BMW Motorrad has entered the motorcycle touring and travel segment with the introduction of The Great Getaway Tour. This all-inclusive seven-day tour crisscrosses the Central American country of Costa Rica on BMW’s R 18 cruiser...
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Sandwiched between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, this isthmus nation has become a popular destination thanks to mild tropical weather, carefree vibes, and scenery featuring everything from volcanoes to monkeys. Costa Rica’s Elephant Moto, a local motorcycle rental and tour company, plays host to the tour. Representatives of the motorcycle media experienced it in a condensed four-day format (normally eight days), which we recorded in daily vlogs.
Day 1 began from San José (arrival city and the capital) to Playa Herradura. It’s a 94-mile trip that takes you away from the urban hecticness of the city toward the cool blue water of the Pacific Ocean. We also made a couple of sightseeing stops and got a taste of Costa Rican culture. But enough preamble; watch the video and stay tuned for the next three episodes later this week.
Find out more: https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/story/reviews/bmw-motorcycle-great-getaway-tour-day-one-2022/
Photography: Hermann Köpf
Video: Adam Waheed, BMW Motorrad
Edit: Joseph Agustin
Motorcycle Gear Worn
Helmet: Shoei RF-SR
Jacket: REV'IT! Blackwater
Gloves: REV'IT! Kinetic
Pant: REV'IT! Piston
Boots: TCX Rush 2 Air
Motorcyclist Shirts: https://teespring.com/stores/motorcyclist
Shop Products We Use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/motorcyclistmagazine
See more from us: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/
--
Sandwiched between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, this isthmus nation has become a popular destination thanks to mild tropical weather, carefree vibes, and scenery featuring everything from volcanoes to monkeys. Costa Rica’s Elephant Moto, a local motorcycle rental and tour company, plays host to the tour. Representatives of the motorcycle media experienced it in a condensed four-day format (normally eight days), which we recorded in daily vlogs.
Day 1 began from San José (arrival city and the capital) to Playa Herradura. It’s a 94-mile trip that takes you away from the urban hecticness of the city toward the cool blue water of the Pacific Ocean. We also made a couple of sightseeing stops and got a taste of Costa Rican culture. But enough preamble; watch the video and stay tuned for the next three episodes later this week.
Find out more: https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/story/reviews/bmw-motorcycle-great-getaway-tour-day-one-2022/
Photography: Hermann Köpf
Video: Adam Waheed, BMW Motorrad
Edit: Joseph Agustin
Motorcycle Gear Worn
Helmet: Shoei RF-SR
Jacket: REV'IT! Blackwater
Gloves: REV'IT! Kinetic
Pant: REV'IT! Piston
Boots: TCX Rush 2 Air
Motorcyclist Shirts: https://teespring.com/stores/motorcyclist
Shop Products We Use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/motorcyclistmagazine
See more from us: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/
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SportsTranscript
00:00 (upbeat music)
00:02 Hey folks, so this isn't something you get to do every day.
00:17 Today, we are in San Jose, not California, but Costa Rica.
00:22 We are here for the 2022 BMW Motor Show.
00:29 Motorrad Great Getaway.
00:32 Yes, BMW Motorrad is now offering
00:37 an all-inclusive motorcycle riding tour package.
00:42 You buy your plane ticket to either Costa Rica or Portugal,
00:48 you cough up the 9,000 euros,
00:51 and they set you up with a world-class eight-day tour.
00:56 On this particular tour, we are going to be operating
01:00 BMW Motorrad's new for 2021 R18 Power Cruiser.
01:05 Yes, we have created lots of content
01:13 on every variation of this new
01:17 1800cc Boxster Twin Power Cruiser.
01:23 Now, the great thing about this great getaway
01:28 from BMW Motorrad is that it is all-inclusive.
01:32 You pony up the money, they give you the vehicle,
01:36 they give you a tour package
01:39 where all the meals are taken care of,
01:41 all the hotels, all the destination.
01:44 Basically, you get to live the life
01:47 of a top-tier motorcycle journalist.
01:51 It is pretty neat.
01:53 But enough talking about the experience.
01:56 Let's swing a leg over these bad boys and burn some rubber.
02:01 Yes.
02:03 And away we go, guys, here at the 2022 Great Getaway,
02:19 a inclusive BMW Motorrad tour package
02:24 that typically lasts for eight days.
02:26 We are only doing four days.
02:29 We are here in San Jose, Costa Rica.
02:34 Costa Rica is located in Central America.
02:39 Now, to get there from the United States
02:44 is actually pretty easy.
02:47 A lot of the big domestic carriers
02:51 in the United States serviced San Jose, Costa Rica.
02:56 We flew using United Airlines
03:00 out of Lindbergh Field in San Diego.
03:04 Now, to travel internationally,
03:07 we live in such a crazy time with the COVID-19 pandemic
03:14 and other world issues taking a part
03:18 in the planet right now
03:20 that traveling is a little bit just unnerving.
03:25 Now, traveling to Costa Rica from the United States
03:28 is actually not so bad.
03:31 Number one, if you're gonna travel to Costa Rica,
03:34 you have to have been administered the COVID-19 vaccine.
03:41 If you haven't been administered the COVID-19 vaccine,
03:46 you can take a COVID test.
03:50 And as long as you have a negative test result
03:55 within a predetermined amount of time,
03:57 I don't know if it's 48 hours or 72 hours,
04:00 then you can still travel to Costa Rica.
04:04 You obviously have to have a passport.
04:09 You also have to complete a proprietary to Costa Rica,
04:14 they call it a health form,
04:17 which is just some online document you fill out
04:21 that shows what airline you're flying in,
04:25 what hotel you're staying at initially,
04:28 and your vaccine and/or negative test result information.
04:33 So you do that, you got your passport,
04:39 and your plane ticket,
04:41 and you are free to go to Costa Rica.
04:44 This is my first time in a Central American country.
04:49 We are on a tour right now,
04:51 so we are gonna be following the leader.
04:54 He is our tour guide.
04:55 Because we are not operating a vehicle in the United States,
04:59 we are gonna be subject to Costa Rican traffic laws.
05:04 And I've heard that it is more a loose program down here.
05:09 So don't be too mad if you see us
05:12 blowing through some Alto signs and that kind of stuff.
05:16 Now for this first part of the voyage,
05:20 we are going to be sitting in quite a lot of traffic,
05:25 which stinks.
05:27 Once we get out of there,
05:28 we will be blessed with rural country riding
05:33 and that sort of things, which I can't wait to see.
05:36 (upbeat music)
05:39 Now, while motorcycles are sometimes a luxury
05:52 here in the United States,
05:55 in a country like Costa Rica,
05:58 motorcycling is almost like more of a lifestyle
06:03 slash means of transportation.
06:06 Go figure, we don't see any motorcycles right now,
06:09 but in that thick traffic, we saw a bunch of motorcycles,
06:13 mostly small displacement.
06:15 These big 1800cc cruisers
06:19 are a little bit out of place here in Costa Rica,
06:22 but I'm not complaining.
06:25 Now, the good thing about riding on an orchestrated tour
06:30 like the great getaway from BMW Motorrad
06:35 is that you are riding with a chase,
06:39 with a leader and a chase person.
06:42 That helps ensure safety.
06:46 Now, even though here in Costa Rica,
06:49 they operate vehicles on the right side of the vehicle,
06:54 right side of the road,
06:55 just like most Western countries,
06:58 it's still nice having a leader
07:01 that helps you maintain the right pace
07:05 and makes sure that everyone is riding in a cohesive group
07:10 so no one gets lost or has any problems navigating traffic.
07:15 Everywhere you go, even the United States,
07:19 everyone drives a little bit differently.
07:21 So having a leader and a chase person
07:26 just makes for a more safe riding experience.
07:30 (motorcycle engine roaring)
07:34 Reverse mode activated, yes.
07:36 I love reverse.
07:39 Very nice.
07:44 Take a look over here.
07:47 Oh yeah, baby, look how beautiful it is.
07:51 Woo!
07:52 All right, folks, here we are near Jesus.
07:55 What a cool name, Jesus Costa Rica at this bar.
08:00 And look at this beautiful view.
08:03 That way is the grandness of the Pacific Ocean.
08:08 And here we are.
08:11 We are getting those drinks right there.
08:15 That drink, how is it?
08:18 - It's delicious.
08:19 Costa Rican coffee mixed with some good stuff,
08:21 and then you have the perfect recipe.
08:23 - Yum.
08:23 Who needs Starbucks when you got that?
08:26 Yes.
08:28 And we're also gonna have some of my favorite,
08:31 plantain chips.
08:32 Yes, I love these plantain chips.
08:34 They're fire.
08:35 I wish you guys could taste them.
08:36 - The leaves look...
08:38 - I had to try one, guys.
08:39 Look at that.
08:40 Who needs Starbucks Frappuccino
08:42 when you have Costa Rica Frappuccino?
08:45 Let's try it.
08:45 Yum, yum, it tastes so fire.
08:49 I need this in my life every day.
08:51 Yum.
08:52 (upbeat music)
08:55 Well, that was a yummy Frappuccino-like coffee stop.
09:02 Here outside of Jesus Costa Rica.
09:07 Now we continue to make our way
09:11 across this windy two-lane highway
09:15 toward the Pacific Ocean.
09:18 Yes, I feel the ocean breeze coming up through my sleeves
09:23 of my Revit ADV jacket.
09:27 Ah, I love being cool, riding in the cool weather.
09:31 It just makes everything so pleasurable.
09:35 Now, speaking of riding this R18 Cruiser,
09:41 we've covered this vehicle a lot in our ancillary content
09:47 that is available on the Motorcyclist Mag YouTube channel
09:52 and in written form on the MotorcyclistOnline.com blog.
10:00 And to be fair, this bike isn't the most well-suited
10:05 for these Costa Rican roads.
10:09 We're going really slow and the roads can be a little bumpy
10:14 and the limited rear suspension travel
10:18 does send some jolts through the old spine.
10:22 And because we're really riding pretty slow,
10:26 you really don't ever get out of third or fourth gear.
10:31 But that said, for a 900-pound cruiser,
10:35 this thing is unbelievable how agile it is
10:38 with the wheels in motion.
10:40 It feels, when you have 20, 40 miles per hour
10:44 underneath you, it feels way lighter
10:47 than a 900-pound cruiser should be.
10:50 But at the same time, when you are riding
10:53 at two miles per hour, it feels a little heavy.
10:57 Thankfully, it has that easy-to-use mechanical reverse
11:02 with the electronic actuation button
11:06 that makes getting in and out of tight spots not so tough.
11:11 The thing is, even when you're riding
11:16 in the supposedly dry season,
11:18 you never know when a rain shower's gonna hit you.
11:24 So here we are riding in the rain.
11:28 Always an experience when you're riding a motorcycle.
11:34 But hey, riding in the rain's better than not riding at all.
11:37 How about that?
11:38 And look at this beautiful river we are crossing.
11:42 I do not have my Apple Maps or Google Maps on me right now
11:46 'cause I'm riding, so I can't articulate what river this is.
11:50 But it is definitely a sight to see.
11:54 Yes!
11:54 So right now, we are just pulling into our lunch stop.
12:00 And judging by the looks of things,
12:02 I think this place is gonna be pretty nice.
12:05 We're on this private road.
12:08 Yes, the road is beat up, but by the signs,
12:11 it looks like they do weddings here
12:13 and all kinds of special events.
12:17 And look at the landscaping, it's beautiful.
12:20 (engine rumbling)
12:23 Zephyr Palace, very nice.
12:25 And here we are, boys and girls,
12:32 at our lunch stop at Villa Coletas.
12:36 This place is a hotel-style resort.
12:40 And look, BMW Motorrad pulls out all the stops
12:45 for its The Great Getaway Adventure.
12:50 No expense spared.
12:52 Thank you, sir, I love this hibiscus drink.
12:54 Gracias.
12:55 No expense spared.
12:59 Here we are at the Villa Coletas,
13:02 part of the Zephyr Palace.
13:04 And this place is just exquisite.
13:07 Hey, buddy, what are we gonna eat?
13:09 (man speaking in foreign language)
13:10 Yum, look at that, croquettes.
13:12 (man speaking in foreign language)
13:14 Oh, yes, dude, oh, we're living life on this great getaway.
13:19 - I wanna fly the drone from this--
13:20 - That's a good idea,
13:21 I'm gonna fly the drone too from there.
13:24 You guys gotta check out this area, this area is boss.
13:28 This is like one of the most beautiful places
13:31 I think I've ever seen in my entire life.
13:34 Check out this romantic waypoint view stop.
13:38 This place is perfect to have some romance
13:41 with your significant other.
13:43 Look at this place.
13:45 Look how boss this view is.
13:47 So sick.
13:51 It is kinda toasty out here.
13:56 I wish I was in one of those boats right now
13:58 swimming in the ocean.
14:00 Pretty awesome, the things you get to see and do
14:04 when you're on the great getaway with BMW Motorrad.
14:09 (upbeat music)
14:12 (upbeat music)
14:15 Well, folks, that was a scrumdiddlylicious lunch
14:25 at the Villa Calitas, part of the Zephyr Resort.
14:29 This place is absolutely fire.
14:32 I wish I had more time on my own
14:36 so I could just spend a day or even a couple days
14:38 here at the resort.
14:40 They had some baller infinity pool
14:43 and a bar right next to it with all you can drink
14:48 pina coladas, which is totally my style
14:51 when I'm away from the bike.
14:53 So maybe next time we'll get to experience that.
14:57 But pretty neat so far.
14:59 So good on the first day of the great getaway
15:04 by BMW Motorrad.
15:07 We've been able to see some neat parts of Costa Rica.
15:12 Log a little bit of mileage, nothing too serious.
15:16 If we even log 40 miles today, I think that would be a lot.
15:21 But because we're going so slow
15:24 and we're stopping so frequently,
15:26 not in a bad way, but coffee stops,
15:28 get a drink of water, take some photos,
15:30 look at some stuff that you don't get to see every day.
15:34 And the time, the day goes by pretty quick.
15:36 It's already four o'clock
15:38 and we still have another short ride to our hotel.
15:40 But all in all, a very nice experience.
15:44 Let's log some miles.
15:46 And here we go, guys, into the Los Suños Resort.
15:51 Wow, look at this place.
15:54 This place looks baller.
15:57 I love resorts and hotels that have fountains in the front.
16:02 Look at this place.
16:04 It looks like a tropical rainforest.
16:06 Probably because we're in a tropical rainforest.
16:10 Nothing but the best during the Great Getaway
16:15 with BMW Motorrad, yes.
16:21 Well, guys, we did it.
16:24 Cheers.
16:25 Cheers to a great day of riding at the BMW Great Getaway.
16:30 - Cheers. - Nice, cheers, dude.
16:32 - My first sip.
16:35 - Cheers.
16:36 (upbeat music)
16:39 - Well, folks, not a bad way to wrap up a big day
16:54 in the saddle of BMW's R18 Cruiser.
16:58 Tune in tomorrow for more riding fun
17:00 from the Great Getaway with BMW Motorrad.
17:03 (upbeat music)
17:06 (upbeat music)
17:09 (upbeat music)
17:11 (upbeat music)
17:14 (upbeat music)
17:16 (upbeat music)