JULY / AUGUST, 2008

KING OF THE ALPSTEXT & PHOTOS BY JOHN HERMANN

Klaus Thiele has been out playingon his new HP2. In the course ofexpounding its merits, he has beenknown to allow a couple of esteemedand trusted companions, like RexNeilson, to test its wonders for them-selves. Scott Dinslage has been per-suaded.

With a beautiful new blue RT, TomReilly and his wife found their way toGiovanni’s.

San Diego BMW riders have beentraveling. There’s Gary Orr’s non-stopjaunt across the US, to be joined bycountless worthies (actually, softies, asthey flew rather than ride) for off-roadfun in South Carolina.

While in SC, our own H. Edward Bellreceived a coveted award, an ICON ofBMW. It recognizes his speed recordachievement on the Utah Salt Flats lastyear, setting a record on his ownK1200R.

Dave Flood ventured to Giovanni’srecently on his mighty K1200R, andmet up with the ICON himself.

Dave sports several bikes, even (ofcourse) a Ducati. Edward was on theK1200 R that carried him in Utah.

Plans are afoot for more records tobe established next September. WithGary Orr’s help, Edward is studying therecord book and the rule book. It justappears that the record for push rodfully faired twins between 750 and1000 cc’s has not been established. Yet.Is this the machine that could do it?Edward is testing hiding his smallfigure behind the R100RS’s fairing.Editor Fulton is checking the possibil-ity.

Some SD BMW folk went abroad.

Ferries from the European Continentto Corsica have been thoroughly testedby San Diego riders. Collecting afterdebarking in Nice, France, are Sybiland Tom Roach, with Don Walkerbehind them. Herm was riding the Rbike with the "M" (for Munich) plate.

Don Walker now has this fineR1200RS in Europe shown here inPorto, Corsica, with Don Picker and hisfine old K100 at the left, and WillCreedon on the right with the famousred R100GS with California plates thatwas indoctrinated by Tom Mooney.

JULY / AUGUST, 2008

The roads of Corsica are spectacularand challenging and full of motor-cycles.

Stacy Silverwood and Carol Alleyriding the final curves up the Cold’Izoard in the Rhone Alps of France.

They are on an F800GS which comeswith regular BMW GS hard cases. Theygot the bike from Moto-Mader inOberentfelden, Switzerland.

St. Veran, France, advertises itself asthe highest village in Europe. Lin andPru von Kopenhagen, who’ve spentsome in San Diego, are leading DonPicker and Will Creedon down themain street. Lin and Pru, of Australia,have meet the San Diego gang severaltimes in the Alps.

Chuck DuVivier used the goodoffices of Stefan Knopf to ship hisR1200GS to Europe. No matter, snow

still blocks the top curves of the Cold’Agnel. Stefan also transported DonWalker’s RS directly to the BMWNiederlassung in Munich, where bothof them are now stored, along withHugo Schreiner’s K bike, and DonPicker’s K, and Will Creedon’s GS.

Imagine the San Diego riderssurprise to register at Hotel Vauban inBriancon, France, as Will is doing here,and find the US flag most prominentlydisplayed.

Another US development, thisHoliday Inn Express in Aosta, Italy.Hiding behind those white roses areSybil and Tom Roach, Ira Grossman,and Chuck DuVivier. It’s not raining,but rain gear seems appropriate. Thetop of the Great St. Bernard Pass is justminutes away.

JULY / AUGUST, 2008

European countries like to put upsigns that are supposed to encouragemotorcyclists keep their enthusiasm forthe road under control. This sign isnear the top of the Lukmanier Pass inSwitzerland, and seems to say, “Toofast…? we wish to prevent this!”

Sometimes our esteemed editorreclines all the way to Giovanni’s,where Gary Kepple thought theeditor’s machine just might need someadjustment.

After 30 years and about 200,000miles, Ken Wagner and his dog havedecided to give the silver R100RS somerest. Ken admits that the new bikeworks very well, and both cases andtop box will store a helmet.

No matter how hot the temperature,Rex Neilson is gonna lead a Kawasakiride out Old Julian. Old Julian is Rex’sspecialty. Doc Mazzei on his DucatiMotard, Bob Ingram waiting to boardhis K1200, and Bill Taylor and ScottDinslage right, are all accepting thechallenge.

But then John Ciccone rode up onhis dry clutch Ducati that rattles like afreight train, and distracted the admir-ers of Bill’s new bike

Our road captain, Bill Edwards,appeared recently on his new Ducati1000 which immediately caught theattention of Mike Moore and GaryKepple. Bill claims he had a suspen-sion problem with his Kawasaki, so hetraded it in for this fine new ride.

Thank goodness, there was a newBMW in the midst of the Ducati run.Eric Broeder was just in love with anew ST, only to find this K1200S wasthe dream machine. He says he told hiswife he was going out to have hisbeard trimmed and then to the bikeshop, and she said, “OK.”

Dave Flood could not stand theDucati talk, so he left his K1200R athome and rode up on this very special999. It’s yellow, and new Ducati owner,Bill Edwards, stopped by to admire it.