The BeemerFile: Blog Edition
Monday, April 30, 2007 @ 10:22 AM
 
Beemer File - May 2007
IN THIS ISSUE

Body Armour - It's so Uncomfy! Untill Now...
Most of us already own a back protector, which we sometimes wear in addition to our street or dirt gear, and a few of us have some padded shorts we throw on when we're going for an aggressive ride. But typically, we leave these items hanging in the closet because they're just not comfortable enough to wear all day. It makes you sweat, they ride up into places nothing should go, and you can't bend your body without a Herculean effort. Until Now. The new buzz in the world of protection is Forcefield Body Armour, which is rapidly becoming a must for riders and racers alike. Not only is the Forcefield line a leader in protection since all their gear is rated at CE level 2, but they're focused on us - the hot, sweaty, grouchy rider who simply wants comfortable added protection. The gear is lightweight, flexible and breathable, with a true ability to wick moisture away. However, I personally found the best feature to be its thin profile. It easily slips under your jacket or pants making it much easier to enjoy that BBQ platter during the lunch stop and still be able to ride the second half of the day with your pants actually zipped up. Check out ForceField's full line of Body Armour Protection and features now.

BMW MOTORCYCLE MUST HAVES
BMW R 1200 GS
So you just rolled into your driveway on your brand new BMW R 1200 GS! It's of course, because every lame-o knows that is the color. You opted for the cross-spoke wheels, the heated handgrips and the on-board computer. Now it's time to plan that first adventure of many! What are other GS riders saying they can't live without?

BMW Motorcycle Motorrad Navigator III GPS
You want to ride the Transamerica Trail, take the back roads to Alaska, meet your buddy at that new steak house, but how do you get there? If you're as tired of folding your maps into origami shapes to fit your tank-bag as the rest of us, then you have to get the new Navigator III GPS, specifically designed to fit your bike. Its high-resolution screen makes viewing the display easy, even in direct sunlight, and the mapping software directing you to the nearest gas station can be a life (or is that leg) saver!
www.ascycles.com/NavIII

Jesse Luggage
Whether you need to haul your laptop back and forth to work, or your camping gear on a grueling weekend trip, Jesse is a leader in durability and design. With the introduction of their Quick Clip, taking your bags on and off the bike is a cinch! The Odyssey is a great choice for most riders but the brand new Safari is what's hot right now. Jesse has substantially increased the carrying capacity and created a truly innovative design by lowering the pipe and including a muffler cutout in the bag. They're being produced in limited quantities, but don't worry - A&S will have no problems obtaining a set for you.
www.ascycles.com/JesseLuggage

Rallye2 GS Boots
You've plotted your course with your Navigator III and your Jesse Luggage is packed for that hardcore, rugged trip. But your street boots will never do with the terrain you're dreaming of! (Gotta see what the bike can do, right?) Slip into a pair of BMW's Rallye2 GS Boots and you'll know you're truly ready for anything. The integrated ankle joint ensures flexibility and the anatomically shaped protectors are really comfy. Throw in its waterproof ability and you'll come home with happy, healthy feet!
www.ascycles.com/Rallye

BMW MOTORCYCLE RIDER SPOTLIGHT
Two Beemer Riders Overcome Adversity For the Love of the Ride

Memphis, TN residents Butch and Nancy Turner met in 1973 when Butch gave Nancy's brother a ride home. He noticed the small girl with - well, let's just say she caught his eye, and it was love ever since.

An ex-short track racer, Butch bought their first BMW in 1978, a 1972 R50/5 Toaster Tank. Over the three years they owned the bike, they put 44k miles on it and enjoyed every minute. One of his fondest memories of that bike is a trip in the pouring rain with his son riding pillion.

In 1992 they bought their current bike, a K1. The miles continued to flow underneath them as life-long members of the BMW Riders Association of the Mid-South. In fact they'd even somewhat jokingly began planning for the future, when Butch would be too old to ride, and Nancy would need to haul him around in a sidecar. These are truly two people with a passion for riding.

In 1998 a curve ball was thrown their way - one that would be detrimental to most. Nancy was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, a degenerative disease that attacks the nervous system. As the doctor left her bedside, Nancy turned to Butch and said "Looks like I'll be needing that sidecar before you do." And, less than a year later they purchased an enclosed Hannigan, with a motorized shock absorber, delivering amazing trim.

Not wanting to miss out on warm weather riding, but facing the fact that heat causes adverse effects in those with MS, Butch created an AC system. He mounted a simple under-dash heater inside the cab with two lines running to a five-gallon cooler placed in the 10-cubic foot trunk. A small bilge pump at the bottom of the cooler forces the water into the unit, creating a cool ride for Nancy! Initially however, it worked so well Nancy would alight from her chariot resembling a cadaver. After the addition of a thermostat, she is able to control when the bilge engages and with two bags of ice, she can ride for an hour and a half in 95-degree weather. Some have balked at the time constraints of needing to stop so frequently for an ice refill, but for Butch and Nancy, it's a small price to pay for their miles of smiles.

Butch and Nancy will never stop riding. From dirt to street, they've done it all. I asked them about their favorite ride ever, and they both agreed it was a trip they took to the east coast. Nancy had never seen the ocean, and so they rode up and down the coast, with absolutely no schedule, no reservations and no one else. The affect was so freeing, the nine-day vacation still shines above all others.

And remember that old toaster tank? After close to 30 years it's back in their hands. It spent most of its time in a metal storage shed gaining only 220 miles, so it obviously needed some restoration. But the fact that their son can take his boy on the same ride he shared with Butch all those years ago overrides any restoration fees. Butch and Nancy share a love that most of us envy, but it's their passion for motorcycling that is hands down something we all strive for. Here's to many more miles, you two!

Have a great bike story? Send your submissions to Megan via e-mail at megan at ascycles.com.

A&S BMW Motorcycle NEWS AND EVENTS

A&S Open House a Huge Success
A&S opened its doors wide recently with an amazing open house featuring Garmin GPS specialist Mike Sheehan, yummy food and amazing prizes. Attendance was at an all time high and fun was had by one and all. There was even a Navigator III GPS raffled off with proceeds going towards the DART (Drowning Accident Response Team) foundation. If you'd like to read more or watch a quick ASTV video on the day, visit the full story at the ASTV Blog: www.ascycles.com/astv_blog.aspx.

Garage Party, June 1st, 2007
On Friday, June 1st, A&S will host its first garage party with the Gold Country Riders, a local club of female riders. We'll feature and demonstrate apparel geared towards both men and women and have an intimate session with our service technicians discussing the science behind a good pre-ride check. In addition, A&S will go over the basics of buying a bike - features to look for and what not to do. Feel free to pass the word along, or register online at www.ascycles.com/rowdygirl_says . And don't worry, guys are more than welcome - it's not just a girl thing!

A Better Way to Shop on the Internet
Internet shopping can be both thrilling and daunting. The ease of purchasing via the Internet makes the method a no-brainer to most consumers, but without the ability to really 'see' what you're buying, it makes some of us leery. I mean, we all know what a clutch cable looks and feels like, but the newest Rallye Pro2 suit? What do the air vents really look like? Is it easy to maneuver your bike in? A&S understands these concerns, which is why we've implemented ASTV, a quick and easy way to watch product demos online. Look for the ASTV logo while you're shopping! http://ascycles.com/SearchResult_astv.aspx?KeyWords=kwASTV

From The Web Guy (Todd)
You've all obviously noticed that it's no longer my name attached as the author of The BeemerFile. I'm sure that you will find that to be a good thing in the future as Megan is going to do a great job of making The BeemerFile everything I hoped it would be when I came up with the idea, but never had anywhere near the time (or ability) to make it be! Welcome Megan! Looks awesome so far!

Major A&S Site Improvement: Much Better Search!
While A&S has been the premiere place on the internet to shop for BMW Motorcycle parts, accessories, and other riding gear, there's always been a pretty big area where our site was lacking. And that was the ability to find things that were not nicely categorized. In short, our site's search feature was really bad. You either got no results or you got thousands! Well no more! A&S has partnered with one of the leading e-commerce site search providers, SLI Systems. The new search does some pretty amazing things like offering spelling correction (make a typo like "braks", get "Did you mean: brakes"), as well as dynamically offering several refinement options, the ability to sort by price and so on. Overall, I hope that it makes your experience with our site much more pleasant. If it doesn't, please let me know at todd at ascycles.com!

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