Picture Of The Month! California Highway 1 (Click Image for a Larger View)

Every month customers send us killer photos and I see no reason to keep them to myself so what better way to say thanks for sharing than to post them in this Picture of the Month spot..

Our August / Sept POTM was contributed by our good buddy, Charlie Wickliffe, aka Kneedragger over at the www.I-BMW.com site. I met and rode with Charlie at last year's K12 Goldrush Rally. Great guy. He says of the shot.. "California Highway 1 along the coast is always a treat... this is heading north toward Monterey...This shot was taken in 2006." Thx, C.

If you would like to contribute your own"worthy" shot for our newsletter, here's what I'll need. First.. just email me 1 or 2 of your best digital shots. It'll need to be at least 800x600 in size or larger and preferably A. Of a BMW K1200S, K1200RS, K1200R, R Sport, or any model year K1200GT and B. In focus.

BMW Motorrad Announces Pricing on the 2010 S1000RR

BMW Motorrad USA just tossed out the long awaited figures ..Pricing on the 2010 S1000RR and its factory installed options. The magic number is $13,800 US with the following options...

Race ABS (excluding DTC): $1,000.
Race ABS and Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) Combined: $1,480.
Gear Shift Assistant: $450. (allows clutchless upshifts during acceleration)
Anti Theft Alarm: $395.
WSBK-inspired Motorsports Paint Scheme:$750... ie.. Red, White, and Blue

This new Superbike from BMW weighing only 404 lbs dry, and putting out a massive 193 hp, is one of the most potent, sophisticated and lightest sport bikes ever unleashed on the planet according to the ad department at BMW. The new BMW S1000RR is the most powerful production 1000cc sport bike in the world. In addition to the most potent power plant in its class, the BMW S1000RR introduces new technical features such as the first-ever 4-stage Race ABS system with settings for Rain, Sport, Race and Slick conditions. This groundbreaking new ABS weighs only about 5.5 lbs complete, which is nearly 20 lbs lighter than the competition.

The S1000RR also introduces a new multi-stage Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) which allows smooth acceleration on wet roads, or puts down full-on power on the track and settings in between depending on the road and riding conditions.With its highly distinctive (some think ugly) asymmetrical headlights, which follow the very elegant and unique asymmetrical panels, this first BMW Superbike promises to standout from the crowd of liter-class bikes.The new S 1000 RR is scheduled to be released in the US by early 2010.

* MSRP excludes destination, freight, license, registration, taxes, insurance and options.

MotorCycle Cruise Control for BMW K1200S: Now Available!!

We've been selling the Australian made MotorCycle Cruise control kits for the BMW K1200RS for years.. Still do although these days it's a special order item. They are simply the best aftermarket cruise controls on the market.. Even better than the factory cruise or so we are repeatedly told. Well, mi amigos.. the long awaited BMW K1200S kit, which has been undergoing R & D for almost 2 years, is now available. 'Bout f#%&in' time. Thank you Frank and Tony Guymer. Thank you. Thank you.

We all know that BMW really dropped the ball by not offering a cruise for the K1200S. Unbelievable, but typical. Don't give the customers what they want. Give them what we think they should have. Kinda sounds like Congress... but I digress. Now we have an option of making things right with this worthy farkel. here are a few of the benefits.

* Substantially reduces the risk of getting "performance awards" in suburban areas or on the highway.
* Reduces stress and fatigue on long trips.. no more numb hands!
* Significantly improves fuel consumption!
* Lets you arrive at your destination more relaxed than ever before.
* Provides instant emergency control. Both brakes or the clutch deactivate the cruise.
* Pirates' Lair Liaison Customer Support

Laser Stealth HotCam 2 Slip-Ons: Latest Update: A Tale of Woe and Redemption

In the May 2009 Cheesy Newsletter I related the heart wrenching story of the initial release of the Laser Stealth HotCam 2 Slip-ons to the US market. Ever heard of the WWII term.. "FUBAR?" Look it up. Everything that could have gone wrong with the release did.

The first shipment got stuck in customs for weeks as Inspector Clouseau flagged the shipment "suspicious". Took almost 3 weeks for them to clear. Once declared drug-free, FosterRad the US importer picked them up and promptly labeled all the pre-sold units for shipment to eager customers. I think there were around (30) pre-sold. We sold 20 of those. FosterRad lovingly inspected and packed all the units on a skid and delivered to FedEx. The next day they would be shipped to good little boys and girls all around the USA or so we thought. At some point during that night, a FedEx employee ignored the DO NOT STACK signs on the skid of Carbon Fiber exhausts and decided to stack an M1A2 Abrams tank on it which crushed virtually the entire pallet. "Oh, the humanity!" That meant that almost all the prepaid customers were screwed and would have to wait for a second shipment. This is where the story gets really good.

Rather than owning up to their gross incompetence, FedEx decided to keep this minor faux pas a secret. They took each exhaust out of their crushed boxes and put them in brand spanking new boxes, relabeled them, and shipped them on to the eager yet unsuspecting customers hoping nobody would notice.

A few days later a huge box was delivered to Pirates Lair. It was the size of a washing machine. I heard something rolling around in the box.. opened it and it was my Laser Stealth HotCam 2.. no packing.. no bubble wrap.. no paper.. just a loose canister rolling around in the box with a bag of mounting hardware. What the f#@%? The beautiful canister was all beat up. I immediate started getting calls from other pre-paid customers who were starting to get theirs as well.. all damaged. Many in huge boxes. I called my friend Robert (our contact person) at FosterRad and described the onslaught of angry calls and the massive boxes. When he came to, he immediately figured out that FedEx was the culprit and after a few days of back and forth between them.. FedEx owned up to the problem, agreed to pay for all the damage.

The story doesn't end there.. Amazingly.. a handful of exhausts actually came through all this intact. They were delivered to customers who were happy as clams .. for a few weeks anyway until something started happening. The beautiful Carbon Fiber cans started turning an ugly color.. After a few complaints started coming in and I reported it, FosterRad called the manufacturer who after some sleuthing figured out that one of their material suppliers furnished non-spec metal which was thinner than ordered (and paid for) causing the outside Carbon Fiber sleeves to over-heat and change color.. a color I can only describe as "infant feces yellowish green."

This discoloration issue was discovered at about the time the SECOND shipment was ready to leave Europe to replace the first shipment. This new revelation meant that the entire second shipment would have to be delayed and re-worked with all new material causing another 40-60 days wait and quite a few irate customers who had already been waiting for months.. me included.

Are you depressed yet?..Well.. I could have left out the entire first portion of the story and just started here with the GOOD NEWS, but what's the fun in that? My readers are not only my customers but my friends and IMHO.. they always deserve the truth.. and the whole truth.. Not just a vendor's sales pitch. That's just the way I roll. Anyway.. the aforementioned good news is..(are you ready for it?) Laser has an all new shipment nearing completion and will be re-released in the US on August 15th. All issues have been resolved. Anyone who has been waiting for one should be able to snag one pretty soon. Woohoo!!

As I mentioned, I ended up with one of the damaged ones from the first shipment. I have been using it until a replacement shows up. While it was beat up and it did change to the godawful fouled diaper color, the Laser Stealth HotCam 2 is IMHO.. the best sounding, best looking slip-on exhaust on the market for the BMW K1200S. I can't wait until the new shipment (and my replacement unit) arrives around August 15th!! I'll start taking orders again as soon as they have cleared customs and available. .. and not before. and dat's the fact, Jack.