Beemerphiles celebrate 'Mastery of Speed'

Devotees of the famous Bavarian marque gathered today for the unveiling of the Museum's latest exhibit, "BMW: The Mastery of Speed."

The exhibit, located on the Museum's lower level, celebrates the German manufacturer's sporting heritage with displays of significant performance machines from nearly every decade of the company's 80 years of motorcycle production—from a 1927 overhead-valve R47 twin (above) to the recently released K1200R inline-four.

"BMW is a comparatively small motorcycle brand in the U.S., but exhibits like this will make us better known," said Laurence Kuykendall (right), communications manager for BMW North America. "Not many people know our motorcycling history goes back 80 years."

Kuykendall also hinted that BMW, which has introduced a new line of sport-oriented motorcycles over the past year, may be returning to competition in the near future.

"As you see our new bikes, think of what the old bikes like these did in competition," he stated during the opening ceremony. "That's all I'll say for now."

Longtime BMW aficionado and collector Peter Nettesheim (left), who curated the exhibit, was also on hand for the opening ceremonies.

"All my bikes in this exhibit are running examples," said Nettesheim of the seven motorcycles on loan from his private collection in Huntington, N.Y. "When they were delivered [Museum Executive Director] Mark Mederski wanted to put oil drip pans under them. I had to explain to him that my bikes are German, and they don't leak."

"BMW: The Mastery of Speed" is sponsored by BMW of North America and Federal Motorcycle Transport and remains on display through June 2006.

An early overhead valve model catches the eye of these visitors.	Admiring the trophies of legendary BMW rider Ernst Henne.
Nettesheim (right) explains the finer points of maintaining an 80-year-old BMW twin.	Sporting BMWs from the last 30 years.