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BMW F850GS Teased for EICMA Debut

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BMW Motorrad is set to debut four new motorcycles at this year’s EICMA show, and surely one of those news machines will be the BMW F850GS.

How do we know this? Well, BMW was pretty obvious about the new model in its latest teaser video (watch it, after the jump). It also helps that the revised middleweight ADV bike has been caught numerous times by spy photographer.

Also helping this conjecture is the fact that the BMW F800GS was last updated for the 2013 model year, with a visual refresh for the 2016 model year. As such, the model is due for an overhaul. 

Expected to have a bit more punch than the outgoing F800GS, the 2018 BMW F850GS should provide a bit more stratification in BMW’s adventure-touring range, which gets a bit confusing when you get to the models below the venerable BMW R1200GS.

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News

Everything We Expect to See at the EICMA Show in Milan

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The 2017 EICMA show is rapidly approaching, and if history is any indication, leaks of the motorcycles from Italy will start dropping any day now. Sooner, if we have our say in it.

As the motorcycle industry gears up for the largest show of the year, we thought we would put together an exhaustive list of everything we expect to see at EICMA.

It goes without saying of course, be sure to stay tuned into our up-to-the-minute coverage of the EICMA show, as we will be bringing you the first glimpses and details of all the machines that will be coming for the 2018 model year, and beyond.

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Recall

Yet Another BMW Recall Has Been Issued

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Oh yes, my friends…it is another BMW recall. We have seen seven recalls from the Bavarian brand over the recent months (#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, and #6 here) – a comedy of both serious and minor errors by the German company and its two-wheeled products.

This time around, the issue is of the “oops” variety, with the BMW 2014-2016 F800GT and 2015-2016 F800R being tagged for improper reflectors, which fail to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.”

In total, the recall will affect 1,478 motorcycle units, and pertains to the rear-side reflectors not be properly visible in certain traffic conditions.

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News

Solid-State Batteries, A Game-Changer for EVs?

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This week’s big news is that California is looking at how it can join China, France, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom in the banning of internal combustion engines in the coming decade(s), a move that will surely be a shot in the arm for electric vehicles.

While the social and political pressures are coming into alignment for electric cars, trucks, and motorcycles, the technology for these next-generation vehicles is still not fully baked, and the biggest rate-limiter for EVs are their batteries. 

That is about to change, however, with solid-state batteries (a battery that has both solid electrodes and solid electrolytes) looking like the silver bullet that could make electric vehicles comparable in performance and price to their internal combustion counterparts.

This is because solid-state batteries offer higher energy density (2x-3x), faster recharge times, better heat management, more safety (wont catch on fire), and cheaper costs than today’s current crop of cutting-edge lithium-ion batteries.

In short, solid-state batteries are poised to be a game-changer for electric vehicles, and address all the major issues EV companies (especially electric motorcycle companies) are dealing with in their vehicle designs.

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Recall

Recall: BMW Motorrad Accessory Turn Signals

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Mark this as the sixth recall (#1, #2, #3, #4, #5 here) that BMW Motorrad has had to issue in the United States, as the German brand has seen a number of its models run afoul of DOT and NHTSA standards.

This time around, BMW’s headache stems from its accessory turn signals, which may not be sufficiently visible to other drivers, and as such, they fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.”

In total, this recall affects 9,000 units, which fit a bevy of motorcycles in the BMW Motorrad lineup.

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Bikes

BMW R1600C Concept by Nicolas Petit

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One item we might expect to see at EICMA later this year is BMW Motorrad’s alleged “XDiavel killer” – as the German manufacturer is expected to continue expanding its lineup of motorcycles into new model segments.

Not much has been said about the rumor, since it was first published 16 months ago by Motorrad Magazine, but BMW has several options on the table for this power cruiser.

In this concept sketch, Wunderlich and Nicolas Petit have teamed up to create an “R1600C” motorcycle, with a new boxer engine design. Students of the BMW brand will surely remember the now defunct R1200C cruiser model.

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Bikes

BMW C Evolution “E-LisaBad” by Krautmotors

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For the past couple days, we have been strangely attracted to this electric scooter, made by Krautmotors. The best we can tell, the “E-LisaBad” is based off the BMW C Evolution scooter, and what surely must have been the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk.

The stealth-looking angular matte black fairing catches the eye for sure, but so does the raw rear-end of the scooter, which shows the burly chassis that BMW is building for its electric platform.

The whole machine has been lowered from its original ride height, with the rear shocks removed completely, and a drag strip racing slick fitted to the single-sided swingarm. Other than that, the core of the BMW C Evolution remains the same, with its 53 lbs•ft of torque.

We think you will find that builder Rolf Reick’s creation is an interesting mix of form and function, and if you are wondering about the moniker, its namesake is Reick’s grandmother.

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CARB Docs Show No Changes for 2018 BMW S1000RR

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Documents filed with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) show that no changes will be coming for the 2018 BMW S1000RR, with the emission levels for the popular superbike shown to be the same as those for the 2017 model.

This means that it is unlikely that we will see a new S1000RR model debut at EICMA later this year, despite seeing spy photos of a restyled S1000RR a month ago.

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Recall

BMW Sends Letter to Dealers About Recent Recalls

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BMW is up to its fifth recall, in just five weeks, with a bevy of models been hit with safety concerns. The first recall was for the German company’s flagship model, the BMW R1200GS, which could see its front suspension fail if the motorcycle was subjected to hard use.

The second recall affected BMW models that shipped with panniers, as they did not meet federal requirements for vehicle reflectors. The third recall was for BMW R1200RT Police models, while the fourth recall concerned the wheels on two of BMW’s scooter models.

Today marked BMW’s fifth recall, which affects over 3,000 units of its BMW R nineT roadster model, as they could suffer from a swingarm pivot point pin coming loose.

With the news of all these recalls, BMW Motorrad USA has also sent a letter to its dealers, outlining the status of each recall, how BMW is going to help dealers through this massive slew of recalls, and what the brand will do for its affected customers.

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Recall

Recall: BMW R nineT

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Today we have news of the fifth (#1, #2, #3, & #4 here) BMW Motorrad recall in roughly a month’s time, as 3,368 units of the BMW R nineT (2014-2017 model years) are being recalled for swingarm pivot pin bolt that may loosen itself.

The issue stems from a supplier production process error, where one or more bolts that connect the right-side pivot pin to the frame may loosen as a result of an improper specification of the chamfer cutting process in the frame. 

As a result, proper clamp force may not have been achieved during final torqueing process. If the right-hand side pivot pin to the frame loosens itself, it can affect the handling and stability of the motorcycle, which increases the chances of a crash.

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