May/June/July Meeting Dates Changed

Just a reminder to our club faithful that planned rides in May, June and July mean that our normal first Saturday meetings at Shreveport Motor Sports will change to SECOND Saturday meetings! On May 1st, a contingent is leaving Shreveport bound for Birmingham, Ala., and the Barber Motorsports Museum, home of the AMA races. On Thursday, June 4, a group will be departing Shreveport for the Texas Hill Country. This trip will take us to the beautiful park at Blanco, Tex., and environs. On Friday, July 3, we'll motor up to Jasper, Ark., for the big BMW Bash at "The Hub" north of Hot Springs. There is still time to plan for any of these rides and we hope to see you on one or more of them! Our regular first Saturday meeting dates will resume in August (pending ANOTHER ride getting in the way!)

RR Riders Congratulate Bossier Harley Davidson!

No, he’s not a BMW rider, but he’s as close as you can get without actual title papers in hand. Todd Lynch, general manager of Bossier City Harley-Davidson and brother-in-law to our very own Beau Andrews (Beau and Todd are married to sisters Michelle and Sarah) is rightfully proud of a just-announced award. The Bossier City Harley-Davidson store has been named winner of the Gold Bar & Shield Circle of Excellence Award as one of the top 25 dealerships in the nation. A big deal? You bet. H/D has nearly 700 dealerships, so to be in the top 25 in terms of customer satisfaction, employee training, sales performance, facilities and overall dealership efficiency is major. Bossier Harley will be presented with the award at the big Harley Davidson conference this summer in Denver. Our congratulations to Todd and his award-winning crew!


(Todd, attempting to be incognito so he can scope out some nearby Bimmers.)

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin' Raw Hyde!

BMW rep Mark Jamroz spent a fun several days in the California desert at the Raw Hyde Adventure "Introduction to Dirt" school. (Ed. note: Those of us who have seen Mark enduro ride know that he not only KNOWS dirt, he is on a first name basis with it.) Riders got to test out the big BMW GS and KTM 990 bikes and learn what they could do without pavement under them. The promotional material promises you will learn:

• the top three mistakes all street riders make in the dirt


• the dangers of ABS


• the basics of controlling your bike on dirt roads

Sounds like a great class and we're looking forward to a ride report from Mark at an upcoming BMW club meeting!

For more information: http://www.rawhyde-offroad.com/home.html

Let Your Fingers Do The Snapping & Win!

BMW Motorrad is having a little contest now through May 31 that involves you, your bike and your best bike-related photos.

They are looking for the 'most inspiring' BMW motorcycling pictures from around the world to feature in their 2010 calendar. The theme for the competition is ‘Travelling with BMW Motorrad’ and it is open to all aspiring amateur and professional photographers.

Winning and having your photo printed would be neat, but the 'prize package' for winners leaves a little to be desired (Like airfare. Seriously.) 13 winners (one per month and the calendar cover) will be invited to BMW Motorrad Days 2009 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany in July, where they will enjoy a "fantastic" VIP package that includes two nights at a hotel, a fan merchandise package, free food and drink on site and special access to the VIP area in the main entertainment marquee in the evening. Winners must pay their own way to Garmisch. Ah, well.

Entering the competition is easy, according to BMW. Photos can either be directly uploaded online or sent in by snailmail. The main requirement is that one or more BMW motorcycles of any vintage are in the photograph and the overall theme is travel. Along with the photo, you should include a short report, a route description and a rider profile, including picture. If there is a GPS file to go with it, then so much the better. You should also include a brief statement as to why you chose this BMW motorcycle. Digital images are best, but prints and transparencies (slides from 4.5 x 6 cm, or copies 24 x 30 cm) can also be submitted.

Out of all pictures submitted by the deadline, 30 will be short-listed. These will then be shown online in advance and all visitors to the http://www.bmw-motorrad.com/ website can enter a rating for their favorite pics, although allegedly this will not have any direct influence on the final decision of the judges.

From the short-listed pictures, a panel of judges will then select the best pictures for the 2010 BMW Motorrad calendar.
To become part of the competition, visit http://www.bmw-motorrad.com/

April Showers Bring Flowers...And Riding Season!

Well, the weather is finally getting nice enough for some serious riding and our BMW group is definitely getting serious about their riding! Over the past few days, a contingent including Bob Critcher, Bruce Carrington, Jean and Dave Hanson, Jimmy Moss and Wellborn and Catherine Jack went over to Denton, Texas, to the RideSmart school and Bobby Swink and Drew Newcomer motored over to a BMW event at Lake Belton, Texas, near Houston. Drew reports the event was a nice one, but heavy rain on Sunday caused a lot of folks to head for the house early.

Liz and Steve are departing soon for some backcountry ghosttown hunting in southeastern Arizona and before you know it, it'll be time for the group to take off for Birmingham, Ala., and the Barber Motorsports Museum. If you want to ride, you'll have a lot of opportunities over the next couple of months.

In this month's update, we have a couple of ride reports from some of our free-wheeling members and some stories guaranteed to make you go "Hmmmmm", including why male bikers are good lovers but why that ridin' man may also be willing to break his little woman's heart. Enjoy!

Drew Hits the Dogwoods: RIDE REPORT

BMW Riders like to talk about miles ridden. It seems quite the normal order of things for a BMW owner to jump on his or her trusty steed and ride 400 miles for good bar-be-que...and then to ride 300 more miles to secure a lovely campsite, with or without the threat of mountain lions.

Our club is heavy with such intrepid souls. If either David and Jean Hanson, Dan Weber or Drew Newcomer don't pop out several hundred miles on most sunny spring weekends then things are likely not right with the world. The great thing for us is that all of them not only love to ride, they love to share their experiences. Let's start with Drew, who writes about the recently-attended Dogwood Trail Rally in Mississippi.

by Drew Newcomer

After having spent a considerable amount of money to get the R ready for the riding season, it was time to go somewhere. Less than 100 miles from the house, the BMW Riders of Mississippi offered an opportunity to sample some of their southern hospitality. Under clear skies on Friday, April 3, I headed east on I-20 to Mississippi exit 19. Finding Askew’s Ferry Road right next to the interstate, I easily found Askew’s Landing campground. What a nice location complete with pine trees, a couple of small lakes, and plenty of BMW motorcycle enthusiasts.

I stopped at the main pavilion and began the registration process. Motorcycle acquaintance Mike Hilton was there and I visited with Mike for a few minutes. I found a camping spot and set up my claustrophobic one-person tent for the evening. After a healthy serving of gumbo provided by the Mississippi Riders, the rest of the evening was spent visiting with folks from the southeast. While bad weather in the Midwest did cause some cancellations, 139 riders did show up from as far away as North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia. The youngest rally rider was 19, and the oldest was 88!

Friday night was a bit chilly and I was cold and almost wet from heavy dew. The next morning I discovered many of my fellow riders did not sleep well either (guess we should have brought the heavier sleeping bags!) Well, I decided right then and there that if I was going to be doing this “rally thing,” I needed to upgrade my equipment. As luck would have it, a vendor from Catoma Outdoor (http://www.catomaoutdoor.com/) was present and more than willing to sell me a new tent. I purchased one on the spot!!

I have been somewhat itching to buy a new motorcycle (not an uncommon occurrence for many of us) and I decided to ride to the Triumph dealership in Jackson. I have been gazing with an interested eye at a Tiger. Mike Hilton and I rode northeast on Mississippi highway 22 through Flora then turned south on 463 to I-55 and on into Jackson. What a great ride! The weather was nearly perfect and the roads were very much “motorcycle enjoyable.” We found the dealership and even though I had the opportunity to “try one out”, I did not take up the offer to ride a Tiger. Guess I was thinking, given the current economic situation, that frugality may be the best course of action for now. So, after having gotten some local information from Wayne, the Triumph salesman, Mike and I headed back to Flora via some roads not on our map but through some very pretty countryside. We stopped in Flora for a good old fashion “country lunch” then found highway 22 that took us back to the rally. A nap was now in order and I closed my eyes for a few minutes trying to catch up on some of the sleep I lost the night before. I woke up in time for the door prize drawings and actually won some Amsoil Bike Wash. Now all I have to do is get off my butt and find some elbow grease to use it!

Saturday night was warmer and very pleasant. Supper consisted of fried catfish, ribs, beans, cole slaw, potato salad, and rolls. A local band played while folks enjoyed their evening meal. I picked up and set up my new tent in less than five minutes! Not being a Boy Scout or handyman, this was one of the draws towards a new tent purchase. I also found out that double wall tents are much dryer than single wall tents and I slept better on Saturday night. Sunday morning the tent came down just as easily and the bike was packed. No sense leaving too early as pancakes were being served as they had been the morning before. So, after filling my stomach, goodbyes were said and it was time to head back home. There was some fog, but no rain and the trip home was uneventful, which is exactly the way I like it. This was a great way to start the '09 riding season – good company, good roads, good food, and weather that still couldn’t be complained about. If I am free next year, I will be back.

For more information: http://www.bmwridersofmississippi.org/

David And Jean do Big Bend: RIDE REPORT

A few weeks ago, Jean Hanson got a beautiful new F650GS twin. Since then, she has been a woman on a mission...a mission that involves fun, good friends, and miles! Isn't it a great thing that hubby Dave loves all the same things? Recently, the Hansons found fun, food and fellowship on an entertaining ride to Texas' beautiful Big Bend region, or as some have been known to call it, 'Bib Bend.' To find out more, read on...

And moo to you, too...

by David & Jean Hanson

Jean was itching to take an extended trip on her new F650GS when she found on BMWSportTouring.com that a Big Bend trip was coming up. We started getting ready, reserved rooms and made some Garmin maps for possible routes avoiding any interstates. During discussions on the bmwsporttouring ride planning forum a member which we had not met yet (but heard a lot about) invited us to stop by his place in San Antonio for a mini group join up. Turned out to be 9 of us leaving from his house Friday morning.

Leaving Thursday morning Mar 26, we encountered fog and it was thicker the farther we proceeded on hwy 1. We took a right on hwy 84, then hwy 7 and finally hwy 21 to San Marcus. Fog changed to clear skies about 2 hours out, then later light showers. We discussed stopping and changing into rain suits but thought it was too light to worry about.
About 4 hours out, I did a quick stop at a yellow light, but Jean was prepared to speed up and was late braking. She locked up the rear tire and slid through 1 lane of the 6 lane intersection, then lost control when the front brake took over and she wrestled the bike to the ground. I unplugged my radio cord and killed and parked my bike, ran to get her up and then backed her onto the sidewalk out of the traffic. I restarted the Tiger and pulled next to her bike, all before the light changed for our traffic, so no delay to anyone just a little side show, ha.

She did no damage, the crash bar, hand guard and corner of caribou cases touched down (very minor scratches) and they did their job of protecting the bike. YEA! We had a little refresher MSF course discussion about using the front brake and only light pressure on the rear brake. We proceeded on. Soon, the rain grew heavier along with the wind, so we stopped and put on our rain gear. We ran for maybe 2 hours before the sun came out again although it was much cooler, we stopped and removed rain gear so our mesh gear would get a chance to dry out in the wind before reaching San Antonio.

From San Marcus we took hwy 12/32, very nice hill country road. From San Antonio our mini group hit highway 90 which provided some hill climbing and one 10-mph switchback. We stopped at the faux Alamo where they filmed the movie, messed around taking some pictures and ate lunch at the Cantina. We also stopped at Judge Roy Bean memorial and took some pics and rested. Several other bikers were there also.

Later we crossed over Lake Amstead, which had white caps of probably 5 or 6 feet, hard to tell from such a high vantage point on the bridge. Suffice it to say, I saw no boaters out. Around mid morning the winds started picking up out of the north and grew to 40+ mph, Jean was struggling to keep the little GS in her lane, plus holding any speed over 55 or 60 mph. We all encouraged her at every stop, but there was nothing we could do, she was on her own! She said she wanted to cry but knew it would be harder to see then, ha. She commented that we all seemed to be having no trouble while she was struggling, of course that was not true, we all were making many adjustments for the heavy wind, but we were relaxed where she was very TENSE!

Thankfully, the closer we drew to Big Bend and the later it got (like 5pm) the less the wind blew and the more speed we could coax out of Jean till finally about 90 miles out we were up to cruising 80 mph, which meant we might all get in before midnight now, whew!

Our leader (Whip) on the K1200RS (lead group of 4 riders had waited for us at last gas stop) got a performance award (speeding ticket) just outside of Alpine, TX, where the limits went from 75 mph to 70 mph. I had the only RD and I was back with Jean leading her so it was her fault for not keeping up, ha. (Ed. note: and David not getting a ticket!) We came by as they were discussing the award and I stopped to take a picture but thought better of it and we proceeded in to town to gas up and find out motel the Ramada Inn of Alpine.

Many other riders were waiting on us at the motel, some had arrived on Thursday, all complained of the heavy winds. Think they had over 25 bikes, several new 08 GTs that the new owners were enjoying ($16,000 deals). We had a wonderful supper at the eatery next to the motel, which was a short walk. Met and visited with new faces and shared ride tales. One fellow had ridden his 02 Kawasaki Mean Streak 1600 from Alabama and had been to Viet Nam year after me.

Two rides were planned for the next day, Davis Mountain loop and observatory with Whip leading or Big Bend Park. We choose the park as I like forest and animals. Twisties (Jan) and Bullet (Sharon) and Jean and I joined up for the ride to Marathon then Big Bend.

Nice ride and the winds had subsided, thank goodness. We ate lunch at the restaurant on top, many switchbacks and more learning for Jean, this time I followed her and found out that she was riding the brakes even after me coaching on the radio to down shift and get off the brakes. We passed a downed HD rider; lady had broken her ankle in tight steep downhill switchback.

More discussion followed at the restaurant on proper procedure for going down the mountain. Jean was able to come down slowly and came to a revelation that she shared later, she had been down shifting but did not let the clutch out, so no engine braking, I was so surprised, okay back to the basics. Once she realized her mistake it was much easier going. Next we ran the river road, it was washed out around 50 miles but we did not go that far before turning back and heading for hwy 118 and back to Alpine before getting too late. I spotted some desert rams on the high hillside and hailed Twisties up front to the Big Horns and we proceeded to turn around and go back. Jean could not negotiate the tight turn in-between hills so pulled over and waited and listened on the radio.

It was getting late we decided to take hwy 118 back to Alpine and had a nice ride till about 30 minutes out and I started to get a chill as I had removed my windbreaker under my mesh jacket. I announced on the radio that I was cold and was pulling over to gear up, Jean, my lovely wife responds, “Suck it up”, ha. She later said that she didn’t realize I had no windbreaker on.

Arriving at Alpine, we gas up and go shower and change for dinner at the Reata. We all hugged and said our goodbyes that night as all were off to different directions the following morning. Jean and I did a casual getup following morning, Sunday; continental breakfast was great each morning at the Ramada inn. Think we got on the road around 8:30 and not 30 miles out of Alpine on hwy 67N I saw 3 cow elk browsing on tops of yucca plants. When I did a U turn to get their pictures, they all took off, but I still got 2 of them.


Hwy 67N joined I-10 east bound, but I refused after 2 miles and we got off on a northbound road which I forget. But later rejoined Hwy 67N then 79, and finally hwy 84 all the way to hwy 1.

On a refuel stop 70 miles west of Waco, Tx I noticed Jean’s rear tire had a shiny spot, told her to move forward and sure enough on another revolution it was still there, bummer, got a tack. We push over to side and I get my kit out (mushroom plugs), pull the tack and rapidly insert rasp to stop the air from escaping. Then mushroom, while loosening hardly any air. As I was preparing to get out my air pump, Jean had checked with the modern station to find out they did have an air pump and would turn it on. A fellow pulled up in a nice pickup and offered to give me air, said he was flatted once and no one came. He asked to pay it forward; we told him that was one of Jean’s favorite movies.

On the way to Waco, Jean kept a close watch on her air pressure with the TPI on the GS, it was leaking so we refilled with my air pump then later obtained the worm/glue type plug and this held rest of the way to Waco. Jean and I stayed overnight in Waco and on leaving searched for her home when she was a child plus I found the rent house I stayed in when going to TSTC.

We had a very nice ride on hwy 84 (mostly 2 lane and trees finally again) and stopped for lunch at a Dairy Queen (Ed. note. Isn't eating at a Dairy Queen mandatory while in Texas?) before leaving Texas. Arrived home about 3:30, 1850 miles later, very enjoyable trip. We can't say enough about the many enthusiastic riders on bmwsporttouring.com. These folks have a collective ton of experience with roads, bikes and biking in general and I highly recommend joining up with any of their rides in the country.

For more info: www.bmwsporttouring.com

Looking for Love? Try the Biker Next Door.

Valentine's Day has come and gone, but romance is always in the air if you're a biker. Recently, the Progressive insurance agency conducted a survey of men, both bikers and non-bikers and discovered that biker guys aren't the tough, burly dudes stereotypes portray but are instead, hopeless romantics. Yes, 40% of male bikers surveyed used those exact words in describing themselves versus 34% of non-bikers. The riders told the survey that having their heart broken moves them to tears. The non-riders said it's watching a sad movie that makes them weepy.

Male riders are also more likely to be involved in charitable giving, especially those involving children.


There is one stereotype that did bear out: tattoos. Riders are nearly three times more likely than non-riders to have a tattoo (32 percent versus 12 percent), but the types of tattoos they have might surprise you. Bikers are nearly twice as likely as those who don't ride to have a tattoo of their significant other's name (18 percent versus 10 percent) although some of the men did amit to flowers, heart, unicorns and the Cookie Monster.

And Now the Nasty Flip Side of Biker Love...

Just when we gals were feeling all warm and fuzzy about our biker guys comes word that we may mean less to them than that tarty German vixen that gets most of their attention and money. Another insurance company, this time Allstate (is this what they all do in their spare time?), recently completed a consumer study that showed that virtually ALL riders who identified themselves as hardcore would give up their spouse or significant other before their motorcycle. 500 guys across the country got to weigh in earlier this year in a study called "Who I am and What I Ride." They could identify themselves as a Sports Bike Enthusiast, Stressed Out Executive, Hardcore Biker or Weekend Warrior - which led the field at 31 percent. The majority of the participants who could not identify their classification labeled themselves as Baby Boomer Riders.

In addition to spouses/significant others being potentially expendable, here are some of the other findings:

• More than half of all the riders said they would give up their television rather than their motorcycle.


• The highest percentage of respondents, 35%, said they own at least one Harley and spent an average of $20,600 for the bike and $2,250 more on accessories. 30% rode a Honda.


• Seven in ten of bikers say they ride at least once a week; nearly half say they ride several times each week.


• Why do men ride? Although "To get away from my spouse/significant other" wasn't a choice, maybe it should have been. Of the reasons available to choose, 'riding is more fun' came in first, with 'the feeling of freedom' in second.


• One in five bikers belong to a biker club and those are predominantly the self-professed 'hard core bikers' (Red River Riders group IS a club, right? See hard core bikers, above.)


• Thankfully, about 50% of men bikers will never have to make the dreaded spouse versus bike choice as that many have spouses who either ride with them or ride their own bike.

We female bikers are now waiting for a study of our own that will determine what WE think about these matters. Ladies of RRBMW Club, discuss amongst yourselves to prepare for a proper response.

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