Matt accepts the award, which was presented by Deb Lower during a club meeting in Colorado Spings.

Matt & Susanna Parkhouse

The award

Matt with Deb Lower.

By Sue Rihn #43753, BMW MOA Board of Directors

On November 12, 2011 the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America was proud to present the Friend of the Marque Award to Matthew Parkhouse at a local club event in Colorado Springs. This is a very prestigious international award decided by representatives of BMW clubs worldwide who are members of the BMW Clubs International Council.

Although many of us have become familiar with Matt through his long-running column here in the BMW Owners News, there is a longer story behind Matt's introduction to the BMW brand.

After returning home from the Vietnam War in 1972, Matt Parkhouse needed time to air out his head and get his bearings. After he returned to Fort Carson that April, he bought himself a new BMW R75/5 motorcycle for $2,150 and began his adventure. Matt named the old twin "Strider" after a character from "Lord of the Rings." Referring to his first trip on Strider as his "after-war walkabout," the two of them eventually traveled many places together, including from London to Istanbul, to Mexico, Belize and Guatemala, to the Arctic Circle in Alaska, and to 49 U.S. states.

Strider was his first bike, but Matthew has been through about 15 others, two of which he keeps in Europe for travels, and one in Mexico. Matt even met his wife Susanna (a BMW rider also) at a National BMW Rally.

It hasn't all been smooth riding for Matthew. He has broken his wrist and leg in motorcycle crashes. The most severe crash, however, was 11 years ago. Parkhouse was technically a pedestrian, stopped alongside the road in New Mexico when a semi truck jackknifed and slid into him, breaking his back.

Matt's involvement in the BMW MOA and with the BMW marque has had a positive impact on many thousands of BMW owners throughout the United States and, in fact, throughout the world. In addition, his dedication to the marque has been demonstrated multiple times as he has assisted BMW owners with the maintenance on their motorcycles. Matt prepares articles for the BMW Owners News to provide technical expertise to hundreds of riders. The column, known as "Keep 'em Flying" has been published for several years. His expertise is well known in the United States, Mexico and Europe.

Locally in his own community of Colorado Springs, Matt is well known for his compassion for his fellow man.  A Registered Nurse, his passionate concern for the homeless shows the same caring attitude that he always demonstrates for his fellow motorcyclist.  

Matt is a BMW MOA Ambassador and as such has given much of his personal time in support on the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America.  For many years he served as the head of the First Aid Committee at the BMW MOA's annual International Rally. He also served on the Board of Directors of the BMW MOA during the nineties. He is a great example of untiring dedication to the associations he has supported so willingly and typifies the ultimate BMW enthusiast. He lives the passion for BMW Motorcycles. Matthew Parkhouse is truly deserving of being recognized as a "Friend of the Marque."

What is the Friend of the Marque Award? 

The BMW marque does not endure merely through the quality and appeal of its excellent products, nor through a long tradition of setting standards in the world of sports, engineering and design. Rather, the BMW marque and all the expectations, flair, and character it evokes - in a nutshell, everything that BMW AG represents -resides in "BMW people": People who regard BMW products not just as a means to an end - people closely bound to their marque by a passion.

The BMW AG honors outstanding achievements and exceptional dedication by giving outstanding individuals the title of "Friend of the Marque". This title is awarded to a small and exclusive group of people every year. At the very most, 10 people worldwide will receive the "Friend of the Marque" award each year.

Other recipients from the United States include:

2010    Don Faichney

2009    Deb Lower

2008    Tom Cutter

2006    Norm Smith

2005    Barbara Adams and Larry Schettel

2005    Dave McQueeney

2004    Ed and Debbie Jorgensen

2004    Dave Swisher

2003    Paul & Voni Glaves

2001    John E. Hermann         

2001    David L. Hough

2001    Scott & Fran Hughes

1999    Jeff Dean

1999    Michel Potheau

1999    Phil Muscat

1998    Rolaand Slabon

1998    Yale Rachlin

1997    Bill Doyle

1997    Orlando "Oak" Okleshen

1997    Michael Izor

1996    Leif & Fia Anderberg

1996    Court Fischer

1996    Keith Dempster

1996    Alice Hanes

1996    Robert Roemer

1996    Harmon W. Fischer

1996    Robert Hellman