Born winner and role model: on the 100th birthday of Georg ("Schorsch") Meier.

“Schorsch”, as he was known in Bavarian, made motor sport history in his time. Born in Mühldorf, he embarked on off-road racing on a BMW R 4 and, among other triumphs, became German Military Champion. In 1937 he was signed on by BMW as a works rider, and crowned his very first season of road racing with the 1938 European Championship. What was arguably his most significant victory followed in 1939, when he became the first non-British rider on a foreign motorcycle to win the Senior TT on the Isle of Man. In doing so, he placed not only himself but the BMW brand firmly at the pinnacle of road racing.

After the war, he took another five German Championships on his pre-war supercharged BMW motorcycle, set up world endurance records and raked in medals in off-road events. Throughout, he remained loyal to the BMW brand – not just on the race track but in his business life as well. In spring of 1948 Meier opened up a motorcycle shop in Munich’s Dachauerstrasse and a year later became a BMW motorcycle dealer, subsequently selling BMW cars as well. At this time he was already one of Germany’s biggest and most successful BMW franchised dealers.    

Georg Meier, who died on 19 February 1999, was one of the true sporting greats of his day. He was a popular public figure not only for his sporting successes but also thanks to his exemplary comportment beyond the race track. As such he not only helped to define the sporting image of the BMW brand but also served as an outstanding ambassador of the brand at all times.