Scott A. Williams, Rider contributor, smiles with his BMW on a dirt path.

Back when BMW?s R nineT motorcycle had just been released in the U.S., I got to take one for a test ride. The iconic Boxer motor, nicely sorted chassis, and fabulous brakes impressed me through some sweet curves along Scantic Road and Crystal Lake Road in north-central Connecticut. The bike?s crisp neo-retro style caught the attention of pedestrians when I stopped to take pictures. But two guys in a highly modded Honda Civic were most impressed.

Waiting on their left at a traffic light, I noticed they were laughing quite hysterically. The driver pointed at the bike and called over to me. ?Where?d you get the BMW logos"? His question was punctuated by more laughter.

?They must have put them on at the factory in Germany,? I said.
?Yeah, like BMW makes motorcycles.? ?Right, since before they made cars.?

They were still laughing when the light turned green.

There?s anecdotal evidence that many people aren?t aware BMW makes motorcycles. I was shopping in my hometown grocery store, and as is often the case, I was wearing a baseball hat. This one featured a BMW roundel with ?BMW Motorcycles? embroidered underneath. In one particular aisle, I had stopped to compare items on the shelves when I heard quiet laughter. I looked around to see what I was missing.

?That?s funny,? said the only other shopper there.

?Excuse me, what?s funny"?

?Your hat.?

?What?s funny about my ha...