Pikes Peak - going sideways at 100mph towards a 3000 ft drop

"To me, Pikes Peak is special because it has been held for many years and it's a race I've watched since I was a kid. Last year, Simo Kirssi and I raced the HP2 Enduro, so now I'm looking forward to the opportunity to ride the Megamoto. It's already set up with 17-inch wheels and a dual front brake, so this should work a lot better on the pavement. I don't really think that the race's altitude will make a difference to the Megamoto's power delivery - because of the fuel injection BMW has the bike mapped out to work up the whole hill.

"I don't think I'll have to adapt my riding style for the Megamoto as the bike should feel pretty similar. It should already be equipped with 17-inch wheels so rain tyres are probably all we would need. The weather can change dramatically there and last year the rain came in hard. I haven't had any 'near misses' at Pikes Peak yet, which is a good thing, as there is no run-off room! I'm looking forwards to returning again this year and it's good to see spectators around every corner and even more waiting at the top."

Micky Dymond

Micky Dymond was the most successful of the American riders at this year's Erzberg Rodeo, finishing fourth in the Prologue and sixth in the King's Class race. The 2005 AMA Supermoto Unlimited Champion won at Pikes Peak in 2005 and claimed the overall runner-up spot last year. This year he is enjoying riding BMW's High Performance machines and is hoping to return to the top spot at Pikes Peak.

"Erzberg was a great chance for me to learn the HP2. I really like the bike and in competition I feel much more at home now. Pikes Peak is a legendary race in the USA - second only to the Indy 500 - but unlike Erzberg, it has approximately five miles of asphalt and therefore requires different tyres. The speeds are higher and so the penalties for mistakes are greater.

"The new Megamoto is much more suited to the asphalt. It's very fast and confidence inspiring, and works like a sport bike, but making the bike good on both dirt and road is the key to success at Pikes Peak. The altitude is an adjustment for the riders as well as the motorcycles, so fitness and preparation are very important. However, the fuel injection system on the Megamoto will keep the bike strong throughout the climb.

"Having the bike set up right is very important for this race and you must make good tyre, gearing and suspension choices. Last year I rode a KTM 560 but this year on the Megamoto I will have much more top speed and performance on the asphalt. The Megamoto will not drop off in the thin air and will pull hard all the way to the top, so this should be a great chance for me to win the Pikes Peak race again, and possibly make a new record run!"

So far, BMW Motorrad Motorsport has already participated in an official test session on the HP2 Megamoto, where the new bike performed better than the HP2 Enduro in the road sections of the course and the team riders were able to do a lot of work on set-up. With another test day planned, all riders are very confident and hoping for decent weather on 21 July, so they can show just what the HP2 Megamoto is capable of achieving in the 'Race to the Clouds'.