Schefflenz, D (final race ECC)

Successful close of season at the European Cross Country final

An amazing mud fight was to be seen at the European Cross Country final in Schefflenz - the finale with the best riders of the Austrian, Italian and German Cross Country Championships. Heavy showers transformed what is in fact an attractive meadowed area into a mud bath for this last race of the professional class. Even regular climbs became a real challenge. But not for Simo Kirssi - as a Finn accustomed to such difficult conditions, he powered his HP2 Enduro with incomparable skill round the circuit to the applause of the numerous spectators.





Gerhard Forster also lined up for the start: the two BMW riders were able to give an impressive demonstration of the power and traction of the HP2, thundering straight up the slopes where others fell. Simo Kirssi was able to achieve an outstanding 6th position after 2 hours of exceptionally tough racing time. Gerhard Forster managed 11th place with the semi-professionals. The European Cross Country Champion was Bert Meyer, who had finished second in the German Cross Country series. As the best 2-cylinder rider in the series, Kirssi enjoyed well-deserved special applause at the celebrations after the race.

A very pleasing conclusion to a successful BMW HP2 racing season!





Gerhard Forster: "At first I had to get used to the power of the HP2 again, but the more selective it got, the getter I was able to get some drive out of the bike´s incredible traction. Pure off-road pleasure in these conditions!

"Simo Kirssi: "Today it was really hard work again on this difficult, slippery surface. But it was also great fun ploughing everything up with the power of the HP2. I´m certainly looking forward to the next cross country season with BMW."

























Results and further informations at:


www.german-cross-country.de

thanks tsikman

apreciate all the updates

great pics i really feel sorry for the person in the HP2 team who has to clean the bikes after every race !!!
i just wonder what they can achieve with the HP2 next season ?

I love the fotos but just hate the smarmy drivel that accompanies them ..

e.g Heavy showers transformed what is in fact an attractive meadowed area into a mud bath for this last race of the professional class. Even regular climbs became a real challenge. But not for Simo Kirssi - as a Finn accustomed to such difficult conditions, he powered his HP2 Enduro with incomparable skill round the circuit to the applause of the numerous spectators.


I mean

Italian Trev said:

I love the fotos but just hate the smarmy drivel that accompanies them ..

I mean

Click to expand...

You hardly know anything about endurance Cross Contry racing then

Well i agree it's a bit overprised being BMs own reports, but most of it is very true acctually.

You should go and see how hard it really is to race 2 hours. 99% of the so called "hardcore" GS offroad riders wouldn't last 10 minutes there in the average amateur riding tempo. CC is not some regular 30 minute "quick" offroad stuff indeed. And through 2nd season Simo Kirssi on his HP2 has been the most favourite rider for the most of spectators in the CC series by hundred miles, especially on the very muddy conditions you hear "aahs" and "oohs" from the spectators how he wrenches the almost 200kg weighting bike through the obstacles so well where other 100+ riders have serious difficulties with their 100kg bikes, and they do clap their hands seeing Simo in action. I guess also the spectators are a bit bored from the regular single cyl bikes as well you see everywhere - it's a lot more fun to see a 1200cc low note sounding boxer does 10 metre jump flying over you and most of all you just can't believe that it laps so easily dominant amount of bikes there.

Simo deserves all the applause he gets aside the track IMHO! And i feel pity there's no separate class for the big twins like the HP2, altough there're 7 different classes for over 300 riders but none for the big twins. Simo races in the highest rank proffessional class where the European top CC riders race, these 20-30 guys are always overall top and lap other hundred+ riders multiple times. Maybe next year then they have different class for the bigger bikes.

So far, for anyone who knows something about endurance offroad riding, it's truly phenomenal to see the HP2 team doing so well in the professional class, where acctually it shouldn't be. Dakar is closed for big and powerful enduros, so i think BM is on the right direction to initiate starting a new class in CC series and hopefully we can see more of those monsters racing on other competitions in the future as well. And it's good to see the big enduros back on the racing scene, they've been gone for years after the Dakar law change.

To all those tuff bolkes who think they deserve no applause or what so ever, i say go and ride better yourself then, if you think you're a mucho better rider and have no respect to the guys who acctually live for racing!

USA rider needs insider info?

I appreciate the updates on the races, especially on Simo and the HP2. I am in the USA and I do not get any info on Simo, Thanks.

I ride my HP2 only on the MX track and Trails. I have owned it for 11 months and just last month I broke both the upper and lower frames. My dealer warrantied it but BMW came back to them and said that they may not warranty it again. Do you have any way of getting info on how often they change out the frames? I am not nearly as good as Simo, but I do ride very aggressively, see pics below.

Thanks for any help, I enjoy your site.