Dateline - Thursday, 4 April 2007
 
   
  Dates for 2008 BMW TS Safari to be announced soon
   
 
 

 

 

BMW TS Safari Round-Up & GS Update
 

The 2007 TS Safari got off to a great start in Young on 25 March with superb weather for the Sunday check-in. Everything ran smoothly with many participants seen sporting the BMW Insurance caps they scored compliments of the TS Safari’s major sponsor. The Welcome Party appeared to be a big hit, and our band – The Young Ones, had the dance floor packed.

Monday morning started with blue sky and sunshine as we left Young via Tumut for Thredbo. The Snowy Mountains Highway lived up to its reputation as one of this country’s great motorcycling roads. Things got a little cool on the way up to Cabramurra for lunch but importantly the roads stayed dry. Everyone arrived safely in Thredbo and the inaugural rider briefing saw the first bemused winner of an Ipod Nano in what, at times, looked like a chaotic Safari quiz. Many spent an hour or two (some much much longer by the look of things) in the Pub Bar & Grill while others dispersed to various restaurants for a relaxing evening meal.

Tuesday dawned a beautiful but frosty morning and a few hardy souls took the opportunity to take the chair lift to the summit, while other adrenalin junkies threw themselves down the perilous slopes on mountain bikes! Then it was on to the serious business of making it to Merimbula for our two night stay on the coast. A choice of two routes saw many take the long way round via Adaminaby to Cooma while the long lunchers, slackers and the “I’m here for a good time not a long time” crowd opted for the shorter route via Jindabyne. From Cooma it was up the Monaro Highway to Bombala passing a herd of over 500 cattle munching their way down the “long paddock”. An exhilarating descent down to the Princes Highway had everyone in a good mood for the evening briefing at the Merimbula RSL.

Wednesday was the Safari “rest day” and the only thing that could be heard above the burble of motorcycle engines were the washing machines on final spin as minimalistic wardrobes received a mid-Safari once over. Many took the opportunity to do the day ride up to Bermagui while others sought exhilaration in more exotic locations including their spas. The many restaurants in Merimbula were doing a roaring lunch-time trade, and it was a very relaxed Safari group who appeared for the evening briefing at the Merimbula Bowling Club. The Safari quiz saw yet another technology challenged winner of an Ipod Nano…yes a PC can mean a personal computer as well as a police constable or politically correct!

Thursday’s weather was a little unpredictable with some copping a few heavy showers and others none. Our first and only reported Safari “incident” saw one of our indented kangaroo route markers wiped out as he failed to give way to an oncoming motorcycle. Bike, rider and pillion were much luckier with all continuing on their way. Many shed an emotional tear as they stood at the very spot where the Snowy meets the sea. The ride up to Buchan was superb and the scones and jam at the Buchan café even better. Our evening stop at Lakes Entrance was a very welcoming sight and after a briefing at the Central Hotel the crowd dispersed for a lively social evening….but who parked that F 800 in the front bar!?

Friday began superbly..yes more of that blue sky and sunshine. We were off over the mountains to our final stop - Beechworth. The good folk of Omeo were well prepared for our coming with many café owners now able to bank that $1million in their super fund before this financial year’s deadline. Everything was going just swimmingly until Dinner Plain when the freezing fog and light rain took away the visibility and most of the heat from our bodies. Temperature gauges went from 2.5 degrees C at Dinner Plain to 0.5 at Hotham! But after 30 kilometres of near wipe-out conditions we were all safely through and back out into a much more welcoming landscape. The final evening briefing took place in and outside the Beechworth Brewery on what was turning into a cool night. The restaurants in Beechworth were all packed with some bemused diners almost missing out thanks to the same reservation number being advised for two different restaurants…you just can’t get the staff these days.

Saturday 31 March was the final day of the TS Safari and blow me down that sun was out again. It was a very lazy start for most, with riders going in all directions to get their daily riding thrills. Some toured the Rutherglen wineries by bus, others by bike. Some revisited Hotham in much better weather to find the local constabulary were there to welcome them, and others climbed to Mt Buffalo….one at least not entirely successfully. All in all it was a wonderful final day and a great final night at the Farewell Dinner at LaTrobe. Neville Hoare was the lucky winner of the BMW Insurance star prize of $2,000 worth of BMW Riderwear….congratulations again Neville. Cameron Cuthill, BMW Motorrad Australia & NZ General Manager gave participants an inkling of new products to come and confirmed next year’s GS Safari would take place late February/early March 2008 in the Victorian and New South Wales High Country; the next TS Safari would be in August 2008 with Queensland the venue; and that a New Zealand event was in the planning with details to be advised. We will keep you updated on all developments. A big thanks to all who participated in this year’s TS Safari. We trust you all returned home safely, and we look forward to seeing you all again next year.

 

 

GS “special event” update
In our 31 January update we hinted at a special GS event around mid-May. Although we were optimistic, unfortunately the planets have not aligned to give us synchronous product, off-road riding clinics and staff availability to enable us to press the start button. Our apologies to those who may have been preparing to be available to participate next month but we now have to defer any decision in relation to this proposed event until towards the end of the year.