19 Facts About BMW Motorrad

1.

BMW Motorrad is the motorcycle brand of BMW, part of its Corporate and Brand Development division.

FactSnippet No. 963,071
2.

Company began as an aircraft engine manufacturer in the early 20th century and through World War I BMW manufactured its first motorcycle in 1923, the R32, which featured a flat-twin boxer engine.

FactSnippet No. 963,072
3.

BMW Motorrad still uses the flat-twin boxer configuration, but now manufactures motorcycles with a variety of engine configurations.

FactSnippet No. 963,073
4.

In 2008, BMW Motorrad introduced the DOHC Boxer HP2 Sport, and entered the serious off-road competition motorcycle market with the release of the BMW Motorrad G450X motorcycle.

FactSnippet No. 963,074
5.

BMW Motorrad motorcycles are categorized into product families, and each family is assigned a different letter prefix.

FactSnippet No. 963,075
6.

BMW Motorrad achieved record sales for the fifth time in succession in 2015.

FactSnippet No. 963,076
7.

BMW Motorrad regularly enters its motorcycles in the Dakar Rally, an annual car, truck, and motorcycle race held traditionally on European and African land and recently, in South America, has featured riders such as Simon Pavey and motorcycling celebrity Charley Boorman.

FactSnippet No. 963,077
8.

In 2007, BMW Motorrad announced their entry to the 2009 Superbike World Championship season, running their S1000RR bike.

FactSnippet No. 963,078
9.

The 2009 season factory team was known as Team Alpha BMW Motorrad and includes Spanish rider Ruben Xaus and Australian rider Troy Corser.

FactSnippet No. 963,079
10.

In recent years BMW Motorrad have enjoyed renewed success at the Isle of Man TT Races.

FactSnippet No. 963,080
11.

BMW Motorrad sidecars had numerous successes at the TT Races, primarily during the 1960s and early 1970s.

FactSnippet No. 963,081
12.

In total, BMW Motorrad have won 34 Isle of Man TT races, in both the solo and sidecar divisions.

FactSnippet No. 963,082
13.

From 2013, some BMW Motorrad bikes have water-cooled heads, but, the new engines still use air-cooling for the cylinders.

FactSnippet No. 963,083
14.

In 1988, BMW Motorrad introduced the K1 which had the Bosch Motronic fuel injection system.

FactSnippet No. 963,084
15.

In 2005, along with the introduction of the "hexhead", BMW Motorrad inverted the Paralever and moved the torque arm from the bottom to the top of the drive shaft housing .

FactSnippet No. 963,085
16.

In 1935, BMW Motorrad fitted the first mass-produced hydraulically damped telescopic fork to its R12 and R17 motorcycles.

FactSnippet No. 963,086
17.

BMW Motorrad still uses telescopic forks today on its F-series, G-series, HP, and S1000RR motorcycles.

FactSnippet No. 963,087
18.

BMW Motorrad fitted the Earles fork to all its models for 14 years from 1955.

FactSnippet No. 963,088
19.

In 2004, BMW Motorrad announced the K1200S, incorporating a new front suspension based upon a design by Norman Hossack.

FactSnippet No. 963,089