Tag Archives: BMW Motorrad

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BMW heritage fashion suits R 18 cruiser

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BMW Motorrad has launched a 2020 heritage collection of rider gear to appeal to riders of their R nineT models as well as the upcoming R 18 cruiser.

“BMW Motorrad has announced the launch of a serial-production motorcycle for the second half of 2020, which will mark its entry into the cruiser segment,” their press release says.

BMW Concept R8 cruiser r 18 heritage
BMW R 18 cruiser concept

R 18 cruiser

While BMW Motorrad Australia can’t confirm pricing or arrival of the cruiser nor the heritage gear, they have incorporated a website page for the cool cruiser collection. It should start arriving in shops next year.

It’s obviously designed to appeal to younger riders with its casual look and feel rather than sports riders.

Their heritage clothing segment was started in 2014 to coincide with the launch of the R nineT models.

The return to cruiser models will give the company a new market niche.

We expect to see the R 18 cruiser unveiled at the ECMA Motorcycle Show in Milan next month.

BMW Motorrad Australia recently confirmed they are already taking orders for the big, 1800cc, retro cruiser.

Heritage styleBMW R 18 heritage

The BMW Motorrad Heritage Collection 2020 features a wide range of new items, from leather jackets to denim outfits, as well as motorcycle gloves and signature boots.

BMW says their early classic motorcycle colours and graphics are incorporated into the designs, such as black metal parts with fine white “TwinStripes” and the original BMW metal emblem.BMW R 18 heritage

“The copper-coloured details and visual accents displayed in these garments hark back to the materials used in classic BMW motorcycles,” they say.

There are also old-style engineer boots and open-face cruiser helmets in the heritage collection.

The first BMW motorcycle was the 1923 R32 with an air-cooled, two-cylinder flat-twin boxer engine.

In 1978, BMW Motorrad was one of the first serial-production manufacturers in the world to introduce a rider equipment range.

SafetyBMW R 18 heritage

“All the materials and textiles used are robust and long-lasting and they fulfil the highest standards of safety and functionality,” BMW says.

All items will be European-approved.

None of the gear has yet been tested by Australia’s MotoCAP, the world’s first rider gear safety and comfort rating system.

However, other BMW jackets, pants and gloves have been rated. Click here for more details.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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Is BMW planning supercharged M bikes?

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BMW Motorrad has applied for trademarks for the model names M 1000 RR, M 1000 XR and M 1300 GS which hints at performance versions, possibly with superchargers.

Their car division has been using the M model code for performance models for years.

They have more power, better suspension and brakes, plus styling differences, usually including their motorsport division logos and colours.

The same could be coming to their motorcycles.

So the M 1000 RR and XR could be performance versions of their S 1000 RR and S 1000 XR.

However, the unusual name here is the M 1300 GS.

Is it a bigger-capacity performance version of their boxer-powered R 1250 GS which has only recently increased engine capacity from the R 1200 GS?

Or will it be a GS version of their K 1300 four-cylinder models that they retired a few years ago?

Will M mean superchargers?

While these trademark applications hint at performance updates with some cosmetic changes, BMW could also be considering supercharged versions.

Last month, BMW Motorrad filed a patent for a supercharger with a drawing of an S 1000 RR.

Supercharged BMW S 1000 RR patent drawing
Supercharged BMW S 1000 RR patent drawing

Perhaps that will be called the M 1000 RR!

After all, most of their M cars are turbocharged.

Supercharging and turbocharging could be the future as motorcycle manufacturers such as Kawasaki and Suzuki have also applied for patents.

Forced induction makes sense as it allows the manufacturers to get the same power from smaller-capacity engines and still meet tougher emissions regulations.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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BMW Motorrad takes orders on R 18 cruiser

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Even before a production model R 18 cruiser has rolled out of the Spandau factory gates, BMW Motorrad is taking orders and deposits on the handsome bike.

That seems to confirm that they are most definitely returning to the cruiser market after their mildly received R 1200 C back in the 1990s.

Dealers have long taken orders and deposits for limited-edition models but a recent trend is to take also orders and deposits for highly anticipated production models even before they are production models.

Indian did it with the FTR 1200 and Suzuki with the resurrected Katana.

Now BMW Motorrad is following the trend.

BMW Group Australia spokesman Nick Raman says customers are champing at the bit for the cruiser.

“Orders have been taken at a dealer level for a production equivalent of the R 18,” he says.

“The deposit amount is at the dealer’s discretion, bearing in mind pricing and specification detail have not yet been released.

“We are however very pleased with how the pre orders are tracking.”

BMW R 18 cruiser

In December 2018, a Japanese custom shop wheels out an R18 with a mysterious new BMW engine and in April 2019 a second cruiser concept with the engine was rolled out by a Texan custom shop.BMW R18 custom concept

A third BMW R 18 cruiser concept model was unveiled at the 90th the Concorso d’Eleganza show at Lake Como in Italy.

There are no details, no tech specs and not even a confirmation that it has an 1800cc boxer engine, but it does look big enough.

The biggest Beemer boxer engine yet is believed to be 1798.4cc in an over-square configuration (107 x 100mm) which means the pistons are wider than they are long. So it will be difficult to lane filter!

Concept R18 cruiser was built for BMW Motorrad by Unique Custom Cycles of Sweden, so it’s not the final version that BMW is expected to release.BMW Concept R 18 cruiser

This is a simplistic model with minimalist design.

No doubt the Germans will give it some Bavarian hi-tech and quirky design as they did with the R nineT after Roland Sands designed the Concept 90.

Cruiser return

BMW R 1200 C R 18 cruiser
BMW R 1200 C

BMW built the R 1200 C cruiser from 1997 to 2004. It was a flop, but in recent years has become a collector and customiser favourite.

Over the years I have asked BMW executives whether they would ever return to the cruiser market and they have never said they wouldn’t.

Now it appears they are!

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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Automatic emergency call technology for bikes

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Motorcycles should be fitted with automatic crash call technology to reduce emergency response times which are more lethal in Australia’s rural and remote areas, an Austroads report has found.

The Guide to Road Safety Part 5: Road Safety for Rural and Remote Areas also suggests compulsory first-aid training for learners and those renewing licences in rural and remote areas.

It points out that motorcyclist deaths have remained stable in major cities over the past decade, but increased in regional and remote Australia by up to almost 50% in recent years.

Click there for more details.

Slow response timesOutback adventure Royal Flying Doctor Service calls

Delays in reaching crash victims in rural and remote areas include difficulties in locating crash sites and a lack of mobile phone reception, according to emergency organisations and motorcycle rider groups.

The report found the average time for a first responder to arrive at a motorcycle crash in rural and remote areas was 55 minutes compared with 18 minutes in urban areas.

Remote crash victims also took an average of 11.6 hours to arrive at a hospital emergency department compared with 59 minutes in urban areas.

“Retrieval time subsequently impacts on crash outcomes with delays until discovery or delays in accessing the trauma system increasing the risk of mortality following major trauma,” the repot finds.

The probability of a rider dying increased by 2.7% for every 100km from a hospital.

It’s a worrying statistic for adventure riders heading out into the Outback.

As a more rural example, the report says more than half of all Victorian motorcycle crashes occur in the Gippsland region where ambulance response times are 29.9 minutes compared with metropolitan times of 12.7-17.2 minutes.

South Australia and NSW are the only states with post-crash emergency response in their road safety strategy and action plans.

Auto emergency call tech

Austroads claims automatic collision notification (ACN) would reduce crash fatalities by up to 3.8% and calls for the systems in all vehicles, including motorcycles.

These emergency call systems have been available in cars for some time and are now mandated throughout Europe with motorcycles expected to be included in the future.

BMW Motorrad is the first motorcycle company to offer an SOS button in Europe.

BMW SOS button motorrad win mandated calls
BMW SOS button

It is not yet available in Australia because of an eCall hardware update and the lack of a nationwide rollout.

The button alerts the emergency services and provides GPS co-ordinates of the rider’s position.

It is also connected to various sensors on the bike to detect whether the rider has crashed.

However, the report notes that problem with these systems in Australia is the lack of mobile phone coverage in rural areas.

Riders can also use an EPIRB, download an emergency app or try this Aussie-made Sentinel device.

Austroads suggests compulsory first-aid education for all motorists, especially learner riders and those renewing licences in rural and remote areas.

However, Queensland has already rejected this proposal because of the difficulties of supplying training in regional communities.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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BMW announces electromobility milestone

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BMW Group has announced an electromobility milestone of one million electrified vehicles on the roads by the end of 2021.

However, electric BMW motorcycles are still some way off, according to BMW Motorrad spokesman Tim Diehl-Thiele.

The electromobility milestone was announced by board chairman Oliver Zipse at this week’s Frankfurt Motor Show claims BMW was “at the forefront of electromobility”.

“No manufacturer has delivered more electrified cars to customers in Germany so far this year than the BMW Group. In Norway, three out of every four new BMW Group vehicles sold have an electrified drive train,” Oliver said.

No rush

Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle electromobility
Harley LiveWire

Unlike Harley-Davidson, which has already launched their full-size electric LiveWire motorcycle, BMW Motorrad is not rushing in.

But the Bavarian company has not been inactive in two-wheeled electrics:

“Electromobility will be very important in the future of motorcycling,” Tim says.

“As a next step, BMW Motorrad’s electric products to come will focus on e-mobility especially in urban environment.”

By e-mobility we expect he means electric bicycles and scooters like the Lime scooters we see around many cities these days, not full-sized scooters like the c Evolution.

“When developing these products, the fact that BMW Motorrad can call on the great expertise of the BMW Group in the area of electromobility creates a unique advantage in competition. And that from a technological as well as from a business point of view,” Tim says.

BMW Mini CitySurfer electric scooter concept electromobility
BMW electric Mini CitySurfer

Electric BMW bikes

“If we look further ahead, electromobility will clearly play an important role in the motorcycle sector as well.

“A prerequisite for this especially in the leisure and often on long trips far away from the city using motorcycles is an evolving battery cell technology and a future growing density of charging stations.

“On the basis of this expected progress in ranges and charging infrastructure, other segments will also be electrified at BMW Motorrad.”

There have been many electric motorcycles and scooters from start-up companies, the biggest being Zero Motorcycles who pulled out of Australia in 2017.

The Harley LiveWire is the first full-size electric road motorcycle from a traditional motorcycle manufacturer.

The now-axed Victory Motorcycles slapped their brand name on an electric Brammo in 2015, but it wasn’t their product.

Like BMW, Honda has produced electric scooters, while Yamaha and KTM have a couple of small electric trail bikes.

Focus on electric cars 

Electromobility board chairman Oliver Zipse at this week’s Frankfurt Motor Show
BMW board chairman Oliver Zipse at this week’s Frankfurt Motor Show

BMW expects electromobility to develop at different rates around the world – due to the differences in infrastructure, customer driving profiles and political frameworks.

They expect customer demand for electric vehicles of more than 50% of new vehicle registrations in China’s premium segment by 2030.

Europe ands the US are expected to be about half that number.

Oliver told the motor show audience that BMW  would not only have conventional engines, but also battery-electric drive trains, plug-in hybrids and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles suitable for long distances.

BMW will launch a test fleet of fuel-cell vehicles in 2022 and present the BMW i Hydrogen NEXT development vehicle later this year.

A promised 25 electrified models previously announced for 2025 will now be available two years earlier with more than half fully electric.

“We aim to reduce emissions significantly,” Oliver says.

“To realise this, we must concentrate on areas where we can achieve the greatest impact. We are therefore focusing on the question: Which drive trains, technologies and services will our customers want in the future? And how can we achieve the best outcome for climate protection? One thing is clear: We are committed to the Paris Climate Agreement.”

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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Is BMW chasing a supercharged future?

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BMW Motorrad has filed a patent for a supercharger with a drawing of an S 1000 RR (above) which could challenge the supercharged Kawasaki H2R as the fastest and most powerful motorcycle in the world.

Bimota and Hesketh have also launched supercharged models in recent years and Honda is rumoured to be working on a similar project.

Hesketh introducing a Valiant Supercharger supercharged
Hesketh Valiant Supercharger

Meanwhile, Yamaha has filed a patent for a turbo and Suzuki has been considering turbocharging for several years with its Incursion concept.

Suzuki Recursion with turbocharging
Suzuki Recursion

This industry move toward forced induction is not just about setting power records, but also meeting the coming tougher emissions laws.

Now BMW has joined the charge toward cleaner and more efficient forced induction with a supercharger with an electric compressor to free air into the combustion chamber via an intercooler.

Turbo or supercharged?

blown turbo supercharged
1980s Honda CX 650TC Turbo

In the 1980s, several manufacturers played with temperamental turbo technology, but it was a difficult to control the light-switch power delivery so they had a short life.

However, modern turbos are more efficient, lighter, smaller and more reliable.

While a turbo takes its power from the exhaust gases, superchargers that power from the crankshaft.

Kawasaki H2 paint supercgarged
Supercharged Kawasaki H2R

There are advantages and disadvantages in these two technologies.

Turbochargers are quieter, smaller, more efficient, but also more complex.

Superchargers can deliver their boost at lower revs than a turbocharger and are more reliable and easier to maintain. However, they are harder on the engine.

It will be interesting to see which way the industry goes in coming years on forced induction.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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Why Has BMW Built A Self-Driving Motorcycle?

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(Contributed post by Steve Charli) 

With artificial intelligence and self-driving cars dominating the automotive industry, one can’t help but wonder if there’s any technology that’s similar in the motorcycle industry. And to my delight, I’ve found that BMW has already made something similar. 

CES 2019, Las Vegas.

Cue BMW engineer Stephan Hans, as he steps off the new BMW R1200GS.

He gives it a gentle nudge, and the R1200GS proceeds to speed off, looping around the parking lot. 

The audience is intrigued. 

The bike handles the loops the way a human biker would, leaning into the turn.

The motorcycle ends this spectacle by rolling to a calculated stop right in front of its engineer.

Hans sets the kickstand like a writer punctuating the end of a sentence. It is an exclamation point.

Self-riding BMW technology Connectride
Self-riding BMW prototype (Image: BMW Motorrad)

If you think that the idea of a fully-automated motorcycle seems strange, you’re not alone in that thought. I share the sentiments. While the reasons that a person would grow a love for motorcycles vary, one of those reasons will always be the thrill of the ride. It is an experience that is unique to motorcycles and to have self-driving motorcycles is anathema to that joy.

But even as this would seem like nothing more than a really cool party trick, there lies a necessity in creating a self-driving motorcycle, and it’s not with the intention of replacing human riders as was initially assumed.

The wisdom behind building a self-driving motorcycle is to enable the motorcycle to take necessary corrective measures that are going to help put a rider back on track. This is based on the rationale that motorcycles are less stable than cars. After all, if most modern cars have driving assistive technologies, wouldn’t these technologies have a more significant effect on motorcycles?

This is especially true when you consider that unlike cars that have extra external protection, motorcycles are built to be light and compact, and therefore do not enjoy the same level of protection. This means that motorcycle riders have a higher risk of sustaining injuries in the event that they find themselves in an accident. 

Besides human error, the loss of control — even momentarily — is the leading cause of accidents. Add the fact that like bicycles, motorcycles are also difficult to see according to this site cohenjaffe.com/accident-lawyer/types-of-accidents/bicycle-accidents/.

This is the rationale upon which the development of the R 1200 GS was built. In the moments where a rider may lapse in judgment, whether because of a lack of experience or because they simply made an error, the self-driving motorcycle can step in subtly. 

This can be in the form of a slight adjustment to steering in order to navigate a turn better, or the prompt applying of brakes, or automatic stabilization when the motorcycle senses that the rider is off-balance. 

This direction makes so much sense, especially in an age where car manufacturers seem to cram as many safety features as they can into every new  model. We definitely have the technology, all we need now is the intention. And with the development of the R1200GS, it would seem that motorcycles are about to get much more secure and beginner-friendly.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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Chinese BMW adventure bike knockoff

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This BMW G 310 GS knockoff is the latest in a long line of Chinese products that rip off the design and logos of existing motorcycles.

In the past we have seen Chinese electric versions of the Honda Goldwing, China’s CFMoto 650TK which is very similar to Honda’s ST1300 and a Chinese brand called “Hongda” that made Honda lookalikes.

The Vietnamese are also in on the knockoff act with “Ducati” Monsters made by Quang Phuong Motor.

Knockoff Beemer

Now the Chinese Everest Kaiyue 400X has hit the domestic market with a stunning resemblance to the Indian-made BMW G 310 GS small-capacity adventure motorcycle.

This knockoff even has BMW red-white-and-blue paintwork and a GY logo that is too close to the GS badge to be an accident.

There is no response yet from BMW Motorrad on whether there will take action against the company.

Trademark action

However, iconic Italian scooter company Lambretta says it is taking “strict” action against companies “free riding on the repute of Lambretta”.

They claim the global market is flooded with replicas of their classic scooters from China, India and Thailand.

The Chinese seem immune to international trade laws that bind other countries and their latest blatant ripoff is an electric Honda Goldwing.

We all know the Chinese make cheap copies of well-known brands and many of us probably have a Gucci belt made of plastic in a sweatshop in China.

However, the Chinese have also made a lot of copies of bigger and more expensive products such as cars.

Some of the cars Chinese manufacturers have copied include the Range Rover Evoque, Smart ForTwo, Hummer, Porsche Cayman, Audi A6, Jeep Cherokee, BMW X1, Rolls-Royce Phantom and MINI Cooper.

Land Wind knockoff of the land Rover Evoque
Land Wind knockoff of the land Rover Evoque

Some car manufacturers tried to stop them copying their cars, but failed in an obstructive and partisan legal system, so they formed alliances with Chinese companies to make their products for the local market.

Several motorcycle manufacturers, including Honda and Yamaha, have tried to fight Chinese manufacturers in the courts over breach of copyright, but it is a long process as there are hundreds of knockoff manufacturers.

So, like the car makers, Honda has formed an allegiance with one of the knockoff Chinese companies to make their bikes for the local market.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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BMW Motorrad teams up with Sena Bluetooth

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BMW Motorrad has now teamed up with Sena Bluetooth to provide special a “Fit-for-All” helmet two-way intercom system that can be extended up to six people.

Basically it’s a Sena 10 series intercom with a BMW badge and probably a “BMW price”!

We asked BMW Motorrad Australia how much they cost and when they would be available. We are still awaiting a reply, but the standard Sena 10S costs about $250.

BMW teams up with Sena Bluetooth
BMW Fit-for-All intercom

BMW has slapped its blue roundel logo on previous collaborations including Navigator GPS units which are Garmin Zumos and BMW 2-in-1 gloves which are Held Air-n-Dry gloves.

The Sena 10S is the simple, bargain version which is easy to operate and very reliable.

BMW Motorrad also has a Bike-to-Bike communication module that extends the basic Fit-for-All intercom from two-person communication to up to six riders and range to 300m.

BMW teams up with Sena Bluetooth
BMW Bike-to-Bike communication

That means that when used in a group the front rider can still communicate wth the rear rider up to 2km in “optimum conditions”.

Riders can choose between a private and the six-member public mode using a free app.

The UV-resistant and weatherproof communication system uses only three buttons to handle most functions.

It has eight hours of battery life and can also receive and make phone calls, provide GPS spoken directions and play music from a Bluetooth device.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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Kawasaki working on hybrid motorcycle

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Kawasaki has applied for a patent for a hybrid motorcycle which is like a two-wheeled version of the hybrid Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt.

The Kawasaki patent application was originally filed with Japan’s patent office in December 2017 and again a year later in the US Patent Office.

Details have only now come to light that describe a motorcycle equipped with an electric motor and internal combustion engine.

Hybrid tech

The Japanese manufacturer is not alone with plans for hybrid technology as a step toward a full-electric future.

Honda has a hybrid PCX 125cc scooter that gets an electric boost from the ACG starter motor powered by a new 48V high-output lithium ion battery.

Honda PCX Hybrid scooter battery swap
PCX Hybrid

BMW also recently filed an application for a hybrid-drive motorcycle with a removable battery in the “fuel” tank.

Other hybrid examples are the TVS Zeppelin hybrid concept and the American Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency’s stealth off-road motorcycle powered by a petrol engine and an electric motor.

Hybrid motorcycle

Kawasaki’s hybrid system is a mixture of the Toyota and Chevrolet car hybrid systems.

The Toyota Prius uses the electric motor and internal combustion engine to drive the wheels together and separately.

Chevy’s Volt electric motor provides all the driving power while the gas engine simply acts as a range extender by charging the battery.

The Kawasaki hybrid system works both ways.Kawasaki hybrid motorcycle patent drawings

While cars can accommodate an engine and motors, it is more difficult in motorcycles because they are much smaller.

Kawasaki’s patent shows a compact single unit that houses the AC electric motor, combustion as well as the transmission.

The battery is above the engine like the fuel tank on a conventional motorcycle, while the tank can be mounted on the side of the seat or outside the frame beside the battery.

In both cases it sits on the left side of the motorcycle and is balanced by a coolant tank on the right side.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com