BMW Owners News July 2017

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Inside features

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

BMW's Heritage boxer time machine

By Will Guyan #56198 Fueled by the success of the original R nineT and R nineT Scrambler, BMW expands their Heritage lineup with the addition of the R nineT Pure and Racer. Will Guyan offers his thoughts on the new models and takes us on a visit inside Roland Sands' workshop.

a visit to the isle of man

By Muriel Farrington #89517 When offered a place to stay and bike to ride on the Isle of Man the week of the TT races, one cannot say no. Muriel Farrington offers her story about her week touring the historic island.

unburdened, unbuffered and uncomplicated: my first airhead

By Dawn Hein #169208 Dawn Hein thought it would be cool to own a motorcycle from the same year she was born. The long-time dirt bike rider struck the jackpot when she found her first boxer, a 1972 R 75/5.

ON THE COVER: S hawn and Lance Thomas, aka The Adventure Brothers, wind through the redwoods near their northern California home. Photo by Bill Wiegand #180584.

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BMW OWNERS NEWS  July 2017

the club 4 Owners News Contributors 8 Headlight It's Time to Rally, by Bill Wiegand 10 President's Column Happy Independence Day, by Wes Fitzer 12 Shiny Side Up Rally Virgin No More, by Ron Davis 14 Postcards from the Road 16 Rider to Rider Letters from our Members Member tested/ product news 20 X-lite’s X-1004 modular helmet, ZTechnik VStream windscreen for

R 1200 GS Adventure, Helinox Cot Max, Hudson Valley Motor Parts bar end weights.

skills 74 Ask a Pro Origins of the Wave, by Lee Parks 76 Foundation News Curve Cowboys give to GEARS,

by Wayne Edkin

lifestyle 80 Jack the Riepe When the Front Brake Hose Falls Off,

by Jack Riepe

84 High Mileage Congratulations High Mileage Riders,

by Jim Heberling

88 Chartered Clubbing Celebrating 35 years of BMW ROK

by Nancy Van Voorhis

90 Final Journey Remembering Norman Jones,

by Paul and Voni Glaves

30 Rox Speed FX helps rider comfort, SPOT LLC partners with BMW

Motorcycle Owners of America, Pied Piper rates BMW Motorrad dealerships #1, TPX Pro offers radar and laser protection for motorcyclists, RKA Motorcycle Luggage expands product line, MOA Board of Directors spring 2017 election results, MOA Board election bylaw changes proposed, Kenneth “Mac” McHugh honored with Lifetime Achievement award, BMW Motorrad releases pricing and model updates for K 1600 GT/L and G 310 R models.

tech 42 Keep ‘em Flying Tuning Carbs and Hitting Antelope,

by Matthew Parkhouse

46 Nicht Uber Max Questions and Answers,

by George Mangicaro

discovery 48 Long Distance Style Unleashing my Moto-Beast,

by Deb Gasque

2017 BMW MOA International Rally 94 Come Find your Crossroads 96 Rally Updates 97 Another Band added to Entertainment Roster 98 BMW Motorcycles of Utah 100 2017 BMW MOA Rally Grand Prizes 106 2017 BMW MOA Rally Door Prizes 108 2017 BMW MOA Rally Vendors events 112 When and Where Places to Ride and Things to See 119 Advertiser Index 120 Talelight

Photo by Brenda Treleaven #208630 July 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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CONTRIBUTORS 1. Will Guyan began his riding career in the mid ‘60s on British machinery, when he rode solo around Europe and North Africa. He became hooked on BMWs thanks to the R 100 GS. Will lives in northern California, is a Friend of the Marque, and is a former editor of On The Level BMW Magazine. He owns several BMWs and earned his 25-year MOA badge several years ago.

2. Muriel Farrington learned to ride when she was 58 and in 2001 joined the BMW MOA. Since that time, she’s served for nine years as a member of the MOA Board of Directors, spent six years as the BMW Motorcycle Owners of Vermont’s president and 16 years as their newsletter editor. In the past year she reached her 300,000 mile pleateau and was also chosen as an MOA Ambassador while contributing numerous articles to BMW Owners News. Muriel can usually be found exploring back roads aboard one of her F 650s.

3. George Mangicaro was born with a wrench in one hand and a Pepsi in the other, and his mother still hasn't forgiven him.

Despite trying to cut off one thumb with a table saw, George was a Master Certified Technician for nearly 20 years and collects Beemer parts like it's his job...because it actually IS his job! He runs Beemers Uber Alles, an independent BMW and Ural repair shop in Manassas, Virginia.

4. Jim Heberling hails from the Land of Lincoln. He started riding his dirt bike in the old gravel pits there in the 60’s and rode various brand cycles for 25 years.

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BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

spent the next 25 years fishing and enjoying quiet early Jim mornings on the lake with coffee and a couple of Fig Newtons.

When Jim retired a couple years ago he purchased his first BMW, a 2013 R 1200 GSA and now enjoys traveling to rallies and volunteering wherever he can. As High Mileage Coordinator he has the opportunity to speak with members across the country and share their riding experiences while helping MOA members navigate to the High Mileage Application on the BMW MOA website.

5. Greg Feeler got his first BMW in 1972 at the age of five and hasn’t been without one since. He took his first honeymoon on an R75/5 and still has the bike. Last July he completed 14 years of service on the BMW MOA Board of Directors, including four and one-half years as president. He has been a technology manager for over 20 years, specializing in herding cats, which qualified him for his present BMW MOA assignment as Rally Chair for the 2017 BMW MOA International Rally in Salt Lake City, Utah.

6. D awn Hein has been riding motorcycles since 2001, but REALLY started riding when she got her 650 GS in 2010. After taking RawHyde's Intro class with her husband, she was hooked on dirt. While always working on being on a better rider, Dawn travels on and off-road about 10,000 miles a year on one of her trusty BMW 650 singles (X-Challenge, Dakar, and GS). She and her husband Michael live in New Paltz, New York, with their many motorcycles.

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California Dreamin'

Though the grass is not brown and the sky not grey, an R 100 CS rests in the California sunshine high above the coast north of San Francisco.

Photo by Bill Wiegand #180584

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headlight Magazine of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America MANAGING EDITOR

Bill Wiegand bill@bmwmoa.org

It's time to Rally

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 July 2017

LIKE THE 44 PREVIOUS RALLIES THE MOA HAS ORGANIZED, THE

2017 edition has been meticulously and enthusiastically planned, with the duties undertaken this year by Rally Chair Greg Feeler and Co-Chairs Brian Burdette and Pat Carol. Through their planning, cajoling, sweettalking, begging, and arm-twisting, they have tried to make sure every opportunity is explored as they worked toward a goal of giving each attendee a great experience.

Since being named rally chair, Greg has striven to make this year’s event unique, beginning with branding the event as the “Crossroads of the West” rally. The moniker honors Utah’s early history and the place where, on May 10, 1869, two steam locomotives from the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads faced each other for a “Joining of the Rails Ceremony,” completing a transcontinental railroad route that linked the east and west.

Later, in 1913, the Lincoln Highway became one of the earliest transcontinental highways for automobiles across the United States, linking New York through Salt Lake City to California.

As the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America marks its 45th year, it also seems appropriate that Utah serves as the host state since it was the 45th state admitted to our union.

Beyond this rally theme, Greg, Brian and Pat wanted to further express their interpretation of what motorcycling is by encouraging all riders to get out to “Find Your Crossroads” and the special places only found on a motorcycle. While Greg describes one of his most memorable experiences aboard his BMW on page 94, I’d wager all of us have experiences tucked deep in our memories that elicit a smile whenever they bubble to the surface of our mind. I’d also wager that everyone coming to Salt Lake City later this month will go home with long-lasting smiles.

With Arches, Zion, Canyonlands, Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef National Parks, spectacular national monuments, 43 state parks and expansive areas of breathtaking wilderness, Utah offers visitors incredible beauty and roads and trails that must be ridden.

Need more reasons to ride to Salt Lake City for the rally? How about the chance to win fantastic grand prizes, including trips to some of the greatest places on earth and top tier gear? On top of that, two lucky attendees will win their choice of a new BMW R nineT Scrambler, Pure, Racer or Urban G/S. In addition to these fantastic Grand Prizes, more than 60 vendors will be giving away daily door prizes.

And don’t forget the nearly 100 seminars packed with information and tips on everything from trip preparation, new gear and keeping your Airhead running to riding with a sidecar, riding off-road and picking up your fallen bike. Want to improve your rider skills? All rally attendees also will have the opportunity to receive road, off-road and GEARS training.

Finally, how about a little seat time aboard a new BMW S 1000 RR, K 1600 GT or G 310 R? The BMW Motorrad Demo truck will be in Salt Lake City, offering rides on the entire BMW demo fleet. And though sitting in front of a computer visiting websites is okay, nothing beats seeing and touching the products and gear you’re interested in buying. With more than 105 vendors on hand displaying products and services, now is not the time to lose your wallet.

Again this year, the entertainment stage in the middle of rally central boasts a fantastic musical line-up, beginning Thursday and running through Saturday night. Just steps away from the beer garden, it’ll be the place to be each evening.

The 2017 BMW MOA International Rally—where else will you get the opportunity to celebrate with 6,000 of your best friends?

See you in Utah!

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PRESIDENTSCOLUMN

Happy Independence Day BMW MOA OFFICERS

Wes Fitzer, President 918-441-2114; jwfitzer@yahoo.com Jackie Hughes, Vice President 509-928-3261; jhughes@bmwmoa.org Reece Mullins, Secretary 334-470-7770; rangerreece@mac.com Jean Excell, Treasurer 719-650-6215; jeanexcell@bmwmoa.org BMW MOA DIRECTORS

Sam Garst 414-704-7767: guanocave@gmail.com Stan Herman 719-250-4358; hermanhaus1@msn.com Marc Souliere 613-828-1798; beemer1@sympatico.ca Chad Warner 614-735-8558; chad.warner@bmwmoa.org BMW MOA VOLUNTEER STAFF

Steve Brunner, Mileage Contest Coordinator 910-822-4369; steveb@bmwmoa.org Jim Heberling, High Mileage Coordinator 309-530-1951; jheberling@bmwmoa.org David Swider, Ambassador Liaison 415-479-8075; teamkbasa@comcast.net Lee Woodring, Consumer Liaison 770-331-2419; lee.woodring@bmwmoa.org Joe Leung, Consumer Liaison 403-689-9939; joe.leung@bmwmoa.org Greg Feeler, Pat Carol and Brian Burdette 2017 BMW MOA Rally Chairs 2017rallychair@bmwmoa.org BMW MOTORCYCLE OWNERS OF AMERICA

640 640 S. Main Street, Ste. 201 Greenville, SC 29601

Robert C. Aldridge, Executive Director bob@bmwmoa.org Ted Moyer, Director of Membership & Marketing tedm@bmwmoa.org Bill Wiegand, BMW Owners News Managing Editor bill@bmwmoa.org Karin Halker, Art Director karin@bmwmoa.org Ray Tubbs, Digital Marketing Manager ray@bmwmoa.org Wes Fleming, Associate Editor Digital wfleming@bmwmoa.org Lesa Howard, Membership Services lesa@bmwmoa.org Noelle Leopard, Membership Services noelle@bmwmoa.org

By Wes Fitzer #170126 On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia’s Independence Hall to adopt the Declaration of Independence, thereby announcing that the 13 American colonies were no longer under British rule. Instead, from that day forward the colonies regarded themselves as 13 independent sovereign states that together had formed a new nation: the United States of America.

You might be thinking, “That’s great, Wes, but what does that mean for the BMW MOA?” Occasionally, I’m still asked about the MOA’s “independence” from both the BMW Motorrad USA and the BMW Car Club of America. My answer remains the same: the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America continues to be one of the largest independent motorcycle clubs in the world and unlike other motorcycle owners groups which are owned, funded or managed by a manufacturer, the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America is not owned, funded and managed by BMW. We are independent.

Our relationship includes BMW paying for the advertising published in Owners News, just as other advertisers do. BMW shows support for the MOA at the rally when they bring their demo truck and give members an opportunity to ride new models. Additionally, BMW supports the MOA by providing door prizes and grand prizes awarded at our rallies.

Some might say, “Okay, if we’re not in bed with BMW, why aren’t we? I think we should be.”

My answer to this question is simple; BMW is in the business of building and selling the best (my opinion) motorcycles and motorcycle gear in the world. The MOA is in the “business” of providing the membership an after-purchase ownership experience.

Our independence from the BMW has both positives and negatives. While we are grateful for the support they continue to provide and are always looking for ways to strengthen that relationship, MOA members have made clear over the years their desire to maintain a unique identity while still supporting the marque.

Many of you will recall the difficult decision we made in 2015 to move our offices from St. Louis to Greenville, South Carolina, and share space with the BMW Car Club of America. While the move created a litany of questions about our relationship with the CCA, let me once again reassure you that we remain independent of the CCA. The BMW MOA Board of Directors and staff have worked extremely hard to reduce overhead expenditures and ensure BMW MOA member dues are used for BMW MOA member benefits to the greatest extent possible. Just as we do with BMW Motorrad USA, we work closely with the CCA as we both provide similar functions, and we will continually look for opportunities mutually beneficial to both organizations.

Okay, enough about our independence, but after being repeatedly asked these questions, I felt it best to put this out for everyone to read.

Let’s talk about the 2017 Find Your Crossroads Rally just a bit. By the time you read this we’ll be just a few short weeks from the kickoff of what I think will be our best MOA rally yet. I have been assured by Rally Chair Greg Feeler that this year’s rally will have activities and vendors never seen at an MOA rally. I hope those of you who've never attended our International Rally will take the chance to join us in Utah. Where else can you find 6,000 friends who all share the same passion for motorcycling and BMW motorcycles as you?

If you are able to come to Salt Lake City, be sure and look me up—I look forward to meeting you!

Ride safe!

Wes 10

BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

Fitzer

www.ztechnik.com

the club 12

shinysideup

“Rally Virgin” no more

By Ron Davis #111820 SINCE

I

WRITE

and edit for a motorcycle magazine, and, of course, I own a motorcycle, people may tend to assume I’m some kind of expert about bikes and riding them. Well, I’m not. Sure, I’ve owned a bunch of bikes (the last four, Beemers), and have taken a few road trips, but I’m more what some might call an “enthusiast.” Years ago, when I had just joined the MOA, I was even more of a tenderfoot.

Because of that, I was a little intimidated by the prospect of attending my first BMW MOA International Rally, and I had little idea of what to expect.

As my riding buddy Ralph and I drew closer to the rally site that year, I remember seeing more and more bikes funneling onto the interstate we were on, all headed in the same direction. Head nods, friendly waves and the occasional horn toot marked almost every encounter. This was really my first hint as to what a kind of community I had joined.

When we parked outside the rally to register, I gaped wide-eyed at the long line of motorcycles (mostly BMWs) and the queue of all kinds of cyclists in all kinds of gear, no clue that this would be nothing compared to the masses of bikes and riders inside the rally grounds.

After filling out my paperwork and handing it in to a friendly volunteer, he skimmed it quickly and shouted, “RALLY VIRGIN!” Almost everyone in the tent turned in our direction and clapped, whistled and hooted. I’m not sure if that’s still always done or if everyone thinks it’s a particularly

BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

appropriate, but for me, it felt like goodnatured ribbing, the kind you get from your family.

Once done registering, loading up my swag (coffee cup, backsack, patch and pin), and setting up camp in the middle of a growing sea of tents and bikes, I headed for the vendor area. Since I was then just beginning to write gear reviews (and am a selfavowed farkle-holic) the siren song of the vendor booths was impossible to resist. As I

was fondling a helmet at one booth, a company rep approached, greeted me, pointed out some features of the lid in my hands, and then asked, “So what kind of helmet are you using now?” When I mentioned the brand of the eBay special I was using, he smirked, “That’s no helmet.” I was a little piqued at first, but after he patiently schooled me on all the finer points of helmet history, design and construction, I went to the Cybercafe and ordered a new one online immediately.

The workshops were also packed with good information. For instance, one airhead savant joked about the perils of using zip ties (which represent the pinnacle of my mechanical expertise), his buddy noting he had recently needed five stitches for using them without a special zip tie gun—my

reaction: A zip-what? The atmosphere of all the workshops I attended was informal but informative, the tone more of sharing than sermonizing, and I think even newbies like me felt comfortable asking any kind of question, no matter how rudimentary.

That night, I gravitated to the mainstage area, where the music began with Bavarian oom-pah music, followed by some solid classic rock. New friends were made, the dark beer, kettle corn and conversation ebbed and flowed, and I ended up sitting in rapt awe as a fellow member recounted the miles he had traveled and worldwide waypoints he had touched. It made me feel a little like a poser, but my catagelophobia (the fear of being ridiculed) vanished, as he confessed he liked nothing more than prowling back roads just a few miles from his home on a beat-up K bike.

By the last day of my first rally, all my apprehensions were gone. I sat on a bench and met a woman who had ridden hundreds of miles with her husband and two little dogs. I met another rider who was looking forward to a workshop on tires, before he chose which brand to have spooned on right at the rally for his run back to Boston. I watched a GS demo which I could enjoy without questioning my own skill. I marveled at the pristine look of the bikes at the Vintage Display corral. And I had one of the best al fresco fish fries of my life (and having grown up in Wisconsin where Friday fish fries are akin to religion, that’s saying a lot).

I packed up the next morning, snicked into first gear and eased out of the rally grounds, happy to be on the road again, but regretting the rally was over.

For all those planning on attending their first BMW MOA International Rally this month in Salt Lake City, I predict you’re in for a rewarding experience and a friendly initiation into a warm and welcoming community!

www.michelinmotorcycle.com

Postcardsfromtheroad

1. M y old bike photographed last year near my Colorado home.

Douglas Landin #164818 Eagle, Colorado 2. A nother casualty of progress found along Route 66 in Truxton, Arizona.

Steve Barnhill #103656 Sandy, Utah

3. Utah’s Highway 31 near Huntington Canyon.

Clark Skeen #184726 North Ogden, Utah 4. Hello from the RT-esians stopped in California’s eastern Mojave Desert.

Peter Oxenbol #80002 Clayton, California 5. Headed

north of Revelstoke in British Columbia.

Greg Turp #123710 Box Elder, South Dakota

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6. An autumn afternoon along Yountville Cross Road in the heart of the Napa Valley.

Ferdinand Rios #173708 Napa, California 7. A rest day or two in Playa Los Cocos, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

Nick Gloyd #208623 Santa Rosa, California

Each month we publish the 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.

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

So far, so good

I am new to the MOA and must say I like what I have seen so far. If you come to Utah I think you will appreciate it as well. I spent 13 years in two beautiful states, Maryland and New York. I love them both, but a couple of years ago I came home to Utah.

We have plenty of public land that offers so many opportunities for those that visit. 66.5 percent of Utah is federal land, second only to Nevada. Alaska has 61.8 percent. Utah has 13 national parks that everyone should see and enjoy. Yes, there is a debate about the latest addition of federal land and how much is enough when trying to balance economic growth and development needed to support future generations and the need to protect our lands. It is easy to tell someone that they should make more of their land public when a state like Kentucky has only 4.2 percent federal land.

I have always found it best to get to know someone before I judge them. I am getting to know MOA, and I hope when the MOA comes to Utah it gets to know us. Come and judge for yourself and see if we are good caretakers of our land. I think you will like what you see.

Ariel Swensen #211798 Layton, Utah

Enjoyed "Seven Bikes"

Just a brief note to say I really related to and enjoyed Ken Frick's extremely well written article, “Seven Bikes,” presented so beautifully in the May 2017 BMW Owners News. Rarely does such interesting experience, photography and story-telling skill come together in a single article, and it really struck home. My 40-year affair has been with an R 75/5 rather than a CB750, but otherwise, we have a lot in common.

I'd suggest you publish more articles like “Seven Bikes” but I already know you

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would if you could.

Paul Studebaker #9910 Valparaiso, Indiana

Thank you Ken

I have enjoyed many articles in our magazine but I have never sent comments until now. I enjoyed Ken Frick's story, “Seven Bikes,” so much that I had send praises.

There are several reasons why I liked it so much. I got a clear image of his humorous, interesting and nostalgic stories; his writing style is unique, creative and efficient; I can relate to the era and his personality type.

Before I got to the part where he ended up with a BMW, I thought the article was borrowed from another brand's magazine because it was so good! But then he describes ending up with an RT, another way I can relate!

Peter Feneht #148459 Madison, Wisconsin

Not a fan of Riepe

After years of riding two-up with my sweetheart on his R 1200 GS, I recently started riding my own G 650 GS. The latest industry statistics show female riders account for about 13 percent of motorcyclists in the U.S. (25 percent when including those riding as passengers), and I am proud to have joined that 13 percent!

I have enjoyed reading Owners News for several years and appreciate the increased attention to female riders, including gear reviews and contributors. I feel the group is welcoming of women riders. I must say, however, that I am not a member of the Jack Riepe Fan Club. I am uncomfortable with what I describe as his “These women, am I right?!” writing style.

To paraphrase some recent articles: men have to enter the Witness Protection Program after a divorce, am I right?

Women refuse ramen noodle dinners but

are placated by wine, am I right? There are women who do for Kevlar® what Kate Moss did for jeans, am I right?

These comments remove the feeling of community, making me feel isolated from the group. As a new rider, I am looking for approachability and acceptance from those who are more experienced and established in the group. These divisive comments make me question which members to seek out.

In the future, when I may be the seasoned member, would I want to stop and help someone who may only be interested in how I fill out my Kevlar®? There is no need to draw these lines of us and them, male and female, hot and not. We are all riders.

When our new Owners News arrives, I breathe a sigh of relief when Mr. Riepe is not listed on the contributors page. When I read through Rider to Rider comments, I find any objections to his articles are far outnumbered by the fan letters—of which few (none?) have been from women, to my recollection.

I hear that silence equals consent, so I wanted to put my dissenting voice out into the fray. For now, I will turn the page past the Riepe articles to get back to the informative and entertaining articles that your publication provides.

Christie Nestler #212339 Portland, Oregon

Stop the politicking

I never thought I would see politics in the Owners News. But to call for a boycott of the National because it is in Utah, Seriously? What’s next, members from states that voted for Clinton not attending rallies in states that voted for Trump, or vice versa?

I do not think the state of Utah will notice if a couple hundred fewer people attend. You are just hurting the MOA and

the vendors.

I will not be at the National this year as I have a family event a couple of weeks later. I will be passing though Utah on my way to this event, and I will be spending money, maybe more now.

Delmer Dyk #55992 Bismarck, North Dakota

Anyone for a moon rally?

After reading Brian Reeder’s letter that he was not coming to the Utah because of politics, I thought I would express my concerns on locations of any future MOA rallies.

We can’t have any rallies in California because their politics there are too liberal.

Likewise, Texas is ruled out as their politics are too conservative. We can’t have rallies in Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Minnesota, Illinois, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Washington DC because they voted to elect Hillary Clinton as president and this will upset Republicans. Likewise, we can’t have rallies in any of the red states (especially Kentucky) as this may be insensitive to my Democratic friends.

So that we can be sensitive to all MOA members and their political concerns in the future, I vote all future International MOA rallys will be held on the moon.

Mike Cloke #192163 Clarkston, Washington

Boycott Utah? Your loss!

I am so excited that the National Rally is coming to Utah! You will not be disappointed. Utah has some of the greatest motorcycle roads and views anywhere— Especially in Southern Utah! You will find yourself saying “WOW”—a lot!!

I need to address Mr. Reeder’s concerns (May 2017 Rider to Rider, page 17). Utah’s fabled Parks and Red Rocks are not going away; we resent the recent federal land grabs and would simply like to “change ownership.” Utah-ans feel we can manage our land better than elitists and politicians in far-away Washington, DC. No one loves this land more than the locals, as we have for generations.

To understand the controversy, use this analogy: I propose the Appalachia region be designated as a National Monument.

But to actually follow the Antiquities Act Law, we will limit the Appalachia National Monument to one state: Kentucky. I’ve never been there, but understand it’s very pretty. We need to Protect and Preserve those lands for “future generations.”

Lock up their resources! No more development. America needs more Public Lands—who needs Private Property anyway? Take away state control; Washington’s politicians and bureaucrats always knows what’s best for local economies.

I will boycott Kentucky as long as they make bourbon because my religion forbids consumption of alcohol. I am offended by the fact that they paint their lawns an unnatural color, probably using a toxic dye to create that “Bluegrass” and making horses run round and round a race track is inhumane! Heck, in Kentucky only 4 percent of the land is controlled by the Feds, much less than Utah’s 66 percent.

If you do choose to boycott the Salt Lake Rally, you will be missing out on some of the most beautiful county in the world. Just to make a political statement?

Your loss. You will always be welcome here in Utah, and I suggest picking up David Magdiel’s Ride Utah! and saddle up!

Ken Gotzenberg #18717 Kanab, Utah

Loved the May issue

Just wanted to pass along a compliment on the May 2017 Owner News. The layout continues to improve. Photographs, amazing! Something for everyone.

Unlike others who seem to complain about Matt Parkhouse's articles, I love them, being an old Airhead guy (R 90s) as well as riding my '04 RT 15,000 miles a year.

I learn something new every time, and I'm a guy who's been working on Airheads for 37 years.

Ken Frick's “Seven Bikes’ took me back to my youth, tearing it up on mini bikes, and my first real motorcycle, a 1972 Suzuki TS90. A phenomenal story.

Rick Griffith #49177 Farmington Hills, Michigan

Great riding in Florida

God bless you, Ms. Gasque! You have finally given Florida the cred it deserves for motorcycle touring, and you’ve only just touched on a small portion of this glorious and most rideable state.

Month after month, I read these now boring stories of rides through this forest or that mountain range, across streams or deserts, through quaint little northern towns. And quite frankly, it almost encourages me to cancel my subscription. About the only mention Florida ever gets is a head nod to the annual Harley fest known as Bike Week, which, honestly, is nothing but an excuse to be stupid for two days a year…I know, I’ve been…and I owned a Harley. And, yeah, the Jacksonville gathering, but MOA doesn’t make it sound all that tempting to justify crossing the country to participate in.

Your April article was a wonderful and long overdue change. But there is even more. Old Florida extends for miles, all the way to Key West, through the Everglades, and through many little towns and two lane roads with curves, too. Best of all, it’s all available 365 days a year. All those springs and rivers are swimmable all year long as well, with 72 degree water flowing beautiful and clear in many state parks, thankfully ignored by tourists. Plenty of year-round camping, too. BBQ and dockside seafood abounds along the coast and river fronts. Artist colonies and quaint whatevers are hidden everywhere.

I would love to see MOA schedule a true Florida rally one winter, spring, summer or fall at Wakulla, or Blue Springs, or Deleon Springs, or dozens of other bike-friendly locales and state parks throughout Florida, not just Jacksonville or Daytona. We have more sand trails than the average GS can handle, too. There’s no reason we all have to haul ourselves to the Canadian border or Utah or even North Carolina or California for a really good BMW gathering. We are, after all, the Sunshine State all year long.

Eric D. Kuritzky #189895 Orlando, Florida

www.adriaticmotortours.com

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www.spieglerusa.com

www.conti-moto.com

18

BMW OWNERS NEWS  July 2017

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X-lite’s X-1004: The next step in modular helmets

By Ron Davis #111820 WHEN FLIP-UP HELMETS FIRST

came on the market 20 or so years ago, I was an immediate fan. Being a member of the four-eyed community, I always resented taking my glasses on and off to pull on a helmet; invariably, there was never a good place to put them, and threading them on through the eye port could be a pain. Plus, there was always that fear that wearing a full-face and sunglasses in to pay for gas or do some quick shopping made me look like I was going to rob the place. However, as with any emerging technology, those first models had their teething troubles.

Flip-ups or “modulars” (to me, true modulars have removable chinbars, visors, etc.) were tagged as noisy, heavy, and a bit clunky in their mechanics.

Since then, just about every helmet manufacturer has added flip-ups to their lines, and the sophistication of their construction and features has evolved. A great example of the refinements that have taken place is the new X-lite X-1004.

X-lite is part of the Nolan Group, which includes Nolan and Grex helmets, but as a brand rep told me, X-lite is to the Nolan Group as Porsche is to Volkswagen.

At first look, it’s clear there’s nothing clunky about the X-1004. The design is elegant—closed, it’s hard to distinguish this flipup from a full-face. Generally I’m a sucker for hi-vis yellow or orange in helmets, but I went with the silver for the X-1000, thinking it wouldn’t absorb heat like a darker color (choices are black, matte black, white, silver, hi-vis yellow). Nolan’s “Hi-Brite” clear coat finish on the helmet is gorgeous, just what you’d expect from a high-end helmet.

All parts for X-lite helmets are manufactured in-house in Italy, so as one might expect, the mechanical functions and fitment between components are excellent. The steel, doublelever release for the chinbar is unique among most flip-ups and probably explains the high

ratings this helmet gets in crash tests. The levers are easy to operate once you get the hang of it, and when the chinbar is raised to its full height, a detent clicks in and holds it up. The faceshield opens with a center-mounted tab to four soft detents, the first about an inch open. It closes onto an airtight, lubricated gasket and accepts a pinlock insert to prevent fogging (included with the helmet). Both the top and chinbar air intakes open with threeposition sliders, also glove friendly, a priority feature for cold-weather riders.

The X-lite has a nice, wide field of view and one of the largest internal VPS sun screens I’ve ever tried. When the sun screen drops down, it does tap the bridge of my nose, but it can be adjusted to any height (unlike spring-operated screens) and will stay where you set it with plenty of clearance for eyeglasses. The removable Lexan sun screen

The dual-action, steel locking levers on the Nolan Group’s X-lite’s X-1004 make it one of the safest modulars on the market.

offers UV 400 protection and is scratch and fog resistant. On warm, sunny days I grew fond of swinging the face shield up for more ventilation and the visor down to cut the glare.

With the cavernous intake on the top, another on the chinbar and exhaust vents in the rear, I’d judge ventilation in the x-1004 as good as any full face near its price range.

Opening the top vent, I could feel air moving across my scalp. On the bottom of the chinbar is a detachable chin curtain, which is a nice feature for colder temps, except for one problem: it may be a little too “detachable.” After one ride I discovered the chin curtain was only hanging to the helmet by one of its four, press-in tabs. What I learned was that one has to be careful to not pull on the chin curtain when flipping the chinbar up or down, much better to use the dual action levers.

The X-lite X-1004 weighs in at 1,500 grams or about 3.3 lbs., less than Shoei’s modular Neotec by about five ounces and an ounce or two lighter than a premium full face like Arai’s Corsair-X. One reason may be the 1004’s composite fiber (not polycarbonate) shell, but keep in mind, this is the fourth iteration of this helmet, so Nolan’s X-lite designers have had plenty of opportunity to find ways to shave weight. Three shell sizes

The X-lite X-1000 helmet features a huge, drop-down sun screen that is coated for fog and scratch resistance and is rated for 400 UV protection.

I HAVE A FEELING, GIVEN ITS QUALITY CONSTRUCTION, EVOLUTIONARY DESIGN FEATURES AND VERSATILITY, THE X-LITE X-1004 WILL GENERATE A LOT OF INTEREST FROM RIDERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF THE TOURING AND SPORT-TOURING PERSUASION. are used to span the six available head sizes.

I found sizes closely mirrored those of Shoei and Arai, but since everybody’s head is different, I’d advise trying one on before purchase. The “Cool Max” interior is plush and uses a mesh net for more effective ventilation. Both the liner and the zip-in neck roll are removable and washable, and cheek pads can be re-positioned for eyeglasses, though I found the helmet’s interior accommodated my specs right out of the box.

Like many helmets in the Nolan Group’s

line, the X-1004 uses their exclusive Microlock strap. I’ve always found this system more comfortable and convenient than D-rings, especially when wearing gloves. I can’t imagine Nolan would risk using a retention system that isn’t as secure. Incidentally, the X-1004 is DOT certified and has passed the ECE 22.05 European safety standard.

As to the last traditional bugaboo for flipups—noise level—I’m probably not the most reliable judge. I always wear earplugs,

have a generously-sized windshield, and 40 years of playing drums and riding bikes doesn’t help your hearing, so…your results may vary. I’ve tried in the past to use pseudo-scientific methods to calibrate helmet noise—lapel mikes, recorders and sound apps—but there are just so many variables I was skeptical of my findings. At best, I can say the 1004 is nearly as quiet as a high-end full face.

I have a feeling, given its quality construction, evolutionary design features and versatility, the X-Lite X-1004 will generate a lot of interest from riders, especially those of the touring and sport-touring persuasion.

This new for 2017 flip-up from the Nolan Group is N-Com X-Series ready and retails for around $575. More information is available at xlite-usa.com and from many helmet vendors.

July 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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ZTechnik VStream windscreen for R 1200 GS Adventure

By Steven M. Green # 198919 WHEN I BOUGHT MY FIRST BMW R

1200 GS in 2011, the first mod I made was to replace the short stock windscreen with a ZTechnik VStream model. The new screen cut down on buffeting and made riding more enjoyable. Fast forward to 2017 and when ZTechnik announced their new windscreens for the R 1200 GS and GSA water cooled models, I thought it would be worth a look to see how they performed. I chose the tall model since I’d be testing it on the GSA, which already has a taller windshield than the GS. The windshield was ordered with the optional stabilizer kit which provides an additional metal brace to enhance the support of the

polycarbonate screen. The illustrated instructions were easily followed, although it was necessary on the GSA to remove the factory clear deflector that sits below the windscreen to permit access to the mounting screws.

Once installed, the ZTechnik screen was five inches higher than the stock GS windscreen. The Stabilizer Kit added a bit of stoutness for the extra height, however, the intricate geometry needed for aligning with the stock GS height adjusting mechanism during the entire range of operation was not as good as could be hoped, and some binding was encountered, thereby restricting the height adjustment to about 1 ½”.

In comparing the ZTechnik screen with the stock BMW Adventure screen, the 5” difference in height was immediately

apparent. Using a calipers, I measured the difference in the polycarbonate screen thicknesses. The ZTechnik was about 3.1 mm thick compared to the stock BMW screen at 4.2mm.

Taking the bike for a road test, it was immediately apparent that the helmet buffeting was reduced; but as with any bike windscreen, it was not entirely eliminated.

The substantial increase in height, along with the thinner material, caused me to be concerned about how stable the screen would be at speed, but the stabilizer kit did its magic, even when tested briefly at triple digit speeds.

If you plan on taking your GS on a long road trip, the tall windscreen would be a welcome addition, provided you are comfortable looking through a windscreen,

Below, Images of the ZTechnik VStream stabilizer kit. Right, the ZTechnik Vstream tall windscreen on a 2016 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure.

22

BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

www.tourbikes.com

rather than over it as is the case with the stock windscreens. If you regularly take you GS off road, the additional height might not be the best selection as the edge of the screen gets uncomfortably close when standing on the pegs and leaning forward on rough terrain.

The ZTechnik tall windscreen is model Z 2488 from National Cycle and has an MSRP

of $129.99; most BMW dealers can order this for you. The Z 5220 Stabilizer Kit lists at $74.99.

On my next long jaunt over the highways, I’m looking forward to having the additional wind protection of the taller screen.

Just not having to clean splattered bugs on my helmet might alone be worth the price!

www.beemershop.com

www.aerostich.com/on

July 2017  BMW OWNERS NEWS

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Helinox Cot Max

By Ray Tubbs #58606 I

HAVE

AN

EMBARRASSING

secret. I’d rather take it to my grave, but it’s probably time I got this off my chest: I don’t camp.

There, I said it. I’ve been riding BMW motorcycles for about 30 years but never caught the camping bug. I mean, I have “camped,” but it’s the very rare occasion. Camping isn't in my DNA; I didn’t grow up camping, I wasn’t a Boy Scout and my family didn’t camp. But I have vowed to cure that in 2017!

One of my resolutions for 2017 was to cure that, so the first question I asked was what to sleep on. I realize the ground is ALWAYS there and doesn't have to be packed and unpacked for every trip, which are highly desirable characteristics. After a few surgeries and a cyst still riding on my spine, I figured I would

BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

splurge. I went to the great body of MOA experts and while there wasn't a consensus (since when can all of us agree on anything?), there was a favorable opinion of the Helinox Cot. If a regular cot was that good, a Cot Max should be better, right?

After a quick trip down the internet with my credit card, a Helinox Cot Max was on my doorstep four days later. As one would expect, there was highly efficient packaging, with everything breaking down into the typical canvas-style bag. Instructions are simple and straightforward if one chose to read them. As a matter of fact, it comes with very clear instructions on paper as well as equally clear instructions on the canvas of the cot. More pointedly, the legs are each stamped with a clear “This Side Up” designation.

I didn’t read the instructions.

Well, not at first. Trust me, the Cot Max WILL go together in some fashion other

than what the fine people at Helinox intended. A house of cards might be the most apt description of the franken-cot I created and thankfully didn't attempt to use—or force anyone else to. In full defense of Helinox, they make it very easy to follow the instructions and put the Cot Max together with ease. A good 45 seconds into the chart and I had most of the cot completed and had memorized the routine for the future. It’s really that easy, and one leg on each of the four base rails levers down to pull the canvas taut. Extremely taut, actually—I doubt that even several dedicated years of serious camping would loosen this design.

I’m pacing myself on the camping, so I first took the finished Cot Max to the basement to test out the sleeping capabilities.

The Cot Max provides an extra three inches in width and 7.5 inches in length over the Helinox Cot One, and at 6’ 01”

DMC Sidecars

and about 225 pounds, the extra canvas proved beneficial to me. I tend to roll in my sleep; while the setup didn’t allow for a lot of that, it did allow me to move around.

I also found time to get the cot out of the basement and actually engage in some real camping. My previous camping episodes featured a sleeping mat directly on the ground, and the comfort and ease of using the Cot Max exceeded all my original expectations. I might actually get used to this camping life!

Some people would likely say cost is the biggest negative, as none of the Helinox cots are cheap, nor are they intended to be cheap in my experience. This is a high quality piece of kit, and you’ll have to decide for yourself if it is worth the cost.

Size is another possible downside, but I found the cot packed up into the standard sleeve with ease and is comparable in size to either of the two tents I own. I would note that the completed Cot Max won't physically fit within the footprint of most single-person tents. It is a long cot, and I would advise checking the dimensions of any cot prior to purchase; Helinox sells the eight inch shorter Cot One for just those reasons.

The extra width and length of the Cot Max and its ease of use are the big positives from my burgeoning experience with Helinox products. I love mine and have actually ordered some newer gear to help me enjoy the camping experiences 2017 holds for me.

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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.

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Soften the vibes with HVMP R 1200 RT bar end weights

By Moshe K. Levy #108259 NEARLY ALL MOTORCYCLES HAVE

an RPM range in which the grips start to buzz, and depending on the model in question, it may feel like operating a jackhammer instead of riding a bike. In some cases, especially for riders with carpal tunnel syndrome and other related afflictions, the vibes can be painful, or even numbing. Hudson Valley Motor Parts (HVMP) Bar End Weights represent a compelling antidote to these annoying handlebar pulsations by adding copious mass to the bar ends, thereby quelling the sympathetic resonance which plagues all machines to some degree.

My HVMP test pair were superlatively finished in brushed stainless steel, an understated bit of bling replacing the 2015 BMW R1200RT test mule’s bland, stock black bar ends. The added mass of the HVMP models was immediately apparent, with each bar end weighing in at a portly 16.7 ounces, and measuring 2.4 inches high x 1.5 inches diameter at the base. For reference, the RT’s stock bar end weighs a scant 8.6 ounces and measures 1.4 inches high x 1.5 inches diameter at the base.

Installation was a breeze, requiring only common hand tools. The Wet head RT’s stock bar ends are removed by loosening the T45 torx bolts which hold them in place, and replacing them with the HVMP units, which are fastened via the included 6mm stainless allen bolts with lock washers. It’s a good idea to add some medium strength thread locking compound to the bolt threads. Torque to 72 in-lbs., and you’re done. The whole process takes less than five minutes at most for the pair, and that’s

BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

working methodically.

On the road, the HVMP bar ends had a dramatic effect on handlebar vibes throughout the entire rev range. Already a smooth bike even in stock form, the RT’s handlebars were now dead still below 4,500 rpm, and the buzz which used to emanate from

the grips above 4,500 rpm was now reduced by what felt like 70 percent, making spirited riding and downshifting much more enjoyable. I tested the HVMPs throughout this past winter, where they were exposed to the elements and salt with no detrimental effects. A quick rub with some WD40 and they look like new.

For the modest investment and effort required for installation, the HVMP bar ends are a worthy addition for commuters, long distance travelers, and any riders who want less buzz in the bars. HVMO offers a wide selection of its Americanmade bar ends for BMW models in brushed stainless and black powdercoat finishes, with MSRPs starting at $78. For more information, visit www.hvmp.com.

W

S

R E H E’

BOB ?

JOIN THE SEARCH. WIN PRIZES. Visit bobsbmw.com/rally for complete details

This year you won’t find a Bob’s BMW booth at the MOA Rally. After 35 years of hauling stuff and setting up displays we’re just sending Bob to have some fun with the community. As a long time MOA Ambassador, he will be volunteering at registration, presenting a seminar on Saturday, and between it all, he’ll be roaming around and kicking tires with friends and rally-goers.

When you spot him, say hello, tell him about your bike, and get entered to win some fantastic prizes like…

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

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BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

new

PRoductnews Rox Speed FX ups rider comfort

Rox Speed FX’s new universal barback handlebar riser promise increased riding comfort for riders of street, dual sport and off-road bikes.

The new bar riser moves handlebars up by 1 1/2" and back or forward by 1 inch and is an easy upgrade for riders wanting to sit in a more upright position and reduce strain on their neck, arms and shoulders. The new risers will install on virtually any bike with a stock 1 1/8" handlebar, parallel OEM bar clamps and an open mounting area.

Available in three finishes to match your factory look the risers feature a simple, straightforward installation and usually do not require rerouting of cables. Additionally, the risers are made in the USA and feature a lifetime warranty. For more information, visit RoxSpeedFX.com

SPOT LLC partners with BMW Motorcycle Owners of America

SPOT LLC, and a leader in satellite messaging and emergency notification technologies, has formed a partnership with the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America providing members with a special offer on SPOT Gen3 and SPOT Trace devices.

“It is our goal to provide the members of the BMW MOA with access to the best products, content and gear available to BMW motorcyclists,” said Bob Aldridge, MOA Executive Director. “Our members are excited about the addition of SPOT and we are looking forward to keeping our riders safer and better protected with the SPOT Gen3 and SPOT Trace devices.”

“We are excited about this partnership with BMW MOA and the opportunity to work with the organization’s membership base,” said Dave Soregaroli, National Sales Manager for SPOT. “The ability to alert search and rescue with the push of a button is key to the safety off all riders on or off the grid.”

The BMW MOA members have access to many resources specifically tailored to the needs of BMW motorcycle riders. Benefits include monthly issues of the BMW Owner News magazine, Platinum Road Side Assistance and Tire Coverage, and many other money-saving discounts, which now includes SPOT devices.

“As proud members of the BMW MOA as well as being SPOT Ambassadors, Lisa and I are excited to see these two powerful brands joining forces. This is a great partnership that combines the invaluable services and rider benefits of both groups to improve rider security for all. That’s a winning combination,” said Simon Thomas of '2 Ride The World'.

SPOT Gen3 is a rugged and affordable GPS tracking device providing off the grid messaging, emergency alerts, extended battery life, and extreme GPS tracking upgrade at 2 ½ minute intervals. SPOT Trace is a GPS tracking device allowing users to track anything, anytime and anywhere by receiving theft-alert SMS texts or emails when movement is detected.

Members interested in taking advantage of the special offer should visit www. bmwmoa.org/memberdiscounts.

Pied Piper rates BMW Dealerships #1

BMW motorcycle dealerships were the top ranked brand in a newly released 2017 Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index® U.S. Motorcycle Industry Benchmarking Study.

The study measured treatment of motorcycle shoppers who visited a dealership, with rankings by brand determined by the Pied Piper PSI process, which ties “mystery shopping” measurement and scoring to industry sales success.

BMW was also among the brands showing the most improvement in sales behavior.

Compared to their performance five years ago, BMW dealers in 2017 were 50% more likely to mention test rides, were 60% more likely to encourage going through the numbers or writing up a deal, and were 30% more likely to ask for contact information to allow follow-up.

“Our dealers are doing an outstanding job of building customer relationships by putting riders’ needs first,” commented Michael Peyton, Vice President, BMW Motorrad North America. “Outstanding customer service, a diverse model range, and a large and growing dealer network will continue to fuel loyalty among current customers and convert others to the BMW brand.”

“Motorcycle shoppers today visit dealerships half as many times before buying,” said Fran O’Hagan, President & CEO of Pied Piper. Motorcycle shoppers today gather much of their information on-line before ever visiting a dealership, and the result has been a drop from an average of four or more shopper visits before buying, to an average of two visits today. “Successful motorcycle dealerships today not only respond quickly to customer web inquiries, but they also understand the increased importance of every customer visit,” said O’Hagan.

Radar and Laser protection for motorcyclists

Even the most cautious riders will sometimes find themselves unknowingly exceeding speed limits only to realize flashing lights in rear view mirrors.

The TPX Pro Radar and Laser Detection system is the most advanced radar and laser detection system available for motorcycle use and is able to warn riders of approaching areas of radar activity. The new TPX Pro unit is Bluetooth capable and features motorcycle specific features including 360-degree radar and laser protection, vibration resistance, large glove-friendly buttons, a bright LED alert and much more all housed in a waterproof case.

For more information and to order, visit adaptivtech.com

RKA Motorcycle Luggage expands product line

RKA Motorcycle Luggage, a California-based manufacturer of motorcycle luggage since 1985, has expanded their line of hard case liners to include inner bags for the 31, 38 and 45-liter Touratech Zega side cases, BMW R 1200 GS and GS Adventure aluminum cases as well as the BMW K 1600 GTL and GT and R 1200 RT models.

Liners for the Touratech Zega panniers include a yellow mesh zippered pocket atop each bag while the bags for the BMW GS aluminum panniers feature a blue pocket. Models for the K 1600 and RT models are available in standard and plush versions and are also in BMW blue.

All products come with RKA’s limited lifetime warranty and for more information or to purchase RKA products, visit www.rka-luggage.com

July 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS

31

news

news

Board of Directors election results

By Reece Mullins #143779 MOA Secretary OUR BMW MOA 2017 ELECTION IS

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

Congratulations to the two candidates elected to the Board of Directors. To those candidates not elected, thank you for being committed BMW MOA members willing to take the effort and do the leg work necessary to place your name on the ballot. Keep in mind we run elections every year now

in accordance with our bylaws. Your chance to run again, along with all other BMW MOA members, will come around in less than twelve months. A total of 2,830 ballots were cast this year, up 573 from last year’s election.

Candidates

*Deb Lower *Roger Trendowski Wayne Bogan Rudy Baumann Total Ballots Cast:

Votes

2,315 1,646 993 450 2,830

*Elected

The newly elected board members will be seated at the 2017 BMW MOA International Rally. Once the full board is seated, the directors will elect the new officers for the BMW MOA, which will be announced at the rally.

Again, as Secretary of the MOA, I would personally like to thank the Election Committee, Chairman Tom Buttars from Iowa and co-chairs Don Hamblin from Missouri and Dave Swider from California for their continued hard work and dedication to the MOA in this important function of our club.

Election bylaw changes proposed

By Reece Mullins #143779 MOA Secretary THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS

proposed the following bylaw changes: paragraph 5.2 and paragraph 6.3 of Article IV. Elections.

In Compliance with Article V. Amendment of Bylaws Section 1: “The Secretary shall cause such a motion to be published in BMW Owners News not less than thirty (30) days prior to the meeting at which the vote is to be taken.”

Current Bylaws

5.2 Winning Candidates. The five (5) candidates who receive the most votes in any election when five (5) positions of director are to be filled and the four (4) candidates who receive the most votes in any election when four (4) positions of director are to be filled

32

BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

shall be declared the winning candidates.

all four (4) officer positions.

Proposed Bylaw Change

Proposed Bylaw Change

5.2 Winning Candidates. The candidates who receive the most votes in any election equal to the vacancies to be filled shall be declared the winning candidates.

Current Bylaws

6.3 The internal selection of Officers will begin after the 2013 election. For transition, the 2013 election will be for four (4) director positions. The sitting Vice-President and sitting Treasurer in 2013 at the time of officer selection may, at their option, complete their remaining term as elected by the membership or may resign and join the other directors before officer selection begins. In 2014, five (5) directors will be elected and officer selection will occur for

6.3 Deleted.

Background: The proposed changes to 5.2 and 6.3 are in response to the Election revisions of July 5, 2016, that require additional modifications to 5.2 and 6.3. These two paragraphs as originally stated have become moot or require modification to facilitate consistent wording within the bylaws.

Any objections to the bylaw changes may be voiced by contacting the Board of Directors directly. Directors contact information is available through the BMW MOA website, Anonymous Book, or the Mast Head of this, or any current Owners News.

www.edelweissbike.com

www.magura.com

July 2017  BMW OWNERS NEWS

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news

news

Mac McHugh honored with Lifetime Achievement award ON APRIL 23, 2017, THE PORT

Washington BMW Club hosted their 33rd annual Wild Goose Run in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. This is an annual event where the area Clubs meet for lunch and conversation at the start of the Wisconsin riding season.

At this year’s luncheon, Kenneth (Mac) McHugh #31798, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by all the Wisconsin clubs.

Mac joined the MOA in 1976, and for 10 years he was one of the photographers for the MOA. One of Mac’s earliest pictures was the first color cover page for BMW Owners News magazine. After that, Mac has spent the last 30 years as an MOA Ambassador.

Mac and Arlene have spent years traveling the United States and Canada to rallies and on long distance rides…always together. Many older members will remember “the boys ” (their dogs) that traveled with Mac in

his tank bag. On October 27, 2009, Mac reached the million mile mark and was recognized by the MOA. While all of these events were going on in his life, Mac still had time to be a founding

member of the Badger Motorcyclists of Wisconsin, MOA Chartered Club #64, in 1976. The Club still exists today with a stable membership. Mac still attends the monthly club meetings and many of the monthly events the club hosts throughout the year.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Mac by the Presidents of the eight BMW Clubs in Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Always an MOA Ambassador, Mac spent time at the end of the day with the youngest rider attending the Wild Goose Run, passing information and wisdom on from one generation of rider to the next.

To view a complete set of pictures of the event, please visit the Badgers Motorcyclists of Wisconsin Facebook page.

Top, Kenneth "Mac" McHugh. Left, Surrounded by members of Wisconsin and northern Illinois BMW clubs, McHugh and Arlene Neumann receive recognition. Photos by Robert Borkowski.

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BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

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news

news

BMW Motorrad releases pricing and updates for K 1600 and G 310 R

IN MAY, BMW MOTORRAD USA

released pricing and product update information for the 2017 K 1600 GT as well as the 2018 K 1600 B, K 1600 GTL and G 310 R. Updated K 1600 GTLs for model year 2018 should already be in showrooms by the time you read this, and though the new MSRP is $25,595, a $1,200 rise from last year’s model, BMW says this price jump includes new standard equipment worth $1,900, such as the Dynamic Electronic Suspension Adjustment (D-ESA, alone worth $950) and a Reverse Assist that, like the venerable K 1200 LT, uses the starter motor to push the big bike backwards.

BMW improved a number of

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BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

standard features, including the front speakers, mirrors, side panels and side cases, and updated the colors available as well. Now riders can get a GTL in Light White, Thunder Grey Metallic or Ebony Metallic, a new color that is only available with the Style 2 package.

The price of the Comfort Package drops from $1,865 to $1,415, and the Premium Package from $2,600 to $2,150. Gear Shift Assist Pro is available for an additional $475.

The 2017 K 1600 GT got similar updates, including a price increase, this time from $21,995 to $22,595. D-ESA is standard as on the GTL, but other standard feature improvements are cosmetic. The Comfort Package drop is the same as the GTL, but the Premium Package—which includes the

Comfort Package on the GT—drops from $4,000 to $3,550.

New colors for the GT are available as well: Mars Red Metallic and Lupin Blue Metallic/Black Storm Metallic. You can also add Gear Shift Assist Pro for $475.

Pricing and features for the other two motorcycles included in BMW Motorrad USA’s press release had already been released, but it’s worth reiterating them to remind people when they’ll be in showrooms.

Rumors say the K 1600 B (or Bagger) will be in dealerships sometime in August. It is largely based on the K 1600 GT/GTL platform, but developed specifically with a lowered chassis specifically with American riders and American roads in mind. As BMW says, the “spectacular

backward-sloping, linear design with a specifically engineered rear section reflects the characteristics of a grand American tourer. This not only makes the bagger appear low-lying and slender, but a new rear frame also contributes to this aesthetic by significantly reducing the height of the passenger seat.”

The handlebars, windshield and wind deflectors are modified from the other K16 bikes, and the entire rear end was redesigned to accommodate the 2.8” lower frame. There’s no center stand, but other than that, the K16B comes with the same standard equipment as the K16GT, including corner-optimized integral ABS Pro, D-ESA, three riding modes and a xenon headlight that levels itself dynamically.

The Bagger has an MSRP of $19,995, and

you can add the Comfort and Premium Packages with pricing the same as the GT. In addition, you can add the Touring Package for $1,850; it includes Reverse Assist and a Sirius-capable audio system. The Touring Package is only $445 extra if you get the Premium Package, as some of their features cross over.

There are a number of other one-off options available for the Bagger to allow riders to customize their bikes, from $200 forged handlebars to the $400 Central Locking System. It’s best to discuss the variety of options with your dealer. You can get the Bagger in any color you like, as long as you like blacked-out Black Storm Metallic.

On the far end of the BMW motorcycle spectrum from the six-cylinder,

high-output K bikes is the single-cylinder, made-in-India G 310 R, which we all learned about during the Long Beach IMS in November 2016.

BMW Motorrad USA has announced this bike will carry an all-in price of just $4,995, making it the least expensive BMW motorcycle since the 1970s. For just under five grand, you get the G 310 R’s sporty design, excellent gas mileage, lower seat, light weight, and 34 horsepower in a package that weighs in a tad shy of 350 pounds.

There are no options available for the G 310 R, but ABS is standard and you can get it in one of three colors – Cosmic Black, Strato Blue Metallic or, for a $100 upcharge, Pearl White Metallic Motorsport, which has red and blue graphics on the body panels, fender and tank.

July 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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TECH

keepemflying

Tuning carbs and hitting antelope

By Matthew Parkhouse #13272 HERE

IN

COLO-

rado, things are FINALLY warming up to the point where riding is enjoyable.

I’m STILL waiting for Strider’s frame to be sent back, so the Mexico Bike remains in use. That all-out week of wood cutting proved to be a good tune-up to help start the riding season. I was definitely in better shape for having gathered and cut up over a cord of firewood.

The week after the firewood project, I rode down to McKinney, Texas, to attend the first Northern Texas Tech Day at my friend Eric Beeby’s home. On the way, I missed the usual turn to ride to Amarillo and so ended up running through the Kiowa National Grasslands. Everything was a shade of green due to the winter and early spring rains. Near the New Mexico-Texas line, I had an airheadanimal encounter when a good-sized antelope bounded over a fence, onto the side of the road and then right in front of me in three graceful leaps. I did not have time to react in any way, other than wrestling the bike into remaining upright as I wobbled on the road after running the animal down. Antelopes are remarkably fast but they cannot execute a right turn and then outrun a motorcycle going 60 mph. I circled back, and the handsome creature expired within seconds of my return. From the looks of things, I knocked it down and then ran over it. There was absolutely no damage to the Slash Five or me (other than my nerves). Since the body was off the main road, I carefully continued south to Texas.

Between the headwinds and the

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BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

antelope incident, my two-day ride became a two-and-a-half-day ride, with me arriving to find the Tech Day already underway. Eric and the Texas Air Marshall did a good job of organizing the one-day event, and about 20 folks showed up. I gave a short talk on how Bing CV carbs work, with my display carb in hand. I had several opportunities to demo how to balance the carbs as the final part of an airhead tune-up.

about 30 miles out of McKinney when my battery just up and died. It had enough juice left that I could kickstart the bike, but I wanted to be confident I’d get home. I stopped at a Walmart and purchased a largish motorcycle battery. I simply bungeed it over the back of the seat (not the first time I’ve done this) and connected it to the bike’s electrics with some jumper wires. My voltmeter, double-checked with my volt-ohm

The emergency car starter is wired into my Slash Five’s electrical system. I was able to run the bike for a couple of days and forty miles. It is no replacement for a real battery but it WILL get you home, if home is not too far.

The ride home was better. No critters on the road, a strong, warm tailwind and some of the finest rest areas I’ve ever seen. Along US 287, the Texas DOT has built three large, clean, staffed and informative rest areas. I think they are about the best I’ve visited anywhere. Good Wi-Fi, too. The only problem on the trip home occurred

meter, indicated that the charging system was okay. My sealed, lead-acid Panasonic battery had simply gone as far as it was going to go. A couple of weeks after getting home, I swapped the expired battery out and properly installed the generic Walmart one. Something tells me I won’t get a lot of years out of this one, but I’ll run it until I

head south of the border again.

Last month, I promised to talk about carburetors. Adjusting and balancing the carbs is the last part of the basic airhead tune-up.

This should be done after no more than 5,000 miles and, depending on how an engine runs, maybe as often as 2,500. Before attending to the carbs, the valves should be set (with or without torqueing the heads), the timing and points (if you have points) properly set, and the spark plugs checked to see that they are in decent shape. You want to run the bike a couple of miles to get the heads and cylinders hot before doing these tasks.

There are several ways one can do the balancing. Using carb sticks, made with mercury or other fluids, is the longaccepted method. Using a vacuum meter (Twin-Max or Walus are two brands) works well, too. I prefer what is referred to as the shorting method. Lift off the spark plug caps (engine OFF, please!) and install a pair of extenders between the end of the plugs and the plug caps. It just happens that the thread size and pitch is the same for older airhead spokes and the threaded end of the spark plug. I make these extenders out of old, rusty wheel spokes by reversing the spoke head and screwing it part-way onto the threaded end of the spoke. With a grinding wheel, I then cut the spoke down to a little bit more than three inches.

As you begin this job, first check the throttle cables. With the throttle fully closed, there should be 1-2 mm of free play (slack) in each cable. With the bike still warmed up, start the engine. Using a screwdriver with an insulated handle, short one side to ground (the fins). The bike should just barely keep firing. Now, do the same on the other side. Next, use the throttle stop screw (looking down at it on later bikes, underneath the carb on earlier ones) to speed up or slow down the RPMs. When you have the RPMs in the neighborhood of what you want, adjust the idle air mixture screw on the underside of the carb. You should hear the idle pick up or slow down as you move the adjuster.

If the bike was running decently before you started working on it, leave the idle-air screws where they are. If you are doing this after cleaning up the carbs or some other repair in this area, set the screws at threequarters of a turn out. In other words, run the screw all the way in (gently) and then

The test set up that helped me determine the real capacity of the “12 amp hour” battery. Turned out it was really a 5AH battery.

The equipment I use to balance airhead carburetors. For most airhead twins, you need the two shown at lower right and the pair of screwdrivers. The small “friction screw” is installed if the bike is missing it in the throttle hand control. Most airheads have the threaded hole for it but later ones are lacking the screw itself. The upper left items are the shorting tools I made to reach around RS and RT fairings when I balance the carbs on those bikes.

back it out to the three-quarters point. Most CV carbs end up somewhere around that point, plus or minus maybe a half turn. As you turn this screw slowly in and out—just a little with a pause each time—the engine will run faster or slower. Find the point of fastest running and set the screw in the middle of that point. Now, short out one side and see how the other side runs. Turn the throttle stop screw in or out until you

are at the “barely running on that side” stage. Repeat with the other side. You should now have an idle around 800 or 900 RPM. If it feels a bit too low, turn up the throttle screws equally a very small amount at a time.

The other part of this undertaking is balancing the throttle cables. The shorting extensions mentioned earlier remain in place, and you want to have a working

July 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS

43

tech 44

keepemflying

tachometer for this. You also want to make sure the bike has a friction screw in the underside of the throttle hand control. New owners of airheads often do not realize that they have this device in place. Screw the friction screw in to the point where the throttle grip does not move when you remove your hand. As you wind up the throttle, short out one side. When the RPMs get to around 2,500 to 3,000, allow the engine to stabilize and then (as gracefully as possible) switch sides with the shorting screwdrivers. The tach needle should not move. If it raises or drops, the cables are uneven. You want to tighten up the low side or lower the adjuster on the high side. If you get it equal in a minute or two, take a break and allow the bike to cool down a bit. If you have a fan of some sort, put it facing the engine to allow some cooling to happen. Once it is balanced, tighten up the cable adjuster lock nuts and you are done!

If you found you were taking up a fair bit of unequal adjustment, you will be pleased the next time you run down the road on the airhead. I came up with a special extender to make this system work for RTs and RSs; they have a fairing mounted so it hangs right over the spark plugs. I have the regular spoke, but the upper end is attached to a foot-long length of spark plug wire. The other end of the wire I attached to an old spark plug, which I place into the bike’s spark plug cap. This gives me a good shot at grounding things, with the wire reaching around the fairing. You just must position it to make sure it isn’t grounded where it shouldn’t be.

A few weeks ago, I also ran up to Denver to attend the local Tech Day at Dick Paschen’s home. He had his usual batch of chili, and the nice day saw about 30 riders show up. I’d say a good third of them were younger than the machines they were riding and were eager to learn all they could about them. I probably did about 10

BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

At the first North Texas Tech Day. It was a perfect day for working on airheads and socializing in Eric Beeby’s driveway.

Right: At the Denver Tech Day, a “new” owner ponders the valves on his recently acquired BMW twin (which is older than he is!). At the Tech Day, perhaps a third of the attendees fit into this group.

The old farts were very pleased to see the new blood and eagerly assisted them in learning how to care for their new bikes.

Below: In Dick Paschen’s garage, a couple of old dogs are learning a new trick (I was one of them) in repairing the number counting function of an instrument cluster.

I’m shorting the right-hand sparkplug to ground, while watching the tachometer. I will then quickly switch sides, while hoping for no change in the tach reading. If it raises or lowers, I’ll adjust the throttle cables, at the carbs to take up the difference.

Here are a pair of CV Bing carbs, set up with adjus9ng screwdrivers. On the left is an older Bing, with the throttle stop on the underside. The other screwdriver is at the idle-air screw. On both of these carbs, the white arrows indicate the throttle stop screw. On the right, a carb off a newer bike, the throttle stop is adjusted from the top. The idle-air screws are in the same location on all CV Bings.

carb balancing sessions for folks while talking about the Airhead Club, the Bing Manual, my column, getting ahold of the proper owner’s manual and so on. While these elegant machines will run an incredible number of miles, they can be damaged by people

making errors while caring for them. For instance, I’m helping another fellow who is repairing a Slash Five that “was making some bad noises.” He’d gotten the engine apart, and what we feared is coming to pass: the crankshaft is seriously damaged, most

likely due to the oil filter cover being loosely fastened over the filter. Beemer Bill, the fellow who’s doing the work, is trying to source a good used engine block, or at least a good used crank. These are the sort of errors that can destroy a nice bike. It behooves us all to make sure that we do no harm as we work on the bikes. Between the passings of Oak Okelson and Paul Swenson, our local master, it feels like the support for these bikes is getting kind of thin around here.

On a lighter note, I ran an experiment with a lithium-ion battery pack. There are more and more of these “car-starter kits” that fit in the palm of your hand. The advertising copy goes on about how these things will start a big car or truck with a dead battery on a chilly morning. I ordered a cheap one, straight from China, for $26. It was SUPPOSED to have a capacity of 12 amphours (AH). The first thing I did, after allowing it to charge up overnight, was hook it up with a load lamp. I used a 21-watt turn signal lamp, figuring it was roughly the same load as the bike’s ignition system.

After 90 minutes, it was out of juice; I figure the real capacity was around four or five amp-hours. For the test, I disconnected the new battery I had just installed in the bike and disabled the charging system by pulling the alternator rotor wires. Now I had the equivalent of a failed charging system and the bike would only be getting current from my little device. It would not start the bike when it was cold, but did great once warmed up outside. I rode the bike, without lights, about 40 or so miles over two days, just drawing upon the clipped-in lithium pack.

My conclusion is that it will get you down the road if your battery and/or charging system goes south, but it will not get you terribly far. I’ll carry the thing instead of the small sealed lead-acid battery I carry to light up our tent when camping. The battery pack will also recharge a cell phone or iPad. I was working with the cheapest unit I could find; they run from the mid-$20s on up to over $100. I’m guessing that a higher quality one might be a bit more robust. I’d enjoy hearing from anyone who has experienced using a stronger lithium-ion “car starter.”

July 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS

45

TEC

nichtubermax

R 1100 oil filter advice

By George Mangicaro #136221

Q:

Does anyone try using a longer oil filter on an R 1100? It would be nice to not have to use the socket type wrench and a few more ounces of oil can't hurt.

– John S. via Facebook

A:

There are four things that determine suitability of an oil filter. 1) Diameter of the O-ring (the point of contact between the filter and the engine); 2) Thread pitch on the filter threads; 3) Filtration flow rate; and 4) Bypass/ check valve release pressure.

The diameter of the O-ring on the mating surface matters because if it’s too big—especially on an R 1100—it won’t physically go into the cavity. If it’s too small, it won’t seal and oil will come pouring out.

It should be obvious that if the thread of the filter and the thread of the bike don’t match up closely enough, you won’t be able to screw the filter on, or worse, you might get it partially installed and then it gets stuck, ruining the threads on your bike (because you know you’re not lucky enough for the threads on the filter to go south first).

When it comes to the filtration flow rate, the important aspect is the filter’s ability to pass a given minimum amount of oil through its filtering medium. For instance, if your bike requires a flow rate of (and this is just an example) three quarts per minute and the filter you’ve installed only passes one quart per minute, it won’t be long until something goes wrong. Your oil pump could fail or your engine could seize. The filter you install must flow enough oil to

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BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

satisfy the engine’s requirement. Since most manufacturers don’t print this information on the filter or its packaging, you’d have to do some research to find not only the data for the OEM filter, but the data for your aftermarket filter as well.

Now, the check valve—also referred to as the bypass valve. Same thing as the flow rate, basically. If the oil is too thick to flow easily through the filter (say, in cold weather), the bypass valve lets oil bypass the filtering medium to provide oil to the engine. It will also allow oil to bypass the filter if the filtering medium is too clogged to function effectively. Since the bypass valve reacts to oil pressure, if you have a filter with a bypass valve pressure threshold

that is too low, your oil will not be filtered and your engine could be damaged.

This is a long way of saying that you can use an aftermarket filter that is longer than the OEM BMW filter, but you’ll want to be sure that it meets or exceeds the minimum requirements of the engine in question.

Additionally, unless you’re on a GS with a bash plate, the filter will stick out the bottom of the engine and could be damaged by road hazards. In other words, BMW makes the filters the way they do for a reason, and you’re likely better off using them or known good alternatives.

Have questions for Nicht Uber Max? Send them to TechQuestions@bmwmoa.org.

discover 48

Longdistancestyle

Unleashing my Moto-Beast

By Deb Gasque #182082 I’VE

BEEN

A

licensed motorcyclist for nearly 8 years now and have often pondered the fact that during my short riding history I’ve always ridden older models with some more elderly than others.

I learned the basics and took my MSF course on a 2000 Honda Rebel and then moved up to an ‘05 BMW F 650 GS. Then, in the spring of 2014, I fell headover-Fashionista-heels in love with a pearly white ‘94 BMW R 1100 RSL and loved it so much that I bought a second ‘94 R 1100 RSL in pristine condition and painted it teal. That’s the bike I ride the most these days.

Occasionally I’ve been ribbed by fellow riders as to why I’ve never tested any newer models. I reply with a tap dance around the truth, hiding the deep-seated fear that I’ve carried like saddlebags since the day I squealed with joy skipping out of the DMV with the big letter “M” on my new license. I confess, as the models of BMW motorcycles have evolved in the past few years, so has my angst. That stifling voice within would always whisper, “How could you ever pilot such a technical, high-powered and expensive machine? Do you truly have the skill to ride those beauties?”

In January of this year I wrote an article titled “Unleash Your Moto-Beast,” where I challenged everyong to “set goals that take your personal bar higher this year…to reach inside and pull out your inner Moto Beast.” I also shared four goals of my own and to encouraged readers to do the same. One of my goals was to test ride some of the new BMW motorcycle models to face that hidden fear I’ve been harboring.

This past May, I made arrangements with Greg North, BMW Brand Manager at Motorcycles of Charlotte, to demo the newest models he had available at the dealership. We chose models for me to ride on the standpoint of practicality and application, and ended up with a winning six-pack. Admittedly when I arrived that morning, I was half excited and half petrified. That stifling, negative voice was working hard to

BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

ruin a beautiful day of riding, but I unleashed my Moto-Beast which gobbled up that pesky little voice and then belched a ball of fire into my soul. I marched through the doors of Motorcycles of Charlotte smiling and ready for my demo day.

2017 R nineT Scrambler

First up that morning, I threw my leg over the new R nineT Scrambler, which is one of five models in BMWs Heritage collection. The metallic matte tank and sexy brown leather seat, give this vintagelooking ride massive curb appeal. On the road, the Scrambler was loads of fun. The upright position and absence of a wind screen allowed me to get the full “wind in your face” effect, and this minimalist machine has stunning 6-speed power. The standard seat height of 32.5” was a little tall for my inseam, but I had adequate control and balance at stops. While I enjoyed sampling such a fun ride on my quest to test the newest models, I was eager to move on to the next one in our lineup.

2017 R 1200 R

As I sized up the next beauty in line, I asked Greg what he thought about the 2017 R 1200 R from BMW’s Roadster line. He called it the “Swiss Army Knife of street bikes,” as it could be outfitted as a cafe bike or a sport touring motorcycle. Greg put a low seat on the R 12 for my demo ride, which allowed me to be completely flat-footed at stops. He explained some of the features of this new R 1200 R which includes a keyless starter, quick shifter and riding modes. We pulled out onto the road, and I was instantly smiling. This machine is super agile and easy to maneuver at slow speeds due to the center of gravity being carried down low, as trademark with the BMW boxers. I also enjoyed the sporty sitting position, quick acceleration and great suspension.

Considering that my eight years of experience has been on older motorcycles with simple controls, I wasn’t comfortable testing the quick shifter on our brief ride that day. All-in-all, I was really digging the R 1200 R and digging the fact that I was truly overcoming what seemed at this point such a silly fear.

2017 F 700 GS

After a quick hydration session in the spacious rider’s lounge at the dealership, it was time for some “adventure.” Next in line was “The Poor Sister,” as Ron Davis, fellow ON contributor, named the F 700 GS in the April 2017 issue. With the Ride-by-Wire electronic control system, Rain and Road riding modes and standard ABS brakes, the only thing meager about this fun ride is its sticker price (MSRP starting at $9,995). It had been a few years since I sold my 2005 F 650 GS, so hopping on the F 700 GS with its low seat was quite pleasurable and a little nostalgic. Pulling out of the parking lot, I understood the sweetness of the

July 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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discover

longdistancestyle

Ride-by-Wire system, as my acceleration and deceleration were extremely smooth. This 6-speed dynamo has fantastic power, as well. I had the opportunity to take it through a short gravel road, and it handled perfectly. I completely concur that the new 2017 F 700 GS is definitely a great “all-around adventure machine,” as mentioned by BMW Motorrad USA. My smile was getting bigger with each model, as well as my confidence.

2016 F 800 GS

A more playful sister, the F 800 GS had a slightly taller seat, but still nimble and loads of fun. With 85 horsepower (as compared to 75 HP on the F 700 GS), wire spoke wheels, upside down telescopic fork suspension, four ride modes, Ride-byWire system and a bit larger in size, the F 800 GS would be a fantastic long-distance adventure bike, in my opinion. This playful machine really has some major get-up-and-go and handles extremely well at both high and low speeds.

2016 R 1200 RS

Following a brief lunch break, my eyes lovingly scanned over the next model in front of me…the R 1200 RS. Greg explained, “it may feel like riding a dear, old friend.” As I mounted this handsome model in the “Sport” category of BMW motorcycles

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BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

(fitted with a low seat), I was in a state of complete nirvana. It was the 23-years young version of my current ride, and oh so very sweet.

Greg encouraged me to take it for a quick pre-flight around the MSF course where we had the six-pack lineup staged, and I literally squealed through each curve. The body positioning was spot-on for me, and as I rolled the throttle on and smoothly shifted each gear, I knew I was in heaven…and in trouble, as I had an instant longing to run back into Motorcycles of Charlotte with my favorite ink pen poised to strike. On the road, it just got better. With the inverted telescopic fork suspension, ASC (Automatic Stability Control) electronics, Road and Rain modes, good wind protection, and the ultimate power produced by the new-generation boxer engine, I am in deep gratitude to BMW Motorrad for creating such a magnificent piece of machinery. It was extremely difficult to dismount my beloved R 1200 RS, as I yearned to keep riding…all the way to California and back.

2017 R 1200 GS

I needed a short break to dry my eyes after parting with my soulmate of motorcycles. As my tear-stained baby blues focused on my final demo ride of the day, they quickly brightened up. I chuckled to myself when I thought of the fear that quivered inside of me that morning upon arrival to the dealership. It was not only gone, but I was actually super eager to hop on the biggest machine of the day

- a 2017 R 1200 GS (factory lowered). In all my brief years riding, and as a pillion prior, I NEVER thought I would sit on, much less pilot, the mac-daddy R 1200 GS. I enthusiastically threw my leg over the seat and was pleasantly surprised that I could touch the ground with almost a completely flat foot.

As I tapped the keyless ignition and pressed the electronic starter, the pains of parting with the previous model drifted away. As I rolled on the throttle and fluidly shifted gears, I finally understood why this “GS model is one of the top-selling motorcycles worldwide in its category,” as heralded by BMW Motorrad USA. With its low center of gravity, paralever and telelever suspension, riding modes, and 125 horsepower engine with very high torque, it’s no wonder this R 1200 GS is the dual-sport craze heard around the world. I felt bold and regal riding atop such a dynamic piece of machinery.

As I pulled back into the dealership on this mighty bike, I felt mighty satisfied that my Moto-Beast had helped me conquer the fear-demons within, and that together we scratched one of the four goals off of my 2017 list. After a lengthy chat with Greg North reflecting on the day’s rides and then saying my “goodbyes” to the wonderful staff at Motorcycles of Charlotte, I fist-pumped my way out of the parking lot and felt ready to take on the world…albeit still pondering a quick u-turn to scribble my favorite ink pen across Greg’s desk and ride off into the sunset with that sweet RS!

www.machineartmoto.com

www.redverz.com

How have you done so far this year with your Moto-Beast goals? Be sure to write to the editor, or email me at: debgasque@gmail.com, and let us know!

Photos courtesy of Greg North

www.ayresadventures.com July 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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www.globalrescue.com/partner/bmwmoa

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BMW’s

Heritage Boxer

Racer & Pure

Time Machines

By Will Guyan #56198

I

n 2007, BMW was a very different company, straining to understand the new market demographics. All the faithful lovers of Bavarian twowheeled sport were awaiting the newest boxer, the HP2 Sport, with its unheard of double overhead cam power and enough unique carbon fiber bits to make you try hard to justify the cost.

The previous year BMW had quietly returned to U.S. road racing, winning the prestigious Eight Hours of Daytona on a basically stock R 1200 S, supported by Motorrad USA via San Jose BMW and BMW of Atlanta. I’ll never forget that Daytona announcer broadcasting, “What kind of BMWs are those?” The competition was Aprilia, Ducati, Suzuki and Buell. The R1200S BMW won by 15 seconds after eight solid hours, and it used no oil!

In 2008, BMW Motorrad Motorsport came back to Daytona with four HP2 Sports, set up for competition, with a full cadre of 20 German techs from Munich.

They placed fifth and sixth in the gnarly AMA Formula Extreme series. Again, they

were supported by the same two BMW dealerships as well. This was the first time anybody had seen the HP2 Sport, and it was not a bit disappointing.

Then, in 2009, BMW blew minds with their first superbike, the S 1000 RR, garnering more free press than the iconic Ducati 916. From ‘09 to ’13, BMW competed in the World Superbike series with top riders, winning several firsts and many podiums before abandoning the series midway in 2013. But one thing was certain: BMW was no longer a builder of sturdy touring bikes alone. They were a force to be reckoned with. No other stock superbike came close to the game-changing BMW. BMW has finally reconnected with their historic roots, bringing to market the R nineT, a bike created to be customized to the owner’s personal liking. They seeded top custom builders worldwide with stock nineTs to see what would happen. The nineT was a huge hit—a beautiful, naked bike without riding modes, traction control, electronic suspension and all that. The riding public yearned for an old school bike they could make their own, with their wrist

providing traction control, old school style.

Oh, it had ABS and well over 100 hp at the rear wheel with its HP2 Sport-derived boxer mill and was a kick in the pants to ride, but it’s a relatively simple, naked motorcycle.

Now BMW, lubricated by success and with lots of enthusiasts buying their machines, are offering four additional nineT models that are even more basic and priced thousands of dollars lower than the top shelf R nineT. The Racer, the Pure, the Scrambler, and the Urban GS, modeled on the original R 80 G/S, join the original nineT on the sales floor with different forks, and minus the high zoot aluminum tank.

Recently we got to ride two of these new machines, the R nineT Racer, with its authentic café racer fairing, and the base model R nineT Pure, as basic a boxer as you can get with the same powerful engine, slick six speed gear box and world class brakes as the original R nineT, starting at $11,995 plus fees. Add the Scrambler, with its high pipes and street knobbies, and the possibilities seem endless. Which style rocks your selfimage? All share the same running gear, but

gorgeous top triple clamp that raises the low bars just enough.

If you want to relive the era of vintage

café racers without the forgotten reality of leaky carbs, sketchy brakes, and sluggish power, check out these nineT derivatives.

R nineT Racer by BMW.

with different styles to suit each individual.

Brilliant. Same, but different.

The low-slung Racer is drop dead gorgeous and has a stretched out riding position to match. After the first 15 minutes getting used to the café position, the fun delivered by this stunning machine makes you forget the slightly cramped ergos. This thing lives to be wrung out in the twisties and ridden across town to bike night or to a cafe. But for cross country rides, you may prefer the Pure or even the Scrambler with their sit-up straight ergos. To improve this, San Jose BMW has already created a R nineT Racer cockpit.

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R nineT Pure multi-function gauge.

Pure by BMW

The power train is identical to the original bike, but there are subtle differences such as the basic, old school telescopic fork.

For top notch aesthetics, the Racer’s distinctive half fairing, fuel tank and seat form a striking vintage silhouette. The long wheelbase and the low handlebars provide a sporty, low-slung seating position. The set back footrests let you lean into an aggressive riding position. It feels, sounds and looks like a café racer—so good, BMW, for following your historic past, even if back in the day there were no BMW-based café racers.

Better late than never.

The air/oil-cooled boxer flat twin engine with balancer shaft, four valves per cylinder, double overhead cams, wet sump, excellent standard ABS and optional traction control add up to one great, motive beast. Right around 100 rear wheel hp and 85 ft. lbs. of torque will let you rule the twisties and squirt through traffic like a banshee on steroids. Boxer twins are smooth, powerful, easy to maintain, extremely reliable and I daresay addictive, too. With a pipe that makes them sound as powerful as they are, I can see plenty of old BMW riders as well as new blood buying this machine, because it’s just plain fun, relatively affordable, very well made, and brutally sexy. It also has a three-year warranty with excellent dealer access.

The six-speed gear box and the light dry clutch are as slick as they come, and the excellent, “one finger” BMW brakes are among the best on the market. Seat height is 32”, and the steel gas tank will happily accept a magnetic bag. The original R nineT aluminum tank is a $1K option, but I can’t understand why you’d want one. Wheels are sporty 17-inchers, drive is via shaft, and the telescopic 43mm forks are more than adequate for anything we rode, including potholes, broken pavement and curbs. No problem on graded dirt roads either, if your passion is the high pipe Scrambler.

The Racer’s handlebars are positioned low on the top triple clamp, clip-on style and a moderate offset helps the wrists. It has period-correct, handsomely designed analog dual clocks.

The footrests are slightly rearward and upward to deliver a sporty seating position that’s far more comfortable than it appears. Truth is, lane splitting in LA traffic on the bike was an unexpected breeze. The padding on the stylish solo seat is slightly raised at the rear, which helps. An optional rear frame adds the ability to carry a passenger. The range of optional equipment available from BMW includes period-correct spoked wheels, lowered suspension and much more. You can add original BMW accessories such as HP carbon fiber parts, the classy HP sports silencer, and many new CNC machined parts. There are plenty of options your dealer can fill you in on, such as passenger accommodations. The Racer weighs in at 485 lbs., and tubeless, cast wheels are standard. Make one yours for $13,025 list, plus fees.

The Pure is a basic, naked bike with more comfortable, day-long ergos and is very handsome, if slightly less esthetically appealing. It has a single speedometer that contains more info than it would appear. The Scrambler isn’t really what its name suggests, but it’ll comfortably tackle any forest service road or graded byway with ease with its high pipes, street knobbies and minimalist seat. It’s a fine machine that’ll take on paved or graded roads aplenty. See your dealer for a test ride. Starting at $11,995, you’ll like it.

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Inside Roland Sands Workshop BMW CHOSE TO TREAT THEIR MEDIA

guests to a couple of hours at RSD headquarters in Long Beach, California. It’s an impressive maze of machine tools, computers, museum, art gallery, fabricating shop, and one of the best showrooms extant. In the front window sits the stunning custom Roland built for Kenny Roberts based on the V5 MotoGP engine Kenny designed and campaigned under Proton sponsorship. One reason we were granted carte

blanche to Roland’s inner sanctum with all the ropes lowered so we could see the entire premises was that Roland built the gamechanging BMW Concept 90, the unique Daytona Orange prototype for the R nineT that won worldwide acclaim in 2013.

His R nineT Classic boxer is an homage to the pre-war BMW boxers, created through American eyes. Roland so impressed Motorrad’s top man Schaller that he approved Roland’s components, from

Roland Sands (left) poses with some of the crew in his shop.

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BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

milled valve covers, front engine covers, to many more BMW-specific items, which will be sold in BMW dealerships worldwide. The engineered, milled from thick aluminum stock add-ons aren’t just bling; these valve covers can withstand a hit hard enough to make the stock valve covers leak after a get-off. Strength and beauty. Check them and so much more out online at www. rolandsands.com.

www.dunlopmotorcycletires.com

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A Visit to the

Isle of Man

By Muriel Farrington #89517

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We could hear the whop, whop, whop of bikes. We did a lot of walking along the a helicopter tracking the lead rider which ocean, into the nearby village of Port Erin gave us but a second to get our cameras and through the fields. We encountered ready. Tshoom! Tshoom, tshoom, tshoom! stone walls everywhere and steps built into Tshoom, tshoom! Six riders passed us in a the walls to facilitate hikes through the flash of color at more than 200 mph, giving countryside, with lots of sheep and many us little time to even see who they were. cows grazing in the fields. Our exploring Behind the four-foot stone walls lining both continued with a visit to Peel Castle—a forsides of the narrow road, fans could only midable black stone edifice, on the west shake their heads in amazement. I was on coast. the Isle of Man for the Tourist Trophy races.

We met Jim and Andy in Ballasalla at the Last year, mutual friend and resident of Hard Hat Café, where a signed oil painting England Jim Trotter invited a group of us to of Michael Dunlop hangs on the wall, and join him in celebrating his 50th consecutive later, we got our first taste of riding in year of attending the TT races. According Douglas, race central. to Jim, race organizers made a big deal out of his 45th anniversary, so he was anticipating an even bigger celebration this time. Along with a couple of other friends who happen to live on the Isle of Man, we had a place to stay and bikes to ride. We would be well taken care of, and with an opportunity like this, one cannot say no.

Landing at Heathrow a few days before the races, Jim’s brother Andy picked us up and brought us to his home in Wellwyn. The next morning he took us to the British Museum in London where, after years of anticipation, I was finally able to see the Sutton Hoo exhibit. Sutton Hoo, near Woodbridge, Suffolk, is the site of a pair of cemeteries dating to the sixth century. The Painted Hall at the Naval War College in Greenwich.

One of the cemeteries held a ship left undisturbed until the late 1930s.

For more than 100 years, the Isle of Man Once opened, its treasures represent one of Tourist Trophy has brought racers and the most significant archaeological finds in enthusiasts to the island late each May or England, full of gold artifacts and revealing June for the races covering more than 37 an important period in English history. miles over public roads. For racers, the Following our tour of Sutton Hoo, we event consists of one week of practice sesboarded a boat for a trip down the River sions followed by a week of racing. For Thames in southern England, heading to spectators, it’s two weeks of fun.

Greenwich to visit the Painted Hall and the The racing begins on Saturday with Naval War College. After another day of superbike and sidecar racing, so we headed sightseeing with Jim, he took us to Liverto the town of Crosby, about four miles pool for our flight to the Isle of Man. Jim from the start to watch. The six-lap race and Andy would follow with their bikes a would begin and end in Douglas with the couple days later on the Steam Packet ferry. first 20 riders heading out in numerical Once on the island and settled into our order, ten seconds apart. With the many house in Port St. Mary, we picked up our spectators surrounding us listening on

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radios, it was easy to hear what was going on. Tshoom, tshoom, tshoom! They were here and gone. Michael Dunlop and Ian Hutchinson did BMW proud on their 2016 S 1000 RRs, with the BMWs capturing sixth, ninth and tenth places. It was a good day.

The following day is known as “Mad Sunday,” a tradition begun in the 1920s where the race course is open to spectators.

If you like crowds, noise and chaos, race central is the place to be. It’s where between 30,000 and 40,000 race fans take to the course, and despite the fact that the majority of riders are pretty good riders, not all are. We decided to stay away from the madness and instead chose to watch the previous day’s superbike race on television.

There is a lot to do on the island besides watching the races. It is easy to spend a morning wandering around Craigneash, a living museum of 19th-century Manx thatched roof homes and learning how people lived and worked in that time period.

A steam train connects Port Erin, Port St. Mary, and Castleton to Douglas. There you can catch an electric train to Ramsey, and high above the coast, we passed the Laxey Wheel, a unique invention that pumps water out of the mines. Numerous cafes offer a wide variety of food, and we found a pub in Laxey serving a fabulous cheese dish. It is here one can catch the Snaefell Mountain Railway.

It is hard to imagine something like the Snaefell Mountain Railway cars in the U.S., as they lack doors and other safety devices.

As the train passes poles only a foot or two from the cars, it seemed as if it would be really easy to fall off or decapitate yourself if you leaned out too far. We’d have busy lawyers here.

Back in Douglas, trophies were awarded to race winners as well as long-time fans at the Villa Marina. It was fun watching Jim Trotter getting called up to the stage and presented with an engraved tankard commemorating his 50 years of continuous

Above, A returning steam train. Below, The endless stone walls and pastures of the Isle of Man.

attendance. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to stay long enough to see Ian Hutchinson, Michael Dunlop and the others get their trophies.

We learned later that Michael Dunlop was disqualified in the Saturday’s Superstock race because he apparently had an illegal part on the bike. What was funny was that the part wasn’t illegal when it was put on the bike, and rumor had it that he “threw a patty” over the incident. Whether true or not, we picked up another local expression.

Though the weather had been beautiful to this point, the next day fog delayed the second Supersport race. Though we were in Greeba and in our position to watch the races, our schedule forced us to leave before the racing began. While waiting, we did get to meet Harold Steen, a 90-some-year-old farmer who lets people view the races from his farmland. He keeps his barn door

painted red, as it is used as a landmark by the racers.

There were no races Thursday, which gave us a chance to do more exploring, organizing and relaxing. Friday was the Senior Race, and what a race it was. After lunch at the Abbey Church, we went on to Marown Church, taking some steep goat paths to get there. Finding a vantage point, I befriended a couple of course marshalls who allowed me to come up front to watch the race. This site is near Glen Vine and has some elevation changes but is mostly straight, and racers really whip by. At one point, I took a picture straight across the road just for fun. The landscape was in good focus, but the rider was a total blur, even with the camera set at a 2,000th of a second. Fascinating. On that day, Michael Dunlop won by nearly 24 seconds, breaking his record set during the previous race with

a 133.962 mph average for the lap with a pit stop. Ian Hutchinson was second and John McGuinness third. Another good day for BMWs. It’s amazing how the racers do it. We watched documentaries featuring Robert Dunlop, Joey Dunlop and Ian Hutchinson earlier in the week. Ian was not long out of recovery from a horrible accident while Robert and Joey died racing. Last year two riders and two sidecar drivers were killed. Between the narrow, twisty roads, the stone walls, hairpin turns and bridges, this is one wicked course. Riders memorize the entire 37.73mile course, know every landmark and bump in the road and go all out. They can have no fear. They race until they don’t.

We had one more marvelous adventure before we left the island aboard the Shona, leaving out of Port Erin and around the Calf of Man. Besides the long days at this latitude, the area experiences tides of about 20 feet, and one can actually see that the incoming tide is higher as it works its way between the Calf and the Isle of Man. We sailed around the Sleeping Dragon, and we got to see the fin of a basking shark and get up close and personal with a seal.

We learned the Calf of Man has the world’s highest density of lighthouses, and at one point you can see five. Wrapping up our tour and back on the Isle of Man, we visited the largest collection of Celtic crosses in an ancient graveyard and followed that with a ride to Cashtal Yn Ard, a Celtic graveyard that dates back to 1800 B.C., which was once covered over with stone. If you get a chance to visit, go. It’s hard to beat the beauty of the Isle of Man, along with its history, people, food and racing.

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Right, Surrounded by motorcycles, Castle Rushen is a medieval castle located in the Isle of Man's historic capital, Castletown, in the south of the island. Inset, Getting close to the action.

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A dense fog blankets the Isle of Man.

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Unburdened, Unbuffered, and Uncomplicated: My First Airhead

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BMW OWNERS NEWS  July 2017

H

ow many of you have bikes that were impulse buys? I’m surely not alone. For the last few years I’ve been thinking about how great it would be to have a motorcycle from 1972, my birth year. At first I thought a ‘72 Penton was what I wanted, but aside from the few that exist, finding something in my price range would require a complete restoration, which just isn’t my thing yet. Besides, most aren’t street legal, so the only riding would be on private property or in enduro trials with vintage classes, which also is not yet my thing .

with a grip-master hand strengthening tool, I was getting comfortable and actually getting the bike to stop where I wanted it to.

Those early miles also helped me get used to the power delivery of the shaft drive, something else new to me, and I started to get to know some of the bike’s quirks. That tiny oil drip. The centerstand that won’t retract on its own. The way you have to turn hard on the key to stop the motor. All par for the course on a vintage bike, right?

On the anticipated Birthday Weekend, we planned a 100-mile loop for a breakfast meet-up. Not far from home, I thought I

took the old boy home. While it was good to catch up with Sue, I was saddened not be able to take my new ’72 over the 45,000mile mark as planned.

Back at home later that afternoon, we were able to narrow down the source of the noise to the instrument cluster and found an MOA Forum on “Tach Cable Whine” that summed up the symptoms perfectly as well as providing a short term fix. So it begins, my airhead odyssey.

From friends who have airheads, I know that part of the joy of owning one is wrenching on them and immersing yourself in

By Dawn Hein #169208 While recently tooling around the Max BMW website looking for something for my husband, I saw a 1972 R 75/5 that was road worthy but not a cosmetic beauty.

Bingo! Better yet a two-fer, because I’d also always wanted a boxer! Aside from the emotional catch of being a ’72, something ready to ride without a complete restoration was another major selling point.

While my dad is a vintage British bike enthusiast and offered some good tips on buying an older bike, the make or break was whether I felt comfortable riding the thing.

After a long week of watching bike not sell through its ebay listing, I got over to the Max’s for a test ride. Returning from my trip around the block, I was frazzled but sold. “Starting is good, stopping sucks” popped out of my mouth as I rolled in after my first experience with drum brakes. Soon after, I signed the papers and loaded the bike to bring it home.

My first boxer! And my first bike that is just what it is without needing to be more. I have enough GSs and dirt bikes equipped with luggage racks, heated grips and great suspension for off-roading and touring or loading up with gear for camping trips or track days. This new-to-me R 75/5 is simply for the unburdened, unbuffered and uncomplicated joy of just riding around on paved roads in warm weather.

As soon as I got the bike home I started planning a ride over my upcoming birthday weekend, coordinating its odometer rolling over 45,000 miles as we both rolled into our 45th year. After adjusting the brakes, a few local warm-up loops and some workouts

heard something odd over my music, so I flipped up my face shield and was accosted by a violent squealing. I slowed down to pinpoint the source, and though the noise became quieter, it didn’t stop so I pulled over. About that time, my husband caught up with me,and we deduced it was definitely coming from the front of the bike, but because performance didn’t seem to be affected, we thought it was probably all right to ride it home. While I continued to breakfast on his R 1200 GS Adventure, he

classic technology. Luckily for me, mine came with a Clymer manual which I predict will soon be full of dog-eared pages. I also know I’ll be visiting the MOA Forums again to help learn from the experiences of others with the same bike.

Despite, or maybe because of, the work and learning ahead, this impulse buy is a keeper and I look forward to many happy years and miles of riding on my 1972 R 75/5 airhead. It’s fun to ride, it’s comfortable, and it’s just so cool!

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skills

askapro

Origins of the wave

By Lee Parks #162125

Q:

As a relatively new rider I love how motorcyclists wave at one another.

Any insights as to why we do this fun but seemingly meaningless activity?

A:

Great question, and something I have pondered for many years. The traditional story is “it was started in 1904 when Harley-Davidson partners Arthur Davidson and William Harley passed each other and waved.

It was noted by a passerby and believed to be etiquette among riders.” While I can’t verify if that is true, I did notice that in 1989 I purchased a Shelby automobile and I used to enjoy waving to other anonymous Shelby owners as we passed one another on the road. I have also witnessed Jeep and Corvette owners do the same, and I doubt what happened between two motorcyclists near the turn of the century influenced this behavior.

Ultimately, I think it has to do with a psychological need to acknowledge our fellow human beings who have chosen to take on the additional risks associated with riding. Furthermore, it is specifically because not everyone rides that makes motorcycling special.

Let’s start by looking at some of the many reasons we ride. For starters, motorcycling is exciting and fun.

Adrenaline and fear force you into the present. You have to stay alert to keep a two-wheeler balanced. Certainly bikes represent the best bang-for-thebuck in acceleration. Think about how much money it costs to buy a car that does 0–60 in under three seconds. A used 1000cc sport bike that can

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do that can be purchased for a few grand.

Motorcycles are also great transportation and can make potentially any trip into an adventure. Of course, we all know how therapeutic riding can be, as do our significant others. It’s even a great form of selfexpression as our myriad choices of speed and direction allow us to put some of ourselves into every ride.

It is this last factor of self-expression that I believe is what makes motorcycling ultimately satisfying. Many of us may enjoy riding roller coasters. They are fun and exhilarating, but there’s no ability for the rider to add anything to the experience. By contrast, motorcycle video games provide plenty of opportunity for self-expression.

But, ultimately, the video game experience is also not as satisfying as riding a real motorcycle because there is no risk associated with failure. Now as strange as it sounds, I’d like to make the case that risk is not only required for complete satisfaction—it is a necessary part of human evolution.

Think about playing your favorite games.

You’ll notice that the best games have a combination of three factors: skill, chance and risk. Motorcycling has all three in spades! As a couple other examples: playing the lottery has risk and chance, but no skill.

Chess has skill and chance, but no risk, etc.

So let’s talk about why we get satisfaction from taking risks. To understand this, let’s do a little mind experiment.

Start by taking yourself back approximately 12,000 years. With the development of agriculture, mankind is now beginning to live in small villages. As such, the need for food production and protection has caused people to develop things like hoes and throwing spears. Imagine that one day the villagers hear and feel a big Woolly Mammoth coming into the village.

At the risk of oversimplifying, I’m going to say that there were three basic approaches

to the “Woolly Mammoth Dilemma.” The first group—not unlike our modern day extreme sports athletes—looked up and said, “Wow, that’s a whole lot of hamburgers right there. Let’s go get ‘em!” Unfortunately, some of them went in without a plan and they got stomped…and took themselves out of the gene pool.

Then there was a second group of people.

They said, “You know, that’s a big, scary monster coming into town. Maybe we should leave it alone and go find some twigs and berries over there.” Those poor folks starved to death…and took themselves out of the gene pool.

Alas, there was a third group of people.

Not the super-aggressive ones who went in without any risk management, nor the fraidy cats who were completely risk averse—but a third group who said, “You know, that is a big, scary animal. But if we use our skills and weapons and work together as a team, we could actually take down that bad boy, and we could feed the village for a month.”

Of that third group of people some of them were successful, and some of them were unsuccessful. Everyone who is reading this now is a direct descendant of the successful ones. In other words, all of us share DNA with those people who took satisfaction out of taking on a significant risk, and managing it effectively. But the situation we have today is that we no longer have to hunt for our food.

What that means is that there is a certain part of our psyche that isn’t getting nurtured. And that’s our need to hunt. In other words, that need to take on a significant risk, that need to take satisfaction in its successful management, and that need to take risks. Motorcycling just happens to be an ideal sport for practicing risk management, and it’s another reason why motorcyclists are such interesting people.

Just out of curiosity, do you know what

the most dangerous sport in the world is?

It’s water speed record racing. Since 1940 water speed record racing has had an approximately 85 percent mortality rate!

Talk about unmanageable risk. If 85 percent of motorcyclists died every time they rode we wouldn’t have a sport for very long. But that doesn’t mean that riding motorcycles is safe.

Believe it or not, riding is 38 times (as in 3,800 percent) more dangerous than driving a car per mile ridden versus per mile driven as far as fatalities are concerned. Of course, those are total numbers averaged for everyone. The good news is that if you make choices like not drinking and riding, taking advanced rider training courses, wearing good protective gear, etc., you belong to a much safer risk pool than the average rider. Given those variables, motorcycle riding can be a very manageable risk.

But never is it truly safe. If it was totally safe, as we have previously discussed, it wouldn’t be nearly as satisfying or as much fun to do.

The next time you wave to a fellow rider, you can appreciate that this simple gesture has an evolutionary pedigree that is anything but meaningless.

www.wolfmanluggage.com

www.bmwmcsem.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.optimate1.com July 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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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 Ted Moyer, Executive Director tmoyer@bmwmoaf.org

Curve Cowboy donation to benefit GEARS

By Wayne “Doc” Edkin #11558, MOA Ambassador and former CCR Chairman THE STORY OF THE CURVE COWBOYS

starts with the K 1200 LT, which came into the U.S. in 1999. Dealers and early buyers were mystified by the technicalities of BMW’s new flagship; an internet forum on this model was born in the context of AOL and dial-up connections. By 2000, we had a couple hundred subscribers, mostly interested in how the “Light Truck” could be serviced and farkled. Midland, Michigan, was the site of the MOA rally that year, and about 30 LT riders agreed to meet. Once riders found each other, everyone had a chance to kick tires, tell stories and ask questions.

Later that year, a meet-up of about 65 LT riders took place at the Lake View Lodge in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, and the “Curve Cowboy” moniker was born. Somebody suggested a yearly reunion in a place that had great riding and where the Cowboys could do some tech sessions, rider education and a charity function to raise cash for needy kids. This gave the LT group the opportunity to do something meaningful for the stereotypical biker image by featuring quiet bikes, lots of two-up couples, good fellowship and a focus on charitable giving.

Some camped that first year, while others found hotels. Later reunions became wholly hotel based, and the luxury touring theme took hold. In 2001, the Curve Cowboy Reunion (or CCR) was in September at the Velda Rose Resort in Hot Springs, Arkansas. With a developing website and a charter, the Curve Cowboys became a 501(c)(3) organization complete with a Board of Directors and officers. It was Santa Fe for 2002, and around this time, the board of directors began building an emergency reserve. The CCR moved to the week before Labor Day to account for unpredictable weather in the Rockies. Over 400 attended the 2003 event, suggesting the

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date change was a good move.

Money for the charity donation was raised by passing a hat the first year. After that, the charity effort became a central part of the CCR’s identity. Some money was raised through donations and bike washes, but the main fundraiser each year was the silent auction. The auction items came from attendees, vendors and dealerships from all over the country. Silent Auction Committee members, with critical leadership provided by Gilda Slomka and Laurie Munson, worked all year between the CCRs, and CCR attendees generated over $20,000 yearly for various youth-oriented local charities.

About 200 Curve Cowboys gathered in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in 2015 for what ended up being the last reunion. For years, attendees gave up all their vacation time around the CCR. Now there were grandkids, bad backs, and many retired LTs. CCR regulars were limiting the distance and amount of their riding. It was often said of the CCR that “It was the bike that brought us together, but it was the people that kept us together.” The bike that brought us together was out of production, and many veteran CCR attendees were gone.

There was no new guard; the CCR had run its course.

Since the CCR bylaws called for charity support for youth, an emphasis on rider education and work to promote a positive image of motorcycling, the CCR Board of Directors unanimously decided to give the 15-year buildup of reserve funds to the MOA Foundation, with the understanding that the donation would be dedicated to GEARS and invested to maximize financial impact. The Curve Cowboys donated $335,000 to charities that benefit youth during the lifetime of the CCR. Their last $63,282.05 is for GEARS.

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jacktheriepe

When the front brake hose falls off

By Jack Riepe #116117 turn past halfway, and the engine falls off.

Then the manual advises, “Attempting to start the engine if inadvertently separated from the motorcycle may result in further damage to the machine or certain death.

Please take the machine to the nearest dealer, and get on your knees.”

I once attempted to check the transmission fluid in the K 75. The manual is written in that strained manner of English used by German opera singers attempting to be precise in a foreign language…except for the captions under the photos. This critical information was written in German, so that it could be as precise as possible. One of

translated to: “This is not the correct way to measure transmission fluid using the hanme from working dle of the shock absorber wrench. Please do on my own bike. it the right way. If you are not sure of the The first is the right way, please take the machine to the notice buried on nearest authorized dealer, and get on your every other page of knees.” the 1995 BMW K 75 There are two kinds of mechanical work.

Owners Manual. It The first is the absolutely necessary kind, advises that failure to adjust every nut, when the motorcycle refuses to start, stop, bolt and screw on this motorcycle to or makes a noise like a chipper eating a precise factory standards may result piano whenever you change gears. These in further damage to the machine or symptoms can be easily cleared up for about certain death, and to please take the $1800 each. The part you need will be readmachine to the nearest authorized ily available, though it is currently in a Vatidealer and get on your knees. This is can vault. The other kind of not an exact quote, but it is close enough. I’ve read FAILURE TO ADJUST EVERY NUT, BOLT AND maintenance is related to coscheerier ransom notes.

SCREW ON THIS MOTORCYCLE TO PRECISE metics or personal taste, which mandate altering some existing The other thing is that FACTORY STANDARDS MAY RESULT IN system on the bike. This cateseven eastern states have passed laws precluding me FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE MACHINE OR gory includes switching marginally acceptable seats, horns, from handling tools. A screwdriver in my hand CERTAIN DEATH, AND TO PLEASE TAKE THE lights, grips, luggage, or tires for inspires no confidence. I MACHINE TO THE NEAREST AUTHORIZED something that you think will work better or will just look once installed a dimmer DEALER AND GET ON YOUR KNEES. cooler. Replacement parts range switch in the home of a from $46 to $4,600. woman who used to love these photos explained how the shock You cannot put a price on motorcycle me. (She now loves a younger man adjusting wrench was also the dipstick for coolness, though many farkle suppliers try. with suspiciously darker hair.) She the transmission fluid. I followed the picI acquired a 1995 BMW K 75 with a low seat stood outside with the two dogs and ture and discovered I had no transmission (allegedly) and a Parabellum “Scout” fairing watched me activate the switch fluid in a bike I had been riding at 90 MPH in 2007. This fairing is mounted on the through a window. “Escape from a earlier that day. So I added a few ounces. It handlebars. I am not a big fan of handlebarburning building is easier when you didn’t even register on the wrench handle. mounted fairings. For reasons real or imagare already outside,” she explained So I added a quart. Still nothing. So I called inary, I see them in the same light as clip-on after an hour when no fire was eviBrian Curry, who started screaming, “Don’t ties. However, the sense and style of this dent. (Absolutely true.) start the bike.” fairing started to grow on me. Maintenance I can follow a shop manual to a “Why not?” I stammered. “The engine is on gear concealed by the fairing remained degree. For example, directions for still attached to it.” uncomplicated, as the unit could be adjusting the feng shui collar on the K Curry explained, “Attempting to start the removed in twenty minutes. The wind75’s oil filter mounting bracket call for engine if the transmission fluid has been screens are interchangeable,and this one removing the 1/2 inch retaining bolt overfilled by a quart and a few ounces may flattened legions of bugs before they and the 3/4 inch Teutonic redundancy result in further damage to the machine or reached my helmet. A vent under the windbolt from the unit, before backing out certain death.” screen prevented me from cooking on the the mystical Amish hex bolt approxiWhen I showed him the photo I was folhottest days. And the Parabellum Scout mately halfway. But nothing tells you lowing in the manual, he said the caption fairing brought badly needed curves to a how long the Amish Hex nut is. One TWO THINGS KEEP

BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

bike that started out as a series of square windscreens, square headlights and square turn signals. The Parabellum Scout fairing is purely utilitarian, with just enough pizazz to compliment the K 75’s inner beauty. It is a remarkably effective fairing.

I had one complaint with this fairing.

The inside was unfinished fiberglass… unfinished in the sense that it was left unpainted. It’s primal state was a dingy white that I found distracting. In the beginning, I said it didn’t matter. Who pokes around inside the fairing? And yet, I found myself making excuses for it. I looked over the fairing mounts and thought this should be pretty easy for somebody else to correct.

That somebody was Cory Lyba. He had that fairing off and the inside sprayed flat black faster than I could fire up the grill for lunch.

Lyba also discovered that one of the four fairing mounts had been set up incorrectly and might have caused a problem later on down the road.

I had one special request. “There is a piece of flexible molding trim around the headlight opening that seems loose,” I said.

“I don’t want it to come off. Maybe you can glue it into place?” If glue wasn’t the right thing for the job, I had museum wax used to hold figurines in place on a train layout.

Anything to keep that molding from moving.

Lyba nodded. Two hours later, the fairing was back in place, and I loved it. I may have been the only person to notice it, but the K 75 was one step closer to being a more perfect bike—in my opinion. Later that week, I went riding with a cross section of the Mac Pack on a group run to Gettysburg. I got a late start, owing to bad night’s sleep. I got a bad night’s sleep, owing to having slept on the couch. I slept on the couch as a result of an animated discussion with my paramour regarding my shortcomings. The late start meant I’d have more of an opportunity to exercise the K 75’s 71 horses on the straighter stretches of a major interstate. The group left on cue, but I brought up the rear with another latecomer who was mounted on a K 1200 LT. There is nothing that compares with letting a motorcycle run feral on a wide road with little traffic. The K 75 easily

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jacktheriepe

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whined into the contrail zone, though the bike was no match for the K1200LT. We were just two guys rocketing through a Sunday morning in the absence of local authority.

There is a gentle “S” curve in one of these Amish farm stretches, and I was seduced by the way the horizon tilts one way and then the other as the bike follows the imagery track through the turns. The bike was flying. And that’s when I noticed the loose hose end, dangling under the fairing.

There is only one hose that goes into two on the front end of the K 75: the hydraulic brake hose…and this one was flapping in the breeze. My entire accounts receivable briefly flashed before my eyes. That’s when my methodical BMW motorcycle rider mind kicked in. If the front brake hose has disconnected, the worse thing I could do is squeeze that brake lever, which would shower me, the hot engine, and the nice paint with highly corrosive brake fluid still in the reservoir. And what would be the point? The hose was disconnected.

I needed data. The first fact of casual interest was that the speedo was reading triple digits. The immediate plan was to ease off the gas, gently engage the back brake, downshift at predictable intervals, and pull over. Easy peasy, except for the cold hand of death that was squeezing my throat.

The shoulders on this interstate fall into two categories. The first is broad and nicely paved. There are six feet of these in its entire length. The rest are a) oddly cambered; b) dusted with gravel; c) narrow; and d) all of the above. I was aiming for a nice stretch just ahead. Traffic, which had been non-existent, suddenly materialized. I was instantly surrounded by steel cage-hammers. I hit my turn signal and started to come over.

I cut the power to nothing, and the engine gave a mighty backfire. I downshifted to fourth gear, and the effect was like driving into wet concrete. I hit the flashers and started to lean on the back brake. The machine bled speed, but I was still too hot when I downshifted into third.

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There was another backfire, and it seemed like retro-rockets had fired. This took my mind off the fact that I had overshot the nice stretch of shoulder and was headed toward “Plan B.” It was at that point the brake hose fell off.

I got the bike stopped on a narrow, steeply slanted shoulder and held it upright with my left foot. I was just catching my breath, when the other rider came running up behind me.

“What happened?” he asked.

“I lost the front brake hose,” I replied gesturing toward the front brake hose. He and I both looked at the front brake lever, which had a brake hose attached. We then traced that hose to the two hoses that ran to the brake calipers. They were also still attached.I tentatively squeezed the brake lever. It functioned normally.

“I saw a hose detach itself and fall off this bike,” I said.

The other rider trotted back along the shoulder and returned with what appeared to be a length of black tubing. It looked just like a hose, except it was the headlight molding that had come loose from the fairing.

“Don’t tell anybody about this,” I said to my friend, who was having trouble walking upright and laughing at the same time.

I stowed the molding in the top case as he passed me in pulling away. The K 1200 LT had a 20 mph advantage over the K 75.

This would give him just enough time to tell everyone what had happened.

Jack Riepe has recently signed with Zadic and Deverelle Publishing, LLC, which is now offering his books via a dedicated website. Go to jackriepe.com to order your Revised 2nd Edition of the acclaimed Conversations With A Motorcycle. You may also pre-order this book’s sequel, Motorcycles Speak Louder Than Words, to be guaranteed an autographed first edition from this website. Readers who previously ordered books from Jack Riepe directly will have books shipped from an existing list.

July 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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highmileage

Congratulations high mileage riders

By Jim Heberling #191926 C O N G R AT U L A -

tions to all BMW MOA members for reaching new High Mileage plateaus.

The year is flying by, and July means the MOA Rally is just around the corner, offering a great opportunity to catch up with friends that you may only see once a year. Have a great and safe ride—see you in Salt Lake City!

If you’d like to submit your high mileage totals, visit bmwmoa.org/ mileageawards and download the High Mileage Application. While there you’ll also be able to view our High Mileage Honor Roll.

Bruce Desoe #144279

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100,000 miles

Bruce Desoe Tim Parola Larry Marcum Patrick Chan Roger Trendowski Carlos Perez Michael Hatcher Brian Hanasyk

200,000 miles

Irene Boettcher Richard Wilder Robert Peterson Julie Manley – CoPilot

300,000 miles

Dennis O’Neil Stephen Throldahl Rex Wright

Rockwell Museum and the Red Lion Inn before heading home via the Blue Ridge Parkway.

With a friend on a Harley Road King, we covered some 4,000 miles round trip. I frequently ride alone, but I also belong to the local American Legion Post 35 Riders Club here.

Mount Dora, Florida 100,000 miles

Roger Trendowski #88147

To reach and surpass the 100,000 mile plateau, I have ridden some 89,000 miles on my 2006 K 1200 LT and 43,000 miles on my 2010 K 1600 GTL. The GTL is by far my favorite bike.

My most memorable ride was in the fall of 2013 when I left historic Mount Dora in central Florida and traveled to Helen in Georgia, the Orville and Wilbur Wright Museum in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, a friend’s 40-acre estate in Saratoga, New York, and then on to another friend’s ski lodge near the base of Mount Washington in New Hampshire where we took the steam locomotive up the cog railway to the summit. Then I rode back south to the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts and visited the Norman

About 80 percent of my miles were aboard my R 1150 GS Adventure. I have seller’s remorse since trading it in after 12 years of dependable use. When the 1150 broke down in Nebraska and had to be towed to Sturgis, South Dakota, I got the bug to trade it on an F 800 GS Adventure rather than wait around for parts and repairs. I needed to get to Billings, Montana, for the MOA Rally and couldn’t miss it. I loved my old, farkleblessed GSA. Two of my rides are memorable because of their similarities. After the MOA rally in Redmond, Oregon, I rode north alone to see Mt. Hood then set my GPS to “Shortest Route” and rode northeast toward the Columbia River. It’s amazing where a GPS will take you using that setting! After about

BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

Middletown, New Jersey 100,000 miles

500,000 miles Reinhard Bartel

600,000 miles Roger Honea

700,000 miles James Rostron

30 miles along dirt roads and jeep trails, I finally found a small town close to Columbia River. It was great, and they would probably still be looking for my bones if I had fallen off the trail.

A similar GPS “Shortest Route” adventure a few years later re-ignited my sense of adventure. Heading north from Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, toward Knoxville, Tennessee, I wanted to find the Tail of the Dragon. Sure enough, after 25 miles over mountain tops and riding on jeep trails and logging roads, I finally found a highway leading to the north end of the Dragon. While being out there on you own and riding cross-country is exhilarating, it’s a good thing my wife’s iPad Find Friends app was out of cell service range and couldn’t track me, or I would be dead for another reason!

Most of my cross-country rides are to MOA or other rallies, and my strategy is usually to “go heads down” across country until I get near the rally area, and then I start meandering.

Because I usually ride hard to a destination, I ride either alone across country or with one other person with a similar riding philosophy. When I ride with a group of four or five, I ride at the back of the pack and enjoy the leisurely ride.

Carlos Perez #119049 Monrovia, California 100,000 miles

Brian Hanasyk #34120 Edmonton, Alberta 100,000 miles

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Most of the miles were on my current bike, a BMW K 1200 GT. Since it was new, I’ve put over 70,000 miles on it, and it’s still going strong. It is so good, in fact, that I’m not even entertaining the thought of replacing it. This K bike gives me the long distant range and power I require together with almost all of the comforts of home.

While I haven’t had a single “most memorable ride,” I’ve had numerous, including seeing Canada ten times, all corners of the United States and many of the states in the southwest.

The very best riding can be found everywhere, and all of my distant rides have been purpose driven mostly with the SCMA Three Flags Tour and the Pasadena M.C. in California. Both of these fine clubs put on the very best short and long distant runs for both novices and old salts alike. I owe everything to the thoughtful members of these clubs for mentoring me through the early miles and to the MOA for their informative and instructional monthly magazine articles.

Most of my mileage has been split between two BMWs: a 1987 K 100 LT with Flexit sidecar and a 2013 R 1200 GS. We were really active in attending rides with the Black Gold Beemers (#141) with their active Saturday ride schedule, allowing us to rack up a lot of kilometers on rides around the province with club friends. We’ve also been a big fan of BMW MOA International Rallies and were able to ride to many on the K-bike. This summer in Salt Lake City will be our 16th.

All three of my kids have won youngest or second youngest passenger awards in the Flexit while riding to MOA rallies with sons Brad and Jeff winning first and second youngest passenger awards at the 1998 rally in Missoula. Technically, our daughter Kelly should have won youngest passenger at Missoula since my wife was 8 1/2 months pregnant at the time. Kelly got her chance to win the second youngest passenger award when we traveled to the Spokane rally in 2004.

My favorite BMW has to be my GS. With it I’ve taken three trips to Alaska, ridden down to Las Vegas and back up the coast in

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July, gone on several trips down to Montana and Idaho with the Black Gold Beemers, and taken it off-road in Alberta and British Columbia. I hope to see Tuktoyaktuk when the highway is completed next year. I have also used the bike as a live TV camera bike during the World Grand Triathalon and ridden Moto Commisaire for the Tour of Alberta bicycle race. The GS is the prefect all-around bike.

I love riding in groups but have lots of kilometers riding solo over the years. I hope to put on many more now that I’m retired.

Robert Peterson #68820 Cary, North Carolina 200,000 miles

I reached 200,000 miles aboard my 2009 R 1200 GS. It’s a great bike, and with nearly 60,000 miles, it hasn’t let me down. I’ve set it up just the way I like with Jesse Bags, a seat from Seat Concepts and a handful of other farkles. My previous bike was a 2001 K 1200 RS. The RS might still be mine if I hadn’t taken a test ride on the GS. I tend to keep my bikes for a while and don’t plan on test riding any new ones anytime soon.

Memorable rides include riding to the Redmond, Oregon, rally in 2010.

It was the first time I attempted an Iron Butt ride. With my GS, I was able to ride from Cheyenne to Redmond to get the Redmond 1000 certificate. I wasn’t setting the road ablaze with my speed—just fill up, ride until empty, and fill up again.

The hardest part of the ride was going across Wyoming, where I fought crosswinds all day long, and I had to keep my wits about me whenever passing 18-wheelers. They push a bow wave like a speed boat, but it’s

invisible, and when combined with the crosswinds, it was quite an eye-opening experience.

I try to make the MOA national every other year. It’s a great event and provides an opportunity to get some serious miles in.

I’m not sure if I’ll make Salt Lake City, but I’ve been looking at maps.

I usually ride alone, but small groups are fine if everyone is a good rider. Large group rides present too many opportunities for things to go awry. When the skill levels span from newbie to long-distance rider, I believe it’s hard to stay safe.

Julie Manley #16660 Bloomington, Illinois 200,000 miles as co-pilot

My favorite bike was our LT, which I loved for its comfort, but I pretty much just get on and go, doesn’t matter to me which bike.

Our ride to Wyoming was memorable, and I loved riding through Montana on the way to the rally as it was beautiful. I don’t usually take a role in navigation, though sometimes we work together on our routes, which usually depend on the time we have to get to our destination. I always carry a book with me as reading makes the time go faster. I also enjoy listening to music and take photographs when the scenery is nice.

We don’t use a comm system to communicate and use hand signals or speak loudly and, if I fall asleep, he’ll tap my knee.

early rides included Cliff Boswell-styled camping trips to Big Bend National Park on an R 75/5 with no maintenance problems whatsoever.

Another camping adventure to Big Bend with a fellow BMW rider turned into something memorable. After we’d been there a few days, on an impulse we called another friend in California who offered his living room for our bedrolls’ space at his house. After riding straight to Los Angeles, we made pilgrimages to Reg Pridmore’s shop in Ventura, Butler & Smith in Goleta and Brown Motor Works in Pomona.

In early 1976 I bought a new Daytona Orange R 90S. I had reenlisted in the Air Force and had 50 weeks of technical training 350 miles from my home town in San Antonio. With my classes completed at noon each Friday, my 350 mile ride home for a home-cooked dinner was possible, and most weeks I did just that.

My following overseas assignment allowed me to ship a vehicle to the UK, and my R 90S joined me in the Suffolk area where I had plenty of great roads and mates to ride with.

Rex Wright #35753 San Antonio, Texas 300,000 miles

I started riding BMWs in 1973, just out of the Air Force. I had never owned a shaft-driven bike before and was amazed by the difference. Many Robert Peterson

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BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

I took a shine to Slash Twos before they became collectable and owned an R50 Earles, an R60 U.S. and a Dover White R 69 S. Using them as daily drivers keeps you on your toes, and you get good doing routine maintenance and fiddling with their Bing carbs.

A personal favorite was my 1977 R 100 RS fitted with K 75 S bars, heated grips and four-way flashers. I took advantage of its long legs to venture to Taos, New Mexico, for the Land of Enchantment Riders Sipapu rally where I found the Santa Fe area magical for riders. Where else can you go around an alpine bend and smell chili roasting.

My family had the good fortune to live just above Big Bend National Park for several years, and an R 100 GS/PD really lent itself to the wonderful roads and scenery around the area. Texas’ FM170 River Road from Presidio to Study Butte should be on everyone’s bucket list.

The GS/PD also proved itself on a club ride from Big Bend to the Copper Canyon area of Mexico. After riding from the border to Chihuahua City, we continued to the timber harvesting town of Creel where the paved road pretty much ended.

Going into the 21st century, I was riding a 1995 K 75 and put 45,000 miles on it. That bike was always reliable, extremely smooth and very comfortable with a Parabellum Scout fairing, aftermarket seat and sheepskin.

Three of my bikes were sidecars, two I converted into Steib hack rigs. The most competent rig I’ve ever owned was a used hack from Kansas, a K 75 mated to a UK Hedingham Unit SS sidecar, equipped with leading link front forks custom made by Lowell Neff in Dragoon, Arizona. Lowell also machined the stock rear wheel to adapt an aluminum racing rim that wore a Michelin Porsche 356 car tire!

My current BMW is a 2002 R 1150 RT that I purchased three years ago. It’s been enjoyable learning to maintain an oilhead, and I hope to continue on it for some time to come.

My motto is “Every Mile a Smile!”

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charteredclubbing

Celebrating 35 years of BMW ROK

By Nancy Van Voorhis #178600 IN APRIL 1982, THE BMW RIDERS

of Knoxville (ROK) had their first club meeting in the back yard of a psychologist’s office—one of the few times you’d see motorcycles in that parking lot! Founding member Greg Bell had this habit of following other BMW riders home on his R 80/7. In early spring 1982, he followed Rich Gardner, and when he saw an R 60/2 and an R 50/5 in the garage, he knew he hit the jackpot. Not long after making their acquaintance, the two arranged the first meeting the BMW Riders of Knoxville at Alden Bell’s office on April 18, 1982.

Amazingly, there are still 13 current club members who are original charter members: Greg and Deb Bell, Rich Gardner, Alden Gardner, Gene and Nancy Forbes, Chad and Deb Burns, Dian Nabors, Lee and Kae Wrinkle, and Mike and Brenda Wilkerson.

To celebrate 35 years as a club, the BMW ROK hosted two events: a celebratory meeting and a club picnic where they recognized our charter members as well as past presidents and current officers. Between the two events, six charter members and eight club presidents were present.

At the April monthly dinner meeting, ROK celebrated by recognizing our charter members and past presidents with a delicious cake with our club logo on it. The following day, members headed out to the beautiful campground owned by members Jerry and Cindy Dobrianski, aptly named T.W.O. Creeks and home to our club’s annual ROK ON Rally.

There, members enjoyed a weekend of riding, campfires, food and fellowship. Several even braved the 34-degree nighttime temperatures

BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

and camped, while others were toasty in their trailers. Founding President Rich Gardner was able to stop by briefly on his red 1983 BMW R 80 ST while wearing a vintage club shirt from 1985.

Late Saturday morning, current president Bill Van Voorhis led nine bikes out for a lunch ride to Carvers Orchard and the Applehouse Restaurant near Cosby, Tennessee. Carvers was established in 1942 and currently has a restaurant, farmers market and candy store; it’s well known for fried apple pies. After lunch, the group continued the ride, stopping for a photo at a beautiful overlook on the Foothills Parkway with a scenic vista of the Smoky Mountains. The group rode more than 100 miles in the mountains and valleys before hitting the first stoplight.

Upon returning to T.W.O. Creeks, several other members joined in the evening picnic and bonfire. Prior to dinner, Jerry Dobrianski took several members out for a

quick off road ride to a mountain top fire tower. Members enjoyed a picnic dinner, along a second celebratory cake emblazoned with our club logo. A highlight of the bonfire was roasting marshmallows and making s’mores. Conversation, friendship and reminiscing continued well into the evening. May the BMW Riders of Knoxville ROK ON for years to come!

BMW Riders of Knoxville Facts: • First Meeting: April 18, 1983, with 33 members the first year • Currently 190 individual members • MOA Charter Club #156 since 1985 • Meet first Monday of the month in various locations • 2016 Mileage Challenge: 64 members reported 529,550 miles on 129 bikes • 2017 Mileage Challenge: members hope to ride at least 567,890 miles • Host of the popular ROK ON Rally over Memorial Day Weekend

Members of the BMW Riders of Knoxville gather for a photograph during a recent group ride.

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

lifestyl

finaljourney

Norman Jones

By Paul #13338 and Voni #13337 Glaves NORMAN D. JONES, THE LONG-

time principal owner of Engle Motors in Kansas City, Missouri, passed away at his home in Harlingen, Texas, on February 26, 2017. Norman was born Oct. 21, 1931, in Buffalo, Missouri. He leaves behind his children, Mike Jones and his wife Deb, Janet Bunce and her husband Rick; his grandchildren, Amanda Callaway and her husband Brian, Adam Jones and his wife, Stephanie; and his great-grandchildren, Ella, Jackson and Lucy Jones.

Norman moved from Buffalo to Kansas City, Missouri in 1949. He worked at the Crook Paper Box Co. and then later built airplane wings in a plant in Claycomo, Missouri. Norman first married in December, 1950. He bought his first motorcycle in 1952. He moved his family to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1955 to work at MacDonald Douglas. Upon returning to Kansas City, he At a motorcycle show.

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worked as an aircraft riveter at TWA. Engle Motors was founded in 1956 by Paul A. Engle as a Triumph dealership. He took on the BMW brand in 1958. The company was later owned by Paul Engle, H.A. Baker and Norman Jones. Norman first met Paul Engle in 1958. Engle had learned that Norman had great diagnostic skills and challenged him to repair a customer’s Triumph T-bird which had a problematic charging system. Norman re-wired it, giving the rider the ability to shut off various circuits to keep from overloading the system. Norman was offered a job and began working

Four generations of Jones’.

as a part-time mechanic while still working at TWA. He then made the move completely to Engle Motors around 1963-1964.

Norman purchased the business in 1968.

We first met Norman 33 years ago in the spring of 1984. We had just moved to Kansas from Iowa with a BMW R60/5 in need of some maintenance, including new steering head bearings. Despite Paul’s best efforts he was unable to remove the lower bearing from the steering stem. He found Engle Motors identified in the telephone book, so on a Saturday morning drove the 65 miles to Kansas City. He walked into Engle Motors and was greeted by Norman with a smile. He explained the problem, and Norman took the steering stem and disappeared through a door. In about two minutes Norman returned with the bearing in one hand and the steering stem in the other. When asked how much was owed he just smiled and said “No charge.” That was Norman Jones greeting a new customer.

www.rka-luggage.com

When you talk to any of his longtime customers, you find this is how he treated everyone.

Norman was passionate about motorcycling in general and about Engle Motors and his customers specifically. He was a member of several motorcycling organizations, including the AMA, BMW MOA, BMWRA, and the Triumph Riders Association. He had many interests including rebuilding vintage cars, motorcycling through Mexico with friends, and spending time with loved ones. Norman was well known and well respected by his many peers in BMW and Triumph dealerships across the country.

Since the mid-1960’s Engle Motors has been a family affair. Norman’s son Mike began working alongside Norman during high school on Saturdays and then full-time in 1970. Bobbie Bond, who later married Norman in November 1993, was hired as a secretary around that same year, but she moved to Texas in the late 1980s. Lacking office help, Norman’s daughter Janet, granddaughter Amanda and daughter-inlaw Deb stepped in to help Norman around 1995, and in 2001 Deb became the full-time Office Manager. Bobbie moved back to Kansas City and began working at Engle’s in February 2005. Norman had a stroke about mid-year 2007, and he and Bobbie retired to Mission, Texas, two years later. Amanda began assisting Deb in the office in October 2009.

Norman left Engle Motors in good hands. Mike and Adam are owners and do a fantastic job, following in their Dad and Grandpa’s footsteps, along with Deb and Amanda and several faithful, long-term employees. We suspect there could be another generation to follow Norman, Mike and Adam and add to Engle Motors history…someday. Time will tell.

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See you in Salt Lake City!

For more information, visit

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

www.rockycreekdesigns.com

info@motorelief.org

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www.corbin.com

www.motorexusa.com

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Come Find your Crossroads

By Rally Chairs Greg Feeler #2241, Brian Burdette #77050 and Pat Carol #48876 EVERY RALLY HAS A NAME, AND WE

called ours “The Crossroads of the West.”

However, there was something more we wanted to convey: what the rally is about, what being a BMW rider is about, and really what riding a motorcycle is about. We called that “Find Your Crossroads.” There are very special, personal places you only find riding

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a bike. Some are literal: the poet’s junction of two roads where your choice of direction changes everything after. Some are emotional: something that touches you and leaves you different, and better.

The three of us have logged hundreds of thousands of motorcycle miles and have many stories of both kinds of crossroads. I

had one late on the Fourth of July in Nebraska. I found myself in a very small rural town that was like falling into a Norman Rockwell painting of Americana. A half dozen blocks featured turn-of-thelast-century brick store fronts with inset doors and cast iron light poles adorned with American flags and red, white, and

blue bunting. There was no one around, and I was alone on a street strewn with the debris from a Fourth of July parade. And yet, I was not alone. I was haunted with the spirit of generations leading a good life and doing the right thing, expecting nothing more than the love of family and friends.

This was a place where people raised families and crops, and weathered every storm.

I sat at the one intersection for five minutes absorbing it all. Five minutes. It is one of my clearest, dearest and most meaningful memories of being on the road.

Perhaps these things have happened to you: a conversation with another rider at a lonely intersection or taking shelter together under an overpass in a storm. If so, then you know they are not easy to explain, but so easy to understand. If not, then we believe they are waiting for you out there—on the road, on your bike—doing what so many people don’t do and don’t understand why you do it. That’s what “Find Your Crossroads” means to us. It’s something very special to those who find it.

Organizing this rally has been a

tremendous honor, and we want to thank you for placing that trust in us. We most sincerely hope you will come to “The Crossroads of The West,” and along the way find your crossroads. With the help of the hundreds of volunteers, whom we cannot thank too much, it will be a lot of fun and give you life-long memories. However, if you can’t make it this year, then we hope you will find other roads that take you to these special places. Finding your crossroads is a life-long adventure.

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Rally Updates – Important last minute information THE

45TH

ANNUAL

INTERNA-

tional BMW MOA “Crossroads of the West” Rally starts July 13! Here is some important information to help us have a successful and safe event with room for everyone. We all want to have a great time, so we appreciate your cooperation and support.

Volunteer - We Need Your Help

You have heard this before, but it’s a fact that the BMW MOA—and especially the rally—is only possible because of large numbers of volunteers. Ask anyone who has volunteered, and they will tell you they had more fun than not volunteering. You become a part of the event, make many new friends and “own a piece of the rock.” You can volunteer in advance on the rally web page by goint to www.bmwmoa.org, clicking on “Rally ‘17” and then clicking on “VOLUNTEER NOW!” You can also sign up at the rally at the Volunteer Committee Booth in the MOA Building (Zion).

Bike and Car Parking Making Room and Safety

To help ensure plenty of camping space, please do NOT park your bike on the grass. Once you have found your tent space and unloaded, please move you bike off the grass and to an adjacent access road.

Car parking, as always, is prohibited on the rally site from noon on Wednesday until Sunday morning.

We have plenty of conveniently located four-wheel vehicle parking. If you are one of the early setup volunteers, please unload your car and then move it to the General Parking

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area. Only official rally support and emergency vehicles and RV’s going to RV parking will be allowed past the wrist band security gate after noon on Wednesday.

Fire lanes: all rally sites must maintain access for fire and emergency vehicles. This year we need your help keeping these fire lanes open by NOT parking your bikes in limited designated areas. You will receive a special map clearly showing these areas at

Registration, and there will be signage and markings in those areas on the grounds.

You will be able to park all around the grass camping areas, but not ACROSS from the grass in these areas. This should not be a problem, with everyone’s cooperation.

On-Line Rally Program and Updated Rally Map

We are excited to announce that for the fist time, the Rally Program will be available for viewing on the BMW MOA web site by the time you read this! Don’t be one of those who get too busy at the rally to read about all the things to do until you get home.

Study up now and have a lot more fun! Go to www.bmwmoa.org and then “Rally ’17,” and follow the links.

The Rally Site Map printed in the June Owners News has been updated and is available on the MOA web site (www.bmwmoa.org) in the “Rally ’17” section. Get familiar with the location of key features now, and print a copy or two to have with you at the rally in addition to the map in the Rally Program.

Early Arrival Policy

The rally site is only open to early setup volunteers until Thursday morning at 8:00 a.m. when Registration opens. We do need volunteers to help with setup, and we need people who will be on the grounds Wednesday evening to work the first shifts of Registration and other many committees. So if you are willing to do those things, we can use your help!

Please use the information on the BMW MOA website to sign up now!

Otherwise, we understand you are anxious to arrive, but please let us get this big Family Reunion ready for you starting Thursday.

Register Now – Don’t Miss Out!

If you haven’t registered, do so now to get the early registration discount! If you haven’t yet decided to go or have decided not to, then I’m suggesting you really don’t want to miss this one!! Utah is one of the most beautiful motorcycle riding states.

You can enjoy much of it coming to and leaving from the rally—or add on a few days to make a summer ride you will remember for years. The rally site is beautiful, with fantastic views of the magnificent Wasatch Mountains. Those same mountains offer numerous, wonderful day-rides right up to the snow-line. And of course, your Rally Team has worked very hard to put on another great MOA “Family Reunion.” Meet friends, make friends, Find Your Crossroads!

Another band added

By Lee Harrelson #145612, Rally Entertainment Chair WE ARE GETTING SO EXCITED AS THE DATE FOR THIS YEAR’S “CROSSROADS OF

the West” 2017 BMW MOA International Rally approaches we couldn’t help ourselves, so we added another great band to our opening night.

Enjoying the sounds of Hogan & Moss is a perfect way to get the rally off to a kicking good time, as they play their brand of “scorch folk,” original songs with old souls, the Carter Family, Appalachian traditional, Delta soul, Gypsy swing and gospel blues, all delivered with passion, speed and drive. Part folk-punk, part 1930s vintage valentine, Hogan & Moss music snaps with mad harmonies, Mother Maybelle-style picking, yodeling, scat, upright bass and an archtop-guitar rhythm chop that’s like a driving wheel.

This year’s site is not only beautiful but also conveniently laid out, with the entertainment stage right in rally central and only steps away from the beer garden and all the excitement. So after a full day of riding the area and visiting the vendors, exhibits and seminars, gather with your friends each evening for a great music line-up. See you in Salt Lake City!

www.cardosystems.com

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More than just a dealership: BMW Motorcycles of Utah

By Jeff Thurmond # 110159 UTAH

HAS

ONLY

ONE

BMW

motorcycle dealership, BMW Motorcycles of Utah. It is centrally located in the population hub where nearly 80 percent of the state’s population lives, smack in the middle of what is locally called the Wasatch Front. For both traveling riders and local BMW owners, getting to the BMW dealership is easy, as it is located next to Interstate 15, which runs north-south through Salt Lake City, and near Interstate 80, which runs east-west.

The Utah BMW dealership is part of Harrison Eurosports, which also sells and services Triumph and Ducati. For someone fond of motorcycles, that makes visiting the dealership even better because it gives you the chance to see how well BMW stacks up with other European motorcycles.

I find it gratifying and a real bonus

to customer service how the internet has helped riders at this dealership. In the Parts Department, where you can find not just parts but a wide selection of apparel and accessories, the staff knows that their biggest competitor is not another BMW dealer in a neighboring town, but a gaggle of vendors accessible via the internet. As a result, the pricing here is very competitive. The parts people have become experts in knowing what works best on your model of BMW, the latest safety and comfort features of the top-of-the-line helmets and riding gear, and what accessories really make sense. There are three parts guys, so there is little if any wait time, and they are friendly as well as professional.

When you come into the BMW dealership, you are greeted with a large, open sales room, a receptionist who both answers incoming calls and helps direct you, and a most friendly “Hi!” from one of the staff. It is abundantly clear that those who work

here want to be here. They ride, they are people oriented, and they love motorcycling and BMWs. The Service Department is not in the same building as the BMW motorcycle sales and parts. It is 200 feet across a parking lot in a separate building. This cuts down on noise in the sales/parts building, and I find it gives me a sense of dedication to working on the motorcycles; they are very attentive to your needs. For example, a few years back the dealership realized that some customers were frustrated by unanswered phone calls. The techs were working on bikes and did not answer the phones. The service writers were either helping other customers at the counter or out in the parking area assisting customers.

To fix this phone dilemma, they hired a separate receptionist to handle calls directed to Service. That is an exemplary level of dedication to customer service.

When you drop off your motorcycle for

service, repair or modification, the guys who help you are pros. They speak motorcycle. If they do not know the answer to your question they bring one of the dozen or more techs into the discussion. All the techs have been to motorcycle school, and they’re proud to display the many plaques honoring their completion of various BMW training courses. They use the very latest equipment and diagnostic tools to

make sure the service or repair jobs are done right, the first time.

If you ride a BMW that is just a few years old, you know that the shade-tree independent shop can have difficulty doing the level of service required on the technologically advanced BMWs of today. You can only buy genuine BMW parts for both new and old BMW motorcycles from an authorized dealership. In this case, because I

have both newer and older bikes, I am really glad for the technical skills of the techs who speak airhead as well as oilhead and water-cooled.

I try to do some of the simple maintenance myself, but my mechanical skills are on par with Donald Duck or maybe one of the Three Stooges. Fortunately, the parts guys are always right there to help me find some obscure gasket or seal for my 1984 R 65 LS, or the correct wheel bearings for my 2002 R 1150 RT. The techs in the service shop are willing to take my dismounted front wheel and put in the bearings, explaining the process along the way. What a pleasure it is to find this quality of dedicated techs and service staff.

There is a coffee machine in the BMW sales area, and all the latest models are on display both inside and parked outside.

The sales staff also goes to BMW training on the features and functions of new models. I have yet to have any question go unanswered. Best yet, while you are waiting for servicing to be done on your motorcycle, since you rode in with all your riding gear, you can spend time taking some demo rides on new models or try out the classic motorcycle in the parking lot display area someone traded for a new one. Be careful with the demo rides—you run the risk of falling in love with the machine and having to find room in your garage for just one more.

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2017 BMW MOA International Rally Grand Prizes BMW MOA

BMW R nineT Scrambler, Racer, Pure or Urban G/S, value $13,295 Four years ago, BMW Motorrad introduced the R nineT to mark “90 years of BMW Motorrad.” Radiating purism R nineT Racer and power in an undisguised form, the R nineT Scrambler new R nineT skillfully blended the boxer engine’s rugged character and the design traits of overlapping eras of motorcycle design with cutting-edge technology and a modular concept offering the rider a canvas for personalization.

With sales numbers exceeding expectations, in 2015 BMW introduced the second Heritage model, the BMW Scrambler. Last year, BMW expanded the Heritage lineup even further by R nineT Pure R nineT Urban G/S adding three additional variations of the original R nineT: the Pure, the Racer and the Urban G/S. We are very excited to announce that we are giving away not one, but two of the newest R nineT Heritage models. This summer in Salt Lake, two lucky rally goers will win their choice of a BMW R nineT Scrambler, Pure, Racer or Urban G/S!

Adriatic Moto Tours

Adriatic Riviera Tour, value $3,860 The Adriatic Riviera Tour is a great way to start or finish the season. On the Adriatic coast summer begins early and ends late with perfect temperatures, empty roads and beaches. All this combined makes Croatia’s azure coast perfect for riding.

This tour is a spectacular mix of coastal and mountain riding. Riders are treated to cliff-side curves high above crystalclear seas, delicious Mediterranean cuisine, colorful fishing villages, medieval walled cities and lush resort islands. The

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tour starts in Ljubljana, Slovenia, exploring the chain of terraced lakes of Plitvice National Park, followed by Mostar, an old Ottoman frontier town. The UNESCO World Heritage city of Dubrovnik is a perfect place to spend a rest day. Two more stops are made on the lush island of Hvar and in the enchanting Venetian coastal town of Zadar in Croatia before the adventure ends in Ljubljana.

The winner can choose between spring (late April, 2018), summer (late August, 2018) and autumn (late September, 2018). The Adriatic Riviera Tour prize provides for one person in a single room on a BMW F 700 GS. The winner needs to be present at the awards ceremony to claim the prize. Prize is not transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash.

Airfare not included.

BMW Motorrad

Navigator VI System and Atacama Top Case, value $1,500 The Navigator VI does much more than just show you the way—it allows you to experience magical biking tours. The Navigator VI’s five-inch touchscreen provides the way to boundless driving pleasure. The display’s circular polarization filter minimizes reflections and improves contrast, thereby ensuring optimal readability even during direct sunlight.

The optional private vehicle assembly kit also enables multifunctional operation. In addition, the pioneering trip technology precisely determines the right way. An optional Smartphone link offers real-time traffic information and up-to-date weather reports to keep you fully posted at all times.

Clearwater Lights Gift Certificate, value $1,500

Clearwater Company has been offering award-winning customer service, well-engineered products and outstanding product support for more than 20 years. Clearwater Lights builds innovative LED lighting systems for motorcycles and is proud to support the many BMW motorcycle models with quality lighting options.

BMW motorcycles are known for their engineering, performance and innovative design, but the same technology that makes them such excellent machines can be a barrier when it comes to adapting to the rider’s preferences.

The winner will be able to select the lights that will best suit his or her needs and motorcycle, no matter what model he or she rides.

Winner must be present to win.

Edelweiss Bike Travel Alps and Lakes Tour, value begins at $3,840

This Classic Edelweiss Bike Travel tour is a seven-day vacation (five riding days) leading you through some of the most scenic regions of Austria and Germany (optionally also to Italy) and to the European motorcycle paradise: the Alps.

The contrast between the beautiful lakes in Southern Germany and Austria and the towering mountains that reach up to more than 10,000 ft. is nothing less than breathtaking—just think of the movie “Sound of Music,” the areas we ride through are some of the background scenes. This motorcycle vacation offers a little bit of everything: beautiful and relaxing rides through the valleys, some mountain roads and passes, and great vistas like the King Ludwig‘s palace or the historic city of Salzburg.

Experience all of this with like-minded travelers who cherish exploring the world on two wheels. Your Edelweiss tour guides, a support van which carries your luggage, plus the handpicked routes and hotels make a rider’s vacation uniquely relaxing and unforgettable at the same time. Airfare not included, must be present to win.

Edelweiss Bike Travel has been offering the motorcycling community the finest choices of motorcycle touring vacations around the globe since 1980. Since the company’s founding, the variety of twowheeled vacations has included tours of any kind anywhere on this globe: from a duration of a few to 80 days; from pre-planned to exclusive tailor-made group vacations; from guided to do-it-yourself tours; from mixed motorcycle to brand-specific only tours; from rider trainings to the ultimate adventure of circumnavigating our planet on the guided world tour. All are based on the philosophy to discover “the best ride there is,” making Edelweiss Bike Travel the undisputable leader in motorcycle tourism worldwide.

Elephant Moto

Discover Columbia! Eight day rental for three people, value $3,840 We are ELEPHANT, the authority on motorcycle-related experiences in Colombia. At ELEPHANT we are experts at what we do, and we are proud to offer the best experiences on two wheels in Colombia and other parts of the world. We are an Official Partner of BMW Motorrad and the only company in Colombia that has a BMW Motorrad certified tour guide and instructor.

Colombia is a unique country to ride motorcycles. The diversity, the roads, the landscapes and the people make it one of the most interesting destinations to ride in South America and the world. With ELEPHANT you can make your trip a reality. The trip includes a planning session to cover route recommendations, hotel suggestions, and GPS routes so you get the most out of your trip to this amazing country. The winner will be responsible for cost of fuel, hotels, meals and personal expenses. Airfare not included.

ELEPHANT Moto

Discover Cost Rica! Eight day rental for three people, value $4,800 We are ELEPHANT. The authority on motorcycle-related experiences in Colombia. In ELEPHANT we are experts at what we do and we are proud to offer the best experiences on two wheels in Colombia and other parts of the world. We are an Official Partner of BMW Motorrad.

Costa Rica is a true gem and just waiting to be explored by you and two of your friends. This Central American country is waiting for you and promises not to disappoint. With ELEPHANT you can make

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your trip a reality. Trip includes a planning session to cover route recommendations, hotel suggestions, and GPS routes so you get the most out of your trip to this amazing country. Winner will be responsible for cost of fuel, hotels, meals and personal expenses. Airfare not included.

Winner may use the $3000 voucher toward any of the seven tours offered by MotoTrip Tours. Choose your favorite destination and begin planning your next trip! Airfare not included. Must be present to win.

Motoxplorers IMTBIKE Tours

Castle and Mountains Tour “Don Quixote” Country, value $3,400 This tour of Central Spain takes the rider through a forgotten motorcycle paradise of beautiful mountain ranges, green valleys and across crystal clear creeks. The route twists and turns over four mountain passes and through the valley traveled long ago by Don Quixote. Spend your days reveling in the sights and scenes of the springtime wildflowers and cherry blossoms. Visit medieval villages, 500-year-old windmills, historical cathedrals and ancient cities. Spoil yourself with gourmet meals and full-bodied Spanish wines. Your nights will be spent in the luxury of the local Paradores, historic palaces, castles and fortresses, all converted into motorcycle-friendly hotels. IMTBIKE has designed this tour with the BMW MOA member in mind! Airfare not included. Must be present to win.

MotoTrip Tours

Voucher good for any Tour, value $3,000 With experienced guides, carefully planned routes and a support vehicle for your luggage, MotoTrip Tours helps make you feel like a local on a ride with a group of friends. Restaurants we choose serve the best traditional food, while beautiful, often luxury hotels give that final punch to the whole guided tour experience organized at a professional level. We prefer riding in small groups, so we limit the maximum number of motorcycles. That allows for safer, more fluent and overall much more enjoyable riding.

Whether it’s our homeland Croatia or Balkans, Alps and Dolomites, Tuscany, Sardinia or Corsica, whether it’s on-road or off-road, be assured you will ride with an experienced team, devoted and excited about every tour they do and trying to make each of them a bit different, special and unique. That’s us!

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The Great Navigators Route, value $1,587 Totally independent and free to travel at your own pace—this is the idea behind self-guided tours. Dispense with the guide and support vehicle and spend your days traveling the way you choose. All route information is accessible from a GPS, and all hotel picking and reservations are handled by Motoxplorers’ specialists. We add a TourBook with all the tips, full of highlights and secrets about the region, and you are all set to live your adventure on your own. Prize includes rental of an F 800 GS, five nights (sharing) hotel and GPS with all route information. Airfare not included.

REV’IT!

REV’IT Sand 3 Adventure Package, value $1,640 REV’IT has redefined the industry standards since their introduction into the motorcycle market in 1995. It is their mission to create the most innovative, functional and stylish motorcycle apparel on the market. Hours of research and development goes into every garment, so that you are prepared for whatever you have in mind, from braving the path less traveled to touring coast-to-coast.

This year’s package includes the Sand 3 pants, jacket and gloves, and Discovery Outdry boots, as well as a back protector and cooling vest.

The Sand 3 jacket and pants are made out of a tough combination of polyester ripstop and PWR shell material to make them ready to withstand serious use and abuse. You retain the ability to remove both the cozy thermal liner and the hydrate waterproof liner when the temperature climbs, allowing the massive VCS-zippered vents to do their job.

Designed for riders who need the ultimate in touring comfort and convenience with appointments for off road protection, the REV’IT Discovery Boots ford that gap. Built on high-grip, long-wearing Vibram Overland soles, the Discovery Outdry boots offer both stability on the pegs and dexterity for walking or hiking. Must be present to win.

RevZilla.com

Selection of Rukka and Kriega Gear, value $1,500 RevZilla was founded in 2007 by a core team of riders whose sole goal was bringing the best possible shopping experience to any enthusiast who visits us, in-store or online. At RevZilla, we know that a large and rider-specific product selection is a commodity within the world of motorcycle gear and parts web sites. There is a lot of competition out there and to some extent we all have overlapping product selections. We hope our straightforward and fair customer approach differentiates us from the pack and speaks to how serious we are about making our customer’s satisfaction as our number one priority. For us, the customer always comes first and we do our darndest to make sure that each customer has an experience which is exemplary of our brand.

Performance has always been at the heart of Rukka. Since the company’s inception in a small farmhouse in Kokkola, Finland, back in 1950, Rukka has been dedicated to producing cutting edge activewear for outdoor enthusiasts that can stand up to the rigors of life and mother nature. Beginning with athletic gear and transitioning to waterproof apparel in the 1960’s, Rukka has a long and storied history of developing industry-leading technologies and materials to best support a life lived outdoors.

With a robust history of producing tough motorcycle rain gear, Rukka was one of the first companies to make use of the Gore-Tex waterproof and breathable membrane for motorcycle gear, launching its first Gore-Tex line in 1986. Since then, Rukka has expanded its line to include some of the toughest gear on the planet and continues to combine their innovative designs with leading technical materials like Gore-Tex, Armacor, Cordura, SuperFabric, Windstopper and D3O. Engineered to perform reliably season after season and thwart off the world’s toughest conditions, Kriega makes some of the most durable motorcycle luggage available for hardcore riders. Backed by an unmatched 10-year warranty on all their packs, Kriega products are made to an unrivaled standard of quality with the finest materials.

The unique, modular design of their dry bags allows for a multitude of combinations, affording Kriega dry packs the versatility to stack on one another, piggyback on Kriega motorcycle backpacks, or mount securely to the bike, adapting easily to fit the tail, tank or as saddlebags. Kriega waterproof motorcycle luggage solutions make it easy to add capacity and develop a luggage configuration that is perfect for your bike and your needs.

Must be present to win.

Twisted Throttle

Denali Accessory Package, value $1,725 Twisted Throttle and DENALI Electronics have teamed up to provide the ultimate visibility package for your motorcycle, with a bonus for the rider from KLIM! This grand prize features the new DENALI CANsmart Controller, which provides plug-n-play accessory installation with dozens of customizable settings. The package also includes two sets of superbright DENALI 2.0 lights, with HiDrive™ High-Intensity LEDs and an interchangeable TriOptic™ Lens System; the venerable DENALI SoundBomb Two-Tone Horn; the new DENALI Auxiliary Brake Light; and the ultralight KLIM Krios Karbon Helmet with custom, retro-reflective DENALI graphics. Light and horn mounts are also included.

Wheels of Morocco

Atlas Adventure Tour, value $2,500 The untouched beauty of the Atlas as only few have seen, riding through the cedar forests, exploring the mines around Midelt, riding on mountain passes above 2,900 metres, riding around the beautiful lake at Bin el Ouidane—this motorcycle journey is all about a unique discovery of the Atlas and all its beauty. We will ride on small winding roads, we will tackle dirt tracks, and we will climb to nearly 3,000 meters to see the mountain range from up above. This adventure is for those who have experience in off-road riding on big trail bikes and who want to discover the untouched parts of Morocco in a unique way, but with the security of full assistance and guiding. Airfare is not included.

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The

Benefits of

Membership KOA Value Kard Rewards Trial Membership KOA Is offering BMW MOA members a one-year trial membership in the KOA Value Kard Rewards program.

With your trail membership to Value Kard Rewards you receive 10%* off on your daily registration rate at any of the nearly 500 KOA campgrounds in North America. In addition, you’ll earn Value Kard points that are redeemable towards dollars off your future stays and you will have access to KOA Value Kard Rewards member only offers.

Find your promotional PIN number in your MOA MEMBER PROFILE then go to the KOA VALUE KARD REWARDS site to redeem your free one year trial membership.

We have lined up some of the best discounts in the industry worth way more than $40 per year. Whether you need product discounts, travel discounts or specialized services, your MOA membership can save you thousands of dollars with our partners.

MOA Partner Discounts Cruise One

Members recieve discounted rates, promotional upgrade offers on many departures, personal service and expert advice.

Product Discounts JC Motors

Save on motorcycle parts, riding gear and accessories.

Travel Discounts Hyatt Regency Greenville

Member receive a 20% discount off their published rates.

Service Providers VPI Pet Insurance

Members receive group rates for individual pet insurance plans - 5% - 15% discounts.

For the complete listing of all member discounts, visit us online at bmwmoa.org/discounts

www.bmwmoa.org/discounts www.bmwmoa.org/discounts

104

BMW OWNERS NEWS  July 2017

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

1-440-951-6555

www.britishmotorcyclegear.com www.beemershop.com

www.epmwilbers.com www.rtwmototours.com

PALO ALTO SPEEDOMETER Expert repair of Motometer and VDO Speedometers, Tachometers, Clocks

Quartz clock repair and conversion.

Custom color face conversion.

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

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

www.dynabeads.com

RALLY

2017BMW MOA INTERNATIONAL RALLY

Rally door prizes ONE PART OF THE NATIONAL RALLY

that so many attendees enjoy isthe vendor buildings, where you can farkle your body and your bike while at the rally. Many of those vendors go one step further to enhance your rally experience by donating some of their goods or services to the Door Prize Committee. We are also in touch with many contributors who won’t be attending the rally but still want to

donate. Last year in Hamburg we gave away over 350 door prizes and this year we hope to have even more. Expect to see everything from riding apparel to resort stays, clothing to classes, tours to tools and everything in between. Gift certificates are an especially enjoyable surprise. We look forward to meeting many of you in person when you drop off your tickets and when you come to collect your winnings.

Not a rule, but a recommendation: Use

address labels to complete your door prize information. Nothing to write, so it is always legible and it keeps the line moving quickly.

Remember, you can’t win if you don’t attend! See you at Crossroads of the West, and keep in mind – the Door Prize Booth closes promptly at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Your Door Prize Committee Susanna, Larry and Rick

Thank you to the following donors ABUS Mobile Security......................................................... www.abus.com Adaptiv Technologies........................................ www.adaptivetech.com Aerostich......................................................................... www.aerostich.com Airhead Cycles...................................................... www.airheadcycles.com Atlas Throttle Lock........................................www.atlasthrottlelock.com Big Ear...............................................................................www.bigearinc.com Bike Log...............................................................................www.bikelog.com Bing Agency International.......................... www.bingcarburetor.com Bob’s BMW Motorcycles...........................................www.bobsbmw.com BurnsMoto.................................................................. www.burnsmoto.com Butler Motorcycle Maps..........................................www.butlermap.com Centech Wiring....................................................... www.centechwire.com Reg Pridmore’s CLASS Motorcycle Schools.....www.classrides.com Continental Motorcycle Tires................................... www.conti-na.com Corbin.....................................................................................www.corbin.com Cramp Buster.......................................................... www.crampbuster.com Cyclops Adventure Sports...................www.cyclopsadventuresports Don’t Want a Pickle................................................... www.dwapickle.com Dowco Powersports.................................................www.dowco-inc.com EPM Performance Imports/Hyperpro................. www.epmperf.com Euro MotoElectrics....................................www.euromotoelectrics.com Fiskur Leather..........................................................www.fiskurleather.com Fontana Village Resort....................................www.fontanavillage.com Galfer USA....................................................................... www.galferusa.com GSM Motorcycle Rental...................................www.gsmmotorent.com Helmet Sunblocker.....................................www.helmetheadcycle.com Hyper-Lite......................................................................www.hyperlites.com Ilium Works..................................................................www.iliumworks.com Klim.............................................................................................. www.klim.com Kryptonite..........................................................................www.allegion.com

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BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

Max BMW Motorcycles..............................................www.maxbmw.com MaxMoto Inc./Helite Airbag/Remus................www.helitemoto.com Michelin............................................................................ www.michelin.com Morton’s BMW Motorcycles........................... www.mortonsbmw.com Mosko Moto............................................................. www.moskomoto.com MotoChello.................................................................www.motochello.com Moto Machines................................................. www.motomachines.com Motoz Tires (Pacific Powersports).... www.pacificpowersports.com N’Vision........................................................................ www.nvcreative.co.au Piggyback Straps.......................................... www.piggybackstraps.com ProTech Custom Covers....................................................www.skn-it.com Real Gaskets Tennessee........................................ www.realgaskets.com RoadRUNNER Magazine.................................www.rrmotorcycling.com ROK Straps USA, LLC.................................................. www.rokstraps.com Rykel Industries..................................................... www.crampbuster.com Seat Concepts........................................................ www.seatconcepts.com Sena Technologies................................................................www.sena.com Skene Lights............................................................ www.skenedesign.com Sound Rider.................................................................www.soundrider.com Spectro Oils of America....................................... www.spectro-oils.com Spiegler Performance Parts................................www.spieglerusa.com Stop & Go International, Inc.....................................www.stopngo.com Suburban Machinery, Inc................. www.suburban-machinery.com Tecmate North America.............................................. www.tecmate.com Throttle Rocker.................................................... www.throttlerocker.com Warn Industries.....................................................................www.warn.com Whitehorse Press.......................................... www.whitehorsepress.com Wolfman Luggage....................................... www.wolfmanluggage.com z-clear.....................................................................................www.z-clear.com

Door Prize Rules 1. In your registration packet you receive a series of three door prize tickets. Each ticket is numbered and must be placed correctly in the corresponding box in the door prize area. One ticket is for the new BMW motorcycle, one is for all other Grand Prizes and the final ticket is for the daily drawings. You also have a redemption coupon which you must retain in order to claim any prize (including the grand prizes). It is your responsibility to place the tickets correctl, as the boxes will not be opened to retrieve misplaced tickets.

2. D aily drawings will be held on the following schedule:

Rally Door Prize Donors TM

All Your Motorcycle Info In One Place

bike log Baroody’s

5th Edition

Thursday 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Friday 12 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

w w w. bi k e l o g . c om

Winning numbers will be posted near the door prize area approximately 30 minutes after each scheduled drawing. The redemption coupon must be presented to claim a prize. Each ticket is good for only one prize.

3. All door prizes must be claimed by 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon. Door prizes not claimed by this deadline will be forfeited. The door prize booth will close promptly at 4 p.m. in order to prepare for the closing ceremonies.

-Hyper-Lite

R

4. P rizes cannot be exchanged for other prizes.

NO exceptions!

5. Grand Prize boxes will not be opened until Saturday evening at the Closing Ceremonies. Grand Prize tickets will be drawn from all the tickets deposited over the length of the rally. All Grand Prizes will be awarded.

The requirement of “must be present to win” is at the discretion of the donor and will be announced prior to the winning ticket being drawn.

M T

MACHINES

6. Winners of door prizes valued at $600 or more will be required to complete a W-9 form for tax reporting purposes before the prize can be awarded. Winners of prizes valued of $600 or more are responsible for all applicable taxes and fees.

7. Please take the time to thank the donors. Upon prize redemption, you will be presented with a postcard addressed to the donor. Please write a few words of thanks so it can be returned to the donor to show our appreciation for their contribution. Our generous donors contribute a great deal to your rally. They appreciate your feedback and are more likely to contribute again in following years if we thank them.

8. Not a rule, but a recommendation: Use address labels to complete your door prize information. Nothing to write, so it is always legible - plus it keeps the line moving quickly!

®

TIRE PLUGGERS Know Before You Go! 800-747-0238

SUBURBAN MACHINERY

www.stopngo.com

July 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS

107

2017BMW MOA INTERNATIONAL RALLY

Rally Vendors

www.m4motorcycles.com

Company Name Website 6th Gear Racing...................................................................................................................www.six-gear.com ABUS Mobile Security..............................................................................www.mobilesecurity.abus.com Adriatic Moto Tours.......................................................................................www.adriaticmototours.com Adventure Pockets........................................................................................www.adventurepockets.com Airhead Cycles................................................................................................ www.poschengineering.com AltRider.................................................................................................................................... www.altrider.com ATLAS Throttle Lock........................................................................................www.atlastthrottlelock.com BeemerShop...............................................................................................................www.beemershop.com BIG EAR................................................................................................................................www.bigearinc.com Bike House Adventure........................................................................................ www.bikeadventure.com Bill Mayer Saddles...........................................................................................www.billmayer-saddles.com Black Dog Cycle Works.............................................................................................www.blackdogcw.com Black Hills Moto.....................................................................................................www.blackhillsmoto.com Blaze Anti-Fog.............................................................................................. Facebook.blazeantifogcleaner British Motorcycle Gear.......................................................................www.britishmotorcyclegear.com Burnsmoto......................................................................................................................www.burnsmoto.com Christian Motorcyclists Association...............................................................................www.cmausa.org CIMA International........................................................................................................ www.nolan-usa.com Clearwater Lights...............................................................................................www.clearwaterlights.com Compass Expeditions..............................................................................www.compassexpeditions.com Continental Motorcycle Tires....................................................................... www.continental-tires.com Corbin Pacific.......................................................................................................................... www.corbin.com Cycle Wraps Cyclops Adventure Sports..............................................................www.cyclopsadventuresports.com DeGray Lake Resort State Park.........................................................................................www.degray.com DMC Sidecars.............................................................................................................. www.dmcsidecars.com Edelweiss Bike Travel............................................................................................ www.edelweissbike.com Engraving 4 U..........................................................................................................www.engraving-4-u.com Enovative Technologies.......................................................................................www.enovativetech.com Ericsson’s Motorcycle Tours.......................................................facebook. Ericsson’s motorcycle tours EZ Touring..........................................................................................................................www.eztouring.com FarkleBar.com.....................................................................................................................www.farklebar.com Fiskur Leather............................................................................................................. www.fiskurleather.com Fit-Ear...........................................................................................................................................www.fit-ear.com Fred Rau Adventure Tours................................................................................................www.fredrau.com Galfer Braking Systems..................................................................................................www.galferusa.com Giant Loop..............................................................................................................www.giantloopmoto.com GIVI USA................................................................................................................................... www.giviusa.com Global Tours.................................................................................................................. www.globeriders.com Gregg’s A-List......................................................................... www.squareup.com/market/greggs-a-list Harrison Eurosports....................................................................................www.harrisoneurosports.com Helmet Sounds...................................................................................................... www.helmetsounds.com Ilium Works..................................................................................................................... www.iliumworks.com IMS / Seat concepts.................................................................................................www.seatconcepts.com IMTBike Tours & Rentals.................................................................................................... www.imtbike.com Ironhorse Gear........................................................................................................ www.ironhorsegear.com Jesse Luggage Systems.........................................................................................www.jesseluggage.com Kermit Chair Company...............................................................................................www.kermitchair.com

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BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

KLIM................................................................................................................................................www.klim.com Knopftours...................................................................................................................... www.knopftours.com LDComfort........................................................................................................................ www.ldcomfort.com Machine Art Moto............................................................................................ www.machineartmoto.com Marty’s Mobile Detailing Maxmoto............................................................................................................................www.maxmoto.com Medjet Assist....................................................................................................www.medjet.com/bmwmoa Michelin...............................................................................................www.motorcycle.michelinman.com Moskomoto..................................................................................................................www.moskomoto.com MotoChello.................................................................................................................... www.motochello.com Motexplorers..........................................................................................................www.motoexplorers.com MotoQuest.....................................................................................................................www.motoquest.com Motorcycle Relief Project..............................................................................................www.motorelief.org Motorrad Angels Foundation..........................................................................www.motorradangels.org Motorrad Tours.................................................................................................... www.motorrad-tours.com Moto-Skiveez..............................................................................................................www.motoskiveez.com MotoTrip.................................................................................................................. www.mototrip-tours.com NATTI Snack Bars.................................................................................................................www.nattibar.com Nelson Rigg USA...........................................................................................................www.nelsonrigg.com NO-MAR TIRE CHANGERS.........................................................................www.nomartirechangers.com Original Grip Buddies........................................................................www.originalbeemerbuddies.com Pacific Powersports.....................................................................................www.pacificpowersports.com Peru Motors ..................................................................................................................www.perumotors.com Procolumbia.............................................................................................................www.procolumbia.co/en ProTech Custom Covers (SKNZ)......................................................................................... www.skn-it.com Racer Gloves USA................................................................................................. www.racerglovesusa.com RCU Designs....................................................................................................................www.rcudesigns.com Redverz Gear........................................................................................................................ www.redverz.com Rev’It........................................................................................................................................www.revitusa.com Ride Adventures.................................................................................................................. www.rideadv.com RKA..................................................................................................................................www.rka-luggage.com RoadRUNNER Magazine......................................................................................... www.roadrunner.travel ROK Straps USA................................................................................................................www.rokstraps.com Rox Speed FX................................................................................................................. www.roxspeedfx.com RTW Moto Tours..................................................................................................... www.rtwmototours.com SAMA Tours..................................................................................................................... www.samatours.com Sargent Cycles............................................................................................................www.sargentcycle.com Schuberth North America..............................................................www.schuberthnorthamerica.com Scorpion Sports..........................................................................................................www.scorpionusa.com Sena Technologies................................................................................................www.senabluetooth.com Skene Lights...................................................................................................................www.skenelights.com Sound RIDER!................................................................................................................. www.soundrider.com Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.................................................................................https://suwa.org Spiegler Performance Parts....................................................................................... www.sieglerusa.com Tecmate.................................................................................................................................www.tecmate.com The Bird The Lodge at Mount Magazine................................................www.mountmagazinestatepark.com Touratech-USA........................................................................................................ www.touratech-usa.com Twisted Throttle.................................................................................................... www.twistedthrottle.com Vectolabs............................................................................................................................www.vololights.com Venture Heat Clothing.............................................................................................www.ventureheat.com Walkingshaw Enterprises Weisertechnik........................................................................................................www.weisertechnick.com West38Moto................................................................................................................ www.west38moto.com Wolfman Luggage...........................................................................................www.wolfmanluggage.com Woody’s Wheel Works Z-Clear ZTECHNIK............................................................................................................................. www.ztechnik.com

www.gotournz.com

www.helmetsunblocker.com

July 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS

109

RENT BMWs IN CALIFORNIA

Dubbelju Motorcycle Rentals

www.cyclenutz.com

www.ridgerunnervt@gmavt.net

1.866.495.2774

www.dubbelju.com www.dubbelju.com

"DAY-LONG" TOURING SADDLES By

Russell

www.scenicwheels.com.au

Support Suspension System 4917 Shasta Dam Blvd.

Shasta Lake, CA 96019

(800) 432-9566 info@day-long.com

www.day-long.com www.day-long.com

www.sbs-friction.dk

www.nomartirechanger.com

www.ceebaileys.com/cycle

event

WHENANDWHERE 14 20 36 7

Email your event information to editor@bmwmoa.org

11

1 24 35 27 31 30 9 26 38 19 8 16

15 2

39 21

28 17

18 3

5

4

32

12 34 6

33

10 42

33

23 16 22

41

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43

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Map courtesy of

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July 7/7/2017 – 7/9/2017

1

37th Annual BMW Club of Quebec Rally

Location: Shawinigan, Quebec Canada Contact: Richard Veilleux richard@veilleux.com You’re invited to join us at this great venue in this beautiful area of Quebec. The event will take place on a small island, called Ile Banane, reserved just for us. There are rides for both street and dual sport bikes. On the program will be: rides, local area activities, great food and lots of fun.

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BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

2

7/9/2017 – 7/12/2017

The GS Giant: Snake River Ramble

Location: Ririe, Idaho Contact: Tracy Novacich 302-723-2354 Spend three days in the shadow of the Tetons riding the best of eastern Idaho and Wyoming, both on and off road. Your rally fee includes a daily catered breakfast and dinner, bike games, door prizes, great old and new friends and awesome adventures, plus the obligatory tee-shirt and swag bag.

3

7/12/2017 – 7/13/2017

GEARS Training Salt Lake City 2017

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Contact: Peter Perrin peterpldma@4000e.com The BMW MOA Foundation will offer free riding instruction for 24 students at the

Utah Sate Fairpark. This summer there will be two programs offered - the GEARS basic MSF-dirt bike training and an advanced skills program called GEARS ABC.

4

7/13/2017 – 7/16/2017

BMW MOA International Rally

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Contact: Greg Feeler 2017rallychair@bmwmoa.org Utah is a rider’s wonderland with 21 national parks and monuments, 40 state parks, and seven national forests. Easy day rides from the Fairpark will take you into the mountains to Park City, the Utah Olympic Park, and the year-round resorts of Alta, Solitude, and Snowbird.

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

5

7/15/2017 – 7/16/2017

Vintage Motorbike Show at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Contact: Ted Sohier 412-561-0993 ted.sohier@verizon.net Please join us for the 6th year of the growing Vintage Motorbike Show at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. All makes and models of historic, vintage, and antique vehicles are welcome at the largest spectator event in the city each summer.

6

7/20/2017 – 7/23/2017

46th Annual Top O’ The Rockies Rally

Location: Paonia, Colorado Contact: Matt Baroody matthewbaroody@msn.com The Paonia area boasts some of Colorado’s best riding, both on and off road. Your rally fee includes three nights shaded camping, Saturday meal and two nights live entertainment. Great place to stop after the MOA rally!

7

7/20/2017 – 7/23/2017

45th Annual Cascade Country Rendezvous Location: Republic, Washington Contact: wsbmwr.org Join us for the 45th annual Cascade Country Rendezvous in beautiful Republic Washington. Camp at the Ferry County Fairgrounds or stay in a local motels.

8

August 9

8/3/2017 – 8/6/2017

22nd Damn Yankees Rally

Location: Heath, Massachusetts Contact: Rich Roy f650gs@cox.net www.yankeebeemers.org Rustic camping at one of New England’s oldest operating fairgrounds, The Heath Fairground. Outdoor showers. Saturday activities include a guided Dual Sport Ride, a visit to a legendary ISDT Spanish Motorcycle museum, A Magical Mystery Tour, a “MotoGymKhana” and Live Band. All brand riders and their guests Welcome!

10

8/5/2017

18th Annual 100,000 Ft. Ride

Location: Lakewood, Colorado Contact: Carl Thomte 303-753-662 rcarloski@msn.com Ride enough mountain passes in a day to equal 100,000 ft.! This ride can go from 300500 miles depending on the final route.

11

8/10/2017 – 8/13/2017

Camp-N-Ride

Location: Kaslo, British Columbia, Canada Contact: Gary Smith 250-766-3192 judosmith@telus.net This is a no host event. Come and join in on the camaraderie of fellow riders and visit some of the best riding in British Columbia.

Please check our website for further details Valley Bmw Riders.

7/27/2017 – 7/30/2017

39th USCA Sidecar Rally

Location: Corning, New York Contact: Jan Daub uscarallymaster@gmail.com The United Sidecar Association, an affiliate charter MOA club, welcomes all brands and makes of sidecars to its annual rally. Group and solo rides, sidecar skills refresher sessions and tech sessions along with games, food and refreshments for attendees.

12

8/11/2017 - 8/13/2017

35th Annual Husker Rally

Location: Franklin, Nebraska Contact: Jayney Solo 402-676-1739 jayneysolo@cox.net Join us for our 35th annual rally at the fairgrounds in Franklin, nestled in the beautiful Republican Valley of south central Nebraska.

The Nightriders offer a weekend of great food and fun. Meet others who share your love of the open road, good company, shaded camping, hot showers and the best rally food.

13

8/11/2017 - 8/13/2017

40th Annual Daniel Boone Rally

Location: Boone, North Carolina Contact: rally@carolinasbmwmoa.org Join us for the 40th Annual Dan’l Boone Rally at the KOA Campground in Boone, North Carolina. Some of the best motorcycle roads east of the Mississippi River with three states in easy distance. Ride the Blue Ridge Parkway, High Country of North Carolina and much more.

14

8/17/2017 - 8/20/2017

Nakusp Hotsprings Rally

Location: Nakusp, British Columbia, Canada Contact: Grant Fengstad nakupsrally@beeceebeemers.com The areas around Nakusp, BC boasts some of the best riding roads in all of British Columbia. Whether you come for the workshops, talks, camaraderie, riding or to relax in this picturesque location you will not regret your visit.

15

8/17/2017 - 8/20/2017

19th Beartooth Rendezvous

Location: Red Lodge, Montana Contact: Charlie Greear/Carla Tooth registrar@beartoothbeemers.org (208) 661-5639/(406) 696-2114 You can’t ask for a better view! Join us at the Lions Camp located 10 miles south of Red Lodge, Montana. Ample camping space is available in and around the camp and there’s even a mountain stream nearby.

16

8/18/2017 - 8/20/2017

MOA Getaway

Location: Eureka Springs, Arkansas Contact: bmwmoa.org/getaway Nestled in the Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas and surrounded by rivers and lakes, Eureka Springs is known for its healing waters and ribbons of highway curling around majestic bluffs and over hills revealing the area’s breathtaking scenery.

An $89 event fee includes a Friday night welcome party and dinner with cash bar, Saturday night dinner and awards with cash bar, $500 worth of door prizes, event t-shirt, special MOA gift and a silent auction to benefit the Motorcycle Relief Project. Event Fee does not include lodging. Visit

July 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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event

whenandwhere

bmwmoa.org/getaway to register for the event and contact Inn of the Ozarks at 800-814-8307 for room reservations.

17

8/18/2017 - 8/20/2017

Four Winds BMW Riders Rally

Location: Fairmount City, Pennsylvania Contact: John Humphrey 412-897-1903 john.4windsbmw@gmail.com Please join us for the longest continuous running BMW rally in America.

Beautiful riding in scenic western Pennsylvania, just south of the Allegheny National Forest. Great group and individual riding for road and GS riders. Local lodging is available, as well as RV and camping sites in Red Bank Park.

18

8/25/2017 - 8/27/2017

Galena Campout

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

There you will find plenty of shaded camping, mini cottages, RV hook-ups, hot showers, and even a pool and sun deck.

September 19

Rally

9/1/2017 - 9/4/2017

43rd Annual Finger Lakes

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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BMW OWNERS NEWS  July 2017

20

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.

21

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.

22

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.

23

9/8/2017 - 9/10/2017

MOA Premier Getaway

Location: Sedona, Arizona Contact: bmwmoa.org/getaway Surrounded by red-rock buttes, steep canyon walls and lush pine forests, the Sedona area offers some of the most scenic rides in the southwest through postcard perfect rock formations and beautiful landscapes.

A $129 event fee includes a Friday welcome party and dinner, Saturday dinner

and awards, $500 in door prizes, polo shirt, special MOA gift and silent auction benefitting the Motorcycle Relief Project. Visit bmwmoa.org/getaway to register for the event and contact Poco Diablo Resort at 928-282-7333 for room reservations.

24

9/8/2017 - 9/10/2017

33rd Annual Bavarian Mountain Weekend Location: Vadito, New Mexico Contact: Richard Larson 505-504-4143 rslarson@gmail.com Friday night green chile stew snack and Saturday night dinner. Live music Friday and Saturday (new band!) evenings. Great door prizes. Tech sessions. Located just 25 miles SE of Taos, NM on state highway 518 there is wonderful mountain area riding, with nearby Santa Fe, Taos, Las Vegas and points beyond.

25

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.

26

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.

27

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.

www.nextadvwealth.com

9/15/2017 - 9/17/2017

28 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!

29

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!

30

9/15/2017 - 9/17/2017

8th Annual Twin Valley Rally

Location: Meadows of Dan, Virginia Contact: Seth Pagani seth@twinvalleyrally.org Imagine the perfect motorcycle rally. You put it in an area renowned for amazing roads and sublime scenery. You host it in a clean, intimate campground with proper amenities. You make it small enough to get to know practically everybody there, but

July 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS

115

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

event

whenandwhere

large enough to broaden your friendships. You have music, door prizes, and possible test rides of fine new machines, amazing food, vendors and fun events. That’s what Twin Valley Riders, the sport-touring and adventure-riding club of Southwest Virginia has done with the Twin Valley Rally.

31

Rally

9/15/2017 - 9/17/2017

25th Annual Purity Spring

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.

32

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.

33

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.

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BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2017

34

9/22/2017 - 9/24/2017

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.

35

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.

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.

38

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.

9/29/2017 - 9/30/2017

39 Gathering of the Clams Location: Wakefield, Rhode Island Contact: Carl A Saccoccio 401-447-7114 carlsaccoccio@verizon.net Join us at Camp Fuller YMCA on beautiful Great Salt Pond in Wakefield, Rhode Island.

Enjoy three days and two nights of oceanside camping or sleep in a shared cabin at no extra charge.

9/22/2017 - 9/24/2017

MOA Getaway

36 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.

37

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

9/29/2017 - 10/1/2017

40 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.

41

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,

Ride Brilliantly Every Day! Play your Beemer like a fiddle 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.

October 42

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10/6/2017 - 10/8/2017

Colonial Virginia Rally

Location: Lenexa, Virginia Contact: www.bmwmchr.com/rally Come join the fun and help the BMW Motorcycle Club of Hampton Roads celebrate our 40th annual rally. We’ll be at Rockahock Campground. The campground is just north of Williamsburg and outside of the Historical Triangle of Virginia. There are many wonderful historical sites (Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown) close by with lots of great riding roads.

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10/13/2017 - 10/15/2017

42nd Annual Falling Leaf Rally

Location: Potosi, Missouri Contact: Rich Race rally@gatewayriders.com The St. Louis Gateway Riders, MOA charter club #22, welcome you to the foothills of the Ozarks, offering exciting riding for road and dual sports, and beautiful Fall colors.

Touring Sport BMW 1431 Laurens Rd Greenville, SC 29607-2340 864-232-2269 www.touringsport.com

www.touringsport.com

10/19/2017 - 10/22/2017

44 2017 Adventure Ribfest Location: Centerville, Tennessee Contact: Lee Waggoner ribfest@bmwmcon.org Enjoy great paved roads or dirt roads and trails with many creek crossings for a true adventure. The GS Giants will be hosting the Trials Course as well as an off-road skills class. There will be plenty of primitive camping, lots of campfire conversations, entertainment, and some of the best ribs you’ll ever eat.

www.bluerimtours.com

July 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS

117

event

whenandwhere

November 11/3/2017 - 11/4/2017

45 47th South Central BMW

Owners Reunion

appealing two-lane 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.

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.

46 11/10/2017 - 11/12/2017

Rally

16th Swamp Scooter Gumbo

www.vtbmwmov.org/rally/

Location: Carencro, Louisiana Contact: James Carpenter president@swampscooters.net Everyone is welcome at our Annual Gumbo Rally so come pass a good time and laisser les bons temps rouler (let the good times roll) at Bayou Wilderness Rv Resort near Lafayette.

11/10/2017 - 11/12/2017

47 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

www.parabellum.com

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BMW OWNERS NEWS  July 2017

advertiserindex Action Stations/Bohn Armor................. 53 Adaptiv Technologies............................... 35 Admore Lighting........................................ 41 Adriatic Moto Tours................................... 18 ADV Depot.................................................... 81 Adventure Designs.................................... 25 Adventure New Zealand Tours...........109 AeroFlow....................................................... 82 Aerostich-RiderWearHouse............. 23, 47 Alaska Leather............................................. 81 Alaska Motorcycle Adventures............. 85 Ayres Adventures....................................... 51 Backcountry Discovery Routes............. 79 BeadRider...................................................... 25 Beartooth Beemers Rally......................... 87 Beemer Boneyard...................................... 41 Beemer Shop, The...................................... 81 Bing Agency................................................. 83 Blue Rim Tours...........................................117 BMW Club of Quebec............................... 91 BMW of Southeast Michigan................. 75 BMW Performance Center...................... 52 Bob’s BMW.................................................... 27 Boxer Works Service.................................. 40 British Motorcycle Gear.........................105 BullRack......................................................... 28 Capital Cycle................................................ 53 Cardo Systems............................................. 97 Cee Baileys Aircraft Plastic.............41, 110 Clearwater Lights....................................... 53 Colorado Tourbike Rentals..................... 23 Continental Tire.......................................... 18 Corbin Pacific............................................... 93 Cyclenutz.....................................................110 DMC Sidecars............................................... 25 Dubbeju Motorcycle Rentals...............110 Dunlop Tires................................................. 63 Dyna Beads.................................................105

Edelweiss Bike Travel................................ 33 EPM Hyper Pro..................................... 35, 77 Euro Moto Electrics................................... 35 European Toys............................................. 28 Finger Lakes Rally....................................... 77 First Gear......................................................IBC Geza Gear...................................................... 18 GS-911 Diagnostic Tool............................ 23 Global Rescue.............................................. 52 Green Moutain Rally...............................118 GSM Motorent............................................. 40 Helmet Sun Blocker.................................109 HEX-ezCAN.................................................105 Ilium Works................................................... 77 Illinois BMW Club Campout................... 83 IMTBIKE TOURS................................... 25, 35 Jesse Luggage Systems........................... 79 Kermit Chair Company............................. 28 Land of Enchantment Rally.................... 87 LD Comfort................................................... 53 Lee Parks Designs...................................... 35 Legal Speeding Enterprises................... 53 M4Motorcycles..................................92, 108 MachineartMoto........................................ 51 Magura USA................................................. 33 Michelin Tire................................................. 13 MOA Gear Shop.......................................... 89 MOA Member Benefits..........................104 Morton’s BMW Motorcycles................... 28 Moto Aventura............................................ 40 Moto-Bins...................................................... 35 Moto Skiveez............................................... 78 Motonation..................................................BC MotoDiscovery............................................ 77 Motonation..................................................BC Motorcycle Releif Project - psa............. 92 Motorcycle Travel Network.................... 78 Motorex USA................................................ 93

Motorrad Elektrik....................................... 85 Mountain Master Truck Equipment...... 53 MTA Distributing/Olympia Moto Sports..IFC MTA-Liqui Moly............................................................54 Next Adventure Wealth Advisors..................115 No-Mar Enterprises.................................110 Overseas Speedometer........................... 85 Palo Alto Speedometer..........................105 Parabellum.................................................118 Paradise Motorcycle Tours...................... 78 Progressive Insurance.............................. 19 Ray Atwood Cycles..................................110 Redverz.......................................................... 51 Re-Psycle BMW Parts................................78 Rider Magazine..........................................115 RKA Luggage............................................... 91 Rocky Creek Designs................................ 92 RTW Moto Tours.......................................100 Russel Cycle Products.............................110 S100 Cycle Care Products....................... 78 Saddlemen................................................... 29 Sargent Cycle Products............................ 40 SBS Brakes...................................................110 Scenic Wheels Motorcycle Tours........110 Spectro Oils of America............. 83, 85, 87 Spiegler.......................................................... 18 Spot....................................................................9 Stop ‘n Go....................................................105 Suburban Machinery..............................105 TecMate......................................................... 75 Total Control Training.............................117 Touratech.........................................................1 Touring Sport BMW.................................117 Tourmaster................................................... 55 Twisted Throttle.............................................5 Wilbers USA.........................................53, 105 Wolfman Luggage..................................... 75 Ztechnik......................................................... 11

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 7.

July 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS

119

talelight

Hard earned dirt

When Luis Castilla returned from his trip through the Yukon Territory he brought some of the Dempster Highway home with him.

Photo by Luis Castilla #196431

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BMW OWNERS NEWS  July 2017

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

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JULY 2017

SecondtoNone

JULY 2017 BMW OWNERS NEWS www.bmwmoa.org