2024 Winter Rally Program by Steve Wishard Photography

WELCOME

BMWNEF Winter Rally Friday

Seminar Schedule Saturday

2:00 PM - David & Emy Woodburn Riding The Middle East (Seminar Room)

9:30 AM - Taylor Paloscio - SkyMed Medical Transport Service (Dining Hall) (Breakfast)

3:30 PM - Erik Azar Alaska Trip Planning (Seminar Room)

11:00 AM - Rob & Christine Hiday Traveling With A Tour Co. (Seminar Room)

5:00 PM - Tom Nagle Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR) (Courtyard)

1:00 PM - Roger Thomas (FHP) Motorcycle & Hwy Safety (Seminar Room) 2:30 PM - Jim Allen On The Road Tire Repair Hands On Opportunity (Courtyard)

6:45 PM - Greg Rice Riding Central America & Panama (Dining Hall)

4:00 PM - Huel Johnson Seat Comfort & Maint. (Seminar Room) 6:45 PM - Scott Acheson 2024 GS Trophy (Namibia) (Dining Hall)

Meal Schedule & Menu Friday Lunch - Chuckwagon

Saturday Breakfast - 08:00 AM Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, Fresh Fruit, Beverages

Dinner - 06:00 PM Salad Bar, Brats, Green Beans, Baked Potatoes, Dessert, Beverages

Lunch - Chuckwagon Dinner - 06:00 PM Flank Steak, Sliced Potatos, Vegetables, Rolls, Dessert, Beverages

Camp Weed Rally Location Map

Event Schedule BMW Training Friday

Led Rides Friday 09:00 AM - Mr. Chick

8:00 AM - Training 1:00 PM - Training

Leader: Meetup: Details:

Saturday 8:00 AM - Training 1:00 PM - Training

Saturday 08:00 AM - Cedar Key

AirHeads State of National Club Meeting Tech Tip Demos General Q&A Session Airhead Bikes David Woodburn - Roadside Tuning Tips Ride-In Airhead Bike Show

Schedule To Be Posted At Camping Area Pavillion

Doug Bakke Rally Central Parking Route Map Page 40

Leader: Meetup:

Bill Botkin Rally Central Parking

Details:

Route Map Page 44

Index

2 Rally Schedule & Info 4 Index 5 Photo Credit 6 Look Who’s Talking 8 Rally Vendors

9 Maggie Award - A History 10 BMW G310 GS Project 18 Airhead Beemer Club 19 BMW Motorrad GS Trophy 20 Blue Ridge Day Trip 24 Rally Sponsors 25 Backcountry Discovery Routes 26 Performance Center Training (Here & There) 34 Black Widow Carrier Project 37 Photography - Road Photo Tips 38 Historic Fort Fisher Day Trip

Rides

44 Mr. Chick Lunch Ride 45 Orange Lake - Mexican Lunch 45 Swampy’s Riverside Lunch Ride 47 Tallahassee Auto Museum 48 Wellborn Loop 49 White Springs Loop 50 Cedar Key 51 Motorsport Parks 4

Photo Credit Last year’s Winter Rally Program, then still titled Shop Rag, was very well received. In fact, due to the significant feedback, it was decided that it should be an ongoing Winter Rally offering. However, as the producer, I decided the Shop Rag name should continue to represent Mr. Singer’s newsletters. So from this year forward it will simply be the Winter Rally Program. Last year’s rally theme and program was the 40 year history of the rally. So the articles and images largely focused on past rallies and club members. The quality of last year’s images was poor due to the fact that most were taken many years ago with old technology. This year I wanted to bring the image quality up to current standards. Last year also saw BMW Performance Center Training for the first time. The addition of BMW training, & the growing adventure riding trend, led to the decisions to focus this year’s program on adventure related content and cover image. Knowing my opportunities to produce the needed images myself would be limited, I started to search for images online. I soon found exactly what I needed on BikeReview.com.au. I reached out to them requesting permission to use one of their images. They were very supportive and

provided multiple images, most of which worked better than the one I requested. This year’s cover image and the background image on this double page spread were both graciously provided by BikeReview.com.au.

Look Who’s Talking Erik Azar Planning A Solo 16,000 Mile Florida To Alaska Ride Erik will be presenting the story of his 16,000 mile motorcycle ride from Florida to Alaska, the Arctic Ocean, and back to Florida. His presentation will include a brief intro, trip planning and prep, route selection, ride highlights and lessons learned. A brief Q&A session will follow. Rob & Christine Hiday What To Expect When Taking An Overseas Tour Rob and Christine have ridden worldwide and in doing so have gained a great deal of experience. Here they will share the realities of taking overseas tours, along with, dos & don’ts, tips & tricks, and strategies for making the most of your tour.

David & Emy Woodburn - Barnsley Motor Works Motorcycle Travels In The Middle East In 1990, David, his wife Emy and their toddler daughter, Mattea, jumped in their sidecar and set out. They traveled around Europe and Africa until Mattea was 11 years old, after which, they settled in Miami, Florida. David & Emy now live in Georgia where he runs a workshop specializing in old BMW & British motorcycles. Barnsley Motor Works. Jim Allen Temporary Tubeless Tire Repair - & Try It Yourself Jim has ridden countless miles in his many years of touring North America. Along the way, he, or one of his companions, has experienced nearly every type of electrical/mechanical issue a rider could possibly face. Here he will be presenting various methods of temporarily repairing a tubeless tire and providing a hands-on opportunity for attendees. FHP Motor Officer - Florida Highway Patrol Staying Safe On 2 Wheels Florida Highway Patrol Motorcycle Officers will bring us up to date on latest changes and general information which will help us stay safe, and have a better experience when traveling on our roads. Regardless of the number of wheels on your mode of transport, the information provided will be both interesting and beneficial.

Greg Rice Riding To Panama & Central America on a GSA & RT Greg has ridden a stagering number of Iron Butt miles. With several Iron Butt Rallies and over 70 Bun-Burner Golds to his credit, Greg knows what it takes to ride long distance and international. He will be sharing stories from his trip to Central America. planning, experiences, tips & tricks, border crossings and safety. Tom Nagel - Motowayz Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR) Tom is a certified trainer with 37+ years of touring, off-road racing and training experience. He is also a BDR Ambassador and MotoQuest Guide. Tom returns again this year for another presentation of the opportunities and challenges offered by the many BDR routes across the country.

Taylor Paloscio - SkyMed Medical Transportation Services - & So Much More SkyMed will again deliver a comprehensive presentation of their medical transportation services. Several members of BMWNEF and rally participants in general have SkyMed coverage and happily relay stories praising the service SkyMed provides. No guarantees, however, SkyMed frequently offers discounts at the rally. Huel Johnson Seat Comfort & Service Importance - Plus Q&A As a person who has ridden a lot of cross-country miles over the years, I’m looking forward to Huel’s presentation. He will cover a wealth of information to help riders ensure that their upcoming motorcycle travels are both comfortable and problem free.

Scott Acheson BMW Motorrad 2024 GS Trophy (Namibia) Scott is one of 3 members of the United States Mens GS Trophy Team which will be competing against 21 other national teams in September 2024. To become a member of the U.S. National Team, Scott participated in 3 national enduro events held at the BMW Performance Center in Greer, SC. Scott will be giving rally attendees a sense of what it takes to compete at the top level of International Enduro Motorcycle Competitions.

Rally Vendors

Tory Hamlin

Taylor Paloscio

Helite Motorcycle Rider Airbag Tech - Products & Benefits

Concealment Concepts - Michael Feldbauer

Riding Into History - Vintage Motorcycle Show

Maggie Award By Norm Nelson

The Maggie Award was created by Millie Stevenson and Alan Singer to celebrate the outstanding BMWNEF member for their volunteering contributions to the club. My wife, Maggie Nelson, and I joined BMWNEF in 2001. Maggie was a tireless and selfless volunteer who also had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh. She was at her best during the Winter Rally and after she was chosen as the Raffle Ticket Queen by all who worked with her, the Raffle Ticket gift area was always rocking with laughter and fun. Maggie never wanted adulation, she just joyfully loved helping people!

Maggie Nelson

Sadly, Maggie passed away on September 21, 2009. In 2010, and with great compassion and love for Maggie and the club…Millie and Alan decided to keep Maggie’s volunteering spirit alive by creating The Maggie Award for the best

BMWNEF Volunteer of each year. The Maggie Award does not have to be given each year but here is the list of those who have won the award, not necessarily in consecutive years.

PAST RECIPIENTS

2009 Howell and Nancy Winfree 2010 Jim And Millie Stevenson 2011 Bill and Valerie Robinson 2012 Larry and Jeanette Meeker 2013 Rich and Dot Molloy 2014 Wayne and Adele Givens

2015 2016 2017 2018 2020 2021

Jim Niemi and Vicki Decker Chip and Cathy Kenyon Bill Peterson Bill and Ginny Botkin Jim and Ruth Allen Cecil and Nancy Broome

My 2022 BMW G310 GS New At The Dealer

BMW G310 GS Project by Steve Wishard

Let’s Get To It On the way home from the dealer I figured there was no point wasting time. So I took Old Dixie Hwy south from 204 to Espanola. It’s 10 miles of brick road with a high crown covered by varying amounts of sugar sand. A club member once got his R1200 GS down in the ditch here and it took 5 guys to get it out. I never worried about making it home but I did meet a

To be honest, I didn’t know the 310 was going to be a project when I traded for it. I just figured I would very rarely be doing any serious adventure riding and I had heard that several folks were having a great time riding theirs in the area forests. Well - okay - full disclosure. I had a 2019 R1250 GSA and I didn’t relish the idea of picking it up. I know what some of you are thinking. If I wasn’t going to do much serious adventure riding I probably wouldn’t have been picking it up anyway. Well, those of you thinking that have likely not done much riding in Florida sugar sand. I’d definitely be picking it up a lot. Even with it resting on the engine guards it’s about a 200lb dead lift in the beginning. Whereas with the 310 I could just about tuck it under my arm and walk out with it. So I swapped the GSA for the 310 & cash and dropped from the biggest GS to the smallest.

Old Dixie Hwy - Taking The New Bike Home

couple of pickups along the way. Each time I was forced to move from the crown of the road into the deep sand along the edge, where I soon longed for the large front wheel of an MX bike. I’ll Focus More On This Later Over the next several months I rarely rode the 310. I did take it into Ocala Forest one day and almost had to drag it out. The good news was that I could. The 1250 would still be out there.

Loaded For 3 Hour Ride To Camp Weed

Let The Training Begin

Still another couple of months passed as we planned last year’s winter rally. As Club V.P. I had been promoting the idea that the club should offer more adventure riding training & opportunities. Views among the other club officers were mixed. However, as our rally plans came together we were fortunate to include the BMW Performance Center Rally Training Program.

As I mentioned before, since I was the one pushing to get BMW to offer training at the rally, and for the club to offer more adventure rides, I had a special obligation to participate. But that wasn’t the only reason. I had previously taken the 2 Day Adventure Course at the BMW facility in Greer. When I was there I had used one of their R1250 GSAs. To be honest, that’s partly when I decided I didn’t want to deal with that big of a bike out in the wilderness. The rally training session would give me a chance to compare riding the G310 GS to the R1250 GSA in the same type of challenges.

The Rally Was An Education As the primary training protagonist, it only seemed right that I should participate. Of course that also meant that I would need to ride the 310 to the rally. Trailering wasn’t really an option for me.

Here’s the short version of what I learned.

I wasn’t looking forward to the 3 hour ride to Camp Weed. I had a box of Shop Rags, a projector, several door prize items, 3 days of clothes, my computer, cameras, drop cords, etc all strapped on the back of the 310. It made me think of those videos from Vietnam where a guy is riding along on a moped with enough crap to fill a deuce-and-a-half.

Oh, and does anybody remember the temperature last year. I believe the frost indicator came on about half way there. I couldn’t stop thinking about all the comforts of my K1600 GTL back home in the garage. Fortunately I had scheduled myself for an afternoon training session. Give it time to get above freezing.

My previous training really showed. I rode through all of the challenges easily. The smaller bike size made things a lot easier, however, the distance from the pegs to the bars was too short. I had to bend down too much. I’m in worse shape than I thought. My thighs were killing me from holding a squat position so long. Also a result of the bikes short stature. If I could solve the peg to bar issue the 310 would be a great little adventure bike. It’s a lot of fun to ride.

highway riding. He was definitely right about the suspension. I already noticed that in street braking where it tended to nose dive if even slightly agressive. I don’t know about the brakes. They seem pretty good to me but then I’ve never tried to decend a steep gravel slope loaded with luggage.

Figure 8 Double Cone Ring

Finally, I wanted to hear what the guys who are loving the 310 off-road were doing. So I stopped by BMW Motorcycles of Jacksonville and talked to Craig Jenkins. He rides off-road with some G310 GS riders. As I figured, the big GSs have to hold back a bit on the highway so the 310s can keep up. But once they are in the forest it’s the big bikes that struggle to maintain the 310 pace. Craig said that the guys had done the typical guards, progressive springs and swivel foot pegs on the 310s. It’s hard to get good adventure boots under the shift lever on a 310. I was having the same issue. Normal boots were no problem.

Some Additional Research Before I traded bikes or invested in a significant number of modifications for the 310, I wanted to reach out to some friends - and - also try a mid-level option. At the rally, BMW offered a discount on training at their facility in Greer. I took advantage of the offer and signed up for the 2 Day Adventure Course again. You can never get too much training/practice and there was a method to my madness. I’ve owned a R1250 GSA & G310 GS and done training on both. Despite advice to the contrary, I wanted to see if splitting the difference with an F850 GS would be the ideal adventure riding platform.

Then There’s The Street One thing I hadn’t counted on or thought about was the city aspect of a 310. I tend to do most of my riding out in the country on longer trips. I’ve never had much interest in riding 15 miles for lunch. Our lunch rides average 200 miles. Plus,we had recently moved from Jacksonville to Ormond Beach (a.k.a. Harley Heaven). I’m not into noise or crowds so again... Not my scene.

I also wanted to know if the little 310 could hang with the big boys if I resolved the ergonomic issues. So I called Rob Glass out at Rawhyde (he is with Austin Adventures Now). I asked him if anyone had ever ridden the Utah Backcountry Trip on a 310 and how it went. He said a couple of guys had tried but he didn’t recommend it. He said the 310 had 3 issues. 1. 2. 3.

It’s under-powered The suspension is too soft The brakes are too weak

Based on my experience, I took the under power issue to mean it struggles to keep up on the highway sections. The first 3 gears are so low it pulls like a tractor. Wind it out through the first 4 gears and you’re only going 45-50 mph. It tops out at 78 mph. 60-65 mph is comfortable

But then - my new neighbor has 9 H-D & custom bikes. We ride together a lot. He convinced me to ride through Daytona with him during bike week. He said we’d run A1A south to Ponce for lunch and then cruise Main St one time on the way back. It was a weekday so the crowd would be light. So I agreed. First bike week trip for me. But I told him I was

going to ride the 310. Easy to manuver and park and the highest speed limit we’d have would be 55 mph.

ing and my foot slipping off the front of the peg in muddy conditions. I wanted to see if I could find a solution which would help with both issues. So I started to look for pegs which provided a lower position. Even if only by a small amount.

I have to admit it. I had a great time. Loved seeing all the bikes. The 310 was perfect for the situation. The weekday traffic was so light we never put our feet down on Main Street. It was a truly enjoyable ride and I learned something I wasn’t expecting. The 310 makes riding around Ormond & Daytona Beach a lot of fun. Since that day I have logged many 310 miles exploring my new home town.

SW-Motech EVO Footrest for G310 GS

It took a bit of searching but eventually I located the SW-Motech EVO Footrest Kit. It includes both cam and spline adjustments. So the pegs can be mounted in 36 positon options: down, forward, back and at several pitch angles. The highest position is the same as stock and the lowest is 15mm lower. I opted for roughly the 5 o’clock position and angled down in front around 15°. I also opted not to install the optional 1/2” rubber footpad. That configuration, combined with a bit of adjustment on the shifter turnbuckle, solved the adventure boot issue. It also created a noticable improvement in the peg to seat distance. I no longer felt my knees were above my hips.

Riding The Ormond Scenic Loop

The G310 GS Project Begins I still wasn’t sure it was a good idea to try to resolve the 310 issues, however, both at the rally and in Daytona I had a lot of fun with it. So I thought I might just start with the one big issue and see if I could get that right. The pegs to bars distance created most of the ergonomic issues. Then there was the peg to shift lever issue with adventure boots. So I started with the pegs. Craig had mentioned the guys he rides with installing swivel pegs. He said, when they lowered their toe to shift, the peg swiveled creating more separation between the shifter and the peg. That made sense, however, it still wouldn’t help with the peg to bar distance and I had concerns about swiveling pegs in rough conditions. I could imagine a peg swivel-

To resolve the overall peg to bar distance issue I installed Rox Speed 2” Bar Risers. Considering the fact that the bars are angled back, I didn’t get the full rise. However, 2” bar rise + 0.6” peg lower + 0.5” rubber removal created a possible 3.1” increase in separation. I got most of that and what a difference it made. The

riding position, both sitting and standing, became very comfortable. With the peg to bar issue resolved I felt comfortable moving forward with the remaining modifications.

When the frost indicator illuminated and I was longing for the comfort features of my GTL, one of those features was a power outlet into which I could have plugged my electric gear. That situation has been resolved as well. The 310 now has a BMW power port installed in the dashboard

Next Up - Suspension As I mentioned earlier, the bike had a serious tendancy to nose dive under heavier braking. Plus, Rob mentioned his concern and Craig confirmed the benefits of updating the suspension. So I had the dealer install Touratech’s front & rear progressive spring kits. WOW!!! The little 310 instantly became a different motorcycle. It got noticably taller and had indescribably improved handling and stability. If I were to purchase another one of these bikes I would have the springs done before I took delivery. For the price of the parts, there is no excuse for BMW not doing this at the factory. This little bike just keeps getting better & better.

When I made my way back to the hotel during the rally, I stayed in Live Oak, it was dark when I left Camp Weed. I have flashlights which produce far more light than the headlight on the 310. So, while I had not intended to add auxiliary lights, I installed Denali D3 LED Fog Lights for those rare occasions when seeing or being seen is more difficult. And - the 310 doesn’t integrate via canbus like the other bikes so I added the lighted handlebar switch. Hey, it’ll be dark when I’m trying to turn them on.

Protection Is A Must Since I was moving forward with the project it was of course essential that protection be included. There are more options available today than when I did mine. BMW Motorcycles of Jacksonville now recommends a setup that looks significantly better. But Mine have held up well so far. I installed the aluminum skid plate, lower engine guards and upper tank guards available from Wunderlich. I also installed the R&G Racing radiator guard. I’m still undecided about a headlight guard and I’ve been considering a home made sidestand switch override which could be optionally activated in the field. Additional Lessons From The Rally As I mentioned earlier, it was a bit chilly when I rode to the rally. Low 30s if memory serves. My hands took the worst of it. So that inspired me to install Barkbuster Control Guards. Both for future cold, and their actual purpose, possible strikes by brush or small tree branches.

2022 G310 GS Project Complete Front

Focus Shift (a.k.a. Stupid Takes Over) If I stopped at this point I would have had a great little mild adventure & city bike. However, about here, probably a bit earlier, is where things change. It’s where the thought changes from “if I can solve these 2 or 3 simple issues” - to - “Hey, this thing could be really cool. Like you put an R1250 GS in the dryer and shrunk it”. After all, why do a thing when you can overdo a thing - right? Right!

Maintenance The 310 has a chain. Not a fan. But, if maintained properly, they are quite reliable. A centerstand makes that task far easier, even out in the wilderness. So, install a Wunderlich centerstand because it works with the Skid plate, etc. already in place.

cost spoke wheels provide. Hit a rock and a spoke wheel will flex and continue on. Alloy bends, breaks the bead and now you have an unrepairable flat. When you get home, you have to replace the entire alloy wheel but only the ring of the spoke wheel. So, Install KKE Racing’s VMX Cross-Spoke Wheels. They make them for the G310 GS. Oh, don’t forget the sand. Put Pirelli Scorpion Rally Str Tires on the wheels while you’re at it. They have a paddle pattern that does well in sand and are still good on the street.

Tires are a frequent problem during adventure rides. I have the repair kit, tools and compressor. I just need a place to plug it in. So, install a battery tender/ compressor plug.

Navigation & Rescue

Ounce Meet Pound We all know that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Well - what is a pound of prevention worth? I ask you?

I know my way around Florida pretty well. But hopefully I will be using the 310 on forest service and unpaved roads in the mountains of GA, SC, NC & beyond. So I’ll need to find my way from the hotel to the unpaved road - and - take all the correct forks in the unpaved road. And if something should go horribly wrong, be able to summon help. So, install a windshield accessory mount, a 4 Button Garmin Power GPS Mount (I have several Nav VIs), A QuadLock phone mount with vibration suppression (I use the OnX OffRoad app), and a RAM mounted Gen3 Spot Satellite Tracker (to summon the cavalry).

When I drop this thing, and I will drop it, those mirrors are going to snap off like twigs. And, they’re probably going to break the clutch or brake lever mounts they’re attached to, and those will fall off too. So, install Backcountry RAM mount mirrors because they are easily displaced without breaking. There is some debate as to whether or not there is a weight benefit to spoke wheels over alloy. But noone debates the increased durability and reduced repair

2022 G310 GS Project Complete Cockpit

Luggage & Fuel At this point the little 310 has become an extremely versitile little bike. I’ve taken to referring to it as my truck and using it as if it were one. I’ve got ROK Straps, bungie cords and nets. I’ve used it to get groceries. I’ve strapped my golf clubs to it and I’ve got a carrier for Romeo (a.k.a. The Dude), our little dog. Generally, however, it really exists to fill two distinct functions: 1. Lunch rides to restaurants within 50 miles of home. 2. Low - medium difficulty adventure rides in the southeastern states. Both of these uses require a bit of luggage.

Mosko Moto Reckless 80L On The G310 GS

The system has too many features to list them all here but includes: • • • • • • • • •

For the lunch rides a top case is all that is needed. I just need to be able to lock up my helmet, gloves, gps, and tools when the bike is parked. So I have a removable BMW top case. Everything I wear/carry fits nicely into that case.

Reckless 80L harness Two 25L drybags Stinger 22L Tailbag Tent pole bag Removable map/document pocket 20L Drysak Two Aux Pox holsters & drybags Tool Roll Heat shield w/ hose clamp

Another feature of the system is that each of the Auxiliary Pockets (Aux Pox) is the correct size to hold 2-32oz MSR Fuel Bottles. So it’s possible to carry a gallon of extra fuel. I only carry 2 bottles because I don’t want gas bottles that close to the muffler.

For the adventure trips I need something a bit more expansive & rugged and there were no useful pannier racks or case systems for the 310. So I opted for Mosko Moto’s Reckless 80L (V3.0) Revolver rackless system.

With just under 4000 miles on my 310 I’ve averaged 65 mpg. Which is pretty good considering I’m usually running the bike pretty fast. Long off-road sections would likely produce a slightly better result. Still, with only a 3 gallon gas tank, I feel better knowing I can carry and extra 32.5 miles of fuel just in case. Summary I love my little G310 GS. It is perfect for running around smaller beach towns like Ormond & Daytona. Plenty fast and easy to manuver and park.

Mosko Moto Reckless 80L Revolver

But also a very capable low to medium difficulty adventure bike. I don’t hesitate to head down any unpaved road. Yes, when riding in the mountainous southeastern states I need to trailer it up there. But once there, it handles everything you throw at it and doesn’t wear you out in the process. Oh, and I have since taken

the BMW training on the F850 GS. For me, that is the perfect agressive adventure bike. If I’m going to do an agressive adventure trip, I’ll go with a company like Rawhyde or Motoquest. Then I can rent one of their F850 GSs and be just as confident as on my 310, without the cost of owning 3 motorcycles.

2022 G310 GS Project Complete With Local Ride Top Case

G310 GS Upgrade / Accessory List Suspension

Protection

• • • •

• • • • •

Tourtech Progressive Spring Kit KKE VMW Cross-Spoke Wheels Scorpion Rally Str Tires Wonderlich Center Stand

Ergonomics • • • • • • • • • •

Puig Racing Tour Windscreen Windshield Nav Bracket G310 GS Garmin 4 Button Power Mount Garmin Nav VI Rox Speed 2” HandleBar Risers Quadlock Phone Mount Quadlock Vibration Reducer RAM Mount Spot Tracker Backcountry RAM Mount Mirrors SW-Motech EVO Footrest Kit

Wunderlich Aluminum Skid Plate Wunderlich Engine Guards Wunderlich Tank Guards R&G Radiator Guard Barkbuster Hand Control Guards

Electrical • • • •

BMW Plug-In Socket Denali Lighted Handlebar Switch Denali D3 LED Fog Lights Battery Tender/Compressor Plug

Luggage

• • •

BMW Top Box With Lock Mosko Reckless Revolver V3 80L MSR 30oz Fuel Bottle (2)

BMWNEF Welcomes

Airheads Beemer Club

To The 2024 Winter Rally by Steve Wishard BMWNEF is excited to welcome the Airheads Beemer Club to the 2024 Winter Rally. Founded in 1991, the club was created to address a growing information gap due to BMW’s move away from air-cooled boxers. While it has, and does, certainly fill that role, over the years the club has always been a lot more.

Airheads At The Rally I expect that the Airheads will be creating an area on the rally grounds, and within that area you will likely witness many of the activities mentioned earlier. So, if you want to see what it’s all about, the rally is your best opportunity. Stop by their area, introduce yourself as a newbie, make yourself at home, and you’ll receive a warm welcome.

In December of 1991 they produced their first newsletter (“Airmail”) and in Feb ‘93 they held their first rally called “Death Valley Rendezvous”. Today the club hosts and attends a wide variety of events all over the country. Rides, of course, Tech Days, Bike Shows, Swap Meets, and much more.

Or, if you own an airhead and need help with an issue, or you are looking for a hard-to-find component, or you would like to see other airhead bikes, or you just want to hang out with folks who understand, you should definitely visit the Airhead Beemer Club at the rally.

Oh, and don’t forget the community. You would have a very difficult time finding a more welcoming and supportive group of individuals. And, if you don’t happen to own an airhead BMW yourself, don’t let that stop you. Plenty of non-airhead riders frequent the Airhead Beemer Club events.

To Learn More Scan This Code To Visit Their Site

1976 BMW Motorrad R100/7

BMW MOTORRAD

GS TROPHY 2024 NAMIBIA

by Steve Wishard The BMW Motorrad GS Trophy is an International Enduro Motorcycle Competition using BMW R1250 GS Trophy motorcycles. Participants earn positions on national teams by competing in a series of qualifier events. Qualifier competions are held within the country or region the team will represent. For the 2024 GS Trophy all U.S. qualifiers were held at the BMW Performance Center in Greer, SC. There are 15 national and regional qualifiers worldwide, as well as an international qualifier.

BMW Motorrad GS Trophy Rider In Action

tools, are permitted. The configuration includes: • • • • • •

Qualifier events give experienced enduro riders an opportunity to demonstrate their skills. Those riders managing to come out top in navigation exercises involving GPS, off-road riding or technical tests will secure a place in one of the 22 national teams.

Enduro Pro Mode Enduro ABS On Traction Control Off Tire Pressure 30psi Only BMW OEM Seats & Setting Non-Tool Control Adjustments

Elegible personal motorcycles for prefinal-stage competitions include the entire BMW GS family, from the G310 GS to the R1250 GSA, and everything between, plus the HP2 Enduro.

Ladies’ teams prevailing at national level will win a trip to the international ladies qualifier. A total of 6 ladies’ teams will be determined at this event and they will join the 16 men’s teams boarding the coveted flight to Namibia.

We are fortunate to have Scott Acheson, who has qualified and will represent the United States in Namibia, in attendance at the rally. During his after-dinner presentation, Scott will share his experiences while preparing for, and competing in, the U.S. GS Trophy qualifer series. Scott’s presentation is sure to be facinating and may possibly inspire one or more rally participants to begin preparing for a run at making the 2025 U.S. Team.

Participants who enter the qualifier series will use their own motorcycle during the competitions. However, for the final stage, riders are required to ride a BMW-provided R1250 GS with a specific configuration. Only minor adjustments by the rider, to seat and controls, which do not require

View From Clingman’s Dome - 5 image stitched panoramic - Nikon D850 28-300 Nikkor @105mm

Blue Ridge Day Trip by Steve Wishard

Prior to becoming active in BMWNEF, I spent several years riding with a group of very experienced riders in Jacksonville. Men & women, a variety of motorcycle brands, all safe and relaxed, no pressure or conflicts. Some of the other members of that group are also in BMWNEF.

Mountain State Prison via the Devil’s Triangle, tour the prison and have lunch at Warden’s Table Restaurant within the prison. We did the ride. Unfortunately the prison was closed that day so we didn’t get the tour or lunch (superior planning). However, it was a beautiful and challenging ride. So it was a great day anyway and now we have an excuse for another trip.

The person who started that group, and organized most of the rides, moved to North Carolina a while back. The group had already begun drifting apart before his departure and essentially dissolved when he moved. However, he and a few core members remain in touch. I would occasionally meet him for breakfast.

One person wanted to ride the Road To Nowhere, ride through the Road To Nowhere Tunnel and see what was on the other side. I wanted to ride to the top of Clingmans Dome, hike up to Clingmans Dome Tower and shoot a multi-panel panoramic photo with my Pro Nikon camera and Manfrotto Panoramic Tripod.

Last May, one of those core members reached out and put together a 5 day trip to visit North Carolina and our since relocated friend. He ended up with 6 of us on bikes and one who stopped by for a couple of hours by car. The car traveler drove up from Suches where he was with BMWNEF during the annual TWO trip.

Since the Road To Nowhere was on the route and almost exactly half way to Clingman’s Dome, we decided to combine the two rides into one trip. As it turned out I probably should have planned Clingmans better as well. I think under-planning is what happens when you’ve done a trip many times and then do that trip again but add several new elements. Sort of like the fact that most traffic accidents happen within 25 miles of home. We get too confident.

Since we had all been to NC several times, and ridden all the famous roads, we wanted to avoid those and do new things. So everyone was asked to specify a ride & destination they would like to do. As usual, only 3 offered suggestions. One person wanted to ride to Brushy

Road To Nowhere & Tunnel N35° 31.778' W83° 50.530' (Lat/Lon hddd°mm.mmm' WGS 84)

see any detail of the tunnel or the road. It was all just black except the opening at the far end.

Page 1 of 1

Only The Camera Could Reveal The Interior

City Navigator North America NT 2024.1 Use of the Map Data is subject to certain restrictions and/or requirements imposed by third party suppliers and/or governmental or regulatory authorities as further set forth at https://

8 mi

We all wish we could have seen the road. The last 100 feet or so was 1-2 inch deep mud. When I rolled into that, despite only going about 5 mph, it was like I had ridden onto an ice rink. The bike going every way but straight. If it had been any longer I would have probably gone down. When I took the photo above it all just looked black to me. I cranked up the ISO setting on the camera and the photo revealed all the graphetti and the Mud.

N35° 07.816' W83° 26.132'

23NC-R01-Leg1_Clingman

Hotel To Road To Nowhere Tunnel (Dark Red)

The ride up to Road To Nowhere Tunnel was 41 miles and expected to take an hour. The route includes mostly highway up to Bryson City, followed by 6 twisty miles of 2 lane along Tuckascgee river and ending with 0.7 miles to the tunnel parking area. Cars cannot proceed past the parking area due to posts embeded in the road. Fortunately, we weren’t in cars and the posts are spaced so a motorcycle can get through. As we made our way down the tunnel, I was amazed by its ability to absorb light. My GTL has a great adaptive headlight, BMW fog lights & Clearwater Erica auxiliary lights mounted under the mirrors. With everything on high I still couldn’t

Looking Out The Far End Of The Tunnel

Nearly everyone had the same slippery experience near the end of the tunnel. It

turned out that there was a narrow strip that was mud-free and a couple of folks were lucky enough to hit that. We all hit it on the way back. I’m not sure we could have pick my bike or the Harleys up on that slick surface, even with 7 of us.

nessee, and the highest point along the 2,192-mile Appalachian Trail. Clingmans Dome Observation Tower, built in 1959, is a 45-foot concrete tower featuring a circular observation platform. The observation platform is accessed by a spiral ramp. On very clear days, visibility reaches 100 miles and 7 states can be seen from the tower.

Road To Nowhere Tunnel Group Photo

With everyone safely out the far end of the tunnel, we lined up the bikes for a group photo. Some passing hikers were kind enough to do the honors.

Clingmans Dome Observation Tower

The Road To Nowhere was created as part of a project in the 1940s - 1960s. It was intended to provide access to areas made inaccessible by Fontana Dam & Lake. However, the project ran into unstable, acid leaching rock and was therefore abandon for safety and environmental concerns.

We didn’t know it at the time but the altitude increase I was counting on for my panoramic photo would come at a price. Clingmans Dome Road, beginning at Newfound Gap, is a switchback road which climbs 2,796 feet in 8.9 miles. Page 1 of 1

N35° 38.936' W83° 33.241' (Lat/Lon hddd°mm.mmm' WGS 84)

The Road To Nowhere actually leads to a lot of places. It terminates into Lakeshore Trail, which in turn connects to several other trails that criss-cross Smoky Mountain National Park. Clingmans Dome Observation Tower Once we finished exploring the far side of the tunnel, and everyone was safely back through, we set out for our second stop. Clingmans Dome Tower. Clingmans Dome is a mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains. With an elevation of 6,643 feet, it is the highest mountain in the Great Smoky Mtns National Park, the highest point in Ten-

6 mi

N35° 22.961' W83° 16.976'

23NC-R01-Leg2_Clingman

Road To Nowhere To Clingmans Dome

The steep climb, slow speed & frequent switchbacks caused one of the older Harleys, with over 100K miles, to have clutch problems. By the time we got to the parking area it took the engine, what was left of the clutch, and a couple folks pushing to get it into a parking spot.

After all the effort put in by everyone so I could get this photo, I wasn’t going home empty handed. So I shot all of the images, stitched them all together in photoshop, and then removed the tower. It’s not as good as I hoped but that’s how things go in the photography game. It’s 10% skill, 10% patients, 30% determination and 50% luck.

However, being in the parking lot didn’t mean elevation was done kicking our butts. The tower, with its observation platform, is a 1/2-mile hike up a 13% grade. That is a 332-foot increase in just 2,640 feet. Then there is the 45 feet up the tower. To be honest, the panoramic image in the header of this article, would not exist if it weren’t for my friend Thai carrying my camera & tripod up - and the numerous resting places along that 1/2-mile path. Getting old sucks.

It didn’t take as long to get back down to the parking lot but it still took a while. My thighs & knees don’t like downhill slopes. If my legs buckled and I had fallen I’d have probably been doing 60 when I rolled into the parking lot. The guys who stayed with the crippled Harley had gotten it in a state where they thought it would make it back to the house. He could coast nearly all the way down the mountain.

But hey!, mother nature wanted to throw one more challenge at us. By the time I got to the platform, there was a dense wall of clouds moving in which were lower than the tower. Visibility in the direction I wanted to shoot was about a quarter mile for half of the frame. So I had to move 90° around the tower. In that direction I could get a good distance shot, however, there was a radio tower almost in the center of the photo.

Some bought souveniers, others rested, I did both. Then I packed up the camera gear and we all set out down the mountain. It didn’t take long to get back to Eddie’s (the guy we rode up to see). The Harley made it all the way back to Jacksonville with no issues. It did need a clutch repair once home but- Hey! 100K+. Kind of hard to complain.

Relaxing At Eddie’s After The Days Ride

Taking The Shots - Clingmans Dome Tower

Rally Sponsors Tory Hamlin

Backcountry Discovery Routes® (BDR®) is a non-profit advocacy organization that creates off-highway routes for dual-sport and adventure motorcycle travel. They have introduced a new route, with free GPS tracks, every year since 2010 (with the exception of 2021 due to the global pandemic). Their work includes rider education, safety campaigns and promoting responsible travel for motorcyclists traveling in the back country. Their volunteer organization works with agencies and land managers to keep trails and remote roads open for motorcycling. Each route generates new tourism that delivers sustainable economic relief to less-advantaged rural communities. This creates local stakeholders who will help fight to keep access for dual-sport and adventure motorcycles in these incredible back country areas. There are currently 12 BDR routes and 4 BDR-X (excursion or loop) routes. There are also 3 new BDR routes currently in Development:

2024 BMW MOA RALLY June 13-15 - Redmond, OR

Two Birds - One Stone Maybe Ask Tom Nagle Tom Nagle will, once again, be speaking about Backcountry Discovery Routes, their opportunities, challenges and rewards. While his presentation at last year’s rally focused on the Mid-Atlantic route, this year Tom will be covering the topic more broadly. If this sounds like something that might interest you, PLEASE attend the Motowayz (Tom Nagle) seminar.

CURRENT BDR ROUTES West Oregon Washington Idaho California South Nevada Wyoming Utah Arizona New Mexico Colorado

BDR-X

East Northeast Mid-Atlantic

Red Desert (WY) PA Wilds (PA) Steens/Alvord (OR) Black Hills (SD)

DEVELOPING

California North Montana South East

BMW Performance Center, Greer SC

Performance Center Training Here & There by Steve Wishard

Training At The Rally (Here)

BMW offers multiple driver and rider training programs, for both cars and motorcycles, through BMW Performance Driving School, MINI Driving Experience & BMW U.S. Rider Academy. Training programs are conducted at each of their 3 locations in the United States, however, motorcycle courses are ONLY offered at the Greer, SC performance center.

In recent years the U.S. Rider Academy has also been offering reduced - what some may call introductory - training sessions at various motorcycle rallies around the country. Rallies such as the BMW MOA & BMWRA National Rallies. Last year we were fortunate enough to have our rally, the BMWNEF Winter Rally, added to the BMW U.S. Rider Academy annual schedule.

BMW Performance Center 1155 SC-101 Greer, SC 29651 (888) 345-4269 BMW Performance Center West 86-050 Jasper Lane Thermal, CA 92274 (888) 345-4269 Indianapolis Motor Speedway 4790 W 16th St Indianapolis, IN 46222 (888) 345-4269

Session Start - Winter Rally - Live Oak - 2023

Don’t let the “REDUCED” aspect of the rally sessions fool you. While the number

of rider skills included in the rally sessions is reduced, the quality of training and value received is not. In fact, due to the disproportionate cost reduction offered, and as a rider who has taken several street & adventure training courses, I would say that the BMW rally courses are the best training value available anywhere. Especially for first time trainees.

and average 25000 two wheeled miles per year, and I’m never as good when I start a training session as I was when I finished the previous one. However, each time the gap is smaller, I get back to my previous level more quickly and I master new skills more easily. You will always benefit from training.

“Don’t Confuse Basic With Easy”

“Rally Sessions Lay The Foundation” Skills Covered At The Rally Rally training is typically conducted in half day sessions lasting 4 hours. Due to the limited time available, the information & skills covered are really the very basic elements. You will likely not recognize it at the time, but in time, you will come to realize that the rally sessions lay the foundation for all following advanced skills. Even if you never ride off road and never take another training course you will be a better/safer rider for having participated in a rally training session. If you have taken training before you will still benefit from the refresher and the practice. I have taken several courses, both street and adventure,

Figure 8s In The Cones Quickly Overwhelm

As for the specific information & skills - It may vary slightly but essentially the rally session is a subset of the 1st day’s morning session at the performance center. If memory serves, from my experience at last year’s rally, they get you up and riding quickly. So it focused more on controlling the motorcycle at low speed.

Therefore, the session included coaching, demonstrations and practice in several essential basic skills: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

control skills covered in the session to successfully navigate this challenge. Relax, apply what you’ve been taught and you will soon be executing perfect figure 8s.

Body Position Head & Eyes Center of Gravity Hand Position On Controls Friction Zone Effective Braking Body Position In Tight Turns Slow Ride With/Without Trial Stops Slalom Cone Course Switchback Cone Course Figure 8 Cone Ring Parking Lot Box Tennis Ball Slalom.

“Don’t Look At The Cones”

Parking Lot Box

The parking lot box is sort of like making your way through a crowded parking lot by riding through the empty parking spaces rather than using the driving lanes. Let me give you a tip which will make this challenge a lot easier.

“There Is A Lot More Space Than You Think - Use It All”

Slow Ride & Trial Stops

When entering this challenge you will have a tendency to think it is too small. However, there is actually plenty of room. The key is using all of the available space. Keeping the motorcycle very close to the cones on the opposite side of the direction you are going to turn will give you plenty of room to maneuver.

Slow ride & trial stops focuses on body position, head & eyes, hand position, balance and friction zone control. Simple concepts which pay big dividends when mastered.

Rally Training Summary Rally training is an excellent value. It’s a great price value, you will leave a better rider, you will be prepared to learn many advanced skills, you will have a fun and challenging morning or afternoon with friends and fellow ralliers, and you will still have plenty of time to enjoy everything else the rally has to offer. And just maybe, you will get a discount on training in Greer. I highly recommend them both.

Figure 8 Double Cone Ring

It all starts to get real when you’re in the figure 8 double cone ring. It requires correct use of all of the body and motorcycle

Training At BMW (There)

R1250GSA is available. You can use your own BMW motorcycle but I wouldn’t recommend it. You’re going to drop it. Maybe multiple times. Maybe a lot. Their motorcycles are set up for it and are liability free. Break it and they just bring you another one.

BMW offers both street and off-road training courses at their facility in Greer, SC. They also offer multi-day motorcycle tours in mountains of SC, NC, TN & GA. I have not yet participated in a tour or street course at BMW, however, I intend to join one soon. I have participated in the 2 Day Adventure Course twice. So that is what I will focus on here.

Once everyone has been assigned a bike the training begins. The first segment of the training takes place right there in the parking area. Some of the information covered is the same as at the rally but you will be given a lot more there. Center stands, balance walk-around, handlebar position, mounting both sides, picking up a bike and much more - plus - the information provided at the rally session.

When you arrive you will immediately realize that you have made an excellent training choice. BMW Performance Center is a State-of-the-Art, Purpose-Built facility. It has its own race track, watered polished skid pad for cars, a complete array of off-road motorcycle obstacles and substantial forested area filled with single-track trails.

A list of topics & skills included in the 2 Day Adventure Course is provided at the end of this article. The list is based on my failing memory so I don’t claim that it is complete, however, I’m confident that everything in the list is valid.

Your experience begins with registration, a made to order breakfast if you wish and getting to know your fellow students. The breakfast isn’t included but it almost is. I had a couple eggs, bacon & a 16oz drink for under $3. Once everyone is signed in and fed it’s off to the classroom for introductions and a brief orientation. It’s a nice little room you won’t be spending much time in.

Following the parking lot segment you will take a break, use the facilities if necessary, retrieve your helmet, etc. and return to the parking area to start riding. The instructors will lead you out to the training area and the games will begin. From this point on the process is pretty repetitive. There are multiple training areas scattered around the property. Each area focuses on one or more riding skills. The training areas are separated by wooded areas containing single track trails.

Training Motorcycle Parking Area

In short order you will be making your way out to the parking area where the training motorcycles await your arrival. When you sign up for the course you select the type of motorcycle you want to use. Everything from a G310GS to a

Once everyone arrives in a training area you stop. The instructors explain the purpose and technique for a skill. One of the instructors demonstrates the skill. Then it’s your turn. Students perform the skill while observed by the instructors, receive personal feed back on performance and pointers for improvement, then loop back and do it again. Not all but most training areas provide the oppor-

When the group arrives at the next training area they will find a break area with popup tent, chairs & drinks. Trust me, it is a welcome sight. I’ve attended training in January, when it was cold and raining, and in August, when it was 95° with a triple digit heat index. In both cases that tent area was a welcome sight. Oh, did I forget to mention that most students will be using muscles they’ve neglected for a long time. Yeah, those chairs look pretty good too.

Rut Riding Challenge

tunity to learn multiple skills or to learn and then expand upon a single skill with increasing difficulty. With each new skill or expansion of a skill the process repeats. Everyone stops, the instructors explain & demonstrate, the students loop through multiple iterations, receiving coaching and encouragement.

Single Track Riding Between Training Areas

Once everyone has had a chance to hydrate and recoup, it’s back to the bikes, the instructors explain the next challenge, etc., etc. This process is repeated over & over. With each successive training area presenting skills & challenges which build on all that came before. Steadily increasing the students capabilities and confidence to take on new challenges which expand their comfort zone.

Rut Riding Between Training Areas

When it’s time for training to move on to another training area, the instructors lead the group to the new location. During the transit from one training area to another the instructor will lead the group through some type of typical off-road terrain. When possible the path between training areas will include real world opportunities to utilize the skills learned & practiced in the previous challenges. Wooded single track, ruts with/without water, off-camber, hills, washboards, bridge crossings and more can be encountered.

Gravel Pit Challenge

I almost forgot lunch. Your morning and afternoon sessions are separated by

an hour back at the performance center facility, where you will be provided an excellent buffet lunch. Motorcycle class members and car class members, each with their own buffet, all come together in the central dining area for needed rest, delicious food, and time to discuss and relive the experiences of the morning.

a certificate. New riding abilities, new confidence, new friends & new memories are the real value you will leave with.

“It’s All Challenge By Choice” Regardless of whether you are at a rally or the BMW facility in Greer, every aspect of the training is challenge by choice. This means that it is always up to you to decide if you are going to participate in any given training challenge. The instructors will encourage you to get outside your comfort zone. They will explain & demonstrate each skill. They will coach, support & encourage you to the extent you need to become successful. However, if anything is beyond what you feel is safe for your ability, you are welcome to sit out. No harm / no foul.

For those who are so inclined, there is also a gift shop within the facility which has a wide variety of BMW merchandise available for purchase. Shirts, hats, key chains, etc. Once you have completed your training, regardless of the course you select, you will receive a certificate of completion. It could lower your insurance rates. You might want to check. Regardless, you will be leaving the facility with far more than

2 Day Adventure Off-Road Course Day One Agenda • Center Stand • Side Stand Handlebar Position • Mounting (both sides) • Balance Walk Around • Picking Up A Bike • Friction Zone • Hand Position On Controls • Standing While Riding • Center Of Gravity Change • Standing Body Position Riding • Standing Body Position In Turns • Riding While Changing Body Position (7 different positions) • Slow Ride • Slow Ride With Trial Stops • Quick Up On Pegs Start (both sides) • Slalom Cone Course • Switchback Cone Course • Ruts • Washboards • Humps • Humps With Trial Stops • Emergency Stops With/Without ABS & Front Brakes (multi ride modes)

Day Two Agenda • Practice Day One Skills • Mount While Starting Switch Sides And Dismount While Stopping. • Starting Off Camber • Riding Off Camber • Ride Modes & ABS • Effective Brake Usage • Ride Up Hills (body position) • Cresting Blind Hills (momentum) • Cresting Hills And Turn • Ride Down Hills (body position) • Ride Down Hills (brakes) • Ride Hill Ridge And Turn Down • Descending Hills With Trial Stop • Descending Hills With Turn • Descending Hills Following A Fall Or Stop on the slope (multiple ways) • Riding Through Deep Gravel • Riding Through Deep Sand

Day One & Two • Brief Classroom Sessions • Multiple Wooded Single Track Rides • Buffet Lunch & Low Cost Breakfast • State-of-the-Art Facilities

New Publications Beginning In 2024 BMWNEF Club Digital News Letter Beginning Early 2024 Okay, I lied - maybe. That remains to be seen and it certainly wasn’t intentional. I know what I said in the Photo Credit piece about Shop Rag. However, in my defense, I wrote that monts ago, the decision to revive Shop Rag came recently and - it’s possible that Alan Singer will be a contributor to the New Shop Rag.

The New Shop Rag will be: • Limited to a couple of pages • Focus on BMWNEF News & Events • Be distributed as a PDF via email • Be sent to all club members & rally attendees • Begin publication early 2024 • Publication frequency TBD

Southeastern

Motorcycle Rider Digital Magazine by

Beginning 2nd Qtr 2024

Changing Gears was a blog I created several years ago when I retired. The name was polysemous with meanings both idiomatic and literal. It had a good run but it faded as video and podcasts became the dominate communication vehicles.

Distributed to those who would like to receive it, free of charge, as a PDF-download or readable online. Unlike the Shop Rag above, Changing Gears will: • Focus on riding the southeast. • Consist mostly of articles. • Feature high quality photography. • Become a ride library available to readers with all the information necessary to repeat the ride themselves.

It had been several years since the blog, and I hadn’t thought much about it. So I wasn’t expecting the effect producing the 2023 & 2024 Winter Rally Programs would have. They really took me back and reminded me of the pleasure I got from writing. So I’m bringing it back. Not as a blog, however, but as a small magazine. Much like the publication you are reading now.

To receive Changing Gears when it becomes available, scan the QR Code and tell us how to reach you.

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MOTORCYCLE CARRIER PROJECT by Steve Wishard

bikes. E-Track throughout, wheel chocks, straps, etc. Trailers from 14’ to 26’. But that just seemed like a lot of weight and wind resistance to be dragging around just to haul a 380lb motorcycle.

When I initialy purchased my BMW G310 GS I mentioned my concern about getting the small displacement bike to the places I would like to ride it. Frequently 2 or 3 states away from home. Marcello recommended the Black Widow Motorcycle Carrier. He said he’d used one, had always had a good experience and provided me with a link to their website. I didn’t do anything about it at the time, but kept the link just in case I wanted to pursue it later on.

So, I was eventually forced to consider the solution Marcello had recommended 17 months earlier.

Jump forward a year and and a half and I still hadn’t done anything. In fact, the first 7 months I owned the 310 it rarely left the garage. It wasn’t until last year’s winter rally that I really started to see what the 310 was capable of. The 10 months which followed were, to put it mildly, a bit of a different story. The BMW G310 GS Project article, in this rally program, will give you all the details. Suffice it to say that transporting the 310 long distance had finally become a problem which needed to be solved.

HD Black Widow Motorcycle Carrier

I have a step ramp and thought about renting a pickup whenever I wanted to take the little bike long distance. I even reasoned that I could put the 310 in the back of the truck and also pull our boat. However, it didn’t take long to learn that it is nearly impossible to rent a pickup for multiple days, and even if you can, they won’t allow you to tow with it.

However, I had my concerns about the hitch carrier solution as well. Things like total weight on the hitch, clearance between the handlebars and the rear window of the car, having to step around the tiedown bar with the bike half way up the ramp, holding the bike up while attaching straps, and more. After researching the car’s hitch capacity and checking some clearance measurements I decided to give the carrier a try.

I have access to several trailers. Some of which are setup specifically for hauling

I ordered the heavy duty carrier with the alumimum track. $300, capable of hauling a 600lb motorcycle and weighing 98lbs. The bike is just 386lbs fully fueled so no problem carrying it. Add the 98lbs for the carrier itself and you get a total weight of 484lbs. The car’s hitch is rated to 530lbs so there is a 46lb margin, plus any reduction due to fuel level. You know I will be running the fuel down before a trip just in case. Due to the 3 gallon fuel tank I could increase the margin by nearly 18lbs to 64lbs. Once the carrier arrived and I had it assembled and mounted on the car. I had to try pushing the bike up on it myself. I had left the rear part of the wheel chock off so I could get the bike fully on the ramp as easy as possible. I was mainly concerned about getting it up the ramp and how much of an obstacle the rear tiedown bar would present. As it turned out, neither concern was valid. I could easily push the bike up and the tiedown bar was well out of the way. So I took the bike back down and proceeded.

Plenty of clearance between bike & car

However, this is where the first potential problem comes into play. I will likely always have someone around to help out but there is no guarantee. So I need to be able to do this by myself. With that back window in mind, I’m not confident the wheel chock on the carrier would secure the bike well enough alone. Maybe a bigger bike would be okay but the small front wheel on the 310, not so much. So I will need to be able to hold the bike with one hand and attach straps with the other. To solve this problem I will need to have straps that are the correct length and don’t have a long tail end on either side of the ratchet. So, with the bike strapped to the carrier, I removed one strap at a time, determined the correct length on the non-ratchet strap, cut the strap to length and hand sewed it to the ratchet.

Next I installed the rear part of the wheel chock and brought out the straps. I got Lori to help push the bike into the wheel chock and hold it while I attached a couple of straps. The wheel chock rocker was a bit stiff and it took a bit of a shove to get it over the top. Nothing terrible though. Lori said she barely pushed. I’m sure it will loosen with use and I will be able to load the bike myself. With the bike loaded and strapped it gave me a chance to verify the clearance between the bike and the car. Once again my earlier concerns were unfounded and, as I had calculated before my purchase, there was no risk of breaking the rear glass of the car. Hauling the bike to a remote riding destination... $300. Rear window of a Mercedes SUV... Priceless $$$$$

Ratchet Strap Cut To Length & Sewn On

at the same time. Once the bike is firmly strapped down in front I can move to the back and finish securing everything.

Car Tail Lights Barely Visible - Need Lights

At this point I thought I had pretty well resolved all of the issues/concerns. But then an unexpected issue presented itself. When the bike is loaded it significantly blocks the view of the car’s tail lights. This was a safety issue I needed to resolve. Fortunately, it was an easy fix. I simply purchased and installed a trailer light kit on the carrier. The photo above is prior to the lights being installed. I simply mounted the lights just inside the tiedown bars by drilling through the carrier track support. Since there is no swiveling as with an acutal trailer, I was able to keep the harness wires short and tight.

Ratchet & Soft Strap Pre-Hung Before Load

With the ratchet straps being the correct length, I can pre-hang them on the bike before loading. Then, once I’ve pushed the bike up and into the chock, I can connect the front outside strap with one hand and give it a couple cranks just so the bike can’t fall into the car. Then I can push the bike toward the car and reach around and connect the inside strap and give it a couple cranks as well. At this point the bike is secure and I can stand in front of the bike and crank down both front straps

The Black Widow is a great solution which gives me the luxury of taking my small bike to distant adventures.

BMWNEF Winter Rally Program Created - Printed - Donated by

Ormond Scenic Loop Rider - Nikon D850 - 50mm f/1.4G Nikkor Lens @ F/2 - 1/2000 sec - ISO 64

Motorcycle Photography Bike Week Road Shots by Steve Wishard

We have all ridden the southeastern mountain roads. And we have mostly all been to a Bike Week or Biketoberfest in one state or another. So it is also likely that we have all had our photos taken as we rode the Ormond Loop or Tail of the Dragon or countless others. It is equally likely that many of us have purchased one or more of those photos.

Years ago I purchased a couple of photos from Killboy in North Carolina. Tail of the Dragon and Moonshiner 28. Those were very high quality images which now hang on my wall as aluminum prints. That is the level of quality I require for the photos I shoot. If not - why bother. For simple road shots like the one above, I let the camera do a lot of the work and I take advantage of the superior optical quality of prime lenses (prime = single focal length not a zoom). I set the camera for continous focus, 1/2000 sec shutter speed, f/2, auto ISO and 12 frame a second shooting rate. Then when the bike passes, I hold the focus & shutter buttons and track the bike as it goes by. With a 50mm prime lens on a pro camera, you’re going to get several very high quality images. I also like to put something in the background to show where they were.

I recently purchased a couple of these event photos, taken by Daytona Bike Week photographers, and was surprised by their poor quality. I photoshopped both of them in an effort to make them presentable, however, in the end neither could be made print quality. The only time I’ve used either of them is in the G310 GS article in this publication. The riding the scenic loop image is the one on the 310. The Main Street image on the GTL is okay but it took a lot of work.

Damaged Confederate Gun At Fort Fisher, NC

Historic Fort Fisher Day Trip by Steve Wishard

point of interest. I could ride up to Wilmington, cross over the Brunswick & Cape Fear Rivers, then ride back south to the fort. Or, I could ride a short distance to Southport and board the Fort Fisher Ferry. Assuming I arrived at the ferry exactly as it was my turn to load, the trip is nearly the same amount ot time. If I rode up as the ferry pulled away, I would have to wait 45 minutes minimum for the next one. I’d rather ride anyway.

It was early October and we were just about to leave for a long family gathering weekend. Everyone would be meeting at one of the family member’s homes in Ocean Isle Beach, NC. I’m not sure, maybe a shrink could elaborate, but I think that had something to do with my sudden thoughts of civil war history. I’m positive it had a lot to do with me loading my G310 GS on the carrier, and taking it along on the trip. I wanted an escape vehicle and plan.

Ocean Isle Bch To Fort Fisher Ride Routes G310 GS On Carrier At I-95 Rest Area

It didn’t take long to identify Historic Fort Fisher as an appropriately distant

My planned route was a combination of scenic and efficient. It would take a bit over 90 minutes to travel the 64 miles and

Cape Fear River West Of Fort Fisher

I’d hug the water as much as possible. 3 hours of riding, an hour or so at the fort, and a stop at the Kure Beach Pier will make a perfect half day escape - I mean road trip.

It only gets less populated once you are off the island so it makes for a nice ride, on 2 lane country roads, from the beach to 17. 17 is a 4 lane divided hwy much like riding 301 in north Florida. So the run up to Wilmington was a faster, busier portion of the trip. It got a little congested crossing the rivers but never stopped moving, and once I was heading south along the river it was once again a pleasant and scenic ride.

Ocean Isle Beach is a very small beach community in southeast North Carolina. Only 4.5 miles long and a half mile wide, it consists primarily of residences, built on stilts, along the ocean front to the east and man-made canals to the west. The canals are connected to the intra-coastal waterway. The commercial section is only a 2x4 block area at the east end of the road connecting the island to the mainland.

Despite the chilly 58° air at the time of my departure, it was a very comfortable ride which seemed to be over far too soon. Of course, I still had a lot to see.

Atlantic Ocean East Of Fort Fisher

The Importance Of Fort Fisher

Looking Southwest - Outside Fort Fisher’s North Ramparts - Cape Fear River In The Distance

Early in the war, the U.S.Navy faced a twofold task. First it had to enforce the blockade. This actually proved less difficult than had been anticipated, for there were comparatively few ports which combined adequate harbors, harbor defenses, and connections with the interior. The most important were Norfolk (James River), Roanoke Island, New Bern (Neuse River), Beaufort, Wilmington (Cape Fear River), Charleston, Beaufort (South Carolina), Savannah, and, on the Gulf, Pensacola, Mobile, New Orleans, and Galveston. Obviously it was easier to capture these ports, once and for all, than to blockade them throughout the war. Therefore, it was to this task that the Federal Army-Navy team first addressed itself. One after another the ports fell: first Hilton Head, Port Royal, and Beaufort (South Carolina); then Roanoke Island, controlling Albemarle Sound; then - after the Monitor had forced the Merrimac to withdraw - Norfolk at the mouth of the James; and then James Island, outside Charleston. The great prize was, however, New Orleans, greatest city in the Confederacy and key to the Gulf and the Mis-

sissippi. After that the Confederacy had only a few good ports to which the swift blockade-runners could sail: Charleston, Wilmington, Mobile, and Galveston. It took longer to capture these, and Charleston was never captured from the sea, but it is no exaggeration to say that by the end of 1862 the Confederacy was pretty well bottled up. With the fall of Mobile and the effective bottling up of Charleston, Wilmington, on the Cape Fear River, was the only major port still in Confederate hands, and throughout 1864 it was the chief haven of blockade-runners. With the advance of Sherman northward through the Carolinas it became important to capture the Cape Fear entrance and Wilmington in order to afford a supply base for the Union armies. The mouth of the Cape Fear was controlled by Fort Fisher, whose ramparts faced both the land and the sea. General Lee had informed the defenders of Fort Fisher that they must hold it at all costs; otherwise he could not continue to subsist his army. For the same reason Grant was determined to reduce it.

The Battles For Fort Fisher

Federal Battle Plan Which Resulted In The Capture Of Fort Fisher, January 15, 1865

“Saturday, December 24, 1864, was one of those perfect winter days that are occasionally experienced in the latitude of the Cape Fear. The gale, which had backed around from northeast to southwest, had subsided the day before and was followed by a dead calm. The air was balmy for winter, and the sun shone with almost indian summer warmth. The deep blue sea was calm as a lake, and broke lazily on the bar and beach.”

At 9am the sailors were beat to quarters and the Confederate defenders stood silently by their guns. The Minnesota, Colorado, and Wabash continued forward. Each a floating fortress, mounting more guns than all the fort’s batteries. The first two, combined, carrying more shot and shell than all the fort’s magazines contained. Fort Fisher was seriously out-gunned and under stocked. With only 44 heavy guns and less than 3,600 shot and shell, exclusive of grape and shrapnel. The Armstrong gun had only 12 rounds of fixed ammunition and no other projectile could be use in its delicate grooves. Therefore, the order was given that each gun, which bore on a vessel, could be fired no more frequently than every 30 minutes, unless a bar crossing was attempted.

This is how Colonel William Lamb described sunrise on the day of the first Union attack on Fort Fisher. He went on to describe what he called - a grander sight than had ever been witnessed on their coast - as he painted the scene of the Union fleet arriving with the sun. Frigates in the lead, followed by ironclads. 50+ men-of-war all heading for the Confederate stronghold.

Inside Shepard’s Battery - West End of North Face - Focus of Ames’ Infantry Attack

The ships slowly moved into position with the wooden ships stopping before coming within range of the fort’s guns. Ironsides and three monitors slowly forged ahead, coming inside a mile from the northeast salient. The other ships taking positions to left and right creating a line longer than a mile.

the early morning hours of December 26th, at which time a heavy wind and rain storm finally brought the first battle to an end. During the 2 days of fighting the Confederates proved to be very efficient and accurate. Several attempts to sound the shoals were quickly stopped with just a few shots and the marine assault was repulsed with few casualties. The fort had expended only 1,200 rounds over the 2 day period while just 2 of the Union frigates had fired over 3,500. In total, Fort Fisher’s casualties for the 2 days were 3 killed and 61 wounded. Union casualties are unknown but likely light due to the infrequent firing from the fort. However, some new graves were found outside the fort’s north face.

The first of what would prove to be the two largest land-sea battles in human history, at that time, began as the Ironsides ran out her starboard guns and fired an 11” shell. Colonel Lamb described what followed as “the most terrific bombardment from the fleet which war had ever witnessed”. Possibly due to the reduced visibility caused by all the cannon smoke hanging in place in the dead calm air, the first day resulted in relatively little damage. Half of the quarters were burned, three gun carriages disabled, a light artillery caisson exploded, large quantities of earthworks torn and ploughed up, with some revetments broken and splintered. 23 men were wounded. 1 mortally, 3 seriously, and 19 slightly. However, not a single bomb proof or magazine was damaged. At 5:30pm the fleet withdrew. At 10am on Christmas morning the fleet returned. This time with an additional monitor and a large force of marines which were landed about a mile north of the fort. The fighting continued well into

The attack, as reported by Confederate Colonel William Lamb, was a failure. Yet the Confederate defense, too, was something of a failure. While the defenders of the fort acquitted themselves gloriously, General Bragg, with 3,500 men at nearby Wilmington, made no move to strike at the troops that General Butler had landed for the attack, but allowed them to get off unmolested.

There were no more attempts to take the fort in 1864. However, with a new, more effective commander, the Union would return the following month.

View From Shepard’s Battery Looking North To Where The Infantry & Marine Assault Will Come

“On the morning of January 13, 1865, the most formidable armada the world had ever known sailed over the horizon. 60 men-of-war under Admiral Porter and transports carrying 8,500 troups under General Terry” (who replaced General Butler).

Look, then, seaward, and see 60 steam men-of-war formed in a great arc of a circle. All steaming slowly to their anchors and rolling great volumes of smoke from their funnels. Inside of this outer arc five or six of those low, black, sullen monitors in line abreast. Slowly and streadily creeping toward the fort. No visible sign of life about them except now and then you could see an officer’s head come up over the breastwork or barbet on top of the turret”

These were the words of Colonel William Lamb as he described the beginning of the second of the two greatest land-sea battles to that time in history. To defend against this force, Colonel Lamb had 44 guns and inadequate ammunition. Once again, General Braxton Bragg would keep his 3,500 man army safely in Wilmington.

Augustus Buell provides a beautiful description of the entire battle in Henry Steele Commager’s, The Blue And The Grey, from which the Civil War descriptions provided here are extracted. However it is far to lengthy for these pages. Therefore, I’ll simply finish with this brief summary and suggest that you learn more about this historic battle yourself.

The “boy cannoneer” Augustus Buell paints a vivid scene from his position in the rigging of a nearby anchored Union transport. “Imagine a cold, bright day in the middle of January. A low and sandy coastline with a dull surf combing up the beach. A tremendous fort of the most elaborate construction with ramparts in some places 30 feet high. Huge bastions every little way. Deep-throated embrasures from which frowned the muzzels of seven, eight and ten inch Armstrong and Brooke rifled cannon and Columbaids. And the doomed flag of the gallant Confederacy floating defiantly from its tall staff.

The bombardment began on the 13th and continued without pause through the 14th. On the 15th an assaulting column attacked the fort, along the north face, from the river shore, and overwhelmed its defenders. Musket fire could be heard within the fort until 9pm. Around 11pm on January 15, 1865, the fort surrendered, thus helping to seal the fate of the Confederacy.

Mr Chick

Address: Leader: 1125 38th Blvd NE, Cairo, GA 39828 Doug Bakke Distance: Out: 113 - Back: 104 - Total: 217 Day/Time: Friday 09:00 Time: Meetup: Out: 2:46 - Back: 2:02 _ Total: 4:48 Rally Central Parking Lot Description: This ride was submitted and will be led by rally attendee, Doug Bakke. He and his wife Tami will be leading those who wish to join on a mixed surface (paved and unpaved) route from Camp Weed to Mr Chick for lunch. Following lunch they will be taking a paved route back to Camp Weed to reduce travel time. GPX Dwnld

Orange Lake - Mexican Lunch

Address: Leader: 212 E Screven St, Quitman, GA 31643 N/A Distance: Out: 84 - Back: 72 - Total: 156 Day/Time: N/A Time: Meetup: Out: 2:11 - Back: 1:44 _ Total: 3:55 N/A Description: This ride will take you to Coyoacan Mexican Restaurant, in Quitman GA, via a variety of scenic and somewhat curvy paved roads. Along the way you will circle Orange Lake and likely see many areas of damaged trees & homes resulting from Hurricane Idalia, which crossed this route in late August 2023.

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Swampy’s Lunch Ride Address: Distance: Time:

19773 Pennsylvania Ave, Dunnellon, FL Out: 116 - Back: 111 - Total: 227 Out: 2:49 - Back: 2:13 _ Total: 5:02

Leader: N/A Day/Time: N/A Meetup: N/A

Description: This ride will take you through some scenic rural twists and turns as you make your way to a riverside lunch at Swampy’s Bar & Grill. Swampy’s is located on the bank of the crystal clear Rainbow River. You might get to see the family of otters that reside there. You’ll surely see lots of people float past.

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Tallahassee Auto Museum Address: Distance: Time:

6800 Mahan Dr, Tallahassee, FL 32308 Out: 113 - Back: 84 - Total: 197 Out: 2:47 - Back: 1:47 _ Total: 4:34

Leader: N/A Day/Time: N/A Meetup: N/A

Description: This is a full day ride and tour experience. The ride will take you through some beautiful national forests and some rural twists and turns. You should count on a couple of hours for the museum tour. Lunch is available near the entrance of the museum property. Museum Fee: $15 N30° 58.728' W84° 12.764' (Lat/Lon hddd°mm.mmm' WGS 84)

City Navigator North America NT 2022.25 Use of the Map Data is subject to certain restrictions and/or requirements imposed by third party suppliers and/or governmental or regulatory authorities as further set forth at https://

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AutoMuseumRoundTrip

N29° 38.851' W82° 51.439' 30 mi

Wellborn Loop Address: Distance: Time:

N/A Out: 38 - Back: 0 - Total: 38 Out: 1:13 - Back: 0:00 _ Total: 1:13

Leader: N/A Day/Time: N/A Meetup: N/A

Description: This is a slow scenic loop ride which stays reasonably close to Camp Weed. Even at a leasurely pace riders can complete this ride in a portion of a morning. Riders should be aware that there are some short UNPAVED sections of the route.

GPX Dwnld

White Springs Loop

Address: N/A Leader: N/A Distance: Out: 109 - Back: 0 - Total: 109 Day/Time: N/A Time: Out: 3:00 - Back: 0:00 _ Total: 3:00 Meetup: N/A Description: This is a scenic loop ride which stays reasonably close to Camp Weed. Riders should consider this to be a half-day ride. GPX Dwnld

Cedar Key

Address: N/A Leader: Bill Botkin Distance: Out: 98 - Back: 106 - Total: 204 Day/Time: Saturday 08:00 Time: Out: 2:00 - Back: 2:15 _ Total: 4:15 Meetup: Rally Central Parking Lot Description: While the ride down and back make for a nice day of riding, the Cedar Key ride is really about the destination. Situated on the Gulf of Mexico, Cedar Key is a town that caters to visitors. There are several excellent lunch choices and you can spend a couple of hours just wandering. GPX Dwnld N30° 22.531' W83° 31.647' (Lat/Lon hddd°mm.mmm' WGS 84)

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2024CedarKeyRide

30 mi

N29° 02.655' W82° 10.322'

Motorsport Parks

Address: Multiple N/A Leader: N/A Distance: Out: 173 - Back: 0 - Total: 173 Day/Time: N/A Time: Out: 3:58 - Back: 0:00 _ Total: 3:58 Meetup: N/A Description: This ride will take you to two motorsport parks in the area which accommodate MX, Dualsport & Adventure Bikes. Sunshine State MMX is geared to motoX and St Mary’s Shoals to Dualsport and Adventure. The ride also includes Ellaville Ruins & Bridge and T&T BBQ & Southern Cooking.

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Thank You

We’re Glad You’re Here And We Hope You Enjoy The Rally You May Not Be Aware That BMWNEF Is A Lot More Than The Winter Rally. Members Enjoy SO MUCH MORE. All Year Long We Host, Sponsor, Support And Attend A Wide Variety Of Motorcycle Activities.

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JOIN TODAY! Want To Help The Club Improve & Grow? Leadership Opportunities Available

2024 Winter Rally Program

Articles inside

The Battles For Fort Fisher

The Importance Of Fort Fisher

Day Trip Historic Fort Fisher

Bike Week Road Shots Motorcycle Photography

MOTORCYCLE CARRIER PROJECT

Motorcycle Rider

New Publications Beginning In 2024

Here & There Performance Center Training

Blue Ridge Day Trip

BMW MOTORRAD GS TROPHY

Airheads Beemer Club

BMW G310 GS Project

Maggie Award

Look Who’s Talking

Photo Credit