GREATER CINCINNATI BMW CLUB

GCBMWC Gets High Tech

We now have our own domain and website. It’s not the fanciest site in the world, but we’re out there. Point those browsers to http://www.gcbmwc.org and check it out. So far we have the typical BMW club type pages that include who we are, what we do, when we meet and where, a calendar of events, how to join, links, and a photo gallery. I will be making updates and changes as we go along, so bookmark the site and visit often. Those of you who are cyber-challenged or without access to the world wide web or email will still receive snail mailings of the newsletter.
In addition to the website, we now have our own electronic bulletin board that distributes emails to the whole group. This will come in quite handy for planning rides together and information distribution. Yahoo’s eGroups has made this extremely easy to set up and maintain. On February 7^th the email list was sent a welcome message inviting everyone to join the GCBWMC eGroup. If you replied to that email you were automatically subscribed. Look for emails with the subject line starting with [gcbmwc]. If you deleted the original, thinking it was junk mail, you can still subscribe.

Subscribe:	gcbmwc-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Post message:	gcbmwc@yahoogroups.com
Unsubscribe:	gcbmwc-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
List owner:	gcbmwc-owner@yahoogroups.com
URL to our page:	http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gcbmwc

You can also visit the URL to view the list of recent emails. Other features include chat, group calendar, polls, and file storage.

Feel free to post anything related to GCBMWC, motorcycles, riding, upcoming events, and just basically anything related to our passion. Warm up those fingers, the eGroup and website are open for business.

Dues are due by the March 4th meeting.
$15.00 for primary member, $3.00 for spouse or S.O.
Send your checks to:

            Henry Pierce
                1114 Witt Rd
                Cincinnati, OH 45255

Paris Dakar 2001

Although BMW Motorrad Team Gauloises didn’t quite do as well as last year, they showed what they were made of. Out of the 5 bikes that BMW entered into the 2001 Paris - Dakar rally, four of them, John Deacon, Jimmy Lewis, Cyril Despres and Andrea Meyer made it to the end in Dakar. Nani Roma, who was in the lead at the time, injured himself badly enough to withdraw. Jimmy Lewis injured his left wrist on the fifth day and continued riding. On the last day, just before the end the American rider fell so badly that he broke his collarbone. He managed to cross the finish line with his last strength and still in 7^th place overall. Despite Andrea Meyer’s tire problems, gps problems, and being robbed when she got stuck in the sand, she was the first woman to finish in Dakar and overall came in 30^th out of 142 riders.
Just finishing this grueling 21-day race is quite an accomplishment. Luck has a lot to do with this race and Team Gauloises wasn’t very lucky this year. Congratulations to Team KTM for this year’s sweep. For more info and daily reports go to:
http://www.balderstonbmw.freeserve.co.uk/Dakar%202001.htm

BMW News

BMW sets another record for motorcycle sales for the 8^th year in a row with 74,614 deliveries in 2000. That translates to a 14.5% increase from 1999. Overall motorcycle sales had only increased by 5%.
BMW has produced its one-millionth motorcycle at the Berlin plant since 1967. An R1150RT. This spring it will be auctioned off via the Internet and the proceed will go to charity.
With 14,612 customer deliveries worldwide, the R 1150 GS, launched in the autumn of 1999, attained the status of the most frequently sold BMW motorcycle of all times.
The best-selling model in the US was the luxury tourer K 1200 LT with 2,741 units.
Currently at the Berlin plant, a total of 1,690 staff produce up to 400 motorcycles a day from three model ranges with one-, two- or four-cylinder engines.
Rumor has it that BMW is playing with belt drive for future F650s--specifically the street version of the new F650 GS.

Motorcycle Safety Corner

We all know the inherent risks in riding, so to promote safe riding; this column may become a permanent fixture in the newsletter. Many of the articles will come from various sources and they will be identified. Our safety comes first.

WORDS TO SURVIVE BY

KNOW AND BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE INVISIBLE TO ALL OTHER DRIVERS
When approaching any intersection, assume cars traveling in the opposite direction are going to turn left and run over you. Be prepared to take evasive action.
ALWAYS-ALWAYS have an escape route out of a situation to avoid the consequences of other peoples’ mistakes. Keep looking for the gap that you can use when someone else screws up.
Adjust your speed to your reaction time. At the end of a tiring day it will be much longer than it was on the way to work at 8:00am, so ride with bigger safety margins.
Check BOTH directions when a light turns green. Maybe only one time in 10,000 will someone run the light. For a high mileage rider that could be more often than most.
Drivers that are using their car phones and not using their brains. Watch out for them.
Mirrors are important. If they don’t show anything but your elbows, buy some that do. Always use your mirrors.
Use other people’s mirrors, too. Look into the mirror of the car in front of you. That way you can see where they are looking and how attentive they are. If you can see them, chances are better that they can see you.
Trucks and vans often have a hard time checking their right side blind spot.
Slippery oil, antifreeze, and ATF look like water, particularly in low light. Try to avoid all wet spots, but if you can’t, ride over them smoothly.
Check under (behind) parked cars. Those legs you see belong to a child who may run out in front of you.
Anticipate the moves of other vehicles. Drivers don’t always use their turn signals in traffic, but you MAY be able to tell where they are going by watching their heads turn just before they change lanes.
Treat all metal surfaces – train rails, bridge gratings, manhole covers – with utmost respect. They offer very little traction when dry, and almost none when wet. Ride over them as smoothly as possible.
Ride in a gear that will allow you to accelerate quickly if you need to get out of a tight spot.
Never lose your temper when riding…If you do, STOP, take a breather, then resume your ride.
Always be on the lookout for, and expect, the unexpected.
Avoid racing with other motorists.
IF YOU ARE NOT SURE, DON’T

Courtesy of BMW Owners of Nova Scotia Motorcycle Club, and plagiarized from the BMW Rider Review, Kansas City BMW Motorcycle Club Newsletter, MAY 1999

Speed the Way to a Cure Motorcycle Ride

The Arthritis Foundation and the Kentucky Speedway are teaming up to 
speed the way to a cure for Arthritis. The event participants will begin one of 
three rides starting in Huntington, WV, Bloomington, IN or Cincinnati, OH. 
From there they will travel through the beautiful back roads of the great Midwest 
and end up at the Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, KY. The participants will be able 
to take three laps around the racetrack and will enjoy entertainment, lunch, a 
free event t-shirt and motorcycle displays and merchandise sales. There will also be 
a chance for spectators to catch all the action. Tickets will be sold at the door to see 
the bikers ride and to enjoy the festivities. There will also be an opportunity to enter 
a raffle with fantastic motorcycle and racing items. I will have brochures at the next meeting.

  Start Date: 04/21/2001  8 A.M.
  End Date: 04/21/2001  5 P.M. 
  Days of the week: Saturday

Club Events

March 4 - Breakfast and Ride at 9:00 AM at Pearls Diner in Fairfield.

March 10- 8:00 PM Meeting at Henry and Mary Pierce’s
Dues are Due!

April 1- Breakfast and Ride at 9:00 AM at Pearls Diner in Fairfield.

April 7 – 7:00pm Meeting at BMW of the Tri State

Directions to Pearls Diner in Fairfield, Oh.

Pearls is on Rt. 4 (Dixie Hwy.) just south of Symmes Rd., across from Hicks Manor shopping center, near Wendys, on the east side of the road. See you there on the first Sunday of every month. Map

Rallys

March 2-11 Daytona – Bike Week
www.bulow.com/bmw.
April 6-8 Dogwood Trail Rally - Vicksburg, MS
April 13-15 27th Tentpegger Rally - Brooksville, FL
April 29 16th BMW Flea Market - Pecatonica, IL
May 4-6 Georgia Mountain Rally – Hiawasee, GA
May 4-6 28 Original Mini Rally – Sturgis, MI
May 18-20
Western Reserve BMW MC & Sidecar Campout.
Renewing an old tradition in memory of our late
member Steve Dumek.
All bikes welcome regardless of make or # of wheels!
The beauty of the Amish countryside surrounding
Whispering Hills Campground,
8248 St. Rt. 514, in Shreve, Ohio, offers great riding! Food available on premises, Friday & Saturday camping (hot showers), chili pot on Friday, bonfires, Saturday evening entertainment, Sunday donuts, continuous coffee, tea, hot chocolate and door prizes. Vendors are free & welcome! Pre-registration is $20, at the gate $24, day passes available. Kids 3-16 years old $3.00 per day. For info or to pre-register; call Gerry Evon: 216-749-3673, or e-mail
onehugger76@yahoo.com 3000 Brookpark Rd #W3,
Cleveland, OH 44134 or call Jerry Riha at 440-942-9293

May 27-29 13th Rocket City Rally - Huntsville, AL
May 25-28 Cass Rally (Memorial Day) - Boyer WV

Helpful Planning Sites

MOA’s When & Where page
http://www.bmwmoa.org/WhereAndWhen/WhereAndWhen.htm

RA’s Rally page
http://www.bmwra.org/rallies.htm

Visit our site for the latest on club events
http://www.gcbmwc.org

** Motorcyclist Memorial. Late in 1992, a group of dedicated motorcyclists conceived the idea of a monument for lost bikers. The dream slowly grew into reality with the formation of the "Motorcyclists Memorial Foundation" formed on December 16, 1993. This foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the permanent memory of brothers and sisters lost. The "motorcyclists Memorial" is located on a grassy knoll near Hopedale, Ohio on a site provided by the Hopedale American Legion Post 682. A ride to the memorial site is in the plans.