The History of BMW Motorcycles
1970 to 1980
The 1970s. BMW Motorcycles would again begin to
manufacture at volumes reminiscent of its heyday period. Between 1969 and
1973 35,370 R 75/5s would be sold. Changes to the 5 Series would be minor,
if at all, reflecting the BMW tradition of refining out of necessity not
fashionability. Investments in the tooling at the Spandau facility
transform it into a full production plant and all motorcycle parts are now
being manufactured in-house. Horst Spinter also fights a general worker
shortage by hiring non-German workers, growing the BMW Motorcycles
division from 850 to 1,500 people.
1970. No fewer than 12,287 motorcycles come off
the lines in 1970. This is the largest production volume for 15 year-but
still not sufficient for BMW to meet the enormous demand. Important
changes take place in senior management: Eberhard von Kuenheim succeeds
Gerhard Wilckes as Chairman of the Board of Management.
1971. BMW opens its test track at Aschheim to
the north of Munich. The motorcycle engineers thus acquire ideal
conditions for the development of new models. The number of motorcycles on
the roads in Germany reaches an all-time low, at 133,113.
1972. Munich hosts the summer Olympics. BMW's
new headquarters has just reached completion immediately adjoining the
Olympic Park. Teething troubles have now been overcome in Berlin, and by
year's end the monthly motorcycle production figure tops 2,000 for the
first time.
1973. In BMWs 50th Anniversary year its
500,000th motorcycle is produced. But times have changed and this is
apparent by BMWs new R 90 S. A 900-cc 67 bhp racing monster is the
company's largest and fastest bike ever, conquering the 50-year-standing
750 cc barrier. At a glance, the full cockpit fairing and smoked gray
finish earn this machine its reputation as "Germany's sexiest superbike."
24,000 are produced in the next three years. The Stoke 6 series is also
launched this year in 600, 700 and 900 cc guises with 55,ooo sold. The
Spandau facility is now working at full capacity, cranking out 25,000
motorcycles a year. And BMWs reputation only continues to grow with the
recognition of the Maudes Trophy at the Isle of Man tournament that year.
1974. The /6 Series goes into mass manufacturing
and for the first time BMW offers five speed gearboxes on production
motorcycles. The R 75/6 becomes the first production machine to utilize a
single-disc front break. In true BMW form, Helmut Dahne rides his R 75
from Munich to the Isle of Man Production TT, finishes third and rides it
back home.
1975. Drilled discs are the innovation
introduced to BMW motorcycles this year, greatly improving wet braking
times. And an old motorcycle archetype, the kickstart, is finally
eliminated as a standard component on production machines. Employee
Rudiger Gutsch builds his own private enduro motorcycle this year. It is
later used as the basis for developing the on-road/off-road BMW offering
of 1980.
1976. BMW ubhp the ante again designing the
Stoke 7 1000-cc R 100/7. Its sporting sibling, the R 100 RS, is also
launched. Like the R 100/7, it has a 1000-cc engine generating 70 bhp of
power at 7,250 rpm for a top speed of 125 mph. It is the first production
motorcycle to offer full fairing. This fairing design will stand largely
unchanged until 1993. The R 100 RS is offered in a very untraditional
smoked red. Despite an onslaught of four-cylinder competitors, BMW twins
hold their own as Reg Pridmore wins the '76 AMA superbike title on his R
90 S.
1977. The R80/7 attracts the attention of police
forces worldwide as a brilliant compromise between the power of the 1000cc
engines and the sweet ride of the 750s. To some, it is the best of all the
Stroke Series models. Diminishing sales of the twin in the lucrative U.S.
market (BMW fell from 6th to 11th in popularity) send a signal to BMW, and
the company responds by beginning to look at other designs.
1978. A trend-setter in luxury-touring
motorcycles, the R 100 RT offers the rider a full touring-style fairing in
1978. While racing oriented motorcyclists balked at its bulkiness, long
distance riders loved the machine for its comfort. It is offered in the
popular smoked-red and some not-so-popular colors too: bottle green and a
brown and cream combination. At the other end of the size spectrum is the
R 45, BMW's smallest twin, which also makes its first appearance this
year. A 473-cc engine with a power capacity of 27 bhp per 6,500 rpm, the R
45 is a hit with insurance companies and a dud with consumers who are
hungry for power.
1979. BMW wins the German Off-Road Championship
and begins to build a reputation in the category. Meanwhile, British sales
balloon by 61% despite poor sales figures in the U.S. The success of BMW
in England is due largely to the police force there which has come to
prefer BMW motorcycles. Fully 86 BMW dealerships have sprouted up in the
U.K. to meet the increased demand.
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