BMW motorcycles are produced by BMW Motorad, a German company that has been in this business since the early 1920s. The year 1923 marks the beginning of BMW motorcycles production, although it ran in parallel with aircraft manufacturing. At present, the company has plants in Taiwan, China and Austria, besides the main Berlin factory. The models that they manufacture and produce belong to very different categories from 450cc to 1300cc. Some are designed for touring activities while others correspond to sport, off-road and dual purpose applications.
BMW motorcycles have won a great reputation by winning lots of competitions and prestigious races in national and international contests. Take for instance the Dakar Rally that runs from Europe to Africa every year. BMW motorcycles have always participated to this race, not to mentioned that they have won six titles in this competition so far. The BMW S1000RR design put BMW motorcycles among the bikes that participated in the Superbike World Championship in 2008 and 2009.
Anyone who wishes to buy a BMW motorcycle can choose from several product categories.
First, there is the F series with a cylinder capacity of 800 cc; BMW motorcycles in the F series use either a belt drive or a chain.
A smaller category, the G series has engines with a cylinder capacity between 450cc to 650cc. They have a single cylinder and they feature a chain drive. The 450cc models are manufactured in Taiwan while the 650 cc engines are produced in China.
R1200GS and R1200T are available in the R series. They all have a shaft drive, twin cylinders and 1200cc capacity.
The K series includes larger BMW motorcycles with a cylinder capacity of 1200-1300 cc and four engines. The selection categories include K1300S, K1300GT and K1300R, or K1200LT and K1200R.
And finally the S series includes the popular BMW sports bikes with an inline-four engine and a 999cc capacity.
Before you purchase any type of bike, it is essential to take some drive tests. Choose those BMW motorcycles that best correspond to your riding style, your purpose, preference and individuality. You can get consultancy and technical information in any BMW dealer shop, or online.
The cylinder capacity, the category and the overall technical features are the elements that determine the price. The 450 and 650 cc BMW motorcycles are the most affordable, but the lower price is also justified by the fact that these models have lower manufacturing costs.
