Passing of the Legend

[Kris]

It's been a long time since I have posted here... but, knowing many are still around - you will want to know that I received word that Cary Littlell passed away late last week. Most know that BMWRT.com was started by Cary back in 2000, some of you have been here since then, including the very first Tech Days in his garage (think there were 8 of us), and it quickly grew into an awesome community of riders learning from each other and enjoying great rides.

 

My understanding is that he passed in his sleep, they suspect it was a heart attack and that it was peaceful.

 

It's certainly a lesson that life is short and you should enjoy each moment that comes your way. Cary is the person that got me into riding motorcycles many years ago and our friendship has gone waaaaay back in time through loads of good and bad times for us both. He will be missed... so, go find a twisty road this weekend and toast a glass (or bottle) of Grey Goose (his fav) to his honor.

 

 

[Kathy R]

I'm in shock.

 

 

Life is indeed precious.

 

 

Thank you for letting us know, Kris.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Clive Liddell]

Thanks for letting us know, Kris. Condolences to family and close friends of Cary.

 

If Cary had not had the foresight to start and grow this Board we BMW riders all over the globe would be the poorer. I have not missed a day here since signing up around 2000.

 

Yes, wife and I will be taking your advice and hitting some km's and curves tomorrow in rememberance of Cary!

[Firefight911]

Ugh. He was my dealer before I came here. A true friend, great man, and humble guy.

 

Rest in Peace, Cary.

[TEWKS]

Sorry to hear. I wish I could have met him, no doubt would have thanked him for many years of smiles.

 

Condolences to family and friends.

 

 

Pat

[Les is more]

My heart is aching with this loss for all of us. I am so honored to have been part of his legacy here. He was such a sweetheart.

 

Kris, I send you the warmest of hugs possible and lots of love.

 

Healing wishes for all of his friends and family.

[TracerBullet]

My condolences to his friends and family. RIP

[Mike]

I'm saddened beyond words.

 

Let's remember that none of this would have happened without him. Cary started this community, which has become something truly remarkable. It's brought together a group of people whose affinity for a motorcycle is transcended by our bonds to one another.

 

We will miss you, Cary.

[Marty Hill]

Kris, for some reason I am not allowed to post on your thread about Cary.

Very sad to get this news, he was a great guy. Along with many others I met him at the first unrally and he became a good friend. Have missed your postings as well.

 

Best to you.

[JerryMather]

What are you talking about Marty? A link would probably clear it up.

[Mike]

What are you talking about Marty? A link would probably clear it up.

 

Moderator error. My apologies.

[ChrisNYC]

Wow, very sad news... I recall the early days of "Cary's RT" forum, it was a goldmine of friends and tech info .. My condolences to his family

 

 

 

 

Chris

[Laura]

We bought our first BMW's in 2000 and found this forum and joined a year later. I even spoke to Cary at one time telling him I loved the BMWRT shirts I ordered and I would be sure to wear them on the Edelweiss trip that year. He was so nice to speak to.

 

Thanks Cary for creating a place where this greenhorn BMW owner got a whole lot of good advice, made friends and found a lot of enjoyment.

 

Thanks to those who continue what he started.

 

[Chris K]

This is indeed sad news. What Cary started and others have continued is still my favorite place online.

He even dug up an original BMWRT sticker for me when I visited his dealership in Marin years ago.

 

My condolences to his friends and family.

[russell_bynum]

Cary was a great man with a huge heart and audacious dreams.

 

This whole thing started because Cary was on a rented Harley on a ride in Colorado with his Dad and they were passed by an R1100RT going the other way. Everything else is, as they say, history.

 

He always had a smile and a hug ready and waiting. I'm humbled to have known him, ridden with him, and called him a friend.

 

The world will be a little bit darker place without him.

[KTM Doug]

Kris, thanks for posting. Sad news.

[EffBee]

I am heartbroken. Cary was a friend. He was the person with the vision to create this place. He was a BMW dealer. He was a generous and giving soul. I stayed at his place several times over the years, and he was the most gracious host.

 

Cary had left for Australia some time ago, to see his Mom and to work over there. He had a good job, and had a new life and love. I'm grateful he didn't suffer. But we who knew him will miss him and his joyous ways.

 

Godspeed my friend.

[gottago]

We never met him but am grateful for what he started. This board and the people on it have enriched our lives tenfold. Thank you Mr. Cary for starting it and thank you to the people that still maintain it. Thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

 

Gar and Nancy

[algover]

Sad news indeed. I had lost track of him the past few years, but still sorry to hear this news.

 

Condolences to his close friends and family, and condolences to all of us for this loss.

 

Yes, I'll go for a ride in his name - that's what I often do when sad or depressed anyway - and I'll wear my Marin BMW T-shirt (I have three).

 

[upflying]

Never met him but had plans to ride to Marin BMW. Dealer closed before I could do that. IIRC, his dealership was a recession victim. RIP.

[Patallaire]

Sorry to learn this, we forget sometimes how and why we got started. I met Gary at the first un-rally. A great experience and he was so attentive to the details.

This is truly a loss for us all.

[Stan Walker]

Condolences.

 

He will be missed.

 

I'll take some curves for him on my trip to Sipapu next week.

 

Stan

[Spike]

Ugggh, that sucks.

 

Cary was awesome. What a great guy. We have very fond memories of him. He hosted Patti and I after the Un on our honeymoon ride cross country. What a memory. What a man.

 

The impact he had was quietly tremendous.

 

Spike

 

[Spikes_Wife]

We had planned our honeymoon cross-country trip to coincide with the first Unrally in Gunnison, CO. The final destination was Cary's house, where we stayed for a few days touring up and down the coast and having some bike work done at Marin BMW before Cary crated it up and shipped it home for us. The first night we were at his house happened to be Spike's birthday, so he threw a mini surprise party. If I remember correctly, he cooked steaks and got a really nice cake... I have pictures somewhere.

 

We were so sad to hear about Marin BMW closing. I'm equally sad now to hear that he has passed. He'll be missed by a lot of people, including us.

[tallman]

Kris,

 

Sad news indeed.

 

I owe him a debt that can never be repaid.

 

So many people, memories, and miles...

 

all because of his dream to make the boxer world more user friendly.

 

RIP and yes, Beth and I will celebrate his life.

[weaselwayne]

Gone to soon. Thanks for all you have done. Rest in Peace

[WURTY]

Sad news I read today.

All of our lives could have taken a much different turn if not for Cary Littell . Where would we all be without Cary and his BMW influence on our lives ? I would still be a Poser on another Black Harley. If not for emailing Cary on a BMW motorcycle he had for sale I never would have met him . Soon after talking on the phone he made sure I barfed up the Harley Koolaid and realize that there are motorcycles actually turn and stop . 2 days later I was the owner of the 1997 bmw RT1100 I bought from him and I was now Free from the curse of the shitty loud motorcycle.

A hundred thousand miles later I still have a great group of friends that I would have never met without Cary's vision.

He came to Idaho visit us not too long ago. How was I to know the last time .

[ericfoerster]

Very sad news. Cary was always smiling and happy every time I saw him.

 

Life is very short for the good ones.

[BrianT]

Thanks for letting us know Kris! Great guy who I did not get enough time with. But I will always be thankful for having had him in my life, because without him I wouldn't have had the adventures I had or the friendships I made here for the past 14 years and hopefully many more. To steal a line from a movie, "The light that burns twice as bright, burns half as long. And you have burned so very, very brightly." Godspeed Cary, you won't be forgotten.

[Ron_B]

Cary, rest in peace, and thanks for being the genesis of this family-like community. You will be missed.

[bakerzdosen]

Wow. Very sad news. I came on board after his time here so I knew more of him than personally, but his legacy is certainly very big deal to me and he won't be forgotten.

[Sweendog]

RIP Cary

 

My condolences to his family and friends.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Met the man once at the first UnRally back in 2002, and had hoped to see him again someday. This website profoundly influenced the direction of my life when I first found it about 16 years ago; I owe him a debt of gratitude.

 

Ride in Peace, Mister Rogers.

[JonathanE]

Goodbye Cary, and thank you so very much for what you created with your vision and passion. We are all so very much greater for your efforts. We'll miss you.

[drswift]

Cary's hard work and the development of this website definitely had a major influence on my interest in riding.

 

God's speed.

[Spikes_Wife]

I was going to edit my post, but it appears I can't. Here are some pictures from our trip.

 

The "surprise party" that Cary threw for John:

 

John in front of Marin BMW before we handed the bike over to Cary for shipping home:

 

From Gunnison... Glenno (top left), John with Paul Mihalka (bottom left), John with Fernando, Cary, and Kris Besley (top right).

[AdventurePoser]

I saw this on Facebook. I am shocked and saddened by his passing. He was a class act, and did so much to promote friendships and the sport of touring amongst us all. I will miss him so!

[steve.foote]

I'm so sad to hear this. So many have gained so much from Cary's creation.

[enfoman]

I do not know if our tracks passed before. Sad news indeed.

[beemerman2k]

Cary was a man with a heart of gold. He and I enjoyed great exchanges over this web forum and often shared stories of the fact that both of our fathers passed away from prostate cancer. When he opened his dealership in San Rafael, CA, I went there to meet him. This was in July of 2006. I am so sorry he is no longer with us. Rest in peace my friend.

[doc47]

Cary's gentle spirit infuses this "place".

Thank you, Cary, for introducing me to some of the best people I've met.

I hope he and Paul and Gleno are hoisting some tall ones together.

Godspeed, brother. I'm crying.

[Huzband]

I never had the privilege to meet the man, but I surely have benefited from his foresight to the interwebs.

 

Were it not for him, I never would've met such a great group of people.

 

Godspeed, Cary.

[Tank]

Thanks Kris, Sad comes to mind… Yet I think back to the one time I met him. It was at his dealership and he made me feel as I was at home, that we had known each other for a long time. So, instead of sad, I will remember him with joy as I do with the others that are on the Long Ride.

 

[Laney]

Dennis just turned to me and asked, “Where would we be without Cary?” For both of us, Cary started something that changed our lives. I think for each of us here, our lives would, in some way, have been different – and for most of us, had it not been for Cary, we would have missed out on so much.

 

All the wonderful people I’ve met, (and hugged!) including Cary, all that I’ve learned about riding well, the many miles I’ve traveled and places I’ve seen by motorcycle most likely would not have happened.

 

Thank you Cary, and RIP

 

[GrahamB]

Such sad news, my condolences to his family and friends.

 

I'm so grateful that Cary started this forum so many years ago. His vision allowed a vibrant community to grow across the world and his family should understand that his work has touched so many people.

 

I, and I'm sure many others, have used its collective wisdom to solve problems over the years which have saved a lot of time and money.

 

[Sam Taylor]

I am deeply saddened. If you don't know who Cary was--time passes after all--well, he was this board. Board--what an old term....

 

I'm happy to honor him and his memory.

[KMG_365]

I too am in shock. Leslie and I owe so much to Cary's vision and heart. For me this place has always been at least as much about the people as it was about the riding. The intention he set about how Mr. Rodgers' Neighborhood was not going to be like so many other (moto) places on the web, but was going to be a welcoming place where riders shared their knowledge, love of riding, and their hearts in a warm, inviting, family atmosphere. He started it all with the first Tech Daze:

 

 

This tradition grew and grew and spread across the globe. I put well over 160,000 miles on my 2003 RT in eight years, did almost all of the maintenance myself from knowledge gleaned from the members here online and in person, and met so many amazingly awesome folks here. These experiences have so enriched my life it's impossible to do justice to the magnitude of it in a simple post.

 

More later.

 

Ride In Peace, my friend.

[TNT]

very sad news

[Bologna]

Rest in peace Cary.

[ESokoloff]

Thanks Kris for bearing the bad news.

 

Thanks to Cary for planting the seed & nourishing what has become this community.

 

Thanks to all that strive to keep this place as it was intended.

 

God Speed Cary.