The desire to offer a second national event opposite the MOA National Rally has existed for several years. While the MOA mastered the production of a national rally each summer many years ago, organization leadership began brainstorming potential new event possibilities to attract new members to the organization while offering all motorcyclists something new and exciting.
While the exact format the new event would take was unknown, what was known was that an event duplicating our current and very successful national rally was not the direction to take. Instead, what was desired was an event, unlike our current rally, Getaways or Training events. An annual event able to engage and excite both MOA members and nonmembers and bring them together in a celebration of motorcycling.
In the spring of 2021, Wes Fitzer, former MOA president, came up with the idea of hosting a motor officer competition or rodeo exclusively for departments using BMW RTs as their motorcycle platforms. Later that year, the idea was pitched to the BMW International Council of Clubs at their annual meeting in Germany. While the ICC thought the concept sounded fantastic, the group didn’t know of an international RTP competition and suggested that the MOA build one here in the U.S. With that suggestion, an idea began to take root.
In addition to the RTP competition, Fitzer then asked what "three-ring circus approach" would generate the most excitement for all motorcyclists.
According to Ted Moyer, MOA Executive Director, that’s when ideas including an ADV track and competition, along with a “gymkhana,” a timed event with contestants using G 310s and racing over a tight, twisting course marked with cones, began to materialize. That was also when the hard work began.
Moving an event idea from the concept stage to reality proved to be a bit more complex than initially imagined, as locating police departments using BMW RTP motorcycles was difficult. Without the extensive dealer network Harley-Davidson enjoys and the fact that BMW Motorrad didn’t provide any assistance locating departments using RTPs, the MOA had to work harder to figure things out.
Enlisting the help of Aaron Rankin of the BMW Performance Center Rider Academy, 25 departments were contacted and invited to the inaugural event held in September at the Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Tennessee. The site, which also served as the home of the 2019 MOA National Rally, offered ample paved surfaces for an RTP competition and a dirt arena for an ADV Track.
According to Moyer, "We knew this year was going to be limited, but we wanted to get the ball rolling, the event off the ground and on solid footing. 2022 was essentially an incubator for future years."
This year, motor officers from Boise, Idaho; Bartlett, Tennessee; Guilford County, North Carolina; and Cabarrus County, North Carolina, participated in the RTP competition and wowed spectators with their skillful mastery of riding skills through the tight and complex course.
At the ADV track built by Chad Warner and Bill Dragoo, dozens of riders, including one on an old Cushman, built and tested their skills over and around obstacles and through mud.
Over at the gymkhana track, ebikes took the place of G 310s and offered interested participants an opportunity to speed through a cone course. Meanwhile, a handful of vendors displayed their wares as a couple of food trucks kept hunger at bay.
In the short term, Moyer said the goal is to create a national event opposite the MOA’s national rally. A simple spectator event for both members and the general public that within five years will not only become the world championship event for RTP motor officers but a celebration of motorcycles offering attendees a gymkhana competition, motorcycle displays, vendors, a beer garden, music and more.
At the end of the day, motor officers who participated in the RTP competition, BMW Performance Center staff assisting with the course setup and scoring, and spectators were excited at what they saw and looked forward to coming back next year.
“We got fantastic feedback from the competitors. While attendees might look at the event this year and believe it to be a bust, I’m pleased that the organization got another national event off the ground,” Moyer said. “For the MOA, everything begins at the grassroots level. It took us 50 years to pull off another national event, and this is the year we got Motorrad Fest off the ground.”