BestRest Products LLC is located in Mountlake Terrace, Washington, about 15 miles north of Seattle. The business was started in 2000. Our first product was a BackRest designed for the BMW R1100GS. It was the “best” backrest on the market, so we named the company BestRest. From those humble beginnings we’re grown leaps and bounds, and now have more than 300 products in our lineup.

David & Judy Petersen - Owners of BestRest ProductsHi, we’re David and Judy Petersen, and we own and operate BestRest. We’re happily, wonderfully, joyfully married, and we’re also Best Friends. Marriage doesn’t get any better than this. This photo is from 2004. Judy’s gotten prettier since then, I’ve gotten shorter and a bit more rounded…

In 2014 we moved to our new location, just 2 doors east of our old shop.  In 2019 we closed our retail shop and moved operations to our home.  In 2021 we moved operations to Spirit Lake, Idaho.  Should’ve done that 10 years ago!

David – I’m a member of the American Motorcycle Association, BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, and the Washington State BMW Riders. I participate in several internet motorcycle mailing and news lists.

Judy – I’m not active in any motorcycle organizations, but I still love to ride. When the weather turns nice I’m pestering David to skip work and take me out on the bike. I love nothing more than spending the day on the back of the GS, seeing the wonderful country here in the Pacific Northwest.

Our most important affiliation is with the family of God. We’re both dedicated Christians who willingly share the good news of Jesus Christ. God has changed our lives and He continues to smooth out the rough edges. We’re not preachers, but we share the Gospel whenever we can, using gentle words and living out our faith in practical ways. If you notice something different about us, and the way we do business, it’s because of the godly principles we embrace.

David-Petersen-snow-on-trail

This photo shows me at work in my “office. Photo taken somewhere along the Oregon Back Country Discovery Route.

DavidOlga400David & the R1100GS

David Petersen - BMW 1996 BMW R1100GS
David – Standing beside my ’96 BMW R1100GS, loaded up and ready to head out on one of our many adventures. I’m a life-long motorcyclist who started out riding a Honda 50 when I was five years old. From there I graduated to a series of small trail bikes, then full sized Kawasaki, Honda, and Suzuki street bikes.

My first BMW was a ’89 R100RT, which Judy and I used to explore the roads of the Pacific Northwest. We soon discovered we needed a bike that could better handle the two-up off-road adventures Judy and I enjoyed, so in ’96 we got the BMW R1100GS. We found the GS to be an incredibly versatile motorcycle which has carried us wherever we dared to go (and some places we shouldn’t have been!)

David & the F650GSDavid Petersen - BMW F650GS
In 2002 we got a BMW F650GS. It was a great bike for solo riding and I took it on many great trips around the West. I used this bike to develop the F650GS CargoRest and FitKit.

I usually name every bike I own. We tried several names but none of them seemed to fit, so now we just call the bike “The 650”. So far nobody’s complained.

David & the R1200GSDavid Petersen - BMW R12GS on the beach

 In April 2005 we got a R1200GS. We immediately went to work developing new products, and it’s been the focus of our production efforts since then.

The R12GS is a wonderful machine that eclipses the performance and handling of the R1100GS and R1150GS. If you’re thinking about getting an R1200GS, we support your decision. You’ll fall in love with bike as soon as you “swing a leg.

David and the R1200GS Adventure

 David-R1200GS-AdventureIn May 2006 we got a R1200GS Adventure. We set this bike up as a long distance 2-up touring machine, and that huge gas tank sure comes in handy. If you think the standard R12GS is a great machine, the Adventure version is even better. Those cavernous panniers can carry everything, including Judy’s kitchen sink.

David and the F800GS  

David-Hamilton-Butte1In 2008 we got a BMW F800GS. Since then David’s been developing new products for the the bike. David’s taken several solo rides, including the Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico/ (Judy doesn’t come along on the 800, seat’s too small).

David and the KTM 450 EXC.

After borrowing a friend’s XR650R and riding the trails near Mt. St. Helens, I knew I needed to get a KTM 450.  

David and the Honda XR650RDavid-Olympic-Peninsula with Mt Adams in the background 

I ended up buying that borrowed 2005 Honda XR650R.  I keep at our cabin on the Hood Canal. That way I can explore the forests of the Olympic Peninsula. This photo was taken on the east side of the Canal, near Mt. Adams.

Judy and her trail bike

Judy on TrailThat’s Judy aboard her Yamaha 250. She was pretty good on forest roads, but didn’t care for single-track. Judy’s been riding as a passenger aboard a BMW since 1993, which is when we first met. She’d never been on a motorcycle before, but now she loves it. She even comes up with excuses for us to get off on a two-wheeled adventure. Judy doesn’t ride by herself much these days, but she still enjoys hopping on the back of the BMW R12GS and going away for a long weekend.Judy-office2

David and the KTM 530 EXC

The same friend that sold me the Honda 650 also had a KTM for sale.  I couldn’t help myself… so I bought it.  Judy said I had too many bikes, so the Honda had to go.  She’s the boss.

So as of February 2017 I have the following bikes:
BMW R12GS
BMW F8GS
KTM 450EXC
KTM 530EXC
and I also have a couple Honda quads.
(I MAY have a couple other bikes that I hide store at a friend’s house, just so Judy won’t see them.  Mum’s the word)