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What is BMWRA?


Sonor

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While at the dealers today getting my 5th fuel strip I saw a pamphlet for the BMWRA. Being a member of the BMW MOA, I was curious what is this all about? I went to the web site and it seems to be yet another BMW sponsored club. Anyone have any comments on them, the reason why one is better than the other, or why someone should join?

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Way back in time the BMW RA was a splinter group formed to be less formal and less political than the MOA. It remains so to this day, but, like most everything to do with motorcycles these days, it is struggling to maintain its membership numbers. They do a phenomenal job with what they have to work with and their national rallies are generally quite good.

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Their Rally is smaller but you get a chance to really know people. They have been able to have their Rally in more interesting places because their requirements are not as difficult to meet. Their magazine, On The Level, is outstanding. I used to belong to both, now belong to only the RA.

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I find the biggest benefit to the MOA is the membership book. When traveling, it is really nice to know you have friends out there you haven't met yet. Does the RA have such a book?

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What "book" are you talking about ki00lt? The RA has never had a book like the MOA annonymous book. I have been a member of both for 15 years.

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The RA has a lower number of members, the club has much less expenses than the MOA and the OTL magazine is very high quality. As mentioned, their rallys are smaller but are held in better places than DesMoines :) This year in PA. The magazine is published 6 times a year. I enjoy both clubs.

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pedro cerveza
Wellsboro, PA is the Rally site for 2018. "Grand Canyon of the East". See you there.

Funny... Must be more than one Grand Canyon of the East. Letchworh State Park in Castile NY makes the same claim. It's worth a trip

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OldBMWMaster
The RA has a lower number of members, the club has much less expenses than the MOA and the OTL magazine is very high quality. As mentioned, their rallys are smaller but are held in better places than DesMoines :) This year in PA. The magazine is published 6 times a year. I enjoy both clubs.

 

Very true Rob. BMWRA has no paid staff. Everyone is a volunteer with the exception of the OTL Editor and the related magazine expenses. Most of our member recruitment is done through our Regional Directors.

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  • 2 weeks later...
moshe_levy

I have been peripherally involved in helping the RA out. The magazine has a new look, as does the advertising, and soon everything else you see and read. It is a club on the way up - less formal, less uptight, less conservative (I don't mean that in the political sense) than the MOA.

 

-MKL

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I agree. The newest On The Level magazine looks fantastic and they had a really informative interview with Michael Peyton, VP of BMW Motorrad Americas that gave insight into the direction BMW is headed. They are also reaching out for member content. Something that MOA seems to have let go by the wayside.

 

 

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I just got my first issue of OTL magazine. Wow...way different from what I remember of seeing a few old OTLs. Glossy - lots of pictures, and almost all member-generated content. I am very impressed.

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This month's issue had a great feature on our local BMW shop, BMWMC of Grand Rapids. My wife is the pretty brunette on the right! Blaine (the owner) and I have gone to a few RA rallies and had fun. As others have shared, much smaller, with less commercial stuff.

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