Bikers tunnel into Europe

Europe's premier biker gathering is rapidly becoming one of the Continent's
most anticipated motorcycling events. Over the long weekend of 1-3 July, a
huge number of UK riders will leave England's green and pleasant land and ride
to the forests and mountains that surround the picturesque German/Austrian
border town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The event that has inspired this
pilgrimage is the annual BMW Motorrad Biker Meeting.

The news that World of BMW has booked exclusive use of an entire Eurotunnel
train has almost upstaged the event itself. Advance bookings and planned
dealership ride-outs indicated that over 250 bikes, riders and passengers would
cross the English Channel. Eurotunnel was immediately contacted and a special
charter service booked and organised. The mass of UK bikes is also scheduled
to return on another BMW charter - five days later.

World of BMW has arranged a ride-out programme in conjunction with the
nationwide BMW Motorrad Dealership Network. A mass of motorcycles is due to
assemble at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone at 6.30am on Thursday 30
June. On arrival in Calais they will split into organised groups and ride 385
miles across rural France to Strasbourg, on the border with Germany. After the
overnight hotel (or camping) stop, the groups then complete a 255-mile ride
through Germany to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. They will stay in the German town
for two nights and attend the Biker Meeting events hosted by BMW Motorrad.

Once at the Biker Meeting venue, the UK contingent will have a BMW Motorrad UK
marquee to act as its base and meeting point. The event will host the world's
first public appearance of BMW's impressive new HP2 Enduro machine and also
feature a celebratory 25-year 'History of the GS' display, in which many famous
or legendary GS machines will be on show. Among them will the Long Way Round
R1150 GS Adventure of Charley Boorman, together with Kevin and Julia Sanders'
hard-ridden GlobeBusters R1150 GS Adventure.

The visiting Brits will not be lost for something to do. Last year over 30,000
motorcyclists visited the Biker Meeting. It includes trade stands, bike
displays, ride-outs, test rides, stunt riding, biker parties (in the evening),
mega-litres of beer and plenty of live music - in fact, everything necessary to
make the gathering a perfect motorcycling event.

The journey back starts on Sunday 3 July at Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The
homeward route will take the British contingent to Hockenheim, south of
Mannheim, or Heidelberg for an overnight hotel (or camping) stop. After
arriving in Calais, the riders and bikes will board a 6pm World of BMW charter
on Monday for the Channel crossing back to Folkestone.

End

Press can visit the Eurotunnel terminal to see this impressive line-up.

For further information please contact one of the following:
Kylie Maebus / Lauren Haslehurst 08000 131 282
Tony Jakeman 01344 480185