July 2019 BMW Owners News

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

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My R 100 RT photographed by my wife near Newport, Virginia. Submitted by Kenneth McDonald #182184.

INSIDE

JULY 2019

FEATURES

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THE TOUR OF HONOR

BY JACKIE BRUNKEN #91814 The Tour of Honor is a personal ride honoring our nation’s heroes and taking riders to locations they may not ordinarily visit, and encounters with individuals they would not have had the opportunity to learn from.

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DISCOVERING MAGIC AT THE MAGIC BEACH MOTEL

BY JOHN CALLAGHAN #140070 If you ride long enough, you experience all kinds of surprises – some good, some not.

Some surprises can put a smile on your face. The Magic Beach Motel in St. Augustine, Florida, did exactly that for John Callaghan!

66 ON THE COVER: A slow shutter speed and a fast bike combine for this artistic image

by Mark Janda #198513

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

THE QUAIL MOTORCYCLE GATHERING

BY WILL GUYAN #56198 An annual assemblage of some of the most incredible motorcycles in the world, the Quail Motorcycle Gathering is a prominent west coast event near Monterey, California. Think Barber Motorcycle Museum, outside on the lush, green grass of May.

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

A photograph taken near Abraham Lake, Alberta, during our first "real" ride of the season. Photo by Marlen Padberg #212161.

4 OWNERS NEWS CONTRIBUTORS

8 HEADLIGHT Motorcycle Memories by Bill Wiegand 10 PRESIDENTS COLUMN

Happy Independence Day

by Wes Fitzer

12 POSTCARDS FROM THE ROAD 14 RIDER TO RIDER Letters from our Members 16 SHINY SIDE UP Perfectly Good Motorcycle

by Ron Davis

20 GETTING AWAY IN CAMBRIA by Bruce Barnes

36 NEWS 2020 BMW MOA Rally Chairs named, MOA Board

election results, Click’n’Ride Quick-Release Turn Signals by Twisted Throttle, Arai RAM-X helmet, MachineartMoto X-Head guards for R 1250 models, Plan and track your ride with the BMW MOA Ride app by Tourstart, The history and future of BMW Motorrad melded into a custom bike, Congratulations to the GS Trophy Qualifiers.

4 6 KEEP 'EM FLYING Denver Tech Day by Matt Parkhouse 50 TORQUE OF THE MATTER Transferrable Skills

by Wes Fleming

70 FROM THE FOUNDATION It Starts with a Crazy Dream

by Ted Moyer

74 HIGH MILEAGE Congratulations to our High Mileage Riders

24 MEMBER TESTED Aventuro Carbon 2 Adventure

8 0 JACK THE RIEPE A Tribute to Long Distance Riding

28 MEMBER TESTED Omega 600 Airhead upgrade

84 MILEAGE SLAVES Wicked in the Rain by David Cwi

helmet by Wes Fleming

by Joseph Pallaria

30 MEMBER TESTED Sargent seat for R 1200 RT

by Rob O’Neill and Drew Miska

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MEMBER TESTED The Best of Peter Egan by Tom Van

Horn

by Jack Riepe

86 WHEN AND WHERE Rally listings 95

ADVERTISER INDEX

9 6 TAILIGHT July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

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CONTRIBUTORS 1. Joseph Pallaria was born north of Boston and has been riding motorcycles since he was 16. In the early 1980s, Joe saw a BMW motorcycle for the first time, and in 1982 bought a 1975 R 90/6. His love affair with BMW 1 motorcycles continues today.

In 1983, Joe graduated from nursing school, and the open road was calling, so he loaded up his 900cc Beemer in Boston and took an 11,000-mile road trip to Seattle. His girlfriend flew west, and the two of them 2 rode back across the USA together.

Motorcycle road trips were a regular occurrence, and his trips expanded when Joe went back on active duty.

His R 90/6 moved with him to Ohio, Turkey and Alaska, and by the mid1990s had 90,000 miles. It's replacement, a 1977 R 100 S with only 6,000 miles was found in Anchorage and moved with him to duty 3 stations in South Carolina, Misawa, Japan, and Spokane, Washington.

Joe retired from the USAF and USN as a Surgical Nurse in 2006 after 32 years of service but continues to work as a clinical liaison with combat veterans coming off active duty.

2. Mark Janda has been riding motorcycles for 30 years, ever since he “borrowed” his brother’s moped to race the neighborhood kids. He has ridden all over North America as well as Central and Southern Europe. He earned an Iron Butt award in 2009 for riding from Albuquerque to St. Louis. As much fun as he had over the years, it wasn’t until he rented a BMW in Europe that he found out what he’d been missing. When he returned to the states, he bought his K 1600 GTL and his love affair with BMW began.

3. Jackie Brunken has been riding RT’s since 1999 and is rolling up on her 200,000 miles award. Her current ride is a Mars Red 2018 R 1200 RT. She is a member of the Iron Butt Association and has several certified rides on her tires. She enjoys the BMW MOA International Rallies and has even sung the National Anthem for

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BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2019

the closing ceremonies. When not enjoying her bike, she can be found training her German Shepherd dogs in agility, herding and nose work, or working with horses.

4. John Callaghan returned to motorcycling 12 years ago, influenced by his brother, Mark, who was riding a BMW R 1200 GS. Beginning with a Suzuki S-40 and then a BMW R 1150 RT, John’s current ride is a 2007 BMW R 1200 RT. After retiring in 2011, John has toured the east coast of the United States, Quebec, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Natchez Trace Parkway, and various western locales. These trips were possible thanks to the 4 encouragement of his wife, Rosa, and his riding partner Frank Bartlett.

John is a new member of the Coastal Carolina BMW Riders Club. His current goal is to ride the 48 contiguous states.

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5. A writer of limited ability, Jack Riepe is confined by the absolute truth. Hobbled by arthritis, he types his stories by pounding a shot glass on a keyboard—with his foot, and rumors that he is in the Brazilian Witness Protection Program are only partially true. If you like his column, you’ll love his book, “Conversations With A Motorcycle,” an autobiographical account of his early years on a motorcycle, when women unleashed their passion— on everyone but him.

Email jack.riepe@gmail. com for more information.

6. 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.

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Concrete beauty Crossing the Bixby Bridge near Big Sur, California.

Photo by Mark Janda #198513

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

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headlight

Magazine of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America

MANAGING EDITOR

Bill Wiegand bill@bmwmoa.org

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Ron Davis • Wes Fleming • Jose Abiles ART DIRECTOR

Karin Halker karin@bmwmoa.org ADVERTISING MANAGER

Chris Hughes chris@bmwmoa.org 509-921-2713 (p) 509-921-2713 (f ) 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.

BMW MOTORCYCLE OWNERS OF AMERICA

2350 Hwy 101 South Greer, SC 29651 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 by calling the BMW MOA office or via email at: membership@bmwmoa.org.

BMW MOA membership is $49/year and includes the BMW Owners News, which is not available separately. Each additional family membership is $19/year and does not include a monthly issue of BMW Owners News. Canadian members add $16 for postal surcharge.

Motorcycle Memories

By Bill Wiegand #180584 “IT’LL BE GREAT, BILL,” CHAD WARNER PROMISED. “WE’LL RIDE,

have some fun and get to meet some great people. All you need to do is bring all of your camera and video gear.” Hmm, sounds like a working weekend, I thought. A working holiday weekend.

In my family, Memorial Day weekend is a holiday that conjures childhood memories of trips to visit relatives in Door County and picnics on the beach at Horseshoe Bay. Those still-vivid memories, along with recent memories created with my own family, are what make the Memorial Day weekend special for me.

“Happy to help out, Chad, see you in Richmond,” I mumbled, wondering how I was going to break the news to Judy that we had to cancel our weekend plans.

John Cougar Mellencamp sang about them. Many of us grew up in them. We loathe them, we love them, we probably couldn’t wait to escape them at some time or another. For many riders, small towns are simply fuel or food stops we happen to ride through along a preplanned route to our destination. But however you feel about them, small towns are the patchwork creating the colorful quilt that is our country.

To be honest, I wasn’t excited about spending the weekend visiting one these small towns with Chad, capturing images and video for a documentary series he’s producing called Motorcycle Memories, Stories from the Road. But a ride on a motorcycle has the uncanny ability to transform one’s state of mind, to lift spirits, to change a bitter mood to sweet, and on that Saturday morning, I needed just over 200 miles.

Anyone who’s traveled Indiana on I-70 between Indianapolis and Dayton has passed Richmond and its water tower proclaiming “Richmond, A Great All-American City.” Soon after arriving there, I was met by Mary Walker of the Wayne County Indiana Convention and Tourism Bureau. Our tour guide for the weekend, Mary was excited that her town would be highlighted in the first episode of Motorcycle Memories.

Built along The National Road, the nation’s first federally funded interstate highway, Richmond has a rich history, a beautiful historic district and many breathtaking murals pictured throughout the city on old brick walls. As Mary, Chad and I spoke and she explained why Richmond should be a planned stop on any rider’s route, I started to get it, to understand why I was there and why Chad was producing these documentaries.

Possibly a symptom of busy and over-scheduled lives, many of us never take the time to get to know new areas. We push the starter and along with our motor, the GPS comes to life asking, “Where To?” We enter our destination, tap “GO!” and we’re off.

Chad’s hope is to show us what we’re missing when we ride by these hidden gems and to introduce us to some wonderful MOA members and BMW riders living nearby. Mike Williams is one of those members who, in addition to riding and building Airheads, is also a pilot who’s restored a 1940 de Havilland Tiger Moth biplane. Mike’s from a family with a long history of flying—his father actually had his pilot’s license signed by one of the Wright Brothers. This is someone I’d like to talk to!

Riders like Mike and small towns like Richmond are all around us, and we can get to know a little more about them if we only take the time.

Thanks Chad, for giving me the opportunity to lend a hand. I think you’ve given me much more than the video and image files I gave you. And I think I can make Judy understand.

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

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

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PRESIDENTSCOLUMN

OUR MISSION Supporting your experience by sharing resources, unique events and the community.

BMW MOA OFFICERS

Wes Fitzer, President 918-773-7178; wes.fitzer@bmwmoa.org Reece Mullins, Vice President 334-470-7770; reece.mullins@bmwmoa.org Deb Lower, Secretary 719-510-9452; deb.lower@bmwmoa.org Sam Garst, Treasurer 414-704-7767; sam.garst@bmwmoa.org BMW MOA DIRECTORS

Tracy McCarty 913-238-3182; tracy.mccarty@bmwmoa.org Sue Rihn 262-424-2617; sue.rihn@bmwmoa.org Marc Souliere 613-828-1798; marc.souliere@bmwmoa.org Roger Trendowski 732-671-0514; roger.trendowski@bmwmoa.org Chad Warner 614-735-8558; chad.warner@bmwmoa.org BMW MOA VOLUNTEER STAFF

Allison Gifford, High Mileage Coordinator allison.gifford@bmwmoa.org Jonathan Gifford, High Mileage Coordinator jonathan.gifford@bmwmoa.org Jim Low, Mileage Contest Coordinator 608-347-5910; lowjim09@gmail.com Jason Olson, Ambassador Liaison 507-276-5270; bmwjiggs@gmail.com John Gamel, Consumer Liaison john.gamel@bmwmoa.org Vance and Mari Harrelson, 2019 BMW MOA Rally Chair 2019rallychair@bmwmoa.org BMW MOTORCYCLE OWNERS OF AMERICA

640 2350 Hwy 101 South • Greer, SC 29651 Robert C. Aldridge, Executive Director bob@bmwmoa.org Ted Moyer, Associate Executive Director 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

Happy Independence Day!

By Wes Fitzer #170126 FOR MOST AMERICANS, WHEN SOMEONE MENTIONS “HAPPY

Independence Day” during July, our minds automatically go to July 4th celebrations, signifying the date Americans celebrate our independence from Great Britain.

I want to talk about a different type of independence, the independence we discovered the first time we rode a motorcycle, the independence I still feel every time I throw my leg over the saddle. Close your eyes and follow along—wait, that won’t work. You can’t exactly read my column with your eyes closed, although it might be more entertaining that way.

Even all these years later, I still remember the first feeling of independence which came in the form of a TG&Y Department store bicycle. That feeling of being independent, able to go wherever my five-year-old legs could take me without having to ask my parents for a ride was exhilarating, but nothing compared to the feeling I felt a few short years later.

Somewhere around the age of eight, I was able to talk my parents into allowing me to spend my lawn mowing and allowance money on a little Honda 80 dirt bike. While I no longer had to provide the leg power to get to my destination, all I need(ed) was a destination and a little gas money. Man, from that point on through today, the feeling of independence as I throw my leg over my BMW R 1200 GS Adventure has never wavered.

It amazes me that although I’ve graduated from that little Honda 80 and gotten older, with so many things different (marriage, mortgages, jobs, kids of my own, etc.), so many things are the same. Today, the feeling I get when I throw my leg over my bike is one of the most exhilarating and greatest feelings of independence I feel even today.

The next thing I found myself doing when I first rode that little Honda 80 was looking for my “tribe,” those other like-minded individuals who had found the same feeling of independence as I had on my trusty Honda 80. Finding those other souls who have a passion for riding—does that sound at all familiar with what the BMW MOA is all about?

In those early years, I didn’t care what my riding buddies rode, how they dressed or how they rode. All I cared about was finding people to share my passion for riding. That’s the same reason I joined and love the MOA—I’ve finally found my “tribe.” Sure, we are brand specific, but don’t turn away those who chose to ride other brands. We try to encourage and provide training (MOA Foundation) for safer riding for all, but we shouldn’t ostracize those who are still learning.

Most of us didn’t start our riding journey wearing ATGATT and taking training to ensure we’re the safest riders. We shouldn’t shame or attack those who are at different stages of their journey than we are. One of the things I loved the most about the motorcycle community in my youth was the acceptance to the group; all you needed to do was love motorcycles, riding and sharing your experience. No one cared if you were a jock, a cowboy, a nerd or in the band. We didn’t talk about that stuff; we talked about riding, and we all got along. We left all that other stuff outside of the group.

Let’s all go back to our roots, be positive, encourage others and accept our fellow riders.

Ride Safe.

Wes Fitzer

Wes Fleming, Associate Editor Digital wfleming@bmwmoa.org Krystle Enos, Membership Services krystle.enos@bmwmoa.org Lesa Howard, Membership Services lesa@bmwmoa.org

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

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Postcardsfromtheroad

1. A pair of sculptures found near Borrego Springs, California.

Mark Hildebrand #211388 Linden, Manitoba

2. At the Dunedin, Florida, VFW. Mal Clingan #171086 Palm Harbor, Florida

3. A break on Petit Saint Bernard Pass while riding the Alps near the border of France and Italy.

B. Hyko #216329 Otis Orchards, Washington 1 2

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4. Turquiose Lake in Leadville, Colorado, taken on June 1.

Jean Excell #112063 Parker, Colorado

6. Exploring the backroads of southcentral Pennsylvania.

Terence Hammill #14629 Lansdale, Pennsylvania

5. Between rain storms near Springfield, Missouri.

John J. Coyle #204203 Arvada, Colorado

7. Along the Million Dollar Highway north of Durango, Colorado.

Gary McAlum #206145 San Antonio, Texas

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

8. M y F 800 ST photographed in Cimarron Canyon State Park in Eagle Nest, New Mexico.

Petra Pietrzak #213046 Rhinelander, Wisconsin

Each month we publish the great images sent to us by BMW MOA members 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

Safety first

I’ve been a member and reader of BMW ON for many years and always look for the letters on safety in order to become a safer rider. I just finished Dave Armour’s article about left turning motorists, very good article.

There have been people injured and killed recently at road construction sites.

Recently, a motorcyclist was killed while sitting in line at a construction site when the line of eight vehicles was rear-ended by a semi truck. The motorcycle was five or six cars ahead of the impact, and several other motorists were injured. The truck was just coming out of a 45-mph zone, and the incident is still under investigation.

I have some friends whose car was hit by a pickup truck at 70 mph at a one-lane stop light. They have taken months to recover.

This makes me very aware of what is behind at construction sites, whether in a vehicle or on my motorcycle, especially on the bike. When I see I am going to have to stop, I turn on emergency flashers, watch my back and look for an escape route. I always point the bike slightly out of line and if there is a shoulder, I swing out on it. If I see a vehicle behind me which may not stop in time, I move up beside a larger vehicle.

This saved me from being in a sandwich once as the car behind me got bumped into the car ahead, but I was on the shoulder two cars ahead by the time the impact happened. It didn’t do a lot of damage to the cars but would not have been minor for me.

Roger N. Baker #158065 Clarkston, Washington

A different opinion

I was grateful for David Haedt's "Another Perspective," commenting on Jim Ford's "Squeezing Satisfaction and Fun Out of Straight Roads." As I read Jim Ford's

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

original article, I was uneasy regarding his recommendations to assert oneself to oncoming traffic.

I am a relatively new rider, and my ethos is "no one can see me and everyone is trying to kill me." It seems antithetical that riding in the left mini-lane in order to force a reaction or acknowledgement from an on-coming vehicle is the safest way to ride. Most of the time, unless road surface situations require a change, the safest place on a straightaway is in the right mini-lane as you still have maneuvering ability but you are not dependent on on-coming traffic to spare your life.

Kim Caruso #216863 Durango, Colorado

Good article Wes!

I really enjoyed Wes Fleming’s two-part article on taking extended trips by motorcycle and wanted to suggest a few things that have really helped my wife and I on trips in the past.

The first motorcycle trip we ever took together, we laid out everything we intended to take on the floor. We then divided it into three groups: what we needed, what we wanted to take, and what we could do without. As we packed our stuff, we listed each item on a sheet of paper. While on the trip, we checked off everything we used. On our return, we reviewed the list and crossed out anything that didn’t get used, to make sure we didn’t take it again.

Going through this process over several trips really enabled us to refine what we take when we travel together, and we use this on non-motorcycle trips, too.

When it comes to clothes, I like to ride in non-cotton t-shirts and really like Lululemon’s silver threaded t-shirts (odor reducing), although Under Armour shirts and other brands work just as well. The best thing about non-cotton t-shirts, is the ability to wash them in the shower after a

long day's ride, ring them out, roll them up in the towel you just used, and walk up and down on the towel roll. Doing this last step gets most of the moisture out and hanging them over the shower curtain rod overnight means they are ready for use the next day.

For underwear, I have had great luck with both Moto-Skivvies and LD Comfort’s products, but my favorites for riding, are 3/4 length baseball slider shorts. These are light weight with pretty good moisture wicking and have thin padding in the exact same areas as my riding pants have their armor, which makes wearing the riding pants more comfortable. Again, they wash and dry easily.

Another thing that can reduce the amount of clothing you need to bring is using tomorrow’s underwear and socks as part of your post ride clothes the evening before.

My wife really likes to use those rollup vacuum bags to pack clothes into. These are like extra large ziplock style bags that you roll up and squeeze out all the air, reducing the space taken up by your clothes.

Wes, thanks for a great article and very entertaining podcasts, I always look forward to them.

Matthew Maclean #149040 San Rafael, California

Recommended reading

I took Jim Ford’s Rider’s Workshop in the spring of 2018. It helped me to improve my curvy road skills greatly! I have very much enjoyed seeing Jim's monthly articles in BMW ON in these last several months. They have been useful to me as reminders of the technique I learned and need to continue to practice every time I get on my bike.

For those who have not attended one of his workshops, I highly recommend them! You can get a good idea of his techniques by reading these articles as

well as his book, The Art of Riding Smooth, but there is nothing like riding with him on those twisty, curvy hardly-used mountain roads that we are so blessed to have here on the east coast.

Thank you Jim. Thank you BMW MOA. Thank you Paul B. scholarship.

Hans Nettesheim #214610 Durham, North Carolina

Do Kiss the Mirror!

Jim Ford's enthusiasm for teaching cornering skills is clear in "Preparing to Enter a Curve" in the May 2019 issue.

However, kissing the mirror to keep the bike more upright does not increase traction and is essential for brisk mountain riding.

Total traction available remains unchanged with motorcycle lean angle.

The main benefit of less lean angle is more stability. If a slide were to occur, such as low siding, a rider has a better chance of regaining traction on a more upright motorcycle. Additional ground clearance and lean angle in reserve are other benefits of kissing the mirror.

As I teach in my book and courses, one of the simplest and most effective cornering confidence techniques is kissing the mirror. While leaning a motorcycle is necessary to turn it, lean angle is not your friend. By shifting the upper body even slightly inside the turn and forward, you can make the same turn at the same speed with less lean angle than a rider shifting only their body forward on the motorcycle.

Jon DelVecchio #208163 Churchville, New York

Another helpful technique

Tom Dineley's letter in the June 2019 issue related two incidents where a vehicle had made a turn "right in front of us," resulting in a crash and injuries. In the same issue Dave Armour recommends making "eye contact" with drivers facing who may turn left in front of you.

I'd like to share a technique I adopted long ago to alert those left-turning drivers. If I see someone ahead of me who I suspect might be planning a left turn, I weave my bike left and right in my

lane. This does several things: • I move across his field of vision, instead of coming straight on, which automatically attracts attention.

• My headlight is sweeping across that same field of vision, so he sees it vary in brightness, also attracting attention.

• It may make him think I have lost control and about to crash—attention getting, yes?

• If I don't see him make eye contact with me, I fire my (aftermarket) airhorn—all the dB's available—and ride the brakes.

All I can say it has worked so far for me—to date.

When a somnolent driver's eyes snap onto mine, and especially if their jaw drops, I know it worked. But, just because it looks like someone has seen you, it doesn't mean they have.

One more point about weaving in my lane. That is something I will try if a driver behind me is following too close. About half the time said driver will back way off—the desired effect. Does he think I'm losing control and about to crash?

Maybe. Let's keep him guessing.

Finally, I strongly disagree with Dave Armour about riding "about two feet from the fog line." Riding that close to the edge of the road can tempt a driver behind you to try to pass you in the same lane as if you were on a bicycle. This is doubly dangerous because, unless you are in your mirrors, you won't see it coming. I ride closer to the center of the road to be directly in front of a following driver, and so more visible, as well as discouraging a same-lane passing maneuver.

Just as critical, riding on the right side of your lane means a driver passing the car behind you will be less likely to see you and might merge on top of you!

You need to be as visible as possible and claim your lane. It is your first line of defense against careless drivers!

Ed Bianchi #100679 York, Pennsylvania

Why not green?

In 2019, in the land of the offended, almost everyone whines about

something.

I am referring to the last line in the review (June 2019 Owners News, Rocky Creek Multitool). It must be very hard to review a product that you really like and need, and almost everyone who rides a motorcycle needs one or something like this. In the end, there must be something you didn't like. Let's see, oh yeah, the color, only available in black. As I recall that worked out well for Henry Ford.

You may remember that was a different era when people didn't complain about every little thing in life that wasn't perfect. I think the reason the repair tool is black is because you will get your hands dirty when using it! I remember 1967, Fort Polk, Louisiana, asking my 1st SGT "is olive drab the only color for fatigues? I was hoping for something more in British Racing Green!"

John Wickstead #34015 Greensboro, North Carolina

Thank you Jim Ford

I have been very pleased that you have been featuring columns from Jim Ford.

It’s a significant addition to the magazine.

I have been reading Jim Ford’s book “The Art of Riding Smooth” ever since it came out. Before that I had the pleasure and benefit of riding with Jim in two of his workshops. I was surprised by the article in the May edition by David Haedt offering another perspective on riding in the left mini-lane.

I have followed Jim’s Ford’s mantra on where to position myself for years, and I have lost count of the number of times that being in the correct mini-lane has saved me from cars, crashes and deer.

David Haedt does say in his piece (May 2019 Owners News) that he is a relative newcomer to motorcycles, and I would urge him to learn from Jim and not try and apply what may work with bicycles.

I have ridden for over 50 years, and I have taken many of the top training courses, including Lee Park’s, and Jim’s way of riding is my go-to approach.

Watch for me in the left mini-lane.

David R. Bliss #115825 Westport, Connecticut

July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

15

shinysideup

A perfectly good motorcycle

By Ron Davis #111820 during all the practices leading up to those performances.

I like looking at my motorcycle, at present, a shiny grey F 700 GS. those lyrics, my thoughts went to the lead Or maybe I should say I like the looks of the shiny grey, undamaged guitarist in the band I used to play with. For the BMW. I shudder when I read about riders plowing their GSs into ten years we were together, Steve never allowed ravines filled with softball-sized rocks or skittering an S 1000 RR anyone to carry his guitars into or out of a gig. across the track, into the run-off area and against the catch fence— And immediately after the last encore, Steve shattered carbon fiber, gouged gas tanks, bent forks, oh my! Years could always be found sitting cross-legged back in a corner off ago, when my bike and I slid sideways through an intersection stage, cradling in his lap the Telecaster, Strat, Gibson ES or dusted with flour-like sand, whatever six-string he was once out of danger, my first having an affair with at the impulse was to check the bike time. While the rest of us “Oh, it breaks my heart to see those stars over, rather than worry about unplugged jacks, rolled cords my torn jeans and the landing and schlepped equipment, Smashing a perfectly good guitar, strip of road rash strafed down Steve would be lovingly wiping my forearm. his guitar down with polish and I don’t know who they think they are, This is why, once I could a pristine cloth diaper to afford it (and Twisted Throttle remove the sweat and grime left Smashing a perfectly good guitar” conveniently put them on sale), from four hours of feeding a I ordered a set of GIVI crash Marshall amp. bars. I told myself this was more than a farkle; it was insurance Hiatt’s and my bandmate’s revulsion at seeing a perfectly good against broken directional stalks, cracked ABS plastic, bent levers guitar abused is the same way I felt watching an old CB360 and grated engine cases. After one of my buddies got T-boned by a weather the winter on its centerstand in a driveway I passed every driver running a stop sign, I took some comfort in that the powderday on the way to work. I eventually got the owner to sell it to me coated cage might also for a buck, but it was provide a little more too far gone to protection for my resurrect, and I sadly spindly legs. gave it to a kid as a Any reader of my parts bike. I feel the columns is familiar same way now when with my meager I see a stunt rider wrenching skills; balancing a bike on a however, I thought with front wheel or the proper instructions shooting off a steep and some unaccusmotocross booter. tomed patience I could Sure, those bikes do this. I began by might look spiffy, laying out all the parts, and like anyone, I’m carefully writing their awed by the skill, numbers with a felt timing and coordinamarker on the concrete tion of those riders, basement floor. (Once but for some reason the parts were gone, it all I can think about looked like a four by are the poor, four foot connect-theperfectly good dots puzzle). In a motorcycles that precedent-breaking act probably got wrecked WHEN I FIRST HEARD JOHN HIATT SING

16

BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2019

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of heresy, I then begrudgingly consulted the sheet of sparse, wordless illustrations that served as instructions.

For the next few hours, apart from keeping my Lab Penny out of my parts layout, everything went swimmingly–until I reached the final fastener. There was no mounting point on the frame for the last retaining bolt. Furious, I smoldered for a while, then shot off a blistering email rant to Twisted Throttle, dissembled the entire thing, and boxed it back up for return.

With the last yard of packing tape applied and most of my exasperation spent, I had nagging second thoughts. Would GIVI really make such a mistake? Could the problem possibly be…me?

Off came the packing tape and padding, and I went through the whole assembly once again, only to be stymied once more by the missing bolt hole. But wait, where is that rubber tube going? I plucked a little hose I later deduced was a breather out of the bolt hole obviously meant for a crash bar mount, the hose probably just stuck in there for shipping. Eureka, suddenly everything came together! I had to make a sheepish apology to the Twisted Throttle tech and delete the ugly review I had posted, (never type when you’re angry), but he was quite understanding—probably not his first encounter with a mechanical meathead like me.

As someone once told me, “There are riders who have dropped their bikes, and there are riders who lie about it.” If (when) I drop this F7, just like I’ve dropped every other bike I’ve had at one time or another, at least there’s a good chance its looks will remain “perfectly good,” and as an unexpected benefit, the whole crash bar experience gave me a more humble view of, to paraphrase Mr. Hiatt, just who I think I am.

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BY BRUCE BARNES #214243

HALFWAY BETWEEN LOS ANGELES AND SAN FRANCISCO

lies the small beach town of Cambria. Recently, the MOA held their first MOA Getaway there, and I suspect there will be others.

As I grew up in California, the Central Coast has always held a special aura with its miles and miles of unobstructed shoreline and beauty of the rolling hills and mountains. Cambria lies at the beginning of what must be one of the greatest scenic drives in our country; from Highway 1 to Big Sur, there are 63 miles of mesmerizing vistas and beaches unmatched by anything this man has ever seen. The Bixby Bridge is a landmark along the drive, and one of the most-photographed bridges in the world. It’s truly a must-ride on every motorcycle rider’s bucket list.

Being my first MOA Getaway, I was pleased to meet about 100 other riders who turned out on a rainy weekend to share this special place. Here the pines extend from the mountains to wrap the town in a blanket of green, creating a unique combination of evergreens and sea–simply beautiful. Cambria evokes an earlier era of Coastal California, where noise and the stress of urban life do

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

not intrude. Life here in Cambria is in synch with the peaceful rhythms of the ocean.

The Getaway was held at the charming Cambria Pines Lodge, which was built in 1927 and reflects a time gone by. Kudos to the MOA folks who put on this special event. The accommodations, food, service and staff were first class and made for a great respite after a day in the saddle exploring. Upon checking in Friday afternoon, I was greeted by the MOA staff and an evening of food, fun and lively discussions of what else, BMW motorcycles and riding!

On Saturday, the list of rides to choose from was excellent; from coastline cruising to mountain curves, we had it all. On the advice from a local MOA member, my choice was a scenic ride through the mountains behind Cambria. While I climbed in elevation, the abandoned barns and outbuildings stood as monuments of the past.

I could not help but wonder what it was like back in the day. As I rounded a curve, a platoon of wild turkeys marched across the road before me, oblivious to the old guy on a motorcycle. Then, when I

Left and bottom, Sights seen while riding near Cambria, California, during the recent MOA Getaway there. Below, The author poses for a photograph.

reached the top of the mountain, a glistening blue sea spread out before me.

I rode down to Hwy 1 and south to Morro Bay where I spent some time walking around and enjoying the quaint seaside town. Then, back to the Cambria Pines Lodge for our Saturday night festivities including another delicious dinner and lively discussions of the day’s ride. The evening culminated with some great door prizes.

Sunday morning brought some sunshine as we had breakfast, prepared for our ride home, said our goodbyes to new-found friends and discussed our next MOA Getaway. As my first MOA Getaway, I could not have asked for more, and I look forward to my next.

Don’t they say you meet the nicest people on a BMW?

July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

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productreviews

Aventuro Carbon 2 adventure helmet by Touratech

By Wes Fleming #87301 EVEN THOUGH I OWN AN ADVENTURE

bike, I don’t consider myself an adventure rider. My GS has street tires on it, and I only leave the (stock) bash plate on because that makes it easier to see if my oil filter or oil pan drain plug is leaking. After picking up a Simpson Ghost Bandit helmet and deciding it wasn’t the greatest for hot weather riding, I started looking at ADV-style helmets for the sole reason that I believed they have more effective ventilation than regular helmets. The newly (at the time) revised Touratech Aventuro caught my eye because it’s more

easily (and stylishly) convertible to non-ADV-looking use.

After getting it, I decided to leave the peak on and try it out. Unlike my one previous experience with a borrowed ADV helmet, I found Touratech’s claim that the updated peak minimized drag to be completely accurate. The only times I ever felt any drag attributable to the peak were at high speeds on the freeway when I turned my head far to the left or right.

Though the peak does create a bit of low-frequency rumble noise, it otherwise functions exactly as Touratech claims it

Photographed from above, the updated peak on the Touratech Aventuro 2.0 helmet has almost no drag at high speeds, but does introduce a decent amount of noise into the equation.

24

BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2019

will. Still, I removed it and went with peakless operation.

This introduced what is probably the only real quibble I have with the Aventuro 2: all the little plastic parts. Because of the fiddly nature of removing the peak and securing the fittings for the street look, I don’t see myself switching back and forth between peaked and peakless use. No doubt I’ll eventually lose some of the little parts and be stuck using it one way or the other, and I’d rather keep it in the street configuration. To complete the street conversion, I’d like to be able to remove the goggle stay on the back of the helmet, but I can’t see it when I’m riding, so it really doesn’t bother me. The upside here is that once the parts (for either look) are installed on the helmet, they stay in place and function perfectly.

The Aventuro 2 is DOT and ECE certified, but doesn’t have a Snell certification. Obviously, I didn’t have the opportunity to crash test the helmet, but I expect should the need arise it will do its job. The removable (and washable) lining is pleasant to the touch and does a good job of wicking sweat on hot days. I never felt clammy or sticky, even after a long, hot ride. The chin strap is a little long for my preference, but the classic double-D ring system works perfectly every time, and there’s a little snap to secure the excess strap.

Ventilation is excellent, though the chin vent doesn’t throw much air upward onto the face shield. I definitely recommend using the supplied Pinlock lens if you do a lot of cold weather or early morning riding. One really nice aspect is that even the dark smoke face shield is Pinlock

ready, so no matter what face shield you use, you’re ready to defeat fogginess. The vents are easy to operate even with gloves on, and though I’d prefer the face shield lever to be biased towards the left, its central location is easy to find, and the face shield operates smoothly, even raising far enough that it’s almost completely out of your peripheral vision.

Fitting a comm system to the Aventuro 2 was a breeze, thanks to cutouts for speakers AND a cutout in the chin bar for

the microphone. This is a small detail that I hugely appreciate, because nothing squicks me out like a sweaty or wet mic pad constantly in contact with my face skin. It’s small details like this all over the helmet that make it a top-notch product.

My favorite thing about the companies that make mid- to high-end helmets these days is that they put Pinlock-capable visors on them and then include a Pinlock lens in the box. This is a trend that I truly hope continues for the foreseeable future.

In addition, when it comes to the Aventuro 2 Carbon, Touratech also includes a spare visor sleeve and a fantastic fitted helmet bag. These seem like minor things to many, but to me they’re the difference between a company that’s selling helmets and one that’s building customer loyalty.

On paper, the Aventuro 2 Carbon looks like a better-than-average midrange helmet. Fully kitted out, the largest size weighs just 3.25 pounds, making it one of the lightest helmets for long oval,

productreview

After six months of solid use, I consider the Touratech Aventuro Carbon 2 helmet to be ont of the best helmets I've owned.

26

BMW OWNERS NEWS  July 2019

CUSTOMIZE YOUR ADVENTURE. melon-sized heads like mine available. In practice, its qualities exceed the sum of its parts, and after six months of solid use, I consider it one of the best helmets I’ve owned. Despite its light weight, the Aventuro 2 feels solid and gives the impression it will protect the rider’s head well in case of collision. It is comfortable, passes a large amount of air with all the vents open, and the eye port is so large it’s almost hard to believe. Its aggressive looks are something you’re either going to love or hate; if you’re into helmets styled like the Aventuro 2, it’s hard not to love it.

Find out more about the Aventuro 2 and buy one direct on Touratech USA’s website (touratech-usa.com) and check out not one, not two but THREE videos about this helmet on the MOA’s product channel on YouTube, “Motorcycle Test Kitchen!” (bmwmoa.club/kitchen). The Aventuro 2 Carbon costs $599 for the plain (but stylish) solid black (Core) or white (Sky) colors, $649 for the fancy color schemes like the “Companero” (black/gunmetal/ yellow) or “Sport” (shown here, blue/red/ white).

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productreview

Omega 600 Airhead upgrade

By Joseph Pallaria #33417 MY 1977 R 100 S HAS RUN GREAT FOR 40 YEARS. PERFOR-

mance has improved from the 30-plus modifications I’ve made over its 30,000 original miles. Despite BMW’s excellent track record for reliability, it has but one major weakness: the electrical system. The original system cranked out about 240 watts of power and often needed the engine churning at 4,000 rpm to keep both the electrics working and charging the battery at the same time. Unfortunately, that often left me with a choice of running the headlight and having freezing hands or running just the parking light and turning on the heated grips.

The Omega 600 ends the years of making that choice; it is essentially a complete charging system minus the battery. The system is a bolt-on modification and includes a rotor, stator, rectifier (diode board), solid diode mounting bolts, solid state voltage regulator, alternator, brushes and all the wiring. It’s a fantastic upgrade because it resolves problems that come with running several electrical components at once and does so at just 2,000 rpm. The Omega 600 also represents a drastic improvement over the stock 240-watt unit by boosting electrical output to 600 watts! The state-of-art replacement parts are made of heavy duty, high-quality materials and encompass today’s advanced technology in bulletproof electrical components.

The kit went in last spring and received its testing over the summer. The system presented exceptional reliability throughout the summer and once running, the Omega 600 seemed to also give the old bike new life. I’m not sure how to describe it, but it seemed to run smoother and respond quicker than before. The Beemer performed flawlessly over a 1,600-mile testing period and left me pleased with the upgrade as summer sadly faded into fall.

Besides keeping the battery charged at much lower rpm, there was more than enough electrical power to operate the headlight, heated grips and even an electric vest for my thin-skinned riding partner’s needing extra warmth!

The Omega 600 kit is not cheap at $595, but the high quality of the parts and proven functional excellence seems to justify the cost, and Rick Jones, the owner of Motorrad Elektrik (motoelekt.com), was helpful with installation tips along the way.

The kit comes with a threaded bolt that screws into the center of the alternator and releases the “pressed fit” of the old alternator, allowing it to easily be removed from the engine. Obviously, you’ll have to cut the three wires leading to the stator. Once the alternator is out of the machine with the stator and alternator cap removed, the cap is sent to Motorrad Elektrik where Rick solders the three stator wires of the new alternator to the cap. He then sends that along with the rest of the kit for the bolt-in modification. Rick recommends different modifications for different generations of

28

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

Original rotor and stator cap, wiring and brushes.

Original cap with new stator soldered in place. Original stator on left.

Stock (left) and Omega 600 (right) diode boards.

Close up of rotor cap with stator wiring soldered in place.

My '77 R 100 S during a test ride following the Omega 600 electrical modification.

Complete Omega 600 electrical kit with original cap soldered onto new stator. .

Airheads, so be sure to contact him to find out what your specific Slash 5 or 6 may need. Regardless, it’s an excellent upgrade with high quality parts!

Running the Omega 600 turned out to be a straightforward project even with the advanced planning of getting the original cap soldered to the new stator. This is a great upgrade for 1977-95 airheads needing more electrical power to drive all the accessories and electrical goodies available today. This upgrade may even have me add driving lights before the next riding season!

Completed installation.

July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

29

productreview

Sargent seat for BMW R 1200 RT If you spend much time in a stock BMW saddle, the chances are pretty good chance that after a couple of hours, discomfort will set in and the enjoyment level of your ride is going to suffer. With many riders, the OEM seat is one of the first things that gets changed on a new motorcycle.

A major problem is that with prices beginning in the $500 range, choosing the right seat can be a difficult proposition. While you can read all of the reviews you can find, finding a seat that works with your bottom is a highly subjective and potentially expensive crapshoot.

At some recent MOA Getaways, we brought a Sargent World Sport Performance Seat fitting a late-model R 1200 RT for members there to demo. At the Tomah, Wisconsin, MOA Getaway last fall Drew Miska took an extended ride on the Sargent seat. This spring at the Fontana Dam Getaway, Rob O'Neill was kind enough to demo the seat. The following reviews offer their opinions on the Sargent seat for their RTs.

By Rob O’Neill #201417 I OWN A 2014 R 1200 RT WITH MORE THAN 80,000 MILES, ALL

of which were ridden with the stock seat. My first BMW was an ‘03 F 650 GS that I put 70,000 miles on, also using the stock seat. I have farkled my bikes with various things but never got around to changing the seat. With so many good manufacturers out there and me not willing to spend $500+ on a seat I knew nothing

The Sargent World Sport Performance seat in place on an R 1200 RT.

30

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

about, I held off. Until I sat on one at the MOA Getaway at Fontana Dam (my second year of attending).

Unlike the first year where I didn’t know the ropes and just looked on as the seasoned veterans snapped up the demo goodies to try out, this time I was the first one to the table. I had seen the Sargent seat and wanted to try it out. As I said, I had always sat on the stock seat

of my bikes and thought that it was just my personal anatomy that caused my tail bone to be super sore after a simple 50-mile ride.

That Saturday I rode more than 300 miles around the mountains of North Carolina, taking in Deals Gap at 7 a.m. when there was NOBODY on the road (awesome), Great Smoky Mountain Park, and then the Highlands, before finishing up with an up and back trip down the Cherohala Skyway. Very quickly I realized that the Sargent seat was far superior to the stock seat.

The stock seat pitches me forward and makes me slide to the narrow front section where my buns start to hurt. The Sargent seat is flatter, wider towards the front and a bit firmer. All of that allowed me to ride those 300 miles in total comfort, and when I got off the bike to sit down and quaff my favorite beverage (margaritas), I didn’t grimace.

Other manufacturers may make better seats, but I can’t spend the money to find out. I was perfectly happy with the Sargent seat on my RT and will place an order for one next Christmas (wife’s orders, since in her mind, I have farkled enough already this year).

At top, Sargent front and back seats (with white piping) compared with BMW OEM seat.

By Drew Miska #214159 I HAVE BEEN RIDING FOR 25 YEARS ON ALL KINDS OF MOTOR-

cycles and usually put on about 10 to 15,000 miles a year with a lot of that due to my commuting to work. I also get in two good distance rides a year. Living near Chicago means our season is limited, typically running from mid-March until Thanksgiving.

I currently ride a 2016 R 1200 RT with 30,000 miles. The stock seat seemed okay to me, but I wanted a little extra cushion for those longer rides so I bought an Airhawk seat cushion a year ago for a trip down to Arkansas. It helped but I still got a little sore over time.

Last fall I attended an MOA Getaway in Tomah, Wisconsin, with my wife. We rode the whole weekend on the stock seats. After an awesome day of tearing up the roads with some great guys I met at the event, my wife and I were walking around checking out some of the products they had for people to try out while they were there. I bumped into Bill Wiegand and asked about the Sargent seat set out on display. He said it would fit my RT. I mentioned I wished I would have noticed it earlier, in order to try it out. Without missing a beat, Bill told me to try it out on my way back to Bolingbrook, Illinois.

Taking the back roads, that’s about a 300-mile ride back home. Not a bad trial for an aftermarket seat.

To give you an idea about my size, I am 5’10” 190 pounds. Right from the get-go I noticed the amount of support I got all the way across my backside. The Sargent goes out wider across and just feels better than the stock seat. My wife was very happy with the extra support too. As far as long-term comfort on our ride home, I would be lying if I said I still didn’t get a little saddle sore after a full day of riding.

The next day I jumped on my bike to go to work and didn’t feel a thing. After all these years of riding, the one thing that I have always noticed was how saddle sore I was when getting on the bike the next morning after a long ride the day before. I think the perfect fit will be the combo of the Airhawk and Sargent seat for long road trips in the future.

I was also very happy with the fit and construction of the seat itself. After doing a little research on their web site, I found you can get them to work with the factory heat, too. I agree aftermarket seats are expensive and may not be a must for all motorcyclists, but then again, if you own a motorcycle you are always looking to make it better, and a Sargent seat takes you in that direction. After I sent the seat back to Bill, I ordered my own over the winter.

July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

31

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Peter Egan needs no introduction to anyone who is enthusiastic enough about our sport to read about it. His columns and features for Cycle World and related magazines have an enormous fan base despite his retirement from writing regular features.

Peter’s writing is a perfect combination of accurate observation, offbeat metaphors and self-deprecation that makes an everyday story, from changing oil or fixing a tire, as entertaining as his report covering a grand tour.

His monthly columns in Cycle World were entitled “Leanings,” and compilations of those columns, plus feature articles, have already been released in three books, entitled, you guessed it, Leanings 1, 2, and 3.

Many of us who have read Peter find ourselves chuckling and thinking, “Him too?” or “So it’s not just me,” as he often writes about gaffes, faux pas and just plain boners that many of us are guilty of. In one memorable column he writes about riding right through promising towns and available lodging just to get a little farther that day, only to find a sea of NO VACANCY signs later. I returned from a run out west where I had the same experience and found his column in my mail when I got home.

The guy was following me, I swear!

I should point out that though most of The Best of Peter Egan is in the three Leanings books, I think the

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

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Many of us, including ON Editor Bill Wiegand, find Peter’s writing a most gratifying way to get through long winter layups. Maybe you should hold off getting it until late fall. Just kidding—get this book now, you’ll be glad you did!

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Enter code BMWMOA in source code box @ checkout & click “apply” Liqui‐Molyoil ‐ oil, fuel & air filters – 12/24K maintenance kits – brake pads & rotors – fuel pumps – Hall sensors – repair manuals & dvds–tools – fuel line disconnect sets – fuel injection controllers – exhausts – batteries & chargers – master cylinders & rebuild kits – starters – spark plugs & wires – cables – radiator fans – alt belts – fender extenders – Carbtune carb/TB synchronizers

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

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

July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

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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 2019

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CANsmart™ System for F850, S1000XR & R1250 DENALI is the only brand that can provide a complete lighting and safety package that includes the lights, light mounts, horn, horn mount, auxiliary brake light, and a single intelligent controller to provide integrated control and customization of all your accessories.

F750GS F700GS F650GS G650GS

F850GS F800GS F800GSA F800GT

S1000XR F800R F800S F800ST

R1250GS R1200GS R1200GSA R1200R

R1250RT R1200RT K1600GT/L K1600B

DENALI CANsmart™ Controller The DENALI CANsmart™ Controller provides plug-n-play installation of up to four accessories to enable dozens of customizable settings that can be controlled right from your vehicle’s original switches or the CANsmart™ Accessory Manager Software.

Auxiliary lights can be set to dim automatically, strobe with your horn, and cancel with your turn signals. The intelligent brake light circuit features multiple flash patterns and “smart brake” deceleration activated braking technology.

www.denalielectronics.com/bmw DENALIelectronics.com/BMW

news 2020 Rally Chairs named

MOA Board election results

Corey and Becky Smith of Bloomington, Illinois, have been named chairs of the 2020 BMW MOA International Rally in Great Falls, Montana.

Both Corey and Becky grew up on dirt bikes and threewheelers. Their first motorcycle as a couple came in trade for painting a house. After a hiatus from riding, in 2013 they purchased their first BMW, a K 1200 GT, and soon after, Corey was invited to his first motorcycle rally. Corey says that first rally produced new friendships and an opportunity to be a part of a group of people who shared his love for riding. Becky’s first rally was the following year.

Corey and Becky, who will be celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary next year, have two daughters, Sarah, who is starting college this fall, and Rachel, whose husband Andy is in the US Marine Corps and stationed in Southern California.

Corey was a Go-Fers volunteer in 2015 in Billings, Montana. Becky and their girls then became involved at the 2016 Hamburg, New York, International Rally with the whole family, volunteering some time to help the Go-Fers.

Corey and Becky were also the Chair and Co-Chair for the Go-Fers at the 2018 Rally in Des Moines, Iowa, and also at the 2019 Rally last month in Lebanon, Tennessee.

Corey is a member of the Knights of the Roundel BMW MOA #333, and his love for an adrenaline rush led him to racing open-wheel dirt modifieds and becoming a glider pilot. Corey currently rides a K 1600 GLT, while Becky rides a F 650 GS. Both are SCUBA certified and enjoy traveling, attending rallies, volunteering and meeting new club members at rallies.

Our BMW MOA 2019 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 three candidates elected to the MOA Board of Directors. To the candidates not elected, thank you for being committed BMW MOA members willing to make the effort and do the necessary work to place your name on this year’s ballot. Keep in mind, we run elections every year now in accordance with our bylaws.

Your opportunity to run again, along with all other BMW MOA members, will come around in less than 12 months. A total of 2,571 ballots were counted this year, 200 more ballots than last year’s count of 2,371.

Please try to take the time to congratulate all the candidates that ran for election this year. Our winning candidates are Kelly Moore, Sam Garst and Reece Mullins. The newly elected board members were seated at the 2019 BMW MOA International Rally in Lebanon, Tennessee.

As Secretary of the MOA, I would personally like to thank the 2019 Election Candidate Search Committee comprised of Chairman Don Hamblin, Muriel Farrington and John Gamel.

Deb Lower, MOA #9927 BMW MOA Secretary

CLICK'n'RIDE Quick-Release turn signals End your worries of swiping a tree while in the woods and breaking a turn signal.

CLICK’n’RIDE’s innovative quick-release turn signals are now available to off road and enduro riders at Twisted Throttle. Tested in the rugged Australian terrain and built with premium components, these LED signals allow a quick conversion from road-going dual-sport to trail-ready dirt bike.

No tools are needed; simply click them out by hand and store them safely in your pack while you ride offroad. The CLICK’n’RIDE base socket is mounted and wired to stay on your motorcycle, and each turn signal is equipped with a quick-release bayonet that easily detaches from the mounting socket. Then, when the signal is reinserted into the base, a moisture guard seals out water and mud and creates a tight seal. Each 3-D lens is ultrasonically welded to the signal body to create a leak, dust and vibration-proof seal, protecting the signals’ ultrabright Phillips LEDs. For more information, visit twistedthrottle.com

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

Arai RAM-X helmet Incorporating the latest Arai technology including the Variable Axis System Type-Z (VAS-Z) Pro Shade System Shield, an upper ventilation system shared by the Corsair-X, and shell construction of the Quantum-X and Signet-X, the RAM-X gives customers who want an open-face helmet many of the same benefits, comfort, quality and protection expected of all Arai helmets.

The VAS-Z shield system’s lower pivot point allows for a smoother shell in the temple area, allowing the helmet to slide more smoothly should it contact the ground or obstacles and provide a higher level of protection. The lower pivot point also improves the helmet’s aerodynamics for a smoother ride, while the Pro Shade provides a reduction of ambient light and still allows the rider to see the gauges through the lower part of the clear shield.

For the RAM-X, as well as all Arai shells, weight reduction without compromising protection was achieved by employing a newlydeveloped Z-Compound resin. Four shells covering the RAM-X’s six available sizes (XS-XXL), each with their own finely tuned one-piece multi-density EPS liner and comfort padding, provide solid protection. The shield curvature minimizes distortion and reduces strain on the eyes, while still protecting the rider from wind and debris. The RAM-X also provides exceptional peripheral vision with its one-piece multi-density EPS liner which is not thicker in the brow area, thus pushing the rider’s face further back from the shield.

The Arai RAM-X is DOT and SNELL certified and uses Arai’s odor resistant, anti-microbial, dirt resistant liner material, and a clear Pinlock lens is included. For more information, visit araiamericas.com or your local dealer.

MachineartMoto X-Head guards for 2019 R 1250 models MachineartMoto, designers of specialized products for BMW motorcycles, recently announced their X-Head 1250 guards for 2019 BMW Shift Cam twin cylinder engines. The X-Head 1250 guards are the fourth generation of tough, break resistant X-Heads designed for BMW boxer motors from 2005 through 2018 model years. The new X-Head guards continue the crash proven protection and beautifully integrated design distinguishing X-Head cylinder guards in the BMW market.

The guards were designed to cover 75 percent of the face of the head to protect not only the bottom/front initial impact area in a drop, but also the center upper part of the cylinder head. Even in a stationary drop, inertia will cause the bike to roll onto the upper face of the head before it settles down. The guards are built from a highstrength, injection molded polymer shell, which is slightly ductile upon impact to prevent breakage. Inside the shell is a thick, thermoplastic heat-resistant liner that rests against the face of the cylinder to aid in dissipating impact force while preventing hard contact. Each side mount ships with three stainless steel M5 T25 Torx screws.

X-Head 1250 cylinder guards fit the R 1250 GS/A, RT, RS, and R models and can be purchased from www.machineartmoto.com and authorized dealers. Retail Price: $220.00.

July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

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news

Plan and track your ride with the BMW MOA Ride app by Tourstart IF YOU LOVE TO TRACK, CREATE AND SHARE RIDE MAPS WITH

friends, the new BMW MOA Ride Map App is for you. Created by Tourstart, the BMW MOA Ride Map app allows BMW MOA members to track and create ride routes, share rides with other users, insert waypoints and pictures, and add descriptions about places to stop or things to do along the route. You can even download maps as .pdf files with points of interest along the route.

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

The web version is available on any desktop browser, along with applications for Apple and Android devices. The Tourstart service is free for planning, sharing and tracking rides. Users may also subscribe to premium “Pro” features that enable in-app navigation or GPS file downloads in a variety of formats. Each Pro feature is available separately for $19 per year for BMW MOA members.

Visit the BMW MOA Club page at bmwmoa.tourstart.org. The mobile apps are available on the BMW MOA Club page or by searching BMW MOA in the Apple or Android store. Users can also visit the BMW MOA website for latest Ride Map App news and details at bmwmoa.org/tourstart. And, for a great “behind the scenes” interview of the app creator Jan Pederson, listen to Wes Fleming’s podcast “200 Miles Before Breakfast” at bmwmoa.club/tourstart. Wes and Jan dive deep into the inner workings of the navigation app and what users should expect.

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news

The history and future of BMW Motorrad melded into a custom bike AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF TRADITIONAL AND MODERN

on display at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, BMW Motorrad recently presented an engaging alternative to rapid technological change. We may see it as a return to the brand’s core, but with a modern twist: the BMW Motorrad Concept R18 transports the essence of the big BMW Motorrad classics into the modern age with a modern, custom attitude.

Dr. Markus Schramm, head of BMW Motorrad, said, “With this dream bike, BMW Motorrad presents its own version of an emotional and authentic offer for the large cruiser segment.”

The BMW Motorrad Concept R18 shows how a forward projection of a 1960s boxer engine could look like today as a purist custom bike in combination with all the classic design icons of BMW Motorrad design.

The BMW Motorrad Concept R18 represents the essence of motorcycling, a bike in its original, natural form. In true custom

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BMW OWNERS NEWS July 2019

style, it celebrates the art of leaving out what you don’t need and then concentrating on what is left. “The biggest challenge in the design is to render everything visible. Every part has a functional purpose.

There are not many who would dare to take such an absolutely honest approach,” said Bart Janssen Groesbeek, designer of the concept bike. The BMW Motorrad Concept R18 is immediately recognizable as a BMW with its boxer engine, cradle frame, exposed universal shaft and drop-shaped fuel tank with its black paintwork and hand-applied contrast lines that interpret typical design icons of BMW Motorrad classics. It displays confidence along with modernstyle linearity. The balanced proportions are reminiscent of classics like the BMW R5 and convey—even from a distance—the timeless beauty that comes about whenever things are consistently reduced to their bare essentials.

The frame and tank create a common line all the way from the steering head to the rear wheel hub and lend a flowing elegance to

July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

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the side view. The large spokes provide a secure stance and perfectly balance the dominant power unit. The tires are a further reference to history; just as it was in its day, this bike is again fitted with Metzeler tires.

The heart of the BMW Motorrad Concept R18 is the large, newly designed, two-cylinder 1800cc boxer engine. Its outward appearance is consciously reminiscent of the flat twin engines that BMW Motorrad built until the end of the 1960s—but with a considerably bigger displacement and modern air/oil cooling. The big prototype boxer has been designed down to the last detail: the engine block and transmission are made of glass bead-blasted aluminum, providing an ideal stage on which to present the hand-polished aluminum components as well as the belt guard and valve covers.

The engine badge bears the name of the concept bike and emphasizes the overall quality. In addition, Solex dual carburetors, similar to those in the 2002 BMWs, hark back to the brand’s construction history and add a final touch to the bike’s visual authenticity.

Another optical highlight is the exposed, chrome-plated universal shaft that connects the back wheel to the drive. There are no other covers anywhere on the motorcycle, which serves to keep its engineering clearly visible. Similarly, the electronics of the concept bike are reduced to no more than starter and lights, underlining its purist design.

The BMW Motorrad Concept R18 is the third in-house interpretation of the large-capacity boxer engine to come from BMW Motorrad. Last December, the model created by the Japanese customizers, CUSTOM WORKS ZON was presented at the

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Yokohama Hot Rod Show, on the basis of this new prototype engine. The “Departed” won the biggest accolade of the event, the “Best of Show Motorcycle” award, thrilling motorcycle fans with its classic forms, modern production techniques and all manner of manual art and craft in the details.

The next round was the interpretation by Revival Cycles. The customizers from Austin, Texas, created a spectacular bike with their “Revival Birdcage” model, an ideal presentation platform for the Big Boxer. The specially developed titanium frame features an unobstructed view of the engine and drive from all angles. This American design created a furor at last month’s Handbuilt Show in Texas.

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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

July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

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news

Congratulations GS Trophy Qualifiers THE BMW MOA WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE

winners of the GS Trophy 2020 Qualifier held May 30-June 1 at RawHyde Adventures in Southern California.

Over the course of two intensive days, riders were tested to their limits with courses focused on balance, clutch control, throttle control and braking. Mental challenges were also abundant, as riders were encouraged to interpret the rules in ways that would allow for easier traversal of each element.

It was anybody’s guess who would win as otherwise exceptional riders would struggle in unexpected places, and underdogs would fly to the lead and become crowd favorites.

In the end, the winners were chosen by a razor-thin margin (the 3rd and 4th place riders were tied in points and had to be determined based on a timed event…with a half-second margin between them!)

Here are the final results:

Chris Johns

Harrison Kendrick

Kevin Jones

Team USA:

1st: Chris Johns 2nd: Harrison Kendrick 3rd: Kevin Jones

International Women’s Team Contenders: 1st: Lisa Taylor 2nd: Kandi Spangler

Kandi Spangler

Lisa Taylor

Team USA has secured their places in the GS Trophy final scheduled for February 2020 in New Zealand. The women will go on to another qualifier where they will vie for their chance to join the International Women’s Team!

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

Held at RawHyde Adventures in Southern California, the GS Trophy Qualifier tested riders in the areas of balance, clutch control, throttle control, braking and more through varied and difficult terrain. At the end of the second day of competion, three men were chosen to represent Team USA next February in New Zealand while two women will move on to another qualifying event for a chance to join the International Women's Team.

July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

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keepemflying

Denver Tech Day

By Matthew Parkhouse #13272 THE SEASON IS UPON US! YES, THERE STILL

are days where I stay indoors and build up the fire in the woodstove as rain falls outside, but most days, if I need to go somewhere, I hop on the old Slash Five. The crash last year seems a distant memory, as the bike is running well and shows no signs of the ground away crash bar and bent up front end resulting from my meeting with the Arizona guardrail. As far as the body goes, my right hand has a bent finger and a bit more pain, and the joints ache a bit more than before. Enough whining! The days are light when I get up, and there is a lot to do in the garden, in the house, and with the bikes people bring by. Of course, there’s this column to send in every month, too.

The annual Denver Tech Day at Dick Paschen’s home in South Denver was a crowded, good time. About 40 riders showed up, including three people who hauled in bikes that had been asleep for several years. I explained why I considered the removal of the oil pan a good part of the “get it going” routine, so two of the three folks decided to proceed with that task. The third one showed up at my house a week later for that bit of work. I also explained why I like to torque the bolts for the pan BEFORE removing them, to identify any stripped fasteners. People do tend to tighten these bolts to deal with John, at the Denver Tech Day, doing the work to revive a long-idle 1976 R 90/6. He's cleaning the oil pan as I delve into the fork lower caps. The broken up rubber bottoming bumper can be seen in the catch pan.

I had a fellow stop by to have me install new pushrod seals on his '93 R 100 R. The "about two hours" job took a bit over three hours, thanks to the sidecar. I could not bring the unit into the back yard as the gate only accepts solo bikes! The right-hand cylinder was a real bear to work around as I could not remove the cylinder with the sidecar close by. I ended up separating the head and cylinder to get things away from the engine block an adequate distance.

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

oil leaks, and they easily strip out. It is frustrating to run into stripped bolts as the pan is going back on. It is better to find this out beforehand, so you can affect a pretty easy HeliCoil repair while things are apart. Those who elected to remove their oil pans did not have any stripped pan bolts, so we removed the pans, scraped off the old gaskets and cleaned out the interior of the engine block. Both bikes had a LOT of goo in their oil pans, so the time spent was worthwhile. This also gave us the chance to take a quick look at the oil pump pick-up which is held in place with two bolts, similar to those of the oil pan. We found one loose bolt and torqued it down properly. The pick-ups have been known to fall off, so it is well worth the short bit of work to attend to it.

I’ve been corresponding with John, an owner of one of the long-time-not-running airheads. His R 90/6 had sat for at least a year after being given to him by friends and family. His story is unusual, to say the least. He was an unsuspecting bystander, along with his young daughter, at a road-rage inspired mass shooting in Denver around a year ago. John was wounded in his arm and has

been undergoing the long, laborious process of rehabilitation since then. He had often spoken of wanting an old BMW, so his friends and family got together to find one and surprise him with it one day when he returned from a rehab appointment. After I heard him explain this, I really wanted to be part of his BMW adventure. After we did his oil pan, I pulled the bottoms of the forks and found a similar deposit of sludge, identical to the mess in the oil pan. Over the decades, the rubber bumpers that sit in the fork bottom caps had dissolved in the fork oil. I had brought with me a couple of sets of the rubber parts and a 36mm wrench in anticipation of doing this work. We checked the valves and found them to be pretty close to where they should be. I demonstrated static timing as we put in a new set of points. We also drained and filled the driveline to ensure fresh fluids throughout the bike. I kept getting called to look at other folks’ bikes. As Susanna and I were loading up to leave, John fired up the Slash Six, which easily started and settled into a nice idle. We got the carburetors balanced with a set of the shorting tools, and John rode with us for the first couple blocks back to the highway. After John’s first ride on his airhead, a big grin was observed.

Norm from nearby EuroMotoElectric also attended the Tech Day, bringing a large box of parts to help with several tasks. EuroMotoElectric has become a great supplier of parts for Airheads, and they have a super-fast shipping service. Being 70 miles away from them, I enjoy their rapid service, too. Norm had to run back to his store, so he was kind enough to pick up needed oils and other parts at a bike shop as he returned to the Tech Day. The event was a resounding success from my view. It was very heartening to see several young, new owners getting to know about their bikes from the older hands. I’ve certainly enjoyed sharing what I know with a few folks who found their way to my home.

The Slash Five that landed here last July is back with its owner. That was a long, drawn-out bit of work, what with ordering pistons from England, having one of the cylinders re-sleeved and the cleaning and restoring of just about every system.

It starts, runs well and offers a nice smooth ride.

Another similar bike is also back with its owner.

My friend Doug will be putting his Slash Five on the block soon. I helped him buy it 23 years ago, and after enjoying it for all those years, he’s decided it is time for him to retire from riding.

Susanna and I are starting to prepare for our return to Europe with the same time frame as our last trip. We still haven’t settled on where we will go for our six-week tour over there. Into Italy, a

This bike came to me with a long list of needs. I'm renewing the rear main seal and replacing the pushrod seals. The owner also complained that the bike had a real leaky carb problem. I'm holding up the cause of the dripping; the porous fuel line. The cloth-braided BMW fuel line only lasts a year or two before becoming porous. The are two kinds of German-made fuel lines that work with the airheads. They are both 7mm (internal diameter) fuel lines. One is a smooth, rubber-covered high-pressure line. I like to use this for the cross-feed that hides beneath the air cleaner. It lasts longer than the braided line. Lots of Volkswagen suppliers sell this stuff – Look for Part # N-202811. The other is the cloth-covered line. I like to use this for the visible tank-to-carb run of fuel line. It doesn't last as long but looks right on our airheads. This run is easy to get at too, for replacement. (Part # N-203571)

This is a very important part of a real main seal replacement job - Block the Crank! If the crankshaft is not blocked, when the flywheel is off, it can be pushed about a 1/4 inch forward, possibly pulling the forward crank endplay adjuster disc off of its pins. When the flywheel is replaced and bolted down, serious damage can result. Some people simply lash a 2X4 across the forward end of the crank. I prefer to remove the alternator bolt and replace it with a short 8mm bolt. This is what is in the end of the alternator rotor, sitting about a half-inch proud of the rotor. When I replace the front cover and gently but firmly screw it down, the crank is locked in place.

July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

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This is the other part of the crank blocking task. I have replaced the front cover and gently tightened the bolts holding the cover in place. The open space is because of the cover contacting the bolt I placed in the alternator rotor.

Another thing to pay attention too. Every time you put a 1970 to 1984 airhead on its center stand, the motion exerts forces that tend to unscrew the right-hand center stand bolt. BMW should have used a left-hand threaded bolt in that application! Once in a while, reach down there with a 17mm wrench and check for tightness. It's also a good idea to put the bike on the side stand and drop the center stand so you can clean up and re-grease the bolts and bushings at the site of attachment.

Right, This is another bodge of mine. On a few high-mileage airheads, I've encountered rear brake pedals that wobbled enough that they missed the rear brake light switch. The wear that causes this is in the mounting tab that is welded to the frame. The result is a brake light that is on all the time.

I brazed a washer to the head of the adjusting bolt that usually activates the brake light. This wider contact surface catches the switch and shuts off the light, except when the brake pedal is depressed.

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

Another little trick: If you look on eBay, you'll see right-side battery covers for Slash 5, 6 and 7 airheads are more valuable than the left side ones. This is because the covers are held in place by rubber bands! The left side is secured by the bike's lifting handle but the right side one can fly away unnoticed if the bands give way. I like to modify the cover by gluing an attachment point to the right side cover. I use plumbers tape. You can also bend a washer at a 90-degree angle to make an attachment point. I then safety wire the cover to the sub-frame it is next to.

Here is the cover secured to the subframe. Cost? A bit of wire and some JB Weld.

ferry to Greece and returning either by ferry or overland tops our plans at the moment. The “Return to Europe” box is pretty full and includes a set of charging system parts for Susanna’s R 60/5 and European battery chargers, along with a few needed parts from the list we brought home. We’re also getting ready to head to Tennessee for the rally in June. We are driving rather than riding, alas, but we also plan on dashing up to see Susanna’s kids and grandkids in New England. We also will be attending the Airheads at the Aerodrome Rally that Mike Friedel hosts.

This winter has seen me restoring a bunch of old Army squad stoves, miner’s lamps and old blow torches. I collected several single burner stoves from eBay back when I was vending at rallies. I’d hoped to make a little money selling them. That didn’t work out, so I still have a box full of them.

One by one, I’ve cleaned them up, and they have been going on the eBay auction block. For now, there seems to be a lot of old stove fanciers in Asia.

Just about all of them have been won by folks with Japanese or Chinese sounding names. Of course, I’ve been saving nice examples for my collection as I clear off the shelf.

I just found out that the other BMW magazine I enjoyed has gone down.

Sandy Cohen’s BMW Motorcycle Magazine stopped publication last fall.

Apparently, the staff had decided it was time to retire. I started writing this column when Sandy was the ON editor, and I always enjoyed working with her. The magazine had a strong European flavor to it and fairly regularly featured our airheads in the articles.

The Tech Day Committee assisting John as he learns about his new 1976 R 90/6.

July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

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TorqueoftheMatter

Transferrable skills

By Wes Fleming #87301 WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING ON DIFFER-

ent motorcycles, I am often reminded of the old adage about not being able to see the forest for the trees. When people say that, they mean getting bogged down in details can blind you to the big picture, the larger issue, the overall scene.

It’s easy to be temporarily blinded when it comes to our motorcycles. It’s no secret (at least to those of you who read this column) that I’ve been struggling with my 2005 R 1200 GS over the last couple of years. It seems to be breaking in some way about once every 1,000 miles. The upside is that’s less than once a month, even though the downside is that it’s happening at all.

The “Wow, that sucked enough to wake me up!” moment was replacing the clutch. I never understood why it cost so much to get a BMW’s clutch replaced—and then I did one. Now I know, and I will never begrudge a professional their bill on that job ever again.

Replacing a dry clutch on a post-Airhead BMW is simply a gargantuan job. I’m not usually a quitter, but I decided the day after doing mine—and keep in mind I had the assistance of a pro tech—it was the last one I’ll ever do.

This has me looking at the new F 850 GS and GS Adventure motorcycles. From my point of view, they’ve got what I need in terms of power, handling, carrying capacity and availability of aftermarket accessories. I figure in three or four years, the used prices on them will come down enough that I’ll be looking hard at picking one up and retiring my tired boxer.

Looking at the 850 led me to pondering a future focused on chain-driven bikes. I cut my teeth on Honda CB750s, solid UJMs from the 1970s. I sold my last one in late 1999 or early 2000 and got my first BMW not long after, making the transition to shaft-driven bikes. I returned to the chain-driven world in late 2017 with a KTM 990 Adventure (now sold) and currently own a brand-new Indian FTR 1200 S. Pondering having to take meticulous care of a chain-driven bike again after all these years was intimidating until I saw the forest and realized how much motorcycles are motorcycles. Much of what I’ve learned from working on BMWs with automotive-style starters and alternators, dry clutches, drive shafts and fluid-filled final drives will transfer over to my new bikes.

Think of “motorcycle maintenance” as the forest and oil changes, brake bleeding, chain adjustment and replacement, clutch adjustment (or bleeding), checking tire pressure and wear, light bulb replacement and any number of other common tasks as the trees. It can seem intimidating at first, when dealing with a new bike, and it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed at the

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

thought of having to learn how to take care of a model you’ve never owned before. Take a step back, though, and many (if not most) of the tasks us typical riders will undertake are largely similar, and transferring your wrenching skills (as basic or advanced as they may be) from one bike to another is going to be relatively simple.

Take oil changes as an example. All bikes need fresh oil and a clean oil filter from time to time. Most of our motorcycles now use spin-on filters, which makes changing them straightforward. You still need to make sure the rubber gasket comes off with the old filter and that you’ve put a little fresh oil in the new filter, especially if it is installed vertically. Drain plugs are largely the same, no matter the manufacturer, though their locations may differ. In some cases, as with my new Indian, there may be two drain plugs. I learned quickly that my KTM not only had a cartridge filter, but two oil screens that needed cleaning as well. The point there is that while there may be minor

differences, the concepts and processes are largely the same: dirty old oil needs to come out and clean fresh oil needs to go in.

If you can change the oil on one bike, chances are good you can change it on another without too much hassle.

Similarly, brakes are brakes. While I’ll have to adapt to learning the ins and outs of new ABS systems, I’ll be leaving behind the “whizzy” brakes so many of us love to hate. I’ll have to learn the specific details of how to bleed the new systems, but the concepts are roughly the same. I may need to learn new sets of torque values, but removing brake calipers is going to be pretty much the same thing, and there’s only so many ways to secure brake pads inside those calipers.

I’m of the opinion if you can change the chain and sprockets on one motorcycle, you can change them on pretty much any other motorcycle. It’s critical to pay attention to the details, though. If you’re not looking to change the gearing by going up or down a few teeth, you don’t have to think too much and can just order the same part number that’s coming off the bike. The technique for getting the countershaft sprocket off isn’t going to vary much from bike to bike: find a way to trap the rear wheel and get out your breaker bar. Whether you have a lock washer or a cotter pin is a small detail to manage; the important concept is the removal of the sprocket.

If all your bikes are metric, you can even use the same tools, which is handy. If

you’ve read these columns all the way back to their genesis, you know I’m a big proponent of using torque wrenches. That will require looking up the torque values for various fasteners. You may find them in your owner’s manual, but you’re definitely going to find them in the service manual for your bike. If your bike is the subject of a Haynes or Clymer manual, so much the better; they’re going to be far less expensive than a traditional shop manual.

The best thing about all of these transferable skills, processes and techniques that easily move from brand to brand and bike to bike is that they free your mind up to focus on the idiosyncrasies of each of your motorcycles, whether you own them concurrently or consecutively. When I got my first ABS bike, I had to learn new techniques to bleed the system. While the process may not be exactly the same from one ABS generation (or system) to the next, I know there is a process, which triggers me to look it up and get to know the new details. Knowing the basics prepares me to be able to handle the differences.

Head on over to YouTube (bmwclub.com/ techvideos) to check out Nicht Uber Max, where you can see videos on clutch replacement, brake pad and disc replacement, oil changes and much more.

www.bohnarmor.com July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

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THE TOUR OF HONOR

By Jackie Brunken #91814

I

think it is safe to say we all enjoy The Ride and that some of us really enjoy a ride with a purpose. There are many options to find that purpose which lights a fire within, but one in particular ride struck a chord with me: the Tour of Honor ride.

Beginning April 1st and running through the end of October, this 50 state, self-directed ride honors our nation’s heroes and allows us to visit the memorials that commemorate their great sacrifices for the freedoms we enjoy today.

Two Iron Butt riders, brothers Steve and Dave Brooks, grew the concept from an AMA Grand Tour that visited Veterans memorials. Now in its eighth year, the Tour has hundreds of motorcyclists who ride to benefit veterans and also to honor family and friends who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Visit tourofhonor.com for more information.

Last year, my husband Leon (#108366) joined the Tour of Honor and had a great time visiting sites in several states. Leon even placed second in the state of Oregon for collecting all seven locations. After seeing what fun he was having, we both signed up for 2019. I anxiously awaited the arrival of my flag, number and details for this year’s sites, as I had a new bike and was anxious to put some miles on her.

There are many sites from which you can collect photos such as Huey helicopters, K9 memorials, “Dough Boy” memorials and more.

April 1st arrived, and I was lucky to enjoy dry enough weather to hit the road with my TOH flag and camera. First stop was a memorial site in Estacada, approximately thirty miles southeast of Portland, selected as one of the seven sites in Oregon. The procedure is to find the location, park your bike and hang your flag so it is visible in the photo with the

memorial site. From there, I rode to Canby and bagged a Huey helicopter. This one is in a nice memorial garden right along Hwy 99E. My next stop was the Korean War Memorial in Salem. I was beginning to feel the somberness of these sites, seeing all the names of veterans and the care that is given to the memorials. On the southern side of Salem is a Huey, which I was able to photograph through a fence with my flag, and then it was on to McMinnville and the Evergreen Aviation Museum.

I wasn’t sure what to expect at Evergreen and wasn’t even sure where the choppers would be. After a brief ride around the parking lots, I asked a caretaker, and he pointed me to inside one of the buildings.

Flag in hand, I went inside and was given a docent who would escort me to the Hueys.

Barry asked about my mission, and I explained TOH to him. He then proceeded to tell me about his history as a vet. He took me to the choppers and told me how this was his chopper which he had flown in the National Guard. I got a first class tour and was overwhelmed by his knowledge and willingness to share it with me. Next to the Huey was a Cobra that I also had my photo taken with. I left Evergreen with a much deeper appreciation for what Hueys do and for the pilots such as Barry who flew them.

On another trip I visited a Huey helicopter in Vancouver, Washington, at the Veterans Medical Center. Surrounded by a park, the Huey is displayed as if in air and has a beautiful garden setting around it. Next to the Huey area is a small brick museum. It had an OPEN sign so I decided to go in and see what they had on display. Three veterans were seated in the office and immediately greeted me, and after I told them my TOH mission, they were very interested. One gentleman showed ClackamasSOK9

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Riggins, Idaho.

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me a poster giving information on the Huey’s supporters. The museum is nicely arranged with various kinds of war memorabilia and models of ships. He had me sign the guest book and gave me a “P38” can opener and a tiny wooden cross. Again, I left with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for these folks who served so long and so well.

From other riders on the TOH Facebook page, I read about their similar experiences—sobering moments with thoughts of gratitude for family and friends that are memorialized by patches or pins sewn to their rally flags. It’s as much a healing journey as a tribute to all veterans for some of the riders. And for some of the riders, the journey is promoting their healing as well.

Tour of Honor is a personal ride that takes riders to locations they might not ordinarily visit, and possibly to encounters with folks they would not have gotten the opportunity to learn from.

Whatever their reasons for entering the Tour of Honor, I am sure riders will find an even greater appreciation for paying tribute to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Evergreen Huey.

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

McMinnville Doughboy.

Docent Barry.

Tour of Honor is a personal ride that takes riders to locations they might not ordinarily visit, and possibly to encounters with folks they would not have gotten the opportunity to learn from.

Clark County Korean War Veterans Memorial.

Colton, Washington.

Veterans Memorial Park in Estacada, Oregon.

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The October Surprise:

Discovering Magic at the Magic Beach Motel

By John Callaghan #140070

I

f you ride long enough, you experience all kinds of surprises. Some aren’t happy ones, like a sudden violent rain storm, a flat tire on a narrow road, a lashing wind popping up while riding the flatlands, or that driver hanging in your blind spot who cuts you off. Or even worse, all of the above.

Some surprises can put a smile on your face. A chance encounter with something special that you could not have anticipated—a stunning sunset, a satisfying lunch at a little seaside shanty you stumbled on, a covered bridge on a leafy scenic byway. It’s all part of why we ride. A few years back when I reached the end of a road in Florida, I had my happy surprise, and I’m still smiling.

It was mid-October, and like many two-wheeled pilgrims, I was riding to Biketoberfest in Daytona Beach. I wasn’t planning on cruising the streets on my 2007 R 1200 RT and parking my ride next to all those Hogs on Main Street. My objective was simple: I would meet my pal Frank “Paco” Bartlett for a Biketoberfest experience, and then we’d be off to Key West.

To get to Florida from coastal North Carolina where I live, I piloted my RT south through Charleston, South Carolina, had an overnight in Savannah and drifted along old Route 17 through Georgia and up to the Florida border. Traveling old 17 was like being in an unhurried two-lane time machine.

There were long stretches of lush countryside, serenely empty pavement and to make things interesting, old motels, diners and roadhouses. Being off I-95 was a joy, and old 17 is a back road worth exploring any time you’re in Georgia.

When at last I connected with Route A-1-A in Florida, I breezed straight down the Amelia Island coast. The island ended at a desolate spot in Fort George where a short ferry ride took me to Mayport on the mainland to continue my adventure. I had heard all the stories about A-1-A over the years, but things have changed. I never expected all the huge resorts and mansions on the east side of the road. As I passed Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach and Ponte Vedra Beach, these massive structures loomed up on most of the route, blocking any view of the ocean. Undeterred, I just kept on riding, hoping that down the road I’d find better access to the beach and someplace interesting to stay that wasn’t part of a cookie-cutter motel chain. Sadly, it wasn’t happening, at least not yet.

After steady, undemanding riding I was quickly approaching where southbound A-1-A makes a hard right turn and crosses the Tolomato River into St. Augustine. I didn’t want to stay in St. Augustine, but at this point I was ready to give up. I was tired and needed to stop and recharge for the next leg of the trip. I was about to make the turn, when I realized I could ride straight to the road’s end.

The sign said “Vilano Beach.” Maybe, just maybe there would be something there for me. Maybe it would be the other side of the rainbow, where unicorns play and there were no mansions and high rise resorts. It was probably a fantasy, I thought, but a rider can dream, can’t he?

Improbably, as if I had wished it into being, there it was. As I turned east toward the ocean a funky, restored retro-Florida motel appeared on my left. A neon sign above the yellow and aqua covered entrance announced: “Magic Beach Motel,” and below it

bunnies hopped from a black top hat. Wow. This can’t be, I told myself, but there it was. Pink flamingos adorned the doorways. Nearby, a quiet, inviting pool glistened.

Palm trees lined the border of the parking lot. I was now wearing a smile as big as a K 1600 GLT. Could this be real?

It was real all right, I spent two days there. To be totally clear, there’s no Magic Beach, only Vilano Beach, and it’s a very nice one.

There is, however, a Magic Beach Motel. Of course, there’s a story in itself about the name, so just keep reading.

Talk about biker friendly, this is the place. The motel was 200 steps from the beach and a six-minute walk west to the town pier. A Publix grocery store on the next corner was filled with the usual fare but also deli treats, wine, beer, snacks, t-shirts and postcards.

Next to the Publix were an Asian restaurant and a pizzeria. In the opposite direction there was the Beaches Restaurant with a deck overlooking the Tolomato River.

As an extra attraction—a biker bar, Haley’s Pub (“Coldest Beer at the Warmest Pub,”) was a short stroll in the direction of the pier.

Haley’s, true to the tradition of shabby Florida dives, is a nondescript place, but there’s no chance of missing it. Nearby, an original 1950s-era motor court sign painted in yellow, aqua, coral and pink still stands, advertising “Haley’s Court.” Haley’s Court was one of several “art-moderne” style motor courts popular among families during the tourist boom of the 1940s and '50s in the Vilano Beach area. In fact, the architecture of the Magic Beach Motel is in this same style.

Taking it all in, I couldn’t help but consider that this was a unique oasis for the road-weary motorcyclist—plenty to eat and drink

Left, Magic Beach Motel in St. Augustine, Florida. Above, Old Haley's Motel sign.

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within walking distance and the ocean next door. Park your bike in front of your room, settle in, hit the pool later on and maybe enjoy a carry-out dinner on the beach. Then in the morning you can take your coffee to the beach, too. Before long you’ll wonder if you can ever pry yourself away from this tranquil sanctuary and get on the road again.

A short ride over the bridge the next day took me to the Trolley Tour Depot. I booked a pleasant, hop on/hop off tour of St. Augustine; its extensive history goes back to 1565 when it was founded by Spanish explorers. It was a treat to ride around the old city, view the historic sights, visit a few shops, check out the restaurants and then return to my Magic Beach Motel refuge.

The Magic Beach Motel is testimony to the perseverance and dedication of Earl and Remy Jensen. They poured lots of money, hands-on labor and an abundance of love to restore the oncederelict buildings to their glory days. The Jensens are rightfully

Images from the Magic Beach Motel in St. Augustine, Florida.

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proud of the results, and they extend every effort to make their guests feel at home and content. Each room has a fridge, microwave, A/C, colorful 1950s-style furnishings, and every one features a unique, hand-painted mural depicting a scene from Florida’s natural or cultural history.

In another era it was the Vilano Beach Motel, and then it became the locale for a TV series called Safe Harbor. During that stint it got the name “Magic Beach Motel” and the nifty neon sign with the rabbits jumping out of a hat. After that, it was used as the set for the movie Moody Beach.

Heading to Daytona this fall or just exploring Florida’s east coast? Stop in for a stay at the Magic Beach Motel and find the magic for yourself. Perhaps a surprise or two awaits you, too. For more information regarding the Magic Beach Motel, visit magicbeachmotel.com.

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Q THE

Quail Motorcycle Gathering

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By Will Guyan #56198 The Quail Motorcycle Gathering, a prominent west coast event near Monterey, California, is an annual assemblage of some of the most incredible motorcycles in the world. The bikes are parked on a perfect golfing green, and access for fans and photographers is unparalleled. Think Barber Museum, but outside and on the green grass of May. This year’s event celebrated 50 years of the iconic Honda CB750, the 100th anniversary of the Brough Superior, and “Off-Road Wonders Through the 1990s.” Of course, BMW machines were very well represented, including an incredible Rennsport RS 54 machine with fuel injection! There are maybe three on the planet.

This year’s event showcased more than 300 historic and classic motorcycles as well as selected, interesting vendors around the green, including Keanu Reeves’ built-to-order, ARCH motorcycles.

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Additionally, event entry always includes a gourmet luncheon feast, along with myriad activities for casual observers and die-hard motorcycle fans.

Important anniversaries in motorcycling honored in 2019 included 50 years of the first production motorcycle to be called a “Superbike,” the 1969 Honda CB750, and 100 years of the legendary English Brough Superior. The Quail celebrated these anniversaries with exhibitions on the field, alongside many rare and beautiful historic off-road machines of interest to many of us who began our riding careers on “Off Road Wonders” from Japan and Europe.

Each class highlighted exemplary motorcycles, including six worldclass examples of the ground-breaking Honda CB750 manufactured between 1969 and 1977, as well as a wide variety of historic off-road motorcycles, including the iconic 1972 Husqvarna 400 CR, the 1989 Honda XRV650 Africa Twin Marathon, several showroom perfect Bul-

Left, A brand-new 1989 R 1000 GS Bumblebee. Below, One of possibly three in existence, this fuel-injected RS 54 Rennsport racer was made in very low numbers after WWII and sold only for racing. This model was rebuilt by Greg Hutchinson of NorCal BMW Riders. Photography by Will Guyan, Stephen Burns, Paulo Rosas and Cory Burns.

tacos, and many more.

Malcolm Smith, multiple International Six Days Trials gold medal winner and On Any Sunday star, along with motorcycle racing legend Mert Lawwill, were featured guests, as was Cycle World’s beloved tale-spinner Peter Egan, whose stories have entertained our generation for decades. The close proximity to museum-quality machinery and seldom-seen rarities the Quail Motorcycle Gathering offers is unparalleled, and the event includes an opportunity for a day ride along some superb roads, like California’s Highway One through Big Sur and Carmel Valley.

Many fine examples of European bikes on display included several R 69Ss featured in Dover white, pale blue and green, red, and the usual lustrous black. BMW restorers Tim Stafford and Scottie Sharpe brought some of the finest Bavarian examples ever seen on this side

of the pond and Captain Jack Wells, well known to many of us as a BMW single-cylinder expert, brought his beautiful Brough Superior sidecar rig from Lake City, Florida. Seeing this many Broughs together on the green was itself epic. These machines are valued well beyond anything Lawrence of Arabia may have considered. He, of course, met his Waterloo on his Brough Superior, number 7, and was a firm believer in the marque.

If you love historic bikes and enjoy superb, natural surroundings, consider placing The Quail on your bucket list. Don’t forget John Steinbeck’s Depression-era haunt at Cannery Row nearby and the always entertaining wild sea otters playing on the water right below your al fresco dinner table. Save the date: May 16, 2020. Maybe I’ll see you there. For more information, visit quaillodgeevents.com.

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This year's event celebrated 50 years of the iconic Honda CB750, the 100th anniversary of the Brough Superior and "Off-Road Wonders through the 1990s."

Far right, some of the beatiful and iconic motorcycles on display included several Brough Superiors, as well as BSAs, Velocettes, Douglass' and Ducatis.

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BMW Motorrad was also well represented at the Quail Motorcycle Gathering. At right and following page, Each year, the event also includes an opportunity for a day ride along some superb roads such as California's Highway One through Big Sur and Carmel Valley.

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communication in motion

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EXPLORE YOUR NEXT MOA GETAWAY

MOA Getaways continue to grow in popularity, and this year we’re offering more than ever before. Spread across the United States in bucket list locations, each Getaway provides a unique opportunity to ride some of the best roads and spend time with fellow BMW riders.

Be sure to register early as many locations sell out. Register for more than one Getaway and receive a discount! MOA Getaways — great rides and great friends. We look forward to seeing you at a Getaway this year!

August 23 - 24, 2019

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Reserve your spot today! To register, visit bmwmoa.org and click on the EVENTS tab or call 864-438-0962 and a membership associate will be happy to assist you. Contact host hotel for accommodations.

FromtheFOUNDATION

FOUNDATION

It all starts with a crazy dream

OUR MISSION

The BMW Motorcycle Owners of America Foundation is dedicated to supporting motorcycling and its rich heritage for BMW MOA members and the motorcycling public by funding programs that advance rider safety, education and training.

BMW MOA FOUNDATION OFFICERS

Chuck Manley, President cmanley@bmwmoaf.org Vance Harrelson, Vice President vance@bmwmoaf.org Greg Feeler, Secretary gfeeler@bmwmoaf.org Tom Gary, Treasurer tgary@bmwmoaf.org

By Ted Moyer #100360 when the Superbike Superstakes kicked off with the goal of giving away a new BMW S 1000 RR. We started with a crazy idea to sell 1,000 raffle tickets to pay for the bike and maybe raise a little money for charity. We had no idea MOA members would respond so overwhelmingly to the Superbike Superstakes and we managed just over 8,000 tickets for that first effort.

After promotional expenses and purchase of the S 1000 RR, we put back a little money for the Foundation and the raffle enterprise was off and running.

subsidize event training at the BMW Performance Center and the BMW MOA National Rally, $10,000 to train our youngest members through the G.E.A.R.S. program, $15,000 to expand the Awareness initiative beyond the Rally market and our fall announcement will designate $25,000 for a new training initiative.

Ten years out from our first effort, it would be easy to sit back, count the raffle tickets and mark our work as complete – but counting tickets and providing a little training isn’t our goal. The Foundation exists to provide a safer riding environment for every MOA member and

Over the last ten years, we refined our approach and developed a model that seems to appeal to MOA members and be financially viable as a fundraising effort for the Foundation. In 2019, two Foundation raffles (stay tuned for what we have planned for the fall!) will provide nearly $150,000 in rider education benefit.

Creating $150,000 in annual funding seemed like a pipe dream in 2010, but we’ve managed to make it reality.

Although we don’t know whether MOA members are safer because of this effort, we do know that in ten years, over 3,000 riders have received training and some form of subsidy. This year, the Foundation will spend $50,000 on individual Paul B. Scholarships, another $29,000 to

ultimately save lives. That work never ends, and we have a long way to go before we can say we reduced motorcycle collisions through proper training and made our members safer.

With this reality in mind, the Foundation unveiled the SafeMiles Endowment Campaign at the 2019 National Rally in Tennessee. The SafeMiles Campaign is a long-term initiative to permanently fund rider training activities for MOA members. Our goal is simply to create a $1,000,000 fund that will guarantee rider safety, education and training forever.

Given our current efforts, creating a $1,000,000 fund seems crazy, but maybe it’s no crazier than selling 1,000 raffle tickets was ten years ago. We started with a

WE’VE COME A LONG WAY SINCE 2010

BMW MOA FOUNDATION DIRECTORS

Keith Foster kfoster@bmwmoaf.org Ken Hall khall@bmwmoaf.org Kate Lammers klammers@bmwmoaf.org Randy Logan rlogan@bmwmoaf.org Pam Werstler pwerstler@bmwmoaf.org BMW MOA FOUNDATION HEADQUARTERS

220 North Main Street Suite 500 Greenville, SC 29601 (205) 821-7205 Ted Moyer, Executive Director tmoyer@bmwmoaf.org

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simple thought and developed that into a viable fundraising model. Why can’t we do the same over the next ten years on a larger scale? Here is the good news: We already have over $100,000 in pledges from ten MOA members who are committed to our mission. Suddenly, crazy doesn’t seem quite so crazy!

The SafeMiles campaign is rolling out throughout the summer and it will be an ongoing initiative of the BMW MOA Foundation. We are committed to our mission of improving rider safety, education and training and our goal of creating the SafeMiles Endowment for the

future. Visit the Foundation’s website at bmwmoaf.org to learn more about the SafeMiles Endowment and how you can help. All levels of donations are accepted, and you can pick up some SafeMiles swag along the way, including automatic entry into our raffle promotions.

If we had dreamed a little bigger in 2010, the SafeMiles Endowment would be established, and our crazy dreams would be reality. I am excited to see what we can do in the next ten years and how it will forever change rider safety for MOA members.

As always, I encourage you to ride safe.

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Congratulations to our High Mileage riders!

400,000 miles

Roy Barnes #59757 Mac Kirkpatrick #43952 Wayne Edkin #11558

300,000 miles

Dave Schani #169878 Doug Caldwell #25138

200,000 miles

Roy Winseck #30567 David Sine #58118 Don Scelza #66513

100,000 miles

Jeff Keller #15151 Karl Ott #95227 Jeff Masterman #190300 Roy Kjendal #205864 Jean Excell #112063

Jim Heberling has served as the High Mileage Coordinator since 2015 and we’d like to thank Jim for his service to BMW MOA in this capacity. Johnathan and Allison Gifford are the new coordinators for the MOA High Mileage Awards.

Johnathan has been riding BMW motorcycles since 1997 and is a lifetime member of the MOA. Allison has been riding BMW motorcycles since 2003 and has chased Johnathan all over the place. Their 10-year-old son, Nathan, has been riding on motorcycles since he was nearly a year old when he got his first ride in a sidecar and hasn’t missed an MOA rally since his birth. Johnathan has his 100,000 miles MOA Mileage award and is close to achieving his 200,000-mile award. While Allison has chased Johnathan for many miles, she’s still got a little way to go to achieve her 100,000-mile MOA Mileage award.

Roy Barnes

Mac Kirkpatrick

I started riding BMWs in 1990 aboard a 1988 R 100 GS, and after putting about 50,000 on that bike, in 2000 I bought a new R 1150 GS. I rode the 1150 across country from the West Coast to Arkansas almost every year and a couple times twice.

I belong to the Christian Motorcyclist Association, and they have an annual rally in Hatfield, Arkansas, every fall. Living in Washington, that’s about a 4,500 mile round trip. I have also attended several of the BMW MOA Nationals on the east side of country.

Two years ago, I got my feet wet on both coasts of the U.S., along with trips to Alaska and northern areas, and I have been to 45 states so far.

In 2009 I picked up a new F 650 GS twin and put just short of 200,000 miles on that bike. I also put 200,000 miles on the R 1150 GS. I just picked up a new F 750 GS and have started to work on another 200,000. Over the years, the only problems I’ve experienced were Hall effect sensor problems on my 1150 GS and stator problems on the F 650 GS. Otherwise, just normal maintenance and ride.

Most of my miles were done with one or two friends, and these BMW bikes have been a blessing, allowing me to meet new friends and see this great country.

I was raised in a family where my parents forbid me from riding a motorcycle, a common refrain for many. Finally, in 1975, I broke the motorcycle ban and purchased a used 1974 Kawasaki KZ400. I was elated to be able to ride.

Later, I experienced a defining moment when my brand new fiancée Melanie (now my wife) implored me to not sell this motorcycle shortly after she experienced a ride on it. I had already agreed to sell it and replied, “Well, we can buy another one.”

That was some 35 motorcycles ago. Currently my wife rides an R 80 G/S and an R nineT, and me, a restored R 90 S, an R 80 G/S, an R 1200 GS Adventure and an R 69 S “conversion.” A K 1100 LT with EML GTII sidecar served us while our kids were young.

Over the years, I’ve organized R 90 S rallies, (see the January 2001 BMW ON cover), and helped with the books BMW R 100 RS and BMW R 90 S (that’s me riding an R 90 S on Ian Falloon’s R 90 S book).

I’ve ridden in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico and Europe several times. I also rode the Trans America Trail with two friends (all three of us on R 80 G/Ss) and to and from Prudhoe Bay with my son Clark.

It continues to be a great motorcycle trip, seeing great sights and meeting great people.

400,000 miles

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400,000 miles

Mac Kirkpatrick

Intensity rides stand as our biggest accomplishments.

Three years ago, we took the LT rig up to Nova Scotia and over to Newfoundland. Nevertheless, we enjoy a weekend getaway to New England or day rides up into the Adirondacks, the New York Finger Lakes or the Catskills. New York riding has a lot to offer both the adventurer and the casual rider alike.

I ride some in groups but mostly with Robin, my navigator/ co-pilot. She is closing in on the 300,000-mile pillion award herself. Over the last few years, I took the R 1200 R with a group down the Blue Ride Parkway to Florida and over to New Orleans.

Another great group ride was the Syracuse area’s Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride. Additionally, my ’74 R 60/6 enjoys charity and vintage events, and members of our local BMW club, the Long Level Beemers, proves to be great company on the way to national rallies, on trips to local eateries, or to Airhead tech days.

Wayne Edkin 400,000 miles

My last 100,000 miles took me a little over five seasons to accumulate. I have two sidecar rigs, one an ‘05 K 1200 LT with an ‘09 Hannigan car and the other an ’09 R 1200 GS with a ’16 Freedom car. More than half of my riding was done with one of these. About 4,000 miles were accumulated on tours to Cuba, South Africa and Scotland, with the rest done on a ’15 R 1200 R or my ’74 R 60/6.

My most memorable ride was in 2017 when I took the GS sidecar rig for a 35-day, solo 10,000-mile run from upstate New York to Inuvik, Northwest Territories with a five-day layover in Dawson, Yukon. It was the 25th anniversary of the D2D! Someone had stolen the “Toe” and the hunt was on. This story made international news, and my friends back home wondered if I had any part in this misadventure. I didn’t, but what fun…kind of a throwback to the wild goings-on of the Gold Rush days.

On the way to Dawson, near the BC/Yukon border, I hit and killed a small black bear, but luckily, the fork, front wheel, tire, frame, and the entire sidecar were unscathed. After the event in Dawson, I rode 550 gravel/dirt miles up the Dempster, across the Arctic Circle and on to Inuvik, NWT. While there, I took a flight to Tuktoyaktuk and dipped a toe in the Arctic Ocean (the new road was not quite complete). In Inuvik, I stayed at the Arctic Chalet, a romantic lodge and sled dog kennel. My time there was extended as fires closed the Dempster. That extra time was fortuitous, as I met some wonderful people and got to know a nine-year-old retired Siberian Husky who had pulled for about six years and given birth to two litters of pups. Never had she been below the Arctic Circle. but she needed a retirement home, and she was game for a trip south.

Once all the logistics were worked out and my gear rearranged, she climbed in the sidecar and rode about 5,000 miles home with me. Other than a blown sidecar wheel bearing in British Columbia, the tour down the Cassiar Highway, through Jasper and back to the States went swimmingly.

My wife and I believe in riding with a purpose. We play Grand Tour games, have done a few 24-hour rallies, and have logged a number of two-up Iron Butt rides. I have ridden another 15 or so solo, most recently the IBA Great Lakes ride and the IBA National Parks Tour Platinum/Gold back-to-back. Our Lighthouse Platinum

Wayne Edkin

Dave Schani

300,000 miles I didn’t submit paperwork when I reached the 100,000 and 200,000-mile plateaus, so this is my first appearance on the MOA High Mileage list.

My current ride is a 2014 R 1200 GS which was preceded initially by an ‘07 R 1200 RT and later by an ‘11 R 1200 RT. My riding is a mixture of commuting, weekend day rides and a few longer trips.

Two years ago, during the summer, I had the opportunity to visit 13 states during two extended trips. One trip took me from Texas to

July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

75

Idaho for the GS Giants Rally, followed by the MOA rally in Salt Lake City, Utah. That trip took me through The Grand Tetons, Yellowstone and Canyonlands National Parks. It also gave me the chance to ride highways 12 and 95 for a second time in addition to some other great Utah roads.

I generally ride alone but sometimes meet up with friends at a good riding destination. There is a group of us that has been meeting up for several years in the Big Bend area each March and then in August in New Mexico This summer, I’m hoping to make the MOA National Rally in Tennessee, as well as a trip to West Virginia for a smaller rally and then take my annual New Mexico trip.

David Sine

200,000 miles Most of my miles were ridden on my 1994 R 1100 RSL, a bike I bought used after seeing it advertised on a hospital bulletin board (back in the day when bulletin boards involved cork, an index card, and a push pin).

I rode the RSL home to Texas from Florida in a single day, and it’s been my “go-to” bike ever since. Bad weather? I want those heated grips. Rain? I appreciate the grips and also the hand guards from the GS that I installed. Long haul to a rally? I know exactly how to pack the bags for maximum efficiency: everything that starts with “T” goes in the right bag (tire pump, tools, tortillas) and everything else goes in the left. The weight isn’t balanced, but I can find stuff in the dark while holding a flashlight in my mouth.

It was this blue RSL I used when I led a group of friends across Utah. It took us five days to cross that narrow state with its beautiful twisty roads, and I was never allowed to plan a route again. I was accompanied on that ride, as I was for nearly all 200,000 miles, by my long-time riding partner Del in his sunbleached, faded red to pink Aerostich. He’s gone now, and his own mileage awards rest on his son’s desk, but I once asked him if he could do any of all of the hundreds of rides we took together,

David Sine

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

which would it be? I felt sure he’d claim it to be our first Beach’s ride in Germany (a ride we’d later talk enthusiastically about for decades). Not so, it was that endless ride across Utah.

That’s the thing about bikes; they become emblematic of other things. Totems that bring to mind moments in our lives, like riding with friends, or a slice of impossibly good pie in a Wisconsin diner. Maybe it’s the bad directions shouted with visors open in Peru by a German who didn’t speak English yet did his best in an animated incomprehensible Spanish, or a roadside prophet full of wisdom and advice met in a gas station (“…and then I had to lay her down”).

I am notoriously not a people person and enjoy the therapeutic solitude I find in riding (I call it “helmet time”), but my miles are measured not in miles but in the people I’ve had the good fortune to ride with and learn from.

As my friend Ed famously said, “I like motorcycles; you can spend a whole day riding with your friends and not have to talk to them.”

Don Scelza

200,000 miles I recently sent in my applications for my 100,000 and 200,000 mile awards (I have been known to procrastinate a bit at times). Soon after, I received a nice email from Johnathan Gifford asking me to write something for the Owners News about my experiences reaching this milestone. The request and his questions got me to really thinking about riding. What I know is that I am happy riding and I am very happy riding BMWs. But, how can you be really happy when you are so cold that you can’t feel your fingers? How can you be really happy when you are so hot that the sweat is running down your back and in your face?

How can you be really happy when you are soaked by a cold rain on a dreary day? How can you be really happy when you have ridden 900 miles today?

While in college, I was doing some climbing in the Tetons when one night at camp someone on an R bike came into the campground. Back then, I didn’t ride, but I thought that one day I would have a BMW. Ten years and out of work, I asked myself what better time to buy a bike, and I became the owner of a K 75 RT. My wife and I did a lot of two-up riding and camping on that bike, but for both of us and gear it was a little underpowered. So, I decided I wanted an R 1100 RT and soon found a 1998 in the ON, made a deal with the seller, bought a one-way plane ticket, and went out to get my new bike. I had never ridden an R 1100 or any R bike for that matter, but the K 75 was such a great, smooth machine, how different could an R bike be?

The owner picked me up at the airport, and we went to his house, where he suggested I take the bike out for a short ride before dinner. Great! I sat on the bike, started it and thought, “Oh my God, what have I done?” The bike shook and you could hear it running! Thinking this could be one of the worse things I had ever purchased, I rode out of the driveway and to my amazement, once underway the bike smoothed out and was a dream to ride.

Thirty-three thousand miles later, at the local dealer to get some

central Pennsylvania and trying to find out why Pitt Hole, Pennsylvania, is famous. Or, at rally’s end, I like the discussions of what sneaky little things “Mr. Garmin” did to each rider. These are things that you experience alone, but everyone you talk with understands.

I don’t know how to logically answer any of the “How can you” questions I posed at the beginning of this piece. All that I know is that, through all of those discomforts, I am never happier than when I am on the road with my BMW running well. Whether it’s riding east into a sunrise, coming around a curve on a crisp autumn morning and seeing colors are so bright they take your breath away, two-up riding down the Blue Ridge and seeing one incredible sight after another, or scraping pegs on the Tail of the Dragon.

To paraphrase Robert Frost: “The roads are lovely, dark and deep, and I have miles to go before I sleep, miles to go before I sleep.”

Barry Larrain 100,000 miles

Don Scelza

parts, he said, “I have a bike I think you would like, why don’t you take it for a ride. Take it for a long ride.”

I returned after an hour, really liking this new 2005 R 1200 RT. With a smile on my face, I told him I really liked the bike, but did a lot of two-up riding and my wife would have to try it. He replied, “Take it home and take her for a ride.”

Well, after our little test ride, she said, “Go back and tell him that he probably doesn’t hear this very often, but your wife said you have to buy this motorcycle”.

Seventy-seven thousand miles later and again at the dealer for parts. He again said, “I have a bike I think you would like, a 2014 R 1200 RT, why don’t you take it for a ride? Take it for a long ride.”

You can guess how that ended.

My wife and I have spent many hours, days, and weeks on the various BMWs we have owned, and always there are new adventures to be experienced. Like the time we went down a back road and got the RT stuck deep enough in the mud that we both stepped off and left the bike standing there. Or the time I tried a quick U-turn in a truck lot full of deep sand. All I could say in the intercom was “Sand” before going down like a slow-motion cartoon. We were laughing so hard we couldn’t get the bike upright.

At some point I caught the long-distance bug, and now I enjoy picking a destination and going. I have done the SCMA Four Corners ride (the four geographic corners of the lower 48) in 11 days and the Great Lakes 100 (circumnavigate the Great Lakes in 100 hours).

While I like riding alone, I also like the camaraderie of a rally or meeting someone at 3 a.m. on a dirt road in the rain while in

Following a troubled relationship with a 1972 Harley Davidson Super Glide, I bought my first BMW, a new R 90/6, from Jim Underwood BMW Sales and Service in St. Joseph, Illinois, in 1975. After that, I never looked back. Since that time, I’ve also purchased ‘83 R 100 RS and R 100 T Airheads, a 2010 R 1200 GS, and in April replaced my ‘15 R 1200 RT with a new R 1250 RT. Despite all of these newer bikes, I still own and ride the 1975 R 90/6 regularly.

Long distance trips averaging 6,000 miles account for the majority of the 125,000-plus miles I’ve logged on my BMWs. Additionally, over the past ten years I’ve attended eight National BMW MOA rallies, combining five of those rides with my participation in the Run For The Wall Vietnam Veterans cross-country motorcycle run from Southern California to Washington, D.C., in May. Except for this annual 1,600 plus rider event, I generally ride alone or with a few close friends.

While I am very fond of all of the bikes I’ve owned over the years, my greatest affection will always be for my R 90/6. That bike has taken me from Illinois to national rallies in Colorado Springs,

Barry Larrain July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

77

Colorado, in 1977 and Prineville, Oregon, in 1980, around the Great Lakes, along the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive from Northern Virginia to the Great Smokey Mountains and up and down the West Coast along US 101 and CA-1 from Portland, Oregon, to San Francisco, California.

Jeff Keller

100,000 miles I started riding when I was 15 after buying a Harley-Davidson 250 Sprint with my mowing and hay making money. After graduation, I started racing motocross and hare scrambles on and off through my mid-forties aboard Yamahas and Husqvarnas. I didn’t ride on the street much but had a BSA 441 Victory I’d ride around and usually hit a vintage rally or two every year.

In 2003, I changed jobs and had a 60-mile commute through Ohio Amish Country. The old Beezer wasn’t the best daily commuter, so I bought a 750 Kawasaki Vulcan. I started doing some longer trips with some old dirt bike buddies who were now riding BMWs, and after the Kawasaki blew up, I was looking to upgrade. Fellow MOA member Doug Dick gave me a few issues of ON, and back then, the ON magazines had classified ads in the back. There, I saw an R 1150 RT that looked interesting, and after looking at the ad more closely, I saw that it was only 19 miles from home. It was meant to be.

I started commuting to work, doing trips and going to rallies.

Traveled with friends at first, but pretty much ride by myself nowadays. Which is fine. Sometimes I meet with old friends at rallies but always meet new ones.

In May, 2015, I crashed the R, breaking my neck and totaling the bike. That August, right before I was to get out of my neck brace, I needed surgery for rectal cancer, which was followed by radiation and chemo. After the crash, I bought the R back from the insurance company and started working on it in February 2016. I was back on the road that April.

I retired in May, 2018, and on my way home (the long way from

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

Jeff Keller

the Des Moines Rally, I was bit by a tick and contracted Lyme Disease. I’m just now starting to feel better, but the big fall trip I had planned never happened.

I’ve done all of my 100,000 miles on the 2002 R 1150 RT and have no plans on upgrading right now. I also have two BSA 441 Victors that I still use for some vintage rides and enduros.

Hopefully my next 100,000 miles won’t take as long.

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jacktheriepe

A tribute to long distance riding

By Jack Riepe #116117 A READER RECENTLY

asked me, “Why don’t you focus on long distance riders and the discipline required to cover vast distances?” He then cited a number of points, facts, and statistics to support the legitimacy of this kind of story. One of these was that the average BMW “R” bike rider covers 20 miles per day for every year of their current age. This explains why most of them have 17 million miles on their bike’s odometers. I found this statistic fascinating and asked if I could quote him.

He replied, “Why the hell would I want to be quoted in your column? I am a respectable rider and a credible member of this association. You, on the other hand…”

I get this a lot.

The reason I do not typically cover long distance riding is that for many riders, “distance”is subject to interpretation. For some, it is simple mileage. For others, it is distance plus remoteness. And for a special sensitive few, it is any one-way ride that gets them away from objectionable bosses, annoying in-laws, or spouses chatting with divorce attorneys.

Many BMW GS riders do not regard a ride as “long distance” unless they pass through two time zones, encounter snow and drought, and are forced to consider cannibalism — all within one 23-hour cruising interval. More serious long-distance GS riders go through all of the above, and ride as far as 60 feet on a gravel driveway. GS riders at the very top of their game do not consider a day’s ride “long

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distance” unless they experience everything I have just detailed, and spend their first night in barren frozen wastelands or jungles that host giant horse-eating spiders.

The implied purity of the long distance ride for the GS crowd is steeped in “endurance.” What they have mentally endured in personal persistence… what they have physically endured to qualify as

GS riders… and what they are willing to make us endure when they tell us their stories of improbable survival. One GS rider — whose initials are Gary Christman — once explained to me how he rode so high above the tree-line that he was forced to breathe the air from the tires of his machine to stay conscious. I felt his pain.

In fact, I was barely conscious when he finished his story. Thank God, Gary had a CyclePump (from Best Rest Products) to inflate those tires once he reached a safer

altitude.

For BMW “K” bike riders, distance is often measured in time. Many claim they twist the throttles on their machines until they are 19 years old again. For riders of the incredibly powerful and Teutonically nasty “K” bike slant fours, a long ride is measured in time and “Warp” drive factors.

One “K” bike rider revealed to me that he didn’t feel a ride qualified as “long” unless the wreckage of two hemispheres followed in his wake back to the garage.

“That’s about four hours in the saddle,” said Justin “Feral” Wolfe, a brassiere designer from Cursed Rock, Arkansas.

The established gold standard for most long distance riders is the Iron Butt Association, whose riders routinely redefine endurance in a number of carefully monitored events. These include: the legendary Iron Butt Rally, the Saddle Sore 1000, the Bun Burner 1500, the Bun Burner Gold, and the 50 cc Quest — among others.

Nothing commands more respect among long distance riders than the tee shirt identifying you as a member of this distinguished association.

I have been inducted into another group — the EBRA — the Eclair Butt Riders Association. The basic rule is simple: on any given ride, you are required to check into a hotel within 15 minutes of your butt reaching the texture of a freshly baked eclair. This is much harder than you would think. Many of these hotels lack room service nor easy access to a watering hole featuring performance artists. Still, rules are rules.

There is no telling when your butt is going like to feel like a freshly baked eclair.

I have had it happen at 425 miles on a July

day in Possum Pouch, North Carolina, and at 140 miles (in a driving rain) passing through Hagerstown, Maryland. (There was an added incentive at Hagerstown. I’d met a woman on the internet who lived there. She claimed she was a “black belt in pilates” and a “certified concert trombone player.” The address she gave me was a battered trailer —minus the wheels — where she was raising chinchilla for meat and pelts. She was equally impressed with me.)

Eclair Butt Rider rules have forced me to make extreme choices, like spending nights in hotels where a valet parked my “K” bike under the marquee, and in a Brazilian bordello (where I spent a month trying to clear up a dry cleaning invoice).

The factory seat initially bolted to the legendary K 75 series is a favorite among Eclair Butt Riders. Initially designed by the North Korean Secret Police, the seats on these otherwise excellent machines are carved from a single piece of slate, then given a microscopically thin coat of black paint. Two hours on one of these babies will make your butt look like an eclair left in the rain.

Regardless of the machine you straddle, every long ride begins with a checklist.

Over the years, riders head their lists with personal preferences for gear, starting with specialized tools they may need on the road. Many “R” bike riders carry a hand-turned lathe and stock (for milling crush washers), plus a blubber press to get every last drop of valve lubricant from whales washed up on beaches. Typical “R “ bike camping gear includes a sleeping bag that hermetically seals around the neck (to prevent methane poisoning), and a tent that is one inch wider than the sleeping bag and 11 inches high. Some minimalist “R” bike riders forgo the tent to sleep under picnic tables in parks, vacant dog houses, and clothing donation boxes, which are comfy, warm, and a good source of fresh socks. This savings in space enables them to carry a six-month supply of Ramen noodles.

I have three lists to guide me. The first is my master trip list. The second is a list of all the places I may have put the first list as I generally lose it two weeks before a ride.

The third list is a highly simplified memo reminding me to just open the side bags and wash the contents thereof, which have

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been fermenting for months. The memo also advises me to change the battery in the Geiger counter, which I run over the side bags before opening.

I once carefully laid out everything necessary for a week-long ride through West Virginia on the guest room bed. In the predawn darkness, I laid the side bags on the bed, covering seven days worth of underwear, which got left behind. (Why didn’t I just switch on the light? I didn’t want to disturb my sleeping in-laws.)

Accomplished long-distance GS rider Steve Pelletier explained that he wears a week’s worth of underwear as he leaves the house, peeling off the outer layer to use as a fresh dipstick rag first thing every the morning.

“You can’t check the oil on an “R” bike too frequently nor carefully enough,” said Pelletier. “It’s worth using a clean rag everyday.” He also carries a spackle bucket of dual purpose mustache wax to grease the otter sleeping on his upper lip and to keep a nice shine on the farm implements (soy bean rake and manure spreader) attached to the front of his bike.

I intend to get he Eclair Butt Riders Association’s highest award next year: the tee shirt commemorating a 93-day, cross-country run, terminating in romance on a California beach. This summer is devoted to kidney repair. Next fall will see several joints replaced by steel and porcelain appliances, powered by servos.

The spring of 2020 will unleash my “battered baby harp seal” look, prior to my comeback ride. It will be “Uberman” on “Fireballs” one more time.

This month’s column was brought to you through the vision of the MOA, and through the generosity of Best Rest Products, proud manufacturers of the CyclePump and the EZAir Tire Gauge. Find serious lifetime tire inflation tools and other cool stuff at BestRestProducts.com. Like the way I write?

Then you are going to love my books: Conversations With A Motorcycle; Motorcycles Speak Louder Than Words; and the third book in the series — The Motorcycle Rider’s Diet. Order them all through jackriepe.com

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

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mileageslaves

Wicked in the rain

By David Cwi #28490 semi absorbent riding jacket stuck out. For not covet the space that rain suit takes up in AFTER 500 MILES OF eight hours or so the motorcycle jacket genyour side case? I was a sucker for the waterhard rain, I guess I should tly and patiently wicked up rain from the proof jacket pitch. not have been surprised. bottom and transported it to the top.

Bushwacker and I own the same jacket. I Another all-day rain suit Naturally I am also wearing my LDC arrived in the Ozarks for the annual Raider adventure. I hate the base layer. These layers are designed to take Ozark Rendezvous, and he’s already there, things and because I hate sweat off your steaming carcass in the sumreporting that he had no rain on the ride in. them, I took a chance on mer and offer a bit of wind protection other Must be nice. Shoulder Joe, Blood and Guts, one of those textile jacktimes. The gear also helps keep your body at and yours truly had one Raider Karma ets that claims to be waterproof. This one the same temperature, much like a wet suit event and 500 miles of nothing but rain (but had all the needed bells and whistles: an in the ocean. wait there’s more). My feet are dry but the inside pocket for my wallet, big pockets on We get to the motel, and I quickly figure rest of me is, shall we say, “moist,” and I the side, including a zippered behind the out the jacket was soaked. I’m comfortable soon enough figure out why. patch pocket for my phone and even a from a temperature standpoint caboose pocket in the back for an and that’s because the under layextra pair of gloves. What’s not to SO, YOU DELUDE YOURSELF INTO ers did their job. But that means like?

I’m not sure how many differ- THINKING THAT MAYBE THIS DOWNPOUR they are also soaked.

We are in Arkansas. It is humid. ent kinds of rain gear I’ve been through. I can count the number WILL END BEFORE YOU NEED TO GET OFF None of this ride gear is going to dry. I review the dry gym pants of rain-proof boots I’ve owned. I AND PUT ON A RAIN SUIT. and lounge-about gear I’ve know this because there is something especially special about get- BUT, ON THIS RIDE, WE COULD SEE FROM brought with me. More rain is forecast for the next two days and ting off the bike and walking OUR WEATHER APPS AND RAIDER for the ride home. This will be around in wet socks. Wet boots WEATHER THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE interesting. are a special joy as these bad boys Naturally, it gets better. I have a never dry out overnight.

SOAKING RAIN ALL DAY. slipping clutch, so I’ll be crawling I’ve taken them apart and dutimaybe in the rain. How’s that for fully placed the foam insole in a segue. And since we are off on another The Bushman does have a way with front of the cheap motel air conditioner wild digression, I might as well share the words. He shares my pain and jokingly vent hoping that might work somewhat. latest bit of Raider Karma. refers to our shared jacket as “semi-absorBut here’s your Raider trick of the day: We are riding along and Shoulder Joe bent,” and indeed it is. The jacket in normal Know those little trash cans in the motel suddenly pulls over somewhere south of wear taunts you. Being that it is only semiroom with the flimsy plastic bag insert?

Sikeston, Missouri. Well now, he has a flat absorbent, you can actually ride in it for a The motel housekeepers often put an extra tire. But as it turns out this is the ONLY spot while before the rain soaks fully through plastic bag in the bottom of that trash can. during the ride when and where it is not and you get wet. So, you delude yourself Want to keep your feet dry? Grab a couple. raining. I can read your mind. How many into thinking that maybe this downpour Or get in touch and I’ll tell you the only Raiders does it take to plug a flat tire? We will end before you need to get off and put brand of boots I’ll ever wear, as they are, in will share that story on another day, but it is on a rain suit. On this ride, we could see fact, waterproof. as wacko as you can imagine. from our weather apps and Raider Weather Let’s get back to the story and let me finFirst off, you have to find the nail or (do visit the web site to see this in action) ish my rant. I mean, has anyone who wears whatever. No luck. EVENTUALLY a hole is that it was going to be soaking rain all day. serious motorcycle boots and serious road found, and old school string used to plug it.

So, what happened, you ask? gear pants every really mastered the art of But while this was going on we were trying It was the perfect semi-absorbent storm. getting off the bike and putting on rain to sort out the nearest BMW dealer. As the Apparently, I failed to pull the rain jacket all pants? Can you REALLY use a restroom in crow flies, it turns out there is a dealer about the way down, so the bottom edge of this a hurry wearing a full rain suit? Do you

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

BUTTERY SMOOTH

HYDRAULIC CLUTCH KIT

35 miles away. They have a tire for Joe. They can even come and get him. So now you get it. The only spot with no rain. A dealer nearby and open. He has a tire. When Joe’s plug job fails, they come and get him.

Thanks Grassroots BMW. Raider Karma.

We come now to that clutch failure.

I discovered my problem the old-fashioned way–chasing Blood and Guts as he passes four trucks in the blinding rain. Now if you are behind four trucks south of Sikeston and it is dusk and there is nothing but blinding spray, you will want to get around those bad boys in a hurry. As well it seems that lots of drivers in this part of the world are apparently quite happy to roll at dusk in the rain with no lights. So, you are wondering just how much road you need to get this done, and you cannot, if all of a sudden a car appears head on out of the rain, just dive in between these trucks (or you COULD but ….)

Blood and Guts is out there in the oncoming lane, so I can see him and he is waving. I get the message. All clear. I drop down a couple of gears and twist the throttle, understanding that this is going to cause a serious whoosh in acceleration. And with that came the unmistakable sound of a slipping clutch. The tack does not pin, but the revs go up and the sinking feeling sets in.

We settle down, and I’m OK pulling tall gears till we get further into the Ozarks and the more serious twisties. I limp into Mountain View.

Well, so much for hanging with the troops. And I tell folks I’m going home the next day, as it is a Saturday when a dealer might be open if I need one and can get close. Gets better. There is a U-Haul vendor with a truck that has my name on it, and they are literally down the street. Raider Karma! But then I price this solution.

Folks, I’ve hauled a BMW with a blown final drive from Rawlings, Montana, back home via U-Haul. No fun and not cheap. If

I can ride the bike home, I am going to try it, and my extra special road side assistance plan will allow me to put this bike on a flatbed if need be and get it to the nearest dealer, so worse case, let me get the bike closer to civilization and a flat bed if needed.

I’m also not afraid of riding a bike with a slipping clutch, as I’ve done it at least twice before. K Bikes routinely blew main seals which soiled the clutch plate, and I had that happen twice on two different high mileage bikes. Checking for that made it routine maintenance just to avoid the problem. I’ve had airhead issues with clutches.

The only concern is whether I can in fact pull a tall enough gear to get this bike to at least 60 mph or so…meaning…so I am not a danger to myself or others on the interstates. And I do not want it slipping if I can avoid it. I will not bother you with the details of limping out of the Ozarks early morning to avoid traffic and coasting down the hills to pick up speed and floating through the corners. Once you get back Sikeston way, you are in flat country, and Southern Illinois is flat, and I learn to use the throttle in micro amounts and avoid cruise control. I get the bike home.

Now, while on this trip I cannot help but notice that all the guys in a certain very expensive set of textile gear did not get wet.

I get the bike to my dealer, and it turns out he carries this brand. He has my size on the rack. I buy the jacket and share the news with Shoulder Joe, telling him that he and I now share the same jacket.

“Dave, that’s great. Oh, before I forget, they do not make the neck tall enough, so water coming in from my helmet does go down the front.”

There is no rest for the weary. Hmm. I wonder if one of those trash can bags with the bottom cut so you can get it over your head will solve that problem.

See you and your trash bags down the road!

July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

85

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WHENANDWHERE

Email your event information to editor@bmwmoa.org

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07/05/2019 - 07/07/2019

BMW Club Quebec 2019 Rallye

Location: Shawinigan, Quebec Contact: Richard Veilleux rallyemaster2019@bmw-club-quebec.ca In a wonderful region of province of Québec, join us for another great rally. Nice rides on the program (for both street and dual sport bikes), nice food, bonfire and friendly people looking for you. The event take place on a tiny island name Banana Island and we have the spot just for us! So get on your bike, drive towards Shawinigan for this fun week-end and let’s show you our hospitality! For sure you will love it!

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

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07/12/2019 - 07/14/2019

MOA Getaway Pocono Manor

Location: Pocono Manor, Pennsylvania Contact: BMW MOA 864-438-0962 A new experience awaits you in the Poconos. Whether you want to ride epic roads or simply relax in a resort atmosphere, the Pennsylvania Mountains are waiting for you.

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Rally

07/18/2019 - 07/20/2019

48th Annual Top O’ The Rockies

Location: Paonia, Colorado Contact: David Adair ccrider109@gmail.com The Top O’ The Rockies Rally is sponsored by the BMW Motorcycle Club of Colorado and is their premium annual event. The rally is

headquartered at the town park in the small mountain town of Paonia, Colorado just a mile off of CO-133, part of the West Elk Scenic Byway. Paonia’s setting beneath 11,400 ft. Mt. Lamborn is spectacular and is a great central base from which to launch whatever type of motorcycle adventure one chooses as there is tremendous riding for all in a concentrated area. There are three National Parks or Monuments close by as well as eight scenic byways, one rated as the most technical in Colorado.

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07/18/2019 - 07/22/2019

Cascade Country Rendezvous

Location: Republic, Washington Contact: Dan Muir 703-585-2159 rallymaster@wsbmwr.org Join us for the 47th annual Cascade Country

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

Rendezvous! Great roads, great trails, great friends-come join us. We’ll lead off- and onroad rides, with off-road training available.

Camping, refreshments, Friday and Saturday night dinners included. Breakfasts and evening beer garden on-site. This is a fabulous location in the mountains of northeast Washington State.

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07/26/2019 - 07/27/2019

BMW Motorrad Demo Rides

Location: Prosser, Washington Contact: Dan Denchel denchel1@yahoo.com Get one step closer to riding the BMW motorcycle of your dreams. Just come to Desert Valley Powersports/Motorcycles on July 26th or 27th, 2019 and check out the lineup of BMW motorcycles from the new Adventure bikes to the new 2020 S1000 RR!

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www.beemershop.com

07/27/2019

Lobo Loco Can You See The Light?

Location: Orangeville, Ontario Contact: Wolfe Bonham 905-466-3354 wolfe@loboloco.ca This 12 Hour Motorcycle Scavenger Hunt will have you riding out to find Lighthouses and Scenic Overlooks throughout Ontario, each with a different point value. Riders with the highest scores receive prizes and awards, and everyone gets to enjoy an AllYou-Can-Eat dinner buffet at the finish.

August 11th, 12PM Cross Country Motorsports Rt 27, Metuchen NJ

August 7

08/1/2019 - 08/04/2019

GS Giants 2019 Go Big Rally - Four Corners Location: Dolores, Colorado Contact: Dimitrios Tournas 303-999-7478 vicepresident@gsgiants.com A tradition which started by a group of friends in the Allegheny Forest in Pennsylvania has evolved into one of the most anticipated motorcycle events of the year. A Rally known by many names. The Mountain Mayhem. The Snake River Ramble. Back to the BIGinning. The Giant Stampede. But no matter what the event is called, the goal is the same - getting together to celebrate the camaraderie and joy of riding. Gypsy Tours have made the travel to and from the Go Big Rally a real adventure.

July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

87

NJ Ride for the Cure!

Prostate Cancer Moto-Fundraiser

NJrideforthecure.org NJ Shore BMW Riders, Skylands BMW Riders, BMW Club of North Jersey, New Sweden BMW Riders

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

WHENANDWHERE

8

08/02/2019 - 08/04/2019

Damn Yankees Rally and Moto Gymkhana Location: Colrain, Massachusetts Contact: Ken Springhetti 978-764-3527 kz1000@hotmail.com The Damn Yankees Annual Rally is our flagship event and provides rustic camping at one of New England’s oldest operating fairgrounds, The Heath Fairground. Saturday evening chicken BBQ by the Heath Volunteer Fire Department is included, Legendary Church Ladies home made Pies and baked goods (free Coffee if you bring your own mug) and the Saturday night bonfire is always a good time.

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08/03/2019

20th Annual 100,000 Foot Ride

Location: Lakewood, Colorado Contact: Mike Szabo mhm1mike@gmail.com This ride is designed to take you over enough mountain passes to equal 100,000 ft. The 100k ride combines some of the best roads and scenery Colorado has to offer.

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08/08/2019 - 08/11/2019

46th Stanley Stomp

Location: Lowman, Idaho Contact: Mark Whaley registrar@coolpaw.net The rally will be held again in beautiful remote Grandjean, ID – located about 100 miles NE of Boise, or 22 miles NE of Lowman off Hwy 21. Grandjean is at the gateway to the Sawtooth Wilderness Area with incredible riding destinations in every direction.

There are some backwoods amenities – the site is located at the Sawtooth Lodge which features a heated pool, shower houses, several bathrooms with flush toilets, two meadows for camping, cabins available (make your own reservation), and natural hot springs within walking distance.

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08/09/2019 - 08/11/2019

37th Annual Husker Rally

Location: Franklin, Nebraska Contact: Jayney Solo (402) 676-1739 jayneysolo@cox.net Join us for our 37th Annual Husker Rally at the fairground 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.

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08/11/2019

NJ Ride For The Cure! A MotoFundraiser For Prostate Cancer Research Location: Metuchen, New Jersey Contact: Don Eilenberger njrideforthecure@gmail.com This is a memorial event for Harold Gantz, a member of several NJ clubs, plus a fundraiser in his memory to two prostate-cancer foundations that fund research seeking to cure this disease. The “ride” is a scavenger hunt, done at your own pace, your own schedule, and your own group - or solo - if desired. It will require visiting and documenting your visit (by motorcycle) to a number of NJ historic sites. Each site visited will reward you with another door-prize ticket. The “event” - to be held at CrossCountry Motorsports (NJ’s BMW dealer) will be food and awarding of the door prizes.

The dealership is opening just for this event, and will be helping us with food and door prizes. The effort is being led by the 4 NJ BMW motorcycle clubs, spearheaded by the NJ Shore BMW Riders.

08/09/2019 - 08/11/2019

42nd Annual Daniel Boone Campout Location: Boone, North Carolina Contact: Fernando Cofani rally@carolinasbmwmoa.org This year the event will be a campout with no rally fee and limited amenities. We have

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some of the best motorcycle roads east of the Mississippi. Ride the Blue Ridge Parkway, High Country of North Carolina, Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee, and fun GS rides all in easy distance to the campout.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

14

08/15/2019 - 08/18/2019

Nakusp Hotsprings Rally

Location: Nakusp, British Columbia, Canada Contact: Allan Vallis info@beeceebeemers.com It is an exceptional location with some of the best riding in British Columbia. The

Nakusp municipal campground is a beautiful location nestled right in the town of Nakusp, near amenities, restaurants and shopping. The area provides both on and off-road riding experiences.

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08/15/2019 - 08/18/2019

21st Beartooth Rendezvous

Location: Red Lodge, Montana Contact: Charlie Greear (208) 661-5639 registrar@beartoothbeemers.org Come back “home” to the Lions Camp located 10 miles south of Red Lodge, MT. We have ample camping space in and around the camp, even a mountain stream nearby. If you are not into camping there are cabins with built in bunks, just bring your sleeping bag. Camp facilities include hot showers and flush toilets. Three catered dinners with homemade desserts are included.

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Rally

08/16/2019 - 08/18/2019

The 53rd Four Winds BMW Riders

Location: Fairmont City, Pennsylvania Contact: Joe Burns (814) 229-0896 jburns@fredlburns.com www.4windsbmw.org Great riding on scenic paved and unpaved roads near Allegheny National Forest.

Plenty of shaded grass covered areas for tent camping. RV camping is available as well as off site cabins and B&B lodging.

Friday night dinner ride, Saturday evening banquet, and donuts on Sunday morning. On-site concession stand open for breakfast and lunches. Guided and self guided rides available.

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08/22/2019 - 08/23/2019

Premier Training at BMW Performance Center Location: Greer, South Carolina Contact: Jackie Hughes (864) 438-0962 jackie@bmwmoa.org Limited to only 14 participants, this full day of rider training will encompass both on and off-road skill development using BMW Performance Center facilities, motorcycles and instructors. This unique opportunity includes two nights lodging at the Greenville Marriot Hotel with a Thursday night “meet and greet” and introductory session

at the Performance Center. Friday features a full day of both on- and off-road training with breakfast, lunch and an evening dinner. Transportation between the hotel and the Performance Center facility, a special Premier event polo shirt, and the use of a Performance Center BMW motorcycle are also provided.

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08/23/2019 - 08/25/2019

LAND OF ENCHANTMENT BMW RIDERS BAVARIAN MOUNTAIN WEEKEND RALLY

MOA Getaway Copper Mountain

Location: Copper Mountain, Colorado Contact: BMW MOA 864-438-0962 Welcome to the majestic Rocky Mountains!

Copper Mountain Resort is an ideal vacation destination with a laid-back and inclusive vibe that represents the best of Colorado.

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September 6-8, 2019 in Sipapu, New Mexico

• Riders of BMWs and all brands are welcome • Wonderful mountain area riding • Free camping • Friday night chile snack • Saturday night New Mexican dinner • Great entertainment both nights • Door prizes • Many new tech/seminar sessions • On site vendors, free coffee and more!

08/23/2019 - 08/25/2019

Lobo Loco Multi-Day Mororcycle Scavenger Hunt

REGISTRATION: $45 pre-register or $55 on-site.

ONLINE REGISTRATION: www.loebmwr.org/

Location: Peterborough, Ontario Contact: Wolfe Bonham 905-466-3354 wolfe@loboloco.ca This will be a 3 Day, DAYLIGHT ONLY, motorcycle scavenger hunt with riders trying to find interesting locations throughout Ontario. Each night riders will return to the Rally HQ for dinner (included) where they will be given a new set of locations to find the following day. Prizes and awards will be given to the riders that find the most locations.

EMAIL: info@loebmwr.org NEED A MOTEL?: Sipapu Lodge: 1-800-587-2240.

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08/30/2019 - 09/02/2019

September 09/06/2019 - 09/08/2019

49th Annual Wisconsin Dells Rally

Location: Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin Contact: Robert Preuss 262-391-0550

July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

www.fingerlakesbmw.org

Taos area reservation assistance: https://taos. org/visit/lodging

BMW Motorcycle Owners of Vermont 37th Annual Green Mountain Rally 2019 September 6, 7, 8, 2019

45th Finger Lakes Rally

Location: Watkins Glen, New York Contact: Finger Lakes BMW Club rally@fingerlakesbmw.org Come make new friends, reconnect with old friends and experience many touring opportunities in a most scenic area of New York State. Returning from last year: Beer and Wine!

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TheRally.aspx

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Pre-registration discount until August 15 Attendance limited to first 250 Plenty of camping space, with limited cabin space available by the cabin; go to http://vtbmwmov.org/rally/ for details Come join us to carve the sweepers and streamside shaded twisties of Vermont. Enjoy cool mountain air as you soak up bluegrass Friday night. Dine comfortably on home-cooked meals in the screened hall, or fire lit pavilion. Selfguided gap rides and tons of gravel roads in and near National Forest. Free hot showers, bonfire, and great rally prizes from our sponsors: Max BMW Motorcycles, Frank’s Motorcycle Sales, Aerostitch, BMW MOA, and BMW RA  Door Prizes  Sorry, No Pets  Awards Ceremony  Free Hot Showers  Entertainment Fri / Sat * Goshen  Gap Rides and GS Rides  Real Home-cooked Meals  Vermont Mountain Touring  Coffee, Tea, Soda + Popcorn  Friday + Saturday Dinners  Saturday + Sunday Breakfasts  Indoor + Outdoor Camping Areas  All for $55.00 by 8/15; or pay $65 after  Limited Cabin Space by reservation; members have priority. Watch the website for pricing and other details.

For More Information email: Chip LaPointe, Rally Chair chiplapointe@gmail.com 802-891-6148 Adam Chandler, Co-Chair adam@adamchandler.me 603-894-0957

Cabin Reser s by v Mem ation— bers h priori ave ty

Pre-register online at https://bmwmov.wildapricot.org/Rally or send check or money order made out to BMW MOV to: Kevin Wilkinson 13 Cross Street Montpelier, VT 05602 GPS 43° 51’ 18.496’’ N 73° 0’ 43.903’’ W

BMW Motorcycle Owners of Vermont—#115

WHENANDWHERE

dellsrally@gmail.com Join us for a premiere Midwest event held again at the Easter Seals “Camp Wawbeek”.

We have 450 acres of wooded fun and games with great camping, 300 indoor bunks (available for a small fee), plenty of showers and rest rooms - we even have RV parking!

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09/06/2019 - 09/08/2019

MOA Getaway Pine Mountain

Location: Pineville, Kentucky Contact: BMW MOA 864-438-0962 The MOA will host another great MOA Getaway at the Pine Mountain State Resort Park on Sept. 6-8, 2019. This beautiful state park will be the base of operations for all the amazing riding and great exploring to be done in the area.

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Rally

09/06/2019 - 09/08/2019

37th Annual Green Mountain

Location: Goshen, Vermont Contact: Chip LaPointe chiplapointe@gmail.com Come joins us to carve the sweepers and streamside-shaded twisties of the Green Mountains in Vermont. Enjoy cool mountain air as you soak up music from Snake Mountain Bluegrass Friday night. Dine comfortably on home-cooked meals in the screened hall or fire-lit pavilion. Self-guided gap rides in addition to miles of gravel roads in and near the Green Mountain National Forest.

24

09/06/2019 - 09/08/2019

Bavarian Mountain Weekend

Location: Vadito, New Mexico Contact: RJ Mirabal 505-299-4916 rjmcreativearts@gmail.com Noted moto-blogger, Abhi Eswarappa will present at least one session covering some of his favorite blogging topics like top vintage bikes, best used adventure/touring bikes, and/or favorite moto-tours (http:// www.abhibanerjee.com)! • riders of BMWs and all brands are welcome • Wonderful mountain area riding • Free camping • Friday night chile snack • Saturday night New Mexican dinner • Great entertainment both nights • Door prizes • Many new tech/

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

seminar sessions • On site vendors, free coffee and more!

25

09/12/2019 - 09/15/2019

Lap of Kentucky

Location: Louisville, Kentucky Contact: Forrest Land 502-636-0432 forrestland@bellsouth.net The Lap of Kentucky is a four day ride through the back roads of the beautiful Commonwealth of Kentucky with lodging available at Kentucky State Resort Parks.

09/13/2019 - 09/15/2019

26 34th Annual Autumn Beemer Bash Location: Quincy, California Contact: bashinfo@comcast.net 925-209-1066 Central Cal BMW riders invite you to the 34th annual AUTUMN BEEMER BASH at Quincy, CA (Plumas-Sierra County Fairgrounds). Famous CCBR coffee, Beer Garden, 2 nights camping w/ early camping available, Saturday night BBQ, two Continental breakfasts, GS ride, poker run, vendors, and speakers.

27

09/13/2019 - 09/15/2019

Ride the Blue Ridge

Location: Morganton, North Carolina Contact: Gene Smith 828-439-9754 rallymaster@knobbies.org Come celebrate our 30th Anniversary with the Knobbies AND our 10th Annual Ride the Blue Ridge! Meal voucher for any night, T-shirts. Great camping, RV spaces available with water and electrical hookups. Hotels and full RV campsites are all within 1 mile.

Large showers with plenty of hot water on site! Local restaurants and breweries. And don’t forget, our Knobbies sponsor “Ride With the Knobbies” to places tourists DO NOT go, from touring to GS rides.

09/13/2019 - 09/15/2019

28 28th Annual Purity Spring Rally Location: East Madison, New Hampshire Contact: Louise Bendix rapunzelbmw@comcast.net Come and join us in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire for our 28th annual rally. 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.

Rally includes Friday and Saturday night dinners and Saturday and Sunday hot breakfasts.

09/13/2019 - 09/15/2019

29 2019 Yankee Beemers “Back to

Jamaica” Fall Event

Location: Jamaica, Vermont Contact: Ken Springhetti 978-975-2982 kz1000@hotmail.com Join us at our annual fall camp out at Vermont’s Jamaica State Park. This is the best time of year to ride Vermont’s Green Mountains. Enjoy a weekend of twisty back roads, great dirt roads, campfire camaraderie, warm nights and great late season weather.

All bikes are welcome, but please no loud pipes. Your fee includes camping and coffee. Pot luck dinner Friday and Saturday evening. Bring something tasty to share.

Bring a mug. Always Check the YB Forum for updates. This event is rain or shine.

09/13/2019 - 09/15/2019

30 Tug Hill Turnout

Location: Lowville, New York Contact: Cheryl Franklin cherylfranklin@outlook.com Registration includes 2 nights camping, a light supper Friday night, Saturday dinner, coffee, ride sheets, nightly campfire, entertainment. Bathrooms and coin operated showers on site. However, this is a woodsy, rustic setting with no electricity. . .bring a flshlight! Great riding area!

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09/14/2019

Lobo Loco Old School Rally

Location: Brantford, Ontario Contact: Wolfe Bonham 905-466-3354 wolfe@loboloco.ca The morning following Port Dover’s Friday 13th Motorcycle Rally (one of the largest motorcycle events in Ontario) we will be hosting a 10 Hour Motorcycle Scavenger Hunt. Riders will be given a series of scenic schoolhouse locations throughout Ontario to find and photograph, each with a different point value. Riders that accumulate the

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highest scores win prizes and awards, and everyone will enjoy an awesome BBQ dinner at the finish.

09/14/2019

BOLES

Lone Star BMW Riders Annual Hamburger Cookout Location: Suphur, Oklahoma Contact: Austin Hutton president@lonestarbmwriders.org This is Lone Star BMW Riders big annual event for BMW riding clubs, other invited groups, and BMW MOA members from all over the country. Join us for burgers, share stories and tall tales and ‘kick a few tires’.

Check out the LONE STAR BMW RIDERS for more details.

09/20/2019 - 09/22/2019

MOA Getaway Jay Peak

Location: Jay, Vermont Contact: BMW MOA 864-438-0962 Nestled in the Green Mountains, Jay Peak Resort will host your visit to Vermont.

Attendees will be delighted with the abundant riding opportunities, both on- and offroad that lay just outside the door each morning.

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16th Thunder Mountain Rendezvous

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Location: Hotchkiss, Colorado Contact: Kerry Dolan 970-985-1274 dolankm@gmail.com Come join us again at the Delta County Fairgrounds in downtown Hotchkiss on a color weekend on the Western Slope of Colorado.

Our rally offers great camaraderie, a beautiful venue, and the greatest riding in Colorado.

09/20/2019 - 09/22/2019

Gathering of the Clams

Location: Wakefield, Rhode Island Contact: Steve Forand 401-862-6531 forands9@gmail.com Join the Ocean State BMW Riders at Camp Fuller, a YMCA on beautiful Great Salt Pond in Wakefield, Rhode Island. Enjoy three days and two nights of ocean-side camping or sleep in a shared cabin at no extra charge.

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July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

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WHENANDWHERE

36

09/20/2019 - 09/22/2019

New Sweden BMW Riders 37th Annual Last Chance Rally Location: Buena, New Jersey Contact: Peter Lisko 856-589-7015 pjliskojr@gmail.com Shaded camp sites, cabins and local hotels to accommodate your travel preference.

Enjoy a relaxing weekend of field events, riding destinations, awards, comradery and our fabulous Saturday night PIG ROAST.

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09/27/2019 - 09/28/2019

Oklahoma BMW Rally

Location: Talihina, Oklahoma Contact: John Marshall newzhack@gmail.com 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.

38

09/27/2019 - 09/28/2019

45th Annual Rams Rally

Location: Parker Crossroads, Tennessee Contact: rally@bmwrams.com Come enjoy bonfires, movies each evening, our bike show and great door & rally prizes.

The site is close to local restaurants and convenience stores as well as fantastic on and off road riding with self-guided tour maps. There will also be a Saturday Poker Run with lunch at the Natchez Trace, State Park Lodge. Close to Nashville, LBL National Recreation Area and Natchez Trace Parkway. Extend your trip by attending the Barber Vintage Festival (motorcycle racing and swap meet) the following weekend.

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09/27/2019 - 09/28/2019

MOA Getaway Cedar City

Location: Cedar City, Utah Contact: BMW MOA 864-438-0962 In 2019 we return to the site of our inaugural Getaway - Cedar City, Utah. Located within a day ride to Cedar Breaks, Bryce Canyon, Escalante, Capitol Reef, Zion and even the Grand Canyon, Cedar City is the epicenter of National Parks in the United States.

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

09/27/2019 - 09/28/2019

40 34th Annual Hoosier Beemer Rally Location: North Vernon, Indiana Contact: Jeff Kernen jrkernen@yahoo.com 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 a live bluegrass band, Saturday night dinner, door prizes and awards.

October 41

10/04/2019 - 10/06/2019

MOA Getaway Tomah

Location: Tomah, Wisconsin Contact: BMW MOA 864-438-0962 Local riders will tell you this area is the “east Tennessee of the upper Midwest.” There are so many curves, twists, coulees and hollars that you’d swear you are in West Virginia.

And the roads… oh, the roads!

10/04/2019 - 10/06/2019

42 Wheels in the Field 2019 Location: Chester, Vermont Contact: MAX BMW MAX BMW, along with Team MAX will host a town wide Oktoberfest-style celebration of BMW motorcycles and Porsche Cars. The Town of Chester will open up all restaurants, Inns, and shops to the attendees to support the town-wide gathering. An approximately 90-mile Team Max lead GS/Dual sport ride will take place on Saturday, October 5th through scenic southern Vermont during peak foliage season ending up at the Pinnacle Recreation area where our famous Scottish Trials Challenge will take place.

43

10/11/2019 - 10/13/2019

44th Falling Leaf Rally

Location: Potosi, Missouri Contact: Bill Haugen rally-coordinator@gatewayriders.com The St. Louis Gateway Riders welcome you to the foothills of the Ozarks, offering exciting riding for road and dual sports, and beautiful fall colors.

10/11/2019 - 10/13/2019

44 42nd Annual Colonial Virginia

Motorcycle Rally

Location: Lenexa, Virginia Contact: Carol Beals 757-287-5594 cebeals@gmail.com We’ll be at Rockahock Campground, 1428 Outpost Road Lenexa, VA 23089. 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.

45

10/25/2019 - 10/26/2019

Premier Training at BMW Performance Center Location: Greer, South Carolina Contact: Jackie Hughes (864) 438-0962 jackie@bmwmoa.org Limited to only 14 participants, this full day of rider training will encompass both on and off-road skill development using BMW Performance Center facilities, motorcycles and instructors. This unique opportunity includes two nights lodging at the Greenville Marriot Hotel with a Friday night “meet and greet” and introductory session at the Performance Center. Saturday features a full day of both on- and off-road training with breakfast, lunch and an evening dinner.

Transportation between the hotel and the Performance Center facility, a special Premier event polo shirt, and the use of a Performance Center BMW motorcycle are also provided.

46

10/25/2019 - 10/27/2019

MOA Getaway Texas

Location: Kerrville, Texas Contact: BMW MOA 864-438-0962 Welcome back to the Texas Hill Country.

Last year’s Getaway was good but this year is even better! This year, we’re visiting one of the area’s most iconic hotel venues, the Inn of the Hills Resort and Conference Center in Kerrville, Texas, where Texas history meets Hill Country hospitality!

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Oct 25-26, 2019 Kerrville TX

advertiserindex Adaptive Technologies........................22 Adriatic Moto Tours...............................17 Adventure New Zealand Tours.........71 AeroFlow...................................................82 Airhawk International.........................IFC Alaska Leather.........................................34 American Way Chalets.........................17 Ayres Adventures...................................33 BeadRider..................................................93 Beemer Boneyard..................................33 BeemerShop............................................87 Best Rest Products/Cycle Pump.......83 BMW Club of Hampton Roads..........43 Bob’s BMW................................................79 Bohn Armor..............................................51 Boles Law Firm........................................91 Boxer Works Service..............................72 BullRack.....................................................83 Capital Cycle............................................22 Cardo Systems..................................68, 69 Colorado Tourbike Rentals.................39 Continental Tire......................................23 Corbin Pacific...........................................59 Cyclenutz...................................................43 DMC Sidecars...........................................43 Dubbelju Motorcycle Rentals............43 Edelweiss Bike Travel............................72

EPM Hyper Pro.................................27, 94 Euro Moto Electrics...............................34 Finger Lakes Rally...................................89 Geza Gear..................................................39 Green Mountain Rally...........................89 Haynes North America.........................22 Helmet Sun Blocker...............................93 HEX ezCAN...............................................72 Ilium Works...............................................34 IMTBike Tours...................................27, 43 Kermit Chair Company.........................91 Land of Enchantment Rally................ 89 LD Comfort...............................................22 M4Moto-psa.....................................71, 94 MachineartMoto....................................91 Magura USA.............................................85 Michelin Tire................................................5 MOA Gear Store.................................... IBC Morton’s BMW.........................................39 Moto Aventura........................................32 Moto Bike Jack........................................22 Moto Skiveez...........................................32 MotoDiscovery........................................22 Motonation..............................................BC Motorcycle Relief Project....................93 Motorrad Elektrik...................................17 Mountain Master Truck Equipment.81

New Jersey Clubs Ride.........................87 Overseas Speedometer.......................17 Palo Alto Speedometer........................93 Parabellum...............................................39 Paradise Motorcycle Tours..................43 Peter Lattman Real Estate...................32 Pirelli/Metzeler Tires..............................18 Progressive Insurance.............................9 Redverz......................................................27 Re-Psycle BMW Parts............................81 Rider Magazine........................................94 Roadrunner Magazine..........................81 Rocky Creek Designs............................91 Russel Cycle Products...........................81 S100.............................................................72 Sargent Cycle Products........................83 Stop ‘n Go..................................................71 Suburban Machinery............................83 Touratech.....................................................1 Twisted Throttle......................................35 Weiser Technik........................................59 Wilbers USA.......................................39, 81 Wolfman Luggage.................................27 Yankee Beemers Rally...........................11 Ztechnik

BMW ON (ISSN:1080-5729) (USPS: 735-590) (BMW Owners News) is published monthly by BMW Motorcycle Owners of America Inc., 2350 Hwy 101 South, Greer, SC 29651. 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, 2350 Hwy 101 South, Greer, SC 29651 © 2019 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 49, Number 7

July 2019 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

95

talelight

Morning ride The sun streaks down during a spring ride near Madison, Wisconsin.

Photo by Sue Rihn #46753

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2019

GEAR Store BMW Club White Latte Mug $15.00

14oz latte mug with the standard BMW Clubs logo.

Men’s Syntrel 1/4-Zip Pullover Wicking Base Layer $49.00

Need a lightweight ¼-zip offering performance? This lightweight Syntrel fabric offers a natural stretch delivering UPF30+ protection, easy wear, ease of care and easy pack performance with fast absorption for quick drying. Wear it as a base layer or stand alone for casual comfort.

Twill Mid Profile Hat $15.00 Hats, hats and hats availablein a variety of styles and colors.

MOA Club Design Stripes T-Shirt for Men and Women $20.00

New design for 2018, the stripes T is a great addition to your casual collection. 50/50 cotton/poly blend athletic t-shirt in men’s and women’s sizes with the MOA logo on the chest . Show your club pride and receive free shipping on the stripes T!

www.dragspecialties.com/dealer-locator

1,000+ items available Order online at gear.bmwmoa.org

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

The ultimate

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back Freelite $129 protector 1.14 lbs SZ Small

WARNING! No protective device can completely protect you in all foreseeable or unusual accidents. Riding motorcycles, ATVs, and other motorized vehicles is dangerous. In the event of an upset, collision, or other accident, you may be seriously injured or killed, regardless of the type of protective equipment that you are wearing. Do not expect or depend upon your Forcefield Armour to prevent or reduce injury in the event of an accident. Under some rare circumstances, the wearing of protective apparel may actually increase your injury.

The only way to certainly avoid being injured while riding a motorcycle or other motorsports vehicle is not to ride.

JULY 2019

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JULY 2019 BMW OWNERS NEWS www.bmwmoa.org