The BMW Club of Northern California, Inc. upcoming events

2026 BMW NorCal 49er Rally-Mariposa County Fairgrounds (21 May 2026)

Thu, 21 May 2026 22:00:00 GMT

54th Annual 49er Rally

BMW Motorcycle Club of Northern California's Premier Memorial Day Weekend Event

Early Bird Pricing until April 30

$160 $140

Mariposa County Fairgrounds

May 21-25, 2026

Join us for the premier BMW motorcycle rally in Northern California! The 49er Rally brings together BMW enthusiasts from across the region for a weekend of riding, camaraderie, and adventure in the beautiful Sierra Nevada foothills.

The Mariposa County Fairgrounds offers excellent facilities including camping areas, covered pavilions, and easy access to some of California's best riding roads, including the gateway to Yosemite National Park.

What's Included

✓ 4 nights of grassy tent camping (Thu-Sun)
✓ Saturday BBQ dinner included
✓ Complimentary beverages
✓ Hot showers and modern facilities

✓ Expert speakers and clinics
✓ Prize giveaways and raffles
✓ Commemorative rally pin
✓ RV Camping: Hookups for additional fee

Glamping with Sherpa Packers

Don't want to haul your camping gear? Sherpa Packers offers a premium valet tent service:

Spacious stand-up tents
Cots, sleeping bags & pillows
Electronics charging station
Morning coffee & towel service

Click to reserve

Expert-Led Training Programs

GS Off-Road Training – Master essential off-road techniques on BMW adventure bikes with experienced instructors.

Police-Style Slow-Speed Clinic – Learn precision control techniques used by motorcycle police officers.

Women's Adventure Clinic – Led by BMW Brand Ambassador Louise Powers. All skill levels welcome!

Visit the training page for details and booking.

Riding Showcase

Test your skills in three exciting challenges designed by legendary course designer Dennis Godwin:

GS Challenge – Technical off-road course that will push your limits
Asphalt Trials – Show off your slow-speed cone course control
English Trials – Balance and precision course – fewest dabs wins!

Onsite Food Options

Aranda's Gourmet Egg Rolls – Serving up delicious Asian Pacific options
MotoVelo Coffee – Premium coffee
Golden Grapplers – Breakfast, lunch & dinner supporting local youth wrestling
More coming soon

Location

Mariposa County Fairgrounds
5007 Fairgrounds Road
Mariposa, CA 95338

The fairgrounds offer flat camping areas suitable for tents and RVs. Electrical hookups are available for an additional fee. Hot showers and restroom facilities are on-site.

Full event details, schedule, and more at:

49er Rally Site

Adventure Riding Clinic (ADV Moto Pros) (22 May 2026)

Fri, 22 May 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Professional Adventure Motorcycle Training

About the Training

In this training, riders will learn basic skills and how to smoothly and confidently control their motorcycle off pavement. The course focuses on maximizing traction, proper clutch control, correct vision, relaxed body position, and moving around on the bike with confidence. We offer a beginner class in the morning and an intermediate/advanced course in the afternoon.

What to Bring

Riders must provide their own motorcycle with a legal license plate for operating on public roads. Knobby or aggressive tires are recommended but not required.

Full protective gear is required:

Full-face or modular helmet (open face is allowed but not recommended)
Full protective armor (knees, hips, elbows, shoulders)
Spine protector (recommended)
Sturdy boots with shin and ankle protection
Sturdy gloves with reinforced palms

Introductory Clinic

Safely lifting a dropped bike
Riding position and vision
Weight shifting on the footpegs
Using the clutch friction zone
Relaxed slow-speed balance and control
Rear wheel skidding
Front wheel threshold braking
Emergency stops
Slow-speed counterbalanced turns

Advanced Clinic

Steep hill climbs and descents
Skid steering
Throttle steering
Increased pace
Wheel lofting
Surmounting obstacles
Riding in gravel
Riding in sand and mud (discussion items if these obstacles are not available)

About AdvMotoPros

AdvMotoPros is dedicated to high-quality adventure-touring courses led by instructors with extensive experience. Most of our instructors have at least ten years of experience teaching basic, intermediate, and advanced adventure-touring skills on a variety of adventure motorcycles, including BMW, Harley-Davidson, KTM, Honda, Triumph, Royal Enfield, Yamaha, and many others.

Our goal is to give riders the skills and confidence to ride in a variety of conditions and terrain, and to help eliminate the fear and tension that can occur when taking large motorcycles off road. We focus on minimizing the potential for injury or damage to the motorcycle.

Rob Day

Founder & Lead Instructor

With years of hands-on experience training riders of all skill levels, Rob leads every clinic with a focus on safety, confidence, and building real-world off-road capability.

Women's Adventure Riding Clinic (22 May 2026)

Fri, 22 May 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Women's Adventure Riding Clinic

Intermediate Skills — Hills, Turns & Obstacles

About the Training

Ready to take your off-road riding to the next level? This intermediate-level clinic is designed for women who have completed an introductory adventure riding course and want to push their skills further. Louise Powers and her team will guide you through a day of progressive drills focused on the real-world challenges you'll face on the trail — hills, off-camber terrain, tight turns, and obstacles.

Whether you've taken a previous 49er Rally ADV class or graduated from another accredited off-road school, this clinic will build on your foundation and give you the confidence to tackle more demanding terrain.

ⓘ Prerequisite

Completion of an introductory course in off-road riding techniques is required. Previous 49er Rally ADV classes or other accredited off-road riding schools qualify.

Schedule

The course will be offered Friday from 8 AM to 12 noon, followed by a guided tour to practice and develop your skills on an off-road trail. After the ride, celebrate with your course mates in our hospitality center.

What You'll Learn

This intermediate clinic focuses on four key areas that will transform your trail riding:

Hills — Ascending and descending with control and confidence
Off-Camber Riding — Body positioning and throttle technique for hillside turns and uneven terrain
Turns — Advanced body positioning and speed control through tight and technical corners
Obstacles — Confident navigation of ruts, roots, and rocks

Through a series of instruction, drills, and coaching, Louise and her team will build on your foundational skills, combining and enhancing these elements in an off-road environment.

You Can Do More Than You Think

Some of the most common feedback from past participants: "I can't believe what I can do that I couldn't do when I got here!" The building-block structure ensures that fundamental elements needed for safe, effective riding are learned, practiced, and built upon. Students often find themselves excelling in areas they thought outside their reach.

Commonly Asked Questions

What riding skills do I need to attend?

This intermediate course builds on introductory off-road skills. You must have completed a prior introductory adventure riding course. Street riding experience alone is not sufficient for this level.

What kind of tires will I need?

A dual-sport tire with 50% remaining tread wear is recommended. Knobbies are welcome but not required.

What kind of riding gear should I wear?

All riders must wear at minimum: a DOT-approved helmet, gloves, long pants, a shirt, and close-toed shoes. Full riding gear is recommended, including a full-face helmet, armored jacket/pants, and off-road or dual-sport oriented gloves/boots.

How should my bike be prepared?

Falls and tip-overs are common when learning these skills but usually do not result in injury or harm to your motorcycle. Common protective upgrades include engine protection bars, a skid plate, valve cover protectors (BMW Boxer-Twin models), hand protectors, radiator guards, and a headlight guard. Also consider larger off-road-oriented footpegs and bar risers.

Your Instructor

Louise Powers

Lead Instructor

Louise is a world-traveling adventure rider with tens of thousands of miles on her bikes. At under 5'4" tall, she has a unique understanding of what it takes to ride "big" adventure bikes — she owns and rides a BMW R 1300 GS. Louise has been teaching adventure riding skills since 2015 and has helped thousands of riders build confidence off-road.

SlowRide Police Style Riding Courses (22 May 2026)

Fri, 22 May 2026 15:30:00 GMT

About the Training

Back after great success last year! Everyone can improve their slow speed riding skills. Slow Ride Motorcycle Training will be at the 49er providing their top-notch Police Style Riding courses for improving your slow speed riding.

If you're a motorcyclist and you ride often, you've probably experienced a low-speed maneuvering issue at one time or another. The failure to control a motorcycle when speeds get under 12 miles per hour usually results in a drop or tip over. Think slow tight turns or weaving around an obstacle. If this describes you, then you need to attend our Slow Ride Motorcycle Training course.

We offer the Level 1 Class in the morning and afternoon on Friday and Saturday morning. The Level 1 Class is offered only on Saturday afternoon. Be sure to select the correct class on the registration page.

Level I

The level 1 course teaches civilian riders the techniques used by police motorcycle officers in a non-stress, controlled environment. We don't use tall cones! The introductory course will cover the proper use of the clutch, throttle, and rear brakes to balance the motorcycle at low speeds. All techniques will be discussed, demonstrated, and then coached on a one-to-one basis.

Level 2

Designed for experienced riders looking to up their game, or for those who completed the introductory course in the morning. Our instructors will take you through a step-by-step process to help you master low-speed maneuvering techniques needed for U-turns, turns from a stop, and more. Each exercise will be discussed, demonstrated, then practiced in a non-stressful controlled environment.

Cost

Each session is $250 per rider.

Early Bird Special — Save $50!

Register before April 22, 2026 and pay just $200 per session. Don't delay — lock in your spot at the discounted rate before it's gone!

You may register for multiple sessions. Sign up for the Intro Course in the morning and level up with the Advanced Course in the afternoon!

Safety Gear Requirements

Riders should bring a ball cap, sunscreen, and plenty of water. The following must be worn while operating your motorcycle on the range:

DOT approved helmet
Protective eyewear
Motorcycle jacket or long sleeve shirt
Durable long pants with no rips or holes
Full-finger leather street gloves
Sturdy over-the-ankle boots

Motorcycle Requirements

Motorcycles will be inspected by the instructors prior to riding on the range. Please ensure that your motorcycle has good brakes, tires (properly inflated), and a good battery. Handlebars should not touch any portion of the rider when the wheel is at full lock in either direction. The rider must be able to smoothly operate the throttle and clutch.

Show Off Your New Skills

After building your skills, be sure to sign up for BMW NorCal's Asphalt Trials Challenge on Saturday!

About Slow Ride Motorcycle Training

Slow Ride's mission is advancing your rider skill level through focused coaching in a non-stressful learning environment.

The courses are taught by instructors certified in police motorcycle instruction who are active or retired police motor officers with over 60 years of combined training experience. They are well-versed in the field of motorcycle safety. Meet our instructors for more information.

Shawn’s Uber-tastic epic adventure ride extraordinaire (22 May 2026)

Fri, 22 May 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Shawn's Uber-tastic Epic Adventure Ride Extraordinaire

Off-Road Skills & Backcountry Adventure

About the Ride

If you watched his “Unclimbable Mountain” series on social media, you might think BMW Brand Ambassador and veteran adventure rider Shawn Thomas was insane and that riding with him would place you in mortal danger. Truth is, Shawn is just as happy cruising fire roads and enjoying the backcountry as he is taking on the impossible stuff — and he loves helping new riders become more skilled and confident in the dirt.

Join fellow club member Shawn as he runs you through the basics of off-road riding, followed by a fun, manageable ride into the California backcountry. Shawn’s course begins with a briefing on balance, clutch control, throttle and braking, and continues with a guided ride that will show off the world beyond where the pavement ends.

Schedule

The ride will be offered Friday from 8:30 AM to approximately 2:00 PM. Meet at the rally grounds for a skills briefing before heading out on the trail.

ⓘ What You'll Need

Comfort riding off road
An adventure-style motorcycle with dual-sport tires (at least 30% tread remaining)
Sufficient water and/or hydration for a half day of riding
A personality that lends well to adventure riding with a group of novice enthusiasts

Your Instructor

Shawn Thomas

BMW Brand Ambassador & Adventure Riding Instructor

Shawn is an internationally certified off-road instructor and BMW Brand Ambassador with a passion for helping adventure riders be the best they can be. Known for his “Unclimbable Mountain” series, Shawn brings decades of experience teaching thousands of adventure riders worldwide — from complete beginners to seasoned off-road enthusiasts.

Monthly Board of Director Meetings (31 Dec 2026)

Fri, 01 Jan 2027 03:00:00 GMT

ALL Board of Directors Meetings will be virtually, we promptly start at 7PM

January 14th

February 11th

March 10th

April 8th

May 13th

June 10th

Virtual Link Notice
To receive the virtual meeting link, email: secretary@bmwnorcal.org

Note: Only requests made within 24 hours of the meeting will be responded to.
Please do not send multiple requests.