Hi from Bavaria, Germany

[moineau]

A few days ago I read an account of a travel taken by two guys from Anchorage to Ushuaia and there I heard the first time of the existence of the BMW MOA. In spite of not travelling with a BMW but with a japanese bike, with wich they had troubles near Phoenix, they got very friendly and useful help by one of your members. I was very impressed and decided to join your Club also in regard of planning a similar tour in spring or summer 2011. Since my early childhood I'm an fan of Bavarian Motorcycles. 1985 I bought a 80 RT but I sold it at the end of the season because my wife didn't like to join me because she was afraid that our children could become orphans before having finished their job-training. So I waited until 2001. In the summer season I rented one after the other all the bikes they offer just to find out wich one was the best for my needs. I found out that the 1150 RT was the best compromise of a powerful tourer at the same time enough comfortable for the pillion and I bought it in 2002. You never loose your competence riding a bike but after years of riding abstinence you loose your self-confidence. So I went to Munich where BMW offers a driver-training at the airport. It is incredible but in only 1 day they teach you all the essentials needed to be a safe driver. After that we made a lot of tours all over Germany, France and very often Northern Italy. I really liked this bike, but in my belief it has one important mistake. It has a fully integated Breaking-System, that means it's all one wich brake you use, it's allways braking with both brakes. As long as you ride on bituminized roads that's perfekt, but if you have to ride on a gravelroad it's terrible when you cannot use the rearbrake separately. So after 5 years and 52000 km I sold it and orderd a 2008 1200 RT wich now has already 22000 km on its speed indicator. This bike is perfekt, but I think for my belongings now, for a tour from Alaska to Fireland it not the right choice because there are a lot of gravelroads and therefore I yesterday went to my dealer, asked him to take it back and I ordered the new 1200 GS, which is available in march 2010. He promised me that I'll be the first to hold it in my hands. With the former models of BMW GS Boxer I have some experience from the motorbike tours we made in Southafrica, Namibia and New Zealand with rented bikes. I hope it was the right decision!

 

[Semper_Fi]

Welcome to the MOA Moineau.

Looks like you are serious about your riding - the GS will be the ultimate tool for you, and personally one of the bikes I would love to have in my garage.

Ride often and ride safe - make sure you post a picture of your '10 GS when you get it

Cheers!

Luis

 

[J Brase]

Welcome to the club. I have fond memories on Northern Bavaria. I lived in Herzogenaurach for a few years. That was almost 40 years ago. I'll bet things have changed a lot since then. I had a Triumph Daytona at the time and rode it all over Germany and the Low Countries.

John

 

[sheridesabeemer]

Welcome! Your snow pictures are very impressive, can't wait to see more.

 

[GILLY]

My family roots are from Shoensee, Bavaria, are you near there? You can tell my 5th cousins hello....
The photos I have seen of the area look very similar to the area my grandparents lived in south western Wisconsin.

 

[85138]

Hallo und Willkommen zu MOA! I trust you enjoy those gorgeous roads south to the Alps. I have fond memories of Bavaria & Muenchen primarily on account of great colleagues there from my last job. Last time I was there (last year) one took me to the BMW Museum since we had some time to kill on a Sunday.

 

[moineau]

Welcome to the club. I have fond memories on Northern Bavaria. I lived in Herzogenaurach for a few years. That was almost 40 years ago. I'll bet things have changed a lot since then. I had a Triumph Daytona at the time and rode it all over Germany and the Low Countries.

John

Hi John, I live in Erlangen only some km away from Herzogenaurach, the site of the famous Companies Adidas and Puma. Yes you are right, a lot has changed in the last 40 years. I suppose you have been in the Army here and I hope you enjoyed your time here in Bavaria.

Peter

 

[moineau]

My family roots are from Shoensee, Bavaria, are you near there? You can tell my 5th cousins hello....
The photos I have seen of the area look very similar to the area my grandparents lived in south western Wisconsin.

Hi Gilly,

I live in Erlangen, a University-City about 15 km North from N??rnberg, in the middle of Northern Bavaria. Sch?Ânsee, where your cousins live, is about 150 km East from here, not far from the Chech Republic.

Peter

 

[moineau]

Hallo und Willkommen zu MOA! I trust you enjoy those gorgeous roads south to the Alps. I have fond memories of Bavaria & Muenchen primarily on account of great colleagues there from my last job. Last time I was there (last year) one took me to the BMW Museum since we had some time to kill on a Sunday.

Hi Kevin,

yes we enjoy it very much. Biking in the Alps ist really great in Southern Germany as well as in Austria, Switzerland or S??dtirol/Italy. I live about 180 km North from Munich and when we go to S??dtirol, what we usually do several times a year, we use the Autobahn (comparable to your Interstates) wich has separate lanes for each direction, unto Innsbruck not far from the Austrian-Italian border. As you know the Autobahn in Germany is very fast. You are allowed to go as fast as you like, that means 230 km/h with the 1200 RT (with the K1300 S even faster). Beyond the German border they unfortunately have speed limits in all countries. In Austria for example 130 km/h and on the Autobahn to Insbruck it is sometimes limited to 100 km/h. But it's worthwhile to reach S??dtirol with it's numerous gorgeous passes and scenic landscapes.

Peter

 

[kinthoran]

how far from Heidelberg?

Moineau,
I am stationed in Heidelberg! how far is that from you? Any suggestions for a good solo tour this summer? I am looking at maybe the Bodensee, east to Garmisch, and then into the Alps. what would be the best roads along that general direction?

 

[TexasT]

Welcome! I spent 4 glorious years in beautiful Illesheim, Bayern. Not too far from Nuernberg. I still miss the great scenery, fests, people, and bier of that area! Please post pictures!

 

[JAMESDUNN]

Welcome! Glad you're here. I see you've ordered a GS. Wonderful! Wish I had one and will someday. Nice photo.
JD

 

[moineau]

Hi TexasT,

unfortunately right now I just could post pictures of a snow-covered country. Please be patient, as soon as the roads are ice-free and dry I will post some pictures of my very new 1200 GSA.
The weather-report says it will get warmer this week.

moineau

 

[Andres.serranov@att.net]

I will bein your lovely country a LOT this summer as I will be car racing at the Nurburgring. My K100 lives at Frankfurt airport and I will be joining in this Friday.
Later this summer I will also be touring with a group of your countrymen around Northern Germany, visiting and exploring places and musuems having to do with German aviation history.
Cheers
Andres

 

[moineau]

new 1200 GSA

Hi TexasT

since today temperatures are rising in Bavaria and the snow melted. So I can post some pictures of my new 1200 GS Adventure with the DOHC-Motor which has a great sound.

Peter

p.s.: sorry, it was not possible for me to add more than 1 picture, so I try to post more in my album

 

[womanridge]

Welcome to the MOA, Peter. Glad to see your snow is gone. Here in Wisconsin, the snow is finally gone, but they're forcastic more again for this weekend.
Very nice GS camhead. How do you like the engine? I'm considering the new RT with the DOHC engine.

 

[moineau]

Hi Karen,

the snow has gone and it hopefully will not return this spring. The weather report says that we will have a sunny and warm weekend this week. I only have ridden about 400 km with my new 1200 GSA and so I can't say very much about it. But I can approve that it is really powerful and has a great sound.
Until last Dezember I had a 2008 1200RT which I liked very much and I can really recommend it to you. I only sold it because I want to ride from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego next year and there is a lot gravel. For that purpose the GSA is better I think.

I wish you a very nice weekend

Peter

 

[TexasT]

Hallo Peter!

Beautiful bike! I'm glad you all are thawing out so you can put some serious kilometers on that wonderful machine! I just got my '07 R1200R and absolutely love it! While you're running around over here and you need anything, please give me a shout. I can even dust off the Deutsch I spoke quite well at one point about ten years ago!

Ride safe and have fun over there!

T

 

[Andres.serranov@att.net]

So I just got done spending 10 days in the Eifel mountains area. Rode my bike every day and even managed a lap of the Nordschleife course!! The runs to and from Frankfurt and Spessart where my hotel was were done on the Autobahn due to time constraints; Next time (on the 8th of April) I will take to the weeds for those journeys.

 

[iambob]

Hi Gilly,

I live in Erlangen, a University-City about 15 km North from N??rnberg, in the middle of Northern Bavaria. Sch?Ânsee, where your cousins live, is about 150 km East from here, not far from the Chech Republic.

Peter

Prost, Bayern!!

Welcome. Having lived in different parts of Bavaria over the years as a Cavalry Scout doing Border missions I'd love to hear stories and see pictures of the way things are now.

I've lived in Bad Kissigen, Hanau, Fulda and Schweinfurt first two as a kid (having my 1st birthday on the way there the first trip) and the final two as a soldier myself.

If you find yourself in Fulda stop by the Big Ben Pug and hoist a liter for me! A Hannen Alt if they are still in business after Anheuser Busch ran amuk and ran all the little breweries out of business.

My wife has never been to Europe, and took her on a TransAtlantic cruise to Portugal and Spain. Her first taste. I'd love to take her over for a Germany tour. Show her the sights and sounds and give her a taste of Curry Wurst and REAL Brotchen (sp?).