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Vol. 3 - Issue 6
| June 2012
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I. TRW BUMMER
Coming back from Vashon Island on the ferry last month, a few of us got to talking about stupid things we have done on motorcycles - always a source for a lot of good stories. You would need a REALLY long ferry boat ride to exhaust the topic. What prompted the discussion was the Yamaha R1 of Patrick Cordell, looking a bit scruffy after an incident at a track day last fell - the bike, not Pat. Pat and Deb Shiel and I decided that we should have a club "trophy" for the silliest or dumbest or (most of all) funniest thing done with a motorcycle each year by a Team Ride West member. I related that I already had a good base for the trophy, a BMW R 1100R valve cover that someone left outside the door to the dealership a couple of months ago.
I am sure there is a story that goes with the valve cover, but I do not know what it is. It sat out there with some oil in it (it is not from a Ride West motorcycle) until I asked the Service Department to clean it for me as I knew there would be a reason for it sooner or later. Sooner, as it turns out.
In short order, Pat and Deb and I created the BUMMER, an acronym for 'Best Unintended Motorcycle Maneuver Ever Seen.' This will be an award voted on late in the year by e-mail by Team Ride West members after a period of time in which members can nominate themselves or each other. Any incident that happens during the calendar year is admissible, (if admittable), on any model, year, or brand of motorcycle.
- The rules are deliberately few:
- The incident must involve a motorcycle.
- The incident may not involve serious injury.
- The incident must not involve the commission of a crime.
- The incident MUST BE WITNESSED by one or more other Team Ride West members.
In other words, we're looking for the sort of silly or funny things that happen to all of us from time to time. The winner will be allowed to keep the BUMMER for the following year. BUMMER nominations will be taken during the month of November, and the election will be held by e-mail in December. Between now and then I will "decorate" the BUMMER with appropriate items to represent how it was probably earned!
I am hoping that in the future, when we happen to have a misadventure, we can stand back and say "BUMMER!" because we are likely to win it.
Cool idea, don't you think? Thanks to Patrick Cordell and Deb Shiel for their creative brainstorming on this project.
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II. Ride West Track Support
I'm repeating this one because we have a lot of new members who may have not received last month's newsletter. AND we have added a feature!
TRACK SUPPORT! For the remainder of this year, a customer who purchases ANY model new 2012 BMW can select a 2Fast track day OR track school at either Pacific Raceways (Kent) or The Ridge, (exciting new track outside of Shelton).
Ride West will pay the entry fee and also provide support with:
- Our Events Sprinter van with a canopy, chairs, snacks, and water.
- One of our staff to ride with you on our demo BMW S 1000RR.
- Dave Preston to maintain the "friendship station" at the van.
Once the customer has selected a day of his or her choice, we will take care of the entry, and let you all know. Then you can register and pay your entry for the event, and when you arrive "your" support Sprinter will be there with the canopy, chairs, water, and snacks to make the day a little bit more special.
But wait, there's more! Let's say you wanted to attend either the track day or track from 2Fast on June 6th. By a special arrangement with 2Fast and WMST, as a Ride West VIP customer you will pay not the usual $189 for a track day or $289 for a track school, but only $120 for the track day or $220 for the school!
Even better, Chris Johnson of WMST and our Dave Swezey will attend, so you'll have coaching help even if you opt for just the track day. Chris is well known for his Washington Motorcycle Safety Training (WMST) programs, and has served as an instructor for a police high speed motorcycle operation course.
Dave Swezey is a graduate of Keith Code's California Superbike School, and their experience and knowledge will be available to you for free. This offer is open to you riding any street legal motorcycle of any brand.
To register, simply go to www.2Fast.org and use the promo code of RIDEWEST. For other events, simply sign up as a "normal" customer, let me know you will be attending, and we will get the events van there in support of your efforts.
If you are a purchaser of a 2012 BMW from Ride West, or about to be, simply contact me with the 2Fast track day or track school of your choice, and I will take care of the registration for you.
NEW! We have added a feature! At each event we attend with the van, we will hold a drawing ONLY for those in attendance on that day. The winner of the drawing wins - a FREE track day!
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III. Picture Perfect
Team Ride West member Deb Shiel at a breakfast meeting here in Seattle with the founders of Riders for Health - Andrea Coleman (former Moto GP racer) and her husband Barry Coleman (former BMW factory rider and motojournalist). As you know, we put on the "R-Ides of March" and "Chilly Turkey" events in the spring and fall of each year to raise funds for this effort. Watch for details of our first dual sport fund raising event for Riders for Health, coming in August.
And here is a recent press release from Riders for Health! Click Here to read "Motorcycling Nominate for Spirit of Sport Award"
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Content Editor: Dave Preston Production Editor: Nicole Turner |
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IV. Team Ride West Events
Please check the web site frequently for changes.
JUNE
Saturday 6/2 - PSS Maintenance Class #1 @ 9 a.m.
Saturday 6/2 - Team Ride West club ride - Mt. Erie
Wednesday 6/6 - 2Fast, WMST, and Ride West VIPs PR
Sunday 6/10 - 2012 DEMO RIDE #3 - Meet @ 10 a.m.
Thurs-Sun 6/14 - 6/17 - National BMW RA Rally in Colorado
Saturday 6/16 - Team Ride West ride to Whidbey Island
Monday 6/18 - National Ride to Work Day!
Tuesday 6/19 - Team Ride West dinner 6:30 p.m. Cafe Veloce
Wednesday 6/20 - PSS Advanced Street Skills @ PR
Thurs-Sun 6/21 - 6/24 - RawHyde in Leavenworth, WA
Saturday 6/23 - PSS Maintenance Class #1 @ 9 a.m.
Thursday 6/28 - New Buyers Event @ 6 p.m.
JULY
Wednesday 7/4 - INDEPENDENCE DAY
Fri-Sun 7/6 - 7/8 - Black Dog Selkirk Rally in Idaho
Sunday 7/8 - DEMO RIDE #4- Meet at 10 a.m. RW
Fri-Sat 7/13 - 7/14 - Bike Swap!
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V. Recent Team Ride West Fun
Team Ride West ride to Vashon - April 28th - This one came too late in April to make the May newsletter, but is worth looking back on now! This was our largest turn out ride of this year and one of the largest ever, with over 20 motorcycles covering over three decades of production.
The only challenge of this ride is getting everyone checked in and organized and getting out of Ride West and to the ferry dock by 10:10 for the next sailing. As it happens, I tried a little too hard and managed to lose most of the group within ˝ mile of Ride West! Fortunately, everyone seems to know where the Vashon ferry dock is, so we all got there with time to spare.
Once on the island, we enjoyed a route used many times before, beginning with the thrill and challenge of the very tight confines of Burma road and meandering on back roads to the Point Robinson light house and other scenic delights. Over lunch at the Red Bicycle in downtown Vashon, resident Richard Fox was kind enough to share a great route back to the ferry to Seattle. Surprisingly, I was able to remember it, and the improvements have been added to the route directions.
We rode onto the ferry dock to an empty ferry that was just starting to load - a great ending to a fine day! At the end of the newsletter you will find a particularly fun video and slide show of this adventure. Here's who went and on what:
- Dave Preston BMW K R 800R
- Patrick Cordell Yamaha R1
- Clayton StevensBMW K 1200 LTE
- Gary StebbinsKawasaki Versys
- John SnowTriumph Sprint ST
- Dennis Sarr (Dianne)BMW R 1200 GS
- Kurt Langston Kawasaki KLR 650
- Lee StewartBMW R 1200 RT
- Deb Sheill BMW G 650 GS
- Richard Fox(on Vashon) BMW F 800 ST
- Mike JudkinsBMW R 1200 RT
- David HostetterBMW R 1100S
- Mac Khan BMW K 1200 GT
- John Kahler BMW K1100GT
- Sergio Luna BMW R 1200 GS
- Aaron JonesBMW K 1600 GT
- Curt HammondBMW 1150 GSA
- Marv Travis Kawasaki ZX 14
- Mike DollHonda Goldwing
- Claude Williams BMW R 1100GS
- Jeff FredinburghYamaha FJ 1
- Peter LajkoSuzuki GS 500
May 19th - Demo Ride #2 - Demo Ride #2 worked out well, despite a comedy of errors that saw people dropping out, demo bikes with flat tires, service loaners not returned when promised, and my losing the key to my own bike - in the store - for 45 minutes. Oh yes, and my BME jacket got left in the Events Van which was long gone to Roy for an Adventure Camp before I realized that. And then it rained..
Still, we had a fine time! We had 5 riders, myself on my company F 800R, Anand Namasivayam on a used BMW K 1300S he just bought and wants to ride 24 hours a day (I know the feeling), Milan Richter and Pablo Gonzales swapping back on forth on an R 1200 GS and an F 800GS, and John Snow trying out a BMW G 650 GS. As it turns out, the route I laid out is pretty complex, and it would have been difficult to keep a larger group together, so it was all good in the end.
Next Demo Ride is Sunday, June 10th. If you want to go, let me know ASAP to see if I have slots left. Again, if you want to take a demo ride any Tuesday-Thursday, set up an appointment with John or Sean or Kerry or Roman in sales, and if you want me to ride along with you, let them know. I will go if I am here! J
Track Days, and Track Schools with 2Fast Racing
We have embarked on an ambitious program to support track days this year (see earlier report for the details) and it seems to be working very well. Customers like it, 2Fast's Mark DeGross is seeing larger turnouts for his very professionally run events, and we're having a lot of fun. Want to join us? Here are some pics of the action.
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VI. You, Me, You Tube, We... Etc.
We have our own Team Ride West web site page on the Ride West site. Go to www.ridewest.com and locate the Team Ride West page. There you'll find lots of information, links to ride videos and slide shows from past adventures.
Vashon Island in 4 Minutes - by Gary Stebbins
Here is the latest Nicole Turner production - from our Demo Ride
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VII. NEW! Brain Teaser!
Click here to get started on our new Brain Teaser, and let us know how you like it!
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VIII. Dinner at Cafe Veloce
We enjoy a fine time and great food at Café Veloce for our club monthly dinners. "Our" night is the 3rd Tuesday of each month. Most people arrive between 6:00 and 6:15pm, and by 6:30pm we have looked at each others bikes sufficiently to sit down to order food. We're in the "club" room in inclement weather and out on the deck when the sun shines.
This month's TEAM RIDE WEST CLUB DINNER will be on Tuesday, June 19th.
Cafe Veloce is located in the Totem Lake mall area north of Kirkland and south of the Bothell/Woodinville I-405 exits.
Directions to Cafe Veloce:
- Heading north on I-405 take exit 20B (NE 124th St) and then the ramp to Totem Lake Blvd. You will go through the traffic light to 120th Ave and Café Veloce is to the right just past the auto parts store.
- Heading south on I-405 take exit 20 (NE 124th St) and turn left on NE 124th Street. You will go through two traffic lights and then take a left on Totem Lake Blvd. Into the right lane, and right at 120th Ave to the restaurant.
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IX. The Ride West Difference
Say you're chatting with friends about the varied events and rides you're enjoying with Team Ride West. Say further that these friends ask you, "What makes Ride West different?" Here are concepts we would thank you for putting across - the "Magnificent Seven."
1. With Team Ride West, more rides, dinners, and events than anyone else.
2. More in-store sales, swap meets, seminars, classes, etc. than anyone else.
3. Ability to purchase insurance for your bike, home, and auto - all in-house.
4. More demo bikes, and longer demo rides, than any other dealer.
5. New for this year - our track school and track day support program.
6. Service Department capable and happy to work on any brand.
7. Wide assortment of used bikes of all brands.
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X. Team Ride West Concept Ride Procedures
Team Ride West rides are referred to as "concept rides" because route and destination changes may evolve during the day depending on the wishes of those on the ride, the weather, and events of interest we may find along the way. The initial route directions will be sent out by e-mail a few days prior to the ride, but it is not required that everyone on the ride follow the same route or reach the same destination!
Here are the guidelines that we follow:
- Arrive at the start of the ride (usually Ride West BMW) with a full tank of fuel and funds for fuel, food, and other expenses during the day.
- Sign in and receive the printed instructions if needed.
- (Pause - if you do not have both a motorcycle endorsement on your license and insurance on your motorcycle, we ask that you wait until you do to ride with us.)
- Be VERY careful as we turn out of the Ride West parking lot onto 16th. Cars
- can and sometimes do turn left from Lake City Way onto 16th - potentially at a lethal speed.
- Once on the ride, find a group to ride with of 3 to 5 bikes - based on
- friends, model, experience, style of riding, and/or desired pace.
- Allow LOTS of space around you - front, side, and rear. Do not "tailgate."
- At major intersections that involve a turn, make sure the person behind you
- (in your group) has seen the turn before you accelerate away.
- RIDE AT YOUR OWN PACE - always.
- Pass on the left - well over the centerline. Do not pass on the right - EVER,
- under any circumstances barring dire emergency.
- Use hand/foot signals as needed. There's no required guide to these.
- On the way home, once past the final group fuel stop, it's every person for
- him/her self. You may drop off at your exit or street without the need to let the entire group know - but mentioning your intent at the final stop is a nice gesture.
- Other groups of motorcycles? - pass them very carefully with lots of room.
- For groups larger than 15 bikes or so, we will expect people to take some responsibility for following the route directions and/or others in the group, or for finding their own route. This rule is called "YOYOMF" for "You're On Your Own My Friend." Kudos to Bill Hucks for coming up with the phrase, although his version is just a bit more colorful.
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XI. Pithy Words to Ride By...
Motorcycles are NOT dangerous. Motorcycles carry with them an element of risk. That is not the same thing at all. Risk can be reduced with education, training, equipment, experience, and concentration. Danger is just - danger.
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