BMW Owners News October 2018

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

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OCTOBER 2018

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OCTOBER 2018 BMW OWNERS NEWS www.bmwmoa.org

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Inside 40 44 50 54

features

member profile:

marina ackerson

By Ron Davis #111820 With all of the tables in the food area taken, Ron Davis saw a woman sitting alone at a table for four. The conversation that followed left Davis believing he had met the quintessential motorcyclist.

Boots

By Ken Frick #199204 It was a single boot atop a fence post in rural Nebraska that first caught Ken Frick’s attention.

Stopping to take a closer look, Frick realized he had stumbled upon sacred ground.

music and motorcycling

By Doug McBride #6642 Looking to add music to his cinematic masterpieces, Doug McBride scoured the web, and along the way discovered some great motorcycle music available for download.

a massachusetts track day

By John Gamel #153274 When an early retirement took a toll on John Gamel’s excitement index, getting back into motorcycling was all Gamel needed to find the rush he was missing. Training made it even better.

ON THE COVER: T he R nineT’s Option 719 in Mars red metallic matte/Cosmic blue metallic matte is one of the many updates to BMW’s 2019 model lineup. See page 28 for more updates. Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad.

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

the club 4 Owners News Contributors 8 Headlight End of another season, by Bill Wiegand 10 President's Column Civility and the "Great Mug(ging)",

by Wes Fitzer

12 Postcards from the Road 14 Rider to Rider Letters from our Members 16 Shiny Side Up Rehab, by Ron Davis Member tested/ product news 20 – Backpack Comparo: Velomacchi Speedway vs BMW Function

– Cornering Confidence: The Formula for 100% Control in Curves – Classic Velocity Vehicle Log

26 2019 BMW Motorrad updates, Alaska Motorcycle Adventures

celebrates 25 years of service, Magura Hymec expands offerings, Motonation’s new Campera vented textile jacket, Sena’s Savage ¾ helmet.

tech 32 Keep ‘em Flying Strider lives! by Matthew Parkhouse 34 Torque of the Matter Ohhhmmm... Ohhhhmmm,

skills 60 From the Foundation GEARS... Great Beginnings,

by Will McHardy

62 Thinking about your Posture, by James B. Ford lifestyle 66 Mileage Contest Congratulations to the 2017/18 Winter Mileage Contest finishers, by Jim Low

74 Mileage Slaves Jump, by David Cwi 76 Jack the Riepe How I arrived at the MOA Rally in Des Moines, by Jack Riepe

81 2018 BMW MOA Rally wrapup events 92 When and Where Places to Go and Things to Do 95 Advertiser Index 96 Talelight

Photo by John A. Brown #76755

by Wes Fleming

October 2018 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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the club

CONTRIBUTORS 1. Ron Davis has been a rider, off and on, for about 40 years.

Over that period, he’s also squeezed in a full time career teaching high school and university classes in writing, photography, and publishing while also working as a social media writer for the tourism industry in northwest Ontario and Associate Editor for BMW Owners News. His writing has been featured by BMW Owners News, BMW Motorcycle Magazine and The National Writing Project, and his essays, sometimes on motorcycling, can be heard regularly on Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Wisconsin Life.” His recently completed novel for young adults, Sachem Summer, is about love, trout fishing and a BMW R50/2.

2. K en Frick is relatively new to BMWs and his '05 RT is one of the seven motorcycles he’s owned since his college years back in the '70s. A retired freelance photographer, Ken now spends much of his free time writing stories to accompany the photographs he takes on his motorcycle travels, about his family, long-distance running and the 1953 MG TD both he and his wife claim as their own.

3. D ancin’ Dave Cwi is a Life Member of the MOA as well as a Premier Member of the Iron Butt Association. He's owned every series of BMW motorcycle from the /2 to the modern RT, and has burned out his wife, who once loved motorcycling but sold her bikes after two trips with Dave. He pays for his riding addiction via marketing stints, including work in Power Sports. You will see him down the road.

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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

4. D an Townsley has been riding since he acquired his first new bike, a 1969 Royal Enfield 750 Interceptor, and since that time many motorcycles have passed through the garage. For the past 25 years those bikes have only been BMWs, most with thousands of miles on them from around the world travel. As a retired Engineer with very early roots in computers and navigation technologies, GPS devices and related software are passions that continue today.

5. J ohn Gamel is a native of Massachusetts and began riding when he was 18 years old. His motorcycle riding was put on hold in 1967 for 42 years as the U.S. Navy, marriage, more education and then children intervened. Following his retirement from an FBI career, he decided to return to riding, first on a borrowed F 650, then on several hexhead and wethead RTs. His favorite ride is a long, multi-day tour. Gamel is also a member of the Yankee Beemers board of directors.

6. W ill McHardy first rode a BMW motorcycle, a brand new 1974 R 90 S, in Illisheim, Germany, in 1974. Sad to say, it wasn’t his. In 1995 Will borrowed an R 1100 GS from good friend and MOA member Charlie Greear, and the two embarked on Will’s first long distance ride, traveling from Reno, Nevada, to Park City, Utah, and back. It wasn’t until 2004 that Will owned his first BMW, a brand new R 1150 GS, and he has had several since.

History. Family. Dedication.

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BMW OWNERS NEWS  October 2018

Tasty Twisties New York State Route 97 along the Delaware River is known as the Hawk's Nest and is a favorite for area riders.

Photo by Greg Nebbia #216243

October 2018  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 ART DIRECTOR

Karin Halker karin@bmwmoa.org ADVERTISING

Advertising materials, including chartered club rally display advertising, should be sent to our Advertising Office. Please contact Chris Hughes for display rates, sizes and terms.

Chris Hughes chris@bmwmoa.org 509-921-2713 (p) 509-921-2713 (f ) BMW MOTORCYCLE OWNERS OF AMERICA

640 S. Main Street, Ste. 201 Greenville, SC 29601 864-438-0962 (p) 864-250-0038 (f )

Submissions should be sent to the BMW MOA office or editor@bmwmoa.org. Submissions accepted only from current members of the BMW MOA and assume granting of first serial publication rights within and on the BMW MOA website and use in any future compendium of articles. No payments will be made and submissions will not be returned.

The BMW MOA reserves the right to refuse, edit or modify submissions.

Opinions and positions stated in materials/articles herein are those of the authors and not by the fact of publication necessarily those of BMW MOA; publication of advertising material is not an endorsement by BMW MOA of the advertised product or service. The material is presented as information for the reader. BMW MOA does not perform independent research on submitted articles or advertising.

Change of address notification and membership inquiries should be made to the BMW MOA office or membership@bmwmoa.org. BMW MOA member-ship is $49/yr. and includes the BMW Owners News, which is not available separately.

Each additional family member is $19 without a subscription. Canadian members add $16 for postal surcharge.

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

OUR MISSION To foster communication and a sense of family among BMW motorcycle enthusiasts

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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

End of another season

By Bill Wiegand #180584 I BELIEVE TIME MOVES FASTER THE OLDER WE GET. IN FACT, I KNOW

this to be true. While not yet proven scientifically, I am in possession of significant anecdotal evidence proving this theorem to be correct.

I know when I was a kid, Christmas, birthdays and any other date on the calendar where presents were received seemed to take forever to arrive each year. I struggle in proving this time and space mystery correct because summers and school holidays sped by faster than an HP4 at Circuit of the Americas while days at school day seemed endless.

These days, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, my wife’s birthday and any other date where gifts are given appear every other month.

Some readers once took offense at a reference I made regarding a riding “season,” arguing there wasn’t such a thing. Perhaps if Pete Seeger had added the line, “A time to ride, and a time to store; a time for clear pavement, and a time for black ice” to his song “Turn! Turn!

Turn” they’d understand. But those living in the northern half of the country already understand.

The thought of putting my bike up for its long winter slumber begins to creep into the dark recesses of my mind around Labor Day. It’s about the same time I put my white pants into storage, the time a new Packer season kicks off and the time when the Brewers are eliminated from the playoffs once again.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve worked hard training myself not to anticipate these imminent annual occurrences and instead, to take each day as it comes and accept whatever it brings.

Riding north on I-57 recently, the undeniable reminder of the fast-approaching end of another riding season was all around me. The endless corn and soybean fields of central Illinois, which only weeks earlier proudly stood green and lush, were now brown and dead.

If I hadn’t seen this phenomenon many times before, I’d be fearful that the earth had finally said, “no more.”

The further north I rode, the growing blaze of autumn foliage brought the need to click on the power to my heated grips. Then, a few miles further up the highway came the need to pull over to add a heated layer beneath my jacket. The radiational warmth of the sun was quickly losing its punch as it grew closer to the horizon.

Given the option, most sane people—er, motorcyclists—spend their winter months where it’s warm. Not me. I’m heading north to Wisconsin, Green Bay specifically, where the snow comes early and often and where winter motorcycle riding is left for the truly hardy, yet sometimes unhinged, souls.

Soon, helmets will have a season of bugs and road grime removed, then will be polished and put on high shelves. Riding jackets, pants, boots and gloves will be inspected for wear and washed with the hope that their funkiness isn’t permanent.

With those tasks completed, the bike will be treated to a spa day which will include a bath, polish and wax and new fluids. Then fasteners will be snugged, tolerances measured and capacities topped off. Finally, a trickle charger will be attached to keep its battery alive and warm until the bike is lovingly tucked in beneath a cover for its long winter nap.

Nearby, an old office chair full of both character and holes offers a place to sit when I feel the need to reminisce about the rides we’ve made together or read a chapter or two from anything Peter Egan has written.

No such thing as a riding season? We’ll continue our discussion later. Right now, I’ve got to make sure the snow blower is ready.

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PRESIDENTSCOLUMN

BMW MOA OFFICERS

Wes Fitzer, President 918-773-7178; wes.fitzer@bmwmoa.org Jean Excell, Vice President 719-650-6215; jean.excell@bmwmoa.org Reece Mullins, Secretary 334-470-7770; reece.mullins@bmwmoa.org Sam Garst, Treasurer 414-704-7767; sam.garst@bmwmoa.org BMW MOA DIRECTORS

Deb Lower 719-510-9452; deb.lower@bmwmoa.org Tracy McCarty 913-238-3182; tracy.mccarty@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

Jim Low, Mileage Contest Coordinator 608-347-5910; lowjim09@gmail.com Jim Heberling, High Mileage Coordinator 309-530-1951; jheberling@bmwmoa.org Jason Olson, Ambassador Liaison 507-276-5270; bmwjiggs@gmail.com Lee Woodring, Consumer Liaison 770-331-2419; lee.woodring@bmwmoa.org Joe Leung, Consumer Liaison 403-689-9939; joe.leung@bmwmoa.org Vance and Mari Harrelson, 2019 BMW MOA Rally Chair 2019rallychair@bmwmoa.org BMW MOTORCYCLE OWNERS OF AMERICA

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

Robert C. Aldridge, Executive Director bob@bmwmoa.org Ted Moyer, 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 Wes Fleming, Associate Editor Digital wfleming@bmwmoa.org Lesa Howard, Membership Services lesa@bmwmoa.org Shannon Moreno, Membership Services shannon@bmwmoa.org

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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

Civility and the “Great Mug(ging)” part deux

By Wes Fitzer #170126 IN OUR LAST INSTALLMENT, WE LEFT OUR BAND OF HEROES, OR

as some know them, the Merry Band of Men and Women, anxiously awaiting a shipment of replacement rally mugs. It was the day before the rally gates would open, and just days earlier, we received the news that the original supplier of rally mugs had gone out of business. Though we found a potential solution, we weren’t sure the mugs would arrive in time. As Paul Harvey said every day, “And Now the Rest of the Story!”

The stage has been set, and at stage left are the Band of Merry Worriers who believe that because the rally mugs won’t arrive when the rally opens, the rally is doomed. Meanwhile, on stage right is another group, the Band of Optimists (along with the dashing fearless leader) who believe our Happy Rally-Goers will understand the situation.

(Act 1; Scene 1) It’s a beautiful and sunny Thursday morning and Happy Rally-Goers work their way through rally registration. Once they’ve finished, they proceed to the vendor building where the Pin, Patch and Mug (sans mug today) volunteers await them. Pin, Patch and Mug volunteers have been instructed to be honest, explain the situation regarding the missing rally mugs and inform the Happy Rally-Goers that mugs will arrive Friday morning and they’re welcome to swing by and pick them up then. Lights fall and the curtain closes.

(Act 1; Scene 2) Our Merry Band of Men and Women nervously stand nearby, watching the action at the Pin, Patch and Mug booth and anticipating the beginning of the coup. As time passes, more and more Happy Rally-Goers learn the sad news that they would have to return another day to get their rally mugs. Despite the news, smiles abound. Finally, knowing their fears would not materialize, the Band of Merry Worriers shake their heads in disbelief. They were wrong. The coup never comes. The curtain closes as Act 1 ends.

Despite my weak attempt at screenwriting, what I described above did take place in Des Moines. And at the end of the day, I was proud to see that each Happy Rally-Goer took the bad news for what it was, thanked the volunteers and moved on to enjoy the rally. Those who wanted a mug happily came back on Friday. The response I witnessed assured me that civility does exist in our world, and this example makes me proud to serve as your President. We may not always agree, but as the late Aretha Franklin sang, we can treat each other with R-E-S-P-E-C-T. I would like to personally thank all of our volunteers who spent some, and sometimes all, of their vacation volunteering to ensure our Happy Rally-Goers had a wonderful experience. I look forward to seeing all of you again next summer in Lebanon, Tennessee.

On a serious note, I would like to offer my complete and sincere apology to the Porsche Club of America and any of its members I may have offended last month. My attempt to recognize BMW MOA volunteers as the “best in the business” at the expense of PCA members was poorly executed, ill-informed and illustrated my lack of knowledge of their organization. Over the last month, I have heard from several PCA members who informed me just how much alike our groups are and how they depend upon the work of volunteers just as we do. I hope that the PCA and its members can forgive my ignorance.

Wes

Fitzer

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Postcardsfromtheroad

1. A stop in Matane, Quebec, while on my way to Perce.

Richard A. LeBlanc #96122 Fitchburg, Massachusetts 2. My R 1200 GS photographed while enjoying a camping trip to Grand Teton National Park.

Jim Brock #205684 Fort Collins, Colorado 3. My dirty, but proud GSA at the Arctic Ocean last July.

Paul Martin #205715 Toronto, Ontario 4. Taking a break in St. Joseph, Missouri, while on our way to the MOA Rally in Des Moines, Iowa.

Stephanie Hrenchir #211657 Plant City, Florida 5. My 2016 F 800 GT photographed near Alpine Lake near San Francisco.

Bill Crockett #211920 Novato, California 1

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BMW OWNERS NEWS  October 2018

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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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6. R iding Stelvio Pass with my wife Juliette on our way to Motorrad Days. Incredible!

Jeff Klotz #163134 Edmonton, Alberta 7. Riding my ‘75 R 90 S on the Tail of the Dragon while attending the Fontana Dam Getaway.

Chuck Smith #156871 Glen Allen, Virginia 8. An off-road detour to check out the Grand Canyon while on my way to the Paonia, Colorado, rally last July.

Scott A. Moseman #196924 Lincoln, California

t

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

Lessons in visibility

While reading Ted Moyer’s article in the August ON, I had some thoughts that I believe might be worth sharing.

I am happy to see efforts to make motorists aware of motorcycles and believe that they probably do some good.

There are things that we can do, however, that I don’t believe get enough emphasis.

Several years ago, I was following a garbage truck on a two-lane road. When I moved out to pass I saw a car at least half mile away coming down the opposite grade, and when passing the garbage truck, I realized he was going slowly because of a small car in front of him which was blocked from my view. There was still plenty of room, so I continued.

Suddenly a motorcycle appeared. The motorcycle was black, the rider and passenger wore black leathers and black helmets, and the headlight was not on.

Against the black asphalt they had been virtually invisible. The other rider moved to the right side of the lane and we passed without colliding. You can’t say that I was unaware of motorcycles—I was riding one.

On another occasion, I was driving my pickup truck and was at a stop sign with a large truck approaching. The truck was far enough away that it wouldn’t have been really unsafe to pull out, but I felt that he was close enough that pulling out would be rude. Suddenly a car went by which had obviously been between me and the truck. My attention had been drawn to the large vehicle and I didn’t even see the smaller one.

I think there are two lessons here. First, we motorcycle riders should do our best to be visible. Always have our headlights on. I know that bikes are now made with headlights that cannot be turned off, but I am confident that I am not the only ON reader who still sometimes rides a bike with a headlight switch. Wear clothing that shows up. I know that black leathers

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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

and black helmets look good, but if you must wear them be aware that you are less visible to other traffic. I also try to have bikes that show up. The Windjammer fairing on my old bike is white.

The second point is that if you are near a larger vehicle, such as a truck following up to 100 yards behind you, a driver’s eyes may be drawn to the larger vehicle, and they could miss seeing you. Of course, it is not always possible to avoid this situation, but when you find yourself in it, you should be extra cautious.

It is also important, in my opinion, to ride on the side of the lane that makes you most visible. If you are riding on the right side of a two-lane road, a driver at a stop sign or coming out of a driveway is more likely to miss seeing you than if you are near the center line. Think about it the next time you are at a stop sign on a rural road. Look to the left and imagine a motorcycle coming. Wouldn’t you be more likely to miss it if it was on the far right side of the lane?

Ride Safe!

Al Holtsberry #121250 Groveport, Ohio

Thanks, Ron!

After almost 50 years of riding and backcountry hiking, I couldn't agree more with the sentiments expressed by Ron Davis in his August column entitled, "Bathing on the Road." With each of these activities I find that concentrating on what presents itself as it presents itself, and without extraneous distractions, provides a neverending source of release from whatever else is concerning me about the world at large and my place in it.

I enjoyed greatly the quotes used to make his points and would only supplement them with one I think about whenever I get on a bike. It is from the Czech-born writer Milan Kundera: "The

man hunched over his motorcycle can focus only on the present...he is caught in a fragment of time cut off from both the past and the future...he has no fear, because the source of fear is in the future, and a person freed of the future has nothing to fear."

Bob Stallard #141539 Salinas, California

Praise for Iron Horse

This is shout out to Iron Horse Motorcycles in Tucson, Arizona.

I'm a newly returned BMW MOA member, and back in late April I traveled to Tucson from South Carolina to visit my sister and check off a bucket list event—seeing Gordon Lightfoot in concert. Back in the day, I owned a 1994 K 75 RT but sold it when my son, now a college senior, was a year old.

While visiting Tucson, I went by Iron Horse on a whim to relive my former BMW Motorrad glory day, and once there met the owner who gave me grief about my old under powered, top heavy flying brick. Within weeks of returning home I had seriously crossed into the zone of "it is time for a bike again!" My heart was always on a boxer and as a retired fighter pilot, I loved the history and engineering design of that motor. After searching online for the last two months, low and behold the exact one owner bike I wanted happened to come up on the internet at Iron Horse Motorcycles. Long distance buys can be challenging, but not in this case.

I cannot give a higher recommendation to Jim Richardson and the entire Iron Horse team for my long-distance purchase. They were responsive, accommodating and totally engaged to ensure my buying experience was top notch.

Now let's see if HaulBikes delivery can live up to the standard Iron Horse has

established. I just wish they were around the corner instead of 2,000 miles away.

It was a great joy reading Jack Riepe’s August 2018 sarcastically accurate moto camping summary.

As a moto camping (hammock) enthusiast, I admit there are a lot of miseries that come with a night “under the stars,” especially in Canada where you can add bears, cougars, coyotes, fist-sized mosquitoes, and Lyme disease, tick carrying deer to the already exacerbating list of threats and discomforts.

Regardless, Jack is 100 percent accurate: nothing brings a smile to a moto camping excursion like a night’s hotel stay with the creature comforts of a hot shower, room service and television.

organizers, and your other friends are welcome to sit in on the classroom portion, if they like.

The Friday pub crawl was good fun, and we got to visit with some of our new friends from the Streetmasters course.

Matthew Parkhouse’s seminar gave one friend some good insights into an issue that he’d been having with his R 100 S and the whole room was engaged with the issues presented to Matthew.

This camaraderie was reflected everywhere, from the beer hall to the vendor booths to the tent city. Everyone was warm, engaging and happy to be share help, stories or new experiences.

The icing on the cake was the MOA Foundation’s rebate check that my friend received from taking the Streetmasters class after returning home. As a nonmember, he certainly didn’t expect it, but what a pleasant surprise.

Well done, MOA. You’ve certainly set a high standard.

David Parker #217000 Regina, Saskatchewan

Dean Schultz #211719 Calgary, Alberta

Clete Norris #217111 Sumter, South Carolina

Riepe goes camping

Rally impressions

I attended [the MOA Rally in] Des Moines with three non-MOA member friends.

This was the first MOA rally for all of us.

The rally was part of a longer tour, and because my friends are members of other motorcycling clubs and have attended multiple rallies, we discussed our expectations beforehand.

One friend put it succinctly: I want my club to do things with and for the members and have an environment that makes the members want to do things with and for the club. Our first impression of the rally was with the rally app. This (app) made a big impression on all of us and set the stage for the level of professionalism and organization that we would enjoy throughout the event.

Registration couldn’t have been easier.

Additionally, I had signed up for the Streetmasters riding workshop on Thursday morning, and one of my friends wanted to see if there was room for a lastsecond addition. No problem, per the

Grim realities

I’ve just received the July issue of Owners News, henceforth to be known as the grim reality issue.

April was an unkind month to Matt Parkhouse and an unkind month to me as well. After 49 years in the saddle without a major incident, on April 5th a dog, seemingly shot out of a cannon from the roadside, took me out. I landed face first and my full-face helmet saved me from being ugly, stupid or dead. To echo Mr. Parkhouse, it could have been worse.

Matt has me with his four broken ribs. I only cracked one, but I'll see his ribs and raise him two shredded knees. I think we are even in the colorful bruises department and jammed left wrists.

I'm not buying the “Flawed Priorities” article by Ted Moyer. The vulnerability of motorcyclists can never be solved. Unless you quit riding. In his article, Mr. Moyer says he did not know the details of the accident, but a few paragraphs later says Bruce was an excellent rider and the

accident had nothing to do with his skill set. That's why they call it an accident!

If you lose control, that's a mistake on your part. But for unknown reasons the universe sometimes conspires against mere mortals, and there is not a hell of a lot you can do about it. I'm all for rider education. But on some level we must all know that we are human and remember the popular saying from a few year back: SH*T happens.

Have a cold beer on the pub crawl, and raise a glass in remembrance to the late MSF instructor Lawrence Grodsky who taught thousands of riders to ride safely only to have fate deliver a collision with a West Texas deer and end his life on April 10, 2006. Be careful in April.

Larry Chabira #50221 Austin, Texas

About modular helmets

Enjoyed Kurtis Minder’s review of Shoei’s Neotec II helmet. (Owners News August 2018) When you buy a modular helmet, you want it to perform like a full-face helmet with the convenience of an open face.

There is no standard (DOT or otherwise) about the performance of the chin bar.

Kurtis points out “my concerns come from watching YouTube videos of unscientific tests...” where the chin bar pops open. But wait, there actually is a source!

The U.K. performs 32 drop tests on five different areas of helmets, giving a rating on each area as well as an overall rating.

They also give the percentage of times where the chin bar released on modular helmets! Go to sharp.dft.gov.uk and search for “System” under helmet type.

The results can be appalling. It’s a major reason I went with Nolan. The original Neotec only opened twice which was one of the better results. The new Neotec II hasn’t been tested yet, but the new latching system sounds promising. If you’re interested in a modular helmet, check it out.

Douglas Dodd #189681 Maryville, Tennessee

October 2018 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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the club 16

shinysideup

Rehab

By Ron Davis #111820 a habit of moving around in your lane to leaning or countersteering was required.

EARLY THIS PAST attract more attention from drivers, espeOn the way there though, I was thinking summer, my son cially when slowing, coming to a stop or about Jim Ford (The Art of Riding Smooth) treated his old man approaching a vehicle looking to pull out. and his advice about re-examining your to a golf outing as a Marina Ackerson, #36679, who is approachriding habits. I decided that the rally might birthday gift. I’m a ing her 400,000 mile mark, said her habits be a good time to rehab not only my back, pretty conservative include staying out of the center of a lane, but my riding habits as well, and while I golfer, preferring to usually preferring the left third. She also manned the MOA Demo Table, I’d ask stay in the fairway showed me her brilliant Clearwater auxilother riders about what they thought were with short yardage swings, rather than iary lights, and mentioned she will not ride their “best practices” when it came to safety spraying all over the course, but by the with any group that doesn’t liberally stagger while on the road.

17th hole my son had shamed me into their positions on the highway.

Ron Bogucki, #131034, a former motorpulling out the driver and for once, More than one rider I talked to mencycle safety coach, was the first to point out letting “the big dog eat.” As soon as I tioned something I’d call “profiling,” for that possibly some of my habits might not made contact, I felt like someone had lack of better word. I’ve given me a jolt in my lower always made a habit of back from a cattle prod. To “BRACKETING” MEANS BREAKING THE closely watching what kind add insult to injury, the ball of vehicle I’m following, barely cleared the women’s ONCOMING SCENERY INTO SECTIONS, but I don’t think I’ve paid tee.

TARGETING ONE SECTION OF A DIRECTION, much attention to the kind The doctor’s visit, CT of “human environment” I scan and x-ray that closely THEN MOVING YOUR EYES TO ANOTHER, was riding through. Extra followed revealed a fractured vertebrae and herni- INSTEAD OF CONTINUOUSLY SCANNING LEFT vigilance is of course a good idea in proximity to ated discs, and so began a AND RIGHT FOR DANGER. schools (especially high summer of ice packs, heatschools, peopled with inexing pads, ultrasound treatperienced drivers) and ments, Netflix bingeing, probably hospitals since ambulances may be so great. For instance, knowing that ibuprofen, muscle relaxers, Vicodin, be around, but what about passing by a many car-cycle strikes are caused by drivers physical therapy and an umbilical Social Security office, or a big box grocery turning left in front of motorcyclists, I rourelationship with my Back-A-Line store on senior day? It was even mentioned tinely would toggle my headlight switch back belt. As anyone who has had that Dog Park parking lots exits were a gold dim to bright repeatedly when approaching back trouble has learned, there is no mine for distracted drivers. Bars, nightvehicles turning left or even cars ready to physical action which doesn’t call on clubs, cycle and car dealerships—is there pull out from my right. Ron diplomatically back muscles, from a sneeze to tying any other group I can offend? “Looking for informed me that flashing your brights one’s shoes. trouble” has a bad connotation, but it makes could be seen as signal to motorists to “go On doctor’s orders, motorcycling a lot of sense to me. I think of this not as ahead.” Whoops, one habit retired. He also was out (though I couldn’t resist takprejudice, but as prudence. enlightened me about a better habit when ing a short spin, which quickly conAs I get closer to getting into the saddle looking for trouble. “Bracketing” means firmed why I’m not a doctor), so I had again, I realize that the more I learn, the less breaking the oncoming scenery into seca long, boring drive to the Des Moines I’m sure I know. How about you? Got a tip tions, targeting one section of a direction, rally. No one approached me at the gas for staying safe while you’re rolling down then moving your eyes to another, instead pumps to ask where I was headed or the road you’d like to share? Send it to ron. of continuously scanning left and right for how I liked my Subaru, and despite davis@bmwmoa.org so it can be shared danger. He said fighter pilots are drilled to my BMW MOA hat, riders were wary here. Contributors whose tips we use will be make this second nature. when I approached them at waysides, awarded a free t-shirt!

Dana Conklin, #211758, advised making looking for some camaraderie. No

BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

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Backpack Comparo

Velomacchi Speedway vs BMW Function

By Wes Fleming #87301 ONE ITEM OF LUGGAGE THAT

doesn’t seem to get a lot of attention from the BMW crowd is the motorcycle backpack. Maybe it’s that backpacks are often associated with “Squids” (a.k.a. sport bike hooligans), but maybe it’s that many BMWs come equipped with spacious side and top cases. Sometimes, though, it’s nice to toss all your stuff in one bag and either wear it or strap it to the back seat and go. Backpacks that can hold a laptop computer are especially handy for commuters, and

BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

it’s tough to beat a backpack for a quick weekend getaway.

The ones large enough to handle a weekend tend to be bulky and to be perfectly honest, kind of ugly. Fortunately, neither of the backpacks here suffer from either of these problems, which is why I was drawn to them.

Velomacchi’s Speedway backpack has a large (23 liter), open main compartment with a five-liter outer pocket. It sports a uniform gray color scheme and an innovative quick-release buckle that has no trouble holding tight at higher speeds. The

straps can be tucked away, but their real appeal is the near-infinite adjustability they provide, along with stability provided without a chest cross-strap. The roll-top closure implies waterproof protection for the contents, but the latching mechanism that secures the top doesn’t close positively. It occasionally pops open on me, but works best when the bag is full enough to keep a little upward pressure on the closure.

BMW’s Function backpack has a larger (30 liter) main compartment with two sleeves built in, one for a laptop up to 15” and the other for whatever small items you

might want to put in it. There’s an expansion pocket at the bottom of the pack, which can be accessed separately from the main compartment or unzipped to add five liters of space to the main compartment.

There are several small zip-closure pockets on the front, plus a mesh pocket inside the zip lid at the top. An inner roll-top closure makes the main compartment waterproof.

The standard backpack straps can be tucked away, and riding stability is provided with a standard chest cross-strap.

Comparing these two backpacks to each other wasn’t easy, because they appeal to different aspects of my riding personality.

The large main compartment of the Speedway is easy to load, easy to access, and roomy, while the inside of the Function has a handy spot for my computer and definitely has the storage capacity advantage with that big expansion area. Both are equally easy to strap to the back seat. The Speedway is more comfortable to wear when riding, but the Function is more comfortable to wear when off the bike, a difference that largely comes down to the innovative strap configuration on the Speedway.

When it comes to carting your helmet around off the bike, the advantage goes to the Speedway with its simple aluminum clip. Hook your helmet strap’s D-ring to it and you’re done. The helmet will flop around a bit, but it works. I wear an XL or 2XL helmet depending on the brand, and none of the helmets I own fit into the pocket BMW says it should. My wife’s size Small Shoei fits in it though, and because the inner compartment’s liner is waterproof, this pocket is a great place to put wet or dirty gear you don’t want contaminating the rest of your stuff.

The Speedway has some small bonuses, such as the camera mounting plate and grippy stabilizing pads that help it stay in place when you’re riding. There’s also an obvious (small) pocket to hold emergency/ medical contact information. If you bring your own bladder, there’s also a place to stash a hydration sleeve. Bonuses on the Function are a little more difficult to define.

The front pockets are small and don’t hold much, but they’re good places to stash things like business cards, small notebooks, pens and the like. The mesh pocket inside the top lid is nice for keys.

The focal point of each bag is, naturally,

the main compartment. The Speedway’s main compartment is spacious and unadorned, which does make carrying a laptop a little less convenient. The advantage for laptop portage definitely goes to the Function. The bright off-white interior of the Speedway takes the win for visibility over the Function's red interior. The Speedway’s main compartment feels like it’s easier to access though, due to the roll-top opening that spreads wider than the Function’s roll-top + zip-top, which can feel fiddly if you’re in a hurry. The Function’s roll-top plastic buckles that clip together feel more secure than the Speedway’s metal-and-leather friction stays on either side of the top of the bag.

For my purposes, the Speedway is the bag I’m going to grab if I want to look cool and have to ride with the bag on my back.

I’ll be grabbing the Function when I need to securely transport my laptop or if I need to carry more gear than will fit in the Speedway, and I’ll especially use the Function if I’m going to be strapping the bag to the back seat. Both are good choices depending on your needs, but for $100 less, the Function delivers more capacity and function for the dollar.

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October 2018 BMW OWNERS NEWS

21

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Cornering Confidence: The Formula for 100% Control in Curves by Jon DelVecchio

By Ron Davis #111820 WHEN I WAS YOUNG AND STUPID,

I’m pretty sure I equated experience with competency. For example, to learn how to play drums I spent hour after hour alone in my bedroom, banging away to the same, simple rock songs every night. (My parents were saints.)

When it came to motorcycling, I think I subconsciously reasoned that the more I rode, the better I would be at riding. It’s only when I became older and I hope wiser did I realize that though experience is valuable, competency, confidence and even enjoyment using a specific skill only come when experience is integrated with knowledge. Even after decades of drumming I still go back to books, lessons and youtube videos, and when it comes to motorcycling, skills books by Hough, Parks, Hahn, Ford, Code and others continue to crowd my bookcase. The newest and a most welcome addition to that bookcase is Cornering Confidence by Jon DelVecchio.

Though DelVecchio came later than some to riding, his passion for developing and refining his skills led him to certification as a MSF coach and then later to the founding of his own “Street Skills” rider courses which continue to earn accolades. Cornering Confidence is not an introduction to all aspects of riding, but as its title suggests, it is rather a sharply focused, advanced guide on how to enhance motorcycling skillsets for the curves. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s amazed to watch expert racers pitch over and drag a knee through a sharp TT corner, but this book is about street riding, and through its twelve chapters of explanations, photos, diagrams and highlighted “Core Concepts,” Delvecchio

22

BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

reveals how any rider can move to the next level of competency, confidence and enjoyment when attacking corners.

I must admit until I read this book, I had not given much thought to using body position in curves, which I learned, helps maximize traction and provides more of a safety margin for the unexpected. I also had not appreciated how much braking, accelerating, leaning and steering can affect suspension and thus control (and how I could mitigate those effects!).

DelVecchio’s overriding principals of “Flat and Straight,” “Kissing the Mirror,” smooth brake/throttle transitioning and trail braking for better control were revelations to me and have changed the way I ride.

For example, following DelVecchio’s clear instructions on leaning the bike less while shifting upper body positions more in a corner felt a little awkward at first, but made complete sense. Eventually playing a more active role in maneuvering the bike decreased my anxiety and increased my selfconfidence. Integrating DelVecchio’s unconventional advice on trail braking is more complicated, particularly with the author’s emphasis on using the front brake and continuing to brake after entering a turn, but with the book’s explanations

and suggested exercises, I hope to eventually reach the goal of what he calls “unconscious competence” with this technique.

As DelVecchio notes in Cornering Confidence, if you ride for ten years with no attempt to increase your skills knowledge, you’re really just riding the same year ten times. And though there will always be room for more skills improvement, his book is one way to make each ride safer, smoother and more fun.

Cornering Confidence: The Formula for 100% Control in Curves is available from Amazon for $29.95 (prime).

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Classic Velocity Vehicle Log

By Dan Townsley #60829 ARE YOU A RIDER LOOKING FOR A

way to keep track of the maintenance schedules and history of the bikes in your stable? The Classic Velocity Vehicle Log (CVVL) is a website/ phone application that is predominantly designed for folks who have multiple vehicles and who want to keep track of all maintenance and other activities associated with each of their vehicles. Of course, you are not obligated to have more than one vehicle or to record more information than you wish.

When it comes to maintenance, you don’t even have to be the one doing the work as you can assign your various mechanics or shops as “Resources.”

You can track many types of activities (“Events”) associated with your vehicles including what was done, by whom, when, where and for what reason. You can also include the cost of parts, supplies, and labor and all of that information is kept in the CVVL database. Because the application uses a database to manage your data, you can display different “Reports” (or views) of your data in various tables and chart-types. You can also export the data in CSV, XLS and PDF datatypes as well as print your customized Reports (Gold Level Subscription).

The CVVL user interface is evolving, and customer input is appreciated according to the author. Database applications can be function-rich but often tend to make the user interface a bit complex. There are always tradeoffs between too much and too little information when it comes to user interfaces online: CVVL is about in the middle of the feature-rich versus usage-complexity battle. If you are the owner of a single vehicle, you should look over the app to determine if the

BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

breadth of features and functions are right for you. If you like collecting every bit of info about your vehicle’s history, as I do, you will be right at home with CVVL. Collecting that info can be of real value especially when you want to sell or trade your vehicle.

As I noted, I like to keep lots of info on my vehicles, and CVVL looks like it will do the job quite well. The only inhibitor for me using CVVL is that I prefer an app that doesn’t require a network connection and sync’s my data between devices. On the other hand, Web apps lower developer costs and the user can access the app from any network-connected location. The application will look and function the same no matter what the device.

On mobile devices, iOS and Android, you can use a browser, or you can freely install and use the app Zoho Customer Portal to access the CVVL website. This app will configure the site correctly for mobile devices with just a few interface rendering issues that I’m sure will be worked out as more users provide feedback. On your computer (macOS or Windows), most browsers seem to work just fine.

CVVL pricing was reduced when the site went live. Current subscription pricing is: Silver - Full database access and unlimited

activities for a set annual price of $10/yr per bundle of 10 vehicles, with email support.

Gold - Full Database access and unlimited activities for a set annual price of $20/ yr per bundle of 10 vehicles, custom event types, enhanced reports, data export, customized setup session, design club access, email and telephone support.

You can register for CVVL at https://portal.classicvelocitylog.com.

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The frames are lightweight and are super flexible.

The arms are very flat so they fit comfortably between your head and the helmet.

The lenses come in three different colors, Smoke, Yellow and Clear and include the dust seal, which can be taken off when not needed. The dust seal protects other irritants as well as peripheral light.

Riding glasses with bifocal lenses.

Available in +1.5, +2.0 and +2.5.

Rated as “Medium Impact” these lenses are polycarbonate and have a safety rating of ANSI/ISEA Z87.1/2010 and AS/NZS1337. UV 400 protection.

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news The Campera jacket by Motonation A versatile denim Campera jacket works as well off your bike as when you’re riding. Motonation’s new Camera jacket works well in the warmer summer months with its mesh paneling, yet can easily be converted to a warmer, waterproof jacket by using the included Reissa liner.

The jacket is built using a relaxed denim, and Dobby cloth is used on impact and high-abrasion areas while incorporating mesh panels on the lower front and back, inside arm and sides of the jacket. Reflective striping on the sleeves offers increased conspicuity, and removable, high-impact CE approved dualdensity armor protects elbows and shoulders. An 8mm memory foam pad provides back protection. Additional features include an inner phone pocket and waterproof wallet pocket, two zippered hand warmer pockets, zippered sleeves, and soft micro-fabric and neoprene collar for comfort.

The Campera textile is available at motonation.com and carries an MSRP of $199.

Welcome BMW Motorcycles of New Orleans BMW Motorrad USA recently announced the opening of BMW Motorcycles of New Orleans – the first in the heart of New Orleans since the 1980s and only BMW motorcycle dealership between Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Pensacola, Florida.

Operating out of The Transportation Revolution New Orleans (TTRNO) at 901 Julia Street in New Orleans’ Central Business District, TTRNO’s 6,000-square-foot showroom has been remodeled to accommodate the BMW brand presence and serve as a community space for motorcycle and scooter enthusiasts throughout the Gulf South. The local, family-owned business, TTRNO owners Gayle and Stephen Materne and their sons, Zachary and Maxwell, will offer a complete line of new and pre-owned BMW motorcycles, parts, accessories, apparel and service capabilities.

“The Materne family is a motorcycle and scooter leader in the Gulf South, celebrating 16 years in business this summer, which will serve them well as the BMW Motorcycles of New Orleans dealership,” said Michael Peyton, Vice President, BMW Motorrad Americas. ”We are honored to add the BMW brand of motorcycles and scooters to our portfolio at TTRNO and introduce more riders in the Gulf South to this premium level of innovation, customer service and design,” said Zachary Materne, TTRNO General Manager.

For more information about BMW Motorcycles of New Orleans, visit www.bmwmcofno.com. Showroom hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10am – 6pm and Saturdays from 10am – 5pm.

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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

25 years of Alaskan Adventures

Think Magura for control Magura has been an influence in motorcycling history and has been an internationally recognized OEM partner with BMW for more than 90 years.

When it comes to the introduction of hydraulics on motorcycles, Magura was an industry pioneer, and over the years, their work led to broad range of products in the areas of steering, brake and clutch control.

Hymec, the Magura hydraulic clutch conversion that built its reputation in the off-road/motocross world, is now available for many street and adventure motorcycles. It is compatible with most cable-operated clutch systems and easy to install.

Advantages of the Hymec system include a clear and stable pressure point and an easier clutch pull, as well as being self-adjusting and requiring no maintenance. From riders with smaller hands who find it difficult to reach and pull the clutch lever to world champion racers who require the accuracy of single or two-finger operation, all riders will immediately notice the benefits.

Magura’s Hymec kits are “Plug and Play” and come pre-filled with fluid, pre-assembled and ready to install for the following BMW models: F 800 GS/S/ST/R/GT, F 650 GS, F 700 GS. Additionally, a Hymec solution for Airhead BMWs is currently in the works.

For more information, visit magura. com.

2018 marks the 25th season Alaska Motorcycle Adventures has been renting motorcycles in Alaska. In June 1994, owners Keith and Nancy Hull began their business renting just two BMW motorcycles out of a garage at a time when there were no insurance providers for rental fleets or internet. To get their word out, the Hulls advertised in BMW Owners News and had a booth at the MOA National Rally. Today, Alaska Motorcycle Adventures offers a large dual-sport fleet of BMWs, Triumphs and Kawasakis motorcycles for rent.

The Hulls have been yearround residents of Alaska for 38 years and ride in Alaska and the Yukon on a regular basis, enabling them to offer insight on itinerary planning, riding the best roads and local travel information.

If you want to check “Ride in Alaska” off of your bucket list, visit rentalaska.com or email Keith and Nancy at information@ rentalaska.com.

Sena's Savage Bluetooth helmet The Sena Savage is a threequarter, open face helmet incorporating Bluetooth 4.1. It allows a rider to communicate with up to three others up to a mile away.

Additional functionality allows users to listen to music, hear GPS directions and take and make phone calls. The helmet was designed using two shells and multi-density EPS for increased impact protection and is available in matte black or gloss white in sizes from XS to XXL with optional long and short visors.

The HD quality speakers have been built into the ear cavities to offer clear audio while the microphone is placed within the upper rim of the helmet.

Sena’s Advanced Noise Control eliminates wind noise and allows riders to communicate via Bluetooth or to make phone calls while riding. A jog dial control allows users to easily access the helmet’s functions.

The Savage helmet retails for $399 and for more information, visit www.buysena.com.

October 2018 BMW OWNERS NEWS

27

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2019 BMW MODEL UPDATES BMW’S 2019 MODEL YEAR SEES SEVERAL REVISIONS AND ALL MODELS CAN BE ORDERED FROM BMW MOTORRAD DEAL-

ers today.

New turn signal indicators, that deactivate based on road speed, offer increased user-friendliness and safety are now included in the standard trim of most BMW Motorrad models from model year 2019 onwards. (Exceptions include the C 650 Sport, C 650 GT, G 310 GS, G 310 R, F 800 R, F 800 GT, S 1000 RR and S 1000 R.) The BMW Motorrad Connected app will be updated to version 1.6 and will offer additional functions and enhancements with the digital maps completely revised and based on the motorcycle-optimized navigation by TomTom. As one of the most requested features, the navigation option “winding route” will be introduced. To use the new functions, customers need to update their app in the beginning of August and download the new maps free of charge before their next ride.

G 310 R

Updates include the new colors of Racing red and HP Motorsport Lightwhite/Racing blue metallic. The color Strato blue metallic will no longer be available.

C 400 X

Updated color of Black storm metallic.

C 650 Sport

Updated colors of HP Motorsport Lightwhite/Racing blue metallic and Racing red with "HP" lettering and heated Pro seat. Additionally, the color of the drivetrain changes from silver to black on all C 650 models. The paint finish Light white is no longer available.

C 650 GT

For 2019 models, the Side View Assist can be deactivated via the set-up menu in the instrument panel. Additionally, the BMW Motorrad Spezial new paint finish Option 719 of Sparkling storm metallic is available upon request with Option 719 (brown seat with seat heating). The paint finish Light white is no longer available.

BMW C evolution

Color updates include the new paint finish of Mineral grey metallic/Black in conjunction with black tunnel trim. The paint finish Ionic silver metallic/Electric green is no longer available.

S 1000 R

The S 1000 R is now available in Black storm metallic and the HP Motorsport paint finish of Light white/Racing blue metallic/Racing red with "HP" lettering and rim lining. The colors

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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

S 1000 R Catalano grey and Light white/Lupine blue metallic/Racing red are no longer available. Catalano grey and Lightwhite/ Lupine blue metallic/Racing red are no longer available.

S 1000 XR

The S 1000 XR is now available in a Triple Black variation with the paint finish of Black storm metallic with lettering and black handlebars. The paint finish Ocean blue metallic matte is no longer available.

S 1000 RR

An HP battery with long-lasting, lithium-ion cells offering a weight reduction of about two kg integrated with the motorcycle’s electronic system to provide protection from deep discharge, overcharging and thermal overload is now available as an option.

K 1600 GT

Hill Start Control Pro (HSC Pro) providing automatic activation when brakes are activated for approximately one second beyond standstill on a gradient of at least +/- 5%, is now standard. Also available is the new Sport Style with Black storm metallic/Glacier silver metallic paint, black drivetrain, Sport version windshield, gold brake calipers in front and a rider/passenger seat with seams in a contrasting color. The paint finish Mars red metallic and Lupine blue metallic/Black storm metallic (Style Sport) are no longer available.

K 1600 GTL

Hill Start Control Pro (HSC Pro) providing automatic activation when brakes are activated for approximately one second beyond standstill on a gradient of at least +/- 5%, is now standard. Other changes include the new Elegance Style featuring a paint finish in Pollux metallic, chrome brackets at the front mudguard, chrome slipstream deflectors and storage compartment lid finished in Monolith metallic matte. The colors Thunder grey metallic and Ebony metallic are no longer available.

K 1600 B

Hill Start Control Pro (HSC Pro) providing automatic activation when brakes are activated for approximately one second beyond standstill on a gradient of at least +/- 5%, is now standard. Additionally, the standard seat height has been reduced by 30 mm to 750 mm and the existing low seat option is no longer available. A high seat is available as an option which brings the seat height to 780 mm. A new paint finish of Imperial blue metallic is now available.

K 1600 Grand America

Hill Start Control Pro (HSC Pro) providing automatic activation when brakes are activated for approximately one second beyond standstill on a gradient of at least +/- 5%, is now standard. Additionally, like the K 1600 B, the standard seat height of the Grand America has been reduced by 30 mm to 750 mm and the existing low seat option is no longer available. An optional high seat is available bringing the seat height to 780 mm. New for 2019 is an optional additional speaker with amplifier for the rear audio system mounted in the top case with fader function (regulation of volume distribution between front and rear). The Grand America is also available in Imperial blue metallic. The paint finish Austin yellow metallic/Black storm metallic is no longer available.

K 1600 GT

October 2018  BMW OWNERS NEWS

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R nineT

All versions of the R nineT now include the dynamic brake light as standard equipment.

The standard R nineT is available via BMW Motorrad Spezial in the new paint finish of Option 719 Mars red metallic matte/Cosmic blue metallic matte.

R nineT Pure

The R nineT Pure is available via BMW Motorrad Spezial in the new paint finish Option 719 Black storm metallic/Light white on the fuel tank and front mudguard and Option 719 Black storm metallic/Aurum on the fuel tank and front mudguard.

R nineT Scrambler

Cross-spoke wheels are available as an optional equipment item. New paint finishes include Stereo metallic matte.

Additional finishes available through BMW Motorrad

Spezial include Black storm metallic/Light white on the fuel tank, front mudguard and lamp bowl or Black storm metallic/Aurum on the fuel tank, front mudguard and lamp bowl. The paint finish Monolith metallic matte is no longer available.

R nineT Racer

A new finish is available through BMW Motorrad Spezial of Black storm metallic/Aurum on the fuel tank, front mudguard, hump seat, central trim section, side trim sections on the left/right-hand side with "Racer" lettering.

R nineT Urban GS

Cross-spoke wheels are available as an optional equipment item.

BMW F 750 GS/F 850 GS

Though not yet in US dealer showrooms, when these bikes do arrive they will include the dynamic brake light as standard equipment.

R nineT Racer

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BMW OWNERS NEWS  October 2018

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Strider lives!

By Matthew Parkhouse #13272 MY OLD SLASH 5,

the victim of the blown-into-aguardrail crash last February, is coming back together! To begin the process, I first threw on the fork assembly that John Wayne in Nebraska gave me, bolted up the lowers and installed the replacement wheel. Then I took a few measurements from the center of the front wheel axle to a point at the left lower tab of the engine cover. I took the same measurements on a nevercrashed R 60/5 I have and did both bikes with the front wheel carefully pointing straight forward. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the distances on both bikes were exactly the same. Judging from how the original engine cover was chewed up, it appears that Strider’s forks were bent back severely yet whatever bending the frame did, it apparently snapped back into straightness on its own.

I also sighted along the wheel against the vertical molding on the newer replacement engine cover and could see no evidence that the forks were on a different plane than the engine, a good sign that there is nothing bent out of alignment. Now that I was satisfied that the forks and frame were straight, I proceeded to build up Strider’s front end.

I’ve been working on Strider for four days now, putting in a couple of hours each day. My back pain seems to be lessening but still slows me down considerably. When I have it working, I plan on pulling off the entire assembly to renew the steering head bearings. When I hold the

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badly bent up lower triple tree part, it is obvious that the roller bearing assembly took a forceful blow.

Once I’m satisfied that the fork assembly is working well, I’ll renew the bearings. I’ve turned to eBay a couple times as I worked on this. I don’t have a front brake stabilizer rod (the ten inch or so bar that braces the drum-brake plate to the left-hand fork lower). It keeps the brake plate from rotating with the wheel when the brakes are applied. It’s nice having the R 60/5 to borrow parts from to finish getting Strider back on the road. I also found that I don’t have a spare front drum brake cable. I pulled the R 60/5 one off as I ordered two of those cables online. The old cable was cut about a foot from the handlebars for some reason. Because our recent July/ August monsoon rains have moved in, I couldn’t get out for a test drive.

There are a few electrical issues to sort out before I can call things done. I’m amazed when I consider the speed I was going when the airhead hit the end of the second guard-rail and came to a most abrupt stop. I’ve NEVER seen a wheel bent up like the front wheel of this bike! Yet, as reported last month, there is almost no damage from the steering neck back. No dents in the tank, the seat is in decent shape, and the mufflers are unscratched.

Between my painful back and the other airhead bikes that come my way, I put in around two to four hours a day working. I have another big project in the shop right now in addition to repairing Strider. A local fellow was referred to me to get his long-stored Slash Five back on the road. In this case, long-stored means 29 years! The engine had been drained of oil, but when I dropped the oil pan, I found a lot of black sludge. As for the gearbox, a couple of ounces of water dripped out before the gear oil emerged. Very black gear oil also came out of the rear drive and driveshaft. All

these parts of the driveline will get a closer look as the work progresses. The rear drive splines look like they have gone a lot more than 26,000 miles (which is what the owner reported to me), but other wear points like on the brake pedal look new. We probably will end up sending the splines to Hansen’s in Oregon for redoing this winter. I’ve pulled the rear wheel to replace the badly checked and worn tire. I also pulled the bearings to find they had plenty of very dirty grease. The shimming was spot-on for adjustment. I tightened several slightly loose spokes while the tire was dismounted.

After attending to balancing the wheel, it is ready to go back in place.

Another fellow dropped off a pair of CV Bing carbs for cleaning up and leaking issues. I found them to be fairly clean, with good parts (except for a couple of items that can influence dripping). These include old, heavy floats; rusty and distorted float needles, and old cork gaskets. These things should be looked at every year or two.

While not really part of the carbs, the BMW fuel line tends to get porous and leaky after a year or two. If the fuel line starts to look wet after you turn on the gas taps, it is time to replace the fuel line. I like to use the BMW 7mm ID high-pressure fuel line for the crossfeed because it holds up for a much longer time than the traditional braided line. It’s more work to get at it and doesn’t really show up as well. For the vertical fuel lines that do show, I prefer the older braided fuel line because it just “looks right.” It’s also easy to purchase for replacement every year or two, as well.

We are leaving for Mason City and the Pyrotechnic International Guild annual convention (sort of like the MOA’s National Rally yet entirely different) in about three hours, so I’ll send this in. Preparations for the six weeks in Europe are accelerating!

Checking the steering head for signs of being bent. Good news! The fact that the two fork tubes and the markings on the engine cover are parallel indicates that the steering head is not bent to one side or the other. I then added the lowers and mounted the replacement wheel to allow me to measure from the axle to a point on the engine. This was then compared to the same measurement done on a known uncrashed Slash Five. The identical distance found tells me that the steering head also was not bent back in any way!

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LOAD UP AND GO. As I installed the parts of the donated fork assembly, I cleaned things as I went. Here, I’m doing a task that ought to be done on any Slash 5 or later airhead every few years. On many bikes, it has NEVER been done!

Even if the fork oil is changed regularly, dirt can build up in the bottoms of the fork lowers. Often, the rubber bumper ring at the bottom is dissolved by the fork oil over the decades. I cleaned out the soI rubber goo and dirt using carb cleaner. I didn’t replace the rubber rings because I was going to use the anti-bottoming springs I had added to my forks many years ago. I reused the fiber washer and coated the sealing surfaces with GascaCinch, a sealer favored by folks who work on old Volkswagen engines.

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Things that can lead to dripping carbs. I was recently given a pair of Bing CV carbs to freshen up. They were in fairly good shape but did need a few new parts. The cork gasket is often a source of leaking in the carbs so it was renewed. I weighed the floats and found them both a couple of grams over the 11.9 to 12 grams they are supposed to be when new. The owner had anticipated this and had ordered a pair of floats that arrived with the carbs. The float needles were rusty and beat up so I cleaned up the recess where they operate and replaced them. This is another source of drips and leaks. I included a length of fuel line, as it can become porous with age and fool the rider by causing a drip off one of the carbs. It should be renewed perhaps every two years or so.

October 2018 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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TorqueoftheMatter

Ohhhhmmmm … Ohhhhmmmm (Part 1: Electricity can kill you)

By Wes Fleming #87301 LEST YOU BELIEVE

that the only problems in my motorcycling world revolve around a first-gen R 1200 GS and its wonky computer, I’m going to dig into another long-term issue I face. Before I do that, however, let’s get into some basics about electricity.

In June, I made an appointment for a routine checkup with my audiologist. As somebody who suffers from non-motorcycle-related hearing loss and grievous tinnitus, I take my hearing seriously. Though the ear plugs I’ve had made at various rallies are decent, nothing beats the full-coverage, custom-made silicone plugs I have made every few years through my audiologist.

Heather is a nice lady, but she’s a little afraid of motorcycles. While she was making the molds for my most recent set of plugs, she casually mentioned that one of her neighbors was killed by his motorcycle. “Electrocuted by it,” she said. “Right there in his own garage.”

I know electricity can kill, and I’ve gotten some hard shocks from carelessly working on guitar amplifiers in the past, but I’ve never heard of somebody being killed by being electrocuted by a motorcycle. Just because I’ve never heard of it doesn’t mean it’s not true, though, so I decided to do some investigating.

First, let’s take a look at electricity in general. Don’t worry, we can do this without a lot of math. There are three components to electricity – voltage, resistance and current. Each has

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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

its part to play, and each changes proportionally as the others change.

“Voltage is a measure of power,” said Stuart Ostroff, electrical engineer, MOA member #98405 and consultant for this series of articles. Voltage is the “pressure” in an electrical system, noted by a capital V. Most of our motorcycles are 12V systems, though some older bikes run on six volts. Resistance is opposition to the flow of current. Ohms (W) represent resistance. We use omega, the 24th letter of the Greek alphabet, to indicate ohms (and therefore resistance) because Welsh electrical engineer William Preece decided in 1867 that “ohm” and “omega” sounded similar enough to each other, and that’s pretty much how we’ve done it ever since.

Finally, we have current, the flow of electricity, and that is represented by an I in the equation.

Voltage and resistance combine to make current, and that’s where math comes in, specifically by using Ohm’s Law. German theoretician Georg Ohm’s work culminated in the publication of his 1827 book, The Mathematical Investigation of Galvanic Circuits, in which he stated a mathematical equation now known as Ohm’s Law. Stating the law in words, Ohm’s Law tells us that current (I) between any two points is directly proportional to voltage (V) between the same two points. Resistance (R) is independent of the current, which is what produces the proportional effect of the equation. If you increase the voltage in a circuit without changing the resistance, current increases. If you increase the resistance without changing the voltage, current decreases.

We talk about voltage regularly. Our cars, light trucks and motorcycles are 12V systems. Our homes in North America run

on 120V. Power in many places around the world is supplied with 240V hookups.

What we don’t talk about as much is amperage, which in a lot of cases is more important.

Think of voltage as the force pushing the electricity through the circuit. Compare a little kid to a full-grown male bodybuilder squeezing a tube of toothpaste. The little kid is six volts, while the bodybuilder is 240V – one simply generates more force than the other. The end of the tube where the toothpaste comes out is the resistance – in this example, a fixed point that can only flow X amount of toothpaste per second.

Amperage here would be akin to the viscosity of the toothpaste – its ability to flow based on the force behind it and the resistance holding it back.

Electricity kills by interrupting the heart’s ability to pump blood, and it really doesn’t take much to achieve that level of disruption. As little as seven or eight milliamps (mA) of power applied for as short a duration as three seconds can kill an average healthy adult human. Fortunately, your clean, dry, undamaged skin provides 5,000plus ohms of resistance, which is quite a bit when it comes right down to it.

When you get a static electricity shock

from touching a door knob in the winter, you feel that zap and it can even be a little painful – but you recover from that 20,000volt encounter quickly and get on with your life. A static shock has extremely low amperage, so it is unable to overcome the resistance inherent in your skin and get through to the liquid tissues underneath and do significant damage.

Electricity – including lightning – will always flow along the path (circuit) with the least amount of resistance. Since there are numerous paths electricity can take through your body, some of them are bound to have more resistance than others. If the path of least resistance flows through your heart, the lightning kills you. If not, you may suffer a myriad of other injuries, including severe burns or brain damage.

Since we know motorcycles don’t contain a billion volts, we have to look at amperage as the culprit in a bike-related electrocution such as the one my audiologist told me about.

According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, human skin may have resistance as high as 100,000W. If the skin is wet or broken – as with an open wound, even a small one – that natural resistance drops considerably, to about 1,000W. Taking Ohm’s Law into account, as voltage increases, current will also increase when the resistance is unchanged. This means that humans are more susceptible from damage and death from higher voltages, but because the resistance of human skin isn’t linear, it’s difficult to determine exactly what volt/amp combination will hurt any given individual.

What we do know for sure is that shocks of about 10 volts (like the kind you’d get from the 12V system on your motorcycle) are easily defeated by your skin. You might feel a slight tingle, but you’re unlikely to suffer any permanent damage.

Unless.

If you have a heart condition of any sort or possess a heart rhythm-regulating device called a pacemaker, all bets are off. Even a microshock – that is, a shock from the tiniest of currents – can disrupt the heart's

rhythm or damage a pacemaker if the current flows directly to the heart or the regulating device.

To recap, here’s how the dangers from electrical shock break down for the average person.

• Ohm’s Law: higher voltage produces higher current, given that resistance remains roughly constant. Higher currents are more likely to kill you.

• Time: the longer you’re in contact with the current, the more likely you’ll die.

• Path: if the path of the current includes your heart, you’re probably going to die.

• Frequency: not how often you get shocked, but the frequency of the alternating current (AC) if that’s what hits you. Certain frequencies can cause your muscles to spasm, which could prevent you from breaking contact with the source of the shock, thus prolonging the shock. Experiments performed in the 19th century showed that AC (most common in households and alternators) is about twice as likely to kill you as DC (direct current).

• Medical: pre-existing issues like heart, lung or brain conditions increase the likelihood of death from electric shock, as does the presence of heart rhythm-regulating devices like pacemakers or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators.

If you’re an otherwise healthy person with no undiagnosed heart conditions, your motorcycle’s electrical system is incredibly unlikely to kill you. The biggest risks you face from a motorcycle when it comes to electronics are from the ignition system or HID lights.

Energizing the ignition system in your motorcycle creates lethal levels of voltage because it takes a lot of electrical power to go through the heavy spark plug wires from the ignition coil to the spark plug and produce the spark that triggers the combustion process in the cylinder. Putting yourself into contact with any part of the ignition system while it is energized could definitely kill you. The ignition system on my audiologist’s neighbor’s bike may well be the culprit in his electrocution, especially if he was unfamiliar with the dangers involved.

HID stands for high intensity discharge, and that’s exactly how that system works.

Unlike the halogen headlights most 20052013 BMW motorcycles have, which use an electrically-charged filament (a thin wire) to produce light, HID lights work more like neon lights. They are arc lamps, producing light by arcing electricity across two tungsten electrodes inside a vacuum-sealed tube containing a noble gas like xenon. HIDs won’t work with just 12 volts, so they require step-up transformers, dedicated circuitry and sometimes even special wiring to create the huge voltages – often in excess of 20,000V – needed to cause the arcing effect and produce the light. The part of the HID that does this work is referred to as the ballast, and if you’ve installed a system like this, you’ve seen the warnings included on the device by the manufacturer.

While 20,000 or more volts are required to light the HIDs initially, they stay on with the benefit of between 80 and 100 volts, depending on the system. The primary danger after the HIDs are on comes from the capacitors in the ballast, which can store lethal levels of voltage no matter how long the lights have been on. Once the lights are turned off, it takes time for that electricity to dissipate. The safest bet when it comes to HIDs is to never, ever open the ballast. If you have HIDs on your bike and are involved in a crash that compromises the ballast, warn the first responders and call for help from professionals that know what they’re doing.

The bottom line for this column is that yes, it is possible for your motorcycle to kill you with electricity, primarily if you’re working with the ignition system. If your motorcycle needs electrical work and you’re at all unsure of your ability to survive doing that work, your best bet is to take your bike to a qualified professional technician.

Next time: choosing and using a digital voltohm meter (DVOM).

Listen to my conversation with Stuart Ostroff in Episode 28 of Chasing the Horizon, available at http://horizon.bmwmoa.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

October 2018 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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BMW OWNERS NEWS  October 2018

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Member Profile:

Marina Ackerson #36679

By Ron Davis #111820 At noon on Saturday of the Des Moines rally I was in a momentary fix. Handcuffed with a steaming hot burrito and glass of Summer Shandy, all the tables in the food area were taken.

Spying a woman eating by herself at a table for four, I asked if I could join her. What followed was a long conversation about her, the MOA, BMWs and riding that made me feel I had met the quintessential motorcyclist. A former corporate consultant and instructor on Problem Solving and Decision Making, Project Management and Interpersonal Communications, her history of rider training and teaching, her self-reliant, nation-spanning touring, and her obvious love of motorcycling would be inspiring to any MOA member. Meet Marina Ackerson‌

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BMW OWNERS NEWS  October 2018

Left: Marina Ackerson is introduced to motorcycling on the back of her husband’s BMW. Below: 2007 R1200R with Angie and Shelley from Phoenix Rim Riders, Paonia, Colorado.

What do you like most, least about riding?

What was your first motorcycle experience?

My first motorcycle experience was in 1975 on the back of my husband’s used Yamaha.

We went two up to Myrtle Beach, wearing blue jeans and jean jackets. By the time we got back home, I thought my teeth were rattling out. I rode on the back of his motorcycles (the rest BMWs) for 10 years.

Was that what got you hooked?

I guess I was hooked on where motorcycles could take me, the people I met along the way, and going places I would otherwise never have gone. Plus the great feeling of wind on my face. I was really hooked when I took the MSF course, put the motorcycle in first gear, my feet on the pegs and rolled on the throttle. I got a grin on my face from ear to ear, and it’s never gone away.

Before I finished the MSF course I had already purchased my 1985 R80. The only question was “what color?” My husband said, “Get black, and if you decide you don’t want to ride, that’s the color I like and I’ll keep it. Needless to say, he never got the bike.

Riding still puts a smile on my face and takes me to new places where I meet new friends. I still love the wind on my face. It keeps me away from the anti-depressants the doctor wanted to put me on when my husband passed away in 2005. He was my riding partner for 20 years. I told the doctor, “No thanks, I’ll just go ride my motorcycle.”

What I like least about riding a motorcycle is the maintenance. When you ride a lot of miles, there is always maintenance to do and I am no mechanic. Thank goodness for dear friends and some of the BMW dealers. A special thanks to Sandia BMW in Albuquerque where I bought my 2016.

They treat me with the same respect they show the “guys” and always do good work for me.

They took me in for service without an appointment when I just pulled in there after the national this year, even though they were very busy with a tour group coming through.

Also, I don’t like crossing the plains. The roads are straight and flat, and you wear out yourself and your tires. Miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles, and I’ve done every route from north to south in the U.S. and Canada. Since I live in Michigan and love riding in the west, I still sometimes do it. I also leave a bike in Albuquerque sometimes and fly out to ride.

What was the first bike you rode, and what kinds of bikes have you ridden over the years?

My first bike was a 1985 R 80, black. I called her Black Beauty.

I put 100K on that motorcycle, then sold it to my daughter Kristin in 1995, who put another 100K on it. I have had six motorcycles over the years. My next was a used 1997 red F 650 Funduro which I bought to go to Alaska in 1999. Next was a 1995 R 1100 R silver with a red seat. In 2007, I bought my most favorite bike, a black 2007 R 1200 R. I called her Spirit. Next, a 2009 F 650 GS twin, red. I put 100K on her, too (see odometer photo the day I sold her). I am now riding a 2016 F 700 GS twin, burnt orange, along with a 2007 Suzuki SV650.

Marina with her first BMW, a 1985 R 80.

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Why a BMW?

Being very short, the BMW is light weight, well-balanced and smooth and has good handling and brakes. It does what I want it to do and takes me where I want to go.

How have your feelings/attitudes toward riding evolved over the years?

Not much, I don’t think. I still love to do it and hope my health holds out so I can continue. I’m maybe more picky about who I ride with. Also, being retired, I have the luxury of time, so I can hold up for a day or two if necessary to avoid bad weather.

Where have you ridden?

By 1990 I had ridden in 27 states, Canada and Mexico, including a Pancho Villa all women’s ride to Mazatlan, crossing at El Paso. Since then I have covered 49 states, some of the provinces in Canada and states in Mexico including a Rawhyde adventure to the Baja from Tecate, California, ferrying across to the mainland at Topolobampo to Creel and back into Arizona. It was an adventure ride where I was in over my head with a ’97 Funduro with dual sport tires instead of knobbies. I spent lots of time in the cab of the chase vehicle, but it’s a trip I will never forget. Hawaii is the only state where I haven’t ridden a motorcycle. I have my 100, 200, and 300,000 mile badges from the MOA and am working on 400K. The good news is I still love doing it, the bad news is I am getting old.

What is your most memorable trip?

There are so many, but a few to mention are the 10 weeks in Alaska, the Adventure ride in the Baja, and trips to Sonora with friends and the Chain Gang. Also, I have great memories

Marina Ackerson and her husband on the “loneliest road in America.”

of riding the Pacific Coast from San Diego to Washington State, Rocky Mountain National Park, and a short ride in Florida when the sky opened up and we got caught in the rain the rest of the way back to our rental. We both had big grins on our faces when we took our helmets off. Sometimes you don’t have to go far to be totally happy with the ride.

Training experience?

I taught motorcycle safety in the Detroit metro region for 15 years, both novice and experienced rider courses. I also taught the ERC at 10 National rallies starting with the first in Flagstaff under the direction of Jeff Dean.

I took the Reg Pridmore and Rob Beach RATS and Reg Pridmore Class high speed riding course at Grattan raceway in Michigan five years in a row, and of course the three day Rawhyde adventure school in California. I think more training is better and believe it has saved me from accidents along the way.

What attracted you to the MOA, and why do you continue to be a member?

I was attracted to the MOA for the information it provided me on where rallies were and the networking with fellow riders it offers. I’ve been on a few “5 Rally” circuits that take me to different states and good rides and routes between rallies. I’m still a member for the same reasons. Also the Anonymous book is a true asset. I have needed it a few times on the road. I enjoy reading the magazine every month.

Alaska, Hatcher’s pass, road closed but Marina (the sole female rider) and friends did it anyway.

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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

What makes a successful rally?

My idea of a good rally is camping that has some shade near the hub of what is going on. Also, good rock and roll bands. If you look at the demographics, most of us are from the rock ‘n roll generation.

Get rock and roll bands. Upbeat music to get people enthused about listening. It’s a party after all. Decent food is a plus. Keep the costs down.

Have you had any close calls or other unfortunate events?

Yes. In 2008 I was riding from the 49er rally to a friend’s house on the coast on a twisty, tree-lined mountain road when a deer jumped out from the ditch and into my front wheel. It threw me onto the loose black dirt shoulder where I kept it up for a few seconds and then laid it down and spun out on the road. The deer, according to those riding behind me, flew over, kicked my helmet and broke the flip-up on my helmet, so I was briefly without vision ‘til it flipped back down. I thought I was going to walk away clean, but my left foot got pinned under the rear peg, so people had to help me get out from the bike. An ambulance came and took me to the hospital to check me out. No scratches no broken bones, just some pulled ligaments in my left leg, but it hurt pretty good. Thanks go to Ozzie and Emmy from Ozzie’s BMW who came to pick me up, take me to their house and let me stay there for a couple days. I then flew to Tucson where another BMW friend put me up for a few days, and then another friend drove me to Deming, New Mexico, where I had my other motorcycle. I count myself very lucky I wasn’t hurt worse.

My 1200 was totaled. Don’t want to go through that again! A big thanks to my BMW motorcycle “family.”

The other was on my 1997 Funduro. I had camped at the Gila Hot Springs in New Mexico. I packed up and left early in the morning and was riding through Emory Pass when I realized I was “free wheeling.” The curvy, two lane mountain road didn’t have much shoulder, but I got the bike stopped, got off. The chain was just hanging. No cell service of course, so I waited for someone to come by. A couple from California touring the area stopped. They insisted I take everything off the bike and put it in the trunk of the car, and they drove me to a spot where I had cell service and called a tow truck. It took a while for him to show up. He said when he found out it was a motorcycle he got a special trailer to pick it up. He was a rider himself, and he looked over the bike and determined I had lost a sprocket. We looked up and down the road to find it, but we never did. We weren’t sure what we are going to do, but he called a few motorcycle shops in Silver City. I realized we were close to Deming, New Mexico, where my friend Don Cameron lives. He owned the BMW shop there for years. Don said to bring it over. I wrote an article about this, and it was published in the Owners News, titled “Some people will give you the sprocket off their motorcycle”.

Being an expert on problem solving, how has that affected your approach/ history with motorcycles.

I like to call it “critical thinking.” Preparing for a ride, both the motorcycle and myself. Making sure all the maintenance is taken care of…to take a line from the Blues Brothers “tires are good, brakes are fair, pack of lucky strikes and cheap sunglasses” and off you go. I guess I would say, be prepared. Cell phone, Anonymous

Marina Ackerson documents one (of her three!) 100,000 mile marks.

book, some tools. Know yourself and how many miles you can travel in a day without getting exhausted. Try to assess the situation if something happens, determine potential causes.

What kinds of advice would you give other riders?

Know yourself. Ride within your limits. Take a safety course and any other courses you can.

Have you encountered any special challenges as a female rider?

One challenge is people not taking you seriously. Men tend to want to give advice to a woman they would never give to a man.

Sometimes it’s the opposite. I have another little story. I rode from my house in Michigan to Albuquerque in two 750 mile days. On the second day when I was getting near my daughter’s house in Albuquerque, I pulled off the expressway at a rest area and called her. When I hung up the phone there was a man standing there, staring at me. I asked if I could help him, and he just looked at me and he said, “You’ve been doing this a long time haven’t you? I’ve been following you for three states.” My message for other women who ride would be, “It’s just one mile at a time.”

What are your future plans in terms of riding?

My bucket list includes Hawaii and New Zealand, both the north and south islands. I plan to keep doing what I’ve always done. Look for rallies to go to and new places to ride, meeting new people along the way.

October 2018 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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Boots

by Ken Frick #199204

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October 2018  BMW OWNERS NEWS

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BMW OWNERS NEWS  October 2018

A

t first, I saw only one. That was enough to slow me down.

I’d been running along pretty well on US 26 near Lewellen, Nebraska, on my way west from my Ohio home and the BMW MOA National Rally.

I was beyond the corn and soybean fields and out where cowboy hats are the norm. Any semblance of what might be thought of as the Midwest was gone. The farms were behind me, and now I was surrounded by ranches. This was a very different world from my own.

It was a single boot sitting atop a fence post that had first caught my attention. Beyond it, on both sides, were others. I circled back to a gravel road to get off the main highway and take a closer look. On previous rides I’d seen the beginnings of similar displays, boots numbering only a handful, never the quantity I saw this afternoon.

In front of me was a long row, possibly numbering close to 20 boots or more. I knew what the display symbolized.

Decades ago it had been explained to me by Charles Kuralt on one of his CBS News “On the Road” pieces. Each in this string of boots represented someone’s passing. Together, the collection of boots represented a community of sorts, possibly family members or people who lived for a similar purpose. Friends or family members had placed one of the deceased’s boots over a fence post in his or her honor. Everything on the fence posts showed the wear of having been out in the elements for some period of time. A few of the boots were mounted alone, lacking décor of any type, but most had some element of color, generally a handkerchief or two wrapped around the post beneath the boot.

As I walked the distance of the display, I noticed one post in particular that had been wrapped with what appeared to be an embroidered scarf, and on it, I could read a few words. Two of them, “Final Ride,” caught my attention. Time and weather had run its course, shredding some of what I might have once been able to read. I was curious to learn more, but not to the point of disturbing the remains of the display. From the wording on the scarf, I learned the boot above it once belonged to a man named Clifford.

With the wrapping as it was, I couldn’t tell if this was the man’s first or last name, but there was more. In parenthesis was the word, Polack. The date of the final ride had been 9/29/2011. On the sole of the boot was the Harley-Davidson logo. A few boots away was a similar array. Below that boot were two fading pictures of a man standing behind his Harley. Immediately, I knew that in this row of honor, all of the boots had once belonged to motorcycle riders.

Looking at what was in front of me gave me a reason for pause.

This was a celebration of the lives of dear friends, men and no doubt women, who had been through hail and rain, hot and cold, and who knows what other challenges, symbolically all of them had been placed together in this final place as brothers and sisters.

Throughout history, humans have marked time and life differently.

Fossils give us some insight into what was here well before us. Indians left their own messages in stone carvings called petroglyphs for travelers to find and future generations to study. Over a hundred years ago, the Mormons, the Pony Express, and those looking for a future in Oregon and California came through this area. Those trails are well marked, a reminder of our history. Artifacts from their travels and struggles are still being found today.

When the evening light is just right, a few miles west of Dodge City, Kansas, you can see the remnants of the many ruts made by the thousands of wagons with their heavy loads. Not far from where I found these boots, just over the Wyoming border near Fort Laramie, you can see the ruts carved in the rock surface by the many wagon train wheels that passed this way, a striking reminder of how hard life was in the 1800s.

I’ve been to cemeteries where I’ve seen artistic renderings of motorcycles as an ornamental element to headstones, and I’ve heard of motorcycles being buried with their owners, their bikes being shoved in on top of their casket before the grave was filled. Out West, the boots are one way to leave a marker, something for passersby to ponder, for those who knew the deceased to give a friendly salute when they slip by and for the Harley owners, maybe a low-rider wave.

Although not as permanent, this line of boots leaves its own proper message. Across the highway was the Ash Hollow Cemetery, where I speculate some or all of the owners of those boots will be for the remainder of eternity. But for now, there are the boots, a tangible reminder to the living of those no longer with us. Their surviving buddies will always think of this line of boots as a sacred place, a place to be left as it is now. Someday, they can hope their own boots will also line US 26 for others to witness and remember.

On the ground, beneath one of the boots, barely visible due to the overgrowth, were three empty beer cans. One might assume the surviving friends chose to have one final beer with their now gone buddy when they left his or her boot on its post. So allow me to suggest this.

If you’re well up in miles, there’s a good possibility you’ve lost a riding buddy of your own. Next time when you’ve stopped after a ride for dinner or a refreshment, how about a toast to those who owned the boots I saw, or maybe to your own friend who is no longer with us.

We can only hope we will be remembered as fondly.

October 2018 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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October 2018  BMW OWNERS NEWS

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Music &

MOTORCYCLING

BY DOUG MCBRIDE #6642

F

or my most recent birthday I received a small video camera. It mounts easily to the front of my BMW and is turning out to be fun to play with. It has sharpened my longforgotten editing skills which, of course, include setting the videos to music.

To produce my masterpieces of cinematography and delight my family, it was necessary to embark on a search of suitable motorcycle music, a task much easier than it would have been in the past with today’s multimedia resources such as iTunes, Spotify, etc. Still, I spent considerable time at this task, so I thought I would share my results with fellow BMW MOA members.

I am not an expert on music. Indeed, I am confused by the differences among the myriads of music genres from Art Punk to Zydeco. However, I do know what I like: a catchy melody and a recognizable beat. “Beer Brawling Biker Rock” (is that a genre?) is not to my taste.

I do not wear ear speakers while riding, preferring to hear the music “in the wind,” so to speak. Though my theory has not been proven, in my experience, roadside fauna seem to take more notice of vehicles emitting noises which are not the typical vehicle noises. From research on the (in)effectiveness of deer whistles, in contrast, the sounds from a song should be variable and well within the frequency detectable by the critters. Perhaps it is the human voice in the distance which makes them notice.

Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots

What did I find?

Steppenwolf (1968) Genre: Rock. In 2018, the song was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in a new category for singles.

“Get your motor runnin’ Head out on the highway”

1. M otorcycles have had a very definite presence in the music industry since the dawn of Rock and Roll, but I couldn’t find any reference to motorcycles in music prior to the 1950s. I suppose the modern entertainment and recording industry was still in its infancy.

2. There are many sites on the net which proffer their opinions on the best motorcycling music. Some of the songs included on these sites are actually about four wheeled vehicles, e.g.

Neil Young and Steven Still’s “Long May You Run.” Some songs, in spite of the titles have very little, if anything, to do with motorcycles, e.g. Bruce Springsteen’s “Gypsy Biker”.

3. The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BRMC) is a hard rock band of some repute named after the Outlaw Club in the 1953 movie The Wild One starring Marlon Brando.

4. The reality show Biker Battleground Phoenix premiered on the History Channel in 2014 with Dierks Bentley’s “Ride On” theme music which is available for view on You Tube.

5. If you have a musical instrument you can make noise, call it music and get it published. I’ll bet you can even assign it a new genre.

Here are 25 songs presented chronologically, just a sample of the motorcycle music available for download.

The Cheers (1955) Genre: Pop. Some suggest this was the first “Biker Song”.

“He had a hopped-up ‘cicle that took off like a gun.

That fool was the terror of Highway 101”

Little Honda Beach Boys (composers) and Hondells (popular singers) (1964) Genre: Pop. The iconic “anti-biker image” pop song.

“It’s not a big motorcycle, Just a groovy little motorbike”

Leader of the Pack The Shangri-La’s (1965) Genre: Pop. One of the best examples of a “teenage tragedy song.”

“I begged him to go slow, whether he heard, I’ll never know Look out! Look out! Look out!”

The Motorcycle Song Arlo Guthrie (1967) Genre: singer-songwriter. Arlo refers to this release as being a “dumb song” whereas some sociologists have read deep meaning into it.

“I don’t want a pickle Just want to ride on my motorcycle”

Born To Be Wild

Ballad of Easy Rider Roger McGuinn and The Byrds (1969) Genre: Rock. According to some accounts Bob Dylan had a part in writing this song but wanted no credit as he disliked the movie.

“Flow river flow, let your waters wash down Take me from this road to some other town”

Ezy Ryder Jimi Hendrix (1971) Genre: Hard Rock. Originally named “Slow”?

“There goes ezy, ezy ryder Riding down the highway of desire”

Motorcycle Mama Sailcat (1972) Genre: Rock. Got them an appearance on the classic TV show American Bandstand.

“You’ll be the queen of my highway, my motorcycle mama And we’ll see the world from my Harley, if the chain don’t break”

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Bad Motor Scooter

The Other Kind

Montrose (1973) Genre: Hard Rock. Features an electric guitar version of a revving motorcycle.

“First thing in the morning we’ll be feeling all right, So get on your bad motor scooter and ride”

Steve Earl and the Dukes (1990) Genre: Alternative country. From the artist who performed Copperhead Road.

“Aw, it takes me out there for just a little while And the years fall away with every mile”

Bat out of Hell

1952 Vincent Black Lightning

Meat Loaf (1977) Genre: Hard Rock. His usual finishing song in concerts.

“But I can’t stop thinking of you And I never see the sudden curve until it’s way too late”

Richard Thompson (1991) Genre: singer-songwriter. Time Magazine listed it in their top 100 songs of all time.

“Now Nortons and Indians and Greavses won’t do Oh, they don’t have a Soul like a Vincent ‘52”

Motorcycle Mama Neil Young (1978) Genre: Rock. Was the “B” side of a single release.

“I’m runnin’, I’m runnin’, I’m runnin’ Down the proud highway”

Motorcycle Man Saxon (1980) Genre: Metal. The genre says it all.

“Cause I’m a motorcycle man We get our kicks just when we can”

Live to Ride, Ride to Live Twisted Sister (1983) Genre: Hard Rock. Title is a biker mantra.

“You’ve got to ride to live, live to ride Feel the flames burn inside”

Freewheel Burning Judas Priest (1984) Genre: Metal. The genre says it all.

“To carve a road for us that slices every curve in sight We accelerate, no time to hesitate”

War of the Superbikes The Meatmen (1985) Genre: Hardcore Punk. The genre says it all.

“But when the dust cleared up on devil’s backbone One man/one bike/one dream would scream across the finish line”

Wanted Dead or Alive Bon Jovi (1986) Genre: Rock. Not sure this qualifies as a motorcycle song but Bon Jovi is Bon Jovi.

“I’m a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride I’m wanted dead or alive”

Ride Joe Satriani (1989) Genre: Hard Rock. Good guitar work.

“I just wanna ride Get on my bike and ride”

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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

Unknown Legend Neil Young (1992) Genre: Rock. About his ex-wife.

“The chrome and steel she rides Collidin’ with the very air she breathes”

Roll Me Away Bob Seger (1998) Genre: Rock. The closing song from the 1984 film: Reckless.

“Took a bead on the northern plains And just rolled that power on”

Motorcycle Kip Moore (2012) Genre: Country. Apparently the artist is an Indian rider.

“The sky, don’t think that I’ve seen it this bright It’s a perfect night to go for a ride”

I Want to Ride (Let’s Ride) Randy and the Retreads (2013) Genre: Rock. Old cars and motorcycles are the artist’s interests.

“When the summer is nigh it’s a natural high So let’s ride”

Motorcycle Colter Wall (2017) Genre: Folk. Inspired by Arlo Guthrie’s song.

“Well, I figure I’ll buy me a motorcycle Wrap her pretty little frame around a telephone pole”

I would be remiss by not mentioning one particular song: Mein Deutsches Motorrad Corb Lund (2012).

Corb Lund is a popular Canadian country artist best known for the single “Truck Got Stuck.” Lund and his band “The Hurtin’ Albertans” tour their music in Canada, the U.S. and Australia.

“I’m makin’ ninety miles an hour on my German motorcycle I’m makin’ ninety miles an hour like the bullet from a rifle” . . .“Ooo, she like to run, baby eat up the miles Ooo, she gonna do it in Bavarian style”

www.bobsbmw.com

A Massachusetts

By John Gamel #153274

s TRACK DAY

October 2018  BMW OWNERS NEWS

55

There I was on my 2015 RT, leaning slightly to the right on a long right-hand curve, 5th gear, and a quick glance at my speedometer showed more than 100 mph. Off the throttle, a hard pull on the front brake, a 90-degree left turn at 45 mph into a chicane of cones, and then I relaunched into the 14 turns of the Palmer Motorsports park.

I can tell you that nothing in my motorcycle riding got me ready for this moment. I had ridden some while in my 20s, but then life intervened. There was a war on, and after college the Navy was my home for a few years. Then, marriage, kids and other responsibilities kept me away from riding.

However, an early retirement from a career in law enforcement took a toll on my excitement/adrenalin index. Sailing was okay for a while, and ocean kayaking kept me interested a bit longer. And while winter mountain climbing was better, there was still something missing. I finally figured out what it was when I was 65 and came back to motorcycling.

Reduced to its essence, I got back into the two-wheeled world quickly. While I still had my motorcycle endorsement, I took a MSF Basic Course aboard a borrowed BMW 650 GS and then found a 2008 RT. Back to 2018. My motorcycle friends who’ve ridden with me can tell you that I’m not what anyone could call a “spirited” rider. I’ve enjoyed long, solo, cross-country road trips on my 2008 and 2015 RTs, and I’ve accumulated about 80,000 miles with this type of riding so far. Still, I knew there was something missing, which my Blue group RT rider. Photo by Arcy Kusari.

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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

friends made clear: “You’re okay on the straights, but curves, forget it.”

Fortunately, I live near Ken Condon, owner of “Riding In The Zone Motorcyclist Training” (ridinginthezone.com) and the author of numerous books and articles regarding effective and safe motorcycle riding. A couple of years ago, I attended a one-day street training tour of his which taught me a lot about lane placement, observation of road hazards, and safety around traffic hazards. I did receive a BMW MOA Foundation Paul B. Scholarship for that. More recently I heard that Condon ran a track-day course at a track in Palmer, Massachusetts, for “nonsportbikes,” through a company called “Tony’s Track Days” (tonystrackdays.com). I did some websearching, watched some videos about what they were about, and then pulled the trigger (so to speak) and signed up.

Okay, I was apprehensive. Eight years of touring all over the United States with almost no crises or near misses meant I didn’t have a lot of experience. As Ken stated in the first session of our class, “Even if you’ve ridden for 20 years, it’s likely you have one year’s experience repeated twenty times.”

My pal and R nineT rider, Jeremy Yamin and I rode out from Boston, stayed overnight in Palmer, then arrived at the track. After check-in, a quick bike inspection which included tread depth, brake pad thickness, covering mirrors and lighting, Ken spoke with each person and then assigned him or her to one of three groups. Blue for the fast bikes, yellow for more moderate speeds and red for mostly cruiser-style bikes.

Lined up and waiting to get on the track. Photo by Ken Condon.

By way of background, Tony’s Track Days had run two days for sportbikes prior to the day the nonsportbikes arrived for training. Some of our group had been there for two days and were familiar with the track from the sportbike days. Others had attended an actual walk of the 2.2-mile, 14-turn track the night before we ran.

The track itself is built on the top of very large hill named “Whiskey Hill.” The 140-foot wide track climbs up and down around the hill with over 190 feet in elevation change.

After each group was given the rules for running the track, a slow-speed tour of the track and an explanation of the “line” through the course, we started our runs through the turns. Each group by color was allocated 20 minutes of actual riding the curves, accompanied by instructors (in red vests) watching, and in some cases working with individual riders who needed some help with placement. After each 20-minute ride, the group pulled off the track and the next group began its runs.

Immediately after leaving the track, the bikes were parked, and we all trooped into an air-conditioned classroom for a discussion of body position, braking, line position, counter-steering techniques, and the like.

After that, a few minutes decompressing, hydrating, and Right middle, Red group riders. Right bottom, Author John Gamel on his RT. Photo by Arcy Kusari.

October 2018 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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Discussing body positioning during a lunch break. Photo

by Ken Condon.

talking and we were back at it for the next 20 minutes of track time.

This sequence continued throughout the day, with a break for lunch.

To be honest, I started the runs as a very nervous rider. The rules of the track were that passes of a slower bike by a faster one could only be done in a very particular way while in the curves. Since everyone’s mirrors were covered, a rider never had to be or even could be concerned about someone behind them getting ready to pass. About the third lap around, I began to feel pretty comfortable and was passed frequently by others zooming by me. I started applying the lessons we were given in the classroom, ignored those passing and rode my own ride. I came to like certain turns better than others, oddly enough. Of course, some were more challenging and required more skill with body positioning, braking and the like. I found that as the day progressed I was touching my lowered pegs very often (arthritic knees are

my problem). A discussion regarding body positioning helped with that problem. Eventually, I passed more than a few people!

After the last run of the day, I assessed what I had done while loading up my bike with Jeremy. We concurred that among the things that allowed us to focus on improving our cornering and braking skills were: 1) a perfectly clean track, 2) sweeping, cambered curves, 3) flaggers in ten booths around the track to communicate to riders, and 4) two ambulances with crews, all of whom fortunately got a day of rest.

During the course of the day, I rode about 95 miles on the track or a little more than 45 laps of the course. It was truly a fantastic experience and a tremendous builder of confidence in my riding but especially with my cornering skills. I’d say that the intensity of the experience combined with the safe conditions for highly technical riding gave us ideal conditions for learning. Ken and his crew never let an opportunity for learning pass us, whether it was during an interesting lunchtime discussion or when an instructor “tapped the tail” of his bike to help a rider find the correct line on the track during the runs.

I’ll definitely be back next year at age 74. Look out!

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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

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“Built for All of Us” will use mass media, social media and grassroots efforts to communicate a simple but critically important message. The highways are for all of us.

Your MOA Foundation is funding the campaign with a motorcycle giveaway and the prize is a beauty--a slick 1999 R 1100 R that has been completely restored and is ready for the road.

Raffle tickets are priced at whatever you want to contribute. A dollar. Ten dollars. Fifty dollars. It’s your choice. Find out more about the campaign and the R 1100 R we’re giving www.bmwmoaf.org away at bmwmoaf.org.

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FOUNDATION OUR MISSION

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

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GEARS…great beginnings

By Will McHardy #108474 IT HAS BEEN THREE WEEKS SINCE THE

2018 MOA Rally in Des Moines. Many of us are so involved with our lives, we ride only when we can. For others, riding defines their lives. Ahh, to be so very fortunate.

As I walked the Des Moines Rally site, it was so easy to see the age, the experience, the wisdom and the miles in the faces of our members, their equipment and their machines of choice. Experience is the key word, but we all began somewhere. For some, it may have been in the back yard; for others, it may have been a formal MSF course at the local department of motor vehicles. There have been many avenues to gain this knowledge. Let me tell you of another.

The BMW MOA Foundation promotes several programs, including the Paul B.

Ken Hall khall@bmwmoaf.org Kate Lammers klammers@bmwmoaf.org Randy Logan rlogan@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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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

Scholarship Foundation, Legacy Giving Program, and the Awareness Campaign, and also provides the GEARS (Gaining Early Advanced Riding Skills) program in conjunction with each MOA International Rally. This year was a stellar year for GEARS! In recent years, we have witnessed a decline in GEARS participation, but the Foundation and the GEARS committee made a commitment to do whatever we could to increase attendance and have more young riders begin their journey into the world of safe motorcycle riding. This year, we had 22 young riders between the ages of 14 and 24 join the ranks of GEARS graduates. This was more than a 200 percent increase in registration and participation over previous years. For most, this was their

first time sitting on a motorcycle. I know the smiles are still present on the faces of these young riders.

There has been a great deal of effort to make GEARS what it is today. We built upon simple concepts and made changes here and there as necessary. GEARS 2018 began with a meet and greet, an informal gathering with pizza, snacks and drinks on the Tuesday evening prior to the beginning of the rally. Training started at 8 a.m.

Wednesday morning, lasted all day and continued Thursday. Classroom sessions on Thursday supplemented the riding.

Each participant experienced a half-day of presentations that included motorcycle prechecks and maintenance, safety gear, how to pack for a road trip, hazards found on and off the road, accident scene management, and other topics.

Doug and Sherry Marsh of Dirt Bike Tech returned as the principal instructors for GEARS and once again did a great job.

The training provided by Dirt Bike Tech was divided into Basic and Advanced groups. The rider training included all the techniques one would expect, such as learning the controls, balance, starting, stopping, clutch work, braking, riding up and downhill, and other manners of control. All the young riders in GEARS completed an anonymous course evaluation at the end of the program. They overwhelmingly praised Doug for his knowledge, training abilities, patience, skills, kindness and all-around joy. To enhance the GEARS program and to attract more interest and participation, the GEARS committee arranged for Nancy Foote and Walt Fulton of Streetmasters to have training available for qualified GEARS participants on Wednesday. There was limited participation in this component of GEARS but, we’ll try to attract more licensed riders aged 16 -26 for this advanced rider portion of the 2019 GEARS program in Tennessee.

Many thanks are extended to Paul and Voni Glaves, Ryan Manley, Tom Gary and Ken Hall for stepping up and providing their expertise and guidance in the classroom portion of GEARS.

October 2018 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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skills

How do you sit on your motorcycle?

By James Ford #61985 THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE TO

start your journey toward becoming a better motorcyclist than thinking about how you sit when riding your motorcycle. Though they’re not usually seated, serious athletes are hyper-aware of technique and body position. A pair of outliers in their respective sports are Tom Brady and Tiger Woods. Both Brady and Woods employ personal coaches to watch their every move as much of their technique consists of choreographed movements. Both athletes are continuously aware of and practice perfect technique relentlessly, and by mastering their respective techniques, they control their game.

Establishing the right physical stance often begins with the human “ready” position. The ready position applies to countless human physical contests including Tom Brady under center, Tiger Woods addressing his ball, Roger Federer awaiting a serve, Cael Sanderson on the mat at the start of every NCAA wrestling match, and even Mike Smith riding Justify to the Triple Crown.

The ready position begins with a person perched mostly on the balls of the feet. Additionally, knees are bent, and the subject is in a slight crouch and leaning forward at the torso. Arms are outstretched, elbows bent and hands are open, palms are facing each other.

Finally, eyes are wide open, alert and expecting the unexpected.

Astride your more upright sporttouring motorcycle (as opposed to the exaggerated lean far-forward position of a race bike,) let’s establish this ready position.

Take a deep breath, exhale and sit upright. Initially, let your arms dangle at your sides. Now slide the balls of your feet back so they are centered squarely on the foot pegs. Your knees should be comfortably bent. Then, gently arch your spine and imagine it joining at the

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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

hips to form a 90-degree angle. Now relax and lean forward at the crease of your hips.

Finally, rest your hands lightly on the hand rests. Think hand RESTS, not hand GRIPS! Gravity and your thighs are your primary means of keeping you on your motorcycle.

Use your core muscles to hold your torso in place. This is not to say that you won’t use your hands to hang on. But from now on, rely mostly on gravity and your thigh muscles as the primary means for gripping the motorcycle. Emphasize using your arms and hands for their control function instead for than for primary support. Any time you feel tense or feel the need to hang on tighter, clench the tank with even greater emphasis while deliberately keeping your upper body, arms and hands loose. In other words, express any tension with your legs, and force yourself to keep your arms and hands loose.

Lean forward such that your elbows are slightly bent and pointed down. That’s the point—bent elbows! As you ride, focus on leaning forward slightly and keeping those elbows bent. Let gravity assist. Drop your elbows straight down. Don’t splay them out to the side.

Leaning forward with elbows bent keeps your forearms loose, loose, loose, almost floppy-like. Bent elbows are the best antidote to stiff-arming. For God’s sake, don’t stiff-arm! The goal is for your elbows and forearms to remain loose so that they act as upper torso shock-absorbers and stabilizers as you roll over surface irregularities and lean into challenging curves. Leaning forward facilitates this. When the going gets tough, the tough lean farther forward and they’ve released and rejected that death grip forever. Discipline your hands to rest softly on the hand rests while operating the controls.

When your hands are “soft,” tactile awareness magically extends from your palms and fingertips through the handlebars and into the whirring “heart” of your motorcycle. You will genuinely feel the

machine. What are you feeling for? Feel for smoothness. Develop smoothness in every phase of the ride. Over time and with continuous practice, you and your bike will motor harmoniously as one. The goal is to fuse with your machine—like the mythical centaur.

Let’s take this further. Never slam, stomp, jam, whack, crack, crank or yank motorcycle controls. You will feel nothing. Instead, reflect on the sensuous. When detecting a fresh aroma, don’t your nostrils flare and lightly sniff? When you taste, doesn’t your tongue gently massage whatever crosses your pallet? With that high-dollar glass of wine—you sip, not gulp, right? A feathery lightness gives your senses the heightened awareness necessary to distinguish the important characteristics you’re trying to discern. Tactile awareness is no different.

Pretend your controls are hollow eggshells. Handle them with similar awareness.

Then preside over them with a balance of delicate—yet firm—pressure. As you coax the controls, imagine three single silken threads delicately extending from your clutch, brake, and throttle, each disappearing into its appropriate housing within your motorcycle. Use whisper-light pressure on these threads. Infuse them with smoothness. Think smooth. Feel smooth all the while! As you think, as you feel—so you become.

Overall, good motorcycle form looks a little like a jockey on a racehorse, just not quite as extreme. Whenever you approach anything challenging, assume your “ready position,” and sit more like a jockey. Lean forward, stay relaxed and loose. Loose as a goose! Finagle it, fake it, force it, do what you have to, but do it!

Set and reset this ready position regularly. Remember, the journey toward becoming a better rider is a journey of change. By simply improving your seating technique as necessary, you’ve taken a major step on the journey—just like that!

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lifestyle

mileagecontest

Congratulations to our 2017/18 Winter Mileage Contest finishers

By Jim Low #2803 Mileage Contest Coordinator

We didn’t have a lot of participants in the 2017/18 Winter Mileage Contest, but I like to think of the 120 finishers as some of our heartier riders. In total they covered 364,807 miles, which is an average of more than 3,000 miles per finisher. Congratulations to all of the finishers. Illinois, Texas, and Maryland were the winners for total miles while Pennsylvania, Michigan and California took the top honors for number of finishers. Rider stories for the three male and female mileage winners as well as the male and female average riders are below. Charlene McLauchlan took two honors as she was both the third place female finisher and average female rider.

James Rostron #29325 First Place Male

I am a retired sheetmetal contruction worker living in the extreme northeast corner of Illinois and currently own two BMWs. My ultimate favorite is my 2015 R 1200 RT, which I believe to be the best bike BMW has ever made, so far.

When I was still working, most of my miles came from commuting to downtown Chicago. When I retired, I thought my mileage would go down but instead, the opposite happened. Two winters ago, my fiancée Sarah encouraged me to take the trip I always dreamed of and get out of Chicago for the whole winter by riding south. That first trip was so good that I’ve decided to do it every winter.

This year, I left on January 3 without

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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

even trying my heated pants, socks and brand-new heated jacket. I only got a few hours from home before I had to stop for the night because of snow. From my motel room and using my Anonymous book, I contacted an MOA member from the East Central Illinois Riders and 40 minutes later my heroes, Jack and Vicki Hawley showed up at my motel to lend me a dual control thermostat for the winter. I was especially thankful the next morning when I left the motel as the temperature was minus one.

From there, I went to South Padre Island and then visited Big Bend National Park,

James Rostron

Scottsdale Arizona, San Diego, California, and more. I went up the west coast mostly on California’s Highway 1 and was so

impressed with the Big Sur area that I went back and rode it a second day. Motels in the San Francisco area were so expensive that I tried Airbnb for the very first time and found a property owned by fellow MOA member Harry Bahlman and his wife.

Harry showed me 141 miles of the best day of riding I have ever had. Heck, even the road up to his house was great.

Continuing north, I went as far as Hansen’s BMW in Medford, Oregon, before turning back south. I then rode through central California with detours into the remote, deserted mountains including Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks before heading east back across the country.

In Orlando, Florida, I rode with the BMW Tampa Bay Riders on Sunday mornings—those people know where the twisty and scenic roads are. I then went up to South Carolina to have dinner with a friend, MOA member James Carlisle. James is a retired army colonel who saw action in the Middle East. I went to back to south Florida a few times but spent most of my time in Orlando at Sarah’s sisters. During bike week, I visited Daytona six days. I returned home on March 28 and the first two months back home the weather was so bad I think I only rode once. All in all, it was a great 18,055-mile trip.

I need to thank the people at Baton Rouge BMW, MOA member Hose Hera in El Paso who lent me the tools for an oil change, Vic Ivanovic in Scottsdale, Irv Seaver BMW, Hansen’s BMW and Fort Meyers BMW. But, mostly I want to thank Sarah for encouraging me to take that first trip and for her continued support.

Danny Wilson #27797 Second Place Male

My wife, Sharon and I live in Connelly Springs, located in the foothills of North Carolina where some of the best back roads of the south can be found. We are both retired and each have our own bikes. I love the old BMWs, both the Airheads and Oilheads.

My first BMW was a 1977 R 100/7 that I purchased in 1979. I still own it, and it is my favorite bike. But I do ride multiple bikes throughout the year. My motorcycles are my usual form of daily transportation. They serve as my car, my pickup truck or SUV.

way up and a different set on the way back.

Most of the trip we stayed in the quick camp which I pulled and planned for camp grounds and tire changes along the way.

We have been members of the MOA for 37 years and been fortunate to ride and attend many BMW rallies in most states, except for Hawaii, and we have met and made a lot of great friends along the way.

We hope to ride as long as we can, it is our freedom and escape.

Doug Teague #75768 Third Place Male

Danny Wilson

Before I retired, my bike was my vehicle to work, by choice.

We ride year-round and belong to the Knob Mountain Motorcycle Chapter #216 and also the RA Club # 53. Our Club meets every Sunday at a local restaurant and rides an average of 200 miles of back roads each Sunday. We look forward to meeting and riding with our friends and our group has been a great place to do what we enjoy. The Knob Mountain Club has hosted the MOA National Rally and the RA by the Parkway in Morganton, North Carolina. We also hold an annual rally the third weekend of each September where we organize daily rides on some legendary back roads and even some dirt if you so choose. We leave from the rally site of Catawba Meadows in Morganton. Doug Teague Come ride with the Knobbies!

Our best trips were to Alaska in 2001 and again in 2004, where I planned the route by using an atlas (before GPS’s were so available) to hit as many states as possible on the

I worked at Chrysler Engineering my entire working life and retired as Chief Engineer in Powertrain Engineering. I joined the MOA in 1996 and received my 400,000mile award from BMW in mid-2016.

When I retired, I moved to northern Virginia, 35 miles from the Blue Ridge parkway to be near great roads and attractive weather. I’ve been riding since I was 13 aboard a Whizzer motorbike and since that time, I’ve owned more than 25 road bikes and moved to a BMW R 1100 RT to enjoy life on the road after retirement. I’ve put 187,000 and 233,000 miles on my two previous RTs and am now riding my third RT. I also own an MV Agusta Tamburini and do all mechanical bike work myself.

I ride year-round and average 25,000 to 30,000 miles per year. Generally I ride solo,

as it’s easier choosing destination, schedule, hotels and restaurants. I’ll visit family and friends en-route.

I was a professional road racer in the 1970s, riding AMA (USA), CMA (Canada)

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and FIA (Europe) events mostly aboard self-sponsored Yamahas as well as other sponsored machines of all types. I also did a number of endurance races, rode for the HarleyDavidson factory for one season on a 250cc Aermacchi and was awarded Mosport Master in 2010.

Additionally, I rode Kawasaki sportbikes, including a modified ZX12R and a ZX-14R and was timed at 202.6 mph on the ZX-12R at Maxton Mile in North Carolina. The ZX-14R was timed at 205 mph at the Ohio Mile. I’ve been an MSF instructor, Scrutineer (technical checker) for nine years for MotoGP, Formula 1, Formula e and FIA World Endurance Competition and recently did a complete restoration of a 1954 350cc V-twin Victoria Bergmeister V35.

I enjoy international travel, have visited 39 countries and traveled by motorcycle in 25. My favorite countries to ride in include South America, Peru, Chile and Argentina. These countries are beautiful, challenging, safe and not expensive.

My wife Phyllis enjoys travel as well, but she’s not a rider though will frequently join bike tours by riding in support vehicle.

Dewayne Harkov Average Male Rider

I began riding on a friend’s mini bike as a kid while living in the San Francisco East Bay area but my parents wouldn’t let me have a motorcycle.

When I moved out of the house at 19, I bought a brand new 1972 HarleyDavidson Sportster in the crate and rode that bike to the Grand Canyon with two friends.

As an apprentice machinist, I promptly tore it apart and built a custom bike, only using the engine. That bike was on the cover and appeared as the centerfold of Easyriders magazine in July, 1974. I also had a 1973 Harley FX that I rode on longer trips and traded the FX in on a 1986

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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

Harley FXRS-SP which was totaled in an accident.

I replaced the FXRS-SP with a 1987 FXRS. I put 110,000 miles on that bike, taking trips and earning pre-Iron Butt CMTA Saddlesore 1000s and Bun Burner 1500s for the coveted belt buckle. I rode Harleys until 2000 when I bought a used 1998 BMW R 1100 RT from Cycle Specialties in Modesto, California, and have owned four BMWs since that time.

Dewayne Hardov I now ride a 2000 R 1100 RT, 2008 R 1200 GS Adventure and just restored a 1963 Cushman Super Eagle. I’ve also just received my 300,000 BMW mile-

age award last December.

Now retired and living in the Central Valley and Lake Tahoe area, I have the Sierras at my doorstep. Over the years, my

Top 25 Male Finishers

MOA # Name State Year

29325 27797 75768 129225 169878 121932 166192 203022 18116 58537 78655 19539 146373 146027 108366 5091 59757 40300 115872 6990 42362 83834 172496 140425 28273

Jim Rostron C. Danny Wilson, Jr. Doug Teague Martin Cover Dave Schani Robert Rehkopf Kim Dorsing Mike Ripper Taylor Kirchner Deryle Mehrten James Schulz Dean Sherick Grant Kapteyn Dwight Olson Leon Brunken John Kresena Roy Barnes Paul McClain Frank Brown Frederick Christ Jerome Lubbers Maurice Kornreich Ray Blecker Ian Scobie MIke Standlee

IL NC VA MD TX TN WA FL OH AZ TX VA NV OK OR TX WA AL FL FL MI GA AZ GA WI

2015 1988 2008 2016 2014 2010 2013 2015 1968 2008 2015 2014 2014 2012 2007 2016 2009 2012 2016 2017 2015 2012 2015 1992 2007

Bike #1 Model Year

Bike #2 Model

R1200RTL 2006 R1200RT R100RS 1988 R100GS R1200RT 2012 F700GS R1200GSA 2016 K1600GTLE R1200GS K1300GT 2014 R1200RT K1600GTL K1600GTLE R69S 1995 R100Mystic K1200GT 2002 K1200RS R1200GSA R1200RT R1200RT K1600GTL 2006 F650GS R1200RT 2018 R1200RT F700GS F650GS K1600GT 2006 R1200GS R1200R 2016 R1200RT R1200GSA 2018 R1200GSA R1200GSA 2009 F800GS F650GS R1200GS K75RT 2002 F650GS R1200GS

TOTAL MILES

25,975 14,744 12,861 12,717 11,545 10,256 10,025 9,746 9,627 9,029 7,721 6,734 6,623 6,225 6,131 5,590 5,479 5,229 5,209 5,083 5,039 4,891 4,861 4,770 4,650

riding highlights have included riding Baja, the Sturgis Rally, Three Flags Rally, Iron Butt 50 CC from Jacksonville to San Diego in 41 hours, Mass Gold, an Iron Butt sanctioned 1,609 miles in 24 hours and other 1000-mile Saddlesore and 1500 Bun Burner rides. I’ve also been to BMW MOA National Rallies in Redmond, Salem, and Billings, ridden the Tail of the Dragon, Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, BMW Denver’s 100,000-foot Pass Ride, Beartooth Pass, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, Mesa Verde and other national parks. Additionally, I’ve made multiple trips to Hyder, Alaska, and the Canadian Icefields.

My riding buddies include my brother Ron and many other friends that live around the country that I’ve met “on the road” and who enjoy the longer distance rides.

I hope to ride into my eighties.

Lisa Cover Hecker #138245 First Place Female

I live in Crofton, Maryland, where I work full time for the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) supporting the U.S. Navy’s fleet of submarines. I also teach an average of 20 MSF classes each year, including basic, advanced and three-wheel motorcycle safety to new and existing riders between March and October. I ride a 2016 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure, and while I sometimes commute to work on the bike, most of my riding is done while

Lisa Cover Hecker

participating in various Iron Butt Association/ Long Distance Riding activities including scavenger hunt rallies such as the Mason Dixon 2020, The Void, Rock ‘n Ride, and Butt Lite rallies as well as self-guided rides such as Tour of Honor and Battleship.

I average approximately 23,000 miles a year on my motorcycle with the majority of my miles tending to be later in the year after my teaching winds down and I get my weekends back. As long as there isn’t snow on the ground, I ride all winter, and I ride alone a lot. I am also very lucky that I get to ride many miles a year with my dad, Martin Cover, who rides either a 2016 R 1200 GS Adventure or a 2016 K 1600 GTL. I also ride with other good friends from all over the country whom I have met through attending riding classes and rallies. My daughter, Molly, enjoys riding with me when her schedule permits and recently got her own bike, a Honda Rebel, so I look forward to enjoying many more riding miles with her.

Sandra Sander #198389 Second Place Female

I was quite surprised to find out I’d placed second in the 2017-18 Winter Mileage Contest because living in Pennsylvania’s Schuylkill County with real winter weather, I’d done as much riding as I could. Compared to the previous winter, it seemed like my 2017 F 700 GS was in the garage more than on the road.

I’ve only been a motorcyclist since 2011 when I was encouraged by a new friend to take the plunge.

Sandra Sander

My first bike was a 2009 G 650 GS, and I learned a lot while racking up my first 9,000 miles. I’m a library director at a community college and have about a 50-mile commute each way, so riding early in the morning necessitates gear to keep warm, yet be cooler on the ride home. Learning to dress warmly enough has taken lots of practice and has included my share of cold rides.

I didn’t have a plan as a new rider, but when the commuting began to stick, I needed better luggage and lights, so after a short test ride was very happy to move from the single cylinder 650 to a two-cylinder 2013 F 700 GS with BMW’s Vario panniers.

I love the challenge of daily riding so much that when I moved last year I chose a new home location that was a bit closer to work, but still retained most of my commute.

Being a life-long runner, keeping track of mileage comes very naturally to me, along with all the combinations of clothing to dress for the changing weather. I’ve been told I have the physique of a runner and the soul of a motorcyclist, so when I started riding to work, I kept track of those days in my running log and wrote a few notes about what I saw and how the weather was. After a few months, I started noting how many days I commuted per month, then months, then comparing how many days over the years. Eventually I wanted to see if I could ride at least one day every month of the

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year, even in winter. An MOA Lehigh Valley Club member shared his good luck charm of riding on January 1, and when I adopted those strategies the miles were piling up.

If not for the MOA, I wouldn’t have started attending club meetings and heard about the annual rally. It was March 2015 when Billings, Montana, was mentioned. Knowing nothing more than I could get there on a motorcycle, I committed to going and that was my very first overnight motorcycle trip! Another MOA member planned the trip, which started with many potential riders, eventually dwindling to the two of us. A friend of his joined us in Wisconsin for a few days before going his own direction, leaving us to complete our 13 day trip of 4,600 miles.

After that ride, I was hooked on motorcycle traveling and camping!

Primarily a solo rider, it’s been fun meeting other riders in the past year and a half and has led to some great adventures. I’ve learned a lot, covered many miles, and tried a few different rides, including completing my first Iron Butt SaddleSore 1000.

I’m looking forward to another winter of commuting, meeting other riders, and continuing to close in on my first 100,000 miles aboard BMW motorcycles.

Charlene McLauchlan #108765 Average Female Rider

Average female rider! Every time I submit my entry for the mileage contest, I have fantastic ambitions with big plans for many rides. In 2017 my life was clearly not in balance with too much work and stress from traveling every week.

Well, several things happened at the end of 2017. First, my 2012 F 800 GS was stolen and then my company reorganized and downsized, and I

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was offered an early retirement. Finally, I turned 66 last December.

I replaced my F 800 GS with an F 800 R and found I like the light weight, sleek styling and lower seat height. Because I started to get too nervous about getting hurt, I really wasn’t going off road anyway.

I also took Reg Pridmore’s CLASS for women at Willows raceway in southern California in April. It was a fun ride over there and then great training. When I saw they had a session at Laguna Seca in July, I also signed up for their two-day class.

Laguna Seca was pretty intimidating the first few laps, but CLASS instructors were great. It was a fun few days and great way to improve my confidence on twisty roads.

I live in Santa Cruz, California, which is a motorcycle paradise. I prefer to ride alone mostly and love to just set out for the day without specific plans. Yesterday I went exploring in the Santa Cruz mountains to check out all the great State Parks and had fantastic riding for five hours with great curves and not much traffic. This weekend I will be riding in the Sierra Nevada Moun-

Charlene McLauchlan

tains for a few days.

I have been riding about 20 years. I have done several long-distance rides to visit family in Colorado, explore the Pacific Northwest and to visit Yellowstone. Over the years I have owned a Suzuki 450, Kawasaki 750 Vulcan, and BMW R 1200 RT, R 1200 GS, K 1300 GT, R 1200 C, F 800 GS and now my F 800 R. Motorcycling is a health thing for me which clears my mind, inspires my life and gives me joy. I’m happy to say that I have already surpassed my 2017 mileage!

Top 25 Female Finishers

MOA # Name State Year

138245 198389 108765 27798 200845 62350 146516 137129

Lisa Hecker Sandra Sander Charlene McLauchlan Sharon Z Wilson Tracy Anderson Pattie Melik Angelika Haviland Lynn Fowler

MD PA CA NC MO AR PA CA

2016 2017 2012 1997 2009 2013 2008 2014

Bike #1 Model Year

Bike #2 Model

TOTAL MILES

R1200GSA F700GS 2009 G650GS F800GS 2016 F800R R850R F650GS R1200R R1200R 2011 F650GS F800GT

10,185 5,449 1,097 705 238 110 34 12

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All Finishers by State ALABAMA - 2 Finishers

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 40300 Paul McClain 2012 K1600GT 2006 R1200GS 5,229 42184 Michael Waybright 2005 R1200RT 2012 R1200RT 1,941

7,170 ARIZONA - 3 Finishers

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 58537 Deryle Mehrten 2008 K1200GT 2002 K1200RS 9,029 72496 Ray Blecker 2015 R1200GS 4,861 38304 Stephen Cantrill 2016 R1200RS 1,642

15,532 ARKANSAS - 3 Finishers

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 181824 Mike Causey 2009 R1200RT 1973 R75/5 3,457 39280 Wally Melik 2013 R1200RT 770 62350 Pattie Melik 2013 R1200R 110

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CALIFORNIA - 7 Finishers

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 99616 Peter Perrin 2000 R1150GS 2016 K1600GT 3,724 92422 Dewayne Harkov 2000 R1100RT 2008 R1200GSA 2,999 34496 Mark Lawless 2016 R1200RS 2,848 205186 Paul Stark 2015 R1200RT 2,815 108765 Charlene McLauchlan 2012 F800GS 2016 F800R 1,097 129629 William J. Hertan 2005 R1150R 313 137129 Lynn Fowler 2014 F800GT 12

13,808 COLORADO - 3 Finishers

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 118621 Troy Corrigan 2004 R1150GSA 2004 R1150GSA 1,033 117080 Jeffrey Wood 2014 R1200RT 723 173517 Randy Bishop 2004 R1150GS 9

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DELAWARE - 1 Finisher

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 124289 James Sterling 2016 R1200RT 208

208 FLORIDA - 5 Finishers

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 203022 Mike Ripper 2015 K1600GTLE 9,746 115872 Frank Brown 2016 R1200R 2016 R1200RT 5,209 6990 Frederick Christ 2017 R1200GSA 2018 R1200GSA 5,083 115384 Jim Van der Veeh 2004 R1200C w/SC 1,782 108474 Will McHardy 2016 K1600GT 930

22,750 GEORGIA - 2 Finishers

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 83834 Maurice Kornreich 2012 F650GS 4,891 140425 Ian Scobie 1992 K75RT2002 F650GS Dakar 4,770

9,661 HAWAII - 1 Finisher Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 121009 Danny Graham 2015 R1200RTW 2006 R1200RT 1,388

1,388

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ILLINOIS - 5 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 29325 Jim Rostron 2015 R1200RTL 2006 R1200RT 25,975 134096 Jeffrey W Fink 2003 R1150GS 2011 F800GS 3,289 200014 Thomas Liao 2011 R1200R 1,216 88486 Robert Miller 2014 R1200RT 952 74027 Dale Herberger 2007 K1200GT 2011 R1200RT 628

32,060 INDIANA - 2 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 93674 Nicholas Schmutte 2016 K1600GTL 396 80946 Harold Paterson 2016 S1000XR 14

410 IOWA - 1 Finisher Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 127768 Peter Schmitz 2016 S1000XR 2009 R1200GSA 1,177

1,177

146373 Grant Kapteyn 8864 Scott McKay 143767 Scott Hilbert

2014 R1200RT 6,623 120394 Bruce Davis 2016 R1200RT 590 2007 F800ST 1994 R1100RS 3,502 40176 Cregg Moser 2009 F650GS 507 2007 R1200S 2014 R1200GSA 1,128 8501 Lee Hetrick 2012 R1200GS 243

11,253 67897 John Gehr 2016 S1000XR 2014 R1200GS 228 8285 Brett Gilbert 2008 R1200R 118 NEW JERSEY - 3 Finishers

146516 Angelika Haviland 2008 R1200R 2011 F650GS 34

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL 105151 Ken Osiecki 2013 F800GS 3 MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES

25,201 122798 Rick Mickles 2012 R1200RT 2017 R1200RT 3,472

12886 Patrick Restaino 2014 R1200GSA 2,224 SOUTH CAROLINA - 1 Finisher

88147 Roger Trendowski 2014 F800GSA 1,408

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL

7,104 MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 115301 Charles Fridy 2014 R1200RT 4,261 NEW YORK - 6 Finishers

4,261

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name 11223 Josh Ascher 5703 Larry Wilson 11558 Wayne Edkin 181747 Conrad Scholz 31479 Bruce Gallagher 171805 Jan Moolenschot

Year Model Year Model MILES TENNESSEE - 1 Finisher

2009 R1200R 2000 R1150GS 2,531

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL 2000 K1200LT 1993 K1100LT 1,570 MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 2005 K1200LT 1974 R60/6 1,213 121932 Robert Rehkopf 2010 K1300GT 2014 R1200RT 10,256 1973 R75/5 1993 K1100LT 1,135

10,256 2013 R1200RT 2015 F800GSA 999 TEXAS - 6 Finishers

2007 K1200LT 2011 R1200GS 487

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL

7,935 MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES

MARYLAND - 4 Finishers NORTH CAROLINA - 3 Finishers

169878 Dave Schani

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL 78655 James Schulz MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 5091 John Kresena 129225 Martin Cover 2016 R1200GSA 2016 K1600GTLE 12,717 27797 C. Danny Wilson, Jr. 1988 R100RS 1988 R100GS 14,744 80703 Chuck Wetzel 138245 Lisa Hecker 2016 R1200GSA 10,185 27798 Sharon Z Wilson 1997 R850R 705 124913 Dennis Drake 68961 George Criswell 2010 R1200RT 2,451 100674 Scott Norman 1996 K1100RS 1980 R65 218 113412 Jerry Squier 160295 Bob Hafenmair 2004 R1150RT 1,460

15,667

26,813

2014 R1200GS 11,545 2015 R1200GSA 7,721 2016 F700GS 5,590 2010 R1200R 2012 R1200R 2,578 2012 R1200GSA 2016 K1600GTL 2,224 2017 R1200GSA 630

30,288

NORTH DAKOTA - 1 Finisher UTAH - 2 Finishers

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 61911 Larry Puppe 1991 K75 1994 K1100LT 860 103656 Steve Barnhill 2017 R1200GSA 4,050 200315 Jared Foley 2004 R1150Rxtr 1,114

860 109983 Rich Dolan 2004 R1150RT 2009 R1200GSA 1,547

1,114

5,597 OHIO - 4 Finishers

MICHIGAN - 7 Finishers

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL VIRGINIA - 5 Finishers

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 18116 Taylor Kirchner 1968 R69S1995 R100Mystic 9,627 MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES MASSACHUSETTS - 1 Finisher

Bike #1 MOA # Name Year Model

42362 Jerome Lubbers 39316 Rhys B. Blair 92885 Stanley Shirey 149080 Scott Auer 46251 Melvin E. Lehner 9947 Paul Eisenhauer 129464 Joseph Foster

Bike #2 TOTAL Year Model MILES

2015 R1200GSA 2009 F800GS 5,039 208196 David Mosher 2015 K1600GTL 3,555 75768 Doug Teague 2008 R1200RT 2012 F700GS 12,861 2018 K1600B 3,700 77611 Randy Gabriel 2010 K1300GT 2017 R1200RT 2,476 19539 Dean Sherick 2014 R1200RT 6,734 2009 K1200LT 2,538 47040 Karl Hoffman 1995 K1100RS 2002 K1200RS 701 179758 James Burger 2016 R1200R 1978 R80/7 4,308 32660 Tim F. Jost Tolson 2005 R1200RT 1,080 2013 R1200RT 1,149

16,359 44345 Chet Hepburn 2017 R1200R 1,050 2003 K1200LTC 2000 R1100RT 725 OKLAHOMA - 3 Finishers

26,033 2002 R1150RTP 571

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL 2007 R1200RT 123 WASHINGTON - 5 Finishers

MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES

13,845

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL 146027 Dwight Olson 2012 K1600GTL 2006 F650GS 6,225

MINNESOTA - 1 Finisher

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES

MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 2016 R1200GS 2001 R1150GS 1,678 166192 Kim Dorsing 2013 K1600GTL 10,025 2007 K1200GT 70 59757 Roy Barnes 2009 F650GS 5,479

7,973 30657 Eric Blume 2016 R1200GSA 2008 G650XCM 772 46567 Tim Frederick 2013 K1600GTL 392 OREGON - 3 Finishers

101733 John Eberhardt 2013 F800GT 361

392

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL 163798 Robert Posey 2004 R1150RT 326 MOA # Name

Year Model Year Model MILES MISSOURI - 3 Finishers

16,963 108366 Leon Brunken 2007 R1200RT 2018 R1200RT 6,131

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL WEST VIRGINIA 3 Finishers

148075 Chris Henry 2016 R1200GSA 2,783 MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL 167133 Brad Sitton 2014 R1200GSA 317 72768 David Anderson 2015 R1200GSA 3,555 MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES

9,231 15225 Phil Sulfstede 2012 R1200GS 1990 R100RT 3,202 131753 Kevin Wood 1971 R60/5 2013 F700GS 1,306 PENNSYLVANIA - 15 Finishers 200845 Tracy Anderson 2009 F650GS 238 109925 Pete Dailey 2015 F800GT 547

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL

6,995 88980 Michael Harper 2006 R1200RT 547 MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES

2,400 NEBRASKA - 1 Finisher

198389 Sandra Sander 2017 F700GS2009 G650GS 5,449

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL WISCONSIN - 4 Finishers

148120 John Churico 2016 R1200GSA 2018 R1200GSA 3,875 MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL 98722 Gene VanEssendelft 2001 F650GS 2003 R1150RT 3,455 150502 Rick Harvey

94422 James Gillispie 7998 James Firestone

2014 R1200GSA 255 46091

255 100456 102670 NEVADA - 3 Finishers

106590

Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL 87002 MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES

72

BMW OWNERS NEWS  October 2018

James Bauer 2015 F700GS 2012 K1600GT Douglas Raymond 2002 R1150RT 2011 R1200GSA Joe Babkowski 2013 R1200RT 2003 K1200LTC Bob Lilley 2012 R1200GSA 2016 R1200GSA James Robinson 1996 K1100RS 2004 R1150GSA

3,273 2,901 2,104 1,316 1,105

MOA # Name 28273 MIke Standlee 67739 Bruce A Grahn 162200 Ron Feurer 77792 James Marks

Year Model Year Model MILES 2007 R1200GS 4,650 2016 S1000XR 2011 R1200RT 1,644 2017 R1200GS 2013 F800GT 1,285 2000 K1200LTC 167

7,746

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73

lifestyle lifestyle 74

mileageslaves

Jump

By David Cwi #28490 IT’S

HOT.

TOO

hot. That must be why my GPS keeps telling me to change course. I mean, I do this ride every year. If the Garmin is unhappy, it must mean the Garmin’s brain has fried.

I’m coming out of Hartford, Connecticut, using I-691 to get around and now I’m rumbling along on I-91.

What’s the problem with this stupid device? I know the way to Maine and Nova Scotia. Sure I do, and I’ve been hydrating religiously. So clearly, I’m not the problem. Sure, you guessed it. I missed I-84 and the diagonal up to the Massachusetts Turnpike, but apparently, I think I’m supposed to be on I-91?? That’s a wake-up call. So I stop to get out of the heat and call it a lunch break. After lunch, I’ll roll north to the Massachusetts Turnpike and the turn east toward Boston. All seems good. For a while.

It’s a holiday weekend. I-84, the hypotenuse of the triangle and with the Turnpike one of the legs, ends at the Turnpike. Approaching that merge, traffic rolls to a standstill.

What the &#^&! I’ve got elevation and can see that I-84 is backed up and I-90 not moving. Since the exit is not so far away, I get on the shoulder and catch an exit and roll south on I-84 figuring I’ll pick up a county or state road then head east, magically merging at some point back onto the Turnpike. And of course, you know what happened. All went well until it did not go so well, as when State Road 20, now also loaded with traffic, goes from four lanes to two with construction and stop lights in some

BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

small town and traffic reaches the “stop” phase of “stop and go.”

I’m on the clock and aware that I’m off schedule. Translation: I am pressing. Naturally, in my state of mind, I am Mr. Patient.

No problem. Let’s head south and pick up another road. All the while the Garmin is going nuts. I hit a Shell/Dunkin Donuts in Southbridge, Massachusetts. It is there that I break all the rules chiseled in stone and handed down to Moses on those famous tablets. Not only will you not murder, you will surely not ask a local for directions.

“I need to get to Boston, and the Massachusetts Turnpike is a mess, so don’t send me back there. No, actually, I need to get to 495.”

The answer comes: “Gee. It’s complicated. You’d have to know the backroads. If you can find Oxford, you could get on 395.”

Garmin to the rescue.

By the time it was all said and done I’d lost 90 minutes, and it stayed hot and around 90 degrees into the late afternoon. I stopped in Houlton, Maine, to fill up on USA “cheap gas” and get mentally set for the final four-hour push to Moncton, New Brunswick. But the best was yet to come. I was about to be (from the viewpoint of Canadian truckers anyway) a genuine menace to society.

You see, I have these lights. In fact, I have two pairs of them set high off the fairing and just below the headlight, not unlike old school turn signals. One set is more about conspicuity and standing out in the crowd.

The other is intended to get a beam of light FAR down the road. Dissatisfied with the performance of that set, I had re-aimed them just for this trip. Usually they are turned off. Apparently, I accidentally turned that set on, no doubt when I reached for the button that raises and lowers the windscreen to get more air on my steaming carcass. Let’s just say that as night fell, and as I rolled along the beautiful St. John

River, I was amazed at how well my lights seemed to shine shoulder to shoulder on that four-lane road and light up the distance. I was for sure not outrunning them.

The Canadian truckers I passed were equally amazed.

I will always remember the one trucker who, for some reason, suddenly put on his four-way flashers as I approached him from behind, then just as I passed him turned on his brights and blew his horn.

Naturally, as I was passing he turned on his rear-facing bright headlight to blind me. I mean, what was that guy’s problem?

Soon enough I was parked in Moncton where the heat lingered and the motel heat pump/air conditioner could barely cool the room. The next day started out bright, but clouds quickly rolled in, and I made haste to beat what appeared to be a storm making its way toward Nova Scotia. As I got on the bike, a spritz started, which literally felt like spray from a distant lawn sprinkler. As I learned from Moncton riders showing up at the rally, there was, in fact, a storm literally minutes away that chased me all the way to the Bluenose rally site in Nova Scotia, hitting with force just as I got the tent up and the sleeping pad air filled. That’s Raider Karma.

The great news: another spectacular cross-country ride to one of my favorite destinations. The bad news: This rally is coming to an end soon. I mean VERY soon as in two years from now when they hit their 50th anniversary. What is happening here is happening around the country. It is not just about the aging of the clubs, but the lack of interest among riders in any social activity that relies on folks getting together and volunteering their time for a social cause of any sort. Snowmobile club that needs help to maintain winter trails? You are out of luck. Masons and Rotary? Membership no doubt slipping.

As clubs weaken through the lack of new

blood, I’m wondering if attendance at rallies, in particular, is falling. Excuse me if I’m bitter, but you lazy-buttisimo riders are about to deprive me of one of the great pleasures of my riding season. Most of you have no clue what you are missing.

I’ve been attending this event for probably 20 years. Attendees who were once kids are now adults, and they greet me by name.

Riders who showed up in previous years not in the best of health are there this year and we catch up to see how things are going. The bikes are very cool. The riders are all of good cheer and ready to tell their tales. There is a restaurant in town with seafood to die for, and the best scallops in the world are down in Digby. They still have field events that are old school and a hoot to watch. Other clubs help out and take responsibility for field events or the Friday wine reception and more. The cover band I danced to, led by the best lead singer I’d ever heard, was always there on Saturday night but has now become a memory as he died of cancer. But the new band is fine. You share fellowship and fun, catch up and maybe attend the prayer service on Sunday if you are so inclined. The ashes of a club member or two are even in the grove onsite.

First time there? You’ll enjoy the “Bluenoser” ceremony to welcome you to the rally and Nova Scotia. Then there’s the long ride through town on Sunday morning once we all pack up as a line of bikes, some carrying provincial and national flags, which ends in a fabulous brunch at the local university dining hall with the final awards ceremony ending in a national/provincial song. It’ll all soon be gone because of you.

This year it dawned on me that there were no “kids” around. The 30- and 40-somethings and their kids are absent, so mothers and fathers were not going to be dancing with their kids or themselves, and for sure they wouldn’t be there as dance partners for me. So the two kids who were there as I arrived this year stood out. They were bored, but they are the future. Might as well mosey on over.

Now if you are a 14-year-old killing time at the rally canteen, the last thing you want to do is chat with some loud rider shouting greetings to various folks as he meanders your way. Knowing this, I, of course, inflicted myself on them. Wouldn’t you?

There are two of them. They know one another and give off this vibe that they are buddies of long standing. They are not there with their parents but rather with their grandparents. One is from the U.S. and the other from Canada. They have the “directness of youth,” so if you ask a question you get a straight, unfiltered answer.

Having the death of motorcycling on the brain, I ask them if their generation cares about motorcycles and, while getting my question across, happen to mention that Harley sales are taking a hit. (All right, give me a break. What would YOU ask them!!??)

“Our generation only gets exposed to Harley as a hoodlum brand. If we see it in cartoons or shows for kids, the brand is shown as something hoodlums want. Our friends like dirt bikes and side-by-sides.”

Well, there ya go. Maybe there is some hope, not for brand Harley but at least they did not tell me that motorcycles are only for folks who aspire to be organ donors or some other paranoid nostrum somehow inbred in youth culture. They come from parents quite comfortable with their kid riding around on a Can-Am or bike with granddad in control. They are either the echo of a diminishing sound or the beginning of a new wave, depending on your point of view.

To know if these two have it in them to be “bikers,” all you need to know is one thing and one thing only. Do they like to move? Or, like so many of their generation, are they trapped by screens and twodimensional, visually-addicted reality coupled with meaningless postings of communication that has no real resonance and connection? I can find out in a heartbeat.

“None of my business, but are you ladies bored? Fret not. Folks are just arriving so things will soon pick up, and there’s a good band here Saturday night. Do you dance?”

Now that is not all of it, but it is the epicenter. Dance is movement in 3D space. It is a reaction to the environment, the sound, the beat, and your partner. It is seeing a real person’s eyes flashing. It is hearing genuine laughter. It is living reality right now.

So, do you dance? No response, but instead they look at one another and then the one pipes up, “No, but I can jump!”

Well, it’s a start.

Folks, you are my last hope. See you and your grandchildren down the road!

October 2018 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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lifestyl 76

jacktheriepe

How I arrived at the MOA Rally In Des Moines And what happened to me once there

By Jack Riepe #116117 I HAD TWO AND A

half days to make the BMW MOA Rally in Des Moines…if I could only escape Pennsylvania. The door to Pennsylvania is always open, but the exits are concealed by Amish wagons, towns named after legendary Olympic athletes (who never lived there) and gooey sandwiches that are neither cheese nor steak under close inspection.

My palms puddled cold sweat as I passed the same exit on I-76 for the third time. Nestled in the verdant hills surrounding Lancaster, Pennsylvania are the towns of “Intercourse,” Blue Ball,” and “Castration.” I was trapped in the Amish Triangle.

Each of these communities has a general store, roadside stands and Amish natural habitat (where horses, buggies, and antique farm implements vacuum the cash out of nonAmish pockets). But these three towns represent stages in the natural progression of marriage. In “Intercourse,” you can get roses, ice cream, and quilts. In “Blue Ball,” you get a glimpse of the future. “Castration” is home to the largest concentration of Amish divorce lawyers, and has the only “slaughter your own pork” roadside stand I have ever seen.

Pennsylvania is 2.5 million miles long and is the only natural barrier that keeps Chicago from butting up against Jersey City. Fortunately, 98 percent of this state is beautiful.The soft summer sun (after 4 p.m.) bathes hilly farm fields in a golden light, and

BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

the tunnels of Blue Mountain, Kittatinny Mountain, and Tuscarora Mountain lead to soothing valleys framed by stark straightline ridges that run for miles.

There are four thousand shades of green in Pennsylvania, and you can find them all just off the Pennsylvania Turnpike. I know a dozen backroads through these mountains and ridges, and I had plenty of time to remember the faces of the guys I rode with, two of them lost to memories forever. I thought of a woman I met and loved in this state, and time froze. The spell broke as darkness fell and I headed toward West Virginia.

All states look the same in the dark.

According to the map, West Virginia was just around the corner. It was not. Pennsylvania’s tractor beam grew stronger in the dark. The speedometer read 87 miles per hour, and I was barely moving as I passed a sign that read “Eighty-Four Glyde.” My first thought was that there was a town in Pennsylvania named after a Harley-Davidson.

Why not? They’ll name a town after anything in this state. I imagined a community so bucolic that it fails to start most days, and so it was named after a piece of garage sculpture. “Eighty-Four” and “Glyde” are two separate places, however.

I slammed into the Pennsylvania border with West Virginia about midnight. The border is elastic and was like ploughing into a trampoline. It stretched all the way through West Virginia (about 40 feet) and halfway across Ohio. It released my truck with a huge “twang.”

“Ohio” is a Native American word meaning “just like Indiana.” Indiana became Illinois. The Land of Lincoln is combatting global warming by constructing huge fans across the landscape. Hundreds of these majestic structures stately churned, sending comfortable breezes eastward, where

they push sailboats on lakes in New Jersey.

I know this is true. I saw it. One field was loaded with so many of these fans that I marveled the entire plot (about the size of Hudson County, New Jersey) didn’t just take off and fly.

Crossing the Mississippi is always a thrill for me. So great was my anticipation for this mighty river that I crossed it three times. Once in Ohio, where I thought the river was a little tight in the waist. (This turned out to be the Tiffin River.) I crossed the Mississippi again in the middle of Illinois. (This time it was the Illinois River, which connects the city of Chillicothe with Havana, in Cuba.) When I finally did cross the Mississippi, I barely gave it a glance, considering I’d seen it so often on this trip.

As you head west, rivers in the U.S. turn brown. They are blue in the east because of the high gin content.

Iowa is rumored to be flat and intersected by straight-line farm roads. This is bunk. The state is a collection of gentle rolling hills, intersected by straight-line farm roads. Traffic was light, but peculiar. I was repeatedly cut off by bright yellow airplanes, flying three feet off the ground. One pilot seemed to be trying to polish a single apple, clinging to a drooping branch, on a small tree. He finally gave up, and snatched the apple in his teeth on the last pass.

The Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines is a small city in itself. A main street forms one midway, with two other intersecting boulevards defining the parameters of a huge tent city. Tents popped up like mushrooms in the shade of every tree, in the shadow of every structure, and even in the shadow of doubt cast by several statements I made during my two presentations.

Innovation is always a theme at BMW moto rallies. One “R” bike rider mounted

to help. These included Sue Rihn (Semithe number of whales that could be saved his tent on rollers, and pushed it around nars), Deb Lower (Exhibitors), Karolina by riding “K” bikes. with his GS, keeping it in the shadow of an Francis (Registration), and Reece Mullins/ I spoke again the second day, but my ice cream truck that slowly orbited the Gray Buckley (Security). The first aid cart health was breaking, and I arrived at the event. The forecast for the rally was picked me up whenever they saw me walkevent in a wheelchair. No one batted an eye, unabated solar flares with temperatures ing. (They thought I was dead.) I felt like except Muriel Farrington, who pantoaround the boiling point of lead. This will everybody cared. Nobody spoke politics. mimed laughter. Nearly 400 people filled not be the case next year, when the rally No aspect of this rally would have been every seat, with close to a hundred standwill be he held in June, in the City of Ushpossible for me without the assistance of ing in the back and sitting along the walls. katuck, Iceland.

Larry Ripplinger, the best advance man The crowd started to boil when Voni Glaves I didn’t care about the heat. For the first and roadie anybody could ask for. Larry stood up and yelled, “Start talking, Jersey time ever, I was a full-fledged vendor. My Ripplinger is the embodiment of the BMW Boy.” booth was nicely located in a vendor hall Rider Spirit. The man is indomitable. At I recognized a hundred faces in that the size of a zeppelin hanger. It was air conone point, I was writhing like a snake, and crowd. Gary Schultz and his wife Judy ditioned. No zeppelin ever had it so good.

Larry said, “Jack… make the best of today. came in from Arkansas. Tony Bonnilla The BMW MOA Rally Vendor’s Hall for In 24 hours it will be tomorrow. Things will from New York…Bruce McKelvey from 2018 was an explosion of farkle, riding gear, be much worse.” Larry Ripplinger is one of the Mac-Pac…Patricia Blasovic…Reece motorcycles, ancillary gear, tools, dream the best friends I have. Brian Mansky also Mullins…Chad Gillen…and Andy Gubels, gear, trips to every horizon, and people… jumped onto team Riepe at a critical time. I just to mention a few. Later that day, I got people… my kind of people…BMW ridcan’t wait for next year’s ers…“K” bike riders…and others. The blistering Iowa ONE OF THE MOST TOUCHING MOMENTS I HAD rally in Tennessee. I have already started with my heat drove everyone inside, WAS WHEN A READER OF MY COLUMNS banjo lessons. and I got to meet a couple of My one regret for Des thousand folks I could APPROACHED AND TOLD ME WHAT MY WORK Moines was that I didn’t get never have met individually, anyplace. People felt MEANT TO HIM…UNFORTUNATELY, THIS WAS IN to meet David “Pufferfish” Petersen. “Puff,” as he likes compelled to tell me what THE MEN’S ROOM AND STARTED TO DRAW A to be called, only gave himthey thought of my column.

PECULIAR KIND OF ATTENTION. self a month to cover 2,000 Most showed restraint. miles on his GS. I got a note Women came looking for from him saying he’d be too late for the to meet Peter Burke, Erica Medie, Brian me. Several were armed. A number of “R” rally as raging headwinds prevented his Manke and Bill Dragoo. Wes Fleming used bike riders had hoped I’d be smaller, and machine from hitting 30 mph. I advised me as a slow-moving target for a podcast in promised to return with their gangs. him to stop talking, and his bike did surge front of a live audience, and I got to meet The atmosphere in the Vendor Exhibit to 65 mph, but it was too late, and he turned Steve Semonsky (a Mac-Pac rider from Hall was electric. This rally was the crossback.

PA). I said whatever came to mind, and roads of every conceivable moto innovaWes hit the mute button 700 times. I was tion and invention. Personally, I was interviewed by Kirk Johnson, who is the amazed by the folks at Hannigan Motorenowned “K” bike mechanic and advisor sports. I got a tan at the Clearwater Lights Like the way I write? You’re going to love my to millions through his YouTube videos booth. And I met the most amazing tent books Conversations With A Motorcycle (Kirk’s Motorrad Shop, Crystal Lake, designer—Christine—at the Redverz and its sequel, Motorcycles Speak Louder Illinois.) exhibit. As a first time vendor, I can say this Than Words. Order both through jackriepe.

One of the most touching moments I was the most rewarding experience, and com, a website maintained by my publishers, had was when a reader of my columns dollar for dollar, the most profitable investZadic & Deverelle. Please be advised that approached and told me what my work ment I have made—despite the fact that I the situations and language in these books meant to him…Unfortunately, this was in worked about ten times harder than I may be unsuitable for readers younger than the men’s room and started to draw a pecuthought I would.

39, or anybody who consumes bran and liar kind of attention.

I conducted two sessions this year. The prune juice. Claims that both books obviate There are those who say the era of the first was titled “Tips On Writing Compelthe need for Viagra cannot be verified at this big BMW moto rally is passed. They ling Moto Adventure Stories.” I expected a time. My work is presented to the readers of missed the message and the spirit of Des crowd of about 60 for this “edge-of-yourthis magazine through the insight of the Moines. There are those who talk about chair” nuts and bolts literary discussion.

BMW MOA and through the sponsorship of “association politics.” I was surrounded by More than 200 people filled the room, and BestRest Products.

MOA officials and volunteers who wanted I abandoned my secret plans to lecture on

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77

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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

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2018 BMW MOA national Rally - Des Moines, Iowa Experience the journey

Rally Wrap Up

D ES MO IN ES

By Brian Hinton #135269, Lee Harrelson #145612 and Deb Gasque #182082

80

BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

that we all look forward to.

There are so many people to thank for making this rally posEXPERIENCE THE sible, and we would like to begin by giving a huge “Thank You” to all Committee Chairs BMW MOA N AT I O N A L R A L LY and Co-Chairs. We’d also like to thank everyone who signed success of the rally was Executive Director up for a volunteer position during the Bob Aldridge. His guidance and support rally. We appreciate all of your hard work were always there when we had questions and the hours that you put in to make this or needed support. We are also proud that rally successful. It is indeed a blessing to the MOA Board of Directors supported our have worked with each, and every one of ideas and provided encouragement you, and your professionalism and dedithroughout the rally planning process, and cation was unequaled and made for a we thank each and every one of the Board very smooth weeklong event.

Members for their service to the MOA. We Our 2018 rally was a great success and also thank everyone on the MOA staff. It’s enjoyed many firsts. This year we had 24/7 hard to believe the amount of work that registration, with volunteers offering a goes into running the MOA, and the staff is welcoming smile to point you in the right at the heart of it all. Last but not least, we direction. We had a musical lineup that thank the MOA family and members. To all was the most diverse we have seen in who were able to attend the 2018 BMW years. We had security that was top notch.

MOA Rally, we ask that you share your stoWe held our seminars in air-conditioned ries, invite new people to join us, and buildings near our vendors. We also had spread the good word that is the MOA. the beer garden in a large, air-conditioned It was a great rally in Des Moines, and we building along with some of the best food are thankful that you were able to “Experitrucks in the area to offer nourishment ence the Journey” with us! For those that during the late-night hours while the were not able to attend, we look forward to entertainment was on stage. The pub seeing you next summer in Lebanon, Tencrawls were a huge success and sold out nessee! immediately.

Another driving force behind the

JOURNEY

20 18

The 2018 Rally is over, but the memories will last forever. That is exactly how I continue to feel as the weeks go by. After getting back home to Alabama, almost everyone I’ve seen has asked the same question; “Are you glad the rally is over and behind you?”

My answer usually catches them off-guard when I reply, “Let me tell you, it was the most amazing experience, and I would do it again next week if I could!”

This rally was the experience of a lifetime, and I thank everyone for giving me the opportunity to serve as your 2018 Rally Chair.

The theme for this year’s rally was “Experience the Journey,” and from the first time we stepped foot on the beautiful Iowa State Fairgrounds to the last Sunday of the Rally, I can honestly say that Deb, Lee and I experienced exponentially more than just a journey.

Some of these things will live with us forever, including the people that we had the pleasure of meeting for the first time and those that we had not seen in a while.

That, combined with the stories, camaraderie, energy, and love of motorcycles brought new levels of excitement and joy to each of us.

What is the biggest asset of the MOA Rally? The volunteers, of course. Without our MOA member-volunteers, the rally would be nothing more than a grand idea, but through the hard work of those who gave their time and effort, the rally transforms into a special week each year

IOWA

Rally Door Prizes

Registration

By Perry #89692 and Annette Linn #192087

By Karolina Francis #193671

Wow! When my wife and I were asked to serve as Committee Chairs for Rally Door Prizes we thought this would be just okay and something to do for a onetime thing. Instead, what happened was that we made a lot of friends and had a really great time. Although Annette and I have volunteered in many different positions at previous MOA rallies, we had never helped with Door Prizes. Door Prize Co-Chair Jim Sterling helped us out tremendously, and together we created a beautiful looking booth that flowed really well.

Overall, we gave away nearly 500 prizes from 70 different companies and came up with ideas to help promote the companies that supported us. The volunteers that helped us out made it even that much more fun by keeping the traffic flowing and hooting and hollering when someone won a prize.

This was truly a very fun time and wouldn’t have been possible without all the great door prize donors for the generous gifts.

Registration was a great success this year thanks to our amazing volunteers, my fabulous Co-chairs, and enthusiasm of attendees. We are the first point of contact for rally goers, and it was important to make the registration process as quick, efficient and pleasant as possible. Many riders were tired and hot after a long ride, and all they wanted was to get out of their riding gear, park the bike, set up tent and go get a cold one with friends! We believe that thanks to our volunteers, we were able to make a great first impression!

For the first time, Registration was open 24/7. We had a fairground employee covering the 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. time slot and she did have quite a few customers! We are not sure if this will be the norm going forward, but it worked very well in Des Moines!

Most of our 200 registration volunteers registered online through the Eventbrite ticketing website. Many volunteered for two, three, even four shifts. On Wednesday morning a small group of Registration volunteers finished setting up the area, packed flyers and raffle tickets into rally books and booted the PCs and iPad cash stations.

Many volunteers indicated afterwards that they enjoyed their duties and the opportunity to work with friends from the other clubs.

Thank you to everyone who committed their time to work and have fun. It was a privilege to be working with you to make another rally a success.

I also wanted to thank my fellow Cochairs of the Registration Team including Colleen Sepulveda, Mark Austin, Roger Trendowski, Sam Booth, Ron Tarrington, Greg Straub and Ron Martyn.

We always have such a great time working together! A special thanks goes out to Ray Tubbs—you were such an amazing help for us!

We will again be opening our registration volunteer website next spring and look forward to seeing you all in Tennessee!

Rally Security

By Reece Mullins #143779 First, as this year’s Security Committee Chair I would like to publicly thank all of the security volunteers. Your patience, hard work, and kindness were displayed for all our rally goers to see this year. I would also like to thank my hard working and dedicated Security Co-Chairs: Gray Buckley, Gene Whittier and Mike Bowlin.

This year’s security plan was slightly different from previous rallies. The Iowa State Fairgrounds Security team headed by Doug Mollenhauer and Doug Phillips were responsible for perimeter and gate security and were outstanding in their support of our rally. More times than I can count, the contracted security personnel manning our perimeter would go out of their way to say, “We wish all our events were as well organized and professionally staffed as yours.”

Having 24/7 contracted security at the gate freed up our security team to concentrate on our roving patrol. Working with Rally Chair Brian Hinton and Executive Director Bob Aldridge, we were able to identify our security needs and initiate a resourced plan that enabled our volunteers to be proactive in dealing with security and safety issues on the rally grounds.

Mike Bowlin, an Iowa native, was invaluable as he was the go-to guy for all things Iowa State Fair Grounds.

Eric Spaulding played a critical role in filling a security shift that quickly needed to be filled as the volunteers who had signed up pre-rally were unable to attend.

John Coons, another invaluable volunteer, was able to bring left over hats and tee shirts from previous rallies saving the MOA money and allowing the security team to “go vintage” with our bling.

Gene Whittier was critical as the, “end of the day-secure the vendor building” shift leader which is always a challenging task working to convince both rally-goers and vendors that the buildings need to close but will again be open the next day.

And last but not least, last year’s security committee chair, Gray Buckley, was critical in keeping this year’s new, wet behind the ears, security chair grounded and headed in the right direction.

Every year our rally security requirements change, and next year will be no exception.

The security committee remains committed to providing a safe and secure rally experience for our members and vendors each year. If you think you got what it takes to be a part of the security team next year, don’t hesitate to sign up and volunteer for the few, the proud, the BMW MOA Security Committee.

October 2018 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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October 2018  BMW OWNERS NEWS

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2018 BMW MOA national Rally - Des Moines, Iowa

Outstanding Rider Awards

By Don Hamblin #9931, Awards Committee Chair One of the high points of the any BMW MOA National Rally is always the recognition of the Awards for the Outstanding Riders during the closing ceremony, and this year was no exception.

A new award for Long Distance Sidecar Dog was instituted this year, and it was earned by Glenlivet with Peter Burke as his pilot. We were amazed at the number of people who told us that they are planning on riding their sidecars next year so that their dog can qualify!

I do want to thank my Co-Chair, Karen Mans and all of our volunteers who made this effort such a success.

Long Distance Female Solo Rider

1st – Lauren Bicknell, Britsh Columbia 1927 miles 2nd – Colleen Sepulveda, California 1961 miles

Long Distance Male Solo Rider

2nd – Cris Cuthbertson & Daryl Morgan, British Columbia 1869 miles

Youngest Saddle Passenger

North American Tour

1st – McKenzie Treese 2nd – Rachel Nelson

1st – Beau Grantham 2nd – Rachel Nelson

13,400 miles 13,119 miles

1st – Gordon Apperley, British Columbia 1886 miles 2nd – Malcolm Robinson, California 1816 miles

Rider, Bike, Passenger Combination

Long Distance Sidecar/Trike

Duane Ortgies

1st – Bob Henig, Oregon 1797 miles 2nd – Michael Lindsey, Arizona 1441 miles

Long Distance Two-Up

1st – Karolina Francis & Ella Francis, British Columbia 1897 miles

Glen Eash & Linda Eenwick 170 years

Rider, Bike Combination 142 years

Oldest Female Rider Solo 1st– Carol Taub 80 years 2nd – Dixie Emler 79 years

Oldest Male Rider Solo

1st – David Carter 93 years 2nd – John Strickland 84 years

Oldest Bike Ridden Duane Ortgies

Pioneer Dinner

Morrison Fuelel 8 years

Youngest Female Rider

21 years 31 years

Youngest Male Rider 1st – Aiden Diffley 14 years 2nd – Austin Krvzich 15 year

Largest Virtual Club

1st – GS Giants 66 members 2nd – BMWRATS (Road Animals Touring Society) 27 members

Largest Charter Club

1st – BMW Motorcycle Owners Club of Minnesota 59 members 2nd – Kansas City BMW Motorcycle Club 23 members

Long Distance Side Car Dog Ginlivet (Peter Burk)

Special Award

64 years 1954 R 67/2

By Norm Phoenix #1222 Each year since the 10th BMW MOA International Rally, the MOA Pioneers have held a dinner in conjunction with the rally. The dinners have taken on the feel of a casual family reunion with pleasant conversations accompanying what has always turned out to be good food.

This year’s Pioneer Dinner took place on Friday evening at the Americana in downtown Des Moines with 24 people attending. Three Pioneers, including Chuck Smith, John Moore, and I, were in attendance. We also had a fourth Pioneer family represented; Dave Swisher’s son Jim was able to join us. The remainder of the group included our special guests Terry Clark, Tom Harbrecht, Dick Hautau, Don Denny and Leland and Slina Prothe. Each of them, while they are not Pioneers, have only missed five or fewer of the 46 BMW MOA Rallies. Also in attendance were MOA President Wes Fitzer and MOA Director Bob Aldridge.

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By Deb Lower #9927 The Iowa State Fairgrounds was an incredible facility for the 117 indoor and outdoor exhibitors who were in Des Moines. Josh Asher and Roc Shannon served as Vendor Exhibitor Co-chairs and helped with vendor insurance, worked on the building layout and answered many questions. We enjoyed wonderful support for our Exhibitor On-Site Registration provided by Theresia Shearers and Peggy Garrison.

Together, they checked in the exhibitors and distributed well over 400 exhibitor wristbands during set-up. Paul Wilson and Wayne Garrison supported the Exhibitor set-up efforts and continued to respond to exhibitor questions throughout the rally.

Many thanks to Brian, Lee and Deb for providing the Exhibitor Committee their support of our efforts to meet the exhibitor’s needs. Our volunteer effort was also supported by MOA staff who kept the online exhibitor list updated, continually made improvements in the commercial exhibitor registration process and developed the rally app to provide additional ways to share information about the exhibitors with rally attendees.

The 2018 Exhibitor Committee is looking forward to the 2019 BMW MOA Rally in Lebanon, Tennessee.

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October 2018  BMW OWNERS NEWS

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BMW OWNERS NEWS  October 2018

Thank you to the following photographers for their wonderful work: Darrell Hoemann, Ken Frick and Jim Nyffeler.

2018 BMW MOA national Rally - Des Moines, Iowa

Charity Challenge - 2018

By Karol Patzer #27994 We hope all of you had a great time while “Experiencing your Journey” to Des Moines!

Our 2018 BMW MOA Rally marked the 25th year of the Charter Club Challenge for our national rally charity. Each summer, we challenge our charter clubs to donate $100 or more to support our rally charity. This summer we supported the Children’s Cancer Connection of Des Moines.

Thanks to the following clubs for meeting or exceeding our challenge, and imagine the impact we could make if every club accepted our annual challenge.

Knopf Tours $304.00 BMW Motorcycle Owners Club of Minnesota $303.00 BMW MC Owners of Cleveland $295.00 South Coast BMW $280.00 Madison BMW Club $250.00 BMW Motorcycle Owners of Alabama $250.00 Wisconsin BMW Club $200.00 Camp Glockenspiel $153.00 Badger Motorcycle Club of Wisconsin $100.00 BMW Motorcycle Club of Indianapolis $100.00 BMW Motorcycle Club of Port Washington $100.00 BMW Motorcycle Owners of Vermont $100.00 BMW Club of Houston $100.00 Citi Beemers NYC $100.00 SE Arizona Touring Riders $100.00 During the rally Miranda and Bruce Sanders and their team of 50/50 volunteers raised another $3,390, while three lucky winners took home some unexpected spending cash and donated some of their winnings back. Additionally, our Electronics/Charging station collected $130 and contributions at the Bike Wash/Oil Change added $185. Charlie and William and the coffee team contributed $588 while the Beer Team and beer drinkers added $953. Linda and Allison and the sewing team were also busy and collected $1,182.

An added surprise this year was the BMW MOA’s donation of ticket sales proceeds for the electric bicycle that was raffled, which added $1,940.

With all of this teamwork, we presented a check in the amount of $11,349.15 to Christina Hackbart of the Children’s Cancer Connection.

Thank you for your continuing generosity, and thanks to a lot of hardworking volunteers at the rally. If you’re a member of a club that wasn’t able to meet the challenge this year, please consider challenging your members next year in Tennessee. A simple donation of one dollar per member would mean a lot to our charity.

During the BMW MOA’s 25-year national rally charity program, we’ve been able to present more than a quarter million dollars to our charities.

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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

Preserving our heritage

By Lee DeYoung #31683 The Vintage Display at the 2018 “Experience the Journey” rally was a great time. Located in the main vendor building and nestled between the vendors and the MOA Gear Store, the location offered fantastic visibility, and this year we displayed 34 vintage BMW motorcycles.

Dedicated to the preservation, restoration and enjoyment of BMW motorcycles from the past, the Vintage Display included motorcycles from 1929 through 1976. Jack Wells, always an over achiever, brought two very nice pre-war bikes, a 1929 R 11 and 1931 R 2, along with his 1963 R 50S. To round out the pre-war display, I brought my 1937 R 6 and 1938 R 12.

We had a sellout crowd at Friday morning’s seminar “Restoration and Preservation of Vintage BMWs.” While Jack Wells gave an informative talk on the history pre- and postwar singles, Bob Lonergan talked about paint and different types of insurance and I talked about the joys of importing a vintage bike, customs and the DMV. Our presentation was followed up with a lively discussion on vintage starter bikes, restoration versus preservation, where to find parts and more.

Judging of the vintage bikes took place Saturday morning, and we sincerely thank our judges including Bob Lonergan, Dale Monson, Dutch Lammers, Jack Wells, Jerry Benge, Jim Sullivan, Lee Deyoung and Sam “Ken” Sampson for their time, efforts, and expertise.

The Vintage Awards ceremony took place on Saturday afternoon. The Jim Falk Memorial Award, given for continuously supporting the Vintage Display over many years, honored Dale Monson for his tireless dedication and sharing his experiences and knowledge.

The Vern Mitchell Award is given to those who personally do most, if not all their own work, and pass on that knowledge, and this year the award honored Trig Haroldson, who sponsors a garage night (or is it beer?) twice a month out in the Western suburbs of Chicago.

Awards of Excellence for the restoration and/or preservation of vintage BMW motorcycles were presented to owners receiving the highest scores in their category. Plus, the volunteers who contributed to the success of the rally were recognized with Awards of Appreciation.

Vintage Award recipients include:

Jim Falk Memorial Award Dale Monson

Vern Mitchell Award Trig Haroldson

Awards of Excellence Jack Wells, 1931 R 2 Lee Deyoung, 1937 R 6 Vernon Holes, 1953 R 51/3 Duane Ortgies, 1954 R 67/2 Bob Lonergan,1956 R 25/3 Terry Salak, 1960 R 69 David Elwell, 1963 R 60/2 Donna Mehmen, R 60/2 Don Beverage, 1969 R 60/2 Stewart Hamel, 1971 R 75/5 Joe Steberl, 1971 R 75/5 Karl Siemon, 1975 R 90S Bob Alexander, 1975 R 90S Mark Giess, 1976 R 90S

Awards of Appreciation Bruce Thomas Eileen Dahl Larry Arnold Thomas Homan

The ceremony concluded with a raffle drawing for BMW owners who exhibited their bikes in the Vintage Display, with prizes donated by Bench Mark Works, Dunlop Tires and Max BMW. Thank you to all the volunteers who went above and beyond in helping at the Vintage Display and to all our visitors for your growing interest in the evolution of these wonderful machines. While these vintage BMWs were made to be utilitarian, we have elevated them to art. I’d also like to offer a big thank you to Vintage Display Co-Chairs Bob Lonergan and Jack Wells.

It was fun for all; see you next year in Tennessee.

October 2018 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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BMW OWNERS NEWS  October 2018

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October 13—14

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Las Vegas - Mandalay Bay

WHENANDWHERE

Email your event information to editor@bmwmoa.org

1 6 2 3

4 Map courtesy of

October 1

10/05/2018 - 10/07/2018

41st Annual BMWMCHR Rally

Location: Lanexa, Virginia Contact: Carol Beals (757) 287-5594 rally@bmwmchr.com The campground is just north of Williamsburg and outside of the Historic Triangle of Virginia. There are many wonderful historical sites (Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown) close by with lots of great riding roads.

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BMW OWNERS NEWS  October 2018

2

5

10/12/2018 - 10/14/2018

43rd Falling Leaf Rally

Location: Potosi, Missouri Contact: Bill Haugen rally@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.

3

10/18/2018 - 10/21/2018

2018 Adventure Ribfest

Location: Centerville, Tennessee Contact: ribfest@bmwmcon.org Enjoy great paved roads or dirt roads and trails with many creek crossings for a true adventure. The GS Giants will be hosting the Trials Course as well as an off-road skills class. There will be plenty of primitive

7

camping, lots of campfire conversations, entertainment, and some of the best ribs you’ll ever eat.

November 4

11/09/2018 - 11/11/2018

MOA Getaway Texas

Location: Kerrville, Texas Contact: Y. O. Ranch Hotel (877) 967-3767 Nestled in the heart of Texas Hill Country and full of cowboy spirit, riding this part of the state provides spectacular vistas of wildflowers and sun-kissed rivers over wonderfully rolling hills on the best roads this state offers.

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

5

11/09/2018 - 11/11/2018

16th Gumbo Rally - Swamp Scooters Motorcycle Club Location: Carencro, Louisiana Contact: James Carpenter (337) 298-6340 president@swampscooters.net Rally fee includes great food Friday and Saturday nights as well as breakfast on Saturday, bike games, shaded camping, a great location to camp and enjoy the bonfires.

6

www.cyclenutz.com www.cyclenutz.com/moa

11/09/2018 - 11/11/2018

Middle of the Map Rally 2018

Location: Bixby, Missouri Contact: Skunkwerks Moto and Fabrication skunkwerksmoto@gmail.com The ultimate end of the year road and trail rally, hosted at the GS Trophy qualifier grounds in Bixby, Missouri. Ample camping, challenging trails, fast gravel, and beautiful curvy tarmac all await the most demanding motorcyclist.

January 7

www.ayresadventures.com

01/18/2018 - 01/20/2018

BMW Motorcycle Owners of Northeast Florida 36th Annual Winter Rally Location: Starke, Florida Contact: William Botkin, Co-Rally Chair wfbotkin@comcast.net Start the rally season off right by attending our 36th Annual Winter Rally, “Florida’s Coolest Rally”. Held south of Jacksonville, near Starke, Florida at the beautiful Camp Blanding Joint Training Center. Friday night is our “dogs and brats” dinner with all the trimmings and Saturday is our semi-famous steak dinner. Camping, door prizes, local rides, seminars and much more. Enjoy camping along the shores of beautiful Kingsley Lake,a roaring camp fire (seen from outer space) in the campground and camaraderie with like minded riders.

October 2018 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2018

advertiserindex Adriatic Moto Tours...............................17 ADV Depot................................................64 Adventure New Zealand Tours.........33 AeroFlow...................................................85 AIMExpo....................................................91 Alaska Leather.........................................17 Alaska Motorcycle Adventures.........71 Arai Helmets................................................5 Ayres Adventures...................................93 Beemer Boneyard..................................64 BeemerShop............................................63 Best Rest Products/Cycle Pump.......37 Bike Log.....................................................71 Bing Agency.............................................78 Blue Rim Tours.........................................61 BMW MOA Foundation........................59 BMW Motorcycle Magazine...............94 Bob’s BMW................................................53 Bohn Armor..............................................37 Boxer Works Service..............................33 BullRack.....................................................65 Capital Cycle............................................37 Cardo Systems.........................................38 Clearwater Lights...................................39 Colorado Tourbike Rentals.................75 Continental Tire......................................63 Corbin Pacific...........................................73

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BMW ON (ISSN:1080-5729) (USPS: 735-590) (BMW Owners News) is published monthly by BMW Motorcycle Owners of America Inc., 640 S. Main Street, Suite 201, Greenville, SC 29601. Periodicals postage paid at Pewaukee, Wisconsin and additional mailing offices. Opinions and positions stated in materials/articles herein are those of the authors and not by the fact of publication necessarily those of BMW MOA; publication of advertising material is not an endorsement by BMW MOA of the advertised product or service. The material is presented as information for the reader. BMW MOA does not perform independent research on submitted articles or advertising.

POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO BMW ON, 640 S. Main Street, Suite 201, Greenville, SC 29601 © 2018 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 48, Number 10

October 2018 BMW OWNERS NEWS

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talelight

Priddy Old

Priddy’s General Store located in Danbury, North Carolina, photographed while on my way to Hanging Rock State Park.

Photo by Paul Reginaldi #188754

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