For the first time in years -- since our service manager Stuart Beatson won road racing championships in the 1980s -- Morton's BMW is going racing! We're putting together a fully race-prepped R1200S for British rider Richard Cooper to compete during Daytona Bike Week 2008. Richard will run in ASRA Thurderbike class and other events when he is not pairing with Nate Kern in Moto ST. Morton's BMW was one of Nate's sponsors in 2007, and we look forward to working with Cooper at Daytona. The 2007 R1200S sits, stripped of its stock bodywork and waiting for special racing Fiberglas pieces. Morton's BMW technician Karl Verden fits the racing cowling to the bike. Don't be fooled by the yellow color -- that and the gray seen below are just primer. New paint is coming. After attaching the tail cone and special Remus racing exhaust, Karl works on handlebar control placement. Closeup view of the awesome Remus racing exhaust and the tailpiece. The bodywork is back from the painter, and Karl fits the Alpine white pieces to the frame. Fitting on the nose piece brings us another step closer to being finished. Graphics will be applied when they come in from the printer. The belly pan is being loaned to us by Nate Kern, and will be fitted at the track. Numbers will also be applied once the bike arrives in Daytona. A view of the cockpit. Aside from some safety wiring and a replacement brake master cylinder with a hinged lever, it's pretty stock. Mechanically, the bike is stock except for specially-valved shocks, Remus race exhaust, race bodywork, and an R1200RT final drive (for higher top speed on a fast track like Daytona). Front and rear views of our racebike with pinstriping by our very own Dewey Keeton, master certified technician and skilled graphic artist. Close-up of the painted and lettered tail piece. Ready for loading on the truck. Jeff Massey and our race bike, ready to head south! In the paddock at Daytona, Richard Cooper applies name stickers we made up for him onto the bike windshield. All set, except for the bellypan. And so onto the track and pole position for the national Thunderbike final.