I Might Buy One… If You Let Me Feel It

This is a photo of an R 1200 GS motorcycle from BMW’s web site.

(My green friends will cringe because this guy’s scarring up the desert and emitting noxious fumes.)

Still, I have to admit, I like the silver F 650 GS. It looks sharp and the thought of tearing down the back-roads of the Northeast Kingdom this summer is tempting.

But I don’t think I’ll buy one any time soon.

In addition to figuring out how to stay carbon neutral chic (”I’ll take 100 trees with my 650, please”), there’s another little problem: I don’t know how to ride a motorcycle.

I have a feeling there are lots of folks in the same predicament: a yearning for some piece of heavy leisure equipment (a car, plane, boat), but no idea how to operate it.

A major barrier to purchase, if there ever was one (assuming you can clear your green conscience, which seems to be getting tougher with each passing month).

How does BMW (or Cirrus or Riva, etc) fjord the gap? By trying to lure harried folks into an air-conditioned showroom? Unlikely.

How about staging an unforgettable experience in a leisure destination like Marfa, Sun Valley, Stowe or Napa?

For BMW, this might include four-day luxury “riding camps” for small groups who share similar interests (cooking, culture, wine, etc).

The camps could be partially underwritten by a consortium of complementary lifestyle brands in exchange for discreet but powerful marketing opportunities.

And a few key BMW designers could be invited along to listen and respond to valuable first-hand impressions from entry-level consumers.

Offering this kind of experience might help bring consumers like me into the fold. Until then, the F 650 GS will remain an escapist fantasy, and a non-green one at that.