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• Monthly Board of Director Meetings

  • Start
    08 Jan 2025
  •  
  • End
    10 Dec 2025
  • Schedule
    12 sessions
  • Location
    Virtually

  ALL Board of Directors Meetings will be virtually

  2025

  January 8th, @7PM

  February 12th, @7PM

  March 12th, @7PM

  April 9th, @7PM

  May 114th, 7PM

  June 11th, @7PM

  July 9th, @7PM

  Virtual link sent upon request, email secretary@bmwnorcal.org

  
  

  
  

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• May Second Sunday Breakfast - San Rafael

  • When
    11 May 2025
  •  
    09:00 - 17:00
  • Location
    1133 4th street, San Rafael, CA
  • Registered
    4 registrants

  Register

  This Months SSB is at

  
  

  Crepevine Restaurant
  1133 4th St.
  San Rafael
  

  
  

  After breakfast  attendees can decide on any informal rides in the area.  There is no organized club ride after breakfast.  

  
  

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• 2025 BMW NorCal 49er Rally-Mariposa County Fairgrounds

  • Start
    22 May 2025
  •  
    15:00
  • End
    26 May 2025
  •  
    11:00
  • Location
    5007 Fairgrounds Road, Mariposa, CA 95338

  Register

  
  

  
  

  Join Us for the 49er Rally – A BMW Motorcycle Tradition!

  The 49er Rally is the BMW Motorcycle Club of Northern California’s annual Memorial Day Weekend event, celebrating 53 years of tradition. As one of the West’s premier BMW rallies, this is an event you won’t want to miss!

  
  

  What to Expect

  Rally-goers can enjoy:

  • ✅ Four nights of grassy tent camping
    (with optional RV camping featuring water and electrical hookups)
  • ✅ Hot showers, cold drinks, and great food
  • ✅ Informative clinics and engaging speakers
  • ✅ Vendor displays and prize giveaways
  • ✅ A welcoming community of motorcycle enthusiasts from all over!

  
  

  Camp in Comfort with Sherpa Packers

  Don’t want to haul your camping gear? Sherpa Packers is back with their valet tent service, providing:

  • Spacious tents you can stand up in
  • Cots, sleeping pads, sleeping bags, and pillows
  • An electronics charging station
  • ☕ Strong morning coffee & fresh towel service

  Upgrade to glamping for even more comfort! Reserve your setup at https://www.sherpapackers.com/bmw-norcal-49er.html

  Level Up Your Riding Skills

  This year, we’re offering expert-led training programs, including:

  • GS Training – Enhance your off-road skills.
  • Police-Style Slow-Speed Precision Riding – Taught by top police motorcycle trainers.
  • Women’s Adventure Clinic – Led by BMW Brand Ambassador Louise Powers.

  BE SURE TO VISIT the Event Website for details and to book onto any of our training courses!
  

  Test Your Riding Skills in Competitions!

  Compete in three exciting riding challenges:

  • GS Challenge Course – Designed by Dennis Godwin, this course will push your limits!
  • Asphalt Cone Challenge – Show off your slow-speed control.
  • English Trials Skills Ride – The rider with the fewest dabs wins!

  Support a Great Cause – The Golden Grapplers!

  

  The Golden Grapplers Wrestling Club is back, serving not only breakfast but also lunch and dinner this year! Enjoy delicious meals while supporting the local Mariposa wrestling team.

  Preorder Your Custom Beverage Glass

  Skip the small plastic cups! Get your custom rally beer or wine mug for access to our complimentary hospitality center with VIP service. Without a custom mug, beverage pours are limited to 6 oz.

  Preorder with registration and save $5!

  Save with Early Bird Registration!

  Register by April 30th to lock in Early Bird Pricing, which includes Saturday dinner!
  MOA Members with a valid membership number will receive a sponsored discount on their registration fee!

  
  

  Don’t miss out—register today!

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• Women's Adventure Riding Clinic

  • When
    23 May 2025
  •  
    07:30 - 17:00
  • Location
    49er Rally-Mariposa Fairgrounds

  Register

  
  

  Back after the great success last year!

  Hey ladies, if you feel more comfortable learning riding skills in a female-centric environment taught by a woman, this is the class for you! Louise Powers has been teaching the ins and outs of GS riding skills since 2015. She and her crew will take you through a fun day meant to boost your adventure skills to the next level and help you gain confidence in riding in the wild! No matter your skill level in riding off the pavement you will build important skills and confidence to take your bike off the road. 
  

  The course will be offered Friday from 8 am to 12 noon followed by a guided tour to practice and develop your skills on an off-road trail. After the ride, celebrate with your course mates in our hospitality center. 

  The clinic is designed for female riders who have experience riding their motorcycle on the road and want to learn about or become more comfortable riding off-road.  It will focus on  four core elements—Balance, Braking, Clutch, and Throttle Control—which are critical to achieving nearly all you would ever want to accomplish on an Adventure Motorcycle. These fundamental elements are where your training will begin. Through a series of instruction, drills, and coaching, Louise and Shawn will hone, combine, and enhance these core elements, thereby building your skills AND confidence in an off-road environment. 

  You Can do More than you Think  

  Some of the most common feedback received from past participants include, “I can’t believe what I can do that I couldn’t do when I got here!” The building block structure in which students are taught ensures that fundamental elements needed for safe, effective riding are learned, practiced, and built upon. In this way, students often find themselves excelling in areas they thought outside their reach.  

  Your Instructors 

  Louise Powers BMW MOA Board member is a world-traveling Adventure Rider with tens of thousands of miles racked up on her bikes. And at under 5’ 4” tall, Louise has a unique understanding of what it takes to ride “big” adventure bikes (she owns and rides a BMW R 1250 GS HP!). Shawn Thomas is an Internationally Certified Off-Road Instructor with a passion for helping Adventure Riders be the best they can be.  

  Together, Louise and Shawn bring decades of experience teaching over 10,000 Adventure Riders worldwide. When you train with this team of Adventure Riders, you are in the hands of seasoned professionals who want to make you a better and more confident rider. 

  Commonly Asked Question

  • What sort of riding skills do I need to attend?  This course is not designed to teach people how to ride, but rather, to enhance existing skills including off-road riding on an adventure bike. Therefore students must have experience riding motorcycles but Off-Road riding experience is not required! 

  • What kind of tires will I need? A dual-sport tire with 50% remaining tread wear is recommended. KNOBBIES ARE WELCOME, BUT NOT REQUIRED.  

  • What kind of riding gear should I wear? Protection from falls is critical. All riders will be required to wear at minimum: a DOT-approved helmet, gloves, long pants, a shirt, and close-toed shoes. Beyond this, it is recommended that full riding gear be worn, including a full-face helmet, armored Jacket/pants, and off-road or dual-sport oriented gloves/boots.  

  • How should my bike be prepared?  Falls and tip-overs are quite common when learning these skills. They usually do not result in injury or harm to your motorcycle. Still, it is a good idea to prepare your motorcycle. Common protective upgrades include engine protection bars, a skid plate, valve cover protectors (BMW Boxer-Twin Models), hand protectors, radiator guards, and a headlight guard. Also consider larger, off-road-oriented footpegs and bar riders, all of which should be available through the dealership! 
    

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• Adventure Riding Clinic (ADV Moto Pros)

  • When
    23 May 2025
  •  
    07:30 - 17:00
  • Location
    49er Rally-Mariposa Fairgrounds

  Register

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  AdvMotoPros is dedicated to high-quality adventure-touring courses from instructors with high levels of experience. Most of our instructors have at least ten years of experience teaching basic, intermediate, and advanced adventure-touring skills on a variety of adventure motorcycles, including BMW, Harley-Davidson, KTM, Honda, Triumph, Royal Enfield, Yamaha, and many others. 

   Our goal is to give riders the skills and confidence to ride in a variety of conditions and terrain, and to help eliminate the fear and tension that can occur when taking large motorcycles off road. We focus on minimizing the potential for injury or damage to the motorcycle. 

  In this course riders will learn basic skills and how to smoothly and confidently control their motorcycle off pavement. This course focuses on maximizing traction, proper clutch control, correct vision, relaxed body position, and moving around on the bike with confidence. Riders must provide or bring their own bikes with a legal license plate for operating on public roads. Knobby/aggressive tires are recommended, but not required. Full protective gear is required and should include: Full face or modular helmet (open face is allowed, but not recommended). Full protective armor (knees, hips, elbows, shoulders). A spine protector is recommended. Sturdy boots with shin and ankle protection. Sturdy gloves with reinforced palms. The drills we will be working on are: Safely lifting a dropped bike Riding standing and weight shifting on the footpegs Using the clutch friction zone Relaxed, slow speed balance and control Braking, including skidding Slow speed turning and counterbalancing Steep hill climbs and descents Riding in sand and gravel.
   If time permits, we will end the day with a short trail ride. 

  
  

  Introductory clinic:
  Safely lifting a dropped bike,
  Riding position and vision,
  Weight shifting on the footpegs,
  Using the clutch friction zone,
  Relaxed slow speed balance and control,
  Rear wheel skidding,
  Front wheel threshold braking,
  Emergency stops,
  Slow speed counterbalanced turns.

  
  

  Advanced clinic:
  Steep hill climbs and descents,
  Skid steering,
  Throttle steering,
  Increased pace,
  Wheel lofting,
  Surmounting obstacles,
  Riding in gravel,
  Riding in sand and mud (discussion items if these obstacles are not available)

  
  
  

  
  

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• SlowRide Police Style Riding Courses

  • Start
    23 May 2025
  •  
    07:30
  • End
    24 May 2025
  •  
    17:00
  • Location
    49er Rally-Mariposa Fairgrounds

  Register

  

  
  

  

  Back after the great success last year!

  Everyone can improve your slow speed riding skills. Slow Ride Motorcycle training will be at the 49er providing their top notch Police Style Riding courses  for improving your slow speed riding! Slow Ride's mission is advancing your rider skill level accomplished through focused coaching in a non-stressful learning environment 

  The courses are taught by instructors certified in police motorcycle instruction and are active or retired police motor officers with over 60 years of combined training experience and are well-versed in the field of motorcycle safety. Click here for more information on your instructors.

  If you're a motorcyclist and you ride often, you've probably experienced a low-speed maneuvering issue at one time or another. More often than not, the failure to control a motorcycle when the speeds get under 12 miles per hour usually results in a drop or tip over. Think slow tight turns or weaving around an obstacle. If this describes YOU, then YOU need to attend our SLOW Ride Motorcycle Training course. The training teaches civilian riders the techniques used by police motorcycle officers in a non-stress, controlled environment. We don't use tall cones! This course will cover the proper use of the clutch, throttle, and rear brakes to balance of the motorcycle at low speeds. All of the techniques we use will be discussed, demonstrated, and then coached on a one-to-one basis. 

  We are offering the Intro Class in the morning and advanced class in the afternoon on both Friday and Saturday.  Be sure and select the correct class on the registration page. 

  Intro Class

  If you're a motorcyclist and you ride often, you've probably experienced a low-speed maneuvering issue at one time or another. More often than not, the failure to control a motorcycle when the speeds get under 12 miles per hour usually results in a drop or tip over. Think slow tight turns or weaving around an obstacle. If this describes YOU, then YOU need to attend our SLOW Ride Motorcycle Training course. This course teaches civilian riders the techniques used by police motorcycle officers in a non-stress, controlled environment. We don't use tall cones! The introductory course will cover the proper use of the clutch, throttle, and rear brakes to balance of the motorcycle at low speeds. All of the techniques we use will be discussed, demonstrated, and then coached on a one-to-one basis. 

  Advanced Class

  This course was designed for a more  experienced rider that's looking to up their game, or for those riders that completed one of our introductory courses in the morning. During this phase of training, our instructors will take you through a step-by-step process that will help you master the low-speed maneuvering techniques needed for U-Turns, turns from a stop, and more. Each exercise will be discussed and demonstrated, then practiced in a non-stressful controlled environment.

  Safety gear requirements

  Riders should bring a ball cap, sunscreen, plenty of water and  must wear the following while operating their motorcycle on the range

  • DOT approved helmet
  • Protective eyewear
    
  • Motorcycle jacket or long sleeve shirt
    
  • Durable long pants with no rips or holes
    
  • Full-finger leather street gloves
    
  • Sturdy over-the-ankle boots

  Motorycle Requirement

  Motorcycles will be inspected by the instructors prior to riding on the range. Please ensure that your motorcycle has good brakes, tires (properly inflated) and a good battery. Handlebars should not touch any portion of the rider when the wheel is at full lock (turned as far as it will go) in either direction. The rider must be able to smoothly operate the throttle and clutch.
  

  Show off your new skills

  After building your skills be sure and sign up for the BMW Norcal's Asphalt Trials Challenge on Saturday!

  Show details
• June Member Meeting and Campout - Election Meeting

  • Start
    27 Jun 2025
  •  
    20:00
  • End
    29 Jun 2025
  •  
    12:00
  • Location
    15630 Wentworth Springs Road, Georgetown, CA 95634
  • Spaces left
    106
  • Registered
    44 registrants

  Register

  
  

  
  

  Uncle Toms Cabin was such a great time in 2023 & 2024, we are coming back in 2025.  

  This is one campout you don't want to miss!  The June election will be held at Uncle Tom's Cabin and we have the campground for two nights of camping and exploring.  So come join us!  

  Election

  This is our annual election meeting and we have the Vice President, Safety Director, Tour Captain   are up for election this year.   So now is your opportunity to put your stamp on our club.  These positions are really fun and there is plenty of support from the retiring board members. Email the Secretary if you have questions, are interested in running or want to nominate someone. 

  Dinner

  Dinner with consist of the famous Lechon with all the fixings!  Dinner will be served Saturday only.  Must be registered by June 20th to be guaranteed a meal.

  If you are planning to hang out at Uncle Tom's Cabin and want to enjoy a beverage or some snacks BRING CASH.   Credit Card machine may get busy.

  Entertainment

  Live music always adds an extra layer of enjoyment to any gathering, especially when it's someone as talented as Owen Balduf!    With Lechon and great music, it sounds like a recipe for a fantastic time.  I'll definitely make sure to have my dancing shoes ready!

  Ride

  RIDE Leader and Sweep needed.  Please reach out if you are registered and can assist.

  Ride Safe, See you at Camp!

  ALL attendees Must be registered.

  
  

  
  

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• July Member Meeting and Campout - Lassen NP

  • Start
    25 Jul 2025
  •  
    08:00
  • End
    27 Jul 2025
  •  
    12:00
  • Location
    Lasseb
  • Spaces left
    75

  

  
  

  More details to follow  in May 2025

  
  

  Lost Creek Group Campground (elevation 5,700 ft.) is approximately five miles south of Manzanita Lake, and close to the Lost Creek and Devastated areas. Located on the main park road, it is also in close proximity to the main attractions and hiking trails of Lassen Volcanic National Park, the general store, showers and other amenities. The Loomis Museum and educational programs are a within a short drive.

  
  

  Must be registered to attend the campout.  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• August Member Meeting and Campout - Kirch Flat

  • Start
    15 Aug 2025
  •  
    08:00
  • End
    17 Aug 2025
  •  
    12:00
  • Location
    Trimmer Springs Road
  • Spaces left
    50

  

  
  

  More details to follow  in June 2025

  
  

  At approximately1,000 feet in elevation, Kirch Flat Campground resides on a large sandy flat area on the river’s edge of the scenic Kings River and is surrounded by rolling, oak-covered foothills and spectacular river canyon and mountain views of the Sierra Nevada. Though it can be very hot in the summer months, Kirch Flat Campground is a great place to camp during the spring and fall months and is popular with San Joaquin Valley residents, fisherman, day users, and whitewater enthusiasts who come to enjoy many challenging rapids and beautiful canyon scenery of the King’s River.

   A good amount of shade is provided by oak and pine trees throughout the area; however, there is no running water or trash service at the campground. This campground is on the "Pack it In, Pack it Out" program, therefore, garbage cans are not provided. Campers are encouraged to bring their own garbage bags and take their garbage with them when leaving the campsite.

  Rider leader needed - email - president@bmwnorcal.org if you can assist

  Must be registered to attend the campout.  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• September Member Meeting and Campout Hornswoggle

  • Start
    26 Sep 2025
  •  
    08:00
  • End
    28 Sep 2025
  •  
    12:00
  • Location
    Near Camptonville, CA
  • Spaces left
    75

  
  

  
  

  We had such a great time in 2024, were back again in 2025!  This Months campout brings us to Hornswoggle Group Campground near Camptonville in the Tahoe National Forest.  

  Group ride planned for Saturday sept 27 - TBD.  Breakfast meetup and ride details will be sent with the email confirming your registration.

  We will need to monitor fire restrictions as the rules are changing fast in response to fire season.  

  You must be registered to attend the campout.  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• October Member Meeting and Campout Manchester KOA

  • Start
    24 Oct 2025
  •  
    08:00
  • End
    26 Oct 2025
  •  
    12:00
  • Location
    Manchester, CA
  • Spaces left
    160

  

  SAVE The date - More details to follow in August or sooner!  This is also the Clubs 60th Anniversary, its an event you wont want to miss!

  This year's Oktoberfest brings us to Manchester KOA. We will be hosting this event in collaboration with the Northern California Airhead Beemer Club.  The Club has reserved the Group Campsite from XXX to XXX.  All attendees must register at the front office on arrival and pay the nightly fee for all your camping nights directly to KOA. 

  We are looking forward to seeing you!

  Start location will be TBD, details to follow in a separate email.

  All attendees MUST be registered.  This includes Pillions and guests.

  
  

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• April Member Meeting - Songdog Ranch! 2026

  • Start
    24 Apr 2026
  •  
    12:00
  • End
    26 Apr 2026
  •  
    12:00
  • Location
    Songdog Ranch-680 Ballinger Canyon Rd, Maricopa, CA 93252

  
  

  Registration for the event will open approximately 30-60 days before the event. Stay tuned!

  Songdog Ranch: Why Not?
  Come join BMW NorCal for a fantastic time at one of the club's favorite destinations, Songdog Ranch! Located just south of the Carrizo Plain, this venue offers some awesome old-west-style camping — a perfect spot for us moto adventurers. We've booked the campground for two nights, so there's no excuse not to make the trek down!

  BBQ Dinner & Breakfast – We Need Your Help!
  We’d love to make the Saturday BBQ dinner and Sunday breakfast a big success, but we need some assistance:

  • BBQ Dinner: If a club member could step up to coordinate the food, that would be amazing! If not, we’ll go with a “bring your own food” approach.
  • Breakfast: The details for breakfast are still TBD. We'll keep you posted!

  If you're interested in coordinating food for the event, please reach out! There are a few caterers in the area who could help, and it would be a huge relief. If you're unable to assist, no worries — we’ll simply go the BYO route.

  Ride Information
  Given the diversity of participants, we won't have an organized ride to the campout. Feel free to plan your ride accordingly.

  Important Reminder – Registration Required
  All attendees, including pillions, must be registered for the event. We want to ensure we have everything ready for everyone!

  Looking forward to seeing you there! If you have any questions or can help coordinate food, don’t hesitate to reach out.

  
  

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