BMW Motorrad
began as an aeroplane engine manufacturer. But after the
first world war, the
Treaty of Versailles banned any
German air force, so the company turned to motorcycle engine design and manufacturing. In 1923, BMW introduced the first motorcycle under its name, the
R32. Since then, they have moved to become a successful manufacturer of refined motorcycles.
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2002 BMW R1150RT |
1916 to WWII
In 1916, two companies, Gustav Otto's
Flugmaschinenfabrik (Aeroplane Factory) and Karl Rapp's
Flugwerke Deutschland, merged to form the
Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (Bavarian Aeroplane Works). Initially this company designed and manufactured aeroplane engines. The Bayerische Flugzeugwerke was renamed the
Bayerische Motoren Werke (Bavarian Motor Works,
BMW) in 1917 by Karl Rapp and Max Friz. Their new logo, a roundel representing an aeroplane propeller in the blue sky, is still used today on all BMW motorcycles and automobiles. A former Daimler employee, Joseph Popp became BMW's managing director. Aeroplane engines, especially a V-12 model, were BMW's primary output.
With funding from the German air force, BMW began manufacturing the Fokker DV II, one of the best aircraft of that time. However the fortune of the company turned in 1919 with the end of WWI and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. Germany was forbidden to manufacture aeroplanes. Reluctantly Max Friz, BMW's head designer, turned to motorcycle and automobile engines to sustain the company. Within four weeks, Friz designed the now-legendary opposing flat twin cylinder engine known today as the "boxer" engine.
The first 'boxer' engine,
M2B15, was based on a British Douglas design. It was manufactured by BMW but mostly used in other brands of motorcycles, notably Victoria of Nuremburg. The M2B15 proved to be moderately successful and BMW used it in its own Helios motorcycle. They also developed and manufactured a small 2-stroke motorcycle called the Flinck which was not successful. However with the development of their first light alloy cylinder head, a second more successful version of the boxer engine evolved. In 1923, the first BMW branded motorcycle, the
R32, was produced. Using the new aluminum alloy cylinders, Friz designed a 486 cc engine with 8.5 hp (6.3 kW) and a top speed of 60 mph (100 km/h). The engine and gear box formed a single unit. The new engine featured a recirculating wet-sump oiling system which was very advanced for 1923. Most motorcycle manufacturers used a total-loss oiling system in 1923. BMW used this type of recirculating oiling system until 1969, showing the advanced design of the times.
The R32 became the foundation for all future boxer powered BMW motorcycles. BMW oriented the boxer engine with the cylinder heads sticking out on each side for cooling as per the earlier British ABC. Other motorcycle manufacturers aligned the cylinders with the frame, one cylinder facing towards the front wheel and the other towards the back wheel. For example,
Harley Davidson introduced the model W, a flat twin oriented fore and aft design, in 1919 and built them through 1923.
The R32 also incorporated a shaft drive. BMW continued to use shaft drives in all their motorcycles until the introduction of the F650 in 1994. The F650 series, and later the F800 series when introduced in 2006, featured either a chain drive or a belt drive system, both of which were a radical departure from BMW tradition.
In 1935, BMW introduced the first production motorcycle to use telescopic forks. By this time the benefits of overhead cams were known; higher revs could be obtained before the onset of valve float. However, the basic boxer design did not lend itself to overhead cams. To obtain the benefits of overhead cams without overly increasing the engine width, BMW incorporated a system that was so advanced for its racing bikes that it resurrected it many decades later in the
R1100RS oilhead. The system was two cams in the head operating rocker arms via short push rods.
In 1937, Ernst Hene rode a supercharged 500 cc overhead cam BMW 173.88 mph, setting a world record that stood for 14 years. Ernst Hene died at the age of 100 in 2005.
During World War II, the U.S. Army asked Harley-Davidson to produce a motorcycle as good as BMW's side-valve R71. So Harley copied the BMW, simply converting metric measurements to inches, and produced the shaft-drive 750cc 1942 Harley-Davidson XA.
World War II to 1960
The end of World War II found BMW in ruins. Its plant outside of Munich was destroyed by allied bombing. It is commonly alleged that an entire assembly line in the
Eisenach facility was dismantled by the Soviets as reparations and sent it back to the Soviet Union where it was reassembled in Irbit to make
Ural motorcycles. However the IMZ plant was supplied to the Soviets by BMW under licence prior to the commencement of the Great Patriotic War. After the war the terms of Germany's surrender forbade BMW from manufacturing motorcycles. Most of BMW's brightest engineers were taken to the US and Russia to continue their work on jet engines which BMW produced during the war.
When the ban on the production of motorcycles was lifted in Allied controlled Western Germany, BMW had to start from scratch. There were no plans, blueprints, or schematic drawings. Company engineers had to use surviving prewar motorcycles to create new plans. The first post-war BMW motorcycle in Western Germany was produced in 1948. In 1949, BMW produced 9,200 units. By 1950 production surpassed 17,000 units.
The situation was somewhat different in Soviet-controlled Eastern Germany where the Eisenach plant was producing R-35 and a handful of R75 motorcycles for reparations. Eventually this plant became EMW.
In 1951, BMW introduced the first sporting motorcycle, the R68. It was a 594 cc single cam engine with 7.5:1 compression ratio and larger valves. The carburettor venturi throat sizes were 26 mm. As the 1950's progressed, motorcycle sales plummeted. In 1957, three of BMW's major German competitors went out of business. In 1954, BMW produced 30,000 motorcycles. By 1957, that number was less than 5,500. However, by the late 50's, BMW exported 85% of its boxer twin powered motorcycles to the United States. At that time, Butler & Smith, Inc. was the exclusive U.S. importer of BMW.
On
June 8,
1959, John Penton rode a BMW R69 from New York to Los Angeles in 53 hours and 11 minutes, setting a record. The previous record of 77 hours and 53 minutes was set by Earl Robinson on a 45 cubic inch (740 cm³)
Harley-Davidson.
1960 to 1984
Although U.S. sales of BMW motorcycles were strong, BMW was in financial trouble. Through the combination of selling off its aircraft engine division and obtaining financing with the help of Herbert Quandt, BMW was able to survive. The turnaround was thanks in part to the increasing success of BMW's automotive division. Since the beginnings of its motorcycle manufacturing, BMW periodically introduced single-cylinder models. In 1967, BMW offered the last of these, the R27. Most of BMW's offerings were still designed to be used with sidecars. By this time sidecars were no longer a consideration of most riders; people were interested in sportier motorcycles. The R69US marked the end of sidecar-capable BMWs.
In 1970 BMW introduced an entirely revamped product line of 500, 600 and 750 cc displacement models, the R50/5, R60/5 and R75/5 respectively. The engines were a complete redesign from the older models, producing more power and including electric starting (although the kick-starting feature was still included). The "/5" models were short-lived, however, being replaced by another new product line in 1974. In that year the 500 cc model was deleted from the lineup and an even bigger 900 cc model was introduced, along with substantial improvements to the electrical system and frame geometry. These models were the R60/6, R75/6 and the R90/6. In 1975 the kick starter was finally eliminated and a supersport model, the
BMW R90S, was introduced. The R90S immediately earned the well deserved title of the best supersport machine available. Today these rare models command high prices in the collector marketplace. Many afficionados of BMW motorcycles view the /5 thru /7 lineup as the epitome of classic BMW engineering, though all Airhead models produced through 1995 were roughly similar in terms of owner-friendly maintainence and repair. In addition to "/" or "slash" models, other Airhead models such as the G/S (later, GS) and ST also have dedicated followings within BMW circles while others favor certain earlier models like /5 "toasters." Each has their merits which owners will freely debate with enthusiasm. Later BMW model types such as K-bikes ('84 on) and Oilheads ('93 on) included technical innovations that made them more complicated though many owners still elect to service them personally.
In 1977 the product line moved on to the "/7" models. The R80/7 was added to the line. The R90 (898 cc) models, "/6" and "S" models had their displacement increased to 1000 cc; replaced by the R100/7 and the R100S, respectively. These were the first litre size (1,000 cc) machines produced by BMW. 1977 was a banner year with the introduction of the first production motorcycle featuring a sfull fairing, the R100RS. This sleek model, designed through wind-tunnel testing, produced 70 horsepower and had a top speed of 125 mph. In 1978, the R100RT was introduced into the lineup for the 1979 model year, as the first "full-dress" tourer, designed to compete in this market with the forthcoming Honda Goldwing. In 1979 the R-60 was replaced with the R65, 650cc's. This time with its own frame design and a variant in 1982 the R65LS to include an entry level models to the lineup.
1984 to 2005
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BMW K100RS motorcycle, model year 1986 |
In early 1983 BMW introduced an 1000 cc, in-line four-cylinder, water-cooled engine to the European market, the K100. In 1984, those models were introduced to the U.S. market. It was assumed that this new engine would not only be the basis for a new models, but would replace the aging boxer flat twin engine. However, demand for the boxer did not wane with the introduction of this new engine and associated models. And the demand of the new engine models was much less than BMW anticipated. Therefore, BMW continued to produce boxer models.
In 1985 BMW produced a 750 cc, three-cylinder version of the new four-cylinder water cooled engine. The 750 cc was
counterbalanced, and therefore smoother. The R100RT, boxer powered sport touring bike with a monolever rear suspension was reintroduced in 1987. BMW introduced rear suspension on the K bikes, a double-joined, single-sided
swingarm. In 1989, BMW introduced their version of a full-fairing sport bike, the K1. It was based upon the K100 engine, with four valves per cylinder. Output was near 100 bhp (75 kW). Also in 1988, BMW introduced
ABS on their motorcycles. A first in the motorcycle industry. ABS became standard on all BMW K models. During this period BMW introduced the F650 series, R1100RT, R1150RT, R1100RS, R1150RS, R1100R, R1150R, R1100S, K100, K100RS, K100RT, K75, K75C, K75S, K75RT, K1100RS, K1100LT, K1200RS, K1200LT, as well as the K1200GT.
New Bikes, New Engines
K Series
Each of the last few years (2004, 2005, 2006) appear to be a banner years for BMW. On September 25th 2004, BMW globally launched a radically redesigned K Series motorcycle, the K1200S, containing an all new in-line 4-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine featuring 167 bhp. The K1200S what primarily designed as a Super Sport motorcycle, albeit larger and heavier than the closest Japanese competitors. Shortly after the launch of the K1200S, problems were discovered with the new power plant leading to a recall until the beginning of 2005 when corrective changes were put in place. Recently, a K1200S set a land speed record for production bikes in its class at the Bonneville Salt Flats, exceeding 174 miles per hour (280 km/h).
In addition to the launch of K1200S, BMW has also launched the K1200R naked roadster, and the K1200GT sports tourer, which started to appear in dealer showrooms in Spring 2006. All three new K-Series motorcycles are based off of the new in-line 4 cylinder engine, all with slightly varying degrees of horsepower.
R Series
The BMW boxer, opposing twin cylinder engine powered bikes, were also revamped. The new boxer displacement is just under 1200cc, and is affectionately referred to a ‘hexhead' because of the shape of the cylinder cover. The motor itself is more powerful, and all motorcycles that use it are lighter. The first motorcycle to be launched with this updated engine was the R1200GS dual purpose motorcycle. The R1200RT tourer and R1200ST sports tourer followed shortly behind. BMW then introduced a two special editions the new R1200GS designated the R1200GS HP2 and the R1200GS Adventure, each specifically targeting the off-road and adventure touring motorcycle segment respectively. Just recently BMW launched a model called the R1200S which is rated at 122 bhp at the crankshaft - the most powerful boxer engine to date.
F Series
BMW has also paid attention to the F Series in 2006. They lowered the price on the existing F650GS and F650GS Dakar, and eliminated the F650CS to make room in the lineup for the all-new F800 Series motorcycles. These new F800 Series motorcycles are powered by a brand new side-by-side twin engine that is built by Rotax, and a belt drive system that is very similar to the belt drive found on the now defunct F650CS. Initially, BMW launched two models of the new F800 Series, the F800S sport bike and the F800ST sports tourer, but statements have been made that point to an upcoming F800R naked roadster and an F800GS dual-purpose motorcycle.
BMW motorcycles are named according to a three-part code:
