BMW OWNERS NEWS – A PUBLICATION OF THE BMW MOTORCYCLE OWNERS OF AMERICA
SEPTEMBER 2017
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SEPTEMBER 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS www.bmwmoa.org
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Inside features
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crossroads of the west A collection of images from the 2017 BMW MOA International Rally in Salt Lake City.
conserve the ride and the memories By Alfonse Palaima #188896 Taking a BMW R nineT Scrambler to an east coast rally offered a chance to test its off-road ability as well as relive some old memories.
from the passenger's seat By Doreen June Oberg #27260 After sitting on a piano bench for 35 years, Doreen Oberg never pictured herself on the back of a motorcycle. Once she rode, she soon realized why motorcyclists love the road.
breaking bones in baja By Christopher P. Baker #126077 The last time Baker went off road he busted three ribs and a foot. This time, he thought he was better prepared and headed off to Baja only to have a patch of sand make him realize he wasn’t.
Burgers and BMW's, Exploring the United states by motorcycle By Peter Taylor #207896 Four siblings, three spouses, a friend and a niece thought it would be a good idea to tour the United States together by motorcycle. Though the group probably won’t be traveling together anytime soon, their desire for adventure has been ignited.
ON THE COVER: T im Hulcoop # 181318, offers a view of Yosemite through the front wheel of his 2013 R 1200 GS.
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BMW OWNERS NEWS September 2017
the club 4 Owners News Contributors 8 Headlight The Spirit of the MOA by Bill Wiegand 10 President's Column The Value of Membership by Wes Fitzer
12 Postcards from the Road 14 Rider to Rider Letters from our Members Member tested/ product news 18 Veskimo Personal Cooling Vest, Giant Loop Kiger tank bag, Black Dog Cycle Works Platform foot pegs.
24 Introducing BMW Motorrad Spezial customization, More information
and fewer distractions with BMW Motorrad’s new Connectivity, 2018 BMW Motorrad updates.
tech 34 Keep ‘em Flying Airhead Tech day then off to Utah, by Matthew Parkhouse
36 BMW's new Auto-Leveling, Dynamic Suspension,
discovery 40 Long Distance Style A Rough Road to my Crossroads, by Deb Gasque
skills 82 Ask a Pro Avoiding the Driving Award, by Lee Parks 84 Foundation News The Foundation of the MOA Foundation, by Vance Harrelson
lifestyle 86 Jack the Riepe Performing Mouth-to-Mouth Resuscitation on a Flat Tire, by Jack Riepe
90 Final Journey Remembering George W. Priester and William E. Hamilton
events 96 When and Where Places to Ride and Things to See 103 Advertiser Index 104 Talelight
by Shawn Thomas
38 Nicht Uber Max Reader Questions Answered, by George Mangicaro
Photo by Jim Moss #32559
September 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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the club
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CONTRIBUTORS 1. John Scibek has enjoyed a 34-year career in educational research and non-profit fundraising and is currently the director for the capital campaign to build a new school for the Missoula International School in Montana. John is a member of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (formerly Partnership for Philanthropic Planning) and recently served on the Board of Directors for the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America Foundation and the Washington Planned Giving Council. When not learning how to become better at his “daytime” craft, John may be found traveling on two wheels, engine or leg powered, around the world. 2. Doreen Oberg got her first riding experience in 2003 in John Day, Oregon, on the back of her husband’s red K 1100 RS. Due to the Oregon winters, Doreen and Gary relocated in 2009 to Arizona where riding can take place all year. Since then, many road trips and travel plans have included riding two-up, with more yet to come. Doreen teaches music and piano at Cochise College in southern Arizona, and Gary is a social worker at a local clinic. Doreen’s biggest challenge continues to be not letting her riding boots melt on Gary’s exhaust. 3. Vance Harrelson, #100402, has been an MOA member since 2001 and enjoys both long distance touring and off-road adventure aboard his GS Adventure. Vance was the chair for the 2009 MOA rally in Johnson City, Tennessee and recently completed six years of service on the MOA Board of Directors. He currently serves as Director on the MOA Foundation board. Vance operates an Alabama-based specialty construction company serving industrial and manufacturing industries nationwide.
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BMW OWNERS NEWS September 2017
4. Peter Taylor was born in Zimbabwe in the late 50’s, studied civil engineering in South Africa, and moved to the United States in 1997. As a teenager, he rode whatever bike he could get his hands on starting with the obligatory Honda Cub 50. He always dreamed of a owning BMW until 2016 when he finally bought an RT for commuting and weekend adventures with his wife Christine. 5. Professional travel writer/photographer and motojournalist Christopher P. Baker has contributed to more than 200 publications worldwide, from Conde Nast publications, National Geographic Traveler and Playboy to most major motorcycle magazines. His books include Mi Moto Fidel: Motorcycling Through Castro's Cuba, plus numerous guidebooks to California and countries throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. A National Geographic Resident Expert and Cuba specialist, he leads motorcycle tours of Cuba and promotes himself through his website, www.christopherbaker.com. 6. Justin Bean was born and raised as a desert rat in Tucson, Arizona, but spent many years living and riding overseas. During an eight-year stint in Germany, he acquired his 2014 F 800 GS and toured Central and Eastern Europe. Since relocating to the US, he has his sights set on exploring the desert southwest. This lucky guy’s fiancé also owns a 2012 F 650 GS and loves to be his traveling companion on and off the tarmac.
www.michelinmotorcycle.com
Lunch ride
A new R 1200 GS parked in front of a mural at the Utah State Fairpark is anything but a Blue Plate Special. Photo by Bill Wiegand #180584
September 2017  BMW OWNERS NEWS
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headlight Magazine of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America MANAGING EDITOR
Bill Wiegand bill@bmwmoa.org
The spirit of the MOA 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 September 2017
THE FORECAST FOR SALT LAKE CITY LOOKED BRUTAL. TRIPLE-
digit highs with no rain or clouds in the forecast. I prepared to sweat. A lot. Riding out of the mountains from the east, the intake air temperature gauge on my XR was bouncing between 102 and 105. If I kept moving and had air moving through my gear it was OK, but when I-80 became a parking lot a few miles from town, it was brutal. Dry heat or not, the microclimate happening inside my gear could best be defined as Humid Subtropical. I needed a quick monsoon to cool off, but there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Though it seemed like hours, within a few minutes traffic loosened up and began moving. I was dry again – warm, but dry. OK, make that hot, but dry. After a week in Salt Lake City, I realized that my ride into town was my worst weather-related experience of the week. No doubt the ominous forecast kept many members from making the trip to Salt Lake. The attendance numbers attest to that. Those that did come were treated to another great MOA rally with everything we’ve all come to expect at our annual get-together. Though the early afternoon heat did take a bit of getting used to, ample shade, gentle breezes and plentiful air-conditioned buildings – along with sunscreen with an SPF factor of at least 90 and lots of water – offered welcome refuge for anyone in need. I’ll always believe that while a great lineup of vendors, food, seminars and music is the tease that brings you to a rally, it’s the people you meet once there that bring you back year after year. For some rally-goers, the MOA rally is an annual get-together for long-time friends. For those dipping their toes into the rally water for the first time, it’s the beginning of a new tradition. The community that’s been built and grown over the past 45 years is embodied by the spirit experienced wherever BMW riders gather. Regardless of where we meet, the camaraderie we share is what makes our club unique. Stories like the one Wes Fitzer describes in his President’s Column prove that we are more than just BMW motorcycle enthusiasts. Stories of our members using the Anonymous Book proves that we are brothers and sisters who have got each other’s backs. Last week, Rick from Colorado called to describe just how excited he was to be a part of the MOA. Just weeks ago, Rick had become a member and was coming to Salt Lake City for his first rally. Rick said he had a great time and met a lot of good people and rode out of Salt Lake City happy with his new MOA experience. It wasn’t until he approached Vernal, Utah, that he realized one of the greatest values of MOA membership. Feeling a strange sensation coming from the rear end of his bike, Rick pulled over a saw oil covering the sidewall of his rear tire and Paralever. He had blown a rear seal. Stranded miles from his Colorado home and wondering what he was going to do, Rick soon found himself surrounded by a group of MOA members following the same route. One of them pulled out an Anonymous Book and before long, another member living about 30 miles away arrived and took Rick and his bike to the nearest BMW dealer. It didn’t matter that the dealership in Grand Junction was almost three hours away. In addition to making more new friends that day, Rick realized the greatest reason for his MOA membership: the support of a riding community like no other.
www.liqui-moly.us
PRESIDENTSCOLUMN
The value of membership BMW MOA OFFICERS
Wes Fitzer, President 918-441-2114; jwfitzer@yahoo.com Jean Excell, Vice President 719-650-6215; jeanexcell@bmwmoa.org Reece Mullins, Secretary 334-470-7770; rangerreece@mac.com Sam Garst, Treasurer 414-704-7767; guanocave@gmail.com BMW MOA DIRECTORS
Deb Lower 719-510-9452; ldeborah@comcast.net Marc Souliere 613-828-1798; beemer1@sympatico.ca Roger Trendowski 732-671-0514; rtrendowski@verizon.net 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 Brian Hinton, 2018 BMW MOA Rally Chair 2018rallychair@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 September 2017
By Wes Fitzer #170126 I’M OFTEN ASKED, “WHAT DO I GET AS A MEMBER OF THE MOA?”
I always mention the Owners News, member discounts, our community of BMW motorcycle enthusiasts and our many other benefits. I always save what I consider to be our greatest benefit, the Anonymous Book, for last. Last month, my wife Paula and I rode to the BMW MOA International Rally in Salt Lake City from our home in eastern Oklahoma. We spent the second night of our trip in Farmington, New Mexico and after an early start the next morning, meandered across northern Arizona. It was lunchtime as we rode into Page, Arizona, and were welcomed to the small town by a temperature of 105 degrees. We pulled into a Denny’s Restaurant for lunch and once finished, put on our cooling vests to take us through the heat of the day. (I believe the cooling vest is one of the greatest inventions for hot weather riding, if you don’t have one, get one if you ride in the dry heat). Temperatures were in the 105-degree range when we pulled into a gas station in Kanab, Utah, to fill up the bikes, cool off and re-wet our cooling vests. As I filled my bike I noticed a K 1600 GTL parked in front of the adjacent Wendy’s. After moving our bikes and going inside to buy Gatorade and cool off, I noticed a gentleman sitting at a table in Wendy’s with his head down. As I approached the rider it was obvious something wasn’t right. Daryl had ridden from Florida and once in Kanab, had pulled into the gas station, filled up and then struggled to get back on the bike. He didn’t remember how long he had been in Wendy’s but did remember passing out as soon as he sat down. Paula and I sat with him for the next couple of hours and offered to get him a hotel room in Kanab for the night. Daryl was determined get back on his bike. Paula and I agreed that wasn’t the best strategy so I went to my bike and pulled out my Anonymous Book and called the lone listing in Kanab, Utah. Mr. Ken Gotzen-Berg answered my call and told me he was 10 minutes away. Once Ken arrived, we explained to Daryl that we didn’t think he should ride in his current condition and Ken invited him to come to his house, rest and rehydrate. When Daryl said he wasn’t comfortable staying at a stranger’s home, Ken reached out his hand, formally introduced himself and said, “Now we’re not strangers, come on and get in the car.” Once Daryl finally agreed, I followed them aboard Daryl’s K 1600 GTL and with the bike was safely at his home, Ken gave me a ride back to my bike, and Paula and I continued on our way. Ken later reported that he and his wife Shirley had taken Daryl to a hospital where he was checked out and topped off with fluids. Daryl ended up staying at Ken’s house for three days and did finally make it to Salt Lake City, grateful for Ken’s help. I’m thankful to have played a part in helping Daryl as well. Over the years, I’ve rescued several stranded riders who’ve found me listed in the Anonymous Book. A few simply stopped for coffee while others have pitched tents in my yard as they passed through. Fortunately, I’ve never needed to be rescued myself, but believe this single benefit is more than worth the price of MOA membership. I’ll bet Daryl and Ken would agree. Ride Safe,
Wes
Fitzer
www.bobsbmw.com
Postcardsfromtheroad
1 1. T aking a break in the Nebraska Panhandle while headed to the rally in Salt Lake City. Terence Hamill #14629 Lansdale, Pennsylvania
3. M y 2013 R 1200 RT 90-Jahre Spezial in front of a mural at the old railroad depot in Eagle River, Wisconsin. Bob Steinbrunn #193804 Phelps, Wisconsin
2. R eturning home after a mid-summer thunderstorm. Randy Boehme #210358 Bluffton, South Carolina
4. M y ’04 R 1150 RT by the Palisades and Wolf Creek Pass near South Fork, Colorado. Tim Boyles #201049 South Fork, Colorado 3
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5 5. A t the Mogollon Rim north of Payson, Arizona. Kevin Sterner #204598 Cave Creek, Arizona
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6. C aptured on Highway 50 west of San Francisco while on a threeweek, 4,000 mile loop through the west. Anna MacKinnon #130618 Sausalito, California 7. T aking a break during a long summer ride at the 271-foot long Academia Pomeroy Covered Bridge in Academia, Pennsylvania. Jeff Smith #193011 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 8. A stop along St. Bernard Highway outside Meraux, Louisiana. David Waters #209430 Decatur, Georgia
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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.
September 2017  BMW OWNERS NEWS
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RIDERTORIDER Send your letters and comments to: editor@bmwmoa.org
Love the MOA
This is my second time to attend a MOA national Rally. I met a bunch of really good people but that was about it. The vendor selection was slim, the music and food selection were not very good and it was way, way, way HOT. Good thing the beer garden hit the spot for both beer and water. I think if a rally site is going to be in a part of the country that is known for 90 to 100 degree summer days, it should be held at a different time of the year. Now that I am done bitching, I have to say I have been a MOA member for 36 years and have to say this is the best motorcycle organization I have ever ran across. Keep up the great work. David Gilmore #21460 Dayton, Nevada
Turn the page
You published a letter from someone who is not a fan of the Jack Riepe columns. Apparently, Jack is insufficiently PC for the writer. I find his work (usually) hilarious and enjoy his satire. If you don’t care for his work, then you are allowed to turn the page and NOT be offended or made insecure or suffer micro-aggressions. What you may not do is enforce your version of what constitutes acceptable speech on the rest of us. Bill Treadway #200626 Georgetown, Texas
Freedom to choose
With respect to where we spend money, we make choices each day reflecting the causes and, dare I say politics, we support. Some folks boycott Walmart, some Starbucks, and some don’t boycott anything, even Harley Davidson. It’s called
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freedom and, unless I’m mistaken, something we pride ourselves in the world round. Except when someone chooses to boycott something you believe in, and in the case of Brian Reeder’s letter, it seems he struck a nerve in some who think politics should not penetrate the sacrosanct world of motorcycling. While there was reference to the politics and elitists in the latest edition of BMW Owners News, I thought for a moment folks were describing BMW owners until I saw the reference to Washington, DC. It reminds me of the debate about three years ago regarding how Harley owners wouldn’t wave to BMW owners. OMG – talk about snowflakes. As I rode my Harley to Newfoundland in 2014 I passed through Minnesota, and barely a BMW (heading to the rally) could lift a hand. At the same time, when riding a BMW, I get plenty of waves from Harley riders (depending on the height of their handlebars). Freedom – to wave to whom we choose. Freedom, to attend the rally of our choosing. How about everyone take a step back, breathe, and realize dissension is something my forefathers (and some of you) fought long and hard to provide us. Eric Shields #153932 Issaquah, Washington
Great article Roger
Great article from Roger Wiles #32797, (July 2017 BMW Owners News) titled, "Motorcyclists and Speed Limits." The point about staying with the flow of traffic is great. There is more, however. The Solomon curve (www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/98154/speed.cfm) shows that the least interactions occur just a few MPH 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 (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 according to how far away they are in time, the distance being a function of speed and direction. Your tools for collision avoidance are not only location but also when you are there Think of your bubble of safety not only in distance but also in time. Travel safe! Jim Hardenbrook #190409 Port St. Joe, Florida
Begs the Question
Quick note from an alert reader: Love the magazine and variety of content. Read it pretty much cover to cover, but since I'm a bit behind, I just finished March issue. In the introductory question to Lee Parks' column on page 82 there was a misuse of the phrase "begs the question." But lest you be too hard on yourself, I hear this misuse all too often on network TV. Proper use of this phrase is described here: http://begthequestion.info All in the spirit of properly using the language. Tim Rice #157506 Seattle, Washington
Can we just get along?
I'm a feminist. I'm a conservative. I'm a liberal ecologist. I'm an old white guy. I'm a young woman of color. I'm gay. I'm straight. I like hot weather. I love to be
nice and cool. I hate rainy days. I love to ride in the rain. I hate tomatoes. I love tomatoes. I hate Jack Riepe. I love Jack Riepe. I've been riding since the early 1970's. In my experience, people who adopt a riding lifestyle have always been independent and prone to thinking outside the box that society, religion, academia, the media and politicians try to put us in. We come from a lot of different backgrounds and from very different periods in time. The love of riding brings us together and transforms us from individuals into a very small minority group; motorcyclists. How cool is that! Let's allow everyone to be who they are without taking offense. By respecting and listening to each other with open minds we can come to realize we have more in common that we thought and with a little effort we can overlook our differences. Let's leave all that baggage at the door when we swing our leg over our bikes and head out to be with others. Steve Stowell-Virtue #203798 Hanover, Illinois
Why do you wave?
While Lee Parks' answer to the question of why motorcyclists wave was more about the joy and risks of riding and less about the "Wave,” it did open, just a crack, the mystery of the reflexive aspect of motorcyclists waving. Is the "Wave" a Pavlovian reflex or the last best hope for civility in an identity driven America? I’ve been riding since 1964, and back then, seeing another motorcycle out on the road was unusual enough to warrant a friendly wave. Today it seems that the wave has become a Pavlovian ritual of little meaning. Motorcyclists wave at each other and in so doing proclaim a brotherhood of common interest, a camaraderie of two wheels. Or not. A few summers back I was riding a bucket list highway, The San Juan Skyway, a.k.a. the Million Dollar Highway and had a flat tire about 20 miles north of Durango. My dilemma was obvious as my gear was off loaded and I was standing there looking a bit forlorn. I stood for three hours getting sun burned, waiting for tow service that never arrived. In that time about 200 motorcycles rode past, 90 percent
waved, none stopped. The NTSB estimates (as of 2015) that there are about nine million registered motorcycles nationwide. My left arm aches just thinking about that. Obviously, motorcyclists are no longer that lonesome soul immersed in Zen thoughts, cruising the highways and byways of American. We are like a rash, like Toyota Camrys, everywhere. Is it time to deprogram ourselves? Stop waving? End the insincerity, the guilt? Or perhaps the wave is a last vestige of civility practiced by total strangers with little in common other than the love of riding motorcycles. In this day of identity politics Americans agree on very few things, but motorcyclists seem to agree that riding motorcycles is downright enjoyable. So much so that riders choose to acknowledge that by a brief flick of the left hand while passing others who share their passion though maybe not their politics. Does this mean riders will stop and assist other riders in need? Maybe not. Does the wave mean the rider is compromising his/her cherished anonymity and claim to rugged individualism? No. The wave does mean the likelihood of a moment of camaraderie, sans any bumper sticker slogans, at the Rock Store on Mulholland Drive or the Tail of the Dragon gift shop in Deal’s Gap. So, next time you are at the local motorcyclists' coffee stop in your Kilimanjaro gear and Schuberth helmet, climb off your R 1200 GS Adventure all Touratechedout and saunter over and see if the guys in those Live to Ride leathers and skeleton face rags riding rat bikes that you waved at down the road want to chat about their favorite ride. Joe Zeller #76726 Tucson, Arizona
Thank you Becci
I was in the middle of the 2017 Iron Butt Rally when my 2016 R 1200 GSA blew the O-ring in the main fuel tank quick disconnect fitting. This happened because the evaporative charcoal fuel canister became soaked with fuel and would not allow the tank to breathe. I knew my planned route eventually would take me through Grand Junction, Colorado. I called Grand Junction BMW
and explained my problem and that I was really pressed for time as I was in the heat of battle in the IBR. I spoke with service advisor Becci. She said come in and they would clear a lift and get me rolling ASAP. She was not lying! She hooked me up with Travis, one of their techs, who promptly listened to my explanation of what was happening. While Travis got the bike apart, Becci got me some cold water and found me a quiet place to relax. I was so appreciative of how they wedged me into what was clearly a very busy service day in the shop. I would like to say thanks again to Grand Junction BMW. Their service department allowed me to continue on and finish the rally, and their hospitality allowed me to grab some seriously needed downtime! Bob Lilley #106590 Easton, Pennsylvania
Remembering Norman
Reading the tribute to Norman Jones, long time-owner of Engle Motors in Kansas City, (June 2017 Owners News) took me back to my first BMW, an R 50/2 that I purchased new in 1964 when I was a student at Indiana University. My break-in ride was from Bloomington, Indiana, to Rocky Mountain National Park, and the bike received its 500-mile service at Engle Motors. I was delighted to see they are still around, one of the few BMW dealers that have been in business as long as I’ve been riding BMWs. Roger Voelker #91927 Tucson, Arizona
Bring it to Australia
Don’t worry about taking a rally to the moon, Mike Cloke, much simpler to come to Australia. All our states and territories have superlative biker roads, wide open spaces, fantastic scenery and you won’t have to worry about offending any U.S. states. If you make it soon you’ll be able to see the Great Barrier Reef before it dies completely from global warming. Reg Gosper #210678 Mount Fairy, NSW, Australia
September 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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BMW OWNERS NEWS September 2017
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Veskimo personal cooling vest By John C. Scibek #129559 VERY FEW TRIPS HAVE DRIVEN
home just how much I need my Veskimo Personal Cooling Vest more than my recent trip to the BMW MOA International Rally in Salt Lake City where temperatures hit 100 degrees during my ride to and from my home in Missoula, Montana. If you have even a couple of months of hot and sultry weather in your riding path, the Veskimo may be just your ticket to riding comfort. Heck, it turned my five-year stint in Scottsdale, Arizona, into a year-round Beemerfest.
BMW OWNERS NEWS September 2017
The Veskimo works by circulating chilled water through the microtubing woven into the mesh fabric of the vest by a small, high efficiency pump. Heat from your body is then transferred through the tubing and into the water, which is circulated back to the ice-filled water reservoir where the heat is dissipated by the slowly melting ice. Because the temperature of the water stays constant, so does the cooling power, until all of the ice has melted. Refilling the system with ice provides continuous cooling as long as needed. Think water-cooled underwear. By periodically recharging the system with ice, you’re provided with constant cooling. Two chilled water reservoirs are available including a 4.4-quart hydration-like backpack (which also provides drinking water) or a 9-quart strap-on cooler system. I’ve chosen the 4.4-quart hydration backpack. To use the system, I freeze four 12-ounce water bottles and stuff them into the water bladder, along with a bit of water. Depending on the ambient temperature, the system can keep me cool for up to two hours in even the hottest weather. However, the key for me is to wear a thin wicking t-shirt between the vest and my skin and a jacket that doesn’t allow any air flow which would allow outside heat to lessen the cooling effect of the system. Additionally, the vest must fit snugly. My Veskimo is the original system and came with a 10-battery-block to supply power to the pump in the backpack. However, I modified the power cord to accept power through an SAE plug connected to the power socket on my bike for no-fail power and modified the battery pack to plug into the SAE end for use during mountain biking or outside summer work.
Up to eight pounds of ice can fit into the 4.4-quart hydration backpack and I have found that I am able to get about four hours of cooling. Additional variables that can affect cooling length include whether or not the water pump is used, if a t-shirt is worn between the vest and my body, and how tight the vest is worn. Why, you may ask, is the Veskimo better than an evaporative vest? Water absorbed in fabric must evaporate to provide a cooling effect. Therefore, anything that negatively affects evaporation, like high humidity, impedes cooling. In high humidity, most evaporative garments don't work well, even if under jackets that flow air. Bottom line: If you ride in a hot, humid environment, the Veskimo may be your ticket to more comfortable, less fatiguing adventures. The Veskimo is available in sizes from small to extra-large and carries an MSRP of just over $1,050 with the 4.4quart hydration backpack and no power source or about $500 for the 9-quart, handcarry cooler. For more information, visit www.veskimo.com.
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Giant Loop Kiger tank bag By Wes Fleming #87301 I HAD SUCH A BAD EXPERIENCE
with my last tank bag that it’s been 15 years since I’ve used one. That bag was bulky, heavy, used a cumbersome magnetic base that seemed to consistently scratch my fuel tank and was too tempting (and easy) to overstuff with a tremendous amount of… well, junk. When it came time to prepare for my journey to the National in Salt Lake City–which, incidentally, happened on an airplane instead of a motorcycle because my clutch decided to stop working–I wanted to try a tank bag again to see if I still hate them. Spoiler alert: I’m in love with tank bags again, thanks to Giant Loop. My requirements were few, but important. First, it had to be small, but not so small that all it could hold would be a wallet and one bottle of water. Second, it had to be waterproof. Third, it had to be easy to remove or at least provide easy access to the fuel filler cap. I knew I couldn’t get another magnetic bag, since the fuel tank on my GS is plastic, so I started looking at bags that mounted with three straps, one around the steering head and two down to the frame. I considered several bags, sending emails to each vendor with questions, before settling on
BMW OWNERS NEWS September 2017
Giant Loop’s Kiger. The Kiger is GL’s biggest tank bag, boasting a capacity of nine liters with a slight adjustment of the lid adding a tiny bit more storage. At first I was wary of its zipperless design, but in operation, the clamshell lid is
secure and far less fiddly than having to run a zipper all the way around the circumference of a bag. Unclip two straps and bingo, you’re in the bag. Many times when I’m trying to get at something I’ve recently tossed in there, I can get to it with just one strap unfastened. Giant Loop makes no claim that the Kiger itself is waterproof, so they include a
little zipper bag with the purchase, and that inner (removable) bag is waterproof. In my experience, including two driving rainstorms and one outright thunderstorm, no water made it through the exterior of the Kiger, though a cold storm did create a little condensation inside the bag. The inner bag is absolutely waterproof. The Kiger sits atop Giant Loop’s standard tank bag harness, which is common across all their tank bags. The harness is what attaches to the motorcycle, and the tank bag attaches to the harness with two heavyduty zippers. To refuel, unzip one side and flip the tank bag up. This is my one criticism of the tank bag: the harness has a U-shaped opening for the fuel filler cap, but it’s narrower than the cap on my R 1200 GS. To get the cap past the harness, I have to fiddle the harness side to side a bit. It’s a minor inconvenience to be sure, but I feel that a slightly wider opening in the harness would accommodate more fuel filler caps without compromising the integrity of the mount on the motorcycle. For increased visibility, I got my Kiger in “KTM orange” (my name, not GL’s), but they’re also available in an attractive gray color. The vinyl-coated polyester Giant Loop uses to make these tank bags is thick and sturdy; it feels substantial, but not heavy. Installation was easy and only required
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removing the seat and the two pop-off side panels on my GS. You can see a video of the install of the Kiger by going to this link: goo.gl/EEBZGo. The typical stuff I put in the tank bag includes gloves, water (bottled, though a small bladder would fit), wallet, keys, cell phone, maps, and a point-and-shoot camera. I’m trying not to cram it clear full to keep my second tank bag experience a positive one. So far so good! Giant Loop’s Kiger tank bag is the right size for my use, it installed easily and it looks great. It functions exactly as advertised, which isn’t a surprise, coming from GL. It’s not everything for all riders, but it’s not pretending to be, either. The Kiger Tank Bag retails for $290, with a shoulder strap available for $25. Both are available from giantloop.com.
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www.imtbike.com
PROS: easy to install, virtually waterproof even without the definitely waterproof insert, lightweight CONS: items in the external mesh pocket not secure at high speeds, cutout for gas filler cap could stand to be a little wider.
www.rockycreekdesigns.com
September 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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Black Dog Cycle Works foot pegs By Justin Bean #210372 WHEN I FIRST STARTED DOWN
the never-ending spiral of modifications for my F 800 GS, I hit all the usual suspects, upgrading the engine guards, hand guards, luggage rack, seat, GPS and so on. It seemed that with every new adventure came a new item I wanted to try. For my last trip on the New Mexico Backcountry Discovery Route, I chose to upgrade the foot pegs, and after some research, I landed on a pair of Platform footpegs by Black Dog Cycle Works. I’ll admit the built-in bottle opener was a big selling point for me! The Platform foot pegs are milled from aircraft-grade aluminum alloy with flat teeth to offer grip while minimizing wear and tear on the soles of your boots. Each peg measures 2.5 inches wide by 4.5 inches
BMW OWNERS NEWS  September 2017
long, weighs eight ounces, and they are available in a natural aluminum finish or black anodized. Open voids in the peg platform also allows mud, snow and debris to flow through the pegs to keep the treads cleaner. Did I need bigger foot pegs? At first, I didn’t think it was that big a deal, but after riding with them, it turns out that I believe this upgrade should be on the top of anyone’s list. Installation was a breeze as well, and this might just be the world’s fastest modification. In about ten minutes, I had them installed using nothing but a flat head screwdriver and a pair of pliers. Wider foot pegs are something a rider needs to try to really understand how valuable they are when you’re standing on the pegs. I’ll admit, the size of the new pegs seemed strange at first and at more than four inches long, they effectively doubled the surface area under foot. But as soon as I stood up, the difference in control was unmistakable. The cleated surface is very grippy, and gave me a secure, planted feeling which immediately boosted my confidence while providing better control when standing up and shifting my weight around. Traction was always present against the sole of my boots and I found the wider foot pegs reduced my leg fatigue with the additional real estate under foot when slabbing it between dirt trails. If you’re still riding with stock pegs, then you know that they’re just too small for any serious off road. Sure, they get the job done, but they’re uncomfortable. Bottom line, for adventure riding and getting out of the saddle in the back country, consider these Black Dog Cycle Works Platform pegs a huge upgrade from BMW’s stock configuration. Black Dog Cycle Works owners Kurt and Martha Forget are adventure enthusiasts with a passion for motorcycles and an understanding of riders’ needs. Their products are designed and produced based on their experience and listening to the needs of riders. All Black Dog Cycle Works products are made in the U.S. Black Dog Cycle Works Platform foot pegs carry an MSRP of $229. For more information, visit blackdogcw.com. September 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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news
news
Introducing BMW Motorrad Spezial customization WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE ORIGI-
nal R nineT in 2014 and the expansion of the Heritage lineup to five models, BMW Motorrad has responded to customer demands for individualization and customization. BMW Motorrad is expanding the ability to custom order your new motorcycle with BMW Motorrad Spezial and is offering distinctivedesign, performance-enhancing and exclusive customization options. The highest-grade materials, unique surfaces and detailed craftsmanship are what defines BMW Motorrad Spezial in addition to the harmonious integration of these
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BMW OWNERS NEWS September 2017
special accessories into the overall design of the motorcycle. Launched in August 2017, the Spezial product range will not only include exclusive optional equipment “ex-works,” but also products from the current BMW Motorrad Accessories catalog. When choosing Spezial accessories, a customer will be able to custom order his or her bike with the Spezial equipment already installed or choose accessories from a Spezial World catalog and opt for dealer installation. While most manufacturers offer accessories on a retrofit basis, ordering special equipment “ex-works” is a decades-old tradition at BMW Motorrad, and when added this way, the equipment and accessories are listed on the vehicle
invoice, are fully covered by the new vehicle warranty and can be financed along with the new motorcycle. Along with the launch of BMW Motorrad Spezial, a new generation of the BMW Motorrad Configurator has also been introduced. Using the BMW Motorrad Configurator, special accessories can be presented digitally allowing the customer to configure his BMW motorcycle and visualize what the completed bike will look like. Though initially including the Touring and Heritage models, the Spezial range will soon be expanded to include the complete lineup of BMW motorcycles.
www.ztechnik.com
news 26
news
More information, fewer distractions PROVIDING
INFORMATION
quickly and clearly with the least distraction is the goal of BMW Motorrad’s new “Connectivity” option. Using a new high-quality 6.5 inch, full color TFT display, a rider can access motorcycle and connectivity functions using the BMW Motorrad multi-controller. The new TFT display combines the familiar “classic” display of data including rpm and speed with new technology thereby providing an enormous range of features. When developing the new TFT display, the BMW Motorrad engineers placed a major focus on
BMW OWNERS NEWS September 2017
designing all the rider interaction activities so as to keep rider distraction to an absolute minimum. Connecting a smartphone and helmet equipped with BMW Motorrad communication system to the TFT display, a rider can easily access media playback and phone functions without having to install a separate app. Through a Bluetooth connection, the rider can enjoy music while riding as well as see see all his contacts in the TFT display and then select and make calls using the multi-controller. If an incoming call comes in while on the road, the rider can quickly accept or reject the call with a single tip of the controller. Ride navigation is offered via
turn-by-turn arrow directions in the TFT display and provides precise turn indications including lane guiding. Last destinations or points of interest can also be called up directly using the TFT display. This basic navigation is especially interesting for motorcyclists who want to handle everyday riding or short trips comfortably without having to take any additional equipment along. For touring riders with higher demands, the BMW Motorrad Navigator is still recommended, as it provides specifically optimized navigation for motorcyclists and features the respective planning and routing functions. The Navigator is also operated using the multi-controller. The operating focus can be simply transferred from the TFT display to the Navigator.
news
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2018 BMW Motorrad updates BMW R 1200 GS Adventure
For 2018, the R 1200 GS Adventure will not only be available in new colors, but will also offer buyers more optional equipment for greater safety and comfort. Available options include Emergency Call, Connectivity, expanded optional Pro riding modes with Hill Start Control as well Dynamic ESA, and a new generation of electronic suspension adjustment. Additional options include a new passenger package, extra high seat, redesigned LED auxilliliary headlights, Keyless Ride as a new component of the Touring optional equipment package and Shift Assistant Pro as a new feature of the Dynamic optional equipment Package. New colors for 2018 R 1200 GS Adventure include Racing Red with black frame, black brake calipers and a silver fuel tank. The GSA Rallye will be delivered in Light White/Cordoba Blue with Cordoba Blue frame, gold brake calipers, Cordoba Blue fuel tank with large GS logo, Rallye seat, radiator and frame protection and a short windshield. The GSA Exclusive color package comes in Black storm metallic/Dark slate metallic matt/Achat grey with Achat Grey frame, gold brake calipers and Dark Slate metallic fuel tank with large GS logo. The previous colors of Racing Red matte and Light White are no longer available.
Emergency Call R 1200 GS Adventure
R 1200 GS
Available options for the R 1200 GS include Emergency Call, Connectivity and redesigned LED auxiliary headlights.
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BMW OWNERS NEWS  September 2017
R 1200 RT
R 1200 RT
R 1200 R
Standard equipment for the 2018 R 1200 RT now includes ABS Pro and dynamic brake light for increased rider safety. Optional equipment includes Emergency Call for making an emergency online call as well as Dynamic Traction Control DTC (in conjunction with the Pro riding modes optional equipment). An embossed RT logo in the passenger seat area visually enhances the visual appeal of the R 1200 RT even further. Additional options are available through BMW Motorrad Spezial parts. Colors include Carbon Black Metallic with windshield covers and chrome-plated handlebar weights, chrome pannier trim, gold brake calipers, silver wheel rims and silver drivetrain. Also available is the Mars Red Metallic/Dark Slate Metallic matt, gold brake calipers, Sport windshield, Asphalt Grey wheel rims and black drivetrain color scheme. Platinum Bronze is no longer available.
R 1200 R
New colors include Iced Chocolate Metallic featuring gold brake calipers, a stainless steel fuel tank cover and Achat Grey metallic matt frame. The paint finish of Thunder Grey metallic will no longer be available.
R 1200 RS
R 1200 RS
S 1000 XR
New colors include Frozen Bronze metallic/ Black Storm metallic which features gold brake calipers, a stainless steel fuel tank cover, Frozen Bronze metallic engine spoiler and Achat Grey metallic matt frame. The second available color is Blackstorm metallic. The paint finish of Lupin Blue metallic will no longer be available.
S 1000 XR
For 2018, the S 1000 XR is available in HP Motorsport colors (Light White/Racing Blue metallic/Racing Red) which includes the HP Pro seat with stitched XR logo. The paint finish of Light White/Granite Grey metallic/Racing Red will no longer be available.
S 1000 RR
For 2018, an AkrapoviÄ? full titanium exhaust system is now available as optional equipment. September 2017  BMW OWNERS NEWS
29
news C 650 Sport
Redesigned LED auxiliary headlights
F 700 GS
F 800 GS
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BMW OWNERS NEWS  September 2017
C 650 Sport
New color availability for the C 650 includes Austin Yellow metallic. For the new model year, Valencia Orange metallic matt will no longer be available. www.pradisemotorcycletours.co.nz
C 650 GT
New C 650 GT will be available in Ocean Blue metallic matt with Frozen Bronze metallic no longer be available.
K 1600 GT, K 1600 GTL and K 1600 B
New options for the K 1600 models include newly designed LED auxiliary headlights as well as a long list of upgrades available through BMW Motorrad Spezial.
F 700 GS
New colors for the F 700 GS includes Racing Blue metallic with a Light White frame color. Racing Red is no longer available.
F 800 GS
The 2018 F 800 GS will be available in Racing Blue metallic with a Light white frame color. Ostra Grey metallic will no longer be available.
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Your Premiere Motorcycle Touring Source
F 800 GS Adventure
Colors for the F 800 GS will include Racing Blue metallic with a Light White frame color. Catalano Grey metallic will no longer be available.
C evolution scooter
Pricing for the C evolution electric scooter has been set at $13,750.
HP4 Race
Pricing for the HP4 Race has been set at $78,000.
September 2017  BMW OWNERS NEWS
31
Bead Pro Bead Breaker & Tire Irons Combo Set Lightweight aluminum. 2 tools 1 compact kit. Easily breaks beads even on large tubeless tires.
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Premium Highway Pegs w/ Secret StorageProvide comfort & stretch for long rides. R1200GS/A Stainless Steel Engine Guards Hidden storage. Look great Protect your cylinders where they are most on large adv bikes like the vulnerable. Engineered for maximum R1200GS/A, F800GS, protection for your engine. Match BMW F650GS, R1150GS etc. Black stock bars & include stainless steel mount or Silver. Made in USA. clamps & hardware. Made in USA. Ultra Bright LED Turn Signals - Increase safety & visibility with these ultra bright blinkers. Easy 10 minute install.
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Airhead Tech day then off to Utah By Matthew Parkhouse #13272 off its pegs. If that happens and you don’t catch it, when the flywheel is replaced and rolls on, I’m getting torqued down, all sorts of misfortune can a few short rides in. occur. BLOCK THE CRANK! Strider is nicely finI prefer to replace the alternator bolt ished off with a new with a regular 8mm bolt and leave it stickwiring harness and ing out a tad, more than one-half inch. I a frame that has then replace the front cover of the engine returned to being a and gently tighten down the three bolts long wheelbase (LWB) unit. I defithat secure it. That pushes nitely feel the differthe crankshaft forward, preence as I run down the venting any movement. road. I haven’t taken it With that in place, I removed up to 80-plus to see if the flywheel, took out the the twitchiness has shim and measured it. I then been taken out - perlooked through my collechaps as we return from tion of shims to find one the National in Utah. thin enough to allow the Because Susanna has desired endplay. I found once again volunone, put it in place, replaced teered to chair the the rear main seal, checked Door Prize operation, the oil pump cover, and we have a big pile of replaced the O-ring. I boxes to get to the renewed the O-ring of the rally. Just one person’s flywheel and replaced that. contribution to the Once the flywheel was success of the rally; torqued down, I measured there are a LOT of the endplay and found I was members putting a right at the desired 0.10mm LOT of work into our measurement. good time in Salt Lake Some of the other tasks City. Last year, we As the R60/5 came together, we all wanted to see it run. The mufflers are going on here. involved pulling the oil pan shipped the door and checking the oil pump pickup. I found tion than I thought it should have. I prizes, but this year we checked into a couple of loose bolts at the pickup, installed my dial indicator and found that it and found that we could rent a cleaned them and replaced them using a bit there was zero endplay on the crankshaft. Budget truck for less than the cost of of blue Loctite. The front cover came off to You want abound 0.10 millimeters of loosecommercial shipping. That’s what reveal an original-looking timing chain ness there. A pair of flat bearing-like shims we’re doing this year, and we can loose enough that it was starting to nibble at the back of the engine controls this carry the bikes along with the boxes at the aluminum crank housing. No real adjustment. One is inside the crankcase, of goodies. We’ll turn in the truck harm there, but it does tell you that the and the other is outside, hiding behind the after arriving in Salt Lake and ride chain had been whipping around in the rear main seal. As the flywheel needs to home. housing. After I stuffed bits of paper towel come off, this is a bit of work, and you’ll I spent a week or so with an outinto the various openings of the front of the want to block the crank. The reason for this of-the-bike engine that Dick engine, I cut the original endless chain precaution is to ensure that the crank canPaschen, the fellow who hosts the using bolt cutters. As is often the case with not move forward, which it can do by about great Spring Tech Days at his home, these engines, the two cogs had good teeth, a quarter-inch. When this occurs, the inner brought down from Denver. He purso they stayed in place and I installed a new one of those endplay-spacing shims can fall chased the engine from someone AS THE SUMMER
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BMW OWNERS NEWS September 2017
who was a little vague on some of the details regarding how it had been put together. I enjoyed working on this project, with the engine out of the bike and up on my lift. The first order of business was torqueing the heads and setting the valves. That proved to be okay, but then I noticed the crank seemed to have just a bit more fric-
master-link chain. Both cogs are installed with keyways and are marked with etched lines to help you install the chain with the camshaft and crankshaft oriented as they should be. If the chain is “out of time,” the engine won’t run well and could suffer damage as parts collide. That pretty much concluded my week with that engine. One of my rides was up to North Denver to Brook Reams’ home, where he was hosting the rebuilding of an R 60/5 belonging to John Ashcroft. John purchased the bike a couple of years ago, and it obviously needed the top end freshened up. The heads went to Memphis Motor Works to be renewed, and the first over 600cc pistons went to BoreTech for an overbore and fitting; the day-long event was a reassembly job. The more experienced hands did the left side of the engine; John took on the right side himself under our supervision. The only real setback was finding that one of the head mounting studs (the 12 o’clock one in the cylinder) was a bit “proud” of the gasket surface. It appeared that if we left it that way, there would not be room to get the spark plug socket in place in order to screw in the spark plug. We took off the head, double-nutted that stud and got it to turn in a couple of turns. This small reversal took perhaps ten minutes to correct. Lesson learned: measure and record the height of those two studs on each cylinder before sending them to the machinist. They often need to pull those studs to fit the cylinder in the boring machine, and they usually do not put them back in place, figuring that job can be left to the owner. Other than one muffler clamp, all the parts of the Slash Five ended up back on the bike, and after a careful check of the oil level, we fired it up and ran it at 3,000 rpm for one minute. Now that the bike was running well and was nice and hot, I demonstrated how to balance the carbs at idle and the throttle cables at road speed. Satisfied that the bike was running well, I took off to get back down to Colorado Springs before the afternoon thunderstorms set in. My ride home was windy but dry, and Strider crossed the 427,000-mile mark running quite well. By the time I got home, there was an email waiting for me telling me that John was very happy after a ten-mile test ride. My Slash Five is now in the truck, along with Susanna’s R 100/7, the door prizes and our gear. It seems to require some thinking to put in only what can be brought home on the bikes or left at the rally on the truck. Susanna’s talking about using the shipper on-site to send some of the gear home. We’ll see. We are hours away from departing, and I’m REALLY looking forward to seeing old friends, making new ones in Airhead Central and hopefully getting a little bit of relaxing in. As those who have gone know, this is not always easy to do, as there is so much activity going on. I’ll let you know how it worked out and how much sleep we got.
September 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
35
John, the happy owner of the Slash Five, is getting his hands dirty too. Several of the experienced hands put the left side together; he’s doing the right side under our watch.
The flywheel is back in place and I’m ready to replace the clutch assembly. The dial indicator is in position to measure the endplay. Near the rear of the engine are a few of those “bearing shims” that adjust the endplay. Further to the rear are a few of the shop tools (some home-made) that are needed to take apart and reassemble an airhead engine.
How I block the crank. The alternator bolt is removed, and replaced with a short regular 8mm bolt. I leave it sticking out a bit more than one half inch. I then simply replace the cover in the foreground and gently tighten the three securing bolts. That leaves no room for the crank to move.
TEC
The new GS Rallye: One ride and I knew I had to have it By Shawn Thomas #91122 THERE
IS
ALWAYS
DEBATE
among GS riders over choosing between the R 1200 GS and the R 1200 GS Adventure. Traditionally the difference has come down to the fuel tank—do I want a 200 or 300 mile range, as the case may be? With 2017’s addition of auto-leveling dynamic suspension, the choice became a little more difficult. Why is this a big deal? To understand, we must first delve into the role suspension plays on our motorcycle. In a nutshell, the purpose of suspension—and the methods employed to achieve this role—have remained largely unchanged for decades. Words like “Spring Rate," “Damping” and “Rebound” are used to describe a large spring
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BMW OWNERS NEWS September 2017
compressing and expanding as the road surface changes, dampened by resistance created from the movement of oil being forced between inner chambers as the suspension moves. In many cases, riders are allowed to modify settings in order to achieve the desired suspension performance. Carrying more weight? Tighten the pre-load and the spring is compressed, making it more responsive under a heavier load. Want a smoother ride? Soften the damping and rebound, allowing a softer, ‘squishier’ feel. But there are two major problems here. First, suspension adjustment has earned a ‘dark art’ reputation. Most riders are worried about making the wrong adjustments to their suspension and struggle to feel the difference between settings anyway. Second, suspension is a slave to your settings
and therefore should be adjusted to each riding environment. Soft, squishy suspension does little good when riding aggressively in the twisties; and stiff suspension on a straight, bumpy road can make one very aware of his or her kidneys. But who wants to pull to the side of the road and make these adjustments every time the conditions change? Almost no one, as it turns out. In 2005, BMW introduced Electronic Suspension Adjustment (the ESA button on your left grip) to several motorcycle models, taking a big step in simplifying suspension. Riders could now adjust preload and damping with the push of a button, allowing for quick and easy suspension changes with noticeable results (one can literally feel the motorcycle lifting or lowering underfoot as suspension is adjusted). But while
the issue of proper adjustment seemed close to resolution, there was still a problem: Suspension remained a slave to its settings. Riders were still required to adjust suspension to suit the riding environment, which at the best of times remained a huge variable. Humps, bumps, potholes and other obstructions would inevitably come along, and how the machine reacted still varied widely based on imputed settings. Suspension was getting smarter, sure. But there remained room for improvement. Fast-forward to the 2017 R 1200 GS Rallye, which sports a new look and more dirtfriendly design. Nestled into this package of goodies is the Auto-Leveling, Dynamic Suspension option. Auto-leveling does just what it says. As you and your cargo set off, the bike adjusts to offer optimum pre-load based on your weight. There are limitations of course; carrying 300 lbs. of bowling balls on your passenger seat will still overwhelm the suspension. But it is a big step in optimizing the suspension without requiring excess suspension knowledge or input from the rider. And as before, one can literally feel the difference as the adjustments are made. Another huge upgrade is the dynamic suspension. As you ride, the GS Rallye is constantly reading internal sensor information from acceleration, braking, lean angle and movement, adjusting the suspension several times per second. Hit the brakes hard, for example, and the front suspension will stiffen, reducing brake-dive and placing more stopping power on the ground. I test rode the new GS Rallye and noticed the difference immediately. When rolling on the throttle, the rear suspension stiffened and assisted in power transfer to the rear wheel. The extra get-up-and-go made me glad for the traction control, which kept me from standing the bike upright! Owning the new GS Rallye has made me an even bigger fan of this technology. Still, I miss the large fuel tank of the Adventure. Of course, rumor has it the 2018 Adventure will come with a whole host of new options, including the upgraded suspension. Looks like I’ll be making a trip back to the dealer soon!
September 2017  BMW OWNERS NEWS
37
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nichtubermax
Squirt, squish and boom By George Mangicaro #136221
Q:
My 2009 F 800 ST won't start. I'm positive the battery is good, as that was the first thing I replaced when this problem came up. It cranks and I can tell it's trying to start, but it just won't turn over. –Derek H. via email
A:
The way my mind works on this is to remember that you need squirt, squish, boom. Gas, compression and ignition. The easiest thing to check is whether or not you have fuel. Unplug the coil leads and remove a fuel injector. Cover the injector hole and put the injector into a container to collect the spray. Hit the starter button for a second and you should see a small amount of gas in the container. Let it sit undisturbed for 20 minutes. If there is any separation, you most likely have water contaminating the fuel in your gas tank. If there’s no separation, introduce a few drops of water to the container. If it sinks to the bottom, then you have gasoline in your gas tank. If it absorbs into the liquid in the container, then you’re spraying water into your cylinder. Let’s say here that everything is fine with the fuel and move on. If the motor sounds normal as you crank it, then you most likely have adequate compression. You can’t really test this without special tools and knowledge, so we’ll assume your compression is okay as well. When it comes to ignition, the first thing to check is the spark plugs. They’re cheap—pull them out, and if they’re not a uniform golden brown on the tip, replace them. If all things
38
BMW OWNERS NEWS September 2017
appear to be good and it still won’t start, you’re going to be better off taking it to a mechanic than continuing to mess with it. There’s always the chance that you have a bad sensor somewhere in the system and that’s often difficult to track down at home. Continuing to crank an engine that won’t start could foul a spark plug that was marginal to begin with and render it useless. My guess is that the spark plugs are the place to start here, because the other problems (except for the fuel separation/water issues) are less likely to be the issue.
Q:
The chain on my F 650 GS is at the end of its adjustment—I can't move it back any further. What do I need to watch out for when replacing my chain? I'm new to chain-driven BMWs, so I don't even know what brands to look at. –Martine H. via email
A:
A discussion of chain types and brands is like a discussion of oil or tires. I don’t talk about Airheads, religion, politics or any of those other three things. I can say one thing, however: if your chain is all the way at the end of its adjustment range, it was either too long to start with or you’re way past due to replace the chain. Use a chain made by a company whose name you recognize, in other words, a name-brand item. Buy an O- or X-ring chain, a chain with sealed roller pins. Replace the sprockets as a matter of course, and commit to keeping the chain clean, lubricated and properly adjusted. Since this is your first time with a chaindriven bike, consult a professional technician. Improperly installed master links can be deadly! Have questions for Nicht Uber Max? Send them to TechQuestions@bmwmoa.org.
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September 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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Longdistancestyle
A rough road to my Crossroads By Deb Gasque #182082 MY DEPARTURE ON THAT EARLY JULY
morning for a 26-day road trip was fairly normal. Due to my severe state of enthusiasm, my bags were packed full of camping gear and fashion accoutrements several days before departure. My trip log had been planned for months and included 24 states and over 6,000 miles of roundtrip adven-
tures. Since Henrietta, my pearly white ’94 R 1100 RS, was acting up when shifting from first to second and often dramatically throwing herself into neutral at the most inopportune moments, I chose Chanticleer, my handsome, teal ’94 R 1100 RSL to be my trusty steed on this long adventure set to come to a crescendo in Salt Lake City, though even Chanticleer wasn’t completely up to par. Since installing a set of new tires in February, the ABS would randomly disengage while riding down the road. Through much wrenching, time and frustration, my personal mechanic (Mr. Fashionista) thought he had it mastered by the morning of departure. The first day out was hot, hot, hot, so the mileage laid down was short, short, short—about 250 from my home base in Conway, South Carolina, to Mount Airy, North Carolina. During the first few hours of the ride that day, the ABS was back to its shenanigans. I vowed not to stress too much about it and was
BMW OWNERS NEWS September 2017
certain a remedy would surface once I was among fellow BMW riders. A dip in the pool at the night’s hotel and an icy-cold beverage remedied everything. The following morning, I was determined to sail through four states to get to close friends and fun in Ohio by that evening. The temperatures were much more forgiving that day (July 4th, consequently), and upon entering West Virginia, a light drizzle began to fall. Much of the morning went smoothly, and I was deep in thought daydreaming about the many adventures to come. After a brief fuel stop in Beckley, it was on to some curvy mountain roads. While scribbling around that area of the Appalachians, there were sudden brake lights due to an accident which had happened several car lengths and curves ahead. Looking forward and noticing the ruckus, I began to apply my brakes gingerly, preparing for a gradual stop. The van in front of me had other plans that day. Its driver apparently decided it was necessary to stop quick and early. One can never be too cautious, I guess. Although I had left several car lengths between us, I gasped and applied my brakes more heartily. It wasn’t pretty. First of all, the expletives coming from my mouth would make a drunken sailor blush. Secondly, the absence of ABS resulted in the movements of the Chanticleer to look like the heart rhythm of a teenager with her first case of puppy love. Yes, I went into a full sideways-to-sideways skid, and as I strained through a serious side-eye to the pavement which was getting ready to gobble me up, all I could think of was, “Damnit!!! My pristine Chanticleer
Sunrise at the Utah State Fairpark. Inset, Making new friends at the BMW MOA Rally in Salt Lake City.
is going to be mangled!” My other thought in those split seconds: “It’s finally happening… I’m going down.” Somehow, my old dirt bike skills came into play, and I was able to get the whole mess straight and stopped before careening off the road or into the van. Thankfully, traffic was stopped completely for a few minutes, giving me the desperate moments I needed to breathe. I also needed to be sure I was still a living human being on earth rather than being assigned as someone’s guardian angel. I pulled it together and was able to continue trekking towards my destination for the evening. Just as I settled back into the ride, it happened AGAIN. A young guy in a pickup truck pulled out into an intersection in front of me. My rear wheel locked up again and the “scribbling” commenced, but I thankfully saved it a second time. After two near-mishaps in about two hours, I started pondering a new career—maybe bull riding would be my new forte. Instead of craving a nice, cold beer upon arrival, I was feeling more in need of a few Tequila shots. Needless to say, by the time I showed up in Ohio at my dear friends’ home, I was suffering severe “Brake Light PTSD.” I maintained a state of gratitude that I survived two near-misses. Following visits with friends and two more days of riding (very gingerly, I might add), I arrived at the shores of Lake Michigan for a smaller BMW gathering. During that weekend, it became the mission of several fellow motorcyclists to diagnose and fix my ABS problem, which was just fine with me. One lovely morning, my traveling mechanic (and hubby) started my bike to check battery level, etc. An awful noise ensued, and something small and round flew across the pavement. It was quickly determined by the stream of oil that was decorating the ground that the oil sight glass had blown off. For hours after, a circle of curious men surrounded my Chanticleer. Through the efforts of many that afternoon, not only was my sight glass securely back in place and oil level back to
normal, but one of our close friends had found the mysterious ABS issue - a sensor on the front tire was misaligned. (Huge “kudos” to Jim Hale!) I spent the evening giving thanks to my team. It takes a village, you know. Days later, I was putting miles on and feeling extreme relief that I could, again, fully enjoy the journey. My road to the Crossroads of the West was getting better with each day. I even accomplished another “Moto-Beast” goal, The Mackinac Bridge, with confidence, and consequently, an after-feeling that I worried much more than needed on that one. The following days brought travels through the U.P. of Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and then Casper, Wyoming. It was here that I hit the infamous “wall” of riding. You know that day. After several consecutive days of long-distance riding, your brain and body goes on strike. I got to the hotel in Casper that evening and asked the desk clerk for a fork; I was ready to stick myself with it and call it done. But the thought of arriving in Salt Lake City the very next day at my most favorite event of the year and enjoying my fellow compadres, vendors, seminars, music and all things BMW MOA Crossroads of the West, greatly helped me to pull it together. Consequently, the final stretch of my journey west was actually my favorite day on the road. During the rally weekend, I enjoyed seeing so many good friends and meeting many new ones. Even in the extreme temperatures. I made use of every moment to see and do and experience. I laughed and hugged so much that I walked around rally central for three days with a perma-grin. Many thanks to our 2017 Rally Chairs, Greg, Pat and Brian. Your hard work throughout the year truly shined over that wonderful weekend. And even though my road to Salt Lake City was rough at times, I was greatly rewarded once I found my Crossroads. It’s a life-long adventure that I will never forget. September 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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Resting in the shade.
Please enjoy this collection of images from the 2017 BMW MOA Crossroads of the West rally held in Salt Lake City. A full recap of the Rally will be published in the October issue of BMW Owners News. Thank you to Jim Nyffeler #110521, Jim Turley #184803, Ray Tubbs #58606 and others who shared their images from the event.
Setting up the MOA Gear Store.
Setting up camp.
Bike judging.
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At the Vintage Display.
New tires ready to be mounted.
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Rally selfie.
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GS Giant competition.
Pioneer Norm Phoenix.
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Bikes everywhere. An afternoon siesta.
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GS Giant competition.
GS Giant competition.
Vendors everywhere.
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A well-traveled windshield.
Deciding where to ride.
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A generous donation from the Curve Cowboys.
Rally Chair Greg Feeler at closing ceremonies.
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Conserve the Ride and the memories By Alfonse Palaima #188896
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An early start at disaster
Perhaps one of my earliest adventures outside the family would have been one that I did with my straight-edge pals in high school, on both two and four wheels. While transitioning from BMX bicycles into a driver’s license, my best friends were all skateboarders during a time when skateboarding was a crime. Summer after summer, our adventures continued until the day we found ourselves held up at gunpoint by the police, handcuffed and left lying on the sidewalk while they searched my vehicle looking for guns and other things. They only found water pistols and silly string. Crazy days they were! Seasons and friendships came and went, but over the years, as winter fell, our focus didn’t stray too far from our carving hearts. Snowboarding was the freshest thing out there—along with Zinka sunscreen and the name Glen Plake—and none of the local mountain resorts would allow them on the slopes because they would “tear up the surface.” We had to improvise. Such adversity wasn’t anything new to us;
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we just had to travel farther to do what we loved. No street corner on earth was going to give us the gravity thrill of sliding down the hill sideways, nor the thrill of being thrown to the ground after catching an edge. Damn those cambered bases! But we found a way… Sometimes the biggest thrill came from just getting there. Blue Mountain Resort was the first in Pennsylvania to allow our big sticks to grace their hill, and so that’s where we went. Many of us lived minutes away and had season passes. Our most vivid memory was the day Kevin’s Subaru spun out on the highway, bouncing from shoulder to shoulder across the freshlyfallen snow and coming to rest in the chestdeep piles of snow. There was no damage to the car, the guide-rail, or us, so we carried on with the day and then, our lives. Thirty years later I’m back in Pennsylvania at the Blue Mountain Resort since. This time however, I’m on two wheels.
Saving the Good Times
With memories of days long gone whipping
by me as I cruise the backroads of my youth on a BMW R nineT Scrambler, this rally report is more than just a trip down memory lane. Given the rare reason and opportunity to ride back east, I leapt at the chance to see the place where I grew up with the eyes and means of an aging-little boy. So, on the cusp of July, during the unofficial long weekend of Independence Day, AltRider’s annual “Conserve the Ride” (CTR) found a new location in Pennsylvania and brought me back home to ride. With old memories and miles melding with new ones, I took the BMW Scrambler where no local thought was possible. They all called me crazy, yet they don't even know me! You can’t do that! You’ll destroy that bike out there on the trail! With the holiday and CTR at hand, it was time for a stroll through memory lane… along with any street that wasn’t a highway. Heck, it didn’t even need to be paved! With a little adjustment in attitude, me and the Karoo 3’s took on Blue Mountain and the state game lands with aplomb. Reliving old
memories while going beyond with a true Scrambler, I was on a scramble in the backwoods of my home state. Although we didn’t get to ride on the actual ski slopes, the general manager of the host resort is also a GS rider and the route planner for the event. He was also my group’s leader. Hacking his way through the forest and bogs with ease, he kept himself busy outside his day job with his efforts toward keeping lands like this open for motorcycle and pedal bike riders. If you live in the West and aren’t familiar with these parts, you’ll find more locked gates than open arms everywhere you look. Access is a big problem here, as it is getting to be for every state, but in Pennsylvania, the Seven Mountains Conservation Corp (SMCC) is just one of the many organizations seeking more access and the freedom to ride our machines and not get hassled by The Man. Formed in 2009, the not-for-profit SMCC saw the challenge cyclists, runners, equestrian riders as well as motorcycle riders were having in finding good places to
enjoy their sport. Now, through their events and efforts, they combat government land closures with private partnerships and volunteer work to create new sustainable trails and more good times. On this weekend, they partnered with AltRider for the 2017 Conserve the Ride event. I recommend you go next year to see the growing community of adventurists on this side of the country. If you’re lucky, you won’t even have to deal with the snow or torrential downpours that I did. But then again, the muddy parts were the most fun!
Let the Alt-Riding Begin
Although I grew up in this part of the country, the only trail riding I had done was on a pedal bike. I’m very aware of the slick and slippery conditions mother nature hides out there under the cover of lush green foliage and seasonal snow and rain. It’s a far cry from the dry and predictable conditions of the desert. Sand and mud are two different worlds, and I brought a café bike to an enduro party. Having arrived late in the day on Friday,
along with the threat of rain, many of us promptly set up camp before digging into the beer and hellos. Before long, satellite reports showed two bands of rain coming, and they we far from innocent. The first one came and went with vigor and left a puddled landscape that left no boot dry or unsullied. The second wave of storms knocked our socks off, toppled our tents and soaked anything left dry from the first round of the fight. I’m surprised there wasn’t hail hidden in that wind, but we all survived , living to hear race and travel stories and to ride the next day. Most were excited that the rain would keep the dust down. Dust, in a rain-soaked Pennsylvania? If you say so. Come to the desert to see some real dust! Seven a.m. came fast, and the rider meeting even faster, and before nine we were turning off the backroads and into the forests, connecting the dots between one route and another. What the Lehigh Valley lacked in steep hills, it made up for in puddle depth. Although, true to Pennsylvania coal country forests, we found a challenging hill
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climb in a playground hidden between random ridgelines. Rising a few hundred feet from the riversized puddle at the bottom, choosing the right line quickly became the most important thing you could do. As loose shale was kicked out, wheels bucked wildly and valve covers suffered; a good time was had by all. Even those that brought their bikes home in more pieces than they arrived with had fun. If you didn’t have fun, this was the wrong kind of rally for you. All told, Dave created some terrific routes through historic cities and deep, deep mud bogs. He promises next year’s will be even better. Think hill climb! The R nineT performed perfectly out
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there. As I’ve said before, “It ain’t the tool, it’s the rider.” Simply knowing I couldn’t charge down a rocky road, blip off every little stone and jump across tracks at will, I kept my pace below the norm while riding in the back of the pack. With that game plan, I kept her upright all day. Despite the comparably-shallow suspension of the enduro bikes and top-shelf adventure bikes in attendance, I was happy to be able to stand flat-footed on both feet while waddling through the brush. In true scrambler style, I had a blast on the bike. You might say I’m still doing crazy things after all these years. Apparently, some things never change! For the price of admission, this year we
were treated with three self-guided routes (and GPX files), five meals over the three days, thousands of dollars in gear raffles from UPShift, multiple kegs of beer delivered personally from a brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery, and presentations from two Dakar privateers as well as from a global wanderer currently circling the world on a 2013 GSA. AND Brian Conger from BC Moto Adventures was there a day early to school attending riders on the fine art of getting dirty. For more information, visit facebook. com/BC-Moto-Adventures- 141016939255 4006/, altrider.com/event/index/date/201706-30/ridesOnly/0, and sevenmountainsconservationcorp.com/
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FROM THE
PASSENGER'S
SEAT
By Doreen June Oberg #27260
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AFTER SITTING ON A PIANO BENCH
for 35 years, I never pictured myself on the back of a motorcycle. But I began to seriously think about it after agreeing to meet with my future fiancé on our first date back in 2001. Living at the opposite ends of Oregon, we decided to meet in the small central town of John Day, where it was announced that we would be taking a ride on his BMW K 1100. The first time I got on the motorcycle I had no idea what I was doing; for instance, I wondered how should a passenger sit or lean through curves? My partner, on the other hand, was completely used to this, so while exploiting my naivety, I was instructed to scoot up closer and closer until I finally figured out this instruction had nothing to do with riding a motorcycle! Riding for the first few years with my fiancé gave me a new perspective on traveling on the road. On an Idaho blue sky day in the summer of 2004 we were crossing over a small bridge. As we approached, my partner downshifted to maneuver a sharp turn. At the engine's growl, a hidden flock of birds feeding near the water below suddenly startled, rising into the sky like a grey kaleidoscope. In that moment I began to
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really appreciate why motorcyclists love the road. You just don't get that same experience in a car. I am a piano instructor at a community college. As the relationship with my partner deepened, I thought that maybe I should learn to appreciate this thing he was into. I doubted that he would be able to learn to play the piano or sing. He was asked not to sing in third grade choir. He and a friend were instructed to just mouth the words because their pitch sense was so terrible (emotional scarring, no doubt), and so I thought I would attempt to enter his world of two-wheeled fun; at least I would try to understand and appreciate it more. So I set off for Bend, Oregon, one weekend to begin rider instruction through the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) course. Back then, when you took a motorcycle training course and passed, you immediately received an "M" endorsement on your driver’s license allowing you to ride motorcycles, spiders, trikes, or what have you. After arriving at the training site, I was paired with my bike for that weekend, and our group began the first of nearly 20 biking maneuvers. I had never thought I would be
glad to have grown up on my family's 1967 three-on-a-tree Corolla, but suddenly the gear-shift knowledge was going to be extremely handy. Now there are a few bikes that are automatics, but obviously most are gear shift, the right being your accelerator and the left being your clutch, with brakes of course on both handle bars as well. Some of our group had trouble learning this gearshift acceleration the first time, and one female rider sadly dumped her bike that day and was immediately disqualified. Every bike has its personality quirks, but I soon became accustomed to shifting smoothly and was able to finish the entire course. During one break period, my fiancé called to check on me. "What type of bike did they give you?" he asked. "A white one," was my only response (beats me what type of bike it was). I heard a snort on the other end, "Doreen, you have got to be kidding me." It wasn't my only novice response to biking though. I initially called the foot pegs "foot sticks" and ape hangers "ape wings." Although I only did that one time, my husband still loves retelling my first experi-
ences of learning motorcycling idioms. Following my completion of the MSF course, I did begin riding solo on a Moto Guzzi California. It was blue, very stout and sturdy in the wind. However, after one year I gradually realized that riding the bike was just not for me. My style of relaxing requires letting my mind wander rather than focusing on elements of surprise around every curve. As a piano instructor, if my mind wanders during a piano lesson, a wrong note is struck, or should a student fall off of the piano bench onto our thick shag accommodating rug, probably no harm will ensue. Failing to attend to elements of surprise that require instant response on a motorcycle can lead to accidents or worse. To some degree this decision was a relief for my husband, who, incidentally, is well aware of my particular brand of personality and my need to simply relax and "go with the flow" outside of work. For me to continue enjoying the freedom offered on a bike and remain safe, I decided to pursue two-up riding style, and we have happily dedicated ourselves to this ever since. Motorcycle trips became my vacation norm, but the prep involved was at first a huge change. As a woman, packing two-up for a bike trip is an exponential reduction of stuff. Hair dryer, curling iron? No room, a bandana will be fine. Eye shadow, face powder and mascara? Eyebrow pencil and medication will be fine. I say medication because I remember once pulling my back muscles on a bike trip. As you age, you have no idea how you turned or bent to accomplish this discomfort, but it doesn't matter when you're on the road. It really hurt to turn beyond 45 degrees laterally, but we had to get on the bike and ride at least 300 more miles that day. Well, we have muscle relaxants from an old prescription, so I popped one of those, hooked up my electrics (electric liner for cold weather) and after a cup of hot coffee, hauled myself up on the bike. At our first rest stop an hour later I was stunned to realize that the pain in my back was completely gone. I think the combination of pain killer, heat from the
electric vest and then the bike itself jostling my muscles for over an hour simulated a massage. For $23,000 you can purchase your own massage machine at any motorcycle dealership! Thoughtful bike trip preparation assists in making all our rides enjoyable. One of these preps includes tracking the weather. My fiancé faithfully keeps an eye out for strong wind, rain or severe heat before every trip, and in the past this was usually enough warning—usually. On one memorable road trip to Reno, Nevada, my sister planned on meeting us there, traveling up
from San Francisco to enjoy a few days of relaxation. She dithered on riding her Harley-Davidson Sportster versus driving, the weather being iffy in her direction, so she finally opted for the latter. We were set on riding though, bike already laden with full side bags, the large tour pack and a rack on top of that for lighter miscellaneous items such as phones, Clif bars and water. However as we neared Reno the clouds surrounding the mountain region there slowly took on an ominous dark tint, and as luck would have it, it began to snow. Hard. For the next two hours, reaching speeds of
perhaps 20 miles per hour we enjoyed riding in car tracks while SUVs and campers passed us, looks of disbelief on the occupants' faces. The old adage, "Take a picture it'll last longer" sprang to mind. Despite fickle mountain weather, I look forward to the feel of the road beneath me, which includes not fretting about which outfit to pack, what blouse goes with which shoes. For our wedding, Labor Day weekend 2005, my husband and I took three weeks off to tour the National Parks on a trip that spanned approximately 3,000 miles. I discovered real touring in parks such as Yosemite or Capitol Reef is experienced as more than just views but also the scents and temperature changes. I could tell when we were climbing in elevation because I would turn my electrics up higher, and turning my head to look for a tree just out of sight beyond a ridge, I have caught the sweet scent of blossoms in the air. Pulling over for a brief break, grabbing water and hungrily ripping open Clif bars, I realized a small group of Clydesdales was quietly checking us out from a green meadow across from us. I will definitely never forget riding through the forest outside of Banff, Alberta. My husband downshifted to better navigate an uphill curve with a decreasing radius. At the sudden gear shift noise a small black bear cub startled and ran clumsily across the field (thankfully opposite us) to its mother. I felt triumphant having finally seen a live bear in the wild, not in a stuffy zoo with candy wrappers littering the ground around my feet. We have friends now who also ride with us, and spending time with another couple makes fun of a ride more enjoyable because it is shared. From the pillion, I can relax and experience the ride without stressing over navigational elements that my husband finds an interesting challenge. Challenge away! My memory snapshots provided from the passenger seat will continue to include looking forward to what lies around the corner. If that happens to be a large bug, well, it will probably hit the driver first!.
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BMW OWNERS NEWS  September 2017
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Breaking
bones
in Baja
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By Christopher P. Baker #126077 THE LAST TIME I TRIED SERIOUS OFF-
roading I busted three ribs and a foot. I’d negotiated a rock-strewn canyon and emerged above the rim of Searles Valley when I suddenly choked up in sand. My moron mind had made me look down. Never look down! I augered the front wheel deep, until the big 1200 GSA corkscrewed and flipped. My Forma Adventure boot folded, twisting and snapping my ankle. I hit the ground hard. Gasping, I rolled on my back and stared at the sky as I lay dazed amid a bed of not-so-cuddly teddy bear cactus. A remote mountain in California’s Mojave Desert is not a good place to break bones. Next time I’ll slow down. Stay focused on the horizon. Swap the Michelin Pilots for more appropriate tires. Or maybe I just needed more practice. Perhaps on a long ride down Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, I mused, as I hobbled around on my crutches. Baja California. It fired my imagination like a heathaze hovering between hallucination and reality on the distant desert horizon. When my buddy JD Smith called, inviting me to join him for a two-week adventure to Cabo, I hopped excitedly like a Mexican kangaroo rat in estrus. I envisioned Baja’s savage beauty unfurling as if in an IMAX movie as we cruised down Highway 1, with occasional feral forays away from the hardtop. “We’re gonna do a lot of off-roading,” JD added, ominously. “You’ll need to change your tires. Get some Metzeler Karoos. They’re good on the GSAs in the soft stuff.” Uh-oh! JD is a motorcycle riding instructor. He’s explored Baja eight times. In 2015 he even crossed the fabled Darien Gap on a bike. Now JD wanted to scout a new Baja route for his tour company, RTW Moto Tours. I realized I was on a steep learning curve as JD and the brutal desert promised to hone me into a badass adventure rider September 26 started out well as we
roared south down I-10 from Palm Springs for Calexico and the Mexican border. I’d never crossed the frontier and was amazed that no official stopped us or asked for our papers. Just a slow ride through the metalstudded border chicane and we emerged into rough-edged Mexicali. We cruised west along Federal Highway 20 and rocketed up the long, sweeping grade—sinuous as a culebra—that spiraled from sea level to deposit us at a 1,200-meter elevation atop the ridgeline of the Sierra de Juárez. JD cut a helluva pace, leaving no chance to soak in the views. My toes scraped
asphalt unnervingly as I leaned my GSA into the bends arcing through what poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti called “a fantastic mountain landscape of nothing but stone.” I savored the wonderfully temperate weather as we lunched in La Rumarosa, far above the oven-hot desert floor. We were now up amid juniper and Jeffry pine at the northern gateway to Parque Nacional Constitucion de 1857. I’d done a little research. The area was described as “a formidable barrier between the eastern and western parts of the peninsula” and the “roughest part of Baja’s rugged terrain.” A mountain domain of bighorn sheep, mule deer, and cougar. The remote park—a place of stark, lonely grandeur—is accessed by “a challenging unpaved road” (Lonely Planet) and rough trails. We adjusted our ESA pre-loads and hit the track on the pegs. The sandy trail
rolled and pitched through a grandly chaotic landscape studded with fantastical granite boulders. The boulder gardens were interspersed between alpine meadows cut through by sand-filled washes and deep rock-strewn arroyos. Soon we were hammering over washboard and through deeper pools of glistening granitic sand. A couple of times I felt the front wheel lose traction and slide. Then the Metzelers dug in and momentum kept the Beemer on course. “We’ll be in sand much of the way, perhaps ten inches deep in places. We’ll paddle through. Keep your eyes up!” JD had admonished. He was setting a pretty fast pace. But I kept to his tail. I felt confident, comfortable, steering and balancing the bike with my hips and shifts on the pegs as the cobwebs since my last off-road adventure receded. Then, ninety minutes into the ride, I went down. Hard. Fast. And totally unexpected. I was riding on hardpack with my forefinger covering the brake when my front wheel wavered in an unanticipated patch of sand. I can’t explain what happened. I guess I instinctively—and stupidly— touched he brake. In a millisecond the front wheel dug in and slammed sideways as the rear end spun the tail around and flung the bike on its side. I sensed my left leg being twisted beneath the BMW as it fell. Had it gone under the pannier? I felt no pain, but was acutely conscious of surreal déjà vu, as if replaying a familiar film in slow motion. As the dust settled and my mind came into focus, I lay on my back in the soft sand, knowing that my vacation had ended. I levered off my helmet and crab-crawled on my back to shut off the ignition. There was no point in trying to stand. I could feel my lower leg loosely detached inside the Sidi Crossfire boot. I raised my head and noted the oddly articulated position of my foot. I wiggled my toes. That seemed a good omen. I couldn’t sense the warm, sticky presence of blood. Then I tried raising my knee and through the sudden gnawing ache felt the motion of bone against bone
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floating free in a gelatinous mass. An ugly thought crystallized: This is bad! Still, I felt strangely sanguine as I lay in passive torpor, waiting for JD to acknowledge my absence and return. I tried to roll the film forward. Thank God I’d just bought insurance in case I got hurt in the boondocks, but where was I going to get medical treatment? Good medical treatment! How were we going to get me out of here? We’d passed not a soul. We were miles from the nearest cell tower. Riding pillion with JD was unthinkable. Twenty minutes passed. Finally I heard the thrum of JD’s water-cooled GSA. As JD leaned over me, a Nissan pickup emerged around the bend. ¡Que maravilla! Two Mexicans emerged, brows furrowed in abject concern. We contemplated bundling me onto the back seat. The Mexicans wisely demurred—better to let professional medical staff secure my leg before moving me. They agreed to ride back along the 40 miles of rough track to La Rumarosa to summon an ambulance. JD helped me get comfortable with my back against the roadside sand ridge. He placed a jar of Ibuprofen by my side. Then he rode off to seek a cellphone hotspot. I
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downed four 200mg Ibuprofens, noted the time, then lay in patient silence for almost two hours. I recalled Ted Simon, regaling his tale in Dreaming of Jupiter, chomping aspirin against impending pain after breaking his leg while motorcycling in Kenya in 2001. Like him, “I wasn’t feeling too proud of my riding skills.” It struck me as amusing that the Cruz Roja ambulance arrived with sirens wailing. I watched laconically as paramedic Leonel Gasca Hinojosa cut away my BMW GS pants. His compañero, Isaias López Granados, signaled to brace myself. I clawed the ground against the agonizing pain as Leonel gripped tight my mushy limb and Isaias wrestled the Sidi boot until the pulpy leg and foot plopped free. They straightened the foot then wrapped it in cardboard, which they folded into a triangle and bandaged tight as a makeshift brace. “Where shall we take you?” Leonel asked, as the duo hoisted the gurney into the ambulance. I reasoned that being medevaced to the USA was my best option. I’d had the foresight to buy insurance in case I got hurt in the boondocks. I wondered if my insurance cover this medevac and how long it would
take to make those arrangements? My priority was to get my leg stabilized. “The best private hospital around!” I replied. Thankfully, after a two-hour ride I was wheeled into Hospital Almater in Mexicali. Good call! By chance, Almater specializes in orthopedics and is popular with U.S. citizens for medical tourism. Within the hour I was being laid out on a radiology scanner. “It’s a terrible fracture,” said orthopedic surgeon Dr. Humberto Carlos Torres. “Almost a rompacabeza,“ he added, likening it to a jigsaw puzzle. My tibia had been torqued into five dagger-shaped pieces, each fissured with seismic faultlines. My fibula had sliced cleanly in two. Looking at the razor-edge breaks, I felt glad I’d been wearing new Sidi Crossfire 2 boots. Their rigid polyurethane protector plates had surely prevented the bones displacing laterally and tearing through arteries and flesh as my foot and lower leg were violently wrenched. “It needs surgery, but don’t worry. We can fix it,” said Dr. Torres, reassuringly. He proposed inserting an intramedullary tibial nail down the shaft of the bones to pin the rompacabeza together. “You’ll be walking
again in a month,” he added jovially. I liked his confidence. Then I was informed that Almater wouldn’t accept my insurance with UKbased International Medical Group. I’d purchased IMG’s Patriot Multi-Trip travel package (good for 365 days travel and medical coverage up to $1 million) specifically because it insured for injuries incurred while motorcycling. For good measure, I’d also purchased their Adventure Sports Rider. I figured I was staring at a major hospital bill. Fortunately, the quotes Almater gave me ($6,400) were insanely cheap by comparison with the USA. My credit cards could pick up the short term. Nonetheless, I was still mulling a medevac to Eisenhower Desert Orthopedic Center, near my home in Palm Springs. JD had been working the phone with IMG. Next morning IMG declined to medevac me to the USA. Their rep told JD, correctly it appears, that my policy included medevac to the “nearest qualified medical facility” only (that would be Almater) and “the cost of returning to the home country” (that would be post-treatment). I had declined—foolishly in retrospect—to purchase IMG’s “Evacuation Plus Rider,” providing international medevac for non life-threatening situations. The devil is in the details: My policy medevac coverage pertained to life-threatening situations only. However, IMG agreed to reimburse all costs incurred in Mexico. Decision made. Next day I was wheeled into the theater and succumbed to the anesthetic full of confidence. When I awoke, I couldn’t feel my leg at all thanks to morphine. It was bandaged up to my groin. Dr. Torres promised I’d be home in two days, during which I could not have received better treatment at Hospital Almater. Kindness and professional attention enveloped me. What of the bike, still ensconced amid the pines in the mountains? Since U.S. auto insurance is invalid in Mexico, I’d insured the bike with Mexico auto insurance specialist Sanborn. Apparently, I hadn’t done my due diligence here either! How had I missed their clearly-publicized disclaimer: “Off-roading is NOT covered.” Fortunately, JD proved a trusted friend. I handed him my cash. He hired a taxi and rode out to retrieve the bike. What the hell would I have done without him? The next day, JD
rode my bike home to Palm Springs, accompanied by an Almater concierge shuttle to bring him back to Mexicali. The following day I was released on crutches and driven across the border and home via hospital shuttle, closing a chapter on my wayward Baja adventure. Unfortunately, IMG was anything but cooperative in response to my claim for reimbursement as I wrestled with a faceless and seemingly robotic bureaucracy. In a letter dated December 13, 2016, for example, IMG requested a copy of all pages of my passport, plus flight ticket receipts, etc. I replied by letter stating that I traveled by land and that no visa/stamp was issued at Calmexico/Mexicali. I provided photographs showing that I was motorcycling when the accident happened. Nonetheless, I provided details of my passport and U.S. insurance coverage (which, of course, does not provide for treatment outside the USA), as requested. In a statement dated January 24, 2017, IMG denied my claim because I had not provided: a) copies of all my passport pages; b) flight tickets or travel itinerary; c) other insurance’s explanation of benefits. Once again I replied, this time with all copies of my passport pages, etc., including further proof of the journey by land (including photographs) and reiterating that my U.S. insurance provided no benefits for treatment in Mexico. IMG sent me another letter stating that it was denying my claim. Furious at such snake oil treatment, I contacted my friend and consumer travel advocate Christopher Elliott (www.elliott. org) to enlist his support. I copied IMG and started posting my story to social media. That did the trick. After eight months, IMG
paid up. Case resolved! I’d learned some salient lessons about proper trip planning, including the absolute necessity of applicable insurance and doubling down on the fine print. What a pity I didn’t get to experience Baja’s kaleidoscopic desert landscapes, nor even set eyes on the Maxfield Parrish hues of the Sea of Cortés. My plans for ten days of big-bike enduro riding had crashed within hours, leaving tormented memories hovering, like chimerical Baja California itself, in that hazy dreamworld between reality and hallucination.
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BURGERS AND BMWS : Exploring the US by motorcycle By Peter Taylor #207896
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what to pack and shopping for the gear we lacked. We also practiced falling off the four siblings (two boys, two girls), three bikes and breaking things. We were a little spouses, a friend and a niece. We are engisobered by how easy it was to topple a staneers, teachers, sailors, glider pilots, runtionary 650-pound bike and to set up a ners, mountain bikers, skiers, windsurfers, domino effect when we stopped too close raconteurs, scuba divers, artists, safari leadtogether. ers, and a smuggler. We’re aged 55 to 72, The first riding day was a fabulous! We with a token 23-year-old to keep us feeling were all a bit rusty, but this ride had everyyoung. thing we needed as a warm up. The Lincoln We’re also Sefricans—South Africans— Highway is relatively straight, but was chaland the day the siblings’ father died, somelenging because of the gusty crosswinds. one had the bright idea of riding motorbikes Then we hit the Loess Hills on Route 66. The American along the Missouri River; contingent were given the the beautiful sweeping instruction, “Go home to curves made the bikes come Iowa and plan it,” and so alive as we powered through began months of planning, them. While we posed in international money wires, front of an oversized conbooking accommodations, crete bull in Mitchell, South choosing gear, getting Dakota, for a photo shoot, a camping stuff sorted, map guy pulled up, and we apolgazing and providing the ogized for being in his way, best cure for a middle-age but he was there to stare at crisis: give a man money to the bikes; this happened buy and ride cool Above, Our bikes ready to ride. Below, A group photo before hitting the road. often. Next stop was the motorbikes. Corn Palace; very kitschy murals made We added my V-Strom to the mix. Nine people travelling together, sleeping using corn. Everyone and most of the luggage arrived in camper cabins and cooking outdoors. The RTs ate up the 80-mph speed limit safely and on time from all over the planet. We have to haul beds, bedding, chairs, on Interstate 90; the Suzuki grimly hung on. The next day was test riding around the cooking, and food. The weather will range We stopped near the Missouri River to Iowa cornfields, making decisions about from snow in the Rockies to 120°F desert in WE ARE AN INTERESTING BUNCH:
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Arizona, so we need both warm and cold weather sleeping, riding and living gear. Helmets, gloves and jackets. It will rain, meaning rain gear. For nine people. That is a lot of stuff. We decide to find a trailer and haul it along with us. We tossed out the idea of getting a BMW, thinking of a Goldwing and a Harley and taking turns on them, but everyone wanted a Beemer. We found them, too—a 2007 R 1200 RT in Minneapolis, a 2002 R 1150 RT in Kansas City and another near my home.
show the tourists a typical curio/antique shop; John paraded around in a Davey Crocket hat until he saw it was made in China. The Badlands were hot, desolate and very beautiful before we hit Custer State Park, where we spent a pleasant evening at our cabins watching birds, wildlife and the passing traffic of weird and wonderful vehicles. The next day we wound up Needles Highway, which is a biker’s dream, with tight curves and lots of drop-offs. Going through the tunnel was not fun for Gavin in the truck, but he made it. Hill City was wallto-wall bikers and a real tourist trap, and the bike shop was a disappointment—it only had Harley stuff. We wound our way gradually to Salt Lake City, where Pete’s comment that it looked like “Bonanza” country had us all on the lookout for Little Joe and Hoss on the tops of the buttes. We left Salt Lake after breakfast, joining the heavy traffic on the highways out of town, competing for lane width with semis. SLC drivers are crazy. There was a stretch of construction with a limit of 55, but we were the only ones doing less than 65. Trying to keep a convoy of five vehicles together in those conditions was
interesting. We drove through wide valleys full of lush farms overshadowed by tall mountains reminiscent of the Hex River Valley in the Cape. The speed limit was 80, so we made good time, eating up the miles in moderate traffic; the Beemers burbled along contentedly. We headed towards Zion National Park, through incredible beauty to the start of the Narrows walk, the path that takes you up the Virgin River into the gorge with the walls closing ever closer together. In many places, you have to walk in the water, tripping over loose boulders. The section we did was gorgeous. We headed towards Arizona past interesting rock formations and cliffs and at one stage through a beautiful National Forest that reminded Pete of Nyanga in Zimbabwe. The ride through the forest was a blast, Devils Tower in Wyoming is the first declared US fast tight curves giving us a National Monument; Native Americans call it Bear chance to lay the bikes low and Lodge Butte.
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accelerate through them. Suddenly everything changed at the top of a pass into dry desert. The road ran next to the Vermillion Cliffs until we crossed the Colorado River at Marble Canyon. The river had grown in size since we first crossed it in the Rockies a few days before. We turned east near Tuba City, stopped for supplies and then headed further into Hopi territory, where we passed Old Oraibi, the oldest continually occupied village in the U.S. This is a very closed society, and the people do not trust technology, so many don’t have running water or electricity. It was good to see the Hopi Mission School below us and Erica’s little red car sitting outside her house. We were welcomed by Thane, the Superintendent, who shared his incredible knowledge of the area and the people with us. He told us to be wary of scorpions, rattlesnakes and spiders and reminded us that The Colorado River.
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the nearest hospital was 90 minutes away. Soon Gavin and Thane were exchanging tall stories of wildlife in America and Africa. We took a bike-free day and used Erica's car to head to the Grand Canyon, which
had a haze over it caused by lightninginduced fires, but the views were still mind-boggling. We climbed a tower, gazed over the expanse and marveled at it all.
Peter commented, “It feels like God scratched the earth with a pin and said, ‘Yup that’s good.’” We pushed on to Route 66, picking up the fabled road in Flagstaff, Arizona. John showed his off-road expertise on the big RT when the roads turned to dirt, and of course the V-Strom excelled under those conditions. We visited Winslow, where the Eagles song “Take It Easy” has created a whole industry, and where Chris had booked rooms in a 1950s motel where each room is a concrete teepee. Outside each room was at least one ‘50s vehicle. Inside, the rooms were remarkably comfortable. We explored the Hopi reservation— alcohol free, much to Derek’s chagrin—and made a detour through the Petrified National Forest. New Mexico became our eighth state on this trip, and like Namibia, it is “fast dog country”—the trees are so far apart the dogs have to move quickly to
The Cadillac Ranch, outside Amarillo, Texas.
reach the next one before they need to pee again. Albuquerque struck us as cool because, like Cape Town, it is nestled in a bowl of mountains. It is missing a sea though, so loses points. We found our way to a fantastic home Chris had reserved on Airbnb. Air conditioning and a kitchen were luxuries we had almost forgotten about. John cooked a roast beef on the grill, cunningly catering to those who like it rare as well as to those who prefer their meat
less gory. We realized that between cities, the old route was pretty dull, so opted to run for a while on the highway, then pull off if a town looked promising. Temperatures were over 100, so butt breaks were short and focused on imbibing large amounts of water and Gatorade. Stripping the gear off was a mixed blessing, nice to cool off for a bit but not fun to drag back on. Then there was Texas. As soon as we
crossed the border the driving got noticeably more aggressive. Thankfully, the traffic was light, so we pressed on as fast as was legal. Everything is bigger in Texas, including the distances, sizes of the crosses outside churches and the speed limits. Roads that would be 55 mph in Iowa are 75 in Texas. A stop at the Cadillac graveyard was obligatory. Most interesting was the thickness of the layers of graffiti on the tired old
www.twistedthrottle.com/mydealer
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www.aeroflowscreens.com
cars. We circumnavigated Amarillo and aimed for the Palo Dura Canyon. Texas is flat, so following signs to a canyon was a little bizarre. Suddenly we were at the park gate and magically there was this huge ravine. The lady took our money and gave us a map to the cabins 10 miles away at the bottom. Derek had had enough and asked for the staff to carry him down in a litter. Thankfully, the lady had a sense of humor, and we did not have to apologize for him too much. Eventually we reached Oklahoma, and the countryside started to get greener and less planar. However, the wind became severe and at 75 mph, boxed in by semis, the 40-knot gusts that moved the bikes several feet sideways at random were not fun. After dinner in a hotel, some of us drove to see the memorial to the Oklahoma City bombing. It is one of those places that is extraordinarily thought-provoking and moving, just like the Vietnam Memorial in D.C. Our last day of riding found us winding out of Topeka a little earlier than normal. Derek dozed off on the highway and nearly missed the off ramp. He would have figured it out when he got to St. Louis. No more expressways, no more big cities, and temperatures in the 80s promised a nice relaxing day. Being closer to home meant navigation was going to be easier, right? Sure! Getting out of Kansas was easy and fun, rolling hills through corn and cattle farms until we crossed the Missouri river and met St. Joseph, Missouri. First gas station—no fuel. Second gas station—no bathroom. This was not going well. The GPS had a brain freeze, and we missed a turn, pushing us northwest instead of northeast. Eventually we got out of town and found a gas station with fuel, bathrooms and maps! Two of the Beemers and the V-Strom are now in the garage, feeling neglected and yearning for new homes, but the R 1200 RT burned up the farm roads today. Chris has printed a photobook. Stories have been told and re-told. Life goes on. I believe that we all look back with a big chunk of nostalgia pretty regularly. I somehow doubt that this group will gather again to do a crazy extended trip like this, but all of us will continue exploring in some way or another. John rode with his son all over Europe and
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is working exploration has bought learned to
on a four-country, off-road of Southern Africa. Richard a new 650 GS. Gavin has ride. Pete and Chris are
planning long weekends near twisty roads all over the Midwest. They still call me an old-man RT rider, though. Oh, yeah!
Our cabins near Custer State Park in South Dakota.
www.cardosystems.com
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skills
askapro
Avoiding the dreaded driving award By Lee Parks #162125
Q:
Given your background racing and working with law enforcement agencies, do you have any advice for getting out of a speeding ticket?
A:
Without incriminating myself or those of my compatriots who might have had these situations arise, let’s talk hypothetically about a composite character who I’ll call Ralf. Ralf is not a bad guy, but he has had his run-ins with the law regarding the velocity of his vehicle. While he has received citations in the past, he has also had great successes at avoiding tickets and convictions with some somewhat unorthodox strategies. Two of them follow.
Case Study #1
Ralf was riding his BMW RT on a West Coast Interstate highway one afternoon on a nice, warm day coming home from work. Without much to think about at the time, Ralf was traveling with the flow of traffic (approximately 75–80 mph). The posted speed limit was 70. He was making occasional lane changes to go around slower traffic in the passing lane and was fully aware of the officer following him for about two miles. The officer suddenly closed and motioned for him to pull over. He complied, of course, and pulled over. Ralf was then ticketed for traveling 80 mph on a 70-mph road and for conducting unsafe lane changes. Ralf felt that the tickets he received were unwarranted so he exercised his right of trial by written declaration a.k.a trial by letter (TBL). He chose this based on a 3-0 success rate and also
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because it fit around his busy work schedule. The downside with TBL in his home state is that you have to post bail with the submission of your letter, approximately $500 in his case. The other downside is that the regional court website usually has the forms hidden in its menus and some serious searching is required to find them. Ralf filled out the forms and explained that he was traveling with the general flow of traffic, and that the occasional lane change was due to people driving slowly in the passing lane. The beauty of TBL is that the officer has to reply by letter as well. Unlike getting summoned to court where the officer gets to take time off to attend, TBL requires that he write his accounting during a normal work day. The reasons most officers do not reply are that their workday is already busy enough and they do not want to take time to recall an event that happened months ago (assuming, like Ralf, you exercised your one month’s extension), and write a letter defending their reasoning for the ticketing. Approximately six months later, Ralf got a letter in the mail that contained the successful outcome of no contest and the return of his bail money. That’s 4-0 for those of you keeping score of the TBL game.
Case Study #2
Ralf was coming home after an out-of-state business meeting when he was pulled over while again traveling the speed of traffic, in this case, also around 80 mph in a 70-mph zone. This was in the farmlands of the Midwest a couple hours outside of his destination city. When he saw the lights behind him, Ralf knew that he didn’t have a real excuse (other than “Everyone else is speeding too.”) so he needed to make up one on the fly. One thing to keep in mind is police officers are people, too, so if you can appeal to that very human side of their nature, you may have a chance at a warning. Literally as the officer was walking up to Ralf, it came
to him like a free superfast delivery via Amazon Prime. “You know how fast you were going boy?” asked the officer. The first words out of your mouth are critical. If you outright lie to him, you’re going to get a ticket. Cops can smell a bad lie a mile away, but a really good lie—combined with an immediate admission of guilt—can throw them off balance and buy you just enough time to give you a chance of success. This would be Ralf ’s strategy. “I don’t how fast I was going officer, but I know it was too fast,” Ralf quickly responded back. The officer was not expecting that answer, and was now clearly waiting for the explanation based on the confused look on his face. “I’m not sure if you noticed the Toyota in front of me,” said Ralf, “but he had stopped next to me at the rest stop a few miles back. He saw me fumbling with this map right here [pointing to a crumpled up map] trying to find my way home. He asked where I was trying to go, and I told him Interstate 94. He said he was going there, too and if I wanted to, I could just follow him. After a minute, I realized we were going faster than the posted speed limit, but I didn’t want to lose him and be lost again, and…well…I obviously made a bad choice as here we are.” “That’s quite a pickle you’ve found yourself in, boy,” the officer said, obviously realizing how any reasonable man in the same or similar circumstances might have made the same, albeit bad, choice. That’s called the “reasonable man” defense in law, which is a “hypothetical person of legal fiction who is ultimately an anthropomorphic representation of the body care standards crafted by the courts and communicated through case law and jury instructions,” according to Wikipedia. As mentioned previously, by immediately admitting guilt, and combining it with
a really good believable lie, that includes a situation that any reasonable man might find himself in, the cop just might take pity on you and give you a warning. This is even more likely if you are polite, and show proper deference to his position and give him the ability to be merciful. Sad, but not cartoony, puppy dog eyes don’t hurt either. “Well I tell you what I’m gonna do,” the officer continued. “I’m gonna give you a written warning…this time. But I better not see this vehicle speeding out here again. Understood?” “Yes, completely sir. Thank you so much for understanding. And if you wouldn’t mind, officer, would you mind giving me directions to the 94. I promise I won’t do any more speeding,” Ralf thoughtfully replied, closing the loop on the beautiful lie he handcrafted for this occasion. “I’d be happy to son,” the cop said with a smile. “It’s just another 20 miles or so down the freeway to Interstate 80. Get on going eastbound for around 30 miles, and you’ll see it.” “Thank you, officer,” Ralf said. The play was now officially over. The beauty is the officer was now “happy” to not give Ralf a ticket. That’s a win-win situation to use Herb Cohen’s description. While I’m not advocating intentionally breaking the law, should you find yourself on the wrong side of a moving violation, you may want to try one or both of these strategies in the hopes of learning your lesson without your insurance going up. If any readers have other effective strategies that have worked in the past, send them to me at the email address below and I’ll be happy to anonymously share them through Ralf ’s continuing adventures in a future issue.
www.stopngo.com www.legalspeeding.com
www.machineartmoto.com
Lee Parks (162125) has been riding and racing motorcycles for well over 33 years. He has been the editor of both consumer and trade motorcycle magazines, manufacturers his own line of motorcycle gloves and is a WERA national endurance champion. His riding skills book Total Control has sold over 100,000 copies in five languages around the world. Lee’s Total Control Training company manages—and is the curriculum vendor for—the California Motorcyclist Safety Program as well as several large military contracts. If you have a question you’d like to him to answer in this column, send him an email at lee@totalcontroltraining.net. www.ayresadventures.com September 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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FOUNDATIONNEWS
FOUNDATION OUR MISSION
The BMW Motorcycle Owners of America Foundation is dedicated to supporting motorcycling and its rich heritage for BMW MOA members and the motorcycling public by funding programs that advance rider safety, education and training.
BMW MOA FOUNDATION OFFICERS
Chuck Manley, President cmanley@bmwmoaf.org Mark Austin, Vice President maustin@bmwmoaf.org Bex Becker, Treasurer bex@bmwmoaf.org Greg Straub, Secretary gstraub@bmwmoaf.org BMW MOA FOUNDATION DIRECTORS
Vance Harrelson vance@bmwmoaf.org Randy Logan rlogan@bmwmoaf.org Will McHardy wmchardy@bmwmoaf.org Peter Perrin pperrin@bmwmoaf.org BMW MOA FOUNDATION HEADQUARTERS
2539 John Hawkins Parkway Suite 101-111 Birmingham, AL 35244 866-865-1055
The foundation of the MOA Foundation By Vance Harrelson #100402, Foundation Director AS THE FAMILIAR SAYING GOES, “A
good house must start with a solid foundation.” Thinking about the MOA Foundation, it occurred to me that in order to have a strong Foundation, it must first and foremost be supported by a strong foundation. I believe that strong foundation is you, the membership of the MOA. The MOA Foundation’s mission is clear and concise. The Foundation exists to promote rider safety, education and training, and we achieve that mission through the implementation of the Foundation’s programs, such as the Paul B Scholarship and GEARS Training. Should you not be familiar with these programs, the Paul B scholarship is available to MOA members in the form of $250 scholarships for training— almost any kind of motorcycle-related training you desire. The GEARS program may be best known at national rally time, where we provide training to our younger members that are just getting into the sport. That program typically includes
Ted Moyer, Executive Director tmoyer@bmwmoaf.org
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BMW OWNERS NEWS September 2017
pre-rally social time along with classroom sessions and hands-on training exercises. The idea of the course is to start these new riders off right, with quality instruction in the basics of riding in a fun environment with their peers. Obviously, to fund programs such as these the MOA Foundation must raise money. Your Foundation raises that money through several avenues that include the Superstakes, custom bike raffles and other programs such as general fundraisers, direct giving and even legacy programs. My point is to make sure you are fully aware that as MOA members, you are the Foundation’s foundation and therefore critically important to its success. Many of you have participated in the past in the Superstakes and raffles, while others have given directly to the Foundation through the various avenues including your local MOA Chartered Club. In fact, the Paul B Scholarship was initially funded by the BMW Owners of Vermont as a way
of honoring the memory of member Paul Baschorz. The Foundation is truly grateful for each and every donation and would like nothing more than to expand the current programs and add others that will further its mission. Are you ready to join in that mission? Are you ready to explore all the ways that you can be a part of providing riders help to increase their skills? Are you ready to help introduce new riders to quality instruction and training? Are you interested in helping to provide awareness and a safer riding environment for all of us? If you answer yes to any or all of these questions, then we need you! The MOA Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) charity, so your direct donations are tax deductible. Please donate today or contact the Foundation by visiting us at www.bmwmoaf.org for more information. Have you considered additional training to improve your riding skills? As an MOA member, we encourage you to check the Foundation’s programs that will help you do that! Past program recipients have completed training courses of all kinds in both street and off-road training classes. The application is easy and can be found by clicking on the on the Foundation tab on the main MOA website or going directly to www.bmwmoaf.org. I hope you will consider being a part of the MOA Foundation’s solid foundation. Ride Well!
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lifestyl 88
jacktheriepe
Performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on a flat tire By Jack Riepe #116117 MOTORCYCLE
tires blow one of two ways: tragically, in the blink of an eye; or slowly, like a visit from your inlaws. I have been the victim of both. Tires have blown out on me at least twice. And I have had in-laws show up and refuse to leave for what seemed like years at a time. The blowout usually occurs between 98 and 100 miles per hour, just as you are leaning into a curve— with a steep cliff on one side and a herd of cape buffalo on the other. The much slower, hissing-death of a motorcycle tire occurs in the middle of nowhere, or three minutes before a torrential rain, or on your way to a long-anticipated organ donation. I have encountered all three of these last elements in one shot. My experience with exploding motorcycle tires was primarily gained in the mid-1970s, when bike tire rubber was one grade above a rubber used for other purposes. I was riding a Kawasaki H2 Death Triple in those days and initially thought bike tires would last as long as car tires, No one told me otherwise. Came the day when I was riding through a part of town that was far too tough for me, with a girlfriend who was far too pretty for me, on a douchey Jap bike that was just right for me, when the front tire succumbed to the hissing-death. I was 50 feet away from a HarleyDavidson custom shop. The
BMW OWNERS NEWS September 2017
motorcycles outside the shop formed a line of chrome brilliance amid lustrous black paint that suggested hell’s portal. Sculpted skulls adorned many of these machines. This was where Satan had his bike serviced. I pushed my bike to the bay and asked if I could get a flat fixed. I would like the gentle reader to think I posed this question like a Viking warrior, but when I spoke, it was in the voice of Minnie Mouse.
There were two guys outside who qualified as Visigoth role models. One gentleman was wearing freshly peeled animal hides, jack boots, and oil-stained jeans. The other wasn’t quite so formal. They were drinking beer and smiling at my girlfriend. She smiled back like the daisy in the oilfield. The Harley guys were aces. They directed us to a place across the street for coffee, and had the bike done in 30 minutes. They charged me $12. They pulled a nail out of the tire and shoved in a new tube. A piece of glass flattened the same tire a week later. That was when I got a new front tire and started carrying a can of tire sealant. The
back tire went a flat a month later on a sweeping downhill stretch. I didn’t drop the bike. At the bottom of the hill, I got the can of tire sealant out and hooked it up the valve. It worked. The leak was sealed and the tire held 12 pounds of air. I went to a gas station to pump it up hard—and rode it that way for another three months! It wasn’t until a more seasoned rider said to me, “That back tire is shot,” that I replaced it. I got less than 4,600 miles from that first set of tires. I carried a fresh can of sealant and got to see just how toxic that stuff is when it poured out of a tear in the tube another 4,000 miles later. Those tires might have lasted longer if I had thought to check the tire pressure. My first BMW, a 1986 K75, appeared in my garage 25 years later, in 2005. My safety course instructor, a former bomb disposal expert, shouted at me, “Tire pressure…Tire pressure…Tire pressure.” I thought he was a bit dramatic. During a group breakfast, fabled BMW mechanic Tom Cutter screamed at me, “Tire pressure…Tire pressure… Tire pressure.” But Cutter is always screaming at me about something. Yet it was on Valentine’s Day Eve, when I was snuggled with my paramour, a sultry blond with lips like miniature tuffets, that things came to a crisis. I was about to kiss her when she shouted, “Tire pressure…Tire pressure…Tire pressure.” “To hell with this,” I thought. I went down to the garage and discovered the front tire of the K75 known as “Blueballs” was down about three pounds. Resident to the top case was a compact tire-inflator, largely made of plastic, that cost me $36 bucks. It had a plug that went into the BMW powerlet without an adaptor and would pump
three pounds of air in about 5 minutes. I started the bike, plugged in the pump, and resolved the depleted air issue. The pump chattered away like the fish tank filter from hell, and the motorcycle soothed me with an idling “K” bike whine that was somewhere between cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay. I returned to the bedroom to find the love of my life de jour in a trancelike sleep on the other side of a locked door. This gave me plenty of time to wonder what had happened to the missing three pounds of air in the front tire. Where did it go? The back tire, another Metzler, was exactly on the mark. Two possibilities occurred to me: a) Valkyrie were sneaking into the garage at night and snorting the air from my front tire to sound like Donald Duck; or b) the bike was converting the air in the front tire to motor oil as the K75 never seemed to need any. Indeed, the faster I went, the cleaner the oil got. At 3,000 miles, the oil had become fresh vanilla ice cream. Many “K” bike riders have made similar claims. This is in contrast to the iconic Teutonic “R” bike models, where cooked whale oil coolant is converted into an operational expenditure. I am aware that these “K” bike stories grow tedious to those who ride more primitive German models, and after all, how much vanilla ice cream can a rider eat? I have been compiling statistics involving motorcycle tire failures and have concluded: a) 48 percent of motorcycle flats occur in either the front or the back tire. b) 64 percent of motorcycle tire failures were caused by issues exacerbated by low inflation. c) 23 percent of my readers will have to look up the word “exacerbated.” (It doesn’t mean what they think.) d) 92 percent of moto-tire blowouts were caused by using air generated by political speeches. e) 88 percent of motorcycle flats are caused by nails, screws, and bits of glass stuck in tires that are 68 percent through the course of their wear. f) 12 percent of moto-tire flats are caused www.weisertechnik.com September 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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jacktheriepe
by narwhale horns (from huge mammals leaping from the water) or from flint arrow heads, puncturing $400 tires that are three days old. Related but not statistically significant: • On vintage bikes requiring tubes, a $2,000 rim will collapse before the tire bead breaks. • On modern tubeless wheels, the bead will break the instant the last breath leaves the tire, requiring a pump of 12 million PSI to reseat it. Encouraging but not useful data: • Most YouTube motorcycle repair demonstrations depict fixing a flat in 4 minutes or less. • Most accomplished riders will repair a tubeless tire without getting off the saddle nor going slower than 35 miles per hour. If you are riding a vintage BMW motorcycle—anything with the letter “R” in it followed by a friggin’ slash— your tire repair kit will need to include two iron bars with flattened tips (known as zombie rods) to break the bead, a bottle of Lourdes water, a jar of leeches, and bagpipes (with the valve adapter). You will also need a replacement tube, or if you are really cheap, a set of tube patches, a patch welder, a rubber annealer, a tube of Egyptian mummy embalming cement, and an afternoon free of heat, rain, dust and marital criticism. Once you use all of the above ingredients to save the $3.75 tube, assure adequate tire inflation by playing “Scotland The Brave” on the bagpipes, connected to the tire valve adaptor. For any of the “K” bikes, you will just need to replace your tires any time you ride at sustained light speed—until it gets dark. There are special circumstances. Cy Ubinger, rider of the K 1200 LT known as the “Rainbow Stainer,” blew out a front
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tire, his first new tire in 13 years, while riding in extremely rural Ohio, about 17 miles outside of Cleveland. The tire cost $400 and was exactly three days old when it picked up a flint arrowhead in the sidewall. (I got this information directly from Ubinger.) Ubinger brought the bike to a halt, and opened his “K” bike tool kit. (This is the leather one he carries in his hip pocket.) Yet before he could wave his credit card for assistance, a flatbed driver arrived. “The driver’s name was ‘Oolape,’ and he was a Neanderthal with a dozen shrunken heads dangling from his belt. He also had an empty quiver on his back and a crude bow among his tools,” said Ubinger. “I was lucky he was there.” Ubinger accepted the tow and patched the tire’s sidewall with straw and mud when he got home. “I got another two years out of that tire,” he said. Statistics only paint part of the picture. The truth is that many flat tires come from acts of hubris in the face of the motorcycle gods. I have never gotten a flat on my K75 because of the offerings and deference I pay to the gods of motorcycling. And the statistics bear me out. • The chances of getting a moto flat are inversely proportional to the amount of tire repair equipment you carry on the bike—less than .001 percent. And it is important that you buy the best of everything. It was hot day summer day when I decided to top off the tire pressure on the K75 known to my readers as “Fireballs.” (The names of my bikes follow a theme.) I pulled out the cheap, $36-buck tire compressor, and dangled it from one of the three spokes on the back wheel before attaching it to the valve. I started the bike, plugged the pump into the powerlet, and went inside to get a cold drink. I came out just in time to watch the compressor burst into flames. That’s right. These things get hot enough to burn. I said a word that rhymes with “duck” and yanked the power cord from the socket. But the barbecue had begun. The cheap, plastic pump was fully engaged in flames. I had a pair of real moto gloves in the open top case, not the perforated leather
hand-condoms I wear for summer riding, and used it as a pot-holder to toss the burning compressor into a nearby planter, where it destroyed some expensive plant favored by a future former spouse. I learned my lesson. The replacement was a shiny new Cycle Pump, that ran around $100-bucks, and an accompanying EZ tire pressure gauge, for an additional $25. The pump is metal. The gauge is brass. Both reek of quality. The combat-quality pump comes with every electrical connection option possible, and enough cord to make it super useful. The EZ tire pressure gauge is the most precise tire inflation tool known to man. (Neither of these companies have paid me a dime to say these things, but I am open to suggestion.) I have several plug kits. One uses little rubber mushrooms to plug holes. Another uses worms. A third uses popular cartoon characters. One requires a special tool. Another requires a person with three arms to insert it. All come with a tiny tube with a single use smear of rubber cement. You can get a 7-ounce tube for $3 at an auto store. Carrying all of this stuff in a top case guarantees that I will never get a flat. However, just typing that last line will focus the unwanted attention of the motogods on me. So now I carry a spare on my bike. Not a spare tire, but a spare motorcycle. (Please see the accompanying photo.) Naturally, in the event Fireballs gets a flat, I can transfer the repair gear to the spare.
Did you like this story? My columns are cookies and milk, compared to my books, which are barbed wire and broken glass. They tell the story of my moto youth, when I was centerline feral. The revised second edition of Conversations with A Motorcycle (with the five addition chapters dealing with douches in New Jersey) is shipping. Its edgier sequel, Motorcycles Speak Louder Than Words, is about to ship. Print runs are limited. Order your copies today directly from the publisher at jackriepe.com. There will be no additional print runs before Christmas. Autographed books make great gifts.
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September 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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lifestyl
finaljourney
George W. Priester #15399 BORN
IN
CLEVELAND,
OHIO,
George Priester grew up in Baltimore County, Maryland, became an Eagle Scout, graduated from Towson High School, and attended the University of Maryland before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1964. He served in Germany until 1967, and while there, he purchased a 1967 BMW R60 motorcycle and toured Europe for three months. Upon his return home, he earned a business degree from the University of Baltimore, spending his summers in Ocean City, Maryland, where he worked at Frontier Town by day and at night as “Lonesome George” on WETT radio. During his spare time, he was a maître d’ at Ocean City’s best restaurant. Following his graduation, he loaded his R60 and headed for Alaska. On his return trip he stopped in Denver to visit an Army friend and decided to settle there with his R60, which he rode the rest of his life. George worked as an insurance salesman and a mortuary funeral
planner, and he joined the BMW Motorcycle Club of Colorado, Pikes Peak BMW Riders, BMW MOA, and an N-gauge model railroad club, each of which fed his passions. He was a committed rally-goer, attending events from coast to coast. When a rally ground was adjacent to a railroad track, you could find George’s tent and folding chair where there was a good view of the passing trains. Aside from his motorcycle tour in Nepal, the highlight of his international riding career was riding in Chile when his R60 went down in soft gravel and he broke his femur. Following a ride in the bed of an old pickup truck to the nearest clinic, local medics indicated a need to operate on the leg. But George’s
Denver doctors advised by phone, “Don’t let them touch you,” and dispatched a medical jet from Miami to bring him home. The next year George returned to recover his R60 and to complete his tour. George touched many lives in many ways. We who knew him will remember the good times with “Lonesome George.” Submitted by Gray Buckley #27846
William E. Hamilton #30851 WILLIAM E. HAMILTON #30851, OF
Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania passed away on June 26, 2017 at St. Luke’s Hospice House. Born in Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1941, he was the son of the late Earl R. Hamilton and Mary (Yeager) Hamilton. Bill and his wife Sharon (Rubin) Hamilton celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary on June 23rd of this year. A graduate of Governor Mifflin High School, he received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Master’s Degree in Music History
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from Temple University. He was last employed by the Nazareth Area School District where he taught for 32 years. Bill was instrumental in reviving the musical theatre program at the school. Following his retirement, Bill enjoyed woodturning and was a member of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsman. He also enjoyed travel, cruising and was active in several local theatre groups as well as singing for many years with the Concord Chamber Singers. Bill also enjoyed riding his motorcycle and was an Ambassador in the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America. Survivors include his wife, Sharon Hamilton: sons, Myles Nathan of Plainfield
Township and Eliot Rubin and his wife, Tammy; granddaughter, Deborah Kaitlyn; sister, Joyce (Hamilton) Reifsnyder and her husband Timothy of Reading; nieces, Jennifer Procak and her husband Andrew of Blandon, Pennsylvania, and Allison Romero of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; nephew, Hunter Martin and his wife Tessa of Brooklyn, New York; sister-in-law, Michele Martin and her husband James of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and two great nieces and five great nephews. Memorial contributions may be made in William E. Hamilton’s name to The American Cancer Society, 3893 Adler Place #170 Bethlehem, PA 18017.
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September 2017  BMW OWNERS NEWS
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September 1
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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9/1/2017 - 9/4/2017
Range of Light Gypsy Tour
Location: Angels Camp, California Contact: Nick Gloyd rolchair@bmwnorcal.org
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The start of this year’s Range of Light Gypsy Tour is at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds 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).
BMW OWNERS NEWS  September 2017
3
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.
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9/7/2017 - 9/10/2017
4th Annual Wailin Waynes Weekend Location: New Straitsville, Ohio Contact: Chad Warner admin@wailinwayneweekend.com This event combines 3 different styles of Adventure Riding. There are 101 miles of
Detailed information for all events is available online at: bmwmoa.org
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Ohio’s very best trail riding through Wayne National Forest, for both advanced and intermediate riders... Endless miles of county gravel roads... Hairpin twisties and whoops through Hocking Hills State Park and on Ohio’s Route 555, better known as The Triple Nickel.
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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.
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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 along the Kettle River, or go for a variety of rides in the area. Please check our website for further details Valley BMW Riders.
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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. 9/8/2017 - 9/10/2017
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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.
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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. 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.
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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.
9/8/2017 - 9/10/2017
33rd Annual Bavarian Mountain Weekend
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9/14/2017 - 9/17/2017
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.
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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!
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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!
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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
September 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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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 sporttouring and adventure-riding club of Southwest Virginia has done with the Twin Valley Rally.
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Rally
9/15/2017 - 9/17/2017
25th Annual Purity Spring
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.
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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
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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. 9/22/2017 - 9/24/2017
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.
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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.
BMW OWNERS NEWS September 2017
20 31st Annual Hoosier Beemers Rally 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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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.
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9/22/2017 - 9/24/2017
MOA Getaway
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.
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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.
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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 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.
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9/29/2017 - 9/30/2017
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. 9/29/2017 - 10/1/2017
26 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.
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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.
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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 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 10/6/2017 - 10/8/2017
29 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,
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Jamestown, and Yorktown) close by with lots of great riding roads.
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Rally
10/13/2017 - 10/15/2017
42nd Annual Falling Leaf
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.
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10/19/2017 - 10/22/2017
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.
November 32
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. 11/10/2017 - 11/12/2017
34 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.
January 35
01/2/2018 -01/14/2018
BMW Motorcycle Owners of Northeast Florida 35th Annual Winter Rally 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.
Offering Trips to Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile
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.
33
Rally
11/10/2017 - 11/12/2017
16th Swamp Scooter Gumbo
Location: Carencro, Louisiana Contact: James Carpenter
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BMW OWNERS NEWS September 2017
17 years of experience organizing motorcycle tours. The largest BMW motorcycle travel company in Latin America. BMW International Travel Partner. BMW Dealer for Southern Chile. info@motoaventura.cl www.motoaventura.cl www.motoaventura.cl
Independent touring or guided tours with multilingual guide, mechanic and support vehicle.
BMW R nineT
High traction footpegs for the R nineT and other BMW models. 1.2" lower than stock. See these and other footpeg kits for BMW motorcycles at www.suburban-machinery.com www.suburban-machinery.com www.beemershop.com
1-440-951-6555
www.beadrider.com
www.sargentcycle.com
Join the BMW MOA FACEBOOK page today! Get the MOA Newsfeed via Twitter for more BMW and motorcycle news – www.twitter.com/bmwmoa
September 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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hit the links sporting MOA gear
Nike Dri Fit White Pebble Texture Sport Shirt ‘MOA’ In these Nike Golf styles, an understated pebble texture meets high performance moisture wicking from Dri-Fit fabric that’s designed to keep you comfortably dry. Contrast Swoosh design trademark is embroidered on the left sleeve $41.01 and up MOA Ladies SoftStyle Junior Fitted Navy Tee Luxuriously soft to the touch and exceptionally comfortable, this lightweight tee is irresistible when you just want to relax, indoors or out. $12.45 and up
Black Heavyweight Twill Pro Style Hat ‘MOA Letters Only’ Classic and relaxed, this pro style hat offers a laid-back medium profile and a flexible fit that will compliment any casual fashion look. $14.82 Nike Power Distance Golf Balls 12/pkg ‘MOA’ The perfect treat for a golfer - also great for promotions or trade show giveaways! 4 sleeves of 3 golf balls (12/pkg) $27.28
Order online at bmwmoa.org www.bmwmoa.org www.bmwmoa.org
advertiserindex Action Stations/Bohn Armor................. 23 Adaptiv Technologies............................... 33 Adriatic Moto Tours................................... 37 ADV Depot.................................................... 66 Adventure Designs.................................... 31 Adventure New Zealand Tours............. 95 AeroFlow....................................................... 80 Aerostich-RiderWearHouse.................... 91 Alaska Leather............................................. 66 Alaska Motorcycle Adventures............. 95 Ayres Adventures....................................... 83 BeadRider....................................................101 Beemer Boneyard...................................... 39 Beemer Shop, The...................................... 31 Best Western Inn of the Ozarks............. 23 Bing Agency................................................. 95 Blue Rim Tours............................................. 95 BMW MOA Foundation............................ 27 BMW Performance Center...................... 66 Bob’s BMW.................................................... 11 Boxer Works Service.................................. 67 British Motorcycle Gear........................... 91 BullRack......................................................... 72 Capital Cycle................................................ 33 Cardo Systems............................................. 81 Cee Baileys Aircraft Plastic............... 61, 93 Claw of the Dragon................................... 67 Colorado Tourbike Rentals..................... 67 Continental Tire.......................................... 16 Corbin Pacific............................................... 39 Cyclenutz....................................................... 86 DMC Sidecars............................................... 91
Dubbeju Motorcycle Rentals................. 86 Edelweiss Bike Travel................................ 85 EPM Hyper Pro..................................... 19, 86 Euro Moto Electrics................................... 67 First Gear......................................................IBC Geza Gear...................................................... 86 GS-911 Diagnostic Tool............................ 95 Global Rescue.............................................. 94 GSM Motorent............................................. 19 Haynes North America............................. 37 Helmet Sun Blocker................................... 91 HEX-ezCAN.................................................101 Ilium Works................................................... 86 IMTBIKE TOURS................................... 21, 33 Kermit Chair Company............................. 16 LD Comfort................................................... 33 Lee Parks Designs...................................... 94 Legal Speeding Enterprises................... 83 M4Motorcycles.................................... 39, 72 MachineartMoto........................................ 83 Michelin Tire....................................................5 MOA Gear Shop........................................102 MOA Member Benefits............................ 87 Morton’s BMW Motorcycles................... 61 Moto Aventura..........................................100 Moto-Bins...................................................... 16 MotoDiscovery............................................ 66 Motonation..................................................BC Moto Skiveez............................................... 94 Motorcycle Releif Project - psa............. 19 Motorcycle Travel Network.................... 86 Motorrad Elektrik....................................... 94
Mountain Master Truck Equipment...... 33 MTA Distributing/Olympia Moto Sports..IFC MTA Distributing/ZOX.................................. 73 MTA-Liqui Moly...............................................................9 Ocean State BMW Rally........................... 99 Overseas Speedometer........................... 95 Palo Alto Speedometer............................ 16 Parabellum................................................... 91 Paradise Motorcycle Tours...................... 31 Progressive Insurance.............................. 17 Ray Atwood Cycles.................................... 86 Redverz.......................................................... 72 Re-Psycle BMW Parts................................21 Rider Magazine............................................ 99 RKA Luggage............................................... 72 Rocky Creek Designs................................ 21 RTW Moto Tours......................................... 23 Russel Cycle Products............................... 91 Sargent Cycle Products..........................101 Scenic Wheels Motorcycle Tours.......... 91 Spiegler.......................................................... 19 Stop ‘n Go...................................................... 83 Suburban Machinery..............................101 Total Control Training............................... 72 Touratech.........................................................1 Touring Sport BMW................................... 37 Twisted Throttle.......................................... 79 Weiser Technik............................................ 89 Wilbers USA........................................... 21, 95 Wolfman Luggage..................................... 19 Ztechnik......................................................... 25
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 9.
September 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS
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talelight
Down Under
In the shade of his motorcycle, a BMW MOA Rally-goer bolts a new skid plate onto his F 700 GS. Photo by Jim Nyffeler #110521 104
BMW OWNERS NEWS  September 2017
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BMW OWNERS NEWS – A PUBLICATION OF THE BMW MOTORCYCLE OWNERS OF AMERICA
SEPTEMBER 2017
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SEPTEMBER 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS www.bmwmoa.org