Having owned a couple of Beemers I can honestly say that in my opinion BMW's bikes started going downhill in 1984 with the introduction of the K model better known as the brick. The "airhead" boxer twin was extremely well made and had been "debugged" over the years. It was reliable and could be worked on with common hand tools. Part of the beemer secret against other makers was the fact that like aircraft engines they were designed to run at 80% capacity 100% of the time. Most bikes at that time could only be run continually at 60% or less. Today it can be argued that BMW has the highest maintenance costs of any machine made. BMW's north american sales are lacking these days and their dealers are not faring at all well against the competition. Sad but nonetheless true............ As an aside, the old boxers had something that was unique in the motorcycle world. All of the pin-striping was done by hand by a group of Ladies. If you have an original paint job on an airhead beemer and you remove the tank you will find the woman who pinstriped its initials on the underside in the tunnel. A fellow I know had an R90S that he wished to restore to original and being relatively wealthy, money was no object. He arranged through the local dealer to send the tins back to Germany for paint. When the tins were returned to Canada it was found that the signature under the tank was the same as the original. BMW, in their effort to assist in having a true showroom restoration, had brought the woman in out of retirement to redo the stripes she had done years before.......
I have owned 4 k bikes. All purchased used with around 5k miles. I ride the stuff out of them and when they get to around 50k miles I get rid of them. Never had any issues other then regular schedule service and I front wheel sensor on a k1600 gtl and a mouse chewing a wire on a cooling fan on one. I now have a new r 1250 gsa and I think I’ll keep this one a bit
I've owned R1150RS, K1200RS, K1200S and K1300S. All great bikes. Rode the K1300S (176 hp) for 4 years (30000 mi) and besides oil changes and tires, the only thing I had to replace was front headlight bulb. Absolutly, the greatest motorcycle on earth !
The BMW boxer engine is just a classic, so many great bikes have had a version of that engine. In the real world where the configuration does not impinge on lean angle, like on the track, the smoothness and low center of gravity makes these bikes really special. I own two different BMW's and the Telelever front suspension with the way it controls pitch and dive under breaking is just wonderful. In all I own 12 motorcycles and every time I get back on one of the BMW's I'm always amazed by how wonderful they feel to ride.
Quite an amazing story! I've an R1200GS with an amazing 90+k miles on it - still running strong, burns about 8oz of oil every 8,000 miles and I take it places that I wouldn't walk or drive - it's been to the Arctic Circle and gracefully and quietly laid rubber on nearly every back road in America - it is my 23rd ride and without doubt, the best, most flexible ride I ever imagined - I've worn out more tires on this thing then I can count, many sets being very much more off-road oriented... Without hesitation, if I could ONLY have one bike, it would most certainly be the R1200GS... Having been a professional tuner, I've had the good fortune to ride hundreds of motorcycles, everything from 125cc MX bikes to custom Hogs, not to mention severe turbocharged drag race models, road race bikes, even prototype models that few others have ever seen let alone ridden... I've ridden nearly every brand of motorcycle ever built and after all that the R1200GS still stands out as the kind... It is also true that there are certain models from the likes of Ducati, Aprilia, Yamaha, Honda and Kawasaki that I do wish I could just ride one more time...
I had the R65 in the very late 70,s and early 80,s. Had it for 4 years and travel from Osnabruck to Manchester 2 up and baggage. No problems with about 6 trips
On 14th Jamuary 1986 I traded my 2 Guzzi's for an R80 Paris Dakar - I sold it in 2009, I did 320,000 kms on it and it never, not once didnt get me home. Endoover ended down a mountain, covered by sea water, drowned in a swamp, crashed and chucked and ridden hard as - 2 engines, 2 gearboxes, 5 different colours and I dyed that awful orange seat black the day after I bought it using my mum's shoe dye . . awesome bike.
Scooter Tramp: My 1986 R65 monolever did 700,000Km with the only engine work being a new timing chain. It liked new gearbox bearings at 100,000Km intervals. My current commuter bike (long commute, 4 days per week at 230Km per day) is reliable, as economical as my R80, and very comfortable. I don't know of any other bike brand as durable.
Bert, i had an R65 back in the 80's did a fantastic 3,500 miles in 3 weeks in europe. 2 up. Great mileage / range from near 5gallon tank. Super bike as had the joys of the boxer but more compact and surprised many with its handling. Super simple to maintain, saw a you tube video on i think servicing a F750/850 GS and the dismantling required just to get to the spark plugs seems utter madness and basic poor design to me. Up there with car headlights needing to be taken out just to get to the bulbs.
So great to see Brit Reg Pridmore featured in this film and given credit for both the development of his BMW racer and his skill as a rider.. One of my motorcycling heroes!
I am the 4th generation customer of BMW...Great grand father with R32.......me with 2016 R 1200 RT and X5. I am a living history.........visited Munich BMW museum and now planning their Berlin factory. Best of luck for BMW
I ride R1200 RT-P models as a blood bike rider here in the UK. The bikes have high mileages riden over a relatively short service time ie 70 to 90 000 miles in three to four years. However the running and maintenance costs are very very high. One reason for this is that despite how technically brilliant the machines are the build quality is abysmal. I actually own a large capacity Japanese sports tourer which is now 10 years old. There is practically NO corrosion on the metal parts. The paintwork is still glossy, It costs very much less to maintain and service than the Beemers. The frame and suspension parts on the RT-P's are full of rust, the powder coating on the alloy suspension parts bubbles and corrodes like powder, the plastics go brittle, and this is with regular maintenance. Mechanically they are not as robust as BMW would have you believe. I would not buy and own one as in ownership it would be cost prohibitive having seen what I have. My own Japanese bike is really easy to self service and maintain, the BMW's are not. BMW is one of those Brands that is now trading solely on its past reputation but has actually become one of those in the category of brand elitism when the products are actually mediocre and not commanding a wide appeal. It is no good having technologically advanced machinery that is not really that well made and assembled.
Cant help but notice that the BMW guy just jumped from the 30s to the 60s kinda left a pretty important time in history there huh, they were probably on vacation lol :D
Great bikes, great innovation and great design. The documentary is innovative too, in bringing us the worst in what is now normal in truly nauseating documentaries.
Hi, Thanks for the Great Video of the History of the BMW GS Motorcycle. I ride a 2006 R1200GS and Love it. I would Love to have a Newer GS, but I’m a Disabled Veteran and can’t afford one. The GS is the only Motorcycle I can Ride and not Hurt. The Seating Position is so comfortable, and puts my Back and Body in the Perfect Position. I actually Traded a Harley for it. I couldn’t Ride the Harley a Mile without Hurting. Anyway, Thanks BMW for making a Great Motorcycle. 👍❤️ I think it’s the Best Motorcycle Ever Made.
Visited Beamish Museum a while back. Called into the garage and saw an engine on the bench that very closely resembled the BMW Boxer engine as in my R1200GS. When I mentioned this-the guide said that it was from an ABC motorcycle in 1921. It was 400cc and could reach 70 MPH. Imagine that in 1920s with no brakes and no roads as we know them haha? Frightening. A French motorcycle company built these engines under licence for their motorcycles with a bored out 500cc version capable of 80 MPH. ABC apparently made engines for Sopwith aeroplanes before moving onto motorcycles. ABC motorcycles also became a British motorcycle manufacturer established in 1912ish by Ronald Charteris and the designer/chief engineer, I believe, was Granville Bradshaw. Apparently their engines were the most used in WW1 army motorcycles. In 1918ish, ABC made a 400 cc flat-twin engine. They were a very high spec engine with roller bearings. The motorcycles sold for around £100 and were just too expensive for the company to survive. To compare, Henry Ford sold a model T for £70. ABC motorcycles went bust but the engines continued to be be built on licence by various companies, including BMW who were challenged in 1926 for using the patented design. They gave ABC "two fingers" and carried on regardless, which we have a lot to be thankful for because all British motorcycle producers never kept up and went bust. The guide seemed very knowledgeable and also very passionate about his job and said that BMW essentially stole the design and the rest, as they say, is history. (I've probably got some of his story wrong so don't blame him). Some of you petrol heads may already know all this but I didn't. I was honestly fascinated. It's great to know that probably the most popular motorcycle engine in the world is based on a British design and over 100 years old haha. If you go to Beamish museum call into the garage and check it out. It's probably all in Wikipedia or somewhere on the WWW but it was fascinating being told the the tale off the old feller. Got some pictures of the engine but don't know if or how I can post them on here. Love my GS1200R
Look closely at the spinning propeller at 4:36. The circular blue and white BMW logo is evident. If this video had come just a bit later it would include the K1600 6-zylinder engine. Although not as powerful as the Race Ready S1000RR, it still manages to offer stupendous performance in a touring motorcycle. It's not so much where you go, but how you get there.
Oh it kicked me right in the sweet spot, I have a k1200r , and sold it 6 years later. I love that bike. The gears were like butter. The speed was like nothing else. I dropped R1's, lambo's and more in Dallas. I miss my bike.
Not the first bike with shaft drive ( FN), and not the first horizontally opposed twin (Douglas), but certainly the first (& only) to mount it longitudinally in the frame, mate it with a shaft, and stick with it-in one form or another-for almost 100 years now. I've owned over a dozen Beemers over the 35 years I've ridden, and have enjoyed them all: from my early-'60s R60/2 ... to my early-2000s K1200RS, and all points in between!
As a BMW motorbike rider, this is interesting, but it’s a pity that the WW2 part is skipped. It’s part of history as well, not so glorious (obviously!), but there must be many things to learn from.
No issues documenting BMW's motorcycle history of the 40's but let's not ruin another sport by making it a political soapbox, we have too many of those already.
Love how when they go to the K series of bikes, they act like they're the first to introduce a line engine in motorcycles when in actuality the K bike was BMW's answer to Honda's line engines. But because they didn't want it to look like a Honda rip-off they put the engine on its side.
BMW put the crankeshaft shaft inline with the driveshaft. Japanese inline 4 puts a gear on the crankeshaft then goes to a chan and sprocket. Two sprockets allow for more gearing ratios.
So Honda didn't steal the 1937 Gilera 4 ?? Or 1950's MV Augusta 4 ?? How come people think that Japanese invented these concepts? If you study motorcycle history, these technologies appear decades before the Japanese developed them into production. They definitely developed modern manufacturing systems that led to the 70's and 80's motorcycle renaissance but BMW just revisited the horizontal 4 concept. It could be argued that they stole the boxer design from Bradshaws ABC which predated the BMW by a couple of years, but maybe Bradshaw just stole the Douglas design and turned it 90 degrees. Get the picture, by 1910 almost every engine configuration had been invented and tried and subsequent bikes were different takes on these.
No. In the early'80's BMW was working on a boxer 4 liquid cooled but Honda beat them to it so they went back to the drawing board, or rather a fresh computer screen and did the flying brick. I lived through it and remember those days. I still ride my '77 R100RS.
To add more to the GS history: The early R 80 GS can claim to have several different parents. The role of icebreaker however was played by BMW motorcycle testing engineer László Peres and his self-built 800cc machine, which emerged from the BMW testing department in late 1977 to lay the groundwork for the later G/S models.
There is one flaw that I noticed. It stated the hand dampener was introduced late in production, when my R/51/3 had it on, and I loved it. Mine was built in 1953. It worked flawlessly on my bike!
BMW pre WWI built aircraft engines for the Fokker D-7. After WWI, when they were allowed to build aircraft engines again they were Pratt & Whitney Aircraft's first licensee for the P&WA air cooled radial engine, the Hornet engine in 1926 / 27. They later built their own designed air cooled radial engine which was used in the FW-190 fighter. They also built a jet engine used in the ME-262. After WWII, and not allowed to build aircraft engines, they built the BMW ISETTA car, using their motorcycle parts. Later they built the BMW 700; and finally the BMW 2002 which revived their automobile business which grew to where they are today.
They went from a single cylinder motorcycle builder to a twin cylinder motorcycle builder on the accomplishments of the British Douglas Motorcycle Company...they bought a 1922 Douglas 500cc twin from an employee and thus from that was born the BMW R32, by reengineering the Douglas power plant ...they didn't invent twin boxers....was done decades earlier....by Douglas
K75 didn't even get a mention. The K75s is the sweetest and most bullet proof Beemer of that period. After having an R80RT, I've had 3 K75 bikes, an RT, a C and now a low mileage K75S. With a few tweaks they are the connoiseur's BMW.
The poor lamented flying brick! I didn't like them back when they were released but they've grown on me to the extent where I own both an early K100RS and an early K1100RS - ten years of brick development. The early bricks look so '80s' now, they have aged well. True, the engines are a little rough for a four cylinder but the power delivery is linear and the high speed stability is superb. I think the brick will in time be regarded as a classic but will never enjoy the universal appeal of the airheads.
I'm a Beemer guy. Have a 73 r75 toaster tank,78 r100rs, my dream bike. However, the r75 tops the RS in so many ways. I tried commuting the RS (40 mile round trip) & it was awful. Out of its element. If you're not in the RS sweet spot 75-80 mph it's brutal. Just my observation.
Looks like this was current up until 2008 model year. A lot of changes since then, K1200 and later K1300 are gone, K1600 6 cylinder rolled out in 2012 and now comprises 3 models including the K1600GTL, GT and B (Bagger). Also failed to mention the RT series bikes or the globally popular Police variants, or the mid weight F650,700,800 and now F750 and 850 GS bikes, and of course BMW has recently introduced the new entry level bikes, the G310R and the dual sport version the G310GS. Do Scooters deserve a mention here? Why not. C1 in Europe with its innovative integral roll cage, the later C650 series scooters with power windshields, heated seats and heated grips, and now the new C400X with full color TRF dashboard, and media streaming, connectivity, telephony, and GPS built in. Coming soon an all new air cooled 1800 cc series of bikes.
BMW does not have fool proof reliability. The old world craftsmanship has been replaced by Chinese crapmanship. They were probably the best bikes in the world at one point but that time is past.
I have an R1200C and I love it. It's absolutely gorgeous... Quite possibly the perfect cruiser, handles great, torquey motor, best brakes. But... If I buy the front brake master cylinder piston from BMW its $90 USD... If I get it from Maguera it's less than two dollars... BMW sued Maguera to NOT sell their rebuild parts so BMW could mark them up 1,000 percent... And gouge everyone who owns their products. Bottom line, I love my bike... The company heads, however... i should add that Harley Davidson is no different, neither is KTM or those other European makes. The only exceptions are the Japanese bikes... They hit the nail on the head, the Germans are PROUD of their bikes, but the Japanese put their motorcycles together with a thing called HONOR, quality, and a good price... Long story short this will probably be my last German bike, I am going back to Japan for essentially guaranteed quality, and not being gouged by the company I am trying to patronize.
BMW made great engines and bikes but the electrical was not very good I had a K 750 and in one year replaced three speedometers two switches for the break and signal system and one control for the rad. and only had about 30,000 kilometers on it. My friend had the K 1000 and had the same problems. And a friend of his lost his fork seals twice in one year. Yes they do last a long time if you could put up with all the little things that need replacing. If you get one make sure you get extended warranty with it, as you will most likely need it. The other thing is that some provinces in Canada do not even have a dealer ship, and to have to go to a another province to get maintenance is not good, and can spoil a good tour. I have had over 15 bikes in my years and the BMW was the one that needed the most work, I love the idea of a drive shaft, but want a bike that can go with out having to replace parts in the first year of driving. If Japan can do it why can't BMW. Now BMW is going to chain on there lighter bikes and still costing more than the Japan made bikes, which go many years without replacing parts.
@@charlesangell_bulmtl Well plane engines were their thing originally. They only dabbled in other engine types but their main product during WW2 was was the BMW 132 9-cylinder engine and the BMW 801 engine and overwhelmingly the biggest users of those were the Ju-52 Tante Ju & FW-190. They did over 80000 of those combined. Then they did some licensed Daimler engines.
As an owner of several 70s boxers, and a BMW tech, I was seriously depressed with the K model introduction, I too felt BMW meant the opposed twin 👍, and I'm still upset because of the lack of midsize boxers; eg, 800cc 🙂 I'm surprised they mentioned that. I thought I was the only one 😎
They skip BMW role in World War II? this is advertising not a documentary. they made engine for the luftwaffe as well as motorbike basically everyone that the German army use just skip that part of History entirely.
@@hagestad No issues documenting motorcycle history of the 40's but let's not ruin another sport by making it a political soapbox, we have too many of those already.
They want to make as much money as possible. Surely they will find excuses like R&D costs a lot bla bla bla and that hand stripe painting is just pointless and in an effort to try to pamper the buyer into sinking money. I love BMW's but they are way overpriced, big % of the price is just brand name.
@@charlesangell_bulmtl pffft..and the running costs? Plenty other much cheaper bikes that do great mileage... Large chunk of the price here is the brand name.
What you are paying for is a machine whose tolerances are 1/1000th of a mm, built using different methods than it's Asian brethren, and different materials. Europeans have a different way of doing the same thing and unfortunately it's more expensive but in my opinion, a more beautiful way to make a motorcycle. Maintenance is subjective. Doing it myself, not difficult and not expensive for basic stuff. Paying some level 3 BMW Motorad technician to do the same thing, that's expensive.
Andy Thurlow: ABC motorcycles (they also made cyclecars) were expensive, not just because of the engine, but because they had proper rear suspension. Motorcyclists were notoriously conservative, and this innovation scared most of them. Besides, "real men" are alleged to prefer discomfort and danger.
I drove an hour to St Joseph IL to test drive the brand new K100 and was stunned to find that a foot peg (right?) vibrated so badly that my foot went numb. I returned the bike and told the owner no way Jose!
The only major motorcycle marque, rated (Consumer Reports) year after year, after year, less dependable, with more known design flaws the BMW is the Haley-Davidson. I think that that pretty much says it all.
My brilliant F650 gs Dakar is a 2001. I thought the twin F800's came out some years after 2001? Possibly 2007? Because, confusingly, the twin 650 isn't a 650. It's an 800 and the singles went on until about 2007.
I know your comment is a couple years old but this is the coolest graphic I've seen in the boxer motor. It's ingenious and so advanced on so many levels. The video is 3 minutes well spent. Cheers. ua-cam.com/video/VHwhER815go/v-deo.html
Silly me, forgot to identify my current commuter bike R1100RT (I'm told it's an old man's bike because it has an adjustable screen and heated grips). Just the thing for a sedate 60-something.
I have never believed the ‘fable’ that the badge represents a spinning propellor. Yes the colours are for the territory,BUT, the emblem , sign , image is saying ‘ from this point ALL measurements are taken’’ . Meaning all other machines should measure up to a BMW. Ask a draughtsman.
Hmmm I read that Karl Benz invented the horizontally opposed engine 1896, and Douglas mounted this engine a motorcycle in 1907. So in 1923 Max gets credit for turning the engine a different way in the frame, important yes not the inventor of the engine. Many innovations over the years a few innovations that answered questions no one asked. Loved many of the art deco designs of the 1930s, R90s, R80GS, S1000, and R9T. You keep the three and four cyclinder flying bricks, tried one but didn't care for it. Many technical innovations come from the car division which can be good and others maybe not so good. Overall a premium brand to me but not the best value brand for me.
Hi Just dad, back in the late 70's BMW had a fleet of bikes that went round the UK for test ride so was able to test in the one day. R65, R80, R100RS/RT, compared to my Yamaha RD250 everything i wanted but the bigger boxers grounded too easily. R65 was a jewel that too me had all the benefits few disadvantages. BMW marketing as a brand to aspire to has always pushed the marque, i always felt they missed the zero on the engine size and added it to all the parts and servicing costs
Nice documentary or commercial but let's keep some facts together... 42:30 blunt lie. There are other naked bikes with similar or more power than the K1200R, for example the 1400 Kawasaki or the Yamaha VMax 1700. 26:30 the 850 GS was not a bad bike and it had quite some success taking into account the rest of the BMW fleet back then. But in no way the 850 GS started a new category of bikes on the market. It was an Enduro like there were many at that time and they all were getting bigger and fatter... Around 15:.. you made my day with that joke... BMW bikes were said to be reliable but no one ever called them sexy and the only superbike from Germany of that era was the Münch Mammut. As stated correctly, BMW remained in the market because of the huge interest as bikes for officials like police all over the world but also because they were supported heavily by the German taxpayers as the production in Berlin in the center of communist part of Germany gave BMW a lot of tax advantages. I missed the link to the Glas Automobiles company without whom also BMW cars would have been bankrupt in the late 60s (maybe early 70s).
A shortcut to the development of BMW. WHERE DOES the K75 RT fit in. Did it evolve before the K100 RT or not? This video is short in factual information.
The early "flying brick" has to be one of the most unappealing looking motorcycles ever, IMO. The engine is just such a big part of a motorcycle and the profile creates a lot of it's appearance.
@Beemrdon I'm surprised your could bring yourself to sell it, my oldest is a 1999, I was going to sell it when I got my new GS Rallye, but can't bring myself to part with it.
@Beemrdon My 99 is an R1100r with a modified chip in the fuel injection system which is a night and day improvement over stock, I went with a GS because of my height and aging long legs, they just didn't like being bent up and back for long. The GS has a larger "rider triangle" and because I have the taller sport suspension I could use lowered pegs as well that make for a relaxed riding position. If I was smaller I'd have gone with something else in the line, although having said that the GS Rallye is a wonderful long distance bike, particularly in the desert areas where I live, where you don't want too much fairing and weather protection as you need the breeze to stay as cool as you can. Other than being a bit tall to climb on and off, I've yet to find any real negative and the long travel suspension really comes into it's own on the increasingly bad road surfaces in many areas, I see people riding in front of me hit dips and bumps and brace myself for the same, only to barely feel them. I have a bit of a collection of bikes, some from the 70's and find it very hard to part with any of them.
@Beemrdon At 5' 8" the RT is the best option, unless you plan on going off road. I'm just north of you in Utah, so not quite as hot as Vegas generally where I ride. I was born and lived for 40 years in the UK, never remember being too hot there on a motorcycle, if it was sunny I was so glad it wasn't raining that I never noticed if it was hot. Here when it gets over 90 I start to notice the heat, but it depends where you are riding, open roads where you can keep moving are fine, in traffic and at stop lights I wish I had air conditioning.
Many small errors in statements made. ie: steering damper on r90s was definitely not first. This video was tossed together in a digital editing with little research and must have been done by someone with little technical or motorcycle knowledge.
Funny how the bikes have kinda paralleled the cars in 'popularity', where they were both relatively obscure brands often owned by engineering types and math majors who appreciated their 'uniqueness', only to both eventually become sorta mainstream yuppie 'status symbols'.
BMW IS ONE OF THE MOST RELIABLE MOTORCYCLES. THE BIKE WILL ALWAYS GET YOU HOME.THE BOXER WILL run on one cylender.the video failed to mention BMW factory was bombed in WW 2 car production destroyed.BMW had to start alover with the motorcycle production .car production came later.BMW also made a 250 cc single piston drive shift motorcycle.
The BMW has 3 great features for the rider one the bike handles well in the mountain curves.two handles well at high speeds free ways. Three handles well in city street driving.thats 3 bikes for the price of one!
I'll take my KLR650 anywhere you can go with any BMW, I'll do it cheaper too.... KLR tops out at 100mph with me on it, but I can leave it there all day long and it's happy to do it.
I’ve ridden several BMWs across the US 8Xs. ‘86 K100RS. Had 140K miles when I sold it. Regularly ran above 90mph for 8-10 hours. Never an issue. 1995 K75RT. 200,000+ miles on that engine when sold. Brilliant. Currently have a 2006 R1200GS. 140,000 miles. Going strong. Also ran/run these bikes above 90mph on the freeways. Solidly planted and run for hours w no issues. Even in desert heat. The K75 was my favorite bike ever. I’m sorry I sold it.
I channged a clutch on an 1100Rt that was an Eye opener the actuator forthe clutch goes through a hollow mainshaft in the transmission a hundred parts later that windup boxer was back doing 150
fluf, fluff, fluff, can you not see that I, myself am the most knowledgable expert on motorcycles and history. Everyone seems to get everything wrong about these subjects and do not see the truth that i see and want to believe.
Just bought a 2013 K1300R. Can't stop riding it and always brings a smile.
Having owned a couple of Beemers I can honestly say that in my opinion BMW's bikes started going downhill in 1984 with the introduction of the K model better known as the brick. The "airhead" boxer twin was extremely well made and had been "debugged" over the years. It was reliable and could be worked on with common hand tools. Part of the beemer secret against other makers was the fact that like aircraft engines they were designed to run at 80% capacity 100% of the time. Most bikes at that time could only be run continually at 60% or less. Today it can be argued that BMW has the highest maintenance costs of any machine made. BMW's north american sales are lacking these days and their dealers are not faring at all well against the competition. Sad but nonetheless true............
As an aside, the old boxers had something that was unique in the motorcycle world. All of the pin-striping was done by hand by a group of Ladies. If you have an original paint job on an airhead beemer and you remove the tank you will find the woman who pinstriped its initials on the underside in the tunnel. A fellow I know had an R90S that he wished to restore to original and being relatively wealthy, money was no object. He arranged through the local dealer to send the tins back to Germany for paint. When the tins were returned to Canada it was found that the signature under the tank was the same as the original. BMW, in their effort to assist in having a true showroom restoration, had brought the woman in out of retirement to redo the stripes she had done years before.......
if only money was no object .....
How cool is that?
There are K100s with +400k miles on the odometer.
That's amazing
I have owned 4 k bikes. All purchased used with around 5k miles. I ride the stuff out of them and when they get to around 50k miles I get rid of them. Never had any issues other then regular schedule service and I front wheel sensor on a k1600 gtl and a mouse chewing a wire on a cooling fan on one. I now have a new r 1250 gsa and I think I’ll keep this one a bit
I've owned R1150RS, K1200RS, K1200S and K1300S. All great bikes.
Rode the K1300S (176 hp) for 4 years (30000 mi) and besides oil changes and tires, the only thing I had to replace was front headlight bulb. Absolutly, the greatest motorcycle on earth !
The BMW boxer engine is just a classic, so many great bikes have had a version of that engine. In the real world where the configuration does not impinge on lean angle, like on the track, the smoothness and low center of gravity makes these bikes really special. I own two different BMW's and the Telelever front suspension with the way it controls pitch and dive under breaking is just wonderful. In all I own 12 motorcycles and every time I get back on one of the BMW's I'm always amazed by how wonderful they feel to ride.
Quite an amazing story! I've an R1200GS with an amazing 90+k miles on it - still running strong, burns about 8oz of oil every 8,000 miles and I take it places that I wouldn't walk or drive - it's been to the Arctic Circle and gracefully and quietly laid rubber on nearly every back road in America - it is my 23rd ride and without doubt, the best, most flexible ride I ever imagined - I've worn out more tires on this thing then I can count, many sets being very much more off-road oriented... Without hesitation, if I could ONLY have one bike, it would most certainly be the R1200GS... Having been a professional tuner, I've had the good fortune to ride hundreds of motorcycles, everything from 125cc MX bikes to custom Hogs, not to mention severe turbocharged drag race models, road race bikes, even prototype models that few others have ever seen let alone ridden... I've ridden nearly every brand of motorcycle ever built and after all that the R1200GS still stands out as the kind... It is also true that there are certain models from the likes of Ducati, Aprilia, Yamaha, Honda and Kawasaki that I do wish I could just ride one more time...
LookattheBiggerPic - sounds like you've seen the bigger picture........
165,000 on my 2006 R1200GS. ❤️❤️
I had the R65 in the very late 70,s and early 80,s. Had it for 4 years and travel from Osnabruck to Manchester 2 up and baggage. No problems with about 6 trips
On 14th Jamuary 1986 I traded my 2 Guzzi's for an R80 Paris Dakar - I sold it in 2009, I did 320,000 kms on it and it never, not once didnt get me home. Endoover ended down a mountain, covered by sea water, drowned in a swamp, crashed and chucked and ridden hard as - 2 engines, 2 gearboxes, 5 different colours and I dyed that awful orange seat black the day after I bought it using my mum's shoe dye . . awesome bike.
Always liked BMW bikes truly an icon
Scooter Tramp: My 1986 R65 monolever did 700,000Km with the only engine work being a new timing chain. It liked new gearbox bearings at 100,000Km intervals.
My current commuter bike (long commute, 4 days per week at 230Km per day) is reliable, as economical as my R80, and very comfortable. I don't know of any other bike brand as durable.
Bert, i had an R65 back in the 80's did a fantastic 3,500 miles in 3 weeks in europe. 2 up. Great mileage / range from near 5gallon tank. Super bike as had the joys of the boxer but more compact and surprised many with its handling. Super simple to maintain, saw a you tube video on i think servicing a F750/850 GS and the dismantling required just to get to the spark plugs seems utter madness and basic poor design to me. Up there with car headlights needing to be taken out just to get to the bulbs.
@@guyr7351 Have to remove my bumper to get the headlights out to change bulbs!
Thank British ABC motorcycles for the boxer design which BMW bought in the 20s
So great to see Brit Reg Pridmore featured in this film and given credit for both the development of his BMW racer and his skill as a rider.. One of my motorcycling heroes!
I am the 4th generation customer of BMW...Great grand father with R32.......me with 2016 R 1200 RT and X5.
I am a living history.........visited Munich BMW museum and now planning their Berlin factory.
Best of luck for BMW
I ride R1200 RT-P models as a blood bike rider here in the UK. The bikes have high mileages riden over a relatively short service time ie 70 to 90 000 miles in three to four years. However the running and maintenance costs are very very high. One reason for this is that despite how technically brilliant the machines are the build quality is abysmal. I actually own a large capacity Japanese sports tourer which is now 10 years old. There is practically NO corrosion on the metal parts. The paintwork is still glossy, It costs very much less to maintain and service than the Beemers. The frame and suspension parts on the RT-P's are full of rust, the powder coating on the alloy suspension parts bubbles and corrodes like powder, the plastics go brittle, and this is with regular maintenance. Mechanically they are not as robust as BMW would have you believe. I would not buy and own one as in ownership it would be cost prohibitive having seen what I have. My own Japanese bike is really easy to self service and maintain,
the BMW's are not. BMW is one of those Brands that is now trading solely on its past reputation but has actually become one of those in the category of brand elitism when the products are actually mediocre
and not commanding a wide appeal. It is no good having technologically advanced machinery that is not really that well made and assembled.
Cant help but notice that the BMW guy just jumped from the 30s to the 60s kinda left a pretty important time in history there huh, they were probably on vacation lol :D
.li0im0m0iipmpmKimi mkm i mmkm loop
Great bikes, great innovation and great design. The documentary is innovative too, in bringing us the worst in what is now normal in truly nauseating documentaries.
what a great documentary. BMW motos are truly great. I have a S1000XR best bike i've ever had.
Hi, Thanks for the Great Video of the History of the BMW GS Motorcycle. I ride a 2006 R1200GS and Love it. I would Love to have a Newer GS, but I’m a Disabled Veteran and can’t afford one. The GS is the only Motorcycle I can Ride and not Hurt. The Seating Position is so comfortable, and puts my Back and Body in the Perfect Position. I actually Traded a Harley for it. I couldn’t Ride the Harley a Mile without Hurting. Anyway, Thanks BMW for making a Great Motorcycle. 👍❤️ I think it’s the Best Motorcycle Ever Made.
I recently sold my ‘06 K1200R. It was a love affair of unadulterated power. So many other riders would tell me my K scared the crap out of them.
Visited Beamish Museum a while back.
Called into the garage and saw an engine on the bench that very closely resembled the BMW Boxer engine as in my R1200GS. When I mentioned this-the guide said that it was from an ABC motorcycle in 1921. It was 400cc and could reach 70 MPH. Imagine that in 1920s with no brakes and no roads as we know them haha? Frightening. A French motorcycle company built these engines under licence for their motorcycles with a bored out 500cc version capable of 80 MPH. ABC apparently made engines for Sopwith aeroplanes before moving onto motorcycles. ABC motorcycles also became a British motorcycle manufacturer established in 1912ish by Ronald Charteris and the designer/chief engineer, I believe, was Granville Bradshaw. Apparently their engines were the most used in WW1 army motorcycles. In 1918ish, ABC made a 400 cc flat-twin engine. They were a very high spec engine with roller bearings. The motorcycles sold for around £100 and were just too expensive for the company to survive. To compare, Henry Ford sold a model T for £70. ABC motorcycles went bust but the engines continued to be be built on licence by various companies, including BMW who were challenged in 1926 for using the patented design. They gave ABC "two fingers" and carried on regardless, which we have a lot to be thankful for because all British motorcycle producers never kept up and went bust.
The guide seemed very knowledgeable and also very passionate about his job and said that BMW essentially stole the design and the rest, as they say, is history. (I've probably got some of his story wrong so don't blame him). Some of you petrol heads may already know all this but I didn't. I was honestly fascinated. It's great to know that probably the most popular motorcycle engine in the world is based on a British design and over 100 years old haha. If you go to Beamish museum call into the garage and check it out. It's probably all in Wikipedia or somewhere on the WWW but it was fascinating being told the the tale off the old feller.
Got some pictures of the engine but don't know if or how I can post them on here.
Love my GS1200R
Look closely at the spinning propeller at 4:36. The circular blue and white BMW logo is evident. If this video had come just a bit later it would include the K1600 6-zylinder engine. Although not as powerful as the Race Ready S1000RR, it still manages to offer stupendous performance in a touring motorcycle. It's not so much where you go, but how you get there.
They show all the innovations, but miss out completely the Telelever front suspension, used on the R1100GS, 1150, 1200.?? Surely?
Oh it kicked me right in the sweet spot, I have a k1200r , and sold it 6 years later. I love that bike. The gears were like butter. The speed was like nothing else. I dropped R1's, lambo's and more in Dallas. I miss my bike.
@@TinS0lder 你空间哦哦喝几瓶7utqgfsqfqull他
Not the first bike with shaft drive ( FN), and not the first horizontally opposed twin (Douglas), but certainly the first (& only) to mount it longitudinally in the frame, mate it with a shaft, and stick with it-in one form or another-for almost 100 years now. I've owned over a dozen Beemers over the 35 years I've ridden, and have enjoyed them all: from my early-'60s R60/2 ... to my early-2000s K1200RS, and all points in between!
As a BMW motorbike rider, this is interesting, but it’s a pity that the WW2 part is skipped. It’s part of history as well, not so glorious (obviously!), but there must be many things to learn from.
No issues documenting BMW's motorcycle history of the 40's but let's not ruin another sport by making it a political soapbox, we have too many of those already.
Love how when they go to the K series of bikes, they act like they're the first to introduce a line engine in motorcycles when in actuality the K bike was BMW's answer to Honda's line engines. But because they didn't want it to look like a Honda rip-off they put the engine on its side.
Putting it on its side got the weight lower, and therefore better handling, why didn’t Honda do this?
BMW put the crankeshaft shaft inline with the driveshaft. Japanese inline 4 puts a gear on the crankeshaft then goes to a chan and sprocket.
Two sprockets allow for more gearing ratios.
So Honda didn't steal the 1937 Gilera 4 ?? Or 1950's MV Augusta 4 ?? How come people think that Japanese invented these concepts?
If you study motorcycle history, these technologies appear decades before the Japanese developed them into production.
They definitely developed modern manufacturing systems that led to the 70's and 80's motorcycle renaissance but BMW just revisited the horizontal 4 concept. It could be argued that they stole the boxer design from Bradshaws ABC which predated the BMW by a couple of years, but maybe Bradshaw just stole the Douglas design and turned it 90 degrees.
Get the picture, by 1910 almost every engine configuration had been invented and tried and subsequent bikes were different takes on these.
No. In the early'80's BMW was working on a boxer 4 liquid cooled but Honda beat them to it so they went back to the drawing board, or rather a fresh computer screen and did the flying brick. I lived through it and remember those days. I still ride my '77 R100RS.
To add more to the GS history: The early R 80 GS can claim to have several different parents. The role of icebreaker however was played by BMW motorcycle testing engineer László Peres and his self-built 800cc machine, which emerged from the BMW testing department in late 1977 to lay the groundwork for the later G/S models.
BMW builds great bikes and cars
There is one flaw that I noticed. It stated the hand dampener was introduced late in production, when my R/51/3 had it on, and I loved it. Mine was built in 1953. It worked flawlessly on my bike!
Extremely disappointed that there was no mention of BMW Cruisers. I own a BMW R1200C and it's a magnificent bike.
BMW pre WWI built aircraft engines for the Fokker D-7. After WWI, when they were allowed to build aircraft engines again they were Pratt & Whitney Aircraft's first licensee for the P&WA air cooled radial engine, the Hornet engine in 1926 / 27. They later built their own designed air cooled radial engine which was used in the FW-190 fighter. They also built a jet engine used in the ME-262.
After WWII, and not allowed to build aircraft engines, they built the BMW ISETTA car, using their motorcycle parts. Later they built the BMW 700; and finally the BMW 2002 which revived their automobile business which grew to where they are today.
They went from a single cylinder motorcycle builder to a twin cylinder motorcycle builder on the accomplishments of the British Douglas Motorcycle Company...they bought a 1922 Douglas 500cc twin from an employee and thus from that was born the BMW R32, by reengineering the Douglas power plant ...they didn't invent twin boxers....was done decades earlier....by Douglas
I still miss my 1971 R-75/6. At least I think that’s what it was.
I love my BMW R1150R.
K75 didn't even get a mention. The K75s is the sweetest and most bullet proof Beemer of that period. After having an R80RT, I've had 3 K75 bikes, an RT, a C and now a low mileage K75S. With a few tweaks they are the connoiseur's BMW.
Round WWII it started developing jet engines but needed (too much) time to solve reliability issues, piston engines proved to be the bavarian asset!
The poor lamented flying brick! I didn't like them back when they were released but they've grown on me to the extent where I own both an early K100RS and an early K1100RS - ten years of brick development. The early bricks look so '80s' now, they have aged well. True, the engines are a little rough for a four cylinder but the power delivery is linear and the high speed stability is superb. I think the brick will in time be regarded as a classic but will never enjoy the universal appeal of the airheads.
Thank you
I'm a Beemer guy. Have a 73 r75 toaster tank,78 r100rs, my dream bike. However, the r75 tops the RS in so many ways. I tried commuting the RS (40 mile round trip) & it was awful. Out of its element. If you're not in the RS sweet spot 75-80 mph it's brutal. Just my observation.
Admin, please ratify that the oldiest two wheeler machine on the earth is Triumph
We cannot change History and so we should not try to Hide it either.
Looks like this was current up until 2008 model year. A lot of changes since then, K1200 and later K1300 are gone, K1600 6 cylinder rolled out in 2012 and now comprises 3 models including the K1600GTL, GT and B (Bagger). Also failed to mention the RT series bikes or the globally popular Police variants, or the mid weight F650,700,800 and now F750 and 850 GS bikes, and of course BMW has recently introduced the new entry level bikes, the G310R and the dual sport version the G310GS. Do Scooters deserve a mention here? Why not. C1 in Europe with its innovative integral roll cage, the later C650 series scooters with power windshields, heated seats and heated grips, and now the new C400X with full color TRF dashboard, and media streaming, connectivity, telephony, and GPS built in. Coming soon an all new air cooled 1800 cc series of bikes.
BMW does not have fool proof reliability. The old world craftsmanship has been replaced by Chinese crapmanship. They were probably the best bikes in the world at one point but that time is past.
GS stands for Gelände/Straße, Terrain/Street, not Road/Straße
The best part on this brand is the reliability
I have an R1200C and I love it. It's absolutely gorgeous... Quite possibly the perfect cruiser, handles great, torquey motor, best brakes. But... If I buy the front brake master cylinder piston from BMW its $90 USD... If I get it from Maguera it's less than two dollars... BMW sued Maguera to NOT sell their rebuild parts so BMW could mark them up 1,000 percent... And gouge everyone who owns their products. Bottom line, I love my bike... The company heads, however...
i should add that Harley Davidson is no different, neither is KTM or those other European makes. The only exceptions are the Japanese bikes... They hit the nail on the head, the Germans are PROUD of their bikes, but the Japanese put their motorcycles together with a thing called HONOR, quality, and a good price... Long story short this will probably be my last German bike, I am going back to Japan for essentially guaranteed quality, and not being gouged by the company I am trying to patronize.
BMW made great engines and bikes but the electrical was not very good I had a K 750 and in one year replaced three speedometers two switches for the break and signal system and one control for the rad. and only had about 30,000 kilometers on it. My friend had the K 1000 and had the same problems. And a friend of his lost his fork seals twice in one year.
Yes they do last a long time if you could put up with all the little things that need replacing. If you get one make sure you get extended warranty with it, as you will most likely need it.
The other thing is that some provinces in Canada do not even have a dealer ship, and to have to go to a another province to get maintenance is not good, and can spoil a good tour.
I have had over 15 bikes in my years and the BMW was the one that needed the most work, I love the idea of a drive shaft, but want a bike that can go with out having to replace parts in the first year of driving. If Japan can do it why can't BMW. Now BMW is going to chain on there lighter bikes and still costing more than the Japan made bikes, which go many years without replacing parts.
BMW was not the first motorcycle tested in wind tunnel. Moto Guzzi did it much earlier. You should prepare better for the film.
Too much lies in this film 🤣🤣🤣
Those wooden sheds were they not the sheds that Steve Mcqueen tried his famous jump on a Triumph to get to Switzerland ? Just a thought.
Where is BMW history during WW2?
Nobody wants to talk about that. But they should, lest we forget.
They made engines for the FW-190's and Tante Ju transport planes.
conveniently skipped over that part haha
@@charlesangell_bulmtl Well plane engines were their thing originally. They only dabbled in other engine types but their main product during WW2 was was the BMW 132 9-cylinder engine and the BMW 801 engine and overwhelmingly the biggest users of those were the Ju-52 Tante Ju & FW-190. They did over 80000 of those combined. Then they did some licensed Daimler engines.
@@charlesangell_bulmtl Well sorry me for not writing a peer reviewed essay to you about BMW airplane engines in UA-cam comments.
As an owner of several 70s boxers, and a BMW tech, I was seriously depressed with the K model introduction, I too felt BMW meant the opposed twin 👍, and I'm still upset because of the lack of midsize boxers; eg, 800cc 🙂 I'm surprised they mentioned that. I thought I was the only one 😎
They skip BMW role in World War II? this is advertising not a documentary. they made engine for the luftwaffe as well as motorbike basically everyone that the German army use just skip that part of History entirely.
Also part about being Nazi supporters and slave labor.
@@hagestad No issues documenting motorcycle history of the 40's but let's not ruin another sport by making it a political soapbox, we have too many of those already.
With all the robotics, why the hell are they still so expensive?
They want to make as much money as possible. Surely they will find excuses like R&D costs a lot bla bla bla and that hand stripe painting is just pointless and in an effort to try to pamper the buyer into sinking money. I love BMW's but they are way overpriced, big % of the price is just brand name.
@@charlesangell_bulmtl pffft..and the running costs? Plenty other much cheaper bikes that do great mileage... Large chunk of the price here is the brand name.
@@charlesangell_bulmtl I love BMW bikes but I hate the pricing...my problem :D
@@charlesangell_bulmtl haven't checked, I always buy brand new car/bike, never second hand
What you are paying for is a machine whose tolerances are 1/1000th of a mm, built using different methods than it's Asian brethren, and different materials.
Europeans have a different way of doing the same thing and unfortunately it's more expensive but in my opinion, a more beautiful way to make a motorcycle.
Maintenance is subjective. Doing it myself, not difficult and not expensive for basic stuff.
Paying some level 3 BMW Motorad technician to do the same thing, that's expensive.
Andy Thurlow: ABC motorcycles (they also made cyclecars) were expensive, not just because of the engine, but because they had proper rear suspension. Motorcyclists were notoriously conservative, and this innovation scared most of them. Besides, "real men" are alleged to prefer discomfort and danger.
wood of been nice to see more of what they made in ww2
wayne - sshh... don't mention the war!
11:50- 11:58 Insert skipped-over WW2 history of BMW motorcycles here
Why was WW2 part skipped? Too uncomfortable, let's keep smiling faces only?
No mention of bob lutz,who basically forced bmw to make the r90s. Basically saved there ass!
39:15 Is that my beloved F650? I think it is!
I drove an hour to St Joseph IL to test drive the brand new K100 and was stunned to find that a foot peg (right?) vibrated so badly that my foot went numb. I returned the bike and told the owner no way Jose!
Too bad this documentary came out before the S1000RR debuted. That was a very important motorcycle.
and in 1935 yada yada yada. but now in the 60's....what happened inbetween >
The only major motorcycle marque, rated (Consumer Reports) year after year, after year, less dependable, with more known design flaws the BMW is the Haley-Davidson. I think that that pretty much says it all.
My brilliant F650 gs Dakar is a 2001. I thought the twin F800's came out some years after 2001? Possibly 2007? Because, confusingly, the twin 650 isn't a 650. It's an 800 and the singles went on until about 2007.
Time to update the story to include the 1250 motors
those flat-twin boxer engines are interesting! would love to tear one apart and check it out!
I know your comment is a couple years old but this is the coolest graphic I've seen in the boxer motor. It's ingenious and so advanced on so many levels. The video is 3 minutes well spent. Cheers.
ua-cam.com/video/VHwhER815go/v-deo.html
Excellent!
Missing almost 20 years from end of ww2 to the start of /5.. you can't be serious.
Silly me, forgot to identify my current commuter bike R1100RT (I'm told it's an old man's bike because it has an adjustable screen and heated grips). Just the thing for a sedate 60-something.
Or maybe just the perfect bikes for those that just get on with riding and don't worry about image and shouting about what they do?
😍👍👌❤BMW GSA1250❤👌👍😍
I have never believed the ‘fable’ that the badge represents a spinning propellor. Yes the colours are for the territory,BUT, the emblem , sign , image is saying ‘ from this point ALL measurements are taken’’ . Meaning all other machines should measure up to a BMW. Ask a draughtsman.
Kinda weird they missed out the 30s and 40s 🤔
I know what tomorrow will bring. Even bigger grills on automobiles
video quality: no go!
Hmmm I read that Karl Benz invented the horizontally opposed engine 1896, and Douglas mounted this engine a motorcycle in 1907. So in 1923 Max gets credit for turning the engine a different way in the frame, important yes not the inventor of the engine. Many innovations over the years a few innovations that answered questions no one asked. Loved many of the art deco designs of the 1930s, R90s, R80GS, S1000, and R9T. You keep the three and four cyclinder flying bricks, tried one but didn't care for it. Many technical innovations come from the car division which can be good and others maybe not so good. Overall a premium brand to me but not the best value brand for me.
Hi Just dad, back in the late 70's BMW had a fleet of bikes that went round the UK for test ride so was able to test in the one day. R65, R80, R100RS/RT, compared to my Yamaha RD250 everything i wanted but the bigger boxers grounded too easily. R65 was a jewel that too me had all the benefits few disadvantages.
BMW marketing as a brand to aspire to has always pushed the marque, i always felt they missed the zero on the engine size and added it to all the parts and servicing costs
Nice documentary or commercial but let's keep some facts together...
42:30 blunt lie. There are other naked bikes with similar or more power than the K1200R, for example the 1400 Kawasaki or the Yamaha VMax 1700.
26:30 the 850 GS was not a bad bike and it had quite some success taking into account the rest of the BMW fleet back then. But in no way the 850 GS started a new category of bikes on the market. It was an Enduro like there were many at that time and they all were getting bigger and fatter...
Around 15:.. you made my day with that joke... BMW bikes were said to be reliable but no one ever called them sexy and the only superbike from Germany of that era was the Münch Mammut.
As stated correctly, BMW remained in the market because of the huge interest as bikes for officials like police all over the world but also because they were supported heavily by the German taxpayers as the production in Berlin in the center of communist part of Germany gave BMW a lot of tax advantages.
I missed the link to the Glas Automobiles company without whom also BMW cars would have been bankrupt in the late 60s (maybe early 70s).
BMW made aircraft engines during the war also rifles tank motors also Diesel engine for aircraft
James Shedd Germany had more motorcycles in theater in WWII than any other nation. R75 by BMW.
The bikes are made in Berlin, somewhere in Prussia, not Bavaria. No lederhosen, no dirndels, just herring and potatoes.
Anyone know who the narrator is?
A shortcut to the development of BMW. WHERE DOES the K75 RT fit in. Did it evolve before the K100 RT or not? This video is short in factual information.
k100 came first then the k75
My Fave are single's and twin's of course some 4's not to crazy about 3's the NS 400 I liked it sounded funny at low rev's but when you wound her out
The narrator botches the explanation of G/S but all in all a good video
Except for not mentioning WW2.
The early "flying brick" has to be one of the most unappealing looking motorcycles ever, IMO. The engine is just such a big part of a motorcycle and the profile creates a lot of it's appearance.
@Beemrdon I think they look better in 2020 than they did when they were made, but I much prefer my two boxer engined BMW's.
@Beemrdon I'm surprised your could bring yourself to sell it, my oldest is a 1999, I was going to sell it when I got my new GS Rallye, but can't bring myself to part with it.
@Beemrdon My 99 is an R1100r with a modified chip in the fuel injection system which is a night and day improvement over stock, I went with a GS because of my height and aging long legs, they just didn't like being bent up and back for long. The GS has a larger "rider triangle" and because I have the taller sport suspension I could use lowered pegs as well that make for a relaxed riding position. If I was smaller I'd have gone with something else in the line, although having said that the GS Rallye is a wonderful long distance bike, particularly in the desert areas where I live, where you don't want too much fairing and weather protection as you need the breeze to stay as cool as you can. Other than being a bit tall to climb on and off, I've yet to find any real negative and the long travel suspension really comes into it's own on the increasingly bad road surfaces in many areas, I see people riding in front of me hit dips and bumps and brace myself for the same, only to barely feel them. I have a bit of a collection of bikes, some from the 70's and find it very hard to part with any of them.
@Beemrdon At 5' 8" the RT is the best option, unless you plan on going off road. I'm just north of you in Utah, so not quite as hot as Vegas generally where I ride. I was born and lived for 40 years in the UK, never remember being too hot there on a motorcycle, if it was sunny I was so glad it wasn't raining that I never noticed if it was hot. Here when it gets over 90 I start to notice the heat, but it depends where you are riding, open roads where you can keep moving are fine, in traffic and at stop lights I wish I had air conditioning.
Kinda like a Harley. Only instead the riders don't know how to fix them.
No machine is infinite.
nice movie about history of BMW, but why you serve such an ugly 480p interlaced footage???
Many small errors in statements made. ie: steering damper on r90s was definitely not first. This video was tossed together in a digital editing with little research and must have been done by someone with little technical or motorcycle knowledge.
Where is my C650 SPORT?
Funny how the bikes have kinda paralleled the cars in 'popularity', where they were both relatively obscure brands often owned by engineering types and math majors who appreciated their 'uniqueness', only to both eventually become sorta mainstream yuppie 'status symbols'.
BMW IS ONE OF THE MOST RELIABLE MOTORCYCLES. THE BIKE WILL ALWAYS GET YOU HOME.THE BOXER WILL run on one cylender.the video failed to mention BMW factory was bombed in WW 2 car production destroyed.BMW had to start alover with the motorcycle production .car production came later.BMW also made a 250 cc single piston drive shift motorcycle.
The BMW has 3 great features for the rider one the bike handles well in the mountain curves.two handles well at high speeds free ways. Three handles well in city street driving.thats 3 bikes for the price of one!
U.S. Inter-State Hwy's, Can they keep up ?
bwm produces one of the most popular adventure bikes.. so yes!
Of course they can keep up. You can run them flat out all day long.
I'll take my KLR650 anywhere you can go with any BMW, I'll do it cheaper too.... KLR tops out at 100mph with me on it, but I can leave it there all day long and it's happy to do it.
Not much cheaper than a F650 (single), and way less power
I’ve ridden several BMWs across the US 8Xs. ‘86 K100RS. Had 140K miles when I sold it. Regularly ran above 90mph for 8-10 hours. Never an issue. 1995 K75RT. 200,000+ miles on that engine when sold. Brilliant. Currently have a 2006 R1200GS. 140,000 miles. Going strong. Also ran/run these bikes above 90mph on the freeways. Solidly planted and run for hours w no issues. Even in desert heat. The K75 was my favorite bike ever. I’m sorry I sold it.
I channged a clutch on an 1100Rt that was an Eye opener the actuator forthe clutch goes through a hollow mainshaft in the transmission a hundred parts later that windup boxer was back doing 150
Sadly build quality is not as good as it used to be.
INTERNATIONAL MEETING BMW BOXER IN BENASQUE-THE PYRENEES-SPAIN 14-16 JUNE 2019
Rider down at 20:30
I think know that voice... Dave?
209 turtles's supporters !
I watched those 50 minutes of marketing wank only for its outrageously ridiculous involuntary commedy.
the k12's had lots of engine problems.
fluf, fluff, fluff, can you not see that I, myself am the most knowledgable expert on motorcycles and history. Everyone seems to get everything wrong about these subjects and do not see the truth that i see and want to believe.
As far as being reliable like all machines there only as good as the person doing the. Maintenance past that it falls to engineering
Where is my S1000RR? Or did I miss something?
Or is it made in Japan? LOL
They're too expensive, heavy, and hard to work on. Plus I don't need help busting my shins on anything,