[drDave]

I wrote a curmudgeonly letter to the editor BMW's ON mag, which this month featured some aging bearded hairball in suspenders and fishing hat on the cover.

I had to wonder whether he was BMW's demographic and whether BMW had merged with AARP to produce Geezer Motorcycle Magazine. Seems like fully 3/4's of the people in the mag are over (way over) 70 including pictures of BMW riders who have passed away.

So, Harley has the Bad Boy Biker image, Ducati, the sexy corner, leaving BMW, what? Bumpkin Motorworks?

 

[yonderbob]

howdy from BMW!



Interesting observation Doc... If one were to take away impressions overall from ON I'd say that all BMW owners are interested in is camping and club rallies where there's plenty of camping and riding their dual sports in the mud. OTL (the MOA mag) seems more interested in the future; tech, racing, Marco Melandri's girlfriend (she seems to appear on every other page -- I like that).

Bob

 

[drDave]

Yonderbob,

ON magazine seems to be the motorcycle equivalent of a church social; bikes mixed with potato salad, trips to see the World's Largest Ball of String, imaginary awards to riders over 80, reminiscences of "before I broke both hips, I. . ." I fully expect to see articles about "Using your BMW to plow your back 40!" or "Bikes and Outhouses: Do they Mix?" . .

I'm in my 50's but these guys and gals seem about 100 years older and from another century . ..

 

[Hoshiko]

That's funny, just yesterday I was having an conversation (argument) abut bikes with my brother in law, he currently has a Honda CBR 1000RR and a Suzuki GSX-R600 that he transformed on a track bike.
Of curse our biking habits are completely different, also what to expect to get from a bike.
Back in 2008 I was in the market for a new bike, while looking and testing around I remember mentioning I was interested on an F800, which he replayed "BMWs are for old boring people" It's hard to think that the brand of choice for people that had broken all kind of records on, it's looked like that.

The argument yesterday was about me taking my bike to the track tomorrow, he said that if I like it that much, I should buy a bike exclusively for that, NYspace aside, I wouldn't get another bike for reasons we all already know, I may do track days several times a year and will still using my R, I bet I'll be kicking someone's ass on a hayabusa and so many on 250s will kick mine.

I reminded him the words he said back in 2008, and challenged him to take a spin on my bike and don't like it.
He said, "don't be a chick, I like your bike, it's just the brand is looked as an old boring people brand" I guess I agree but I don't care, I'm happy with my bike and I know Beemer makes anything from a maxiscooter to a 6 cylinder maxitowrer, all you have to mention is the R1200GS climbing mountains, crossing desserts, etc etc and the now best sports bike HP4. Any other bike can @#$%^&. and that's just not to mention how awesome they look, specially the R1200R and specially the matte grey.

 

[drDave]

Hoshiko. . .totally agree with you on all counts. .. but it's too bad that BMW seems to be promoting its bikes as "Fun for Fogies". Here they have some of the best touring, racing and nakeds around, so what do they do? Make them invisible, with brown or sky blue paint, promote magazines that should be called BMW ON (Octogenarian News). Who exactly is in charge of their image? Not the people who do the cars or the M-series?

Reminds me of when I used to own a mini-cooper Cooperworks 6 speed stick convertible, before I gave it to my son. Great car, but as a guy, you have to be pretty confident to say to people "I have a mini. . ."

 

[Hoshiko]

as a guy, you have to be pretty confident to say to people "I have a mini. . ."

Hahahahahahaahahah hahahahah
That's what she said.


Sorry drDave, I had to. And I love the Minicooper too, for the most part, people with hummers and stuff like that are the real "mini" ones.

 

[drDave]

true H. I always feel bad for the guys with the Corvettes, F150's and Hummers. . .

 

[las]

Dr. Dave, you are right on the mark! I always wonder why a bike as classy looking, powerful, Versatile, fast doesn't sell more than it does. Even the local dealers say they can't figure it out. But you have nailed it. BMW has made the best all around bike out there and promotes it with the worst marketing possible. Someone ought to clue them in Beemer bikes are not power wheelchairs!

 

[drDave]

I actually got a nice note from Vince Winkel, who is one of the ON Magagzine editors. He said that ironically, he was trying to freshen the magazine's image and make it younger and hipper, but all the pictures and stories just keep coming from the same pool of GeezerBikers (not exactly the words that he used, but implied). So there's a chicken and egg problem here - the chickens are really really old and they rule the roost - so no eggs. . .

Vince did suggest that if anyone has any younger, hipper BMW biking images or stories to send them to him at Vince Winkel <[email protected]> Any takers? it wouldn't be difficult, really. If you are less than 20 years above retirement, don't have a huge gut, don't wear suspenders, a tee-shirt, an unkempt ZZ top beard, and a fishing hat. . .you are a Prime Candidate to spiff up the ON image. . .

 

[drDave]

Hoshiko. How about a story and pictures about biking in and around New York City?!!!

 

[yonderbob]

I If you are less than 20 years above retirement, don't have a huge gut, don't wear suspenders, a tee-shirt, an unkempt ZZ top beard, and a fishing hat. . .you are a Prime Candidate to spiff up the ON image. . .

I don't qualify except in one category... the gut isn't classified as officially "huge" just yet. Maybe if I took photos of my son riding my 12R... Maybe of him on his SV650 and me on the 12r and you could average our ages and just focus on the bikes...

 

[nardowell]

The impression that most people I know is that BMWs are for serious riders.
They are ridden on adventures, not to bars.
Harley's are good for making noise and crotch rockrets are for the under 20 set.
It was weird to see that backwoods/deliverance guy on the lastest issue.
I always thought the magazine did a good job of showing all kinds or riders, but this last guy was a little over the top.

The Geezer

 

[goo]

 

[drDave]

Interesting observation Doc... If one were to take away impressions overall from ON I'd say that all BMW owners are interested in is camping and club rallies where there's plenty of camping and riding their dual sports in the mud.
Bob

Funny thing you should say this, YB. I just attended a small group of MOA'er charter guys from the Chicago burbs, who went on about this great rally where the high point was a guy they bring in to dynamite several iron Anvils 150 feet in the air. One guy even had a cell-phone video that he showed me. I asked if people stood underneath watching, and said it sounded a lot like that TV show "1001 Stupid ways to die". Nobody, but nobody, thought that was funny but me of course. Doubt I will be invited to their next Anvil blow-up. . .

 

[yonderbob]

Funny thing you should say this, YB. I just attended a small group of MOA'er charter guys from the Chicago burbs, who went on about this great rally where the high point was a guy they bring in to dynamite several iron Anvils 150 feet in the air. One guy even had a cell-phone video that he showed me. I asked if people stood underneath watching, and said it sounded a lot like that TV show "1001 Stupid ways to die". Nobody, but nobody, thought that was funny but me of course. Doubt I will be invited to their next Anvil blow-up. . .

Maybe once you get that old just about EVERYTHING is boring? :clown: makes one wonder...