Tag Archives: BMW

BMW Marks 40 Years of GS Models

BMW Motorrad is celebrating 40 years of its GS models with three new models, extra standard features and anniversary styling touches for its current line of GS models.
GS stands for Gelände/Straße in German which literally translates to “terrain/road”. But it is also referred to as “off-road/road sport” which means it will tackle all sorts of roads in a lively fashion.
Long before Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor made the GS name famous, BMW’s GS models were conquering the Dakar Rally and taking adventurous riders to remote parts of the world.
To celebrate 40 years of GS bikes, BMW is adding three new models: G 310 GS, R 1250 GS, and R 1250 GS Adventure. They arrive in Australia early in 2021.
BMW Motorrad Australia GM Andreas Lundgren says the new models include many optional features as standard “improving on already fantastic and highly capable bikes that have proven such a hit with Australian BMW Motorrad customers over many years”.
R 1250 GS and R 1250 GS Adventure include new BMW Motorrad Integral ABS Pro and Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) as standard.
The 313cc engine now comes with “electronic throttle grip” (electromotive throttle controller) for more sensitive throttle response and automatic idle speed \to prevent newbies from stalling the engine.
It also features a self-boosting anti-hopping clutch to reduce engine drag torque and reduce rear-wheel lock-up when braking and gearing down. The clutch lever now has a softer pull and four-stage adjustment, along with the brake lever.
The new BMW G 310 GS comes with LED headlight and taillight.
It now has “rallye” styling with a red frame and Kyanit blue metallic tank.
The BMW G 310 GS “40 Years GS” edition features the famous historical black and yellow aint from the the R 100 GS.
G 310 GS features new LED headlight, updated styling, self-boosting anti-hopping clutch and adjustable hand lever in four stages for brake and clutch
R 1250 GS and R 1250 GSA:
These adventure tourers now come with Dynamic Traction Control and Integral ABS Pro as standard.
The new standard “Eco” riding mode encourages efficient riding, while Pro riding modes can be equipped as optional equipment ex-works.
Pro also features a dynamic engine brake control to avoid rear-wheel lock-up.
BMW Integral ABS Pro with cornering assistance is also fitted as standard on both models.
The additional expansion of the riding mode concept results in more new functions. For example, it adapts ABS control characteristics to the respective riding mode for maximum control.
The Hill Start Control ride-off assistant is standard equipment and enables convenient stopping and starting when riding uphill.
Hill Start Control Pro (HSC Pro), also standard on Australian specification models, improves starting performance in all riding conditions.
G 310 GS features new LED headlight, updated styling, self-boosting anti-hopping clutch and adjustable hand lever in four stages for brake and clutch
Both models get new full-LED adaptive headlights, cruising light and function-integrated turn indicator bulbs. The optional “adaptive headlight” package allows the low-beam headlight of the standard full-LED headlight to turn into the curve depending on the inclined position. In future, the welcome light (“Welcome” function), the “Good bye” function and the “Follow me home” function for orientation will be available as optional equipment.
With the optional cruising light equipment, the two front turn indicator bulbs can be permanently dimmed simultaneously. In the case of the multifunctional rear indicator lamps, the standard rear LED flashing turn indicators are replaced by LED flashing turn indicators, which can emit yellow flashing light and red brake light or rear light simultaneously.
Vehicle voltage and USB sockets are now standard as well as seat heating for rider and pillion.
Options include 30mm bar risers, various rider seat heights and footrests.
The R 1250 GS and R 1250 GSA arrive in a dynamic basic colour and two triple black and Rallye style variants.
R 1250 GS and R 1250 GS Adventure include new BMW Motorrad Integral ABS Pro and Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) as standard.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

VIDEO: 2021 BMW R 18 Daily Rider Review

The Epitome Of Style

Zach from Revzilla takes us on a 35-minute ride to give his thoughts on the new and beautiful BMW R 18.

Personally, I find this new bike one of the most beautiful and classically styled cruiser bikes in recent years. Unfortunately, as I learned today, sometimes you must trade comfort and ergonomics for style.

Being an 1800cc cruiser, it’s obvious that you will be riding a bike catered towards going in a straight line for long distances but I got worried after Zach mentioned the awkward seating position due to the low nature of the motorcycle. Albeit, we’re both tall dudes but if you’ve ever sat on a Harley-Davidson you will understand the importance of comfort in a motorcycle suited for cruising.

The peg scraping. Oh my lord. I cringed every time this bike went into any form of a mellow corner. This thing couldn’t turn without scraping if its life depended on it. I can’t stress this enough; BMW made a major tradeoff to take lowered styling to the nth degree as the suspension has lower travel and as a result gives the motorcycle quite a bumpy ride as noted in the video.

There are still some great features to note stemming from the mechanical components of the motorcycle though. BMW has made high-quality motorcycles for a very long time now, and it really shows in the overall performance of the engine and clutch.

Polaris and Zero

Zach puts it perfectly in his own words, “The problem with the R 18 in my mind, is Harley-Davidson is leaning on all that heritage and history that they have of building bikes like that – building big cruisers – and I guess I just don’t see it with the R 18. It feels like a beautiful well-engineered homage to a heritage that doesn’t exist and I guess I don’t know why it’s a thing, even though I think its well-executed and rides nicely…

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

BMW celebrate 40 years of GS with special editions

BMW 40 Years GS

BMW have lifted the wraps on their anticipated ’40 Years GS’ special editions in both 1250 GS and 1250 GS Adventure.

40 years of GS

The black and yellow livery represents the DNA of the legendary R 100 GS and the models are fully loaded with option packages.

BMW R 1250 GS ’40 Years GS’
Australia-bound R 1250 GS models will be fitted with a regular height two-piece seat – which allows for the seat heating function – and regular height GS screen in response to customers’ preference for a motorcycle that can also be ridden regularly on the road.

BMW R 1250 GS ’40 Years GS’ Inclusions

  • Comfort Package (Keyless Ride, Chrome Headers, Heated Grips/Seat)
  • Touring Package (GPS Prep, Cruise, Handguards, Fasteners for alloy panniers , Tyre Pressure Monitoring)
  • Dynamic Package (Dynamic ESA, Gear Shift Assist Pro, Riding Modes Pro, MSR dynamic brake control)
  • Passenger Kit (Standard two-piece seat, standard windshield and centre-stand)
  • 40 Years Package (Option 719 cylinder head covers Shadow, Gold cross-spoke rims)
  • Light Package (Adaptive headlight, DRL, Headlight Pro, Cruising Light, Multifunctional Indicators)
BMW R 1250 GS Adventure ’40 Years GS’

BMW R 1250 GS Adventure ’40 Years GS’ Inclusions

  • Comfort Package (Keyless Ride, Chrome Headers, Heated Grips/Seat)
  • Touring Package (GPS Prep, Cruise, Handguards, Fasteners for alloy panniers , Tyre Pressure Monitoring)
  • Dynamic Package (Dynamic ESA, Gear Shift Assist Pro, Riding Modes Pro, MSR dynamic brake control)
  • Passenger Kit (Standard two-piece seat, standard windshield and centre-stand)
  • 40 Years Package (Option 719 cylinder head covers Shadow, Gold cross-spoke rims)
  • Light Package (Adaptive headlight, DRL, Headlight Pro, Cruising Light, Multifunctional Indicators)
  • Off Road Tyres

Option 719 cylinder head covers Shadow
Gold cross-spoke rims
BMW R 1250 GS Adventure ’40 Years GS’
BMW R 1250 GS Adventure ’40 Years GS’
BMW R 1250 GS Adventure ’40 Years GS’
BMW R 1250 GS Adventure ’40 Years GS’
BMW R 1250 GS ’40 Years GS’
BMW R 1250 GS ’40 Years GS’
BMW R 1250 GS ’40 Years GS’
BMW R 1250 GS ’40 Years GS’
BMW R 1250 GS ’40 Years GS’
BMW R 1250 GS Adventure ’40 Years GS’

Source: MCNews.com.au

Roland Sands Transforms a 2008 R1200GS Into a Paris Dakar Rally Homage

A Beautifully Crafted Machine

Most folks know of Roland Sands and his company Roland Sands Design. Recently he and his team took a 2008 R1200GS and transformed it into a homage to the 1980s rally bikes that took on the Paris-Dakar Rally. 

Sands drew inspiration from an R80GS that was built by racing specialists HPN-Motorradtechnik. That bike was ridden by Gaston Rahier in the 1986 Paris-Dakar Rally.

The bike that Sands crafted was named “Dakar GS,” which is a fitting title. The bike has 45mm telescopic fork legs with an upgraded Ohlins cartridge kit taken from a Honda Africa Twin. This took some doing because of BMW’s unique Telelever front suspension setup. To make it work, the team used a front end from a 2018 BMW R nineT.

RSD Dakar GS

At the back of the bike, things weren’t so difficult. Sands and his team could simply fit a stock Ohlins shock to manage the travel of the rear swingarm. From there, the team robbed the R nineT of its oil cooler and added plenty of RSD custom parts. They also added AltRider guards, a Touratech aluminum skid plate, and SW Motech engine crash rails.

The bike also features Dubya USA custom wheels (a 21-incher up front and an 18-incher in the rear) that are shod in Dunlop D908RR Rally Raid rubber. The subframe is more or less original to the 2008 GS. Some small alterations were made to fit the Saddlemen seat and survival box. There’s an Akrapovich exhaust and a Baja Designs XL Pro LED headlamp housed in a custom fairing.

RSD Dakar GS

The gas tank was altered by RSD’s team and was painted in the classic livery by Airtrix. There are some ProTaper Evo handlebars and AEM Factory Titanium/carbon fiber brake and clutch levers as well as a Raceco custom rally tower. There’s also a Lowrance Elite-5 Ti GPS.

The RSD team said the entire process is repeatable for the right price. I’d imagine it would have to be a whole lot of money to make that happen, though.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Send Your BMW R nineT Back To 1934 With NMoto’s New Bolt-On Kit

Reimagining The R nineT For The Low-Low

Look, the R nineT is a very classy looking bike… But do you know what is even classier? NMoto’s Nostalgia R7 look-alike build. Unfortunately, you probably don’t have enough trade-in value to swap your BMW R nineT for the $50,000 Nostalgia, but now NMoto has a cheaper option to achieve the same look for pennies on the dollar.

NMoto is finally offering a bolt-on kit a year after unveiling its Nostalgia build; A 1934 BMW R7 throwback. It’s unfortunate for some who paid the 50k total cost to have them build one for you, but for the rest of us (who have some time on our hands and a spare R nineT hanging around), this is your golden ticket to classic riding.

The complete bolt-on kit will cost you approximately $6,950, and requires no cutting, welding, or drilling into your precious R nineT; Which is great in the event you want to revert it back to stock for resale. It maintains the stock ergonomics of the bike, so although your steed may look different, there will be a sigh of relief knowing it will feel and ride the same. The kit is available for pre-order this October through NMoto with a $100 refundable reservation fee (free shipping on pre-orders) and will come to select BMW dealers down the line.

Better Deal Petition

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

BMW Teases the New BMW G 310 R

BMW’s small-displacement G 310 R has been a real winner for the last couple of years, but now the company is working on some new versions of the bike.

The company’s India website recently teased the new G 310 R. You can book a motorcycle now. This is the first official teaser we’ve seen on the company’s website. BMW isn’t pushing the bike yet on its other websites yet. The Indian one is the first I’m seeing of it.

Earlier this year, the bike was spotted testing alongside the G 310 GS. So, this isn’t a huge surprise, but the details of the machine are still unclear. It should be a minor update to the model. The main changes will be focused on the engine and making it compliant with the ever-tightening emissions in India.

According to RideApart, although BMW usually launches products first in Europe, the company will launch the new G 310 R (and likely the G 310 GS) in India first and then spread it out from there to other markets. That means if you live in Europe, North America, Australia, or anywhere else for that matter, you’ll have to wait for these new small-displacement machines.

The Enthusiast Magazine

Prices and details will be available at a later date. It’s good to see BMW making progress on these. The sooner the G 310 R and G 310 GS launch in India, the sooner they will be sent around the world.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

The Blechmann R 18 custom

The Blechmann R 18

This first R 18 cruisers out of the BMW are expected to land in Australia soon and the first shipment of bikes will all land at $31,690. These First Edition bikes will sport signature double pin striping paint and chrome.  The R 18 takes its cues and historic inspiration from the BMW R 5.

BMW R P highRes
1936 BMW R5

Ahead of the machines hitting showrooms BMW has partnered with various custom bike builders around the world and set them to work on their own interpretations of the opportunities that BMW’s new Big Boxer presents.

BMW R P highRes
1936 BMW R5 with the new 2020 BMW R 18

The latest of these customs comes from Bernhard Naumann, a renowned customiser from Austria, who also goes by the name of Blechmann, thus here we have The Blechmann R 18.

The Blechmann R 18

Bernhard Naumann changed as little as possible on the frame and the technology and used only the original fixing points in creating the Blechmann R 18. No chop job then.

The Blechmann R 18

When starting off with a new creation, Bernhard Naumann never uses sketches in advance. He gathers his inspiration while working on the bike itself. “I draw my design directly on the object using the final material. This allows me to directly respond to the requirements and to keep an eye on the proportions at all times“, explains the designer.

The Blechmann R 18

For the Belchmann R 18, he initially “put the cart before the horse” in order to be able to correctly assess the proportions for the front fairing. The aggressive looking single-seater is based on the original supporting structure of the rear fender, seat and pillion.

The Blechmann R 18

The rear light is from Kellermann. The fuel tank has been extensively modified: For one thing, it is narrower making it sportier and exposes the engine even more. On the other hand, it features knee cut-outs, which further support the athletic line. The original steering tube was used as the basis for the stub handlebar.

The Blechmann R 18

Next, Blechmann customised the headlights. As with his last BMW custom bike “Giggerl”, a conversion of the BMW R nineT, the headlights were to have a subtle kidney-shaped design this time. Analogous to the classic boxer engine, Blechmann placed a filament lamp prominently in the center. Here, too, the steering angle and the forward-tilted headlamp determine the basic layout of the custom bike.

The Blechmann R 18

Bernhard Neumann perfected his personalization efforts with discreet black paint and classic white BMW Motorrad pin-stripes. In total, the team around Blechmann worked 450 hours on his version of the BMW R 18.

The Blechmann R 18

Other BMW R 18 Customs
(Click for more detail)

BMW Boxer Zon
Yuichi Yoshizawa and Yoshikazu Ueda with the Custom Works Zon
BMW Cruiser Big Boxer
Revival Cyles showcased the new BMW Big Boxer cruiser engine in their showpiece
Roland Sands and his latest creation, a drag custom based on BMW’s new R 18

Source: MCNews.com.au

RSD take the BMW R 18 drag racing with custom build

BMW R 18 Dragster Custom

The frame has been modified completely removing the rear suspension for drag racing.
Front and rear fenders have been slightly modified utilising the stock sheet metal parts in order to keep the classic R 18 silhouette.
Headlight taken from the original R 18 and highlighted with the headlight bezel from the design collection of milled aluminium parts.
The standard exhaust has been replaced with a hand fabricated Stainless Steel twin megaphone system utilising the exhaust tips from the milled aluminium parts.
The hydraulic front brake and clutch master cylinders are from Roland Sands Design.
The tank has been taken from the original R 18.
The paint finish is a two tone metallic blue with classic white BMW pin-stripes by Roland’s long time painter Chris Wood.
The forks have been taken from the BMW R nineT.
The front braking system has been taken from the BMW S 1000 RR superbike.
The seat has been built from scratch and is a RSD custom seat by Saddlemen.

Roland Sands’ personal story served as a source of inspiration for his work on this bike. “With an engine that’s so visibly the center piece, I immediately thought of muscle cars. My family has always been into going fast and my dad was a drag racer, so I thought it made sense to strip the bike down to the essentials and shape it to go fast on a straight track,” the designer explains.

Roland Sands always starts by sketching his ideas on paper. This allows him to figure out the basics of the shape and what the stance and the geometry of the bike could look like. “In the end, the real magic happens when we bring the sketch to life”, Roland explains.

The new production R 18 features an easily removable rear frame and a simple-to-dismantle painted parts set to give the owner a high degree of freedom for easily converting the rear end of the new R 18 to suit personal preferences.

The electronics were definitely the most difficult task we had to deal with as we put in nitrous oxide, stripped out the stock exhaust and changed the intake drastically. It was a bit of an experiment, but we dialed it in! The final product is impressive and characterised by a high level of craftsmanship, as can be expected from BMW Motorrad. Right from the beginning, I couldn’t wait to get customising!” Roland points out.

The build process

For the the R 18 Dragster, the team around Roland Sands retained the stock neck geometry of the R 18, removed the bike’s rear end and turned it into a drag racer. Moreover, they chose to modify the front and rear fender to fit the modified frame. The whole customizing process took about three and a half months. The bike then headed to the workshop for final assembly and a day at a drag strip.

RSD BMW R 18 Dragster

Every bike needs different sources depending on the build, special materials or parts. Every new bike concept is a bit of a learning process even after having built over 200 bikes. We always want to understand the genre of the bike we are building in, it’s the key to keeping it authentic and functional,” explains Roland Sands.

Roland at work on the BMW R 18 Dragster

Aside from the R 18 Dragster custom bike, Roland Sands also created two different design collections of milled aluminium parts for the launch of the R 18 Cruiser: “Machined” and “2-Tone-Black”. The “Machined” and “2-Tone-Black” ranges include front and rear wheels available in different dimensions than the standard sizes. In addition, the range of these exclusive milled parts includes speedometer housings, handlebar clamps, risers, handlebar grips, hand levers and mirrors as well as engine housing trim elements, filler caps, intake silencer covers and much more.

The build was an exhausting process
Roland Sands has motorcycling is in his blood. His dad was a drag racer who built custom bikes and parts. As a result, Roland was brought up surrounded by cool bikes. It wasn’t long before he, too, was riding and had a racing career of his own that spanned ten years.

Roland is a handy peddler himself and raced in the AMA for many years, from memory his most notable performances were on 250 GP bikes. Unfortunately though in this instance no time-sheets were provided in the information we were given by BMW. Be interesting to see how quick they went….

Source: MCNews.com.au

BMW plans convertible electric C1 scooter

Patent drawings reveal BMW plans to bring back its C1 scooter, but with a detachable roof, seat belts, car-like crumple zones and an electric motor.

The German manufacturer filed a patent for an electric C1-style scooter with a detachable roof in 2017.

Now, more details are available that show it also has airbags, crushable zones front and back like a car, seat belts and aerodynamic winglets that automatically change angle according to speed.

I’ve got to ask … why?

The German company currently has five scooters: the C 650 GT, C 650 Sport, C 400 X and C 400 GT, plus the C Evolution electric scooter which has not yet been imported to Australia.

BMW C evolution electric scooter emissions
BMW C Evolution electric scooter

The new patent drawings show the detachable roof with rear storage area on the electric scooter, but it may also be adapted for the petrol-powered models.

It could even be retrofitted to current models.

BMW patents scooter with roof
Retrofit roof

This is not the first time BMW has thought about bringing back the scooter roof. In 2009, BMW’s first electric scooter was the roofed C1-E concept, powered by a Vectrix motor.

BMW patents scooter with roof
C1-E concept

C1 failure

The whole idea of a motorcycle or scooter is to experience freedom from the cage of cars.

Adding a roof to a motorcycle or scooter not only looks ridiculous, but also makes it heavier and more unwieldy to ride because of its high centre of gravity.

Old C1 scooters can still be seen in crowded European cities such as Paris, but it was a dismal flop around the rest of the civilised world.

BMW patents scooter with roof C1
C1

The idea was to attract car drivers to two wheels. In some countries, riders of the quirky BMW scooter were even allowed to go helmet-less!

Given the sales flop of the C1 which was only built from 2000 to 2002, you have to ask why BMW would consider its reintroduction?

Hopefully, the BMW patent doesn’t give safety nannies the idea that the introduction of a scooter with a protective cage and seatbelt is the answer to two-wheeled injuries and deaths.

BMW patents scooter with roof C1
Riderless C1 being tested

British company AB Dynamics has already used an old BMW C1 to develop by a self-riding scooter to “help improve motorcycle safety” and prove that motorcycles can interact with autonomous vehicles. 

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

WP launches new suspension options for BMW S 1000 RR

WP suspension components for BMW S 1000 RR

Based on its high performance suspension packaghes, WP Suspension are launching a new series of premium APEX PRO suspension components for the BMW S 1000 RR that will be available in Australia from mid-late August.

WP suspension components for BMW S 1000 RR

This sports package consisting of APEX PRO 7746 Shock, APEX PRO 7500 Cartridge and APEX PRO 7117 Steering Damper.

APEX PRO 7746 Shock

The APEX PRO 7746 Shock offers separately adjustable high- and low-speed compression and rebound damping that can be easily adjusted to the track using standard tools, the bike can be adapted to any change in riding conditions in a matter of seconds. Extremely low manufacturing tolerances and the use of high-quality high-tech materials not only ensure constant damping performance but also provide crystal-clear and direct feedback from the ground.  Australian pricing has been set at $2750.

APEX PRO 7746 Shock

The APEX PRO 7500 Cartridges are fully adjustable with standard tools, can be adapted to the individual requirements of the rider in just a few simple steps using adjusters for compression and rebound. WP claim incredibly efficient and constant damping performance and that with their APEX PRO 7500 Cartridge, ground contact is significantly improved and both bike and rider benefit from exceptional agility and increased confidence in the bike and the track. Australian pricing has been listed as $3640.

APEX PRO 7500 Cartridges
APEX PRO 7500 Cartridges
APEX PRO 7500 Cartridges

The series is topped off by the APEX PRO 7117 Steering Damper. Tailored to the demands of racing and adjustable with little effort directly at the piston rod, the damper is not only an absolute lightweight – its slim design makes it look just as simple and perfectly complements the appearance of the BMW S 1000 RR. The damper is priced at $725.

APEX PRO 7117 Steering Damper
APEX PRO 7117 Steering Damper
APEX PRO 7117 Steering Damper

The APEX PRO COMPONENTS for the BMW S 1000 RR will be available at WP Suspension Authorised Centres throughout Australia from mid-late August.

WP suspension for BMW S 1000 RR

Source: MCNews.com.au