BMW has many fans and friends, and some are quite extraordinary. Their personal commitment to the brand goes far beyond the call of duty. For this reason, BMW acknowledges their commitment as passionate ambassadors of the BMW brand by awarding them the
title “Friend of the Marque.” The only requirement is that the person should be a member of a recognized BMW club, such as the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America.
One of the highest honors in the BMW community, only a small number of BMW MOA members have received this award. Ray Zimmerman (#3297) of New Market, Alabama, is the latest BMW MOA member to receive this distinction, based not only on his long history
with BMW motorcycles, but with the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America as well.
Ray Zimmerman (right), with Ted Moyer, who is the current Executive Director of the MOA.
Ray was 15 years old when a neighborhood friend gave him his first motorcycle ride on a 1965 Honda Dream, and he was hooked immediately. A few years later, Ray bought his own bike, a 1971 Honda CL350 and put many miles on that Honda. But after a year
and a half, Ray began searching for something new, something better.
Ray’s search took him to many dealerships near his Alabama home, but while looking at a Kawasaki in the showroom of a multi-line shop, he saw his first BMW motorcycle in person. Ray left the shop that day with a new interest in BMW motorcycles. After
researching the brand, he began looking at them more closely and was taken aback by the high level of engineering built into the bikes. After one test ride, he realized he had to have one and was soon the owner of a brand new 1973½ R 75 /5. With that
bike, Ray began riding seriously and started taking multi-day trips with it. Soon after, Ray joined both the BMW Motorcycle Owners of Alabama and a newly formed organization, the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America.
Two years after buying that bike, Ray and his wife Lorra took a cross-country trip from their home in Alabama and spent the next two weeks riding to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and then to Denver, Colorado, before riding back home. It was the couple’s
first of many long-distance trips together. Enjoying spending time riding together soon became a passion for Ray and his wife, and the couple began riding to BMW Club rallies, their first being the Four Winds BMW Riders Club in western Pennsylvania.
“I was so excited attending that first rally,” Ray said.
While they lay in their tent, Ray recalls his wife asking him just after midnight, “You know what you forgot to do yesterday?” With a puzzled look on his face Ray asked what it was. “Wish me a happy birthday,” Lorra said.
Describing himself as “always one unable to say no,” Ray’s volunteer service with the BMW Motorcycle Owners of Alabama has included serving the as their newsletter editor, treasurer and president.
From his first R 75/5, Ray’s next BMW was another R 75, but this time a newer /7 model and over the years, nine other BMW motorcycles followed including a 1965 R 69S, a 1993 K 1100 RS, a 1999 R 1100 RT, a 1976 R 90S, a 2001 K 1200 LT, an R 100 RS, an
R 1100 S, an R 80 /7 and a 2004 R 1150 RS. BMW motorcycles have taken Ray to all of the lower 48 United States and to many rallies. Ray is also a certified Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor and enjoys seeing other riders operate their favorite
motorcycle safely while enjoying the freedom of two wheels.
Professionally, Ray’s career included more than 30 years in the United States Army in both active and reserve assignments before retiring with the rank of Colonel in 2000.
Ray has also been named a BMW MOA Ambassador. Ambassadors are highly experienced and capable members chosen by their MOA peers for their ability to promote the BMW MOA and foster a sense of camaraderie among our members. Serving as official representatives
of the MOA at various functions, Ambassadors also act as emissaries for the BMW MOA in their communities and while on the road. To date, fewer than 250 of the more than 26,000 BMW MOA members have received this commendation.
Around the time of Ray’s retirement from the Army in 2000, the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America was looking for their first Executive Director. After an Executive Search committee examined more than 30 candidates, with his experience as a long-time BMW
rider, years of work in management and planning, Ray was chosen to lead the BMW MOA.
As he had in his other jobs, Ray hit the ground running and began riding across the country visiting BMW dealerships and BMW MOA Chartered Clubs and attending their rallies. When he began with the organization, the BMW MOA had a membership of 32,000 members
and over the next eight years, through the hard work of the club and under Ray’s leadership, membership numbers of the club topped 40,000 as he managed a budget of more than 3.2 million dollars.
During his tenure with the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, Ray began to streamline club operations and oversaw the moving of club headquarters to a new location in St. Louis. Ray organized and began hosting an annual BMW MOA open house, attracting riders
as far away as California, Florida and Texas while offering food and refreshments. A local BMW dealership brought motorcycles by to offer test rides, and door prizes were offered to attendees. Ray was also a frequent contributor to BMW Owners News,
and over his tenure worked hard to strengthen the club’s relationship with BMW Motorrad in both New Jersey and Germany.
Of all of the jobs he held over his long career, Ray says his work as BMW MOA Executive Director was the most demanding, and though he worked long hours, he said it was the best job he ever had because he was able to do what he truly loved.
Congratulations to Ray Zimmerman and his deserving recognition as a “Friend of the Marque.”
