As this weekend's fifth round of the 2009 Superbike World Championship approaches, Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus are looking forwards to competing on their factory BMW S 1000 RR machines at the historic 5.793-kilometre Autodromo di Monza circuit, having already tested there earlier this year.

Of course, there's much more to the life of a professional motorcycle racer than what happens on track, and away from the circuit, the life of a World Superbike rider is jam-packed with intensive training regimes, commitments to sponsors and suppliers, and special requests for personal appearances.

To this end, star riders Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus have been doing the rounds in Germany, with special visits to BMW Classic, BMW Welt and the flagship BMW Motorrad Zentrum in Munich.

During a special visit to BMW Classic, the two riders were treated to a private guided tour of BMW's historical collection, which includes many of the most important models from the brand's colourful and eventful past.

Of particular interest to the two riders were some of the more sporting BMW models that had earned their rightful place in motorsport history. These included Georg 'Schorsch' Meier's factory race bike on which he won the 500cc European Championship in his rookie season, as well as the legendary type 255 supercharged BMW R 51 RS on which Meier dominated the 1939 Isle of Man TT, winning the Senior race by an astonishing two minutes and 20 seconds.

Both riders were also delighted to see one of Helmut Dähne's R 90 S race machines, with race number 11 - the same number Troy Corser has used for years, which can also be seen adorning the front of his S 1000 RR factory superbike. The R 90 S was the company's first model to exceed 750cc capacity and has always been thought of as one of BMW's most significant models. It's certainly an important machine for Ruben Xaus, as it was one of the first bikes he raced on and his father still owns one today.

The two racers were also interested to see other iconic four- and three-wheeled BMWs of the past, such as a 1937 BMW 328 - the most successful sports car of the 1930s, even though only a few hundred of them were built - and the legendary 13 hp Isetta 'bubble car' that used a 300cc motorcycle engine to give it a top speed of around 85 km/h and bring affordable motoring to thousands of people worldwide!

Troy and Ruben's next stop was at the BMW Motorrad Zentrum in Munich, where they were guests of honour at the flagship BMW centre. This time, the two Superbike legends were able to enjoy a thoroughly modern BMW experience and as well as seeing the entire 2009 model line-up, they also browsed the wide range of Rider Equipment and lifestyle clothing and accessories.

 "We had a three-week break between the Superbike World Championship rounds at Doha and Valencia, so it seemed like a good opportunity for Ruben and I to come and have a look around in Munich," said Troy. "Of course, a visit to the world's biggest BMW Motorrad dealership was unmissable and I was amazed by what a massive choice of BMW motorcycle apparel there is available in store. It was a motorcycle fan's paradise and I left with quite a few items, much to the delight of my family!"

Michael Sommer, head of the BMW Motorcycle Centre in Munich was delighted to have the two works riders visit his dealership and wished both riders the very best success for the rest of the 2009 season: "BMW Motorrad made a smart move by signing Troy and Ruben and I'm convinced that they are going to surprise us in the team's debut season in World Superbikes."