It's the best of both worlds - a motorcycle tour through the best roads in the east along with expert instruction at each stop from the premier training group at the BMW Performance Center. Oh, and you get to ride the latest 2021 and 2022 BMW motorcycles! It's the BMW MOA Street Fleet Smoky Mountain Tour with the BMW Performance Center!

Ride through the Smoky Mountains, curving through iconic roadways and exploring twisted back roads known only to locals. You'll cover three states (South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee) while enjoying the feel of a BMW motorcycle. The tour includes a visit to the Wheels Through Time Motorcycle Museum, complete with over 300 running classic motorcycles, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Moonshiner 28 and the Tail of the Dragon!

Tour Schedule

May 9, 2022 - Arrive by 1pm at the BMW Performance Center for tour orientation, bike fitting and skills review. As you enter the Performance Center you will be greeted by your tour Instructors as they get you checked in and prepare you for an afternoon of training. Once everyone is checked in, we head to the classroom and cover our itinerary for the following two days. After a quick question and answer session, we are off to meet the Street Fleet patiently waiting for you to put them through the paces. Your instructors will go over the common features of the various models of motorcycles, make the first leg assignments and then lead everyone to the training area.

After a short ride to the training area located within the 137 acres which make up the BMW Performance Center, we warm up the motorcycles and your training begins.We start with some basic skills and transition into practical exercises to prepare you for the twisty mountain roads that await you. After your afternoon of training, you will return to the Greenville Marriott for dinner and overnight accommodations. (An optional night at the Greenville Marriott is available during registration if travel plans require arrival earlier than May 9.)

May 10, 2022 - Transfer to BMW Performance Center in Greer, SC (transportation provided). Tour departs at 8:30am. The Performance Center crew will collect your luggage and place it in one of the support vehicles.  Start the day with a short briefing, followed by an introduction to the street fleet. Before long, you saddle up as you prepare for two days of unforgettable memories on your ultimate BMW Street Fleet Test Ride.

Within minutes of leaving the Performance Center, we will quickly find quiet back roads leading to a short stop at Poinsett Bridge, constructed in 1820, for photo opportunities around the oldest surviving bridge in South Carolina.

We are then off through the twisting roads of the North Saluda Reservoir as we make our way to the mountains of South Carolina.  As we head towards the North Carolina state line. A brief visit to Caesar's Head overlook greets us with a stunning panoramic view of the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area, Appalachian Foothills, and the Upper Piedmont of South Carolina. Table Rock, Sassafras Mountain, Paris Mountain, and even a large rock outcropping—on the trail to Raven Cliff Falls—known as "The Cathedral" can be viewed from this scenic observation overlook.

After marveling at nature's magnificent canvas, we encourage you to swap bikes with another rider and head to the Cashiers and Highlands areas of North Carolina Once there, we will give our trusted fleet a much-deserved rest as we enjoy locally prepared food at a cozy area restaurant. 

Now that our stomachs are full, there is plenty of asphalt ahead for us to enjoy!  Time for a quick fuel fill up, bike swap and off we go! Prepare for miles of twisting roads as we continue our journey towards Robbinsville, ending up at our lodge accommodations at the Historic Tapoco Lodge, just 2 miles from the tail of the dragon!

Our support vehicles have delivered our luggage and have our room assignments in hand. So, settle into your lodge room and make your way down to our dinner overlooking the Cheoah River.  A great time to share stories from the day as the fire pits burn around the property.  Time for a good night's sleep because tomorrow we have a dragon to slay!

May 11, 2022 - Start your morning with a wide selection of breakfast choices as our support staff loads your luggage and wipes down the bikes as we head past the Cheoah Dam (famous for being used in the movie, The Fugitive) and start our short twisty trek to the tail of the dragon.  Eleven miles and 318 turns later, we have done it!  We have conquered the Tail of the Dragon. But wait, we get to swap bikes turn around and do it again! Before most people have had their second cup of coffee, you just completed 22 miles and 636 turns on the ultimate riding machine!

Next, we take a quick stop at the entrance to the dragon, swap bikes, check out the stores for souvenirs, and then off we go enjoying the twist and turns of the famous Moonshiner 28 making our way to ride across the top of the Fontana Dam!  A few photos for the stories, and off we go!  Our next stop is lunch taking in more amazing local cuisine and yet another opportunity to swap bikes for the next leg of the tour.

After our lunch, we head off to the Blue Ridge Parkway and leave the stop signs and stop lights behind and take in all the beauty nature has to offer.  Making our way to the highest point on the parkway for some pictures, bike swap, and eventually making our way back to the Performance Center.  Once back at the Performance Center, your bags will be waiting, along with some SWAG for everyone.  As we depart with lasting memories and stories that last a lifetime, we will all look back on the newfound friendships and the absolute joy we had on the ultimate Street Fleet Test Ride. 

Transportation will be provided to the Greenville Marriott for the final night's lodging and wrap up dinner.

Tour Amenities

The BMW MOA Street Fleet Smoky Mountain Tour is limited to ten participants. Three instructors from the BMW Performance Center will join the tour, allowing for very personalized training opportunities at each rest stop. Instructors will debrief participants on observations from the previous section and techniques to utilize in the next section of the tour.

The Street Fleet Smoky Mountain Tour is all inclusive for MOA members. Tour pricing includes all instruction, use of the Performance Center's fleet of BMW motorcycles, transfer to/from the BMW Performance Center, three nights lodging along with dinner on May 9 and all meals on May 10 and 11. Snacks are included on tour days along with fuel and entry fees to any attractions. If you show up with a helmet and gear, we'll take care of the rest. Pricing for the all inclusive tour is $2,995 per participant.

Please note the BMW MOA Street Fleet Smoky Mountain Tour is an opportunity to experience a variety of the newest BMW motorcycles. A particular motorcycle selection for the entirety of the tour is not guaranteed. You may indicate your preferred motorcycle during registration and we will do everything we can to honor that selection. However, there will be ride swaps and motorcycle changes at the various breakpoints.

Register

Just click on BMW MOA Spring Street Fleet Smoky Mountain Tour to sign up today!