reading the owner’s manual carefully and thoroughly to start with as deep an understanding of the computer system as possible.

I found the 2016 R 1200 RT to be a fantastic motorcycle The sleek lines and easy-to-read dash hide all the technology that makes the RT such an enjoyable motorcycle to ride.

Special thanks to Sportland Motorsports in Urbana, Illinois, for the use of their 2016 R 1200 RT for photography.

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

87

that, with some attention to the ergonomics, could very well be perfect for me. The seat in the high position isn’t quite high enough, though I could easily flat-foot the bike when stopped. The footpegs are slightly too high for my long-distance comfort; 50 miles was fine, but 200 made my hips and knees ache. The reach to the handlebars is just barely on the aggressive side, requiring me to lean forward a tiny bit, but not excessively.

I swapped bikes with a friend who has a 2015 R 1200 RT, and other than the model year, I noticed only two differences between his bike and mine: he has the factory tall seat on his, and he has a smaller aftermarket windshield. His bike was quite a bit more comfortable seating-wise, so it’s apparent that a taller seat and lower footpegs would do the trick for somebody my height or taller. The smaller, more rounded windshield made for quieter air flow, but neither bike displayed any significant buffeting from wind. It could be that my friend’s aftermarket windshield shifts the wind noise into a higher frequency range that I don’t hear well, while the stock 2016 RT produces its wind noise in a lower range to which I am more sensitive. It would be nice to raise the handlebars a smidge and move them slightly towards the saddle, and to have a taller seat as well. Making these changes would open up my hip and knee angles and cause less complaining from my tired spine, but having said that, I think the ergonomics of the RT would be near perfect out of the crate for anybody between about 5’8” and 6’0”.

My biggest complaint—if you can even call it that—was about the size and shape of the side cases. The side cases are beautifully integrated into the lines of the bike, and the color matching on the lids is perfect.

BMW’s claim that a full-face helmet will fit in the cases is obviously based on somebody with a smaller head than I have, as my XXL Arai Defiant doesn’t fit inside either side case. (I should note, however, that my helmet doesn’t even fit in ANY case that claims “swallows two full-face helmets!” which is one of the problems with having a giant head!) Another thing that doesn’t fit easily is my briefcase. Like many people, I carry a laptop computer back and forth between home and work, and I carry it in a messenger-style shoulder bag that is difficult to cram into the sidecase when the

88

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

Top, Riders expect high-quality components such as Brembo brake calipers, and BMW delivers them throughout the R 1200 RT. Stock tires are Michelin Pilot Road 4 GTs and give good feedback, though the break-in service tech noted 20% use at 600 miles. Above, The standard LED tail light and turn signals are bright and attention getting. The one-piece clear lens might be expensive to replace ($379.60), but it looks fantastic. Left, The left thumb has a lot to do with the Wonder Wheel, cruise control, emergency flasher, menu selector, windshield adjuster, turn signal and horn buttons all within reach. You might want to go up a glove size to give yourself the requisite stretch capabilities!

laptop is inside it. I found a bag in my collection that fit into the side case with a little effort, but years of being able to drop my briefcase unhindered into one of the Jesse cases on my GS have clearly spoiled me when it comes to transporting my computer.

The side cases aren’t small though, despite my comments about what fits in them. I was easily able to carry my Moto Hansa tool kit, a tire pump, a tire repair kit, my rain gear, a Nelson-Rigg half cover and my lunch in one side case. Into the other went my laptop, a spare pair of gloves and any layers I might need to wear throughout the day. On the occasions I needed to haul larger items, I used the lash points (grab handles and top case plate) supplied on the bike and held things down with Rok Straps.

If I was going to buy this bike, I’d likely put a top case on it, both for the convenience of transporting items and to provide a back rest for any passenger I might have.

Speaking of passengers, I took my wife (5’8” with a long inseam) on about a 100mile ride, and she praised the passenger seat and ergonomics. She said the bike felt smooth at all speeds and mentioned that she hardly noticed when I shifted gears.

This tells me two things: 1) the Shift Assist Pro really is that good, and 2) I clearly need to work on my clutch technique when riding bikes without Shift Assist!

The 2016 R 1200 RT is a great all-around bike. It is smooth, but the brand-new bike suffers from some minor vibrations through the grips between about 3500 and 4500 rpm; given my experience on my friend’s year-old RT with over 20,000 miles on it, I have no doubts it will only get smoother as the miles go by. In addition to its incredible poise (and easy-to-operate cruise control) on the highway, I wouldn’t hesitate to take it on hard dirt or gravel roads. The weather protection afforded by the full fairing and large, adjustable windshield can’t be beat.

Fuel efficiency is about average for 1200s (mid-40s mpg) and the ergonomics out of the crate should suit most riders. The power is mind-bending (80 mph in 6th gear is well under 5,000 rpm) and the electronic adjustments for mode and payload make every ride a great one, whether you’re heading to the corner for a gallon of milk (two of which do fit in the side case), going for a long weekend jaunt, or pointing your nose towards the opposite coast.

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

89

S-T-R-E-T-C-H O-U-T with Highway Peg Brackets for BMW R1100/1150/1200 years 1994-2009

stores.ebay.com/gsbeemerpilot stores.ebay.com/gsbeemerpilot

www.motorcycle-travel.net

www.ayresadventures.com

Your Premiere Motorcycle Touring Source Bead Pro Bead Breaker & Tire Irons Combo Set Lightweight aluminum. 2 tools 1 compact kit. Easily breaks beads even on large tubeless tires.

Request FREE Catalog

Premium Highway Pegs w/ Secret StorageProvide comfort & stretch for long rides.

R1200GS/A Stainless Steel Engine Guards Hidden storage. Look great Protect your cylinders where they are most on large adv bikes like the vulnerable. Engineered for maximum R1200GS/A, F800GS, protection for your engine. Match BMW F650GS, R1150GS etc. Black stock bars & include stainless steel mount or Silver. Made in USA. clamps & hardware. Made in USA. Ultra Bright LED Turn Signals - Increase safety & visibility with these ultra bright blinkers.

Easy 10 minute install.

Complete BMW Tool Kits Model specific tool kits that are comprehensive & compact. Industry leading USA Made Tools with Lifetime Warranty. You will always have the peace of mind of being prepared for emergency roadside repairs & routine maintenance. Includes hard to find and expensive BMW specific tools for your bike & heavy duty Tool Roll. BMW R1200GS/GSA/RT/S/R, F800/650GS Twin, R1150GS/A, F650GS Single, KTM’s, V-Strom, Super Tenere, Tiger 800, Explorer & many others.

Many More Products www.advdesigns.com On Our Website

FROM AN RT RIDER'S PERSPECTIVE

By Steve Hall #79776

90

BMW OWNERS NEWSâ&#x20AC;&#x192; August 2016

August 2016â&#x20AC;&#x192; BMW OWNERS NEWS

91

single bike. Despite my reluctance to buy a first-year bike (and helped by her insistence 1100 RT), I rode a Gold Wing. After riding that she preferred the RT to my 2010 R 1200 that RT, the Gold Wing sat in the garage, GS Adventure), I bit the bullet and traded and I eventually sold it. I was hooked on the both of my bikes for a new ‘14 R 1200 RT. RT. I’m at almost a million miles, with While heavier than my ’12 model by 50 nearly half of them coming from my series pounds, the new bike offered a totally difof beloved RTs, from the two 1150s (2002 ferent ride. It was smoother, quicker, had a and 2004), through the Camhead (2012) to better suspension and ergonomically was my current RT, a water-cooled 2014 model. much better. It handles so well the weight I fell in love with the R 1100 RT and difference was not noticeable. couldn’t believe there was any way they The electronics on the bike are well intecould improve it, but they did, and each grated, with everything now at my fingernew model proves that to me. The 1150 saw tips. Data, GPS, Sirius radio, and Bluetooth improved performance from the motor and headset all worked better on the new RT. the servo-assisted brakes. Most RT riders The bike features cleaner, easier to read initially hated them, and the first run-in on instrumentation, and the dash itself offers the ‘02 R 1150 RT was not very linear. I great improvement. The comfort features found the brakes grabby and hard to we all love (heated modulate. grips, passenger and The twin spark in THE ELECTRONICS ON rider heated seats, ‘04 was a big improveelectronic cruise conment, giving the bike a THE BIKE ARE WELL trol) are still present smoother motor with INTEGRATED, WITH and work well. The even more power and eliminating the surging EVERYTHING NOW AT MY mirror positions and overall weather prothat BMW told us FINGERTIPS. DATA, GPS, tection are excellent, didn’t exist. The ‘04 R and the windscreen is 1150 RT was one of my SIRIUS RADIO, AND the best I’ve ever seen favorites.

BLUETOOTH HEADSET on a stock RT. While the R 1200 Most of all, the RT was introduced in ALL WORKED BETTER ON ESA was greatly 2005, I resisted change THE NEW RT. improved. While the until 2012. My ‘04 R old version of ESA 1150 RT had over (2012-2013) was typical BMW and on the 93,000 miles and I just couldn’t believe soft side, the new RT was finally equipped there was any way the RT could get better. with a more than adequate suspension for Nevertheless, I kept reading reviews and one-up or two-up riding. The hard saddlehearing good things. With each visit to bags are the same style used on the K 1600 BMW of Las Vegas, I kept staring at a blue GT and GTL with the air flow vents on the 2012 R 1200 RT on the showroom floor. I sides to keep dirt and dust from building up finally weakened. A friend put a wad of on the rear fender (there is no longer a vaccash in my hand to buy my ‘04 RT for his uum created behind the bags). son, making my purchase a bit less painful.

BMW of Las Vegas delivered my new As the looks of the new Camhead started bike on Wednesday night, and the next to grow on me and the performance and morning I was off on a day ride to one of my features were readily apparent, I wondered old haunts, Palm Springs, California, for a why I had resisted the upgrade. The Camchance to visit an old friend, have a quick head (dual overhead cam) engine was supelunch at the Las Casuelas, and be home by 4 rior to the old R 1150 in many ways. The p.m. The perfect 600-mile break-in ride. bike was noticeably smoother, quicker, had Everyone who rides the bike for the first improved handling and didn’t have the time finds the ride-by-wire throttle so senhated power assist brakes. It was also about sitive that the bike wants to wheelie with 70 pounds lighter to boot. little effort due to its impressive torque. To I put about 31,000 miles on my ’12 RT and get used to the RT’s throttle response, I kept was able to resist for a while when BMW it in rain mode initially to get used to it, introduced the Water Boxer. Not long after, switching to Road and Dynamic modes my wife convinced me to downsize to a UNTIL I BOUGHT MY FIRST RT (’96 R

92

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

once I became comfortable.

With my initial ride and 600-mile service done, my wife and I left for a ten-day trip to Arizona and New Mexico. We both found the new RT superior to previous RTs. During that ride, I noticed a bit of coolant dripping from the left side of the motor.

Apparently there is a seal on the water pump that can fail and allow coolant to leak through a hole in the side of the motor just above and forward of the left cylinder head.

Before my next trip, BMW of Las Vegas changed out the water pump under

warranty.

My old oil-cooled RTs always burned just a bit of oil, but this was not the case on the new Water Boxer. I never used a drop of oil or coolant during my 7,200-mile Las Vegas to Key West round trip. Confidently, I no longer carry oil or coolant with my bag of tools, tire repair kit and compressor.

Today, my ’14 R 1200 RT is approaching 50,000 miles. The bike is on its third water pump with no signs of this one leaking. I’m hoping this one has an updated seal. The bike has not used a drop of oil or coolant

between the recommended 6,000-mile service intervals, and when I noticed the rear shock was leaking a bit of oil, BMW replaced it under warranty. This was the second rear shock, the one installed after BMW North America’s 2014 STOP RIDE order.

If I have any complaints about the bike, it would be the need to remove the exhaust canister to remove the rear tire. Right now, I’m on my seventh set of tires, and despite the owner’s manual stating that the wheel will roll out once the five lug nuts are

removed, it can’t be done. Additionally, I’m now on my fourth low beam headlamp bulb and have a few rock chips in the windscreen, fender and body panels, but overall the bike still performs like new, and I keep the bike in Dynamic mode, where I find the transmission and engine perform best.

I thought my ’96 R 1100 RT couldn’t be improved on, but I hope BMW continues to prove me wrong. I can’t wait to see how the evolution of the RT progresses and most likely I will have a new one in my garage in the next couple of years.

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

93

www.s100.com

www.pandorasmotorsports.com

94

BMW OWNERS NEWSâ&#x20AC;&#x192; August 2016

FINALLY. A TENT THAT DOES IT ALL. Dry Bikes. Comfortable Riders. Secure Gear.

www.ridgerunnervt@gmavt.net

The Atacama Expedition Tent - Stand up to change clothes. Park a few chairs and dine in.

Work on the bike or just keep it sheltered and dry.

www.redverz.com

Buy Online Today

www.redverz.com 720 213 8287

3 6 th R A L LY BMW CLUB QUEBEC SEPTEMBER 3-4-5, 2016

Outaouais, a beautiful region to discover!

Book in advance.

We’re waiting for you!

ACTIVITIES :

Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival Downtown Ottawa and Byward Market tour Rides for on road and GS bikes Workshops and presentations Breakfast and dinner all together Welcome MOA members!

Domaine de L’Ange-Gardien 1031, Pierre-Laporte street | L’Ange-Gardien (Quebec) J8L 0E9 GPS coordinates: 45o34’10.141 | 75o30’53.306

Details and registrations : www.bmw-club-quebec.com www.bmw-club-quebec.org Pub BMW ON rallye 2016.indd 1

2016-06-15 13:32:03

www.spieglerusa.com

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

95

DOWNHILL AND OFF-CAMBER PART 1

By Katherine Helmetag #196517 96

BMW OWNERS NEWSâ&#x20AC;&#x192; August 2016

IMAGINE CUTTING UP THE NÜRBUR-

gring and Nordschleife, then stitching two miles of the best corners and craziest stretches together into bliss. Throw in the requisite wandering wildlife, significant elevation changes and lush vegetation, and you'll see why Grattan is Michigan's best poorly-kept secret—after all, they say that if you can ride Grattan, you can ride anywhere. It's home to over 15 weekends a year of motorcycle track days and racing, one of them sponsored by BMW of Southeastern Michigan and BMW of Grand Rapids. This annual track day is open to all makes and riders, but priority goes to the customers of the sponsoring dealers.

The organizers, Sportbike Track Time, provide the necessary planning, instruction and support. STT provides a very professional experience for their customers and makes sure that they have an event that is open to all riders, particularly novices and riders who are there on non-sport-bikes.

John Horner, the third owner of BMW of Southeastern Michigan, noted that “Track training is unique in that riders have a safe space to explore their skills and their motorcycle’s capabilities, and Grattan is unique in the challenges it provides to new and old alike.”

Grattan is a family affair. The Faasen family has owned the track for over 50 years. Hugh Faasen runs the track, which has seen a steady stream of improvements since pulling out of debt a few years ago,

Novice track rider April Eby and experienced rider Audrey Wicke from BMW SEM take to the track on their S 1000 RRs.

including updates to the racing surface, clubhouse and paddock surface. Plans are in place for continued work on the track surface. In addition to its fully-booked road track, Grattan's thrills include a motocross track that changes annually as part of District 14's tour. What isn't booked by clubs and racing is typically booked by automotive manufacturers who find Grattan's charm and challenge irresistible. Corvettes,

Vipers and Mustangs must not only face their home test tracks, but Grattan as well before they are released to consumers. The track is a hidden gem in the palm of Michigan’s right hand.

Grattan's Turn 1 is a tight right hander that comes after a 0.65-mile straight, more than long enough to push the S 1000 RR deep into fifth gear. Nearly a hairpin, it's a sharp transition requiring deep braking

and a careful choice of line. Five well-placed braking sticks are nicknamed Good, Better, Best, I See God and Wayne Rainey. The runoff is generous and the exit is clear with good visibility into Turn 2, a gentle sweeper that belies the next turn's bite.

Audrey Wicke is the sales and business manager for BMW SEM. She has been tracking motorcycles on and off for over 12 years, including several stints as an instructor and control rider with Sportbike Track Time. Her passion for riding and for the BMW brand got an early start, up on two wheels at the age of six and on her first tour on her dad's 1991 K75 at age 18. It's indeed a family affair, as her father was a customer of the Southeastern Michigan dealership under Andy Pelc's ownership. Audrey has been part of the S 1000 RR team since day one and was one of the riders selected by BMW to advocate for the bike, beginning with its arrival on U.S. shores in 2010.

Translating her excitement for the S 1000

98

RR to the customer base is part of Audrey’s role, and the best way to do so is to share the experience. “Our customers know the heritage of the RR and expect to put it through its paces. We do track days so that they can come into performance riding safely and in the right atmosphere. Once our RR owners experience the bike in its native environment, they know they have made a good choice, and they know they want to track again! We are just getting them started,” she said.

“It was really fine exactly the way they shipped it. That throttle…holy cow.”

Audrey trailed off a bit after taking customer, friend and control rider Michael Flener's highly modified 2010 S 1000 RR out for a test ride. “Greenie” was the first demo bike BMW SEM received for the launch and was quickly scooped up by Michael, a long-time track and GS rider. After six years of tuning and customization to Mike’s riding style, it's not only a completely

different bike, but also reveals the depth of the changes and improvements BMW made to the motorcycle through the past six model years. Audrey’s list of preferences includes the new model’s clutch, throttle behavior and electronic suspension controls. Tuning flexibility on all axes continues to make the S 1000 RR an excellent option for many riders.

Conversation between those riders nearly always results in a discussion of Grattan's Turn 3, a downhill, off-camber, blind left-hander that brings to mind the old Karousel on the Nordschleife. Motorcycle riders have an advantage over car drivers with significantly better visibility of the racing surface. It's nerve-wracking until you learn to trust the track to be there for you. Love it or hate it, it's Grattan's signature turn.

Alice and Chris McCardell came out to the track on her 2016 R 1200 RS and his 2010 F 650 GS twin. Both were scholarship

Michael Flener removes a tire warmer from Greenie.

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

but she preferred an environment that the track day was the perfect way to learn winners through the MOA Foundation. focused on smoothness and skill rather the limits of the new bike and rider combiAlice noted that the process was a bit rough than outright speed. A high point was nation quickly and safely, as well as an effecto start, but after contacting the Foundalearning to roll on the throttle and discovertive way to bond with her new motorcycle tion, it was a very straightforward process ing how staying on the gas can smooth out before the trip. to apply for the Paul B. Scholarship. The a curve that otherFoundation paid the wise would have not fees directly to BMW WITH THE MOA FOUNDATION BACKING THEM, THE gone well. “It's a chalSEM, easing a bit of the financial impact TRACK DAY WAS THE PERFECT WAY TO LEARN THE LIMITS lenging track, so are many ways on the Dearborn couOF THE NEW BIKE AND RIDER COMBINATION QUICKLY there to push myself. Each ple, as the trip to Grattan is best couAND SAFELY, AS WELL AS AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO BOND corner is another chance to explore the pled with a sleep-over WITH HER NEW MOTORCYCLE BEFORE THE TRIP. bike. We might have so as to be fresh for to do this again!” the event. grinned Alice. Chris nodded enthusiasti“I really trust my bike now,” said Alice. “I Alice and Chris were preparing for a trip cally and noted that he's been with his bike had no idea what it was capable of. I mean, to the Blue Ridge Parkway and wanted to for a while now, and he also gained confiI know that it's a capable bike, but now I expand their skills. Prior to purchasing the dence and reached a comfort level that he have a whole new level of understanding of new R, Alice rode an F 650 GS twin like didn't previously have. “I'm more ready for how far I can push it when I need to. I have Chris’s. Both have been riding curvy roads this trip. I am going to be able to take all of a new level of understanding of what I can for a while, but Alice was concerned about this to the road to improve as a rider in do now.” The opportunity to explore not the length of their upcoming BRP trip. general.” only the bike's range was important to her, With the MOA Foundation backing them,

Audrey said, “It was exciting to be recognized by BMW for my riding skill and to get on track with Keith Code and the RR before anyone else. The superbike that had been missing from the BMW lineup was finally here, in my hands and was everything I'd hoped for.”

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

99

www.britishmotorcyclegear.com +61 3 9747 2379

www.compassexpeditions.com

www.nextadvwealth.com

www.bikersaddles.com

Join the BMW MOA FACEBOOK page today! Get the MOA Newsfeed via Twitter for more BMW and motorcycle news – www.twitter.com/bmwmoa

100

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

www.corbin.com

www.bmwusa.com/pds

August 2016â&#x20AC;&#x192; BMW OWNERS NEWS

101

You rode through a construction site on a brand new set of tires!

This could definitely ruin your ride. But not if you have the MOAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Platinum Roadside Assistance and Tire Protection membership. With 24/7 Roadside Assistance, you could be towed to a repair facility and have your tire replaced for free! All for only $79 a year, including your MOA membership.

Join online at www.bmwmoa.org bmwmoa.org or convert your current BMW MOA membership by calling 864-438-0962. BMW MOA Platinum Roadside and Tire Protection. Another great benefit of your BMW MOA membership.

OVERSEAS SPEEDOMETER

www.rentalaska.com RentAlaska.com

100 Wallis Drive • Austin, TX 78746

Specializing in BMW Motorcycle Rentals since 1994

R-Bikes • K-Bikes

www.guarddogmoly.com

800-444-0292 www.speedometer.com www.speedometer.com

Alaska Motorcycle Adventures

(907) 376-4513

www.motoskiveez.com www.perumotors.com

www.sargentcycle.com

www.legalspeeding.com

www.tourbikes.com

American Made Deerskin Gloves Soft as silk, tough as nails.

The incomparable Lee Parks Design DeerSports gloves provide iconic good looks, legendary durability, and world-class performance and comfort. See for yourself how the same gloves are just as at home leading the International Iron Butt Rally as they are winning the WERA National Endurance Championship. It’s no wonder so many pairs are still on the road with 5–10 years of adventures behind them. Feel the difference American hand-craftsmanship makes on your next ride. !"

800.943.5638 •leeparksdesign.com www.leeparksdesign.com

www.throttlemeister.com

info@wilbersusa.com

Beemerboneyard.com www.beemerboneyard.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

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

www.motoworkshighlights.com

ORDER ONLINE 24/7 – M/C, Visa, Discover, Paypal 973.775.3495 M‐F 12‐5PM

E DO TH LS! L E NEW D

Rally for a Reason Wisconsin BMW Motorrad Club

September 9-11, 2016 46 Annual Wisconsin Dells BMW Motorcycle Rally th

www.beadrider.com

www.wiscbmwclub.com New Location: -Camp Wawbeek-Wisconsin Dells, WI • www.WISCBMWCLUB.COM A portion of your rally fee supports Easter Seals Camp Wawbeek.

www.ceebaileys.com/cycle

Join the BMW MOA FACEBOOK page today! Get the MOA Newsfeed via Twitter for more BMW and motorcycle news – www.twitter.com/bmwmoa

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

105

Making riding safety cool

By Lee Parks #162125

106

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

US Motorcycle Sales by Year 1992-2015 Includes: Dual Sport, Off Road, Street, Scooter 1,200,000.00 1,100,000.00 1,000,000.00 900,000.00 800,000.00 700,000.00 600,000.00 500,000.00 400,000.00 300,000.00 200,000.00

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

0.00

1996

100,000.00 1995

A:

When it comes to motorcycle danger, the numbers tell us some of the story, and the rest of the picture must be drawn with some deductive reasoning. According to NHTSA, “motorcycles comprise only 3 percent of registered vehicles and less than 1 percent of vehicle miles traveled (VMT). Despite their limited presence, motorcycles currently account for nearly 15 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities. This percentage has grown in recent years. Motorcyclist fatalities rose between 1975 and 1980, and then declined steadily to a low of 2,116 in 1997. Fatalities began to rise in 1998 and increased by 151 percent (2,116–5,312) through 2008. Since then (2009–2014), the average annual number of motorcyclist fatalities has been 4,644. During the 1997–2014 timeframe, motorcyclists’ share of total motor vehicle deaths rose from 5 percent to 14 percent.” As far as fatalities go, this makes motorcycle riding 27 times more dangerous than driving a car per mile ridden!

One of the things I do to help better manage the danger of riding is volunteer as a Consulting Motorcycle Expert to the National Motorcycle Institute (NMI). NMI is a nonprofit think-tank, research organization and safety advocacy group. Its mission is

WebBikeWorld.com. You will notice the “boom years” of 2004–2005 when nearly 1.1 million motorcycles were reported sold in the U.S. This had a lot to do with the housing bubble when many Americans (including yours truly) used the rising equity of their homes as their bank. This allowed folks to take cash out and buy things like motorcycles.

When the housing bubble burst, there was a similar crash in new bike sales, exactly as one would expect. Figure 2 shows the total of what NHTSA calls “Motorcycle Driver Fatalities” from 1991–2014. Motorcycle “Drivers” is NHTSA-speak for the person operating the vehicle, and does not include deaths to passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, car drivers, etc. The reason I think this is a good way to look at danger is because limiting the fatalities to “drivers” allows us to look at the success rate of licensing programs from state to state.

Licensing programs include rider training (the major contributor to new licensed riders by way of a “license waiver” offered for successful completion of a riding course).

They also include DMV testing and to a somewhat lesser extent, contributions by law enforcement and the judicial branch of government.

to reduce the fatality rate and the morbidity (disabling injury) rate for motorcyclists. To help better understand the “Societal Danger” that motorcycling represents, NMI has put together its DangerOmeter. (http:// www.motorcycleinstitute.org/docs/data/ dangerometer/dangerometer-by-rank.pdf) The NMI DangerOmeter is a weighted fatality rate that allows us to rank the states.

We use All Fatalities per Population to model Societal Danger. The DangerOmeter rank is set by using the current four year (2011–2014) averages of the All-Fatalities Motorcycle per Population (AFMC/Pop) rate and weights these with the All-Fatalities Passenger Vehicle per Population (AFPV/Pop) current averages. The results are then sorted from low to high and the state is assigned its number, from 1 to 50.

To try to understand the relative danger of motorcycling as well as why some states are more dangerous than others requires analyzing lots of data and making some informed hypotheses that can be tested. As a start, we can all agree that the more riders in the population, the more fatalities we can expect. Even if the percentages of fatalities goes down, the raw numbers may still go up. In Figure 1, you can see the new motorcycle sales in the U.S. as reported by

1994

My friends and I occasionally argue about how dangerous motorcycles actually are.

As an experienced motorcyclist, I feel safer on my bike with its excellent maneuverability than I do in my car. Can you shed any light on who is right?

1993

Q:

1992

skills

askapro

5,000 4,500

Total Motorcycle Driver Fatalities

4,000 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000

2014

2013

2011

2012

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

1996

1995

1994

1993

1992

1991

500

This simple chart indicates there is a problem with managing the danger of driving motorcycles in the USA. MotorcycleInstitute.org

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

107

SUSPENSION

732-786-9777 www.epmperf.com

The best return on investment:

Mono shocks • Twin shocks • ESA shocks Replacement springs for OEM shocks Lowering springs for OEM shocks Steet-Box • Telelever-Box • Steering Damper

New and substantially reduced prices until further notice

USA TMDF

Total Motorcycle Driver Fatalities

www.epmperf.com

USA Total Motorcycle Driver Fatalities changed from 2000 per year to 4000 per year

• OEM standard shocks leaking and not rebuildable?

• OEM ESA shocks are leaking and not rebuildbale?

• Need new springs for OEM ESA or NON ESA shocks?

• Your are tip-toing and want to lower the ride height?

• You have an older bike and need new suspension on a budget? - Call the experts at EPM performance

To understand the first point let’s compare two states which had extremely high and low training and fatality rates this year.

Florida had a “record” year of 550 motorcycle fatalities—an increase of 100 fatalities from 2014. Florida has the second largest training program in the country (behind only California) and is one of the few with mandatory beginner rider training to get a license. Florida trained more new riders in 2015 than in any previous year.

By contrast, due primarily to program management changes, Indiana trained approximately 33 percent fewer riders in 2015 compared to 2014 and had a 17 percent decrease in fatalities (21 fewer deaths). This is with the same curriculum but significantly less training available.

As you may have previously read in BMW Owners News, in my state of California we had a complete change in management, standards, curriculum and philosophy of training last year. The new philosophy includes being honest with prospective students about the danger and difficulty of riding, and the importance of follow-on training and wearing protective

As you can see, the total of Motorcycle Driver Fatalities has just about doubled, from 2000 to 4000 in the last decade!

Unfortunately, even though sales are significantly down from the boom years, fatalities have continued to stay at extremely high levels. In fact, with the latest data now coming in from the Governors Highway Safety Association, there was another 10 percent average increase in motorcycle fatalities in 2015 nationwide. The good news is there were some interesting outliers I’d like to look at.

For many years I have postulated that the more beginner rider training a state does, the higher the fatality rates will be. I believe this is due to three factors: 1) Increasing the total rider population, 2) The kinds of incentives that state programs initiate to attract the wrong kind of riders, and 3) Lower quality training/standards versus countries like Germany, Japan and England.

With my company currently the program manager and curriculum vendor for California, these factors weigh heavily on my mind, and we have gone to great lengths to change the culture of safety in our state.

skills

askapro

riding gear. I’m proud to say we experienced the largest reduction of fatalities in the country—38 fewer deaths—for a 7 percent decrease in the first year.

We are the only state besides Idaho that requires motorcycle instructors to wear a motorcycle-specific (or any other type) of jacket as part of their protective gear any time the students see them riding. This includes riding to and from the range as well as riding to any demonstrations. We feel it is hypocritical and sends a mixed message to talk about the importance of riding gear if the instructors don’t practice what they preach. Actions always speak louder than words. We also trained a record number of civilian instructors and students in the state in intermediate and advanced training courses on their own bikes.

What makes this even more remarkable is that this all happened the same year total traffic safety fatalities (including cars, trucks, busses, etc.) in California increased 4 percent, according to the National Safety Council. This means the relative

societal danger of riding became significantly safer compared to previous years.

And we have plenty more safety initiatives that have us working closer with DMV, law enforcement and the judicial system to decrease fatalities even further.

Of course, I’m the first to admit that rider training is only one piece of the safety puzzle and that rider behavior is influenced by many factors. Similarly, one-year fluctuations mean less than three-plus year trends, so stay tuned for more data as it becomes available.

Unfortunately, the incentives issue has caused many state programs to increase beginner training numbers (the worst possible metric) by lowering the barrier to entry to our sport by either offering free or heavily subsidized beginner rider training, or not being honest about the dangers and difficulty of riding. I don’t think state motorcycle safety programs should be in the business of “promoting” the sport.

That’s the job of private business and tourism bureaus. Rather, they should be brutally honest with prospective riders, spend their resources promoting follow-on training for existing riders on their own bikes, and pay more than lip service to lifelong learning.

www.motomachines.com

108

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

The military did just that in 2009 by making follow-on and refresher training a requirement and saw between 37 and 61 percent reductions in fatalities, depending on the service.

We can do the same, but it’s going to take organizations like BMW MOA to be the opinion leaders in our riding communities and make safety cool so the others will embrace it. Perhaps only then will motorcycle riding begin to get anywhere near as statistically safe as driving a car.

Lee Parks (162125) has been riding and racing motorcycles for well over 33 years. He has been the editor of both consumer and trade motorcycle magazines, manufacturers his own line of motorcycle gloves and is a WERA national endurance champion. His riding skills book Total Control has sold over 100,000 copies in five languages around the world. Lee’s Total Control Training company manages—and is the curriculum vendor for—the California Motorcyclist Safety Program as well as several large military contracts. If you have a question you’d like to him to answer in this column, send him an email at lee@totalcontroltraining.net.

www.coloradomotorcycleadventures.com

GOT BENT?

go to MC WHEEL REPAIR

Repairing wheels since 1996 Now in sunny Tucson, AZ 888-629-4335 www.mcwheel.com www.mcwheel.com Our work is guaranteed

www.re-psycle.com 11

11

www.ztechnik.com

www.rockycreekdesigns.com

August 2016â&#x20AC;&#x192; BMW OWNERS NEWS

109

skills

RIDEWELL

Riding with family: The value of communication when touring

By Marven Ewen #150506 I

OCCASIONALLY

have the pleasure to tour with my two sons. It seems we alternate yearly on which one is available to ride with me.

In addition to the opportunity to have one­ -on-­ one bonding time for a week or two, I also get to see the perspective of a younger rider and tend to learn about myself as well.

These trips involve some compromises because of our age differences: I like to get up early and they like to sleep in. I don’t mind a tent, but they like hotels. I plot every Starbucks on the route. They don’t care about coffee but generously indulge my habit, even if it means standing by in rural North Dakota as I try to brew coffee at a rest stop in the rain.

In the early days we relied on hand signals to communicate. Usually I ride lead, frequently checking on the status of my son in my rearview mirrors. Did he get around that truck okay? Is he still there? I lost him once for a while in Duluth. I made it through an intersection and merged onto the freeway only to discover he was no longer behind me. I assumed the light changed before he was able to go through. I pulled over and waited and waited and…just when I was about to take the next exit back, I saw him merging onto the freeway.

Just as I thought, he had been held up by a traffic light.

On another occasion, in western Montana, my son thought he would like to lead for a while. Unfortunately he turned right when he should have

110

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

gone left. We were headed east instead of west. I tooted my horn and flashed my high beams but he didn’t notice. I followed him for five miles on this busy undivided road before there was a break in the traffic which allowed me to overtake him and pull over. I was starting to think there had to be a better way to communicate.

things. I enjoyed hearing my son laugh as we pulled away into Northern Ontario, repeating what the Canadian Border guard had just said: “Watch out for those bears, eh!”

Bluetooth communication has become an important component in my “armamentarium of risk mitigation.” For my

The following year, we started to use Bluetooth rider­-to­-rider communication devices. The judicious use of this technology to communicate has transformed our experience on these trips. Knowing each other’s status and having the ability to warn each other of potential risks brings peace of mind.

It can also be pretty entertaining. On a recent trip to Canada we had a nice discussion with the Canadian Border Guard about wildlife on the road, among other

sons, learning to tour on a motorcycle is a lesson in responsibility. Overall, these trips have been very memorable for us, and my sons are confident, safe riders and drivers.

In fact, now my daughter has surprised me by saying she wants to take a motorcycle training course. She has never expressed an interest in riding a motorcycle. Now she lives on her own in the big city and says she wants to be a better driver. The confidence and character building results of our trips have not gone unnoticed.

5th New io n!

Edit

www.gsmmotorent.com

bike log Baroody’s

All your motorcycle info in one place

$13.00

585-381-3841

www.bikelog.com FREE SHIPPING!www.bikelog.com

www.mysafetyfast.com/info

Slipscreen 1200GS/A _cool when it’s hot _easy swap

www.machineartmoto.com

www.ventureheat.com/11-power-sports

d t e n a n r s o l h e e a h f I wo w mph, it . t s 5 i d 7 h 1 a h ld go like t cou ld look wou

It’s big. It’s bad. And it’s up for grabs.

112

It is the 2016 BMW S1000XR Pikes Peak edition custom built by our friends at Twisted Throttle. Your MOA Foundation is awarding this incredible machine to one lucky winner. www.bmwmoaf.org Buy your raffle tickets now at bmwmoaf.org. Tickets are $25 each or five for $100. Buy as many as you want.

Deadline: September 30, 2016. The joyful, celebratory shouts of one lucky winner: October 15, 2016.

Raffle proceeds go to your MOA Foundation for rider safety, F O U N D AT I O N education and training programs.

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

hit the links sporting MOA gear

Nike Dri Fit White Pebble Texture Sport Shirt ‘MOA’ In these Nike Golf styles, an understated pebble texture meets high performance moisture wicking from Dri-Fit fabric that’s designed to keep you comfortably dry. Contrast Swoosh design trademark is embroidered on the left sleeve $41.01 and up MOA Ladies SoftStyle Junior Fitted Navy Tee Luxuriously soft to the touch and exceptionally comfortable, this lightweight tee is irresistible when you just want to relax, indoors or out. $12.45 and up

Black Heavyweight Twill Pro Style Hat ‘MOA Letters Only’ Classic and relaxed, this pro style hat offers a laid-back medium profile and a flexible fit that will compliment any casual fashion look. $14.82 Nike Power Distance Golf Balls 12/pkg ‘MOA’ The perfect treat for a golfer - also great for promotions or trade show giveaways! 4 sleeves of 3 golf balls (12/pkg) $27.28

Order online at bmwmoa.org www.bmwmoa.org www.bmwmoa.org

lifestyle

highmileage

High Mileage Honor Roll

By Jim Heberling #191926 PLEASE CONGRAT-

ulate the following BMW MOA members who recently reached new mileage levels and have had their names added to the BMW MOA High Mileage Honor Roll.

Thank you to Mike, Michael, Sid and Chris for sharing their stories.

100,000 miles

Michael Waybright Chris Marshall Mike Valentin Dale Geske Sid Welch

300,000 miles Philip Gendron

Mike Valentin, 100,000 miles, began riding when he was five years old as a pillion on his uncle’s scooter in San Juan, Puerto Rico. His passion for riding grew, and in 2003 he bought his first BMW, an F 650 GT which was followed by an R 1200 RT and then a 2009 K 1300 GT. Valentin lists rides through the Rockies, to Cape Bretton and to California as some of his favorites, but his most memorable was a ride through Montana in 2015 which included

114

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

visiting Glacier National Park where he enjoyed sights of incredible scale and beauty. “You simply can’t help feeling blessed at those times,” he said. “I’m hoping for a repeat performance this year while heading up to the Hamburg rally on my new 2016 R 1200 RT.” Michael Waybright, 100,000 miles, bought his first motorcycle in 1977 while living in Germany. He rode the 1972 Triumph Bonneville 650 bike for two years.

After that, he moved to a Honda 250 and then a Kawasaki 700 LTD before picking up his first BMW, a 1986 K 100 RT, which he rode until buying his current bike, a 2005 R 1200 RT. Waybright says he’s had a lot of memorable rides but believes the best would be the two trips he made through the Alps when he was living in Germany in the 1980s. “The sheer beauty of the landscape and the number of motorcyclists I encountered in my travels through that part of the world will always be engraved in my memory,” he said. “I have longed to make a return visit and spend an extended amount of time traveling through Europe on a motorcycle.”

Sid Welch, 100,000 miles, bought his first motorcycle when he was 18 and has been riding for most of the past 42 years on various brands. His first BMW was a 2000 K 1200 LT, and he also owns a 1975 R 90/6.

One of Welch’s favorite rides was in the fall of 2002 when he and his daughter

began taking fall rides. Their first ride together took them from Wise, Virginia, to Waynesville, North Carolina, along Route 209 to Bristol, Tennessee and then back to Wise. They’ve continued their tradition almost every year, and now Welch’s son joins them, riding his own bike.

Chris Marshal, 100,000 miles, began riding BMWs aboard a 1995 K 75 he purchased in 2000. Marshall recalls many fond memories of the rallies he’s attended and the long rides he’s taken, but the one he puts on the top of his list was a ride he made with his son Kevin.

With Kevin riding behind him, they crossed nine states, singing nonstop for days on end. They went from Chicago to Front Royal, Virginia, and then down the entire length of both Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway, through Smoky Mountain National Park, and north through the Tail of the Dragon to Kentucky before heading home with one last stop at Mammoth Caves.

“I can’t even begin to tell you how happy we both were to have that memory, along with so many other rally rides to both MOA Nationals and other state club events.

That wonderful bike still takes me to Deals Gap for coffee; however, now it competes for riding time with my 2014 R 1200 RT-LC,” Marshal said. “Many thanks to all the MOA people and all the state chapters who made our journeys so very special for us!”

PALO ALTO SPEEDOMETER

DMC Sidecars

Expert repair of Motometer and VDO Speedometers, Tachometers, Clocks

Quartz clock repair and conversion.

Custom color face conversion.

http://www.paspeedo.com www.paspeedo.com 718 Emerson Street Palo Alto, CA 94301-2410 www.streeteagle.com

Tel: 650-323-0243 Fax: 650-323-4632

SIDECARS – MOUNTS – HITCHES

866-638-1793

www.dmcsidecars.com dmcsidecars.com

Enumclaw, WA USA

www.bmca.com/moa

www.calif-motorcyclerental.com www.nomartirechanger.com

www.kermitchair.com

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

115

lifestyle 116

jacktheriepe

Ripped apart by the “R” crowd at Das Rally!

By Jack Riepe #116117

BY THE TIME THE

gentle BMW rider reads these words, it is likely that I will already be dead.

Not from the exotic diseases that have wracked my body since the close of last year...Not at the hands of acquaintances I made while in the Brazilian Witness Protection Program (where I was placed as a piano player in a house of ill repute)...

And not from the occasional run-in with former spouses, who are driven to madness at the mere mention of my name... But torn apart by the mob at the recent MOA rally in Hamburg, New York...Ripped into still-writhing pieces by a howling pack of iconic “R” bike riders out for blood.

And why?

Is it because I dare to put the motorcycle in perspective as the most sensual machine ever devised by humankind? Is it because I translate riding’s most humanistic aspects—speed and the need to procreate—into common understanding and logic? Is it because that guy in Wisconsin, who really hates my writing, gained traction among bloodthirsty cheesers?

No. It is because I was compelled to speak out for my own kind: the true Teutonic unicorn riders of the world; those who understand mechanical perfection; those who seek the purity of speed and the balance of raw power—“K” bike riders. On the second day of “Das Rally,” I launched the “Secret K Bike Club,” a vapor-like group of riders whose identities are

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

not readily known to each other, and whose very existence has been reduced to near rumor within BMW riding circles. In standing up for this class of benignly neglected BMW riders, I set in motion a lupine-like response that would leave me a dead man.

Once regarded as the future of Germanic nomadic highway hoards, “K” bike riders briefly enjoyed recognition as devotees of “The Flying Brick,” as the early K 100s and the K 75s came to be known. But they were always out-whispered and out-conspiracyed by “R” bike riders. This is because the “R” bike has been around longer. Introduced in 4000 BC during the reign of Pharaoh Imo Hotep IV, the “R” bike has remained pretty much the same since then.

Various cooling systems have been tried during the last 6000 years, creating three subclasses: “Airheads,” “Oilheads” and the latest water-based mutation, “Fish Heads.”

(At least one of these groups remains a powerful force in BMW moto circles, with their own meetings and undisclosed mechanical rituals, several of which seem to involve farm animals.)

Previously venerated “K” bikers have been driven into oblivion. Once easily identified by vast herds of K 75s, whose collective whines deafened those five miles distant, these seldom-seen riders now slink from shadow to shadow, dodging anything with cylinders poking out the sides. And what’s their crime? A barely-controllable passion for two-wheeled machinery that pushes performance to unimaginable limits.

Since 1985, “K” bike engines have gone through more positions than a sideshow contortionist. Their engines have been flattened, slanted, bent and miniaturized to the current configuration, which boasts six cylinders in a case the size of a Zippo

lighter. Each change advances the bike an additional two or three hundred horsepower, requiring speedos that begin at 80 mph, and shifters that offer third through ninth gears only. This is in bold contrast to the basic design of the “R” bike’s horizontally opposed jugs, initially suggested by a cave painting of a Sumerian woman carrying water.

There is nothing iconic about the “K” bike. With square fairings, square headlamps, and square engines, the overall appeal of the early K 100s and K 75s was an acquired taste, like peanut butter on sushi.

The bike was so peculiar-looking that many riders assumed BMW “K” designers had unlisted phone numbers and worked independently of each other. It has been suggested, in “R” bike café society, that the K 75 is what you get when breeding giraffes with zebras. The style of these machines so taxes the eyes that it is easy to overlook they have the kind of flawless power curves usually associated with lingerie models.

The most beautiful “K’ bikes ever built were the 2004 K 1200 GTs, the machines that featured 50 horsepower for each elegantly executed French curve in a seemingly seamless fairing that could only be removed using Gandalf ’s staff. This situation was rectified by the K 1300, a bike so homely that it can be parked in a bad neighborhood with the keys in it and the engine running without fear of theft. It should be noted that the top speed of the K 1300 can only be calculated by using square roots and equations as long as the Blue Ridge Parkway. (I want one as soon as I can walk again.) Weighing in at 34,000 pounds (dry), the K 1600 combines the sophistication of interstellar space travel with visual design elements of the 1974 Buick Regal. (I want one of these, too, the bike not the Buick, for the day when I set off on my

Four Corner ride.)

I was a reluctant “K” bike rider, shanghaied into buying my first bike by friends who made me drink the Kool-Aid. Equipped with a Sprint fairing, I thought this bike so peculiar-looking that I attributed it to giving me constipation. (That ended the first time I went full throttle around a line of 12 trucks on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.) I became a “K” konvert. I read everything I could about “K” bikes. I learned that “K” bikes are a natural substitute for Viagra...That they prevent baldness... And that “K” bike riders have won more huge lotteries than any other category of riders. I started to hang around with the other “K” bike riders in the Mac-Pac (my local BMW MOA chartered club). In fact, I rode with both of them.

It was then that I began to experience the “R” bike bias. “R” bike riders are infatuated with mileage. An average day’s ride for these guys is New York to Yellowknife, at the end of which they will all be photographed with their odometers. They camp in malarial swamps and lick the condensation off their seats to stay alive. They are unimpressed with my stories of riding at 12,000 miles per hour and the challenges of ordering room service at 1 a.m. in five-star hotels. And while they never question me outright, they are constantly rolling their eyes.

“R” bike bias is now on the table. It is not even thinly disguised anymore. At a recent Mac-Pac breakfast, Peter F., a highly respected veterinarian and authority on hamsters, rolled in on a newly acquired “K1.” This flamboyantly painted machine was in mint condition, sporting the customary shrouded wheels and the unique lines of a dated racer. Obviously proud and thrilled with his new acquisition, Peter asked, “What kind of gear would

complement my new bike? Should I wear ballistic or leather?”

The response from the “R” crowd was that he should invest in polka dot pants, big floppy shoes, and little red rubber nose.

Even I thought that was a bit obvious, though I disguised my pain for this man by covering my face with a napkin.

I have had enough. I have declared a new “Secret K Bike Club,” complete with a secret sign, secret rules, and a secret tee shirt. You can ask any “K” bike rider who was in the beer tent at Das Rally where I laid out the concept for details. (They are pledged not to say anything.) Our manifesto is simple: We demand equal exposure. When was the last time you saw a “K” bike on the cover of this magazine? When was the last time a “K” bike was offered for raffle? When was the last time you read about a “K” bike adventure, in which faltering hotel air conditioning or slow WiFi nearly claimed a life? That has to change. Who is with me?

Ride a “K” bike and want “in?” Want a tee shirt? Let me know.

www.fingerlakesbmw.org

Jack Riepe is still working out deals with surgeons and publishers. He plans to resume walking in the fall and riding in 2017. The “Doucheville” revision of Conversations With A Motorcycle is progressing nicely, and now offers a map of rides mentioned in the book. Chapters regarding the history of New Jersey douches are followed by personal notes from the author and “Frequently Asked Questions” by readers. To reserve your autographed book, email your name and address to jack.riepe@gmail.com. Please put “book reservation” in the subject line.

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

117

www.alaskaleather.com

lifestyl 118

Rally for a Reason!

By Heidi Goehring #181764 I HAD NEVER BEEN TO A RALLY

before. I didn’t own a motorcycle. I didn’t even ride a motorcycle. So I was a bit surprised when my BMW MOA motorcycling brother suggested my daughter and I go with him to the Wisconsin Dells Rally, hosted by the Wisconsin BMW Club. That was in 2002, the first year it was being held at the Chula Vista Resort in the lovely Wisconsin Dells.

His reasoning was simple. I needed a getaway. The resort has a waterpark, and the club has a Kiddie Carnival, ample things to keep my 11-year-old occupied. My brother also rattled off all the things that were included with the rally fee: Friday and Saturday night meals, 24/7 beverages (nonalcoholic of course), fruit and donuts in the morning, live music, beer tent, yadda-yadda-yadda, and the fact that they were letting us pitch tents on the lawn. It was quite cost effective—so we were off!

I was a little concerned at first. You see, my daughter Mariah also has Down syndrome. I didn’t know how a group of bikers would respond to a young lady with special needs. But the BMW community embraced

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

her—more than at some events I’d taken her to over the years that were supposed to be for people with different abilities. Anyhow, it was an awesome weekend, and I got the motorcycling bug.

While attending the rally, I also discovered Camp Wawbeek—an Easter Seals camp located right there in the Dells about 2.5 miles away from Chula Vista. I did a little homework and started sending my daughter to various camp offerings there.

Every time I pick her up, she doesn’t want to leave. She absolutely loves this camp and the amazing, caring staff and volunteers who keep the oldest Easter Seals camp in the nation running. But I digress...

The following year we came back to the Wisconsin Dells Rally. This time I had a motorcycle license and was riding a 1995 Ural with my daughter in the sidecar. In 2010, I upgraded to a 1991 BMW R 100 R with a sidecar. (I say upgraded because the older BMW actually allows me to keep up to speed with traffic.) We haven’t missed this rally in 14 years, truly enjoy all the friendships we’ve made and always look forward to welcoming the new “rally virgins.” Somewhere during that time, I became an MOA member, too.

Changes started in 2016. The site location was just not working out for either the club or the resort. A move was called for and I

received an interesting phone call in January from Ambassador Brian Manke, rally chair.

Brian is a good friend and has learned quite a bit about Mariah over the years.

Thus, he knew about the camp and how much she enjoys it. He started asking about the Easter Seals location and amenities on the site. I shared with him what I knew and told him I’d place a call into the camp director, who is also a good friend. That phone call went something like this: Me: Hi Carrissa! You know Mariah and I have been attending the BMW Dells Rally for years now, and they’ve got a situation.

We are wondering if there would be an option of moving our rally to Camp Wawbeek?

Carrissa: That would be great! What are the dates your looking at?

Me: September 9-11.

Carrissa: (getting excited) That’s an open weekend! How many people are we talking?

Me: They’re planning for 400, hoping for five.

Carrissa: (sigh) We only have beds for 200.

Me: No, no, no! We camp! How much space for tents?

Carrissa: (perking up) We have 400 acres!

We continued to discuss options. We can

use the buildings we need for registration, hospitality, vendors, and the dining hall for our meals. Plus bathroom facilities with showers! For those that don’t want to camp, this year’s rally is offering bedroll space at steal-of-a-deal pricing.

I returned the call to Brian, shared the news, and put him in contact with Carrissa.

He set up a date and time for him, the club president, and two other Wisconsin club members to get a tour of the camp, and they were IM-PRESSED. They began work on the contract, working out details like storage space for their rally supplies, etc.

The New Dells Rally location is Easter Seals Camp Wawbeek! We are Rallying for a Reason!

Easter Seals Wisconsin provides support services for those with disabilities as well as our veterans. They offer respite opportunities for caregivers, provide vocational training, consult with the Wisconsin Department of Vocational Resources and have numerous camping and programming options for those with special needs. This is a nonprofit organization that truly uses their resources to support those differently-abled vs. big salaries for administrators.

You can’t believe how beautiful this camp is! Four hundred acres of pristine woods around some clearings and buildings! Rally central is bigger than a football field. There are trails to ride and walking paths to admire all Mother Nature has to offer. It’s like a national park!

If you haven’t been to the Dells rally in a while, you might just want to give it a try this year. $10 of every registration fee goes straight to Easter Seals Campership Fund— providing scholarships for those less fortunate.

If you want to get a bunk in a dorm, it’s $10/night/person—try finding a hotel for $20. There are also a few small group rooms available at the same price. All money raised from bedroll space goes directly to Easter Seals general camp fund to maintain the facility.

Find rally information in the “When and Where” section of this ON, or visit www. wiscbmwclub.com.

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

119

www.bmwmcsem.com

www.powerlet.com

www.cyclepump.com

event

WHENANDWHERE

15 50

25 10

Email your event information to editor@bmwmoa.org

3

33

9 27

6

48

4

20 34 58 41 16

43 14 28

7

30

5 47

45 54 13

26

62 Map courtesy of

59

120

BMW OWNERS NEWSâ&#x20AC;&#x192; August 2016

61

August 1

60

57

23

37

39

19

51

1 40

17

38

18 2

11

44

36 42

24

8

46

49

31

8/5/2016 – 8/7/2016

North Coast Campout

Location: Sandusky, Ohio Contact: Delbert S. 419-206-6749 beemerdude57@hotmail.com Low key fun at the Crystal Rock Campground with the BMW Riders of Toledo. Tent or RV camping with Friday night chili and Saturday potluck dinner.

8/5/2016 – 8/7/2016

Valley BMW Riders Camp Out

Location: Kaslo, British Columbia, Canada Contact: Gary Smith, judosmith@telus.net 250-766-3192 This is a no-host camping event so come on out to enjoy the group, enjoy the camaraderie of other riders as well as enjoying some of the best scenery and riding in the Province.

53

35

56

2

3

22 29

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.

21 12

8/5/2016 – 8/7/2016

32

52

4

8/5/2016 – 8/11/2016

BMW Camping for Those Going to Sturgis

Detailed information for all events is available online at: bmwmoa.org

Location: Hot Springs, South Dakota Contact: Jeff Ecker, 678-622-1089 hodakajeff@yahoo.com Group camping area available for BMW and like minded enthusiasts at the “Allen Ranch campground” just one half mile out of Hot Springs, South Dakota on highway 18.

5 55

8/6/2016

17th Annual 100,000 Foot Ride

Location: Morrison, Colorado Contact: Carl Thomte rcarloski@msn.com The 100,000 Foot Ride combines some of the best motorcycle roads and stunning scenery Colorado has to offer and includes both paved and dirt routes with the total mileage

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

121

event

whenandwhere

for either route being less than 500 miles. For more information and to register online visit www.bmwmcc. org.

6

8/11/2016 – 8/14/2016

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.

7

8/12/2016 – 8/14/2016

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

Rally

8/12/2016 – 8/14/2016

39th Annual Daniel Boone

Location: Boone, North Carolina 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.

9

8/18/2016 – 8/21/2016

17th Beartooth Rendezvous

Location: Red Lodge, Montana Contact: Gary Smith, registrar@ beartoothbeemers.org or call 406-259-4927.

122

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

Join us at the Lions Camp, ten miles south of Red Lodge, Montana. Ample camping and cabins available with a mountain stream nearby.

10

8/18/2016 – 8/21/2016

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.

11

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 BMW rally in North America, in Scenic Western, Pennsylvania.

12

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!

13

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.”

14

8/19/2016 – 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, mindbending, 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

15

8/25/2016 – 8/28/2016

Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Adventure Travellers Event Location: Panorama Resort Naksup, British Columbia Canada Contact: Grant & Susan Johnson susan@horizonsunlimited.com Whether you’re a seasoned veteran with wisdom to share or a complete novice hungry for ideas and guidance, Horizons Unlimited Meetings are for everyone who dreams of adventure along the road less traveled.

16

8/26/2016 – 8/28/2016

MOA Getaway Monterey

Location: Monterey, California Contact: Jackie Hughes, (864) 438-0962 To celebrate 100 years of BMW, the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America will host a special Premier Getaway this August in beautiful Monterey, California.

17

8/26/2016 – 8/28/2016

6th Annual BMW Vintage Bike Days Location: Owosso, Michigan Contact: Shawn Davis 517-290-5898 skimedic9632@yahoo.com This year the event moves from the farm to Downtown Owosso. Featuring vintage and cafe style bikes.

18

8/26/2016 – 8/28/2016

20th Galena Campout

Location: Galena, Illinois Contact: Douglas Rost 847-217-9194 illinoisbmwriders@gmail.com Set amongst the beautiful rolling hills of Northern Illinois, just minutes from the mighty Mississippi River is the family friendly Palace Campgrounds.

September 19

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.

9/2/2016 – 9/5/2016

20 Range of Light Gypsy Tour Location: Orland, California Contact: rolchair@bmwnorcal.org Range of Light Gypsy Tour BMW Club of Northern California MOA #9 Sponsored by the BMW Club of Northern California, it’s a traveling tour! Joins us on the best riding and camping tour in the West.

21

9/3/2016 – 9/5/2016

36th BMW Club Quebec Rally

Location: L’Ange-Gardien, Quebec, Canada Contact: www.bmw-club-quebec.org Come and discover the beautiful region of Outaouais, near Ottawa, the capital city of Canada. The program includes rides for street and GS bikes, presentations, a hot air balloon festival in Gatineau, tour of downtown Ottawa and Byward Market, get together for dinner in the evening and much more.

22

www.bmwmcnj.com www.bluerimtours.com

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.

23

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

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

123

www.bmwmcmag.com

event

whenandwhere

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.

24

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 in the area.

25

9/9/2016 – 9/11/2016

Valley BMW Riders Camp Out

Location: Midway, British Columbia Contact: Gary Smith, 250-766-3192 judosmith@telus.net This is a no-host camping event so come on out to meet other riders and enjoy the stories and tales of their experiences.

26

9/9/2016 – 9/11/2016

Bavarian Mountain Weekend Location: Sipapu, New Mexico Contact: David Hudson rally@ loebmwr.org or call 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.

27

9/9/2016 – 9/11/2016

Wisconsin Dells Rally

Location: Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin Contact: Sharon Ernest or Brian Manke, 2016dellsrally@gmail.com The Wisconsin BMW Club invites you to RALLY FOR A REASON, at our new location - Camp Wawbeek , an Easter Seals Camp located on HWY 13 Wisconsin Dells WI.

124

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

28

9/9/2016 – 9/11/2016

R100RS 40th Anniversary Rally & Gathering of the Tribes Location: Three Rivers, California Contact: vinceotter@prodigy.net or jwcov@ yahoo.com Come ride California’s fine Sierra. In conjunction with the ‘’Gathering of the Tribes’’ Rally, and a good dose of ABC camaraderie, all interested in Airheads are welcome.

Hotel, Camping, Showers, Restaurant facilities close by. See Airmail for more info.

9/9/2016 – 9/11/2016

29 Beemers in the Bluegrass Rally Location: Frankfort, Kentucky Contact: Roy Rowlett, kr4mo@yahoo.com Join Bluegrass Beemers for the 23rd annual mini rally located at scenic Stillwaters Campground on US 127 eight miles north of Frankfort, Kentucky.

9/9/2016 – 9/12/2016

30 2016 Colorado Motomarathon Location: Winter Park, Colorado Contact: John Metzger, 303-641-1062 The Motomarathon Association’s long-distance, motorcycle sport-touring format comes to the central Rocky Mountains September 9-12. The 2016 Colorado Motomarathon™ will loop all four days out of Winter Park Resort.

31

9/16/2016 – 9/18/2016

Klassic K Kampout IX

Location: Cruso, North Carolina Contact: Greg Hunt 864-357-8896 klassickbmw@gmail.com Come and enjoy the great riding around the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Very close to “The Dragon”, Cherohala Skyway, Shady Valley and too many other great roads to list. The rally is also very close to the Wheels Through Time Museum. For over 30 years the K bikes have been a reliable mainstay of the BMW motorcycle experience.

32

We are happy to invite you to the 7th Annual RIDE the BLUE RIDGE with the Knob Mountain NC Motorcycle Chapter (Knobbies). The rally site is Catawba Meadows Park in Morganton, NC. There is easy access to Interstate 40, and the best riding in the southeastern United States, including the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Snake, the Dragon, and many more roads that have not yet been “named”.

33

9/16/2016 – 9/18/2016

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.

34

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.

35

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.

9/16/2016 – 9/18/2016

7th Annual Ride the Blue Ridge

Location: Morgantown, North Carolina Contact: Gene Smith, 828-439-9754 rallymaster@knobbies.org

36

9/16/2016 – 9/18/2016

Dinky Dozen BMW Motorcycle Club Campout Location: Pontiac, Illinois Contact: Sharon Fulks

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

37

9/16/2016 – 9/18/2016

Tug Hill Tounout

Location: Lowville, New York Contact: John O’Hara 315-245-3453 blhawk2@gmail.com Please join Long Level Beemers at this unique, rustic park with its’ pristine waterfalls and river gorge a short hike from your campsite.

9/16/2016 – 9/18/2016

38 Gathering of the Clams Location: Wakefield, Rhode Island Contact: (Mr. Clam) Carl Saccoccio carlsaccoccio@verizon.net (401) 447-7114 Join us to celebrate our 23rd Club Anniversary at Camp Fuller YMCA on beautiful Great Salt Pond in Wakefield, Rhode Island 02879. Enjoy three days and two nights of ocean-side camping or sleep in a shared cabin (first 70 people) at no extra charge.

9/16/2016 – 9/18/2016

39 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.

40

9/16/2016 – 9/18/2016

Snappin’ Turtle Rally

Location: Barryvillef, New York Contact: Pat Restaino patrestaino@optonline.net For more information, visit www.bmwmcnj. com/snappinturtle/snappin2016.pdf

41

9/22/2016 – 9/25/2016

Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Adventure Travelers Event Location: Yosemite, California Contact: Grant & Susan Johnson susan@horizonsunlimited.com Whether you’re a seasoned veteran with wisdom to share or a complete novice hungry for ideas and guidance, Horizons Unlimited Meetings are for everyone who dreams of adventure along the road less traveled.

in the area.

46

9/30/2016 – 10/2/2016

2016 Rams Rally

Location: Parker’s Crossroads, Tennessee Contact: www.bmwrams.com/the-rams-rally The Rider’s Association of The Mid-South (The RAMS) invites you to join us for the RAMS Rally in Parker’s Crossroads, Tennessee.

9/30/2016 – 10/1/2016

9/23/2016 – 9/25/2016

42 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!

43

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.

9/23/2016 – 9/25/2016

44 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.

45

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

47 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.

48

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.

49

9/30/2016 – 10/2/2016

Tellico Mountain Rally

Location: Tellico Plains, Tennessee Contact: Greg Crays gsgrog@gmail.com 727-418-5452 Rally includes dinner on Friday and Saturday nights, bonfires both nights and numerous door prizes. Advance registration is $40 ($45 at the rally). Contact registrar Larry Myers at LDMYERS365@HUGHES.NET or 423-3095929. Rally registration form may be downloaded at: www.bmwroc.com.

50

9/30/2016 – 10/2/2016

Valley BMW Riders Camp Out

Location: Oroville, Washington Contact: Gary Smith, 250-766-3192

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

125

event

whenandwhere

judosmith@telus.net This is a no-host camping event so come on out to enjoy the group, enjoy the camaraderie of other riders and check out the beautiful venue.

51

Rally

9/30/2016 – 10/2/2016

24th Annual Purity Springs

October 10/6/2016 – 10/9/2016

Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Adventure Travellers Event Location: Stecoah, North Carolina Contact: Grant & Susan Johnson susan@horizonsunlimited.com Whether you’re a seasoned veteran with wisdom to share or a complete novice hungry for ideas and guidance, Horizons Unlimited Meetings are for everyone who dreams of adventure along the road less traveled.

53

10/7/2016 – 10/9/2016

Colonial Virginia Rally

Location: Lenexa, Virginia Contact: Carol Beals cebeals@gmail. com or call 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.

54

10/7/2016 – 10/9/2016

41st Falling Leaf Rally

Location: Potosi, Missouri

126

BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016

meal, beverages, camping and admission to the park.

November 11/4/2016 – 11/6/2016

10/13/2016 – 10/16/2016

Location: New Hampshire Contact: Tim Tregea ttregea@comcast.net You’re invited to join us for our “do nothing” rally in the White Mountains of NH where you can ride, share some laughs, make new friends and continue to dazzle your old friends with tales of your riding expertise. Visit our website at www.gsbmwr.org.

52

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.

55 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.

10/13/2016 – 10/16/2016

56 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.

57

10/14/2016 – 10/16/2016

BMW Touring Club of Detroit Color Tour Location: Interlochen, Michigan Contact: Mike Eckstein veep1@bmwtcd.org Join the TCD members in enjoying Michigan fall colors in beautful Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties. Take in the scenic roads on the Lake Michigan shoreline, or explore the extensive ORV trail system in the area with your ADV bikes.

59 46th Annual South Central BMW

Owners Reunion

Location: Fayetteville, Texas Contact: Nick Bell vp@bmwclubofhouston.com 713-818-0134 Enjoy guided road rides, social events, and dinners on Friday and Saturday night, breakfasts Saturday and Sunday. For details see the event web page at bmwclubofhouston.com/ cms/club-rally 11/5/2016 – 11/6/2016

60 Touring Club of Detroit 29th

Annual Edmund Fitzgerald Run

Location: East Tawas, Michigan Contact: Mike Eckstein veep1@bmwtcd.org Enjoy the brisk fall Michigan weather with this longstanding TCD tradition. Annual camp-out at Tawas Point State Park on Lake Huron. Saturday afternoon, ceremony on the shore to pay tribute to the 29 brave sailors lost from the Edumund Fitzgerald to the icy waters of Lake Superior.

61

Rally

11/11/2016 – 11/13/2016

15th Annual Cajun Swamp Scooter

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.

10/22/2016

58 OKTOBERFEST 2016!

Location: Herald, California Contact: John Vashon treasurer@bmwnorcal.org Join us for the BMW Club of Northern California’s annual Oktoberfest at the Rancho Seco Recreational Park. We have a large grass camping site that gently slopes down to a beautiful lake. One all-inclusive price includes a lead tour to the campsite,

11/18/2016 – 11/20/2016

62 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 Action Stations/Bohn Armor...............111 Adaptive Technologies............................ 20 Adriatic Moto Tours................................... 37 Adventure Designs.................................... 89 Adventure New Zealand Tours............. 57 AeroFlow....................................................... 69 Aerostich-RiderWearHouse.................... 62 Alaska Leather...........................................117 Alaska Motorcycle Adventures...........103 Ayres Adventures....................................... 89 Beach’s Motorcycle Adventures.........115 BeadRider....................................................104 Beemer Boneyard....................................104 Beemer Shop, The...................................... 56 Best Rest Products...................................119 Bike Log.......................................................111 Bing Agency................................................. 13 BMW Club of Quebec............................... 95 BMW Motorcycle Magazine.................123 BMW Motorrad................................9, 33, 49 BMW of Pensacola..................................... 56 BMW of Southeast Michigan...............119 BMW Performance Center....................101 Bob’s BMW.................................................... 44 Bombar’s Beemers..................................... 37 Boxer Works Service.................................. 44 British Motorcycle Gear.........................100 BullRack......................................................... 44 California Motorcycle Rental...............115 Cee Baileys Aircraft Plastic.............36, 105 Colorado Motorcycle Adventures.....109 Colorado Tourbike Rentals...................104 Compass Expeditions.............................100 Corbin Pacific.............................................101 Cortech (Helmet House).......................... 11 Crampbuster/Throttle Rocker............... 45 Cyclenutz....................................................... 44 DMC Sidecars.............................................115 Dubbelju Motorcycle Rentals................ 45 Dyna Beads................................................... 20

Eaglerider Pittsburgh............................... 10 Edelweiss Bike Travel................................ 57 EPM Hyper Pro..........................................107 Euro Moto Electrics................................... 27 Finger Lakes Rally.....................................117 First Gear......................................................IBC Geza Gear...................................................... 27 Giant Loop.................................................... 20 GS-911 Diagnostic Tool............................ 45 GSM Motorent...........................................111 Guard Dog Moly.......................................103 Hawks Products.......................................... 89 Helmet Sun Blocker................................... 45 Ilium Works................................................... 56 IMTBIKE TOURS................................... 13, 27 Kermit Chair Company...........................115 Kinekt Gear Ring......................................... 45 Klassic K Kampout Rally........................... 57 Klim................................................................. 45 Legal Speeding Enterprises.................103 MachineartMoto......................................111 Max BMW Motorcycles...............................5 MC Wheel Repair......................................109 Michelin Tire....................................................1 MOA Foundation Raffle.........................112 MOA Gear Shop........................................113 MOA Platinum Roadside Assistance.102 Morton’s BMW Motorcycles................... 62 Moto-Bins...................................................... 20 Moto Machines.........................................108 MotoDiscovery............................................ 20 Motohansa Tools (The Beemer Shop)... 44 Motonation..................................................BC Motorcycle Releif Project - psa............. 35 Motorcycle Travel Network.................... 89 Motorrad Elektrik....................................... 44 Motorworks - UK......................................104 Motoskiveez...............................................103 Mountain Master Truck Equipment...... 44 MTA Distributing/Olympia Moto Sports..IFC

Next Adventure Wealth Advisors.......100 No-Mar Enterprises.................................115 N’Vision Creative......................................109 Overseas Speedometer.........................103 Palo Alto Speedometer..........................115 Pandora’s European Motorsports......... 94 Parabellum................................................... 37 Paris Corp./My Weego.............................. 35 Peru Motors................................................103 Powerlet.......................................................119 Progressive Insurance.............................. 29 Ray Atwood Cycles.................................... 95 Redverz.......................................................... 95 Remus USA................................................... 63 Re-Psycle BMW Parts..............................109 Rich Phillips Leather................................100 Rider Magazine..........................................111 RoadRUNNER Magazine........................123 Russel Cycle Products............................... 57 S100 (Brookside Imports)....................... 94 Sargent Cycle Products..........................103 Seat Concepts............................................. 62 Side Kicker (AKS Engineering)............... 15 Snapping Turtle Rally.............................123 South Sound Motorcycles...................... 75 Spiegler.......................................................... 95 Stop ‘n Go...................................................... 20 Street Eagle Motorcycle Rentals...........115 StrongBilt (StrongRak)............................. 45 Suburban Machinery................................ 20 Throttlemeister.........................................104 Total Control.......................................13, 104 Tourmaster (Helmet House)................... 21 Venture Heat..............................................111 Weiser Technik............................................ 15 Wilbers USA................................................104 Wisconsin Dells Rally..............................105 Wolfman Luggage..................................... 27 Wunderlich................................................... 37 Ztechnik.......................................................109

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 8.

August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS

127

talelight

Misdirection

A roadside signpost found along Route 62 near Iron Mountain, California.

Photo by Mark Janda #198513

www.firstgear-usa.com

BMW OWNERS NEWS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A PUBLICATION OF THE BMW MOTORCYCLE OWNERS OF AMERICA

AUGUST 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS www.bmwmoa.org

AUGUST 2016