I have observed
over the years that I have been in the motorcycle biz, that there are as many
reasons to purchase a motorcycle as people buying them. Some folks just love
to look at them, all shiny and new. Others buy them in anticipation of sunny
Sunday afternoon spins saddled up with their sweeties. Some want to mosey
on down to the nearest watering hole and admire their chrome wonders from
a barstool. And there are those who buy motorcycles to capture a memory—there
are so many reasons…
Buying a BMW motorcycle is different. I like to think the folks who purchase
them want to ride!
These customers have done their homework and understand the BMW motorcycle’s
potential. Remember, most BMW’s are made for the European market and
as such, are built for a demanding rider. The bikes are built in such a way
their owners can saddle up in Berlin in the AM and be in Rome in the PM. They
travel at autobahn speed and, twist through alpine passes.
BMW motorcycles do this safely, comfortably and, with proper maintenance,
reliably.
Over the years, my good riding buddies have enjoyed the adventures of our
Sunday rides so much that I would like to open the good times to all of Bob’s
BMW’s customers and friends.
We’ll call it the Saturday Ride—for intermediate and advanced
motorcyclists who are interested in riding safely over longer distances. We’ll
plan on leaving our general vicinity in early morning, and by our return in
mid-afternoon, we’ll have ridden 350 to 500 miles.
Let me describe the origin of this kind of riding as a fun way of cluing in
riders on what to expect when they ride with me. Some of it has to do with
my own riding experience. Perhaps my experience will mirror some of your own.
Like many folks getting into (or back into) motorcycling, I was initially
puzzled as to where to go riding. When I did find a morning here or an afternoon
there, I pretty much stuck to familiar roads. Since I live in Kensington,
Maryland, a ride along the Potomac River and back was enough. It didn’t
take long though before I ventured out on my first “long ride”—from
the Washington Beltway to Virginia’s Great Falls, then west into Leesburg
and outbound to Point of Rocks. I had lived in the DC area nearly twenty years
and had never been to the Point of Rocks Bridge before, so it was special
to cross the Potomac River on other than a metropolitan DC bridge. With the
ride back to the DC area, my round trip was roughly 85 miles.
Nearly all of this early riding I did alone.
One of the best things I did was ride up to Jessup, to hang around Bob’s
BMW on Saturday mornings. Conversations over coffee donuts would ensue and
before long I began hooking up with riders who had what I wanted: motorcycling
experience. When I started riding with these folks, my radius began to stretch.
It was no longer enough to ride Route 7 to Leesburg. Instead, it became routine
to ride from Leesburg to points beyond —it didn’t mattered where.
We’d have lunch, and then I’d gun it home to Kensington in time
for afternoon chores or a four o’clock Redskins game.
