As many of you know, BMW has finally shipped the much anticipated 2013 R1200 GS Liquid Cooled (some use an “LC” designator, and some “W”). I was fortunate to be one of the first in this country to get my grubby little hands on one, but I decided to wait awhile before giving my impressions of this great bike. You can’t really understand a machine like this until you’ve had an opportunity to put a lot of miles on it in varying conditions.

My lust for the GS started many many years ago, but it was never anything more than a fantasy –  a dream that someday I would load her up and set out for untold adventures in foreign lands. Last March, I rented one and took it on a three-day binge up the Pacific Coast Highway, then over to Lake Tahoe and Reno, before descending Sierra’s backside to Las Vegas and an I-15 finale through the Ivanpah Valley to Los Angeles.  The hook had been firmly set!

Fast forward to the Intermot show in Cologne, Germany where BMW formally launched the LC Boxer.  After handling this sweetheart of a ride for the week, I made the call to my guy Honz at Gateway BMW in St. Louis and asked him if he had a list going — he said he does now.

I now have 500 miles on my new rig – between my travel and dismal weather, it’s taken longer than I’d imagined to log this many miles.  I’ve ridden in rain, snow, wind, and finally a nice day yesterday; so now it’s safe to say that I’ve covered all the bases for a proper ride evaluation.

I will have plenty more to say about the GS, but for now, I will just say this — the GS flat out rocks!  More power, higher revving, more torque, better comfort, suspension and handling.  I guess I could just stop here, because each of these superlatives need their own explanation, but I won’t. Like all bikes, there are a couple of things about this rig that could use some improvement… but I’ll leave that for my next post.

From the road,

Steve

If the final ride on your bike last season ended with you hopping off and throwing a tarp over the bike (if even), here’s a checklist for making sure the reconnection with your bike this spring isn’t a case of poking the sleeping bear.

Check your owner’s manual:
If you don’t have one, find one online.  Beyond the legalese, it thoroughly explains how the bike works and how to keep it running well.  Read it.

Check your oil:
Did you change the oil shortly before storing it away for the winter?  If so, you’re probably okay.  If you didn’t, maybe a change is in order.  Same goes for the oil filter.

Check your fuel:
Did you put your bike away with a full tank?  Likely not.  If you didn’t, drain the tank.  It’s possible that condensation has formed in the tank, especially if your area had those odd 60 or 70 degree days between freezing temps during November to February. Draining all the remaining fuel and replacing it with fresh gas is the prudent move.

Check your battery:
If there’s no or low juice in your battery, try a trickle charger. Check the fluid levels and give it a slow charge. If you aren’t getting any juice, it’s probably time for a new battery.

Check your tires:
If your winter has had extreme temperature swings, the pressure in your tires has likely responded accordingly.  If you don’t have a pump in your garage, please drive carefully on your trip to the nearest compressed air source. Also check tread depth and sidewalls for dry rot.

Check your brakes:
Check the brake fluid levels, but also think about the last time you changed the fluid. If it’s been a couple years, it’s probably time for a change.  It’s also a good time to check the brake pads.

Check your shine:
If your bike’s been sitting all winter uncovered – or in some case, even if it’s covered – chances are it’s collected some dust.  Give the mirrors, gauges, leather and painted surfaces the once over with a chamois or microfiber cloth.  Better yet, pull out the hose or take it to the local car wash for a full bath. Soak dried-on bug splatter with a hot wet towel to loosen prior to washing.  It will ease the elbow grease required for a thorough cleaning.

If you haven’t already, maybe this is the season you treat yourself (and your buns) to an AIRHAWK.  You can learn how to make this year’s rides a lot more comfortable: http://www.airhawk.net/.  If you already own an AIRHAWK, make sure the pressure is adjusted for best fit and comfort.  See the video story in this e-newsletter for more information.

Here’s hoping for an early spring in your area.  Happy and safe riding.

Belleville, IL (PRWEB) September 21, 2012

AIRHAWK®, manufacturer of support surface products for consumer applications, names Scott Parman as the Consultant of International Development, assuming leadership of all European AIRHAWK sales.

Parman brings 25 years of international marketing, sales and distributor management experience across a wide range of industries throughout Asia, The Middle East and Europe.

Based in Italy, Parman will be charged with overseeing all EU sales for the AIRHAWK and Danny Gray brands via an aggressive distributor acquisition and sales support program slated to begin at the INTERMOT 2012 Motorcycle Show in Cologne Germany from Oct. 2-7 followed shortly after by the EICMA Motorcycle show in Milan Italy from Nov. 13-18.

Steve Peyton, Director of AIRHAWK Sales commented, “The addition of Scott is an exciting opportunity for us. Scott is an incredibly talented businessman with the ability to deeply understand the international market, distribution channels and the implementation sales and marketing solutions. Scott’s extensive experience compliments our distinctive approach to implementing international expansion strategies.” Peyton added, “We are delighted to welcome this talented new member to our team.”

To see AIRHAWK’s upcoming events visit Airhawk.net. To view images from the rallies and more news visit Facebook.com/AirhawkSeats or blog.airhawk.net.

AIRHAWK is a brand of The ROHO Group that specializes in shape-fitting technology, manufacturing cushion and support surface products for medical applications as well as for recreational and commercial vehicle use. For more information, visit The ROHO Group’s website at http://www.therohogroup.com or contact Customer Care at (800) 851-3449.

For more information, contact:
Rebecca Waller
eMarketing & Consumer Segment Manager
The ROHO Group, Inc.
1-800-851-3449, ext. 2436
beccaw(at)therohogroup.com
AIRHAWK.net
Blog.AIRHAWK.net
Learn about AIRHAWK: http://www.therohogroup.com/corporate/about.jsp
Twitter.com/AIRHAWKCushion
LinkedIn.com/companies/the-roho-group
Facebook.com/AirhawkSeats

AIRHAWK is hiring!

Independent Manufacturing Sales Representative — Europe

The ROHO Group is seeking an Independent Manufacturer’s Sales Representative to direct the distribution or movement of AIRHAWK motorcycle seating products and services to customers in Europe. This person will be responsible for increasing sales and broadening our penetration in our market segment, helping to grow our product offerings, and increasing profitability.

Regular activities will include:

• Manage daily sales activities through a distributor network.
• Visit customers in the marketplace to solidify relationships and/or develop new business.
• Attend rallies and trade shows.
• Conduct sales meetings and training sessions with distributor and broker networks throughout Europe.
• Monitor and evaluate market pricing and competitive position; make recommendations as needed.
• Assist in coordinating marketing activities with major distributors, including marketing and local program negotiations and other promos.
• Perform customer service activities as needed.
• Monitor and coordinate inventory level and product placement at regional warehouses.
• Communicate business activities and needs to home office

Requirements include:

5+ years’ of Manufacturer’s Rep experience, preferably working with aftermarket motorcycle products such as wheels, handle bars, etc.; broad knowledge of such fields as advanced accounting, marketing, business administration, finance, etc. equivalent to four years of college; ability to speak multiple languages, including English, French, German, and either Italian or Spanish.

Frequent travel required.

Interested candidates should respond with cv or resume at:

http://www.therohogroup.com/corporate/careers.jsp view open jobs, Independent Manufacturing Sales Rep. Europe

Please contact Jody Rhodes with any questions at jodyr@therohogroup.com.

AIRHAWK traveled to the Dealer News’ Dealer Expo in Indianapolis, IN from February 17–19, 2012. While at the show, Motorcycle USA caught AIRHAWK’s Becca Heckert on camera for their 2012 Indianapolis Dealer Expo Video. Check out her performance at 1:57 in the video.

What do you think of Becca’s performance?

For more information on the Danny Gray AIRHAWK Seats visit Danny Gray’s website http://www.dannygray.com/Airhawkseats.asp. You can also contact Danny Gray with questions or orders. The contact information is listed below.

Danny Gray Contact Information:
Phone: 888-443-2669
Fax: 888-443-5516
Email: Sherry Clark at sherry@dannygray.com
Ship to Address: 1917 E Occidental, Santa Ana, CA 92705
Corporate Headquarters: 67 Sherman Street, Deadwood, SD 57732