BMW The Ultimate Riding Machine

As the countdown continues to BMW’s Motorrad Days on the first weekend in July, riders across Europe and beyond are planning their routes to Garmisch-Partenkirchen because as every motorcyclist knows, the journey is as important as the destination.

Many riders will make a stop in Munich – home to BMW – before making the final push down towards the Alps and the picturesque resort town that nestles in the shadow of the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain.

To help motorcyclists appreciate the unspoilt nature, breathtaking panoramas and some of the pretty Bavarian towns situated in this region, BMW Motorrad is recommending special tour options from Munich down to Garmisch, taking in some of the culture and sights of the area. Enjoy our route options and take your pick from the following suggestions…

BMW Welt

The first suggested stop is BMW Welt in Munich, one of the city’s top tourist attractions and the ‘ultimate customer experience’ for BMW owners. Situated right next to the company headquarters, BMW Welt is so much more than a showroom, communication centre and distribution service, it’s also an exhibition facility and event forum. With its amazing architecture, BMW Welt is well worth a visit and offers a perfect start to your tour to Garmisch. And don’t forget to see the BMW Museum.

Nymphenburg Palace

If you prefer classic, rather than modern architecture, then a 20-minute ride west from the city centre will take you to the magnificent Nymphenburg Palace, a Baroque palace that used to be the main summer residence of the rulers of Bavaria. The palace was designed by Italian architect Agostino Barelli and completed in 1675. It receives more than 300,000 visitors per year and together with its park, it is one of the most famous sights in Munich.

Strandbar Raabe at Wörthsee Lake

Wörthsee is one of Bavaria's nicest lakes that attracts hoards of swimmers and sunbathers in the summer months. It’s also a great place to stop to enjoy the morning sun after a ride, and we recommend drinking a cappuccino on the waterfront. Alternatively, you could get yourself in the holiday mood by visiting the Fischer beach bar in Stegen, dipping your toes in the sand and enjoying the crystal clear waters of the Ammer Lake.

Andechs Abbey

Explore the picturesque area of Andechs and feel the centuries of history in the Benedictine Andechs Abbey.

Walleiten

If you want fantastic roads for riding, amazing landscapes for looking at and picture-perfect Alpine vistas, then discover the joys of the wonderful area of Walleiten.

Bad Tölz

Surely there aren’t many better places to stop for a lunch break than the alpine resort of Bad Tölz? Take a break from riding and feast on the Bavarian-style cuisine that’s waiting for you.

Kochel am See/Kesselberg

See Bavaria’s wonderful landscapes for yourself and experience the amazing route between Kochelsee and Walchensee lakes, which is tailor-made for motorcycling. It’s a fairly challenging route that will suit sports riders and please bear in mind that because it attracts a lot of bikers, part of the road from Munich to Garmisch is closed at the weekends (Saturday and Sunday). This of course, won’t stop you enjoying it on the Friday. Furthermore, the road is always open in the other direction, so it will be worth having a look on your return journey, where you can enjoy breathtaking views of the Herzogstand and Jochberg mountains. Don’t forget to look where you are going though – those bends come up pretty fast!

Walchensee

Enjoy the alpine climate and the lake in the very well known town of Walchensee, where there is so much to be discovered.

Lenggries

Idyllic Lenggries is well worth a look. A mecca for mountain bikers, hikers and nature lovers, this is also a great stop-off point for motorcyclists in the heart of Bavaria.

Sylvenstein

The ride to Sylvenstein is legendary, as are the banks of the turquoise-green, crystal clear waters of the Sylvenstein Lake – a well known meeting point for bikers at the border of Germany and Austria.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Mission accomplished – two days of fun, BMW-style, in a wonderful alpine resort are waiting for you! Enjoy BMW Motorrad Days with bikers from all over the world!

A view from the road

Models Anna and Alex set off on a pair of BMW RRs to ride one of many scenic routes down to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Local girl Anna loves the area and really enjoyed experiencing the challenging roads on the sportiest model in the BMW Motorrad line-up.

“This area of Germany is really beautiful with all the mountains, as well as the fantastic riding roads, which offer motorcyclists a lot of fun, action and passion,” she said. “The scenic trip down from Munich to Garmisch is really nice because there are lots of curves to enjoy, although you have to be careful at all times. Of course, you can take the Autobahn, as for some riders it is exciting to experience the Highway without any speed limits, but the scenic routes are about curves, fun and discovering the ‘real’ Germany.

“I loved my time on the Double R, you have to respect it but it’s an amazing machine to ride. I've never been to BMW Motorrad Days before but I will go this year and I'm really excited to meet lots of motorcyclists – and Chris Pfeiffer of course! I think that the BMW Motorrad Days merchandise looks great, especially the T-Shirt. I like the combination of blue and pink and I like it that this T-shirt is short and not too long.”

Get your BMW Motorrad Days official merchandise

Modelled by Anna and Alex, this year’s official Motorrad Days T-shirt and Cap are available for purchase on site at Garmisch-Partenkirchen. This year, the official Motorrad Days T-shirt comes in 67 per cent cotton/33 per cent polyester mix and has a striking grey and blue colour scheme. On the front of the T-shirt is the Motorrad Days 2011 logo, and on the right sleeve is the Garmisch-Partenkirchen logo. The T-shirt comes in sizes XS-XXXL and costs €23.

The official Motorrad Days 2011 cap comes in one size (adjustable) to fit all and is made from 100 per cent cotton. Sporting the same blue colour as the T-shirt, with red and white stripes, it can be bought for just €10.

These items can both be bought from the official merchandising units throughout the weekend at Motorrad Days in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, but only while stocks last…

With less than two weeks to go until this year’s Motorrad Days, more information about the programme, accommodation and the Garmisch-Partenkirchen area can be found by visiting the www.bmw-motorrad.com/motorraddays website.