Parts Counter Culture


Those of us who have made motorcycle riding a big part of our lives might like to think that mainstream society regards us as outsiders. After all, by choosing two wheels instead of four, haven’t we rebelled against conformity, marched to the beat of a different drummer, lived life on the edge, chosen the road not taken? (Pick your favorite cliché.) Well, yeah … but it might do us good to meet someone who will give us a fresh perspective on individuality.

Our good friend Tom Turnbull is not exactly your typical BMW rider. He’s not exactly typical by any definition of the word. Spend a little time getting to know Tom and you may realize you’re not quite as much of a “rugged individualist” as you thought you were. In fact, compared to his far-flung orbit, most of us would have to admit that the inexorable gravity of Normal still keeps relatively close to center. Looking for a true iconoclast? Tom is the genuine article; the outsider’s outsider.

Tom bought his first bike in 1978: a used 1976 BMW R75/6 with 4,000 miles on it. Since then he has owned more than thirty motorcycles, many of which were also BMWs – all airheads. Remarkably, he still owns that R75/6, and rides it regularly — now with over 400,000 miles on the clock! Lamenting the irony of how today’s consumer market economy can distort the value of things, Tom looks lovingly at his distinctive old ride and quips, “If I ever crashed it the insurance company would say it’s totaled and give me practically nothing for it. But you know what?…” He laughs, “I could ride this bike to Tierra del Fuego tomorrow and it would get me there!”

Tom has never owned a new bike. He wouldn’t want one. But he has crisscrossed the North American continent some twenty times, blasted around Mexico, and toured Europe — all on well-used BMWs. Back in the day he went to lots of rallies, “back when they were fun,” he says. If you were a rally-goer some years ago you might remember being kept awake all night long by a bunch of screaming crazies. Well, chances are Tom was among them; probably their ring leader. He says he’s not sorry for the sleep you lost. He’s just sorry you didn’t join him for the party!

While Tom loves just making “great big lazy loops around the United States,” and putting the Anonymous Book to good use to meet new friends and keep travel expenses down, he invariably returns to the place where he was born and raised, Baltimore, Maryland. It’s there in the heart of one of Baltimore’s tonier historic neighborhoods that Tom has a huge, cave-like garage where he keeps his motley collection of motorcycles, his race bikes and racing sidecar rig, some other bikes that he stores for friends, an interesting old sports car or two, a bunch of musical instruments and amps (spontaneous jam sessions occur here frequently), his workbench & tools, various works of eclectic art, and the astounding accumulation of detritus from a life lived to its fullest. Oh, and there’s a refrigerator well stocked with liquid refreshments for when biker friends, fellow musicians, or just curious passersby happen to stop in. But most of all, there is joyful disarray. Beautiful chaos. Grunge. And no effort is made to hide it. This is where Tom holds court.

Now compare that to Bob’s BMW, with its spotless, sun-drenched showroom, the gleaming new motorcycles, the meticulous apparel racks and displays featuring the latest high-tech accessories. Would anyone familiar with the environment at Bob’s consider it a bastion of counter culture? Hardly! So where does a guy like Tom Turnbull fit in? Well, Tom has actually been one of Bob’s most regular customers since the earliest days when it was Bob’s Used Parts. And it’s no wonder. With all those old – some would say archaic – bikes that he maintains, he’s almost a fixture at the parts counter. Tom certainly knows that no matter what part he may need for one of his classic or vintage treasures, Bob’s will most likely have it in stock. In Tom’s travels all over the continent he has visited most of the dealerships. He says, “BMW dealers are great; they really go out of their way for the riders, but…,” and here Tom’s eyes light up, “here comes the Big Plug — I’ve gotta say that Bob’s BMW is the best of the bunch! And I’m really lucky because it’s just down the road from me, practically in my back yard.”

Tom has never bought anything for his bikes that could be called “farkle.” Nor does he own a stitch of apparel made of GORE-TEX or Day-Glo Ballistic Nylon. Thirty year-old leathers with that lived-in look are just fine for him, thank you. He can’t stand plastic bodywork or electronic engine management, or anything mechanical that he can’t fix himself. Carbon fiber? ABS? GPS? Forget it! So while at first he may not seem to mingle easily with the adventure bound GS folks, or the mile-counting, tech-loving touring riders, or the go-fast guys on bikes with an ‘S’ in their names, or even the pipe-smokers doing the OBS-NLA heritage restoration thing, his involvement with BMW motorcycling has, in fact, encompassed all of those genres in both spirit and practice. And with Tom, it’s not just a weekend interest. It goes way deep.

In every family there’s always someone who is, let’s say, more “individual” than others. But the other customers at Bob’s who meet Tom, regardless of which riding subculture they call their own, soon realize that he is really just one of them — a motorcyclist and a distinguished member of the clan of BMW enthusiasts. They also discover that while Tom is a very serious motorcyclist, he doesn’t take himself too seriously. He’s easy to talk to, and that makes it easy to feel a connection with him as a fellow rider. We’re very proud to say Tom is a member of our family!

–September 27, 2010
Riders rolled into the Baltimore-Washington Ride for Kids® on Sept. 26 with $248,051 in donations for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation® (PBTF).

The 19th annual event took place at a new location, the Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City, Md. Over 450 motorcyclists and supporters turned out to cheer on brain tumor survivors like Maggie, Bobby, Teodora, Shelby, Olivia, Paige, Nick and Ethan. After a pleasant Sunday morning ride through the Maryland countryside, everyone returned for a Celebration of Life program to hear these children’s stories.

Dr. Roger Packer of Children’s National Medical Center, a member of the PBTF’s Scientific Advisory Board, was on hand to tell the crowd about research advances. “We’re getting to a point where we can personalize brain tumor treatment,” he said. “We’re trying to make life better for these ‘stars’ so they can reach their life goals.”

Fundraisers are working hard to make that happen. The leading contributors at this event were:

Individual: Bob Henig, $106,434
Club/Chapter: Manassas Honda Riders Club, $12,820
Motorcycle Business: Bob’s BMW, $120,749

Volunteers are the heart of the Baltimore-Washington Ride for Kids®. This year’s team was led by Taryn Wilson-Wheatley, Marcy Rich and Joe Pruss.

About the PBTF Ride for Kids®
The national Ride for Kids® program and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation® (PBTF) promote childhood brain tumor research and provide family support through free literature about brain tumors, educational newsletters, online conferences and college scholarships. Thank you to our presenting sponsor, Honda Riders Club of America, and our national insurance sponsor, GEICO. The 2010 Ride for Kids® season continues on Oct. 3 with rides in California, Nevada and Texas. For more information, go to http://www.rideforkids.org or call 800-253-6530.

Make a donation through Bob's BMW that is 100% tax deductible, click HERE to donate.

–Labor Day Weekend 2010
This year's adventure began months ago when a long time friend of Bob's reached out for help planning a father-son motorcycle trip. On an early spring visit to MD for a family gathering Bob sat down and listened to their dreams. First on the list was that said son needed to take the MSF Basic Rider Course or BRC! Months later with that done and a refresher class for dad who had been off of 2 wheels for several years the pair flew in from Tallassee, FL to Jessup, MD to start looking at bikes, gear and accessories. Good solid head-to-toe riding gear was selected based on recommendations from the knowledgeable and helpful staff at Bob's keeping in mind the ATGATT* mantra.

Then in early August Bob set aside almost a full day on their next visit to go out and help them test ride several machines that might qualify. That trip was followed by several phone conversations about refining their initial budget. Shortly afterwards a new 2010 R1200R and a barely used 2009 F800GS were selected and set aside as the bikes that they both enjoyed the most. Stephen and his son Mayon tower over Bob so selecting machines with taller ergonomics was crucial. Everything was to be ready to go including paperwork on September 1 when they'd return to take delivery, stay with Bob and then head to the FLR event in Watkins Glen, NY with two other friends of Bob's.

Several weeks later their flight to MD arrived right on time. On the way to Bob's a lunch of crab cake sandwiches was requested and enjoyed --- they're just not the same anywhere but Maryland! Upon arrival they found their two bikes waiting in the middle of the showroom with their names on laminated signs along with the selected BMW saddle bags, tank bags, rear dry bag, windscreens plus a few additional pieces of gear to keep them warm while riding in the cooler north. With their home turf substantially warmer than MD, PA or NY would be they smartly chose a mix of BMW, REV'IT and Olympia gear with removable liners and layers so they'd get the most use regardless of where they would be. Of course just one set of gloves can't do it all so they ended up with vented, 3 season and waterproof. These choices turned out to be far more useful than anticipated by anyone at the time but that's why you select gear than if needed will work.

Bob & his wife Suzanne hosted them at their home that evening with a fine feast and a comfy guest room. Henry joined them to spend the night and avoid the nasty cross MD/DC traffic. All turned in relatively early so they could meet at Jim's home and be on the road by 7:00 AM on Thursday. This allowed for a spirited ride on about 80 miles of lightly traveled back roads mostly against any rush hour traffic to the first stop of the day --- breakfast at the Hillcrest Restaurant in Littlestown, PA.

The remainder of the day involved great roads selected by Bob. Traffic was light if not almost non-existent at times with good scenery and a few stops for espresso, coffee or sodas and refueling. All proceeded as planned and the group rolled down the road very cohesively with perfect temps until towards a planned lunch stop Bob had enjoyed before. However shortly before that destination was achieved an aborted high speed pass caused Stephen and Mayon to collide. Fortunately only Stephen went down and his head-to-toe gear did everything it was supposed to (a separate story will follow) and damage to the F800GS was minor enough that Bob was able to make it safe and roadworthy in less than an hour on the roadside. Following a call from Bob to the dealership to overnight a few bits and some new gear to the hotel the adventure and high spirits continued for several hundred more miles.

The rest of the day was great; the earlier incident was reviewed and discussed over a good lunch at a newly discovered deli in PA. The days riding ended at the Falls Motel in Montour Falls, NY just a few miles from
Watkins Glen and the rally site. The motel has a excellent small restaurant and bar in a historic old house right on the property so after getting out of gear and splashing some water on their collective faces a good dinner with some beer was the order of the day. Despite the delay before their late lunch they managed to ride a little over 340 miles on nothing but back roads, which is well over 100 beyond the more direct and less interesting route --- a fine 11 hours on the road!

The 16th Annual Bob’s Excellent Brunch and Ride to the Belhurst Castle in Geneva, NY went off perfectly --- again! 89 fun loving, motorcycle riding, charitably spirited individuals signed on for the 2010 event with a record 26 taking advantage of the easy online e-commerce section of the Bob’s website to secure their places well in advance. Another 48 people picked up their tickets from Nick Plenzick’s display of products his business offers in the vendor area making it much easier for Bob to attend and enjoy the rally and spend less time hawking tickets the remaining 15 spaces. Click image to enlarge. Over 60 motorcycles lined up at registration and the in followed bob on some 40 miles of beautiful NY back roads passing many farms and several dozen Mennonite horse drawn buggy’s and even more on bicycles on their way to a barn raising on their way to brunch this year. The sky was spectacular and the temperatures hovered around 60 to 65 making it a very pleasant ride. Upon arrival the annual group photo was taken and the 87 that showed up (who knows why the other two never appeared) enjoyed a wonderful gourmet brunch with many new offerings. All told this event helped Bob net a little over $1,750 which includes several outright donations as well) toward his FUNdraising goals for 2010 which he’ll turn in on September 26 at the Baltimore Washington Ride for Kids® and if you’d like to learn more about that event and consider joining Bob click right here: events.html#rfk

The rest of the weekend was excellent. Good weather, good riding, fine food, good rally fun plus the Annual Bob's Excellent Sunday Brunch Ride for the PBTF on Sunday as well as the installation of a new set of handlebars, left mirror and turn signal. Stephen and Mayon went off to visit other friends in the region on several occasions while Bob, Henry and Jim did their own riding and exploring. Once back in Maryland Bob's technicians went over the bike one more time confirming that Bob did a good job on the road and completed the break in service on the R1200R and instructed the two of them on how to perform their own oil changes once back in Florida. Two new saddlebags (1 on each bike) were installed plus a small body panel which had cracked. After another enjoyable evening together on Tuesday they took off early Wednesday for Tallassee via four days on the Blue Ridge Parkway and eventually some other fine roads in the south! The phone update from this past Sunday afternoon confirmed that the remainder of their adventure was nothing by good weather, great roads and some superb father son bonding.

Bob suggested that the photos he provided allow you to enjoy some of the other sights, events, people and places spaced out over five days and roughly 1200 miles on the first leg of the adventure instead of us telling
you more in print. We hope you enjoy them and Bob suggested that you place the Labor Day weekend and the Finger Lakes BMW Rally in your calendars for 2011; he promises that the car show he discovered you see in a few of these pictures will be incorporated into next year's Excellent Brunch and Ride to benefit the Ride for Kids and the PBTF!

To see more photographs, click HERE!

–September 08, 2010
BMW hit a home run when it introduced the BMW G/S. Prior to that BMWs were known to be solid runners, and before the cliché “adventure riding” was introduced into motorcycling jargon, icons like Danny Liska were unknowingly doing with BMWs what today falls into the adventure-riding niche, but not on purpose-built motorcycles. Liska used road worthy BMW R60’s to tag ends of the earth, flogging these touring models through mud, jungles, deserts and snow.

Thirty years ago the Bavarian manufacturer produced their first G/S, an 800cc model made for street and gravel, or described differently “a purpose-built dual sport or enduro model,” whatever catch word advertising firms chose in varied years to market them. The evolution of the GS over the following three decades carved out a remarkable portion of the world motorcycling market for this multi-purpose model, making it today the best seller in the BMW lineup. Copies abound, competitors try to eat away at the BMW hold on choice for ‘round the world motorcycles, and it seems the term “adventure” in the current industry is as common a word as is “the” in the Bible. And yet, BMW still manages to carry the flag.

BMW GS’s welcomed adventure models from Kawasaki’s KLR650 to Honda’s Transalp and serious adventurist models in between. The BIG DOG ADVENTURE RIDE was birthed from the G/S and GS models. Originally a “BMW only” weekend adventure for G/S and GS owners from the customer base of BMW of Denver, the event grew into a described serious adventure ride for BMW purists until organizers decided to cap it for numerous reasons, including economics, legal and simple organizational management. BOB’s BMW of Jessup, Maryland joined BMW of Denver while other suppliers jumped on and off as supporters, sponsors and participants. One year KTM signed on after a decision was made to allow other than BMWs into the event. As one organizer jokingly said at the time, “Sure, let them in, we can use them for berm for our BMWs in some of the slower tight curves.”

The event morphed a bit more to include evening multi-media presentations, special events, and was copied around the world. In 2010 it remained the premier adventure ride in North America. BOB’S BMW and BMW of Denver were still cornerstones, strong supporters of the event. To celebrate 30 years of the BMW GS success, the two BMW dealers joined together August 13-15 with the Happy Trails Company to throw a wild 30th Birthday Party for the iconic GS.

The birthday party was based in Ridgway, Colorado, at the foot of the San Juan Mountains, home of some of the highest, toughest, ugliest, meanest, and dirtiest mountain passes in North America. Blessed with three days of perfect weather, blue cloudless skies and windless mountain tops, the 2010 entrants tagged passes with names that adventurists and off-road riders know to be at the top of “tough challenge” lists. Names like Imogene Pass, Black Bear Pass, and Engineer Pass cause advanced small displacement dirt bike riders to ramp-up their adrenalin output. Add 200-300 pounds, 750cc and aluminum panniers and tanks bags to the motorcycle as the BIG DOGS do and then attempting these passes could be called a wild adventure or crazed.

Listening to the BIG DOGS laugh and trade stories at their base camp after a day of topping those passes made outsiders shake their heads in wonderment. The DOGS threw a party for the GS, and seemingly all had a wild and whopping good time, even those walking wounded who rode home with bent or broken body parts.

An example of a partygoer who took it to the edge was an unnamed entrant from Carlsbad, New Mexico who arrived in Ridgway at 3 a.m. to find the “No Vacancy” sign out. He turned around and rode his motorcycle back to Ouray where he found a room, slept for two hours, then returned to Ridgway for the Rider’s Meeting at 8 a.m. By 10 a.m. he was muscling his Suzuki 1000cc V-Strom up toward the top of Engineer Pass, following his father, who was on a BMW GS. Fatigue and a soccer ball size rock joined together on a slow speed 170-degree uphill turn to drop the V-Strom on his ankle.

Two DOGS are pictured here comparing wounds at the end of the day – severe ankle sprains starting to turn rainbow colors. When serious medication was suggested, the V-Strommer shrugged them off and opted for a bag of ice and a short nap. During the evening shows after dinner it was rumored he was “out” for the next day, his celebrating was over on Day 1.

Day 2 started with another short Rider’s Meeting and there was Mr. Suzuki Iron Dog, ankle wrapped, boot on with duct tape closing the tongue gap. When asked if he wanted anything to help, he said, “A crutch or cane would be nice while we’re standing around like this. I’ll be fine once I’m back on my bike now that I’ve got some sleep.” That night before dinner he and another wounded DOG were caught laughing at the color changes their smashed ankles were undergoing.

The evening meals were hosted. Friday night the Happy Trails Company prepared a buffet described as a “Dutch Oven Idaho Chick-A-Salmon Big Dog Stew.” While the ingredients were a secret recipe attributed to Tim Bernard, owner of Happy Trails, whispers circulated that Bernard had been seen stopping along the highways to the event from his home in Boise to inspect the freshness of road kills. The recipe remained a secret but the DOGS agreed the stew was “tops,” and requested a return for 2011.

Each evening attendees were entertained by entrants with multi-media shows and adventure tales. The wild adventures of a group of Kawasaki KLR650 riders in Mexico and Central America brought laughs from the crowd as the presenting adventurist shared the group’s steep “Outside the USA” learning curve. Strange food, using coals to heat and bend a waffled front wheel straight, and crashing on ugly rocks prompted one BMW owner to shout, “Better crashing on the KLR’s, you couldn’t have afforded more than one crash on a BMW with your budget.” The presenter responded, “Sure as shootin’, that’s right!”

A second presentation by a team of three BIG DOGS, all aged over “50,” shared their Baja 500 race experience with the group. Proudly they displayed BIG DOG stickers on their privately entered and partially BIG DOG-sponsored motorcycle. The team rode a nearly impossible course and finished a respectable sixth place in the grueling race. Their team moniker printed on their riding T-shirts was El Grupo Grandes Perro Viejos.

One BMW BIG DOG rider shared his experience of being spotted as a BIG DOG in a crowd at a Steamboat Springs parade day. He said he had been dressed as a cowboy, complete with cowboy hat. A lady approached him and asked, “Are you a Big Dog?” Surprised, he stuttered “Yeah, but how did you know I was?” Reportedly she answered, “Because your zipper is down.” Whether the tale was true or not, other BMW owners at the dinner were said to have pulled the BMW cowboy aside after the revelation and shared proper Bavarian dress and etiquette tips with him.

Riding BMW motorcycle copies in Vietnam was the subject of another multi-media show. The ex-Soviet Army 650cc Urals were abandoned when the Soviets pulled out of Vietnam. They had been refurbished by a local Vietnamese group for an expedition ride through the jungles slated for extreme BIG DOG adventure seekers. The expedition promised “no Tee shirts, no swag bags, and no foil chocolate on your pillow or bed turn down service at night, just pure, extreme adventure.” Surrounding the oldest and newest BMW GS models the 2010 “BIG DOGS” celebrated 30 years of adventure riding by throwing a wild party high in the Rocky Mountains.

When the 30th BMW GS birthday party was over and entrants had left for their varied points around the USA, one BMW remained in the empty parking lot in Ridgway - a 1981 R80 G/S. It was a fitting end to a 30 year celebration, the motorcycle that had changed the terminology, if not the world, of motorcycle travel and how fulfilling travel and movement on two wheels could be. In another 30 years the avid motorcycle traveler will likely be piloting a far different breed of motorcycle, but can look back at the 1980 model, like the sole remnant in the parking lot after the BIG DOG 30th celebration, that many say started it all, the R80 G/S.

–August 31, 2010
Yesterday you all learned that the green refrigerator died over the weekend. It was probably a slow, smelly departure from its long and faithful service at Bob's BMW. Fortunately, we were not here to see or smell this take place. Yes, it's possible it could have been repaired but it's quite old and has had been serviced over the years. Besides we had a very fresh bright white replacement across the street that sits idle most of the time cooling excess event liquids. For amusement I thought I would share with you all how far back this
refrigerator goes.

It was the refrigerator that was in the kitchen of the first house I purchased about 32 or 33 years ago. It was not by any measurement of time new even then. It survived the previous homeowner and their 2 kids; then me and several house mates. Then it became the refrigerator for Bob's Used Parts around 1983 because I gave it to the business and got the ugly green refrigerator out of my kitchen.

It did however go nicely with some really ugly (just ask Suzanne) wall paper that got removed as well. It then resided in my basement next to the garage where I spent 10-12 hours a day for 6 and 7 days a week getting this business going. It survived two more moves, first to Unit Y across the street where it was for about 8 years and then to this location about 11 years ago. It has been used and abused by some 20-35 people 6 days a week for decades and rarely complained or made a squeak.

It has been abused, over used, cleaned infrequently and asked to do far more than it was ever designed to do. It's visual history goes way back as well, some of those decals are full of stories themselves being associated with bygone companies, radio stations, suppliers and events. As befitting such an amusing piece of history and in light of the fact that a funeral pyre would probably violate many local codes I have selected to see how much father the fun can go.

The image you see above and others will be placed on eBay shortly along with our own website and face book page. We will see if anyone out there, including the Smithsonian Institution might like to hang the doors on their walls. All proceeds, should someone actually make a winning bid and then pay us will be donated to charity.

I came close to saying I was going to keep one of the doors myself but I'm happily married and wish to stay that way! Hmmmmm, is it museum worthy?

Thanks for reading this, I hope you enjoyed the brief distraction and history.

Bob Henig

–May 23, 2010
Despite the fact that it was already raining in the morning, and more wet stuff was in the forecast, a total of six hardy souls including David (in the helmet) met at the Double T Diner in Catonsville around 8:30 AM on Sunday May 23, 2010 for breakfast and a ride.

Riding his classic R60/5, David led the perfectly sized group on roughly 80 miles of superb back roads in Baltimore, Howard, Arundel and Montgomery Counties to deliver us safe, sound after an exhilarating, briskly paced ride. While the riders may have imagined how much more fun it might have been if the roads were dry, they quite appreciative of David's chosen route, nonetheless. It's no easy feat to get from Catonsville to Germantown without using main roads!

By the way, that photo of the group in the parking lot was the last time anyone's bike looked even close to clean!

Luckily, the rest of the day at the 2010 Classic and European Bike Day at Butler's Orchard remained relatively dry.

–May 14, 2010
Bob's BMW recently provided the 201st Airborne Squadron with some financial support, a lot of BMW caps for the troops and several rides in Bob's Duetto sidecar. The event was held at Andrews AFB in Suitland, MD as part of the Joint Services Air Show. Soldiers recovering from injuries sustained in Afghanistan and Iraq at area Military Hospitals were brought by bus to the event where they had some down time with their families and friends as well as fellow military personal. Bob was personally solicited by one of our customers who is 2nd in command at the 201st Airborne Support and has regularly seen what Bob does at the Ride for Kids.

About 75 military personal were present. It was a great event and a pleasure to meet so many that serve our country so that we can, well get to ride motorcycles. Due to privacy issues Bob took very few images at the event showing these fine individuals. The Washington Redskins Cheer leaders came out in support of these men and women as well but did not get a ride in Bob's Duetto. As a bonus Bob had a few hours following the picnic to enjoy the practice day at the Air Show that opened to the public on Saturday and Sunday.
Numerous vintage and modern war planes, transport and other support equipment from all US military operations plus the Coast Guard, Homeland Security, DEA and more were on display plus the Blue Angels did a
performance along with many vintage aircraft being flown.

There was even a sky writing team showing off their skills.Perhaps one of the most fun things on exhibit and to enjoy was Johnsonville's World's Largest traveling Grill.

Finally, after waiting for over 4 months since getting that incredible 1 in 2,278 chances phone call on the evening of November 14, 2009 that he was the Grand Prize Winner in the 2009 Ultimate Bike Raffle or UBR2 Chuck Brown's Motorsport colored 2010 BMW S1000RR arrived at Bob's BMW on the afternoon of
March 31, 2010. We will be fully documenting the uncrating, assembly, installation of accessories and initial test ride so everyone can share in the fun with Chuck and all of us here at Bob's BMW as this goes forward.

Later this month Chuck will be flying in from his home in California to join us for our 2010 Spring Open House and Season Kick Off on April 24th as well as have an opportunity to meet Chris "Teach" McNeill, go riding with him and several others on the Bob's team and of course watch as Teach performs some amazing stunts right here at Bob's BMW on his own BMW S10000RR at the 2010 Open House event!

Nothing would make the delivery of this incredible machine to Chuck more fun than to have a record crowd of old and new customers, friends (his and ours) and lots of first time visitors plus those other 884 ticket buyers (92% of tickets were sold in the 3/$100 t-shirt package) who lost to Chuck in the UBR2 on hand when we turn over the keys and officially make it his S1000RR. Bob said "I suspect, having spoken with Chuck several times since November, that the grin on his face may take a few months to go away and could even
become permanent because this motorcycle is so amazing!"

–September 14, 2009

(ASHEVILLE, N.C.) With heavy hearts, we regret to announce that Mike Traynor, President of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and co-founder of the Ride for Kids®, passed away this morning after a brief illness. He was 70.

When Mike and Dianne Traynor founded the Ride for Kids® over 25 years ago, their mission was to bring the motorcycle community together to fight childhood brain tumors. Mike was gratified that motorcyclists have helped to raise more than $50 million for the cause to date, and that PBTF-funded research is increasing survival rates and improving treatment options for children around the world.

Mike and Dianne had been planning for their eventual retirement for some time, and had taken steps to build a robust staff of capable people to continue their work. Today the Ride for Kids® and PBTF are stronger than ever, thanks to their dedicated volunteers and staff.

“For many years the army of volunteers task force members and the motorcycling public have dedicated themselves to beating this devastating disease,” said Brian Traynor, Executive Director of the PBTF. “The best way we can honor Mike’s accomplishments and memory is by continuing the fight to cure the kids.”

Funeral arrangements are pending. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the PBTF in Mike's memory. Click here to make a secure online donation. Condolences should be sent to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, 302 Ridgefield Ct., Asheville, NC 28806.

Bob was a very close friend to Mike. Bob spoke to his wife and they both feel Mike would want everyone to support UBR2 by purchasing tickets. Mike would want the fundraising to continue so in his honor, please go to UBR2 and purchase a chance to win a new BMW S1000RR and help the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.

About the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation
The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation (PBTF), a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Asheville, N.C., is the world's largest non-governmental funder of childhood brain tumor research. Its programs include free educational information about brain tumors, Internet conferences, college scholarships for brain tumor survivors, and Ride for Kids® motorcycle charity events. For more information, call 800-253-6530 or go to http://www.pbtfus.org/.

–August 28, 2009

The recipient of the G. Wayne Livesay Continuing Education Scholarship (established by Bob & Suzanne Henig in 2007) was Pfc. Stephanie Wall, she is shown with her husband Sgt. Kurt Wall and G.Wayne Livesay, former HCPD Chief and current HCPD Chief William McMahon. The annual award is currently
for $500 to a current HCPD employee.

The Howard County Police Foundation Scholarship recipient is Katherine Bulla. She and Brandon Frazee received $1000 awards.

Bob Henig serves as VP of the HCPF and he was honored to distribute the awards.

On May 21st, David L. Hough was voted into the AMA Motorcycling Hall of Fame! David L. Hough, a long time enthusiast and writer, has received one of the highest honors given in the motorcycling community. The Motorcycle Hall of Fame recognizes those who have made significant contributions to American motorcycling, including those who have excelled in motorcycle business, history, design and engineering, in addition to those known for their contributions to road riding, off-road riding and all categories of motorcycle racing. Inductees are elected into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame by the Induction Committee, which consists of living Motorcycle Hall of Famers and independent volunteers who are experts in their given disciplines.

David has also won the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Excellence in Motorcycle Journalism award twice. In the media he is frequently called upon to provide expert commentary on motorcycling issues, and his work is on the recommended reading lists of many other motorcycling writers. At Bob's BMW, we are proud to carry several of his books.

The induction takes place December 5th in Las Vegas. Congratulations David from everyone at Bob's!

Motorcyclists benefit from historic economic stimulus bill

OK, we invited President Obama to sign the bill here at Bob’s but we’re still waiting to hear something.

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- Language that provides a tax credit for the purchase of a motorcycle has been added to the current economic stimulus bill, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reports. The AMA, working in conjunction with other stakeholders, worked diligently to secure the motorcycle provision within the measure. President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law shortly.

"This inclusive and equitable solution will provide much-needed relief to riders, as well as to those who sell motorcycles," said AMA Vice President for Government Relations Ed Moreland. "When it appeared that motorcycles were going to be overlooked in this bill, the AMA and the Association's members, along with Harley-Davidson and others, took our case straight to Capitol Hill and persuaded lawmakers that this was the right decision."

Moreland added that motorcycle riders are just as likely to have been hit hard by the economic downturn as those who buy automobiles and light-duty trucks. Moreover, motorcyclists typically purchase new bikes, apparel, vehicle servicing and aftermarket equipment from local dealers that are family-owned small businesses.

Specifically, motorcycles are included as "qualified vehicles" in Section 1008 of the legislation. Those purchasing a new motorcycle will be able to deduct the sales and excise taxes on their 2009 tax returns. Prior to the actions taken by the AMA and others, the deductions only applied to the purchase of a new car or light truck.

"We want to thank all motorcyclists who took the time to contact their elected officials," said Moreland. "This victory is particularly gratifying because it represents a community-wide effort to elevate motorcycles as a recognized and viable means of transportation in America. Motorcycles are vital to the reduction of traffic congestion, provide efficient use of limited parking, have far less impact on our roads and bridges, and contribute significantly to our nation's efforts to consume less fuel. Our success today clearly indicates that our legislators are listening."

About the American Motorcyclist Association

Since 1924, the AMA has promoted and protected the motorcycling lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of life and they navigate many different roads on their journey to the same destination: freedom on two wheels. As the world's largest motorcycle organization with nearly 300,000 members, the AMA advocates for motorcyclists' interests in the halls of local, state and federal government, the committees of international governing organizations and the court of public opinion. Through member clubs, promoters and partners, the AMA sanctions more motorsports competition events than any other organization in the world. Through its Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. For more information, visit www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com.