Welcome to the last day of February 2010!  This February carried with it the second largest snowfall totals on record for the Miami Valley.  Not the kind of record I would be bragging about.  I much prefer a record for the most consecutive days of sunshine while drinking Margaritas, or something along those lines.

Well, the coffee has finished brewing and that “bang” I just heard was the snotty nosed newspaper boy denting in my front door with the Springfield News and Sun.  Have a great Sunday!

BMW Motorrad USA has announced the opening of eight new dealerships within the past five months to better serve new and underserved markets.

“In 2010 and beyond we will continue to identify growth opportunities for the BMW brand in markets that do not currently have a BMW motorcycle dealership by partnering with new or existing motorcycle dealers in those areas,” Todd Andersen, the company’s marketing manager, states in a press release.

The newest BMW dealerships are

• Van-Wall Powersports in Perry, Iowa;
• BMW Motorcycles of Chattanooga in Chattanooga, Tenn.;
• Bergen County BMW Motorcycles in Rochelle Park, N.J.;
• Montgomeryville Cycle Center in Hatfield, Pa.;
• BMW Motorcycles Tulsa in Tulsa, Okla.;
• BMW Motorcycles of Spokane/Westside Motorsports in Spokane, Wash.;
• BMW Motorcycles of Utah in Sandy, Utah; and
• Kissell Motor Sports in State College, Pa.

“Our dedicated dealer network was the key to our success last year,” says Andersen, citing the fact that BMW Motorrad USA outperformed the industry for the second year in a row in 2009 despite an overall motorcycle industry decline of 41 percent. “Our dealers continued to serve our customers well thanks to new products like the K1300 GT, K 1300 S, and the new S 1000 RR superbike, as well as attractive financing programs from BMW Financial Services.”

BMW says it now has 143 active dealers. In comparison, in February 2008 it had 136; last year it had 139.

2009 Sales Performance
BMW Motorrad says that worldwide, 87,306 BMW motorcycles were delivered to customers in 2009, a year-over-year drop of 14.1 percent and in line with company expectations.

BMW says that while the world market for motorcycles above 500cc was still about 1.5 million units in 2007, it shrank to about 900,000 units in 2009. This corresponds to a market drop of around 40 percent in two years. In 2009 alone, the world market declined by more than 30 percent, BMW says. The company did not cite sources for the statistics.

BMW Motorrad says that in the U.S., its third-largest market, 9,168 BMW motorcycles were registered, a drop of 22.5 percent compared to the previous year. But the company says it increased its share of the over-500cc market by 2.0 percent to 2.6 percent.

Husqvarna Motorcycles, the second motorcycle brand of the BMW Group, had worldwide sales figures of 13,052 units, a drop of 3 percent. BMW does not divulge U.S. sales, but does say they were up in 2009.

from Dealer News

Our residence was built in 1904, and mine is the eighth tribe to call it home.  I love everything about the place, from the ten foot ceilings to the hardwood floors.  It’s not fancy or elaborate, but rather understated and simple.  I appreciate all of the character and craftsmanship associated with houses of this age, but there is one feature I cherish above all the rest; our red front door!  The door is original to the house and wears the scars to prove it.  Its panels are weathered and scratched from time and use.  Over the years this door has faithfully protected those who have lived here and cheerfully welcomed them home.  On many occasions I am asked where I reside, and being that I live on a very well known street, the only other identifier I need give is, “the house with the red door!” 

Recently some friends and I were sharing stories of the places we have traveled and the beautiful sights motorcycle touring has afforded us to visit.  We talked about the magnificence of the Appalachian Mountains, the vastness of the Atlantic; the fields of corn in Iowa, and the acre after acre of wheat in Kansas.   We joked of the small town diners that hadn’t been remodeled in 53 years, but still whipped up the best pancakes on the planet, and the overpriced joints that cost us $19.50 for a dried up burger and a bag of stale chips.  We laughed about the difficult and often hilarious encounters we experienced while camping, like trying to sleep in rain soaked clothing, or the time the wind was so strong it simply blew the tent away!  

I have had the good fortune of logging thousands of miles on my motorcycle’s, some of those miles have been shared with a couple close friends, some with my wife and sons, but most have been logged alone. Yet no matter how beautiful the scenery, or important the landmark, that I have seen it is always nice to return home.  Not long ago someone asked, “What is the most beautiful thing you have seen while riding on a long trip?” and without hesitation I replied; “My red front door!” 

The legend Bessie B. Stringfield.

In the 1940s, “The Motorcycle Queen of Miami” broke down barriers for women and African American motorcyclists at the same time, completing eight solo cross-country tours and serving as a U.S. Army motorcycle dispatch rider.

from Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

One Christmas in the early 70’s, I received a dazzling Huffy bicycle that continues to rank as one of my favorite presents of all time. This speed demon had a purple metallic-flake frame with shiny chrome fenders, ape hanger handle bars, and a special edition banana seat.  I couldn’t wait to get outside to ride that beast!

Only one problem; that Christmas day there was so much snow and ice covering the landscape that it was impossible to ride.  For seven straight days I woke up, looked out the window and wondered if this would be the day, and for seven straight days the answer was NO!  I was so freakin’ frustrated!

Fast forward some 30 years…

Today I find myself dealing with that same frustration all over again.  Last week I received a 2010 Star street helmet from Bell Helmets.  It has a matte black finish with a white racing stripe down the center.  I also got a pair of Tour Master Response SC Road Boots from RidersDiscount.com that are Steve McQueen cool, but with 18″ of snow covering the ground and more on the way, I have been unable to use any of my nifty stuff.  For seven days I have awakened, looked out the window and wondered if today would be the day, and for seven straight days the answer has been NO!  My frustration is accumulating like the 3 foot snow drift outside my window.

So what’s a guy to do?  How should I deal with all of this pent up frustration?

Perhaps I should…

• double up my meds.
• lay in the snow while wearing my gear and make a snow angel.
• sing happy songs.
• ride the motorcycle carousel at Chuck E. Cheese

My wife suggested I gear up, go to the garage and close all the doors, then start my bike and pretend I am riding for a half hour or how ever long it takes! :)  Any other ideas?

I admit there are times I don’t wear all my gear.  I know better, but sometimes if I am running a quick errand or taking a short trip, I just don’t. Big mistake!  This video features a friend and fellow motorcycle blogger, Bill Dwyer, (Atlas Rider), from the Phoenix area.   Bill, is a longtime rider and ATGATT advocate.  After working on his Ninja this weekend, Bill, decided to take it on a test run around parking lot of his apartment complex.  Well, I will let him tell you what happened next…

I guess today is an exciting day for women and men a like.  Yep, February 14th, 2010 a day of romance, sweets, and NASCAR!

I can see it now, the wife has dressed up in her newest pair of sweat pants and over sized Homer Simpson tee.   She is looking forward to some fine dining with her man at the Golden Corral Buffet then perhaps a little shopping at the new Super Walmart.

You however, have a very different idea of how this special day will be played out…  Sleep in till 9:00 a.m.  have the little woman whip you up a fancy breakfast of bacon, sausage, biscuits, eggs, grits, and a Bud.  Turn on Fox TV’s pre-race coverage and sit on your fat ass until the checkered flag.  Good times!

Whatever this day has in store for you be it romance or exhaust fumes.  I wish you and your special someone a very happy Valentines Day!

Time once again to showcase the two things that make life very interesting.

Ever thought about hanging it up?  Ever ponder the possibility of no longer riding a motorcycle?  For some these may seem like the most ridiculous questions of all time, for others they are a harsh reality.  Why would anyone consider giving up something as rewarding as motorcycling.  Here’s 4 reasons some people give up riding…

1.  Lifestyle changes.

While visiting a forum on Sunday I read of a 30 something who recently became a first time father, and although passionate about riding he understood the inherent dangers associated with motorcycling and therefore made the choice to quit.  For others it may be a new marriage,  a promotion at work that requires more of ones time, or perhaps the loss of a job.

2.  Illness

Dealing with a devastating illness requires the total focus and attention of a person and their families.  More times than not, this leaves one with no time, energy, or capacity to endure the arduous nature of cycling.

3.  Aging

A good friend of mine is currently dealing with this issue.  He says the bike seems heavier, the miles seem longer, and his reaction time just isn’t what it used to be.  As long as he encounters “no problems” out on the road all is fine.  But he questions what happens if something goes awry.  What if he drops the bike and no one is nearby to help, or he can’t make that emergency maneuver in time?  For him the question isn’t how long can he keep riding, but rather how long can he keep riding safely!

4.  An Accident

Many riders suffering from injuries due to a motorcycling accident, disclose that while convalescing they war within themselves about whether they should find a safer hobby.  Some do!

These are but a few reasons one time passionate riders decide it’s time to call it quits.  I am certain for most it is a difficult choice and one which all of us will face at one point or another in our lives.

~Caskie Stinnett