BMW Bash: Motel Rooms Available Now

For those of you thinking of heading up to the BMW Bash in Jasper, Ark. over July 3-4, it might not be a bad idea to lock in a motel room now. The event location is called The Hub on highway 7 between Harrison and Hot Springs. In its former life, The Hub was Dolly Parton's Dogpatch USA theme park. The Hub has become sort of a one-stop shop for biker rallies and by all accounts they are extremely biker-friendly, with plenty of great rides nearby and lots of pretty scenery.

The Hub is about 7 miles from the nearest town, and is the actual location of the BMW Bash, so if you want to stay at the 'hub' of all the activity, don't wait too long to reserve a room. The phone number is 870-743-4062 and you will probably speak to a nice lady named Debbie, who will ask only your name, the nights you are staying and whether you are affiliated with the BMW riders. No room deposit or credit card is requested. A variety of rooms are still available, none more than $65 (a triple!) and there is a restaurant at the motel.

To jog your memory, the Jasper BMW Bash is being put on by a number of BMW dealerships in the region, including our very own Shreveport Motorsports, as a thank-you to BMW riders and a fun outing in some awfully pretty surroundings. There will be bikes, vendors, food, music, and more. As one of our club members has been known to say...'it should be wild.'

For more information, go to:

http://www.bmwbash.com/

http://www.hubinfo.com/

Daytona Bike Week Kicks Off Riding Season

Recently, two groups of Red River BMW Riders headed down to Daytona for the annual Bike Week hullaballoo in Daytona and environs, Fla.

Beau Andrews, Bruce Carrington and Dan Weber anchored one team that left via I-49 south while Don Glover and entourage traveled eastbound I-20. The two groups met up in Marianna, Fla., and traveled the rest of the way to Daytona together. For those of you unfamiliar with it, Bike Week is a great motorcycling gathering and has grown over the years to incorporate events from New Smyrna to Deland to Ormond Beach and beyond on Florida's central east coast.

Upon their arrival, Beau and Bruce went directly to the Daytona International Speedway which is always a happening place, filled with vendors, manufacturers and racing. They report all major manufacturers were there this year with the exception of BMW.

Perhaps saving money was a wise choice for BMW as universal reports put the crowds for Bike Week down significantly. Dan says it appears crowds were 50% off from previous years, Bruce guesstimates 25% or more. Local Florida media were also reporting slim pickings. This report came from a Daytona-area radio station, WDBO.
"Bike Week is back, but it's more like a whimper than a roar. Dave Hands owns the Ocean Court Motel in Daytona. He describes the streets as much more quiet at night, and his hotel too.
"With the economy and everything, I wasn't expecting a massive Bike Week crowd, and I think I'm pretty well right in saying this will be our worst Bike Week. I've been in business since 1987." Consumers are benefiting though. He's dropped all of his minimum stay requirements, and Hands says walk in traffic is looking for a giveaway, as much as 50 percent off on rooms. He won't do it, but the national chains are offering huge discounts to attract what's left of the crowd." Maybe this will turn out to be a good thing for cyclists, who have seen room rates skyrocket out of sight during Bike Week and Biketoberfest events. (Ed. note to businesses: Don't just ASSUME bikers will attend your events if you try to kill the goose that lays the golden egg.)

Despite the lower crowds or maybe because of it, Bruce Carrington reports this was his favorite Bike Week trip ever. Bruce and Beau stopped and shopped at all the major hotspots: Destination Daytona, Beach Street, BMW of Daytona and the speedway, but Bruce's favorite event was also probably one of the cheapest. $15 paid for a ticket that got him into the stands at the speedway to see Super Sport practice runs, which he describes as 'fast and awesome.'

In spite of the cold front which made early morning riding a challenge, the Red Riders group had a great time and came back with stories to tell, and Bruce returned with a personal best, logging more than 900 miles in the saddle in one day on his return from Daytona to Shreveport. He reports his energy started flagging in Mobile, Ala., which is a bit over the halfway mark, but took a serious dive in Jackson, Miss. Thank heavens for strong coffee. A Starbucks latte, extra caffeine, please, got him the final 218 miles to home.

Spies Wins Superbike, BMW Starts Strong

For those of you following the World Superbike Championship, we have a couple of pieces of good news to report. Local club favorite and nearly-hometown- boy (Longview, Tex.) Ben Spies tore up the track in Qatar, taking the second straight superbike super pole. BMW's new riders, Troy Corser and Rueben Xaus, had a good first session, but fell far off the post in later racing. Here are the results through Saturday, March 14:

FIM Superbike World Championship Losial International Circuit Doha, Qatar March 13, 2009

SuperPole Results:

SuperPole Session 1:

1. Ben SPIES (Yam YZF-R1), 1:58.782

2. Tom SYKES (Yam YZF-R1), 1:58.803

3. Broc PARKES (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:58.856

4. Troy CORSER (BMW S1000 RR), 1:58.940

12. Ruben XAUS (BMW S1000 RR), 1:59.380

SuperPole Session 2:

1. Max BIAGGI (Apr RSV4), 1:57.836

2. Ben SPIES (Yam YZF-R1), 1:58.6368.

Not Qualified to Superpole:

Ruben XAUS (BMW S1000 RR), 1:59.43516.

Troy CORSER (BMW S1000 RR), 1:59.454

SuperPole Session 3:

1. Ben SPIES (Yam YZF-R1), 1:57.2802.

Final Combined Qualifying Results, After Superpole:

1. Ben SPIES (Yam YZF-R1)

15. Ruben XAUS (BMW S1000 RR), 1:59.435

16. Troy CORSER (BMW S1000 RR), 1:59.454

FIM Superbike World Championship Losail International Circuit Doha, Qatar March 14, 2009 Race Two Results:

1. Ben SPIES (Yam YZF-R1), 18 laps

2. Noriyuki HAGA (Duc 1098 F09), -1.274 seconds

3. Max BIAGGI (Apr RSV4), -1.622

4. Ryuichi KIYONARI (Hon CBR1000RR), -1.845

5. Tom SYKES (Yam YZF-R1), -5.117

6. Max NEUKIRCHNER (Suz GSX-R1000), -9.512

7. Shinya NAKANO (Apr RSV4), -9.514

8. Jonathan REA (Hon CBR1000RR), -12.621

9. Troy CORSER (BMW S1000 RR), -13.842

10. Ruben XAUS (BMW S1000 RR), -13.884

Comments from Ruben and Troy:

Ruben - 15th, 1:59.435

Of course, it is disappointing to be on the fourth row of the grid, but I’m happy because I have improved my lap times so much since my first session here. It’s not so easy developing a bike during the race weekend, but it’s just something that we have to get used to doing and trying to do it as well as we can. The more we push the bike towards its limit, the more we find out things and the more we have to work out how to improve those things. I want to be up the front - sooner rather than later - and I know it’s going to take some time, but I am confident that we are going to get there, before too long.

Troy - 16th, 1:59.954

I’m not a fan of this new Superpole system and I think it must be quite hard for the fans to follow and understand. My lap in Superpole 1 would’ve put me on row three for sure and maybe row two, if luck had gone our way. In Superpole 1, I used a qualifying tire for the first time this year and did a 1:58.950 quite easily. But for Superpole 2, that time gets wiped clean and you start all over again. We used the same tyre on the same bike for Superpole 2, but suddenly the bike was chattering and that made it impossible to go any quicker. It’s a bit frustrating when that happens and now I know I have got a very hard job ahead. My bike is not so fast at the top end as most of my rivals, so it means that I am going to have to work harder in the turns trying to stay with them.

Some Days You Just Need To....

On the Road Again: West Bound and Henderson Down

(Ed. note: A couple of weekends ago some of our club members felt the need for speed that led them to the small hamlet of Henderson, Texas. On certain weekends, Henderson hosts the Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association and members say the races are always a good time. Mark your calenders; the next big events are scheduled for June 13-14 and September 26-27. Thanks to Dan Weber and Jimmy Moss for text and pix.)

On Sunday February 22nd four of us from the RRBMW club took a trip over to Oak Hill raceway outside Henderson,TX. Jimmy Moss, Kim Horton, Bobby Swink, and Dan Weber went on this ride.

Oak Hill is a tight 1.8 mile track that is well run by the CMRA (Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association) racing organization; the races are all 8 lap affairs and barring problems, click off without delay. We witnessed one accident complete with heli-evac.

We arrived and chatted with Noah Beard, a friend of Jimmy Moss. Some may recall that Noah talked to us about track days during a RRBMW meeting some months ago. Jimmy picked up some info on track riding schedules for 2009.

There were in excess of 200 racers at the track in a variety of classes, 125 2-strokes to liter bikes. The most popular seemed to be Suzuki SV650s. After watching a couple of races and chatting with others spectators, we figured out that the two fastest guys were really in a class of their own. The brand of bike is a minor part of the equation, we heard the "fast guy" mention while being interviewed that he'd been racing at Oak Hill for 17 years.

After 4 hours at the track we took a couple of FM roads back to S'port while Bobby peeled off for Arkansas. The ride was about 140 miles, a bit chilly in the morning but quite pleasant on the return.

You can get a sense of the track by going to YouTube.com and searching "oak hill".

Oak Hill's website is: http://www.oakhillraceway.net/

BMW Unveils Superbike Details. Sign Up Now For A FAST December!

Ready to go "VROOM"? For those of us who have enjoyed hours of speedy fun aboard our BMW K1200s models comes the next generation of fast. Area and Community Manager Mark Jamroz says dealers should have the road version of the S100RR in stores by November and if you put your name on one right now you could have a December (just in time for the holidays, hint hint) delivery! Mark says he is working hard to have one available at the BMW bash in Jasper, AR, in July. Nate Kern, ASRA Champion and a BMW enthusiast, will also attend.

Following is the press release from BMW, giving details on the 999cc four-cylinder 200hp behemoth. Drool on.

The 2009 Superbike World Championship promises to be more exciting than ever, with BMW Motorrad Motorsport making its debut in the ultra-competitive series and taking on no less than six other manufacturers, four Japanese and two European. Although this is BMW’s first attempt in World Superbikes, their racing heritage goes back 86 years, starting with their R 32 motorcycle in 1923. Since then BMWs have raced successfully on the Isle of Man and at other world-famous racetracks and have enjoyed many successes. The last success of the official BMW factory team was Walter Zeller’s runner-up place in the 1956 World Championship. BMW officially returned to roadracing in 2007 with the HP2 Sports Boxer taking part in the Endurance Championship 24 hour classics in 2007 and 2008.

BMW’s first ever ’Superbike’ success took place at Daytona, USA, in 1976, when American Steve McLaughlin won the AMA Championship Superbike race in a thrilling photo-finish with team-mate Reg Pridmore. Both were riding R 90 S BMWs prepared by Butler & Smith, BMW’s American importers. Back then the ‘Superbike’ class was a support race to the main event, but nine years later the first ideas for a Superbike World Championship (a world championship for production-based motorcycles) began to grow. The series was born in 1988 and since then has become the hallmark for close-fought, competitive racing, without sacrificing any of its friendly paddock atmosphere. It may be all-out combat on the track, but off it, it has an atmosphere unmatched by any other world championship.
BMW Motorrad has a very long history, but they are the ‘new boys’ of the Superbike World Championship. The company has decided to enter the series at, without a doubt, the hardest and most competitive time in its 21-year history. Any new manufacturer joining the series is going to face a tough time and BMW are under no illusions about the challenges ahead. BMW are entering World Superbike because it is a championship where fans and customers identify with the brand and the bikes. And fans will not have long to wait for the S 1000 RR roadbike from which the racebike is derived: it will make its public debut in early summer 2009.

What does Troy Corser think of the bike?

“The BMW S 1000 RR racebike has a good base and we are all working hard to be competitive as soon as we can. This is BMW’s first time in World Superbikes and none of us underestimate the challenge. But the challenge is part of the excitement and we are determined to do the very best we can. As the season progresses I’m sure we’ll improve a lot, but we are at a bit of a disadvantage because every time we go to a track we will be starting from scratch, whereas the others will have info and data from previous years. Even so, as the year goes on, I’m sure we’ll get better and better and maybe even surprise a few people along the way.”

Now Ruben Xaus:

“This is a great challenge and I am so happy to be riding for a factory team and working with a great bunch of guys. I think I always knew that I would probably have to modify my style (after years of riding a twin) but I am very pleased with the progress we made in this direction at the recent tests. For sure, it is not easy for any new manufacturer to enter this incredibly competitive series, but I believe that BMW can make a big impact on the championship and I am very happy to be a part of this big adventure.”

BMW S 1000 RR SBK Racebike Technical Specifications
Capacity: 999 cc, 4-stroke, 4 cylinder, liquid-cooled
Gearbox: 6 speed
Power: 200 + hp @ 14,000 + rpm
Bore & Stroke: 80 x 49.7 mm
Compression ratio: 14:1
Fuel system: 48 mm Dell´ Orto injection system
Fuel tank capacity: 23 litres
Lubrication: Wet sump
Dry weight: 162 kg
Wheelbase: 1,428 mm
Length: 2,056 mm
Width: 532 mm
Front suspension: Öhlins upside down telescopic forks, 43 mm diamete
Rear suspension: Öhlins TTX
Front brakes: Twin disc 320 mm, Brembo, 4 piston calliper
Rear brake: Single disc 220 mm, Brembo, 4 piston calliper
Wheels: Front 16.5 inch x 3.5 inch, Rear 16 inch x 6.25 inch
Tires: Pirelli

Riders Troy Corser, # 11
Date of birth: 27.11.1971
Place of birth: Wollongong, Australia
Home town: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Favourite tracks: Phillip Island, Valencia, Portimao
First bike: Yamaha TY80 (road), Honda CR80 (race)
Career highlights: 1996 – World Superbike Champion2005 – World Superbike Champion
World Superbike history: 413 races, 128 podiums (33 wins, 47 seconds and48 thirds), 42 pole positions
Website: http://www.troycorser.com/

Ruben Xaus, # 111
Date of birth: 18.02.1978
Place of birth: Barcelona, Spain
Home town: Andorra
First bike: Montessa Cota 25cc
Career highlights: 2003 – World Superbike Championship – 2nd
World Superbike history: 152 races, 35 podiums (11 wins, 13 seconds,11 thirds), 1 pole position
Website: http://www.rubenxaus.net/

SBK Team Structure 2009
Team name: BMW Motorrad Motorsport
Team partner: alpha Racing
Director of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: Berti Hauser
Race team manager/Project leader: Rainer Baeumel
alpha Racing management: Josef Hofmann, Josef Meier
alpha Racing technical director: Thomas Franz
Riders: Troy Corser, Ruben Xaus
Troy Corser crew chief: Tom Larsen
Ruben Xaus crew chief: Wolfgang Martens

Superbike World Championship 2009 Race calendar
March 1 Phillip Island, Australia
March 14 Doha, Qatar
April 5 Valencia, Spain
April 26 Assen, Netherlands
May 10 Monza, Italy
May 17 Kyalami, Republic of South Africa
May 31 Salt Lake City, USA
June 21 Misano, Republic of San Marino
June 28 Donington, Great Britain
July 26 Brno, Czech Republic
September 6 Nürburgring, Germany
September 27 Imola, Italy
October 4 Magny-Cours, France

October 25 Portimao, Portugal

Jean's New Bike: Fun, Functional, and Fully Decked Out!

In last month's posting, I told you about Jean Hanson's new cherry red F650 twin. The bike is a beaut and Jean is having a great time on it, already logging some serious road miles on trips hither and yon. (Yon is a great destination...we need to plan a club ride there.)

Today, let's dig a bit deeper into the new F650 with some information from Jean about her riding background AND the new stuff she has already found to add to her bike.

It has become a great source of humor amongst the area BMW loyal that no bike truly reaches its full potential unless $$$$ worth of aftermarket goodies are hung from it. Some of us are a little more guilty of this than others, but those club presidents shall remain nameless. Now back to Jean's story...

I took the MSF course in October of 2007. I started out on a Suzuki Boulevard 650 S-40, but found the bike set up and size was too much for me at the time, so I traded it for the Kawasaki Ninja 250. I loved the size and set up and was able to get some good miles on this beginner bike. I truly loved the little Ninja, but felt it was time to graduate to something I could take a few distance trips with. My choice for the BMW 650 was because of the rider sitting position, foot peg position and straight up sitting style. I also liked that I could get a low version with low seat because I am vertically challenged. The on board computer offered a gear indicator and for a newbie that is a good bit of information to have for sure!

(Now the story shifts to Dave Hanson, the 'goodies guru':)
All good bikes need a lot of good accessories our additions on this bike has really made it perfect.

First of all if BMW did not offer this bike in lowered suspension and low seat, it would not have been an option for us to look at. The low suspension and low seat is listed in the spec sheet as 30.1”. Jean needs at least 29” or lower to be somewhat comfortable handling the bike. I researched and found an alternate rear tire in size 150/60/17 (stock is 140/80/17) which would lower the rear another 7/8”. I also lowered the front by raising the forks 22mm in the triple trees (also about 7/8”).

I broke in the bike in 2 days going to Arkansas both days (Jan 21-22 09) Thursday and Friday. 175 miles the first day and 320 miles the second day. I tried to hold no steady rpm, and did not exceed 4k rpm the first day then 5k the second day. No full throttle runs, but some brisk ¾ throttles up the gears. I noticed the motor really starts to want to go over 4k rpm.

The first add on was the SW-Motech crash bars for pretection, next the Calsci windscreen for better wind protection. I also purchased the Tourtech handguards after seeing a picture of them on advrider forum.

I researched the many farkles that are out there for this bike before settling on the few items we deemed necessary. I use these two sites for most of my information:

http://f800riders.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=67 and http://www.advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=5

The stock windscreen is useless for wind protection. I researched the many windshields available and went with the CalSci medium (lowest model) and found it to be much better but still slightly turbulent for me. I am 5’11” and 32” inseam, Jean is 5’2” and 27.5” inseam, it works good for her. The picture below is of the CalSci screen.

I send Mark Madstad the stock windscreen and he has developed a solution; the prototype will be tested on the bike. It has adjustable up and down plus angle forward and back. A link to his website: http://www.madstad.com/

Jean made her ride Saturday 1/23/09. We went about 225 miles, Arkansas and back. Her arms were sore from stretching to reach the handlebars. So the next farkle was the ROX barbacks. They are CNC machined out of aluminum and very nice. The ROX raised the bars 1-1/4” and moved them 1-3/4” back. It's a pretty tight fit with the front brake line, be sure and check lock to lock for clearance if you go with this mod.

I added the Fenda Extenda to the front fender to provide some protection to the exposed radiator. We both liked the BMW vario cases and the Jesse Safari 8” cases (most narrow by the way at 34”), but decided on the Caribou cases even though they are 38” wide.

Links can be found here:
1. Handguards http://www.touratech-usa.com/shop/F650Twin.lasso?-session=touratech:42CD719B051490D3E2Tuh18DE4E2
2. Windscreen http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/F800GSprod.html
3. Crashbars http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productlist/691/
4. Fenda Extenda http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/4583/691/
5. ROX barbacks http://www.roxspeedfx.com/cgi-bin/cart/showitems.cgi?subcat_id=268
6. Alaska Sheepskin seat cover http://www.alaskaleather.com/
7. Caribou Cases http://cariboucases.com/store/?name=Catalog&mode=d&id=005

Dirt Bike Diaries: Our Day on the G450X

On Sunday, February 8, ten intrepid Red River Riders trekked into the Bossier back woods hoping to make some noise, scare some wildlife and taste some mud. They were successful at all three.

Local BMW bike rep Mark Jamroz and friend David Hall invited the group to a 4-mile single track loop near Cypress Lake in an area so remote it is both off the GPS grid AND believed by Mapquest to be in the middle of the lake. Jamroz had thoughtfully marked the trail to his dirtbike compound with extra plastic panels from the new BMW G450X, for that ‘just scraped off on that tree I didn’t see’ look.

Adventure addicts David and Jean Hanson, James West, Liz Swaine and Steve Culp, Beau and Michelle Andrews, Charles Jolley, David Moak, Larry Barber and Bob Critcher found their way to the camp and were treated to a first-of-its-kind opportunity...the chance to take BMW’s new G450X out on some great technical trails.

Liz and Steve brought out their KTM 250 and 450 respectively.

Mark and David also had their racing KTMs, so along with the BMW there was plenty of opportunity for fossil-fuel burning, yelling, mud-slinging and vine clinging. James West was the first to jump on the G450X and it put him through its paces, giving James the opportunity to taste the quality of north Bossier mud. In fact, James won the unofficial “Tide: Laundry Soap of Choice” award as most willing to sacrifice all clean clothing to the mud gods.

There are many things we don’t know about our fellow club riders and one thing you may not realize about James is that he has spent more riding time in the saddle on dirt bikes than road machines. In addition to James, Steve Culp, Beau Andrews and David Hanson also spent some time on the 450X, so feel free to ask any of them what they thought.

I asked James and David to give me a short review of the bike. Here are their impressions. First, James.

I had so much fun Sunday it was like being a kid again. I gotta tell you growing up I had one bike, the Honda SL-125. My dad would not allow motocross; money mostly and because it was dangerous, etc. So I became the 4-stroke guy when all my buddies has KX this and YZ that. Ever since then I have always liked the old, reliable, and slow 4-stroke dirt bike. Well my day has come since most all the 2 strokes have gone away for all the various reasons and the 4-stroke dirt bike is what is sold today.It has been a while since I rode dirt bikes. I had a fast 1994 Honda XR250R back in 1998 when Dusty Wheels was open.

Here is my impression of the G450X. As expected this 4-stroke is easy to ride. Starting out, Mark told us first gear was pretty wide, so going real slow took a little clutch control. Once under way power was predictable. A little gas and it would accelerate smoothly, give it lots of gas and the power was there. Our loop was tight, so I only got up to 2nd gear. I don't know how much travel is there but it smoothed out some pretty large mud holes and whoops in the trail without much effort. Overall my impression is it does most everything you would ask an off road bike to do and it street legal so you can ride it to the woods if necessary, as long as it is a short trip.

Now, David.
I started dirt bike riding with an 185cc Suzuki enduro, then went to the TM250MX Suzuki for motocross in around 1972 or ’73. I blew my piston after about a year of racing, so I bought a TM400MX to race while I was waiting for the parts to rebuild the 250cc. The 400 was a handful plus that class at the track was a bunch of crazies! So when I got the 250 fixed I sold the 400 before I got it stuck in tree or something.

I have done a little messing around in the woods, but nothing so tight as the track that Jammer has out there at Cypress. I enjoyed the BMW G450X, very good throttle response, excellent handling and suspension, lightweight and very flick-able. I never got out of 2nd gear, in fact stayed in 1st gear most of the time, just no time to shift or get any speed as the trees and terrain had my complete attention. I did take the bike down the little dirt road we came in on for a bit and it was really fast…but again I only had room to use 1st and 2nd gear then time to hit the brakes, which were very responsive also. I enjoyed the feeling of throwing the bike into the smallish berms and gassing it around when I could hit a berm, I was pretty rusty and my reflexes were a little slow even skipping shifting and braking (the 4 stroke has compression braking, just let off too slow). I was still behind the curve of the bike and track conditions. I was able to go from YEEEHAAAAAAA get it acceleration, to OH MY GOD got to stop and turn, tree, or stump, or deep hole or big slippery root. Great fun and very addictive, but I still like the open motocross track sans big jumps. I think the BMW was a little out of its element on that tight technical one track, it would do much better with some more openness to romp in, get to taste some of that big torque and horsepower.

Thanks for the review, guys.

For more information on the new G450X, go to:
http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/bmw/2009-bmw-g450x-review-82228.html
http://www.cycleworld.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=872

For LOADS MORE PHOTOS taken on our day with the G450X, Go to:

http://flickr.com/photos/20683381@N03/sets/72157614079165722/

Red River Profile: Drew Newcomer

13 or so years ago, club member Drew Newcomer caught a bad case of wanderlust. Luckily, Newcomer who is a registered nurse, knew his malady was treatable and just what batch of potions to apply.

Interestingly, Newcomer’s first up close and personal experience with BMW motorcycles wasn’t a great one. On an Edelweiss tour out of Las Vegas in 1997, Newcomer was paired with a single cylinder 650 “thumper.” It was not love at first sight nor did it develop into a strong ‘like’ at any point during the trip. So how then was Newcomer finally enticed to BUY a BMW? Well, Drew knew BMW’s reputation for quality and he also wanted something a little different, and those reasons led him to his first and current BMW. In 2003, he pulled the trigger and purchased an R1150R, a bike Newcomer says “isn’t excellent at anything, but is very good at everything.” It’s become his ‘go to’ bike, equally appropriate for his short ride to work at Glenwood Regional Medical Center in West Monroe, the ride to Shreveport for his monthly BMW club meeting or a trek to Utah or Colorado.

His R1150R has 52,000 miles on it and after the purchase of a new set of OEM shocks, Drew is ready for riding season. His plan is to ride. A lot. Each year his New Year’s resolution is to ‘ride more than last year’ but a recent job change threatened to put some of that riding on hold. Drew has gotten used to unexpected life turns. He graduated LSU-Baton Rouge, Texas A&M University and the University of Georgia with a PhD in Soil and Crop Sciences and worked for several years in the agricultural chemical field. When that job went away and opportunities for another looked bleak, he went back to college. In his mid thirties, he embarked on two life changes…he enrolled in R.N. training and a got involved in motorcycles and riding.

His biking adventures have taken him to Alaska once and Europe three times and though foreign climes still hold an appeal (“I just got my passport renewed in December.”) he is currently more interested in exploring the States. His long range plan is to ride in each of the lower 48, and to that end, he is working on a Colorado trip that will bring him back through Texas’ Hill Country in June and possibly New Hampshire in the fall to view the changing colors. The May trip to Barber Motorsports is also on his calendar.

If Newcomer were to win the lottery, he would spend most of it on motorcycles and riding, and the first new purchase might be a Moto Guzzi Norge that has recently caught his imagination. But until that time, Newcomer will enjoy his BMW and a Suzuki SV650 that usually sits forlornly by as the BMW gets the daily exercise. “So many roads, so little time,” says Newcomer.

MORE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT DREW

1. When did you start riding motorcycles? Age 39, 12 years ago.

2. Why did you first start riding? I had put a lot of time, money, effort, and heart into relationships that went to crap, so I said, "to hell with it, I am going to buy a motorcycle."

3. What types of bikes have you owned? (If more than 5, please, just list the highlights!) Yamaha 535 Virago, Honda Magna, Honda VFR, BMW R1150R, Suzuki SV-650.

4. Favorite bike of all you have owned and why? The Beemer -I have seen lots of the country with it and haven't stopped yet!

5. Do you have a single best motorcycle-related story? No single best story that I can think of but the Red River Riders trip to the Hill Country is one of my favorite grouprides. I have ridden in Europe several times and that has been a big highlight as well.

6. Is there a bike you WANT to own? Why? Looking at a Moto Guzzi Norge fairly lustfully right now -- also the Suzuki Bandit 1250 ABS -- I have to have a reason??

7. Best commonsense motorcycling tip to share with the group.

Don't let a group dictate how you should ride!!!

8. Your favorite movie and why: The Electric Horseman, Music and Lyrics, Paint Your Wagon. Different genres; liked them for various reasons; am into romantic comedies lately.

9. Your favorite restaurant and dish: No favorite - like Italian, Japanese, a good steak now and then.

10. Anything you would like to add: Harley riders do say one thing I agree with ----- "If I have to explain it to you, you wouldn't understand."

Jammer Jams the Competition, Takes First In LCCS

Red River Riders’ very own Mark Jamroz placed first in his class and 8th overall in the first race of the new Louisiana Cross Country Series (LCCS) in Geismar, Louisiana. Jamroz, the local Area and Community Manager for BMW Motorrad USA, took the new BMW G450X dirt bike with him to Geismar, but toasted the field on his KTM 300. He reports track conditions were grim…it had rained for two nights prior to the race so the track resembled a thick black gumbo.

The Senior Class (over 40) event was a timed 1-1/2 hour race. Jamroz completed five laps and beat the second place finisher and his good friend, David Hall, by ten minutes. (“But who’s counting?” says Jammer.) The Geismar event is the first of a series of races to be held in Louisiana and Jamroz intends to make all of them that he can. Next up for him is a National Enduro meet that happens March 29th in Forest Hill outside Alexandria. Road trip, anyone?

For more on the LCCS events, go to http://www.acadianaracing.com/

David & Jean Take on The Queen...Wilhemina, That Is.

(Ed. note: Jean and David Hanson wrote up this ride report to share with the group. We all know that Jean and David do not blink in the face of riding adversity, they just order more pie. They are my heroes.)

Jean and I decided to take a small trip on Valentines. She reserved a room in Mena at the “Lime Tree Inn” after finding that Queen Wilhelmina Lodge was full. That actually was a good thing as we saved some money and the Queen was in the clouds, windy and cold, while down in Mena it was sunny and not so windy and warmer, plus more places to walk.
Our route from Doyline was Minden-highway 159 north to Arkansas 19, Magnolia, 82 to Hope and I believe 27 mostly to Mena. We pretty much had the roads to ourselves the whole way.
We had several light showers going up between Magnolia and Hope and north of Hope, but they didn’t last long. The temps, while in the low 40s, were not as cold as you might think. We were running heated grips and dressed warm with lots of layers.
We arrived in Mena 5 hours after departure from Doyline, having made 2 fuel stops.
Before checking in at the Lime Tree Inn, we ran up to the top of Talimina and stopped at the Queen Wilhelmina lodge. I think there were 2 others in our side of the motel, it has 3 separate buildings with a restaurant and buffet. Turned out to be a great place to eat, seafood night on Fridays!

Saturday morning, we left at 37F via 71 north then 28, and 7 to Ola. Nice little fuel/food stop in Ola and small bike shop “Twist-N-Grip”. The owner gave us a map to Magazine Mountain State Park, the highest point in Arkansas. We set off for the lodge on top of Magazine Mountain via 10 and 309. They had sanded the upper parts of the switchbacks, so it was cautious going. We stopped at the lodge and walked around and took pictures.
On the way down the mountain I made a few short comments on the bike- to- bike radios to Jean and she did not answer. I had lost sight of her in the many turns and switchbacks, so was just about to turn around to go check on her when I hear, “ I AM BUSY!” Turns out she can’t reach the little mic button with her thumb when making steep tight turns in the mountains. Job well done, Jean!

On the way back we took the long way to Ola via 27 north to Dardanelle, then south on 7 back to Ola.
On the way back to Mena, we took 27 to get another view; this has to be one of the best roads in Arkansas with many twisties and hills.
Sunday morning found 34F so we took a nap in the room after another breakfast buffet at the Lime Tree Inn restaurant.

We left around 9 am with temps starting to rise above 38F. We were back in Minden about 1:30pm to find I-20 east bound closed and traffic being routed through Minden, welcome to Louisiana! We rode 700 miles in total, it was a very enjoyable trip, Arkansas rocks for the nearest point to get into twisties!

(GPS Route of the Mena adventure)

People, Places & Bikes

One thing you can say about our little group...we love bikes. We love them so much we have formed our own little southwest Shreveport micro economy in the buying, selling, trading and customizing of them. We like nothing more than to welcome new bikes and new members to our fold and this month we have both.

Our Newbie Member: Ron Franks from Henderson, Texas, was at our February meeting and we hope will be able to join us on a regular basis. Ron rides an LT. Welcome, Ron!

Our Newbie Bikes: Jean Hanson is the proud new owner of a cherry red F650GS Twin.

As you may recall, Jean's last bike was a Kawasaki Ninja 250 so this bike is already proving far more versatile, especially over long distances. Jean has written up a great report talking about some of the options she researched and added to her new bike and we will post that story next month.

Liz Swaine is honoring the Swaine-Culp family "sell one to buy one" agreement by putting her K1200S sport bike on the market after purchasing the Namibia Orange R1200GS at SMS. This was a purchase that literally came out of nowhere, Liz says. One pretty day she and Steve stopped by SMS to chat and Liz asked to test ride the cool-looking black with white pinstripe R1200R. Afterwards, she hopped on Mark Jamroz' R1200GS and was completely smitten. "This bike wasn't even on my radar," says Liz. "But when I pulled back into the parking lot laughing with a big grin on my face I knew it was a keeper. I think this is going to be a great bike for rides of any distance!"