DATE: Friday, October 24, 1997              TAG: 9710220145

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 10   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JENNIFER C. O'DONNELL, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   63 lines

ENGINEER TURNS MOTORCYCLE LOVE INTO AREA'S LONE BMW DEALERSHIP

JUST A FEW MONTHS ago, Rick Goldbach was a mechanical engineer for Metro Machine. Today, he's running his own business, Adventure BMW, a BMW motorcycle franchise off Woodlake Road in Greenbrier.

Goldbach's passion for the motorcycles he sells was sparked by a bicycle trip he took several years ago after graduating from college.

``I flew my bicycle out to Seattle and rode it cross country back here,'' he said. The 5,000 mile-plus trip was the experience of his life and he vowed to keep hitting the roads whenever the opportunity presented itself.

``But then I got a job and didn't have the time to make a 5,000-mile trip on a bicycle,'' Goldbach said. A car wasn't the answer because it lacked exposure to the environment, said the Norfolk native.

``You're shielded in a car. On a motorcycle, you're exposed to the environment around you. You have a sense of what it's like in each town, on each road,'' he said.

So Goldbach bought his first motorcycle, a BMW touring bike.

The die was cast and several years later, Goldbach decided it was time to turn his passion for riding and travel into a career. When he learned that a local BMW motorcycle dealership was going out of business, Goldbach jumped. But before he could sell his first motorcycle, he had to compete with several other prospective dealerships for the BMW franchise.

``I worked up a business plan and picked a location,'' he said. In November of last year, Goldbach learned the franchise would be his.

Goldbach decided to move his business into the old Noland Lighting and Bath showroom near the Greenbrier exit off I-64. After months of renovation, he opened the business in July.

On a recent visit to the showroom, Goldbach displayed nine of his vehicles, each of them designed for a specific purpose, be it short day trips or cross country travel. The motorcycles range in price from $7,500 to $17,000.

Goldbach is very concerned with the look and feel of his showroom. To make the 5,000-square-foot building more appealing and less intimidating, he hung seascape oil pictures painted by his mother. He also keeps the floors of the showroom and his service area spotless.

Most of Goldbach's customers are experienced bikers, but nearly 20 percent are first-time bike owners. Even so, Goldbach is well aware that motorcycles aren't for everyone. That's why he encourages novice riders to test the adventure before committing to the sport.

``I refer people to the motorcycle safety course offered by Tidewater Community College,'' he said.

The three-day course is hands-on and helps students qualify for a motorcycle license. To encourage inexperienced riders to take the course, Goldbach said BMW will reimburse new bike owners for the cost of tuition.

Motorcycles, he said, have an extremely segmented following.

``It's very clickish,'' he said. ``Brand and model loyalty is very strong. Some people will only ride Harley's; others will only ride Japanese sport bikes and some will only look at BMWs.''

And Goldbach is one of the latter. When he bought the business, he reluctantly sold his BMW touring bike.

``Now I can ride any BMW I want,'' he said with a grin. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHARLIE MEADS

Adventure BMW is located at Woodlake Road and Greenbrier Parkway. Ed

Collier, left, is service technician; Rick Goldbach, center, is the

owner of the new business; and Gary Husson is the parts manager.

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