2013 BMW R1200GS, And That's a Wrap!

I haven't done an episode for Peckhammer TV in more than two years. That last episode, produced in November 2010, was about our first impressions of the new Yamaha Super Tenere. It was a review-style piece I did in collaboration with AltRider, a Seattle based company providing accessories and gear for Adventure Touring motorcycles. And then I got distracted.

I started shooting a short documentary film about Jack White's guitar-maker in January, 2011. I finished the film seven months later, and started screening it at festivals. The film quickly became a festival gem, making its way to thirty-six festivals in seven countries. It collected a few awards along the way, and it kept me incredibly busy. So busy, in fact, that Peckhammer TV was left on the side of the road like an abandoned vehicle.

Well folks, I am not going back to restart that abandoned vehicle. My experience with Peckhammer TV honed my production skills, and I’ve moved on to other projects. So I want to take this moment to extend my gratitude and heartfelt appreciation to the many viewers around the world who have watched Peckhammer TV.

I started producing Peckhammer TV to fill a void resulting from the lack of special interest motorcycle programming on Television. Over its three year history, my Web series grew into a multi-faceted resource for the motorcycling community. Peckhammer TV provided me a rare opportunity to meet many wonderful people involved in the motorcycle industry; Eddie Mulder, Malcolm Smith, Joe Kopp, Jared Meese, Alisa Hensley-Lane, and Brianne Corn, to name but a few. For that I am grateful, and I will never forget the experiences that I had at Pikes Peak, or the Bonneville Salt Flats, or the Digger Helm National.

Peckhammer TV had a great run, and I'd like to leave you with once last episode. See, I got a call from Jeremy Lebreton of AltRider a couple weeks ago. Jeremy wanted to do another collaborative piece about the new water-cooled BMW R1200GS. My initial response was, "I don't do this anymore..." And the next thing I knew I was loading gear into my car. Jeremy can be persuasive, and I was interested in seeing another new bike that is not widely available in the USA.

The BMW R1200GS has set the gold standard in adventure touring, and with a new water-cooled motor, improvements in power, electronics, and ergonomics, the 2013 bike is even more capable than its predecessors. Peckhammer TV and AltRider team up once again to give you our first impressions of the standard bearer in the adventure touring class of motorcycles.

And that's a wrap!

Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré

The Yamaha Super Tenere XT1200Z is the latest entry in the Adventuring Touring market, and it's a direct challenge to the bike that has defined the category for three decades. The Tenere has everything you'd expect in a road bike, but what happens when the pavement runs out? And they said Adventure Touring bikes couldn't be ridden off-road... Check out Jeremy Lebreton's take on the Tenere, and be sure to visit Altrider for the absolute best in Adventure Touring accessories.

All riding and interview shots were done on a Canon XH-A1. The close up shots of the motorcycle were done with a Canon T2i sporting a 17-55mm f/2.8 lens. On-board shots were done with a Contour HD camera mounted via Cardellini clamps, available at www.filmtools.com. Cameras, editing and production done by David Aldrich for Peckhammer TV.

Short Track: The Digger Helm National

Eddie Mulder and Digger Helm met after competing in a TT race in Ridgecest, CA. The resulting friendship has lasted for more than 50 years. Mulder and Helm were both touring professionals, and they have long and accomplished motorcycle histories.

Mulder was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999, and he still races at a few special events each year. He's also hosts "Eddie Mulder’s West Coast Dirt Track Series" which is now in its 15th year.

Helm remains involved in racing by sponsoring up and coming riders, and he sponsors an annual race in his hometown of Bakersfield, Califonia. Helm and Mulder combine forces each September to put on The Digger Helm National. This Flat Track race has both vintage and modern divisions, and it's held on a short-track at the Kern County fairgrounds.

Mulder has described this Flat Track race as a fist fight in the bull ring. There’s lots of physical contact, and lots of sideways racing. If you've never seen one of the oldest forms of motorcycle racing in this country, you owe it to yourself to check it out. Don't expect to see a bunch of gray haired old farts puttering around in the dirt. These racers move. And there is plenty of young blood out there too, from the youth division right up to contemporary National-level racers such as Joe Kopp and Jared Mees.

AltRider Reviews: BMW 2010 R1200GS

The 2010 R1200GS is BMW's latest version of the GS models, which have literally defined the Adventure Touring category of motorcycles. BMW understands the multiple roles that and Adventure bike must perform, and they continue to refine their proven platform.

The basic layout of the GS remains unchanged; a tall bike with an upright seating position, plenty of ground clearance, wide bars, and lots of places to mount luggage and accessories. The big change for the 2010 GS is the performance-tuned boxer twin, taken right from the HP2 Sport and specifically tuned for adventure duty.