Over 120 registered for GS 08 and TS 08 going to be a ripper!

So how great all is the motorsport news coming out of BMW Motorrad lately?! For starters there’s the announcement by vice president Peter Mueller that a factory BMW team will be fielded in the 2009 Superbike World Championship. Then with two factory R 1200 S, BMW Motorrad Motorsport makes a 1st and 2nd in class (5th and 9th overall) in the World Endurance Championship at Oschersleben.

Over the water in Colorado USA it was the HP 2 Megamoto taking out 1st production bike overall (1st to 5th in class) in the Pikes Peak Hillclimb.

And then right at the end of a long season of development with the 450cc Sports Enduro prototype (that’s one of them in the pic at the Melbourne Motor Show, and it will be at the Sydney Motorcycle Show on Nov 2-4) factory rider Simo Kirssi wins the European Cross Country final in Schefflenz, Germany. Just how good is that!

Now onto something a little slower…but not much...

The March 2008 GS Safari is proving to be very popular, with a steady flow of registrations emerging from the fax this month. We have now over 120 registered and are pleased to note that this includes a few riders in their low twenties and some female representation.

We have had 21 people register their interest for a pre-Safari 2 day off-road riding course and we are currently awaiting a decision on whether this is a sufficient number to make the training programme a viable proposition. In addition to numbers, a suitable training ground close to the start of the GS Safari will also have to be located. A final decision will be made at the end of November or sooner and communicated to those whose names we have. If you are interested in doing a course, and haven’t yet let us know, then please do so as soon as possible at info@bmwsafari.com

We are off on the final GS recce trip in around 10 days time so we should have a day by day route report with wonderful colour pics available in the November update. And of course, for those of you who have already registered for the off-road adventure of a lifetime, your Accommodation Booking Form will follow not too long after.

BMW Motorrad Rider Equipment

As promised here is a selection of some of the finest off-road riding gear money can buy. Naturally, it’s BMW Riderwear; and wearing it will not only give other riders the impression that you have some idea what you are doing on an off-road motorcycle, but will also make you look devastatingly attractive!

Rallye 2 Pro Suit Jacket	Protector Jacket	Enduro Shirt
	Article RRP     Rallye Gloves $100.00   Rallye GS2 Boots $500.00   Rallye 2 Pro Suit $1,800.00   Pro Rain 2 Suit $170.00   Protector Jacket $480.00   Enduro Shirt $110.00   Neck Brace $1,000.00   Navigator III $2,000.00*   Tri Vision Sunglasses $120.00
Rallye 2 Pro Suit Trousers		Pro Rain 2 Suit
Neck Brace		Rallye GS2 Boots
Tri Vision Sunglasses	Navigator III * (mounting brackets available at extra cost depending on model of motorcycle)	Rallye 2 GS Gloves

The 2008 TS Safari in Queensland next year is going to be sensational. We’re not going to give too many details away at this stage as the event is still 9 months away. However, we can tell you that if you ride all the recommended routes over the 6 days of the Safari you’ll notch up around 2,800 km. For those who like to do it, but not too tough, you can knock at least 500 km off this distance by taking a few shortcuts and doing some alternative recreation on “rest days”.

So….if spending a day on an island, spending half a day in a luxurious spa, scuba diving a wreck, visiting the inner or outer Barrier Reef, going on a jet ski safari, taking a spectacular train journey, skimming through the top of a rain forest, visiting historic gold mining towns, going for dips in swimming holes in exotic locations like gorges and breath-taking waterfalls….sounds like your sort of thing then the 2008 TS Safari will give you all these opportunities plus a lot lot more!

The furthest north the official route will be going is Cape Tribulation and we’ll be starting from somewhere north of Brisbane. The scenery is varied and very picturesque - sugar cane, mango, coffee and banana plantations; twisty back-roads almost devoid of traffic and human habitation; sections of highway that hug the coast, glorious beaches and interesting towns. That’s all we’re going to tell you at this stage. Priority Registration Forms will be sent out to previous Safari participants in mid-February 2008 with registration open to all from the beginning of March. The next TS Safari update will be at the end of January when we will also provide more details of the route.