I ran into Wayne Koppa at the Chicago IMS Show a few weeks ago and he told me he was heading to a birthday party for long-distance rider Phil Mann. Wayne told me Phil’s story and I was fascinated. Me being the type of rider who is lucky to go 10 miles without seeing something I need to pull off for and take a picture of, riding the kind of mileage that Phil did is completely foreign to me, but amazing nevertheless, especially when you do the math and figure out that Phil averaged over 600 miles per day, every day for six months! – Larry Lawrence

Here’s what Wayne sent:

Larry

Phil Mann set a BMW mileage record in 1995 when he rode 113,205 miles in six months on his K1100RS. (Courtesy Wayne Koppa)

I mentioned Phil Mann’s 80th Birthday Party and you said to send you something for possibly your web site.

I have attached a photo and two articles. One is from 1995 reporting on his ride of 1994 where he did 113,205 miles in six months. The 1993 winner should have never said that no one would ever beat his record of 103,000. At least he should have made sure Phil Mann didn’t hear that. He bought a new K1100RS with an unlimited mileage warranty and takes claim for the reason that BMW no longer offers that warranty coverage. The second article (same attached file) is from a recent BMW Owners News announcing his birthday. It is written my Blane Kamp, Phil’s long term dealer and friend.

Motorcycling tends to have a few people you think of as characters. Phil Mann is one of those guys. When you hear about someone riding that many miles in six months it is natural to have doubts. That goes away when you meet Phil and talk to people that were around in 1994. Karol Patzer who ran the contest works as a Gerbings Rep (was at the Chicago show) and Blane Kamp that wrote the second article still runs BMW of Grand Rapids Michigan. Phil is the real deal and still can slam some miles down. I was at the shop one time a few years ago and he and a few others were going to Alaska and Phil had a problem with his bike on the way. He turned around somewhere like Minnesota, rode back to Grand Rapids to have it checked out and then turned around and caught back up with them. He loves to ride.