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2009 NETRA Enduro and Turkey Run Schedule


Below are the NETRA Events where TEAM MAX BMW will be competing/participating. Join in the fun! For more information, please visit "www.maxbmwmotorsport.com":http://www.maxbmwmotorsport.com *2009 NETRA CHAMPIONSHIP ENDURO* Snow Run 2009-02-01 Somers, CT Clarkie's 2009-05-24 E. Freetown, MA King Philip 2009-05-31 Wrentham, MA Rocktoberfast 2009-06-21 Lee, MA Little Rhody 2009-06-28 W. Greenwich, RI Tri-State 2009-07-05 Oxford, MA Rocky Mountain 2009-07-25 Alton, NH Mudslinger 2009-08-02 Sandisfield, MA Noble Woods 2009-08-08 Berwick, ME Gypsy Moth 2009-10-18 Deep River, CT Black and Blue 2009-11-01 W. Stafford, CT *2009 NETRA TURKEY RUNS* Hoot's First 2009-05-03 W. Gloucester, RI Thrill & Chill 2009-07-18 W. Greenwich , RI Noble Woods 2009-08-09 N. Berwick, ME Somers Fun 2009-08-23 Somers, CT Ammonoosuc 2009-09-13 N. Haverhill, NH Triple B 2009-09-19 Sandisfield, MA Pachaug Rock 2009-10-11 Central Village, CT "2000" A1A 2009-11-08 Plainville, MA Toys for Tots 2009-11-15 Assonet, MA

Posted 1:42 PM, Jun 19, 2009 by TeamMAX

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G450 X Off-Road Demo Rides at Noble Woods August 8.


As part of the NETRA Noble Woods weekend in Berwick, ME, MAX BMW will be offering demo rides of the G 450 X on a 1-mile off-road loop on Saturday afternoon. Sponsored by the Seacoast Trail Riders Club, the Noble Woods weekend includes a NETRA Enduro on Saturday, a Big Bike Rally for large adventure bikes on Saturday, and a Turkey Run on Sunday. For more information, visit "NETRA.org":http://www.netra.org or "MAX BMW Motorsport":http://www.maxbmmotorsport.com

Posted 2:13 PM, Jun 18, 2009 by TeamMAX

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G450X - Perfect for Snow!


Check out our video from our snow riding this winter! "G450 X in the Snow":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym2wDsNf9Bk

Posted 2:41 PM, Jun 17, 2009 by TeamMAX

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MAX BMW YouTube Channel Online!


For RallyMoto videos and other interesting content, please visit our YouTube Channel at: "http://www.youtube.com/user/MAXBMWNH":http://www.youtube.com/user/MAXBMWNH

Posted 2:37 PM, Jun 17, 2009 by TeamMAX

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TEAM MAX BMW Welcomes Phil Mealy


!http://www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com/eblast_images/teammax_nhis.jpg! Left to Right: Max Stratton, Phil Mealy, Doug Morrison, TJ Jarret, Joe Warner With the introduction of the G450X into the BMW lineup, TEAM MAX BMW is preparing for a full season of Enduro racing. Our feature rider is 18-year old Phil Mealy, a high school senior from Plainville, MA who will be spending his last summer before college chasing down a NETRA Enduro Series championship. Phil has been riding motorcycles since he was 12 years old and in 2008, captured the B-Bantam class title in the NETRA Championship Enduro Series. A race-prepped BMW G450 X will be his mount for the series. The MAX BMW prepared the suspension on the 450 specifically for Phil's weight and riding style, added an Akrapovic silencer and an aluminum skid plate, engaged the race-mapping for increased engine output and made some sprocket adjustments to suit Enduro competition. Phil is excited to be competing on the BMW G450X this season and will be pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering this fall at the Wentworth Institute of Technology this fall. Watch for more updates on Phil and other TEAM MAX BMW riders as we expand our reach into the off-road competition community.

Posted 2:33 PM, Jun 17, 2009 by TeamMAX

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G450X Riders take on Hoot's 1st Dualsport Ride


Six TEAM MAX BMW riders joined in the fun for a new "Turkey Run" in southern New England last Saturday. Joe Warner, who we are accustomed to seeing on his big HP2 Enduro in the RallyMoto series had the good fortune to ride a G450X test bike in the Turkey Run. Below is Joe's report and review of the 450 with some footage of the Turkey Run at the end: *Good Fortune: My first ride on the G450X* By Joe Warner I had the good fortune to ride a brand new BMW G450X on Saturday at the Hoot's 1st Turkey Run, starting in West Gloucester, RI along the Rhode Island and Connecticut border. "Good fortune" applies for a few reasons. I had planned on riding this event on my Suzuki DRZ400E along with my cousin Rick on his Yamaha WR450F. A phone call from Max Stratton of MAX BMW Motorcycles came with the invite to ride the new 2009 BMW G450X to see what I thought of it. Max was going to bring several of these nicely prepped bikes to the event for guys of varying abilities to experience in the woods. !http://www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com/eblast_images/turkeyrun_gang.jpg! So I found out what a state of the art enduro bike felt like compared to my trusty anvil, the DRZ. The Suzuki DRZ400 series is well known for being capable, rugged and an outright bargain to purchase. I've had the forks and shock re-sprung and re-valved for my weight, installed a Rekluse auto clutch and a Baja Designs dualsport kit. Other than that, it's bone stock. I've done quite a bit of trail riding on the DRZ in the past few years I've owned it and it's been a comfortable tool that I can casually ride on pretty much any trail. Until now, I felt like it's only really bad traits were the weight of the bike, and a disconcerting tendancy for the front end to get knocked off your intended line when pushing it in the rough. For easy paced trailriding it's quite good, but trying to keep up with your fast buddies on more capable equipment can become frustrating quickly as you work to hang onto the bike. My experience with the G450X was an eye opener. One of the lightest new 450 woods machines available, the test bikes had all been thoughtfully setup by MAX's Master BMW techs with an Akrapovic exhaust, some Acerbis bark busters, a beefy skidplate and slightly firmer front springs. The Ohlins rear shock was untouched and I found it just about perfect for my 200lbs. I may add just a touch more rebound damping before the next ride. As we hit the trail, I realized right out of the gate that I'd have to rethink my DRZ riding habits. This bike has got a nice motor! Wow! Throttle response from the fuel-injected engine is snappy and hits "right now". It easily and controllably lofts the front wheel over obstacles and yet it's grunty enough to lug down and chug through tight, technical sections with the front end remaining light and responsive. By contrast, the carbureted DRZ feels lazy in its throttle response and the front end feels heavy, plowing through the rough instead of floating over it. Sort of like a boat plowing through the waves before it comes up on a plane. In places where the DRZ gives me trouble holding a line, the G450X carves precisely through with little drama and corners exactly where you steer it instead of feeling like it wants to climb out of a berm. The next revelation for me was the fast, rocky woods roads that would have given me fits on the DRZ. I had to remind myself to quit riding this new bike like my old one. I gradually picked up the pace as my confidence in the front end grew. I was finding it easier to look well ahead, see a line and hold it with each passing mile. This was great fun! Instead of a plodding pace, picking my way through the rocks, I was able to keep my head up and stay on the gas with very little deflection from the front end. Awesome! Gas it! Surprise whoop, rock or root? Lean back a little and gas it! !http://www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com/eblast_images/gasit.jpg! I was really starting to have a ball as my brain gradually switched over from DRZ mode to G450 mode. Admittedly, I stalled the G450 a few times in bad places since I'm so accustomed to riding with the Rekluse clutch in my DRZ (it essentially prevents you from stalling the engine in tricky situations). I also found my grip failing as a result of needing to work a clutch lever again, but that's no fault of the BMW. It's light lever feel has a nice, quick engagement point which I found I liked quite a bit. Our group rode all of the hero sections which included some long, steep rocky climbs and descents. I found the linkage-less, Ohlins equipped rear suspension superb at this. It seemed to hook up well and maintain climbing traction despite the characteristic, slippery New England tree roots that always catch you out in the worst place on the hill. I give the suspension all the kudos for this since I was able to maintain enough momentum to lift off the throttle slightly, clear the roots and get back on the gas. We rode about 75 miles today, and I will confess that I felt pretty out of shape with this being the 1st aggressive woods ride of the season. An interesting phenomena found me rebounding from awful arm pump and poor grip during the 1st half of the ride to a significantly improved pace during the remaining sections. I credit this completely to my building confidence as I got to know and trust this new bike. After just one ride, I'm going to find it very difficult to give this bike back. As luck (or good fortune) would have it, I'm able to take it to a few more events to continue my evaluation before it goes back to MAX BMW. Although today was my 1st chance to ride the G450X at length, I had followed the development of the bike with great interest. As soon as they hit the showroom floor, Team MAX BMW Motorsports was grabbing podium finishes with them in the RallyMoto scene where I compete on a BMW HP2 Enduro. Further demonstrating the bike's flexibility were a couple G450's making a showing at the NHMS/Max BMW Trackday earlier this week. Equipped with supermoto wheels and sticky 17" sportbike rubber, the riders were clearly having a blast carving up the road course and gave up very little top speed down the main straight to the bigger bikes. I was hugely pleased with my 1st experience with this fully street legal BMW enduro machine. You can ride this bike anywhere. It's got great pulling power, snappy throttle and a 3-year, 36K mile warranty! I'm really looking forward to my next ride. "Turkey Run Video":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBiccerrO6I

Posted 2:26 PM, Jun 17, 2009 by TeamMAX

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