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Ride West BMW » e-Newsletter
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JANUARY 2013
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Greetings!
Happy New Year to you and your family from the Ride West BMW Team!
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SERVICE
SPECIAL
OFFERS!
SAVE $$! |
JANUARY R SERIES BIKE
20% DISCOUNT ON LABOR
10% BMW SERVICE PARTS
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Please call our Service Dept. at 206-527-5511 to schedule an appointment.
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PARTS & APPAREL DEPARTMENT SPECIALS
JANUARY SPECIALS
For the month of January, all tires in stock are 20% off! And for most bikes, standard installation is only $10.00 a tire (plus weights, valve stems and tax). We carry all the best brands, and with the slippery Seattle roads, it's the perfect time of the year to update the rubber on your bike.
Also keep in mind we work on all makes and models of motorcycles (some brands require additional install labor, ask for a quote upon scheduling). And while you're at it, take advantage of our monthly service specials (see the Service section of this email). So whatever you ride, stay safe this winter with this great offer on the best tires available.
GIVE YOURSELF A DISCOUNT IN 2013!
Our December gift card promotion continues into January: put $200 or more on a RideWest gift card, and we'll add an extra 10% to the card's value! Whether you think of it as a discount, or as us picking up the sales tax is up to you... the important part is that it's free money through the end of this month. Gift cards can be used for parts, accessories, apparel, or even service (just not bikes), so if you were thinking about some accessories, gear, or a big service some time this year, why not grab a gift card for it now and give yourself a discount?
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» Tech Tip Of The Month
Happy New Year everyone! It's getting brighter every day now, but warm dry pavement is still months away. So, this month I'd like to talk about tires and tread depth. Daily we here at Ride West are asked, "when should I replace my tires?" "When the tread wears down to the 'tread bars'" is most often the answer. We need to understand the purpose of the tire "tread" which is water redirection and to tell you how much usable rubber you have left. If we wear all the rubber down past the grooves in it, then just the carcass remains. By carcass, I'm referring to what is left over after the usable, "sticky", rubber is gone. The carcass rubber wont flex and grip the road like the thicker treaded rubber, and if water is added to the equation it becomes downright dangerous. Hydroplaning in a car is scary and dangerous and even more so on a motorcycle. If the tread or "grooves" are too worn to facilitate a path for the water to escape, then it will remain between our tires and the road, and that's what will lead to hydroplaning. Tire "cupping" is also a factor in tire wear and in most cases normal, but also robs us of our precious contact patch. A lot is going on down there, and it takes just a few moments to inspect what's between you and that scratchy pavement. If you don't know what to look for or just want a second opinion, please just drive by our service alley and we'll give you an educated opinion. Don't forget to keep an eye out for all those things you have no control over such as leaves, branches and moss(my least favorite) on the road. Have a great 2013 and keep the sticky side down!
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SAFETY CORNER by Tad Haas
Is safety on a motorcycle oxymoronic? I think not and here is why.
Now, anyone who rides has a certain tolerance for risk that is above the average "cager". (One who drives a car.) But that does not put us in the careless & reckless category. In fact, most of the adult riders I know have safety as a key concern each time they get on their bike. Some more than others sadly. Now, in the BMW crowd, this is especially true as our "culture" encourages safety first..[READ MORE]
Tad Haas | www.overlandnow.com
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FEATURED PRODUCTS
Original BMW Motorrad Care Products are here! - Treat your motorcycle to a day at the spa this holiday season with the great lineup of cleaning and maintenance products from BMW. Ride West is proud to carry these latest offerings from BMW, and use them on our own machines regularly.
CLEAN AND WAX- Protection for 30 days or longer. Quick 5 minute touch-up. Removes dust, pollen, bird droppings and water spots without pre-cleaning. Use in sun or shade. Leaves no streaks or residues.
 TOTAL CYCLE CLEANER - A water based degreaser that removes oils, grime and other soils from the entire cycle. Will not damage plastic, rubber or vinyl. Safe for all coats, chrome and paintwork on alloy wheels.
SPRAY AND SHINE - The best way to instantly bring out that just waxed shine between washes and waxings. Safely lifts dust without leaving streaks or residues. Safe for all polished surfaces. Removes dust, pollen, bird droppings and water spots without pre-cleaning. Provides UV protection.
CHAIN LUBE WITH MOLY - Contains MOLY and PTFE for superior lubrication. Dries fast leaving a no-fling film. Resists weather and wear for longer lasting protection. Compatible with all chains.
Chain Cleaner - Safe on all types of chains. Prepares chains for re-oiling. Emulsifies and removes dirt, grime and built up grease. Spray on - rinse off.
TOURATECH ZEGA PRO PANNIERS - Ride West BMW is your one-stop shop for all things Touratech! One of the nicest looking cases we've seen (especially in black) is the Zega Pro. These super strong aluminum panniers compliment any R12GS, F800 GS or R1200R. When you need big storage and rugged protection, Touratech Zega Pro sets the pace for durability and style.
PUGET SOUND SAFETY MOTORCYCLE RECOVERY KIT - Still the best piece of safety gear you can carry off road! As your adventure travels take you to more remote and desolate areas, carrying a motorcycle recovery kit might be the best investment you will ever make, especially if your motorcycle decides to find its way into a ravine or down a steep embankment. With a few select pulleys, strong rope, some elbow grease and a few trees, you can literally winch your bike out of a jam yourself using this kit! Adventure riders, this kit is worth its weight in gold.
 BMW FUEL SYSTEM CLEANER, STABIL AND STARTRON ETHANOL TREATMENT -
Winter is here! Is your bike protected? If your bike plans to sit out these cold, rainy months, you should winterize your prize possession if you haven't already. Start with a good fuel treatment like BMW's Fuel System Cleaner with Techron, Stabil or Startron. They'll keep your fuel like new and ready when the opportunity arises. As many of you know, leaving old fuel in your bike for an extended period of time will cause all sorts of problems. Fuel ultimately breaks down and leaves nasty deposits throughout your engine, causing starting issues, hesitations, you name it!
 
Then there's ethanol (which I'm told is going to get worse!). Chances are you've had the pleasure of getting a bad tank of gas from your local petrol dealer. We've even found that some brands of gas or even batches of gas are worse than others, and when you put this junk in your tank all kinds of bad stuff happens - missing, sputtering, knocking and pinging, sluggish performance, corrosion on your fuel sender strip, you name it. Ethanol treatment products will help with all these symptoms and issues, evaporate the water and make today's fuel easier to burn. We suggest you get in the habit of using it until gas is gas again.
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JANUARY EVENTS AT RIDE WEST BMW
NW Adventure Touring: Tom Mehren
Thursday, January 10, 2013
TRW Ride
Saturday, January 12, 2013
TRW Dinner
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Tim Bowman: BASECAMP CLASS
Saturday, January 19, 2013
David Hough: Situation Awareness
Saturday, January 26, 2013
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OH YES, It's FREE!...
Free Coffee!
Free Doughnuts - Every Saturday!
Free Earplugs!
Free Wireless!
Free Insurance Quotes - For your motorcycle, auto, RV, ATV, & home!
Free Demo Rides - Extended
Free Used Bike Inspection
Free Service Loaners!
Free 30 Point Inspection
Free Seminars & Clinics
Free "Club Room" for your events!
Free Shower facilities for travelers!
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ASK MOTOADVENTUREGAL » By Alisa Clickenger
Dear MotoAdventureGal: Dear MotoAdventureGal: It's the New Year and I want to plan a New Trip. How do I get started?
MotoAdventureGal Says: Wow. Lucky You. I love trip planning. For me, it's half the fun of the trip, so enjoy it. I say start by attending some of your dealer's evening programs and learning about other people's trips (and if your dealer doesn't have programs scheduled, tell them you'd like to see some.) You can also get online and read about other people's trips on sites such as ADVrider.com and HorizonsUnlimited.com. Those online communities provide a wealth of information under various subheadings, and by reading about other people's trips you can learn from their mistakes.
You also need to decide what type of traveler you are-independent, with friends, or with a group/tour. The Internet is again your friend for finding tours and trips any destination to fit any budget. (Hint: If you decide to go with a tour company, be sure to check the validity of the company, read reviews, and read magazine articles about them. Even place a phone call to them and ask fro referrals.) Next you want to decide if your bike is the right one for the trip (you don't really want to take a Gold Wing on the Trans-America Trail) and perhaps modify your destination. Then you want to go to your library and get some books on the destination and see what's there that you shouldn't miss.
One thing I like to do is plan trips around events. I pick a rally or conference that I am interested in attending, and then plan my trip to and from the event. I feel like this gives me a double whammy-road trip PLUS meeting other cool biker people. Whatever way you choose your riding destinations, just remember to have fun with it. And don't worry so much about where you go-just go!
Alisa Clickenger is MotoAdventureGal. On a motorcycle, she's crossed the USA multiple times, ridden up to Alaska, all over Europe, and traveled solo to Argentina in 2009. She rides and writes for a living, and leads a women's motorcycle tour that teaches and empowers women to tour in groups or alone.
» WomensEmpowermentMotorcycleTour.com
» Alisa@WomensEmpowermentMotorcycleTour.com
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A MESSAGE FROM OUR OWNERS
The monthly articles written by Ann and Keith Thye for this publication will be discontinued for a few months. Keith is on a four month motorcycle journey through Central and South America and Ann is involved in other activities that will require her attention for a few months. Please look for the continuation of this series beginning in mid-Spring. You may recall that Keith is repeating a motorcycle trek he made 50 years ago. Best wishes for his successful adventure!
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