BMW's Blue Ridge XPLOR event

[dixieoutlaw]

Just completed the weekend XLPLOR off-road event. It was awesome. Currently spending the remainder of Father's Day with my daughter's family in Virginia. When I get home later this week I will post a full report with photos and tell about the starting crapping out on my bike in the middle of the woods on a single path trail. Happy Father's day to all of you.
Gary

[dixieoutlaw]

XPLOR Report

I left last Thursday and rode to my daughter’s house in Manassas, VA in prep for BMW’s weekend XPLOR event. The ride to Manassas about did me in. The combination of a one-day ride on knobbies of 730 miles in 95 degree heat was about too much. The little extra vibration from the knobbies made my butt feel like it had been through a sausage grinder. The good news is that on Friday I had time to attend my grandchildren’s last day of school before summer. This included an ice cream social in the granddaughter’s for 3-year-old class and a pre-kindergarten graduation for the grandson. Then of to Ruckersville, VA for the Blue Ridge XPLOR event. BMWNA had a whole fleet on bikes there to support the event including displays of the new F800GS, F650GS and one of N8’s racing bikes. On sign in for the event we were given a goodie bag which includes a DVD of BMW’s adventures around the world, a nice cap, a T-shirt, a sports bottle and about a dozen stickers. The evenings rider’s meeting detailed our events and introduced Jimmy and Heather Lewis for the off-roaders and Nate Kern for the on-road riding event. Most of the attention was given to the off-road classes and rides which was fine by me.
After a fitful night of sleep, we mad our way out to the 600-acre farm where the training was conducted. The off-roaders were divided into novice, intermediate (which I chose) and advanced. Our first morning session was with Heather Lewis. She demonstrated several braking techniques and had everyone to practice each technique several times. We then moved to Jimmy Lewis’ class. He explained and demonstrated balancing and turning techniques, then how to stop and get going again on seep inclines. At each of these he used a couple of volunteers to make his points. Then we moved to the log jumping and crossing area. Jimmy demonstrated crossing logs on a different variety of log obstacles. I asked Jimmy if the students were going to get the opportunity to do any log crossings. As I was asking some guy had decide to try and cross one of the logs on his own and promptly crashed. I told Jimmy I would like to attempt the log pile after lunch.
BMW sponsored a buffet lunch at a small deli near “The Farm.” After lunch, I decided to give it a go on the log pile on my own, then Mike Copehaver (who I had met in Copper Canyon joined me.) After a couple of successful crossings, I tried the opposite way and go hung up on the log pile. After getting help and did the rest of my crossings from the other way.
The afternoon consisted of riding the circular challenge, which we had to successfully complete before we would be allowed to ride Sunday’s ride. The challenge was made of off-camber hills, gully crossings, whoop-de-do’s, steep down hills and steep up-hill climbs. Most of this was single track through the woods and several sections were about two inches of dust. I made the first circuit without going down, although I did get hung up on a large root, which was in a gully in a turn. On my second circuit I again got hung on the same root and when I finally got across I killed my motor. The starter would not engage so I was dead in the woods. I pushed the bike over to the side to try and figure out what was going on. I started removing the starter (y’all all know I carry all kinds of crap with me, but I don’t carry a starter. While I lying on my bike in the weeds trying to get the starter off of the hot motor, there are bikes crashing all-around me trying to get my the root obstacle. One of BMW’s guys told me I would have to get farther off the trail or I would get hit. I had to stop the whole challenge to get a couple of guys to push me further up-hill and farther into the woods. Analysis of starter determined the magnets had come unglued and the starter was kaput. We had to push the bike to the edge of the woods and recover it back to the staging area with an ATV and trailer. Did I mention the entire day had been over 90 degrees? We unloaded the trailer and pushed my bike to start it. I rode it to the hotel with intents of pushing it off Sunday morning and returning to my daughter’s house and await shipment of a starter from Angie’s bike.
Laurence Kuykendall –BMWNA’s Brand and Marketing Manager – heard of my predicament and told me he would loan me one of BMW’s bikes if I wanted to ride Sunday, but it would be the new F800GS. I was impressed by this kind gesture from the head of an organization, which takes a lot of hits from our MOA community.
I decided I would try and buy a starter locally instead of waiting for Angie to ship me one. Of course both nearby dealers – Morton’s and Hammersley, were closed and would not be open until Tuesday. My roommate from Roanoke, VA mentioned that Anton Largidier lived in Charlottesville and that he may have a started. We checked his site on the Internet and he had a used starter listed for sell. I called and his wife answered say she didn’t know if Anton had a starter or not and that he was at the XPLOR event. I found Anton and he agree to deliver me a starter Sunday morning and I that I could send him a check when I got home. This BMW community is great.
Saturday night BMW sponsored a banquet buffet and several door prize drawings. Most prizes were significant – BMW riding suit of your choice, BMW Zumo navigator, set of Metzler tires of your choice, $300 & $150 gift certificates to Morton’s, $150 Touratech gift certificate, several Jimmy Lewis autographed T-shirts, and several Long Way Around DVD’s and books. Of course yours truly banged in for a T-shirt. Shucks with that new riding suit I could have saved a lot of gas money in chasing Martin for the Olympic jacket
Sunday with brand new starter in hand, I installed it and did half of Sunday’s ride before deciding to break out and go spend the rest of Father’s Day with my daughter’s family.
Monday I went by Bedford, VA to view the D-Day Memorial and then to Dandridge, TN where I spent the night with Mike and Darcy Coperhaver – my friends made in Copper Canyon.
Tuesday morning I rode the remaining 300 miles home.
It was a great weekend and I encourage anyone interest to participate in BMW’s XPLOR events if you get the opportunity.

My photos are at http://picasaweb.google.com/duboisga/XPLOR

One of the participant’s wife took several photos from different locations on the Farm. Her photos can be view at http://ehatcher.smugmug.com/gallery/...13752046_BTFFC

If you look at the series about 150-175 you can see all the bikes crashing around me as I am working on my starter.

Gary

[R90srider]

Thanks for the XPLOR report and photos Gary.

Looks like you had a great time in spite of the starter problem. I especially like the photos of you doing wheelies in the dirt and over the logs. The WWll memorial was good to see also.

Looking forward to seeing you and Angie at Little River.

[Vance]

Sounds like it was a real experience. BMW can and does put on a nice show...don't they? Thanks for the well written report!

[Gator]

Looks like you had a great weekend Gary. Great photos. Looks like you broke down in a really bad spot. Looks like a fun ride. I can't believe that you didn't have a spare starter stashed away on board though
Gator

[dixieoutlaw]

Gator,
I'm beginning to think I need to carry a starter with me. That one was the second one I've had to go belly up. Fortunately, the first one happened at the house. Will have to admit we were doing a lot of stops and starts and I had jolted it around pretty good. It was pretty hot around the motor when I was taking the starter off.
I now have parts of three starters around here. Think I will try my hand at rebuilding one using hopefully a better epoxy to hold the magnets.
It really was a good weekend and only made better by seeing the grandkids that we don't get to see very often.
Gary

[Norwood]

Good report and pic.. did you run across Mike Dozier at the event?

As you can see by my spot trip manager I crossing your paths today... was by the D Day Memorial this afternoon..

Click on Where is Norwood link below

[MtnMan7]

Gary,
For what it's worth catagory, I ran into a fellow that told me he went to a starter shop and they were able to repair his starter using Saturn car starter parts. I understand that the magnets coming loose are a common problem with the Valeo starters. You can sub the slightly heavier(but much better)Bosch starter I believe. I had thought to drill the center of the magnets and counter sink the holes so I could use tapered head screws with locktite to secure the magnets before they came loose! I was fortunate on my oilhead, they are still holding. I do highly suggest drilling out the screws on the starter and packing the gears with grease, they don't come with enough to keep the starter working for very long. My two cents worth!
Mike