Which BMW club wud you prefer?

[montmil]

Guy at work (K-series rider) tells me I should join the BMWOA group to get their "cool" magazine. I've read commentary posts that airhead riders are frustrated and giving up on BMWOA. The general thought train is that BMW has made a major course correction in their business plan and has left behind the one that brought them to the dance. Any ON thoughts within the forum?

What about the Airheads Beemer Club? Visited their website. Appears to be a more, well, airhead oriented organization.

Members of either/or and even 'none'... chime in.

Monte

[Ed Miller]

I like the Airheads club.  It's especially good if you can make it to the tech days.  I don't have any experience with the BMW club.

[montmil]

I like the Airheads club. It's especially good if you can make it to the tech days.

I wonder if there are any T-days in the DFW area.

[Semper Gumby]

If you have an Airhead then the Airhead club is the home for you.  It will put you in touch with the people that will help keep your airhead bike on the road. 8-)

My.02c.

[nhmaf]

I belong to BMWMOA, and the ON magazine usually has at least MAtt Parkhouse's stuff on airheads (Keep 'em Flyin), though he has been out
of circulation for health reasons for a while.    They do have some other articles and stories from time to time with contributing writers doing
interesting trips, etc. on airheads, but more and more it is become mostly hex/oilhead and f-bike focused.  sometimes there are stories in
there involving K-bikes, which I think also have some strong followers who are also getting edged out by the newer technology platforms.

I have thought about joining the airheads, but haven't done so yet.

[montmil]

Thanks for the responses, guys.

Yesterday, I lurked about the Airhead site and downloaded a couple nice tech articles. Leaning toward joining this group. 25 bucks a year doesn't look bad after seeing their tech article index.

Monte

[SCJJR65]

Been a member of all three myself, and from what I've been able to discern:

The BMWRA is more of a "technically oriented" club and magazine.  It also appeals to what I consider the 'hard core" BMW rider.  This organization and its magazine, "On the Level", also seems to try its best to find out "insider" info on future BMWs and pending technological improvements, and pays special attention to explaining "why" the improvements work the way they do on the bikes.  (This may change, though, as the former editor, Robert Hellman, recently passed away.)

The ABC (Airheads Beemer club) is strictly for those with bikes made prior to the R259 4 valve/cyl. engine.   The rider who enjoys camping on his/her Airhead is usually attracted to this club.    Their monthly publication, "Airmail" used to be little more than the old-fashioned typed out newsletter done on 8-1/2x11 paper and folded in half and mailed out, although I understand it has gone through some improvements to make it more readable.

The BMWMOA tries its best to be all things to all Beemer riders, although in recent years I've noticed less and less attention being paid to the Airhead variety of bikes and riders.  As far as publications go, the "BMW Owner's News" magazine is the most professionally done, IMHO.

I retain my membership to the BMWMOA, mainly because I do enjoy reading the magazine, and I've been a member for 12 years.  If I could afford to, Hell, I'd be a member of all three!  

[donbmw]

When I bought my 82 R65 I joining the BMWRA first. The a friend found the BMWMOA. I was a member for both for a few years but dropped the RA. MOA publiscation was better most of the events were listed for both. Have been MOA member over 30 years now. In the last couple of year joined the Airhead list that has been helpfull. Have found many forums but only come here and the MOA check the others from time to time but they are not active.

Don

[Spinachpie]

The Airheads Beemer Club really has great technical info via that fellow Oak. The monthly magazine they send is something I look forward to. These folks are down to earth and pretty much do what we do. All members have the option of listing themselves in the "dAIrectory"  which is both printed and online. BMW owners helping BMW owners is what they are all about. Their web site is a bit lackluster, but the magazine and dAIrectory are worth the price of membership. Great club IMHO.

Frankly, the BMWMOA is something I joined only recently so I could access their online "Flea Market" and read upcoming articles about the F800 GS coming out in the fall.  [smiley=undecided.gif] I don't get a chance to see their magazine much, and I won't buy cycle magazines at Borders or the Grocery Store (except "Vintage Motorcycles"), so....the monthly ON mag it is. They also offer some travel discounts, rental car reductions, a 1-800 number for something, and other things comparable to the benefits of a AAA membership. Because of its sizable membership it appears to have done something right.

Personally I am in favor of being on the Airheads mailing list. More sensible, less slick.

[Ed Miller]

I like the Airheads club. It's especially good if you can make it to the tech days.

I wonder if there are any T-days in the DFW area.

Here's the Texas Airmarshal's email address, he would know:

mmoon1948 at aol.com

Funny, they list their addresses right on the site.

Good luck!

[R65Guy]

The only clubs that I am a paying member of are the BMWMOA (27 years) and my local club.  The MOA is worth it to me for the magazine and all of the other fringe benefits - Anonymous book, National Rally, Flea Markets, forums, etc.  They cater to all 'Owners' and as such will always gravitate towards the newer bikes but their airhead coverage is pretty good with Matt's articles.   I am a member of the Airheads mailing list (pseudo-forum) and the tech support there is excellent.  

Other online forums (clubs?) that I belong to are:
IBMWR - lots of noise on the forum (mailing list) with some airhead content sprinkled in.  A very loose knit group.
BMWST - BMW Sport Touring, lots of noise but good tech info - mostly Oilheads, Hexheads & K's
ADVRIDER - Lots of brands, lots of noise in some areas but good info in other areas - a lot of things to a lot of different people.
R1150R.ORG - Good location for R1150R owners.
Boxerworks - Pretty good Airhead membership - I only drop in and look around occasionally.
This site! -  The ONLY place to be for R65 owners! 8-)

There are many other sites, these are just the ones that I frequent.

P.S.  Regarding the Airheads - one of the members (Snowbum) maintains an EXCELLENT website of invaluable Airhead info.  Bookmark it - Highly recommended.  http://bmwmotorcycletech.info/techindex.htm

P.S.S. Airheads and IBMWR are actually chartered (virtual) clubs of the the BMWMOA.

[MrRiden]

Joined the Airheads right off the bat. First question I asked was met with an unfriendly admonition by a raccoon wearing blow hard that I "look it up in the archives" What a waste of $25.00. Since then Ive been able to get all the info I need from the Airheads for free! By looking it up in their archives here. http://micapeak.com/archives/airheads/login.php  and it's FREE! Don't waste your money or time.
rich

[VaSteve]

Joined the Airheads right off the bat. First question I asked was met with an unfriendly admonition by a raccoon wearing blow hard that I "look it up in the archives" What a waste of $25.00. Since then Ive been able to get all the info I need from the Airheads for free! By looking it up in their archives here. http://micapeak.com/archives/airheads/login.php  and it's FREE! Don't waste your money or time.
rich

Yup.  Exactly my reaction.   Hey, we don't need a forum...we'll just use  mailing list that you have to configure your email program to "text only"...no HTML.  If it was good enough for 1993 (or whenever) when they stopped making REAL airheads it's good enough for them.    The newsletter what chockfull of grousing about how they don't make them "like they used to" and whimsical drink and ride adventures under the whimsical term "barley therapy"  I also couldn't stand the incessant asskissing guys did for Oak who IMHO was just as crotchety as the rest of them.  

I think I still get the email digests; it just dumps in a folder on my yahoo account.  I never look at it any longer.  I let me subscription lapse.  I belong to the local club that rides mostly new bikes.  I read here.  That's all I need.  Skip ABC.  

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

The best thing about the Airheads Beemer Club is that it can put you in touch with other airhead owners in your local area in case you need help with something.

At most of my local BMW club functions, I will often be the only airhead in attendance.

Luckily Indiana just finally got a Airmarshall, and we have a Yahoo group for Airheads in Indiana.  That makes for easy communication with others.


I don't do "barley therapy".  I follow a different path.

[drewboid]

Another club worth mentioning is vintagebmw.org
A good newsletter and website.
I belong to the ABC as well and visit the IBMWR site (bought my last 2 beemers from them)

YMMV