BMW Motorrad Canada Stages 2015 Summer Pilgrimage

By Ian Kelso, Contributing Editor

It was a hot weekend in Clarington as BMW Motorrad Canada hosted their annual mecca Friday August 14 through Sunday August 16 for those who own or admire BMW motorcycles. Temperatures soared to about 30 celsius (84 fahrenheit) but felt more like 40 (105 fahrenheit) with the high humidity. That didn't seem to quell the enthusiasm of the thousands of eager enthusiasts who were there to enjoy one of Canada's largest and longest motorcycle parties.

This Canadian edition of BMW Motorrad Days was launched nine years ago and occurs annually at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park™ in the Municpality of Clarington just northeast of Bowmanville, Ontario in mid-August. Though the south central Ontario geography is perhaps not quite as compelling as BMW's European festival in the alps, it does stick to the core values of original show. Over the course of three full days BMW motorcycle riders and fans gather in a casual and festive atmosphere to look at bikes, to ride bikes, to talk about bikes and to watch bike races.

If that is not enough, there is also food, beer, music, bike test rides, car test rides, competitions, stunt shows, trial bike demos, exhibits, discounts on gear and even a dealer or two if you decide to pull the trigger on a new model.

The first and original BMW Motorrad Days was at the time called “BMW Bikermeeting” and started in 2001 with a gathering of 6,500 owners and enthusiasts in the alpine town of Seefeld, Austria, just across the border from Bavaria and about 90 minutes from BMW HQ. Now in its 15th year, the early July event now takes place inside the German border in the mountain resort town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and it attracts over 40,000 participants from across Europe and beyond.

The purpose of the event has stayed the same over the years: to experience the world of BMW in a relaxed atmosphere, and “have as much fun as possible!”

Though the Canadian venue is only about a 90 minute drive from Toronto, one of the best ways to experience BMW Motorrad Days is to pitch a tent and camp out alongside the racetrack at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park™. The camping fee is included with the $50 admission price which also gets you a swag bag, a free dinner, an entry into a draw (this year for a summer on the 2016 S1000XR) and a weekend ticket to the 2015 Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship. Just remember to bring your camera, some firewood and some food.

Of course you can also rent a room at a nearby hotel if sleeping on the ground on the side of a hill is not your thing.

For me one of the highlights of the event is the opportunity to try out a new bike during three full days of test rides. With a fleet of about 20 bikes, group rides were scheduled every hour from 9am to 5pm on Friday and Saturday, and then from 9 to 3 on Sunday. If you had a specific bike you really wanted to try out though, it was pretty much necessary to show up early for the twice-daily first-come-first-served sign-ups. Popular bikes like the new S1000XR were almost impossible to book unless you got to the front of the line which started as early as 5am on Saturday morning! Having participated in many demo rides this season I can truthfully say that ride program managers Peter and Laurie did a top notch job keeping everyone happy and hydrated in the summer heat.

As an added perk, if you are ride a BMW bike (and have it at the event) you get take it out for a full lap of the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park™ track. Unfortunately at a top speed of 40 mph (60 kph) you tend to look a little silly leaning into the corners!

There are no speeches or launch presentations at Motorrad Days. BMW Canada does a great job of NOT turning this into a slick sales-driven event, but rather keeping it a casual social affair where the interaction with products and the people create a strong affinity with the brand. All in all for me it was a really fun-filled weekend made even better by the opportunity to hang out by the campfire and relax with friends. Highly recommended.