Publications
Partners
<b>THE ESTEEMED PANEL:</b> Meet the judges who selected the winners with the new BMW R 1200 GS to be used during the trip are (from left) Adrian Brody, Rick Yune, Charley Boorman and Jutta Kleinschmidt.
MUNICH, Germany – Red-blooded bikers of the world prepare to sigh longingly and in unison. The motorcycle riders who will take part in the BMW Motorrad “Ride of Your Life” tour have been confirmed. For five lucky bikers, the dream of a lifetime is about to come true.
The ride will take them on one very special tour: five motorcyclists who believe they have what it takes will road trip across all five continents.
FAMOUS PANEL
They were selected by a celebrity judging panel made up of Adrien Brody, Rick Yune, Charley Boorman and Jutta Kleinschmidt, who evaluated entries from 12 000 applicants worldwide.
Adrien Brody and Rick Yune are both established actors - Brody being an Academy Award winner for his role in Roman Polanski's The Pianist - while adventurer and actor Charlie Boorman - most famous for his exploits in the 'Long Way Round' series - and 2001 Dakar Rally winner Jutta Kleinschmidt make up the rest of the panel.
In addition to riding ability, the panel was particularly interested in the applicants’ sense of adventure, ability to work as part of a team and physical fitness
Brody said: "It wasn’t just about having the right riding skills. It was also about having the right spirit. After all,that's what drives each of us, what creates the enthusiasm so important to all motorcyclists.”
THE WINNERS
The only woman among the winners is 25-year-old Stephanie Rowe from England. She's a motorcycle professional through-and-through – she not only works in the bike accessories industry but is also a highly successful enduro racer.
Herbert Unger comes from Germany and has been riding a motorcycle since he was 18. In 2013 he will not only join the tour but also celebrate his 50th birthday. He's from Schrobenhausen in Bavaria, a metalworker who cherishes his free time and loves to be on the move.
Next up is Alessio Cigolini from Florence, Italy – he works for one of the world’s largest conglomerates and in his spare time loves to spend days riding through the country.
The fourth rider is 41-year-old Salvador Echevarría from Barcelona, Spain – a businessman "always looking for a challenge at work or on the road".
The last is Stephane Gautronneau from Paris, France – the 39-year-old Frenchman is a fashion photographer who "feels at home anywhere in the world". Among other achievements, he has already ridden 16 000km on a motorcycle from Paris to Goa in south-west India in 46 days.
COURAGE AND CAUTION
Yune said: "The perfect candidate is able to find the right balance between courage and caution on the road; such a person will have time to appreciate the tour’s destinations and find their inner strength.”
Kleinschmidt thinks having an open, friendly attitude is very important: “We were looking for riders who also wanted to stop once in a while to get to know the locals. Wherever you find yourself, there should always be time to talk to people and make new friends.”
INCREDIBLE NATURAL BEAUTY
While each winner has a distinct personality and brings a range of motorcycling experience to the table, each also has the same expectation of the tour: one big adventure that combines incredible natural beauty with the opportunity to ride the new BMW R 1200 GS as part of an extraordinary world tour.
And not only that – they will also be the very first to ride this bike, before it even becomes available in showrooms!
The R 1200 GS will really be able to shine throughout the journey, as the “Ride of Your Life” tour passes through widely different climates and landscapes, from the misty jungle of Asia to Africa’s arid lands, New Zealand’s national parks, the endless prairies of North America and the steep mountain passes of Europe's Pyrenees.
The ride will take them on one very special tour: five motorcyclists who believe they have what it takes will road trip across all five continents.
FAMOUS PANEL
They were selected by a celebrity judging panel made up of Adrien Brody, Rick Yune, Charley Boorman and Jutta Kleinschmidt, who evaluated entries from 12 000 applicants worldwide.
Adrien Brody and Rick Yune are both established actors - Brody being an Academy Award winner for his role in Roman Polanski's The Pianist - while adventurer and actor Charlie Boorman - most famous for his exploits in the 'Long Way Round' series - and 2001 Dakar Rally winner Jutta Kleinschmidt make up the rest of the panel.
In addition to riding ability, the panel was particularly interested in the applicants’ sense of adventure, ability to work as part of a team and physical fitness
Brody said: "It wasn’t just about having the right riding skills. It was also about having the right spirit. After all,that's what drives each of us, what creates the enthusiasm so important to all motorcyclists.”
THE WINNERS
The only woman among the winners is 25-year-old Stephanie Rowe from England. She's a motorcycle professional through-and-through – she not only works in the bike accessories industry but is also a highly successful enduro racer.
Herbert Unger comes from Germany and has been riding a motorcycle since he was 18. In 2013 he will not only join the tour but also celebrate his 50th birthday. He's from Schrobenhausen in Bavaria, a metalworker who cherishes his free time and loves to be on the move.
Next up is Alessio Cigolini from Florence, Italy – he works for one of the world’s largest conglomerates and in his spare time loves to spend days riding through the country.
The fourth rider is 41-year-old Salvador Echevarría from Barcelona, Spain – a businessman "always looking for a challenge at work or on the road".
The last is Stephane Gautronneau from Paris, France – the 39-year-old Frenchman is a fashion photographer who "feels at home anywhere in the world". Among other achievements, he has already ridden 16 000km on a motorcycle from Paris to Goa in south-west India in 46 days.
COURAGE AND CAUTION
Yune said: "The perfect candidate is able to find the right balance between courage and caution on the road; such a person will have time to appreciate the tour’s destinations and find their inner strength.”
Kleinschmidt thinks having an open, friendly attitude is very important: “We were looking for riders who also wanted to stop once in a while to get to know the locals. Wherever you find yourself, there should always be time to talk to people and make new friends.”
INCREDIBLE NATURAL BEAUTY
While each winner has a distinct personality and brings a range of motorcycling experience to the table, each also has the same expectation of the tour: one big adventure that combines incredible natural beauty with the opportunity to ride the new BMW R 1200 GS as part of an extraordinary world tour.
And not only that – they will also be the very first to ride this bike, before it even becomes available in showrooms!
The R 1200 GS will really be able to shine throughout the journey, as the “Ride of Your Life” tour passes through widely different climates and landscapes, from the misty jungle of Asia to Africa’s arid lands, New Zealand’s national parks, the endless prairies of North America and the steep mountain passes of Europe's Pyrenees.
