BMW Motorrad South Africa displays commitment to conservation with Ride for Rhinos.

Midrand. In 2017, Alex Jackson of Kaapstad Motorcycle Adventure Tours led a team of six motorcycles on a 5,574-kilometre (km) trip around South Africa. The adventure became known as Ride for Rhinos and raised more than R264 000 for rhino anti-poaching efforts within the world-renowned Kruger National Park.

From 4 to 22 August 2019, Ride for Rhinos will ride again. Covering more than 5000km, the route will start in the north of South Africa, with stops in Kuruman and Springbok before exploring the West Coast. Cape Agulhas, Oudtshoorn and Addo Elephant Park, along with Port St Johns and Port Shepstone, will form part of this year’s route, before the convoy heads north to the Kruger National Park and concludes the ride in Dullstroom, Mpumalanga.

This year, Alex and his team will be astride four motorcycles – the BMW F 750 GS, F 850 GS and R 1250 GS models – from BMW Motorrad South Africa.

“Alex and Ride for Rhinos have previously been shown to have a considerable impact on rhino anti-poaching efforts in the Kruger National Park,” says Edgar Kleinbergen, General Manager: BMW Motorrad South Africa. “As BMW Motorrad South Africa, we are assured our sponsorship of the motorcycles, as well as the donation of R111,000 to the Ride for Rhino fund (in lieu of the cost of hiring the motorcycles) will bolster the conservation efforts of the team. We wish them well on this exciting journey!”

Jackson attributes the success of Ride for Rhinos to his love for motorcycles, wildlife and adventure.

“Since I started travelling across southern Africa by motorcycle in 1998, Ride for Rhinos has, by far, been one of the most rewarding ‘jobs’ I have ever had. Having the support of BMW Motorrad South Africa on this year’s Ride makes the experience that much more meaningful since I am comforted to know we are not alone in our fight against rhino poaching,” Jackson concludes.

The entire tour will be filmed for broadcast in 2019 on the Travel Channel’s World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides.

BMW Group South Africa has a long history of supporting causes close to the hearts of its compatriots. In August 2018, Tim Abbott, CEO of BMW Group South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, handed over the keys to a brand-new BMW X3 to the Rhino Orphanage.

The Rhino Orphanage is a registered non-profit company based in Limpopo, and is the first specialist, dedicated, non-commercial centre that cares for orphaned and injured baby rhinos with the only aim of releasing them back into the wild. The Rhino Orphanage is the world’s first organisation of its kind, and has saved more than 15 rhinos since it was founded in 2012.

At the time, Abbott said BMW Group South Africa was excited to “support the protection of South Africa’s extraordinary natural heritage. It’s just another way we can give back,” Abbott concluded.

For updates of the 2019 Ride for Rhinos, follow @Kaapstadtours on Instagram, or BMW Motorrad South Africa’s social media platforms.  

For any questions on this press release, please contact BMW South Africa’s Group Communications Division as follows: 

Hailey Philander

Specialist: Product Communications (MINI, BMW i and BMW Motorrad)

BMW Group South Africa (Pty) Ltd

Email: hailey.philander@bmw.co.za

Tel:  +27-12-522-2070

Mobile:  +27-71-666-2070

The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises 30 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2018, the BMW Group sold over 2,490,000 passenger vehicles and more than 165,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2017 was € 10.655 billion on revenues amounting to € 98.678 billion. As of 31 December 2017, the BMW Group had a workforce of 129,932 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

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