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

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JULY 2021 BMW OWNERS NEWS www.bmwmoa.org

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My 2013 R 1200 RT during a recent trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Photo by Mike O'Neil #208907.

INSIDE

JULY 2021

FEATURES

42 EVERY PART YOU NEED AND MORE THE WAREHOUSE OF HELP AND DREAMS

BY WES FLEMING #87301 Walking through the front door of Wunderlich America, Wes Fleming found both a showroom of new and late-model BMWs and a motorcycle shop. Sadly, the beautiful bikes aren’t for sale, but instead serve as test mules for their wide range of products for nearly all modern BMW motorcycles.

50 I WAVED AT A SCOOTER TODAY BY MATT WANK #217542 After waving at a rider aboard a scooter, Matt Wank wondered if he’d made a mistake. Then, after a bit of reflection, realized that while a motorcycle and scooter may not have enough in common to warrant a connection, we as the people using them certainly do. ON THE COVER: The Tuweep Trail near the north rim of the Grand Canyon during a 1,400-mile tour from California to Colorado. Photo by Ian Feinberg #206734.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

54 FROM THE BACK OF THE BIKE BY ANGELA ECENBARGER $118736 Travel, especially international travel, gives one a perspective on the world that cannot be had otherwise forcing you out of comfort zones and making you feel alive as nothing else can. Doing so while on the back of a motorcycle adds a new dimension—exhilaration!

A recent article reminded me of a photo I took in September of 2018 when a friend and I ran across this rider and his passenger "at the end of the road!" Photo by Steve Martin #69767.

4 HEADLIGHT Ride Like the Wind Chuck by Bill Wiegand 8 FROM THE BOARD

A Changing of the Guard

by Reece Mullins

10 POSTCARDS FROM THE ROAD

12 RIDER TO RIDER Letters from our Members 14 NEWS Sena’s new Outrush R Smart Helmet,

Dunlop releases a Mutant, The MotoLady’s Book of Women Who Ride, Save your TFT with a lock from Touratech, Please Welcome our new BMW MOA Board Members, Welcome our newest MOA members.

26 MEMBER TESTED No-Mar Re-Usable Spoke Weights by Mark Hearon

28 MEMBER TESTED Pit Bull’s Hybrid Dual-Lift Front Stand by Mark Barnes

32 MEMBER TESTED Eastbound Wheel Service Toolkit by Bill Shaw

34 KEEP 'EM FLYING Transmissions! by Matt Parkhouse 38 TORQUE OF THE MATTER Setting a Maintenance

FROM THE FOUNDATION A Little Work to do after

Great Falls by Ted Moyer

62 66

Basic Training Fails (Part 2) by Jon DelVecchio

Another Lesson in Motorcycles and Physics: the Centerstand Lift by Rik Lewis

68 Those Who Have and Those Who Will! by Jerry Johnson 70 SHINY SIDE UP How Smart is You? by Ron Davis 72 DETOURS One Secret to Success by Bill Shaw 74 THE RIDE INSIDE Habit-Forming by Mark Barnes 76 FINAL JOURNEY Jackie Paul Brunken by Peter Perrin 78 MILEAGE CONTEST Congratulations to our 2020-2021

Annual Mileage Contest riders by Jim Low

91 WHEN AND WHERE Rally listings 95 ADVERTISER INDEX 96 TAILIGHT

Baseline for a New-to-You bike by Wes Fleming

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

HEADLIGHT

THE PAST 16 MONTHS HAVE BEEN HARD FOR MANY OF US WHO USE OUR

RIDING LIKE THE WIND

By Bill Wiegand #180584

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

motorcycles to gather with friends. The need to maintain social distance has made riding and gathering in groups difficult, and because of it, most events and rallies were canceled. Though motorcycling is primarily an individual endeavor, our destinations usually include a social element. Our rally in Great Falls would be the first opportunity for many of us to finally get together again with riding friends scattered throughout the country whom we only see at BMW events. I’m deeply saddened I didn't see my friend Chuck Manley there this year and that a phone conversation we had a few months ago was the last time I’d speak with him. Chuck was the BMW MOA Board president when I joined the MOA staff in January of 2014. As president, he led us through a difficult period, seeing many changes within our organization. As Mandy Manley, Chuck’s daughter in law, wrote in his “Final Journey” article in last month’s issue of BMW Owners News, if you attended a BMW National Rally, chartered club rally, MOA Getaway, or just about any other BMW event over the past 46 years, you have probably met Chuck Manley. His accomplishments were many, and over the years, Chuck helped found two BMW MOA Chartered Clubs: the Dinky Dozen and the Knights of the Roundel. For the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, Chuck’s service began in 2000 when he and his wife Julie were asked to serve as nominating committee chairs for the 2001 MOA board elections. Then, later that year, he was appointed to the MOA Board of Directors, serving multiple terms as director and board president from 2013-16. Most recently, Chuck served on the MOA Foundation Board. Over the years, Chuck served in countless committee chair positions and as Rally Co-Chair in 2012, a position considered by many to be the most time-consuming and strenuous volunteer position within the MOA. He was also an MOA Ambassador, recipient of the BMW MOA’s Helping Hand Award for assisting riders in need, and his phone number was always listed in the BMW Owners Anonymous book. Chuck also received one of the highest awards given to individuals when in 2012 he was recognized by the BMW Clubs International Council as a Friend of the Marque. Despite all of the accolades, Chuck remained one of the most humble and unassuming men I’ve ever met. Over the years, I’ve heard countless stories about riders, alone and perhaps apprehensive about attending their first club rally, MOA Getaway or National Rally, who were noticed and welcomed by Chuck and later invited to join his circle around a campfire. I feel lucky to have ridden with Chuck and Julie just a couple of times and blessed to have attended his Celebration of Life memorial service last month. Outside the Le Roy, Illinois, Sportsman Club stood a couple of Chuck’s bikes near a circle of Kermit chairs. Inside the building, it was standing room only and filled with family and friends gathered to honor the man they missed so much. Surrounded by walls filled with photographs and plaques, tables displaying albums of images, and even some of Chuck’s gear chronicling his many years on two wheels, hugs were given, stories were shared, and many tears were shed. Maya Angelou said that in the end, people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. I know Chuck will never be forgotten. Ride like the wind Chuck Manley.

The Eyes of Texas Mike McCrary #148315 found this colorful mural in Alpine, Texas, after a few days of off-road riding in the Big Bend region of the state.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

FROM

THE

BOARD

A CHANGING OF THE GUARD AS I WRITE THIS COLUMN, THE MOA STAFF AND CLUB VOLUNTEERS ARE IN FULL

By Reece Mullins #143779 MOA Board Vice President

tilt, preparing for the long-awaited BMW MOA National Rally in Great Falls, Montana. As our esteemed and long-serving BMW MOA President, Wes Fitzer, has reached the end of his second three-year term on the board, I have been asked to report on behalf of the board. So, for the month of July until the board meets and elects our new club officers, you’ll have to suffer through my rusty attempts to communicate to my fellow members. Leaving the board with Wes will be fellow board directors and officers Treasurer Stan Herman and Secretary Sue Rihn. I count myself greatly blessed to have served with these great officers and directors. Wes, Sue and Stan have been, and will continue to be, dedicated, hardworking volunteers, what I like to refer to as “True Believers.” Like so many of our members, these three directors embody what our club is all about. They, like me, have seen the true nature of our club, which means the selflessness of our volunteers and the kindness and sacrifice that our members exhibit towards each other, to the communities we rally in, and towards the riding community as a whole. Being on the board and working with great volunteers like Wes, Sue and Stan constantly reminds me that our passion as a club, while often centered around riding BMW motorcycles, has to extend beyond the motorcycle and to the rider. Supporting the rider and the member will always be our number one priority as a club. It has to be, it is the core value of our club, and it must remain the central focus of club leadership for this great organization to continue to thrive into the distant future. 2022 will be our club’s Golden Anniversary and will be a special time for our club. The challenges of the 2020 pandemic and the global political and economic upheavals that followed revealed that our club structure and foundation were strong and remain intact. Due to the hard work of our staff and volunteers, our club was able to not only remain intact, but also remained financially and structurally viable. As a member, please, I implore you, do not take these herculean efforts for granted; get out there and take advantage of our club’s Getaways, our annual rally and our new “Motorrad Festival” scheduled for September of this year. I understand those of us with full time jobs like me may find it hard to attend multiple events each year, but I assure you that your vacation time will be well spent if you can. I would like to close with a quick overview of the state of our club. Looking out over my proverbial roundel-emblazoned handle bars at the road ahead, as a club we are healthy and well positioned for the future. Our club financials are strong, our membership numbers are growing steadily, and our membership demographics are becoming more diverse, offering a wealth of skills, enthusiasm and talent that fresh blood always brings to any institution. Though it is difficult to predict, I believe (yes, my experience in the club and on the board has made me an optimist as of late) social, political, economic and cultural forces are aligning themselves to benefit our club and the motorcycling industry as a whole, both globally and here in North America. I hope my humble message finds you and your family well. Until we meet or meet again, gear up and get out there and ride…it’s what we do.

Reece Mullins 8

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

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POSTCARDS

FROM

THE

ROAD

Left, My 1996 R 1100 GS at The Pagoda in Reading, Pennsylvania. Photo by Matthew R. Martin #221744. Below left, My 2009 R 1200 GS photographed on a gorgeous spring day near the Big Belt mountains not far from Great Falls, Montana. Photo by James Finlayson #115103. Below right, Rotti, our 2002 K 1200 RS photographed at the Rincon Valley Fire District building in Vail, Arizona. Photo by Deryle Mehrten #58537. s

Opposite page top , My riding buddies Mark and Laura aboard their F 750 GSes photographed near the Mount Ranier National Park Visitors Center. With 1,000 inches of snow each year, the destination isn't always motorcycle friendly, but in April 2021, it was perfect. Photo by Charles Porter #54193. Opposite page left center, my 2013 R 1200 GS overlooking a beach at Bahia Concepcion in the Gulf of California during a recent ride through Baja, California. Photo by Steve Ladd #195576. Opposite page bottom left, My '09 F 800 ST photographed during a ride through White Sands National Park. Photo by Petra Pietrzak #213046. Opposite page bottom right, An image from a recent five-day ride from the San Francisco Bay area. Photo by David Smith #199231.

Each month we publish the great images sent to us by BMW MOA members from their travels around the globe. Send us your best images and you could have your work published in our Postcards from the Road pages. Email your high resolution images, image description and contact information to editor@bmwmoa.org.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

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

Best to Start Small

I just ﬁnished cleaning and prepping my bike (bug removal and tire pressure checks) for a ride with another rider! The exclamation point is because I am a solo act 99.99 percent of the time. But, I am actually writing to commend Wes Fleming on his May 2021 article “The Too Much Bike Myth.” Since I have been riding for about 45 years, and a half million miles, I like to kid myself (sometimes) into thinking that I’m an “experienced” rider. Truth be told, every single time I straddle and ride a motorcycle, I yearn to learn something. Over the years, I’ve been queried on many aspects of motorcycling from new and/or prospective riders and, “What size bike should I get?” is usually among them. The “Too Much Bike Myth” is very real, IMO. I have told people that, to a great degree, the displacement of the motorcycle should not be their main concern. Very early on, I rode a Yamaha RD350 that tried to kill me every single time I rode it. “Too Little Rider” may sound harsh, but most of life’s lessons usually do, don’t they? The word I have used many a time when counseling someone in the ﬁne art of two-wheeling at speed is R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Respect that whatever machine you are riding is easily capable of quickly putting you in a situation for which you hopefully have the correct response. Many years ago, while riding my K 75 S out on Block Island, I was rolling into town and came upon a woman who ran out in the road screaming and crying. Turns out, she and her friend were on mopeds with no helmets or protective gear and her friend went down hard in the 90-degree turn coming into the port area of town. She was bleeding badly from her head and the woman said that an ambulance had been called. I spent some time with that woman

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

who was injured and stayed until the ambulance attendants whisked her away. I’m very sure that she and her friend were having quite a great time up until that turn, and those were mopeds. Improving our Attitudes, Experience, Gear and Simple Common Sense will take us much further than the “What CC should I get?” argument ever will. Okay, I’m going to go ride now...Ride Safe, Ride Smart, y’all! Bob Boucher #49694 Espanola, New Mexico

My Conversion to BMW

I bought my first street bike in 1966––a Ducati 90 Cadet. It went fast enough for around town, but not fast enough for freeways. I rode that bike for around a year and then put the motor in a Honda Mini Trail frame which was a perfect home for it. From that, I moved up to a Harley Davidson 1954 K H Flathead, which was a precursor to the Sportster line. It was not fast by today’s standards but was way faster than the Ducati 90. That was followed by a 1978 Sportster, a Moto Guzzi El Dorado, a 1980 Yamaha Midnight Special and eight Yamaha Ventures. I bought the first two new, then I started buying wrecked ones and re-building them. They were great bikes for their day. I was at a rally in New Mexico when I saw a two-year-old 1998 BMW K 1200 LT Deluxe. I took it for a test drive. The dealer said that when I got back to the rally site to ride on the de-composed granite and “just put on the brakes hard.” I said, “OK, it’s your bike.” As soon as I did that, I was sold! The bike just stopped with no fuss. It was great looking, fast, comfortable, and carved the corners well, but the brakes are what closed the deal. I have since

owned three K 1200 LTs, a K 1300 GT, K 1600 GT, R 1200 RT, one R 1200 GS Adventure, and a little G 310 R. They all had great brakes and, except for the 1300 GT, had no problems to speak about. I just received my BMW High Mileage award for 300,000 miles and have ridden in Canada, down to the tip of Baja, and in 2019, finished my 50 states and nine Canadian provinces. I am planning a trip to Alaska this summer if the place is open and will be taking the GS on that trip. The brakes on my BMWs have saved my butt several times over the years. I have met lots of great guys and gals on BMWs. I ride with the River City Beemers in Sacramento, California, and we are planning on seeing all you great bikers in Montana this June and are shooting for 40+ bikes from the River City Beemers and NorCal. Roger V. Sweitzer #191099 Lincoln, California

Places worth Mentioning

I recently completed a multi-day ride with five friends in the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains area. As many of you know, it’s hard to find a great motorcyclefriendly lodging option at times, but I think we hit the jackpot with two nights at the Lodge of Tellico Plains, Tennessee. Walt and his wife own the lodge and were super friendly and helpful, and their motorcycle garages with electronic security access was something I have only seen in Europe. For our ride in, the day consisted of six hours of hard rain, so we were ready to be off our bikes that evening. When Walt offered to make a pizza and run to town to get supplies for us, he had some customers for life. After two nights at the lodge, my group moved on to our third night of lodging at the Iron Horse Station Inn at Hot Springs, North Carolina. There, Jim

and his crew are motorcycle riders, and they gave us a lot of welcomed local knowledge for our riding over breakfast. For those that have never been in that area, Hot Springs has some of the best riding in North Carolina. Both places are shining examples of top shelf properties and staff who embrace motorcycle tourism. As motorcycle riders, we all need to take a moment and spread news about places like the Lodge and Iron Horse when we get great service. When traveling, I hope all MOA members will make a point to support and vote with your dollars at motorcycle friendly local businesses. I would love to see other members send in their positive reviews of local businesses that welcome motorcyclists in their areas or while traveling. Fred Bramblett #101458 Vine Grove, Kentucky

Too Much Bike

I read “Too much bike” by Wes Fleming. I agree to a point, but the problem with inexperienced riders is they tend to overestimate their ability! I was on a tour of the Alps that said when you booked it, that it was only for experienced proficient riders. One rider on the tour fell three times in the first pass. He admitted to the tour guide that he couldn’t do it, so they gave him easy routes to the hotel. Gregory Porobil #1892323 Metairie, Louisiana

New Mexico Turning!

I get off on turning and the more I do, the more I see it as an addiction. Last year, I took a trip to Palmer Motorsports Park in central Massachusetts that did nothing but affirm my budding dependence. The ability to go faster and faster as the day went on did nothing but give me more confidence to lean further and further into turns and

concentrate on things like apex and shift sequence. I recommend this experience for all who ride. This year I planned my annual trip to the west to satisfy my addiction for speed and turns. Unbeknownst to me, my plan would take me to some of the best turns in the country–some I knew about and some I didn’t! I usually tour in June or July, but Mother Nature had a different plan for me. No northern route this time, and the wet weather was more evident and unpredictable. It was the first week of May 2021, and I left Frederick, Maryland, and ran into rain in the western part of the state. Cold and wet, I pulled out my heated jacket. After that, it was dry, but cool, and I made it to New Mexico without a problem where I spent a great night at the Acoma Reservation Casino Hotel. From there, I took off for Springerville, Arizona, and the Coronado Trail, a great ride with an abundance of turns down to Morenci, Arizona, and the Three Way Store for gas. The views were great and the White Mountains did not disappoint with almost no traffic and wide-open unlimited turns. East from Three Way took me to Silver City, New Mexico, and a great experience with switchbacks, sweeping turns and pleasant temperatures. I soon discovered that the best turns of my riding career were unfolding in front of me along Route 15 from Silver City to the Cliff Dwellings in the Gila Wilderness and were amazingly unexpected. Now, I have done the Million Dollar Highway, the Bear Tooth Highway, Coronado Trail and Route 100 in Vermont, but nothing that I experienced in my riding past prepared me for those amazing 44 miles–turns upon turns that just never seemed to end. I did the round trip four times while throwing in some hiking, fishing, hot spring soaking and possibly some sleeping. I would have liked to have stayed for a month, but family and work was beckoning. I left after four great days and rode east into central New Mexico

on Route 152 over Emory Pass, which was a great end to an amazing New Mexico riding and camping experience. The MOA would do well to schedule an MOA Getaway in Silver City. Great road riding and some of the most remote off-road riding that you will experience. Richard Mead #144691 Frederick, Maryland

A Riepe correction

Regarding Mr. Riepe’s contribution to the 2021 March BMW Owners News, he is mistaken about one thing, possibly more. A COVID-19 mask does not make it impossible to differentiate between a congressperson and a felon. Since 1776 it has been impossible to make that distinction. Larry Pepper #52400 East Dundee, Illinois

Mileage Contest

Is the mileage contest still a thing? It just seems like a contest of the total miles ridden is getting old. I like what a member from Wisconsin recently wrote about his local club changing it up to how many counties the members could ride to. How about doing something like that each year for the MOA instead of just total miles. I’ll make the first suggestion: How many ballparks a member rides to. You could do a point total and/or mileage total, 25 points for a major league ballpark, 10 points for a minor league ballpark, five points for a local or high school ballpark. That way everyone could do it even if they do not live in a major metropolitan area. Date-stamp a picture with your bike at each ballpark with a city and name associated with the ballpark. As always, it’s just a suggestion. Ron Bongard #136505 Anthem, Arizona

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

NEWS

Sena’s new Outrush R Smart Helmet Sena Technologies, Inc. recently launched the highly anticipated Outrush R smart modular motorcycle helmet—the evolution of Sena’s original Outrush helmet. Packed with Sena’s communication features, the DOT and ECE rated Outrush R is now available in North America. The Outrush R’s features include a modular design with an integrated and retractable sun visor, integrated speakers and microphone, Bluetooth 5.0 Intercom, two-way HD Intercom, smartphone connectivity and more. The DOT and ECE rated modular helmet also features a multi-density EPS liner, a lightweight shell and three-way ventilation located on the chin, top, and rear. A ratchet strap easily secures the helmet and provides a comfortable and secure fit. The Outrush’s four-way intercom allows up to four riders to pair their Sena Bluetooth devices to one another. Additionally, when connecting to just one other rider, users will experience two-way HD Intercom to enhance audio quality while riding. Users can expect a half mile intercom range and an impressive talk time of up to 12 hours. Additionally, Outrush R users can also pair the helmet with their smartphone to listen to music, take phone calls, hear turn-by-turn GPS directions and more. The Outrush R helmet is available in Matte Black and Glossy White and in sizes S, M, L, XL, and XXL. The all-new helmet can be purchased on BuySena.com, through their network of dealers, and soon on Amazon.

Protect your TFT display from thieves! From the factory, the TFT display on late model BMWs is secured to the bike by three small clips. If stolen, the display would cost the owner around $2,000 to replace, and that is assuming no additional damage was done during the theft. Protect your TFT display with a Touratech TFT Anti-Theft Guard for 2017 and later R 1200/50 GS and GS Adventure models. MSRP for the guard is $54.95 without sun visor and $64.95 with sun visor. Visit Touratech-usa.com for more information.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

Dunlop makes a Mutant Dunlop’s new Mutant tire is the latest addition to their premium performance product line. With an aggressive tread pattern, a high-level of grip, rain or shine, plus high mileage, the Mutant packs a broad portfolio at a high-performance level. The Mutant is available in a host of sizes that fit more than 250 motorcycle models available in the U.S. Dunlop’s patented MT (Multi-Tread) technology in the rear-tire uses a high-mileage compound in the center of the tread for maximum mileage and high-grip lateral compounds on the shoulders for maximum grip and performance. Multi-Tread helps deliver the best of both worlds: class-leading mileage and cornering grip that rivals purpose-built sport tires. JLB (Jointless Band technology) uses a continuously wound belt within the tire carcass, limiting dynamic growth and making handling more consistent. 4ST (Four seasons Technology) combines ply materials and hi-silica compounds with deep, uniquely shaped tread grooves to displace water for maximum traction in wet conditions. Dunlop is the largest supplier of original equipment and replacement motorcycle tires in the USA. For more information, visit dunlopmotorcycletires.com.

The MotoLady's Book of Women Who Ride Written and curated by Alicia Mariah Elfving, founder of TheMotoLady.com and the “Women’s Motorcycle Show” and arguably the most notable advocate for women who ride motorcycles, The MotoLady’s Book of Women Who Ride subverts all the tired women-and-motorcycle tropes, offering true stories of women past and present who ride and wrench as well as anyone. Elfving presents more than 70 figures in the motorcycle world, from the Americas to Europe and even the Middle East and South Asia—stunt riders, racers, builders, customizers, organizers, and more. Elfving links today’s women motorcyclists with those of the past and illustrates the freedom represented by two wheels and how motorcycles allow women to transcend cultural expectations confidently. You’ll meet riders such as Sofi Tsingos, who raises money for charities by building and auctioning motorcycles, safety ambassador Brittany Morrow, who found her calling after surviving a high-speed crash with no gear, the Van Buren sisters, who in 1916 were among the first motorcyclists to ride coast to coast and the first women to ride to the summit of Pikes Peak, and the late Jessi Combs, an iconic TV personality, metal fabricator, and land-speed record holder. Overwhelmingly positive, Elfving instills confidence and can-do rather than providing an echo chamber of common complaints among women in motorcycling. In addition, The MotoLady’s Book of Women Who Ride is illustrated throughout with contemporary and historical photos of the author’s subjects, comprising a beautiful as well as inspiring package. The MotoLady’s Book of Women Who Ride is available at your favorite online retailer.

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

NEWS

Please Welcome our new BMW MOA Board Members By Sue Rihn #43753 BMW MOA Secretary CONGRATULATIONS TO LOUISE C.

Powers (#212117) of Prunedale, California; Paul Di Marchi (#83295) of Whitewater, Colorado; and Adam Chandler (#207579) of Enfield, New Hampshire, who are the three candidates elected to the MOA Board of Directors as determined by votes cast by MOA members throughout April 2021.

Louise C. Powers

To the candidates not elected, thank you for being committed BMW MOA members willing to make the effort and do the necessary work to place your name on this year’s ballot. For members interested in running for future board elections, another opportunity will come again in less than 12 months.

Paul Di Marchi

The new Board members will be installed as Directors during a Board meeting in June at the BMW MOA National Rally in Great Falls, Montana, and will take the seats of Wes Fitzer, Stan Herman, and Sue Rihn, whose terms have expired.

Adam Chandler

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

Another Reason to hit the road this summer

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Motorcycle.Michelinman.com @michelinmotorcycle #MichelinOnMyMoto Michelin Visa® Reward Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and can be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. No cash access. The Bancorp Bank; Member FDIC. The Bancorp Bank does not endorse or sponsor and is not aﬃliated in any way with any product or service oﬀered by Michelin. | Copyright © 2021 Michelin North America, Inc. All rights reserved.

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NEWS

Welcome our newest MOA members "I joined BMWMOA since I am newly retired and riding to Laconia for the rally this year. I also decided to jump in and registered for the NC Getaway too, so it'll be nice to get my feet wet and meet some new friends along the way. My current scoot is a 2016 R 1200 RT." Greg Seifter #223611

Kerry Abernathy Colorado Springs, CO Pedro Afable Green Cove Springs, FL Brian Agnew Tucson, AZ Derek Ahl South Berwick, ME Bernhard Albrecht Berlin A.C. Almarode Camden, SC Zaid Ammari Northville, MI Karmyn Anderson Abbotsford, BC Constantine Andrews Chicago, IL Dave Appleby Bay City, MI Ross Armstrong Madison, AL Dana Arnett Chicago, IL Ken Arnold Woburn, MA James Ash Somersworth, NH Martin Atisha Orchard Lake, MI Russell Aucoin Fredericton, NB Dane Austad Portland, OR John Badman Weston, VT Doug Bakke Valrico, FL Benjamin Bambauer Redding, CA David Bankson Merced, CA Henry Barber Salt Lake City, UT Heath Barbier Issaquah, WA Shanne Bartow Las Vegas, NV Steven Bechtold Davis, CA Doug Beers Traverse City, MI Jennifer Behnam Seattle, WA Carlton Bell Darien, GA Arnold Benfield Weaverville, NC Brian Bennett Muncy, PA Iris Bitner Havana, FL David Black Etters, PA Doug Blackwell Phoenix, AZ

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

Timothy Bleich Potosi, WI Rudolf Bless Charlotte, NC Eric Bloom Colorado Springs, CO David Bluhm Minnetonka, MN Donald Bode Negaunee, MI Eric Bohr Castro Valley, CA David Bolick Salisbury, NC John Bollig Madison, WI Chris Brackett Hudson, NC Bill Braile Riverton, NJ Jonathan Bregman Santa Cruz, CA Michael Brewer Vail, AZ Josh Brewer Pike Road, AL Brian Brock Olympia, WA Gerry Brosky Halifax, NS Garry Brown Sooke, BC Bobby Brown Lansdale, PA Michael Brown New Brockton, AL Jackie Bruce Beaumont, CA Patrick Buchwald Monument, CO Michael Buck Cambridge, MA Paul Bunde Greensboro, NC Jenero Burke Atlanta, GA Dave Burr South Lyon, MI Luis Bush Townsend, MA Frank Butcher Santa Barbara, CA Christina Byrnes Mississauga, ON Christopher Caird Golden, CO Gilbert Calunsag Mandaue, NY Robert Campbell Kansas City, MO Randy Cann Edwardsville, IL Joe Caron Streetsville, ON Robert Carr Winchester, CA

John Carr Mount Carmel, IL Bill Carron Weymouth, MA Don Casto Havana, FL Val Cervantes Novato, CA Brian Chambers Enterprise, AL Mark Charles Cornish, NH Guillaume Cheroux Calgary, AB Christian Childers Saint Augustine, FL Tom Christiansen Lutsen, MN Dave Christy Sarver, PA Rocky Chung Newtown, PA Jesse Clawson Liberty, MO William Clayborn Jasper, GA David Clement Maggie Valley, NC Jim Clendenin Brookhaven, GA Hope Clendenning Wisconsin Rapids, WI Patrick Cline Savannah, OH William Cober Elkins, WV Fernando Cofani Charlotte, NC Con Collier Salt Lake City, UT Marty Collins Mountain View, CA Brycen Collins Saint Clair Shores, MI Gerald Collins Atlanta, GA Eric Common North Chesterfield, VA Oscar Corona Menlo Park, CA Alexis Corral Newtown, CT Sean Creed Connersville, IN Erik Cronenworth Shelby Township, MI Billy Cruz South Richmond Hill, NY Jake Cruze Frederick, MD Jed Dackert Bend, OR Dave Dambro Schaghticoke, NY Keith Danielson Pentwater, MI

"I love riding and have done it since I was 16. My first cycle was a Vespa Scooter as it was I could afford from mowing lawns—it was great fun. My father was not too keen on me riding, but did allow it. Over the next couple years, I brought and sold a Yamaha 180, Honda 305 then took my BSA Lighting Bolt to Chico State with me. I stopped riding when my two Children were born. Six years later, I met Ozzie from Ozzie BMW Chico who delivered my first R 65 to my house. It was used but wonderful to ride again. Never leaked a drop and kept me happy for several years. At my 40th birthday I bought a 1990 Red and Cream Harley Heritage Classic, is was beautiful. After several trips to Sturgis with the boys, my shoulder gave out and I ended with a shoulder replacement. I needed a better road bike, and bought my first BMW, a 2005 R 1200 RT. I’m now on my third RT. I purchased an R 1200 RT on December 20, 2018 from A&S in Sacramento. A friend Carmen, also a MOA member, brought me several magazines to read, and wallah!, I joined the club. I expect to attend my first BMW Rally in Great Falls in June." Stephen James #224524

Ryan Davies Fort Lauderdale, FL Brant Davis Austin, TX Paul De Preter Monterey, MA Michael Denoun Venice, CA David DeRosa Newburyport, MA Jean Francois Harrington, QC John Desko Albuquerque, NM Mark DeSouza Philadelphia, PA Joe Diedrich Firebaugh, CA Carl Donaldson Ridgeville, SC Dawna Donaldson Ridgeville, SC Pat Donnelly Charlton, MA Bradley Doyle Fairview Heights, IL John Doyle Philadelphia, PA Alex Drake Meridian, ID David Drumheller Sr Trumansburg, NY Shelby Edwards Saline, MI Gary Egan San Francisco, CA Gina Elchami Dearborn Heights, MI Mary England Casper, WY Bill England Casper, WY Oded Eny Maple, ON David Evans Saint Louis, MO Josef Faig Cumming, GA Anthony Falin Maryville, TN Joseph Farahany Chicago, IL Donna Farrell Blountville, TN Ryan Faulkner Highlands Ranch, CO Ronald Felix Chevy Chase, MD Erik Fernquest Silver City, NV Stephen Finch Sherwood, OR Roly Fisher Nashua, NH

Carl Fitch Castle Rock, CO Audrey Flener Plymouth, MI Philip Foster Sharon, MA Mark Fox Deckerville, MI Matthew Fox Coon Rapids, MN Aaron Fox McAllen, TX Jeffrey Frankel Crockett, CA Gary Freeman Grand Junction, CO Lisa French Salt Lake City, UT Josh Friedman Austin,TX Ivan Fronefield Rio Rancho, NM Craig Frye Bloomfield Hills, MI Jacob Furgatch Newport Beach, CA Dennis Garrett Key Largo, FL Michael Gates San Diego, CA John Giacobbe Parker, CO Tom Giberson Lake Orion, MI James Gilliland Chattanooga, TN Don Glush Waterford, MI Andrew Godwin Denver, CO Joseph Goias Union Beach, NJ Tony Golab AB Pete Goldberg McKinleyville, CA Garth Goldberg Winchester, MA Joe Golden Ridgeland, MS JL Gposs Decatur, GA James Green Salem, OR Joel Gregory Acworth, GA Charles Gregory Meg Griffith Johns Creek, GA Steven Griggs Niceville, FL Kirk Groesbeck Milford, MI

Richard Gustin Montrose, CO David Gutowski Mandeville, LA Ben Hahn Friendswood, TX Michael Hammill Alamance, NC Christopher Hansen Anderson, SC Kenneth Haynes Mountain Rest, SC Scott Hecker Billings, MT Robert I Heide Palmyra, VA Ryan Hemphill Caldwell, ID Mark Herman Livonia, MI James Herring Vacaville, CA Timothy Hess Paxton, IL Tom Hicks Waverly, IA Ralph Hiller Upland, CA Lloyd Hillier Newcastle, ON Quentin Hilpert Duncan, AZ Douglas Hoerr Tucson, AZ Wolfgang Hokenmaier Burlington, VT Robert Holt Bothell, WA Charles Hostovsky ON Jelani Howard Hammond, IN Roscoe Howard Caldwell, ID Andrew Hsu Fairway, KS Zachary Hunter Las Vegas, NV Craig Hunter Mesa, AZ Michael Hurley Sandpoint, ID Stephen Indersano Natick, MA Stan Isenberg Huntingdon, PA Anne Jacobson Ferndale, MI Doug Jacot Kingston, WA Stephen James El Dorado Hills, CA Steve Jansen Santa Rosa, CA

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

NEWS

James Jantti Stilwell, KS Rich Jarcy Gettysburg, PA Marvin Jaster Cotter, AR Chanchal Jayan Hamilton, NJ Kevin Jennings Reno, NV Chris Johns Temecula, CA Brian Johnson Brighton, MI Robert Johnson Lawrence, KS Paul Johnson Walled Lake, MI Brion Johnson Snohomish, WA Neil Johnson Silver Spring, MD Wes Jones Annapolis, MD David Jost Berkeley, CA Sathish Kadiresan Carmel, IN Koundinya Kalinahhabhotia Hamilton, NJ Dinesh Karuna Harrisburg, NC Michael Keehn Clear Spring, MD Shawn Kelley Montgomery, OH Robert Kemp Conifer, CO Stephen Kennedy Chanhassen, MN Paul Kennedy Bloomfield Hills, MI Des Kennedy Thorold, ON Rick Kilback Salmon Arm, BC Vincent Kim Lorton, VA Jeff Kirby Auburn, AL Jason Kirk Skowhegan, ME Dan Klassen Port Robinson, ON Davids Knotts Seymour, IN Steve Kochan Lake Forrest, CA Hank Kogel Hill City, SD Dimitrios Kountouris Napa, CA Jack Kranz Haven, KS Mark Krauss Shepherdsville, KY Richard Kuechenmeister Oviedo, FL Aaron Lafary Cedar Park, TX Ray Lahaye Macomb, MI Jonathan Land Houston, TX Kristina Landin Henderson, NV Eli Lapp Yonkers, NY Alexander LaRose California, MD Mike Ledbetter Pendleton, OR Christopher Lee Inver Grove Heights, MN Chris Lehenbauer Worcester, NY Eric Lehmann Port Orange, FL Konstantinos Lekkas Bluffton, SC Lee Lemon Charlotte, NC Buford Lemon III Midland, MI Buford Lemon Jr Sissonville, WV Skip Leonard Santa Cruz, CA Garett Lesa Provo, UT Kalin Lesa Provo, UT Larry Levy New Hope, PA Eddie Lewis Enterprise, AL Arcadio Lopez La Puente, CA Eric Lovell Sheffield Village, OH

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

Christian Lowe Bethesda, MD Raymond Lowe York, SC Dale Luers Clinton Township, MI Michael Lynch South Wellfleet, MA Roger Lyon Frankfort, KY Nikki Mace Glenmoore, PA Jaya Madabhushi Hamilton, NJ Garner Maddox Riverside, CA Kirk Madsen Wixom, MI Peter Mainwald San Jose, CA Virgil Mathias Parker, CO S Shayne Mayse Independence, MO Glen McComas Enumclaw, WA John McDonald Williamsburg, VA Dennis McGrath Ridgewood, NJ Steve McIntosh Houston, TX James McLane Jupiter, FL Brian McLean Rochester Hills, MI Yvonne McManus Woodbridge, NJ Angelica Medina Troy, MI Jeff Medinis Rochester, MI Kyle Medinis Rochester, MI Joe Medlin Phoenix, AZ John Melchor Newtown, PA Peter Menard State College, PA Robert Mercer Port Saint Lucie, FL Todd Michalowski Driftwood, TX Alan Michiels Walnut Creek, CA Dale Miller Yuma, AZ Keith Miller Plum, PA Mary Mitchell San Luis Obispo, CA Stewart Mitchell Bozeman, MT Tim Mitchell Portland, OR Jodi Monroe Georgetown, TX John Morris Lee's Summit, MO Sepehr Mortazavi Potomac, MD Thomas Mullaney El Mirage, AZ Shelby Mullins El Paso, TX Tom Mullis Union Grove, AL August Muratovic Denver, CO Patrick Murphy Bloomfield Hills, MI Al Murray Helena, MT Kerry Murray Green Cove Springs, FL Rohit Nagarkar Southfield, MI Sean Nally Eldersburg, MD Dennis Navarre La Verne, CA Joe Neathery Odessa, TX Dwayne Nichols Bradford, ON Mike Norton Plymouth, MI Steven Novak Bradenton, FL Mark Odom Newport Beach, CA Gary Owen Conifer, CO Kimberly Pace Chatham, ON Robert Parchinski Mesa, AZ Steve Pardue Spokane Valley, WA

Mike Parker Auburn Hills, MI Weston Patch Commerce Township, MI James Patterson Lexington, KY David Patterson Fitzwilliam, NH Douglas Penney Toronto, ON Duane Perry Virginia Beach, VA Jared Peterson Monroe, MI Lincoln Phillip Bloomfield Hills, MI Brian Pickavance Austin, MN Michael Potanko St Robert, MO Martin Price North Port, FL Dana Pritchett San Diego, CA William Puckett Shawnee, OK Dustin Puhrmann Paullina, IA Ken Pulley Millington, TN Tim Quigley Madison, WI Scott Raines Lake Havasu City, AZ Perry Redman New Caney, TX Steve Reeves Watford City, ND Robert Reil Englewood, FL Tad Remington West Linn, OR John Revell O Fallon, MO John Richardson Seymour, TN Karl Richter Eastland, TX Jeremy Riffel Fort Rucker, AL Edwin Rivera Canon City, CO Jonathan Roach Chatsworth, GA James Rogers Ladner, BC Allen Rogers Rio Rancho, NM Gary Rohrer Lexington, NC Nathan Roise Carver, MN Ron Rose Denver, CO Steven Rosenfeld Glencoe, IL Erick Rowe Highland Park, IL Kevin Rowe Philadelphia, PA Mark Ryan St. Charles, MO Marcelo Sackel Jacksonville, FL Connie Sadler Boulder City, NV Ziad Safadi Victor, NY Ryan Sakata Colorado Springs, CO Alex Salvi Concord, MA Yuvaraj Sampath Franklin, TN Robert Sanders Oakland, MI Jason Sanford Northville, MI David Santos Waikoloa, HI Carl Scholz Chester, VT William Schultheis Grand Junction, CO Raymond Scott Idaho Falls, ID Peter Seiwert Cheektowaga, NY Barry Selke Sperry, OK Joe Shepherd Fayetteville, GA Steve Shipe Decatur, MI Keith Siers Felton, DE Ed Sietz Jacksonville, FL Kevin Sigurdson Colorado Springs, CO

"I decided to join BMW MOA after meeting Reece Mullins at work at Ft. Rucker, Alabama, in a motorcycle parking lot. I was actually considering it anyway, but he was very convincing. He provided me a lot of information that I did not know previously about the program. I currently ride a 2007 BMW F 650 GS that I purchased new at a dealership in Canton, Michigan. I have taken it on two long trips, leaving the house and returning home about 3,000 miles later. It is remarkably comfortable on the road for a small bike. I’ve been riding since I was 12 years old and still enjoy riding at 53. I recently installed were a pair of Heidenau K60 tires which I am really enjoying. After my first long trip, I added the wind screen, throttlemeister, and a Corbin seat (which I’ve since turned into a hybrid seat using the Corbin foam and BMW’s OEM plastic seat base). In the future, I would like to add an R 1200 GS to the family." Brian Chambers #224504

"I rode a GS on a tour in Alaska in 2019 and fell in love with adventure riding. Until then I’d only ridden cruisers. I just bought my F 750 GS and look forward to more adventures ahead. Hope to see you on the road!" Jodi Monroe #224243

Richard Simms Palmer Lake, CO Gordon Simms Fleming Island, FL John Sires Kyle, TX Jack Slack Overton, TX Chauncey Smith Rescue, CA Michael Smith Edmond, OK Lee Smith Toronto, ON Randall Smith Goodyear, AZ Tex Smith Madisonville, TN Christine Smith Lewisville, TX Cory Smith Colorado Springs, CO Christopher Smith Valley Center, KS Brad Snodgrass Indianapolis, IN Robert Snowden Warren, MI David Snyder Bellwood, PA Brian Sobyak Fairchild, WI Jeffrey Sonnek Minneapolis, MN Mike Soroka Toronto, ON Robert Spengler Oro Valley, AZ Elizabeth Spengler Oro Valley, AZ Edwin Spomer Pontiac, MI Joe St. Pierre Upland, CA Samuel Staatz Port Orchard, WA John Stanhaus Chicago, IL James Stavena Oakland, CA

Sean Stedwell Bartlesville, OK Brad Steelman Flagstaff, AZ Christopher Stelluti New Rochelle, NY Patrick Stephan Uxbridge, MA Justin Stephens Wendell, NC Wolfgang Steudel Shalimar, FL Rachel Stienstra Saint Paul, MN Kevin Stirrat Island Lake, IL Terry Stoneman Middletown, DE John Stoner Canton, MI Patrick Sullivan Leander, TX Stephen Sullivan Whitefish, MT Dave Surita Pewaukee, WI Justin Taasevigen Kalispell, MT Brad Thomas Eads, TN Patrick Thompson Oxford, MI Keith Thompson Knoxville, TN Ed Thoms Kimball, MI Barry Todd Yuma, AZ N Torres Lexington Park, MD Darin Triplett San Diego, CA Mike Tullis Lincoln, NE Michael Tullis Lincoln, NE Emory Vaagen Taylor, ND Nicholas Vacirca Austin, TX

Giridhar Vadlamudi Austin, TX Rafael Valero Blacklick, OH Richard Vanderkloet Brampton, ON Jimmy Walker Bolingbrook, IL Bill Walker Huntsville, AL Hank Wallace Ashland, MA Robert Wallace West Sacramento, CA Robert Wallace Santa Maria, CA John Walsh Warwick, RI Jim Ward Olympia, WA Tim Whittle Fonthill, ON Jeremy Willard Schwenksville, PA Tristan Willey Cool, CA James Williams New Brockton, AL Rob Williams Lynden, ON Scott Willis Highlands Ranch, CO Gary Wilson West Hills, CA Clifton Wiser Littleton, CO Dan Witt Delaware, OH Martin Woodhouse Cambridge, ON Chris Woodruff Sutton, MA Cole Woodson Longview, TX Thomas Yang Seattle, WA Kurt D. Zeile Rochester Hills, MI

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

www.motobins.co.uk

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

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

EXPLORE YOUR NEXT MOA GETAWAY August 20 - 22, 2021

Guelph, Ontario Known as the Royal City, Guelph is making its debut in 2021 as a Getaway location. Situated on traditional territory lands of the Anishinaabek Nations the city is steeped in rich indigenous history.

Delta Guelph 50 Stone Road West Guelph, Ontario N1G 0A9 Canada

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

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MOA GETAWAY CALENDAR JULY

7/30/2021 – 8/1/2021

MOA GETAWAY – SKYTOP

LOCATION: Skytop, Pennsylvania

AUGUST

8/20/2021 – 8/22/2021

MOA GETAWAY – COPPER MOUNTAIN

9/10/2021 – 9/12/2021

MOA GETAWAY – PINE MOUNTAIN LOCATION: Pineville, Kentucky

9/10/2021 – 9/12/2021

MOA GETAWAY – CEDAR CITY LOCATION: Cedar City, Utah

9/17/2021 – 9/19/2021

MOA GETAWAY – SUGARBUSH

LOCATION: Copper Mountain, Colorado

LOCATION: Warren, Vermont

8/20/2021 – 8/22/2021

OCTOBER

MOA GETAWAY – GUELPH LOCATION: Guelph, Ontario

SEPTEMBER

9/3/2021 – 9/5/2021

MOA GETAWAY – SUN PEAKS

LOCATION: Sun Peaks, British Columbia

COMMUNICATION UNLEASHED

10/1/2021 – 10/3/2021

MOA GETAWAY – TOMAH

LOCATION: Tomah, Wisconsin

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MOA GETAWAY – KERRVILLE

DYNAMIC

MESH COMMUNICATION

LOCATION: Kerrville, Texas

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

www.cardosystems.com

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No-Mar Re-Usable Spoke Weights By Mark Hearon #209373 THEY ARE SPOKE WEIGHTS. THEY ARE

reusable, and I love them. I rarely express such a sentiment for any product anymore, and leading with that sentiment rather than concluding with it is even more rare. Call it getting older and jaded if you like. Maybe it was watching all of those All In the Family episodes while sitting at my dad’s feet when I was growing up. We may never know, but I digress. No-Mar is quickly becoming one of my favorite tool manufacturers and overall enablers of my moto mania. I recently received a shipment of spoke weights for tubeless spoked and traditional tube type spoked wheels that have made my personal tire mount-and-balance routine less of a Bamm-Bamm affair and more of a Twinkletoes-style strike, if you follow the Flintstones reference. Or, more practically speaking, I finally had fun balancing my wheels! Ok, let’s not belabor the point. What are we looking at? If you balance your own wheels, you’re likely using rim weights to do the job. Effective though they may be, if you change your tires as often as I seem to, re-balancing becomes a bit of a chore. Factor in adding and removing weights, cleaning off adhesive residue, and the time starts to add up. No-Mar’s Re-Usable Spoke Weights cut the sticky residue, harsh cleaners, razor blades, gashed rim paint, and curse words out of my tire balancing routine and replace all of that with an adventure grade, CNC-milled and stackable weight that can be mounted anywhere along the length of a spoke. Secured with an Allen key (supplied), they’re easily removed when a new hoop is mounted and easily adjusted for a fine-tuned fit. In short, it’s pure Zen for someone like me.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

No-Mar Re-Usable Spoke Weights are available in kits starting at $22.95 and tighten quickly into place with an Allen wrench.

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R & K Bikes No-Mar provides both triple chromeplated (copper, nickel, then chrome) and natural brass versions of their Re-Usable Spoke Weights, both of which are polishable and paintable. This offers riders the opportunity to color match, glamorize, and bling their wheels to their heart’s content. Available in sizes ranging from .75 oz. (21.2 g) to 1.7 oz. (49.6 g), there’s a combination that’ll smooth out those spinners and leave you (and your bearings) a little less rattled with riding over those long distances. It took no time for me to see the value of this product. More and more, it’s the small things in life that seem to hold the greatest value and offer the greatest satisfaction. If that means I’m beginning to act as old as my natural platinum highlights (i.e., gray hair) suggest, I’m rather ok with that. No-Mar Re-Usable Spoke Weights start at $22.95 for 10 pieces. For more information, visit nomartirechanger.com/ wheel-weights.html. Pros: Quick to install, adjust, and remove; Stackable; Goes anywhere on spoke Cons: n/a

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Tuscany Sardinia Corsica HIGHLIGHTS Riding on Sardinia, Venice, Cinque Terre, Florence, Siena, Leaning Tower in Pisa, riding on mountainous Corsica, Chianti region. TOUR DATES SEP 26 - OCT 11, 2021 APR 24- MAY 9, 2022 SEP 22- OCT 7, 2022

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

BMWON-120x82-TSC.indd 1

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COUNTRIES Italy, France

DURATION 16 days / 14 riding days

ROUTE LENGTH 2.700 km (1.700 mil)

16/04/2021 22:10

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Pit Bull Hybrid Dual-Lift Front Stand By Mark Barnes #222400 I’LL SPARE YOU SOME OF THE GUSH-

obviously can’t be removed while still part of the load-bearing equation. Fork removal requires propping up the chassis elsewhere, and a head lift is usually more convenient than using jack stands and more stable

ing praise I gave Pit Bull in my review last month of their One-Arm Rear Stand; suffice it to say their engineering and craftsmanship are second to none. Part of the reason I wanted that stand for my 2013 F 800 GT was to facilitate the use of a front stand. Whereas there’s no problem lifting a bike’s swingarm by itself, front stands should almost always be employed only in conjunction with a rear stand. This is due to several factors: a) the inherent instability of forks pivoting around the steering head, b) the way rake offsets under-fork support away from the chassis at a potentially precarious angle, and c) the meager purchase provided by the front end’s mainly vertical surfaces. Incorporating a rear stand immobilizes the bike along its longitudinal axis, restores chassis pitch balance, and holds the whole machine upright more resolutely in the presence of lateral pressure. A center stand, while adequate for hoisting the rear end during routine maintenance, does not provide the same level of stability as a rear stand, and is very awkward to use for getting the Forklift cradle. front off the ground (e.g., by strapping the bike’s tail down). If than a floor jack. A head lift will also allow you want to safely pull your front wheel or removal of the front wheel by itself, but forks off the bike, you’ll typically need both might get in the way of fasteners and a front and rear stand, with the latter necessitate some disassembly of parts near securely in place first. the steering head to allow it access. Ideally, There are two types of front stands: those then, the well-equipped garage would have that lift from underneath the fork leg tips both types of front stand. (“forklifts”) and those that lift from the Pit Bull’s modular Hybrid Dual-Lift steering head (“head lifts”). Lifting from Front Stand ($229.95) is actually two beneath the fork legs is simpler and stands in one. Its base is a forklift, and an sufficient for front wheel removal, but forks

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

attachment converts it for head lift duty. Those unsure they really need both can purchase the individual components several ways. The Hybrid Forklift Stand ($169.95) will only lift from beneath the fork legs, while the Hybrid Headlift Stand ($189.95) only works at the steering head. By purchasing the Hybrid Converter (head lift) attachment ($79.95) or the Forklift swivels ($39.95), these single-purpose stands can be made capable of both functions. Note pre-2012 forklifts require a nominally different head lift attachment, called the Forklift Converter ($89.95). Also note some ABS-equipped bikes and certain (Telelever) BMWs and Ducatis need stand components with slightly altered dimensions, though the basic stands work with the vast majority of modern motorcycles. Check Pit Bull’s website for special fitment considerations and optional pieces to best suit your specific machine, and don’t hesitate to ask their knowledgeable staff if you’re at all unsure. $20 flat-rate shipping is available from the Huntsville shop on orders over $150, and Pit Bull products carry a lifetime 100 percent satisfaction guarantee. Long ago, when I bought my Hybrid Dual-Lift, it did not feature seven steps of height adjustment, as does the current offering. Nor could it be ordered with a removable or extended handle, which now allow easier storage and greater leverage, respectively. According to Pit Bull, utilizing the lowest height adjustment on the new stand can make it possible on some bikes to get by with just a center stand and avoid

Top, Hybrid Stand components. Above left, Headlift in use. Above right, The Hybrid Stand with its wall mount.

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

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purchasing a rear stand, as the front would not rise enough to unweight the center stand. Aside from this adjustability and the details of attaching the head lift section to the forklift base, the design and operation of my old Dual-Lift is the same as the new model. I couldn’t justify replacing my perfectly functional legacy version, although I can easily appreciate the advantage of having height adjustability and the option of a longer handle for use with heavier motorcycles. Both sections of the Hybrid Dual-Lift Stand are constructed of Pit Bull’s standard 1-1/2” zinc-plated steel tubing. As evident in the photos, this protective coating works; the main sign of aging on my old stand is the slightly faded and chipped decals. Despite years of storage in intermittently damp environments and trips to the racetrack in nasty weather, hints of corrosion are sparse and faint. If I’d shown the new model, you wouldn’t see how well these stands hold up to decades of hard use. Their long-term durability and adaptability make them worth their initial cost. The heavy-duty wheels are 4” in diameter and deliver smooth, steady movement as the stand is levered into position. In forklift mode, each upright of the base utilizes a pair of swiveling, counterweighted and rubber-sleeved pegs to cradle a fork leg; these rotate in high quality ball bearings to maintain consistent contact as the stand arcs into and out of its supporting role. The action is fluid and easy, and the motorcycle, thus elevated, feels rock-solid (with rear stand in place). Ready access to fender-, axle-, and brake-related hardware is preserved in virtually all cases. Attaching a head lift to an older forklift involves securing stubs on the head lift’s bottom to the forklift’s swiveling fork cradles using large cotter pins, a quick and simple operation (these cotter pins store conveniently in a lug on the head lift, a typical Pit Bull touch). On the new versions, the head lift attaches outboard of the fork cradles on their pivots with a retaining pin on each side. This

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

arrangement leaves a little more workspace open between the head lift uprights and the forks, as those uprights are now slightly further apart. Once the forklift and head lift attachment are connected, a pin atop the head lift’s central arm is inserted into the steering head’s lower orifice and the articulated stand is levered into place much the same as it was in forklift mode. Only now the fork cradles end up behind or ahead of the fork legs and the bike’s weight is suspended at the frame. Because steering stem orifices vary widely in size, Pit Bull offers head lift pins in numerous diameters to fit most any bike. One pin is included in the head lift’s price, and alternates can be purchased separately ($14.95-25.95 for most) and swapped out via a retaining screw. On my F 800 GT, a small brake line junction box is mounted just forward of the steering stem, with fittings extending back across the lower orifice. To use the head lift, a single mounting screw must be removed, allowing the brake hardware to

be pulled aside during pin insertion— slightly awkward, but no big deal. As is typically the case, this bike’s fairing does not foul the stand in head lift mode, but some fairings may have to be partially removed to provide adequate clearance. If a head lift is being used, it’s probably because the forks are coming off, which may require fairing removal, anyway. In keeping with Pit Bull’s ongoing efforts to make its stands ever more functional, accessories are available for use with the current models, including small attachments for holding brake calipers and bolts ($17.95/pair) or axles and their retaining hardware ($11.95). Having done without such luxuries (they don’t fit older stands), I often wished for something like them. Still, it’s not enough to warrant the cost of updating my whole rig. I did, however, invest in the stand’s wall hanger ($24.95) to reduce garage floor clutter. Visit pit-bull.com for more information.

The "hybrid" part of the stand comes from its ability to also lift the front of the bike from the bottom of the steering stem, using a pin on the end of an extension arm.

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Eastbound Wheel Service Toolkit By Bill Shaw #70903 LIKE MANY OF YOU, I’VE BEEN RIDING

BMW motorcycles long enough to remember when the purchase of a new Beemer came with a real toolkit. My 1995 K 75, for example, has a pretty extensive 19-piece toolset consisting of four crescent wrenches, two screwdrivers, five Allen wrenches, pliers, assorted wheel wrenches, a feeler gauge and spare fuses. It even has a BMW tire repair kit replete with CO2 cartridges! By contrast, my 2021 F 850 GS toolkit contains only three items: a 14 mm open end wrench, reversible Phillips/flathead screwdriver, and a Torx key. If I wanted to do more than remove my windscreen or adjust the angle of my brake levers, I am out of luck. I suspect BMW did this as to cut costs, to discourage owners from maintaining their bikes, or to avoid litigation. Regardless, riders are forced to put together their own emergency toolkit or buy a generic one costing anywhere between $80 and $300. I ended up making my own from duplicate tools I had on hand. But what I didn’t have was anything to adjust the chain or remove the wheels. Based on the recommendation of a friend, I ordered the F 850 GS Wheel Service Toolkit from a Dutch company called Eastbound (they also make a specific Wheel Service Toolkit for R 1200 GSs). It not only had all the tools necessary to adjust

the chain and remove both wheels, but came in compact 6.6"x3.5" canvas pouch that fits neatly under the seat. The kit includes a 34 mm axle nut wrench and lever set, 19 mm hex axle tool, 3/8" square drive adapter, 10 mm socket adapter, 12 mm Allen bit, T50 and T40 Torx keys, as well as spare O-rings. The overall quality of the kit is best represented in the gorgeous axle wrench tools and levers, which are CNC machined from 7075 T6 aluminum. Costing $83.75 for the F 850 GS and $71.77 for the R 1200 GS, Eastbound’s Wheel Service Toolkits are reasonably

Components of the Eastbound Wheel Service Toolkit.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

priced. Unfortunately, the cost of shipping from the Netherlands isn’t cheap and adds about a third more to the bottom line. Eastbound uses FedEx International Economy and delivery to my house in Virginia was $27.88 bringing my total to $111.63. For adventure riders, saving weight is as important as space, which is always at a premium on a motorcycle. Even if you found similar tools to adjust the chain and remove both wheels, it’s highly unlikely they would be as compact and light as the Eastbound Wheel Service Toolkit. Check them out at eastbound.shop.

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July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

KEEP

'EM

F LY I N G

Transmissions! By Matt Parkhouse #13272 TRANSMISSIONS! LOTS OF TRANSMISSIONS!

I’ve been going through a couple every week this last month, and it seems once a fortnight, I’m sending off for more seals, gaskets, various parts and bearings from sources here in the states and in Europe. There have also been more than a few riders stopping by for help with their bikes. Susanna and I both enjoyed the visit of Justin Powell, a fellow from the San Antonio area who stayed with us a couple of nights while he and I worked on his bike. Justin had seen a gearbox I was listing on eBay and combined a springtime tour of Colorado (complete with snow) with some service work on a 1982 R 100 that had been his grandfather’s. Initially, I pulled his gearbox and installed a slightly more modern one and then went through the one he arrived with, shipping it back to him in Texas after he left. It was also time for an oil and filter change on the bike, and we quickly realized that the 1982 machine had an exhaust system that totally prevented the removal of the oil filter cover with its bulky oil cooler thermostat. We realized we had to drop the exhaust system. At this point, we discovered that the left-side exhaust nut was completely frozen in place, so I placed the exhaust nut wrench on the nut and gave it a good pull—no movement. I then used heat,

The exhaust nut is definitely stuck. I've applied heat and penetrating oil, to no avail. I slipped an extension onto the exhaust nut wrench and carefully tried a bit more force. The nut did not move so I gathered the tools needed to cut off the frozen-on nut.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

some penetrating oil and added my bent fork tube extender for greater leverage. I only used a moderate increase in force to try to move the frozen-in-place nut. I’ve repaired several engine heads where the nut was twisted off, destroying the aluminum threads of the exhaust port. If the “shop gorilla” has its way with these stuck nuts, there are several repairs available. You can pull the head and send it to a shop that can cut off the damaged threads and weld a set of new threads in place. Expensive and time-consuming. There are also some rather ugly—in my opinion—fixtures that replace the function of the nut with a clamping system to hold the header tube in place. I prefer to stop trying once the immobility of the finned nut has been established and cut it off. I used a combination of a Dremel tool with small cut-off wheels, a sharp chisel and hammer and a set of reverse action, expanding pliers to make a cut in the finned nut and expand it off the threads of the head. Once this was done, I could remove the exhaust headers and take care of the oil filter. Then, before I replaced the header pipes, I employed a 52mm threading die to dress up the threads of the head and installed a good, used replacement finned nut. I also made sure that there was a good application of anti-seize on both exhaust port threads. Finally, I gently tightened the nuts with the finned wrench, as it doesn’t have to be really “grunted down on” to hold things in place. BMW, in later years, started

The stuck exhaust nut has been cut and is ready for removal.. After giving up using force, I made the start of the cut using my Dremel tool with a cut off wheel. After getting the cut almost to the threads of the head, I stopped and picked up a sharp chisel and a hammer. Using this, I expanded the cut all the way through the exhaust nut. I then used my reverse-expanding pliers to widen the cut to the point where I could remove the nut. The other nut spun off easily. All this to get at the oil filter!

making the right-side header pipe with a flat spot to allow removal of the oil filter cover and thermostat. As I exchanged the gearboxes, I also checked the clutch. Using my micrometer, I determined that the friction disc had about 60 percent of life left in it. Putting things back together, I made an error I’ve never done before—I put the friction disc in backwards! Surprisingly, the Airhead ran quite well, with only a pronounced vibration to indicate there was something not quite right. I went back into the engine the next day and quickly figured out what the problem was. When I compared the two possible ways the assembly can be mounted, the difference is kind of subtle. I bet I pay a bit more attention from now on! Next, we pulled the rear wheel and checked the wheel bearings. While a bit light on grease, the bearings were in good shape and were properly shimmed and adjusted. So, I just had to clean things up and reapply the grease. Good for another 30,000 miles or so. I also took apart the rear wheel braking system. The pivot for the foot lever was stuck in place with corrosion and dirt to the point that I needed a Vice-Grip to pull it out. The same was true for the connection point between the foot lever and the brake rod. After a good clean up and some grease being applied, I could move the parts and detach them with my fingers. The brakes then functioned more smoothly, as well. This is another one of the “every 10,000 miles” repairs not covered in the manuals.

The exhaust system is off and the oil filter is out. BMW later came out with the left-side header pipe made with a flat spot where the oil filter needs clearance to be removed from the engine block.

I'm adjusting the length of the stud that helps secure the gearbox to the engine. It's not unknown to have to "double nut" the stud to pull it out to allow removal of the gearbox. In this case, I put it back in a bit further than it was to start. This gave me enough room to lift out the transmission.

The two ways one can mount the clutch friction disc in a 1981 or later airhead. Other than a noticeable vibration, the bike ran and shifted as it was supposed to.

The rear wheel bearing parts, cleaned up and ready for regreasing and being returned to the wheel hub. Once reassembled on the axle, the parts will spend an hour in the freezer prior to being replaced in a heated wheel hub.

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

KEEP

'EM

F LY I N G

With the warmer days and with these travellin’ folk stopping by, I’ve been getting anxious to ride a few miles myself. Colorado’s big Airhead Tech Day is about 70 miles up the interstate from me. The Distinguished Gentlemen’s’ Ride, a fund raiser for prostate cancer research and men’s mental health, is next Saturday. I stopped by the storefront club house for the Boulder Street Moto club this past Thursday night. It’s a group of folks, most disturbingly younger than myself, who set up the facility to store, work on bikes and socialize. While most of the bikes were Japanese, there was one other Airhead BMW present plus another fellow who had visited me for some work a while ago. The DGR will leave from the clubhouse next weekend. I plan on meeting up and going on the ride. Then, of course, the National! By the time you are reading this column, I’ll be writing up our adventures going to and from Montana, as well as the several days there.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

Your columnist, in front of the Boulder Street Moto club house and workshop. I've been riding and driving by here for a while and finally found a few people there a few warm Saturdays ago. They told me of the monthly First Thursday Evening gatherings and group ride. I stopped by for the May meeting and found about 20 riders present, including a couple of Airhead folks. I'm hoping to join up with the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride in eight days. A couple of the people there suggested I put on a tech seminar. I'm getting organized for the National Rally in a month, so why not?

TORQUE

THE

MATTER

Setting a Maintenance Baseline for a New-to-You bike By Wes Fleming #87301 “IT’S ALL RIGHT. TRUST ME!” —HAN SOLO

Trust is hard to come by; maybe it’s a function of being a Gen Xer and watching the generations before and after me protest damn near everything. I certainly fall more in the “Trust No One” camp espoused by The X-Files than anybody blindly trusting everybody’s favorite sci-fi rogue. This lack of trust extends to used vehicles, and it is thorough. Every time I buy a used vehicle—at least one I’m planning to ride, not dismantle for parts or fix and flip—I subject it to a routine maintenance cycle no matter what the previous owner tells me. If they can provide detailed paperwork, I might let it go until the next interval, but not many folks these days keep records at the level I like to see. Take my most recent purchase, a 2015 R 1200 GSW. It was serviced in January, sold in February and I started riding it in March. At just over 52,000 miles, it should have had major services four times (every 12,000 miles) and being six years old, should have had annual tasks done several times.

The immediate previous owner was new to BMWs and only kept the bike for a few thousand miles, so the onus for maintenance really fell on the first owner, who clearly and obviously failed to have 12,000-mile services done. I’m pretty sure the oil was changed regularly, as what came out of the engine and final drive at 52,000 miles looked (and smelled) like I expected it to. There was no significant buildup of shavings or grit on the magnetic drain bolts. That appears to be about it for routine maintenance done the bike, however. The air filter could well have been original; it certainly was several years and several tens of thousands of miles old. BMW specifies a new air filter ($37) every 12,000 miles. On this generation of BMW motorcycles, replacing the air filter is a bit of a hassle; there are five screws (four T25, one T30) to get the center body panel off, then four bolts to get the air box cover off. Removing the cover requires a little force, but just a little, to get it past the protruding tabs of the other body panels. Still, that little bit of hassle once a year shouldn’t prevent anybody from replacing the filter according to the schedule. Similarly, the spark plugs were probably the ones put in at the factory. They were burned up and worn far beyond reason. The center electrode—which is supposed to be a perfect cylinder—was conical in profile and oval in circumference! The side electrodes were similarly worn down and suffering from material loss. Again, BMW specifies changing out the spark plugs (two at $22 each) every 12,000 miles. Between the air filter and the spark plugs, this will add about $80 to your 12k service above the cost of a 6k. Air and spark are not good places to try to economize, but it’s OK to buy the proper NGK plugs from any reliable source.

After careful examination, we determined the 52,000-mile bike also had a 52,000-mile air filter in it.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

When you remove the old oil filter, always double-check to make sure the old filter's o-ring came off with it.

The problem with the obvious and flagrant lack of attention directed at these items causes me one major consternation: If these common, easy things were neglected, what else was neglected on this motorcycle? Because my nature is what it is, I found myself trusting neither of the previous owners to have done right by my motorcycle, maintenance-wise. In addition to the standard engine and final drive oil changes and now changing the air filter and spark plugs, my list of necessary maintenance items grew: •Anti-lock brake system fluid flush, fill and bleed •Hydraulic clutch line flush, fill and bleed •Coolant flush, fill and bleed •Fork oil change (easy to do with the fork seal replacement) •Brake pad replacement (all three calipers) •Wheel check and truing (if needed) When going over the bike, I found a few body panel screws missing, and a missing rubber grommet on each side for the battery compartment covers. I also loosened and properly torqued every fastener on the forks, wheels, shocks and handlebar. This may seem excessive, but surely you know me well enough by now to know that if I think the air filter is 52,000 miles old, I'm going to go over every inch of the bike before I ride it to Montana. Every time you get on a used motorcycle, you are entrusting your life to that bike’s previous owners. I take this perhaps too seriously, but at end of the day, I know now all the routine maintenance has been done, when it was done and a what mileage, and most importantly, when it next needs to be done. This puts my mind at ease and allows me to ride without anxiety. My family knows how seriously I take maintenance, and my seriousness about it also eases their fears that something mechanical could go wrong while I’m out riding.

The air filter wasn't the only thing 52,000 miles old on this bike—the center electrode of the spark plug on the left showed significant deterioration and was likely installed at the factory. New spark plug shown for comparison.

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

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July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

By Wes Fleming #87301

EVERY PART YOU NEED AND MORE The warehouse of help and dreams By Wes Fleming #87301

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

There’s something about walking into a motorcycle shop that causes me to hesitate just a moment in the doorway. Maybe it’s the smell of worn-out oil and lingering exhaust fumes, or the far-off radio absent-mindedly droning staticky classic rock. Whatever it is, that first split-second crossing the threshold triggers something in my brain and ever-so-slightly devolves me. It’s a different experience from entering a dealership’s showroom. When I do that, my eyes will dart to the motorcycles that look the most like mine, and I silently do two calculations: first, I subtract the model year of my newest motorcycle from the current year and wonder how much technology has advanced since my bike was new. Second, I wonder what kind of trade-in I could get for my bike, and if it would be more worth it to sell it on my own first. The confusing thing about walking into the front door at Wunderlich America is it’s both a showroom, with brand-new and late-model motorcycles prominently on display, and it’s a motorcycle shop at the same time. Crossing their threshold confused my senses for a moment until I could put myself together. Part of the confusion comes from the motorcycles not being for sale—at least, not overtly. They belong to Wunderlich, and function as test beds for their wide range of products available for nearly all modern BMW motorcycles. From the front door I could see an F 900 XR, an R 18, and a 2017 R 1200 GS (with basically every Wunderlich accessory you can put on it.) Two more steps and I could see a 2021 R 1250 RT (hard to miss that giant touchscreen dash!), a G 310 R and two 40th Anniversary edition GSes, and an F 800. Two more steps and a glance to my left and there was a “Faux Five” as I call it—the R nineT throwback model made up to look like an early 1970s R 75/5. Six steps, still with my jacket on and helmet in my hand, and I was gape-jawed at eight beautiful examples of what both BMW Motorrad and Wunderlich do best. The first live entity I encountered wasn’t a person, but rather was Wotan, the shop’s four-legged security specialist. The yellow Labrador retriever wasn’t convinced I was safe, giving a few barks and retreating behind his mom’s legs for safety. Mom is Marion, and dad is William Plam, owner and shot caller at Wunderlich America. I shook hands with them—possibly the first handshakes I’d offered since we all went into lockdown in March 2020—and tried not to look distracted by all the motorcycles as we chatted. Without vaccinations becoming more prevalent, I doubt I’d have had the opportunity to visit Wunderlich America at their facility in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Tucked into the Appalachian foothills just south of Asheville, Hendersonville is a small city (population about 14,000), sitting peacefully at the confluence of US highways 25, 64 and 176, with Interstate 26 running along the east side of town. Nestled behind an O’Reilly Auto Parts store just outside the city limits lies a nondescript industrial building housing the three entities contained within Riders’ Accessory Distributing, Inc.—Wunderlich America, Boxer2Valve and Plam Werks. While the 11 humans and six dogs do a little bit of everything, William spends most of his time running Wunderlich America,

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

In the three-lift garage inside the warehouse where Plam Works' work gets done, styles range from pristine and classic to retro-chic and modern.

whose motto is “Complete your BMW”—it’s right on the sign out front, after all. Anything you can imagine you might be able to bolt, strap, zip-tie, press-fit or otherwise affix to your modern BMW motorcycle is in a bag or a box on a shelf in the warehouse beyond the showroom. Boxer2Valve is, as you can probably imagine, focused on keeping older BMW motorcycles in top condition. William proudly mentioned they have at least one of every cable you might need for any BMW bike built since 1947, and walking through the shelves and racks in the warehouse, I’d be hard pressed to contradict him. I’m pretty sure if I needed a random bolt from any BMW motorcycle I’ve ever owned, William or one of his employees could put their hands on it in a few minutes. Plam Werks is the brainchild of Edward Plam, William’s middle son. The PW shop area is big enough for three motorcycle lifts, all of which had bikes on them when I visited in early May 2021. Two of the bikes were custom builds—one for a customer in Chicago, the other headed to California when it’s completed—and the third was a restoration-in-progress R 75/5. Edward and Matt Hickson do the bulk of the work in that part of the shop, and in-between their projects they find time to do product installs for walk-in customers. Between the Plam Werks shop and the hallways where offices for the company’s marketing and internet folks are is a

Below, An airhead engine in the midst of being reguilt and improved. Right, Edward Plan (right) and Matt Hickson discuss a quick install on a customer's bike (the author's bike, actually). Bottom, A wide view of the Plam Werks shop.

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

Edward Plam makes final adjustments on a windscreen installation.

machine room, where Edward and Matt can vapor blast, machine, mill, weld or make just about anything they might need. Their recent pride and joy is a vintage Bridgeport upright mill; Edward painstakingly restored it after rescuing it from the scrapheap of another business. Most of what they do in North Carolina wouldn’t have been possible from their old location in Watsonville, California. “We couldn’t grow in that location,” William said, citing a number of factors—leasing their old building rather than owning it, having a third of the space they have now and the high costs of living and facilities management. Adding in California’s business taxes and operation fees, not to mention the cost of shipping all their stock from Europe to California, and the idea of moving the operation started to germinate with the Plams in 2017. William said, “We decided if we’re going to move, we’re really going to move,” and that’s when the idea of North Carolina came up. After a lengthy tour of the region, they settled on Hendersonville, where they now get to experience all four seasons: Winters deliver snow, but not in huge quantities, and summers are humid, but not miserably so. Plus it’s hard to discount the availability of hundreds, if not thousands of miles of great motorcycle roads— the Tail of the Dragon is less than two hours away, after all! The moving process was difficult, but William and his team came up with a few ways to manage it. They started by hiring

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

Casey Newett, originally from Kentucky but living in Oregon at the time, to help get everything organized and packed into the four semi-trailers it took to move the whole shop and the household goods of the families making the journey east. They taped off a 54’ x 8’ area—the size of the inside of a semi-trailer— and started staging to load the trailers. When the trailers arrived, the hard work had already been done and they only needed to load up and hit the road. The move in 2018 proved prescient on a number of levels. Their rent went down significantly while available space went up; they were also able to build out the new space to better suit their needs. The new building is highly energy efficient, which isn’t just good for the environment, it saves on utility costs as well. Their new proximity to BMW’s largest facility in the world, the auto/SUV manufacturing plant less than 40 miles away in Spartanburg, South Carolina, means a multitude of partners overseas already have strong logistics in place to supply that factory. Wunderlich America is able to benefit from those already-established supply lines, as some companies producing materials used in auto production also make items for motorcycles. “Plus, having to air freight everything in to California during the pandemic would probably have killed us,” William added. The improved supply chain allows them to keep more things in ready stock for both Wunderlich America and Boxer2Valve. “We

Above, The Plam's collection of BMW special tools allows them to do more—and more effectively—than many other shops catering to the airhead generations of BMW motorcycles. Right, One corridor of the Wunderlich America store of parts and accessories.

try not to run out of stuff,” William said. “You know how it is when you’re working on something in your garage and you figure out you’re missing a part. You want it right away, in a day or two, not in a week or two.” He explained they prefer to under promise and overdeliver, so even when the website says an out-of-stock item is expected in 4-5 weeks, it’s probably only a week or two away at most. The pandemic is still affecting the global supply chain, so they don’t want to say they’ll have a part back in stock next week when in reality it might actually take a month, so they hedge on the side of caution. Fortunately, even if an item is out of stock, their website provides visitors with a way to get notified by email when what they’re looking for is back on the shelf. Speaking of visitors, their showroom is really a showroom. Items from Wunderlich line the walls and sparkle in glass display cases. Seats, luggage, plastic parts and even some prototype jackets and pants from an upcoming line of riding gear are displayed for visitors to look at and manipulate. Every bike in the showroom is packed with Wunderlich accessories—only the brand-new R 1250 RT lacks any, and that’s just because they got it only a few days before my visit. William excitedly told me about an idea he’s been kicking around with the Wunderlich folks in Germany for a few years about an armrest system for the RT that bolts to the bike itself rather than the top case; they’re waiting for one to arrive before outfitting the RT with other parts. While I was there, an F 800 GS rider came in; he’d arranged ahead of time to purchase upper and lower crash bars, and Edward agreed to install

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

William and Edward Plam in the Wunderlich America showroom, with the BMW "Faux Five"—R nineT /5—tricked out with a number of Wunderlich bolt-on parts.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

everything while the customer waited. Edward said he and Matt can generally install most things quickly, which means the customer doesn’t have to wait long or come back another day to retrieve their motorcycle, and it doesn’t bother them to stop working on a custom build to take care of walk-ins. “We want people to visit the showroom,” Edward said. “That way they can see all the stuff we have for their bikes.” Edward estimates he and Matt build about 10 to 12 bikes a year. Their customers range all across North America, and the projects lean heavily on airheads as source material. Because of their simpler electronics, airheads are often easier to customize, and because Plam Werks can make, modify or adapt parts by simply stepping into the machine room, hiccups in production don’t slow them down too much. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a 3-D printer show up next to the vapor blaster and the mill as a way to fast-prototype and test new ideas for repairs and customizations. Having Boxer2Valve’s parts stock in the same building comes in handy nearly every day. Boxer2Valve is an integral part of RAD, and it’s like having the beststocked parts shop available at the end of a phone call or mouse pointer. The variety and number of parts available for BMW motorcycles built between 1947 and 1995 is simply staggering, and William and his team are constantly monitoring their stock to make sure they have the most-needed parts immediately available, and harder-to-find parts, while perhaps in short supply throughout the world, are likely either in stock or on the way. Boxer2Valve is also the brand under which William and Edward produce high-quality tech videos, available on their YouTube channel of the same name. Family businesses aren’t hard to come by—especially in the motorcycle industry—but finding one as committed to BMW motorcycles as the Plam’s businesses isn’t typical. William once owned a BMW motorcycle dealership, and Edward has been working on Beemers since he was a kid. Another of William’s sons, Hans, is currently in Germany, working a six-month internship for Wunderlich after graduating from university in Zwickau. After starting up Wunderlich America in 2000, William ran both that and BMW Santa Cruz until 2008, when he decided to focus on W.A. and sold the dealership. Ten years later, he decided to move the business and now, as we emerge from the pandemic, things for Wunderlich America, Boxer2Valve and Plam Werks are looking up even more than they were before the world shuttered itself last year. You can learn more about the businesses under the RAD Inc. umbrella on the internet: wunderlichamerica.com, boxer2valve.com or facebook. com/plamwerks. Wunderlich America is located at 115 E Central St. (just off Spartanburg Highway, right behind O’Reilly Auto Parts), in Hendersonville, North Carolina, and can be reached by phone during business hours at (828) 489-3747.

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

I WAVED at a

SCOOTER

TODAY

Photo by John Flores #197494.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

By Matt Wank #217542

oday, for the first time in my 10 years of riding, I waved at a scooter. A friend of mine once did years ago arguing, as we teased him, that he couldn’t tell it wasn’t a motorcycle. I have made plenty of riding mistakes over the years, but never that one. It began while I was hunched over in a parking lot testing a new Dynaplug air pump. When I heard a two-wheeled honk behind me, I turned around to see a young guy on a scooter wave and then stop beside me. He was very friendly and soon began asking me questions about my BMW as he explained his story of starting with an electric scooter but needing more power and made the switch to gas. Noting that his next upgrade would be to a motorcycle, I was quick to recommend one of BMW’s modern and affordable 310cc options. It felt awkward at first, that a scooter rider viewed himself at the same level as a motorcyclist. But then, what kind of scooter rider tells tales of ‘round the world’ travel like Renate Belczyk does in her book Our Trip Around the World: "After struggling for several hours we reached a river and wondered how we would cross it. However, that proved to be no problem, as some men came along with a raft and, with much laughter and noise, took us across. Not long afterwards we came to the next river. This one had a bridge, except it had just caved in under a heavy vehicle. It took a lot of combined effort to first take one [motorbike] and then the other across. Then we came across yet a third river...Finally, dirty, dusty and sweaty, we reached the town of Raxaul on the Nepalese border…” Nonetheless, my new friend’s excitement and hope to one day have a proper motorcycle was undeniable, and I was reminded of a Chasing the Horizon podcast where Wes Fleming interviewed Hammy Tan who has completed numerous Iron Butt Association challenges and put endless cross-country miles on scooters. It’s strange, my day started off as an innocent lunch-time ride to test an air pump, but soon became an introspective analysis of the stigma attached to waving at scooters. I became aware of how serious scooter culture can be before hearing that podcast when, few years ago at the Tail of the Dragon, an older gentleman struck up a conversation over coffee. He had an extensive two-wheeled background with many different makes and styles of motorcycles, but at his current age he stuck mainly to a scooter. If you’ve never seen a Suzuki Burgman, a fullydressed model approaching you on a road could easily lead to an accidental motorcycle wave.

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

Searching through the thousands of photos from that day taken by the many roadside photographers along the Dragon, I found him tearing up the twisties all the same. I’m not sure I have what it takes to ride a scooter to that extent, but I still have hands-on experience. My first was in the Bahamas on a rental held together by nothing but duct tape and bubble gum. I’ll never forget my friend riding ahead of me with sparks sizzling behind him as his broken kickstand bounced off the pavement. Aboard our rickety scooters, we rode to parts of Nassua’s New Providence Island that no tourist should, and barely made it back before our ship departed. Another scooter experience happened on a Greek island where I hitched a ride home from a club employee on the back of his scooter instead of the shuttle bus. I’ll never forget the smell and feeling of the fresh Aegean air as we cruised through the twisties. Despite those memorable experiences on scooters, why do I think it’s taboo to wave at one? Likely because those experiences aren’t what I typically associate with them. The most common interaction and vision I have with scooters corresponds to their utility. Individuals riding around town as an affordable way to get from point A to point B. I’ve also experienced this first-hand while in Kathmandu, Nepal, one of the world’s largest motorbike/ moped markets, what this scooter organized chaos looks like. So, it must be the lack of adventure inherent in scooter riding, right? Except, the motorbike in Renate’s river crossing quote from

Our Trip Around the World refers to a Japanese manufactured scooter. Renate, along with her best friend, Sigrid Hirte, spent three years in the late 1950s hitchhiking, busing, ferrying, cargo shipping, bicycling, and scootering across 14 countries across three continents, before turning 30 years old. Their experiences compete with the most adventurous of those I’ve read involving motorcycles, rendering the majority of those almost underwhelming. I felt much more of a connection with them than many motorcycle owners I’ve met who use their motorcycles primarily for commuting. In fact, my experiences on scooters in the Bahamas and Greece have more in common with my own motorcycling than anything in a utilitarian fashion. That core commonality is an important one: a sense of adventure and seeking new experiences. Two-wheel motorized transportation is one of my favorite means of satisfying those desires and I suspect it is the same for Hammy Tan, the old man at the Tail of the Dragon, and the young man today on a scooter. I finished the impressively fast inflation of about 10 psi to both the front and rear tires, validated by the F 650 GS’s Tire Pressure Monitoring System. Sensing a desire to explore and find adventure in my scooter friend, I honked and waved as I made my way out of the parking lot. While a motorcycle and a scooter may not have enough in common to warrant a connection, we as the people using them certainly do.

Photo by John Flores #197494.

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

From the Back of the Bike

By Angela Ecenbarger #118736

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

Riding up Norway's Trollstigen Pass.

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

I’m making wishes left and right looking up into the dark sky as shooting stars fall on both sides of the bike. Orion’s Belt, The Southern Cross and a spiral arm of the Milky Way are unmistakable among the billions of brilliant stars above us as we ride through the cool summer New Zealand night air on our way back to the Airbnb. A day that started with the execution of a Plan B is ending as one of near perfection…. Travel, especially international travel, has always been a family value. It gives you a perspective on the world that cannot be had otherwise. It forces you out of comfort zones and makes you feel alive as nothing else can. Doing it on the back of a motorcycle adds a new dimension– exhilaration! While I grew up with a penchant for adventurous travel, I did not grow up with motorcycles. Melding the two didn’t

happen until I was an adult and started dating a guy who grew up in the American Southwest riding dirt bikes for sport and pleasure. When I first started dating Brad, I was open to the idea of romantic day trips on a motorcycle, but weeks-long, international travel on a bike? Now that was a whole new ball game for me. How would I ever pack for such a venture? Surely it wouldn’t be comfortable. Our first trip was a bit like wading into the water to see if the temperature suits you before diving in head first. That first trip took us to Easter Island, a remote volcanic island in Polynesia where we rented a Yamaha 250. That bike was our only mode of transportation around the 63-square-mile island. The Yamaha provided a bit of a rough ride for me as a passenger, but we never had far to go and so it easily served its purpose of getting us from point A to B. I enjoyed the sensations that accompany riding on the back of a motorcycle; the smells, the wind, the vibration as well as the ability to travel on beaches, through water, down narrow dirt roads, and through herds of wild horses on the road. Once we returned home, I was ready for a longer ride.

Above, We rode across this little bridge in Ecuador to find a hidden resort with fantastic food on the other side. Right, Riding along the South Atlantic Ocean approaching Cape Town, South Africa.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

It was on our next trip that I discovered the sublime celestial canvas above that becomes visible once the sun goes down. We had lingered longer than planned in El Bolson, Argentina, a small town in northern Patagonia. When we left for the day ride from Bariloche, the weather was balmy so we left our cold weather gear behind, thinking we would return well before sunset. An air show put on by an Andean Condor and views of an ice blue glacier along our hiking trail kept us in El Bolson later than we had planned. On the ride back to Bariloche, I learned the importance of always being prepared with proper gear. As the temperature fell, I kept watching the clock, the kilometers to go and doing the math in my head to figure out how much longer I would need to endure my current circumstance. Then, I tipped my head back. No longer was I focused on the temperature; how could I be? It was hard to be anything but enchanted while bearing witness to the nocturnal masterpiece that blanketed us as we wound our way through the Andes. It feels good to be scratched by nature; to hear and feel the wind, the rain, to smell a pine forest and elderberries, to hear water cascading down a waterfall–all dopamine-producing Above, Under an ever-changing Ecuadorian sky, a cobblestone road gives the F 800's suspension a workout. Right, Brad and Angela.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

A spectacular view of Norway.

sensations. Pair them with cutting through the air on the back of a motorcycle, and you’ve got nirvana. When a small group of riders gathered in a hotel lobby in Aalesund, Norway, we were instructed to share how long we’d been riding and what we liked about it. There were several other pillion riders in the crowd, so I was eager to hear what they’d say. “I ride my own bike at home, but when we travel, I prefer to sit on the back, that way I see more. I have less responsibility,” a woman from Iowa confessed. “I’ve always loved to ride on the back. Never wanted to ride my own bike. I see so many things he doesn’t see, because he has to keep his eyes on the road. I rather feel sorry for him sometimes and think I’ve got the better end of the deal,” a pillion rider from New Zealand disclosed to the group. “I love to take photographs from the back. I get some really good ones,” a Swiss rider new to motorcycling shared. Plan B? It became necessary because the day before the remnants of Cyclone Fehi had lashed the west coast of New Zealand with wild weather causing “slips”, flooding and downing power lines. Many roads, including the very roads we had planned to travel, were impassable. How lucky we were!

…Mt. Cook appears to our right, its snow-capped peak contrasts brilliantly with the bright blue sky as I frame it up in the view finder and snap away. There is nothing obstructing my view or commanding my attention other than the Southern Alps and the wind rushing over my body.

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

FROM

THE

FOUNDATION

A LITTLE WORK TO DO AFTER GREAT FALLS ANOTHER NATIONAL RALLY IS IN THE WIND! IT HAS BEEN A GREAT WEEK IN GREAT FALLS,

By Ted Moyer #100360

and I am looking forward to a little downtime to explore Montana and the western United States. After a few days off, my attention will turn to Motorrad Fest in September, and not long after that, we start preparing for the 50th Anniversary Rally in Springfield. The Foundation gave away 20 new BMW motorcycles in the Superstakes, including one of every 40th Anniversary edition GSes. It was a total prize pool of over $300,000, and one of the largest in our history. The final tally will take a little longer to calculate, but odds are good that the 2021 fundraiser will net over $100,000 for the Foundation and its training efforts. Along with making a few winner notifications, I am certain my time off will be filled with thoughts of “How do we top this?” That is because it has been more than a great week in Great Falls—it was epic. Over 450 BMW MOA members, about 10 percent of the total attendance, participated in rider training during the Saddle Up and Ride Rally. The 2021 National Rally was the first time in recent years we had a little something for everyone in the way of training. Streetmasters returned with their Cornering Workshop. Focused on building skills for street riders, Walt Fulton, Nancy Foote and the crew trained 120 members over three days. The BMW Performance Center U.S. Rider Academy was also on hand with their Authority Training. A slow-speed training course concentrated on clutch and throttle operation, and the course also teaches head and eye placement along with body control to allow more confident operation of the motorcycle in tight spaces. New to the Rally this year, West38Moto conducted off-road training at the beautiful and expansive Bull Run Ranch. Located about 30 miles west of the Rally grounds, the West38Moto team guided riders on the ranch to a half-day of off-road skill instruction with a practical application via an off-road ride back to the Rally. These off-road rides were a first for MOA members and certainly rated as a hit among the participants. A lot of work goes into preparing for training at an event like ours. Ask the trainers from the BMW Performance Center about the logistics of moving over 400 traffic pylons from South Carolina to Montana for a glimpse into the not-so-glamorous life of a motorcycle safety instructor. Likewise, the off-road training at Bull Run Ranch would not have been possible without AMA member Russ Ehnes. The 12,000-acre ranch is owned by a couple of local off-road enthusiasts and, through Russ’ efforts, was offered as a training ground for nothing more than a couple of seats in the class. I doubt you have tried to rent 12,000 acres in Montana lately, but it costs a bit more than that. For the Foundation, the 2021 National Rally was a fantastic success. Not only were more than 450 riders trained, but the Foundation was able to help offset some of the cost of that training. Because of a successful Superstakes promotion, the training bill from the Rally is completely paid—definitely good news because there is still work to be done. For the MOA Foundation, the mission is complete when every rider is trained. We have a little work ahead of us, but based on what I experienced in Great Falls, we are off to a great start. As we approach our 50th year as an organization, I am excited for the future of the Foundation and our efforts to advance rider safety, education and training. I don’t know how we outshine Great Falls, but I can’t wait to try (after a few days off, of course). As always, I encourage you to ride safe.

Ted Moyer 60

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

10 Y E ARS • 1O ROU T E S • 10,000 MIL E S OF ADVEN T URE

FOLLOW A DECADE-LONG JOURNEY OF THE BDR ORGANIZATION FROM ITS RAGTAG BEGINNINGS TO BECOMING A WELL-RESPECTED NAME IN THE ADVENTURE MOTORCYCLE COMMUNITY

A BDR DOCUMENTARY FILMS PRODUCTION

DIRECTED BY: STERLING NOREN

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Basic Training Fails (Part 2) By Jon DelVecchio #208163 DROPPING YOUR MOTORCYCLE lever is overstressed in waiver courses, but to sit on a motorcycle. How hard can it be to it should be. A quick squeeze can help a sit on the seat and reach for the grips? stinks. Doing it in view of others is even new rider regain control of a runaway When riding a motorcycle skillfully, the worse. motorcycle, and these courses are often body appears to be one with the bike. It’s These unfortunate mishaps actually conducted in cramped parking lots. easy to notice riders who are truly relaxed. happen more often than people think, as Experienced riders typically tip-overs accounted for more don’t cover the clutch beyond than half of the crashes low-speed maneuvers when recorded in a 2016 Virginia Tech slipping the clutch in the Motorcycle Safety Foundation friction zone is proper technaturalistic study. nique. Most students intuitively Whether it’s poor footing at a stop covering the clutch by the stop or loss of balance at middle of the waiver course so parking lot speeds, drops can this practice really isn’t a really ruin your day. At a problem. minimum there’s going to be The opposite is true for unnecessary scuffs somewhere covering the front brake on the bike. In the worst cases, lever—a big no-no in waiver possible outcomes include body courses and a technique that aches and broken motorcycle or might take riders years to pick rider parts. up on their own. I believe I once took a training course covering the brake lever is a where a guy dumped his Harley great idea for riders as it bagger in a U-turn and got decreases reaction time and is stuck beneath it—talk about useful for controlling speed and adding insult to injury. Thank steering. This was discussed goodness most tip-overs aren’t extensively in my previous serious. article. Last month, my article As with any new skill, you identified primary aspects of have to walk before you can fundamental training that may run, which is the case with be short changing riders in the long run. This article highlights Known as a “dirt nap” in ADV circles, some say you’re not truly a biker until you upper body placement. Besides drop your bike in front of a crowd. Photo by C. Mark Wessinger. using special techniques for low four secondary aspects. While speed turning and swerving, the first two may be nitpicking, novice riders are taught to lean their upper the other two are pretty serious. Basic training courses stress an almost half with the motorcycle, meaning their As with the first article, my intention robotic body placement on the motorcycle. chest centerline is the same as the centerisn’t to slam the waiver courses or suggest This baseline body positioning can look line of the motorcycle, the centerline radical curriculum changes. I’m a huge fan unnatural at times, and nobody expects a referring to the vertical line splitting the of them. Not only did I get my start rider to be as stiff as they are during a rider or motorcycle in half when viewed through a waiver course, but I spent 10 waiver course once they become more from the front. years teaching one before branching off comfortable. Accomplished riders know that leaning into advanced training through my own Certainly, the posture skills taught to the upper body into the turn and “kissing school. Let’s jump in… newbies have more in common with the mirror” is a good technique which lifetime posture than not, but there are naturally reduces motorcycle lean angle. In some major differences. Riding Posture other words, the rider’s chest centerline is First of all, I believe covering the clutch It seems crazy to say that there’s a right way

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

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Shifting

Waiver courses require the coach to tell students to make the shifting steps distinguishable and to slightly pause between each action. What changes after basic training is that smooth shifting becomes important for maintaining consistent traction, especially when curves are involved. Most riders eventually learn to coordinate shifting more gracefully on their own as time goes on without giving it much thought. That might be why few advanced books or courses directly teach proficient gear shifting techniques. Some modern motorcycles provide shifting assistance. Even so, a skilled motorcyclist demonstrates finesse with every gear change. This means taking slack out of the shift lever with the left foot on upshifts, using a slight pulling action on the clutch lever and manipulating the throttle to better match road speed with engine rpm.

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Using the 1981 Hurt crash study as a guide, early course developers included stopping and swerving skills in their curriculum. These skills are mostly taught to riders moving in a straight path of travel at loweraero bmwon 1 2020.indd 1 12/4/19 speed when more traction is available for braking or direction changes. When leaning, significant portions of traction are required for turning. Tricky maneuvers $ while already leaned over can be more prone to overwhelming available traction. People aren’t going to learn skills for Includes all power leads and comes in a handling mid-corner emergencies in the neoprene pouch. waiver course. The only technique ULTRA presented is stopping while in a curve. COMPACT Even when preparing them for this situation, students are primarily taught to straighten the motorcycle upright, square the handlebars, and then do a typical quick stop. In other words, apply brakes only when the motorcycle is upright. This reduces in-class student crash risk because the motorcycle is not consuming turning

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traction when the hard braking is applied. There are no exercises in the waiver course with objectives to teach how to just slow down in a curve, which is much more likely than stopping there. Basic training stresses only one solution to excessive cornering speed: pressing the inside grip more to increase motorcycle lean angle. While this is an effective technique for misjudging a too fast entry speed, adding motorcycle lean in a vulnerable position adds risk. Beyond the fundamentals, people should develop advanced skills that specifically address how to adjust speed, change direction and ride over roadway obstacles while leaning in a curve. It’s important to acquire these skills before they are needed. Braking can be applied in a corner to reduce speed. This can be accomplished by closing the throttle or applying either brake. While I’m not a fan of using the rear brake past the corner entry, front braking with delicate application can be applied at any time or anywhere in a curve. Skilled riders have the option to change their direction in a curve with either speed or steering inputs. A slower speed allows for sharper turning, while a faster speed pushes the motorcycle towards the outside of a turn. It’s okay to swerve while leaning in a turn, which is basically done with the handlebars like when upright. Just remember that when you swerve in a curve, you’ve already consumed significant turning traction and suddenly adding more can exceed what’s still available. Handling slippery surfaces such as gravel or liquid in a corner is similar as when traveling upright. Avoid any sudden changes in speed or direction until the threat is behind you. Running over obstacles or potholes mid-curve should be expected in the real world. Try to enter corners with your front suspension travel as close to the middle as possible. This way it can better absorb any unusual compression events. Waiver courses teach blipping the throttle to fully extend the forks before striking an obstacle which, during waiver

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

course training is usually a 2” x 4” plank. As a result, the forks more easily soak up the impact. In a corner we don’t have that luxury. Quickly adding throttle at lean raises the demand for acceleration traction, thus removing what’s available for turning. The best way to handle rough roads in this situation is to have room in the suspension travel to absorb what it can. A major difference between running over an object while upright versus leaning is that you shouldn’t lift your butt up off the seat and blip the throttle while leaning. That could upset the suspension. It’s better to use the standard advice not to make any abrupt changes to speed and direction over slippery or uneven surfaces.

Low-Speed Maneuvers

Plenty of motorcyclists seem to lose balance and control executing daily maneuverability tasks, resulting in low-speed crashes. In a recent Virginia Tech crash study, researchers were surprised by the high number of “capsize” crashes, which comprised 57% of the total. To put this in perspective, the next two highest percentage crash types were “road departure” and “right of way violations” at 10 percent each. Remove tip overs and the number of total crashes in the study drops from 30 out of 100 participants to only 13. The final report cites that these crash types are unique and not found in past analysis reports. Researchers go on to say that this is an area requiring exploration and suggest that the cause of such drops is a breakdown in rider proficiency. Are the basic motorcycling waiver courses to blame for this phenomenon? Novice training expressly discourages front brake use during U-turn practice. They do permit the rear brake to control speed. Folks, the front brake is perfectly fine to use at low speeds. Experienced riders should have higher dexterity on the brake lever, whereas newbies typically don’t. It’s 2021, and people still think they can’t use the front brake on their motorcycle sometimes. The counterweighting technique presented to new riders making slow turns

implies planting both feet firmly on each foot peg. Insisting on this can be problematic later since by the time a foot can be moved from a peg to catch a tipping motorcycle, it might be too late. Dangling, or hovering, a foot four to six inches above the ground can help with reaction time in case a dab with a foot is necessary to prevent falling. When a motorcycle begins to capsize, it’s easier to save it when more upright. There is a point where it’s best to just let the bike go rather than risk injury. Regaining control of the weight before that point is critical. Dabbing, or putting a foot down, is advised in waiver courses as a solution to prevent falling over. However, doing so on the final evaluation deducts points for poor skill and judgement. A person could fail the test because of these point deductions. In my opinion, dabs are okay as gluing both feet to the bike when changing direction at five mph is an unreasonable requirement. Keep in mind that the same exact techniques for low-speed maneuvering taught in waiver courses still apply afterwards. The only change being suggested is to dangle the inside foot just in case it’s needed or wanted. Some people think that dangling or dabbing a foot is terrible advice. My response to them is simple. If it’s so dangerous, why do the waiver courses advise it during practice? Because they know it may prevent a fall and the inconvenient aftermath.

Conclusion

There’s a popular saying that goes, “Some riders don’t have 20 years motorcycling experience, they have a single year repeated 20 times.” This quote summarizes the essence of my basic training fails message. The best way to get into motorcycling is by taking a basic license waiver course. That said, motorcyclists that only use the techniques presented during those courses are missing out on greater confidence, control and enjoyment. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation is known to advertise, “The more you know, the better it gets.” I think anyone who continues to follow the path of continued rider education would probably agree.

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Another Lesson in Motorcycles and Physics: the Centerstand Lift By Rik Lewis #217253 NEARLY ALL MOTORCYCLE SAFETY

training is focused on managing a motorcycle in forward motion with varying rider/passenger, speed, weather and road/traffic conditions. However, bad things can happen when your motorcycle is either fully stopped or even while moving backward. Most backward motion experiences involve parking or otherwise moving a motorcycle around in a garage or similar confined space.

The Centerstand Lift

I am a relatively new BMW motorcycle owner, and until about two years ago, never owned a motorcycle with a centerstand. I am also blessed with a relatively short inseam, and at age 67 my upper body strength has seen better days. As a condominium owner with limited garage space, there are times when my F 800 GT shares a parking space with a full-size SUV. When combined, these factors can conspire to make getting the motorcycle onto the centerstand in the parking spot corner a challenge. While raising the F 800 GT onto its centerstand, not only does the motorcycle move UP, but it also moves BACKWARD a distance of about eight inches! That backward movement requires a critical spatial awareness when maneuvering in a tight space with immovable objects such as curbs in the path of the rear tire. On delivery of my first BMW motorcycle, I asked the salesman to give me a quick lesson in centerstand use. Little did I know this single lesson was woefully insufficient to master the centerstand lift. I later discovered there was much more to learn to make the lift safely and with the least physical effort.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

The Physics

Previously, I wrote about the physics of motorcycle movement and collisions. A motorcycle and its rider are a simple, physical mass in variable motion (acceleration, speed, direction) moving in a dynamically complex environment. That world contains other objects also having mass—some are in motion and some are immovable structures. Collisions between objects are governed by physical laws that can create impact forces with unexpected and sometimes disastrous outcomes. Avoiding these collision forces is a critically important safety task while moving in any direction at any speed. Collision physics are complicated, but impact force is a function of object weight, speed and collision distance, i.e., how far the object moves as it loses momentum when coming to a stop and impact time. What happens when the collision is between an immovable object and a highly compressible/bouncy motorcycle component such as a rear tire is more complex due to unpredictable rebound/bouncing effects.

Backward Motion and an Unpleasant Surprise

I was off the motorcycle and had carefully walked it backward into the parking space corner. When raising the motorcycle onto the centerstand, I had not allowed sufficient space for that all important backward movement. The rear tire hit the curb and bounced the motorcycle forward because every action has an equal and opposite reaction. I was now a surprised rider trying to hold onto a barely moving motorcycle falling onto its right side. Stop and picture that miniature version of a

slow-motion train wreck for just a moment and you can see the dilemma. The outcome was a dropped motorcycle, scraped left shin, a slightly scratched engine crankcase cover and a severely bruised ego. Mercifully, there were no serious injuries or damage to the fairing, turn signal or handlebar.

Lessons

This story is a simple reminder of that old training adage we have all heard since we were small children: Practice makes perfect. My lack of familiarity with my motorcycle’s centerstand operation, combined with the other complicating factors cited above, should have caused me to better learn the fundamentals and then practice the center stand lift until I had mastered all aspects of this seemingly simple action. For reference by others, I found a nice centerstand tutorial video on YouTube® that was a great training aid. This same practice-makes-perfect adage goes for numerous other motorcycling activities such as tight U-turns, quick stops, etc. It is worth the practice time to be sure you can safely complete the maneuver out there in our risky real world. Be safe, and practice potential collision awareness and other skills every time your motorcycle is in motion – forward/ backward/fast/slow and even in the “relative safety” of your own garage.

SKILLS

Those Who Have and Those Who Will! By Jerry Johnson #223824 THOSE WHO RIDE HAVE ALL HEARD

and sport touring bikes. That brings us to the inevitable “Those Who Have and Those Who Will.” That inevitable day started off like any other. I had just finished my last night shift before a well-deserved week off. Since I had a few errands to run while on my way home I decided to take the bike. Now in my quest to find the perfect bike, I owned both a Kawasaki Concours 14 and a recently-acquired Honda Valkyrie 1500. For this trip the Valkyrie got the nod as I

that phrase in reference to dropping your bike. However, as I sit here sipping coffee and watching the sun come up just hours before my next surgery, I realize it also applies to your first accident or, what I refer to as “inadvertently departing your seat.” First a little background. Like so many others, my love affair with two wheels began at about 11 years old when my father, brother and I talked my uncle into selling us his pair of 70s-era Honda Trail 70s. Until that time, my two-wheeled adventures only included zipping around the neighborhood on my Huffy bicycle with a card in the spokes to mimic the sound of a motorcycle. But now, with two wheels and a motor along with a few hours practicing in an open field, I was turned loose to ride the backroads and hollers of West Virginia. Those were the days before cell phones, internet or GPS. A scratched helmet serves as a constant reminder of my mistake. I’m still surprised that I didn’t get lost, hurt or hadn’t had a lot of time in the seat since stranded as it would have been hours or purchase and felt she needed some even days before anyone found me. attention. Once I got my license, I did what any Weather was great and my GPS showed responsible young adult with limited traffic to be light for my ride in. So, off riding experience did: I bought my first into the night I go for the hour-long street bike, a Honda CBR600. It didn’t take commute. Now I am not a fan of riding on long for me to realize that having a the interstate but sometimes its a necesmotorcycle as my only mode of transporsary evil and because I’ve made this drive tation wasn’t ideal and begrudgingly so many times, I’m very familiar with all picked up a four-wheel vehicle. Thankthe potholes and potential traffic hiccups. fully, I was still able to scratch my As I approached a downtown intertwo-wheel itch over the years with various change where highways merge and then makes and models of sport bikes, cruisers,

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

split, there was the usual congestion of taillights. That night was slightly different as newly begun construction added to the congestion. As I scanned ahead and to my left and right, planning an escape route in the event I get cut off or the typical lane change without looking occurs, traffic started slowing in anticipation of the junction. Then, just as I was moving my head from left to right something caught my attention that hadn’t quite registered until I had looked past it. Then it clicked, and I immediately looked straight ahead to see that the car in front of me hadn’t realized traffic had started slowing and overcompensated by locking up their brakes. Had it happened two minutes earlier I would have had an out, but at this exact moment I was blocked on my right by traffic and the left shoulder was nonexistent because of a construction barrier. My only option was to get on the brakes and hope my beast of a bike would stop. As I lay on the left-hand lane of I-24, looking at my bike on its side and feeling some mild discomfort in my right shoulder, I pondered what had just happened. As people got out of their vehicles to offer assistance, I did a self assessment. I could wiggle my fingers and toes without pain or discomfort so I slowly tried to move my upper body only to realize something was definitely wrong on my entire upper right side. Against my better judgement, but on the insistence of the State Trooper on scene, I stood up and walked to the shoulder out of the flow of

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traffic. I couldn’t remember if should leave my helmet on or take it off, but I opted to leave it on since my right arm was of no help in the effort. Once the ambulance arrived and I was transported to the local ER, I found out that I had broken my clavicle, broken six ribs and punctured a lung. Of course, like any level-headed person hopped up on pain medication would do, I asked how my bike was. Surgery addressed the clavicle and ribs, while my lungs were left to heal on their own. After a couple nights of observation, I was released with follow up care instructions. Now what about my bike you ask? Well, unfortunately it was totaled, and after all the pieces of the event was put together, it was determined that I had not impacted the car in front of me but because I locked up my rear wheel, I had been thrown off the bike and landed on my right shoulder. Looking back over the events of that day I believe there were several ways the crash could have been avoided. First, I could have simply left the bike home and taken my car. Secondly, I was on a new-to-me bike that was 20 years old, and being used to a newer ABS-equipped bike, I never took the time to practice on a non-ABS bike. Finally, given the situation and road conditions, my normal following distance wasn’t enough and my usual escape routes were nonexistent. I believe it behooves us as riders to maintain our skills, and relying on a riders’ course taken 20 years earler when you started riding isn’t enough. Sign up for a refresher or advanced course and keep practicing. Otherwise, I think you’ll eventually become a statistic and find yourself sitting on your porch sipping coffee as the sun rises on another beautiful day that you can’t enjoy by riding because you’re still recovering from becoming a “those who have” statistic!

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How Smart is You? By Ron Davis #111820 IT NEVER FAILS. AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR I

catch a news story about the appalling state of intelligence of Americans. You know that song: a survey reveals high school seniors can’t tell you in which war America won its independence, some college grads name Opra Winfrey as our vice president, etc. And talk show hosts like Jimmy Kimmel delight viewers with reporteron-the-street interviews that suggest no one can find China on a map. Are we getting dumber? Maybe, but I can’t say I’m any paragon of wisdom myself (and advancing age hasn’t helped). However, at least BMW motorcycling should be something we enthusiasts know about, right? Maybe this basic quiz will reveal the depth and breadth of your cycle knowledge (answers at the end): 1.

A red “ABS” light on your dash indicates… a. You need to find a sticker to cover it. b. It’s time to start doing crunches again. c. Your local BMW service shop has a cash-flow issue. d. Anti-lock brakes are working (or maybe not!)

2. “Rake and Trail” refer to… a. A great subject for ending any conversation with a non-rider. b. Mathematical algorithm requiring a working knowledge of the Schrodinger Equation and the Fourier Transform. c. Two dimensions your bike desperately needs, but you didn’t know it had. d. Something possibly made up by Jack Reipe (who’s also rumored to be the source of the phrase “crotch rocket”). 3. The abbreviation “Nm” stands for… a. No Motorcycles Allowed. b. Newton-meter. c. “Nice move, Knievel” (usually uttered by a friend after you drop your bike). d. Nothing much. 4. As a motorcyclist encountering fresh cut grass in the roadway, you should probably… a. Stop, dismount, and give the guy on the riding lawn mower a stern lecture (with PowerPoint) on “Kinetic Friction Force.” b. Stop, take a photo and make a snarky Facebook post. c. Turn around, go home, get leaf blower. d. Go around it.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

5. Complete this phrase: “Loud pipes…” a. Make your neighbors stop talking to you. b. Create a convenient method for contributing to your city’s general fund. c. Say “I have a loud motorcycle (and you don’t).” d. For some reason, cost more than quieter stock ones. 6. As you approach a roundabout, you should… a. Make an immediate U-turn, since only one out of ten U.S. motorists really understand the rules. b. Proceed with caution. c. Hold down your horn button, scream as loud as possible, flash brights, wave arm. d. Pause to check your insurance coverage. 7. Rider etiquette demands that, when approaching another oncoming rider on the highway, you should… a. Point two fingers at the ground with left hand. b. Offer a desultory nod. c. Ignore any motorcycle other than a BMW. d. Pull over to discuss oil preferences. 8. The best line to use with your significant other when you want to buy a second motorcycle would be… a. “It’s good for the economy.” b. “It’s for you.” c. “I’ll be gone a lot more.” d. “I can always sell it for a profit.” 9. “BMW” stands for… a. Bayerische Motoren Werke. b. Bavarian Motor Wheels. c. Bavarian Marriage Wrecker. d. Befestigungsanlage Maximalgeschwindigkeit Wacholderbranntwein 10. What is the current slogan for BMW motorcycles? a. “Make life a lifetime.” b. “Make life a ride.” c. “Get a life and ride.” d. “Ride like you like life.” 11. The BMW logo was inspired by… a. A spinning propeller. b. An extremely elementary version of checkers. c. The flag of a German state. d. A story problem involving area of a circle from an eighthgrade geometry text.

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Answers: 1. (d.) Seeing that light at start-up is always good for instilling a few moments of dread, though. 2. (c.) And without both you’ll find cornering much more exciting! 3. (b.) Incidentally, mentioning that 1 Nm is equivalent to 0.738 lb/ft. is yet another way to end any social conversation. 4. (d.) But you should know that “c. wet leaves” is the answer to the question #7 on the Wisconsin DMV’s Motorcycle Endorsement Test (25 multiple choice questions, 45 min. time limit) 5. (d.) But don’t be surprised if your neighbors start shooting their grass clippings into your driveway. 6. (b.) If you want to continue making “life a ride,” yield to the left, otherwise do not stop! 7. All. But I prefer “The Queen’s wave.” 8. Not sure, but do let me know if any of these work. 9. I’d guess (a.),” but I prefer “Bring More Weinerschnitzel.” 10. (b.) 11. (c.) Yes, BMW did make airplane engines, and yes, it looks like it could be a spinning propeller, but, get over it, it’s derived from the Bavarian flag colors. End of discussion!

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One Secret to Success By Bill Shaw #70903 football there’s George Blanda who played for 26 seasons. In our world, we have Dave harmonious chord between the rigors of a McQueeney, Dave Swisher and Voni career and life, most adopt a “work hard, Glaves, who have respectively ridden over play harder” mentality. Not too surpris2.08, 1.70 and 1.14 million miles on BMW ingly, determined BMW motorcyclists motorcycles. working towards their next goal have Another one of my mentors is someone adopted a similar mantra: work hard, ride who could be the poster child for the work more. hard, ride smarter method, Robert E. Because this mindset can lead to fatigue Higdon. Bob jokes about getting noseand promote burnout, a better maxim to bleeds whenever the speedometer follow in an effort to avoid this on his bike exceeds 56 mph, but problem might be work hard, ride he has attained every goal he set smarter. Let me explain. his sights on. Bob started riding Most of us can clearly rememBMWs in 1972 aboard an R 75/5 ber the events that led to our and completed his first docufalling in love with motorcycling. mented long-distance ride in We approached our newfound 1987, an Iron Butt Association pursuit rather cautiously at first. 48-10 Challenge. Since then, a Over time and almost imperceptismall list of his other accomplishbly, riding changed us in a primal ments include finishing an Iron way. Our bike wasn’t a prized Butt Rally (2001), riding a possession to be brought out only motorcycle around the world on Sundays; it was a tool to be (2004), visiting all 3,069 counties used regularly. It wasn’t simply a in the contiguous U.S. (a five-year means of transportation; it allowed effort he completed in 2008) as us to explore our small part of the well as surpassing one million universe and, in the process, miles on BMW motorcycles connect with it. As our confidence (2008). Bob clearly pursues his level increased, we set progresgoals at a leisurely pace—some sively more challenging goals— might even say glacial—but few therein lies the rub. Bob Higdon in Washington, DC, following his graduation from law school on May 13, 1973. have been more successful. One of the most difficult We all can learn from Bob, and concepts for ambitious riders to others like him, who illustrate the point of understand is realizing that attaining There’s no road map (pun intended) to this dissertation so well. They prove that short-term goals doesn’t always result in help riders achieve their goals. This the most accomplished motorcyclists know reaching long-term objectives. Patience uncertainty is understandable because each how to pace themselves. plays a large role in the process. This of us has different objectives as well as Being a smarter rider, at least in this realization is why the most accomplished different definitions of success. If you look respect, means long-term objectives can be people take a more methodical and at the most accomplished athletes in other achieved without draining the proverbial disciplined approach with regard to sports, for example, they are almost always tank. Learning restraint for someone who’s achieving their goals. those who have been around the longest. competitive, though, isn’t easy. But in order As a fledging long-distance rider in They know how to physically and mentally to enjoy this sport to the fullest, it’s 2000, I failed to understand this concept pace themselves for the long haul, which, necessary. fully. I exceeded my early long-distance ultimately, led to a successful career. Cal goals by rapidly progressing from riding Ripken, Jr., baseball’s “Iron Man,” played one Iron Butt Association challenge to for 21 years and 2,131 consecutive games. In WHEN IT COMES TO STRIKING A

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

another. When I started long-distance rallying in 2002, I was a quick study, thanks to the mentoring I received from other BMW riders like Ardys Kellerman, Elsie Smith and Paul Taylor. After successfully finishing the 2005 Iron Butt Rally five years later, I was burnt out. Even after 16 years, the desire to complete several other rides on my list has not returned.

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THE

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HABIT-FORMING By Mark Barnes, PhD #222400 CONSIDER THIS A

complementary piece to last month’s “Sensitivity Training” article. That one dealt with the process of sensitization, which makes us more aware of elements possessing special relevance within our perceptual field. Here we’ll examine habituation, which does the opposite: it makes us less aware of repeatedly encountered stimuli lacking significant consequences, thereby conserving our limited resource of consciousness in favor of novel or personally meaningful features in the world around us or within our bodies. Although habituation diverges in some ways from how we commonly think about “habits,” there is overlap. Behavioral habits can be thought of as automated routines occurring without much thought or deliberate effort. They may be as simple as brushing our teeth or much more complex, such as following a circuitous route on a daily commute or coordinating a sequence of clutch, brake, throttle, and steering inputs while entering a corner at speed. Consider how often you’ve performed such tasks with your conscious attention pointed somewhere else, then realized you have barely any memory of, say, driving to work. In perceptual terms, routinely experienced sensory data that has proven low-priority—either because it doesn’t matter to us or it has been fully addressed by well-established behavioral habits—gets filtered out of conscious awareness so we can attend to (ostensibly) more important stuff. If we were fully aware of the non-stop avalanche of incoming sensory data to which our central nervous systems are subjected, we’d be continually overwhelmed by the cacophony and sheer number of streams to track. Indeed, some

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

psychological maladies are characterized by exactly such a lack of automatic filtering and prioritizing. I used this next example in “Sensitivity Training,” but it bears repeating. Until I call it to your attention later in this sentence, you are unaware of the pressure at your butt-chair interface, unless some discomfort prompts you to adjust your position, and even that may transpire outside your awareness. Such sensory information is always available, but awareness of it doesn’t do anything for you; you’re not protected from danger, no personal goals are furthered, nor is any gratification derived from monitoring it. Instead, your mind has been focused on this text, which seems more likely to serve you. You can observe the same phenomenon when you wear a new ring or watch. As long as it involves unfamiliar sensations your brain is still evaluating, it draws your attention. Once it’s deemed inconsequential, awareness fades. Note this does not happen just because you intellectually know the sensations are inconsequential; your neurons need proof over time. Our senses also constantly recalibrate based on what’s been most common recently. We can know 80 degrees will feel cool in August, but 80 still feels hot in March. All this is helpful and adaptive—until it’s not. Obviously, relieving our minds of unnecessary burdens and freeing us to concentrate on what matters most is a functional asset, but what about when danger slips in camouflaged in the drab garb of familiarity? An easy example might be a white car poised to pull out in front of us with a white building behind it. We’ve arrived at this intersection every workday for years, so we’re accustomed to a large blob of white over there. Now, it doesn’t even register and a potentially lethal threat hides in plain sight. How about a warning light we’ve ignored for a while, or an odd

noise or vibration we put off investigating? Eventually these lose their power to draw our attention and just become unremarkable—and unnoticed—features of our perceptual field. Our sensory apparatus can’t assess their relevance accurately based on as-yet-unexperienced consequences, and if we’ve deliberately downplayed risks (e.g., reassuring ourselves a warning light is “probably nothing”), there’s no longer any emotional alarm based on a conceptual appreciation of potential consequences. In the absence of immediate impingement or emotionally charged apprehension, our sensorium increasingly determines the stimuli to be low-relevance and directs our attention elsewhere. A similar principle in the behavioral realm is how practice makes permanent, rather than perfect. We all develop riding (and other) habits based on simple repetition, regardless of how problematic they might be, habits which may hinder our performance indefinitely because they become invisible to us and therefore impossible to change. For better or worse, we get used to things and lose track of them. Hence, we benefit from consultation on our skills throughout the time we use them; riders with decades of experience may be blind to a reflexive malpractice their riding school instructor or observant buddy would find glaringly apparent. Similarly, two people can be exposed to the same perceptual field and (unwittingly) select very different subsets of data to notice, based on how routinely those components have appeared in their respective histories. Of course, one subset is probably more advantageous than the other in terms of risk or opportunity assessment. Repetition alone doesn’t guarantee the most critically important features will take the spotlight. One benefit of habituation is how it helps us ignore unpleasant sensations, like

chronic pain. While pain usually has high survival value as a warning about physical problems requiring attention, it can persist even after we’ve done all we can do. In this scenario, it adds nothing actionable and only subtracts from our quality of life. Ideally in such cases, our awareness of the pain gradually subsides. It might be easy to find again if we go hunting for it, but it gets relegated to the background while we focus on other inputs, instead of perpetually eclipsing everything else. On the other hand, habituation can also dull pleasure. Ever notice how the first beer after a period of abstinence tastes extra delicious? Habituation reduces our sensitivity to those same flavors when they’re commonplace. More relevant to motorcyclists, how about the first ride after a harsh winter or string of obligations has kept us out of the saddle? All sorts of luscious sensory details arrive at the doors of perception unfiltered, creating a sublime phase of reentry. Once-routine sensations return to the realm of novelty-driven salience. We savor such moments as long as we can, knowing those details will gradually recede to merely peripheral status. The topic of habituation came to mind upon receiving my first COVID-19 vaccination shot yesterday. I’ve had an easier time than many who’ve dealt with more extensive restrictions necessitated by the pandemic. I have a day job which transfers adequately to an online medium, and motorcycling already involves considerable social distancing and deterrence of viral transmission, what with helmet-wearing and plenty of air between rolling riders. Nevertheless, after my jab, I was surprised by a surge of excitement about many motorcycle-related activities I’d been missing, such as club meetings, garage gatherings, restaurant rendezvous, rallies, and simply riding without concern about what might not be open or safe to

enter. For the first year in decades, my 2020 was devoid of any real travel, motorcycling or otherwise. I’d become inured to a collection of initially distressing deprivations. For this reprieve, I’m thankful to habituation. Now, by the same token, I’m facing prospects of heightened enjoyment as these things start to repopulate my schedule. Again, I have habituation to thank as an indirect contributor. I hadn’t realized how much I’d adapted to my suppressed level of activity, so simply resuming my old mobility feels like a windfall. Just as with sensitization, we typically have little conscious control over habituation, although we can purposefully use it to our advantage in certain ways. For example, one method of treating anxiety utilizes gradually increasing exposure to anxiety-provoking stimuli, coupled with learning to manage the associated cognitive and physiological alarm signals. Following repeated innocuous encounters, people can experience reduced sensitivity/ reactivity to the previously disruptive stimuli. (This is not the only effective means of addressing anxiety, nor is it the ideal option for some people, but it does illustrate the deliberate use of habituation to solve a problem.) We can do likewise in mastering intimidating challenges on our bikes or in our garages. If panic braking freaks us out, we can practice in a deserted parking lot where the risks are low, ideally with a skilled friend who can supply useful feedback and reassurance. Stopping in incrementally shorter distances, experiencing the weight transfer and flirting with the limit of front tire traction (all while avoiding catastrophic consequences) teaches our central nervous system not only desirable skills, but also to be less counterproductively fearful of the associated sensations. We get used to them and they’re transformed into familiar

information instead of startling cause for alarm. Ultimately, some of this translates into reflexive muscle memory, a form of behavioral habit. The same process can be employed in systematically taking up incrementally more complicated mechanical projects, repeatedly proving to ourselves that terrible consequences don’t occur (technically a related process called extinction which reduces the motivation derived from either rewards or punishments) and allowing increased familiarity to reduce the salience of stimuli that had previously provoked anxiety. For instance, wiring diagrams might become neutral tools instead of panic-inducing monstrosities. It’s no mystery cultivating good habits, behaviorally speaking, enhances our safety, proficiency, and enjoyment of motorcycling, not only while riding, but also when carrying out mechanical tasks. Habitual perception, however, can blunt our awareness of truly important things, good and bad. Reclaiming said awareness by thoughtfully focusing attention on what we know really matters (sensitization training) counters a thoughtlessly automatic process with a strategically designed one, and selectively desensitizing ourselves with habituation can expand our range of options. No one reading this essay will be surprised to find out we all get used to what’s familiar, but this mundane principle has a multitude of applications unrealized until we take the time to think about it.

Mark Barnes is a clinical psychologist and motojournalist. To read more of his writings, check out his book Why We Ride: A Psychologist Explains the Motorcyclist’s Mind and the Love Affair Between Rider, Bike and Road, currently available in paperback through Amazon and other retailers.

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

FINAL

JOURNEY

Jackie Paul Brunken #91814 By Peter Perrin #99616 THE MOTORCYCLING FAMILY LOST A VALUED MEMBER LAST

summer when Jackie Paul Brunken lost her gallant fight against an aggressive cancer diagnosed only a year ago. In the end, it was kidney failure that took her life. In the early 2000s, riding R 1100 RTs, Jackie and her husband Leon soon learned central Oregon was a rider’s paradise and the forests and wheat farms offered undulating, twisty roads with great sweepers and minimal traffic. Jackie would frequently lead their rides and eventually Leon had to purchase an R 1200 RT to keep up with her! When Jackie bought a new-to-her 2004 RT from a fellow in Baltimore, Maryland, she flew to the east coast and rode it back across the U.S. The retrieval of her new ride helped her coin the phrase “a time zone a day,” referring to the pace she kept, and during some of the long stretches of heartland she learned to “get gas when she could and not when she needed it.” In late 2018, Jackie traded in the ’04 RT for a new R 1200 RT. She named the beautiful new bike “Marsian” and was very proud of it. Her love of riding long days, or just getting out for an hour boosted her total Beemer mileage toward 200,000 miles by late 2019.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

Once Jackie retired from law enforcement, a love of horses led her to become a certified equine massage therapist, and her talents were utilized throughout Washington and Oregon. Jackie and Leon owned two horses, dogs, chickens and cows, which gave them a good reason to live on a hobby farm. Jackie was also proud of her gardens and flowers. Jackie’s love of adventure and all things BMW resulted in her writing for BMW Owners News many times over the last 15 years including the articles “Seeing Red” in June of 2006 and “The Tour of Honor” in July of 2019. Jackie also had pictures published on the “Postcards from the Road” and “TAILIGHT” pages. Music and singing were some of Jackie’s other interests, and when she was growing up, she sang in the church choir. Jackie also sang the National Anthem at the 2010 Redmond BMW MOA National Rally’s closing ceremonies, one of the several national rallies she attended. In a fitting tribute to this outstanding lady and rider, friends met in John Day, Oregon, in late September 2020 for a ride to celebrate her life. Leon led the group that day through one of their favorite riding areas along great roads that were very familiar to them. Ride on Jackie and rest in peace.

Congratulations, 2020 Annual Mileage Contest Winners! 1ST PLACE WINNERS Male: Blaine Paulus Jr.

Biglerville, PA / 87,904 Miles

Female: Brenda Gay

Granite Bay, CA / 21,615 Miles

2ND PLACE WINNERS Male: Steve Ladd Lake Stevens, WA / 60,715 Miles

Female: Laura Strom Musgrave

Loomis, CA / 14,842 Miles

3RD PLACE WINNERS Male: John Katics

Simi Valley, CA / 35,551 Miles

Female: Nicola Place

Diablo, CA / 12,944 Miles

AVERAGE MILEAGE WINNERS Male: Ernie Baragar

Reno, NV / 10,600 Miles

Female: Colleen Sepulveda

Santa Cruz, CA / 8,365 Miles

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Congratulations

2020-2021 Annual Mileage Contest riders By Jim Low #2803

Well, this has been quite the year – I know, that is a bit of an understatement. I’m sure many of you wondered about riding our motorcycles during a pandemic. Is it safe? Could I contribute to the spread of Covid? What about gas stops and hotels and restaurants? Are the Covid numbers on my route even worse than they are at home? What if I have a medical issue and hospitals are already dealing with too much? Isn’t motorcycling the definition of social distancing? What else can I do with my time when so many other activities are verboten? Well, 131 of our members figured out what they were comfortable with and managed to put on some impressive miles in the Annual Mileage Contest. In fact, Blaine Paulus Jr. covered an

astonishing 87,904 miles this past 12 months. He is a three-peat winner as the annual mileage king in the 2018, 2019, and, now, the 2020 annual mileage contests. Overall, California took top honors for annual miles and number of finishers with 163,133 miles and 12 finishers. Pennsylvania came in second in mileage and third in finishers (155,643 and 10, respectively). Florida rounds out the winning states with a third in mileage and second in finishers (141,991 and 11). An unusual tidbit for this contest is that all four female winners hail from the state of California. I guess that is not too unexpected but still… Also California has now won the annual mileage titles for the third time since I started coordinating the contests in 2017. And now on to the rider stories.

Blaine Paulus #79801 First Place Male Rider I live 11 miles northwest of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and have been riding motorcycles for 50 years. In May of 2021, I surpassed 1,500,000 logged miles, of which more than 900,000 have been on BMWs. I got my first BMW in March 1994, a 1988 BMW R 100 GS. I retired eight years ago with a retirement plan which included pursuing my passion for riding. Since then, I have riden 400,000 miles on BMWs. I perform my own maintenance on my fleet of BMWs, and the 56,000 miles for this year’s contest was equally spread out on three bikes, including a 2004 K 1200 RS, an F 800 GS and an ‘04 R 1150 GS. The remaining mileage was on the other BMWs. Last year, after all of my long-distance travel plans quickly evaporated, I did manage to take seven local trips within Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee with my riding buddies. Then, with my riding buddy Lance, I did an IBA-type ride of 1,141 miles to Vermont and back in 24 hours. Then, my last trip of the year was to Daytona. With those nine trips, I covered a little less than 12,000 miles within the contest period. A bunch of us usually go for Tuesday morning breakfast rides, but after Pennsylvania went through its lockdown phases, for most of the spring they were canceled. That led me to what I called “isolation riding by myself.” In July things opened up a little bit, and we restarted our breakfast rides. During last year’s contest I logged 68,458 miles, and during the year I started riding 100+ miles every day. From March 6, 2019, to March 6, 2020, I logged 69,251 miles. One of my riding buddies, Randy Ward, said if I just rode a little more, I could break 70,000 miles on a BMW for the contest. So, on July 12, 2020, I started riding 200+ miles every day, and by October 31, my MOA Annual Mileage Contest mileage stood at 51,964 miles. My streak

Blaine Paulus Jr.

of at least 200 miles stayed intact until a flat tire on December 17 ended it. Then on January 31, 2021, Winter Storm Orlena hit. My streak of at least 100+ miles in a day ended at 696 days and by that time, I had logged 73,771 miles on BMWs. I would like to thank Velocity BMW in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and Toy Tech in Grantville, Pennsylvania, for their support. Also, thanks to BMW MOA for having the contest, Jim Low for his dedication to the contest, and Michelin for their sponsorship, which is greatly appreciated.

Steve Ladd

Steve Ladd #195576 Second Place Male Rider What a strange, restrictive year! After finishing repairs to my home following hurricane Irma, I put my house on the market in order to get along with my retirement. One week after listing my house, COVID-19 put a stop to that. Access to the Florida Keys was closed except for those of us living there, and we became isolated. So, trying to make do with a bad situation, I would pack a lunch and go for a ride to an isolated beach or canal by myself. Finally, in October my house sold. Since I had a lot of miles on my 2013 R 1200 GS, I was planning on buying a new R 1250 GS, but with COVID-19, the BMW factory in Germany was closed, and they had an issue with their BMW brand brakes. I looked for a newer used R 1200 GS but couldn’t find any available in Southern Florida, so I went to my local BMW dealer (Motorcycles of Miami), and they did a great job going through my bike to make it capable of putting many more miles on the odometer. My second bike is a 1985 R 80 G/S Paris Dakar, and it also had some issues. So, I took it to Plam Werks in North Carolina, and they went through the bike and made it look and ride like a new motorcycle. Now being homeless, I purchased a used Travel Trailer Toy Hauler

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

MILEAGE

CONTEST

so that I could load my two motorcycles and explore our great country while heading towards Washington State to visit family and friends during the summer. I stayed in Southern Florida until January so I could attend the Winter Rally in Camp Weed. After that rally, I spent a week in Louisiana riding around the southern part of the state. My next stop was San Antonio, Texas, where I spent a month and found some great riding in the Texas Hill Country. After living in the Florida Keys for the past 20 years I was trying to slowly get acclimated to colder weather and was picking my stays in warmer climates. Was I surprised when I got stuck in my trailer for more than a week while it was snowing in San Antonio, after five days running out of propane for my heater. My next stop was in Quartzsite, Arizona, near the California border. On some days I would explore Arizona and other days I would go into California exploring Death Valley and the Mojave Desert. I’ve always wanted to ride in Baja, California, but was concerned about my safety traveling into Mexico; however, one day I decided to cross the border and take a short ride. This short ride ended up being a week, as I rode all the way down to Cabo San Lucas. My favorite areas in Baja were along the Gulf of California especially from Bahia de Los Angeles to Loreto. I found Baja to be quite safe and inexpensive, and it was the most enjoyable ride that I had for the year. I definitely plan on spending more time in Baja next winter.

spare time and hide from the virus. My solution was to find routes that would use less than a tank of gas and return me home without any human contact. Doing this, I have found roads seldom traveled and places and overlooks that I never had time to explore. The riding and exploring turned my challenging time into bonus time, and along the way I did find a few roads and places that fall into the “never again” category.

Ernie Baragar

Ernie Baragar #89132 Average Male Rider

John Katics

John Katics #137690 Third Place Male Rider I live in Ventura County, just outside of Los Angeles and have many ride options. I am old enough to not work and am still in good health. I ride a 2009 R 1200 GS Adventure and a 2015 R 1200 RT. I also have friends who can get out a few days each week and who face the same boredom. We’re all faced with challenges regarding how to spend our

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

I am retired from an engineering career supporting the manufacture of slot machines and now dedicate myself to the infinite “honey-do list,” volunteering for worthy causes and riding my BMW motorcycles. I call the high desert of Reno Nevada, my home. As the Nevada Airmarshal for the Airheads Beemer Club, I mostly ride around Nevada and California, supporting and attending our various events, but every now and then I break out for a run to Mexico and Canada. My steed of choice for the last 15 years has been a 1993 R 100 GS. Other bikes in the stable include a 1994 R 100 RT and a 2004 R 1150 RT. Many thanks to those who support my rides, including my wife Karen for letting me slide on the honey-dos, Sierra BMW for keeping my stable functional and safe, and my riding buddies in our local High Beemers Motorcycle Club of Northern Nevada.

Brenda Gay

Brenda Gay #220554 First Place Female Rider Every motorcycle rider’s journey has a beginning. My story started fairly early in my life, but didn’t gain momentum for a very long time. The summer before I entered high school, my family took a cross country trip from Paradise, California, to the Midwest to visit relatives we’d never met. One of my most vivid memories from that trip was meeting a second cousin in Kentucky who took me for a ride around the family farm on the back of his motorcycle. I loved it and vowed to someday ride my own motorcycle. It took me four decades, but that dream finally became a reality! Four years ago, I met a guy named Rich who was passionate about riding his BMW K 1300 S! Our first ride together consisted of taking his BMW K 1300 S to get an oil change and returning home with a new K 1600 GT–a very expensive oil change! We live in northern California in a community just east of Sacramento where there are many unbelievably beautiful roads right outside our front door, and over the next year Rich and I rode two-up on the GT all over northern and central California, exploring the Sierras, Pacific Coast, Sacramento delta, Yosemite, and San Francisco Bay area, among other spots. It was an amazing time that made me ready to take the next step with the sport–with Rich. In April 2018, Rich and I got married, and we bought a 2005 R 1200 GS for me to begin my journey of learning to ride on my own. Learning to ride at 54 was both frustrating and exhilarating and not as easy as I had hoped! I signed up for the motorcycle safety training course and while learning a “braking during a turn” skill, I braked hard while leaned in and, of course, I fell. Though my leg hurt, I was determined to finish the class, and I passed. Later in the day, the pain became intense and a visit to the ER confirmed I had broken my fibula! After six weeks in a walking boot, I started practicing my skills on my R 1200 GS with Rich’s patient voice coming through the Sena–very helpful since he was a Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor. I quickly realized I was too nervous to ride the “huge” R 1200 GS so I rode a BMW G 310 R for a few months instead to gain confidence before going back to practicing on my 1200.

All of the effort was so worth it when we rode a 1,000-mile Iron Butt on our way to the 2019 BMW Rally in Paonia, Colorado. We spent 11 days riding through California, Nevada, Colorado and Utah, and I got my first taste of being on the road for days, camping and staying in roadside hotels while riding more than 6,000 miles. After experiencing so many beautiful places and meeting many interesting people, later that year I decided to challenge myself to a long solo ride to visit my oldest child in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was exciting, but admittedly scary as my beloved GS broke down in New Mexico on the way home, which is a story for another time. The good part is that I came home with a new to me 2018 R 1200 GS Adventure! In June 2020, I retired from a 30-year career working for the state of California and bought a BMW R 1250 R as a retirement gift for myself. During the past year’s mileage contest time frame, I have spent a lot of time on both my GSA and the R 1250. I belong to the River City Beemers BMW Motorcycle club and have gone on many socially-distanced weekly group rides. One of the best outcomes of joining this club was meeting Laura, one of the few women riders. Laura has become a cheerleader and mentor to me, and together we spent nine days riding up the Pacific Coast to Astoria, Oregon and back home. Rich and I also try to ride evenings and every weekend we can; our day rides are often 350+ miles. We were also able to take some longer rides to the Pacific coast, Sedona, Arizona, and Crater Lake, Oregon. I am grateful to receive this award and for the many people who have helped me become a better rider—the RCB gang, Laura, and especially my husband Rich. I am looking forward to riding many more miles, visiting more amazing places, and meeting other riders along the way.

Laura Strom Musgrave #215850 Second Place Female Rider The last thing I say to myself before I let out the clutch is “let’s go see what we can see” because when I ride it’s always “we” with God, me and “Brother,” my 2015 R 1200 RT. Yes, it’s a he and yes, he has a name. Doesn’t everyone name their bikes? I came to call him Brother because out on the road we are family, I look after him, and he takes care of me. We depend on each other for our very health and well being. I’ve been riding since 2015, busily retired and living in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. I’m grateful to have adventure-filled roads in all directions. I’ve ridden to Alaska and Mexico and all through the West alone and with friends, proving dreams really do come true. In 2018, I joined the River City Beemers, and happily, my riding circle expanded. It amazes me how that one decision has blessed my life with riding buddies turned into a riding family and a sense of community.

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

MILEAGE

CONTEST

Laura Musgrave

So, how did I rack up the miles in the year of a pandemic? It wasn’t planned, like all endeavors it began with doing one ride at a time, setting out to see what we can see.

What I’d like to say about it all is that I’m deeply grateful. Grateful to have learned to ride while still young enough to make it work. Grateful to Mike Ritter at Moto Java, who showed me how to recover from my mishap and get back on a bike, and grateful to all the folks who have trained me to become a half-decent and safer rider, including Walt Fulton at Streetmasters in particular. I’m also grateful for the Paul B. Scholarship that helps offset the cost of training, grateful to my main riding partner who taught me how to tour with as little stuff and as much Zen as possible and grateful for the folks at BMW Motorcycles of Concord who gave me the warmest welcome imaginable and who keep my bikes in top shape (I now also have a 2015 R 1200 R). I’m also grateful for the members listed in the BMW Owners Anonymous book who helped me out of a jam last year, grateful for a set of new Michelin tires and grateful for having stayed safe and healthy during the past 12 months. Last but not least, I’m grateful beyond measure to my non-riding but hugely supportive husband. Here’s to more safe miles in 2021.

Nicola Place #220284 Third Place Female Rider Not in a million years did I think I would ever ride a motorcycle, and not in a million years did I think I would experience a pandemic. On Saturday, March 14, 2020, I returned home from a 1,900mile ride to Arizona and back. On Tuesday, March 17, the world turned upside-down. I live in the San Francisco Bay area and started riding in 2016 at the age of 58. A co-worker had a bike and took me for some rides, and pretty soon I was hooked. I then took the MSF course, bought a Honda Grom and rode it 192 miles before dropping it and breaking my fibula. After that, I didn’t ride for a while but finally returned and worked my way through increasingly larger bikes. In March 2020 I had just started my touring career on a 2006 F 650 GS. That week last March profoundly altered my riding plans for 2020. For a long time, under the “no non-essential travel mandate” and like many riders, I simply didn’t ride. Eventually, I opted to ride, socially distanced and as safely as I knew how, meaning alone with no stops other than gas and paying acute attention to avoiding any situation where I’d end up needing medical attention. It felt like a kind of witnessing tour; seeing the silent roads, the separated people, the huge uncertainties and loss all around. With all of that, it’s an odd thing to end up in third place with a set of new tires as most years I’d have been much further back in the rankings.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

Nicola Place

Colleen Sepulveda #108960 Average Female Rider 2020 was definitely a different kind of year in so many ways. Like most everyone else, my usual yearly event rides were canceled, and for the first few months of 2020, motorcycle training was completely shut down in California, meaning I didn’t even have any work to do. The good news was that I got to spend a lot of time with my family and grandkids at my Santa Cruz home and at the beach! Because I’m usually wearing motorcycle boots, I haven’t had tan lines from sandals in a long time! Once training resumed in late June, I was able to start working

Top 25 Male Finishers

Colleen Sepulveda

again, which meant riding to training sites throughout the state. I didn’t feel comfortable leaving California, and traveling anywhere in the U.S. seemed to be a bit sketchy, so I just didn’t do it. I knew this wouldn’t be a high-mileage year for me and am thrilled to receive the average miles award. My hopes are sky-high for new riding opportunities and events in 2021. I’m looking forward to riding to Montana for the MOA National Rally and crossing my fingers that Canada opens the border before Labor Day so we can ride the Three Flags Classic. I hope everyone was able to find a silver lining in the last year in spite of our unbelievable losses. 2021 has already provided a surplus of riding for me, so I can’t wait for what’s next! I just put my Michelin Adventure tires onto my bike on Tuesday, and five days later, I’ve already got more than 1,000 miles and two track days on them.

MOA # Name State Year 79801 Blaine Paulus Jr PA 2004 195576 Steve Ladd WA 2013 137690 John Katics CA 2009 116042 Daniel Yorkston WA 2004 80636 Dean Mickelson CO 2020 95692 David Kropp TN 2006 182591 Mike Valentin TX 2019 34979 Wm. Dan Andrews FL 2018 54354 Kenneth Ubry PA 2008 218973 William “Gary” Allmond AL 2019 115872 Frank Brown FL 2018 172496 Ray “Skip” Blecker AZ 2015 201417 Robert S O’Neill NC 2017 60027 Timothy Lindstrom MN 2003 92589 Bernhard Echt FL 2018 70674 Mitchell Pearson Jr. LA 2005 138008 David Doolin FL 2007 216998 Karl Priggee AZ 2017 194565 Boerge Deist GA 2019 13981 Victor Commune FL 2004 214079 Rich Gay CA 2019 96137 Stephen Slisz TX 2019 121136 David Hrenchir FL 2017 175611 Jeff Winnick CT 2005 175518 Robert Metzger OR 2015

Bike #1 Model Year

Bike #2 Model

K1200RS 2010 F800GS R1200GS 1985 R80GS R1200GSA 2015 R1200RT R1150R R1250RS 2009 R1200GSA K1200LT 2009 K1200LT R1250RT R1200GS 2018 R1200RT R1200RT 1999 K1200LT R1250GS K1600GA 2018 R1200RT R1200GS R1200RT 2014 R1200RT K1200RS 2004 R1150RT R1200RT R1200GS 2005 R1200GS R1200RT R1200RT R1250GS R1150RT 2015 R1200RT R1250GSA 2016 K1600GT R1250RT 2016 R1200RS R1200GS 2014 R1200GS R1200GS R1200RT

TOTAL MILES 87904 60715 35551 33425 31883 28164 24316 24226 24128 23185 21079 20940 20646 19623 18124 18104 17555 17088 16779 16154 15812 15233 15112 15011 14498

Top 25 Female Finishers MOA # Name State Year 220554 Brenda Gay CA 2018 215850 Laura Strom Musgrave CA 2015 220284 Nicola Place CA 2006 132926 Erin Hoxie PA 2002 108960 Colleen Sepulveda CA 2019 112343 Christine Hiday FL 2019 200845 Tracy Anderson MO 2009 214461 Amy Phinney ON 2017 209043 Val Weston NV 2018 182161 Tricia Dutcher AZ 2013 129134 Marcia Thurmond UT 2010

Bike #1 Model Year

Bike #2 Model

TOTAL MILES

R1200GSA 2020 R1250R 21615 R1200RT 14842 F650GS 2015 R1200R 12944 R1150R 10002 R1250GS 2016 R1200GSW 8365 F750GS 2013 F700GS 6747 F650GS 4051 F700GS 3933 R1200GS 1991 R100RTw/SC 2982 F700GS 2852 F650GS 2002 R1150RT 1046

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

MILEAGE

CONTEST

US Finishers ALABAMA - 2 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 58537 Deryle Mehrten 2019 K1600GT 2016 R1200RS 20,654 218973 William Allmond 2019 R1250GS 23185 40300 Paul McClain 2019 R1250GS 2012 K1600GT 10394 33579 ARIZONA - 7 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 172496 Ray “Skip” Blecker 2015 R1200GS 20940 216998 Karl Priggee 2017 R1200RT 17088 41989 Craig Littlefield 2019 S1000R 2018 G310GS 12938 58537 Deryle Mehrten 2019 K1600GT 2002 K1200RS 12042 160860 Brian Dutcher 2011 R1200GSA 2013 F800GS 7765 100047 Robert Kruse 2012 R1200RT 1975 R75/6 6706 182161 Tricia Dutcher 2013 F700GS 2852 80331 CALIFORNIA - 12 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 137690 John Katics 2009 R1200GSA 2015 R1200RT 35551 220554 Brenda Gay 2018 R1200GSA 2020 R1250R 21615 214079 Rich Gay 2019 R1250GSA 2016 K1600GT 15812 215850 Laura Strom Musgrave 2015 R1200RT 14842 116709 Trey Nicoud 2018 R1200RT 2018 R1200RT 13789 220284 Nicola Place 2006 F650GS 2015 R1200R 12944 200520 Alan Legerlotz 2016 R1200RT 10071 189688 Craig Porter 2018 R1200GSA 9542 92422 Dewayne Harkov 2009 R1200GSA 2000 R1100RT 9296 212967 Doug Boss 2008 R1200RT 1992 R100R 8653 108960 Colleen Sepulveda 2019 R1250GS 2016 R1200GSW 8365 39270 Russ Drake 2008 R1200GS 1997 R1100RT 2653 63133 COLORADO - 6 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 80636 Dean Mickelson 2020 R1250RS 2009 R1200GSA 31883 220149 Dean S. Hanson 2019 F850GSA 12192 109596 Scott Hellzen 2016 R1200RT 2009 F800GS 11540 195464 Roman Soshin 2013 R1200RT 7960 124255 Jeffrey del Castillo 2012 F800GS 2014 R 1200RT 4000 154370 Splinter Wrenn 2013 R1200RT 1981 R65 3601 71176 CONNECTICUT - 2 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 175611 Jeff Winnick 2005 R1200GS 15011 97677 Rockwell Rookey 2007 R1200GS 1982 R100RS 6081 21092 FLORIDA - 11 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 34979 Wm. Dan Andrews 2018 R1200GS 2018 R1200RT 24226 115872 Frank Brown 2018 K1600GA 2018 R1200RT 21079 92589 Bernhard Echt 2018 R1200RT 18124 138008 David Doolin 2007 R1200RT 17555 13981 Victor Commune 2004 R1150RT 2015 R1200RT 16154 121136 David Hrenchir 2017 R1200GS 2014 R1200GS 15112 211765 William Conavay 2013 R1200R 7528 112343 Christine Hiday 2019 F750GS 2013 F700GS 6747

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

100862 Robert Hiday 2013 R1200GS 2020 R1250GSA 6149 27510 Shep Brown 2004 R1150RT 5057 151021 James Hodgson III 2016 R1200RT 2005 R 1200RT 4260 141991 GEORGIA - 3 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 194565 Boerge Deist 2019 R1250GS 16779 144493 Dwight Johnson 2015 K1600GTL 9486 83834 Maurice Kornreich 2001 R1100S 3119 29384 ILLINOIS - 1 Finisher Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 216240 John Rapacz 2017 F800GSA 5546 5546 INDIANA - 1 Finisher Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 50785 James Thatcher 2009 R1200R 243 243 KENTUCKY - 1 Finisher Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 102452 John Lang 2015 R1200GS 2718 2718 LOUISIANA - 3 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 70674 Mitchell Pearson Jr. 2005 R1200GS 2005 R1200GS 18104 136296 Greg Beck 2015 R1200GSA 2016 R 1200RT 6751 42562 Thomas Zeringue 2012 K1600GTL 5524 30379 MARYLAND - 2 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 162587 William Carney 2015 K1600GTL 1989 K 100RS 6863 68961 George Criswell 2010 R1200RT 5663 12526 MASSACHUSETTS - 2 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 29818 Ed Pedi 2017 R1200RT 2018 R 1200GS 13488 80036 Mike Versage 2010 R1200GS 4123 17611 MICHIGAN - 4 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 71449 Wayne Koppa 2019 G310GS 8922 149080 Scott Auer 2013 R1200RT 5075 215490 Mark Bartreau 2016 R1200RS 2464 74643 John Saarinen 2004 R1150RT 167 16628 MINNESOTA - 1 Finisher Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 60027 Timothy Lindstrom 2003 K1200RS 2004 R1150RT 19623 19623

MISSISSIPPI - 1 Finisher Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 93615 Ian Fergusson 2013 K1600GT 899 899 MISSOURI - 5 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 154080 Fred Niblock 2013 K1600GTL 9974 72768 David Anderson 2015 R1200GSA 9850 217976 Steve Timmerman 2018 R1200RT 5735 200845 Tracy Anderson 2009 F650GS 4051 139784 Terry Collins 2009 R1200RT 2492 32102 NEVADA - 4 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 83113 Larie Trippet 2019 R1250RT 10995 89132 Ernie Baragar 2004 R1150RT 1993 R100GS 10600 18986 Jerry Bumps 2015 F700GS 7556 209043 Val Weston 2018 R1200GS 1991 R100RT w/SC 2982 32133 NEW HAMPSHIRE - 1 Finisher Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 109561 Andy Travnicek 2015 R1200GSA 2000 R1200C 11798 11798 NEW JERSEY - 1 Finisher Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 122798 Rick Mickles 2017 R1200RT 10591 10591 NEW MEXICO - 2 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 178804 Jeffrey Kramer 2019 R1250GSA 10187 193922 Nathan Kramer 2004 R1150R Rxtr 4437 14624 NEW YORK - 2 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 82976 Niels Meersschaert 2012 R1200GSA 2015 S1000R 3449 218011 Scott Demel 2007 R1200R 1921 5370 NORTH CAROLINA - 3 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 201417 Robert S O’Neill 2017 R1200RT 2014 R1200RT 20646 210494 Brian Fistler 2019 R1250GSA 1976 R75/6 10075 201314 Henry R Lowe 2015 R1200GSA 3704 34425 OHIO - 3 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 118882 Stephen Adams 2018 K1600GA 2021 F850GSA 14065 199174 Lew Stamp 2005 R1200RT 9661 217826 Roger Chaplin 2003 R1150RT 7192 30918

OKLAHOMA - 1 Finisher Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 96448 Thomas Burull 2017 R1200RT 8315 8315 OREGON - 3 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 175518 Robert Metzger 2015 R1200RT 14498 101831 Kurt Miller 2016 R1200RT 2014 R1200GS 10108 95915 Jim Breen 2010 R1200RT 9489 34095 PENNSYLVANIA - 10 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 79801 Blaine Paulus Jr 2004 K1200RS 2010 F800GS 87904 54354 Kenneth Ubry 2008 R1200RT 1999 K1200LT 24128 132926 Erin Hoxie 2002 R1150R 10002 98722 Gene VanEssendelft 2015 F700GS 2018 G310GS 9921 214101 Michael Snyder 2016 R1200RS 2015 F800GT 7735 52672 Fritz Spokas 2020 R1250RS 2018 R1200GS 7703 208852 Dale Hoover 2016 R1200GSA 2875 102670 Joe Babkowski 2013 R1200RT 2790 100456 Douglas Raymond 2011 R1200GSA 2002 R1150RT 1435 8285 Brett Gilbert 2008 R1200R 1150 155643 RHODE ISLAND - 1 Finisher Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 83469 Roy Jackson 2013 R1200RT 5911 5911 SOUTH CAROLINA - 4 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 115301 Charles Fridy 2014 R1200RT 10403 36486 Donald W Adams 2014 R1200RT 1998 R1100GS 9874 18705 Scott G. Johnson 2019 R1250RT 9757 131241 Jerry Barron 2011 R1200RT 5593 35627

TENNESSEE - 3 Finishers WASHINGTON - 6 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 95692 David Kropp 2006 K1200LT 2009 K1200LT 28164 195576 Steve Ladd 2013 R1200GS 1985 R80GS 60715 114187 Kenneth Martin 2011 R1200RT 8866 116042 Daniel Yorkston 2004 R1150R 33425 100338 David Bonner 2010 R1200GSA 2009 R1200RT 4409 138415 John M Harman 2013 1200GSA 9793 41439 163798 Robert Posey 2018 R1200RT 2004 R1150RT 5005 218308 Steven B. Nelson 2018 K1600GA 4834 2003 K1200RS 1562 TEXAS - 6 Finishers 142502 Andres D Sulla 115334 Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL

MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 182591 Mike Valentin 2019 R1250RT 24316 96137 Stephen Slisz 2019 R1250RT 2016 R1200RS 15233 215436 Michael Page 2019 R1200GSA 9708 215431 Kelly McColm 2017 R1200GSA 2015 R1200GS 9223 46173 Kelly Clark 2016 R1200RS 2015 R1200R 5123 214808 Joel Baumwart 2016 R1200RS 3553 67156

UTAH - 3 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 220507 Michael Jones 2014 R1200R 11122 109983 Rich Dolan 2004 R1150RT 2009 R1200GSA 5254 129134 Marcia Thurmond 2010 F650GS 2002 R 1150RT 1046 17422

WISCONSIN - 4 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 118269 Barry Strohbusch 2009 K1200LT 4112 156588 Aaron Hau 2014 R1200GS 2002 R1150RT 3498 181807 Jeffrey Severson 2012 K1600GT 861 103463 Sam Garst 2012 R1200GS 2003 R1150GSA w/SC 782 9253 WYOMING - 1 Finisher Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 136538 Ted Rasmussen 2019 R1250RT 2020 F850GS 7083 7083

VERMONT - 2 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 150557 Michael Crossman 2019 R1250GSA 4551 32284 George Haggerty 1979 R 100 w/SC 3082 ONTARIO - 1 Finisher 7633 Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL

CANADA Finishers

VIRGINIA - 6 Finishers Bike #1 Bike #2 TOTAL MOA # Name Year Model Year Model MILES 151945 Richard Peebles 1998 R1100RT 2016 R1200RT 8777 19539 Dean Sherick 2019 R1250RT 7650 179758 James Burger 2018 R1200GS 1978 R80/7 5999 111532 Dave Mangun 2016 R1200GS 5042 194722 David L. Smith Jr. 2007 F650GS 2005 R1150R 4126 32660 Tim F. Jost Tolson 2005 R1200RT 3307 34901

MOA # Name

Year Model

Year Model MILES

214461 Amy Phinney 2017 F700GS 3933 3933

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DON’T RUN AWAY FROM YOUR PROBLEMS.

RIDE AWAY FROM THEM. IT’S A LOT FASTER. THERAPEUTIC MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURES FOR VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS WITH PTSD (AND OTHER NASTY STUFF)

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in this issue

BMW MOA BOARD DIRECTORS Adam Chandler (415) 894-0857; adam.chandler@bmwmoa.org Paul Di Marchi (303) 415-9300; paul.dimarchi@bmwmoa.org Brian Dutcher (402) 289-7182; brian.dutcher@bmwmoa.org Jon Kurtz (859) 338-9801; jon.kurtz@bmwmoa.org Kelly Moore (859) 536-8638; kelly.moore@bmwmoa.org Reece Mullins 334-470-7770; reece.mullins@bmwmoa.org Doug Peters (478) 747-4718; doug.peters@bmwmoa.org Louise Powers 805 598 1529; louise.powers@bmwmoa.org Michiael “Roc” Shannon (812) 322-1378; roc.shannon@bmwmoa.org

BMW MOA STAFF Ted Moyer, Executive Director tedm@bmwmoa.org Bill Wiegand, Managing Editor bill@bmwmoa.org Karin Halker, Art Director karin@bmwmoa.org Wes Fleming, Digital Media Editor wes@bmwmoa.org Ray Tubbs, Digital Marketing Manager ray@bmwmoa.org Tonya McMeans, Membership Services tonya@bmwmoa.org Lesa Howard, Membership Services lesa@bmwmoa.org

FOUNDATION OUR MISSION The BMW Motorcycle Owners of America Foundation is dedicated to supporting motorcycling and its rich heritage for BMW MOA members and the motorcycling public by funding programs that advance rider safety, education and training. BMW MOA FOUNDATION HEADQUARTERS 2350 Hwy. 101 South Greer, SC 29651 (864) 438-0962 BMW MOA FOUNDATION OFFICERS Tom Gary, President tgary@bmwmoaf.org

CONTRIBUTORS Cover Ian Feinberg #206734 Table of Contents Mike O’Neil #208907 Steve Martin #69767 Big Picture Mike McCrary #148315 Postcards from the Road Matthew R. Martin #221744 James Finlayson #115103 Deryle Mehrten #58537 Charles Porter #54193 Steve Ladd #195576 Petra Pietrzak #213046 David Smith #199231

Randy Logan, Vice President rlogan@bmwmoaf.org

Member Tested Mark Hearon #209373 By Mark Barnes #222400 Bill Shaw #70903

Pam Werstler, Secretary pwerstler@bmwmoaf.org

News Sue Rihn #43753

Dan Finazzo, Treasurer dfinazzo@bmwmoaf.org BMW MOA FOUNDATION DIRECTORS David Dunn david.dunn@bmwmoaf.org Rick Lewis rick.lewis@bmwmoaf.org Steve Martin steve.martin@bmwmoaf.org Walton Rogers walton.rogers@bmwmoaf.org

Tech Matthew Parkhouse #13272 Wes Fleming #87301 Features Wes Fleming #87301 Matt Wank #217542 Angela Ecenbarger #118736 Skills Jon DelVecchio #208163 Rik Lewis #217253 Jerry Johnson #223824 Lifestyle Ron Davis #111820 Bill Shaw #70903 Mark Barnes, PhD #222400 Peter Perrin #99616 Jim Low #2803 Talelight George Karl #217427

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

Matt Wank

Wes Fleming

Mark Hearon

IBMW MOA KEY VOLUNTEERS HIGH MILEAGE COORDINATORS Allison Gifford and Johnathan Gifford allison.gifford@bmwmoa.org johnathan.gifford@bmwmoa.org MILEAGE CONTEST COORDINATOR Jim Low (608)347-5910; lowjim09@gmail.com AMBASSADOR LIAISON Jason Olson bmwjiggs@gmail.com CONSUMER LIAISON John Gamel john.gamel@bmwmoa.org FORUM LIAISON Kurt Schrader Forum Administrator - Steve Henson Forum Moderators - Gary Nelson, Lee Fulton, Voni Glaves, Don Eilenberger 2021 BMW MOA RALLY CHAIRS Corey and Becky Smith rallychairs@bmwmoa.org

Jerry Johnson

REGIONAL COORDINATORS Charles L. Buchanan IV - Virginia (920) 574-0170; charles.buchanan@bmwmoa.org Joe Burns - Pennsylvania (814) 229-0896; joe.burns@bmwmoa.org Adam Chandler - New Hampshire (415) 894-0857; adam.chandler@bmwmoa.org Carlos Dao - Florida (561) 927-6730; carlos.dao@bmwmoa.org Joe Dawson - Arizona (480) 721-4412; joe.dawson@bmwmoa.org Ken Decroo - California (909) 961-7762; ken.decroo@bmwmoa.org Brian Dutcher - Arizona (402) 289-7182; brian.dutcher@bmwmoa.org Jean Excell - Colorado (719) 650-6215; jean.excell@bmwmoa.org Frank Florio - New York (518) 369-8339; frank.florio@bmwmoa.org Karolina Francis - British Columbia, Canada (604) 657-7351; karolina.francis@bmwmoa.org Johnathan Gifford - Oklahoma (484) 919-7277; jgifford@bmwmoa.org

Rik Lewis

Don Loudermilk - Georgia (404) 787-2969; don.loudermilk@bmwmoa.org Ben Lower - Georgia (469) 831-1021; ben.lower@bmwmoa.org Bruce McKelvy - Pennsylvania (215) 872-4605; bruce.mckelvy@bmwmoa.org Pete Mikolaitis - Indiana (401) 924-2526; pete.mikolaitis@bmwmoa.org Thomas Moe - Montana (916) 919-6770; tom.moe@bmwmoa.org Gordy Olson - California (916) 642-2221; gordy.olson@bmwmoa.org Mike Secor - Texas (214) 557-4577; mike.secor@bmwmoa.org Gary Shuman - Massachusettes (617) 513-2053; gary.shuman@bmwmoa.org Phil Stalboerger - Minnesota (612) 616-2445; phil.stalboerger@bmwmoa.org Phil Stearns - Ohio (937) 470-1851; phil.stearns@bmwmoa.org Thomas Van Horn - Wisconsin (608) 695-6784; tomvanhorn@bmwmoa.org Bryan Whitehead - Illinois (312) 804-2293; bryan.whitehead@bmwmoa.org Jon DelVecchio

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BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

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WHEN

AND

WHERE

UPCOMING EVENTS august 7, 2021 21ST ANNUAL 100,000 FOOT RIDE LOCATION: Centennial CO CONTACT: Phillip Glynn 720-550-2304

bmwk1200rs@live.com

The BMW Motorcycle Club of Colorado and BMW of Denver present our premier and longest running all-day event ride. This ride is designed to take you over enough mountain passes in a day to equal 100,000 feet. This accomplishment is not achievable any place else in North America or perhaps the world. The 100,000 Foot Ride combines some of the best motorcycle roads and stunning scenery the Centennial State has to offer. The total mileage for the paved and dual-sport route will be no more than 500 miles. Registration is $35 and is limited to 200 riders. Included is a continental breakfast, catered dinner, commemorative t-shirt and pin and door prizes. Early registration is encouraged. Online registration is cut off is July 21st, 2021 and walk-up registration is accepted only as space permits, but a T-shirt, pin, and dinner are not guaranteed.

“My first time seeing the Rocky Mountains from a motorcycle was mindblowing. The combination of wide-open blue sky, cool high altitude air, bright sunshine, the rugged peaks and the challenge of the road, it can’t be communicated in words and can’t be duplicated in a car, bus or train. You have to experience it on a motorcycle to really feel it. If you can go on any ride this year, the 100,000-foot ride is the one. Ten passes and 100,000 feet, it is a trip for anyone looking to take a deep breath and enjoy your ride through some of the most scenic county in the US!” - Carl, long time BMWMOA member

august 19-21, 2021 23RD ANNUAL BEARTOOTH BEEMERS RENDEZVOUS LOCATION: Red Lodge, MT CONTACT: Charlie Greear 208-661-5639

registrar@beartoothbeemers.org

The Beartooth Beemers Welcome All Motorcyclists. Join us in riding “the last best place.” Gates open at 10:00 am Thursday August 19th, and close at noon Sun. August 21th. No early entry. Four wheeled vehicles not allowed on site except for staff and vendors with prior approval. location: Lions Beartooth Mountain Youth Camp 10 miles south of Red Lodge, Montana. (Turn west on “Lake Fork Road”. We will have a roundel at the intersection and orange warning signs for Lake Fork Road on the roadside 1/4 mile north and south of the intersection.) Accommodations include ample space for tent camping; 13 cabins with 8 bunks in each; hot showers and toilets in bath houses.

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

WHEN

Email your event information to editor@bmwmoa.org

AND WHERE

juLY

1 7 /10/2021 – 7/11/2021 BMW HERITAGE EVENT AND DEMO TRUCK AT THE AMA MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME MUSEUM LOCATION: Pickerington, OH CONTACT: Annie Allen (614) 759-6686

9 8 /7/2021 21ST ANNUAL 100,000 FOOT RIDE

5 7 /24/2021 OKLAHOMA MEET-UP

LOCATION: Centennial CO CONTACT: Phillip Glynn 720-550-2304

LOCATION: Stroud, OK CONTACT: Johnathan Gifford

bmwk1200rs@live.com

484-919-7277 jgifford@bmwmoa.org

10 8 /13/2021 – 08/15/2021 38TH NEBRASKA NIGHTRIDERS HUSKER RALLY

6 7 /30/2021 – 7/31/2021 PREMIER TRAINING AT BMW PERFORMANCE CENTER

annie@motohio.com

LOCATION: Cashmere, WA CONTACT: Dan Muir

LOCATION: Franklin, NE CONTACT: Jayney Solo 402-676-1739

LOCATION: Greer, SC CONTACT: Ray Tubbs 864-438-0962

2 7 /15/2021 – 7/18/2021 CASCADE COUNTRY RENDEZVOUS

jayneysolo@cox.net

ray@bmwmoa.org

11 8 /14/2021 2021 MOTORCCLE FLEA MARKET AND MOTOEXPO

7 7 /30/2021 – 8/1/2021 MOA GETAWAY AT SKYTOP

rallymaster@wsbmwr.org

LOCATION: Skytop, PA CONTACT: BMW MOA 864-438-0962

3 7 /15/2021 – 7/18/2021 49th ANNUAL TOP 0’ THE ROCKIES RALLY

LOCATION: Paonia, CO CONTACT: Ronnie Martinez 303-229-8229

ronniealfonzomartinez@yahoo.com

4 7 /24/2021 GERMAN CARS, MOTORCYCLES AND COFFEE!

LOCATION: Rochelle, IL CONTACT: Earve Brauer or Steve Frank

august

12 8 /19/2021 – 08/21/2021 23RD ANNUAL BEARTOOTH BEEMERS RENDEZVOUS

8 8 /5/2021 – 8/8/2021 GS GIANTS GOBIG RALLY (ROCK LOBSTER)

LOCATION: Red Lodge, MT CONTACT: Charlie Greear 208-661-5639

LOCATION: Colebrook, CT CONTACT: Rob Nye 860-258-9016

registrar@beartoothbeemers.org

rocklobster@gsgiants.net

LOCATION: Nashville, TN CONTACT: Bavarian Bierhaus

21 2

12 31

13 9

10 33

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

1 17 28

5 32

16 15

11 3

23 21 7

26 35

18 9 25

6 22 34 37

Map courtesy of

Welcoming: BMW and All Marques from Europe and Japan!

For Info and To Register Go To bmwmchr.com/rally or call 757-287-5594

2 Nights of Tent Camping Friday & Saturday Dinners Free Coffee & Tea Door Prizes Field Events And a Dazzeling View

BMW MOA #73

NEW Date!

N37° 24.292´ W76° 56.011´

Blac

35th Annual

Rockahock Campground 1428 Outpost Road Lanexa, Virginia

BMW Motorcycle Club of Hampton Roads

F l e a M a r k e t and MotoExpo

R e g io n B M

October 15, 16 & 17 - 2021

2021 Motorcycle

aw k

44 Colonial Virginia Motorcycle Rally

A ssoc

Saturday, August 14, 2021 Vendor Setup 7:00a - 10:00a Open to Shoppers 10:00a - 6:00p

NEW Location!

Lincoln Arts Center in Rochelle, IL

Home of the Vince Carney Community Theater 108 S Main St, Rochelle, IL 61068 GPS Coordinates: 41.91896, -89.06517

For More Info

Go to: blackhawkbmwclub.org Or contact:Earve Brauer 815-962-8911 rockbmw2000@yahoo.com Steve Frank 815-761-0048 skynut69@yahoo.com

BMW Motorcycle Owners of Vermont 37th Annual Green Mountain Rally September 10-12, 2021 Registration opens June 1

COVID Restrictions allowing, come join us to carve the sweepers and streamside shaded twisties of Vermont. Enjoy cool mountain air as you soak up bluegrass Friday night. Dine comfortably on home-cooked meals in the screened hall, or fire lit pavilion. Self-guided gap rides and tons of gravel roads in and near National Forest. Free hot showers, bonfire, and great rally prizes from our sponsors: Max BMW Motorcycles, Frank’s Motorcycle Sales, Aerostich, BMW MOA, and BMW RA

For More Information email: · Chip Lapointe, Rally Chair chiplapointe@gmail.com 802-891-6148 · Adam Chandler, Co-Chair adam@adamchandler.me 603-894-0957 Registration information available at https://bmwmov.club GPS 43° 51’ 18.496’’ N 73° 0’ 43.903’’ W

RIDE THE BLUE RIDGE WITH THE KNOBBIES September 16-19, early arrivals OK. We’re going to Ride, Camp and Stay Outside. T-shirts, one meal voucher for our onsite vendor. Guided GS Rides, Cruiser Rides, etc. 50/50 Drawing, Door Prize.

Contact Gene Smith 828-439-9754 or ralymster@knobbies.org For more info: Knobbies.org

BMW Motorcycle Owners of Vermont—#115

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

WHEN

AND

WHERE

13 8 /20/2021 – 8/22/2021 MOA GETAWAY AT COPPER MOUNTAIN

LOCATION: Copper Mountain, CO CONTACT: BMW MOA 864-438-0962

14 8 /20/2021 – 8/22/2021 MOA GETAWAY AT GUELPH

LOCATION: Guelph, Ontario CONTACT: BMW MOA 864-438-0962

15 8 /20/2021 – 8/22/2021 FOUR WINDS RALLY

LOCATION: New Bethlehem, PA CONTACT: Dennis

dmick1959@icloud.com

SEPTEMBER

16 9 /3/2021 – 9/6/2021 FINGER LAKES RALLY POSTPONED UNTIL 2022

LOCATION: Watkins Glen, NY CONTACT: Finger Lakes BMW Club

rally@fingerlakesbmw.org

17 9 /8/2021 – 9/12/2021 8TH ANNUAL WAILIN WAYNE WEEKEND LOCATION: Nelsonville, OH CONTACT: Chad Warner

info@wailinwayneweekend.com

18 9 /10/2021 – 9/12/2021 MOA GETAWAY AT PINE MOUNTAIN LOCATION: Pineville, KY CONTACT: BMW MOA 864-438-0962

19 9 /10/2021 – 9/12/2021 MOA GETAWAY AT CEDAR CITY

LOCATION: Cedar City, UT CONTACT: BMW MOA 864-438-0962

20 9 /10/2021 – 9/12/2021 50TH ANNUAL WISCONSIN DELLS RALLY LOCATION: Wisconsin Dells, WI CONTACT: Robert Preuss 262-391-0550

dellsrally@gmail.com

21 9 /10/2021 – 9/12/2021 GREEN MOUNTAIN RALLY LOCATION: Goshen, VT CONTACT: Chip LaPointe

chiplapointe@gmail.com

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

22 9 /16/2021 – 9/17/2021 PREMIER TRAINING AT BMW PERFORMANCE CENTER

LOCATION: Greer, SC CONTACT: Ray Tubbs 864-438-0962

30 9 /25/2021 ANNUAL HAMBURGER COOKOUT LOCATION: Cooper, TX CONTACT: Douglas Davis

dpdavis1@verizon.net

ray@bmwmoa.org

23 9 /17/2021 – 9/19/2021 MOA GETAWAY AT SUGARBUSH LOCATION: Warren, VT CONTACT: BMW MOA 864-438-0962

24 9 /17/2021 – 9/19/2021 17TH THUNDER MOUNTAIN RENDEZVOUS

LOCATION: Hotchkiss, CO CONTACT: Bill Maurer 970-261-0356

aesurvey@aol.com

25 9 /18/2021 GERMAN CARS, MOTORCYCLES AND COFFEE! LOCATION: Nashville, TN CONTACT: Bavarian Bierhaus

26 9 /23/2021 – 9/26/2021 1ST ANNUAL LAUREL HIGHLANDS WEEKEND - SPONSORED BY THE BMW MOA LOCATION: Somerset, PA CONTACT: Jason Kaplitz gsjay@kaplitz.

com

27 9 /23/2021 – 9/26/2021 44TH ANNUAL PURE STODGE IOWA RALLY

LOCATION: Elkader, IA CONTACT: Mark Mumaw pstarally@

gmail.com

28 9 /24/2021 – 9/26/2021 35TH ANNUAL HOOSIER BEEMER RALLY

LOCATION: North Vernon, IN CONTACT: Andy Fountain k12lts@gmail.

com

29 9 /24/2021 – 9/26/2021 39th ANNUAL LAST CHANCE RALLY

LOCATION: Buena, NJ CONTACT: Peter Lisko Jr. 856-589-7015

pjliskojr@gmail.com

OCTOBER

31 1 0/1/2021 – 10/3/2021 MOA GETAWAY AT TOMAH

LOCATION: Tomah, WI CONTACT: BMW MOA 864-438-0962

32 1 0/1/2021 – 10/3/2021 CENTRAL OKBMWR CAMPOUT

LOCATION: Talihina, OK CONTACT: Tom Burull tburull@hotmail.com

33 1 0/8/2021 – 10/10/2021 FALLING LEAF RALLY

LOCATION: Steelville, MO CONTACT: rally-coordinator@

gatewayriders.com

34 1 0/14/2021 – 10/15/2021 PREMIER TRAINING AT BMW PERFORMANCE CENTER

LOCATION: Greer, SC CONTACT: Ray Tubbs 864-438-0962

ray@bmwmoa.org

35 1 0/15/2021 – 10/17/2021 COLONIAL VIRGINIA MOTORCYCLE RALLY

LOCATION: Lanexa, VA CONTACT: Carol E Beals 757-287-5594

cebeals@gmail.com

36 1 0/22/2021 – 10/24/2021 MOA GETAWAY AT KERRVILLE

LOCATION: Kerrville, TX CONTACT: BMW MOA 864-438-0962

NOVEMBER

37 1 1/12/2021 – 11/13/2021 PREMIER TRAINING AT BMW PERFORMANCE CENTER

LOCATION: Greer, SC CONTACT: Ray Tubbs (864) 438-0962

ray@bmwmoa.org

ADVERTISING

BMW OWNERS NEWS STAFF Bill Wiegand, Managing Editor bill@bmwmoa.org Karin Halker, Art Director karin@bmwmoa.org Wes Fleming, Digital Media Editor wes@bmwmoa.org Ron Davis, Associate Editor ron.davis@bmwmoa.org Jose Abiles, Associate Editor iridertp@gmail.com Chris Hughes, Director of Advertising chris@bmwmoa.org 509-921-2713 (p) 509-921-2713 (f ) 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. 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.

JOINING AND RENEWING Membership in the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America is open to all riders, regardless of brand affiliation. Although we are united by the BMW marque, adventure-minded motorcyclists will find a home here.

INDEX

Adaptive Technologies........................22 Admore Lighting....................................40 Adriatic Moto Tours...............................27 Adventure New Zealand Tours.........40 AeroFlow...................................................73 Aerostich-Rider WearHouse...............63 Alaska Leather.........................................73 Backcountry Discovery Routes.........61 BeadRider..................................................69 Beemer Boneyard..................................40 BeemerShop............................................41 Best Rest Products/Cycle Pump.......65 Big Snow Resort.....................................67 Bill Mayer Saddles..................................86 Black Box Embedded............................86 Blackhawk BMW Club..........................93 BMW Club of Hampton Roads..........93 Bohn Armor..............................................41 Boxer Works Service..............................65 Capital Cycle............................................22 Cardo Systems.........................................25 Colorado Tourbike Rentals.................41 Continental Tire.........................................5 Corbin Pacific...........................................23 Cyclenutz...................................................65 DMC Sidecars...........................................69 Dunlop Tires.............................................37 Edelweiss Bike Travel............................16 EPM Hyper Pro.................................27, 86 Euro Moto Electrics...............................65 Gateway Adventure School...............65 Geza Gear..................................................63 Giant Loop................................................73 Green Mountain Rally...........................93 Helmet Sun Blocker...............................33 HEX ezCAN...............................................69

Ilium Works...............................................23 IMTBike Tours..........................................33 Kermit Chair Company.........................65 Knobbies Rally.........................................93 LD Comfort...............................................63 M4Moto.....................................................73 MachineartMoto....................................71 Michelin Tire......................................17, 77 MOA Gear Store.................................... IBC Morton’s BMW.........................................36 Moto Bike Jack........................................27 Moto Bins..................................................22 Motonation..............................................BC Motorcycle Relief Project....................87 Mountain Master Truck Equip....27, 86 Overseas Speedometer.......................27 Parabellum...............................................85 Peter Lattman Real Estate...................41 Pirelli/Metzeler Tires.............................IFC Progressive Insurance.............................9 Redverz......................................................69 Re-Psycle BMW Parts............................86 Rider Magazine........................................71 Roadrunner Magazine..........................86 Rocky Creek Designs............................63 Ron Davis - Shiny Side Up...................71 Russel Cycle Products...........................86 S100 Cycle Care Products...................33 Sargent Cycle Products........................90 Stop ‘n Go..................................................40 Touratech..................................................31 Twisted Throttle......................................90 Weiser Technik...........................................1 Wilbers USA.......................................40, 63 Wunderlich...............................................22

Join today by visiting bmwmoa.org or call one of our friendly membership associates at 864-438-0962. Primary Annual memberships are available in one year, two year or monthly options. Additional membership options include Primary Membership with Basic 25/100 Roadside Assistance, Primary Membership with Platinum Roadside Assistance, Digital Membership with Basic 25/100 Roadside Assistance, Digital Membership with Platinum Roadside Assistance. We also offer Roadside Assistance without an MOA Membership. For a complete listing of membership options, please visit bmwmoa.org or call 864-438-0962. Change of address notification and membership inquiries should be made by calling the BMW MOA office or via email at: membership@bmwmoa.org. BMW MOA membership is $49/year and includes the BMW Owners News, which is not available separately. Canadian members add $16 for postal surcharge.

BMW ON (ISSN:1080-5729) (USPS: 735-590) (BMW Owners News) is published monthly by BMW Motorcycle Owners of America Inc., 2350 Hwy 101 South, Greer, SC 29651. Periodicals postage paid at Pewaukee, Wisconsin and additional mailing offices. Opinions and positions stated in materials/articles herein are those of the authors and not by the fact of publication necessarily those of BMW MOA; publication of advertising material is not an endorsement by BMW MOA of the advertised product or service. The material is presented as information for the reader. sBMW MOA does not perform independent research on submitted articles or advertising. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO BMW ON, 2350 Hwy 101 South, Greer, SC 29651 © 2020 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 51, Number 7

July 2021 | BMW OWNERS NEWS

TAILIGHT

Made in the Shade! George Karl #217427 finds refuge from the brutal California sun while waiting for others while riding the California Backcountry Discovery Route.

BMW OWNERS NEWS | July 2021

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