Perhaps the most intriguing motorcycle to come from the Bavarian brand this year, the BMW S1000XR is the German company’s response to the rapidly growing “Adventure-Sport” segment.
Going head-to-head with the Ducati Multistrada 1200, we have been eagerly waiting to see how the BMW staked up against the Italian machine on pricing, and now we have our answer.
Each passing year has seen the roundel brand increase its sales volume, usually with stiff competition from KTM for the title of the largest European motorcycle brand, by volume. This year has been no different.
Though with a few weeks still remaining in the year, BMW is already laying claim to a new yearly sales record, as its November sales have already put the Bavarian brand ahead of its level from 2013.
If you go in to your local BMW dealer and ask to look at their latest enduro models, you should brace yourself for a Laurel & Hardy routine, as the e-word is now persona no grata at US dealerships.
Instead, BMW dealers have been instructed to use the word “adventure” instead, newspeaking would-be customers into a segment that BMW literally invented (with a little help from Ewan and Charley).
For the 2015 model year, the BMW F800R gets a mild re-working. Most noticeable about the 2015 BMW F800R is the revised headlight, which drops the classic BMW “wink” for a more standard light can. Other changes include a peppier motor, which puts out 90hp (up from 87hp on the previous model), while peak torque remains at 63 lbs•ft.
Off-road riders will enjoy the shorter gear ratios for first and second gear, as well as the new suspension components (USD front forks), dual-front brake discs with radial calipers, optimized ergonomics with a lower seat (-10mm), and improved handlebars and rider foot pegs.
The farings, radiator shields, front mudguard, and wheels have also been changed on the 2015 BMW F800R, while BMW Motorrad has added new color options for next year’s bikes.
As with all BMW models, ABS is standard on the F800R, though Automatic Stability Control (ASC) and Electronic Suspension Adjustment (ESA) are optional items.
BMW Motorrad continues to put out sales records, quarter after quarter, and the third quarter of 2014 is no different. Selling 9,991 vehicles in September 2014, BMW has sold 100,217 motorcycles so far this year, up 7.6% over last year.
This marks the first time in BMW Motorrad’s history that the German company has cleared 100,000 units in the first nine months of the calendar year.
Our last mega gallery from BMW Motorrad’s INTERMOT debut, the 2015 BMW R1200RS borrows from both the R1200RT and S1000RR in its design elements. A rebirth of the RS brand, BWM is again loading-up its lineup with sub-segment models. A sportier sport-tourer in design than the RT, the RS still uses the same water-cooled boxer engine as the RT.
The headlights are positively borrowed from the BMW S1000RR, perhaps to add more language to the RS that this is a sporty two-up ride. BMW has certainly added a bevy of photos of the R1200RS being used two-up, with our dynamic couple wearing leathers while they explore what looks like the Spanish coastline.
It will be interesting to see what the press thinks of the 125hp boxing twin, as our biggest complaint has been its lack of power. A fine enough lump on the R1200GS, we wonder if the wasserboxer will show its weakness more heavily with this sport model. Then again, we suppose the BMW S1000XR is for that power-hungry crowd — which brings us back to BMW’s very crowded two-wheeled lineup.
Though the addition of BMW’s water-cooled engine to the 2015 BMW R1200R was a move everyone saw coming down the pipe, the German company’s extensive style shift on the BMW R1200R was perhaps a move unexpected.
The classic looking roadster of before is now replaced with a more aggressive design — though perhaps not as aggressive as the BMW Roadster Concept that we saw earlier this year.
Still, the new BMW R1200R is a handsome machine that incorporates both mild-touring capability with a fun sporty ride. Since we had a tough time pulling images off BMW’s press site earlier this week, because of all the traffic from INTERMOT, here’s a “mega gallery” of 181 high-resolution images. Enjoy!
We had 12 kinds of trouble with BMW’s press site during INTERMOT, as such our stories on their new bikes were woefully under-stocked with images. To make that up to you, we’re going to bring you some “mega galleries” of high-resolution photos of the Bavarian machines. First up, the 2015 BMW S1000RR.
A bike we spotted out testing ahead of the trade show season, we knew that BMW Motorrad had some changes in store for the S1000RR.
New for 2015 is a revised the frame geometry for better handling, an engine that has been massaged for an additional 6hp (peak power is now 199hp, while torque is at 83 lbs•ft), and a bulk weight that has been reduced by 9 lbs (449.7 lbs with a full tank of fuel and ABS).
BMW says it gained the extra power by revising the cylinder head on the 998cc inline-four engine. A larger airbox, along with shorter intake lengths also help boost the peak horsepower on the 2015 BMW S1000RR.
To get the S1000RR on a diet, BMW has dropped the front silencer on the exhaust, for a healthy weight reduction of 6.6 lbs. The frame on the 2015 BMW S1000RR is lighter as well, and boasts refined positions for the steering head angle, wheel castor, wheelbase, and swingarm pivot. There is even a new battery, which shaves another 2 lbs off the 2015 BMW S1000RR.
Cruise control (yup) and semi-active suspension (BMW’s Dynamic Damping Control), has also been added to the updated superbike. Blah, blah, blah…you’re here for the photos, huh? We have 169 hi-res beauties for you after the jump. Enjoy!
As expected, BMW Motorrad has finally added its liquid-cooled boxer engine design to the R1200R roadster model, debuting the 2015 BMW R1200R at INTERMOT today.
Using the same 125hp engine that powers the BMW R1200GS and BMW R1200RT, the new BMW R1200R makes more power, more linearly, than its predecessor, though keeps the old R1200R’s basic roadster look and feel intact.
I have to say, I really like the cut of BMW’s jib. Instead of making us dance through a social media bonanza of teasers and trickle-down motorcycle specs, the German company just publishes a press release with what it plans on changing for the 2015 BMW S1000RR.
As loyal readers will know, we caught the updated S1000RR out testing last month, which showed a number of subtle cosmetic and system changes to the machine. BMW Motorrad has now clued us into what those changes are, namely a revised chassis geometry.
We already know that BMW Motorrad has a bevy of new machines coming out for the 2015 model year, and now the Germans are ready to admit as much. Confirming that a new BMW S1000RR superbike will debut at the INTERMOT show, BMW has also teased that two more new models will also debut at EICMA.
From the spy photos that we obtained, we know that the 2015 BMW S1000RR features modestly updated bodywork, a restyled exhaust, and likely features a mild engine reworking. We will have to wait a couple more weeks to get the full details though, but expect a modest hp boost, semi-active suspension, and the Bosch MSC cornering-ABS system as standard — much like the BMW HP4.
As for the two new machines debuting in November at the EICMA show, BMW Motorrad is surely referring to the S1000XR adventure-tourer, which we have spied on several occassions, as well as the expected new water-cooled version of the R1200R.