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The History of BMW Motorcycles
1990 to 2000
The 1990s. Having charged
headlong into the future of motorcycle design with the K-Series the decade
before, BMW continued to innovate while still remaining true to its
heritage and its clientele. The K-Series received more updates and
improvements and the twins, on top of receiving their share of engineering
finesse, also saw a an ancestor from 15 years ago come back to life.
1990. A four-valve modified
version of the K 100 RS is launched this year. It will go on to be named
motorcycle of the year five years running. 35,000 K 100 RSs have been sold
since its first production period in 1983. ABS is now standard on all
K-Series machines, a trend not adopted by other manufacturers except on
their high-end machines. BMW is producing motorcycles at a robust rate of
26,000 per year.
1991. On March 18, 1991 the one
millionth BMW motorcycle rolls off the factory production floor. It is a
three-cylinder K 75 RT that is eventually donated to the Red Cross. Since
it began producing motorcycles, BMW has now sold 230,000 singles, 634,000
twins and 136,000 multis. And of this army of machines, 50% are still
reported to be on the road. Not content to rest on its laurels, BMW begins
outfitting all its motorcycles with three-way catalytic converters. It is
the first company to do so. And as a seeming tip of the hat to its
heritage, BMW re-releases the R 100 R, last seen in 1976, complete with
retro-styling. It turns out to be a popular decision, and 8,041 are sold
by 1992.
1992. BMW continues to produce
machines to meet increasing demand. 25,761 R Series (twins) and 11,408
K-Series, including the new K 1100 LT are sold. This in a year when
worldwide motorcycle sales are dropping. Despite initial fears of the
boxers demise during the early K-Series years, the flat-twin continues to
sell (and perform) well with 100,000 units sold since the first K-Series
was released in 1983. This number is all the more impressive when
considered against the roughly 600,000 twins that have been sold since the
R 32 in 1923. In fact, BMW offers eight Boxer models in this year.
1993. With the second generation
ABS system introduced this year, a new generation Boxer appears as the R
1100 RS sports tourer. Powered by a fuel-injected, eight-valve,
twin-cylinder engine (model name R 259) it achieves 90 bhp at 7250 rpm.
The new twin is fitted with both Paralever rear suspension and the new
Telelever front suspension. BMW also releases the K 1100 RS, which sports
the new ABS II. In off-road, about 62,000 G/S and GS machines have been
bought.
1994. BMW's first production
single in 30 years, designed the year before, is the F 650 Funduro. It is
actually the result of a joint effort by the new European Union. BMW,
along with Italian manufacturer Aprilia and Austrian brand Rotax, designs
this 650-cc, four-valve single with power output measuring 48 bhp at 6,500
rpm. The R 1100 GS enduro is also rolled out this year featuring an ABS
braking system which can be turned off during off-road use. In a departure
from their current designs, BMW makes the R 850 R and the R 1100 R twins -
unique as they are the first BMWs in years to have no form fairing.
1995. Comprehensive fairing
characterizes the R 1100 RT touring machine that is unofficially named the
most weatherproof high-speed machine ever. Aside from including catalytic
converters standard on all motorcycles, BMW initiates a retro-fitting
program to upgrade older models. For the first time in its history, BMW
produces over 50,000 motorcycles in one year. However, this is also the
last year that the two-valve traditional Boxer is produced.
1996. With the new year, the old
two-valve Boxers and the three-cylinder K 75 Series are phased out of
production. This signals the end of a 70-year period of German motorcycle
history. Since 1923, 685,830 old Boxers have been sold with 467,900 of
them having been produced in Berlin since 1969. But while they did away
with the old, they also ushered in the new, introducing the company's most
powerful motorcycle to date, the four-cylinder liquid-cooled K 1200 RS.
1997. In response to a drop in
demand for sporting machines, BMW markets its first-ever chopper/cruiser
the R 1200 C. It is based on the stripped down "hogs," characterized by
the substitution of lighter components and the elimination of unnecessary
paraphernalia. Dr. Walter Hasselkus, the president of BMW since 1993 is
considered the godfather of the R 1200 C and it is David Robb who brings
the project to production. An instant icon, the machine is featured in the
James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies. In this same year, the R 1100 RS is
voted the Motorcycle of the Year in the United States, Japan and
Australia.
1998. After a 12-year absence
BMW returns to the Paris-Dakar Rally with F 650 competition motorcycles
piloted by four-time Paris-Dakar winner Edi Orioli, 2nd place winner
Oscara Gallaro, 5th place winner Jean Brucy and Ladies Cup Winner Andrea
Meyer.
1999. The millennium ends with
BMW's strongest sales year in its entire history. More than 5,000 machines
were sold in the first half of the year beating all of 1996's sales. By
year's end a full 10,088 units rolled onto the roads. It was the first
time in more than 18 years that BMW sold more than 1,000 units/month.
Robust sales were credited largely to the popularity of the K 1200 LT and
R 1200 C. In racing, Richard Sainct drives BMW to its 5th Dakar victory
and an Optic 2000 championship on an F 650 RR.
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