New BMW dealer in Bellingham?

Howard - who has run that dealership for years- is a really enthusiastic bike guy. Show him some support and buy your daughter's love with that T100.

I'm looking forward to stopping in on the new BMW dealership next time I'm up there visiting the mother-in-law or the old alma mater. Those guys were very friendly as the Ural guys - they'd let you ride in a big a field they had. (I agree that the current web site bites.)

Gootch is right, Howard is an A+ guy.

As far as Chuckanut... well, it's a great ride, but...
A) too many looky-loos going 5 under
B) frequented by police when the weather is nice
C) WAY WAY WAY too many drivers blowing their lines and coming over the center lane for me. After that guy 2 (?) years ago on his Beemer was sent off the cliff (and decapitated mind you) by a driver crossing into his lane, I've pretty much stayed off of that road unless it's really (really) early in the morning. He was on his way to work and some dumbfuck killed him. No room for error on that road.

The Ural guys are very nice, very solid guys. The owner (Steve) got in on the ground floor with Ural when they were first really taking off here in North America. Of course, they've always had this goofy little store with virtually no proper signs, advertising, or even a web presence. But great guys.

As for Howard...he's a Bellingham icon, a solid old-school guy, former flat-tracker, knows everyone, and yes, he's still as enthusiastic as ever. His little shop has done very well with the Triumph line. I first met him in the mid 70s when he was working at Duke's Outboards and there was a Honda CL350 in there that he'd been working on for a mutual friend. That turned out to be my first bike. Howard sold me a bikini fairing for it.

As for Al's...yeah, nothing good to say about them. They were a far cry from the old Honda shop that used to be down by the post office. Years ago, when the fire department was developing a water rescue program for Lake Whatcom, we approached Al's about working with us. Yamaha would supply Waverunners AT NO COST, and Al would do the paperwork and the maintenance. Al's Honda didn't want anything to do with it. And the guy lived on the lake! So he blew it, and Skagit Powersports became our heroes (thank you, Bill!), happily helping the fire department develop a really great water rescue program.

I'm really looking forward to seeing this new business grow. I miss my Ural! Maybe, just maybe....

That would be cool as I owned '67 TR6R, '68 TR6R, '72 T120R and
'73 T140RV Triumphs during my heydays as a wild & crazy guy.

Alas, despite being 20 years old, she doesn't have a driver's license,
and will be studying aboard for a semester or two. OTOH, I could
see getting her the T100 as a graduation prezzie.

Am in complete agreement with you there based on my own
observations while driving up Chuckanut. That blows chunks
about the BMW rider who was forced off the road by a cager.

I've ridden on the coast btw Morro Bay and Brookings on tons
of day rides and road trips. Unfortunately, haven't ridden btw
Brookings and Port Angeles.

OTOH, got to say that the West Cascades Scenic Byway out
of The Dalles to Westfir with the Quartzville/Santiam Hwy loop
thrown in absolutely rocks.

We had to stop at Truck City Truck Stop on Old Hwy 99 out in
Mt. Vernon to use the restrooms, and noticed that they have
the Long Haul Cafe in quonset hut right across from the pumps.
Looks like a good staging area for upcoming rides.

Like others around here no doubt, I've been keeping an eye out for developments at 5100 Pacific Highway. there's not much happening there yet, but I just noticed on BMW Motorrad's US dealer search page that "BMW Motorcycles of Ferndale" is now listed. So I gave Ben at PNW Motorcycles a call for a progress update, and he said that they're hoping for an April opening of the new store. The new website (www.bmwmcferndale.com) isn't up yet, but they will be posting further news when available on their Facebook page.

~Damian

:huh

I saw the "BMW Motorcycles" coming soon sign last month when visiting my daughter in Bellingham. I've owned a few RT's and two GSA's and my riding buddy restores Airheads, so I'm always interested the location of BMW shops.

I just got off the phone with Ben, co-owner of Pacific Northwest Motorcycles. He told me they are currently located at 4781 Meridian St in Bellingham but plan to move into their new shop at 5100 Pacific Highway in Ferndale on April 1, 2013. He said the best way to get to their new shop when heading north on highway 5 from Bellingham, is to take the Slater Road exit #260, which is just south of their shop.

The next time I'm in Bellingham, I plan to stop in for a visit and will probably buy something because you can never have too much motorcycle stuff.

Turns out the new store's address is (just) inside Ferndale city limits, so apparently BMWNA nixed the original name. "BMW Motorcycles of Ferndale" it is.

Yep. And to support a small town shop.

This new shop, when it opens April 1st, will potentially put alot of competition to the 2 BMW biike shops in Metro Vancouver, BC. There's alot of BMWs running around here, with alot of owners not particularly impressed with the service centres here, and the recent merging of ownership, putting a lock on all BMW sales/service. The two shops in Seattle [well, Fife is kind of Seattle to us guys] are just a bit out of reach for a quick zip down. This new shop is only 20 minutes south of the border. The place will be a gong show of BC plates buying stuff during summer Saturdays.

Yes, there is a new shop going in. It is next to the Barron's Heating. There is a sign on the front of the building, saying something like "Coming Soon, BMW Motorcycles of Bellingham"...
Barron Heating says the work next door is progressing well.
It will be nice to have one close to home, instead of driving all the way down south. Hopefully be a good place to meet other ADV riders in the area.

They're open. Went in today, handful of Guzzis on the floor and a Ural front and center. Rumor is their initial BMW order arrived at customs today or yesterday. Figuring on everything in stock within 3-weeks.

Ural is gone. In my garage now.
Will be a nice shop once they get settled in.

I went in yesterday specifically to buy a pair of gloves. Not a lot of inventory to choose from but they're stacked with bikes, both new and used. No BMW's yet (new anyway) but it looks like it's going to be nice. I live about 10 minutes away so it's (hopefully) going to be my go-to shop. I ride a Triumph and I'm fortunate enough to have a fantastic Triumph dealer nearby as well. Hard to complain about having a BMW, Aprilia, Guzzi, Triumph and Ural dealers all less than 20 miles from home!