TheSlashFiveTourer
09-04-2004, 04:17 AM
Hey there....We made the local newspaper! :clap
Check this out from 'THE LIMA NEWS' of 4th September:
BMW BIKERS TO RALLY IN ALLEN COUNTY
By JIM SABIN
419-993-2091
jsabin@limanews.com
09.04.2004
LIMA — The Allen County Fairgrounds is no stranger to the throaty roar of motorcycle pipes.
But next year, a different kind of bike will be rolling in, something far quieter but with every bit as much muscle.
In July, the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America will hold its annual rally in Lima, bringing around 7,000 people and 4,000 motorcycles to town. Despite the name, the group is an international organization with members in 40 countries, many of which send at least a few to the rally, organizers said.
“We’re going to transform the Allen County Fairgrounds to Beamerville, USA,” said Sue Rihn-Manke, of Wisconsin, chairwoman of the rally. “You’re going to have license plates from Canada to Mexico.”
The majority of the attendees will ride their bikes in from across the continent, said Ray Zimmerman, of St. Louis, executive director of the group.
“BMW owners are a unique group of people that ride a unique bike,” he said. “Primarily, we socialize. We’ll have probably 4,000 people camped out here in tents.”
The rally won’t be open to the public, Zimmerman said. Vendors will set up shop for the du-ration, and seminars on cold-weather riding, traveling around Europe and other topics will be conducted.
Otherwise, the bikers will simply “hang out,” he said.
“Basically, we’re a big family of BMW riders that like to get together once a year,” he said. “We’ll spend about a half a million dollars a day while we’re here.”
The rally will be held July 21-24, though some will be in as early as July 18 to start setup. Overall estimates put the direct economic impact between $4 million and $5 million, said Christine Pleva, director of the Lima-Allen County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
That figure should be multiplied by 2.9 to figure out the overall impact, she said.
Lima was chosen after club members met with Allen County Fair Manager Jay Begg at a convention in Las Vegas a few years ago, Zimmerman said. While a lot of contacts were made, Lima stood out because of its central location and Begg’s cooperation, he said.
“We think this is going to be one of the best rallies we’ve ever had,” he said.
________________________________________________
Place a bookmark here (http://www.limanews.com/news.php?category=News) to keep up with happenings in Lima between now and next July. :thumb
Check this out from 'THE LIMA NEWS' of 4th September:
BMW BIKERS TO RALLY IN ALLEN COUNTY
By JIM SABIN
419-993-2091
jsabin@limanews.com
09.04.2004
LIMA — The Allen County Fairgrounds is no stranger to the throaty roar of motorcycle pipes.
But next year, a different kind of bike will be rolling in, something far quieter but with every bit as much muscle.
In July, the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America will hold its annual rally in Lima, bringing around 7,000 people and 4,000 motorcycles to town. Despite the name, the group is an international organization with members in 40 countries, many of which send at least a few to the rally, organizers said.
“We’re going to transform the Allen County Fairgrounds to Beamerville, USA,” said Sue Rihn-Manke, of Wisconsin, chairwoman of the rally. “You’re going to have license plates from Canada to Mexico.”
The majority of the attendees will ride their bikes in from across the continent, said Ray Zimmerman, of St. Louis, executive director of the group.
“BMW owners are a unique group of people that ride a unique bike,” he said. “Primarily, we socialize. We’ll have probably 4,000 people camped out here in tents.”
The rally won’t be open to the public, Zimmerman said. Vendors will set up shop for the du-ration, and seminars on cold-weather riding, traveling around Europe and other topics will be conducted.
Otherwise, the bikers will simply “hang out,” he said.
“Basically, we’re a big family of BMW riders that like to get together once a year,” he said. “We’ll spend about a half a million dollars a day while we’re here.”
The rally will be held July 21-24, though some will be in as early as July 18 to start setup. Overall estimates put the direct economic impact between $4 million and $5 million, said Christine Pleva, director of the Lima-Allen County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
That figure should be multiplied by 2.9 to figure out the overall impact, she said.
Lima was chosen after club members met with Allen County Fair Manager Jay Begg at a convention in Las Vegas a few years ago, Zimmerman said. While a lot of contacts were made, Lima stood out because of its central location and Begg’s cooperation, he said.
“We think this is going to be one of the best rallies we’ve ever had,” he said.
________________________________________________
Place a bookmark here (http://www.limanews.com/news.php?category=News) to keep up with happenings in Lima between now and next July. :thumb