BMW GS Eco 1000

I have just gained access to the new BMW Eco Challenge website. You can find it here.

I scanned through the pages, trying to see what this whole thing is about, and as I read each page, I became more and more irritated. At this point in time, I am quite angry, so pardon me if this reads a bit like a vloermoer. (tantrum, in other words...).

This is an event replacing the coveted GS Challenge. An event that is dressed up as some sort of quasi Eco event - but all it REALLY is, is a drive down to Gariep dam, a braai there, and a drive back home. You even get to pick your own bloody route, or you can do a dealer route - a route that I presume will be developed by each dealer, to have on and off road sections at the discretion of the dealer. Okay - let me breathe a bit and think about this....

Last year, we had the extremely unfortunate death of a fellow rider on the orange route - the first death on the GS challenge since the event started (there were other deaths, but these occurred on the way to or back from the challenges in previous years). So I think BMW got a BIG scare (with our society becoming more litigious by the day), and is unable or unwilling to introduce certain minimum skill or experience criteria for each route. Also, the preparation might have become a little much for them, and there was not much profit in there. Regardless of the opportunity they give their customers to really experience the bike in a controlled environment. Now they are shuffling the responsibility and burden to the dealerships?

So the Eco Challenge is born. A GS biker gathering. Like the Buffalo. Like the Paradise. Like all the other hodge-podge things you read about. The GS Challenge was the BIG event. Last year was my first, and would definitely have been the first of many, many to come - in that format. It means that every time I get onto the bike to do offroad, it is in preparation for the Challenge. It means that I read about technique, about equipment settings. Everything to be able to enjoy areas in the country where one could not normally get to, without suffering damage to bike and person.

And it is not like the Eco is cheap, in any case... The cost is R1800 per person, including the following: Refreshments at start, a braai for the first evening, dinner and breakfast in Gariep. And that is IT. It excludes accommodation, camp fees, and any other meals.

So what will my approach be? Well, the GS challenge was enormously expensive for me last year, had to get quite a few things (like offroad boots, camelbak, compressor and other odds and ends), total cost around R10000 (including the Challenge entry fee, of course). This club organises fantastic GS events over weekends which I did not partake in because of time and responsibility issues. I will focus my energy on these events now, gladly paying R10k per year for these different trips, and making a plan around the responsibilities and time.

This is not meant to discourage anyone from doing the Eco Challenge - I would love to hear the story from riders that have been there. Me? Don't bother looking for me in the campsite or on the road. There is just no point, is there?

Gert I feel your frustrations and I tend to agree with some of what you say, but not all.

I think BMW is trying something new, good on them for that. The "old format" GSC was started by BMW (Deon Meyer) and it was the first of this kind of event in SA. Since then it has been copied by others, very successfully, I might add. Just look at the Alfie Cox Dual Sport Festival (all bikes allowed), the KTM Rallye Raid and the Yamaha XT Challenge. They all use the same proven formula. BMW is trying a different option, maybe it works, maybe not, only time will tell.

steyngert wrote:.... without suffering damage to bike and person....

I think this has a lot to do with it. Guys do not want to break their bikes. As the HUGE majority of GS bikes sold, never see any dirt, and of the ones that does see some dirt, very few likes the "hard and tough stuff". With the advent of the HP2 and the X-Challenge, the red routes has become harder on the bigger bikes. Very few riders attempt the red route on the big boxers, but it can be done, but you need to know what the hell you are doing. Just ask Pieter, Colin and Leon, they have done red on 1150Adv's.

In the new format you can choose yourself where you want to ride, and how tough you want it to be. Not all GS riders are "hard-core" off road riders. Also remember that BMW has a huge "poser-factor" and that is very important to lots of riders and to BMW themselves.

I personally don't think that I will pay R1800 for a braai and a breakfast.

KnopKop wrote:
I personally don't think that I will pay R1800 for a braai and a breakfast.

And a dinner and snacks.

Bliksem, so you pay for this:

R100 for snacks
R600 for a braai
R400 for a breakfast
R700 for a dinner


WTF ????


Aag nee moer, I would rather go on my own trip.

And that doesn't include accommodation! For the total cost of the Eco you can do a week long touring holiday...

I agree - do our own trip!!!

I will formally enquire regarding BMW's pricing strategy through Club's Africa. At this stage I can not see a good value for money proposition. Maybe we are missing some detail??? My feeling was that a prcice of about R800 bucks would be fair.


In any case should the value for money proposition not increase drastically we will definetly do a great club event. Maybe Sep is a good time to visit Moz or the Botswana pans again??

THAT sounds lovely!!

In South Africa people vote with their feet - either stamping them up and down next to a half-completed soccer stadium, using them to run towards Makro and Tradecentre specials, or simply just staying away. Let's see what happens here. Only time will tell...

LeRoy, jy kan nou ook GSC toe gaan op jou LT.

So who's joining me for a trip to Botswana............PANNE want ons is mos panne manne!!

Miskien is dit 'n interessante statement om te maak vir BMW - om daar op te daag met ander fietse as GS'e. Sal dalk 'n boodskap oordra...

Mud Pooh-bah wrote:In any case should the value for money proposition not increase drastically we will definetly do a great club event. Maybe Sep is a good time to visit Moz or the Botswana pans again??

Now you are speaking PORTUGUESE !!!!!!!
Put my name...
1 - Bruno

Die panne klink op hierdie stadium beter as die eco challenge!

Ekke is bereid om R100 te wed dat hierdie die eerste en laaste Eco Challenge gaan wees - wonder wat BMW die volgende jaar gaan doen? Die feit dat die GS Challenge nie meer bestaan nie, skep 'n hele paar geleenthede vir entrepreneurs om iets soortgelyk op die been te bring...

There are already other events that we can look at supporting, such as the Cederberg Adventure Bike Challenge, or the Alfie Cox Dual Sport Festival. Both of these events allow any make of dual sport bike. Or you can always swap the mothership for an orange bike and go to the KTM Rally Raid Then there is the "mini GS Challenge" in Sabie?

OKAY, ek gaan die Eco doen! Ek't drie van my kliente lank terug belowe ek sal saam hulle hierdie jaar die ding doen so.....................................Ek's in.

Ons het reeds verblyf gereel vir 10, daar's tans net nog 5 plekke beskikbaar laat weet indien julle sou belangstel. Die verblyf is reeds betaal en bevestig, sou julle belangstel laat weet.

CLARENS:
CRANFORD INN R 410 PER PERSOON

GARIEP:
FOREVER RESORTS (OU AVENTURA) R 164.00 PER PERSOON

TOTALE VERBLYF VIR 2 NAGTE R574.00 PER PERSOON

Ek's bietjie dom, verstaan hierdie ding glad nie? Hoekom sal mens dit wil doen? Selfs die ABBG (wat ek ook nie lekker verstaan nie, maar klink of GS mense dit wel geniet, so daar moet iets wees...) klink meer opwindend...

Verduidelik asb vir die oom, toe?

Die Alfie Cox Festival klink eerder na wat ons van hou? Of is dit net ek???

Nee Drix ou pel, ek is met jou op daai een.

Ons het reeds verblyf gereel vir 10, daar's tans net nog 5 plekke beskikbaar laat weet indien julle sou belangstel. Die verblyf is reeds betaal en bevestig, sou julle belangstel laat weet my dringend.

EK HET GEREEL VIR BLYPLEK VIR 10 MENSE

PAULI MASSYN
JANNIE VERWAYEN
FANUS KRUGER
SHAUN KEATING
ADRIAAN SCHEEPERS

CLARENS:
CRANFORD INN R 410 PER PERSOON

GARIEP:
FOREVER RESORTS (OU AVENTURA) R 164.00 PER PERSOON

TOTALE VERBLYF VIR 2 NAGTE R574.00 PER PERSOON

IS IT POSSIBLE ANYONE TELL ME WHAT IS HAPPENING???????
PROBABLE I'LL PUT MY NAME IN.....

Pauli's post:

We already arranged accommodation for 10 people, only available for another 5, let us know if you are interested. Acommodation paid and confirmed, let me know urgently if interested.

I ARRANGED FOR 10 PEOPLE:

PAULI MASSYN
JANNIE VERWAYEN
FANUS KRUGER
SHAUN KEATING
ADRIAAN SCHEEPERS

CLARENS:
CRANFORD INN R 410 PER PERSON

GARIEP:
FOREVER RESORTS (OLD AVENTURA) R 164.00 PER PERSON

TOTAL ACCOMMODATION FOR 2 NIGHTS R574.00 PER PERSON

SORRY BRUNO????????????????

dakardrix wrote:Pauli's post:

We already arranged accommodation for 10 people, only available for another 3, let us know if you are interested. Acommodation paid and confirmed, let me know urgently if interested.

I ARRANGED FOR 10 PEOPLE:

1. PAULI MASSYN
2. JANNIE VERWAYEN
3. FANUS KRUGER
4. SHAUN KEATING
5. ADRIAAN SCHEEPERS
6. SANDRO CASARIN
7. HENNIE POTGIETER


CLARENS:
CRANFORD INN R 410 PER PERSON

GARIEP:
FOREVER RESORTS (OLD AVENTURA) R 164.00 PER PERSON

TOTAL ACCOMMODATION FOR 2 NIGHTS R574.00 PER PERSON

PS - (Thanks Drix)

All GS owners are invited to a meeting regarding this event at Bavarian on Thursday night at 18h30.
Lots have been said - please attend and be part of the discussion?

From the bmwmotorrad website:

Registration form

Some ideas when planning:
Here are a few ideas:
Create a set of rules:
maximum kilometres on- or off-road;
find passes and rivers;
include heritage sites and points of interest … the options are endless.
Make the journey a geo-cache adventure.
Make it a camping adventure with fully-equipped bikes.
Get half the team to plan day one, and the other to plan day two so that no-one knows the complete route. Half of it will be a mystery!

Rules
The event is exclusively for BMW GS models.
The event will take place over a period of two days - 18 & 19 September 2009.

There will be four start venues only:
Johannesburg
Cape Town
Durban
Port Elizabeth

There will be a compulsory overnight stop at one of the following venues, regardless of your choice of accommodation:
Clarens (North)
Beaufort West (South)
Graaff Reinet (South)

Riders must travel in groups (no solo riders for safety reasons).
Private 4-wheel support vehicles will not be permitted along the routes.
Private 4-wheel vehicles will not be permitted at any of the venues.
No bike trailers will be permitted at any of the venues.

Riders have to check in by 17h00 at the Gariep Dam on 19 September 2009 in order to qualify.
Riders are not allowed to cross SA borders as it will be impossible for the support teams to assist in case of emergency.

Accommodation:
Call Arlene on 021 426 5775 or email Arlene@traveliafrica.co.za to make your bookings,
discuss options or resolve any other queries you might have regarding the accommodation for the event.

Starting to sound a bit more exciting...

Let's go and attend and see how we can use this opportunity to make it some ride of note.

I am aware of all the concerns, but if we put some positive energy into this we might end up with somethingvery special.

Although I will be at oom Jan's on Thursday evening making sure that Marnus is behaving, please come along. Please bring heaps of positive energy and plans along. The Pta Club has always been the club that made things happen!!!!!! Let's show those Motorrad guys our club spirit again.