BMW Clubs Survey
BMW has commissioned an interactive internet survey they would like all BMW Club members to fill out. Like so many other things, it would be easy to blow this off as just someone else wanting another little piece of you. But this actually benefits club members to complete the survey.
There have always been discussions within BMW AG and BMW Motorrad as to the value of clubs. Dr. Daniel Tasch, General Manager Sales & Marketing of BMW Classic (formerly BMW Mobile Traditions) stresses the importance of filling it out. Tasch is a fresh face at BMW and a real straight shooter. He states the more participation he gets from BMW Club members, the more weight he can bring to the argument that the clubs provide a real and active benefit to BMW. And it follows that the company should work more and support the clubs more.
Up to this point, less than 1% of the BMW owners have completed the survey in North America. Many are not even aware of it. It is now your chance to help get our club recognized. The survey takes a few mintues to complete and is painless. There is a large pulldown menu that lets you identify your primary BMW Club. You can select the RA, the MOA or even one of dozens of local clubs.
Time to get your voice heard and become part of BMW's Marketing and Sales process.

Link to survey.

World Endurance Cup Season Finale
For this final 24-hour race of the 2008 season, BMW Motorrad Motorsport fielded two three-rider teams on HP2 Sports. Richard Cooper, Thomas Hinterreiter and Rico Penzkofer rode the #17 bike, and Stephane Mertens, Sebastien Le Grelle and Brian Parriott were on #71. The other entrants in the Open Class were the Metiss 1000, Ducati Endurance team with a 1098R and an 848, and Thorn Bikes' Honda CBR 1000.
Within the Open Class, the #17 bike ran second place (behind the Metiss) most of the first half, stopping at one point for about an hour, with the #71 bike a lap or two behind. BMW moved to the front when the Metiss dropped out after 16 hours, but the #17 bike stopped less than two hours later. That left the #71 bike leading the class, finishing the 24 hours with 670 laps. The Ducati 848 also ran the full 24 hours and completed 627 laps. The CBR and the 1098 were early retirements, completing 40 and 10 laps respectively.
The overall winner, leading the entire race, was the Suzuki team with 747 laps.
This event marks the end of BMW's WEC efforts, and the end of the HP2 Sport's racing career with BMW AG. BMW will now shift gears for World Superbike with the S1000RR.

Scot Harden joins the Husqvarna team
Best known these days for connections with KTM, Scot is back with Husqvarna where he started out 26 years ago. This can only mean good things for BMW's Husqvarna division, as Scot brings a wealth of experience in racing and training to the team.

New Models arriving
The F800GS and F650GS are arriving in dealerships now, and the old single-cylinder F650GS will be returning in October as the G650GS. Details in OTL. Next on the horizon will be the K1300GT, S, and Sport early next year.

Discontinued Models
The F800S, G650 Xchallenge and G650 Xmoto are discontinued for the 2009 model year (meaning now). The F800ST and G650 Xcountry will remain in the 2009 lineup, although the Xcountry might not make it beyond 2009. Details in the next OTL. Thoughts? Wish you'd bought one, or that you hadn't? Let us know.

New Club Logos
The ICC has yet again updated logo requirements for chartered clubs. For regional clubs (typical clubs in the US) the biggest point seems to be that the 3D roundel is now required, whereas before BMW was willing to accept the older roundel due to printing difficulties. The final word on that will be here soon. The RA will assist any chartered club with logo design.

Club elections
The RA doesn't have an election until 2010, but many local clubs will be having annual elections this winter. As mentioned, the RA can organize and host online voting for any chartered club. Club webmasters or election coordinators should contact the RA webmaster.

S1000 RR shown
BMW has unveiled its superbike. It has all of the goodies we've seen on the spy shots: OZ wheels, radial calipers and so forth. No word on a public introduction yet.

Robert Hellman
The RA is saddened to annouce the passing of Dr. Robert Hellman. He died Sunday, March 9, 2008 at his home in the company of those he loved. Robert Hellman was 63. The BMW Riders Association has lost the man that was the foundation of our organization for many years and a great friend.

Daytona, March 2008

AMA Formula Xtreme (Daytona 200)
(3/6/07) In Thursday morning's session, the BMW times tightened up a bit, with Cooper still fastest at 1:45.026 and a spread of 0.85 seconds separating the four BMWs.
In afternoon qualifying, the BMW's qualified 26, 31, 33, and 37 out of 71, solidly mid-pack.

In Wednesday afternoon's practice session, Cooper held the fastest BMW lap time so far with a 1:45.473, directly behind Steve Atlas (on a CBR600) who rode the F800S for San Jose last fall, and about 6 seconds slower than the leader. The other three riders are about a second slower.
There is additional practice on Thursday morning with qualifying ion the afternoon. The 200 will be televised on Speed Channel at 1:30 on Saturday.

MOTO ST
Nate Kern and Richard Cooper took the Atlanta BMW R1200S to a third-place finish in MOTO-ST's season-opening 300 mile race at Daytona. This, on a mostly stock bike that was prepared immediately before the race after Thomas Hintereiter crashed the front-line race bike during practice.
Hintereiter was here to race in the MOTO-ST as well as one of four HP2 Sports in the AMA Formula Xtreme Daytona 200 on March 8, but suffered a broken hand which will probably leave him unable to race the fourth machine. We expect Richard Cooper to fill his place on the grid, along with Kern, Brian Parriott and Rico Penzkofer.
Before the MOTO-ST race, Kern and Cooper took first and second place in the ASRA Thunderbike race, with Nate racing for BMW of Atlanta and Cooper racing for Morton's BMW. This marks Mortons' first solo foray into racing, after assisting Nate's XPLOR team last year.

Elections
Voting is over! The last vote was cast about 8:00 PM on the 15th.
Results of the election, as well as an evaluation of this online voting system, will be in the February/March OTL.

Welcome to the BMW Riders Association
If you're serious about your riding, you're in the right place. The BMW RA is an international community of BMW riders focused on the machine, the marque and the company that makes it all work. It is our mission to enhance the BMW motorcycling experience for our members and provide a forum on the history, current offerings and the future of the marque. We're glad you're here.

Cool links
How a BMW motorcycle is produced
Beemers at B-Cubed Daytona campout
Latest newsletter of the International Council

Attention Club Officers! It's time to renew your Charter for 2008 with the RA.