March Newsletter

March 2012 Newsletter

Next Meeting Tuesday, April 10th, 6:30 pm, Legends Bar-B-Q & Steak Joint. 11226 N Garnett Rd., Owasso, OK. Room is opened and orders taken for dinner at 6:30, meeting starts promptly at 7.
No one is scheduled to speak, but come anyway to get the latest and to hear something embarrassing from someone!
Last meeting, March 13th
It twas a nice day and durn it, a lot of you showed up out of the winter doldrums and made an appearance. In other words, we had a good turnout.

Norma Jo made an announcement that Phil McDonald, from the McDonalds that run the oldest continuously ran Yamaha dealership in the U.S. on the west side of town was going to be our guest speaker tonight. However since the family have been Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructors since about day one, the prior weekend he was teaching in the rain, and it messed his voice up, so bowed out until a later agreed upon date.

Phil was a motorcycle racer who was unfortunately in a bad accident a number of years ago, on the street! His left arm now hangs by his side. But anyone who has seen him ride cannot say enough about this gentleman’s skills on a bike. Several at the meeting were in awe of watching him twist and wobble a motorcycle around to his whim. I will look forward to his next scheduled speaking engagement with us!

Tulsa Touring Riders
April 7 – 1090 Run?
April 18 – Ride to eat dinner to Collinsville
April 21 – Open House & Demo Day – K&N Yamaha
Passport Oklahoma available at K&N
And other scheduled rides

We also discussed where K&N is, their policy of swapping out m’cycle tires, and their generally best prices of tires in Tulsa.

Any fine trips planned this year?

Steve plans to do the Blitz, Natural rally near Morrilton, RA in Colorado, National in MO, & Sipapu. Anyone else?

John suggested dropping by the Sierra Bullet Factory in Sedalia.

Ralph S. found the last room near Sedalia at Knob Noster next to the Whiteman Air Force base and has arranged the Spirit once-a-month limited-to-40-people tour of the B-2 facility.

Those going up there, we probably need to figure out ahead of time to be able to camp in the same general area of the National’s facilities.

Ken Johnson brought up the World SuperBike Race in Tooele/Salt Lake City, Utah over Memorial Day Weekend. He will be going, anyone interested in joining him, give him a buzz. Last year with the rain and cool weather (50s), he went to the BMW tent where they could get out of the rain and eat and warm up.

Ralph S. mentioned the MotoGP Race in Indianapolis at the end of July that he will be going to this year, his third. When asked about getting on the track, he mentioned SpeedVision having $98 packages that bundled a number of things, including access to the track.

Our South American Traveler NOT keeping the rubber side down on his 650.

Rolling Thunder

Norma Jo does a majority of riding with Myron with the R.T. group making everyone aware of the POW-MIA veterans. Going to D.C. this year, as the 25th anniversary of “Going to the Wall” with up to a million bikes. Raffling off a Harley, proceeds the American Veterans groups and their families. Anybody wish to participate, contact Norma. In September, they will be going to Andersonville, GA to go to America’s Georgia where all POW’s from all the wars that are still alive will be honored with a week’s festivities there.

Mentioned Cripple Creek and a Veterans Ride up there.

The Morrilton Natural rally will be on the other side of the lock and dam. Perhaps there will be fewer mosquitoes there! May 18 – 20.

Marv Gregory is in Daytona for Bike Week, he expresses his regrets for not showing.

From Voni’s web site.

The Bavarian Mountain rally at Sipapu is not on MOA’s site, but on their own site. It does not have the fees, but I could put it in the list shown on the next page.

Anybody know yet the National Rally fee?

I’ve been having a bit of run-off of the mouth talking about BMW’s 1600 cycle. I thought I remember looking at the specs for each bike and seeing there the bore and stroke for each bike (the GT & GTL) were different as to the intended audience of each style. Now looking at the tech specs, it is the exact engine. To produce two engines with different specs would have been a mess of identical, but different parts. I apologize to those I may have mislead.

National’s Rally Fee is $45 for MOA Members and $50 for non members if you pre-register.
If you wait until the National each fee goes up by $5. Just registered on Apr 6. Boots.

Also Myron & I were privileged to welcome home and escort to his house and a welcome home party one more soldier. It was a fun ride.

Starting Date
Name of Event
Location
Distance
Cost
6-Apr-2012
Adventure beginner rider workshop
Poe Valley National Campgrounds

$950
6-Apr-2012
Easter Rally
Robeline, LA
419
Donation
13-Apr-2012
Dogwood Trail Rally
Decatur, MS
603
$30.00
13-Apr-2012
MOA Weekend Getaway – Gettysburg
Gettysburg, PA
1,164
$89+
13-Apr-2012
Texas National Rally
Llano, TX
491
10
20-Apr-2012
Bench Mark Works Open House
Sturgis, MS
570
Free
20-Apr-2012
Blitz to Branson
Branson, MO
220
Donation
20-Apr-2012
MOA Weekend Getaway – Alabama
Oxford, AL
697
$89+
22-Apr-2012
Wild Goose Run
Beaver Dam, WI
790
$11
27-Apr-2012
Frosty Nutz
Weathersfield, VT
1,546

28-Apr-2012
BMW Flea Market & MotoExpo
Pecatonica, IL
706
$5
4-May-2012
Georgia Mountain
Hiawassee, GA
856
$45/$55
4-May-2012
Original Mini Rally
Battle Creek, MI
835
$20
18-May-2012
ABC Rally
St. Thomas, ON
1,084
$50
18-May-2012
AZBeemers Roadrunner Rally
Prescott, AZ
1,063
$44/$50
18-May-2012
DownEast Rally
Phippsburg, ME
1,756
$50/$60
18-May-2012
Great River Road Run
Soldiers Grove WI
719
$26/$33
18-May-2012
Natural State
Morrilton, AR
224
$10
24-May-2012
49er Rally
Mariposa, CA
1,630
$40/$49
24-May-2012
Great Chicken Rally in Rocket City
Huntsville, AL
615
$45
25-May-2012
Annual ROK Rally
Del Rio, TN
853
$40/$50
25-May-2012
Cass Rally
West Virginia

1-Jun-2012
Hiawatha Rally
Houston, MN
723
$40/$45
1-Jun-2012
Land of Oz
LaCygne, KS
201
$30/$35
1-Jun-2012
Square Route
Sabillasville, MD
1,175
$40
7-Jun-2012
Iowa
Middle Amana, IA
1,632
$35/$40
8-Jun-2012
Peni River Rally
Thornton, NH
1,603
$50
14-Jun-2012
BMW RA National
Copper Mountain, CO
769
$50
14-Jun-2012
Chief Joseph
John Day, OR
1,698
$50
15-Jun-2012
Laurel Highlands Riders Campout
Somerset, PA
1,049
$40
4-Jul-2012
Wing Ding 2012
Ft. Wayne, IN
767
$50
7-Jul-2012
Annual Canyon Mixer
Loveland, CO
734
$35
12-Jul-2012
Top O’ the Rockies
Paonia, CO
919
$45/$55
13-Jul-2012
Missouri State
Crane, MO
165
$25
13-Jul-2012
Rocky Bow Lunatic Fringe
Cochrane, AB
1,798
$45/$50
14-Jul-2012
Klassic K Kampout
Cruso, NC
902
N/C
19-Jul-2012
BMW MOA International Rally
Sedalia, MO
291
??
3-Aug-2012
Damn Yankees Rally
Heath, MA
1,514
$40/$55
4-Aug-2012
100,000 Food Colorado Pass Ride
Lakewood, CO
703
$35
5-Aug-2012
Nez Perce
Grandjean, ID
1,570
FULL
9-Aug-2012
Dan’l Boone
Boone, NC
952
$40/$45
9-Aug-2012
Stanley Stomp Rally
Grandjean, ID
1,570
$80
10-Aug-2012
Return To Trenton Rally
Trenton, ON
1,283
$45/$50
16-Aug-2012
Beartooth Rendezvous
Red Lodge, MT
1,241
$60/$70
16-Aug-2012
Bee Cee Beemers Hot Springs
Nakusp, BC
1,984

24-Aug-2012
Buckeye Beemer
Shreve, OH
893
$45/$50
24-Aug-2012
Galena Campout
Galena, IL
691
$20
7-Sep-2012
Beemers in the Bluegrass
Frankfort, KY
715
$25
7-Sep-2012
Boxer Shorts Rally
Williamsburg, MA
1,535
$150/-
7-Sep-2012
Wisconsin Dells BMW
Wisconsin Dells, WI
804
$39/$49
7-Sep-2012
Bavarian Mountain
Sipapu, NM
653
?
21-Sep-2012
Hoosier Beemer Rally
Vernon, IN
708
$25
21-Sep-2012
Thunder Mountain Rendezvous
Hotchkiss, CO
927
$35/$45
28-Sep-2012
MOA Weekend Getaway – Utah
Cedar City, UT
1,271
$89+
5-Oct-2012
MOA Weekend Getaway – Wisconsin
Tomah, WI
770
$89+
5-Oct-2012
Return to Shiloh
Savannah, TN
522
$30
12-Oct-2012
Falling Leaf Rally
Potosi, MO
352
$22

December Newsletter

Meeting Tuesday, January 10, 2012, 6:30 pm, Legends Bar-B-Q. 11226 N Garnett Rd., Owasso, OK.
Last meeting was December 13, 2011. News had come by that time that BMW of Oklahoma City was closed dated December 8, 2011. There were 10 folks that showed up. 1 even rode his bike! Christmas party was discussed, dismissed. Visiting over, folks left.

Since that time a Christmas Party was decided upon, quick survey, discussion with site folks and emails sent out. And quite a few attended. Hopefully everyone had a good time. The food was good and I for one, did enjoy the evening. Ann Myers was asked to officiate on our ‘Dirty Santa’ gift exchange. She is very good at it too.

Now onto MOA Chartered Club News. In 2009 and in 2010 there was talk about all clubs complying with BMW guidelines for logos. In 2011 our web lady did a lot of work for the club and a logo was finally submitted that the folks at MOA think may be satisfactory to BMW. They are submitting our logo from the club web page as they feel it is the bet way to go. Seems they were quite impressed at MOA. And in December, the following was received from MOA.

To all MOA Chartered Clubs
RE: Winter meeting safety resources

With winter setting in it is a good time to let you know about some resources available for safety training during this down time.

Host an Event
Checkout then MOA Foundation website, http://www.bmwmoafoundation.org/resources/motosafe , for information on the Host an Event materials available to clubs at no charge. To order a kit, contact Tammy Leuthauser at the BMW MOA offices: tammyl@bmwmoa.org (636) 394-7277. The request should indicate the name of the contact person, delivery address (street address for UPS) and date of event. Allow sufficient lead time for transportation and review of the materials. Some materials will need to be returned to the MOA headquarters (at club expense) afterwards.

MOA has several copies of most of these kits but you should inquire as to availability well in advance of your planned event. These kits are a great way to fill winter meetings with something to benefit all your members.

Moto-Safe
In addition, there is a new website with safety information, www.moto-safe.com. You should make sure all your members are aware of this new site. Take special care to insure your club newsletter editor knows about the availability of these articles for your local club publication. Here are the details.

Introducing MotoSafe, a blog project discussing funner, more proficient and safer motorcycling:
www.moto-safe.com
Inaugural articles include Hidden Risk, Command Respect, and The Holy Grail.  New articles will be added weekly or so. In addition, moto-educators can peruse Trainer Effect, under the Trainer/Educators button.

BMW MOA Chartered Clubs may reproduce these articles at no cost for Chartered Club communications, such as newsletters, website and such. Write roger@rogerwiles.com with your request.

And along those ideas, what can you as a member come up with to create interest for our meetings? Do you know someone who would be willing to come a give a presentation? Safety talk? Ideas for rides and perhaps put together a ride or wrench event?

Also for those interested, this is for anyone going to National in Sedalia.

At this years national rally in Sedalia we will again have the GS Giant event. In addition there will be street only version, the GT Giant. Both events run entirely by volunteers. We are looking for your assistance in helping get the word out to those who might be interested in helping.

If you have members interested in assisting with the GS Giant event, please have them contact Ian Schmeisser at ians@bellsouth.net. Members wishing to help out with the GT Giant event, please contact David Grant at hawk_racer_843@yahoo.com .

Below is a list of some of the tasks that need volunteers.

• GPS route planning experts
• Score keeping spreadsheet experts – work with us to tally everyone’s score, we need an Excel guru + a backup
• Data wrangler – someone to work alongside the scorekeepers to offload, organize and upload picsand videos.
• Tour fixers – people with local knowledge and maybe a car to haul some food and beer.
• Day ride leaders
• Track construction, maintenance and dismantle – we’ll need 3-4 people here for 3 days ahead of the rally to help build the track (don’t worry, there will be some earthmoving equipment involved!)
• Track gate control – for Friday and Saturday
• Track open session monitors
• Judges and bike picker-uppers
• Subject matter experts to give seminars – let us know what you’re interested in doing.
• Training assistants – this is still in development under the Rider Performance University program, but let us know if you’re interested in helping out.
• Photographer(s) – we need people who can shoot pictures and post on-line. We need people who have nice cameras that and that know how to work all the buttons. Photoshop skills very helpful.
• Videographer/editor(s) – we plan to put together an event video and need footage and possibly
  editorial talent to help us get it all together.

  I know of one of our members that has already responded to this. Perhaps more will also. It would be good to have our club well represented.

  Also now that 2012 is here it is time for dues again. Renewing is $20 for the year. Due by the end of March. You can mail to the club or attend meeting and pay at that time.