BMW Motorrad is the motorcycle brand of the German company BMW, part of its
Corporate and Brand Development division. The current General Director
of the unit is Hendrik von Kuenheim. BMW Motorrad has produced motorcycles since
1923, and revenues for 2009 were €1,069 million from the sale of 87,306
motorcycles, a drop on the 2008 figure of €1,230 million from the sales of
101,685 motorcycles. In May 2011, the 2,000,000th motorcycle produced by BMW
Motorrad was a R1200GS. History
The company began as an aircraft engine manufacturer in the early 20th century
and through World War I. BMW manufactured its first motorcycle in
1923, the R32, which featured a flat-twin boxer engine. BMW Motorrad
still uses the flat-twin boxer configuration, but now manufactures
motorcycles with a variety of engine configurations.
Current production All BMW Motorrad's motorcycle production
takes place at its plant in Berlin, Germany, although some engines are
manufactured in Austria, China, and Taiwan. Most of the current motorcycles
in BMW Motorrad's range were designed by David Robb, who was the company's chief
designer from 1993 to 2012 when he was replaced by Edgar Heinrich.
BMW Motorrad produced 82,631 motorcycles in 2009, compared with 104,220 in 2008,
a fall of 20.7% The most popular model is the R1200GS and its sibling R1200GS
Adventure, which sold 24,467 units – accounting for 28% of BMW's annual
production. Current production includes a variety of shaft, chain, and belt
driven models, with engines from 650 cc to 1,649 cc; and models designed for
off-road, dual-purpose, sport, and touring activities.
In 2008, BMW introduced the DOHC Boxer HP2 Sport, and entered the serious
off-road competition motorcycle market with the release of the BMW G450X
motorcycle. BMW Motorrad motorcycles are categorized
into product families, and each family is assigned a different letter prefix.
The current families are: C series – Maxi-scooters called Urban
Mobility Vehicles by BMW F series – parallel-twin engines of 798
cc capacity, featuring either chain or belt drive. Models are F650GS, F700GS,
F800GS, F800R, F800S, F800GT and F800ST. The F650GS was powered by a single
cylinder 652cc Austrian built Rotax engine.
G series – single-cylinder engines of 449 to 652 cc capacity featuring chain
drive. Models are G450X, G650GS, G650 Sertão, G650 Xmoto, G650 Xchallenge and
G650 Xcountry. The 450 cc engines are manufactured by Kymco in Taiwan. The
2009 and 2010 650 cc engine parts were manufactured by Rotax in Austria, with
the engine being assembled by Loncin Holdings, Ltd in China.
R series – twin-cylinder boxer engines of 1,170 cc capacity featuring shaft
drive. Models are R1200GS, R1200R, R1200RT, BMW R1200RS, R1200S and R
nineT. K series – four-cylinder engines of
1,157 to 1,649 cc capacity featuring shaft drive. Models are K1200LT,
K1300GT, K1300R and K1300S. In 2011, BMW Motorrad launched the six-cylinder 1,649
cc K1600GT and K1600GTL. S series – S1000RR – sport bike with
transverse-mounted, 999 cc inline-four engine. Models included S1000R, S1000XR
Racing BMW Motorrad regularly enters its
motorcycles in the Dakar Rally, an annual car, truck, and motorcycle race
that runs from Europe to Africa and has featured riders such as Simon Pavey and
motorcycling celebrity Charley Boorman. BMW Motorrad motorcycles have won the
Dakar Rally six times. In 2007, BMW Motorrad announced its
entry to the 2009 Superbike World Championship season, where it is racing
the BMW S1000RR. The 2009 season factory team was known as Team Alpha BMW and
includes Spanish rider Ruben Xaus and Australian rider Troy Corser. In the
2010 season, Xaus and Corser were joined on the track by Team Reitwagen BMW
riders Andrew Pitt and Roland Resch, also riding the S1000RR.
References External links
Official website BMW motorcycles at DMOZ