Bob's BMW - Community Photographs

Photos and Stories from Our Customers, Here and Abroad....

Joe Harty just sent us these photographs from Spain, Morocco and Andorra. He's looking forward to seeing Bob and his "beautiful bride" this October in Spain and Morocco. For more information on the Edelweiss Spain and Morocco trip, click HERE.

Where in the world will you find Bob's BMW?

–From Jim Patton on a recent trip through the Alps

We left Munich on Wednesday morning in pretty heavy rain. The day consisted of trying to figure out ways to wear more clothing. Temperature, according to our BMW instruments was around 10 degrees C and dropped to about three degrees. We later noticed that all building mounted temperature signs insisted that the bikes were 1-2 degrees high – it was cold.

We finally stopped for a late lunch and the clouds were starting to break up. A half hour later, we were climbing our first pass. The snow line was a couple thousand feet from the top. One of the pictures has Archie Greene and I in the snow on top of our first pass for the trip. Sorry Ashton, it was WAY to cold to put on the Bob’s ball cap.

Ashton, tell Karl that Archie says Hi. Archie was wearing a Bob’s 25th anniversary T-shirt at dinner – picture is on a friend’s camera.

Jim

Alps Update

We headed out this morning in steady rain. There was a different issue - we were headed for the high country! Next stop Livigno, Italy (very near St. Moritz).

The wet roads caused an early issue - Bob Cook bounced off a vertical cliff face. The good news was that Bob wasn't injured and kept the bike up; the bad news was that the stone wall did a number on the left valve cover. The valve cover became a several hour task with lots of helpers - Bob was oiling down the wet roads pretty well (couple of pics attached).

The temporary repair took long enough so that we actually did lunch on top of a neat mountain. Guess what,

before we could get back on the bikes, heavy fog and snow had moved in; we had to get down off the mountain! The roads were mostly plowed (key word "mostly"). Two of us dropped bikes in the same snowy rut (that would include me). We spent about an hour waiting for our guide to scout ahead - did I mention that it was snowing hard - the pics were taken when it was just fogging.

Before we could get underway, one of the bikes developed the dreaded EWS fault -- not really important what it is except to understand that the bike isn't recognizing the smart key and won't start. Archie got to solve that problem several times during the day; we finally just didn't turn the bike off any more!

The route down included a VERY wet, extremely under improved dirt section of about 20 km - sucked in simple terms. Once back in civilization, we discovered that the temporary fix on Bob's bike wasn't holding - he had leaked almost two quarts of oil onto the road for us to ride through. We actually found a BMW shop in a little town and picked up a new valve cover w/o the extra holes.

We finished off the wild day by four of us getting separated from the main group. I couldn't raise anyone on the phone and finally decided that I didn't want to go over the big passes in to Livigno in the dark; we almost made it! My GPS became the guide and I got us to the hotel BEFORE the other five guys with Archie the guide unit.

Even after this epic day, everyone is fine and we only have one broken turn signal to show for the day's efforts.
We're in the same hotel tomorrow night, so we're looking forward to a short day - and it isn't forecast to rain OR snow. Sunday could be our first day without weather.

More later,
Jim

Where is my Adventure when I really need it??

This picture says it all – what a day.

Jim

Closing shot of the survivors, complete w/ motorcycles and Bob's wear :). They are around the soon to be launched 2008 HP2 Mega Moto. Available only in Europe but not in the States.

See you on Saturday,

Jim

A Road Sign Says It All
	This photograph was taken by a smart phone on a recent trip to Leland, Michigan. Tod Manning and Jim Patton were in Michigan and saw this great sign and background.

Always Take the Back Roads Gary and Andrea Elwyn took their 2007 R1200GS Adventure and 2004 R1200C on a road trip thru the South. Here's a synopsis from Andrea: Gary and I decided to take our vacation headed south. We cruised down the Blue Ridge Parkway, stopping in a town just south of Boone, NC. Then we finished the BRP ending up in Cherokee. From there, we took back roads to Helen, GA. We hit the "viper" in the north GA mountains before heading to Savannah Lakes, SC. We stayed there a couple days, then headed up to Beaufort, NC. We stayed there a few days for a friend's wedding - and then made the journey home... Great time - some pictures attached... p.s. Always back roads!!

I just wanted to send you a note of thanks and say that although people say the R 1200C was not meant to be a long distance touring bike, I had a blast riding from Northern Va to St. Louis and back. The bike performed flawlessly and was a real easy ride. I even got to visit BMW MOA Hqs while I was out there. I'll be making longer rides and I'm confident it will be on this "C" or another bike from Bob's. Thanks to everyone at Bob's for the encouragement in this effort.

Hi Karl,

I just got back from AZ. The trip was fantastic. The agency that I rented the from was top notch, AZrides.com. I had a 2006 RT with 22.6k miles on it and it was in pristine condition. I was really impressed with it. There are some noticeable refinements over the 1150. This is probably going to sound kinda crazy but the bike is almost too smooth. Though, I'm sure I could get accustomed to it if I had to.

The road outside of Jerome, AZ, on the Mingus Mountain Drive had 158 curves over the twelve mile run. I think that road was engineered by a fellow rider. If you haven't ridden this road, put it on your list of rides to do. Also, Oak Creek Canyon outside of Sedona was equally as nice. Both pictures are from Sedona.

Anyway, just wanted to send a quick note.

All the best,
David

Here are some letters we've received from Juan Schoemaker who is currently traveling in Africa on his F650GS.

–September 11, 2006

Hi guys,
After weeks of paper work in the USA, months of travel overseas, and weeks of paperwork in Uganda, I can finally ride my F650 GS. It's great fun and it's worth the wait. Thanks for helping making it possible.

Here attached is one picture. The river in the back is the Nile, which actually starts in Uganda. I'll bet that's a geographic fact you didn't know.

Cheers.
Juan

–September 28, 2006

Hi guys,

I went riding to Kenya with some friends. It took us 3.5 hours to cross the border. We had to go through the Ugandan Revenue Authority, Immigration and the police, all of which required paper work. Think about that next time you get irritated because the line to cross the Canadian border is 15 minutes long. (Click on image to enlarge)

Even though you often refer to the F 650 GS as "just an entry-level bike", here in Africa it attracts a small crowd, wherever it goes. So, show some respect. (Click on image to enlarge)

As you can see in the picture, even a donkey came to check the bike out. Maybe that's an untapped market segment BMW should seriously consider. (Click on image to enlarge)

I'll send some more pictures soon.

Juan

–September 29, 2006

Hi Bob,

Here are some more pictures. The first is a "filling station", as gas stations are called in Kenya. As you see, it isn't exactly cutting-edge. No 93 octane unleaded available in this place. If the bike can run well with that fuel it can run with anything.

One great thing about riding is that one finds people who love riding everywhere and friendships develop quickly. The second it's the pictures of some fellow rider sand the view of the Split Valley. The reason for that name is that according to geologists and geographers the valley is caused because that's the area where the African continent is splitting. Interesting, ain't it.

As you see, you can even pick up some rather unconventional friends.

Take care,
Juan

–February 2, 2007

–January 18, 2007
Pictured to the left (taken by Barry Prom) is Dr. Gregory Frazier with a R1200 GS Adventure near the Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Burma and Laos meet. Greg winters in this part of the world, preferring to ride motorcycles, hunt temples and poke through jungles than shovel snow back in the USA. Big displacement motorcycles here are rare due to high import taxes. A used $3,000.00 motorcycle imported for use here can end up costing you $9,000.00 more by the time you are done with the shipping and paperwork. 99% of the millions of motorcycles on the roads are 125-cc or smaller, used more as the family car than for entertainment or leisure. His adventuring and research this winter has taken him into Cambodia and Myanmar (Burma) and the Philippines.

He says: "The best riding roads in SE Asia are probably in the area of the Golden Triangle of Northern Thailand, with the exception of possibly Japan. If you are not afraid of military coups, earthquakes, snakes, and drug runners, this can be a great place to ride. The big beemers do not much like the wet jungles tracks, but for $10.00 a day you can rent a 250-cc dirt bike to slog through those.

Myanmar was the toughest riding this winter. The government does not allow big bikes into the country and there are large areas closed to any entry on any size motorcycle. It's not possible to go from border to border in Myanmar due to the closures, but there were large areas, or states, inside the country where I was free to roam.

I've spent some of the winter working on The Mekong River Guinness Record Motorcycle Jump. I'll not be the rider, nor this 1200 GS Adventure the rocket bike, but BMW's will be around to pull pilot and bike out of the river if they fall short."

Greg's adventures and wanderings can be followed at www.horizonsunlimited.com/gregfrazier at "What's New."

–November 8, 2006
Kevin Dudley bought a K75S this past year from Bob's. He rented a motorcycle and traveled through Italy. He wrote Karl Wagner, "I was based north and east of Pisa in a town called Fivizanno in north Tuscany, but I was all over the place... Parma, Lucca, Cinque Terra, Pisa, Bologna, Reggio Emmelia and dozens of little towns in between. I included a photo with road signs of nearby cities. The Alps were much further north." Here are highlights from his trip. Click on images below to enlarge.