MNCruiser Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 There seem to be quite a few Germanic names on this board. Are riders with German lineage more likely to ride/buy a Beemer? I'm certainly not a statistician and don't want to claim that this poll proves anything, but I am curious as to what the response will be. If you have never owned a BMW motorcycle, no need to answer. The grandparent guideline is just there to give a ballpark percentage. I realize there are many shades of grey when it comes to bloodlines. Link to comment
Francois_Dumas Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 .... and what if you DO own a BMW but DON'T have a German(sounding) name ? Link to comment
ESokoloff Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 I did not vote as I'm not sure if I meet the 25% min. My mothers maiden name is/was one that is German. Even if you count me as an IN in your survey, my brother would cancel me out as he is a Harley rider. [For the sake of full disclosure, he is a half brother but no less German then I.] Link to comment
MNCruiser Posted March 5, 2008 Author Share Posted March 5, 2008 As I said, there are many shades of grey here. But if you don't think there is any German in your family tree, then your answer would be 0%. If there is some, then use your best guess to slot yourself into one of the categories. Link to comment
ESokoloff Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 Ok so I am AR.... less that 25% - One of your grandparents was at least 25% German I would have check here as I know I have less then 25% but more then 0%.... but I'm not sure that one of my grandparents was at least 25% German Link to comment
eddd Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 At least 25%. My dad's father was born in Germany but immigrated to the US as a baby with the family that adopted him and gave him the unusual last name I still carry. Lineage had nothing to do with my purchase. I just loved the look of the bike. Link to comment
Husker Red Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 My name "Schrage" is German, but I've got a lot of Czech too. A good combination for drinking beer and polka dancing. Link to comment
skinny_tom (aka boney) Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 I have a German last name. That side of the family has been in the US so long that I can only assume that common history has it wrong and the Mayflower was built by Germans. Still, it's 50% of me. Does that count? Link to comment
Ron_B Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 Does Alsatian count? Yeah, it's French today, but it was German when my german-speaking ancestors came over. My 3rd and 4th cousins there now speak French, but our family surname is "Low-German." Link to comment
SeanC Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 .... and what if you DO own a BMW but DON'T have a German(sounding) name ? Just put "von" in there, add some hard consonants, jettison a few vowels, and if that still doesn't work, add "mann," "reich," "wald" or "er" to the end. E.g., Franz von Dumaswald. - Johan von Kavanreich Link to comment
MNCruiser Posted March 5, 2008 Author Share Posted March 5, 2008 Nothing scientific is required. When someone asks you what your heritage is, do you say part "X", part "Y", part "Z" and part german? If so, whatever you consider that german part to be, round it to the nearest of the six percentages in the poll. If you assume that an average generation is 25 years, and if you take your lineage back to the time of the Mayflower (1621), we all had over 65,000 great, great, great.... great grandparents at that time...give or take. Link to comment
leikam Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 To get at what you're asking, you would also need to factor in the German ancestry of non-BMW riders or at least the population at large and what that population is is a very open question. You're asking a comparative question, but compared to what? Me, I voted 50% but like you said, it's far more complicated than that. Link to comment
edbremer Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 My grandfather came over on a boat from Germany and was processed through Ellis Island. I'm glad it was him and not me. I'm also glad I live where I do and have a choice of what to ride, be it German or whatever. I love my new RT but the Goldwing is pretty special also! Link to comment
MNCruiser Posted March 5, 2008 Author Share Posted March 5, 2008 One could ask the exact same question on an HD or Honda site; or ask the same question again on this site, except change German to some other nationality. There are many ways you could come up with a variety of comparisons. But as I said, I'm not a statistician or a scientist and am not trying to draw any conclusions. Just thought it would be an interesting question. Readers can reach their own conclusions about what the results mean...if anything. Link to comment
azkaisr Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 The B in BMW makes it clear that these are not German motorcycles. Bavaria is really just a barrier between Germany and Austria that has Pretzels, Weisswurst and Bier. The fact that locals eat Weiswurst for breakfast is proof they ain't all there. Kaisr Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 What's wrong with Weißwurst for breakfast? Link to comment
eddd Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 Don't forget the bier has to be warm. Link to comment
tallman Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 Does Alsatian count? Yeah, it's French today, but it was German when my german-speaking ancestors came over. My 3rd and 4th cousins there now speak French, but our family surname is "Low-German." Ron, There were men who fought on one side in WWI and then the other in WWII because of the changes. Link to comment
MachineJoe Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 direct blood line from Germany. 4 grandparents and both parents born there and came over like so many others during the early 50's. I played in a German wedding band with my brothers and cousins for 13 years. Yea, all the great german songs that you hear if you would go to the Oktoberfest in Munich. Never got the yodeling thing down. Link to comment
leikam Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 I was referring to your question "Are riders with German lineage more likely to ride/buy a Beemer?" Your poll question is interesting enough but I find the comparative one incomparably more so. Link to comment
Hermes Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 Bavaria is really just a barrier between Germany and ......... ==================================================================================== I must be like one of those Sport celebrities that can give 110%, because not only are all four of my grandparents German, I am German and fresh off the boat, well 1965 from the civilized Hansestadt Hamburg. Well said Kaisr, and may I add that the Bavarian dialect, amongst so many other things, is incomprehensible and the safest barrier of 'em all, and that is a good thing! Oh, and don't get me started on Lederhosen and Umpa..pah music. But sey bild a verrie nice motorcycle, gell? Jurgen 110% Link to comment
ghaverkamp Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 My grandparents were/are all Americans, born to Americans. That a couple of my great-grandparents were born to German immigrants adds little to my identity other than my surname. But for following male Haverkamps, I might be a Lavender or Davidson, and then I wouldn't really consider think of any German heritage. Link to comment
George Brown Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 50% - both maternal grandparents were 1st generation Americans (born in the 1880's) of German immigrants. We have traced my father's families back to the late 1700's and early 1800's. All generations were born in the USA. We know they are of English decent but we don't know when they immigrated. Dad, in jest, always said they came on the Mayflower. Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 Don't forget the bier has to be warm. NO! The German drink cold beer. It is the English who drink warm beer because they have Lucas refrigerators! Link to comment
Bill_Walker Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 Hmm. I don't recall the percentages, but I'm of English, Irish, Scottish, French and German descent. I do have a fondness for British bikes and sports cars, though I've never owned a British bike. But I think Voxans and most French cars are ugly. I've always liked German cars. My other bike is Japanese, but my car is German. I took Spanish in Middle School, but I took 3 years of German in High School. Taking all these factors into account and stirring vigorously, I believe the end result is that my lineage has never been a consideration in my vehicle selection. The fact that I'm an engineer, and the proclivities that led me to become one, probably has a stronger influence. In sum, I like what I like. Wilhelm Walcher Link to comment
ShovelStrokeEd Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 Anyone who things the English drink warm beer has never been in the basement of a pub in Leeds or Manchester. Perfect temperature for beer consumption is around 45 degrees F. Anything colder and the flavor gets lost (it does feel good going down) Very much warmer and it is reminiscent of the byproduct of consumption. Just my humble opinion. Link to comment
KMG_365 Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 No German ancestors that I know of, but I did major in German and study there for a year on exchange at the Universität Tübingen. I don't know that it impacted my choice of M/C any more than it impacted the purchase of the almost a dozen Japanese M/C's I'd bought before my first BMW. When Leslie and I were first shopping for "a two-up bike" back in 2000 after I'd brought home a Kawasaki P-1000 cop bike with a radio box on the back in lieu of a pillion seat ( . . . you do?? Really?? ) I researched the heck out of the project (first warning sign! ) and looked at all the options on the market at the time. She saw the original R1200C in Ivory at San Diego BMW Motorcycles (then Brattin BMW) about a mile from the house and was smitten, but of course she's 37.5% German. I wanted the RT just because I wanted a capable two-up tourer that I could enjoy riding solo as well and all the other "Sport Tourers" on the market at the time seemed either too cheap or an unfortunate compromise. Maybe it was living in Germany and my appreciation for "Dchermann Enginiering" that colored my thinking! Link to comment
Kitsap Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 Had Husqvarna made the RT I would have had a nationalistic reason to buy it. Link to comment
Jerry Johnston Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I was told I am of Scotch, Irish and German decent but it doesn't mean much after a couple of generations. I guess a lot of that particular combination came down through Canada in the early 1900's Link to comment
Laura Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Yup, I'm only 2nd generation born in the USA. Both paternal grandparents from Germany both maternal grandparents from Italy. German/Italian Volatility with Precision Link to comment
Ron_B Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 German/Italian Volatility with Precision Now that's funny! (Sicilian on my Mom's side) Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 "German/Italian Volatility with Precision" Is that German Volatility with Italian Precision? Link to comment
MNCruiser Posted March 6, 2008 Author Share Posted March 6, 2008 I found this rather interesting and surprising link about US Ancestry Statistics. The analysis is based on 1994 data though and is not necessarily comparable to our poll since it applies to the US only, whereas this site is global. Link to comment
ChrisNYC Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 My grandparents (both sides) were born in America, but before that, both side sides came from Germany or Switzerland. With that heritage, I'm boring, but on time MNRider said I found this rather interesting and surprising link about US Ancestry Statistics. I'm trying to verify another statistic I saw somewhere: one in four Americans can trace their lineage to someone that lives (or lived) in Brooklyn, NY. ------------------ Chris (aka Tender Vittles ) Little '77 KZ400 in the Big Apple Black '99 RT for Everywhere Else, such as ... Link to comment
Linz Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 My ancestors were Saxons (from Saxony in Germany). Arrived in the south west of England in around 500AD. I was born around a 1450 years later. I love Oktoberfests, BMW motorcycles and Volkswagens. Own BMW and VW vehicles. I like weiswurst, bratwurst and german beer. German women also interest me. That last statement needs to be taken in the context that all women interest me... I think that compared to that, you Mayflower descendants are late comers Linz Link to comment
MNCruiser Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 So somewhere along the way one of your ancestors ran afoul of the law and was sentenced to Australia? Link to comment
Laura Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 "German/Italian Volatility with Precision" Is that German Volatility with Italian Precision? To be precise that's Italian volatility with German precision.....so therefore, whena you pissa me offa I vill know exactly vhere and vhen to make you regret it. Link to comment
KMG_365 Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 "German/Italian Volatility with Precision" Is that German Volatility with Italian Precision? To be precise that's Italian volatility with German precision.....so therefore, whena you pissa me offa I vill know exactly vhere and vhen to make you regret it. I nominate this for "Quip of the year"! Link to comment
Linz Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 So somewhere along the way one of your ancestors ran afoul of the law and was sentenced to Australia? Hmmnn... Funny. The answer is no, we emigrated. I have to say though, when you look back in an historical sense, it makes you wonder who got the rough end of the pineapple (old Australian saying). So the British legal system sentenced their "criminals" to warm weather, white sandy beaches, no smog, fog or constant rain (or snow) whilst they stayed behind and choked in the fumes of the industrial revolution... OK, we have the odd poisonous snake and spider but at least you know that they can kill you. Human beings are not as predictable... It's not at all bad being an Aussie, even if I am an import. Linz Link to comment
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