In 1994, BMW Motorrad opened its Enduro Park in the small German town of Hechlingen. It was an instant success, attracting riders from all over Europe and inspiring other countries to set up their own motorcycle rider training facilities to cater for the ever expanding number of BMW enduro owners.
For the first time, official BMW Motorrad rider training is now available in the United States at the BMW Performance Center in South Carolina - and overseas visitors are most welcome. Offering one-day and two-day riding courses for both on and off-road, qualified instructors will help riders to acquire the practical and technical skills to make every ride safer and more enjoyable than ever before.
 Deep water training at the...  Deep water training at the BMW Performance Center in South Carolina |  On-road instruction is also...  On-road instruction is also available |  Participants on the dual-sport...  Participants on the dual-sport ride to Maggie Valley in North Carolina |
The courses are recommended for those with intermediate riding experience, and a range of BMW motorcycles can be rented at the Performance Center. Whether you're an off-road rider, love to tour, or are more sport-bike oriented, the drills and instruction available at the Performance Center are aimed at bringing riding skills and confidence to a whole new level.
The Performance Center's off-road program is based on the curriculum at the BMW Enduro Park in Hechlingen and involves a variety of drills and exercises, ranging from basic bike set-up, body position, throttle and clutch control, to braking and cornering. After that, riders will then hit the trail with a BMW-certified instructor.
There is also on-road instruction available, which stresses the same sort of control and finesse, only on the asphalt. The on-road course also involves some dual-sport exercises which will help every street rider handle sections of gravel or unpaved road that inevitably occurs on a ride.
A group of riders from BMW Motorrad USA's XPLOR customer loyalty program recently had a chance to experience the facility for themselves during an `XPLOR the Performance Center' event. After being treated to demonstration laps in the 507 hp BMW M5, the group of riders had a tour of the Zentrum (museum) before experiencing both on- and off-road instruction at the Performance Center. This was followed by a magnificent dual-sport ride to Maggie Valley in North Carolina. The ride consisted of sections of twisty asphalt, combined with over 50 miles of gravel forest roads through the Pisgah forest.
Feedback from this weekend of fast cars, great bikes and fantastic scenery was excellent, with a variety of positive feedback received, such as:
"It was a very physically demanding eight hours, but we all learned so much. If you ever have the chance to attend, I highly recommend it. I also recommend you rent one of their motorcycles as opposed to using your own."
"With a ratio of four students to one instructor, the course gives you the building blocks to take on challenges and try new things. I think everyone fell but no one got hurt. I rode a G 650 Xchallenge and I really enjoyed the day. The enduro ride at the end was great fun - well worth it."
There is more information and downloadable PDF files available online by visiting www.bmwmotorcycles.com/etc/utils.jsp?t=announcements&idx=2 or for a full schedule of available courses, please call 909-975-5656.