AFTER Gerard Boisman had his 1992 BMW R100 GS motorcycle serviced at Bob’s BMW in Jessup, Md., he rode home only to watch in dismay as his newly changed oil pooled on his driveway. He called Bob’s, fully expecting to be told to truck the bike back to Jessup — a $250 expense to redo an $80 oil change.

Instead, the Bob’s mechanic who had changed his oil made the hourlong drive to Mr. Boisman’s house in Stevensville, Md., apologized profusely and fixed the oil filter. Then, for good measure, he synchronized the carburetors and cleaned the oil from the bike.

“He even wiped the driveway clean,” Mr. Boisman said. To top it off, Bob’s sent Mr. Boisman a T-shirt for his trouble. “It definitely makes me a loyal customer,” he said.

It’s not that Mr. Boisman is a hot prospect. That’s just the way Bob Henig — the Bob in Bob’s BMW — operates.

“You can’t pay for the advertising that is as good as doing it right,” Mr. Henig said.

In the not-so-distant past, that devotion to service, coupled with Mr. Henig’s voluble, sometimes volatile personality, might have resulted in a nice regional following for a flourishing dealership. Now, thanks to the Internet, a powerful reputation — good or bad — travels farther, faster.

Over nearly 20 years, with minimal advertising, Mr. Henig has become the largest BMW motorcycle parts dealer in the United States, as well as a leading dealership. Bob’s BMW is known among BMW riders the world over.

“I can be riding in the Alps, and someone on a BMW will come over to talk to me, and Bob’s name will come up,” said Fred Rau, a motorcycle journalist.

Mr. Henig has established Bob’s BMW as a brand with the kind of power some companies take generations to accrue. That is especially remarkable because a BMW dealership is a franchise business. With the same tools and opportunities as other shops, Mr. Henig’s dealership has become one of the few to gain international fame within the BMW community.

Mr. Henig did not set out to build a leading motorcycle shop, but he had always been a natural entrepreneur, he says. His succession of businesses — from a lawn service in high school to home improvement, and jobs as a freelance photographer, photo shop manager and industrial salesman — were linked in one way, he said: “I did a quality job.”

Meanwhile, he was becoming an ever more avid motorcyclist and even dabbled in a motorcycle-customizing business. His career choice was cemented in 1980 when Mr. Henig crashed his motorbike into a Buick driven by an 89-year-old man who ran a stop sign.

Besides putting Mr. Henig in a neck and back brace, the crash led him to marry his girlfriend, Suzanne, an administrative whiz who became his business partner. Doctors told him not to do jobs that involved climbing ladders or lugging camera equipment.

That winter he started Bob’s Used Parts. “There was no business plan,” he said. “It was, Let’s see where this goes.”

Mr. Henig quickly noticed a demand for small parts that most shops didn’t want to stock. But where other dealers saw bother, Mr. Henig saw opportunity.

“The shops didn’t see a profit selling a $3 part, which is true,” he said. “But when people need that $3 part, they usually buy something else.”

It was Business 101 — find a need and fill it. And Mr. Henig applied lessons learned from his other businesses. Be organized, and even $3 parts are profitable. “If you spend a half-hour looking for a $3 part, you’ve lost money,” he said. Focus on service, and sales will follow. “My prices weren’t cheaper,” he said. “My service was better.”

Bob’s BMW began to gain a reputation.

“He became legendary as the go-to guy if you needed a hard-to-find part,” Mr. Rau, the writer, said.

That legend was built online, with forum posts sending business his way by word of mouth.

Mr. Henig said he kept paid advertising to a minimum, raising his profile by appearing yearly at as many as 20 BMW rallies around the country, a strategy he still pursues but to a lesser degree, and doing charity work.

“When you’re at these rallies and there are thousands and thousands of people, you could call Bob a kind of a celebrity,” said Vince Winkel, editor of BMW Owners News magazine. “He takes time to talk to everyone, no matter who it is.”

The parts business outgrew the basement of his Cape Cod house in Wheaton, Md., then the addition of his parents’ garage, then a self-storage facility. By 1985, he was buying $100,000 to $120,000 in parts a year.

BMW soon noticed that his business was the largest parts customer in the United States, Mr. Henig said, but the company would sell parts only to a dealer. So, seeking the dealer discount and control over his inventory, he reluctantly joined the German company’s network in 1991.

They clashed from the outset. “He can be cantankerous,” said Laurence Kuykendall, a spokesman for BMW motorcycles. “Opinionated with a capital O is his middle name, but he always puts the customer first. If a customer has a problem, he will turn over every stone to find a solution for that customer, especially if he thinks someone else is to blame.”

In the used-parts business, Mr. Henig had faced limited competition. But as a dealer, he was up against two other BMW stores within driving distance. And unlike Bob’s, they offered discounted bikes. “One had taken out ads that said, ‘We will beat any price Bob puts on a bike,’ ” Mr. Henig said.

Bob’s salesmen nearly mutinied, wanting to match the discounts. But that would have cut into the profits that supported the high level of service, and Mr. Henig was not swayed.

“All we have to do is roll out the red carpet so thick that they don’t go back to the other dealer,” Mr. Henig told his staff. Prospects were told that the higher price would buy them extra services, like priority for repairs and use of a loaner bike. He sold 54 bikes in his first year, nearly double the sales goal set by BMW. In 2007 he sold 400 new and used bikes, he said.

Bob’s is more than just a shop to riders, many of whom congregate at a picnic table near the shop entrance to swap stories. Plans are under way to increase his store’s size by 50 percent, perhaps as soon as next spring. A new building would allow him to expand the in-house museum’s 40-bike display and offer a coffee shop that would be a sort of clubhouse and after-hours meeting place.

For all of his hail-fellow-well-met manner, Mr. Henig is also a formidable negotiator, which has made him a polarizing figure. While his service has attracted some customers, his pricing has alienated others. He can also be sensitive to a perceived slight, said Ron Orem, a longtime customer and friend.

“If Bob has a shadow, it’s he thinks if you shop somewhere else you are disloyal,” Mr. Orem said. Occasionally, that leads to suggestions that customers take their business elsewhere.

If he has infuriated a few customers, it hasn’t hurt the brand. One measure of the prestige of Bob’s brand is the demand for Bob’s BMW key rings, $2 plastic trinkets given only to people who have purchased a bike at Bob’s. “Staff have been offered $100 for them,” Mr. Henig says.

Part of the reason may be the perk that comes with them — a direct line to Mr. Henig. “Attached to that key fob,” he said, “is an offer to stop by my office any time.”

To see the NY Time article, click HERE.

Dear customers and all of you that participated in the incredible Ultimate Bike Raffle,

Hi everyone!

Well it took almost 6 weeks (one would think people would make this a priority) but I finally heard back from every one of our second place UBR prize winners except # 11 who despite numerous messages, emails and written attempts simply never contacted me for his prize so we did what we had to do and drew one more name and created a 25th spot for the 24 prizes. I would appear that everyone was quite pleased with their winnings including the two individuals that were over-the-top generous and gave back their items (REV'IT Shiracco jacket & BMW pro tire gauge) back so we can raise still more money. Almost everything has been shipped out with a few size exchange taking place right now to get them all done by the big holiday. Those items will be offered first at our Annual Holiday Cheer event Saturday, December 20th and then if unsold presented on eBay for a quite charitable auction. When the last shipping invoices come in and we are sure that we have no more exchanges or expenses we'll tally up the final results and share them with every one via the website and probably a special e-club. I still hope to receive more photos of our happy and very lucky winners; perhaps this website posting with other winners photos will service as a good reminder. When and if they arrive we'll share them.

And FWIW here's a small bit of info on our winners and where they came from: Including our Grande Prize winner Allen who hails from NY fourteen different states were represented plus two Canadian provinces! Next time around I'll see if we can track all the states that participated in the raffle, but I suspect that we did in fact have participants in all 50 states and probably every Canadian province. I know for a fact that several of our European customers purchased tickets so don't be surprised when out enjoying a ride just about anywhere and taking a break if you don't see one of those very cool (IMNSHO) and certainly very exclusive Ultimate Bike Raffle ROAD CREW t-shirts being worn proudly by a like minded motorcyclist.

For now, THANKS AGAIN to all that purchased the very exclusive t-shirts and individual tickets to help us raise a lot of money for an excellent cause that helps some very special kids. It's been successful beyond our original expectations so look for an exciting announcement sometime early next year telling you about the UBR2 for 2009 with even greater prizes and more fun!

Here's wishing all of you the best of the holidays for you, your families and all your friends be they motorcyclists or not.

Sincerely,

Bob Henig
Bob@Bob's


Here are the names and prizes we can release so far along with a few images, more of everything to come.

Please note the # 12 second place winners selection and decision!

1. Steve Firestone from Maryland selected the BMW Nav III set for his K1200R
2. Bob Ganser from Illinois selected a BMW Tourance Jacket in Blue
3. Debby Hobbs from British Columbia selected the BMW All Around Boots for her husband Martin
4. Brian Benton from Colorado selected the Olympia Air Glide II Vented Pants
5. Jerry Doherty from Maryland chose the AIRHAWK Seat Cushion his non-BMW Cruiser
6. Benoit Dulude from Ontario chose the PIAA Driving Light Set for his R100GS/PD
7. Mark Davies from Maryland selected the Olympia Air Glide II Jacket in Neon Yellow for his wife!
8. Kim Hardesty from West Virginia chose a Z-Technik Tall Screen for her F650CS
9. Jake Herzog from New York selected the Revit Mistral Pants
10. Stephen Neeley from Virginia has selected one of two Full Face Scorpion Helmets
11. Read above note.
12. Wayne Rozran from Maryland selected the Revit Scirocco Jacket AND then gave it back to Bob to be sold; he wanted all proceeds going to the PBTF and Ride for Kids!
13. Brian Dent from Washington took home one of the AIRHAWK seat cushions
14. Milt Russell from Michigan selected a Marsee Tank for his K1200LT
15. James Patton from Colorado chose the BMW one-piece Rain suit
16. Randon Tompkins from Missouri wanted a nice set of First Gear Riding pants instead of the BMW Tourance II, so we swapped them out
17. John Fallon from Massachusetts chose the very cool and highly detailed die cast 1940 BMW 328 Mile Miglia Roadster model (Bob's favorite item)
18. Max Buffington from Maryland took home A Marsee Tail bag for use on one of his two BMW's
19. Donald Wallace from Michigan wanted the Z-Technik Tail bag so we sent it to him
20. Michael Campeau from Missouri has become a functional fashinista in his new BMW tri-vision sunglasses
21. Sandy Gulick from Virginia took home one of the BMW Professional Tire Gauges
22. Elaine Checkley from Texas selected a beautiful Scorpion Full Face helmet
23. Thomas Mitchell from New Mexico chose the really cool BMW GS Adventure Style Hip bag kit
24. Jim Rostran Illinois chose to give his selection of a BMW Professional Tire Gauge back so we could raise more money for the Kids!
25. Larry Perino from Florida won the BMW Stormhood Balaclava and a BMW Compact Umbrella

–Sept. 22, 2008
The 17th annual Baltimore/Washington, D.C. Ride for Kids® earned $276,277, topping last year's total by 38 percent.

The chilly morning turned warm and sunny as 625 supporters gathered at The Mall in Columbia for the event. The motorcyclists were treated to a police-escorted tour of Maryland's rolling, twisting country roads before arriving at the Jack & Jill Distribution Center in Columbia for the Celebration of Life program.

The program honored 11 brain tumor survivors, including Ruxandra, 10, and Zachary, 15. Task Force Leader Marcy Rich, mother of survivor Danielle, said to the group: "If not for you, my daughter would not be in college today. Keep up the great work."
The featured medical speaker was Dr. Greg Riggins of the Brain Tumor Center at Johns Hopkins.

Bob Henig, owner of Bob's BMW in Jessup, Md., was top individual fundraiser with $87,826. His dealership was the top motorcycle business, with $106,437 in customer contributions. The top club/chapter was The Tribe, whose members raised $23,627. Jim Lerro of Arnold, Md., won the grand prize drawing for a Honda motorcycle.

Heartfelt thanks went to the hardworking event volunteers and task force members, led by Taryn Wilson-Wheatley, Joe Pruss and Marcy Rich.

–Dec. 22, 2008
ASHEVILLE, N.C.—The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation's Ride for Kids® program broke all of its previous fundraising records in 2008, bringing in more than $5.2 million during its 25th anniversary year.

"I want to thank every one of our dedicated volunteers, amazing fundraisers and committed partners. It is a testament to their willingness to dig deep and work hard that 2008 was the best year in Ride for Kids® history," said Kyle Clack, National Director of the Ride for Kids® program. "Many more children and their families will enjoy the holidays together because of their efforts."

"With the addition of three new ride cities in 2009, we are now even more committed to succeed in our quest to find the cause of and cure for childhood brain tumors," Clack said.

The best of the best
The Ride for Kids® program has always encouraged participants to bring more than the basic $35 registration fee, but not by reaching into their own pockets. Riders who ask family, friends, neighbors and co-workers for contributions, or who use their employer's matching gift program, greatly increase the impact of their participation.

Some of the most successful fundraisers are the most creative. Bob Henig, owner of Bob's BMW in Jessup, Md., has been involved in Ride for Kids® for 14 years. He and his dealership have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the PBTF over the years, but in 2008, he set out to raise the bar even higher.

Henig's "Ultimate Bike Raffle" gave away a new BMW motorcycle, complete riding apparel, and many other extras. Ticket sales and other customer contributions totaled $106,437, giving Bob's BMW a photo-finish for the top fundraising dealership in the nation. The $87,826 Henig personally raised also earned him the honor of being the country’s top individual fundraiser in 2008.

"When I dreamed up the original concept for the Ultimate Bike Raffle I hoped we might raise $25,000 and grow awareness of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation's mission and the Ride for Kids program," Henig said. "As the raffle progressed, my team and I thought that promoting my $100 T-shirt idea might help us hit $50,000. But even in my wildest dreams—and I do have them—I didn't imagine that so many people would share the news or want to proudly wear one of these special ROAD CREW T-shirts. So it was amazing to discover that the sales for three tickets with a T-shirt far outnumbered the single ticket sales and that we raised $80,000! It has been quite the experience, and I hope we can beat that effort in 2009."

Another longtime supporter, Nielsen Enterprises of Lake Villa, Ill., shares the spotlight as the highest-fundraising dealership in the country. Its customers contributed $109,950 in 2008.

"The most motivating word that comes to mind when raising funds for the PBTF is love," said owner Ted Nielsen. "When riding through areas where people are standing and waving us on, the smiles on the kids' faces make it all worthwhile. These children deserve our help to give them the best chance to fulfill their lives in a healthy, natural state. The reward is to reach out and share our good fortune of life with others in need."

The PBTF is honored to announce that both Henig and Nielsen have joined its Board of Directors. Their business expertise will further solidify the influence of the motorcycle community on the foundation's operations.

Another vital component of the Ride for Kids® is the hard work of motorcycle chapters, clubs and other groups that enthusiastically promote their local events and organize participants. From the Orange County Dualies to Gold Wing Road Riders Association chapters, these groups raised over $907,000 for the PBTF in 2008.

The nation's top group was Team Tyler, powered by American Collectors Insurance, which brought $64,355 to the Philadelphia Ride for Kids®.

Industry sponsors give generously
The Ride for Kids® program is deeply thankful for the ongoing support of its presenting sponsor since 1991, the Honda Rider's Club of America, and its parent, the American Honda Motor Company.

We are also grateful to national sponsors such as the Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows, AGV Helmets and Dunlop Tires. In addition, we thank the countless companies and motorcycle dealers across America who help us connect with the motorcycling community.

Motorcyclists make research breakthroughs possible
The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation has funded more than 50 research institutions around the world, including its own prestigious PBTF Institute programs. One of those institutes is led by Dr. Mitchel S. Berger, a neurosurgeon and researcher at the University of California San Francisco.

"I am convinced more than ever, in this very challenging economy, with less funding coming from the National Institutes of Health, that the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and its Ride for Kids events are making a significant and highly meaningful impact in the area of brain tumor research," said Berger.

"So many of our ideas around the country in this field involve high-risk research, and thanks to the efforts of our motorcycle enthusiasts and their support teams, we are making a serious impact into our understanding of the causes of these devastating illnesses and how to better treat them," Berger concluded.

About the PBTF Ride for Kids®
Since 1984, the national Ride for Kids® program and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation (PBTF) have promoted childhood brain tumor research and provided family support through free literature about brain tumors, educational newsletters, online conferences and college scholarships. With the help of America's motorcycling community, the PBTF has become the world's largest non-governmental source of funding for childhood brain tumor research.

All makes and brands of motorcycles are welcome at the Ride for Kids®. Events will take place in 39 cities in 2009, including new events in Jacksonville, Fla., Indianapolis and Middle Tennessee. More information is available at http://www.rideforkids.org/.

Help Make Ride for Kids® in Columbia, MD a Huge Success!