BMW OWNERS NEWS – A PUBLICATION OF THE BMW MOTORCYCLE OWNERS OF AMERICA
AUGUST 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS www.bmwmoa.org
AUGUST 2017
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Inside features
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the 2017 isle of man tt Through the lens of Paul Phillips #189196 Professional photographer Paul Phillips shares his pictorial story of the 2017 Isle of Man TT where risks are high, the rewards are low and racers measure success in lap speed and not take-home pay.
the r ninet urban g/s By Phil Linsalata #207159 When developing the R nineT Urban G/S, BMW looked back to the 1980s when its R 80 G/S platform won the Paris to Dakar rally with Hubert Auriol in the saddle.
the seventeen year-old Motorcycle boy By Duncan Holaday #34622 After 23 years riding thousands of event-free miles, Duncan Holaday experienced two significant crashes 14 days apart. After sinking to a very low place, Holaday found peace through his new-found belief in a higher power and the words of a seventeen year-old.
ON THE COVER: I an Hutchinson climbs out of Ramsey on the mountain road and eventual victory in the Isle of Man Superbike TT aboard his BMW S 1000 RR. Photo by IOMTT.com
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BMW OWNERS NEWS  August 2017
the club 4 Owners News Contributors 8 Headlight Lessons learned from Dad by Bill Wiegand 10 President's Column So now what? by Wes Fitzer 12 Shiny Side Up Where the light is by Ron Davis 14 Postcards from the Road 16 Rider to Rider Letters from our Members Member tested/ product news 20 Bates Footwear Freedom boots, Taming CANbus with the ezCAN, Mosko Moto Nomad tank bag, Dirty Dining, an Adventurer’s cookbook.
30 Mosko Moto’s Fatty tool roll, Rizoma introduces new products for the BMW R 1200 GS, Forcefield Pro L2K back protector, Schuberth's R2 full-face helmet, BMW issues service bulletin regarding R 1200 GS and GS Adventure fork tube stanchions, BMW MOA launches Adventure Series.
tech 40 Keep ‘em Flying A Slash Five special delivery, by Matthew Parkhouse
44 Nicht Uber Max Questions and Answers, by George Mangicaro
discovery 46 Adventure Log Adventure to the Valley of Death, by Shawn Thomas
52 Lessons from the Road A polite robbery, by Ken Decroo
skills 82 Ask a Pro Similar, but different, by Lee Parks 84 Ride Well Pre-ride checklists, by Marven Ewen lifestyle 86 Jack the Riepe I rode a bike and she called me Snake, by Jack Riepe
90 Mileage Slaves What are the odds?, by David Cwi 92 Final Journey Remembering Ekke Kok, Frank M. Davis and John Dorman
96 From the Board Spring MOA Board meeting Open Session minutes
events 102 When and Where Places to Ride and Things to See 111 Advertiser Index 112 Talelight
August 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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the club
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CONTRIBUTORS 1. Phil Linsalata #207159, is a recovering reporter and incorrigible motorcycle fiend. After spending more than two decades as an investigative reporter covering organized crime and corruption for The Detroit News, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and other metro newspapers, he now hides out in the mountains of Taos, New Mexico, where there are four seasons: three for riding his R 1100 RT and one for skiing. His addiction was born with the preteen theft of his father’s Lambretta in the 1960s, but what ruined him for life were the Ducati café racers he discovered in Italy on a summer vacation at age 17. 2. Dirt has been in Brian Dutcher’s #160860, blood since his first twist of a throttle aboard his 1981 Kawasaki KX80 when he was twelve years old. Now an avid GS Giant, adventure and dual sport riding provide the rush that southern California motocross racing once did. Whether it is on the road, track or trail, Brian is always actively seeking ways to improve his experience and make the most of any ride. 3. Paul Phillips #189196, is an endurance sports photographer most often found sitting backwards on the back of his BMW F 700 GS and shooting Ironman and other triathlon events around the world. Although he’s been shooting from a motorcycle since 2002, Paul has only been riding since 2010, when, after getting a taste of track time, he was hooked. In addition to a weekend with the California Superbike School, this year he spent a fortnight sharing the energy and excitement of the 2017 Isle of Man TT. Paul has also covered the 2012 London and 2014 Sochi Olympics and regularly has his work published in Triathlete Magazine (US), 220 Triathlon (UK), Triathlon Magazine Canada, and Motorcyclist . His extensive client list includes the
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BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
likes of Specialized Bicycle, Blue Seventy, Clif Bar, Shimano, Toyota and Wheaties. Paul has received numerous awards for his images and to see more of his work, you can follow him on Instagram @ CompImagePhoto. 4. Marven Ewen #150506, has been riding motorcycles since 1986 and has been an MOA member since 2007. He currently rides an R 1200 RT and a Triumph Street Triple. He is a Family Physician in Minnesota with more than 20 years of experience, including emergency medicine, and is also medical director of Allied Medical Training, an EMT training school. 5. Duncan Holaday #34622, was born in Wyoming on the Wind River Indian reservation where a love of the natural kingdom began. Living in Germany as a child, he developed an additional interest in BMW motorcycles. Working summer jobs as a plumber's assistant, Duncan saved his money and bought his first bike, a '77 R 100/7. To avoid discovery by his mother, he hid the bike in his great Aunt's garage. That bike would mark the beginning of his lifelong journey of owning various BMW models, with his favorite being the R 1200 ST. Traveling and commuting, Duncan accrues 20,000 miles yearly on his motorcycles. 6. Shawn Thomas #91122, has worked for many years in the motorcycle industry and is currently a trainer for BMW Motorrad. He’s also one half of the Adventure Brothers serving with his brother Lance as a rider coach and guide. 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.
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A moment of rest
Keith Foster #209426, takes a moment to relax and hydrate while riding the Triple Nickle, Ohio's Highway 555.
August 2017  BMW OWNERS NEWS
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headlight Magazine of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America MANAGING EDITOR
Bill Wiegand bill@bmwmoa.org
Lessons learned from Dad 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 Lee Parks • Matthew Parkhouse Jack Riepe • 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.
OUR MISSION To foster communication and a sense of family among BMW motorcycle enthusiasts
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BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, IT’S AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE WHEN
your senses take you back to recall an old memory lurking just below the surface of your consciousness. The sweet scent of the exhaust of a two-stroke burning its Bel-Ray/fuel mix never fails to take me back to the riding days of my youth. The potato, potato, potato rumble of an idling Harley always stirs memories of my old man getting ready for a ride. I keep an old photograph taken somewhere in Montana above my desk; it shows my parents standing beside their 1980 tan and cream-colored Harley-Davidson Electra Glide with sidecar. In the background is a small post office and I wish I could make out the town’s name and ZIP code written in silver lettering across the front of the building. I’m afraid this slowly fading photograph will forever keep that secret to itself. This past Father’s Day had me staring at the photo a bit longer than usual. Though they’ve both been gone for quite some time, strong memories remain. Father’s Day came and went, but one of the emails I received was from some unmemorable site listing things we’ve learned from our dads. About a dozen items were listed but unfortunately, I didn’t see many of the things I remember. I vaguely remember the old man reminding me to iron my shirt and shine my shoes and, based on how he dressed, he obviously believed that vintage was cool. What I didn’t see listed were memories I carry today of my father’s blunt dislike of his daughter’s boyfriends or his unique ability to turn any phrase into a colorful curse. I honestly can’t say I learned a lot from my dad despite the constant reminders from my wife that I’m becoming more and more like him. Perhaps he had an impact on the person I’ve become after all. What I strongly believe he bestowed upon me was an interest in using tools. A conversation explaining where this began for him is one I regret never having. As a restaurant owner and cook, the tools I remember dad using most were knives, spatulas and ladles. Coming home from school one day and seeing a burned-up motor from my older sister’s ’62 Tempest hanging from the garage rafters makes me believe the old man was in another league. It’s also why I constantly remind my own daughters to check their oil. I guess I just wanted to be like dad when, as a kid, I began taking things apart for no other reason but to see what made them tick. Getting them back together and actually working again without any leftover parts was simply a bonus. While I did get pretty good at the dismantling and rebuilding phases of these exercises, what I never became accomplished at was putting dad’s tools away. To this day, I still enjoy taking things apart and then putting them back together. While I’m not ready to tear down a modern boxer or inline-four motor simply for the heck of it, I do have a couple of ongoing restoration projects able to scratch that itch. I really don’t think I need a social media site reminding me to think of my dad. All I need to recall vivid memories of him is to go to the garage and get my hands dirty. Once there, regardless of what I’m working on, when I search for a tool I know I have but can’t find, I’ll immediately recall Dad in very a loud voice weaving together words requiring an immediate confession by any young and impressionable Catholic boy. I miss you Dad!
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PRESIDENTSCOLUMN
So now what? BMW MOA OFFICERS
Wes Fitzer, President 918-441-2114; jwfitzer@yahoo.com Jackie Hughes, Vice President 509-928-3261; jhughes@bmwmoa.org Reece Mullins, Secretary 334-470-7770; rangerreece@mac.com Jean Excell, Treasurer 719-650-6215; jeanexcell@bmwmoa.org BMW MOA DIRECTORS
Sam Garst 414-704-7767: guanocave@gmail.com Stan Herman 719-250-4358; hermanhaus1@msn.com Marc Souliere 613-828-1798; beemer1@sympatico.ca Chad Warner 614-735-8558; chad.warner@bmwmoa.org BMW MOA VOLUNTEER STAFF
Steve Brunner, Mileage Contest Coordinator 910-822-4369; steveb@bmwmoa.org Jim Heberling, High Mileage Coordinator 309-530-1951; jheberling@bmwmoa.org David Swider, Ambassador Liaison 415-479-8075; teamkbasa@comcast.net Lee Woodring, Consumer Liaison 770-331-2419; lee.woodring@bmwmoa.org Joe Leung, Consumer Liaison 403-689-9939; joe.leung@bmwmoa.org Greg Feeler, Pat Carol and Brian Burdette 2017 BMW MOA Rally Chairs 2017rallychair@bmwmoa.org BMW MOTORCYCLE OWNERS OF AMERICA
640 640 S. Main Street, Ste. 201 Greenville, SC 29601
Robert C. Aldridge, Executive Director bob@bmwmoa.org Ted Moyer, Director of Membership & Marketing tedm@bmwmoa.org Bill Wiegand, BMW Owners News Managing Editor bill@bmwmoa.org Karin Halker, Art Director karin@bmwmoa.org Ray Tubbs, Digital Marketing Manager ray@bmwmoa.org Wes Fleming, Associate Editor Digital wfleming@bmwmoa.org Lesa Howard, Membership Services lesa@bmwmoa.org Noelle Leopard, Membership Services noelle@bmwmoa.org
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BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
By Wes Fitzer #170126 IT’S BEEN A COUPLE OF WEEKS SINCE YOU GOT BACK FROM YOUR
epic ride to Salt Lake City for the annual MOA rally, and you feel restless. You realize the riding season is quickly slipping away and feel the need to ride, but where? After riding Utah, your favorite go-to rides just don’t have the same appeal anymore. Well, I believe I’ve got a solution for your wanderlust: an MOA Getaway. This year, we’ve added a couple of great new locations while keeping some of our old favorites. While our Getaways in Fontana Dam, North Carolina, and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, have taken place, there are still a several great Getaways happening soon. Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and the Inn of the Ozarks are the targets for our next Getaway on August 18-20. Hosted by Steve Kronberger and Melissa Coller, this is an event I can personally recommend after attending our Getaway there for the past few years. I’ve always had a great time there, and the riding in northwest Arkansas is outstanding, with many things to do in Eureka Springs. On the weekend of September 8-10, Pine Mountain, Kentucky, and the Pine Mountain Resort State Park is the place to be. Hosted by Bill and Nancy Van Voorhis, I’ve only heard great things about that area. As much as I’d like to attend, I still have that J O B and can’t. That same weekend, the MOA will offer its second Premier Event, with this one set for Sedona, Arizona. Former Board member Jackie Hughes will host this Getaway at the Poco Diablo Resort and Spa which promises to be well worth the event fee and travel time. Personally, I love Sedona with its high desert and beautiful mountains. Then, on September 22-24 there’s another Getaway at the Jay Peak Resort in Jay, Vermont. Hosted by Marc Souliere, this event is in one of our new locations this year, and we’re excited to offer a Getaway in the northeast for our members in the New England area. The area remains on my personal bucket list, as the New England states are the only ones I’ve never ridden in. This Getaway may be my reason to finally take care of that. The following weekend, from September 29 to October 1, Sue Rihn will be hosting a Getaway at the Cranberry Country Lodge in Tomah, Wisconsin. Before my first ride through Wisconsin, I yawned, thinking that the only things people do in Wisconsin are eat cheese and watch the Green Bay Packers. Boy, was I wrong. What a beautiful state and if it weren’t for the cold winters there, Wisconsin would make my short list of places to retire. Finally, on the weekend of November 10-12, our last Getaway for 2017 will be at the YO Ranch Hotel in the beautiful hill country surrounding Kerrville, Texas. I rode to this event last year and will say that if you’ve never ridden the Texas hill country, I highly recommend that you do. Paul Mulhern will again play host this year at a site closer to the Three Sisters, meaning you’ll be at the doorstep of some of the best riding in the country. Regardless of which Getaway I ride to, I’m always amazed at the number of people who tell me this is their first event. If you’ve never been to an MOA Getaway and are thinking about it, trust me when I say that you won’t be the only first-timer there. Only moments ago you were wondering where your next adventure would take you. Wonder no more! I look forward to seeing you at an upcoming Getaway. Safe Travels!
Wes
Fitzer
www.araiamericas.com
the clu
shinysideup
Where the
LIGHT is
By Ron Davis #111820 I’M
NOT
CRAZY
about riding my motorcycle at night. Riding at night obviously compounds what can already be a dangerous activity with amplified and additional threats. Your vision is reduced to a single, mesmerizing tunnel of light, and that makes it harder to spot nighttime prowlers like deer, raccoons and skunks. The armor in your jacket and your helmet can feel pitifully inadequate, and the headlights of approaching cars can be blinding. In the event of problems, you’re often alone on the highway. About half of fatal motorcycle accidents happen after 9 p.m.; however, it’s important to note fewer riders are on the road at night. Also, of the fatal nighttime accidents that occur, about 40% involve motorcyclists with a 0.8g/ Dl BAC readings or higher. But sometimes, by choice or circumstance, we sometimes find ourselves riding after dark. A late meeting, lingering over a dinner with friends or maybe you’re trying to make just a few more miles to the next “Vacancy” sign. Still, despite the elevated risk level, riding at night can be exhilarating: the cool, still air, the aloneness, almost like riding by yourself on a deserted rollercoaster. I had to do a few miles on a summer night recently, and once again I had those mixed feelings that riding after dark can conjure. The familiar county
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road seemed a little foreign—corners a little more abrupt, forest edges a little closer. I crested a hill, then dipped down into a valley, the temperature abruptly dropping as I sliced through fingers of fog. Climbing again, I hit a cloud of bugs—some kind of hatch probably—my faceshield peppered with a wave of nymphs. Something bigger splatted into my knee. And then I was suddenly out in the open, hay fields on both sides and a brilliant canopy of stars overhead. Here then, was the constant paradox motorcycling presents: ever-present risk weighing against the singular, addictive experiences only riders can know. A few years ago a good friend of mine found himself heading home in the dark from his job at a vet hospital in Michigan’s U.P. He’d worked past midnight in his role as a respiratory tech, and now had to negotiate Highway 2 while trying to avoid outdriving the weak beam of his late 80’s R 100 RT. In one of the darkest stretches, a doe suddenly bolted out of a ditch and into his lane. The RT practically cut the deer in two, and when my buddy came to, he was lying in the road. Carefully doing his own physical assessment, he found himself covered with entrails (to his relief, the doe’s) and a jigsaw puzzle of fiberglass shards that had once been the Beemer’s fairing. Miraculously, he walked away from that night ride with just a fractured collar bone, but he sold the bike the following month, vowing he was done with two wheels. A year later, he bought the same Beemer back, his bike, body and lust for riding restored. As I said, a paradox. As I hummed along, it occurred to me that riding at night is not only a perfect
illustration of motorcycling’s two-edged sword, but it’s also a metaphor for advancing age: companions fall away, children take their own roads, dangers lurk unseen in the darkness ahead. But there’s also that new urgency, immediacy in life, that growing older (and riding a cycle) generates—an enhanced appreciation for living in the moment. Experts tell me there are things I can do when I choose to ride at night: wearing ATGATT, reducing my speeds, focusing more on situational awareness, and keeping brakes and clutch covered. I’ve also taken to carrying a pair of yellow-lensed, fitover glasses which give me better night vision. Checking the aim of headlight(s) is a good idea, along with upgrading to HID or full LED lighting, and statistics seem to indicate adding good auxiliary lights decreases the likelihood of an accident, though use of these might just reflect higher levels of rider experience and attention to a host of other safety measures. At any rate, adding a good pair of auxiliary or “fog lights” can significantly increase a rider’s cone of vision, and installing aftermarket LED tail marker lights provides more warning to vehicles approaching from the rear. Somehow, when driving at night, destinations can seem more distant, but eventually I rolled up the driveway, killed the engine and swung down the sidestand, ending one more nocturnal adventure. Truth be told, I enjoyed the ride and would do it again, but, for most of my time on the bike, I’ll make that John Mayer line my motto: “Keep me where the light is.”
www.gsmmotorent.com www.imtbike.com
www.parabellum.com
www.mortonsbmw.com
www.mortonsbmw.com
Postcardsfromtheroad
1 1. Climbing to Death Valley’s Race Track Peter McMullan #131122 Pasadena, California 2. R iding through Redwoods National Park in northern California. Don Hasemeyer #212297 Greenview, California 3. A track day in Grass Valley, Oregon, aboard my S 1000 XR. Rodney Sherwood #146122 Bainbridge Island, Washington
4. C oming out of the clouds in Idaho’s Nez Perce Clearwater National Forest. David Parker #203223 Orem, Utah
6. N ear Warnock Lake just before leaving the Land of Oz rally. Jeffrey Stone #206109 Aurora, Colorado
5. W hile riding through Austria, my wife and I take a moment to reflect on our five country European tour. Joseph Marino #210349 Littleton, Colorado
7. A t the end of Strong Road south of Rochester, New York, while riding with my son on Father's Day weekend. Craig Smith #194972 Rochester, New York
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8. S topped at Colorado’s Ophir Pass while riding the Trans-American Trail. Gary Christman #109474 Kempton, Pennsylvania
Each month we publish great images sent in by BMW MOA members captured as they tour the globe. Send us your best images and you could have your work published in our Postcards from the Road pages as well. Email your high resolution images, image description and contact information to editor@bmwmoa.org. 5 6
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RIDERTORIDER Send your letters and comments to: editor@bmwmoa.org
Thank you Paul B
Thanks to the MOA Foundation’s Paul B. Scholarship I was able to participate in the California Superbike School last May at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The first day of training focused on rider vision or “where you look.” Other skills covered in the classroom included "wide view" or target fixation and where to look
skills and confidence have improved tremendously. Additionally, owning a BMW and being in a group like the MOA with so many skilled riders has encouraged me to improve my skills. Attached is a photo from the training. I loved it, and doing the training on my own motorcycle helped transfer the training from the classroom to the track, and then to the street. Lisa Gilbreath #205222 Indianapolis, Indiana
Know what you are supporting
and when to look at areas on the track. After 20 minutes in the classroom, we then went out to practice that skill. My coach and I thought that the thing that improved my skills the most was called “The 2 Step,” a drill where your eyes leave the turn in and look at the apex. The second day of training centered on body position. One of the coaches took the time to show me how to use these positions on my XR since it is different than the other sport bikes that were out there. On a motorcycle trip following the training I did three passes on the Tail of the Dragon and can say that upper body positioning was the most useful skill I learned. Everything from the classroom to the coaching to the track was fantastic, and after riding in Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina for a week, I can say my
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BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
In response to the opinions of Brian Reeder (May 2017) and Cleveland Bryant (June 2017) on opting out of the Salt Lake City Rally in favor of donating funds to conservation/preservation organizations, I fully support their right to voice their opinions and vote with their pocket books. However, I also support MOAs continued stance on not entering the political fray. The MOA seems to follow its bylaws and abstain from political topics, even if it is riders’ rights, riders’ safety, proposed tariffs on EU motorcycles, etc. The MOA remains a place free of political discourse, focusing entirely on the riding experience, whether on an airhead, GS, or K bike; it’s all about the riders and their machines, and I appreciate that. Members can join and support other organizations that get involved politically. As a side note, everyone should also know that the Sierra Club does NOT fight for our rights of motorized access to federal lands and does follow a preservationist versus conversationalist agenda. If one wants to support the effort of retaining access to all the magnificent federal areas, I recommend they support the Blue Ribbon Coalition, which is also against the turning over of federal lands to private entities (https://sharetrails.org).
The BRC fights for regaining and maintaining access to public lands for all public uses (pedestrian, equestrian, and motorized (motorcycle, ATV/UTV, snowmobile, and 4-WD). Carving out a million square acres of wilderness to create a sanctuary that cannot be enjoyed and experienced by the public does nothing to promote getting people out to experience and appreciate the wilderness so it can be managed for future riders to enjoy. Brian Dutcher #160860 West Des Moines, Iowa
Chillin' with Dave
Great article by Dave Cwi in the June issue of Owners News. This was funny and informative at the same time. The trials of DIY and cheap weather riding gear (sort of) took me back to riding a 65cc Honda while stationed in Denver at the Air Force base there back in 1969. I would wear two pair of fatigue pants, two fatigue shirts, an Air Force field jacket with liner, a $10 helmet from an auto parts store and government issue leather gloves over wool glove liners. A good friend who has since passed, Merle Jensen, told me to try newspaper inside the front of my jacket. He also told me a plastic bread bag over my gloves would help as well. I tried the newspaper and agreed that this trick does help. I have never had two empty bread bags at the same time with which to try that hack. I just entered the world of electric heated gear this last winter with an almost new Gerbing jacket. Wow, what a difference! At 66 I look forward to continuing my learning/riding journeys. Once again, great article. D. Pete Rainwater #55380 Maryville, Tennessee
Alternative shelter
In the June issue I saw the picture of the Aerostich “Stealth Shelter” at the top of the article and said I have been doing that for several years. Then I looked at the price of $139 or $197. Wow, motorcycle specific stuff is so expensive. While my version shouldn’t be walked on and doesn’t have zippers, it is much cheaper: a 10’ X 12’ polyethylene tarp for $15 at my local auto parts supply store, 20’ of nylon cord at each corner for $5, four tent pegs or big nails of your choice, and two telescopic hiking poles. Because not every campsite has convenient trees, the hiking poles placed upside down act as tent poles for the front corner grommets so my tarp can be set up to look like the Aerostich system. If trees are available and the tarp is over the picnic table, then the poles, standing handle end up go on the picnic table, keep the center high and the rain flowing off. Rolling the tent pegs and hiking poles into the tarp for travel makes for a bigger package, but it sits just fine inside (if dry) or outside my Ortlieb dry bag containing my tent, sleeping bag, and air mattress. Glenn P. Davies #195496 Calgary, Alberta
He really rode the lightning
I take exception to comments in the June issue of Owners News by Terry Smith #73999 about Jack’s mention of the guy who "Rode the Lightning." I KNOW that guy, and I know it's a factual tale. He deserves the mention that Jack gave him. When Terry Smith gets whacked by lightning, he can keep HIS tale under his hat if he chooses, but Don deserves to tell about the day HE rode the lightnin', and survived to tell that tale. Even if it's over and over. Roger Pivonka #82849 Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Just a little faster
The article in the June Owners News by Roger Wiles #32797, "Motorcyclists and Speed Limits," with the point about staying with the flow of traffic was great. There is more, however. Solomon’s
curve (https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/98154/speed. cfm) shows that the fewest interactions occur just a few miles per hour faster than the flow of traffic. Note the direct relationship between higher speed and fatalities, too. Naturally, I do not recommend exceeding the speed limit. Time at risk is an important strategy. TCAS, the Terminal Collision Avoidance System (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Traffic_collision_avoidance_system), uses time to collision to prioritize collision threats. Indeed, at every stop sign, you occupy the same physical spot as the vehicle prior with the only separation between you and it being time. A collision then is two vehicles trying to occupy not just the same space but at the same time. Collisions with objects and other vehicles occur with how far away they are in time, the distance being a function of speed and direction. Your tools for collision avoidance are not only your location, but when you are there. Think of your bubble of safety not only in distance, but time. Travel safe! Jim Hardenbrook #190409 Port Saint Joe, Florida
Therapy for a rider's soul
It was late in the afternoon on April 12 of this year, and I felt like relaxing with a short ride on my K 1200 GT. The day was beautiful, sunny and warm, and I had just finished my afternoon patient caseload. I chose a familiar route close to home and took off. I was about a mile from my home and was taking stock of the goings on when I realized that the cars were backed up in front of me and I was unable to stop. I glanced off the right rear corner of the car at about 10 mph and not only totaled the bike, but I fractured my left ankle and required surgery two days later, along with seven
weeks off work. Well, seven weeks on my ass is a pretty depressing experience, and I soon had thoughts of giving up riding altogether. My insurance guy treated me very well with a good settlement for a 2004 motorcycle with 50,000 miles on it. The frame was not bent, but the cylinder head was damaged along with a fractured exhaust cam, and the left side radiator was crushed along with the fan and left side fairing. I then decided to buy it back from the insurance company and restore it to running condition. I got very familiar with eBay used parts and found everything that I needed for the job. New paint job, and I spent some sleepless nights wondering if I had done the right thing as it’s a pretty complicated machine for a novice mechanic. But, with my trusty Clymer guide and some phone assistance from Morton's and Bob's BMW, I slowly got it back together. The attached picture is post rebuild; the old color was Grey/Green. I have to say the breakthrough moment was when I pushed the starter button and it turned right over, running better than before the accident. There are few moments in my life when I was happier! It turned out to be the best therapy that I could have done. I now look forward to riding many more miles on my K bike and I have to say that my experience of rebuilding the bike was truly "Therapy for My Soul." Richard Mead #144691 Frederick, Maryland
August 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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BMW OWNERS NEWS  August 2017
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Bates Footwear Freedom boots By Wes Fleming #87301 UNLESS YOU’RE A U.S. MILITARY
contractor, you’ve probably never heard of the Berry Amendment. If you are one but don’t produce things that service members eat, wear or use as tools, you probably don’t strive for Berry compliance, adherence to which means your “food, clothing, fabrics, fibers, yarns, other made-up textiles, and hand or measuring tools” are “grown, reprocessed, reused or produced” in the United States. Congress instituted the Berry Amendment in 1941 to bolster U.S. manufacturing during World War II; the amendment was carried in Department of Defense appropriations bills year-to-year until 1994, when it was made permanent during the Clinton administration. What it effectively means is that Berry-compliant materials are not only made in the USA, but their components are made or produced in the USA as well. If you’re thinking a review of an amendment to a DoD spending bill that’s probably older than at least half of the people reading this is a strange way to start a Member Tested product review, you might be right, but here
BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
we are nonetheless. Bates Footwear, which manufactures many of its offerings in Big Rapids, Michigan, has been making boots since 1885, and making those boots for members of the U.S. military, law enforcement and first responder professions for much of the time since then. A few years ago, Bates decided to get into making boots for motorcycle riders. A quick spin through Bates’ website shows that most of Bates’ powersports boots don’t look like stereotypical Power Ranger-style boots. They look like the boots you would see on the feet of soldiers, police, EMTs, hikers and hunters. Bates offers their fully American-made boots for motorcyclists in two models: Bomber (tall) and Freedom (short). They also offer three imported models: Crossover (tall), Adrenaline (short) and Beltline (short), and two imported riding shoes that look like hightop sneakers: Marauder and Taser. The made-completely-in-the-USA-eventhe-components aspect of Bates’ boots attracted me, especially since all the rest of my gear is not made in the USA. My jackets, overpants and gloves are made in various Asian nations and my helmets are made in Germany and Japan. If I can buy something
that’s made in the USA, I’m going to try to do so—provided it is high quality for the cost and protects me at a high level. I met the folks from Bates Footwear at the AIMExpo in October, 2016, and had the chance to not only talk to them about their products, but to have a good amount of handson time with the boots on display. While I’m perhaps pickiest about gloves, boots are tough for me to find and tougher for me to love. I wear a size 14 shoe, and my feet are on the wide side of medium width. I also have a mangled lower left leg from being on the losing end of a car vs. motorcycle collision in 1999, which more or less prevents me from comfortably wearing tall, traditional (sci-fi-looking) motorcycle boots. This combination of restrictions has seen me gravitate towards LEO-style boots, which don’t always offer the complete protection of motorcycle boots but get pretty close in most respects. The Freedom is a 6” boot with five sets of eyelets topped off by two sets of lace hooks, the uppermost of which is on a nylon collar. They are made of water-resistant leather and nylon, and use leather welt construction and a Vibram outsole. The outsole is replaceable, giving these boots life beyond most you might buy and improving their
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economic value. The ankles are surrounded by an impact-absorbing foam called Poron XRD. This “extreme impact protection” material is made (in the USA) by Rogers Corporation (www.xrd.tech), and while I haven’t crash-tested the boots, the foam definitely protects the ankles well from everyday knocks and minor impacts. From the first long day of riding and walking around, I found the footbeds (or insoles) to be lacking in support, so I replaced them with heat-moldable insoles that give more support and a customized fit. I can’t say this is a major downside of the Freedom boots, because most manufacturers skimp on the footbeds, and they’re usually just thin strips of foam. Apart from replacing the footbeds, I found nothing comfort-wise to complain about with the boots. There’s plenty of space in the toe box and the medium width fit me just fine after a couple of weeks of break-in time. Though the boots are not vented, the tongue is fabric with a leather tab at the top; this gives a good measure of breathability to the top of the boot and makes the Freedom a boot suitable for summer wear. The little stretchy nylon collar at the very top of the boot helps with that as well, allowing for increased flexibility both on and off the bike, though the feel of the collar took some getting used to. Along with the XRD foam around the ankles, the Freedom has nice, thick leather panels in likely impact zones around the heel and over the toes. While at first it might seem excessive to include a shifter pad on both boots, consider the shifter pad on the right boot to be an added layer of protection for your right foot. The water-resistant notation is correct; caught in a decent rainstorm on the way home from a long ride one afternoon, my feet stayed dry for about 15 minutes before the boots became saturated and started letting the water in through the tongue. I mention this not as a complaint, but merely as a data point, because Bates offers no claim that the Freedoms are waterproof. I did not expect them to do more than hold off the rain for a short period of time. While I am certainly not at Deb
“Motorcycle Fashionista” Gasque’s level of functional motorcycle fashion expertise, I will say that being able to buy the Freedom in any color other than black was a refreshing change from traditional motorcycle gear. Black may hide dirt, but it absorbs heat and, frankly, is boring! So much of our gear is only available in black that it’s nice to have choices, and while my brown Freedoms look a little gauche with my black overpants, they look great with anything else. Besides, nobody compliments how your boots look when you’re riding, so I want them to protect well on the bike and look great off the bike—and the Freedom boots do just that. I like that as I’ve ridden in them, they’ve started gaining a broken-in look to them. The Freedoms have become my go-to short boots, and I anticipate they will enjoy a long stay in my gear locker. They are available in black camo or brown in men’s sizes 7-14 (no half sizes above 12) and have an MSRP of $300. You can buy direct from Bates (batesfootwear.com) or find them at various online and brick-and-mortar locations. PROS: comfortable, replaceable outsole, made entirely in the USA, sharp looking in brown
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CONS: expensive, not waterproof; leather requires care, cleaning and attention for best life FROM A BATES PRESS RELEASE
100% Sourced and Manufactured in the United States • Leather made in Vicksburg, MS • Upper Nylon made in New York, NY • Laces made in Cumberland, RI • Lacing Hardware made in Stoughton, MA • Thread made in Mt. Holly, NC • Inside Lining made in Weymouth, MA • Cushion Insert made in Wadsworth, OH • Insole made in Hampton, NH • Midsole and Outsole made in Concord, MA • Assembled in Big Rapids, MI
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Taming CANbus with the ezCan By Ray Tubbs #58606 COMPUTERS HAVE REVOLUTION-
ized most products we interact with daily, including those single-track vehicles we are so fond of, even if it seems our stubborn nature has brought motorcyclists along kicking and screaming at times. The sophistication such computerization brings, especially with the current CANbus systems, has allowed improvements in safety, power and overall owner experiences, and at the same time, it reduced the wiring connections and complexities in our motorcycles. But it has also caused some fear, at least on my part, in confidently personalizing my R 1200 GS Adventure with something as simple as driving lights. Should I even try to tap into such a sophisticated network? Thankfully, companies like HEX Microsystems have stepped in to reduce my fear. Developers of the popular GS-911 diagnostic tool, Hex Microsystems recently introduced the HEX ezCAN to tap into the CANbus system of our BMW motorcycles and leverage particular functions of the handlebar controls. Literature I read led me to believe this was the simple, cost-effective solution to integrate products like aftermarket LED lighting without impacting the communication of the multiple electronic systems tied into my BMW. Operating off four output channels (two 10A channels with overruns to 25A and two 4A channels), the ezCAN allows one to
BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
choose a wide variety of LED lights rather than being locked into any single brand. One caveat, however, is that the ezCAN uses pulse width modulation (PWM) as communication for dimming the lighting. Most of that, especially that last statement, was fairly daunting to me, but the instructions, were simple and extremely clear. After taking a few moments to pon-
der whether I was up to the task, it took even less time to connect the device. Currently available for watercooled boxer model BMWs, installation involves removing the seat, hooking up the leads to the battery and plugging the ezCAN into the CAN-bus. Once that’s done, four waterproof connectors allow you to easily attach your driving lights as well as auxiliary brake lights, leaving the fourth output channel as an accessory outlet. The HEX software is available both for both Mac and Windows PCs and allows you to connect your laptop through a USB lead to the ezCAN and configure it to you specific use. For me, my initial use was purely for driving lights, and these can be controlled directly from the switches on the handlebar as well as the wonderwheel. The auxiliary LEDs can be configured to dim or brighten based on the ambient
sensors built into my R 1200 GS Adventure as well as turn off when the turn signal indicator on that side is activated. The strobe effect when the horn is activated really piqued my initial interest and works flawlessly. The ezCAN does so much more that my interest is quickly building towards adding auxiliary rear lights to increase reward conspicuity as well. I’ve also read online that many riders have tied heated gear, GPS devices and garage door openers to the functionality of the ezCAN. A bit too much for my expertise, but I’m never surprised what those in the BMW community are capable of. Limitations? The exCAN currently only works with water-cooled Boxers and K 1600 models, but plans appear to be under way to extend that to all modern BMW motorcycles. I personally would love to see Bluetooth connectivity or possibly an app that allowed more convenient diagnostics from the road. But neither of those things diminishes the capability of the HEX ezCAN out of the box. I’m not an electrician and was simply looking for a solution that worked for my level of technical expertise, as well as one that gave me confidence and didn't compromise the systems so critical to my BMW’s safe operation. I found that in the HEX ezCAN and can recommend it without hesitation for the new generation of water-cooled boxers. With firmware updates to come and versions for other new BMW models on the way, I have no doubts HEX Microsystems is here to stay. For more information on the HEX ezCAN, visit beemershop.com.
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Mosko Moto Nomad tank bag By Brian Dutcher #160860 Photos by: Tobin Bennett and Brian Dutcher I DON’T KNOW ABOUT OTHER RID-
ers, but for me, tank bags are a love/ hate relationship. We seem to need the extra space to carry all those musthave items that require immediate access, but whether they are too tall, obtrusive or so small that a spare pair of gloves won’t fit, I have yet to find a tank bag that meets my needs and stays secure under all conditions. Iwas hoping the newest edition to the Mosko Moto lineup will prove me wrong. Included in the package is the Nomad tank bag, map pocket, Nomad rain cover, Platypus Hoser hydration bladder, Hoser drinking tube, Hoser clip, and four heavy-duty zip-ties. Assembly is a simple matter of attaching the drinking tub to the bladder and inserting it into the hydration pocket when needed. My first impression of the Nomad tank bag is that it meets the standards of Mosko Moto’s high-quality materials, workmanship, and attention to detail. However, as you start to explore all 24+ inner compartments and designated storage points, you really start to understand just how much thought and engineering Pete and the Mosko crew put into the Nomad. Like all Mosko Moto products, they are born from real-world experiences. Some may not like all the preconfigured compartments, but for me it was like walking into a garage with floor-to-ceiling cabinets. From the outside, the Nomad offers a MOLLE top of three rows for attaching the included map pouch or anything else you might need. The MOLLE top hinges at the bottom to form an expandable, beavertail opening with nylon mesh sides and adjustable quick release buckles at the top. Just below the MOLLE top is a small, zippered pocket, perfect for change or other small items. In the bottom
BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
corners facing the rider are small, anodized aluminum D-rings. These are for connecting the tuck-away shoulder straps in the event you have to bug out on foot or want to take your gear and hydration on a hike. The hydration pack’s drinking hose exits on the bottom right, wraps around the top and secures via a clip on the bottom left. Just behind this drinking hose mounting point is the pass-through to the inner compartments for charging cables. The attention to detail does not stop on the outside. Just inside the beavertail at the top is a gated lanyard hook, perfect for attaching any electronic device you want quick access to, but don’t want to lose on the trail. The beavertail provides one large pocket and six purpose-built pockets, one specifically for a DeLorme inReach GPS communicator. The second level is a fully zippered compartment providing three zippered mesh pouches, three mesh
pockets with an elastic loop over the top of each pocket, and four small elastic loops. The three small pockets with the elastic loops are perfect for storing your personal electronics adapters and assorted cables, thus preventing the cable spaghetti ball our cables mysteriously weave themselves into. Tucked away at the top is a zippered, fleece-lined pouch for storing glasses. The third level of the Nomad is the largest storage compartment and offers two zippered mesh pouches designed for larger and heavier gear. Also in this space, you will find a single elastic loop aligned above the cable pass-through port. This can be used for cable management or stowing a small flashlight. The very bottom of the Nomad stores the 1.8liter Platypus Hoser hydration bladder. Installation and testing was performed on a 2011 R 1200 GS Adventure and a 2013 F 800 GS. Installation was straightforward and simple. The design of the front harness
Mosko Moto Nomad tank bag mounted on an R 1200 GS Adventure.
Included map pouch.
allows for easy fueling while keeping the straps from dropping. The Nomad seemed to fit the larger tank hump of the GSA better than the F 800 GS, but both were very solid and secure mounts. Not only will a rider not have to worry about the Nomad coming loose while on the trail, but its low-profile design will keep the rider from those uncomfortable encounters while up on the pegs in the rough stuff. The long rear straps provide mounting options for every possible application. However, depending on the exact application, some riders may not like the look of the zip-tie attachment. On the GSA, they were unseen when tucked between the seat and tank; on the F 800 GS they were visible when attached to the frame below the seat. Personally, I’ll take this attachment method any day over adhesive hook-and-loop mounts that always seemed to give way from a blast of steam when you’re knee-deep in the muck. The Nomad is not the typical single-zipper, open-and-stuff bag, nor is it the type of bag that seems to force you to search for that one small item that always migrates its way to the bottom of the abyss. It is a superiorly engineered and highly efficient piece of moto-gear that provides the capability to keep any rider organized. Mosko Moto’s Nomad tank bag is available for $199.99 through their website, moskomoto.com.
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PROS: Technical design and organization; integrated hydration system, removable map pouch. CONS: Map pouch isn’t quite wide enough to fit a standard double-fold map; rear strap attachments via zip-ties; limited supply has the Nomad on back order.
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Book Review: Dirty Dining, an Adventurer’s cookbook By Ron Davis #111820 to cooking technique. So it was with some hesitation that I bivouacked on a motorcycle trek in accepted the assignment to review Lisa the past, my approach to cooking can Thomas’ new cookbook, Dirty Dining, be best be expressed by a turn of the An Adventurer’s Cookbook. What I old Nike slogan: Just Don’t Do It. My found, however, was a delightful dinner fare has usually featured trail guide to cooking on the road that I mix, some questionable beef jerky think anyone, even a hopeless kitchen and possibly a squashed banana, and cast-out like me, could not only enjoy the most challenging meal preparareading at home but could also find tion has involved trying to open a imminently useful on the trail. bottle of craft beer with a screwdriver. It would be next to impossible to My aversion to cooking could stem find a greater authority on coping from the way I was raised. Though I with life on the road than Lisa loved my mom dearly, her primary Thomas. She and her husband concern when it came to cooking our Simon have moto-trekked through food was to immolate any conceivable at least 78 countries and six contilifeforms that might be lurking there, nents over the last 14 years, both hence pork chops could be easily be recognized as being the foremost mistaken for portions of a catcher’s voices in motorcycle adventuring. mitt. My dad’s cooking was confined Their reputation has been established to grilling hamburgers or steaks, through frequent contributions to advenwhere often keeping the martini glass ture magazines, broadcast media, and filled took preference over attention through their “2RideTheWorld” website, and they are testers and spokespersons for a number of premier gear marquees, including being named as Official BMW Motorrad Brand Ambassadors since 2011. Though only released this year, Dirty Dining has already earned some sterling r e c o m m e n d at i o n s , even one from adventure icon Ted Simon (Jupiter’s Travels). Lisa explains, “This book is not intended to be a Renowned world adventure rider Lisa Thomas preps a recipe from gourmet cooking guide WHENEVER I’VE FOUND MYSELF
her new book, Dirty Dining, An Adventurer’s Cookbook, on a trek in Mongolia.
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or even a country-by-country recipe book…This book gets down to the nittygritty of how to make do when there is nothing much around to eat. The recipes in this book are for when you are out in the ‘boonies’ where fresh produce is scarce to non-existent, or high up in the Altiplano riding at 15,000 feet. Maybe you’re in the desert at 122 °F (50 °C) or struggling in the sodden tundra fighting elephant sized mosquitos. Or perhaps you are just too plain broke and tired to engage your imagination and work out what the hell to do with that tin of tuna and other basic items that you have with you!” The book begins with six brief sections on fundamentals, giving time-tested recommendations on everything from “The Pantry” (herbs, flavorings, and versatile foodstuffs), to cooking methodology to “Weaponry.” It’s obvious that all of Lisa’s recommendations are the result of her experiences coping with the conditions and space/weight limitations that adventure
motorcycling presents. After valuable lists of tips on health, safety, and environmental concerns, the “meat” of the book begins, featuring 26 tantalizing but simple recipes. The recipe portion of the book, however, is more than simply lists of ingredients and instructions. Each chapter featuring a dish begins with an evocative narrative from one of the exotic locations the Thomases have visited, accompanied by a series of gorgeous photos. Lisa shares anecdotes from many of her and Simon’s waypoints, from Nepal to New Zealand, giving the armchair tourer a strong sense of place and what it’s like “Ride the World.” A sampling of the variety of tempting recipes includes “Orange Pork,” “Make-Do Mongolian Stew,” “Meat-Fest Asado,” and “Sardine Spaghetti.” To see if even a culinary klutz like me could use Dirty Dining, I chose Lisa’s “Spanish Tortillas” for a road test. Lisa intimates that she and Simon favored this recipe on a trek through the Annapurna Mountain Range. Her photos and description convey the beauty and peacefulness of a sleepy village, savored over a simple meal and a Nepali beer called “Everest.” As with most of the dishes in this book, the list of ingredients is short, the required gear is minimal (small frying pan, sauce pan, Dragonfly™ cookstove or campfire), and the preparation time is brief (20 minutes). Under “Method” Lisa offers clearly stated steps with all kinds of special tips obviously generated from experience. Lisa’s Spanish Tortillas combine potatos, onions and eggs which make something much like an omelette. Though my tortillas didn’t look quite as appetizing as those pictured in the book, topped with a little cheddar and a slice of tomato, they hit the spot. (Not being anywhere near Nepal, I substituted a bottle of Two Hearted Ale from Bell’s Brewery in the UP.) Lisa Thomas’s Dirty Dining, An Adventurer’s Cookbook is available from Amazon for $34.95 (paperback), and more information and a sample dish recipe video (a scrumptious salvation for my squashed banana) is available at 2RIDETHEWORLD. com.
August 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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BMW OWNERS NEWS  August 2017
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PRoductnews Mosko Moto’s Fatty Tool Roll
After two years of development, Mosko Moto’s Fatty Tool Roll is now available. The Fatty Tool Roll is constructed using an abrasion-proof and welded-seam material able to double as a trailside parts tray. A removable rain cover is also included. Additional features include two rows of tool storage pockets using webbing straps to hold tools secure, a zippered mesh pocket for tube patches and tire repair items, three long pockets for tire irons, two large zippered pockets for bulky tools, and a clear, zippered pocket for documents. A webbing belt secures the roll. For more information on the Mosko Moto Fatty Tool Roll, visit moskomoto.com
New products for the BMW R 1200 GS from Rizoma
Rizoma has expanded their line of products designed to add function and style to the R 1200 GS. Machined from solid billet aluminum, accessories for the BMW R1200GS include a headlight guard, a four millimeter aluminum skid plate with integrated light, billet aluminum exhaust guard and heel guard, handlebar risers allowing 45 mm of upward and 25mm of rearward movement, rally pegs featuring a replaceable steel ring, adjustable brake and clutch levers, and a handlebar crossbar. Additional products include mirrors, marker lights, radiator screens swingarm hole plugs and much more. For more information on the full line of Rizoma products and where to purchase them, visit rizoma.com
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BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
BMW Tech Bulletin for R 1200 GS and GSA
On June 27, BMW of North America released information regarding its technical campaign for "fixed fork tube inspection." This technical campaign applies to water-cooled R 1200 GS (K50, K50/11) and GS Adventure (K51) motorcycles. From the campaign bulletin: "As a result of ongoing field observations, BMW Motorrad has determined that the fixed fork tube (stanchion) of the R 1200 GS (K50, K50/11) and R 1200 GS Adventure (K51) can be damaged due to unusual incidents. Such high stress can be caused for example, when riding over an obstacle, during a fall or when driving through deep potholes. Resulting damage to the fixed fork tubes manifests itself through a gap between the stanchion and the press-fitted, top seal plug. “An inspection process, along with a repair procedure, has been developed. All affected motorcycles must receive one of the two repairs outlined in this bulletin. Customers will be notified by mail by BMW Motorrad USA." Should an inspection reveal the need for a repair, BMW Motorrad recommends one of two repair options: Installation of a fork tube bushing onto the existing fork tube or installation of a fork tube bushing onto a new fork tube, or the replacement of a fork tube with a new one that already has the bushing in place. Owners of motorcycles that are affected by this technical campaign are urged to contact their dealers to determine if your motorcycle may need repair.
Schuberth R2 full-face helmet
Forcefield Pro L2K back protector
Forcefield’s new Pro L2K Dynamic back protector is the latest in the company’s long line of body armour available for motorcyclists, mountain bikers, skiers and snowboarders. The lightweight Pro L2K CD2 back protector can be used on road, track and adventure and is built using a body heat activated 3D material, making it able to more easily mould to the wearer’s shape and provide more comfort and safety. Built to withstand multiple impacts, the Pro L2K is also built using hundreds of breathable vent holes to provide cooling and features Kevlar stitching and an adjustable, three-point waist fastening system and shoulder straps. For more information, visit forcefieldbodyarmour.com
Whether you ride a naked bike, sports tourer or roadster, Schuberth’s new R2 fullface helmet offers a classic full-face option with a modern design and the latest Schuberth technology. Offering maximum safety and style and designed to be light and comfortable, the R2 is pre-equipped for Bluetooth and radio communication as standard and features an integral antenna, two pre-installed loudspeakers, a microphone and a slot for the optional SC1 communication system developed in collaboration with SENA. The Schuberth R2 is "Plug and Play" in the true sense of the word. Additional features of the R2 include its large, factory-fitted anti-fog visor with an upper edge that remains outside the field of vision even when adopting a tucked riding position, a race-proven double-D chin strap to precisely adjust the length of the chin strap, and reflective areas on the helmet to increase visibility in the dark. The R2 is available in the sizes XS to XXL in the classic solid colors black, white and anthracite for $479 and in Nemesis, Enforcer and Renegade graphics for $569. All Schuberth helmets come with a five year guarantee. For more information on the Schuberth R2 full-face helmet, visit www.schuberth. com
news
news
MOA to sponsor Adventure Series By Chad Warner #202143 FOR THE PAST 45 YEARS, THE BMW
Motorcycle Owners of America has been a part of the BMW motorcycle experience and culture. As time has passed, new genres of motorcycles have been introduced and new generations of riders have grown to love these new motorcycles just as previous generations before them loved theirs. The MOA has always worked to reach out and support the growing diversity in riding styles and interests of our current members as well as those new to BMW. This year will be no exception. To support the GS riding community, the MOA will be sponsoring a series of adventure-style rallies across the country. These rallies will focus on off-road adventure riding, trials competitions, camping, and the common bond adventure riders share. MOA members who have a passion for off-road adventure riding will be able to choose from three spon-
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BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
sored Adventure Series events this year. The first event, titled the High Sierra Rally and hosted by Eric Hall, will take place in Benton Crossing, California, from August 31–September 3 and will offer participants the opportunity to experience the cool summer temperatures of the high elevations of the Sierras where trails for all riding abilities as well as scenic pavement welcome attendees. Proceeds from the rally will benefit Lost for a Reason, a charity assisting children and families of the Navajo nation. For additional information or to register, visit High Sierra Rally 2017 on Facebook. The next weekend, from September 7-10, the annual Wailin’ Wayne Weekend will be hosted by Chad Warner and welcomes riders to some of the very best trail riding in Ohio through the Wayne National Forest. More than 100 miles of trails will challenge both intermediate and advanced riders, while Ohio’s Route 555, known locally as “The Triple Nickle,” offers on-road riders
miles of hilly and twisty pavement. Proceeds from the Wailin’ Wayne Weekend will benefit The Children’s Dream Project. For more information or to register, visit wailinwayneweekend.com The third Adventure Series event is The Middle of the Map Rally in Mansfield, Missouri, from November 3-5. Hosted by Brad Calbert, the event site is a unique off-road ranch nestled in the beautiful Ozarks at a 750-acre riding resort. Forty miles of trails offer everything from challenging wooded and rocky hills and valleys, to fire roads and twisting single track. Off site, hundreds of miles of gravel roads and pristine two-lane tarmac offer every rider a great place to ride. For additional information or to register, visit Middle of the Map Adventure Rally on Facebook. In addition to the highly successful MOA Getaways, the new Adventure Series of events is another great option for all members looking to expand their riding experience.
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Experience Kentucky’s “Unbridled Spirit” in the Cumberland Plateau By Tamela Rich #161425 KENTUCKY PRIDES ITSELF FOR ITS
equine heritage, which is reflected in its “Unbridled Spirit” brand. You’ll see the phrase incorporated into everything the state creates—from license plates and state websites to advertising and state signage; however, the MOA Getaway in Pineville, Kentucky, takes place the heart of Appalachia, a region known more for riding roads and gorgeous mountain vistas than for thoroughbred horses. The Appalachians produced a rich cultural heritage, as well as the coal and timber that built the Industrial Revolution. So while you’re traveling to or from the Getaway, check out my top picks in the Cumberland Plateau for a deeper appreciation of its people, history and natural resources:
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BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Begin your visit at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park less than 20 miles south of Pineville. Administered by the National Park Service, the Gap provided a path from the East to the West for thousands of years. Early explorers followed trails established by bison, Native Americans, and Daniel Boone. Join park rangers on a two-hour adventure exploring the caves there, featuring gleaming stalagmites and flowstone cascades. Alternately, tour the Hensley Settlement on top of Brush Mountain, established in 1903 by Sherman Hensley. The settlement was occupied until 1951 and is preserved for visitors who take a 3½- to 4-hour tour. To
learn more, visit www.nps.gov/cuga/index. htm. Country Music Highway The Country Music Highway follows US-23 and US-119/US-23 through several counties from the Ohio River in the north to the Virginia border in the south. The Highway celebrates the lives of dozens of famous country music stars who grew up along this route, including Loretta Lynn, a.k.a. “The Coal Miner’s Daughter,” who hails from Butcher Holler, 132 miles northeast of Pine Mountain in Johnson County. For more information, including a listing of events at music venues along the Highway and an online guide for planning your itinerary, visit www.countrymusichighway.com/countrymusichighway/.
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BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
TECH
keepemflying
A Slash Five special delivery By Matthew Parkhouse #13272 HAPPINESS
IN
Colorado Springs! The warm weather finally showed up, so I’m moving around town mostly on two or three wheels. My Slash Five frame, bearing marks of having been heated and straightened, was finally returned to me. After a delay of a couple of days to paint it (a simple rattle can job), I’m reassembling the pile of parts into a functioning motorcycle. I spent a couple of the first few days the frame was away (months ago) cleaning up and painting various sub-assemblies like the swing arm, starter motor and other pieces. After I put the front forks back together and installed the rear drive and swing arm, which
allowed the wheels to be put back in place, I invited my men’s group over to help with the engine. Getting an airhead engine into the frame is MUCH easier when four people are doing it. After putting the driveline in order and replacing the handlebars, I was ready to redo the wiring. I’m replacing the wiring with a new set of early Slash Five harnesses (no fuses) made by Todd Milligan, the Idaho Air Marshal. He’s the fellow who came down to buy most of my used parts stash a few years ago. I am very impressed with the quality of the work with the wiring; it’s easily up to the BMW standard. The bike’s existing wiring is 45 years old and brittle at this point. I had also cut into it in a few places to add fuses, along with several other modifications. I’m taking the opportunity of this reassembly to clean up the other wiring. The trio of relays (high beam, low beam and horn) were added at two
When I shipped the frame to California, I drove around town, looking in dumpsters for large cardboard boxes to pack my stripped frame in. Guess I needn’t have bothered! The frame guy slapped a label on the frame and mailed it back to me. “This is my first motorcycle frame” said the mailman when I came to the door.
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separate times and have extra wires going to ground. All three will now use one ground wire—just a little cleaner. While waiting for the frame to come back, I ordered rolls of wire of the common color codes used by BMW to allow renewing of the wiring of the modifications I have done over the years. A pair of aircraft circuit breakers, one for lights, the other for everything else, is one of these modifications. The old wiring harnesses will go in my wiring box to be a source for correct color code wires for future repairs. At this writing, I’d say I’m about 75 percent done putting things back together, and I must say, with the painted frame and new wires neatly arranged, things look a LOT better. I haven’t gotten to the point of hooking up the battery and seeing how it works yet. When I do that, I plan on temporarily installing a safety load (two turn signal lamps in parallel) between the battery and the bike’s wiring. Should something not be right, I don’t want to “let the smoke out” of any of the wires! This trick lets me see if the various circuits are doing what they are supposed to but restricts the current to a safe level should there be a short to ground or similar problem. I’m enjoying the last few days. The weather is warm and dry, the trees are leafed out, the work is minimally greasy and dirty, the pace is relaxed and things are coming together as they should. I do enjoy being a real shade tree mechanic, under the right conditions. As I was preparing for this big renewing job, a fellow came by on his R 90/6. He told me the bike “just began” to have trouble starting. My first question for him was, “How long since a tune-up?” It had been a “couple of years” so I suggested we start with that. About 90 minutes later, the Slash Six was in good tune but still seemed not to start as it should. I suspected a problem in the choke (enriching) system or possibly a blocked idle jet. Before tearing into the
carbs, I got out the VOM (volt-ohm meter) to do a cap-to-cap check on the ignition system. This involves setting the VOM on the resistance setting and measuring from one spark plug cap to the other side. You should, with a stock Slash Six, get a reading of around 18K ohms. Anything from 16K to 22K is in the range of healthy. This bike gave a reading of “open” or infinity, indicating an interruption in the high-tension or secondary ignition circuit. From one end to the other, this includes one spark plug cap, the wire, one coil, a short jumper wire, the other coil, the other spark plug wire and the other cap. Since I now knew there was an “open” in this line up, I had to check each component individually. The coils are mounted under the tank, so I lifted it off and put it aside in a safe corner. I pulled the spark plug wires out of the coils and checked each wire and cap. It didn’t take long. One side revealed an open cap and both sides had corrosion where the wires attach to the plug caps. Airheads can continue to run with these issues—they just don’t run very well! BMW airhead spark plug caps have a carbon resistor built into them to reduce radio static. The Slash Fives used 1K-ohm resistors while the later bikes used 5K-ohm ones. These resistors can break down. I got a pair of new rubber boots from the rubber parts box, a new plug cap, cut two new lengths of wire from the roll of wire core ignition wire and rebuilt the two spark plug wire/cap assemblies. Don’t do what I tried back in the 1970s—I bought a set of automotive spark plug wires and cut it up to put on my airhead. Just about all those wire kits for car engines use a carbon-impregnated string to conduct the spark, and they break down quickly with the vibration of the motorcycle engine. I am using a roll of wire-core wire I bought from JC Whitney a couple of decades ago. You can also find wire core spark plug wire at old car restoration suppliers or tractor supply houses. Both of the original wires could well have been original parts of the bike when it was new in the mid-1970s. The Slash Fives and Slash Sixes have an assembly of the wire, rubber boot
The forks, wheels, driveline and handlebars are in place. As the job winds down, I easily spent over half the ;me (10 hours or so) replacing the wiring on the bike. With the 45-year-old harness gone and clean, new wires in place, things look MUCH neater!
Kinda like brain surgery. I’m splicing the new harness into the old switch in the headlight shell.
and cap as separate parts. You can order these parts (about $17) to renew the hightension ignition system. For the Slash Seven and later airheads, the high-tension wiring is a molded, one-piece unit ($50). When the wires and rubber boots become stiff, as these were, they become susceptible to moisture, creating a short-to-ground
pathway. This causes misfiring when the rider encounters a bit of rain. The first time I encountered this on my bike, in the late 1970s out in the Utah desert during a rain storm, it was a severe misfire. I ended up drying the wires, spark plug caps and rubber boots the best I could, and then used the engine dipstick to coat the spark plug
August 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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tech
keepemflying
end of the wire with oil. This made things waterproof enough to get me out of the desert. I recall that somebody gave me a wire off a V-8 engine, sitting out behind a gas station, to replace the aged high-tension wire and cap and get me home. Once I installed the new wires and a new cap, the local fellow’s Slash Six fired up nicely and settled into a nice idle. A quick balancing of the carbs and he was on his way. The usual rallies are being planned for. I think Susanna is going slightly mad organizing the door prizes for the National Rally in Salt Lake City this July. The weekend following the National, we may head to Paonia, Colorado, for the Top O’ The Rockies rally. A couple of weeks after that, we head for Fargo and the Pyrotechnic Guild International convention, followed by observing the total eclipse of the sun on August 21 in Wyoming. We will go to the Land of Enchantment (Sipapu) Rally near Taos the weekend after Labor Day. I’ve been encouraged to be a vender this time,
This is a mock-up of the high-voltage secondary ignition circuit. The caps are “around” 5K ohms and the coil “around” 6K ohms. I was expecting to see “around 18K ohms and got 19K. Anything between 16K and 22K is basically indicating a “healthy” system. I’ve never seen anything in any of the manuals suggesting this check but I do it whenever I’m doing a “major” or 10,000 mile service on an airhead. The same goes for spinning off the exhaust nuts and applying antiseize at the same interval. No-one tells you to do that either.
so I will probably bring a few odds and ends. Vending never was real lucrative, but it is a great way to meet just about everyone at the rally. I’ll be doing seminars at the National and at Sipapu; Airhead Q&A and
a hands-on demonstration of carburetor servicing and tuning are planned. I will be on my “new” Slash Five for the BMW events.
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BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
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nichtubermax
An R 1150 R with a weeping final drive By George Mangicaro #136221
Q:
I have a 2004 R 1150 R with 78,000 miles. It has a slight weep on and around the rubber boot between the transmission and the final drive. Matter of fact, it has weeped like this for about two years now. The weep seems to not have gotten any better or worse over the past two years. I check the oil levels in the transmission and final drive frequently, and the levels always seem okay. The oil leak doesn't cause any problems, it just builds up a little on the bottom of the swing arm. I clean it off occasionally; if the bike just sits, it doesn't leak at all. It takes a couple hundred miles of riding before I notice the oil accumulating again. I currently have the bike at a shop and they say the final drive seal will need replacing and it's gonna be expensive. Should I even get this seal replaced or just keep doing what I am doing now? –Thomas K. via Facebook
A:
Continue to monitor it closely. When you clean it, pull the boot back and drain the oil out of the swing arm. The boot isn’t a seal—that is, it’s not meant to keep oil in. It’s meant to keep water and dirt out of the swing arm. If you drain the oil out and then clean things out, it might be a longer interval before you notice the oil leaking from the boot again. Until your oil levels start dropping, it’s not a danger to the vehicle. Once it hits that threshold, get the seal replaced. One idea to see where the oil is coming from is to use a tinted gear oil in either the transmission or the final drive. Then you’ll know which seals need replaced.
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BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
Q:
I just took an inch off the side stand on my 2007 R 1200 GS after getting the suspension lowered. Reinstalled the side stand and side stand switch. Now the switch has an intermittent issue with working/not working. After moving the side stand up and down a few times, it will allow me to shift into gear without killing the engine. The switch slides over the end of the side stand retaining bolt and the switch is retained by a snap ring at the end of the bolt. There is a little play of the switch back and forth on the shaft of the bolt. Seems like it should be a tighter fit. I looked at the exploded parts illustration to make sure I'm not missing any pieces, and I’m not. I also ensured the little tab on the switch is in the slot on the back of the side stand. So the switch should be cycling back and forth with the movement of the side stand and the side
stand has full range of motion up and down so the mod didn't cause any issues with that. Any ideas? –Dave B. via Facebook
A:
Replace the switch. If it works sometimes, then it has to be assembled correctly. The part number for your bike is 61 31 8 526 970 (which supersedes an older part number) and the MSRP of that part is $162.09 at the time this is being written. This is what we call a coincidental failure, not a causal failure. The modification of your suspension and side stand didn’t cause the failure, but it seems to be that way because it happened at about the same time. Have questions for Nicht Uber Max? Send them to TechQuestions@bmwmoa.org.
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August 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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discover
adventurelog
Adventure to the Valley of Death By Shawn Thomas #91122 SIX
A.M.
NOT
good. We were in a small cabin at a KOA campground near the southern sierra mountains. The original plan had been to camp in the wilderness. Plans changed and it was my fault. Rather it was the fault of the godforsaken plague I had managed to catch two days earlier. What started as a small stomach irritation was going full Monty. It felt like two health nuts were playing racquetball in my gut. I needed a real bed and a good night’s sleep, so we rode until we found the cabins. The accommodations were sparse; three foam mattresses, no sheets or blankets. Community bathrooms were a 100 yards away and even at 10 years old, Hailey was showing a maternal instinct. She helped unpack the motorcycle and escorted me into the cabin, then scoured about for a sleeping bag and pillow. I tested the foam mattress, then grabbed another from the spare bed and stacked it atop the first. I lay down and shivered as Hailey drew the sleeping bag over me. I was out within minutes.
The next morning I was still feeling miserable, but it was a different kind of sickness. Gone was the stomach issue and instead, the sickness took refuge in my lungs. I heaved a long, helpless cough, then fumbled for my phone. A text from my wife was bright on the screen, offering a morning hello and status report. I typed, “I’m still sick. Stomach feels okay, but now I’m coughing and feel weak.” “You should come home. I don’t want you riding when you’re sick,” she replied. I thought about it, then texted back, “Home is eight hours away; I don’t know that I have the energy to ride that far. We are supposed to stay in a hotel tonight, and it’s only an hour away as the crow flies. I’ll take it easy today, another good night’s sleep might help shake this thing.” “Okay, but take it easy.” I went in to another coughing fit, loud enough to wake Hailey. She asked how I was, then described the flurry of activity that had transpired after I crashed out. She had grabbed dinner from the campground store, pointing to my open wallet and a smattering of small bills and change leftover from what she had looted. She still had pizza sauce and chocolate smudges on her face. Clearly not the most nutritious choice of meals, nonetheless I complimented her problem-solving skills.
“Mom wants us to turn back,” I said. “She doesn’t want us continuing on when I’m sick.” “But what about Death Valley and camping? I want to finish our adventure!” Hailey was maturing fast. In six months she had grown nearly three inches, her face beginning to lose the shapelessness of youth. She was lean and tall with piercing blue eyes. Friends were warning of the challenges that come from having a teenage girl, a beautiful and willful one at that. I held hope that we would remain close during those times, but I wasn’t counting on it. These motorcycle adventures of ours were very special to both of us, and I wanted them to anchor our relationship throughout whatever difficult times might come. “We’ll keep moving forward, I said. If I take it easy we might be okay to continue to Death Valley. But if I don’t get better, we’ll have to call it quits. I can’t risk getting sick too far in the backcountry.” She agreed and we were set to take on the day. Soon we were fed and packed, my 2017 BMW R 1200 GS Rallye loaded with camping gear and equipment. We climbed on, activated our Sena Communication systems and headed out. “Where to first?” Hailey asked. “There’s a trail leading to a place called the Burro Schmidt Tunnel,” I replied. “If you want we can explore the tunnel, see what’s in
there.” I went on to tell the tale of William “Burro” Schmidt, a strange prospector who had dug a half mile tunnel all the way through Red Rock Mountain. It had taken Schmidt nearly 38 years to complete the project, due to his nearly exclusive use of hand-digging tools in lieu of explosives. “He had several burros—basically donkeys—as helper animals. But he refused to use them for hard labor as he thought it was too much for them to bear. His kindness toward the animals earned him the nickname ‘Burro.’” Hailey loved the story, probably for the inclusion of animals. We found the trailhead and began our seven mile trek to the tunnel. The road was rough and sandy, but not difficult. I had ridden it dozens of times before, and even in my depleted state, it was a simple trek. Soon we were at the entrance. We grabbed flashlights and went in, Hailey leading the way through the tunnel. I followed, coughing and wheezing from the effort. The ceiling was short in places, forcing me to stoop and hunch through most of the journey. We arrived on the far side, then
turned and headed back. “What’s next, Daddy?” “Randsburg is nearby. It’s basically a living ghost town, lots of old buildings and mining equipment. They have a store that serves the best vanilla malts I’ve ever had. You want to try one?” She agreed and we continued on. I opted for a more difficult route back to asphalt, which included a technical hill climb and some sandy patches. It was quite a workout, but we made it through, and my confidence was rising. I was still sick, but riding seemed manageable. We arrived in Randsburg and ordered lunch, then enjoyed the atmosphere as we sipped our malts. The saloon was old, with a long, old-time counter and wooden, saloonstyle bar. The food was fried and greasy, but good enough. “So what are we doing next?” Hailey asked. “It’s a surprise, Hailey. I think you’ll like it.” We geared up and climbed on the GS, then headed deeper into the Mojave Desert.
We threaded along a patchwork of worn asphalt backroads, then turned onto the dirt. The road was bumpy but manageable and we rode at a fast clip toward are destination. Ahead the road rose and disappeared over a large hill. “Almost there Hailey, just over this crest. You ready?” We climbed the hill, the valley ahead revealing itself. In the basin were a mass of large, jagged rocks spiraling 100 feet high, their peaks like the fangs of a great beast. “Whoooooooaaaah,” Hailey exclaimed. “What the heck are those??” “They’re called the Trona Pinnacles. They were formed thousands of years ago, when this desert was at the bottom of a lake.” “This all used to be under water??” “Yep, but we’re talking 100,000 years. It’s been a long time.” “Wow that’s old. Like you!” We dropped in to the valley and toured the site, marveling at the massive spires. But the heat was rising, and my coughing fits were getting worse. We decided to head for the hotel.
At the entrance of the Burro Schmidt tunnel.
August 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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adventurelog
With road tires mounted on his GS, Danny had his issues staying upright.
We arrived in Ridgecrest, a small California town serving the local military facility. We pulled in to our prearranged hotel, finding our room just as another motorcycle rode in. The rider pulled up beside us and removed his helmet. He looked me up and down, declaring, “Damn Shawn, you look like hell!” It was my brother Danny. During trip planning I had asked him to join us for a couple days, and he had happily obliged. “I’ve been following you on Facebook. You said you weren’t feeling well, but man, you look terrible.” He was right. The coughing fits had taken a lot of my energy; my skin was pale and blotchy. “I know, I’m really feeling down. I’m hoping to get a good night’s sleep and continue on, but there’s a chance that we will have to cancel if I don’t get better. Let’s just have an easy night and see how it goes, okay?” He agreed and we continued unpacking the bikes. Soon we were off
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to dinner, then I headed to bed. I lay under the blankets, tired but restless. There was a lot to consider, I thought. We planned to enter Death Valley via Goler Wash, a rocky and treacherous dirt path cut into the face of the Panamint Mountains. From there we would traverse East through the canyon, then up and over Mengel Pass, through rock gardens, hill climbs and giant boulders. If all went well, we would make camp in Striped Butte Valley, 60 miles from anything resembling civilization. I had asked Danny to come along and provide support. A lot could go wrong when traversing Mengel Pass, and I wanted an extra set of adult hands if they were needed. I had not anticipated being sick during the trip, and even with support it was unwise to continue in this state. What if I got worse? What if it was contagious and Hailey got sick as well? My instincts were firing both ways, for and against the trek. I had eight hours to decide. I cleared my mind and tried to sleep. Morning came quickly, coughing fits ensured I awoke without an alarm. I hit the
shower and performed a self-diagnostic: no doubt about it, I was still sick. But I was functioning okay. My joints ached, but not as bad as before. My lungs felt as though they were functioning at half capacity, but I was breathing fine. I soon found Hailey up and about, she seemed healthy and happy. The trip was a go. We met Danny and had breakfast, then packed the bikes and headed toward Death Valley. Our first dirt run took us along the Old Coach Road, where early prospectors transported gold and silver ingots south toward Los Angeles. We rode a rocky trail along the mountainside, stopping at a clearing midway through. “This is called Chinese Camp,” I told Hailey. “Immigrants from China built the trails that we’re riding now.” I pointed at a ring of large rocks, piled a foot high. “See those rocks? The immigrants stacked them in an oval and slept within. The rocks protected them from desert winds.” Awestruck, Hailey climbed off the bike and explored the camp. She approached a
A ring of rocks is all that remains of a structure built to protect immigrants from desert winds.
small ring, only big enough for one person. Then she walked to a much larger ring. “This one’s much bigger than the first. You could fit a lot of people in here.” “Indeed. Back in the 1800s road building
was a family affair. Husbands, wives and kids all worked together to build all day. The bigger rings were for the families.” I reached down and picked up an old rusty metal container. “This is what they ate. Canned food
was brought in; they scooped it right out of these.” I pointed at a small dot on the lid of the can, the metal a slightly different color. “See this? Back then they cooked the canned food right at the factory. A hole was placed in the can to let steam get out. Then they sealed the hole with lead. That’s why the color is a little different, it’s a different metal.” “Lead? Isn’t that bad for you?” Hailey asked. “Yup. Lead poisoning. But they didn’t know that back then!” We saddled up and continued, dropping in to Panamint Valley. My brother Danny was having a hard time with the terrain. He had opted for dualsport tires, which were struggling to find traction in the sandy landscape. I had mounted the tried and true Continental TKC-80 Knobbies, which were holding fast. We crossed the valley and headed toward Goler Wash. The terrain worsened as we approached, shifting from sand to pea gravel and large rocks. Our bikes drifted and bogged, but continued forward. “We are entering Goler Wash,” I told Danny and Hailey over our Comms. “It’s really beautiful inside, but I have to ask that we ignore the views for the first 300 yards.
August 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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adventurelog
The terrain is really tough here, and we need all our focus on getting through!” Sure enough, the Wash was brutal. We picked our way up the winding trail, struggling around boulders and debris. Danny toppled once, then again, and again. Several times I climbed from my bike and helped him up, my depleted lungs screaming against the effort. Danny endured the struggle in silence, a product of his Coast Guard military training. We stopped for lunch at the remains of an old ranch house. “This is called Barker Ranch. It’s where Charles Manson was captured.” I offered Hailey a short (and G- rated) history lesson on Manson, culminating with a tour of the small Barker Ranch bathroom. I pointed at an old concrete commode. “They say the police found him cowering behind that toilet. A fitting end for a bad, bad man.” We continued on, climbing the mountain and traversing Mengel Pass. Challenging terrain hit us several more times, and Danny tipped over and again. A final fall found him tumbling hard, his helmeted head
BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
smashing against the tundra. “That one really rang my bell,” he said. “Don’t worry, we’re almost there. Just another mile or so to camp and the riding is easy.” We continued, stopping to marvel at the incredible views. Wild donkeys appeared, staring curiously at us as we rode. “Those donkeys came here with prospectors in the 1800’s,” I explained. “Some of them got free, and they multiplied. Now they’re everywhere. They’re not native to these parts, and are hard on the environment. From time to time park officials round them up and rehome them, but there are so many they can’t catch them all.” We rode to a campsite familiar to me, nestled among a grouping of large boulders. Even during peak camping season there were no other campers around. Striped Butte Valley was simply too far and too difficult a passage for most adventurers. We set up camp and relaxed. Hailey took my camera and disappeared, returning with photos of landscape and reptiles. We made dinner from dehydrated food packs, then retired early for some much needed rest. I awoke at 2 a.m., still coughing but feeling a bit better. “Daddy, are you awake?” Hailey asked. Before I could answer, she pointed
through the mesh tent fabric and up at the sky and said, "I’ve been up looking at the stars. They are so beautiful here! I’ve never seen so many!” “Stick your head out of the tent. The mesh fabric blocks some of the view. The stars are much more vibrant when you see them without a filter.” She zipped open the door, stuck her head out, and gasped. "There are so MANY! The universe is so big!” We stared together, picking out the Milky Way and several constellations. We debated whether the moving stars were meteors, or planes, or satellites. We talked about life beyond our planet, and the utter infinity of space. And I could not remember ever being happier. The day might come when Hailey feels the need to separate herself from her parents. I don’t want this, but I am as ready as I can be should it come. In the meantime, I remain grateful for what motorcycling has given us. In a time of countless distractions, the bike gives Hailey and me a chance to be together, enjoying each other in its purest sense. I intend to cherish every moment.
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lessonsfromtheroad
A polite robbery By Ken Decroo #178241 BACK IN THE LATE
sixties, I was traveling with friends along the coast road from Puerta Vallarta to San Blas. We had all stretched our spring break, which was planned to be a week long, into several months. We had started our vacation camping on the beach at Emma Wood State Park in Ventura, California, but after one evening around the campfire sharing stories of adventuring in Baja, and bottle of wine, someone said, “Let’s go to Mexico!” To be perfectly honest, I think it was me. We had taken the old dirt road down the Baja peninsula, crossed on the ferry at La Paz to the mainland and gotten as far as the Guatemalan border where we were turned away as we were lacking sufficient funds by their standards. Our parents, school officials and the law did not see the humor in our change of vacation plans. I was riding my R 50 OS which I had bought with the money I earned hoeing weeds all summer. An old man had it sitting in his shed, and he had been storing it for his son who had been doing a tour in Vietnam. His son, a good friend of mine, was not coming home. I loved that bike but regretfully sold it for bus fare when we ran out of money in Tepic. Our parents had been relentless in their efforts to make us come home and had contacted the U.S. and Mexican embassies.
BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
But back to the story. My limited wrenching skills had been put to the test trying to keep the bike running. Sitting in a shed for a couple of years with the mice had taken its toll on the wiring. In fact, the first time I got it running, it caught on fire! It was finally running well on this leg of the trip. We had the road to ourselves and were moving fast enough to cool us from the sweltering humidity. The stars were just
coming out as we wound through the jungle and came upon a tree blocking the road. I was the first to stop and investigate. As the rest of our group came to a stop, a small group of armed men and women stepped out of the jungle and surrounded us. The leader pointed an AK-47 at me and demanded money. Just out of the military, I was intimately familiar with this weapon. I could tell he was uncomfortable and surprised when he realized that we were all
gringos. Immediately, I took exception and told the leader that he couldn’t take all of our money as we needed to get home and, further, my girlfriend was expecting. This threw the whole group into a whispered discussion. Now, I admit I made the part up about my girlfriend, but the rest was true. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the leader nervously asked me how much we needed to get home. I replied that we only had a $125 between us and we needed a least a hundred to get home. I pointed sympathetically to my girlfriend. We bartered for a good hour and we finally settled on giving them $25 and cooking them dinner. Soon, everyone relaxed and the AKs were set aside. It was a communal affair with us sharing what we had for dinner. This being the sixties in Mexico, the women cooked while the men shared a bottle of tequila chased by macho stories. This was the birth of one my recipes in the one-arm cook book on my blog (bajamotoquest.com), Chili Mac. They loved it. As the evening wore on we began to nod off. As the hours passed, our impromptu campfire died down and just as silently as they stepped out to meet us, our new friends drifted back into the jungle like sleep-walking ghosts. After moving the fallen tree, the next morning, I commented that it had to be the most polite robbery I’d ever heard of. While I can’t remember the girl’s name, I sure do miss that bike. I learned that evening that sometimes, when you step into a drama, you just have to play it out. Besides, there might be a story in it.
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The 2017 Isle of through the lens of Paul Phillips #189196
Man TT
The Douglas Borough Cemetery in the background predates the TT races and provides an erie reminder of the fine line between speed and disaster.
THERE ARE NO APRONS ON THE TRACK
and no gravel run-offs. There are tight turns through villages, 100-year-old stone walls and mountain roads often shrouded in mist. Most teams are privateers, and their passion pushes them to consider themselves among the lucky few to make it to the TT. They have day jobs and scrape together enough savings and sponsorship from friends to make it through the season and to the TT. They do it simply because they can. Back in 1907, with early internal combustion engines and 20 mph speed limits,
pioneers in motorcycling sought for a place to test their newfound passion for twowheeled travel. From the first 28 TT competitors in 1907—when pedaling gear was optional—things have evolved quickly and continuously. The progress cannot only be measured in the growing sophistication of the machines, but in speed as well. The initial course record was 38 mph; in the 2017 Senior TT, Michael Dunlop won on a Suzuki GSX-R1000 with a top speed of 132.292 mph. As an endurance sports photographer, I can most often be seen sitting backwards on
caption Riders can test as many bikes as they desire during the practice session. Those who choose to take a second lap hit speeds approaching 170 mph as they pass the grandstand and course map.
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the back of my F 700 GS shooting Ironman triathlons. Although I have been shooting from the back of motorcycles since 2002, I have only been riding since 2010. After my first taste of track time in 2014, I was hooked. The colors, the movements, the great visuals—I knew it was something I wanted to shoot. I spent the week prior to the TT in the Canary Islands shooting Ironman Lanzarote, and I arrived in Douglas a few days before practice week was to begin. The early arrival allowed me to experience the island prior to the influx of other spectators. From
the moment I got off the plane everyone was warm and welcoming. Most asked the same three questions: Are you here for the TT? Where are you from? What do you ride? One of the challenges of getting to the Isle of Man at TT time is the ferry schedule. Fans come from Ireland and England on the ferry, and even though more ships are added during the TT, there is a limited number each day, and the tickets go on sale more than six months in advance to accommodate the 50 percent increase in population. Once on the island, campgrounds pop
up in parks and farm fields, with virtually all attention focused on the races. During practice week, it’s business almost as usual, with the roads closing at 6 p.m. for evening practice. There are official grandstands and many unofficial grandstands that offer close-up views of the riders roaring by at speeds faster than you can turn your head. Organizers cancelled the first practice session due to rain on the mountain section of the course. When the practice finally began on Wednesday night, excitement filled the air—finally the 2017 TT was
beginning! As the Superbikes, Supersports, Superstocks, lightweights, and sidecars completed circuits of the 37.73-mile course, there were many thrills, close calls, and unfortunately three fatalities. Men compete against each other, against their machines, against the clock, and against Mother Nature. People climb mountains because they are there. The TT happens because it can. The risks are high and the rewards are low. The racers measure success in lap speed and not in take-home pay.
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Left, Unfortunate, but true. Motorsports can be dangerous and to date, 255 racers have lost their lives on the TT course. Right, Modern gear blends with centuries-old walls and homes. While the normal population of the Isle of Man is just over 85,000, it swells by 40,000 during the TT and includes an additional 20,000 motorcycles. Below, A racer passes close enough for a photo, but the photographer soon finds that shooting with a cell phone with a subject passing by at more than 150 feet per second can be a challenge.
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Unfortunately, at the speed he's moving, racer Matthew Rees doesn't have time to enjoy the spectacular scenery of the TT. Below, from left to right, Peter Hickman's BMW S 1000 RR is waiting for its turn on the Dyno so the electronics and engine mapping can be checked before the evening practice session. After a weather delay, the 2017 Isle of Man TT finally begin as race Davo Johnson is released by the starter. Brothers Steve and Matty Ramsden catch air in their sidecar as they fly over Ballaugh Bridge during a practice session. Alessandro Polita gets a push start from his crew after a pit stop as the Superbikes do not have starters. The six lap Superbike race requires a pit stop for fuel and a new rear tire after laps two and four. The silver canisters hanging above the crews contain fuel while is gravity fed to the bike.
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The Conker Fields, which a week earlier had been pastureland occupied by grazing cows, are now filled with spectators hoping to get close to the action. Here, Manx rider Dan Kneen flies by on his BMW S 1000 RR.
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Left, With 37.73 miles of winding roads through towns and open countryside with hundreds of turns to negotiate, it takes each rider years to become sufficiently familiar with the TT course to go all out. Above, The Senior TT is a National Manx holiday with gatherings along the course rivaling Super Bowl parties in the United States. Below, The Isle of Man RL360 Superstock TT podium with winner Ian Hutchinson (center), runner-up Peter Hickman (right) and third place finisher Dan Kneen (left). A clean sweep by BMW. Fourth place rider Michael Rutter was also riding an S 1000 RR.
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Crising southbound on New Mexico Route 68 through the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.
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T
he newly released 2018 BMW R nineT Urban G/S is experiencing an identity crisis, even as it rolls off the line and into showrooms. But that’s okay. We’re here to help. The problem stems from the G/S moniker, which BMW is trying to play down so hard that they haven’t even put those two letters in the bike’s badging. As the Motorrad bosses recently turned a swarm of these bikes loose on a bunch of bike fiends credentialed as motorcycle reporters, the execs went out of their way to underscore the point: “This is not a bike you are going to ride into Moab,” Brian Carey told the press crew. As U.S. Product Manager for Motorrad, he might have been positioning the bike in its rightful place on the spectrum of his company’s lineup. Or he might have been begging for the riders to stay out of trouble. Not sure. Corporate Communications boss Roy Oliemuller backed up Carey by declaring that anyone into “serious offroad” should stick with the traditional GS line. And the official press release refers to the new bike’s scope as including only “light offroad use.” So why the “Urban G/S” moniker on this new R nineT, the fifth and allegedly last in BMW’s “Heritage” line? Simple: the biggest difference between this bike and the other four R nineTs is looks. It is meant to tap into a retro-crazy consumer trend. To sate that hunger, BMW looked back to the 1980s, when its R 80 platform won the Paris to Dakar rally with Hubert Auriol in the saddle. The white, blue and red coloring brings to mind a retro French ski sweater. And it fits neatly into Motorrad’s desire to sell more bikes to the younger consumers leading the retro trend. Motorrad’s team was faced with a question: “Why are we not attracting younger riders with lower income levels?” Carey asked. With the average R nineT purchaser at age 49, the team wanted to go younger,
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and that meant dropping the price. It also meant paying attention to a couple of surprising points made by Carey: 63 percent of the first R nineT buyers said their decision to purchase was driven by “style and design.” That percentage jumped to 73 percent with the second-born sibling in the heritage family, which explains both the effort to drop the price and the decision to go with the eye-catching retro color scheme
of this 2018 “Urban” model. With a sticker price of $12,995 some obvious corners have been cut, but BMW did a clever job of making those cuts cool. The best example is this bike’s steel gas tank, saving production cost over the aluminum of the previous versions. And how is that cool? For an extra $850 you can get the tank raw, in brushed steel with the weld seam showing. Another hundred bucks and they’ll even grind down the seam. An extra $500 also gets you the cross-spoke wheels, seen in the bike Motorrad released for this review.
That gets us down to what counts: the guts of this bike, which are beautiful. The same 1170 cc air/oil-cooled boxer twin is positioned in almost the same strippeddown frame as its earlier siblings. Fire up the bike and hear it snap and snarl. This may be a “Heritage” line, but the sound of that engine announces its 110 horsepower with 86 pound-feet of torque at 6,000 RPM, bringing you to 62 miles per hour in 3.6 seconds. That speed is found across an incredibly flat torque band and tops out at 125 miles per hour. Power, when you want it and wherever you want it, on a frame light enough to cut a very tight line. The proof is in the riding, and for reasons that remain obscure, the brass at Motorrad agreed to release the bike to the Taos County Perverse Environmental Testing Facility, located in the northern mountains of New Mexico. (Apologies to the late Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, founder of the Woody Creek Perverse Environmental Testing Facility.) Getting on this naked bike and jumping into bumper-tobumper traffic on I-10 out of Santa Monica offered up a great chance to test the “Urban” moniker right away. Quick lane changes? Check. Seventy mph to zero in way less distance than the Tesla ahead? Check. Lane splitting, because it’s actually (insanely) legal in California? Check. Up through Barstow, over the Sierras and down into the Mohave desert, this bike, which had exactly four miles on the odometer when released, moved into 120 degree desert heat. We won’t talk about speed, except that the limit was 75 mph and the cops would have had a field day if they’d only been around. Watching the engine temperature creep up, worry set in. (And yes, this bike reads out actual degrees, unlike some earlier R nineTs.) At a Red Bull and fuel stop in a no-name convenience store on the scorched flats of Arizona, a call to the technical wizards at North American headquarters in New Jersey drew a laugh. Was the bike running too
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hot? “You’ll melt down before that bike does. Proceed!” Quartering winds gusting at 35 miles per hour wobbled only the driver, not the bike. Flagstaff went by and gave way to a 100mile stretch of more heat and acrid smoke laid down by 60,000 acres of wildfire, as 1,600 firefighters struggled against the hot
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winds to gain a foothold of control. The heat and dirty air lifted at the New Mexico line, revealing the Navajo Nation and Window Rock. From there it was a quick run up to Santa Fe, where the team was waiting to dump a hot crankcase of oil and perform the rest of the bike’s run-in maintenance. Then on to the Taos County Perverse
Environmental Training Ground. The test started on US 68 just north of the San Juan Pueblo, where law enforcement becomes scarce and the speed limit is mostly 45 mph as the two-lane blacktop twists along the Rio Grande, following the same non-engineered line followed by the Conquistadors in their doomed effort to find Cities of
Gold. The bike powered between third and fifth gear, doubling the speed limit through the tightest of twisties and passing clusters of cars in the shortest of distances. Through descending corkscrews, reverse crowns, fallen scree and tightening arcs, the bike moved seamlessly from line to line. A hundred and ten horsepower in a 485 pound bike. Yes. What about the “light offroad use?” New Mexico is a state dominated by two-lane blacktops, dirt roads and U.S. Forest Service roads that vary in quality from almost groomed to post-apocalyptic. Motorcycle riding here, if you are serious about your fun, requires two bikes: an RT for cruising and a G/S for dual purpose or offroad. This bike changes that. You can ride this bike on the freeway, take an exit and run the two-lane blacktops, and then jump on to a Forest Service Road. The line is drawn at technical riding. Or, to repeat Oliemuller, “This bike is not going to ride into Moab.” The suspension never bottomed or flexed in hardpack, rock, sand and gravel. The 17-inch front wheel ate the dips. The back wheel sloshed around sometimes, but that can’t be a surprise because it was fitted with street rubber. You can choose knobbies or street tires when you order, no upcharge either way. Or, you could buy a hybrid, something like a Pirrelli Scorpion Pro. So what is this bike’s real identity? If you ignore the G/S in the name, the question evaporates. It is fun. It covers a hugely diverse range of terrain. If you have a tourer and a G/S, and you parked this one in between the two, you would ride this more than either of the others. Why? Because it is fast and easy in town and on the road and you can run it on dirt roads all day long. You can also run it on the freeway, as it performs at speed against truck wash and wind, even without faring. If, on the other hand, you have no bike at all, this one will do more than so many other bikes. The 2018 BMW R nineT Urban G/S is fun: visceral, throaty, fast and versatile. It’s a memory of your best and earliest biking experiences in a package of the finest engineering and technology on the market. Or, if Motorrad pegged it right, it’s not a memory at all—it’s a first bike, a memorymaker.
R nineT Urban G/S Specs
Engine
Type Air/oil-cooled, 2-cylinder boxer engine
Capacity 1170cc
Bore/Stroke
Valves per cylinder
Rated output
Torque
Compression ratio/Fuel
Electrical System Alternator
Battery Headlamp
Starter
110 hp at 7,750 rpm 86 ft/lbf at 6,000 rpm 12.0 : 1/premium unleaded
Emission Control Closed-loop, 3-way catalytic converter
101mm x 73mm 4
Transmission
Clutch
720 W 12V/14Ah maintenance-free 60/55W H4 1.2 kW
Hydraulically activated dry clutch
Gearbox Constant mesh 6-speed gearbox Rear wheel drive
Universal shaft
Suspension
Front wheel Upside down telescopic fork Rear Wheel BMW Paralever
Wheelbase
Steering head angle
60.1 inches 61.5 degrees
Brakes
Front, Hydraulically activated twin disc brake 12.6 in Rear, single disk brake 10.4 in
ABS
BMW Motorrad ABS
Wheels
Tires
120/70 ZR 19
170/55 ZR 17
Spoke wheels
Dimensions / Weights
Length
85.2 in
Width with mirrors
34.2 in
Seat height
33.5 in
Dry weight
485 lbs
Fuel capacity
4.5 gal
Fuel consumption
45 mpg
Top speed
125 mph
Performance
Left, In the Carson National Forest, the Urban G/S lives up to its "light offroad" label. August 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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The Seventeen Year-Old Motorcycle Boy By Duncan Holaday #34622
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At 20, I became a daily rider, and over the next 23 years I had ridden thousands upon thousands of virtually event-free miles. In May of 2009, I had two high speed crashes 14 days apart, with both involving a collision with a deer. I’m amazed I would have so many good years of healthy riding and then suddenly have two significant events just two weeks apart. I did not have or believe in a Higher Power at the time, and the mere thought of any Christian dogma repulsed me. Eleven months later, that attitude would begin to change. My first collision happened while travelling in the triple digits. Though my expensive machine was badly damaged, I didn’t fall off my bike. I erroneously concluded that my riding skills were superb and I was invincible. I also remember getting drunk that night telling a drinking buddy about the collision, gasoline spraying everywhere and me not falling off the bike. Two weeks later, at about noon, I hit another deer while riding a different bike. This time I didn’t fare so well, and the machine was completely destroyed. The time was about noon which gives the phrase, “high noon,” new meaning. Immediately following the crash, I was
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unconscious and awoke in the middle of a remote country road. My quick assessment revealed chest pain, abdominal pain, trouble breathing and a heart rate too fast to count. Supine on the road, I had a thought I might be dying. I remember seeing the sun up above looking friendly, trustworthy and inviting. I began to feel warm and remember wanting to stay like that for a long time. I also remember suddenly having no concerns at all and that after many months of my tormenting anger and depression regarding my imminent divorce, I was suddenly cradled nicely in a comfortable place. I had no physical pain during this experience. That’s a peculiar facet of what I can remember, namely, that a moment of total contentment occurred while injured and lying on an asphalt road with my $20,000 motorcycle in pieces. That big, beautiful everlasting sun up above looked so good. For no particular reason, I remember thinking I had better try to get up and look for my cell phone among the debris. This thought made me aware of my physical pain, and I began the process of returning to reality and getting help. At this time in my life other circumstances were bad: I was lonely, depressed,
and going through a divorce with a woman I thought I truly loved. Also, a reliable master had come to reclaim me—King Alcohol. He was ever-present, and I was becoming once again, as I had in my early 20’s, a denizen of his mad realm. I’ve done lots and lots of drinking in my lifetime, but very little drinking and riding and was completely sober during both crashes. Included in this puzzling mix of circumstance was the fact that my father had recently had his worst motorcycle crash ever just a few months earlier. Sideswiped and hit by an 18-wheeler, he sustained a significant concussion and pelvic fracture while riding his R 1200 RT. I was riding his rebuilt RT when I hit the second deer. I know now, with better clarity than I did then, that within the spiritual fiber of the universe, the dots are all connected. For the next 14 months I barely rode. Motorcycling wasn’t working for me anymore. I was scared, nervous and no longer felt in tune. Every brown mound of dirt, anthill, tree stump, and night-time reflection imparted a stress response for me, and I felt like I was hallucinating, seeing deer or another threat everywhere. My life outside of motorcycling remained a mess, and the spiral was getting darker. I
never thought I would end up divorced and not have a family. I never thought I would know depression and suicidal ideation. I never really thought I would have a bad motorcycle crash. And I never ever thought I would be considered unfit to perform my professional duties at work. My drinking problem was worsening. Eight months after my two motorcycle crashes, my drinking and mental state took me out of my profession, and I went to a very low place. I never thought I could hate life so much. Eventually, help came, and I began my journey down the winding road of sobriety, a road I still travel today, seven years later. I recall a moment early on this journey where I experienced complete contentment. As I did with my crashes, I found myself in a situation I did not orchestrate, choose, or want to be in. I was in extreme emotional pain, and someone nearby said something to me about God. Loathsomely, I repudiated the proffered words. To my surprise, during my vehement diatribe, an infinitely benevolent and omniscient presence came and communicated with me. I was informed that my comprehension of self, others, the universe, and God was incorrect. I believe I discovered truth and infinite love.
Everything my conscious mind came in contact with looked different. Gradually and slowly, my thinking, my behavior and my personality started changing, as did my relationships with all things, living, inanimate and spiritual. For many motorcyclists, there’s something deep within us happening while we’re riding. I can’t put my finger on it, but something drew me to this activity a long time ago. The draw had something to do with “coolness” I’m sure, but also there was a stirring of the spirit that motorcycling ignited. I’m thankful for influences like my dad telling me to take a safety course, and I’m thankful that a wrinkled, wiry instructor directly told me, “Helmet, full face, all the time; wear it, one day you will need it.” I’m thankful for BMW and the MOA for creating a culture of responsible riding and keeping me in tune with safety concerns. I am amazed that I am even a thankful person today…it’s so different than how I used to be. In July of 2010, 14 months after my motorcycle crash and just three months after my spiritual awakening, I was worried about my grandmother’s health and wanted to get to Virginia to see her in case she died. With my new spiritual perception, I
considered riding one of my bikes, though I still had extreme anxiety about travelling by motorcycle. I found myself gazing at my bike, realizing that much of what I once thought as being “right” was completely wrong. Something I once thought was hogwash was completely real. Something I once thought was hogwash was completely real. I touched my expensive, custom motorcycle seat and thought about that. I looked at the farkles. I thought about how, through the course of my life, I had over-prioritized or under-prioritized my bikes, my stuff, my wife, my job, my kids, my money and my problems. I thought about the change I was going through—is it real? I looked at the BMW roundel as I pushed the bike’s starter button and thought, “Is this a death machine? Is it for good? What is it? What does it do?” I packed up my motorcycle and prepared for the first significant ride since my crash and my awakening. Over a three-day period, taking all secondary winding roads, I travelled to Virginia through western North Carolina, West Virginia, and western Virginia. It was in the Shenandoah Mountains, listening to Beethoven’s Ninth through my in-helmet speakers during a robust thunderstorm with lightening
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magnificently illuminating the valleys and surrounding peaks, that I knew it was okay to be riding again. That particular ride is etched in my memory as being one of the greatest of all time. As the storm became quite violent, sometime after midnight I found a small motel to take shelter. Outside of this run-down place and under an overhang by the entrance, there was an Asian woman standing and smoking a cigarette. The rain was torrential, and while I was parking the bike under the overhang, she looked at me inquisitively as I began to undo my helmet. When my helmet and gloves were off, she asked, “Do you like The Doors? You know, Jim Morrison? The band?” What a strange question. I said, with a pause, “Yes, I like The Doors.” She then said, with heavy cigarette smoke all around her, “Are you trying to be a rider on the storm?” Wow. What is this place at which I stopped? Again with a pause, and very carefully, I said partly to her, partly to myself, “Maybe I am.” It was as if time had slowed down and I was in a different place. I could write pages about the spiritual implications of her question, “Are you trying to be a rider on the storm?” Since this memorable ride, I’m back to riding full-time again, going to rallies and commuting to work. I’ve purchased more bikes and now have six, and yep, though I’ve been inclined to own others, they’re all BMWs. I’ve joined a local BMW club
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centered here in Columbia, South Carolina. The folks are wonderful, and the fellowship enriches my riding experience. I’ve introduced my girlfriend to motorcycles, and she’s now a competent rider. I’m thinking about my crashes, my riding career, how a small pneumothorax and broken ribs were the extent of my injuries despite a severe mechanism and high kinetic energy. I’m thinking about the time I was sleepy, returning from a night shift on my bike and ran a stop sign, crossing a country highway without incident. I could have been snuffed right out. I’m thinking about luck, guardian angels, God, cell phones, inattentive drivers, wet leaves, deer, pea gravel, traffic laws, asphalt, oil spills, and speed limits. I’m also thinking about good rubber, fine engineering, rider education, suspension technology, ABS brakes, all of the things that play a role in moving from one place to another on a two-wheeled machine with or without a mishap. I’m thinking about life. Living has brought me joy beyond my wildest dreams, and it has also brought pain that I did not expect. The extent of the pain and how long it lasted was somewhat related to my degree of spiritual fitness. Motorcycling has brought joy to all motorcyclists that I know. And for some, it has come at a steep price. My cousin, who’s a swim team head coach at the University of Wisconsin, was the first person I heard say, “If you wanna play, you’ve gotta pay." I’m thinking about Kevin Schwantz, who
said in an interview, “If you want to ride motorcycles, do it on the track. Not on the street.” He was clear and decisive with no grey zone. That is a very sane statement. I’m also thinking about Carl Edwards, who said, “We are motorcyclists, and we know the risks, and we’re all willing to accept them.” He said that before he was involved in the crash that killed Marco Simoncelli. I remember Edwards kneeling in the infield, just after the melee; my heart had sunk. I’m thinking about my Dad’s crash, which debilitated him for months. Had he not been retired, it would have cost him thousands in lost income. Without a higher power in the picture, I’m not sure I could handle the whole thing. I’m going to ride motorcycles until I’m no longer able. This means that while I am emotionally, spiritually, physically, and financially able to ride, I’m going to keep riding. I like the idea that I understand the concepts of being grateful and respectful, before riding, during riding, and after riding. Though I understand these concepts, I still have an endless amount of improvement to do in the execution of these concepts. I am aware that degradation of the flesh, and the eventual culmination to death is an irrepressible process. Motorcycling, in some particular cases, may be an accelerant of that process. I try to meditate about how things can change slowly or suddenly, with or without motorcycles. I try to meditate and to comprehend reality; I try to avoid living in fantasy or make-believe, though
with motorcycles, a dream presents itself sometimes. Sometimes with my bikes and my behaviors I have tendencies towards exactness or perfection. Regarding life, a mentor once told me, “Try to wear it more like a comfortable loose-fitting jacket, not so exactly tailored.” Recently, I stopped at a Chinese restaurant for a meal while riding. With no other customers, the staff had time to play with their phones and joke around with each other. A young fella came over to me and asked, “What do you ride, sir?” “Today I’m on a touring bike, and it happens to be a BMW. I like all motorcycles.” He lit up, and said, “Wow, my uncle used to race BMW cars.” He went on telling me a lot about his life and motorcycles, how he has ridden dirt bikes his whole life. I asked how old he was. “Seventeen,” he said. “I got my first street bike, a 1987 Honda Shadow when I was 15. I was living with my dad at the time, but when my mom found out, she freaked, and made me sell it.” He told me his mom was an emergency room nurse and that she had seen too much of the tragic side of motorcycling to allow him to have a bike. I said, “I remember my mom’s reaction to a motorcycle, and with you only 15 at the time, I can understand your mom’s feelings. I bet one day you’re gonna get another bike, aren’t you?” He said yes, that he was saving up for one.
“What kind are you thinking about?” I asked. “A CBR 1000,” he said. That was not an answer I wanted to hear. I mentioned to him that in my 30 years of riding and my 20-plus years in emergency medicine I had seen and heard of many things, and in general, unless that bike is strictly for track use and/or the rider has had significant training, 17 year-old males and a CBR 1000 can be a combination for lasting, if not final, consequences. He said, “Yeah, I’ve seen a lot, too.” He added, matter-of-factly, “I just lost my father to a motorcycle crash.” I wasn’t expecting that. He said, “My dad was showing-off, going about a buck forty-five on a Yamaha R1, wearing nothing. He lived through the crash, but he died a few weeks later because his brain just kept decaying.” I looked at this kid. Maybe he knew more than I thought he did. My food was getting cold. I really didn’t know what to say. My mouth opened, and words came out. I said, respectfully, “Don’t be like him.” The restaurant manager called out to this young fella; he was needed in the kitchen for some to-go orders. As I was leaving, the kid took my money at the register, and the register started to malfunction. I wrote my name and number down, told him I had several bikes, and one, my F 650, I might sell. I mentioned, “We could ride a little together if you’d like, and maybe your mom might be more
comfortable if she got to know me, and she could meet me and my girlfriend, who also rides, and who also is an emergency room nurse, like your mom.” I was thinking about the kid, a good kid who I wanted to stay alive, a kid I knew had motorcycle blood. I was thinking about his mom and her tough situation. It’s amazing what boys and men put women through, especially women who love us. I was thinking about his dead father. I wanted to do something good. I may have come on too strong and too fast offering my phone number and going riding and all of that. Suddenly, the interest he had shown earlier seemed now to be only perfunctory. He said, “Nice to meet you,” and was gone. I found out his name was Nick, and I often wonder what is in his future. He’s not likely to call me. Maybe I’ll go back to the restaurant to eat with my girlfriend, and I’ll be sure she’s on her own machine. It took me a few hours and a night of sleep to realize that I may not have made much difference in his life, but somehow, he helped me, and I know something put me there with that kid. I want him to have good sense, and I want him to live. I know that with motorcycles, it takes a lot more than having good sense, but it’s a good place to start and a good place to stay. What I want for you Nick, is what I want for myself. I want to have good sense, and I want to live. Thank you, Nick. Thank you for getting me to think about things today. All good roads lead to gratitude.
August 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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skills
askapro
Similar but different
By Lee Parks #162125
Q: I’ve been racing SCCA Solo events for
about 10 years, currently in a new Audi S8, and do pretty well. How different is motorcycle racing, should I decide to buy that S 1000 RR I’ve had my eye on? FYI, my current street bike is an R 1200 RT.
A:
The short answer is “very different,” but there are certainly a lot of similarities that bear mentioning, as well. I’ll start with the similarities. The basics of all motor racing are the same: maximize speed and minimize lap times. Choosing lines in a car involves trying to the make the curve as straight as possible by taking an outside-inside-outside path of travel. On a bike, the strategy is similar, but the turn point is a little later to make up for the fact that the bike loses time when it’s adding lean angle. So you want to make the straightaways longer and the curves shorter by changing direction faster and later and getting the bike upright sooner. This is part of the reason supermoto and roadracers try to back their bikes into the corner to get more steering done at the beginning of the turn so they can get upright and on the gas earlier. Perhaps the biggest difference between racing a car and racing a bike is what happens when you exceed the traction limits of the tires. On a car, generally speaking, it slides to the outside of or off the track, but the driver is not injured. On a single track vehicle like a motorcycle, going past the limits of traction can very often lead to a crash and even serious injury. That’s part of why motorcycle racers have to wear much more protective gear than a car racer. In my
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experience this is the major reason it’s easier and safer to get a new racer “up to speed” in a car versus a motorcycle. Another aspect of this is a car racing instructor can sit alongside the driver and give real-time input to teach the techniques. That is obviously not feasible on a bike. In terms of speed, a high-level racer can lap a stock S 1000 RR around Willow Springs at around 1:25, while a 2017 Audi S8 takes around 1:30 with a similar-level driver. This is interesting when you consider the numbers:
Horsepower
BMW S 1000 RR: 199 Audi S8: 605
Weight
BMW S 1000 RR: 449 lbs. Audi S8: 4685 lbs.
0–60
BMW S 1000 RR: 2.6 sec. Audi S8: 3.3 sec.
Top Speed
BMW S 1000 RR: 185 mph Audi S8: 190 mph
Remember, however, that speed does not kill, rapid deceleration kills. In a car, you are much better protected than on a bike, so you are more likely to push the limits than you are on a motorcycle. While I’m not going to suggest that some car racers are not in good physical shape, the level of fitness required for competitive motorcycle racing is closer to that of triathletes. For example, the cardiovascular demands of motocross and supercross are higher than have been reported for professional road cyclists during similar duration events and for professional mountain bikers during events on similar terrain. According to Lance Armstrong’s former personal trainer Jeff Spencer, who now works a lot with professional motocrossers, “Motocross by far requires the highest level of combined fitness of any sport on the face of the earth, bar none. I’ve spent five tours (Tour de France) with Lance Armstrong, and Lance is no slouch. But Lances’ overall general fitness doesn’t even compare to the overall fitness of a motocross racer.” This is partially due to the combination of fast-twitch (strength) and slow-twitch (endurance) muscle fibers needed for
motorcycle racing. While the average roadracer is generally not at the same fitness level of the average motocross racer, the top athletes in both disciplines often use similar trainers/routines. Additionally, body position is one area that is very different between car and motorcycle racing. In a car, you’re strapped into one position, and although the g-forces are higher, your muscle energy output is significantly less than on a motorcycle. While roadracing on a motorcycle you not only need to use your body as ballast to minimize lean angle by hanging off to the inside, but your body also becomes an active part of the aerodynamics of the vehicle. The bodywork of modern roadracers is designed with a space for the rider’s body to fill in the low-pressure areas for less aerodynamic drag when positioned correctly. In order to decide if you’re going to pull the trigger on that S 1000 RR, you first should decide if it is a bike you can live with on the street or if it is something you just want to play with on the track. Compared to your RT, the RR will seem like a torture rack in terms of comfort. On the other hand, it is capable of lap times that only 500 GP riders could achieve not that many years ago, and I might add, with far more safety features. In your particular case, my personal recommendation is to take a California Superbike School course near you and use one of their school S 1000 RRs on the track. That experience will let you know if it is a bike you gotta have or if it’s not a good fit. You also may learn some life-saving riding skills as a bonus.
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 him to answer in this column, send him an email at lee@totalcontroltraining.net.
August 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
83
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skills
RIDEWELL
Pre-ride checklists
Lessons learned from the aviation industry By Marven Ewen #150506 THE
MEDICAL
industry has learned the value of checklists from the airline industry. In 2009, Dr. Atul Gawande published a book called The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right. It was based on his experience adapting the airline preflight checklist to surgery to reduce the incidence of surgical complications. His idea was so successful it has now become a standard procedure. Even though surgeons have many years of arduous training and great dedication, mistakes sometimes happened. These mistakes included communication errors among the surgical team, unexpected equipment failures, wrong patient or wrong side for surgery, lack of equipment or blood products, and sponges and surgical instruments unaccounted for and left in patients. Today, before each operation there is a mandatory time out where surgical team members can introduce each other and state their roles. Additionally, everything needed for surgery is accounted for, including a sponge count, and the identity of the patient and procedure are confirmed. The use of checklists in the medical industry was met with little resistance because doctors and surgeons were already using checklists or flowcharts to make diagnoses. The checklist was simply a formalized process that is part of deductive reasoning learned in medical school. So having
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BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
learned the value of this style of thinking, it wasn’t much of a stretch to make it a formal process to reduce surgical errors. This kind of systematic approach is not only valuable to pilots and surgeons but essential for riding a motorcycle. Think of how many times you have started a ride and realized at some point you forgot to put in earplugs, or didn’t fasten your helmet strap. Have you forgotten to clean your visor? Have you ever forgotten to remove your
3
glasses before putting on a helmet or then forget to put them back on? Have you forgotten to raise your side stand? Have you ever run out of gas? Or, on older carbureted bikes, forgotten to open the fuel stop cock until underway? Did you forget your wallet or cell phone? There may be other issues with your bike you are unaware of. Are all the lights working? Is there sufficient air in the tires? Are your controls functioning? What are the oil, fuel and coolant levels? What condition are the brakes in? Do the brake and signal lights work? Is your luggage secure? What condition is your drivetrain in? The motorcycle safety foundation has a good checklist for motorcycle inspection called T-CLOCS. This is an acronym for all the areas of the bike that needs checking. This can be found on the MSF website and is free to download.
Recently, something very strange happened to a relative's motorcycle. While enjoying a nice ride through the Southern Ontario countryside, his K 75 began to shake. He pulled over to inspect his bike, suspecting a flat tire. With the bike on its centerstand, he checked the tire pressure and noticed the rear wheel wobbled as he rotated it. It was then he noticed there were only two bolts holding the wheel in place and one was loose. He had no idea how this could have happened, and his last tire change was done by a professional mechanic 16,000 km previously. I am not a mechanic but it seems unlikely these bolts backed out on their own, which makes me wonder if the bolts were removed recently while he had the bike parked when he attended a vintage rally. This made me think of my own experience last year. One day, I came out of work to find someone had tried to open one of my panniers with a screw driver. Though they didn’t succeed, they did leave the key entry point bent. This happened in a clinic parking lot in broad daylight where people are coming and going throughout the day. Now I must add the possibility of vandalism to my pre-ride checklist. Take a brief time out before you get on your bike. Come up with your own checklist in an order that makes sense to you and go through it the same way every time you ride,and before long, it will become second nature. That brief pause in your rush to get going will also allow you to take a breath and check your state of mind as well. Are you focused on what you are doing or distracted? What is your emotional state? Take a moment to calm down, and remember to put yourself in the present. You might be another minute late for work, but at least you will get there.
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lifestyl
jacktheriepe
I rode a bike and she called me Snake By Jack Riepe #116117 The following column is taken from one of the chapters of my new book, Motorcycles Speak Louder Than Words, out in August. It is only a portion of the chapter, as I have bent my literary license with this magazine as far as it will go. I submitted this as my column because I rather liked it, and thought you would, too. Many of you will remember similar weekends, when you were twenty years old… The sun has a way of baking the green out of everything by late July. Trees gradually acquire that tired look that comes with the dog days of summer and never quite shake it, regardless of how much it rains. For those camping, the night air brings little relief from the stagnant heat of the day, and for those camping by motorcycle in the Catskill Mountains of New York, the heat of the day becomes a permeable wall of humidity, even at 60 miles per hour. Sometimes it smells like flowers. Sometimes it smells like a dead deer. And sometimes, it just smells like a woman in the summer. And you think that smell will never end. I was exploring back roads through sleepy Catskill Mountain communities, north and west of Margaretville, New York, on the back of a twostroke Kawasaki H2 750 during July of 1977, in the company of a woman who was equally beautiful in jodhpurs or moto-gear. She was my equestrian girlfriend, my first lover and a great influence in my early literary life. She loved me, the way I wrote, and that damn motorcycle. She was one of the most incredible women I
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BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
would ever meet—and thoroughly disappoint. It is impossible to describe the motorcycle (raspberry/purple), the weather (thick and sliceable), the Catskills (alternately imposing and accessible), and my attitude (predictably post adolescent male) without describing this woman. I have described her in my previous book, Conversations With A Motorcycle, and don’t want to wear out the fragile landscape. She was 5’6”, slight, curvy like the Pacific Coast Highway, with long, midnight electric dark hair that came halfway down her back. She was Italian and had skin the color of warm honey. Her jeans were size 4. But the best was her voice. There are some women whose voice matches the tint of their eyes, and she was one of them. Everything she said had a soft, warm, sympathetic tone to it, even when she was angry. She jumped horses over fences in competition. She was smart, fearless and fun. No one knew whatever the hell it was she saw in me. Even my mother couldn’t figure that out. My fascination with brunettes was not by coincidence. I fell head over heels with a temptress (my Dark Secret) two years earlier. That one was a dangerous, explosive sort of relationship. and she carved a permanent spot in my brain with an ice pick. She was 5’6”, with hair that shimmered with black resolve and skin like porcelain. She loved me for 11 minutes and threw me from a moving car. The car wasn’t moving fast, but it was attached to a Ferris wheel. A decade later, when I was in my early thirties, my social life was the subject of a phone call between my brother and sister: “I met Jack’s new girlfriend over the weekend,” said my brother. “You’d like her.” “Let me guess,” replied my sister. “She’s about 5’6”, long black hair, pretty face, body like a stick, and her name is something like Cheyenne, Rani, or Prairie Dawn.” “How did you know?”
“He gets a reconditioned version of the same one over and over again.” The equestrian and I were riding through the Catskills because they were only four hours from home…because they were beautiful…and because we had 70 bucks between the two of us. The plan was to ride no farther than three tanks of gas (about $7.50), to get dinner in a country tavern on one night, to cook dinner over a fire the next, and to camp alongside a stream on both. The Catskill Mountains start gradually, about 80 miles north of New York City, on the western side of the Hudson River. The peaks rise dramatically in the Mid-Hudson Valley, and trail off to the west, where they are home to ski resorts, great hunting and some of the best trout fishing in the northeast. Washington Irving used the Catskills as the setting for “Rip Van Winkle” (1819). Thomas Cole, founder of the Hudson River School of Painting (1825), was inspired by the Catskill Mountains to add romanticism to landscape art. The Catskills were home to legendary Borscht Belt resorts like Kutsher’s, Brown’s, and Grossinger’s (1940 1960). The movie “Dirty Dancing” was alleged to taken place at a similar resort in the Catskills, though it was filmed in Virginia and North Carolina. The resort nature of the Catskills is in the dense forests, the mountain streams, the Alpine-like meadows and farms that surround its peaks. For anyone on a motorcycle, there are thousands of miles of back roads, largely devoid of traffic, that meander through valleys and then snake their way over sharp rises, en route to little towns rich in local color. It is one of the few places in the northeast where the ride is destination enough. Since my equestrian and I had no destination, one stretch of road was as good as another. We had just run through a nice little crossroads with a tavern that served food and were looking for a secluded spot
next to some moving water. We found a place a few miles out of town where a stream paralleled the road before meandering into the deep woods. An overgrown path led into the woods. We parked the bike and reconnoitered. The ground was pretty firm and level for about 200 feet, with thick evergreens and brush for privacy. There was a clear spot beneath the trees that would accommodate the small two-person tent, and it wouldn’t be hard to get the bike in off the road, away from prying eyes. The gurgle-burgle of the stream was a plus too, as the tumbling water provided a nice little pool to sit in, ideal for nursing a post-ride cocktail. “This place looks good,” I said. “It’s pretty in here,” agreed my equestrian, who had just lit up a Marlboro. “I’m ready to stop. That seat is hard on my butt.” I could sympathize with the frustration of the seat. “Let’s take the gear off the bike and set up the tent. Then we can go back and have dinner at that little saloon. I’d like to roll the bike in here while it is still light enough to do it without the headlight,” I said. “Think they’ll have a pool table at that little bar?” asked my equestrian. Her eyes were full of challenge. “I don’t care if they do,” I said. “We are not dancing to the juke box, nor are you going to shoot pool with the locals.” Things got hot when she danced. She could shoot pool with the best of them and usually won. The equestrian either attracted the local guys like moths to a flame or really pissed them off. They were sore losers either way. She just smiled and said, “I have to pee.” There was a fallen, rotting tree still attached to the stump, which made for a handy bench. She dropped her jeans, half sat on the tree and commenced passing water. Maybe it was the power of suggestion or the sound of the stream...but I had a similar inclination. In those days, I wore the first things that were clean and handy. Six hours earlier, I had stepped out of the shower and into a pair of jeans without the middleman of briefs. So undoing the zipper and opening my belt caused my pants
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www.gatewayriders.com/falling-leaf August 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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to fall around my ankles. This was no shock to the lady, who’d seen me in every variation of that stance. For any male biker in his early twenties, taking a leak outside is an opportunity to mark territory, to aim high and to glory in perfect, forceful trajectory. This is a simple pleasure exclusive to the male of the human species. (Any guy will know exactly what I am talking about.) I was in the process of making an interesting design, about ten feet in the air, when my handiwork set off a buzzing that raised my hackles. I had inadvertently pissed off a timber rattler, quite literally, and I was now standing snake to snake. This was my first and only encounter with a snake of this kind. And I reacted like any city person would: I yelled “Rattlesnake” at the top of my voice. And then I screamed for the equestrian to run. A pissed off rattlesnake does not sound like a baby’s rattle in high gear nor an instrument in a 1940’s Cuban band. It is a cross between a loud buzz and a chainsaw. There are those who will tell you that rattlesnakes are more afraid of you than you are of them, that they are easily avoided, and that many hold regular jobs and get elected to congress. In a split second, I envisioned one clamping down on my testicles and filling them full of venom. The equestrian set a new Olympic record, covering the 200 feet out to the bike in 2.8 seconds, holding up her open pants and screaming at the same time. I took two steps backward and fell—ensnared by the jeans around my ankles. I got up, pulled my open pants as far north as my knees, and chased after her, bent over like some kind of evil dwarf. That was when we met, Ed, the New York state trooper, who had pulled onto the shoulder to look at the plate on my bike, which at the moment was obscured by the equestrian’s riding jacket. What Ed saw and heard was a young woman of astonishing beauty clutching open pants and screaming while exiting the woods, followed by a guy with his pants open and down.
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It didn’t help matters when the equestrian pointed in my direction and yelled, “Snake,” at the cop. “Everybody stop!” yelled the cop, with his hand on his pistol. Then he looked at me and said “You, Snake, put your hands in the air.” That was when my pants fell to my ankles for the second time that day. “Are you bothering this little girl?” asked the cop. And my beautiful, dark-haired, demure, and desirable equestrian burst out laughing. She was 22, two years older than me. The cop got everything sorted out in about 15 minutes, but not before he was joined by the local sheriff. They checked my ID and hers. The two officers had a good laugh and walked back into the woods with me to look for the snake. It was gone. “Rattlers are here, but there aren’t a lot of them,” said the state trooper. “They’re more afraid of you than you are of them,” said the sheriff. “What did you do, step on it?” “He pissed on it,” said the trooper. “Hell, that would get me mad too,” said the sheriff. The sheriff recommended a snake-free public campground a few miles distant, and both left. “I’m not camping here,” said my equestrian. “Suppose the snake comes back with a few of his friends?” She called me “Snake” for the rest of the weekend. I liked it.
Did you like this story? You can find the conclusion to this one, plus 24 others in my new book, Motorcycles Speak Louder Than Words. This is the edgier sequel to Conversations With A Motorcycle. My new publishers, Zadic & Deverelle, have taken over the marketing, leaving me free to write. Print runs are limited. Order autographed books from jackriepe.com. Both editions are expected to sell quickly.
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mileageslaves
What are the odds? By David Cwi #28490 I WAS LOOKING
forward to the trip, Looking at this year’s riding schedule, it was clear that this would be my only trip “back East,” and it’s been a very long time since I’d ridden at all in New Jersey on the Shore side, Back in my school days, I lived in Baltimore, and my only “nearby” BMW dealer was in New Jersey, so that tells you how far BMW has come in getting a dealer closer to its customer base. Once I moved to the Midwest I tried to avoid the megalopolis of the East, save for the annual trek to Nova Scotia, and to do that, I’d often just pop up into Canada as soon as I could. This was something old but new again, and I was, I confess, psyched. Seeing an old friend now in some distress, all of it slab time, but still a ride, what the heck! It was to be a special event, and the Road Gods made that clear from the start. Here’s what I mean: I’m in the garage packing the bike and going through the usual check down. First off, check the air pressure with my handy dandy, digital official issue BMW air pressure gauge which I confess is a bit of a pain to use especially on the rear tire where the valve stem sticks straight up. For sure this is better done with the bags off the bike. The front tire, though, is less of a problem as the stem points out at you, parallel to the ground. All you have to do is get those tires just right so the stems are accessible, and that makes it easy, What are the odds?!! I mean, I’ve got the bike stopped where BOTH
BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
tires are positioned so the stems are just right for me to check tire pressures with ease. Both tires are off the exact same amount. But it gets better, As if by magic, I get both tires precisely pumped up, each with one quick air chuck pressure boost! I mean, what are the odds! What’s next? Time to check the oil. My oilhead now has over 100,000 miles and is finally broken in. I am fixated on one brand of oil, and it’s not BMW’s currently specified oil but the oil formerly specified. Frankly, I was not in a mood to add oil. I knew it was about time for an oil change as I had I guess near 5,000 miles since the last one. I eyeball the sight glass—oil level smack dab in the middle of the window. What are the freakin’ odds! I mean this trip is already fabulous! Soon enough I was hitting the back roads to get from my house to I-70, and as I got into the ride’s mental zone I discovered of course that the brain is a wonderful thing, capable of creating associations you never expected. Dale’s email kicks in, not much of a surprise once you get the gist of the email. Was he instilling paranoia, or was it, in fact, wisdom? He was forwarding an article by some guy claiming that so many folks were texting and messing with their phones and drifting over across the yellow line that, if riding the two lane roads, you were best to stay on the right side of your lane. If that does not get your mind a whirling, consider Ryan, who showed up to this year’s Arkansas Rendezvous on a new-tohim, sweet Kawasaki Versys. It seems the year before at this very get-together he’d been clipped by someone crossing the center line, leading to a shattered ankle, a chopper flight to a hospital, and a slow but near complete recovery. He was sitting now, quiet in my mind’s eye, at the hotel. He murmurs that he’s uncomfortable being back on a bike back here in the Ozarks. He’s
wondering, what are the odds? He’s stewing about it enough that he’s thinking of getting the bike home and getting off bikes, Period. But I stayed where I normally stay in the lane, soldiered on and didn’t worry about the odds. Then I laughed—Focus Dave, Focus on the ride—but I couldn’t stop myself. You see, Dale also gave me another bit of news, and he’s on my brain, as I’m set to see him in Ohio on the way BACK from the East. “Dave, Joe (another Raider) and I are having colonoscopies on the same day! What are the odds?” To some folks I’m known for the technical aspects of route planning, by which I mean getting the route out of Google, for example, and forcing the GPS to correctly show turns and stops. Since much of that is for small groups of riders (and recall I have a fuel cell and they likely do not), I need to match stops ahead of time to the panic in their eyes as their tank nears empty. I go so far as to literally eyeball the gas stop via Google street view and count the pumps when planning group stops. I don’t just get on the bike, hit the starter, and go for a ride. But not today; I’m the cobbler with shoddy shoes. Let me cut to the chase: What are the odds that a GPS would put me on the shortest distance road to hell? Do not answer. No, I never called ahead and asked if Philadelphia on a Saturday afternoon would be as bad as the Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago on any day. That would have been smart. I did not even look at a map to see what the options were; I just turned on the GPS, found Vineland, found the hotel, and told the GPS to take me there, Turns out the shortest distance accordingly to both Google and the GPS is a route taking you on what the locals call the “Sure Kill Expressway.” No, I am not making this stuff up, and having now ridden it, I for
sure know why it gets that name. It has just enough sections with grade to cause the big rigs a problem at that speed, and when that accordion magic occurs as cars attempt to pile in from on-ramps, you get this wonderful whiplash as you come to a screeching halt and then gear up again. But I survived. There was a better way. The locals call it the “Blue Route,” and it is four miles longer according to Google. We are talking I-476. Then the real magic happened. Well, I’m here to see a Raider who at the time of the ride was not likely to be on any Raider Run anytime soon, being as how he was fighting cancer. I’ll not mention his name since the prognosis was not the best. What are the odds that two other guys from elsewhere in the country who were on the first Raider Ride with him 16 years ago would be able to get away for this visit? What are the odds that three guys would have the same weekend clear and would, without hesitation, say, “I’m there.” Well, when it’s family the odds sometimes change. They did that weekend, and we did it in cahoots with his wife, so it came as a surprise to him. We had a great dinner, and all of us brought along shirts made for that first trip. We were the Redmond Raiders going to the MOA National, that year in Redmond. What are the odds that we’d all still have that shirt, and what are the odds that I’d have an original of that shirt to bring along for our surprise guest of honor? We re-created a picture of the four of us taken in a pavilion building at the rally, gave him a blow up of the Redmond original, and promised to email copies of the new pic. Big smiles all around. The next day was long, with a ride back home and a stop in Ohio to see Dale. Clear day, perfect temperature, few cars, Pennsylvania Turnpike at its scenic best. You’d think that a ride like that would be a great, stress-free cleansing. What are the odds that you’d be crying in your helmet? Got back home, got a text from his wife; they are now giving him just two months. What are the odds? Go ride your bike, maybe visit a friend. See you down the road. www.weisertechnik.com August 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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lifestyl
finaljourney
Ekke Kok #11421, MOA Life Member EKKE KOK PASSED AWAY IN HIS
sleep the morning of Sunday, May 7, at the age of 88 while camping with his wife Magda at Banff ’s Tunnel Mountain. Ekke was born in Eindhoven in the Netherlands and at 16 moved with his family to Nijmegen when the city was liberated. When he was old enough, Ekke joined the Canadian army and served to liberate other cities and towns. After the war, he worked on various merchant ships and travelled the world. In 1960, he married Magdalena Van Lin and had two sons, Ekke in 1961 and Onno in 1965. In 1969, the young family emigrated to Canada, where Ekke’s career as an executive chef flourished while working in Alberta health services and correctional facilities. Ekke had been riding BMW motorcycles since before he met Magda and passed on his passion for the marque to his sons. A favorite story involved Ekke picking up a new 1984 BMW R 100 RT from Prairie Motorcycles in Regina, Saskatchewan, in the middle of February. Along the way home, a
Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer stopped him on the highway, believing no one would be crazy enough to ride a motorcycle in the middle of a Saskatchewan winter. Ekke was involved in many facets of the motorcycle community, including the Calgary Safety Council where he rose to the level of Chief Instructor for motorcycle safety training. Ekke was also active in the BMW motorcycle clubs in Regina, Saskatchewan, and Calgary, Alberta, as well as the Blue Knights motorcycle clubs in Saskatchewan and Alberta. He was a co-founder of the Blue Knights Calgary chapter. A Memorial Service was held at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in May and was attended by many BMW club and Blue Knights motorcycle club members. Ekke received a full Calgary Police Service escort and a Blue
Knights honor guard as his remains were carried by his eldest son Ekke Jr., who was riding his father’s beloved 1984 R 100 RT while accompanied by BMW and Blue Knights riders.
To move, to breathe, to fly, to float, To gain all while you give, To roam the roads of lands remote: To travel is to live. - Hans Christian Andersen
Frank M. Davis #2560, MOA Life Member FRANK M. DAVIS PASSED AWAY AT
age 101 on May 16, 2017, near his home in Cedar Mountain, North Carolina. After retiring to North Carolina in 1970, Frank enjoyed traveling the seven continents via ship, airplane, automobile and motorcycle and generally loved whatever joys each day had to offer. An avid touring motorcyclist, Frank
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traveled widely throughout the Eastern United States from New York to Key West, the length of Mexico from the Rio Grande to Guatemala, and in each of the Alpine countries of Europe. In additional to his BMW MOA membership, Frank was a charter member of the BMW-NC Tarheel Travelers Frank was a wise, fun-loving, gracious and unique individual with a positive life
force, and he lived each moment with appreciation and gusto. He was an energetic conversationalist and a great story teller, a true gentleman who always raised his cap to a lady, and a charming, kind and authentic man who had friends of every age and walk of life. Many lives were greatly enriched by having known this sweet man.
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friends as JD, passed away on Oct 24, 2016, after a long battle with cancer. He was 68 years old. John joined the MOA in 1972 and owned and rode a long list of motorcycles over the years, beginning with a step-through Honda 50. John was a charter member of the Apple Valley Riders, as well as the BMW Owners of Nova Scotia. John had been a staunch supporter of the Bluenose Rally, a Nova Scotia gathering of riders that held its 47th annual event in July of 2017. JD made two trips to Europe with Beach’s Alpine Adventures and twice crossed Canada along with his Dad who rode on the back of an R100. JD attended many MOA rallies, usually with his dad Everett on the back seat. Long listed in the Owners Anonymous Book, JD provided accommodations and mechanical help to many members, making many lifelong friends in the process. He is missed.
August 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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fromtheboard
Spring Open Session Board Minutes By Reece Mullins #143779 THE SECOND QUARTER BMW MOA
Open Session Board Meeting for 2017, was held on the 6th of May at the Elganté Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The MOA conducts open session board meetings quarterly at various locations during the year. All members of the MOA are encouraged to attend. The open session board meetings are a great opportunity for members to engage with MOA leadership and staff and to be on the cutting edge of all things new and approved by the MOA. The next Quarterly BMW MOA Open Session Board Meeting will be held at the BMW MOA International Rally in Salt Lake City, Utah. BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: President Wes Fitzer, Vice President Jackie Hughes, Treasurer Jean Excell, Secretary Reece Mullins, Directors Marc Souliere, Sam Garst, and Chad Warner. STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Executive Director Bob Aldridge, Director of Membership and Marketing Ted Moyer, Director of Membership Services Ray Tubbs. FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: President Chuck Manley,
Vice President Mark Austin, Treasurer Bex Becker, Secretary Greg Straub. Directors Will McCarty, Vance Harrelson, and Peter Perrin. 2017 SALT LAKE CHAIR: Greg Feeler.
CITY
RALLY
MEMBERS PRESENT: Matt Parkhouse, Mari Harrelson, Deb Lower, Eric Peterson, Brett Leeman, Diane Leeman, Robin Leeman, Damon Lee-
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man, Herb Bailey, Ken Hall (Gears). President Wes Fitzer calls the meeting to order at 13:14 MDT. Wes begins the meeting with a brief welcome and introductory statements from all members of the board, staff and MOA members present.
Treasurer’s Report Jean Excell:
Our investment account is at $600,640.16 as of May 5, 2017. This amount is in excess of our long-term liabilities.
Executive Director’s Report Bob Aldridge:
Bob introduces himself, the staff members present and those staff members not attending. Bob briefly explains each staff member’s positions and their duties within the team structure of the MOA. Bob Aldridge briefs the slides presented to the membership. Briefing highlights: • Membership – currently 31,300 members stable. • 1st quarter revenue report – Membership, advertising, and event revenue: Total income: $601,000, budgeted: $552,000. We are up 1st quarter revenue, above budget, “That’s good news.” • 1st quarter COG, Cost of Goods (deliverables to the membership). Owners News, Anonymous Book, Gear Store, Nation Safe Driver Program… currently $206,000, budgeted at $209,000, which is good, as we are coming in under budget on costs associated with our deliverables. • 1st quarter overall results: We are showing a profit of $23,623.00 above our conservative budget. This is good news for the club and indicates the potential for overall profitability of the club for year 2017. The budget results reflect the hard work of the board and the staff to
use those membership dollars appropriately and provide the services we do. We are very pleased to report 1st quarter profitability and are working hard to maintain that rate of profitability throughout the year. President Wes Fitzer: “I would like to take a moment to thank Bob and his staff. For those who understand where we came from financially; this club had been losing money at an extraordinary rate from 2009-2015…the work that Bob and the staff have done to get us to this financial position is extraordinary, and I would like to thank Bob personally.” Upon closing Bob Aldridge mentions the financial report supplement from 2016 and announces that the MOA will continue to make every effort to effectively communicate the financials of the club and to be as transparent as possible to the membership.
Ray Tubbs - Membership:
Ray Tubbs introduces himself and briefly describes his duties as the membership services director, taking the time to acknowledge the hard work of fellow staff members not present for the briefing that work in the membership services division of the MOA in Greenville, SC. Highlights from Ray Tubbs briefing: • Ongoing efforts by the staff and the board to expand and enhance the Regional Coordinator program. • Enhancing the Social Media experience. Use social media to clearly articulate “the fun” of riding a BMW motorcycle and being a BMW MOA member. • Developing social media contributors and identifying the means and platforms that are relevant to the MOA’s strategic mission of reaching motorcycle riders. • MOA hotline eliminated. Cost of the concierge service did not justify low
usage rates. • MRP Motorcycle Relief Project. The MOA’s relationship with the MRP is strong. $2,500 raised during the Fontana Getaway through the silent auction program. • Prioritization of the discount offers, identifying those member benefits utilized and those that are not. Staff analysis of a tiered membership program that would enhance membership based on the member’s individual needs and priorities. • Social Link explained as an upcoming MOA website initiative aimed at enhancing the member’s website and social experience through the selection of database preferences and the customization of content feeds, with the additional possibility of throughput to an anonymous book application. • Rally deliverables. Over 1100 registered for the rally currently. Rally App will be going up just prior to the Rally, with new content improvements through the implementation of feedback from last year’s Rally App. • Rally website information is up and available. • Rally items available in gear store.
Staff Report – Ted Moyer:
Briefly describes staff structure and projects currently under way. Explains the tactical and strategic execution of the staff in general, typical for first and second quarter operations. Highlights from Ted Moyer’s briefing: • Strategic content plan. Owners News content aligned with stratification of social media platforms, insuring synergistic time line execution to coincide with event and content planning. • Seeking unique content gleaned through geographic contributors. Great effort is being taken to bring more contributors to the table, both through print and social media: photos, podcasts, written articles, video… etc. • Rally content being pushed out currently via ON and social media. (ON, website, social, rally program) • Magazine meeting distribution date 100% of the time. Currently maintaining a 35/65 percent ad to content ration. Striving for a 31/69 add/content ratio. • Expanding the contributor network
available for content. • Giving contributors more specific guidelines on how to form and deliver content. • Building a submission system that will allow members/contributors to easily upload content to the specified platform, ON, Facebook, podcasts, YouTube… etc. • Putting together a support network of people to “make your content look beautiful; one of the distinct advantages we have.” • Working on an updated design layout of the magazine. Bill Wiegand will be reviewing that over the next six to nine months. • Wes Fleming currently working on a project to “reskin” the website to ensure an organizational similarity between the website and other communication platforms like the ON. Ted describes the layers of complexity with the content delivery system. • Wes Fleming’s pet project; currently working podcast development in addition to other duties. (Member/Celebrity Profiles delivered through the podcast format.) • Wes Fleming also currently expanding the digital ON archive: 2009 forward – available on digital format, pre-2009 still paper only, a time-consuming project working back to 1972. A member has provided all ON copies back to 1972 and is in the process of scanning each page to PDF to fully digitize the entire archive. • Super Stakes update. To date we have given away 49 motorcycles. It’s always a good day to call someone and tell them they won a brand-new motorcycle. Currently we are up to 15 motorcycles to give away this year, we will most likely see 17. We may even get up to 20 before the July 8th deadline.
2017 Salt Lake City Utah Rally Chair Report – Greg Feeler:
Highlights from the Rally Chair Report Salt Lake City, Utah ,“Crossroads of the West”: • Brian Burdette, Pat Carol – Rally Co-Chairs. • 64 days remaining prior to Rally kickoff. • Where are we at in the process? We are good overall!
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www.ztechnik.com
fromtheboard
• All committees filled and ready. • 44 committees 101 chairs and co-chairs. • Completely signed all the bands for entertainment. All original artists, no cover bands. Blue Grass, Big Band Swing, and Rock-a-Billy among other genres. • 100 Seminars at this point with 62 presenters, Sue Rihn seminars chair. • Deb Lower, vendor chair. All vendor spaces have been booked at this time. So far, we’ve taken in over $68,000 in income from vendors with room for more vendors. • First version of sight layout published on the website and the ON. We are using the whole venue site. An updated version of the site layout will be published in the July ON. • Greg explains in detail the rally site layout map, the structure of the venue, and flow of events. • Charities that the international rally will be supporting include a local Utah charity and the Motorcycle Relief Project. • Greg announces the implementation of a rally exit survey for participants. • Things left to do: July ON rally submission, WiFi set up; in the aggregate, we are ahead of schedule. Greg Feeler concludes his briefing. Upon conclusion of his briefing there were no further questions from the attendees that had not already been entertained directly by Greg Feeler during the briefing.
Operations Committee – Jean Excell:
• One update from the operations committee: the overhaul and update of the policy and procedures manual is complete and approved. This represents the
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editing and revision of about five years of updates that the operations committee has been working diligently to correct over the course of the past year. We have completed the editing of the P&P and will post the approved version to our electronic file. Former BMW MOA board director Vance Harrelson comments, recognizing the enormity of the work this announcement represents and congratulates the operations committee and the board for the accomplishment of this daunting task. President Wes Fitzer corroborates former director Vance Harrelson’s comments, further explaining the enormity of the task and taking the time to personally thank the operations committee for their hard work and efforts.
Volunteers Committee – Sam Garst:
• Three nominations for the Helping Hands award: Members Steve Monsiem, Jim D’Agostino and Chuck Wetzel. • Regional Coordinator restructuring initiative – Board involvement from the volunteers committee, advancing clear guidelines for the RC’s and pushing more resources to the RC in the performance of their duties to include expanding the program and recruiting more regional coordinators.
The question was raised by Greg Feeler upon the conclusion of the volunteer committee brief regarding the change in structure of the Helping Hands Award nomination process from Executive Director to Volunteer Committee Chair. Executive Director Bob Aldridge explains the board restructuring of the Helping Hands Award to fall under the volunteers committee purview to align the award nomination and approval process with other MOA and BMW awards. “Recognition of volunteers is one of the most important things we do, and having the Board recognize those volunteers, especially in a public forum like this, I think, is very important.”
Peter Perrin asks, “Are those awards written up in the Owners News or on the Forum?” Sam Garst, “They will be. They were just approved today.”
Events Committee – Jackie Hughes:
Recaps BMW MOA Getaway series. • Fontana was our first event of the year two weeks ago, a very successful getaway. • Coeur d’Alene Idaho event: 79 currently registered, expecting about 85 participants total for the event. Anticipating a successful getaway. Coeur d’Alene is our last spring event and then we start back up in August with our fall getaways. • Eureka Springs, Arkansas • Pineville, Kentucky • Sedona, Arizona • Jay, Vermont • Tomah, Wisconsin • Texas Hill Country, Texas One unfortunate announcement, the Colorado Springs, Colorado, June Getaway has been canceled. Jackie Hughes makes the announcement that the location of the 2018 International BMW MOA rally site, July 12th-15th will be at the Iowa State Fair Grounds in Des Moines, Iowa. The announcement is made with a promotional video highlighting the rally site venue. At the conclusion of the Open Board Meeting Jackie Hughes, Wes Fitzer, and Bob Aldridge make the announcement to the membership at large through Facebook Live. Jackie Hughes concludes the events committee presentation and entertains questions regarding the rally site location for Des Moines. President Wes Fitzer opens the board meeting to member comments. Greg Feeler: As a former board member and president, he personally thanks the outgoing board members, Jackie Hughes and Stan Herman, for all their hard work and support.
Peter Perrin: When are the results of the election posted? Reece Mullins: June. Bob Aldridge: We typically post the election results as soon as we get them back from the CPA and back to the election committee for verification. We typically post the results on the website as soon as that process is complete, and then posted in the next available issue of the Owners News. Herb Bailey: Thanks the board and staff for the opportunity to attend. “As a member, I’m so excited to know of all the work that is being done on behalf of the membership. I’m grateful, and my hat’s off to all you guy,s and I appreciate you all very much. I’ll leave you with a quote that exemplifies what I’ve seen this weekend. It is a quote by Admiral Farragut, “The world is not interested in the storms you encounter, but did you bring in the ship?” I feel this quote is appropriate because you guys deliver! It’s a very exciting time to be an MOA member.” President Wes Fitzer: That means a lot to the board to hear you say that…thank you. We are here for the membership. FUTURE MEETING MULLINS:
DATES
–
REECE
• Next quarterly open session board meeting will be at the Salt Lake City Rally, Friday, July 14th. • The fall quarterly in person and open session board meeting with be in Des Moines Iowa at the Iowa State Fair Grounds, time line TBD, probably the first weekend in October.
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President Wes Fitzer calls for any further questions from the members in attendance. As there were none, Wes Fitzer calls for a motion to adjourn the meeting from the board. Director Marc Souliere moves to adjourn the meeting. Director Jackie Hughes seconds the motion. All in favor, no nay’s, (Director Stan Herman not present for open session, a quorum was present; the vote carried.) Opens Session Board meeting was adjourned at 15:24 MDT.
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Join the BMW MOA FACEBOOK page today! Get the MOA Newsfeed via Twitter for more BMW and motorcycle news – www.twitter.com/bmwmoa
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BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2017
The
Benefits of
Membership Office Depot
Save money on all of your purchases of ink, toner, office supplies, printing services and much more online at Office Depot.com or in stores. Visit the BMW MOA page at officedepot.com and start saving.
We have lined up some of the best discounts in the industry worth way more than $40 per year. Whether you need product discounts, travel discounts or specialized services, your MOA membership can save you thousands of dollars with our partners.
MOA Partner Discounts Seven Corner Travel Insurance Members recieve 10% off premium tier travel insurance as required by most motorcycle tour operators.
Product Discounts Eagle Rider San Francisco
Member receive a 10% discount on winter pricing.
Travel Discounts Avis
Member receive a 10% discount on rentals returned to the same city.
Service Providers Pro Football Hall of Fame
Members receive 17% off regular priced admission.
For the complete listing of all member discounts, visit us online at bmwmoa.org/discounts
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August 2017  BMW OWNERS NEWS
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August 1
8/3/2017 – 8/6/2017
22nd Damn Yankees Rally
Location: Heath, Massachusetts Contact: Rich Roy f650gs@cox.net www.yankeebeemers.org Rustic camping at one of New England’s oldest operating fairgrounds, The Heath Fairground. Outdoor showers. Saturday activities include a guided Dual Sport Ride, a visit to a legendary ISDT Spanish Motorcycle museum, A Magical Mystery Tour, a “MotoGymKhana” and Live Band. All brand riders and their guests Welcome!
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2
8/5/2017
18th Annual 100,000 Ft. Ride
Location: Lakewood, Colorado Contact: Carl Thomte 303-753-662 rcarloski@msn.com Ride enough mountain passes in a day to equal 100,000 ft.! This ride can go from 300500 miles depending on the final route.
3
8/10/2017 – 8/13/2017
Camp-N-Ride
Location: Kaslo, British Columbia, Canada Contact: Gary Smith 250-766-3192 judosmith@telus.net This is a no host event. Come and join in on the camaraderie of fellow riders and visit some of the best riding in British Columbia. Please check our website for further details Valley Bmw Riders.
4
8/11/2017 - 8/13/2017
35th Annual Husker Rally
Location: Franklin, Nebraska Contact: Jayney Solo 402-676-1739 jayneysolo@cox.net Join us for our 35th annual rally at the fairgrounds in Franklin, 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.
Detailed information for all events is available online at: bmwmoa.org
5
8/11/2017 - 8/13/2017
40th Annual Daniel Boone Rally
Location: Boone, North Carolina Contact: rally@carolinasbmwmoa.org Join us for the 40th Annual Dan’l Boone Rally at the KOA Campground in Boone, North Carolina. Some of the best motorcycle roads east of the Mississippi River with three states in easy distance. Ride the Blue Ridge Parkway, High Country of North Carolina and much more.
6
8/17/2017 - 8/20/2017
Nakusp Hotsprings Rally
Location: Nakusp, British Columbia, Canada Contact: Grant Fengstad nakupsrally@beeceebeemers.com The areas around Nakusp, BC boasts some of the best riding roads in all of British Columbia. Whether you come for the workshops, talks, camaraderie, riding or to relax in this picturesque location you will not regret your visit.
7
8/17/2017 - 8/20/2017
19th Beartooth Rendezvous
Location: Red Lodge, Montana Contact: Charlie Greear/Carla Tooth registrar@beartoothbeemers.org (208) 661-5639/(406) 696-2114 You can’t ask for a better view! Join us at the Lions Camp located 10 miles south of Red Lodge, Montana. Ample camping space is available in and around the camp and there’s even a mountain stream nearby.
8
8/18/2017 - 8/20/2017
MOA Getaway
Location: Eureka Springs, Arkansas Contact: bmwmoa.org/getaway Nestled in the Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas and surrounded by rivers and lakes, Eureka Springs is known for its healing waters and ribbons of highway curling around majestic bluffs and over hills revealing the area’s breathtaking scenery. An $89 event fee includes a Friday night welcome party and dinner with cash bar, Saturday night dinner and awards with cash bar, $500 worth of door prizes, event t-shirt, special MOA gift and a silent auction to benefit the Motorcycle Relief Project. Event Fee does not include lodging. Visit
bmwmoa.org/getaway to register for the event and contact Inn of the Ozarks at 800814-8307 for room reservations.
9
8/18/2017 - 8/20/2017
Four Winds BMW Riders Rally
Location: Fairmount City, Pennsylvania Contact: John Humphrey 412-897-1903 john.4windsbmw@gmail.com Please join us for the longest continuous running BMW rally in America. Beautiful riding in scenic western Pennsylvania, just south of the Allegheny National Forest. Great group and individual riding for road and GS riders. Local lodging is available, as well as RV and camping sites in Red Bank Park.
10
8/25/2017 - 8/27/2017
Galena Campout
Location: Galena, Illinois Contact: Douglas E. Rost (847) 217-9194 douglasrost@gmail.com Set amongst the beautiful rolling hills of Northern Illinois, just minutes from the mighty Mississippi River is the family friendly Palace Campgrounds. There you will find plenty of shaded camping, mini cottages, RV hook-ups, hot showers, and even a pool and sun deck.
September 11
9/1/2017 - 9/4/2017
43rd Annual Finger Lakes Rally
Location: Watkins Glen, New York Contact: rally@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.
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in Angels Camp, located in the historic 49er gold country of California. This two day event is open to all motorcyclists and features spectacular and scenic riding, showcasing some of the best roads and stunning beauty of the Sierra Nevada mountain range of Northern California. Each day the routes cover nearly 350 miles and offer some fun GS options, as well as decent short cut options for those not interested in riding the full route (the short cuts are over great roads too).
13
9/1/2017 - 9/3/2017
High Sierra (Lost for a Reason)
Location: Benton Crossing, California Contact: Eric Hall 949-873-3678 eric.hall@xladv.com Come join us for the Sixth Annual High Sierra Rally! Where 80 riders will escape the late summer heat in the cool High Sierra to enjoy camping & riding, gourmet catered meals, hot springs, hot showers, real bathrooms and some fantastic raffle prizes! All to benefit Lost for a Reason. Please check out our website at HIGH SIERRA 2017 for registration and additional information.
14
9/8/2017 - 9/10/2017
MOA Getaway
Location: Pineville, Kentucky Contact: bmwmoa.org/getaway Set in the Kentucky Ridge State Forest and surrounded by mountains, this secluded resort offers peace and tranquility and is the perfect place for fun and great riding. A $89 event fee includes a Friday night welcome party and dinner with cash bar, Saturday night dinner and awards with cash bar, $500 worth of door prizes, event t-shirt, special MOA gift and a silent auction to benefit the Motorcycle Relief Project. Event Fee does not include lodging. Visit bmwmoa.org/getaway to register for the event and contact Pine Mountain State Resort Park at 606-337-3066 for room reservations.
9/1/2017 - 9/4/2017
Range of Light Gypsy Tour
Location: Angels Camp, California Contact: Nick Gloyd rolchair@bmwnorcal.org The start of this year’s Range of Light Gypsy Tour is at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds
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9/8/2017 - 9/10/2017
Camp-N-Ride
Location: Midway, British Columbia, Canada Contact: Gary Smith 250-766-3192 judosmith@telus.net This is a no host event. A great time to relax
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along the Kettle River, or go for a variety of rides in the area. Please check our website for further details Valley BMW Riders.
16
9/8/2017 - 9/10/2017
Wisconsin Dells Rally
Location: Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin Contact: Brian Manke & Heidi Goehring dellsrally@gmail.com Lots of shade & scenic paths await you. There’s more room to camp this year plus live music both nights and a pig roast Saturday. Check out our website for more details Wisconsin BMW Motorrad Club.
17
9/8/2017 - 9/10/2017
MOA Premier Getaway
Location: Sedona, Arizona Contact: bmwmoa.org/getaway Surrounded by red-rock buttes, steep canyon walls and lush pine forests, the Sedona area offers some of the most scenic rides in the southwest through postcard perfect rock formations and beautiful landscapes. A $129 event fee includes a Friday welcome party and dinner, Saturday dinner and awards, $500 in door prizes, polo shirt, special MOA gift and silent auction benefitting the Motorcycle Relief Project. Visit bmwmoa. org/getaway to register for the event and contact Poco Diablo Resort at 928-282-7333 for room reservations.
18
9/8/2017 - 9/10/2017
33rd Annual Bavarian Mountain Weekend Location: Vadito, New Mexico Contact: Richard Larson 505-504-4143 rslarson@gmail.com Friday night green chile stew snack and Saturday night dinner. Live music Friday and Saturday (new band!) evenings. Great door prizes. Tech sessions. Located just 25 miles SE of Taos, NM on state highway 518 there is wonderful mountain area riding, with nearby Santa Fe, Taos, Las Vegas and points beyond.
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9/8/2017 - 9/10/2017
35th Green Mountain Rally
Location: Goshen, Vermont Contact: Dan Walton rally@vtbmwmov.org In the midst of the Green Mountains, once again enjoy the best home cooking, great Vermont self-guided tours, Gap and GS Rides, live bluegrass music Friday night, door prizes and awards ceremony Saturday night, coffee/tea/soft drinks/popcorn, hot showers, camping, bonfires, and again this year, an hour of New England storytelling. 9/14/2017 - 9/17/2017
20 Ride the Blue Ridge Location: Morganton, North Carolina Contact: Gene Smith 828-439-9754 rallymaster@knobbies.org Ride the Blue Ridge with the Knobbies. Join us once again at Catawba Meadows Park in Morganton, North Carolina, for some of the best riding in the South. Our Knobbies guide GS rides, sport rides and more.
21
9/15/2017 - 9/17/2017
Annual Oktoberfest in September
Location: Round Top, New York Contact: Don Eilenberger deilenberger@verizon.net Once again, we’re honoring the actual date of when Oktoberfest begins in Germany (September 16th in Munich) - and planning on excellent September riding weather! We are again gathering at the Crystal Brook German Resort in Round Top NY. The weekend can be had as an all inclusive, ALL meals included with lodging, or as a B&B weekend with breakfast included.
22
9/15/2017 - 9/17/2017
Whacky Hat
Location: Jamaica, Vermont Contact: Bill Cusack bcusack@comcast.net www.yankeebeemers.org This is the finest time of year to ride Vermont! This campout has moved around over the years, and we like to keep it fresh. This year we go back to Jamaica for some twisty roads, fall foliage, real maple syrup, and all that is the essence of riding Vermont
in the fall. Saturday morning “Breakfast in Canada” is a favorite, so bring your passports!
23
9/15/2017 - 9/17/2017
32nd Annual Autumn Beemer Bash
Location: Quincy, California Contact: bashinfo@comcast.net 1-925-443-2070 Come check out the famous CCBR coffee, our Beer Garden, 2 nights of camping w/ early camping available, a Saturday night BBQ, two Continental breakfasts, a GS ride, a poker run, vendors and speakers. RVs and leashed pets are welcome and there’s great camping on the grass along with hot showers. The wonderful mountain rides in the Sierras are a short jaunt away!
24
9/15/2017 - 9/17/2017
8th Annual Twin Valley Rally
Location: Meadows of Dan, Virginia Contact: Seth Pagani seth@twinvalleyrally.org Imagine the perfect motorcycle rally. You put it in an area renowned for amazing roads and sublime scenery. You host it in a clean, intimate campground with proper amenities. You make it small enough to get to know practically everybody there, but large enough to broaden your friendships. You have music, door prizes, and possible test rides of fine new machines, amazing food, vendors and fun events. That’s what Twin Valley Riders, the sport-touring and adventure-riding club of Southwest Virginia has done with the Twin Valley Rally.
25
9/15/2017 - 9/17/2017
25th Annual Purity Spring Rally
Location: East Madison, New Hampshire Contact: Jim Herrick jherrick@maytechnology.com You can choose to camp, stay in a cabin (cold water), or stay in a hotel room. Camping is on a level grassy field. Hot showers are a short walk from the camping/cabin area. After dinner each night enjoy the conversation and laughs around the campfire.
BEARTOOTH RENDEZVOUS Join us August 17th - 20th for the Best Little Rally in the West. At the foot of the famous Beartooth Pass 10 miles from Red Lodge, Montana Great food, friends and fun. www.beartoothbeemers.org www.beartoothbeemers.org
35th ANNUAL LAST CHANCE RALLY THE NEW SWEDEN BMW RIDERS PROUDLY HOST OUR th 35 ANNUAL LAST CHANCE RALLY SEPTEMBER 22, 23&24 2017 BUENA VISTA CAMPGROUND, BUENA, NEW JERSEY
Shaded camp sites are included in the rally fee; cabins and hotels are available at additional cost. Friday night features our traditional Chili Dinner & nachos and cheese - Saturday features our OVER THE TOP ROASTED PIG banquet. Lots of Door Prizes Field Events - GS Ride - Awards - Campfires (NO GLASS CONTAINERS PERMITTED) PRE-REGISTER BY SEPT 1, for $55 and receive a FREE T-shirt OR $60 AT THE GATE. FEAST ON OUR LEGENDERY PIG ROAST, VISIT THE SIGHTS, EXPLORE THE ROADS, RENEW OLD FRIENDSHIPS & RELAX IN THE SHADY SOUTH JERSEY PINES.
For More Information See www.newswewdenbmwriders.com or www.lastchancerally.com www.lastchancerally.com
www.knobbies.org www.fingerlakesbmw.org August 2017  BMW OWNERS NEWS
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26
9/15/2017 - 9/17/2017
Tug Hill Tournout
Location: Lowville, New York Contact: John O’Hara info@longlevelbeemers.com In the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, Whitaker Park is nestled on the eastern slope of the Tug Hill Plateau. Please join us for our 3nd Annual Rally at this unique, rustic park with its’ pristine waterfalls and river gorge a short hike from your campsite. Dinner Friday & Saturday, two nights camping, nightly bonfires and live entertainment.
27
9/15/2017 - 9/17/2017
BMW MC Club of North Jersey “Snappin” Turtle Rally Location: Barryville, New York Contact: Pat Restaino patrestaino@optonline.net Lots of New renovations to Cedar Rapids Lodge and Restaurant. One of the nicest camp grounds on the Delaware River! *Flush Toilets, Showers, Bar and Restaurant on Premises. Dozen’s of historic towns and sites.
28
9/22/2017 - 9/24/2017
35th Last Chance Rally
Location: Buena, New Jersey Contact: Pete Lisco 856-589-7015 Enjoy shaded camp sites, cabins and local hotels to accommodate your travel preference. Enjoy a relaxing weekend of field events, riding destinations, awards, camaraderie and a fabulous roast pig banquet.
29
Rally
9/22/2017 - 9/24/2017
31st Annual Hoosier Beemers
Location: North Vernon, Indiana Contact: www.facebook.com/ hoosier.beemers Join us for great riding in scenic southern Indiana. Rally fee of $30 includes two nights camping, Friday night gourmet hot dog roast with all the fixins’ and live bluegrass band, Saturday night dinner, door prizes and awards.
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30 9/22/2017 - 9/24/2017
14th Thunder Mountain Rendezvous Location: Hotchkiss, Colorado Contact: Gary Campbell 970-210-2604, gcampbell44@yahoo.com Come join the 14th Thunder Mountain Rendezvous hosted by the BMW Riders of Western Colorado! We will be at the Delta County Fairgrounds in downtown Hotchkiss on Color Weekend on the sestern Slope of Colorado and once again offering great camaraderie, a beautiful venue, and the greatest riding in Colorado.
31
MOA Getaway
9/28/2017 - 10/1/2017
Last Chance Camp-N-Ride
Location: Oroville, Washington Contact: Gary Smith 250-766-3192 judosmith@telus.net A great camp out with great bunch of people from both sides of the boarder as well as some excellent rides in the area. Please check our website for further details Valley Bmw Riders.
33
9/29/2017 - 9/30/2017
34 Gathering of the Clams Location: Wakefield, Rhode Island Contact: Carl A Saccoccio 401-447-7114 carlsaccoccio@verizon.net Join us at Camp Fuller YMCA on beautiful Great Salt Pond in Wakefield, Rhode Island. Enjoy three days and two nights of oceanside camping or sleep in a shared cabin at no extra charge.
9/22/2017 - 9/24/2017
Location: Jay, Vermont Contact: bmwmoa.org/getaway Located in the northeast corner of Vermont, Jay is in an area of the state known as the “Northeast Kingdom” and is one of the last undeveloped towns where you still find peace and serenity while enjoying the world-class recreational opportunities. An $89 event fee includes a Friday night welcome party and dinner with cash bar, Saturday dinner and awards with cash bar, $500 in door prizes, t-shirt, special MOA gift and silent auction to benefit the Motorcycle Relief Project. Visit bmwmoa.org/getaway to register for the event and contact the Jay Peak Resort at 800-451-4449 for room reservations. Use group code 61085 BMW MOA.
32
Park marks the Oklahoma entrance to the Talimena National Scenic Drive, a winding road through the Winding Stair Mountains that is known for spectacular foliage.
9/29/2017 - 9/30/2017
Oklahoma BMW Rally
Location: Talihina, Oklahoma Contact: Mike Truel, mtruel1@cox.net Come join the Central Oklahoma BMW Road Riders for this multi-club camp out in southeast Oklahoma! The Talimena State
35
9/29/2017 - 10/1/2017
MOA Getaway
Location: Tomah, Wisconsin Contact: bmwmoa.org/getaway Experience a unique combination of quiet Midwest charm in an area untouched by glaciers. The Driftless Area is characterized by its beautifully sculpted topography, forested hillsides with valleys cut into limestone bedrock by cold-water trout streams. An $89 event fee includes a Friday welcome party and dinner, Saturday dinner and awards, $500 in door prizes, t-shirt, special MOA gift and silent auction benefitting the Motorcycle Relief Project. Visit bmwmoa. org/getaway to register for the event and contact the Cranberry Country Lodge at 608-374-2801 for room reservations.
36
9/29/2017 - 10/1/2017
2017 Rams Rally
Location: Parker Crossroads, Tennesee Contact: Spencer Bennett 901-626-2831 spencer14554@gmail.com Friday and Saturday nights tent camping, pancake breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, Saturday evening dinner, endless Coffee, Lemonade and Ice Water at Rally Central, live music, and Legendary RAMS Door Prizes.
37
9/30/2017
Lone Star BMW Riders Annual Cookout Location: Sulpher, Oklahoma Contact: Rick French rick.french@us.atlascopco.com The Lone Star BMW Riders of North Texas
www.motoelekt.com
invite you to join them for their annual hamburger cookout at the Bromide Pavilion at the Chickasaw Recreation Area in Sulphur, Oklahoma, on September 30. The burgers and brats will be ready at about noon.
October
PICKUP TRUCK MOTORCYCLE LOADERS
TRAVEL TRAILER, 5thWHEEL CARRIERS
10/6/2017 - 10/8/2017
38 Colonial Virginia Rally Location: Lenexa, Virginia Contact: www.bmwmchr.com/rally Come join the fun and help the BMW Motorcycle Club of Hampton Roads celebrate our 40th annual rally. We’ll be at Rockahock Campground. The campground is just north of Williamsburg and outside of the Historical Triangle of Virginia. There are many wonderful historical sites (Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown) close by with lots of great riding roads.
39
10/13/2017 - 10/15/2017
MOTORHOME MOTORCYCLE
LOADING SYSTEMS ON CARRIERS PULLING A CAR NO WEIGHT ON RV
www.wiscbmwclub.com
www.mountainmaster.net MOUNTAINMASTER.NET 623-451-7121
42nd Annual Falling Leaf Rally
Location: Potosi, Missouri Contact: Rich Race rally@gatewayriders.com The St. Louis Gateway Riders, MOA charter club #22, welcome you to the foothills of the Ozarks, offering exciting riding for road and dual sports, and beautiful Fall colors. 10/19/2017 - 10/22/2017
40 2017 Adventure Ribfest Location: Centerville, Tennessee Contact: Lee Waggoner ribfest@bmwmcon.org Enjoy great paved roads or dirt roads and trails with many creek crossings for a true adventure. The GS Giants will be hosting the Trials Course as well as an off-road skills class. There will be plenty of primitive camping, lots of campfire conversations, entertainment, and some of the best ribs you’ll ever eat.
www.bmwmcmag.com
Join the BMW MOA FACEBOOK page today! Get the MOA Newsfeed via Twitter for more BMW and motorcycle news – www.twitter.com/bmwmoa
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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
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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
ORDER ONLINE 24/7 – M/C, Visa, Discover, Paypal 973.775.3495 M‐F 12‐5PM
www.m4motorcycles.com
Join the BMW MOA FACEBOOK page today! Get the MOA Newsfeed via Twitter for more BMW and motorcycle news – www.twitter.com/bmwmoa
whenandwhere
November 41
11/3/2017 - 11/4/2017
47th South Central BMW Owners Reunion Location: Fayettville, Texas Contact: Gene Ronchetto vp@bmwclubofhouston.com Enjoy tent and RV camping, guided road rides or GS rides, social events, Texas cooking, awards, and great fellowship on the shore of Lake Fayette. All in a pleasant wooded lakeside park, with hiking and fishing opportunities as well.
42 11/10/2017 - 11/12/2017
16th Swamp Scooter Gumbo Rally
Location: Carencro, Louisiana Contact: James Carpenter president@swampscooters.net Everyone is welcome at our Annual Gumbo Rally so come pass a good time and laisser les bons temps rouler (let the good times roll) at Bayou Wilderness Rv Resort near Lafayette.
43
11/10/2017 - 11/12/2017
MOA Getaway
Location: Texas Hill Country, Texas Contact: bmwmoa.org/getaway Join us this November in the rumpled terrain of Texas’s famed Hill Country, an area laced with endless miles of appealing twolane blacktop running through wooded canyons cut by spring-fed rivers. A $89 event fee includes a Friday night welcome party and dinner with cash bar, Saturday night dinner and awards with cash bar, $500 worth of door prizes, event t-shirt, special MOA gift and a silent auction to benefit the Motorcycle Relief Project. Event Fee does not include lodging. Visit bmwmoa.org/getaway to register.
www.aeroflowscreens.com
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whenandwhere
January 44 01/2/2018 -01/14/2018
BMW Motorcycle Owners of Northeast Florida 35th Annual Winter Rally
www.rka-luggage.com
Location: Starke, Florida Contact: William Botkin, Co-Rally Chair wfbotkin@comcast.net Start the rally season off right by attending our 35th Annual Winter Rally, “Florida’s Coolest Rally”. Held south of Jacksonville, near Starke, Florida at the beautiful Camp Blanding Joint Training Center. Friday night is our “dogs and brats” dinner with all the trimmings and Saturday is our semi-famous steak dinner. Camping, door prizes, local rides, seminars and much more. Enjoy camping along the shores of beautiful Kingsley Lake,a roaring camp fire (seen from outer space) in the campground and camaraderie with like minded riders. All riders are welcome.
www.cardosystems.com
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advertiserindex Action Stations/Bohn Armor................. 83 Adaptiv Technologies.............................100 Admore Lighting........................................ 74 Adriatic Moto Tours............................ 23, 53 ADV Depot.................................................... 74 Adventure Designs.................................... 83 Adventure New Zealand Tours............. 53 AeroFlow.....................................................109 Aerostich-RiderWearHouse.................... 45 Alaska Leather............................................. 33 Alaska Motorcycle Adventures............. 93 Arai Helmets................................................. 11 Ayres Adventures.....................................100 Backcountry Discovery Routes............. 95 BeadRider....................................................100 Beartooth Beemers Rally.......................105 Beemer Boneyard....................................108 Beemer Shop, The...................................... 25 Bike Log......................................................... 93 Bing Agency................................................. 28 Blue Rim Tours...........................................108 BMW Motorcycle Magazine.................107 BMW Performance Center...................... 38 Bob’s BMW.................................................... 74 Boxer Works Service.................................. 23 British Motorcycle Gear........................... 54 BullRack......................................................... 42 Capital Cycle..............................................100 Cardo Systems...........................................110 Cee Baileys Aircraft Plastic............... 43, 94 Claw of the Dragon................................... 33 Colorado Tourbike Rentals..................... 21 Corbin Pacific............................................... 45 CruzTools....................................................... 53 Cyclenutz....................................................... 18 DMC Sidecars............................................... 21 Dubbeju Motorcycle Rentals................. 18
Dunlop Tires................................................. 28 Dyna Beads................................................... 45 Edelweiss Bike Travel................................ 27 EPM Hyper Pro..................................... 23, 94 Euro Moto Electrics................................... 25 Falling Leaf Rally......................................... 87 Finger Lakes Rally.....................................105 First Gear......................................................IBC Geza Gear...................................................... 53 GS-911 Diagnostic Tool............................ 42 Global Rescue.............................................. 74 GSM Motorent............................................. 13 Heidenau Tires............................................ 37 Helmet Sun Blocker................................... 21 HEX-ezCAN................................................... 53 Ilium Works................................................... 28 IMTBIKE TOURS................................... 13, 33 Jesse Luggage Systems........................... 74 Kermit Chair Company............................. 89 Kinekt Gear Ring......................................... 38 Knobbies Rally...........................................105 Last Chance Rally.....................................105 LD Comfort................................................... 89 Lee Parks Designs........................................... Legal Speeding Enterprises................... 54 M4Motorcycles........................................... 99 MachineartMoto........................................ 23 Magura USA................................................. 88 MOA Member Benefits..........................101 MOA Platinum Roadside Assistance.... 85 Morton’s BMW Motorcycles................... 13 Moto-Bins...................................................... 89 MotoDiscovery............................................ 28 Motonation..................................................BC Motorcycle Releif Project - psa............. 23 Motorcycle Travel Network.................... 87 Motorrad Elektrik.....................................107
Mountain Master Truck Equipment....107 MTA Distributing/Olympia Moto Sports..IFC MTA Distributing/Five Gloves.........................5 MTA-Liqui Moly............................................................55 Overseas Speedometer........................... 37 Palo Alto Speedometer............................ 45 Parabellum................................................... 13 Paradise Motorcycle Tours...................... 18 Peru Motors.................................................. 42 Progressive Insurance.................................9 Ray Atwood Cycles.................................... 18 Redverz.......................................................... 99 Re-Psycle BMW Parts................................83 Rider Magazine............................................ 93 RKA Luggage.............................................110 Rocky Creek Designs................................ 99 RTW Moto Tours......................................... 94 Russel Cycle Products............................... 53 S100 Cycle Care Products....................... 18 Saddlemen................................................... 39 Sargent Cycle Products............................ 89 SBS Brakes..................................................... 54 Scenic Wheels Motorcycle Tours.......... 38 Side Kicker.................................................... 37 Spiegler.......................................................... 94 Stop ‘n Go...................................................... 38 Suburban Machinery................................ 54 Thunder Moutain Rendezvous............. 93 Total Control Training........................ 33, 87 Touratech.........................................................1 Touring Sport BMW................................... 53 Twisted Throttle.......................................... 19 Weiser Technik............................................ 91 Wilbers USA........................................... 18, 87 Wisconsin Dells Rally..............................107 Wolfman Luggage..................................... 83 Ztechnik......................................................... 97
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 © 2017 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 47, Number 8.
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talelight
Future member
My nephew Henry enjoys a recent issue of Owners News. His dad, a Multistrada rider, always asks for my old magazines as he appreciates the great articles as do I. Photo by Danny Hestad #210747 112
BMW OWNERS NEWS  August 2017
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BMW OWNERS NEWS – A PUBLICATION OF THE BMW MOTORCYCLE OWNERS OF AMERICA
AUGUST 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS www.bmwmoa.org
AUGUST 2017