S1000RR Boosts BMW Sales & BMW Looks for GS Owners

Almost the entire motorcycle industry in the US is now in a very deep depression, but BMW is not mired in that mess. The BMW S1000RR has since arrived in the States and is selling incredibly well. This has really improved sales for BMW here and it continues to go well for the German marque. The S1000RR is a revolutionary machine, so it is not that surprising as there are still people with money out there...they are just very careful about what they spend their money on. The S1000RR is worth it!

http://tinyurl.com/y8gmkx8

The BMW GS motorcycles are made to go anywhere you want to take them - and they often do. In the UK, a new race series has come about called the BMW Motorrad GS Trophy UK Qualifier. This will put riders through a severely tough course with the three top riders progressing to the International GS Trophy Finals in November of this year. BMW Motorrad UK, Simon Pavey and the BMW Off-Road Skills School have worked together for this purpose. For all the details - and a better description - please take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/y9lt2lo

More Friday Morning Moto News - Rossi, Aprilia and Charley Boorman

As if we did not already know this - if you are a fan and you pay attention at all, this is common knowledge - an article is stating that Valentino Rossi would rather race in the World Rally Championship than take a seat in Formula 1. They just keep asking him the same questions over and over again, and it never seems to annoy him. Rossi is a respectful guy and we may yet see him behind the wheel of a WRC car within the next few years.

http://tinyurl.com/ygwaf66

Now on to a quick test of the sweet two-stroke Aprilia RS125. Alex Gobert took a Biaggi replica version out for a roaring ride and found that the little machine is one hell of a fun bike. It is well-made and it looks fantastic in any setting. The bike is good for new riders and old timers at the same time. Of course, in the US it would be a track-only machine, but I still want one!

http://tinyurl.com/yfeospb

Take a ride with Charley Boorman through Africa! He is taking a tour group - with rented BMW R1200GS or 650GS motorcycle from Capetown, South Africa, all the way up to Victoria Falls in Zambia. It is a pricey trip, but everything is provided and you don't have to worry about anything on the trip but having fun and enjoying the exotic scenery! Have a look...

http://tinyurl.com/yzvbf82

Tuesday General Moto News - BMW, Triumph and Fun

BMW is offering adventure loving riders a chance to get away from everything and ride in Portugal. It is a week-long trip in the Algarve region in the south of the country. It will be hosted by former Rally Dakar competitor Simon Pavey and will be done twice in February. The idea is to get away from the cold and enjoy some warm and fun off-road riding...but, that cold snap in Europe is taking over the entire continent!

http://tinyurl.com/yz2yvhw

The world's largest Triumph dealer, Pure Triumph in the U.K., has built a custom Triumph cafe racer based on the 2009 Thruxton. The number of changes is a very long list, the only parts not changed were the frame and the engine internals. They even replaced the tank with a tank from a T140 and adapted to use on the Thruxton. To learn more, you really need to take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/y9vtv5s

And, lastly in this post, we have a rather funny fake story about a group of animal rights activists show up at a biker rally to protest the biker's use of leather. It looks like something went terribly wrong at the fictional event and you need to see the results!

http://tinyurl.com/yb3hu35

Friday Afternoon Bike Reviews - R1200GS and GSX-R1000

There are two reviews here today, one on the 2010 BMW R1200GS and the 2010 Suzuki GSX-R1000.

First, we have one of the kings of the racetrack in any nation, the Suzuki GSX-R1000. For 2010, there are only additional paint schemes, no big updates anywhere else. Of course, the 2009 model was a fantastic machine, so we should expect nothing less in 2010.

http://tinyurl.com/yg7a5cj

And, the 2010 BMW R1200GS is in a class almost by itself. Many competitors have come around in recent years, but the GS is still standing tall. There are some big changes in the engine department - four-valve heads from the HP2. The riding impression demonstrates just how much of a difference this is. So, take the link and have a read, you will enjoy it and maybe learn something...

http://tinyurl.com/yha4q39


Another review: http://tinyurl.com/yk25nc7

And, a video: http://tinyurl.com/yej6x2n

Tuesday Afternoon Moto News from Around the World

Not much going on this afternoon, so I only have one to place here.

A blog which I have linked to many times in the past few months, Luxist, had some of the authors of the site take a ride at the BMW Performace Center in Spartanburg - outside of Greenville, South Carolina. They had one hell of a time, as you might expect. They also provided us with a look into the school and the BMW machines they use to train their students. There are even several quality photos of the time which was spent there. Take a look as you may one day attend this school as well...

http://tinyurl.com/ylctnrp

First Ride: 2010 Moto Guzzi Stelvio ABS

Moto Guzzi has created another great motorcycle, the 2010 Stelvio ABS is certain to hold a position among their most flexible designs. This is, as the article says, a bike which Guzzi should have built when they released the original Stelvio - a solid and (possible) real contender for the BMW R1200GS. It is priced right, handles wonderfully and has similar horsepower, but less weight, to the GS. A solid and well-rounded bike which could very well find its way into my garage.

http://tinyurl.com/ya8gohg

BMW Unveils 2010 R1200RT - R1200GS - R1200GS Adventure

BMW says that the new engines in the R1200 series are derived from their HP2 Sport, and it has been optimized for each model in which it resides. The new engine adds horsepower and torque to all three models and each one meets the new Euro 4 emissions standard. Many other items have been updated on all three machines, so expect even more of a good thing with the 2010 R1200RT, 2010 R1200GS and 2010 R1200GS Adventure models. Take the link and learn the details. Or, just visit the Carole Nash show in the U.K.

http://tinyurl.com/y9rxgyu

http://tinyurl.com/ykfgf4d

Even more photos: http://tinyurl.com/ydu2non

Yamaha Displays 'Super' Tenere Adventure Bike at Tokyo Motor Show

This is just in from MC (UK). Apparently, Yamaha is working on a larger and much more powerful version of their Tenere (no, the US does not get this model) - the Super Tenere. It will be equipped with a 1200c.c. parallel twin, shaft drive, traction control, ABS, and much more. I think they will be trying to take market share from the awesome BMW R1200GS. It may even enter production in the middle of 2010.

http://tinyurl.com/yhprhcl

Finally: Ducati Reveals Multistrada 1200 NOT Strada Aperta

The motorcycle of some mysterious note - meaning that it has been rumored to exist for some time now and has had many 'spy' shots taken while Ducati was testing it - is now officially the Multistrada 1200. It will not be the Strada Aperta or Stradaperta or Cayenne, thankfully. It will be a full-on replacement to the current Multistrada, it will compete directly with the BMW R1200GS, and there is plenty more conjecture after the link...

http://tinyurl.com/ykakccd

Man Travels the USA, Gets to Eugene, Oregon, and His BMW is Stolen!

Perhaps he should have known better, but not many people from other states understand the level of crime in the state of Oregon. (I've only been here five years and already I have had more thefts and break-ins than I experienced in my entire life before moving here.) Ian Hintz, from Wisconsin, was traveling across the great USA only to have his BMW R1200GS stolen from downtown Eugene, Oregon last night. He had his passport, money and Social Security card in a side bag on the bike when it was taken...I wish him luck in finding his ride!

http://tinyurl.com/yf6oo28

Third Annual BMW Canadian GS Challenge

The event went off during 18 - 20 September 2009, but this is the first report I have seen about it. The GS Challenge consisted of three fantastic itineraries which were categorized as Panoramic (beginner), Challenge (intermediate) and Double Diamond (advanced). All of those included sand, gravel, water and mud - love that mud! Riders came from around the world (as far away as Argentina and Germany) to tackle the challenge. And, it was perfect weather and all participants had one heck of a good time!

http://tinyurl.com/y9otdv5

Tour 'Planet Desert' with Michael Martin and his R1200GS

Another adventure rider and another BMW R1200GS fan; well, I think that is most people's first choice for a reliable and rugged ride when crossing the Earth. Mr. Martin will travel to the main ice and volcanic deserts of the world over a period of three years. He has the experience...

http://tinyurl.com/nphf2p

A South African Adventure on a BMW

Wow, this guy is very lucky - or, just very good at getting what he wants. Neale Bayly flew down to South Africa at the invitation of BMW Motorrad for the F800GS launch, but BMW also provided the attendees with an Edelweiss three-day tour...

http://tinyurl.com/m76zbb

Good BMW Forum Entry - Rumored BMW R1250GS

I found this while searching around and it is a nice compilation of all the rumors about the BMW R1250GS.

This is a forum, so be prepared for just as much real information as disinformation.

http://tinyurl.com/rauo8x