Thousands expect to gather for July 17 rally.
GILLETTE, Wyo. - As many as 6,500 people will
descend on Gillette next summer during the 37th annual BMW
Motorcycle Owners of America International Rally.
Executive director Ray Zimmerman said the rally will bring
motorcycle owners from across the continent and overseas to
Cam-plex. The rally starts July 17.
Zimmerman said he expects half the people to stay in tents at
Cam-plex, while the other half will fill hotels.
Safety seminars, vendors and mechanical workshops will be the
main attraction for the BMW enthusiasts, who are estimated to add
$500,000 to $750,000 a day to the local economy, said Zimmerman,
who was in Gillette last week touring Cam-plex and planning for the
event.
Learning how to ride the motorcycles also will be a draw for
people. Zimmerman said there will be certified instructors who will
offer six to eight experienced rider courses during the
rally.
Zimmerman said BMW Motorrad USA, the motorcycle manufacturer,
will bring a dozen demonstration motorcycles for members to take
rides during the rally.
"There'll be hundreds of people that'll get to go on a ride on
a new bike that they just think they have to have," Zimmerman
said.
The rally is a closed event that is not open to the public.
But Zimmerman said it is open to club members and their guests, as
well as BMW owners who are not members of the organization.
Unlike the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, Zimmerman
doesn't think the BMW riders will be noticeable in the
community.
He said the group is actually very docile.
"You probably won't even know that we're here, except for the
money we spend," Zimmerman said.
