On the Level — Intel & Intrigue

F650GS Single to return in October
(9/7/08)
The old F650GS will return in October as the G650GS to avoid confusion with the new F650GS vertical twin. It will have the G650 motor (two more horsepower) but otherwise it will be the old bike. Details, horsepower charts and more in the September OTL.

675 Triple
(9/7/08)
Numerous sources have hinted at the release of a 675cc triple in conjunction with the new S1000RR. Motorcyclenews.com had the best insight last spring, showing the logic of truncating the 1000 motor rather than creating a smaller 4-cylinder. BMW knows how to do that.
Don't be fooled by the admittedly pretty fabrication that's making the rounds now. It's a worked over version of BMW's press photo of the S1000RR, with different front and rear suspensions and a few other alterations. Look at the backwards lettering "SPORTEC" on the rear tire, and check the S1000RR pics below for other details. But it is pretty, we'll give it that.

S1000RR
(9/7/08)
BMW introduced this bike in April, and has vowed to keep it price-competitive with the Japanese literbikes. That means a price that's half that of the HP2 Sport. Obviously, this will be the foundation of BMW's world Superbike effort for 2009.

New F650GS to be sold in the US
(3/5/08)
The new F650GS, based on the yet-unreleased F800GS, will be introduced in the US in July to fill the gap left by the delay of the F800GS. At this point, the F800GS is still expected to arrive in September.
With the disappearance of the original single-cylinder F650GS from the product line, the delay of the F800GS leaves BMWNA with a gaping hole in the most popular end (the least expensive) of the enduro product line.
Will a $10,000 (out the door) detuned version of the F800GS sell, only two months before the real F800 arrives? More in the April OTL.

Building bikes in the US?
(12/24/07)
An out-of-the-way source is telling OTL that building BMW bikes in Spartanburg is on the table again. It was OTL itself that went out on the limb reporting on clandestine visits of the MOTORRAD brass to the South Carolina sites, but then the cruiser— a key ingredient in the plan— proved a bust.
That was a few years ago. Now there are hints about renewed interest on BMW's part, in large part because of the horrific weakness of the dollar.
BMW certainly doesn't lack the acreage to produce Beemers in the US.

R1200S HP2
(10/15/07)
The HP2 R1200 S has appeared at the Salon de Moto in Paris. Where possible, the bike incorporates much of the tried and true ST racer technology, though some unobtanium bits proved too expensive for production use.

BMW to enter World Superbike
(10/15/07)
BMW has confirmed its long-awaited entry into World Superbike competition for 2009. The race machine will be based on the K1000 RS chain-drive K190/190 project bike slated as the sportiest BMW production bike since the "Walter Zeller" RS 54 of the mid-50s. That bike, in turn, was an ultra-pricey King-cam bevel-drive Boxer sold only in sufficient numbers to meet the to the series requirement— and even then. only the well-connected could buy one. The "RS" in that case truly meant Rennsport (racing) rather than Reise Sport (touring sport). This K1000 RS bike will once again be a racer, but a series version is likely to be sold under a more democratic marketing plan. More in OTLs to come.

Reorganization at BMW Motorrad USA
(10/15/07)
BMW Motorrad has undergone a shake-up at the top, with CEO Dr. Herbert Diess leaving to assume a new post on the board of BMW AG. Press boss Jürgen Stoffregen has also left, in his case for the car side. There are sure to be rumors that these changes reflect second-thoughts about BMW's current sporty/racing initiatives but OTL moles say this is not the case. BMW is very content with the results of Berthi Hauser's racing programs as they well should be. The ST endurance Boxer side has yielded many podium finishes and some outright victories, while the experimental 450cc enduro closed the season with a win.

(August 22, 2007)
A highly regarded K forum is reporting that the K1200 GT won out in MOTORRAD's Alpine face -off. While this is true in the GT class, the overall winner of the Alpine contest was a BMW Boxer—specifically the R1200 R Roadster. As OTL itself reported many months ago, the many improvements to the hexhead naked Boxer twin had made it the best all-around BMW we had ever tested. Now it seems Motorrad's extensive comparison test has confirmed our best seat-of-the-pants impression. Much more in an upcoming OTL.

The much-debated K1000 RS sportbike is getting more play these days, moving beyond the pages of MO and OTL to a full-page sketch and article in MOTORRAD magazine. The still-secret  K 190/190 project has race implications, and we don't mean just endurance 24 hour stuff. The RS, as in Rennsport, will also sport some form of semi automatic transmission.

BMW buying Husky makes the Bavarian marque and major dirt bike player— and a full-on competitor with KTM in Austria. Among the numerous questions this raises are:

1. Wither the BMW X Series and the innovation-fiiled 450cc enduro racer?
2. How will the cooperation with Rotax be worked out?
3. Will this spur new Harley advances on Ducati?
4. Can BMW afford a dirt campaign and World Superbike racing at the same time?

All these issues will be raised in upcoming editions of  OTL.

Big stuff
(3/14/07)
K1850 GTL: Motorrad, among others, is firm on the matter of the new 6-cylinder K bike. Seen as an in-line format, the bike is seen as a "Gold Wing" killer. More in OTL.
F888 "RS" : Stefan Kraft has called for a race-biased version of the F800 S, dubbed the F888 RS. Envisioned as a 110 hp supersport, this bike is far less a certaintythan the K 1850 GTL (see above).

Small stuff
(3/7/07)
Motorrad magazine is floating the idea of a sportier version of the S model in the F800 Series. Despite the Stefan Kraft sketch, this "BMW F888S" does not jibe with any OTL mole report. OTL Intel still maintains that the six-cylinder KLT is a better bet, based on usually reliable sources.

NEW RACING ENDURO (from this blog).

  Technorati (and Mr. Werner) are on to the full-race enduro long rumored in OTL.  This is a more than "Rumint". The rider(ess) is a factory specialist. This is more evidence that BMW is getting  sportier.

BMW  New Products 

"It looks like BMW are getting ready a new generation motorcycle. After their recently launched G650 series, they seem to be getting ready a 450 series. " Whether that is so remains to be seen. The bike could just be special race versions, not a new series.

The prototype BMW motorcycle was spotted at the Uelsen Enduro race in Germany. Sascha Eckert was racing the motorcycle, which was entered without any logo, badge or colors, but under the BMW AG Motorrad Team (Eckert did not really race very hard in this race, and finished outside the top ten).

Ms. Eckert is a BMW R&D rider, so they guess that this is a prototype BMW enduro motorcycle, being put through its paces.

"It is also known that BMW have recently filed patents for new suspension concept (remember that this is not new to BMW, since they also have the very effective Telelever) that requires far less slack in the chain when the suspension needs to travel to extreme limits (something you tend to do off-road). To prevent this, the clutch will be mounted on the engine crankshaft. "

Very interesting to say the least!

"Does this mean that we'll finally be seeing BMW back seriously in the Dakar race, and other enduro races? A BMW motorcycle that you can actually put upright without wrecking your back.... woow! Guess we'll be seeing more of this over the next few months."

Huh? A 450cc bike isn't going to win the Paris-Dakar unless they restrict the race to the Luxembourg Garden.

What does this show? That BMW is serious about going sporty, and pursuing R&D in the real world.

More info here (in German).

Yet more 'HP2S'
(1/30/07)
What is OTL's best guess at what this bike will be like? Some moles claim claim this will be an 135-hp (13 more),  weigh in at 66 lbs less than the stock R1200 S. More than that, spies say this bike will sport the advanced traction control system OTL covered a year ago. Expect an Akropovic exhaust and Ohlins suspension to complement the extensive use of carbon fiber.  It sure won't be cheap when it makes its debut.

.Hot Rumor: Tales of an HP2 Sport are being tracked by OTL moles.
(1/24/07)
Sources say an "HP2 Sport" is in the work, based on the various iterations of R1200 S machines campaigned by BMW Motorsport's  Berti Hauser. That's right, NOT a GS—not to be confused with the R1200 GS Megamoto (a street version of the HP2 enduro). The HP2 designates the equivalent of an M car Bimmer, so it is theoretically as applicable to an S as a GS.

Will we see this bike at Dayona in 2008? There are rumors that BMW has something in the works at the track next year.

At this point it is unclear whether the "2" in HP2 is reserved for two-cylinder Boxers.

BMW Motorrad is clearly underway with its HP line— essentially like M car versions of Bimmers.   It follows that there will not be HP versions of all BMW models— just the sporty ones.

Much more in an upcoming OTL.

Early underground reports on the K1200 R Sport are trickling in.
(1/11/07)
The gist of it is:

• Motor much improved in power delivery and smoothness. Mods will be extended to other K40 series machines. Has 11 more hp than promised.
• Brakes are the best on the market. Conti-Teves.
• Fairing is so-so, with cheesy details. Not adjustable.
• Rider seat first-rate
• Passenger seat worse than R1200 S.
• Tranny better. Taller 1st, shorter 2-3 (but the press release doesn't support this)
• Dubious bagmounts
• Vague feedback from Duolever (sigh!).

The main deal is with the motor. Wags say "it is what the first K1200 S should have been."

OTL Comment: This bike is really the "S," the K1200S is really the "RS," the K1200 GT is really almost an RT. Only the K1200 R Roadster is really what it is.

BMW RA has archived OTL Intel material from 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006.