Triumph has been "leaking" photo's and information on their two forthcoming 2011 adventure models - one biased towards pavement going adventures while the other will be a little more off-road capable.

Rumor is it will be aimed squarely at taking some share away from the market of BMW's F800 GS.

All I can say is - I hope it's awesome! A really great 800cc triple might be a bike I'd be interested in. It'll take something pretty special to get me off my VFR800 though.  



Follow along via the website they're gradually releasing information to.  The link is HERE.

BMW Motorrad posted another major increase in sales in July and continued on its growth track. Against the persistent downward trend in the motorcycle segment over 500 cc, BMW Motorrad sales rose by 4.4% to 10,022 (prev. yr. 9,604) units in July.

With its young and attractive range of models, BMW Motorrad reported sales growth of 18.5% to 67,037 (prev. yr. 56,578) vehicles in the year to the end of July. The large long-distance enduro, the BMW R 1200 GS, remains the best-selling model in the BMW motorcycle range. The GS will be celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. It is the most successful BMW motorcycle ever built and has become the world’s best-selling motorcycle in the 500 cc and above range.

Some financial news from BMW Motorrad (Global) and more:

BMW Motorrad’s earnings increased sharply in the second quarter on the back of a good sales volume performance despite otherwise unfavourable business conditions. Six-month segment revenues rose by 30.7% to euro 439 million (2009: euro 336 million). EBIT for the period rose to euro 54 million (2009: euro 26 million) and the result before tax improved to euro 53 million (2009: euro 24 million). Six-month revenues increased to euro 790 million (2009: euro 626 million/+26.2%). The segment reported an EBIT for the first half of the year of euro 86 million (2009: euro 54 million) and a profit before tax of euro 83 million (2009: euro 50 million).

Sales of BMW brand motorcycles in the second quarter increased by 21.6% to 36,175 units (2009: 29,742 units). During the first half of the year, BMW Motorrad sold 57,015 units (2009: 46,974 units). This corresponds to an increase of 21.4%. The best-seller list was headed by the large, long-distance enduro R 1200 GS, making it the best-sold bike in the 500 cc plus motorcycles segment worldwide. Sales of the S 1000 RR - the first supersport bike manufactured by BMW Motorrad - reached a total of 6,459 units worldwide in the six-month period from January to June (of which 1,223 were sold in June).

Two new luxurious BMW Touring motorcycles, the K 1600 GT and the K 1600 GTL, will be presented to the public for the first time in autumn. For the first time in the segment’s history, both of these models will be fitted with six-cylinder in-line engines.

Duncan Motorsports and Kickstart Coffee are pleased to sponsor:

”An Evening with Simon Pavey” Friday July 30, 2010.

Simon Pavey, 6 time Dakar Rally competitor, trainer of Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor for their TV series "Long Way Round", and co-star of the documentary "Charley Boorman Race To Dakar" will be returning to Duncan.

Simon will be hosting a special viewing of excerpts of “Race to Dakar” TV series, a talk on riding motorcycles in the historic Dakar rallies in Africa and Argentina and a question and answer session.

Due to overwhelming response we have moved the venue to:

Island Savings Center
2687 James Street
Duncan BC.

Start time is 7:00 PM.

This is an event that should not be missed by any motorcycling or travel enthusiast !

There is a small event charge of $10. Tickets are available at the door or at Duncan Motorsports, 1063 Canada Ave, Duncan BC phone 1-866-746-2453

Simon Pavey - that's this guy:

BMW Motorrad Canada is pleased to be supporting the MOTORESS Alpine Ride for female riders, taking place in Bavaria, Germany from July 24 through July 31, 2010.

Celebrating a very special event for women motorcyclists, two prominent worldwide motorcycle organisations have come together on a special joint venture for female riders, supported by BMW Motorrad Canada.

Here's some information from the Transport Canada Road Safety Recalls Database. The latest round of recalls:

Make: BMW
Model: R1200GS ADVENTURE
Model Years Affected: 2006, 2007

Recall Date: 2010/06/25
Units Affected: 247

Transport Canada Recall # 2010207

Recall Details

On certain motorcycles, the nuts on the fuel tank front attachment bolts can work themselves loose, allowing the bolts to slip toward the inboard side and come into contact with the fork leg if the handlebar is turned a significant amount. This situation could limit the travel range of the handlebars, affect the handling and maneuverability of the motorcycle, and increases the risk of a crash causing property damage, personal injury or death. Correction: Dealers will inspect and repair affected vehicles as required.

Sales of BMW's are up, and what has been reported in many outlets but the first offical notice from BMW that we've seen.  BMW six cylinder motorcycles are on the way!

More details:

In the first half-year of 2010, BMW Motorrad sold 57,015 (prev. yr. 46,972) vehicles. This represents a retail growth of 21.4 % from the first half of 2009. The positive global trend for BMW Motorrad continued in June. Despite the negative trend on the global motorcycle markets, BMW Motorrad was able to sell more motorcycles year-on-year for the sixth consecutive month. In June, a total of 11,584 (prev. yr. 9,402 / +23.2%) vehicles were delivered to customers. The bestseller list was topped by the large long-distance enduro, the R 1200 GS, which is the world’s best-selling motorcycle in the segment for large capacity bikes in the 500 cc plus class. In the year to the end of June, no less than 6,459 (in June 1,223) units of the S 1000 RR, BMW Motorrad’s first supersport motorcycle, were delivered to customers worldwide – earning it second place in the supersport segment among the 1000 cc class sport bikes.

At a technology day to present BMW’s first in-line six-cylinder motorcycle engine in early July, the business unit provided a first glimpse of its next product offensive. In the future, the engine will power two luxurious new BMW touring bikes, the K 1600 GT and the K 1600 GTL, which will be presented to the public in autumn 2010. Both models will be distinguished by their innovative technology, superior engine smoothness and state-of-the-art fuel consumption.

BMW Motorrad Canada reported 260 retails in June, an increase of 7%over the same period in 2009. BMW Motorrad year-to-date retails of 1,210 units represent an increase of 3% over last year.

More News from Bavaria:

The  recently held, 30 Years of BMW Motorrad Days was a success with record attendance and glorious weather.

The weather turned out particularly well for the tenth anniversary. In hot midsummer temperatures, over 35,000 riders and fans of the brand BMW Motorrad not only set up a new attendance record but also partied to their hearts' content for three days on end.

Once again, fans arrived from all over the world. Not only had Italians, Scandinavians, Russians and Ukrainians made the trip: there was also a travel group of seven BMWs which had come all the way from Israel, and registration plates from the USA and Dubai were even spotted on the car park.

Visitors were thrilled with the attractive and densely packed program of events, which this year was organised around the 30-year anniversary of the BMW GS. Test rides, motorcycle convoys, stunt shows and a party atmosphere ensured that the interest level was high at all times. In addition to the award ceremony for BMW Special Models “30 Years GS” on Saturday there was a draw for special models. On Friday evening Georg Opalka won a BMW F 800 GS "30 Years GS", while Wolfgang Kracker was the happy recipient of a BMW R 1200 GS "30 Years GS" on Saturday evening.

With the S 1000 RR, BMW Motorrad offers a supersports bike which provides an impressive overall package of power, performance and safety for both country roads and the racing circuit.

Since the model launch, an extensive range of BMW Motorrad motorcycle equipment has been available for the S 1000 RR. This accessory program is now being consistently expanded to include special products for use on the race track - the High Performance Race Parts.

In this way, BMW Motorrad is responding to the fact that over 40 percent motorcyclists are actively involved in track riding - either race track training or professionally in national racing series.

For this reason, BMW Motorrad will be offering race track riders special products which are approved solely for use on the race track and are not authorised for road use.

The first in the range will be the HP Race Cover Kit and the HP Race Power Kit, which will be available from July 2010. Other HP Race Parts such as the HP Race Calibration Kit, the HP Race shift-pattern reversal and the HP Race right footrest plate will be available from the fourth quarter of 2010.

HP Race Cover Kit.

For use on the race track, the mirrors, front direction indicators and licence plate holder including rear direction indicators are usually removed. The HP Race Cover Kit provides covers to replace the missing parts so as to give the motorcycle the perfect racing trim in visual terms, too.

The kit includes two covers for the mirrors, two covers for the front direction indicators, a cover for underside of tail section as well as a blue fabric bag with white "HP High Performance Parts" lettering in which to keep the covers.

HP Race Power Kit.

With the HP Race Power Kit BMW Motorrad meets race track riders’ needs with regard to further increased performance.

An Akrapovič racing exhaust system made of light titanium not only ensures significantly reduced exhaust back pressure but also saves weight. The dB Eater (98 dB) included means that more stringent limitations imposed by race track operators can be adhered to if necessary.

A feature already used by many racing teams, the racing control unit with racing data status provides optimised engine qualities and a significant increase in torque, especially in the medium engine speed range which is so important in racing.

The data status developed for race track use ensures optimisation of the ride modes (RAIN, SPORT, RACE, SLICK) as well as Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), providing further enhanced acceleration, traction and therefore performance.

The device is authorised by means of a code which is entered in the control unit by the BMW Motorrad dealer.

A number of facelift measures will be integrated in the BMW Motorrad program for the model year 2011. The relevant models can all be ordered from BMW Motorrad dealerships with immediate effect.

BMW F 800 ST.

From model year 2011 the BMW F 800 ST is available in the following new paint finishes:

* Sapphire black metallic
* Light grey metallic/Sapphire black metallic/Granite grey metallic

The paint finishes Night blue metallic and Champagne metallic are no longer available.

BMW F 800 R.

From model year 2011 the BMW F 800 R is available in the following new paint finishes:

* Bright yellow metallic/Black satin gloss
* Granite grey metallic/Black satin gloss
* Alpine white/Lupin blue metallic/Magma red

The paint finishes Fire orange and White aluminium metallic as well as the special model "Chris Pfeiffer" are no longer available.

BMW K 1300 S.

From model year 2011 the BMW K 1300 S is available in the following new paint finishes:

* Magma red/Sapphire black metallic
* Lupin blue metallic/Alpine white/Sapphire black metallic

The paint finishes Lava orange metallic and Sapphire black metallic/Granite grey metallic/Magma red are no longer available.

BMW K 1300 R.

From model year 2011 the BMW K 1300 R is available in the following new paint finishes:

* Acid green metallic/Black satin gloss
* Black satin gloss/Granite grey metallic matt

The paint finishes Lava orange metallic and Silk metallic are no longer available.

BMW S 1000 RR.

From model year 2011 the BMW S 1000 RR is available in the following new paint finishes:

* Shine yellow metallic
* Light grey metallic

The paint finishes Mineral silver metallic and Acid green metallic are no longer available.

BMW R 1200 RT

From model year 2011 the audio platform of the BMW R 1200 RT, available as a special equipment feature ex works, will be extended to include a number of interesting functions. The system is now also fitted with a Bluetooth interface and the directory functions have been optimised. For the USA and Canada a satellite radio is now included in the option.

Here's a sample of some of the new colors:

If you're going to be in Germany this July 2nd to 4th - and you've got a BMW motorcycle - you're invited to a party!  Take some pictures for us why don't you?!

30 years of BMW GS: this has to be celebrated!

Friends of the brand BMW Motorrad celebrate the 30th anniversary of the GS models and BMW Motorrad celebrates the GS riders: at the "BMW Motorrad Days in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, guests' BMW GS models will be rated and awarded prizes in different categories.

BMW Motorrad's competition "30 Years GS" is organised in three classes: the oldest GS, the machine with the highest mileage and the most impressive GS creation. Key criteria are the chassis number in the first class and in the second class evidence of the highest mileage up to the time of pre-selection on July 3rd. With the customised machines, the jury - made up of well-known names from GS history such as Jutta Kleinschmidt, Hubert Auriol and Charley Boorman - will be looking at the creativity of visual or technical changes.

The prizes for the three first places will be caps and vouchers for BMW Motorrad rider´s equipment. The value of these will be as follows: for the first places 500 EUR each, for the second places 250 EUR each and for the third places 100 EUR each. What is more, all participants placed fifth or higher will receive a cap and keyring from the BMW Motorrad "30 YEARS GS"Collection as well as the special magazine “BMW Classic live. Special edition 30 Years GS”, signed by the jury.

All owners of BMW GS machines can enter with their bike, except for BMW employees. In order to sign up and register it is sufficient simply to come with your motorcycle and the necessary documentary evidence to the signposted parking spaces by the ice rink on the BMW Motorrad Days ground between 9 am and 11 am on July 3rd. Here you can enter your motorcycle in one of the three categories. BMW Motorrad specialists will make a pre-selection at this time of five machines to go through to the final of each category. These favourites will be presented in the Freestyle Area from around 12.30 pm, the winners will then be decided and prizes awarded. For further information on the competition "30 Years GS" please see www.bmw-motorrad.com/motorraddays from the middle of June.

The award ceremony will be one of the highlights to mark the 30th anniversary of the BMW GS. In a special exhibition, BMW Classic will be presenting milestones from three decades of GS to illustrate the remarkable success story which this big travel enduro concept gave rise to - especially considering that it was completely new at the time. The BMW Classic Special Edition magazine provides 62 pages of detailed information on the background and development of this pioneering motorcycle. It will be available in German and English at the "BMW Motorrad Days" and costs five EUR.

The "BMW Motorrad Days" is a meeting place for tradition and innovation. For this reason, there will be a new tent focusing entirely on the important issue of safety. Under the heading "ConnectedRide", BMW Motorrad researchers and engineers are developing various assistance systems such as the cross traffic assistant based on communication between vehicles, which aims to increase safety in future.

Visitors can experience at first hand the current state of development of BMW motorcycles. Training sessions are offered on BMW GS models, and BMW G 450 X and Husqvarna models will also be provided for test rides. Of course virtually all other BMW Motorrad models can also be loaned for extensive test rides. Over 500 exclusive test rides on especially sought-after bikes can be reserved in advance on the internet this year at www.bmw-motorrad.com/testride.

For beginners without a license, BMW Motorrad offers try-outs in a cordoned-off area. With a little luck, the dream of owning a brand new BMW motorcycle could come true, too: on Friday evening there will be a draw for the special models  BMW F 800 GS "30 Years GS" and on Saturday evening for the BMW R 1200 GS "30 Years GS".

The breathtaking stunts performed by four-times world stunt-riding champion Chris Pfeiffer in the Freestyle Area are not recommended for imitation. On the x-track, off-road specialities can be seen performed by world-famous enduro riders and mountain bikers. Another highlight is the Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport which once again enters the World Superbike Championship in 2010 with the racing version of the S 1000 RR. Regular features of the BMW Motorrad Days are the Classic Convoy, which will be held on Friday this year, as well as the Grand Motorcycle Convoy on Saturday

The support program includes 60 international exhibitors displaying their goods and services - from tuning to accessories and travel and featuring off-road, on-road and race track training. In cooperation with Metzeler BMW Motorrad offers a tyre service.

The parties on the Friday and Saturday featuring live bands and DJs have already achieved legendary status. For the first time in 2010, the ladies band WILDCATS will be performing live at the BMW Motorrad Days. On Friday evening, the acts Gerry & Gary, Dreirad, Byron and DJ Moorat will also be providing entertainment. The acts lined up for Saturday are Blechblos’n, Tommy and the Moondogs, Byron and DJ Robert .

Immediately adjacent to the event grounds there is a 15,000 square metre camping area with bathroom facilities. For overnight guests looking for accommodation in hotels of various categories we urgently recommend placing a reservation at bmw-motorrad@gapa.de.

On Saturday 3rd July at 10:30 am there will be a press conference for journalists on the subject of "30 Years GS" in the "30 Years GS" tent on the BMW Motorrad Days grounds. Several key personalities from GS history will be there, including Jutta Kleinschmidt, Hubert Auriol and Charley Boorman. Kleinschmidt achieved numerous rallye success on the BMW R 100 GS, Auriol won the Dakar Rallye in 1981 and 1983 on a BMW GS. Boorman undertook his impressive motorcycle trips with Ewan McGregor described in "Long Way Round" on the BMW R 1150 GS, and "Long Way Down" on the BMW R 1200  GS.

BMW Motorrad once again achieved a substantial increase in sales in May and continues on its successful course. Despite the continuing strong decline in the global motorcycle market in the segment over 500cc, sales in May climbed 19.3% to reach a total of 12,139 (prev. yr. 10,172) units.

For the year to the end of May, BMW Motorrad reported sales growth of 20.9% to 45,431 (prev. yr. 37,570) units.

The lasting boom at BMW Motorrad can be attributed to its broad range of attractive products. With 3,705 (prev. yr. 2,766 / +33.9%) deliveries in May the R 1200 GS / GS Adventure model with the new Boxer engine remains the best-selling product in the BMW motorcycle portfolio. Alongside the other R Series Boxer motorcycles, the F and K Series models are also in strong demand.

Sales of the S 1000 RR continue to perform well: 5,236 (in May 1,345) units of BMW’s first Supersport motorcycle have already been delivered to customers worldwide in the year to the end of May. 

There's at least two very popular BMW motorcycles that have a social media presence - ie; A FaceBook page.  In fact, they seem to be very popular on FaceBook too - at least that's what BMW is saying.

BMW didn't give a proper link to the S 1000 RR Official page so you'll have to take our word for it, and try to track it down if you're interested in it.  There's another site for the GS though - this one they did provide a link for.

Details below:

S 1000 RR


Our new S 1000 RR Official Facebook Page seems to be as wildly popular as the hot new Superbike itself. In a short few months, this model exclusive Page has attracted over two thousand fans and is growing daily. With this many fans, our new Page is the most popular S 1000 RR destination in English on Facebook by a wide margin. It features press clippings, photos, videos, tech and fan talk, events and more.

BMW GS

We are very pleased to announce our new BMW GS Page dedicate to all things Gelände/Straße (Off-Road/Street); from the singles to twins, verticals to boxers, Telelever to telescopic forks and covering the legendary 1980 R 80 G/S to the latest 2010 DOHC R 1200 GS Adventure. Share your images, videos and rides. Tell the world about your adventures, whether to your favorite weekend spot or the most remote parts of the globe.

The rider assistance system ASC (Automatic Stability Control) has been one of the most popular special equipment features ex works for years. This is because BMW Motorrad's anti-slip control system limits the drive torque in relation to the nature of the road surface and therefore the friction coefficient. The result: no more rear wheel spin, more efficient power transmission and thus significantly increased active riding safety. If regulatory intervention of the electronic system is not desired - on the race track for example - the rider can simply deactivate it at the press of a button, even during travel.

In the R 1200 GS models by BMW Motorrad, the ASC also features a special terrain function which is adapted to the slip conditions on loose surfaces such as sand and gravel. The change between the road and the terrain setting is conveniently made by means of a switch on the handlebar instrument panel.

This innovative anti slip function ASC can now be retrofitted in the following BMW motorcycles with Integral ABS II as follows:

R 1200 GS from chassis number ZS98694
R 1200 GS Adventure from chassis number ZN98790
R 1200 R from chassis number ZS14531
R 1200 RT from chassis number ZR60266
R 1200 ST from chassis number ZL85554
K 1200 S from chassis number ZR895526
K 1300 S without limitation
K 1200 R from chassis number ZN21739
K 1300 R without limitation
K 1200 GT from chassis number ZN71575
K 1300 GT without limitation

BMW Motorrad Canada reported 300 retails in May, reflecting a decrease of 10.5% the same period in 2009. BMW Motorrad year-to-date retails of 950 units represent an increase of 2.4% over last year.

Winning the overall ranking in style, being victorious in two categories and scoring four more top ten positions in the reader’s vote "The best sports motorcycles 2010“ of  PS (Das Sport-Motorrad Magazin) BMW Motorrad continues their success story. It was crowned with winning the title “Best motorcycle brand”.

"I’m glad to hear of the overwhelming victory of our new S 1000 RR in this vote focussed on sporty motorcycles. I would like to thank the readers of PS most sincerely for their votes. This reflects the enormous enthusiasm for our products.”, said Hendrik von Kuenheim, Head of BMW Motorrad, commenting on the result of the vote.

With BMW Motorrad represented in the category “Best sport motorcycle over 700 cc” with a 4-cylinder supersports bike for the first time, the new BMW S 1000 RR won this class at the first go, thereby underscoring its superior technical conception combining highest performance with Race ABS and Dynamic Traction Control DTC.

At the same time the S 1000 RR secured the title "Best sports motorcycle“ by a wide margin. The BMW K 1300 S came undisputedly in first in the category “Best sporty all-rounder”. More top ten finishes were achieved by the BMW Motorrad models R 1200 GS Adventure, F 800 GS, K 1300 R and HP2 Sport.

In addition BMW Motorrad won the title "Best motorcycle brand“.

After the S 1000 RR being voted “Motorcycle of the Year 2010″ in the readers’ vote of the motorcycle magazine MOTORRAD with numerous victories in categories in March 2010, BMW Motorrad models were able to achieve the second outstanding success within short time by winning the PS readers’ vote.

Bruce Parker, President of Joe Rocket Canada, is pleased to announce a sponsorship agreement with the Rush HD BMW Motorrad Canada Superbike squad. This agreement will see teammates Francis Martin and Michael Ferreira outfitted in Speedmaster 10.0 race suits and gloves as they campaign the 2010 Superbike Series.

"The new BMW Motorrad S1000RR is redefining what a sportbike can accomplish on the racetrack," said Parker. "Together, with the experience and resources of the

To celebrate 30 years of GS bikes BMW has some new special livery GS models coming out in May.

Here's a few more details on the R 1200 GS "30 Years GS" model:

Introducing the R 1200 GS “30 Years GS”, BMW Motorrad is now presenting an exclusive special model commemorating the thirty-year tradition of the highly successful GS model series, at the same time upgrading the already well-equipped travel enduro within the boxer segment by adding a wide range of additional features and equipment.

The R 1200 GS “30 Years GS” special model highlights the sporting enduro DNA of BMW’s large grand touring enduros. Particularly outstanding features are the exclusive paintwork in Alpine White non-metallic with three-coloured decals in the former colours of BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the “30 Years GS” model designation, cross-spoke wheels with their spoke ring in black eloxy finish, a tinted windshield (only in Europe), and hand protectors.

The seat finished in red with its three-dimensional GS stamp in the side flanks gives this special model a particularly masculine and sporting look.

With the exception of the cross-spoke wheels and hand protectors, the special model may be further upgraded according to the customer’s personal taste by adding special equipment and optional extras from the wide range of BMW Motorrad. Available both as special equipment and as an option straight from the factory, the special low-height seat (which is also part of the lowered suspension package) comes exclusively in black.

Highlights of the BMW R 1200 GS “30 Years GS”:

BMW Motorrad Canada is pleased to support the 4th annual 2010 International Female Ride Day being staged on May 7, 2010.

International Female Ride Day is the inspiration of Vicki Gray, founder of MOTORESS, an international website developed to encourage and support women in motorcycling worldwide. Vicki works tirelessly to connect women with motorcycling and the International Female Ride Day has spawned numerous female-only motorcycling events focused on the annual May event.

BMW Motorrad Canada is a strong supporter of female motorcycling in Canada, and a regular sponsor of MOTORESS since its inception.

The timing of International Female Ride Day perfectly complements BMW Motorrad Canada’s “For Women Only!” Test Ride Events which kicked-off on April 24 in Vancouver, with sessions scheduled for Toronto on May 15 and Montreal on May 22.

Since 2004, the BMW “For Women Only!” Test Ride Event has offered female motorcycle riders the opportunity to test ride a full range of current BMW models in a relaxed and controlled environment. Administered and hosted by seasoned female motorcycle enthusiasts in affiliation with BMW Motorrad Canada.

More information on the BMW “For Women Only!” Ride Events and a link to MOTORESS, please go to www.bmw-motorrad.ca.

For the financial data hungry motorcyclist here's a little news from BMW Motorrad:


BMW Motorrad recorded improved first-quarter revenues and earnings thanks to increased sales volumes, thus bucking the worldwide trend on the motorcycle markets. Segment revenues rose by 21.0% to euro 351 million (first quarter 2009: euro 290 million). Segment EBIT increased by 14.3% to euro 32 million (first quarter 2009: euro 28 million) and the profit before tax improved by 15.4% to euro 30 million (first quarter 2009: euro 26 million).

Sales of BMW brand motorcycles in the first quarter increased by 20.9% to 20,840 units (first quarter 2009: 17,232 units). The S 1000 RR, which was launched in December 2009, is now available worldwide. The technical upgrade of the R 1200 GS and the revised R 1200 RT have been available since February 2010.

BMW Motorrad Canada retails in April were 327 units, reflecting a decrease of 8.4%over the same period in 2009. BMW Motorrad YTD retails of 651 units represent an increase of 9.8% over last year.

The World Superbike and Superstock races are coming to the US. BMW Motorrad USA invites you to join us at Miller Motorsports Park on May 29-31, 2010 for the second year of SBK races in the U.S. with a special ticket package for BMW owners and racing fans. This special promo is quite popular and ticket packages are going fast. Act now and catch the world's most exciting motorcycle races on our turf at Miller.

Be a part of the action with a special BMW Motorrad ticket package that includes:
Three days (Saturday/Sunday/Monday) access to special seating at Stansbury Grandstands.
Three days of access to the Racing Paddock. 

BMW as a whole did pretty good the first three months of 2010. The motorcycle segment was one of the groups that saw some numbers to be pleased about.

The BMW Motorcycle segment clearly exceeded last year’s sales in the first three months of this year: Sales were 20.9% higher at 20,840 units (17,232). In March 2010, 11,541 motorcycles – an increase of 26.8% - were delivered to customers (prev. yr . 9,100).

BMW Motorrad Canada achieved an all time March record with 200 units retailed, an increase of 19% over the same period in 2009. BMW Motorrad YTD retails of 324 units reflect an increase of 37% over last year.

BMW Group Canada, based in Whitby, Ontario, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BMW AG and is responsible for the distribution of BMW luxury performance automobiles, Sports Activity Vehicles, Motorcycles, and MINI. BMW Group Financial Services Canada is a division of BMW Group Canada and offers retail financing and leasing programs and protection products on new and pre-owned BMW and MINI automobiles, as well as retail financing for new and pre-owned BMW Motorcycles. 

Richmond Hill, ON. Continuing its annual tradition for the fourth consecutive year, BMW Motorrad Canada is pleased to be hosting Summerfest 2010 at Mosport International Raceway from July 9 – 11, 2010.

Strategically scheduled to coincide with the 4th and 5th rounds of this year's Parts Canada Superbike Championship, BMW Motorrad Summerfest will again be staged on its familiar 500,000 square-foot site in the Mosport infield, with several exciting new attractions complementing the popular list of activities that have come to define BMW Motorrad Summerfest.

New attractions this year include:

· Chris Pfeiffer, World and European motorcycle freestyle stunt-riding champion returns to Summerfest, reprising his spectacular appearance at the first Summerfest event in 2007. Chris will, as always, be performing the impossible on his BMW F800R.
· Touratech Canada, an OEM and aftermarket manufacturer of accessories for BMW motorcycles, and Ztechnik, an OEM and aftermarket manufacturer of windscreens for BMW motorcycles, who will be new additions to the vendor area.

· A fascinating new seminar series with guest speakers to include:
 - David Hatch and Norm Wells (Director of BMW Motorrad Canada) from TSN’s Motorcycle Experience television show.
- Rene Cormier, the global adventurer who spent five years travelling around the world on his BMW F650GS Dakar.
 - Paul "The Iceman" Mondor who rode across Canada in winter (his 2010 Frozen Butt Tour), also on a BMW F650GS Dakar.

The regular array of popular BMW Motorrad Summerfest displays and activities returns, including:

·  A full display of the 2010 BMW Motorrad model lineup, complemented by exciting new BMW and MINI car models.
· The BMW Rider Equipment & Apparel Tent, offering great deals on a wide range of BMW Motorrad gear.
· Sécurité Active rider training, with their expert instructors free rider training sessions - a sample of the extensive courses offered at their home base in Montreal.
· A full schedule of on-road and off-road test rides of the full range of BMW motorcycles, utlizing the breathtaking roads around the Mosport venue for the street rides, and a 30km-long snowmobile trail system woven in and around the Mosport property, for the trail rides.

· The Saturday night Summerfest Feast to all pre-event ticket puchasers.
 - The popular BMW "Bavarian Beer Garden“ watering hole.
 - A Saturday night concert series, with full stage, in the infield  - feature bands to be announced!
 - Exclusive participation in a parade-lap of the legendary Mosport track on Sunday during the lunch break for all pre-event ticket purchasers (BMW riders only).

The Rush HD/BMW Motorrad Canada Superbike Team will, of course, be competing in the 4th and 5th rounds of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship on Mosport’s  "big" track, with the spectacular new BMW S1000RR racebikes. BMW Motorrad team riders Francis Martin and Mike Ferreira are expected to provide the strongest competitive challenge yet in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship series.

Camping, as always, is available on site and offered as part of the BMW Motorrad Summerfest ticket package.

Complete information on BMW Motorrad Summerfest and online ticket registration can be accessed at HERE. You can also visit the BMW Motorrad Summerfest Facebook fan page and become a fan by searching BMW Motorrad Summerfest.

BMW Motorrad has expanded the application spectrum of its Bluetooth communication system and now offers it with its BMW Motorrad Sport helmet.

The Sport helmet is already designed for immediate integration of the BMW Motorrad Communication System. With its excellent aerodynamics and exceptional aeroacoustics, it is perfectly suited to the new communications system and its outstanding sound quality. The system employs Bluetooth standard 2.0 to allow wireless voice communication between two helmets as well as other Bluetooth equipment, such as navigation systems, mobile telephones, or MP3 players.

The BMW Motorrad Communication System comprises a main circuit board, a boom microphone, and two loudspeakers which are installed in the helmet, plus two NiMH rechargeable batteries, which enable constant operation for periods of ten to twelve hours. The system is controlled by a three-button module, which fits snugly into any Sport helmet, irrespective of the shell's dimensions.

The BMW Motorrad Communication System has been conceived to facilitate voice communication between the rider and co-rider, but communication with other Bluetooth equipment is also possible. For instance, the rider can not only talk to his co-rider, but is also able to receive messages emitted by the BMW Motorrad Navigator IV, make telephone calls, or listen to music, provided the equipment used is Bluetooth-compatible. The BMW Motorrad Communication System also allows communication from motorcycle to motorcycle. Depending on the local conditions, the system will allow voice communication over a distance of up to 100 metres with only a slight drop in quality, provided there is an uninterrupted line of sight between the Bluetooth devices. If the distance cannot be bridged or the conditions are otherwise unfavourable, and the connection is lost, it is automatically restored as soon as the distance between the Bluetooth transmitters is sufficiently small.

The BMW Motorrad Communication System in the Sport Helmet is compatible with the communication system in the BMW Motorrad System 6 Helmet.

With currently almost 1.4 million clicks the S 1000 RR Dinner Spot became the most successful BMW film on YouTube ever. In the course of the Spotlight International Advertising Film Festival in Mannheim the film was awarded in the category “Web and Mobile” at the beginning of March.

It is about a well-known magic trick, where a magician pulls the tablecloth from a small table all set up with china without damaging anything.

In “Dinner for RR” the BMW S 1000 RR knows the trade even better: Thanks to its acceleration of 2.9 seconds from 0 to 100 k.p.h. the bike is able to pull the tablecloth even from a huge, impressing banquet leaving all the china and glasses intact.

If you haven’t seen the "Dinner for RR“ clip yet, then check it out:

A little financial information from BMW Motorrad here if you're interested.  In a nutshell - things looked good overall for the brand in 2010 but motorcycle sales took a bit of a hit. Not as bad a hit as many other manufacturers though.


As a whole - the BMW Group recorded positive earnings for the financial year 2009 as planned despite the ongoing worldwide financial and economic crisis. Profit before tax rose by 17.7% to euro 413 million. But the Motorrad division sales were down moderately compared to the market as a whole.

BMW Motorrad was voted “Motorcycle of the Year 2010" in the readers' vote of the motorcycle magazine MOTORRAD, with clear victories in all five categories in which BMW motorcycles were represented - the best result ever achieved by a manufacturer in the history of the vote.

“I am very glad to hear of the outstanding success of our motorcycles and would like to thank the readers of MOTORRAD most sincerely for their votes. As I see it, this is a great sign of confidence and reflects the enormous enthusiasm for our products. I am particularly pleased that BMW Motorrad was able to achieve a top ranking in reader popularity so quickly with the S 1000 RR - after all, we have entered new territory with this model," said Hendrik von Kuenheim, Head of BMW Motorrad, commenting on the result of the vote.

With BMW Motorrad represented in the “Sports” category with a 4-cylinder supersports bike for the first time, the new BMW S 1000 RR won this hotly competed class the first time round, thereby underscoring its outstanding technical conception combining top-class 4-cylinder performance with Race ABS and Dynamic Traction Control DTC.

The “Touring bike” category was won by the BMW K 1300 GT, with the BMW R 1200 RT finishing in third place. “This excellent result underpins the outstanding importance of BMW motorcycles when it comes to fast, comfortable and in particular safe motorcycle travel," von Kuenheim went on to say.

The BMW R 1200 GS and R 1200 GS Adventure were able to re-assert their leading position in the market segment in the traditional MOTORRAD readership vote, finishing first in the category "Enduro/Supermoto". 4th position for the R 1200 Megamoto and 5th for the F 800 GS further highlighted the dominance of BMW motorcycles in this category.

Like last year, BMW Motorrad also won first place in the categories “All-rounders” and “Naked bikes”. Here it was the high-action BMW models K 1300 S and R 1200 R which once again impressed readers most.

In addition to individual rankings in the various categories, BMW motorcycles also dominated the relevant brand rankings, which were won in four cases.
 
Parallel to the voting for “Motorcycle of the Year 2010" the annual reader’s voting “Best Brand 2010” took place. In 19 product categories the readers could vote for their most convincing brands in the main categories “Riders and Motorcycle Equipment”. BMW Motorrad Rider’s Equipment won the category “Textile clothes”.

The award ceremony was held at the “Motorräder Dortmund 2010” trade fair on March 4th 2010 at 6 pm in the Restaurant Strobels in Dortmund. No less than 200 candidates in a total of eight categories entered the “Motorcycle of the Year” vote to compete for the coveted titles: held in 2010 for the 12th time, it is regarded as the most important readers’ vote for motorcycles and scooters in the whole of Europe. Over half a million have taken part in the vote since 1999.

BMW Motorrad Canada achieved an all time February record with 70 units retailed, an increase of 46%over the same period in 2009, bringing Motorrad YTD retails to 124 units.


The success of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy. As a result of its efforts, the BMW Group has been ranked industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for the last five years.

There are 19 BMW motorcycle retailers across the country.

New Brunswick based Atlantic Motoplex has some big news. In addition to the Yamaha, BMW, and Ducati's they've been selling - they've just added two new makes to the list... Suzuki and Triumph.

The music is bad, but the bike looks amazing! Watch an official video on the development of the BMW S1000RR.

We've gotten some global numbers from the BMW Group concerning BMW Motorrad. Numbers are pretty good for the first month of the new decade - January saw global sales for BMW Motorrad at 3,814 units - that's up 2.2% over last year.

It looks like BMW Motorrad Canada is on a roll again. They did some impressive business in the month of January.

BMW Motorrad Canada retailed 54 motorcycles in the first month of 2010, a best ever January result and increase of 170 per cent over the same period in 2009. Contributing to this success of BMW Motorrad is the new S1000RR Superbike, as its popularity grows among a young demographic.

Here's a big summary of 2009 from the folks at BMW Motorrad. It's a little long but it's definitely worth a read. It gives an excellent overview of the BMW marquee and compares their sales to their competitors. The BMW Group achieved a global sales volume of over 87,000 motorcycles for the 2009 financial year.

Press Release:

BMW Motorrad can look back on a successful year in 2009 in spite of a very difficult market environment marked by the global financial and economic crisis. Last year 87,306 (previous year: 101,685) BMW motorcycles were delivered to customers which is equivalent to a comparatively moderate drop of 14.1%. BMW Motorrad has thus not only reached the target it set itself, but also achieved the second-lowest decline in sales amongst the competition.

While the world market for motorcycles above 500 cubic centimetres was still approximately 1.5 million vehicles in 2007, it shrank to about 900,000 units in 2009. This corresponds to a market drop of around 40% in two years. In the crisis year of 2009 alone the world market declined by more than 30%.

Despite these downward tendencies in the motorcycle markets, BMW Motorrad was able to grow in the European markets Great Britain and Eastern Europe, in the Asian markets of Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, as well as in the Middle East and Brazil.

Due to its continued powerful product offensive, the white and blue brand performed outstandingly on other export markets, often expanding its market share considerably. In the seven important motorcycle markets of Great Britain, Italy, France, Spain, the USA, Japan and Germany, BMW Motorrad increased its market share throughout.

This was achieved even though market sales dropped by 32% in the segment above 500 cubic centimetres. Compared to the competition, which lost between 20% and almost 50% of its sales, BMW Motorrad sales dropped by only 16%.

In Germany, which is still the biggest market for BMW Motorrad, 15,833 (previous year: 18,112) BMW motorcycles were registered, representing a drop of 12.6%. In spite of this environment BMW Motorrad was able to defend its market leadership in the once again shrinking overall market (-14.5%) as well as in the segment above 500 cc. The BMW share in the overall market was 17.7% in December (previous year: 17.3%). In the segment above 500 cc the market share was 19.0% (previous year: 18.1%).

Italy continues to be the second largest for BMW Motorrad. Here a total of 13,207 BMW motorcycles were registered (previous year: 15,342), a decline of 13.9% (market as a whole: minus 20.0 %). The market share of BMW Motorrad in the segment over 500 cc increased to14.3 % (previous year: 13.0 %).

In the USA, too - BMW Motorrad’s third largest market - the market as a whole decreased by 41.6 %. Here 9,168 (previous year: 11,831) BMW motorcycles were registered, a drop of 22.5 % as compared to the previous year. However, it was possible to increase the market share over 500 cc by 2.0% to 2.6%.

In 2009 once again, the most successful model overall was the large travel enduro BMW R 1200 GS (15,864 units) along with its sibling model, the R 1200 GS Adventure (8,803 units). Outstanding sales figures were also achieved by the F 800 GS (10,974 units) and the F 800 R (5,828 units), where the conquest rate was especially pleasing.

BMW Motorrad in 2010 - a look ahead.

The prospects for 2010 look promising: this is because BMW Motorrad was able to extend its market share across the board and take on market leadership in several instances, thereby creating an excellent basis for future growth.

With the new S 1000 RR, BMW Motorrad has a supersports volume model in its program for a full season for the first time, with some 2,300 orders already having been placed by the time of the market launch on December 6th 2009.

From February 6th 2010 BMW customers will benefit from the model revision of the new BMW 1200 GS / Adventure and BMW R 1200 RT which are to be launched with the new DOHC flat twin engines.

In addition to this, the BMW Motorrad model program is in excellent shape generally for 2010. In the worlds of experience Enduro, Tour, Urban, Sport and HP there are fascinating motorcycles to suit virtually every taste. The model range is supplemented by an extensive program of accessories and innovative BMW Motorrad rider equipment.

Husqvarna Motorcycles puts in a powerful sales performance.

Husqvarna Motorcycles, the second motorcycle brand of the BMW Group, achieved worldwide sales figures of 13,052 units (previous year: 13,511) - a decline of just 3%. And in the seven major motorcycle markets the drop in sales was only 2%.

Sales in Australia, Germany and France developed very positively, with the previous year’s figures being far exceeded in each case. Husqvarna Motorcycles even increased its performance in the heavily declining US market (- 41.6%).

Now that the new model TE 250 has been so well received by the market, a model offensive is planned for 2010: in spite of a difficult market environment, this provides hope of a positive sales development.

BMW's numbers are out for the month of December and when compared to last year - things aren't rosy.

It's all to be expected though considering the continued global economic crisis. Overall, BMW is doing well - all vehicles considered, they're up 10.1% for the year (ending December).

In terms of motorcycles, this is what their Press Release had to say:

BMW Motorrad sold 5.360 (prev. yr. 7457/-28.1%) motorcycles in December. In a difficult market environment it was not possible to match the previous year’s high sales figures in 2009. 87.306 (prev. yr. 101.685/-14.1%) BMW motorcycles were sold to customers throughout the full year.

BMW Motorrad Canada finished off 2009 on a high note:

BMW Motorrad Canada finished the year with a total of 1,830 motorcycles sold, an increase of 4 per cent over 2008. December sales of 66 units represent a 43 per cent decrease in sales over the same period last year.

BMW Motorrad (Part of BMW Group*) sold 5,503 (prev. yr. 5,773 / -4.7%) motorcycles worldwide in November.

For the year to the end of November, 81,946 (prev. yr. 94,237 / -13.0%) motorcycles were delivered to customers.

The Canadian market is one region where motorcycles have been popular. Sales for the year period are up in Canada (compared to a -4.7% global trend). We're still down for the month of November though, which we reported HERE.

* BMW Group - is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 24 production facilities in 13 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

BMW Motorrad Canada's sales are up for the year when compared to the same period last year but sales for November 2009 were much lower than the sales for the same month last year.

Press Release:

BMW Motorrad Canada sold 37 units in November, down 38.3 per cent over November 2008.

Year-to-date results are encouraging as Motorrad retail figures hit 1,764 a 7.2 per cent increase over the same period last year.

Well known fast guy, and author of Twist of the Wrist I and II, Keith Code has made a switch from Kawasaki to BMW's at his California Superbike School.

Keith Code's website proclaims; "We are proud to offer our students training on this spectacular motorcycle."

Formerly, they were offering training on Kawasaki motorcycle but the relationship ended with Kawasaki as a result of cost cutting measures from Kawasaki (reportedly). There's no hard feelings from Keith apparently.

Having said that he still seems quite happy to have taken delivery of 27 BMW S1000RR's.

The BMW S1000RR features a class leading horsepower figure of 193hp and you can get traction control and ABS too. According to Code's website "Never before has it been so easy to keep so much power under control."

Check out Keith's book that's improved the riding of thousands of motorcyclists from around the globe:

A Twist of the Wrist 2: The Basics of High-Performance Motorcycle Riding

BMW has a new video posted on YouTube featuring some high quality footage of their Concept 6 bike.

What makes this bike so special is that it features a compact six cylinder 6 engine. It looks amazing, and while the bike won't likely be produced, it's very possible that the six cylinder engine will find it's way into a K-series production model in the future.

Here's some video's to enjoy:

Whitby, ON. BMW Motorrad Canada is pleased to announce the introduction of three new models for 2010 - the breathtaking S1000RR, the F800R and the G650GS Enduro, along with upgraded R1200RT, R1200GS and R1200GS Adventure models and three special editions.

S1000RR

After spending its inaugural development season challenging the 2009 World Superbike Championship with factory riders Ruben Xaus and two-times world champion Australian Troy Corser, the new S1000RR exceeded expectations, finishing the series with a gratifying seventeen top-ten finishes. The S1000RR is now poised to arrive in BMW Motorrad showrooms in January of 2010.

The S1000RR will debut with an MSRP of $17,300, a price that includes Race ABS, Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) and Gear Shift Assist as standard equipment. The only option available on the S1000RR will be the Alarm System, priced at $265.

Six-cylinder power units have always had particular appeal, offering not only supreme smoothness and refinement, but also superior power and performance as well as a truly emotional driving – or, in this case, riding – experience. A further point is that the typical sound of a straight-six almost like a turbine is absolutely incomparable, with straight-six power units at BMW having stood for fascinating engine technology in BMW cars for more than seven decades.

BMW Motorrad Canada retail sales were 82 units this October, down 39% compared to October 2008. Year-to-date, sales are up 9% to 1729 units compared to the same period last year.

That October figure seems to be a fairly large number on the negative side - except when you factor in that the F800GS became newly available around this time last year and there was a strong demand built up for them. This would have inflated the October sales last year so there'd be little chance that BMW could match those figures this month.

So, all in all, a pretty good year for BMW Motorrad Canada.

Munich. Juha Salminen has taken the win at the "Rund um Zschopau" Enduro classic. The Finn held off fellow countryman Eero Remes to give BMW their first victory at the prestigious event. The race held on Saturday marked the final round of the German Enduro Championship. Salminen won the overall and the E2 class.

Zschopau used to be the center of the sport in former East Germany. The region has plenty of enthusiastic fans who showed up in thousands to witness brilliant motorsport and what Enduro racing is all about: man and machine fighting the elements.

World Championship runner-up Salminen came to Saxony to end the season with a win, fully aware that Remes was going to be his main contender. By taking the prologue on Friday night, Salminen fired an early warning, but the 33-year-old had to suffer through the following day like everyone else before finally stepping on top of the podium. The BMW factory rider won by 0.04 seconds over Remes, with Markus Kehr and Samuli Aro next on the list of results.

Juha Salminen: "What a perfect end to the season. Zschopau has always been a great event. The race and the special tests were among the best of the year, better than most of the World Championship rounds. It´s really special to win in front of this huge crowd. Eero gave me a hard time, guess I had that little bit of extra luck. The bike worked perfectly."

"Rund um Zschopau"
1. Juha Salminen (FIN), BMW Motorrad Motorsport, 48:55,25
2. Eero Remes (FIN), KTM, 48:55,29
3. Markus Kehr (GER), KTM, 49:36,11
4. Samuli Aro (FIN), KTM, 50:03,05
5. Marko Straubel (GER), KTM, 50:26,04

Munich. Despite bad luck in Portimao, Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport are more than happy with their first year in the Superbike World Championship and are already looking forward to 2010. The team always knew that this year was going to be hard, but Troy, Ruben and the whole team have performed better than many expected in their first year of World Superbike competition, taking seventeen top finishes during the season.

The bad luck, once again befell Ruben Xaus. He was behind Carlos Checa (Honda) in race two, when Checa’s engine blew up and showered the front of Ruben’s bike with oil. Ruben saw the oil, but there was no time to take avoiding action and he was highsided between turns one and two, breaking his right leg in the process. Ruben had only recently come back from injury, so the accident was a hard blow for him and the team, but despite that he was soon back in the garage smiling and telling the team how much the bike has improved.

Troy also had some bad luck today in race one, when a severe case of chattering forced him to pull into the pits and change the rear tyre. He later returned to the pits and changed the front tyre, but the problem persisted and he was unable to get into the points.

American Ben Spies (Yamaha) won the first race and, with previous championship leader Noriyuki Haga (Ducati) crashing out, went into race two with a healthy 15-point series lead. Second was Jonathan Rea (Honda), with Max Biaggi (Aprilia) third. Race two was won by Michel Fabrizio (Ducati), and although Haga was second, Spies took fifth place and, with it, the 2009 World Superbike Championship title.

Troy - Race 1: DNF, Race 2: 9th
I had a big problem with chattering in the first race and pitted twice to change first the rear tyre and then again to change the front. However, the problem carried on, so I just had to keep going as best I could to give some info to the engineers. We’re not actually sure if it was a problem with the tyres or something else, but no doubt the guys will look at all the data and sort it out.

I used my number two bike for the second race and it had only done a handful of laps so I wasn’t as familiar with it as my number one bike. It felt OK up until about half race distance, but then the grip went and the bike started spinning quite a bit.

I couldn’t get enough forward push without it spinning and that prevented me from pushing any harder. There are some areas we need to work on, but it’s hard trying different things during a race weekend when you also have to qualify well. Some of the problems only happen after a tyre has done 12-15 laps and we don’t often do long runs in practice because we are trying to get a good bike set-up.

Today has been a bit frustrating because the bike is improving, but sometimes it improves and then we get a new problem to solve. We just need more time on the bike and more laps, but I really feel that the bike has the potential to be a contender and I am keen to work hard with the team and make that happen.

Ruben - Race 1: 8th, DNF
Just an unlucky day for me, or maybe it has been an unlucky season. Checa’s bike blew up and covered the front of my bike with oil and obviously some of it went on to the front tyre. That caused the crash, so I am happy that the crash wasn’t my fault, but I am unhappy with the result.

This season has been hard for us all, but we knew that before the start and it is thanks to all the hard work everybody has put in that we have had so many top ten finishes. Considering that this is our first season, I think we should be happy about what we have achieved so far - and there’s much more to come, I’m sure of it.

The bike has improved since the last time I rode it and that makes me eager to find out how much more I can push it. The team are fantastic and the team spirit has been superb right from the start. It’s not nice ending the season with a broken leg, but there was nothing I could do about the crash and I prefer to think about the potential of the bike and working with Troy and the rest of the team to put it on the podium.

Berti Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director)
The season has been a long, hard one, but the time has gone very quickly and I am surprised that we have now come to the end. It has been a wonderful experience and one of the most exciting years of my life.

I'm sorry about the stupid crash that caused Ruben to break his leg, but these things happen in racing and it was good to see him back in our pits chatting away to the team about how the bike is right now, instead of talking about his injury.

We managed seventeen top ten finishes this year and I think you can say that is ‘mission accomplished’. We’ve had ups and downs and have not been far off the podium at times and that is a testament to the potential of the bike. We know we have to improve in some areas and I can assure you that this will happen before next season begins.

This is our ‘rookie’ year and I think the whole team can feel happy and proud about our first season. I would like to thank Troy, Ruben, all the mechanics, engineers, InFront, Pirelli, all the background staff, and all our sponsors for all their hard work and support in a great first season.

I would also like to congratulate Ben Spies and Yamaha for taking the world title this year. Spies has shown what a class act he is and his team have supported him well throughout the season and they deserve the title. Final thanks also, to all our competitors this year, for making our life difficult, but also for making us work harder and keep improving. See you all next year!

Race 1
1 Spies (USA-Yamaha) 38:15.390
2 Rea (GBR-Honda) 1.697
3 Biaggi (ITA-Aprilia) 2.113
4 Byrne (GBR-Ducati) 2.757
5 Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati) 14.753
6 Camier (GBR-Aprilia) 20.044
8 Xaus (ESP-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 31.104
Troy Corser (AUS-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) DNF

Race 2
1 Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati) 38:19.654
2 Haga (JPN-Ducati) 1.195
3 Rea (GBR-Honda) 1.494
4 Byrne (GBR-Ducati) 5.553
5 Spies (USA-Yamaha) 5.842
9 Corser (AUS-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 17.010
Ruben Xaus (ESP-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) DNF

Munich.

The final round of this year’s Superbike World Championship takes place at the Autodromo Algarve in Portugal and both Troy and Ruben are aiming to end the season on a high. This year’s championship has been the most competitive in its twenty-two year history, but Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport has acquitted itself very well in its first year of competition and is now looking to build on this year’s experiences and come back even stronger next year.

The Portimao track is relatively new to the calendar and is one of the most technically challenging circuits of the series, thanks to its changes of elevation and blind corners. Both Troy and Ruben raced there last year, albeit on different machines, so although they know which way round the track goes, the first day of practice and qualifying will be used to try and find a good set-up for their bikes.

Troy
It seems to have been quite a long year, but I am satisfied with the progress we have made throughout the season and I am especially pleased with the S 1000 RR in the past few races. The series is so competitive and hard this year and often less than half a second is the difference between a good grid place and something further down the order. And if you don’t get a good grid position, you are always playing catch-up. If we took our race times from this year and put them into last year’s results, our bike would’ve been on the podium quite a few times, so that shows how much faster everybody is going this year. I am looking forward to Portimao and finding out what our engineers have come up with since the last round. I am hoping that another step forward has been made and that Ruben and I can finish BMW’s debut season on a high.

Ruben
I cannot wait for Portimao because I really want to see what the guys have done to the bike since Magny-Cours and see if I can push it and myself to our best result of the year. I am happy that I can race in Portugal because originally my doctors told me that I wouldn't race again this year after my crash in Brno. So, a big thank you to my physiotherapist and everybody at the clinic where I did a lot of rehabilitation and training. My body is not yet 100%, but I will be stronger than I was at Magny-Cours and you need to be fully fit to ride these kind of bikes hard.

Portimao is a very physical circuit, so I know that my body is going to get a pounding, but I am going to do my best and try and get my best finish of the year.

Berti Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director)
This year has been a big adventure for us all and an exciting challenge. We knew that this year was not going to be easy, but I think we have done very well considering we are such a new team. Our bike (and our team) has a big potential and we know that we are going to make more and more progress. Already, we are looking forward to continuing our development over the winter and coming back even stronger next year.

I am very happy that we will have Troy and Ruben with us again in 2010. From the very first day, they have been part of the team and have helped create a super team atmosphere. Both are strong and are determined to win and hopefully we can give them the opportunity to do it next year.

2008 results
Race 1: 1 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati), 2 C Checa (ESP-Honda), 3 Troy Corser (AUS-Yamaha), 9 Ruben Xaus (ESP-Ducati),
Race 2: 1 Bayliss, 2 Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati), 3 Haslam (GBR-Honda), 6 Troy Corser, Ruben Xaus DNF

BMW R1200RTP (that's the police edition)
Year(s): 2007, 2008, 2009
Recall Date: 2009/09/17

System: Brakes
Transport Canada Recall # 2009272
Units Affected: 51

Recall Details:

On certain motorcycles, vibrations that occur while riding could cause the front brake lines to develop leaks, allowing brake fluid to escape. Brake fluid leakage could eventually result in a loss of front braking capability, which could cause a vehicle crash with personal injury or death. Correction: Dealers will replace the front brake hoses with updated versions.

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BMW R1200GS
Year(S): 2007, 2008, 2009
Recall Date: 2009/09/17

System: Electrical
Transport Canada Recall # 2009268
Units Affected: 469

Recall Details:
On certain motorcycles, the fuel pump control unit may be subject to water intrusion which, in time, will cause it to fail. Engine stalling would result in lost propulsion which, in conjunction with traffic and road conditions, and the rider's reactions, could increase the risk of a crash. Correction: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the fuel pump control unit.

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Ducati DESMOSEDICI RR
Year(S): 2008
Recall Date: 2009/09/25

System: Other
Transport Canada Recall # 2009276
Units Affected: 29

Recall Details:
On certain motorcycles, the design of the seat tail guard may not allow enough clearance for the exhaust system. This could result in a vehicle fire causing property damage, personal injury or death. Correction: Dealers will replace the seat tail guard with an updated version.

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Ducati
Models: 2010 F1098S Streetfighter, 2009 1198S, 2009 1098R
Recall Date: 2009/09/25

System: Fuel Supply
Transport Canada Recall # 2009274
Units Affected: 84

Recall Details:
On certain motorcycles, a fuel hose may become disconnected from the fuel pump assembly. Any loss of fuel pressure would cause engine stalling which, in conjunction with traffic and road conditions, and the rider's reactions, could increase the risk of a crash. Correction: Dealers will inspect and, if required, replace and reposition the fuel hose retaining clamp.

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Ducati F1098S Streetfighter
Year: 2010
Recall Date: 2009/09/25

System: Electrical
Transport Canada Recall # 2009275
Units Affected: 25

Recall Details:
On certain motorcycles, improper tightening of the Engine Control Unit (ECU) ground screw during vehicle assembly could cause intermittent erratic operation and engine stalling. Engine stalling would result in lost propulsion which, in conjunction with traffic and road conditions, and the rider's reactions, could increase the risk of a crash. Correction: Dealers will tighten the ECU ground screw.

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Munich. Finland is one of the most successful teams in recent history of the International Six Days Enduro. This year´s six-man team was made half of BMW factory riders. Juha Salminen, Marko Tarkalla and Simo Kirssi were all representing their country and the Bavarian bike maker at what´s generally considered to be the Olympics of Enduro motorcycling.

After six days of brutal racing around the city of Figueira da Foz (Portugal), the Finnish team ended the prestigious event in third place overall. Tarkalla and Kirssi who, after an early crash, impressively rode through the pain barrier basically all week, contributed to the podium result.

With winning performances at the final two rounds of the 2009 World Enduro Championship, BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider Juha Salminen arrived in western Portugal with high hopes of a strong result at the 84th edition of the International Six Days Enduro. Starting well with a close third-place in the E2 class at day one, Juha disappointingly suffered mechanical problems the following day, which dropped him down the E2 class results. With all machines being worked extremely hard by the soft, power sapping sand, Juha ran into trouble on the fourth test when his bike unexpectedly stopped. Losing several minutes, Juha was able to finish the day once restarted and went on to win the seventh and final special test before service. The following morning Juha's event was brought to an end as further troubles ruled him out of the competition.

This was a bitter blow to the Finnish squad, as each team is only allowed to scrap one rider from the scoreboard. And there were still four days to go.

Competing in the ISDE for the first time, BMW's second E2 class team rider Simo Kirssi put in one of the bravest performances of any rider. Crashing heavily early on the opening day, Simo broke his left little finger and injured his wrist. Riding in considerable pain - and with a heavily strapped hand - Simo dug deep to not only finish the event but also to win his Motocross race on the final day. Determined not to let his Trophy team mates down, Kirssi placed an impressive 12th in the E2 class on day two before he started having severe problems simply holding on to his bike. Picking up time penalties on day four, due in part to having been given incorrect information by the Finnish team, Kirssi went on to finish 41st in the E2 class, still a truly heroic effort considering his injuries.

In comparison to his Finnish Trophy and BMW team mates, Marko Tarkkala enjoyed a relatively trouble free event in Portugal, claiming eighth in the Enduro 3 class. Consistently placing inside the top 10, Marko scored his best results on days one and six, where he finished seventh on both occasions and helped Finland finish third in the Trophy team competition.

Juha Salminen - Enduro 2 class: "I don't seem to have much luck with the six days, and this year was no different. I'm not sure exactly what the problem was but something happened to the engine, which forced me to retire. I was enjoying the event up until I had my problem. The sandy conditions were good for the Finnish team so who knows what our result could have been if I'd been able to finish the week. It's disappointing but as everyone knows anything can happen in the six days, and usually does to me."

Simo Kirssi - Enduro 2 class: "One things is certain the ISDE isn't like the World Enduro Championship. It's hard and gets harder with every day. Especially when you get injured. After my crash on the Enduro test on day one I struggled a lot. The whole event was so rough that I couldn't relax or take it easy anywhere. I broke my left little finger when I crashed, after that just holding on was difficult. Apart from my injury everything else went ok - my bike ran perfectly and I had a good final Motocross race."

Marko Tarkkala - Enduro 3 class: "It was a very hard race but I enjoyed it. My speed wasn't as good as I hoped it would be, but I didn't have too many problems during the week. Because of the heat and the soft sand it was hard on the bikes, but I didn't have any problems."

The overall win at the 84th International Six Days Enduro went to France ahead of Italy and Finland.

BMW has a new concept vehicle dubbed "SIMPLE" that combines some of the attributes of a motorcycle with some of the creature comforts of a car. Yet it is incredibly fuel efficient and judging from the video seems like it would be a lot of fun too.

There's no chance this vehicle will make it to production any time soon but it's an interesting concept nevertheless.

SIMPLE – light in weight, low on energy

Simple combines features and advantages from both automobiles and motorcycles. The concept owes its passenger cell to the car, providing protection from wind and weather as well as shielding the driver from exterior noise and offering occupants a high degree of safety in the event of an accident. The motorcycle inspired the slim design of the Simple (at just 110 centimetres wide) and its configuration for two people sitting one behind the other. Plus it boasts the dynamic driving style typical of a two-wheeler, allowing you to lean right into corners as desired. The designation “simple” is an acronym of the project name “A sustainable and innovative mobility product for low energy consumption”.

The BMW designers initially planned a small vehicle with low weight and minimal aerodynamic drag properties. Following a concept phase of several months, the pooled requirements and ideas gave rise in 2005 to a vehicle based on tilting technology. In contrast to other vehicle concepts in which only the passenger cell tilts during cornering, here all the driver has to do is determine a change in direction for the appropriate tilt to follow automatically. The stand-out feature of the Simple concept is that it activates the hydraulics only in exceptional situations, for example if the vehicle threatens to become unstable during extremely slow driving, when righting the vehicle during standstill or in extreme situations such as drifting. Otherwise, Simple rides like a motorcycle and, beyond natural gravity and gyroscopic forces, requires no energy whatsoever to lean into a corner. The passenger also benefits from this tilting technology as he feels no transverse forces and, particularly during rapid changes of direction, need not compensate for any lateral movements.

All that is needed to power this lightweight vehicle with a kerb weight of approx. 450 kg is a 36 kW combustion engine. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is estimated at under ten seconds and the vehicle has an excellent drag coefficient of 0.18. Using the electric motor and the combustion engine, the Simple would need just 6 kWh (equivalent to 0.7 litres of petrol) or two litres over 100 km.

07.10.2009 - Press Release - Munich.

A day of hard graft in Magny-Cours today, saw Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider Troy Corser grab a pair of top ten finishes. He finished ninth in race one and tenth in race two, and left the 4.411kilometre circuit satisfied, but not entirely happy. His team mate Ruben Xaus continued to fight his pain and was rewarded for his efforts by a strong 11th in race one and a 12th in race two. Today’s race wins were once again split between American Ben Spies (Yamaha) and Japanese rider Noriyuki Haga (Ducati). Spies won the opener, with Haga second and Max Biaggi (Aprilia) third. Behind Haga in race two was Biaggi, with Jonathan Rea (Honda) third.

Troy - Race 1: 9th, Race 2: 10th
The bike’s progress continues every time we go out - and that’s good news. The improvement is steady, but I guess both Ruben and I would like much more - but then we are racers! My results today are OK and I supposed it’s probably what was expected, but I am a little disappointed because we are so close to a great result and I’d like it to happen sooner, instead of later. This weekend the bike wanted to wheelspin and wheelie and we have to control these things if we want to progress more quickly. My crew chief told me that my race distance time today would have been good enough to win the race last year! That surprises me, but it shows just how competitive the series is this year and the strength of our rivals.

Ruben - Race 1: 11th, Race 2 :12th
Sometimes racing is a bit frustrating and today was a bit like that. Our bike has a big potential and we are working hard to realise that potential and challenge the leaders more often. It’s a bit frustrating because Troy and I realise that there’s so much more to come from the bike and we want it now. Clearly, I am not fully fit at the moment, so to finish 11th and 12th in my condition shows that the bike is a very good one. Today I had some small problem keeping the bike on the line that I wanted. This was my first four cylinder race at Magny and that, together with my physical condition, meant that I would always be playing catch-up today. Now I’m looking forward to going back to my physio and getting fitter and stronger for Portimao.

Berti Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director)
It is good to have both our riders back together again and I am happy that our progress continues. Both riders did perfect jobs in this very competitive series. Our goal for the year was the Top 10 and I’m happy that we are on target and now we’re all looking forward to the next step which should be in Portimao.

Results Race 1:
1 Spies (USA-Yamaha) 37:57.110
2 Haga (JPN-Ducati) 0.181
3 Biaggi (ITA-Aprilia) 5.009
4 Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati) 16.347
5 Haslam (GBR-Honda) 22.622
9 Corser (AUS-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 28.486
11 Xaus (ESP- BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 52.680
Race 2:
1 Haga (JPN-Ducati) 38:00.282
2 Biaggi (ITA-Aprilia) 1.480
3 Rea (GBR-Honda) 6.024
4 Spies (USA-Yamaha) 18.135
5 Haslam (GBR-Honda) 21.236
10 Corser (AUS-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 32.507
12 Xaus (ESP- BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 44.727

BMW has shown pictures of a new electric scooter prototype – the C1-E. It's based on the discontinued C1 - with it's enclosed roof and roll-cage.

The concept is refreshed with a lighter rollover cage covered with clear plastic, whereas the original had a pretty hefty roof. The electric motor is powered by lithium ion batteries with technology developed by electric scooter manufacturer Vectrix.

Vetriix had declared bankruptcy a few months back but they're still working on a come-back plan, maybe as a supplier of electric engines? - pure speculation by us there.

BMW is saying there are no plans to put the scooter in to production in this format, but the ideas from the prototype would be seen in future production models.

Hints from BMW are that there's a chance you'll see a bike with a low-emission, fuel-efficient internal combustion engine from BMW at some point in the future.

Maybe BMW will even give the scooter with a roof another shot!

BMW Motorrad Canada sold 100 units in September, representing a 22.8 per cent decrease in sales over last year. Year-to-date sales are up 13.4 per cent compared to September 2008. So far this year, BMW Motorrad has retailed 1,645 motorcycles in Canada.

BMW Group Canada, based in Whitby, Ontario, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BMW AG and is responsible for the distribution of BMW luxury performance automobiles, Sports Activity Vehicles, Motorcycles, and MINI.

BMW Group Financial Services Canada is a division of BMW Group Canada and offers retail financing and leasing programs and protection products on new and pre-owned BMW and MINI automobiles, as well as retail financing for new and pre-owned BMW Motorcycles.

A total network of 40 BMW automobile retail centres, 19 BMW motorcycle retailers, and 25 MINI retailers represents the BMW Group across the country.

Ruben on the way back. Frustration for Troy.

Munich. It was a day of mixed fortunes for BMW Motorrad Motorsport at Imola today, with Ruben posting superb top thirteen positions on his comeback after injury and Troy suffering brake problems which saw him in eleventh place in race one and a DNF in race two. The weekend had started badly for all teams, when the first practice was abandoned due to a very slippery track and everybody lost valuable track time. Ruben soon settled into a groove with the new spec engine in his S 1000 RR, but then had to learn about the new changes and how they affected the bike. Despite this, and having to start from the fifth row of the grid, he rode his heart out to finish 12th in race one and 13th in race two. Race two’s result would have been even better were it not for Ruben having to take to the dirt after having to avoid hitting Fonsi Nieto in one of the chicanes. He rejoined the track, but lost four or five seconds in the process.

In race one, Troy made a good start and was in fifth place after three laps, but then began to suffer with brake problems. He kept going as best he could, but dropped down the order and ended 11th. Brembo technicians changed the brake system for race two, but the problem was worse, not better, and Troy was forced to pull out after just four laps.

Ducati riders Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio dominated Imola (their home track) today, with Haga taking the win in race one, with Max Biaggi (Aprilia) second and Fabrizio third. Race two was won by Fabrizio, with Haga second and Marco Simoncelli (Aprilia) third.

Troy - Race 1: 11th, Race 2: DNF
Today was very frustrating for me and the team because we had all expected more. Practice had gone well and our times on race tyres would’ve meant top seven or eight finishes for sure. In race one, the brakes started giving problems after about six laps and I was going about 20 kms faster into the turns than I wanted to whilst using much, much more brake pressure. I tried to keep out of trouble and not cause any problems to the other riders and try and keep going as best I could. In the end, I was lucky to finish 11th. Brembo and the team changed the brake system for race two, but this time the problem was worse and maybe air had ingressed. After running off the track a few times and nearly crashing, I decided it would be safer to pull in. The last thing I wanted was to crash and take somebody else out, so withdrawing was the best, and only, option. Hopefully the problem will be sorted out and everything will be OK for Magny-Cours next weekend.

Ruben - Race 1: 12th, Race 2: 13th
I am so happy to be back with my team, because I have missed them all so much in the past few weeks. I couldn’t have raced here today if it had not been for all the tremendous work by BMW’s doctor Vicenzo and Dr Llobet and physio Ricard Huelamo in Spain. It’s a shame we lost time on Friday, because the new specification of my bike means that it is like learning a new machine for me, especially as I haven’t ridden for eight weeks. So, all in all, I am pretty happy with my performance today, but I think it could’ve been better if I hadn’t had to take to the dirt to avoid hitting Fonsi (Nieto) in the second race. At that point, I was chasing a top-ten place, but things like this happen in racing. Now, I am looking forward to Magny-Cours next weekend and getting to know my ‘new’ bike better.

Berti Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director)
A day of mixed feelings for us, but we must be happy because Ruben is back and, although he is not 100%, he showed his eagerness and ability to fight. To finish 12th and 13th after starting from 19th on the grid is a very good achievement. What can I say about Troy? There will be an investigation by our brake suppliers and hopefully they will find out what went wrong. We all felt that Troy could’ve finished in the top seven or eight for sure, so to have this result is very disappointing. Sometimes racing is like this and we have to put aside the problems and concentrate on the positives. Our bike is improving and the next step is not far away, so I hope that there will be no problems in Magny-Cours and we can get the results we feel we deserve.

Race 1
1 Haga (JPN-Ducati) 38:32.199; 2 Biaggi (ITA-Aprilia) 2.074; 3 Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati) 2.190; 4 Spies (USA-Yamaha) 5.438 ; 5 Kiyonari (JPN-Honda) 14.470 ;
11 Corser (AUS - BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 35.286; 12 Xaus (ESP -
BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 36.442

Race 2
1 Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati) 38:23.143; 2 Haga (JPN-Ducati) 3.592; 3 Simoncelli (ITA-Aprilia) 6.510; 4 Biaggi (ITA-Aprilia) 7.445; 5 Spies (USA-Yamaha) 14.678 ;
13 Xaus (ESP) BMW Motorrad Motorsport 36.368

Troy and Ruben ready for Magny-Cours.

Munich. After the mixed fortunes at Imola last weekend, both Team BMW Motorrad Motorrad Motorsport riders Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus are looking forward to the next round of the championship at Magny-Cours, this coming weekend. Brake woes beset Troy last weekend, but hopefully this problem will be sorted out in time for the first practice on Friday afternoon. The strength of Ruben’s return after injury was encouraging, to say the least, and the Spaniard is looking forward to continuing his work on the new ‘spec’ engine and see how it performs at the French circuit.

Troy
I am really looking forward to Magny-Cours, especially after last weekend’s frustrating raceday. I am confident that the team have found out what caused the brake problems so that I will be able to get to grips with the Magny-Cours circuit right from the start of practice on Friday. Our team has never been to Magny-Cours before, so we will have to put in a lot of hard work on day one and try and find a good bike set-up as soon as we can.

The recent improvement of our bike is making riding an enjoyable experience and as long as we don’t have any problems like last weekend, I think we can challenge for a top six or seven place for sure. But anything can happen in racing and we may get even better results if everything goes our way. We shall have to see.

Ruben
I was so happy to get back on the bike last weekend and also to be working with my team again. My only concern about Magny-Cours, is that sometimes the weather can be quite cold and that means I will have to try and warm up my right leg properly. Getting on the S 1000 RR last weekend was like riding a new bike for me and I now have to spend some time understanding how it has developed before I can push as hard as I would like.

Berti Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director)
With two races left this season, it is interesting to see how Troy and Ruben are finding the improvements the team have made recently. Both riders have commented favourably about the changes so far and so it was such a shame that brake problems deprived Troy of two good results. But we have to forget that and concentrate on this coming weekend and start over again. We have not been to this track before, so that’s some extra work for us to do, but this has happened many times this season and we are more used to it. There’s more to come from our bike, so let’s hope we our improvement continues and we get good results at Magny-Cours.

2008 results
Race 1: Haga (JPN-Yamaha), 2 Nieto (ESP-Suzuki), 3 Bayliss (AUS-Ducati), 6 Troy Corser (AUS-Yamaha), Ruben Xaus (ESP-Ducati) DNF
Race 2: Bayliss, 2 Haga, 3 Troy Corser, 5 Ruben Xaus

Munich. The twelfth round of this year’s Superbike World Championship takes place at the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit in Imola, Italy, and will be the first time the series is at the track since 2006. Since then, modifications to the circuit have been made, especially on the approach to the chicane before the front straight. The top teams tested the new layout in mid-July and the revisions to the track drew mixed comments. Troy took a runner up spot in 2005, but Ruben has even better memories of the circuit as he took a superb double victory there in 2003.

Troy
Although we have tested at Imola this year - on the new layout - there is still lots to learn and do. For me the new approach to the front straight is not as good as before and the final chicane could cause problems. I am looking forward to riding my bike again as I believe that we have made really good progress recently and I want to see how this progress continues in Imola. Hopefully the weather will be better than the Nurburgring and we will get a good crowd and a good result.

Ruben
My physiotheraphy and rehabilitation has gone very well and I think I will be able to race in Imola. Just before Imola, I will get on a bike and see how my leg behaves and how it feels when I get off the bike. In the normal scheme of things, I should really not be on a bike at all before Portimao, but everything has gone well so far and I am very eager to get on my bike and race. I saw the progress at Brno before I crashed and I am itching to get on my bike and see how much progress the team have made since then. There is no absolutely final decision about Imola yet, but I am very, very hopeful.

Berti Hauser (Director - BMW Motorrad Motorsport)
Hopefully, our normal team will be back in action at Imola and it will be a pleasure to have Ruben back and interesting to hear what he says about the bike since Brno. Until he rides the bike, we do not know how strong he will be, but we know that his rehabilitation has gone very well and we know how keen he is to get on the bike again. These last three races are very important to all of us and we are aiming to end the last part of the season in very positive frame of mind and build on that for next season.
race

Well the title kind of says it all but DirtTV has posted some high quality posts Canadian Enduro Champtionship video's on YouTube. The video's are from Rounds 1 & 2 of the 2009 Royal Distributing Canadian Enduro Championships in Blairmore, Alberta.

There's lots of exciting footage here. Enjoy!

Part 1



Part 2



Part 3



Part 4

The time has finally come: once more BMW is playing an important role in motorcycle road racing. Fittingly, riders with professional racing ambitions will find that the new DoubleR collection is a complete, tailor-made range of rider`s equipment, produced with only the finest materials and to a high level of manufacturing excellence. The products' designs consciously reveal their close affinity to motorsport: just as much attention has been given to their look and comfort as to such factors as safety and a love of detail.

The DoubleR collection comprises a leather suit, helmet, boots and gloves. Together they make up a complete outfit, which is ideal not only for riders of the new supersports bike, the BMW S 1000 RR, but also for all other ambitious riders.

For the helmet and boots, existing successful products were taken and their design enhanced yet further, while the suit and gloves are completely new product developments. The DoubleR collection will be presented at the EICMA international motorcycle show in Milan this coming November.

DoubleR Suit – Superbike performance for the road.

The one-piece racing suit in BMW Motorrad motorsport design is made of highly wear-resistant kangaroo leather, only 1.0 millimetre thick, making it 20% lighter than regular suits made of calf leather. It is also notable for its skin-tight fit.

The DoubleR suit is extremely pleasant to wear while also providing a very high level of active safety. The integrated and non-removable NP protectors at the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees offer a high degree of protection and are extremely effective in absorbing impacts.

The extended-length, removable back protector is anatomically formed in 3D to provide a wide area of protection and enhanced safety for the spine, shoulder blades and kidneys.

The collarbone is additionally protected by an integrated impact-absorbent material. The new, plastic-injected, INOX stainless steel shoulder and elbow sliders distribute the force peaks to the underlying protectors and facilitate sliding in the event of a fall. Replaceable standard-production sliders made of hard plastic are employed in the knee areas. A zip is also provided for integrating the BMW Neck Brace System.

The torso, sleeves and legs of the suit are strongly preformed in line with standard racing posture, while the hump, which is a typical feature for this segment, has the effect of improving aerodynamics. The perforated leather areas, together with the TFL® cool coating of the black leather, prevent the suit from becoming excessively hot in high temperatures. At low temperatures, the windblocker undervest, supplied with the suit, can be used to protect the rider from the cold. The pre-fitted knee sliders are supplied as standard, as is a high-quality suit bag.

The DoubleR suit will be available in the colour combinations blue/white/red and black/white/red.

DoubleR Helmet – consistent coordination work.

The DoubleR helmet has been developed from the Sport helmet model. The classic design employs the BMW Motorrad motorsports colours of blue/white/red, making it the perfect match for the DoubleR collection.

The extra spoiler, which is especially constructed to maximise the aerodynamic properties of the BMW S 1000 RR and its narrow windshield, offers increased stability at high speeds.

DoubleR Boots – design enhanced by professionals.

The DoubleR boots are an enhanced design of the existing, professionally featured Sport boots and which have been especially developed for riders intending to employ the BMW S 1000 RR for sports use. The new features include large hook-and-loop-fastender inside zip covers for simplifying foot insertion. The blue nylon soles have been reinforced and refashioned to match the metal footrests of the S 1000 RR. The new boots will be available in the colour combination white/black.

DoubleR Gloves – safety meets comfort.

The DoubleR gloves are of a completely new design and made of 100% kangaroo leather. To improve its protective properties, the palm material is partially doubled and fitted with a Kevlar® underlay. The more at-risk zones are fitted with impact-absorbing Suprotect® foam in varying thicknesses.

Also, stingray leather is incorporated in the hand edges. This is a natural material with a strong inherent structure and combines the great safety of leather with the comfort of modern textiles. The stingray leather's grainy structure has several benefits: it slides well without becoming hot, it is extremely wear-resistant, and although it has hard spots, it is in itself quite flexible.

A finger bridge reinforced with Kevlar® protects the little finger in the event of a fall, while the wrist is protected by an anatomically formed hard-plastic shell in BMW Motorrad design.

The strongly pre-curved cut guarantees a fold-free fit. The knuckle shell, made of GFK, is made in three different sizes, for an improved fit. Stretch material is incorporated underneath the hard shell and the leather stretch inserts at the bottom of the fingers increase their agility.

The DoubleR gloves will be available in black and in the classic BMW Motorrad motorsport colours of blue/white/red.

With an outstanding fourth place in the Superstock Class, the new BMW S 1000 RR proved its prowess at the 73rd Bol d’Or race in Magny-Cours. The very near-series bike impressively demonstrated its capabilities over the 24-hour racing distance.

The bike raced by the BMW Team „BMW Sikora Bily Prorace“ and its riders Ireneusz Sikora, Thomas Polmiksovsky and Milos Czechihak under the direction of the Witec company was a purebred series production machine from the current endurance testing programme. Only a 24-litre tank for rapid fuelling, an Akrapocić racing exhaust system and a number of mounting parts for the prestigious 24-hour race had been fitted.

In this 24-hour classic, the new S 1000 RR also impressively proved the racing suitability of the DTC Dynamic Traction Control as well as of the Race ABS.

Gerhard Lindner, BMW Motorrad testing director:
"The S 1000 RR not only demonstrated its stability under these tough conditions, but also how much the Race ABS and the new DTC Dynamic Traction Control support the riders. The S 1000 RR is the only series production motorcycle in the world to offer two regulation systems which define the new yardstick for braking safety and acceleration even under racing conditions, especially on such extremely long and exhausting distances.”

Sales trends are on the recovery according to Ian Robertson, Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Sales and Marketing:

BMW Motorrad Canada is pleased to announce that the much anticipated F800R Sport Roadster will join the F800 Series lineup this fall, arriving in BMW Motorrad retailer showrooms mid-September.

The BMW F800R will launch with an MSRP of $9,990 and be available with a compliment of factory options, including ABS brakes, Tire Pressure Control, On-board computer, Sport windshield, White turn Indicators, and an integral Anti-Theft Alarm system. Both low and high seat options are available at no charge on factory orders.

Launched in Europe in late 2008, the F800R Sport Roadster emulates the mighty K1300R Power Roadster in design and is the fourth model in the evolution of the the F800 Series lineup.

Technical Highlights

The heart of the new F800R is the now familiar 798cc parallel twin shared within the F800 family, rated at 87 bhp @ 8,000 rpm while delivering 86 Nm of torque @ 6,000 rpm. The additional two horsepower, when compared to the other F800 family members, is due to a redesigned exhaust system. The robust powerplant also features intake manifold fuel injection, electronic engine management, oxygen sensor and separate closed-loop 3-way catalytic convertor and secondary air system, for low fuel consumption and optimized emissions.

The F800R has a slightly longer swing double-sided arm (5 cm) cast in light alloy and shorter caster than its (now discontinued in Canada) F800S sibling and reduced spring clearance at both the front and rear, along with a fork stabiliser to provide even better stability and agility.

In keeping with its pure Sport Roadster nature, and unlike its F800S and ST brethren, the F800R incorporates an O-ring chain secondary drive.

With 320-millimetre brake discs and Brembo 4-piston fixed brake calipers at the front wheel, and a 265 mm rear discs with a single-piston floating calliper, the F800R brake systems emulates that of high-displacement sportbikes. The new F800R ABS system, engineered in cooperation with Bosch, has been further developed and it now also has an improved lift-off detection system for the rear wheel.

Gears ratios in the F800R gearbox are identical to the F800S and ST from first through third gear, with shorter gearing in fourth through sixth gears.

Contributing to the excellent handling dynamics of the F800R are balanced weight distribution and a fully-fueled weight of only 204 kg (unladen 182 kg.).


The F800R wears the same “Speed”-style wheels as the F800S – with a 3.5 x 17” front rim wearing a 120/70 ZR tire, with a 5.5 X 17” wheel sporting a 180/55 ZR 17 tire.

Asymmetrical H7 headlights echo the design of its K1300R Power Roadster sibling.

As introduced with the new K1300 Series bikes, the F800R incorporates new compact MID (Moulded Interconnected Devices) technology, highlighted by a left-handlebar multifunction signal switch.

Three dynamic paint finishes are available for the F800R: White Aluminum Metallic, Flame Orange and Alpine White/Black Silk – all in combination with a black seat.

Chris Pfeiffer Special Edition
Chris Pfeiffer’s name has been synonymous with the BMW F800, as it has been his mount of choice as he defended his World and European Stunt-Riding Championships for four consecutive seasons. In recognition of Chris’s outstanding achievements with the F800, BMW Motorrad has developed a Chris Pfeiffer Special Edition of the new F800R, which integrates a special factory-team paint scheme and a list of special equipment, including:

- Akrapović® rear silencer for a dynamic appearance and a sporty sound.
- Rear strut spring finished in red.
- Painted pillion passenger seat cover.
- Highly unique visual appearance with paint finish in the BMW Motorsport colours of - Alpine White non-metallic, Lupine Blue metallic and Magma Red non-metallic, contrasting with elements in black silk matt.
- Front wheel finished in white.
- Clear overpainted Chris Pfeiffer signature on the central cover.
- Set of sponsor stickers supplied.
- No cockpit fairing.
- LED direction indicators.

The Chris Pfeiffer Special Edition will command a premium of $1,350 with an MSRP of $11,340 and be available in limited quantities.

BMW Motorrad's year-to-date sales are up 17% but the comparing the same month sales in 2009 to those in 2008 have dipped slightly.

BMW Motorrad Canada recorded August sales of 155 units, down 11.4% compared to August 2008. Year-to-date, sales are up 17.4% to 1,546 units compared to the same period last year.

BMW Motorrad Canada had been on a big winning streak lately and have been breaking records every month for the past three months. The streak was bound to slip eventually. Down slightly on the month but up just over 17% for the YTD isn't too shabby.

The original now enters its second generation. From now on, riding along unknown roads will be even more simple, safe and relaxing, thanks to the new BMW Motorrad Navigator IV.

Featuring a 16:9 touchscreen which, at 4.3 inches, is bigger than its predecessor, and an improved satellite receiver, in combination with a faster processor for working out routes even more quickly. More than ever before, the new model is much easier to operate while wearing motorcycle gloves. The BMW Motorrad Navigator IV has a flatter housing, extra-large touchscreen buttons, and four additional operating buttons on the left-hand side of the exclusive Advanced Mount Cradle. In this way, the robust Navigator combines extremely simple operation with an excellent range of functions.

Looking at the BMW Motorrad Navigator IV in more detail, the optimised user interface displays a number of new software functions, such as lane assist, junction view, and 3D buildings. There are two separate data fields which can be used to custom-configure the displayed map section, with information such as arrival time, remaining journey time, average speed, direction of travel, and current altitude.

The BMW Motorrad Navigator IV transmits its instructions via Bluetooth to a specially equipped helmet or via loudspeaker if used in a car. All road names are stated (text-to-speech) which increases road safety, as the operator does not need to take his eyes off the road. The BMW Motorrad Navigator IV supports a wide range of Bluetooth-enabled mobile telephones, allowing motorcycle riders to accept or make calls directly via the display of the Navigator. The new motorcycle Navigator is also an effective music player, thanks to its highly developed, integrated MP3 system, the A2DP profile for transmitting the music signal in stereo to the Bluetooth helmet, and the memory capacity, which has now been doubled to four gigabytes.


The waterproof unit contains preinstalled map data for 40 west and East-European countries, including more than 1.5 million points of interest. The unit is supplied with the MapSource (TM) route planning software, to allow the riders to plan his journey at his convenience on his home computer. The routes can then be transferred to the BMW Motorrad Navigator IV and viewed after the trip in MapSource(TM) or Google Earth, as the system automatically records the route taken. A slot for microSD memory cards is included for loading additional map data. It is also possible to exchange routes and waypoints with other Navigator IV units. Data can be exchanged via memory card or Bluetooth.

The BMW Motorrad Navigator IV is easy to install on all models of BMW Motorrad motorcycles with a standard accessories connector, using the model-specific mounting. This means that the new navigation system can be used with the majority of current F, R and K series motorcycles. A car kit is available as an optional extra. The powerful Navigator performs just as well in a car as it does on a motorcycle. In addition, when used in a car, the flexible navigator system can also be used a hands-free telephone adapter for Bluetooth-enabled mobile telephones, thanks to its integrated loudspeaker and microphone.

Another new feature of the BMW Motorrad Navigator IV is that it can also be operated away from the vehicle. It is fitted with an integrated lithium-ion battery which allows up to five hours of operating time. It is therefore possible to programme the unit or work out routes during breaks or even use it as a completely self-contained path finder when out cycling or hiking.

The BMW Motorrad Navigator IV will be available from August 2009.

Okay, I saw this bike for the first time a few months back on Bike EXIF and have wanted to post something about ever since. I've read some history of BMW and seen some of their early bikes but I'd never seen this bike before and it's amazing! BMW bikes of the 30's were works of art meets machine and engineering genius.

Trail Tours, a dirt-bike and ATV school operating in the Ganaraska forest (just 20 minutes from Peterborough), will be holding a BMW Dual Sport Clinic on August 22nd/09.

They have an arrangement with BMW whereby if you buy a BMW dual sport bike you get a free day of training. The participants are first put on the Trail Tour owned motorcycles in the morning and they're taught all the basic fundamentals, then they get on their own bikes, performing drills etc. in the afternoon.

Anyone is welcome if they own a BMW but they pay $129.

Check out Trail Tours on the web HERE.

Whitby, ON - BMW Motorrad Canada’s 2009 Summerfest event welcomed its largest audience of BMW Motorrad enthusiasts on the recent July 17 – 19 weekend, held at Mosport International Raceway in conjunction with rounds 4 and 5 of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship.

With attendance doubling last year’s event, the prominent 500,000 square-foot BMW Motorrad Summerfest 2009 site on the Mosport infield was once again a feature attraction of the exciting Superbike double-header weekend, with an array of BMW displays and activities, highlighted by:

•A full display of the 2009 BMW Motorrad lineup of products, including an example of the spectacular BMW S 1000 RR Superbike (coming in 2010)
•The BMW Rider Equipment & Apparel Tent, offering great deals on a wide range of BMW Motorrad gear, prompting record sales.
•A jam-packed schedule of on-road and off-road test rides of the full range of BMW motorcycles, with 314 riders testing BMWs on the breathtaking roads around the Mosport venue, and 117 off-road enthusiasts enjoying BMW’s extensive Enduro lineup on the 30km-long snowmobile trail system woven in and around the Mosport property.
•Six BMW Motorrad Retailer kiosks offering product advise and consultation
•A very busy BMW Rider Training area offering abbreviated training courses to event goers, with expert demonstrations by BMW Retailer Moto Internationale’s Sécurité Active instructors .
•Exclusive participation in a parade-lap of the legendary Mosport track on Sunday morning for all BMW Motorrad Summerfest riders.
•Product displays including the vendors Touratech Canada, Farewell Travel – the Canadian agent for Edelweiss Bike Travel, and the BMW MOA Club.
•A Saturday night concert, with full stage, featuring Canadian music icons Sloan and Crash Parallel – the popular concert drew an enthusiastic audience of over 2500.

The BMW Motorrad Motorsport Team competed in both rounds of the Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike Class on BMW HP2 Sport race bikes, with Francis Martin finishing 16th on Saturday and 13th on Sunday, and Mike Ferreira finishing, respectively, 18th and 16th on the same days.

Commenting on the weekend, BMW Motorrad Canada’s Marketing Manager, Chris Duff, said: “This year’s BMW Motorrad Summerfest was the most successful yet, and our third consecutive year has helped establish the event as a regular and much-anticipated feature of the mid-season Superbike weekend at Mosport.The BMW Motorrad Canada team is already working on plans for next year’s event, with a host of new ideas to make Summerfest 2010 even bigger and more exciting than this year.”

We had a chance to see the BMW S1000RR up close and personal and took a few pictures. The bike we saw was the acid green metallic color but it also comes in mineral silver metallic, and thunder grey metallic.

The S1000RR is a elite supersport litre-bike with a 999cc water-cooled, DOHC, sixteen valve four-cylinder inline engine. It's brand-new from the ground up, bred for racing, developing a maximum output of 193 hp at 13,000 rpm (rev-limited to14,200 rpm) and maximum torque of 82.5 lb- ft at 9,750 rpm.

An overall weight of just 204 kg including fuel (183 kg dry weight, 206.5 kg with Race ABS) the S 1000 RR will also take its place as the lightest motorcycle equipped with ABS in the supersports category.

BMW has reported their quarter end financial figures for the three months ending June 09. They're not very good in terms of automobiles with a loss of $158 million euros before tax, but the motorcycle division continues to be profitable, albeit at a significant percentage reduction from the same period last year.

Profits for the 2nd quarter in 2009 for the motorcycle division were 24 million euros before tax. That's a 54.7% reduction from the same quarter last year.

According to the report "The negative trend on international motorcycle markets continued throughout the second quarter of 2009. As a consequence, the 500cc plus motorcycles segment relevant for the BMW Group contracted sharply (by 31.9%) compared to the same period last year. In Europe, motorcycle sales were down in all markets, resulting in an overall contraction of 21% for the first half of the year."

The Canadian market appears to be bucking the trend though, July was a record motorcycle sales month. BMW Motorrad Canada set a July sales record of 220 units, up 8.37% compared to July 2008. Year-to-date, sales are up 21.8% to 1,391 units compared to the same period last year. If you're keeping track that's at least the last three months that BMW Motorrad Canada has set sales records.

More BMW news HERE.

Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider Ruben Xaus underwent a successful operation on his right femur at the Centro Medico Teknon hospital in Barcelona yesterday and is already looking forward to starting his physiotherapy and rehabilitation. The operation was carried out by surgeons Dr Miquel Llobet and Dr Miguel Sales and involved the insertion of three screws into the femur and went as smoothly as possible. Ruben was discharged from hospital today and will begin his physiotherapy this week at a sports clinic and rehabilitation centre not far from Playa de Aro, north of Barcelona.

Ruben
Everything has worked so efficiently. I arrived at the hospital yesterday morning and the doctors were already waiting for me. The operation went very well and I had three screws put into my femur and twenty-four hours later they told me I could leave! I want to thank Miquel Llobet and Miguel Sales for doing a great job and all the medical team for looking after me so well.

I am going to stay in an apartment in Playa de Aro, near the beach, but also because it is very close to where I will be doing my physiotherapy and rehabilitation. At the moment I am on crutches, because I am not allowed to put any weight on my right leg, but I can sit down normally and get about OK. I can start swimming almost straightway and physiotherapy very soon. I am in no pain and I am really looking forward to getting fit and back on my bike again.

At Brno, our bike was working so well and it was easy to ride, so it was a big shame I crashed. I think the reason I hurt myself was because the gravel had not been raked over and the recent rain had made some of the ridges as hard as concrete. Hitting one of those was what did the damage, otherwise I would’ve just walked away from the crash without a problem.

It’s good that we have a bit of a break before the next race, but I’m already looking forward to being back at the track. I want to say thank you to the whole team for all their good wishes and tell them to have a good holiday and then get my bikes ready for my return.

Troy
It’s good to hear that Ruben’s operation went well, and that he’s in such good spirits. Fortunately we’ve got a bit of a break before the next race so he’ll have time to start his physio without any pressure. I don’t know when he’ll come back, but I’m sure it will be as quickly as he can. In the meantime the garage will be a much quieter place, but I’m sure it will not be long before the team hear from him.

The work done away from the track, together with the recent successful Italian tests, all added up to Brno being the best weekend of the season to date. Troy finished a superb fifth in race one, after leading the first couple of laps, and followed that up with a tenth in race two, despite tyre problems.

Ruben had qualified alongside Troy on the second row of the grid and was looking forward to him and Troy challenging the leaders in both the 20-lap races. But, a crash on the opening lap of the first race put paid to any chance of glory and left Ruben in the medical centre. After X-rays, it was discovered that he had broken the neck of his right femur. His right leg and hip area were put in plaster, to keep everything in a stable condition and prevent any further damage. Ruben will fly to hospital in Barcelona, where a specialist will assess the situation and decide what course of action is required.

Max Biaggi (Aprilia) won the first race, after Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) took out Ben Spies (Yamaha) after just four laps, with Honda team mates Carlos Checa and Jonathan Rea in second and third. Spies won the second race and closed the gap on series leader Noriyuki Haga (Ducati) to just seven points. Second was Biaggi, with Fabrizio third.

Troy - Race 1: 5th, Race 2: 10th
I’m generally pretty happy with how the weekend has gone and it’s been good to be consistently in the top seven or eight in every session and also qualify for final Superpole. I feel so much more comfortable on the bike now and don’t feel as worn out afterwards as I have been. The recent tests have helped us a lot and it’s good to know that we are going in the right direction and it’s also good to know that there’s more to come. It’s a shame that Ruben crashed because I’m sure that he would’ve been right up there in both races. He is as happy with the rideability of the bike as I am and both of us are really beginning to enjoy ourselves.

Ruben - Race 1: DNF, Race 2: DNS
That was a bit pity because I have been so happy about the bike this weekend because it has been so much easier to ride. Finally we were getting somewhere and then I crash! I guess that maybe the tyre was a bit too hard and a bit too cool. I didn’t highside, I just fell off. I was sliding along OK and than I hit some deep gravel and that spun my right leg round and that’s when the damage was done. I want to be positive and say that at least the injury has happened when we are about to have five weeks or so off and that will give me time to recover. I can’t wait to get back on my bike and carry on with the recent improvements.

Berti Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director)
Firstly I would like to say that I hope it will not be too long before Ruben is able to join us again. I hope he is in not too much pain and I hope that he will heal quickly. The doctor told us that it is not a complicated break, so we will keep our fingers crossed for a speedy recovery. Ruben’s crash does not hide the fact that this weekend has been very positive for us and we are all happy about the recent improvements. We achieved our goal of a top five finish and, more importantly, we know which direction to take now. It’s good to see Troy and Ruben smiling this weekend and I’m really pleased that Troy is happy with the bike.

Results
Race 1: 1 Biaggi (ITA-Aprilia), 2 C Checa (ESP-Honda), 3 Rea (GBR-Honda), 4 Byrne (GBR-Ducati), 5 Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport), 6 Smrz (CZE-Ducati), Ruben Xaus (ESP-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) DNF,

Race 2: 1 Spies (USA-Yamaha), 2 Biaggi, 3 Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati), 4 Rea, 5 C Checa, 6 Haga (JPN-Ducati), 10 Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport), Ruben Xaus (ESP-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) DNS,

Points: 1 Haga 326, 2 Spies 319, 3 Fabrizio 273, 4 Rea 206, 5 Biaggi 200, 6 Haslam 180, 16 Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 53, 17 Ruben Xaus (ESP-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 50,

BMW S 1000 RR wins at the 24-hour race “Frigo de Motociclisme” in Barcelona.

Munich / Barcelona. The new BMW S 1000 SS RR achieved outstanding success at the 24-hour race “Frigo de Motociclisme” at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona on July 18th/19th, finishing first and second in the Superstock Class and coming fifth and sixth in the overall rankings.

The BMW team “Busquets“ with riders Josep Maria and Alex Busquets, Gerhard Lindner - BMW Motorrad Head of Testing and Camille Hedelin and the BMW Team “Bunet“ with Pierre San Martin, Josep Mas, Raoul Gurri and Pedro Balaguer used purebred serial production machines prepared for the 24-hour race simply with the addition of a 24-litre fuel tank for fast fuelling, an Akrapovic racing exhaust system and quick-change facilities for the wheels.

What is more, the S 1000 RR of the winning team “Busquets” was a motorcycle used for BMW Motorrad endurance testing and already had a mileage of 25,000 kilometres before the start, clocked up in a widely diverse conditions.

Gerhard Lindner, BMW Motorrad Head of motorcycle testing:

“In the race we then easily reeled off another 4,800 kilometres under the toughest conditions imaginable. With a top speed of 293 km/h, it was impressive to see once again how many riders we were able to overtake on the back straight. But most impressive of all was our new Race ABS and the new Dynamic Traction Control DTC. I believe strongly that these two highly sophisticated technological features will help 95 per cent of riders achieve faster lap times on the race track, as well as enhancing safety.”

BMW will be offering the R 1200 R with some extra gear and calling it the "Touring Special." With a perfectly balanced flat twin "Boxer" engine pumping out 109 bhp, this naked motorcyle offers excellent riding dynamics, agility, and a timeless design.

Press Release and pictures after the break...

Munich. With the R 1200 R, BMW Motorrad cultivates a tradition in roadster construction with stretches back over decades. With a spirited output of 80 kW (109 bhp), the naked bike of the flat twin “Boxer” series offers a virtually perfect synthesis of riding dynamics, agility and classic motorcycle design.

Now BMW Motorrad is going further still with the attractive package "Touring Special”, enhancing the R 1200 R – which already possesses strong all-round qualities - in terms of comfort and travel/touring suitability, as well as providing a visual upgrade.

Fitted with this package, the R 1200 R not only has an on-board computer but also heated grips and a main stand.

In this version, the R 1200 R particularly does justice to more exacting demands in relation to touring/travel suitability with a new comfort seat which is exclusively available as part of this package. As in the standard version, the seat height is 800 millimetres but with an inner leg length of 1840 mm (standard version: 1800 mm), thus providing an ergonomic triangle designed for even greater comfort. The specific ergonomic needs of tall riders are addressed by the optionally available high comfort seat with height of 830 mm and an inner leg length of 1860 mm.

The Sport windshield ensures perceptible relief for the upper body and further enhanced ride comfort, especially over longer stretches. For carrying luggage the special model of the R 1200 R has two 32-litre common locking panniers and a luggage rack.

The package “Touring Special” can be combined with all the standard paint finishes of the R 1200 R. A special touch is also added by the chrome exhaust system and the LED direction indicators.

Further options for individualisation are provided by the extensive BMW Motorrad program of special equipment and special accessories.

An overview of the main features of the new R 1200 R “Touring Special” package:

• Excellent all-round qualities.
• Air-cooled 2-cylinder flat twin engine with 1170 cc capacity and balancing shaft.
• Powerful engine with an output of 80 kW/109 bhp at 7 500 rpm.
• High maximum torque of 115 Nm at 6 000 rpm for excellent pulling power.
• Electronic engine management BMS-K with dual ignition, knock control, oxygen sensor and closed-loop three-way catalytic converter.
• Light and stable, two-section frame construction made of steel tubing.
• Rigid Telelever with sensitive response and a high degree of steering precision.
• Outstanding manoeuvrability, extremely high running stability.
• EVO Paralever with light universal drive.
• Electronic spring strut adjustment ESA on request.
• Powerful brake system.
• New BMW Motorrad Integral ABS (optional extra).
• Automatic Stability Control ASC (only in conjunction with Integral ABS; optional extra).
• Dynamic, modern and yet timeless design.
• New comfort seat (seat height 800 mm, inner leg length 1840 mm) or high comfort seat (seat height 830 mm, inner leg length 1860 mm).
• On-board computer.
• Heated grips.
• Main stand.
• LED direction indicators.
• Chrome exhaust system.
• Sport windshield.
• Large pannier fastenings, including luggage rack and pillion passenger grab handles.
• Common locking panniers.

Munich. The tenth round of this year’s Superbike World Championship takes place at the Autodromo Brno circuit on 26th July and both Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport riders Ruben Xaus and Troy Corser are eager to find out if the results of the recent Imola tests are going to bear fruit. As expected, the season has not been an easy for the new team but the whole crew are looking forward to Brno and hopeful of a return to their early season form. The sweeping nature of the 5.403 kilometre track should be better suited to the S 1000 RR and Ruben and Troy would like to finish the last race before the summer break with good results.

Ruben
Our recent tests have gone well and the bike is definitely working better now. It is more rideable and I am much more happy about the prospect of racing it in Brno. The track is a good track and I think that all riders enjoy it a lot. Although there are some slow corners, it is a flowing track and I think that our bike will go well there. It has been a long, hard season so far, but I feel positive that Troy and I can do well in Brno. Afterwards we have five weeks or so before the next race, so it would be great to leave Brno with some good results.

Troy
After the Imola tests, I feel that the bike is more easy to ride and the things we tried are definitely in the right direction. So I am looking forward to Brno because the track should suit us and we should be able to get something positive out of the races. It’s not been an easy season so far and my injuries have not helped, but my hand is no problem now and my right shoulder is nearly fully OK. I like Brno and am hoping that we can leave there with two good results and then enjoy our summer break.

Berti Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director)
We saw some positive signs in our recent tests and are very hopeful that Brno will be a good event for us. Certainly, Ruben and Troy have given us very positive and encouraging feedback about what we tried in the recent tests and now we have to see what will happen in Brno. The track should be good for us and we are all looking forward to a positive weekend before the summer break. The team have worked hard and long all year and I think we all need a bit of break, some time to rest and consider all the things that have happened since we began this great adventure. This is the hardest year in WSBK history and the challenge is very tough, but all of us are happy to be in this big fight and be sure we will do the very best we can.

2008 results

Race 1: 1 Bayliss (AUS-Ducati), 2 Troy Corser (AUS-Yamaha), 3 Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati), Ruben Xaus (ESP-Ducati) DNF

Race 2: 1 Bayliss (AUS-Ducati), 2 Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati), 3 Biaggi (ITA-Ducati), 4 Troy Corser (AUS-Yamaha), Ruben Xaus (ESP-Ducati) DNF

Salminen ups his pace in Mexico.

Munich. Juha Salminen, BMW Motorrad Motorsport’s former seven-time World Enduro Champion, has secured his best performances so far this season with a double Enduro 2 class result at the WEC GP of Mexico, held in Valle de Bravo. Competing as the team’s one and only rider at the series’ only non-European event, Juha, who had also placed as runner-up on both days at the GP of Finland, was notably more competitive than at any other WEC event so far this year and placed just 32 seconds behind eventual class winner Johnny Aubert on day one.

Recording the fastest time in the Enduro 2 class around the Friday night Super Test Juha headed into the first full day of competition confident of challenging for the E2 class win. Going on to win the opening extreme test Juha held the E2 class lead at the end of the first lap but frustratingly crashed on the second motocross test, losing around 20 seconds. Riding well throughout the rest of the day Juha finished just over half-a-minute behind Johnny Aubert and in a well-deserved second position.

Although not quite able to win any of the second day’s special tests Juha again enjoyed good form finishing just a few seconds behind Aubert on each of the enduro and extreme special tests. Placing comfortably ahead of third placed rider Cristobal Guerrero from Spain Juha ended the day extremely pleased with his increased competitiveness.

Juha Salminen – Enduro 2 class:

“Although second isn’t where I or anyone in the team wants to be finishing I can’t be disappointed with the fact that I’ve been more competitive than at any other world championship race so far this year. It’s been a really good weekend. We’ve made some big improvements to my bike before the race and they worked really well during the race. We still have some work to do but things are coming together well. I crashed on the motocross test on the first day, which cost me some time, but generally I didn’t have any problems at all on either day. It’s been a very positive weekend and with more time to test ahead of the next WEC race I hope we can be even more competitive.”

Wolfgang Fischer – Team Manager:

“It’s been a very positive weekend for Juha and the team. Throughout both days Juha was more competitive than at previous WEC races, and for the first time he lead the E2 class for a complete lap – the first lap on day one. There is still some more work to do before Juha can battle for the class win throughout the day but things have taken a very positive forward step. Disappointingly Juha crashed on the first day, which didn’t help his performance. Without the crash he would have been really close to Johnny Aubert at the end of the day. On average Juha was losing half of one second per minute on the motocross test to Aubert. With more testing and training time we are hopeful that Juha can find the few extra seconds that he needs to fight for victory.”

2009 World Enduro Championship Grand Prix of Mexico

Day 1 - Enduro 2

1. Johnny Aubert (KTM) 1.17:25.96; 2. Juha Salminen (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 1.17:58.68; 3. Rodrig Thain (TM) 1.18:29.14; 4. Bartosz Oblucki (Husqvarna) 1.18:59.46; 5. Alessandro Belometti (KTM) 1.19:42.20; 6. Cristobal Guerrero (Yamaha) 1.20:12.93; 7. Homero Diaz (KTM) 1.20:24.94; 8. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 1.21:01.49: 9. Valtteri Salonen (Husaberg) 1.21:34.29; 10. Chris Birch (KTM) 1.22:08.77; 11. Erwin Plekkenpol (Honda) 1.25:33.43; 12. Anuar Ruiz (Kawasaki) 1.27:01.25; 13. Patrick Garrahan (KTM) 1.27:11.60; 14. Jaime Garcia (KTM) 1.28:30.58; 15. Alejandro Sanchez (BMW) 1.29:05.49; 16. Jose Vanzzini (KTM) 1.30:22.46; 17. Javier Araya (BMW) 1.31:05.29; 18. Klaus Caballeros (KTM) 1.31:32.70; 19. Jeff O’Leary (KTM) 1.33:16.82; 20. Patrick Reyes (KTM) 1.36:33.19

Day 2 - Enduro 2

1.Johnny Aubert (KTM) 1.21:29.11; 2. Juha Salminen (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 1.22:12.33; 3. Cristobal Guerrero (Yamaha) 1.22:58.05; 4. Rodrig Thain (TM) 1.23:16.51; 5. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 1.23:28.48; 6. Valtteri Salonen (Husaberg) 1.24:01.26; 7. Alessandro Belometti (KTM) 1.24:03.83; 8. Bartosz Oblucki (Husqvarna) 1.25:18.84; 9. Homero Diaz (KTM) 1.25:37.59; 10. Chris Birch (KTM) 1.28:40.71; 11. Erwin Plekkenpol (Honda) 1.28:57.29; 12. Mike Hartman (Husaberg) 1.29:33.87; 13. Patrick Garrahan (KTM) 1.31:17.57; 14. Jaime Garcia (KTM) 1.32:48.20; 15. Juan Reyes (KTM) 1.33:34.41; 16. Anuar Ruiz (Kawasaki) 1.34:22.58; 17. Jose Vanzzini (KTM) 1.35:15.89; 18. Javier Araya (BMW) 1.36:34.43; 19. Cusi Sanchez (BMW) 1.36:58.61; 20. Patrick Reyes (KTM) 1.38:23.88

Standings Enduro 2 (12 of 16 rds.).

1. Jonny Aubert (FRA), 300 pts
2. Juha Salminen (FIN), BMW Motorrad Motorsport, 225
3. Bartosz Oblucki (POL), 219
4. Joakim Ljunggren (SWE), 205
5. Rodrig Thain (FRA), 180
6. Cristobal Guerrero (ESP), 171
7. Alessandro Belometti (ITA), 150
8. Simo Kirssi (FIN), 131
9. Valtteri Salonen (FIN), 122
10. Fabrizio Dini (ITA), 91

We received the details from BMW with eager anticipation on the Canadian pricing for their new, pavement blistering, S 1000 RR and its 193 hp inline-4 engine. It's definitely competitive.

Munich. Chris Pfeiffer shocked the competition during the "German Open" stunt riding contest at the Hockenheimring. The BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider took the win in a field packed with Europe´s top stunt riding athletes. Altogether 36 riders from 12 countries competed in the brand new event.

Pfeiffer was enthusiastic about the German Open. Firstly because nearly all stars who had gathered before in February during the indoor world championship showed up. Secondly because the level of competition was even higher.

"Especially some of the lesser known names rode extremely well. This sport is developing at a fascinating pace," said Pfeiffer after the contest.

Ten riders qualified for the final, which consisted of two runs. Just when the first run got underway, it started to rain. This resulted in a slippery surface. "Stoppies and drifts became real difficult under these conditions, but I still managed to deliever a strong outing," commented Pfeiffer, who already took command of the proceedings. The 39-year-old German didn´t mind the circumstances and seemingly handled them better than his opponents.

"We Germans gain a lot of experience in the wet, don´t we?" joked the winner. "Guess there´s always a good side to the bad."

The ground had dried for the second run, the superfinal. The remaining five riders used the improved conditions to fully display their phenomenal set of skills. Pfeiffer started with the ambition to keep his lead and to avoid mistakes. "I had some shaky moments and really needed to dig deep. I still managed to win, although it wasn´t my very best riding," he said.

Second place went to "Mokus" (Herczeg Balazs), third to Thomas Sagnier.

The event debuted the discipline in Germany. Pfeiffer hopes that it develops into "something big". The contest at Hockenheimring was almost an unofficial European Championship, with nearly all the continental top riders showing up. Stunt riding legend AC Farias functioned as chief referee, which definitely helped to make the first-ever "German Open" a success.

Results German Open
1. Chris Pfeiffer (GER), BMW Motorrad Motorsport, 52 points
2. Balázs Herczeg (HUN), 46
3. Thomas Sagnier (FRA), 43
3. Bruno Ferreira (FRA), 43
5. Rafal Pasierbek (POL), 40
6. Deuz Desicy (FRA), 19
7. Jorain Ponomareff (FRA), 18
8. Marcus Larsson (SWE), 13
8. Alexander Tomaszek (FRA), 13
8. Dennis Tullberg (SWE), 13

Whitby, ON. BMW Motorrad Canada is pleased to announce that the highly-anticipated BMW S 1000 RR Supersports motorcycle is scheduled to arrive in Canadian showrooms in early 2010 with an MSRP of $16,800. (No, this is not a typo).

The S 1000 RR features an all-new, race-bred 999cc water-cooled, DOHC, sixteen valve four-cylinder inline power unit, developing a maximum output of 193 hp at 13,000 rpm and maximum torque of 82.5 lb-ft at 9,750 rpm.

Combined with a sophisticated lightweight chassis weighing just 204 kg., including fuel, the S 1000 RR will take its place as the lightest motorcycle equipped with ABS in the Supersports category, with a power-to-weight ratio of just 1.05 kg and, respectively, 1.06 kg (2.31 and, respectively, 2.34 lb) per horsepower without/with Race ABS.

The S 1000 RR will be available in four dramatic colors: Thunder Grey Metallic, Acid Green Metallic, Mineral Silver Metallic and the BMW Motorrad Motorsport color combination of Alpine White, Lupin Blue and Magma Red.
Available options will include:

* Race ABS - $1,250
* Race ABS with Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) - $1,500
* Electronic Shift Assistant - $350
* Anti-Theft Alarm System - $250

The BMW S 1000 RR is currently proving itself in its inaugural year in competition, withTeam BMW Motorrad Motorsport riders Ruben Xaus and Troy Corser already achieving multiple top-10 finishes in the 2009 Superbike World Championship.

Two great Canadian Bands will be entertaining the masses at Mosport this July 17-19 weekend at the 2009 BMW Motorrad Summerfest. Halifax based Sloan and Toronto based Crash Parallel will be taking the stage on Saturday.

There's going to be a lot more than music at Summerfest too though. Racing, BMW Marketplace, on and off-road test rides, an off-road skills course, and demo rides.

Plan to be there! Full press release follows -

Courtesy of Canadian Superbike:

Canadian recording artists Sloan and Crash Parallel will headline the BMW Motorrad Summerfest as part of the Parts Canada Superbike Doubleheader at Mosport, July 17-19, Canada’s biggest motorcycle road racing event of the year.

The bands will take to the BMW Motorrad Concert Stage on the Saturday of the manufacturer’s three-day motorcycle lifestyle experience, making its return to Mosport for the third year. Designed to cater to the motorcycle enthusiast, Summerfest features the BMW Marketplace, on and off-road test rides and an off-road skills course. New for 2009 is the addition of BMW Motorrad Enduro rider Guy Giroux, who will act as an instructor for the off- road skills course.

Formed in 1991 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, four-member Sloan released its first record in 1992. Since then, the band has recorded and released 10 records to critical acclaim across North America. Sloan’s contemporary, yet instantly recognizable rock and roll sound has endeared them to a large and devoted fan following across the continent, particularly in Canada. Nominated numerous times during their career, Sloan has won four East Coast Music Awards and a Juno Award. Now based in Toronto, Sloan’s latest record, Parallel Play, was released in 2008.

Relative newcomers to the Canadian rock music scene, Toronto’s Crash Parallel was formed in 2005 and released their successful debut album, World We Know, in May 2008. The record has produced five singles to date, including the smash hit, World We Know. The band hit number one on the Billboard Emerging Canadian Artist Chart in the spring of 2008 and won the 2009 Canadian Radio Music Award for Best New Group of the Year.

In addition to Summerfest, the Yamaha Riding Academy will once again be offering it’s free riding clinic for children ages 6 to 12. The Academy provides professional instruction to youngsters on how to ride off-road motorcycles in a safe and fun manner.

Adults will also have any opportunity to do some riding when top manufacturers such as Suzuki offer demo rides on their latest models on neighbouring roads near Mosport. With the exception of the Yamaha Riding Academy (which supplies all required equipment), participants for all riding activities must have a valid motorcycle license, riding gear and helmet.

The Parts Canada Superbike Doubleheader, the only Toronto-area stop for the national Parts Canada Superbike Championship, features Canada’s top riders.

Three-time defending Superbike champion Jordan Szoke of Brantford, Ontario, and current points leader, 17 year-old phenom Brett McCormick of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan will battle it out in two points races against a deep field of perennial contenders and up-and-coming stars.

The weekend schedule also includes races in the Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike class, the Armour Bodies Amateur 600 Sport Bike Championship, the Suzuki SV650 Cup, the Pro Honda Oils Women's Cup Challenge and the Honda CBR125R Challenge.

A three-day SuperTicket is just $50 until July 15 ($60 at the Gate) and each ticket includes parking, paddock admission, and entrance to Saturday Night Stock Car racing at Mosport Speedway. Children 12 and under are free when accompanied by a paid adult admission. Single day tickets are also available.

General and family camping areas are available complete with full-service washrooms, showers and children's playgrounds. An advanced three-day weekend general camping pass is just $30 (for tents or pop-up trailers). RVs are $50 for the weekend.

For more information about Mosport ticket packages and camping, call the Mosport Hotline at 1-800-866-1072 (Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm ET) or visit online at www.mosport.com. Tickets are also available at Ticketmaster.

BMW Motorrad Canada set a June sales record of 242 units, up 18% compared to June 2008. Year-to-date, sales are up 25% to 1,171 units compared to the same period last year.

BMW Group Canada, based in Whitby, Ontario, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BMW AG and is responsible for the distribution of BMW luxury performance automobiles, Sports Activity Vehicles, Motorcycles, and MINI. BMW Group Financial Services Canada is a division of BMW Group Canada and offers retail financing and leasing programs and protection products on new and pre-owned BMW and MINI automobiles, as well as retail financing for new and pre-owned BMW Motorcycles. A total network of 40 BMW automobile retail centres, 19 BMW motorcycle retailers, and 25 MINI retailers represents the BMW Group across the country.

BMW has become the latest manufacturer to offer up their off-road machines to rent at the ISDE race. KTM had announced their program in early June.

Full details:

This year the 84th International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) will take place in Figueira Da Foz, Portugal, from 12-17 October. For all ambitious enduro riders who would like to participate in this historic event open to all levels of rider, the great news is that BMW Motorrad is offering a rental service.

This is fantastic news for riders from all over the world who believed that competing at an ISDE would be too expensive for them because of the logistics involved in transporting motorcycles, spares and technicians from their home country to the event. Now, with the availability of a limited number of BMW G 450 X motorcycles to rent, as well as spare parts and service package options, competitors can simply fly to Portugal with their riding kit, take part in the race and then fly home again.

This service is being offered in conjunction with Finnish off-road legend Kari Tiainen, a former ISDE champion who is based in Spain and works closely with the development of the BMW Motorrad Motorsport Enduro World Championship team. From his base in southern Spain, Kari also runs BMW adventure riding tours and would love to see more BMW riders represented at the historic enduro event.

“The ISDE is a special event and because everybody is allowed to participate, there are no specific qualifications needed. Naturally, there is a pro class, but there is also a clubman class so if you fancy giving it a go, we can help you not only with the provision of a BMW G 450 X machine, but also technical and spares support too, because at the end of a hard day’s ride, the last thing you’ll want to do is start working on your machine! We’re also hoping to attract local as well as overseas riders with this offer, which we think is great value for money.”

With a limited number of motorcycles available, this offer is open until 15 August. In brief, there is a choice of two types of BMW sport enduro available for rent – a G 450 X ‘six days edition’ at €2,200 euro plus tax, or a G 450 X ‘Kari Tiainen six days racing replica’ at €4,000 euro plus tax. The rental price includes transportation from Spain to Portugal, internal transport to the race paddock, preparation, registration and road insurance. The service package costs an additional €500 euro (plus tax), while the price of the ‘Kari Tiainen six days racing replica’ also includes two training and suspension set-up days (29-30 September) at Kari’s base in Andalucia.

The Service Package offers the supply of spare parts and fuel from the paddock area, as well as special access to reserved areas at various checkpoints where riders will find personnel for technical assistance, supply of emergency spare parts, fuel, lubricants and light refreshments. Please note that fuel, lubricants and spare parts will be charged according to use, and are not included in the Service Package cost. Riders will also have the possibility of storing spare clothing, personal belongings etc., inside special containers in the assistance vans.

The International Six Days Enduro is one of the best known off-road motorcycle events in the world and has been thrilling fans for almost 100 years. Last year, along with more than 450 riders from 33 countries, BMW Motorrad Motorsport team riders Kari Tiainen Anders Eriksson and Spaniard Xacob Agra successfully put BMW’s G 450 X through its toughest ever competitive challenge. All three riders completed the gruelling event, staged in Serres, Greece, without any problems to claim gold medal finishes. For 2009, expect another factory-backed effort – and a host of amateur riders on BMW G 450 X sport enduros – to contest the Portuguese event and fly the flag for BMW Motorrad.

For more information and the full terms and conditions of this offer, please contact Kari Tiainen directly either by visiting www.exdreames.com, emailing info@exdreames.com or calling +34 951 165 199 or +34 606 590 841.

Munich. With immediate effect, David Knight and the off-road team of BMW Motorrad Motorsport will be parting company.

The two-times World Enduro Championship winner and winner of the US Grand National Cross Country only joined the BMW Motorrad Team Offroad at the beginning of the 2009 season. The move during the current enduro racing season is by mutual agreement.

Before the start of the racing season David Knight completed several tests on the G 450 X racing machine. However, during the season it has become apparent that rider and racing bike do not harmonise well enough to be able to achieve top placements within this highly competitive environment. For this reason, David Knight and BMW Motorrad Motorsport have decided to end their collaboration in good and fair manner.

Jesse James has a new program airing on Spike TV. It's called "Jesse James is a Dead Man." It's popular - the first episode drew the largest audience ever for an unscripted Spike TV series. As you might have guessed by the title, Jesse takes on death-defying events each week for the show.

This coming Sunday, June 14 - 10 PM EST - 11PM PST, “Arctic Bike Journey” airs on Spike TV. Jesse will ride the in the harsh arctic with a BMW R 1200 GS Adventure facing unthinkable coldness.

In this third episode of the series he takes an R 1200 GS Adventure on the infamous "Arctic Ice Road" in Alaska, in the middle of winter, to deliver medicine to an isolated snow-bound community.

Jesse was recently on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and talked a little bit about the show and the “Arctic Bike Journey” episode.

A little racing history courtesy of BMW.

Munich. “Asking me about the most impressive experience in my racing career, you will make my mind wander back to the year 1939 on that classic island in the Irish Sea, where the world-famous Tourist Trophy has been held for almost a century against the toughest competition you can imagine in international motorsport.”

These were the words in 1948 of Georg “Schorsch” Meier in thinking back of his “most wonderful victory” which now lies 70 years in the past and has long become a legend – for Georg Meier was the first non-English rider to win the Senior Tourist Trophy on his BMW compressor machine. This outstanding victory marked the climax of a long development. BMW had started to test compressor technology in motorcycle racing back in the late ’20s and Ernst Henne’s world records in 1929 had clearly proven that BMW’s supercharged engines were able to offer the very best in power and performance.

Even though this new technology was not yet absolutely reliable at the time, with BMW deciding to still use naturally aspirated engines in some races, the Company’s compressor engines already scored their first success on the road back in 1929: Hans Soenius in the 500-cc and Josef Stelzer in the 750-cc class brought home the first championships with supercharged engines in 1929. The second generation of BMW’s supercharged works motorcycles then made its appearance in 1935, now featuring a modern, welded tubular frame destined to enter series production just a year later in the BMW R 5 and R 6. Now equipped with two overhead camshafts driven in each case by a side shaft, the engine was a brand-new development, just like the foot-shift four-speed transmission.

1937/1938: success on the race track.

With Karl Gall and Ludwig “Wiggerl” Kraus standing out as the most successful riders in the early years, Otto Ley joined the BMW works team in the following season. It was also in the 1937 season that BMW’s machines were upgraded by fitting the rear wheel suspension already tested and proven in six-day races, thus setting off the last disadvantages versus the international competition. As a result, Gall and Ley soon became the most successful riders in the 500-cc class, and Jock West became the first English rider on the BMW Works Team, surprising everybody through his outstanding win in the Ulster Grand Prix in Northern Ireland. And had Karl Gall not been forced to retire while leading the European Grand Prix in Berne, Switzerland, BMW would also have won the European Championship decided for the last time this year in a single race.

BMW’s compressor machines scored their greatest success on the track in 1938, when offroad rider Georg Meier entered his first season on the tarmac, winning the German, Belgian and Italian Grand Prix as well as the Dutch Tourist Trophy and bringing home victory in Hockenheim, Nuremberg and in the Eilenriede Race. This, clearly, meant both the European and the German Championships.

But there were also bad days in 1938 – for example on the Isle of Man. BMW had sent three motorcycles to the Senior TT on the Isle of Man, with Georg Meier, English rider Jock West and Austrian Karl Gall on the starter grid. Gall suffered a severe accident in practice and Georg Meier was forced to retire on the very first lap due to a defective spark plug. The only good news was Jock West bringing home fifth place for BMW, improving his position over the previous year by one place in the final list of results.

Going for it: careful preparation for racing in 1939.

To quote Georg Meier, “this did not discourage us in any way in our plans to enter this challenging race with the same works team also in the years to come. So together with BMW’s small Racing Department we arrived in Douglas in good time, since the official practice sessions started fourteen days before the race. Early in the morning, at the break of dawn, we were already out there on the roughly 60-kilometre-long island track where people claimed that” only an English rider was able to win the race”. And believe me, the circuit with all its substantial challenges really demanded the utmost of the rider. The big advantage was that early in the morning the roads were absolutely empty, apart from the riders themselves, a few officials and the mechanics working untiringly on their jobs – the big crowd and all the spectators were not there yet.”

Still, BMW’s compressor machines from Germany were the subject of close scrutiny and observation – which is no surprise, considering that the Type 255 BMW RS 500 was not be underestimated: Displacing 492 cc, these outstanding machines developed 60 horsepower at 7,000 rpm thanks to their mechanical supercharger.

To keep the rider in control, properly handling all this power at such high speeds, the engines featured side shafts leading into the two cylinder heads where two overhead camshafts in each cylinder head controlled the gas cycle. Benefiting from low weight of just 138 kg or 304 lb, the compressor BMW had a top speed of more than 220 km/h or 136 mph, provided the rider was consistently crouching down over the machine. So within just a few hours after practice, the TT Magazine presented exact studies of the three riders and the speed recorded in each case.

Terrible news: Karl Gall killed in an accident.

The 1939 TT was a tragic event for Karl Gall, before the race had even started: On 2 June 1939 Gall once again suffered a severe fall in practice on the jump over Ballaugh Bridge. And this time he was so badly injured that he died eleven days later. Once again, therefore, the Tourist Trophy had proven its reputation of being the toughest road race in the world.

Despite this tragedy, BMW decided to remain in the race. “But I was really under great mental stress at the start, with each rider setting out in thirty-second intervals,” states Georg Meier in retrospect, looking back at 16 June 1939. Meier nevertheless rode a fantastic race, setting up a new lap record in the very first lap and leading the race ahead of his 42 competitors right from the start.

In lap two he improved his own record once again, becoming faster and faster as the race continued: “I was able to complete the seven laps without any significant incidents and I received good news from the pits every time, so that I knew exactly what was going on. Filling up the tank twice in about 17 seconds, which allowed me to change my glasses and have a refreshing drink, went very well. And then, after 2 hours and 57 minutes, I at last saw the man with the blackand-white chequered flag waving me in as the winner. What I really wanted to do most at that point was literally kiss and hug my wonderful machine with its white-and-blue colours on the tank which, apart from all those flies on the wind deflector, still looked brand new, without the slightest trace of oil or any signs of the incredible race we had just been through.”

Meier’s average speed was exactly 143.723 km/h or 89.108 mph, again a sensation. As the next rider to cross the finish line, Jock West came in two minutes later on his compressor BMW, giving the Company a perfect one-two victory, especially as he was more than half a minute ahead of rider number three F.L. Frith on a Norton.

Beaten only by the rules.

Now, at the very latest, the BMW compressor machine was regarded as unbeatable. So when after World War II German riders were initially banned from international racing, they simply continued racing their compressor motorcycles in national events. And in most cases BMW finished right at the top, with Georg Meier on his compressor machine (which he had hidden in a barn during the War) bringing home all German championships from 1948–1950. During these four years the works racing machines saw a number of modifications before the last national race with compressor motorcycles took place on the Grenzlandring Circuit in September 1950. From now on German manufacturers and riders were once again able to enter international sports events, but here supercharged engines had been banned since 1945. So in response BMW converted some of the compressor machines to natural aspiration technology.

As a result of this ongoing development and modifications in the post-war years, hardly any of the works racing machines still in existence today are now in their pre-war condition. Even the works machine on display in the BMW Museum features the modifications made for the last few races. And while BMW knew the whereabouts of a racing machine in pre-war trim, the famous owner of this motorcycle enjoyed the machine himself regularly at racing events and for years would not even consider selling it: John Surtees, the only racing driver to win both the Formula 1 and the Motorcycle World Championship. He had bought the BMW in disassembled form in the early ’80s, restoring this unique machine in a painstaking process and with a clear focus on the original. But in the meantime this unique machine has returned to its first “home” and is regularly entered in historical events.

Whitby. Two races into the 2009 FMSQ Enduro Championship series, BMW Motorrad Canada Motorsports factory rider Guy Giroux leads both the extreme-cross and enduro-cross championships.

After a hard-fought race in miserable rain-soaked conditions, Guy rode the BMW Motorrad Canada Motorsports G450X to 1st place with a dramatic half-lap lead in the highly technical extreme-cross race in the FMSQ season-opener in Granby, Quebec on May 9. He followed this performance in similarly challenging conditions on the Sunday, May 10 enduro-cross race, pounding through endless mud-holes and generally gruesome terrain to finish 2nd – some 6 minutes ahead of the 3rd place finisher.

At round 2 of the FMSQ in Beauce, Quebec, on May 31, on a fast, yet slippery track, Guy again encountered miserable weather, including hail, but nevertheless, in his inimitable “banzai” style, rode the BMW G450X to a 1st place finish in the enduro-cross event.

“The bike was just awesome both on the trails and the grass, with excellent power!” enthused Guy, adding, “Not bad for a dual-sport bike!”, also commenting: “The first two races were a great test for both the BMW and me! I am really looking forward to the next race which is a really fast course where the BMW will feel right at home!”.

As the FMSQ series ramps up for round 3 in Ferme-Neuve, Quebec, on June 27-28, Guy holds a 7 point lead over 2nd place Michael Metcalf (KTM). The next three weeks will be spent in training and further testing and tuning of the BMW Motorrad Canada Motorsports G450X.

Guy will have a formidable schedule for the balance of the season as he will be riding the BMW Motorrad Canada Motorsports G450X in seven out of the remaining eight races in the FMSQ schedule, while simultaneously competing in the brand-new 8-race Canadian Enduro Championship starting on July 4th and 5th in Blairmore, Alberta. Incredibly, he’ll also find time to compete in some Motocross events on “spare” weekends, and the Montreal Supercross. Not only riding, Guy is also his own “ team manager, truck driver and mechanic.“

The BMW G450X Enduro, fully street-legal, yet designed for “hard-core” off-road competition, went on sale in Canada in the fall of 2008.

Munich - BMW Motorrad Motorsport riders Toy Corser and Ruben Xaus suffered some grip problems today, finishing 14th and 17th quickest respectively, but both are looking forward to improving their bike set-ups tomorrow and moving up the grid. The track was very hot in the afternoon session and that affected the grip level, but Troy and Ruben continued to put in as many laps as they could and give the team as much information as possible.

Munich. Round 7 of this years Superbike World Championship takes place at the Miller Motorsport Park, near Salt Lake City in USA and hopefully will produce better results for Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport than the last round in South Africa. This is the second year that the Superbike World Championship visits the 4.907 kilometre Miller Motorsport Park in Utah and is the last flyaway race of the year before a busy June and July. After his absence in Kyalami, BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider Troy Corser is keen to get back into action and eager to get good results at a track where he finished runner up in the first race last year.

Ruben
Kyalami was such a big disappointment for me and the team because we all felt we could get some good results there. To be taken out once is bad, but to be taken out twice was incredible! But we have to forget about Kyalami and focus on USA.

Miller racetrack is very different o Kyalami and has hardly any change of elevations. It is fairly flat and the run-offs are big, so it is a safe circuit.

Although Troy and I raced there last year, we are now both on new bikes so will have to start the race weekend afresh. We have no data with our bike at this track and will have to try and get a good set-up as soon as we can. If we can find good set-ups quickly, do well in Superpole and get on to the third or even maybe the second row of the grid that would be a good base for the races.

Troy
Missing Kyalami has given my hand a chance to get better and although I don´t like missing any races, I think it was the right decision because Kyalami is such a physical circuit. It´s going to take a bit of time for the hand to heal fully, but at least Miller is not such a demanding track. That doesn´t mean that it is an easy track, just that it is not so bad as some others.
At Miller, we will have the usual problem of racing at a circuit from which we have no previous data for our bike. It´s our usual disadvantage and we have to try and get a good set-up for the race, a good set-up for Superpole, and qualify better. We have been having to work so hard in the early part of the races so far, because of our grid positions, so it would interesting (and a nice change) to see what would happen if we could qualify on the second or third row of the grid.

Berti Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director)
Another new track for us and a lot of work to do - as usual. We are happy to welcome back Troy and hope that he and Ruben can keep our improvement going in the right direction. Kyalami was a weekend to forget, regarding the race results, but our technicians received a lot of feedback and information from both Ruben and Steve and this helps our good progress to continue. At the moment, our improvement is not reflected in our results in Superpole qualifying and that is something that we have to work on. We have been very close to getting on to the second or third rows of the grid and if we could manage that, I´m sure the results would be better.

Some news from BMW about their F 800 GS. We just had a chance to take one for a ride too (we'll be writing up a review soon!) but for now you can see what Rider magazine had to say about the new motorcycle from BMW:

Rider magazine has picked the BMW F 800 GS for its prestigious 2009 MOTY award. It's not often that Rider chooses an adventure bike – but the F 800 GS is that good.

"BMW has been thinking way out of the box lately, and there is perhaps no better evidence than its unstoppable new F800GS adventure tourer.” writes Rider "Far narrower with its upright parallel twin, and like the 1200 [GS] offers a tremendous amount of satisfying performance. Chain final drive, 9 inches of suspension travel, a 21- and 19-inch front/rear spoked wheel combination and plenty of twin-cylinder torque give it much better off-road ability than its boxer brethren, yet the F800GS has enough on-road legs that you can haul down the highway from fill-up to fill-up in satisfactory comfort without stopping.”

Munich. Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider Ruben Xaus rode superbly on the first day of qualifying at Kyalami and put his S 1000 RR into the top ten. Ruben’s lap of 1:39.357 was less than 1.3 seconds slower than the provisional pole time of 1:38.103 set by Michel Fabrizio (DucatI), but was just one of his many consistent laps. Ruben’s team mate this weekend, Steve Martin, used today to get familiar with the bike, try different set-ups and gain confidence.

Ruben - 10th, 1:39.357

Considering that this is our debut year, to finish in the top ten on day one is very good, especially when you see how close the lap times are. I’m happy because I have gone 2.7 seconds faster today then when we tested here in December. I think I have also adapted to the bike better now and, as far as I am concerned, everything is improving. And, good news, because finally I didn’t have a ‘black Friday!’

Steve - 24th, 1:42.015

Generally I am quite happy with how the day has gone and there have been no problems. I managed to feel what’s going on with the tyres and try different set-ups. I haven’t raced in World Superbikes for four years, so there are no expectations on me. Since the first time I tested the bike (in spring last year) it has come on in leaps and bounds and it is still getting better. All we’re really missing is time on the bike to try different things and improve it. It’s always hard to do that at the racetrack, especially when you consider how competitive the championship is this year.

Berti Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director)

The team have worked hard and done a good job today. I am very happy with Ruben’s performance, especially as he didn’t have his usual ‘black Friday’. He did consistently good laps and was able to still be fast at the end, which is perfect. Steve has also done a good job and he will improve the more track time he gets. He is giving the team good information and feedback and we are very happy to have him deputising for Troy this weekend.

Steve Martin – The perfect deputy.

Steve Martin was born in Australia, but now lives in Switzerland with Sandra and their two and a half years old son, Axel. In World Superbikes, Steve is a very well-known and popular figure. Currently he is one of the live commentators on World Superbikes for InFront and is heard in USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. But that’s not his only work this year, for he is also taking part in the World Endurance Championship. He insists that he does this championship just for fun, but he did win this year’s Le Mans 24 hours. Now aged 40, Steve raced in World Superbikes from 2001, when he was employed as a test rider (in a race team) and helped develop the tyres for Pirelli before they became the sole tyre supplier to the championship in 2004. Steve won the Australian Superbike Championship in 1999 and was runner-up in the World Endurance Championship in 2008. He has been Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport’s test rider since spring last year and did not have to think too hard when he was offered the job of standing in for fellow countryman Troy Corser in Kyalami.

This is transcription of a speech by Dr. Christian Landerl - Executive Vice President Development and Model Lines at BMW on 05/13/2009. It's a little long but it is chock full of interesting facts about the BMW S 1000 RR.


Ladies and gentlemen,

I should also like to welcome you most warmly to the world premiere of the new BMW S 1000 RR!

By entering the supersports segment, we are of course subject to the same ground rules that apply to everyone in this market segment.

These include the top performance of the motorcycle and excellent functional quality as well as ongoing model improvement measures and model revisions. The ground rules also include successful participation in motor racing.

Based on these ground rules and our own aspirations, we defined the development goals for the S 1000 RR as follows:

• Top engine and performance figures.
• Excellent ridability and throttle response.
• A highly stable chassis with outstanding handling and traction
• A highly compact, dynamic design
• Very low vehicle weight.
• And not least top quality

We attached particular importance to ensuring that the motorcycle’s suitability for every use and its ridability should in no way take second place to a high overall level of performance.

In order to further enhance safety and controllability, innovative rider assistance systems such as ABS and traction control were also to be available as special equipment features.

BMW Motorrad entered entirely new territory in developing the S 1000 RR. It was a task of enormous breadth for the development team to take on. But at the same it was an incredible source of motivation for the staff involved.

In taking on this project, our Head of Series Markus Poschner was also able to make the dream of a lifetime come true: the development of the first BMW supersports machine.

As a former motorcycle racer himself, this role was tailor-made for him. He recruited many young colleagues into his team who are themselves active in motor racing and who were able to feed their high level of expertise into the project.

And we set very high standards for ourselves. From the very beginning we wanted to be among the leaders. In the course of this year, you will provide feedback to us as to how far we have succeeded in achieving this aim.

(Concept of the S 1000 RR)

In creating the conception for this motorcycle, we always put the riders’ needs at the centre of our deliberations. The compact ergonomics, geared towards the front wheel, helps riders control the bike’s high level of power without strain.

For example, the area under the knee grip was designed to be as narrow as possible. The dimensions of various 600 cc supersports bike provided a role model here.

This demanding standard posed an enormous challenge in terms of overall package design. We fought hard for every millimetre of space in order to achieve the optimum.

We also arranged the heaviest vehicle parts as closely as possible around the centre of gravity. One example of this is the positioning of the very compact exhaust system under the engine.

David Robb will be going through the main points of the design with you. I will just say the following: getting the desired dynamics in terms of the basic proportions (short, low front section, high and compact rear) did not make it easy to implement the requirements in terms of cooling, aerodynamics, rider protection and intake air ducting.

Here we benefited from close collaboration with the automobile aerodynamics department. We finally found an optimum after numerous calculation loops and extensive wind tunnel testing.

In this way we were able to reduce the heat exposure to the engine and rider to entirely uncritical levels despite the large front silencer under the engine.

In addition to the air flow around and through the vehicle, very careful attention was paid to the intake air ducting.

By using the impact pressure at the air intake we achieved a significant additional increase in performance at high speeds.

The reward for this very intensive work on the overall package is a very slim, athletically shaped motorcycle in which we believe every detail is just right in both form and function.

I think when you see the real thing later and have a test sit on it, you will agree that we have been very successful here.

(Powertrain of the S 1000 RR)

The fact that you can be successful in road racing with a variety of different engine concepts is demonstrated by our competitors with V2, V4 and also 4-cylinder in-line concepts.

After intensive preliminary tests, the conclusion we came to was: you can be successful with many concepts, the important thing is - whatever you, do it well!

We opted for a 4-cylinder in-line engine. This concept offers the best basis for a light, stable powertrain and enables space to be saved in the intake and exhaust gas area.

The basic engine with its unusual stroke/bore ratio of 0.621 provides the basis for a high-performance power unit with an enormous wide engine speed range.

The engine of the S 1000 RR has valves activated by cam followers in order to ensure precise valve timing right through to the very highest engine speeds. The moving masses in a cam follower valve control system are around 50% lower than a solution using bucket tappets.

The effect: as with the K 1200, the small moving parts generate a high level of valve acceleration which results in a large effective through-flow cross-section, enabling a high level of torque to be achieved.

The cam followers used in the S 1000 RR are considerably smaller and lighter still than those of the K series.

In addition to the cam follower, the mass of the valve is also an important factor: we use titanium as the material for all valves, as well as a light aluminium fibre material for the moving valve-spring caps.

The camshafts are made of forged material and are intricately processed. They are controlled by means of a cogwheel reduction gear and short drive chain. This enables us to achieve very rigid and precise valve operation. The cogwheels on the camshafts can be kept very small due to the pre-transmission.

Ladies and gentlemen, as you can see: we opted for very intricate solutions with the basic engine.

And we went into a similar amount of detail with the engine peripherals:

In addition to the air flow around and through the vehicle, very careful attention was paid to the intake air ducting.

A perfect design of the air box ensures sound induction. We used every millimetre of the vehicle to generate as much volume as possible for the intake system.

In order to optimise the torque curve, we chose the well-known and sophisticated technology of the switchover induction system. Depending on the engine speed, a control motor varies the length of the intake manifolds to two levels.

The appropriate quantity of fuel is fed in via four injection nozzles at the throttle valve strip and above the intake manifold with the aim of ensuring optimum induction. The nozzles are controlled alternately or jointly, depending on the engine speed and power level required.

The throttle valves are controlled via an e-gas system (ride by wire). This provides an excellent way of precisely implementing the level of propulsion as defined by the rider’s input.

The control of injection and ignition is effected using the most innovative digital engine management system currently in existence in the motorcycle field.

The software of the so-called BMS-KP was developed entirely by BMW Motorrad. Its main features are as follows:

• Fully sequential, cylinder-selective injection
• Integrated knock control
• Highly rapid processing of the many sensor signals using state-of-the-art micro-electronics
• An integrated torque regulation system for the traction control DTC
• Idling and cold start regulation
• Compact size, low weight and self-diagnosis capacity.

We also put a lot of effort into the exhaust side in accordance with our aim to achieve high performance.

In addition to the well-known valve technology between the front and rear silencer to regulate exhaust noise, there is also a double valve situated near the cylinder head in the area of the manifold and operated by a control motor.

This opens or closes the connection between two manifold pipes, depending on the engine speed and throttle valve position.

With these valve elements we influence the vibrations in the exhaust-gas stream so as to optimise the torque curve.

In simple terms:

Valves open  increased torque at mid-range engine speeds
Valves closed  increased output at top engine speeds.

You can see the results of these considerable efforts in the output and torque curve:

With 142 kW or 193 bhp at 13,000 rpm, the S 1000 RR is at the top of the segment.
The maximum torque of 112 Nm is reached at 9,750 rpm. The low-speed figures are excellent, too.

In order to relay engine power to the rear wheel there is a 10-plate wet clutch with anti-hopping function, a very compact 6-speed gearbox with transmission shafts arranged on top of each other and a left-sided chain.

(Chassis of the S 1000 RR)

It is essential to overall performance that the chassis is at least on a par with the high level of engine power.

The main frame of the S 1000 RR is an aluminium bridge frame which bears the engine. The frame is welded together from four cast components at our BMW Motorrad plant in Berlin.

This construction enables us to meet the challenge of combining a narrow form with a large air box. At the same time we made extensive calculations and simulations to achieve an optimum in distributing rigidity levels.

The rear frame section is made of aluminium profile tubing and is bolted onto the main frame. This combines low weight with robustness, as is particularly appreciated in practice.

The construction engineering of the swing arm is a key factor in terms of mechanical grip and sound traction. A long swing arm reduces the differences between the different compression positions.

The swing arm is mounted in eccentric sockets. This enables the swing arm mount to be adjusted in height for racing purposes.

The swing arm itself is a sophisticated welding construction made of deep-drawn aluminium sheet-metal shells with a cast aluminium bottom section. This was the best way to fulfil requirements of high torsional and lateral rigidity as well as low weight.

The suspension strut is connected to the swing arm and frame by means of relay levers. The upper suspension strut mount can be adjusted by means of eccentric groove pieces.

The generously sized upside-down form with a stanchion diameter of 46 mm is unique within the segment. The usual diameter is 43 mm. With this larger size fork we achieve much increased brake stability and a clearer response.

The steering head angle is fairly steep at 66.1 ° and the castor relatively short at 95.9 mm, with a relatively long wheelbase of 1432 mm.

The design always focused on achieving easy controllability with light handling and sound stability.

As is usual in this segment, the telescopic fork and suspension strut are fully adjustable. For simplified operation we have marked the adjustment levels clearly from stages 1 – 10.

In addition to this, all adjustment elements are positioned for easy access.
These examples reflect the practical experience of the development team.

The 10-spoke chill-cast wheels are especially light - and very aesthetically appealing, too, in my opinion.

Radially bolted fixed brake clips by Brembo are applied to 320 mm brake discs by means of specially developed brake pads. The system provides excellent performance, a low level of hand force and good controllability.

As is usual with BMW, the front wheel has a floating disc brake.

This brings me to the body. (Body of the S 1000 RR)

The trim has been fitted as closely as possible to the motorcycle. However, due to very intensive work in the wind tunnel, it was possible to achieve very good wind protection to protect the body and upper torso.

For example, nicely designed cut-throughs on the windshield prevent helmet vibration at top speeds.

In order to achieve the challenging weight target of 183 kg dry or 204 kg fully fuelled, an aluminium fuel tank was created in collaboration with the BMW plant in Eisenach - a feature which is unique in this segment.

One example of functional integration and therefore weight reduction is the trim bracket made of die-cast magnesium which also serves as an air duct for the ram-air intake and as a bracket for the headlamp, horn and mirror.

(Electrical system of the S 1000 RR)

Like many other BMW motorcycles, the S 1000 RR uses a CAN (Controller Area Net) bus system to control vehicle functions. The control unit is integrated in the instrument channel to save space and weight.

The instrument panel itself offers more functions than is usual in the segment. In addition to instruments for analogue engine speed, digital speed and gear, the selected drive and chassis mode is also displayed.

In addition, the rider can switch the display to race track mode to receive information on lap times. In conjunction with the lap trigger, available as a special accessory, the rider has precise timings at his disposal for analysis purposes.

Other functions include the use of the adjustable shift indicator as an engine speed indicator for race starts.

The asymmetrical headlamp is based on the principle of maximum effect combined with minimum weight. For this reason the high beam headlamp is significantly smaller than the low-beam lamp.

The direction indicators and the licence-plate holder can easily be removed for use on the race track.

The special equipment program of the S 1000 RR includes the following items:
• Race ABS
• Race ABS with traction control DTC
• HP shift assistant and
• an anti-theft warning system

So for the first time in the supersports domain, ABS and traction control are available in a serial production motorcycle.

There are four modes (Rain, Sport, Race and Slick) which allow the engine configuration and the Race ABS and DTC traction control set-up to be adapted to the race track and tyres in question.

The rider can select the desired program directly using the handlebar grip controls.

Slick mode can only be activated by inserting a plug under the seat. As the name suggests, we only recommend this mode in combination with slick tyres.

In Rain mode we limit engine output to 110 kW or 150 bhp, and the response and power supply of the engine are less pronounced. In all other modes, full engine power is available with varying degrees of direct response.

With DTC traction control, unlike the existing BMW system ASC, the banking of the vehicle is detected by means of a sensor cluster and also accounted for by regulation response.

The system detects a spinning rear wheel and reduces engine torque by means of adjustment to the firing angle and the throttle valves. In Slick mode, wheelies are permitted for five seconds at a time at banking angles of less than 20° while accelerating.

As with assistance systems: DTC supports the rider in difficult situations but cannot redefine the laws of physics.

Race ABS is a completely newly developed system which is lighter than existing integral systems.

With a control unit weighing 1.6 kg and an overall weight of 2.5 kg, the system offers a superb basis for use in the supersports domain. In addition to its low weight, the system is characterised by a further improved regulation response.

In addition to an excellent configuration, this is due to the use of a total of four pressure sensors which allow a more effective distinction to be made than previously possible between unevenness in the road surface and a blocked rear wheel.

The Race ABS can also be adapted to different road and tyre situations using the mode switch.

In the modes Race and Slick the lift-off detection function does not interfere with the rider’s intention to apply the brakes, i.e. only the locking of the wheels is prevented. In Slick mode, highly skilled riders are able to carry out brake drifts by applying the rear wheel brake.

In creating the new Race ABS our aim was to improve ride safety on the road and in uncertain grip conditions, but we also wanted to give sports riders the opportunity to be able to draw on the safety benefits of an ABS system on the race track.

However, both assistance systems DTC and Race ABS can be switched off if special requirements apply.

On the straight, the S 1000 RR has another feature which sets it apart from others in the segment. With the HP shift assistant, familiar from other BMW motorcycles, crucial yards can be gained while accelerating.

And so to conclude, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to summarise once more briefly:

The new BMW S 1000 RR is currently the most powerful supersports motorcycle. In addition to excellent ride properties it offers maximum riding dynamics, superb handling and outstanding high-speed and braking stability. This applies both to the race track and to normal road riding.

In conceiving this model we attached particular importance to safe controllability and a high degree of suitability for everyday riding.

The S 1000 RR is the lightest supersports bike with ABS in the 1000 cc class and has the best power-to-weight ratio in this class.

With its adjustable modes and innovative rider assistance systems Race ABS and traction control DTC, we offer a level of active safety which is quite unique - without any constraints on performance.

The S 1000 R fulfils all current environmental standards with the potential to fulfil future emission regulations with two closed-loop catalytic converters and digital engine management.

We all look forward to tomorrow’s race with great excitement and hope that Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus do well here in Monza.

Thank you very much for your listening and I look forward to interesting talks with you after the presentations.

The elite BMW supersport motorcycle is set to make its Canadian debut in late 2009.

Whitby - BMW Canada is pleased to announce that the BMW S 1000 RR supersport motorcycle will arrive in Canada in the fourth quarter of 2009.

In development since 2007 and currently competing in the 2009 World Superbike Championship in full racing trim, the world debut of the BMW S 1000 RR will establish a true milestone in the supersport motorcycle category.

Combining an all-new high-performance engine with lightweight construction, sophisticated chassis dynamics and race-engineered brake and suspension components, the BMW S 1000 RR will set a new benchmark for ultra-high performance motorcycles - on both the racetrack and the road.

The 999cc water-cooled, DOHC, sixteen valve four-cylinder inline power unit is brand-new from the ground up, bred for racing, developing a maximum output of 193 hp at 13,000 rpm (rev-limited to14,200 rpm) and maximum torque of 82.5 lb-ft at 9,750 rpm.

With overall weight of just 204 kg including fuel (183 kg dry weight, 206.5 kg with Race ABS) the S 1000 RR will also take its place as the lightest motorcycle equipped with ABS in the supersports category.

The combination sets a new standard in its class with a power-to-weight ratio of just 1.05 kg and, respectively, 1.06 kg (2.31 and, respectively, 2.34 lb) per horsepower without/with Race ABS.

The new BMW S 1000 RR has been designed not only to compete in the World Superbike Championship, but to takesits place among the élite of supersports motorcycles.

“We are eagerly following the solid progress of the BMW Motorrad Motorsports team at the World Superbike Championships and excited to be introducing the S 1000 RR in Canada later this year”, stated Norm Wells, Director of BMW Motorrad Canada. “We are looking forward to having an ultra-competitive product in the supersport category and can already sense the anticipation of motorcycle enthusiasts for the arrival of the the S 1000 RR in this market.”

The specifications of the BMW S 1000 R are a testimony to state-of-the-art racing technology on all fronts – performance, handling dynamics, safety and ergonomics – not to mention the visceral packaging in the sleek S 1000 RR bodywork.

S 1000 R Technical Highlights

Engine
* Cylinder axis tilted 32° forward to optimize centre of gravity and weight distribution
* stroke/bore ratio of 0.621
* Aluminum crankcase and cylinders with nikasil-coated liners
* Wet-sump lubrication using Eaton oil pump and oil cooler
* Titanium valves
* Forged, heat-treated steel 180° crankshaft
* Extra-light (334 gm) forged, heat-treated steel “crack-split” connecting rods
* Fully sequential, cylinder-specific fuel injection with integrated anti-knock control, ultra-fast processing and self-diagnosis
* Variable intake manifold length

Exhaust
* 4-into-2-into-1 system with pre-silencer, two electronically controlled interference-type butterfly flaps and rear silencer
* Two fully controlled, high-density, metal based three-way catalytic converters fitted in the pre-silencers
Transmission
* Six-speed with straight-toothed primary gears in compact case
* Multi-disc “slipper” wet clutch
* 525 O-ring roller chain
* Optional electronically controlled Shift Assistant for seamless and rapid clutchless upshifts

Frame/Suspension
* Light weight aluminum bridge frame - weighing just 11.98 kg - integrating the engine as a load-bearing element for optimum torsional stiffness and minimum weight. Aluminum fuel tank.
* Front upside-down fork with 46 mm fixed tube - with a wide range of adjustment of both the spring base as well as damper rebound and inbound control.
* ,Long (593mm) aluminum rear swing arm and central spring strut with adjustable spring base and adjustable damper inbound and rebound control.
* Ten-spoke pressure-cast aluminum wheels with 120/70 ZR 17 front and 190/55 ZR 17 rear tires

Dynamic Chassis Systems
* Four mode engine management system with Rain, Sport, Race (supersport street tires) and Slick (racing tires) settings
* Optional Race ABS with Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) and rear-wheel lift-off detector
* Four mode system fully-integrated with Race ABS and DTC when so-equipped

Brake System
* Floating double 320 mm front discs with two four-piston Brembo fixed calipers with 34 mm pistons and sintered metal pads.
* Single 220 mm rear disc with single floating caliper rear brake and sintered metal pads

Controls/Instruments
* Multi-functional instrument cluster with racing features such as a laptimer and optimum shift speed indicator
* Riding modes selectable via handlebar controls
* New generation light/indicator switch cluster positioned on left handlebar
* Quickly detachable front indicator, licence plate support and rear indicators, for easy conversion to racing use.
* LED rear light cluster with clear lens
* Optional LED directional indicators

The new BMW S 1000 RR will be available in three dramatic standard color combinations:
* Mineral Silver Metallic with swing arms and wheels in Ostra Grey.
* Thunder Grey Metallic with swing arms and wheels in Ostra Grey.
* Acid Green Metallic with swing arms in Eloxy Silver and wheels in glossy Black.

Available as an extra-cost option, the S 1000 R will also be available in the BMW Motorrad Motorsport Team colour scheme as on the Superbike Works racing bikes with paintwork in Alpine White Non-Metallic, Magma Red Non-Metallic, and Lupin Blue Metallic, with swing arms also finished in Eloxy Silver and wheels in high-gloss Black.

While Troy Corser and Ruben Zaus and the BMW Motorrad Motorsport racing team continue their assault on the 2009 World Superbike Championship, the S 1000 RR is now poised to take its place in BMW showrooms, offering an exciting new benchmark in supersport motorcycles.

The BMW S 1000 RR will be introduced to the Canadian market in the 4th quarter of 2009 and promises to be priced very competitively in the supersport motorcycle category .

BMW is letting everybody know that the BMW S 1000 RR is going to have it's world premiere in Monza, Italy this Saturday May 9th at 5 PM CET.

If you're keen to see it happen and can't get to Italy in time - have no fear... It's being streamed on the Internet.

It's a huge ugly URL and it doesn't seem to be working at the moment but that's what they've given.

Hopefully it'll work the day of - Here's the link.

Munich - The fifth round of this year´s Superbike World Championship takes place at the historic Autodromo di Monza and both BMW Motorrad Motorsport riders Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus are looking forward to tackling the 5.793 kilometre circuit.

BMW had a busy day for off-road news so we've combined a couple pieces of news from them into one mega off-road news post!

Here's all the details:

Three wins for BMW´s off road team

05/05/2009

Jeff Goblet won round four of the Belgian Enduro Championship at Flavion, earning him the E2 series lead by four points. Goblet also leads the combined ranking of all classes. The Belgian took victory ahead of his closest rival, Thierry Klutz. 

Simo Kirssi meanwhile owned the Finnish Junior Championship Class A-Open at Hyvinkää. On partly frozen ground, the cross country expert classified overall runner-up behind fellow countryman Eero Remes. Kirssi used the event to prepare for his upcoming WEC home round in June. 

Another win went to Extreme Enduro specialist Gerhard Forster during the DirtDays at Penzberg. Forster competed in the "Oldie" class and literally ran circles around the competition. The second placed rider finished two laps behind Forster. The BMW pilot then dominated the superfinal, handing him the prestigious "Master of Dirt" title 2009. 

Master of Dirt 2009 Penzberg 
1. Gerhard Forster, BMW Motorrad Motorsport 
2. Robert Singer 
3. Hannes Berwein 
4. Thomas Günther 
5. Peter Gambs 

BMW Motorrad is a strong performing division of BMW, even in the current challenging financial conditions. BMW Motorrad posted it's best ever motorcycle sales month.

BMW Motorrad Canada set an all time best monthly sales record of 357 units, up 19% compared to April last year. Year-to-date, sales are up 49% to 593 units compared to the same period last year.

In the automobile department - BMW's new flagship 7 series sales were up too, and their BMW X6 Sports Activity Coupe sales - up a whopping 295% compared to last April.

It looks like folks with some extra cash kicking around are doing their part to keep the economy and buying up BMW products like hotcakes.

Munich. Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport continued to make progress in practice and regular qualifying today, but once again saw their hopes of good grid positions dashed in Superpole qualifying. All the good work done by Troy, Ruben and the team was undone in Superpole thanks to problems with their qualifying tires in Superpole 1 and Superpole 2 and, as a result, Troy and Ruben will have to start tomorrow’s pair of 22-lap races from the fourth and fifth rows of the grid. American Ben Spies (Yamaha) continued his run of good form by taking pole position this afternoon, with Jakub Smrz (Ducati) second, Leon Haslam (Honda) third and Noriyuki Haga (Ducati) fourth.

Troy - 15th, 1:38.906
Superpole was the usual lottery for me and I cannot explain why two qualifying tires that are the same should work so differently. I did a 1:38.339 in Superpole 1 and was second fastest overall. I used the same bike and the same type of qualifying tire in Superpole. The bike (or tire) felt completely different and I just couldn’t go so fast at all. I finished six tenths of a second slower on that lap! it’s a big shame because it means, once again, we are way down the grid and will have to try and get up to the sharp end as soon as we can if we are to have any sort of decent result. The good news is that I am feeling quite comfortable on a race pace and the other good news is that my hand feels a lot better today - probably because of some treatment from the Clinica Mobile and some painkillers.

Ruben - 20th, 1:39.643
Like Troy, I am finding it a bit hard to understand what is going on with the qualifying tires. I qualified OK for Superpole and started Superpole 1 with a qualifying tire. But I felt no grip and struggled to do a fast lap. When I pulled in, after two laps, the tire looked as if it was brand new and that is not normal for a qualifying tire.

OK, the bike is quite sensitive to any changes we make, but we didn’t change the bike for Superpole, so I don’t understand what happened. I had two crashes today and do not know what happened in either of them, except that both happened with the same bike, so I didn’t use that one again afterwards. But, I am happy with my race pace on this bike and will be fighting for everything I can get in the races. Obviously, being so far down the grid is a problem, but hopefully I will be able to see the lights from way back there and get a good start.

Berti Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director)
It’s a bit difficult to know what to say, except that our riders and the whole team worked so hard for two days, made good progress and then had it all destroyed in Superpole qualifying. Troy went three tenths of a second faster in Superpole 1 than in normal qualifying, but then was six tenths of a second slower in Superpole 2 than Superpole 1 and I don’t think it is normal for such a rider as Troy.

I am frustrated and I am sure that the whole team feel the same way, because none of us can understand how the same tires can work so differently. I don’t think this is down to our lack of experience, but it is a strange state of affairs and I hope that we can find some solutions to this kind of problem sooner, rather than later.

Final qualifying
1 Spies (USA-Yamaha) 1:37.628, 2 Smrz (CZ-Ducati) 1:37.765, 3 Haslam (GB-Honda) 1:38.072, 4 Haga (J-Ducati) 1:38.202, 5 Fabrizio (I-Ducati) 1:38.215, 6 Neukirchner (D-Suzuki) 1:38.353, 15 Troy Corser (Aus-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 1:38.906, 20 Xaus (E-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 1:39.643

Transport Canada has been busy the last few days with several recall notices published for a few different manufacturers. If you own a BMW and you've been on some web forums you've probably heard rumors of the BMW recall but now it's officially in Transport Canada's database.

Here's all the details -

Make, Model, Year Affected: Triumph, ROCKET III CLASSIC TOURING, 2008 2009
Transport Canada Recall # 2009107
Recall Date: 2009/04/14
Units affected: 47

Details:

On certain motorcycles, the tires may experience a torque-induced degradation in a body ply. The degradation may result in inner-liner cracking that may lead to a slow leak in the rear tire. Loss of air pressure could cause the rider to lose vehicle control, which may result in property damage, personal injury or death. Correction: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace both tires.

-----

Make, Model Year Affected: Buell 1125R 2008, Buell XB12R 2009, Buell XB12SCG 2009
Transport Canada Recall # 2009111
Recall Date: 2009/04/15
Units affected: 271

Details:

On certain motorcycles, the front brake line may contact the front tire. The resultant chafe damage could create a hole in the line. Brake fluid leakage could ultimately result in loss of front braking capability which, depending on traffic conditions and the rider's reactions, could result in a crash causing personal injury or death. Correction: Dealers will re-route the front brake line.

-----

Make, Model, Year Affected: BMW, F800GS, 2009
Transport Canada Recall # 2009112
Recall Date: 2009/04/16
Units affected: 105

Details:

On certain motorcycles, the front wheel quick-release axle may not have been manufactured to specifications. The quick-release axle might be of reduced wall thickness which, under severe loads (off-roading, for example), could cause the axle to break. This could result in a vehicle crash causing property damage, personal injury or death. Correction: Dealers will replace the quick-release axle.

Whitby. BMW Motorrad Canada is pleased to announce the sixth annual edition of the BMW “For Women Only!” test ride event schedule.

Since 2004, the BMW “For Women Only!” Test Ride Event has offered female motorcycle riders the opportunity to test ride a full range of current BMW models in a relaxed and controlled environment.

Administered and hosted by seasoned female motorcycle enthusiasts in affiliation with BMW Motorrad Canada, the events are offered in three major Canadian cities:

Vancouver- Saturday, April 25
Toronto - Saturday, May 16
Montreal - Saturday, June 20

The first two BMW “For Women Only!” ride events conveniently “bookend” the 3rd Annual International Female Ride Day staged on Friday, May 1, mutually supporting and promoting the ever-growing sorority of female motorcycle enthusiasts.

International Female Ride Day is the inspiration of Vicki Gray, founder of MOTORESS, an international website developed to encourage and support women in motorcycling worldwide. Vicki works tirelessly to “Connect women with motorcycling” and the International Female Ride Day has spawned numerous female-only motorcycling events focused on the annual May 1event.

BMW Motorrad Canada is a strong supporter of female motorcycling in Canada and a regular sponsor of MOTORESS since its inception.

More information on the BMW “For Women Only!” Ride Events and a link to MOTORESS, please go to www.bmw-motorrad.ca.

Press Release - Munich.

The fourth round of this year´s Superbike World Championship takes place at Assen circuit in the Netherlands, and will be a new racetrack for the BMW Motorrad Motorsport team. Although Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus are very familiar with the 4.555 kilometre circuit, it will be their first time there with the new BMW S 1000 RR.

So, not only do they have to try and find a good set-up for the races, but they also have to try and qualify well. In the three races so far, both Troy and Ruben have suffered in the new Superpole qualifying system and have had to start the races from way down the grid. It would be interesting to see what would happen if either or both could qualify on the first two rows of the grid for Sunday´s races.

Troy:
“Assen used to be a real ‘riders’ track, but it is not the same anymore. It´s not bad track, but it just doesn´t flow like it used to and that could be a bit of a problem for us. At the present stage of the bike´s development, it seems that the bike is working better at tracks that flow, instead of stop/start circuits. Obviously, we are working very hard on getting the bike good at all types of tracks, but it just takes time and laps. We´re getting there for sure and, if we can get a good Superpole and start from near the front end of the grid, I´m sure we can improve our results.”

Ruben:
“The old Assen was good and I don´t think there was a single rider who did not like it. The new Assen is not so bad, but it has lost some of its character. Of course, it is the same for all of us, but our job is going to be that much harder because we are arriving at Assen with no data or telemetry to work with on this bike at this track. My plan is to get down to it as soon as I can and try and avoid my ‘black Fridays’. I need to be further up the grid and not have so much work to do during the races just trying to catch the leaders. The S 1000 RR is fantastic, but I don´t think we have seen its potential yet. That day is going to come and I don´t think it is so far away.”

Berti Hauser (Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport):
“Well, yes of course, this upcoming SBK weekend in Assen is another new one and unknown territory for us, but each step we`re taking since the beginning of the 2009 season is unknown territory. Especially all the basics we learned throughout the first three rounds brought a lot of new knowledge and information as well as some surprises - such is the reality of competing in a hard-fought championship. The pure ranking itself does not show the real potential of our bike. Looking at the second qualifying in Valencia, where the first 20 positions were within one second, it shows what is really going on there. Troy`s was just 0.14 sec and Ruben 0.7 sec behind the fastest lap time of this particular session. Actually, that`s where we are standing. No doubt, we have to keep pushing hard to improve the whole system in order to achieve better positions.

This includes getting more familar with the new superpole system, to get more used to the specific characters of the Pirelli tires and to improve also the whole system of the bike step by step. For sure, based on the results we've achieved already, the motivation is huge and I'm more than happy and proud to have these riders in our team. The team spirit together with these guys provides a major boost to get better and better throughout the remainder of the season. We`ll be going the extra mile at the track and our work shop to make BMW`s WSBK participation a success story.”

2008 results
Race 1: Bayliss (AUS-Ducati), 2 Checa (E-Honda), 3 Neukirchner (D-Suzuki), 4 Kagayama (J-Suzuki), 5 Troy Corser (AUS-Yamaha), 6 Smrz (CZ-Ducati), 16 Ruben Xaus (E-Ducati)
Race 2: 1 Bayliss, 2 Haga (J-Yamaha), 3 Checa, 4 Ruben Xaus, 5 Neukirchner, 6 Kagayama, 10 Troy Corser

Munich -

Finn Juha Salminen has secured the BMW Motorrad Motorsport team´s first ever World Enduro Championship double podium result having placed third in the Enduro 2 class on both days of the GP of Italy, staged in Iglesias, Sardinia. With the opening two rounds of the championship in Portugal and Spain having ended disappointingly for Salminen the GP of Italy - round three of the ´09 WEC series - finished with the vastly experienced rider both encouraged by the changes that he´d made to his bike for the event and also his performances.

As expected the GP of Italy proved to be every bit as challenging as the opening two rounds of the `09 WEC series. With the event marking a return to an all-natural extreme test, it also featured one of the longest and toughest enduro tests seen for many years in the WEC. In addition a slow speed motocross test and two long, rocky time controls ensured that all competitors were made to work hard throughout both days of competition.

With testing in Italy prior to the third round of the World Enduro Championship series having enabled Salminen to significantly change the set-up of his G 450 X, the opening day´s competition in Sardinia ended with the Finn having battled hard to claim a place on the podium. Much more confident in his riding Salminen performed well throughout the day. Withonly a handful of seconds separating Salminen from Polish rider Bartosz Oblucki and Spaniard Cristobal Guerrero as the day drew to a close, Juha used his many years of experience to claim his and BMW´s first podium result of the ´09 WEC season.

Day two again saw Salminen claim third in the Enduro 2 class. Starting well he recorded the fastest E2 class time on the long and demanding enduro test, and remained in a podium position throughout the day. Unable like many riders to get to grips with the short but incredibly slippery extreme test, Juha eventually finished just eight seconds behind the second placed rider after another determined performance. Salminen´s Enduro 2 class team-mate Simo Kirssi found the conditions in Iglesias tough and on day one placed 14th. On day two Simo improved both his speed and consistency and claimed a top 10 result with ninth in the E2 class.

While Juha´s results in the Enduro 2 class were extremely encouraging BMW Motorrad Motorsport Enduro 3 class riders David Knight and Marko Tarkkala frustratingly enjoyed little success in Sardinia. Following a determined start to day one Knight crashed heavily on the enduro test hitting his head, which forced him to withdraw with vision problems. Day two also ended early when a clutch problem prevented him from continuing. Finishing both days Marko Tarkkala placed seventh and ninth.

Juha Salminen – Enduro 2 class:
“Considering the way the first two GPs went I´m really pleased with my results this weekend. I´m really happy to be on the podium, especially as it was very close between a handful of riders on the second day. We are not completely there with the bike yet, but we have made some big improvements. We are moving things in the right direction and now I am able to push hard, which I wasn´t at the first two GPs. I felt pretty good in the motocross and enduro test but I was losing time in the extreme test. Like I said there was a bunch of riders all fighting for the podium so I enjoyed being in among the competition.”

Wolfgang Fischer – BMW Motorrad Motorsport Team Manager:
“It´s especially pleasing that Juha finished on the podium on both days. Last week he made some changes to his bike settings after a test in Italy, and they have really helped him. He is now able to attack the special tests. His fighting spirit was really clear on both days. Although third position isn`t where Juha wants to be there was a lot of competition for the final rostrum place and he made sure that he was the rider that got it. Juha also put in the fastest time on the opening enduro test, which was extremely demanding, and with the exception of one or two of his extreme tests he was consistent throughout the first day as well. Although the event went well for Juha it was disappointing that David crashed on the enduro test on day one and hit his head quite badly. Also, Marko and Simo both failed to find their
rhythm”

2009 World Enduro Championship - GP of Italy , day 1

Enduro 2 class
1. Johnny Aubert (KTM) 56:40.04; 2. Bartosz Oblucki (Husqvarna) 57:58.27;
3. Juha Salminen (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 57:59.40; 4. Cristobal Guerrero (Yamaha) 58:01.33; 5. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 58:11.14; 6. Alessandro Belometti (KTM) 58:22.05; 7. Oscar Balletti (Honda) 58:48.46; 8. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 59:24.48; 9. Matti Seistola (Husqvarna) 59:26.27; 10. Si Wakely (Husqvarna) 59:37.78…14. Simo Kirssi (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 1.00:36.47;

Enduro 3 class
1. Sebastien Guillaume (Husqvarna) 57:07.01; 2. Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) 57:13.00; 3. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 57:17.77; 4. Samuli Aro (KTM) 57:54.20; 5. Fabio Mossini (Honda) 58:05.95; 6. Marcus Kehr (KTM) 58:59.33; 7. Marko
Tarkkala (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 59:27.64; 8. Tom Sagar (Husaberg) 59:41.58; 9. Bjorne Carlsson (Husaberg) 59:49.78; 10; Jordi Figueras (Gas Gas) 1.00:29.35; 11. Rudy Cotton (Beta) 1.00:59.22; 12. Daniele Tellini (Husqvarna)
1.02:18.94

2009 World Enduro Championship - GP of Italy , day 2

Enduro 2 class
1. Johnny Aubert (KTM) 1.04:59.82; 2. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 1.06:25.19; 3. Juha Salminen (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 1.06:34.07; 4. Valtteri Salonen (Husaberg) 1.06:35.71; 5. Bartosz Oblucki (Husqvarna) 1.06:35.86; 6. Cristobal Guerrero (Yamaha) 1.06:38.72; 7. Alessandro Belometti (KTM) 1.06:44.38; 8. Oscar Botturi (Honda) 1.07:38.00; 9. Simo Kirssi (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 1.08:06.60; 10. Rodrig Thain (TM) 1.08:28.96;

Enduro 3 class
1. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 1.05:11.29; 2. Sebastien Guillaume (Husqvarna) 1.05:27.70; 3. Samuli Aro (KTM) 1.06:12.40; 4. Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) 1.06:37.86; 5. Fabio Mossini (Honda) 1.06:53.25; 6. Marcus Kehr (KTM) 1.07:09.0; 7. Bjorne Carlsson (Husaberg) 1.07:44.24; 8. Alessandro Botturi (KTM) 1.08:01.26; 9. Marko Tarkkala (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 1.08:51.12; 10. Rudy Cotton (Beta) 1.10:23.57;

Word from BMW is that the S1000RR superbike will be coming to Canada...

Not quite soon enough for early season riding this summer but it'll still be in 2009 that they hit the showroom floor. Canadian retailers are already taking deposits on this exciting new model.

The new supersport entry from BMW Motorrad, is scheduled to arrive in Canada late in 2009 as an early released 2010 model.

Specifications on this new motorcycle are expected to be 190+ hp, dry weight under 400 lbs, top speed 200+ km/h, and a Canadian retail price under $20,000.

Check out www.s1000rr.com for more information.

BMW have announced their Canadian demo days and they're making 19 stops at various BMW dealerships all the way from BC to New Brunswick.

Now that the BMW F800GS has been released to the wild, maybe they'll have some to test out just in case you're still on the fence about the new 798cc rotax powered machine, round the world ready machine.

Click the picture for a larger version:

BMW Financial Services in offering some special finance rates in Canada. 5.95% for any new 2009 model bike and 3.95% for any non-current new bike. Least that's what the newsletter says.

You're directed to a BMW motorrad site for more information. That site lists 14 different models, not all of which are brand new for 2009 yet all seem to list the 5.95% finance rate.

In terms of motorcycle financing that's pretty good even though the prime lending rate is sitting at about 2.5% right now.

No word on how long the finance deal will last either so best ask your local dealer that question as well.

So, best to contact your local BMW dealership for additional details

We've gotten some news from BMW about Round 3 of the 2009 Superbike World Championship - in Valencia, Spain (April 5th/09)

Valencia is a 4.005 km circuit. Attendance to the three days of the Valencia event was a right around 65,000. Conditions on Sunday were dry, sunny/cloudy mix with temperatures in the 18-23 C range.

Here's the latest from Munich:

After the closeness of qualifying, Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport riders Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus were confident that they could attack top ten positions in today’s third round of the Superbike World Championship at Valencia. But, Ruben’s 13th in race one was the best finish of the duo on a day that failed to pay dividends for all the hard work done by the whole team over the weekend. Troy crashed out of race one after just one lap, fortunately without injury, and then took 15th in race two, despite suffering grip problems. Ruben finished 16th but was happy with his race pace in both races - a pace he reckoned would’ve put him in the top eight had he started from the second row of the grid.

Noriyuki Haga (Ducati) took advantage of his Ducati’s ability round the twisty Valencia circuit and stormed to victory in both races. His team mate Michel Fabrizio took second in race one, with Max Neukirchner (Suzuki) third. American Ben Spies (Yamaha) took runner-up spot in race two, with Fabrizio third.

Troy - Race 1: DNF, Race 2: 15th
I crashed after just one lap of the first race because the bike found a false neutral, so that was that for that one. It’s a big shame, because I had made a pretty good start and was fourth at the end of the first lap. We changed the gearing for race two and maybe it was just a bit too short because I had grip problems with the rear tyre. It wasn’t working well and spinning quite a lot. I nearly crashed a couple of times and was over the front of the bars once, but I was determined to finish the race and that’s what I did. It was a bit frustrating today because although I knew I was in for a tough time (because of our grid position) I really felt I was going to get a couple of good top ten finishes.

Ruben - Race 1: 13th, Race 2: 16th
The results do not reflect how I feel about this bike. The bike is amazing and I don’t think there’s anything out there today that stops better. Nobody outbraked me at all today and I know that’s not the whole story, but I feel this bike has a lot more potential to come and once we do that, we’ll be flying. In race one, I got distracted by Biaggi’s jump start and it took me a short while to recover, but once I did, my lap times were good. The problem for me in both races is that this track is a bit of a ‘Micky Mouse’ track and it doesn’t suit the power delivery of the bike this weekend. That means we have work to do to make sure the bike works at all tracks and that is part of our development process. My bike does not have this kind of a problem at the fast flowing tracks and it’s all about the engine management. Once we have it sorted out, I’m sure that I will regularly finish in the top ten. Also, I need to focus more before Friday and really be on it from the beginning of the weekend, so that’s something that I will work on.

Berti Hauser (Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport)
Racing can be a frustrating business and today was hard for us all. I cannot fault the commitment of the riders or the team, but we have to manage a couple of small problems - sooner rather than later. Although, we’re probably not far off what we expected, the closeness of regular qualifying meant that we should’ve gone better in the races.

We have some ideas about what to do to improve and we’ll just have to roll our sleeves up and get on with it. Both riders tell me that the bike has big potential, so it is up to all of us in the team to realise this potential as soon as we can.

Results
Race 1: 1 Haga (J-Ducati), 2 Fabrizio (I-Ducati), 3 Neukirchner (D-Suzuki), 4 Laconi (F-Ducati), 5 Haslam (GB-Honda), 6 Kagayama (J-Suzuki), 13 Ruben Xaus (E-BMW Motorrad Motorsport), Troy Corser (Aus-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) DNF,
Race 2: Haga, 2 Spies (USA-Yamaha), 3 Fabrizio, 4 Laconi, 5 Haslam, 6 Checa (E-Honda), 15 Troy Corser (Aus-BMW Motorrad Motorsport), 16 Ruben Xaus (E-BMW Motorrad Motorsport),

Points: 1 Haga 135, 2 Spies 95, 3 Neukirchner 65, 4 Fabrizio 60, 5 Haslam 58, 6 Laconi 56, 15 Troy Corser (Aus-BMW Motorrad Motorsport), 17 Ruben Xaus (E-BMW Motorrad Motorsport),

BMW Motorrad Canada set a February sales record of 48 units, which is a sales increase of 336% compared to February 2008 sales.

Year-to-date, sales are up 183% to 68 units compared to the same period last year.

Sales of the new F650GS and F800GS models introduced in 2008 continue to grow along with the perennially popular R1200GS models, while the brand-new K1300-series models are gaining market momentum.

BMW has quite a bit of news coming across the wire this week! The latest is in regards to the World Enduro Championship results from Igualada, Spain - in Round 2 of the WEC. Without further ado here's the latest from Munich:

BMW Press Release

Hoping to improve the performances of their four team riders Juha Salminen, Simo Kirssi, David Knight and Marko Tarkkala the BMW Motorrad Motorsport team took to the start of the GP of Spain – round two of the ’09 World Enduro Championship – knowing that the event would be a challenging one for them. With the opening round of the series having unexpectedly delivered less than welcome results, with just one week to work on the difficulties encountered in Portugal all concerned knew that significantly better results would be hard to achieve.

In complete contrast to the season opener the GP of Portugal was an extremely wet and largely muddy event, with heavy rain during the second half of the opening day and then throughout Saturday night making day two particularly demanding.

Despite hoping for better Juha Salminen claimed the team’s best result with fifth in the Enduro 2 class on day one while David Knight claimed sixth in the Enduro 3 category on both days and Simo Kirssi claimed sixth on day two as well.

In the Enduro 2 class Juha Salminen’s event frustratingly got off to a less than perfect start, as he placed 18th in class on the Friday night Super test following a fall. Thankfully, day one started well with a solid second in class on the opening extreme test. Performing consistently during the first half of the first day the seven-time world champion wasn’t quite able to maintain his pace during Saturday afternoon with mistakes on the extreme test hampering his result. Eventually Juha placed ninth in class. In contrast to Juha’s fortunes Simo Kirssi’s day ended much better than it started. Failing to find his rhythm early in the day the Finn placed an impressive fifth, sixth and second in the three final special tests and ended the first day’s competition in 11th.

Day two saw a vast improvement in the results of both Salminen and Kirssi. Performing well on the extreme, motocross and enduro tests Juha finished inside the top 10 of the E2 class on all but one of the day’s special tests, where a fall resulted in him placing 13th in class. Ending day two an eventual fifth in the Enduro 2 category, were it not for his mistake the Finn would certainly have been close to a podium result. Just one place behind Salminen in sixth BMW’s second Enduro 2 class rider Simo Kirssi jumped five places up the E2 class results from his day one finishing position.

For David Knight the GP of Spain ended with the Manxman finishing sixth in the Enduro 3 class on both days. Claiming the same position in class at the end of the Friday night Super test, Knight was quickly up to speed at the start of day one and finished third in class on the opening extreme test. Knowing that the GP of Spain would be a challenging one David continued to perform well on the extreme test while improving his results on both the motocross and enduro tests. David finished less than nine seconds adrift of defending Enduro 3 world champion Samuli Aro at the end of the day. David’s E3 class mate Marko Tarkkala ended the first day’s competition 10th.

Day two also saw Knight finish sixth in class. Hopeful of improving his day one result a costly mistake on the man-made section of the extreme test on lap three ended Knight’s chances of finishing any higher. Improving his day one result by two places Marko Tarkkala finished eight in the Enduro 3 class on day two.

The ’09 World Enduro Championship now takes a three-week break before heading to Iglesias, Sardinia for the GP of Italy.

Markus Theobald – BMW G 450 X Project Leader: “It goes without saying that everyone in the team hoped that we would have better results this weekend than we did at the first round of the championship, but realistically that was always going to be difficult to achieve. Despite knowing that we were coming to a race where the terrain would be different to that in Portugal, we only had a few days to test between the two events. We worked hard to improve things for the riders but we knew it would be difficult to greatly improve our results.

“We do now have a clearer picture of what our riders are experiencing. We know that on some special tests they are able to put in fast special test times, but mistakes are common, and these mistakes are holding them back. We need to understand why in some situations they are fast and can ride freely and to their full potential, and why on other occasions they are unable to give 100 per cent without experiencing mistakes.

“Despite the event being such a demanding race we didn’t experience any mechanical problems, which is extremely positive. We now have a few weeks before the next round of the world championship and despite having a lot of work to do we are confident that at the GP of Italy all the team riders will be more confident and able to ride harder on all tests.”

World Enduro Championship ’09 – GP of Spain, day 1

Enduro 2 class
1. Johnny Aubert (KTM) 38:23.72; 2. Cristobal Guerrero (Yamaha) 39:01.47; 3. Bartosz Oblucki (Husqvarna) 39:15.07; 4. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 39:27.45; 5. Oscar Balletti (Honda) 39:37.63; 6. Rodrig Thain (TM) 39:46.81; 7. Matti Seistola
(Husqvarna) 39:54.52; 8. Alessandro Belometti (KTM) 39:59.09; 9. Juha Salminen (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 39:59.12; 10. Luca Cherubini (TM) 39:59.83

Enduro 3 class
1. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 38:40.52; 2. Sebastien Guillaume (Husqvarna) 38:42.91; 3. Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) 38:44.00; 4. Alessandro Botturi (KTM) 39:34.32; 5. Samuli Aro (KTM) 39:34.66; 6. David Knight (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 39:43.62; 7. Marcus Kehr (KTM) 39:48.23; 8. Fabio Mossini (Honda) 39:49.90; 9. Bjorne Carlsson (Husaberg) 40:26.59; 10. Marko Tarkkala (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 40:27.60

Championship ’09 – GP of Portugal, day 2

Enduro 2 class
1. Johnny Aubert (KTM) 48:40.02; 2. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 50:41.06; 3. Rodrig Thain (TM) 51:01.88; 4. Alessandro Belometti (KTM) 51:12.51; 5. Juha Salminen (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 51:35.17; 6. Simo Kirssi (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 52:20.61; 7. Cristobal Guerrero (Yamaha) 52:27.37; 8. Oscar Balletti (Honda) 52:29.37; 9. Bartosz Oblucki (Husqvarna) 52:47.09; 10. Valtteri Salonen (Husaberg) 52:51.59

Enduro 3 class
1. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 50:27.01; 2. Samuli Aro (KTM) 50:55.02; 3. Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) 50:55.77; 4.Sebastien Guillaume (Husqvarna) 51:36.64; 5. Marcus Kehr (KTM) 51:50.39; 6. David Knight (BMW Motorrad Motorsport)
52:29.09; 7. Alessandro Botturi (KTM) 54:27.37; 8. Marko Tarkkala (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 54:46.12; 9. Fabio Mossini (Honda) 55:39.74; 10. Mark Wassink (KTM) 56:53.88

BMW Press Release -

Whitby. BMW Motorrad Canada is pleased to announce that it will compete in the all-new 2009 Canadian Enduro Championship, confirming that it has signed Guy Giroux to campaign the BMW G450X in this season’s series.

Based in St-Hippolyte, Quebec, Giroux has an impressive resumé in the world of off-road competiton. In Quebec, Guy is somewhat of an off-road juggernaut, having reigned as the off-road Champion 16 times – from 1988 through 1994 and 2000 through 2008, in addition to capturing the 2004 Supermoto Championship in both the SM1 and SM2 classes. Guy also has a long streak of main event appearances at the Montreal Supercross.

“I’m pumped! I have been following the progress of the G450X since early 2008.”, stated Guy, “ This is an incredible challenge for me and one I have been looking forward to!”.

Nationally, Guy also has three Canadian Off Road Championships to his credit, along with four Canadian Vice-Champion finishes and a Vice-Champion finish in the 2003 Supermoto series.

On the international front, Guy earned bronze and gold medals at, respectively, the ’88 French and ’89 German International Six-Day Enduro (ISDE) events, finished 16th in 2002 in the world’s toughest motorcycle race, the Paris Dakar Rally and competed successfully in World Enduro events from 2005 through 2007.

Chris Duff, Marketing and race team Manager for BMW Motorrad Canada, enthuses over the new addition to the Motorrad Canada racing team: “Guy was always the first choice that we wanted racing the new BMW G450X in Canada. He is an off-road racing icon in Canada and we’re confident that he will put the G450X in a podium position everytime out on the bike.”

The Canadian Enduro Championship (CEC) is brand-new to Canada and has been created under the auspices of World Enduro Canada (WEC), the umbrella organization for Canadian enduro off-road motorcycle competiton.

The CEC was developed to provide Canadian off-road riders with an exciting, safe and enjoyable competition experience. The new CEC series features well-thought out principles and a formula that aligns with international standards, with up-to-date liability, environmental and organizational guidelines. The primary objectives of the CEC are to unite Canadian endure off-road racers in one National series and to help provide a platform to develop riders who can compete in the World Enduro Championship.

The inaugural 2009 CEC series is comprised of a 4 event, 8 race schedule:

July 4 & 5 2009 - Blairmore, Alberta
July 11 & 12 - Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
September 12 & 13 - Labelle, Quebec
September 19 & 20 - Parry Sound, Ontario

The schedule integrates a consistent special test format modeled after the World Enduro Championship (WEC).

The BMW G450X Enduro, developed in 2007 to challenge the contenders in international enduro competition, made its competition debut in the 2008 World Enduro Championship. Showing increasingly promising results throught the year, the 2008 season culminated with BMW rider Simo Kirrsi winning the European Cross-Country Championship in October of 2008.

The production BMW G450X Enduro, fully street-legal, yet designed for “hard-core” off-road competition, went on sale in Canada in the fall of 2008.

Looks like Quebec native, Francis Martin has a new gig with the 2009 BMW Motorrad Canada Motorsport Team. He'll be competing on a 2009 BMW HP2 Sport in the Pro Sportbike class in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship.

The newly revamped classes should make for some interesting racing this year. Full press release follows.

Press Release -

Whitby. BMW Motorrad Canada is pleased to announce the addition of Francis Martin to the 2009 BMW Motorrad Canada Motorsport Team.

Martin, hailing from Sherbrooke, Quebec, is a veteran of the Parts Canada Superbike series having competed with five different teams in the series and claiming the Canadian Open Sportbike Championship in 2002 and reigning as Canadian Superbike Champion in both 1999 and 2005.

“I am delighted to be part of the BMW Motorrad Canada race team.” states Martin, adding, “I’m itching to get familiar with the BMW racebike as soon as possible – the season can’t start soon enough!”

Both Mike Ferreira and Francis Martin will be competing in the newly-revised Parts Canada Superbike Championship aboard the 2009 BMW HP2 Sport, race-developed in the last two years of the previous CanadianThunder series. Competing in the Pro Sportbike class, Mike Ferreira will wear number Pro 210, while Francis Martin will display his customary Pro 16.

Chris Duff, Marketing and Race Team manager for BMW Motorrad Canada states : “As we work toward the possibility of entering superbike racing in Canada in 2010, the opportunity to have a two-time Canadian Superbike Champion on the team for 2009 is an incredible bonus.”, continuing, “We are very excited to have Francis on board for this season. With Francis teamed up with Mike Ferreira, a former Pro 600 Sportbike Regional Champion and veteran of two Canadian Thunder seasons with BMW, we are looking forward to seeing BMW running up front in the new Pro Sportbike Class.”

This year sees a heavily revamped landscape for the Parts Canada Superbike Championship with the elimination of the Canadian Thunder and Sport Twin Classes after the withdrawal of Ducati and KTM from the series. This has resulted in major changes to the rules to the former 600cc Sport Bike classes, opening the door for a range of new machinery to participate.

Starting with the 2009 season, twin cylinder motorcycles from Buell and BMW will be allowed to compete in the Sport Bike classes, running to separate weight and horsepower limitations than their 600cc four cylinder opposition.

The BMW group has just released their financial reports for 2008 and if you're really interested you can check out the online version here.

For those interested in just how the motorcycle side of things went, here's a brief overview:

Motorcycles segment reports earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of euro 60 million.

The earnings performance of the Motorcycles segment in 2008 was influenced by difficult business conditions. EBIT fell to euro 60 million (2007: euro 80 million/-25.0%) and the profit before tax dropped to euro 51 million (2007: euro 71 million/-28.2%).

Revenues totalled euro 1,230 million (2007: euro 1,228 mil-lion/+0.2%). BMW Motorrad was almost able to match its previous year's record sales volume figure despite unfavourable business conditions on the world's motorcycle markets.

In total, 101,685 BMW motorcycles (2007: 102,467 units) were sold in 2008 (-0.8%).

Press Release BMW Motorrad (03/16/2009):

Three top tens for BMW Motorrad Motorsport.

Munich. BMW Motorrad Motorsport riders Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus rode superbly in both the two 18-lap races in Doha today and earned themselves three top ten placings. Troy finished ninth in both races and Ruben took 13th in race one and followed that with a hard-fought for tenth in race two. Today's tremendous results were all the more spectacular considering that Ruben and Troy had started the races from the fourth row of the grid after a problem in Superpole yesterday.But almost more special than the top ten finishes was the sight of Troy in fourth place after two laps of race two! The Aussie had blasted off the line superbly from 16th on the grid and stunned everybody by crossing the line in fifth place at the end of lap one. By lap two he had stormed into fourth - a position he held until lap four. Although he ended the race in ninth, his spell in fourth place made up for all the disappointment the past two days and gives Troy, Ruben and the whole team a tremendous boost before the next race in three week's time.

Troy - Race 1: 9th, Race 2: 9th
After practice and qualifying, we were a bit disappointed about our prospects of any good results from the fourth row of the grid. Overnight we found a solution to our top speed problem and that gave me a slim chance today. In race two, I made one of the best starts of my life, saw a gap and just went for it! It felt great to be up front with the race leaders and although I knew it wouldn´t last, it was great while it happened. At the moment, we are about half a second down on bike and chassis set-up and if we could cut that gap we'd be competitive for sure. It certainly doesn't help starting from row four and, at Qatar, that probably means you lose seven or so seconds on the first lap and you have to spend the rest of the race playing catch up. To get two top tens today is certainly more than I was expecting before the season started and shows that the bike has real potential. After three weeks or so away, we'll now be able to return to our workshops, analyse all the info and get the work started for the next round.

Ruben - Race 1: 13th, Race 2: 10th
I'm really happy with the races today and although there's lots of work to do, I think Troy and I did a great job. I'm very happy with race two, because I ended nearly nine seconds closer to the front then in race one. On my sighting lap for race two, I thought it might be better to go longer on the rear sprocket. I knew that it would be a problem on the start, but it was a risk I wanted to take. And it wasn't a good start, but I soon got into a good rhythm. My biggest surprise was seeing that Troy was fourth! I was jealous because I wanted to be there! I just kept pushing hard and I managed to catch Troy towards the end of the race. I thought about trying to pass him, but thought 'Ruben don't do anything stupid', so I stayed behind. Then Haslam overtook me two laps from the end and pushed me out of the top ten, but I said 'No, no, no!' and made sure I got past him before the finish so that Troy and I could both be in the top ten.

Berti Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director)
The most important thing this weekend is that we have learnt a lot, but I must also say that the results today make me more than happy. Troy did an amazing job in both races and the great work between the two riders helped us get both in the top ten in race two. Considering that our team is still learning, I think this is a great achievement this early in the championship and I'd like to thank them and riders for all the hard work here and at Phillip Island. Friday was 'Black Friday' for us, but today our results mean we can all leave Qatar happy.

Results

Race 1: 1 Spies (USA-Yamaha), 2 Haga (J-Ducati), 3 Biaggi (I-Aprilia), 4 Nakano (J-Aprilia), 5 Checa (E-Honda), 6 Byrne (GB-Ducati), 7 Sykes (GB-Yamaha), 8 Kiyonari (J-Honda), 9 Troy Corser (Aus-BMW Motorrad Motorsport), 10 Laconi (F-Ducati), 13 Ruben Xaus (E-BMW Motorrad Motorsport),

Race 2: 1 Spies, 2 Haga, 3 Biaggi, 4 Kiyonari, 5 Sykes, 6 Neukirchner (D-Suzuki), 7 Nakano, 8 Rea (GB-Honda), 9 Troy Corser (Aus-BMW Motorrad Motorsport), 10 Ruben Xaus (E-BMW Motorrad Motorsport),

Points: 1 Haga 85, 2 Spies 75, 3 Neukirchner 40, 4 Biaggi 38, 5 Haslam 36, 6 Sykes 32, 7 Laconi 30, 8 Rea 30, 9 Nakano 27, 10 Kagayama 25, 12 Troy Corser (Aus-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 22, 17 Ruben Xaus (E-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 14,

BMW are excited about their top 10 finish in Australia in the first Superbike race of the season and think they'll be very competitive this year with their newly developed S1000RR.

They're readying for the Losail track but know they'll face challenges because they have no bike data for the track.

Should be an interesting race! The Qatar race starts up on March 14th. See our previous post on the Superbike series for details on when it airs.

Press Release -

Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport head to the Losail circuit in Qatar knowing that it will be harder to get another superb top ten position than it was in the opening round of the championship in Phillip Island, Australia. In Phillip Island the team benefited from a two-day test prior to the event, but their first chance of seeing the Losail racetrack will be the first practice session on Thursday morning. The circuit in Qatar will be just the first of many tracks about which the team have no data or information from previous seasons and their task will be that much harder than that of the competitors. The first two sessions will be vital for the Troy, Ruben and the team, but hopefully the experience of the riders will help the technicians do their work smartly and provide a good platform for raceday.

Troy
Getting an eighth in Phillip Island was a fantastic result and gave us all great hope for the season. But now we are going to a track and we have no data about if for our bike and that is going to be a big disadvantage. The race weekend in Phillip Island was real eye-opener for our team and things happened during the three days that don't happen in tests, so the team gained a lot of experience. We all have to build on that but all the guys are very committed and are working hard to push this project forward as quickly as possible. Qatar will be an interesting test for us all, but we're going to give it 100% and see what happens.

Ruben
I think that Phillip Island showed that our team is going to be competitor - and sooner rather than later. If I hadn't had two or three collisions in race one, I am sure I would've had a much better result and probably been able to challenge for a top ten place. But at least, I stayed on the bike and I'm happy because Troy got a great result in the first race and we managed to finish both races. Qatar is going to be harder because our bike will be racing there for the first time and so we don't have any data or telemetry to work from. We all have to be at 100% right from the start and push all the way to end, but this is a great team and who knows what may happen?

Berti Hauser (Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport)
It was great to finally start our big adventure and fantastic to get such a good result in the first race. If there hadn't been a problem in Superpole, who knows what result would've been possible? Our team have a tremendous work ethic and I am so happy because I think everybody can see that we mean business and that we are going to be a competitive force before too long.

2008 Results
Race 1: 1 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati), 2 Biaggi (I-Ducati), 3 Troy Corser (Aus-Yamaha), 4 Ruben Xaus (E-Ducati), 5 Max Neukirchner (D- Alstare Suzuki),
6 Checa (E-Honda)

Race 2: 1 Nieto (E-Suzuki), 2 Ruben Xaus, 3 Biaggi, 4 Bayliss, 5 Fabrizio
(I-Ducati), 6 Lanzi (I-Ducati), 7 Troy Corser

Yes, you read it right. - Pine cones.

BMW has just come out with a new riding suit, the Streetguard 3 to replace their Streetguard 2. The Streetguard 3 features fabric that mimics the principle of a pine cone, whose scales open and close in response to heat and cold. The technology is dubbed "c_change™" and it is said to "breath" in the summer and insulate in cold weather.

Well, when put that way, it does appeal to my inner technology lover!

Not only that though, it suit also has what BMW calls the "coldblack®" feature on the outside. Coldblack® causes 80 percent of sunlight to be reflected off the black surfaces. Protecting you from heat and UV radiation - the suit also remains cool for longer even in bright sunshine, which will undoubtedly make riding with all your gear on when it's 35 degrees celsius in stop and go traffic a whole lot more bearable.

It sounds like some pretty amazing stuff. It doesn't come cheap, the Streetguard 3 will have an MSRP of $1,033.50 for the jacket and $807.50 for the pants, but it does sound like it could be "the" gear to have. Sizes and cuts specifically for men, or women, are available.

Press Release with full details follow:

03/05/2009

Munich/Whitby. Arriving just in time for the start of the new season this spring, the Streetguard 3 suit is to replace its predecessor, the Streetguard 2, offering new safety features and improved comfort for the wearer.
The new Streetguard 3 suit is equipped with the latest safety and comfort features from Swiss textile manufacturer schoeller®, guaranteeing perfectly coordinated functions. The external material is made from a new protective fabric developed exclusively with and for BMW Motorrad - schoeller®-keproshield™. The high-strength composite fabric with Kevlar, cotton and polyamide elements resulted in an increase in durability and toughness, resistance to tearing and frictional heat of about 20 percent in comparison with its predecessor.

In order to achieve maximum comfort for the wearer, the outer material is directly bonded to an inner water- and wind-proof c_change™-membrane. Nature provided the inspiration when the designers came to develop c_change™. Mimicking the principle of a pine cone, whose scales open and close in response to heat and cold, c_change™ "breathes" in the summer and insulates in cold weather. This makes the membrane very breathable, while its air-permeability enables it to adapt to the external temperature and the body temperature of the wearer. This guarantees the perfect body temperature whatever the weather. In addition, the membrane also offers an elasticity that enables a fully elastic outer shell to be constructed, ensuring even more comfort for the wearer. Thus kitted out, the rider can withstand wind and weather, while still looking good thanks to the fashionable cut.

But that's not all: for the first time, the suit also has the so-called coldblack® feature on the outside. This causes 80 percent of sunlight to be reflected off the black surfaces. This means that the body is effectively protected from heat and UV radiation - the suit also remains cool for longer even in bright sunshine, thus palpably increasing the comfort of the wearer.

The jacket has a single special zipper to the front (riri® storm) that keeps out wind, water and UV radiation effectively without resorting to the labyrinth construction used to date. Similar water-resistant special zippers (riri®AQUAzip) can also be found on the outside pockets. The jacket also has a detachable storm collar and practical sleeve cuffs for a water-proof transition to the gloves. If conditions are particularly frosty, the removable, high-quality 3M Thinsulate lining provides optimum insulation. In addition, a high waistband with fleece lining on the inside prevents unpleasant cold drafts.

The protectors provide yet another safety element. That's why the suit now comes complete with the NP protectors developed by BMW Motorrad with optimum shock-absorbing properties. These are located on the back, shoulders and elbows and at the hips and knees (knee protectors adjustable to three different heights). An optional coccyx protector can be added. To ensure that the rider is highly visible at all times, reflective fabric has been incorporated on the front, back and on the sides of the trouser legs.

The versions for men and women differ not only in their design, but also in their cut. The Streetguard 3 suit is available in black in ladies' sizes 36-46, 72-88, or 18-22 and in men's' sizes 46-66, 98-118, or 25-32. For additional combination options, the jacket is also available in a black/gray/orange color combination in men's sizes 46-60 and ladies' sizes 36-46.

The Streetguard 3 will have an MSRP of $1,033.50 for the jacket and $807.50 for the pants.

Transport Canada has issued a recall notice which affects motorcycles made by BMW, Suzuki and Kawasaki.

BMW F650GS;

Motorcyles affected: 373 and 288

On certain motorcycles, the front brake disc fasteners installed during vehicle assembly may have been of insufficient length. As a result, the fasteners may not have received adequate tightening torque, which could eventually allow the brake disc to loosen. This could result in a loss of front brake function which, in conjunction with traffic and road conditions, and the rider's reactions, could increase the risk of a crash.

Also, on certain motorcycles, the chain sprocket fasteners may become loose which, in the worst case, could cause a loss of vehicle propulsion. Lost propulsion, in conjunction with traffic and road conditions, and the rider's reactions, could increase the risk of a crash.

KAWASAKI CONCOURS 14, KAWASAKI CONCOURS 14 ABS;

Motorcycles affected: 580 Model Years affected: 2008, 2009

On certain motorcycles, small stones or other road debris can become trapped between the brake pedal and the rear brake master cylinder actuating rod. This can prevent full release of the rear brake. Continuous activation of the rear brake while the vehicle is being operated can result in overheating, damage, rear wheel lockup, or failure of the rear brake, creating the risk of a crash resulting in injury or death.

SUZUKI GSX-R 1000K5, GSX-R 1000K6;

Motorcyles affected: 1,207

On certain motorcycles, crash forces or hazardous maneuvers such as extreme or extended wheelies or other stunts causing extreme stress to the frame can result in frame cracking or breakage behind and below the steering neck, while ordinary vehicle operation does not create a risk of such frame cracking or breakage. Suzuki believes that this issue does not constitute a "defect" within the meaning of the Motor

Vehicle Safety Act because such extreme maneuvers are far outside the ordinary and reasonable operation of the vehicles involved. However, as a precautionary measure for the sake of owners and operators, Suzuki has voluntarily decided to conduct this safety improvement campaign.

Looking for more Transport Canada recall information? Check out Transport Canada's searchable database here.

BMW staff and fans of BMW are looking forward to seeing the BMW S 1000 RR perform at the first Superbike race of the season - this Sunday, March 1st. Prior to the race - testing went well (apart from Troy Corser hitting a bird at about 230 km/hr), now it's time to see it in action!

* Troy had a collision with a bird early in the afternoon of day two. He was going about 230 kph, when he hit the bird and the force of the impact on Troy's left bicep was enough to wrench his left hand off the handlebars. Somehow, he managed to keep the control of the bike and not crash, but the doctors advised him to sit out the rest of the day.

The bike is a bit of departure for BMW and features a 999cc in-line 4-cylinder engine. It weighs in at 183kg (dry) which, incidentally is slightly heavier than the Ducati 1198S that it'll be racing alongside with at 169kg (dry). The Ducati is said to produce 170bhp from it's 1198cc v-twin. Rumor is the BMW makes closer to 190bhp.

Press Release:

Munich. Staff and fans of BMW Motorrad are looking forward to March 1st 2009 with great excitement. At the introductory race to the Superbike World Championship in Phillip Island / Australia, two BMW motorcycles will be in the starting line-up for the first time. After recent tests in Portimao and Valencia, riders Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus are optimistic about the future and the mood in the BMW Motorrad Motorsport team is positive. The racing bikes will be fairly close to serial production models, allowing for the greater audience identification characteristic of the sport. Behind the scenes meanwhile, production of the serial machine is getting underway: the BMW S 1000 RR.

The package of this completely newly developed motorcycle with its 999cc in-line 4-cylinder engine is very compact and light. The dry weight of the motorcycle is 183 kg.

Both its supreme performance figures and its outstanding riding properties make the BMW S 1000 RR an extremely attractive offer in the supersports segment.

The engine has a very compact cylinder head and is narrow in shape. The valves are activated by means of very small, light cam followers, virtually at Formula 1 level in terms of their dimensions. This construction ensures very high engine speeds and allows maximum freedom in engine design in terms of torque and output.

For the supersports bike BMW S 1000 RR, a completely newly developed sports ABS featuring four different modes as well as the dynamic traction control system DTC will be available. The functional principle of the traction control system has been borrowed directly from racing.

The distinctive design of the S 1000 RR reflects the general style of the segment but also clearly represents the brand BMW.

The new S 1000 RR will be available in the four finishes Mineral Silver metallic, Acid Green metallic, Thunder Grey metallic and – based on the BMW Motorrad racing colours - Alpine White/Lupine Blue/Magma Red.

The serial production machine BMW S 1000 RR will be presented to the public in the early summer of 2009.

If the crowds of people in attendance are a measure of success then it appears the Atlantic Motorcycle & ATV Show was a BIG success. The exhibitor spots were sold out and the place was packed wall to wall with all the most exciting motorcycles on the Canadian market.

All the big manufacturers were there, and even plenty of the smaller ones, and some you've probably never heard of too.

*Click the image for a larger version.

The RC8 from KTM. It's hard to believe but it looks even better in person than it does in pictures. If you ride this on the street you're going to get tickets and people are going to be following you around to talk to you when you stop. It looks amazing!

The new rocket ship fast, buttery smooth K1300GT from BMW. This model features the Japanese style signal switches which are located on the left. No more right handed right turn signal.

An Ad Bovin equipped BMW 450 Enduro. This might be just the ticket to extend the riding season here in the Great White North.

Because the 1098S just wasn't good enough Ducati brings us the larger displacement 1198S. Better sign up for some track days if you're getting one of these!

The 2009 ZX6R that went on a big diet and lost an incredible 20lbs. And oh yeah, about 8 more horsepower too.

Get ready to see plenty of these on the roads and trails near you this summer. The new, long awaited, BMW F800GS is here.

The new Suzuki Gladius. It'a mid-sized naked featuring the ever popular SV650 v-twin engine. New for 2009.

The KSM200 is Konker Motor's (a Langley BC based company) first street legal motorcycle. Featuring a 200cc engine built in a Suzuki partnered factory - it's said to be the same engine as the Suzuki DR200. Coming soon to a dealer near you!

It wasn't long after we posted the news about a rumored BMW maxi-scooter that a rather good looking mock-up photo was published on the Internet from Oberdam Bezzi Design.

It's still just a mock-up at this point and strictly Internet rumor as to whether it'll be built but it's unlikely that BMW will ignore sales trends. Maxi-scooters are growing in popularity so a BMW model to fill the gap in their offerings doesn't seem far fetched.

While I'm a little more partial to the K1300S or a F800GS the practicality of a vehicle like this can't be ignored. To BMW I'd say - "Build it and they will come."

Photo from Oberdam Bezzi Design.

We love Internet rumor! There's some new gossip spreading around that BMW is currently working on a scooter for 2010. Maxi scooters are big sellers, particularly in Europe, where they're some of the best selling machines. It seems that BMW may want a piece of that action.

The new scooter will be throughly BMW'esque, some hint it may even feature paralever suspension. Hmmm, that would surely give a pretty hefty price tag. I'd be surprised to see them use this system.

It's said that BMW will use the Rotax v-twins with 500cc, 650cc, and the big one - the 800cc. Power will range from a sedate 33hp all the way up to 800cc. They're liquid-cooled, fuel-injected four-strokes that make use of counter-rotating crankshafts to reduce vibrations. Transmissions would almost certainly be continuously variable.

Reworking the engines so that they'll work for a scooter configuration on the swingarm will take considerable effort.

There doesn't seem to be any pictures to show at this point but we'll keep looking.

BMW Motorrad experienced another record year in 2008 in what has been a long series of consecutive increases in BMW bike sales.

BMW Motorrad Canada celebrated its best sales year in history in 2008. They sold 1,760 motorcycles, for an increase of 8% over 2007 sales.

In December, 115 BMW motorcycles were retailed in Canada, a 13% increase over December 2007. No doubt the very popular BMW F650 GS and the BMW F800 GS played a part in this past years stellar performance.

The BMW F650GS, with it's base MSRP of $9,490.00 packs a lot of value and makes owning a BMW reasonably affordable.

The F800GS has been a highly anticipated model that is what some refer to as a smaller (and cheaper!) version of the marque's popular R1200 GS model.

It's never too early to start planning your summer vacation! Here's a good reason to take a little time off in July - or maybe just go for the weekend.

BMW is going to be holding their annual Summerfest at Mosport International Raceway this summer from July 17th – 19th 2009. It's sure to draw motorcyclists from far and wide.

There will be a big party on Saturday evening featuring live music by a selection of Canadian talent. They'll also have some great off-road and on-road demo rides and all the pavement lovers will get some action too. Some race action that is, there will be some Superbike, Pro 600 Sport Bike, and the Canadian Thunder Series at the track.

On-site camping will be available, you can bring along the RV, or stay off-site at various B&B and hotel accommodations.

BMW will have what they refer to as the "BMW Marketplace" on site as well, offering product demos, service specials, parts and accessories, and branded apparel.

Keep an eye on the Summerfest website for more info. Mark your calendars or just keep an eye on our Events Calendar page.

The Toronto Motorcycle show is this coming weekend.

We can't possibly tell you everything that's going on at the show, with upwards of 150 exhibitors you can bet there will be something that should interest just about every motorcycle enthusiast. But as a bit of a sneak peak, here's what the big names are scheduled to display:

BMW Motorrad Canada will be bringing the new K1300S, R and GT along with the F800GS that has finally started to show up at dealers (much to the delight of those who've already put deposits on them and anticipated a September arrival). Riders that like the dirt might be interested in seeing the G450X Enduro. Those of you who are more World Superbike than off-road adventure will surely enjoy BMW's, still under development, S1000RR, BMW's World Superbike entry that won't hit the racetrack in 2009.

Ducati will have the new 1198S Superbike, the Monster M1100S, and may also bring along a Desmosedici Moto GP replica streetbike with a retail price in the 80 thousand
range.

Honda should have the 2009 DN01, a $17,499, 680cc tourer with an automatic transmission. Not to disappoint, the CBR600 and CBR1000 sportbikes should be there as well showing off the new optional anti-lock brakes.

Kawasaki will show off the Vulcan 1700 series and the new ZX-6R 600 sportbike that is said to be an almost unbelievable 10 kg lighter than last year's model. Canadian Superbike and Pro 600 Champion Jordan Szoke and teammate Alex Welsh will be there too doing some autograph sessions.

KTM has said said they'll be showing off the 1190 RC8 Superbike and their single-cylinder 690 Enduro; the most powerful single cylinder on the market.

Deeley Harley-Davidson will have the 2009 touring models and Tri-Glide trike and the previously Euro-spec only XR1200 Sportster. You'll get a look at the Police Edition of the Buell Ulysses too.

Suzuki will be bringing the all new GSX-R1000, new Boulevard M90, and the SFV650 (or Gladius)- a naked styled bike using the famed SV650 v-twin engine. Suzuki will also show off some Canadian only models such as a 650 and 1000 V-Strom that come with locking hard bags and topbox as standard equipment.

Yamaha will have the new V Max, the 200-horsepower rocket!

BWM brought a concept bike to the EICMA show in Milan, Italy this past November to test the public's perception of a LoRider concept they'd come up with. They wanted to see what people thought about it.

The general consensus seems to be positive but BMW have set up a site where you can give them your thoughts on which configurations you like best, what price you think it should be, what amount of horsepower it should have, and many other particulars.

The BMW LoRider concept is a fully customizable motorcycle. The rider can select the exhaust system, the type of seat, the headlight, and the list goes on...

BMW have 12 different configurations shown on the site below. We've included a little preview for you.

Head on over to BMW's specially set up site to tell'em what you think.

BMW fans attended a World of BMW Experience in record numbers in 2008, and with 2009 fast approaching the German manufacturer is aiming to boost numbers of riders who choose to take a trip with them even higher.

I don't see any Canadian dates listed but there are certainly no shortage of interesting places they are going.

Here's bit of BMW Newsletter with details on the events that are planned for 2009 so far:

BMW Off Road Skills
Facilities at the spectacular Walters Arena Park in Wales are second to none, offering 4,000 acres of terrain and trails to suit all abilities. You will be taught or guided by an experienced team of skilled BMW instructors, headed by six-times Dakar Rally competitor Simon Pavey. This year's range of experiences has been extended to ensure there is something for everyone - from beginners to experienced off-roaders.

In addition to the Level One, Level Two, Day In The Dirt and Brecon Beacons Discovery courses we ran in 2008, next year also sees two new activities for BMW Off Road Skills: a 'Level 3 Enduro Skills' course on BMW's new G 450 X - designed to train and prepare riders for the challenges faced in enduro racing; and an all new 'Adventure Maintenance Skills' course - designed to teach the basic skills for maintaining your bike when travelling.

BMW Off Road Skills courses for 2009 include:

Off Road Skills Level One:
March 05-06; 08-09; 20-21; 22-23; 28-29 (ladies only)
April 10-11; 12-13; 24-25; 26-27
May 07-08; 10-11; 16-17 (ladies only); 22-23; 24-25
June 26-27; 28-29
July 09-10; 12-13; 30-31
August 02-03; 21-22; 23-24
September 10-11; 13-14; 25-26; 27-28
October 08-09; 11-12

Off Road Skills Level Two:
08-09 March
12-13 April
10-11 May
12-13 July
13-14 September
11-12 October

Off Road Skills Level Three:
05-06 March
10-11 April
07-08 May
09-10 July
10-11 September
08-09 October

A Day In The Dirt:
07 March
09 May
11 July
01 August
12 September
10 October

Brecon Beacons Discovery:
04-05 April
04-05 July
05-06 September

Adventure Maintenance Skills:
24 March
28 April
26 May
30 June
25 August
29 September

The following BMW models available to ride at Off Road Skills in 2009:
Level One G 650 Xcountry / G 650 Xchallenge / F 650 GS / F 800 GS / R 1200 GS
Level Two G 650 Xcountry / G 650 Xchallenge / F 650 GS / F 800 GS / R 1200 GS / HP2
Level Three G 450 X only
Day in the Dirt G 650 Xcountry / G 650 Xchallenge / F 650 GS / F 800 GS / R 1200 GS / HP2 / G 450 X
Brecon Beacons Discovery G 650 Xcountry / G 650 Xchallenge / F 650 GS / F 800 GS / R 1200 GS
Adventure Maintenance Participants will work on a variety of BMW motorcycles


For further information on BMW Off Road Skills or for advanced booking please call 08000 131 282.

BMW Rider Training
BMW Rider Training is managed by Double Guinness World Record Holders Kevin & Julia Sanders and is located on the edge of the beautiful Brecon Beacons. You can either learn new skills or learn from scratch from some of the highest-qualified instructors in the UK, riding some of the best biking roads in Britain on the latest models from BMW Motorrad. BMW Rider Training boasts a higher than average national motorcycle license pass rate.

Now is still the time 2009 is also a key year for anyone considering taking their bike test. With the new motorcycle test delayed until 30 March 2009, we expect demand for Direct Access courses to be higher than ever.

To avoid disappointment we strongly recommend booking as early as possible to secure your place on a course. We have also introduced a one-day Road Skills Introduction course for 2009, which is suitable for any riders wanting a health check on their riding. This can be done as a standalone day, or in conjunction with a BMW Off Road Skills Level One course. A new two-day CBT course has also been introduced for 2009, ideal for partners of riders attending a BMW Off Road Skills course (as both activities are based close to each other in South Wales).

BMW Rider Training courses for 2009 include:

Direct Access and CBT training
Dates confirmed at time of booking*

Road Skills Introduction
March 21; 27 (the 27th being a ladies only date)
April 25
May 23; 15 (the 15th being a ladies only date)
June 27
July 11
August 22
September 26

BMW Road Skills Level One - Refresher
March 7-8
April 4-5
May 2-3 (ladies only)
June 6-7
July 4-5
August 1-2
September 4-5 (ladies only)
October 3-4

BMW Road Skills Level Two - Intermediate
March 28-30
April 26-28
May 24-26 (ladies only)
June 28-30
July 26-28
August 30 Aug - 1 Sept (ladies only)
September 27-29
October 23-25

BMW Road Skills Level Three - Advanced
March 14-16
April 17-19
May17-19 (ladies only)
June 13-15
July 12-14
August 7-9 (ladies only)
September 13-15
October 11-13

BMW Individual Premium Training Dates confirmed at time of booking

*Courses run in conjunction with DSA test dates

For further information on BMW Rider Training or for advanced booking please call 08000 131 282.

BMW Tours

For 2009 there is an extensive selection of BMW Tours for road riders and a selection offering off-road riding too. Locations range from Northern France and a trip to Monza for the Italian round of the World Superbike Championship, to more exotic destinations such as South Africa and Morocco. Each tour is carefully designed to provide a two-wheeled trip of a lifetime, varying in length, mileage and terrain.

BMW Tours for 2009 include:
Discover South Africa 19 April - 01 May
New Roads to Morocco 22 April - 08 May
World Superbikes, Monza and the Italian Lakes 06 - 13 May
Ultimate BMW Test Ride 08 - 15 May
lster and the Northwest 200 15 - 19 May
Czech Republic, Tatra Mountains and Slovakia 31 May - 13 June
Icelandic Adventure 18 - 28 June
Fjords and Mountains of Scandinavia and Oslo 10 - 22 June
A BMW Tour de France 19 - 29 June
BMW Motorrad Days in Garmisch-Partenkirchen 01 - 07 July
Tour Director's Luxury Selection 04 - 14 July
Battlefields of the Sommes and Ypres 23 - 27 July
Tour Director's Chateaux Selection 09 - 15 August
Splendour in Austria and the Black Forest 19 - 29 August
Tour of the Western Balkans 27 Aug - 11 Sept
Mediterranean Tour of Corsica and Sardinia September - TBC*
Mountains all the Way 05 - 13 September
Cadiz - Gateway to the Western World 24 May - 05 June
Moroccan Desert Adventure 27 Sept - 13 Oct
Exploring Tunisia and the Sahara Desert October - TBC*
Discover South Africa 18 - 29 October

* Dates to be announced - subject to confirmation of 2009 ferry dates and the 2009 World Superbike calendar

BMW's superbike racer the 2009, S1000RR has it's own new website and BMW even put up a YouTube video of the bike in action.

The Beemer will use an inline-four with a targeted 190 hp at the crankshaft. Intended weight is supposed to be 419 lbs dry. Those are some serious numbers and it shows the folks at BMW are serious about this bike. So serious in fact that they intend to contest the 2009 World Superbike Championship with it.

The bike is part of a BMW goal to increase their motorcycle sales by approximately 50% by the year 2012 to 150,000 units. BMW have yet to set the price but word is they're going to try to keep it in line with their Japanese competitors. 150,000 units indeed!

Not sure how many of these beasties will make it to Canada any time soon but BMW have promised 1,000 units will be produced by the end of 2009 to conform with WSB homologation rules.

Here's the YouTube link for you and here's the link to the bike's very own website: www.s1000rr.com

It sounds as good as it looks!

BMW Motorrad sales up 80%!

BMW Motorrad Canada recorded its seventh consecutive record monthly sales increase with a new October sales record of 135 units, up 80% over October 2007. Year-to-date, BMW Motorrad has achieved a new sales record of 1,585 units, an increase of 7% compared to the same period in 2007.

Not too surprising that sales are on the rise this year with the release of the F650GS twin, the one that's really a 798cc. The new twin is solid replacement for the old 650 single and comes in a good price point.

The Germans didn't disappoint (well mostly at least) at EICMA, BMW unveiled the F800 R; a new model in the F800 range that they'll produce.

It's a stripped down variant using the 798cc parallel twin engine that's in line with the company's other R versions.

Apparently during BMW's speeches about finances they decided to try to keep people awake with a new concept bike - a BMW Lo Rider.

The Lo Rider uses the company's popular 1200cc boxer engine and a style that's a combination of German engineering mated to... I don't know what. It looks like it's borrowed a Confederate motorcycle lighting system up front, a little BMW GS in the middle, with some Triumph Scrambler pipes, mated to a chopper seat.

Beautiful to some perhaps. BMW reportedly said there are no firm plans to produce the concept and they'll gauge interest and make the decision from there.

Photo credit for the BMW F800R to Mike Werner

World's biggest motorcycle exhibition will open its doors on November 4th at Milan, Italy to an ever increasing public.

This year at Milan's EICMA exhibition, we should see several new motorcycles and scooters - probably not as many as last year when it seemed everybody had something new.

But like at Intermot show in Germany, there will no doubt be a lot of Asian manufactured electric motorcycles and scooters showcased.

The main conference day is Tuesday, with 2 conferences called on Monday and one on Wednesday.

Several companies have announced that they're be doing a press conference at the show. Which would generally indicate that they have something interesting they want to make public - but time will tell. Here's the list of companies:

Yamaha - Yamaha have organized a conference the day before the show opens (Monday), and it's held off-site.

Ducati - They're having their press conference the day before the show opens. Fighter model perhaps?

Honda - Honda starts off the press conference heavy Tuesday

New Max - New Max have several brands of clothing and helmets. Haven't heard of these folks.

BMW - Having already announced three new K series models at Intermot it's hard to say what they'll have to say.

Husqvarna - These guys immediately follow BMW (they're a subsidiary of BMW) and both are scheduled for 30 minutes a piece.

Leo Vince - Might be a good guess that the Italian Leo Vince will probably be presenting new exhausts.

KTM - KTM have two conference, one on Tuesday and one on Wednesday (together with Zadi - an Italian parts manufacturer). Rumors are that they may show an electric motorcycle.

Aprilia - The Piaggio group's Aprilia have 15 minutes so not too much time for big announcements here.

Moto Guzzi - Piaggio group's Guzzi have 10 minutes

Gilera - Piaggio group's Gilera have 15 minutes

Vespa - Piaggio group's Vespa have 15 minutes

Piaggio - Piaggio themselves took 15 minutes

Scarabeo - Piaggio group's Scarabeo have 10 minutes

Derbi - Piaggio group's Derbi have 10 minutes

Kymco - Scooter manufacturer Kymko rarely call for conferences so there will likely be something new out of this Taiwanese company.

Nipponia - Never heard of these guys.

Suzuki - Suzuki have 30 minutes but announced new bikes at Intermot so we're not sure what to expect here.

Metzeler - Tire manufacturer Metzeler are closing the day with a press conference

BMW is said to be offering its popular ENDURO helmet with a carbon and aramid shell for 2009. By switching over to the high-tech material, the weight is dropped to an all-in weight (size large) from 1380 to 1170 grams (or right around 3lbs to 2.6lbs).

BMW helmets don't come cheap but their quality makes them stand out. The lining, for instance, uses Coolmax like several other manufacturers, but it also features Alcantara (a synthetic suede) just so you know it's a BMW.

Like the Arai Tour X3 and Shoei Hornet DS, the ENDURO can be worn with or without it's peak or visor and, with the visor removed, with goggles too.

Folks in the US aren't able to buy BMW helmets but we can in Canada. This model isn't shown on the BMW Motorad Canada website yet, the 2008 rider equipment is there now. But if you're looking for a new lightweight helmet in the new year get yourself down to your local BMW shop and ask them about this model.

Most of you are probably already familiar with Ewan McGregor's motorcycle adventures and the TV series/book/DVD's he's done as follow-ups.

For one night only, Canadians will be able to see a two-hour, high-definition cut of Long Way Down at select Cineplex theatres, before it begins airing later this month on National Geographic Canada.

For those unfamiliar, McGregor and his friend Charley Boorman ride from John O'Groats, Scotland, to Cape Town, South Africa. Throughout the 85-day, 24,140-kilometre journey, they take in a lot of sights; from visiting villages in Malawi, Uganda and Ethiopia to watching the direction that water flows as they cross the equator. Fellow biker and cameraman Claudio von Planta comes along for the ride too, as do the producer/director team of David Alexanian and Russ Malkin, who travelled in 4x4s with a rotating support staff consisting of a medic and a guide.

Thoughts and discussions about a third expedition appear to be pointing in the direction of South America, from bottom to top. But McGregor doesn't want to rush into things. He was quoted as saying, "For my liking, they were a bit too close together the last two," he says. "They're such experiences of a lifetime, you don't want to use them all up."

All 10 hours of Long Way Down will be aired in segments starting Oct. 21 on National Geographic channel, but the condensed big-screen version shows details that no home television could match. As Alexanian says: "You see the hairs between the hairs of the gorilla."

Long Way Down will screen in 50 theatres across Canada on Oct. 15 (for details visit http://www.cineplex.com) and begins airing on National Geographic Canada on Oct. 21.

Here's the list of theatres:

BRITISH COLUMBIA
SilverCity Coquitlam Cinemas SilverCity Riverport Cinemas (10 pm
170 Schoolhouse Street Late Show)
Coquitlam, BC 14211 Entertainment Way
Richmond, BC

SilverCity Victoria Cinemas Scotiabank Theatre Vancouver
3130 Tillicum Road 900 Burrard Street
Victoria, BC Vancouver, BC

Galaxy Cinemas Nanaimo Famous Players 7 Cinemas
213-4750 Rutherford Road 275-2306 Coldstream Road
Nanaimo, BC Vernon, BC

Colossus Langley Cinemas SilverCity Metropolis Cinemas
20090 91A Avenue 4700 Kingsway Avenue
Langley, BC Burnaby, BC

Cineplex Odeon Aberdeen Mall Cineplex Odeon Strawberry Hill Cinemas
Cinemas 12161 72nd Avenue
700-1320 Trans Canada Highway Surrey, BC
Kamloops, BC

ALBERTA
Scotiabank Theatre Chinook Galaxy Cinemas Red Deer
6455 MacLeod Trail SW 357-374000 Highway 2
Calgary, AB Red Deer, AB

Cineplex Odeon South Edmonton Cineplex Odeon North Edmonton
Cinemas (10 pm Late Show) Cinemas
1525-99th Street 14231-137 Avenue
Edmonton, AB Edmonton, AB

Cineplex Odeon Crowfoot Crossings Galaxy Cinemas Lethbridge
Cinemas 501-1st Avenue
91 Crowfoot Terrace NW Park Place, AB
Calgary, AB

SASKATCHEWAN
Galaxy Cinemas Regina Galaxy Cinemas Saskatoon (10 pm Late
420 McCarthy Boulevard N Show)
Regina, SK 347 2nd Avenue
Saskatoon, SK

Galaxy Cinemas Prince Albert
2995 2nd Avenue W
Prince Albert, SK

MANITOBA
SilverCity Polo Park Cinemas
817 St. James Street,
Winnipeg, MB

ONTARIO
Scotiabank Theatre Toronto (10 pm Cineplex Odeon Queensway Cinemas
Late Show) 1025 The Queensway
259 Richmond St. W Etobicoke, ON
Toronto, ON

SilverCity Yonge-Eglinton Cinemas Colossus Vaughan Cinemas
2300 Yonge Street 3555 Highway 7
Toronto, ON Vaughan, ON

Cineplex Odeon Sheppard-Grande Cineplex Odeon Eglinton Town Centre
Cinemas (10 pm Late Show) Cinemas
4861 Yonge Street 22 Lebovic Drive
Toronto, ON Toronto, ON

Coliseum Scarborough Cinemas Coliseum Mississauga Cinemas
300 Borough Drive 309 Rathburn Road West
Scarborough, ON Mississauga, ON

SilverCity Brampton Cinemas SilverCity Richmond Hill Cinemas
50 Great Lakes Drive 8725 Yonge Street
Brampton, ON Richmond Hill, ON

Cineplex Odeon Oshawa Cinemas Cineplex Odeon Niagara Square
1351 Grandview Street N Cinemas
Oshawa, ON 7555 Montrose Road
Niagara Falls, ON

Cineplex Odeon Gardiners Road SilverCity Sudbury Cinemas
Cinemas 355 Barrydown Road
626 Gardiners Road Sudbury, ON
Kingston, ON

SilverCity Burlington Cinemas SilverCity Oakville Cinemas
1250 Brant Street 3531 Wyecroft Road
Burlington, ON Oakville, ON

SilverCity Newmarket Cinemas SilverCity Thunder Bay Cinemas
18151 Yonge Street 850 North May Street
Newmarket, ON Thunder Bay, ON

SilverCity London Cinemas Galaxy Cinemas Sault Ste. Marie
1680 Richmond Street, 293 Bay Street
London, ON Sault Ste. Marie, ON

Galaxy Cinemas Barrie Galaxy Cinemas Peterborough
72 Commerce Park Drive 320 Water Street
Barrie, ON Peterborough, ON

Galaxy Cinemas North Bay SilverCity Ancaster Cinemas
300 Lakeshore Drive 771 Golf Link Road
North Bay, ON Ancaster, ON

Galaxy Cinemas Guelph SilverCity Gloucester Cinemas
485 Woodlawn Road West 2385 City Park Drive
Guelph, ON Gloucester, ON

SilverCity Windsor Cinemas Galaxy Cinemas Waterloo
4611 Walker Road 550 King Street N
Windsor, ON Waterloo, ON

Famous Players Lambton 9 Cinemas
1450 London Road
Sarnia, ON

QUEBEC
Cineplex Odeon Brossard Cinemas Cineplex Odeon Ste. Foy Cinemas
9350, boul. Leduc (10 pm Late Show)
Brossard, PQ 1200 boul. Duplessis
Ste. Foy, PQ

Colossus Laval Cinemas Scotiabank Theatre Montreal
2800 rue Cosmodome 977 Ste-Catherine West
Laval, PQ Montreal, PQ

Coliseum Kirkland Cinemas Galaxy Cinemas Sherbrooke
3200 rue Jean Yves 4204 Bertrand
Kirkland, PQ Sherbrooke, PQ

StarCite Montreal Cinemas
4825 Avenue Pierre De Coubertin
Montreal, PQ

Hendrik von Kuenheim, the President of BMW Motorrad and Peter Müller, the Executive Vice President Development and Model Lines BMW Motorrad gave some speeches at the Intermot show in Cologne Germany on October 10th. We thought you'd be interested to read them.

Hendrik von Kuenheim, the President of BMW Motorrad

"Ladies and gentlemen, Let me also welcome you warmly to BMW Motorrad at the INTERMOT.

I am very pleased to celebrate the world premiere of three BMW motorcycles here with you. The BMW Motorrad model offensive continues with undiminished momentum.

2008 Review
Before we present the new models in our range for the 2009 season, I would like to look back briefly on this year’s motorcycle season. In 2008 we launched no less than six new models. The year began with the model revision of the most successful BMW models ever.

The R 1200 GS and her sister model, the Adventure, are still among the most popular motorcycles in the world. Since March the dream bike of many boxer fans has been on the market.

The HP2 Sport is the sportiest and most powerful series production flat-twin of all time. What makes it so fascinating are its exclusive detail features which have only been seen in motorsports up to now.

In March we also launched two further Enduro models – this time in the middle range. The F 800 GS combines first-class off-road capabilities and convincing all-round qualities like no other middle-range Enduro at the moment.

With the two-cylinder F 650 GS we are continuing the concept of the successful predecessor model. It is a light, uncomplicated all-round motorcycle for the road and the occasional light off-road trip.

And with the G 450 X we have moved into the Sports Enduro segment for the first time. In typical BMW style we are offering a highly innovative and trailblazing sports bike. In line with this we will significantly expand our commitment in Enduro motorsports with this bike. We want to ride right up front next season with a top team of riders.

Ladies and gentlemen, our model offensive will contribute to BMW Motorrad achieving excellent sales figures this year, too. This is especially encouraging since all important motorcycle markets are downshifting and some very fast indeed.

Markets such as Spain or Italy have shrunk double-digit and in the US, sales also dropped by a high single-digit figure. Here on the German market, too, the downward trend still continues. Amplified by the worldwide recession tendencies, the motorcycle market in the segment above 500 cc dropped considerably by more than 7%. This development affected us, too.

In addition we have decided to change our sales strategy. In future leading the German market in terms of units sold will no longer be the main objective, but rather the fact whether the dealer network and thus also BMW Motorrad is doing solid business.

That is why we have significantly reduced our direct sales promotion measures this year. This naturally affects our sales figures which in Germany are 12 percent lower than last year’s up until August.

Looking at the situation worldwide, due to the weak important markets, our deliveries to customers have dropped slightly by 2.9 % compared to last year up until. In Italy, our second-most important market, we are 6% ahead compared to the previous year.

In France and Great Britain including Ireland we were able to sell more motorcycles as compared to the same period in 2007. However, this growth has not been able to balance the downturn in other important markets such as Germany, Spain and the USA.

However, if one looks at the market shares in the segment above 500 cc, we have gained market share in all relevant markets. Compared to the overall market, BMW Motorrad has been able to hold its own very well. You could almost call it a special BMW Motorrad economy.

In the prognosis for worldwide annual sales we expect to come very close to last year’s record sales figure. So we will only be taking a break regarding growth in 2008.

Once again the R 1200 GS and the GS Adventure were the most popular BMW motorcycles. As expected, middle-range Enduro sales of the F 800 GS and F 650 GS are very positive. It should be noted here that we are only currently beginning to deliver these models overseas.

Husqvarna
Ladies and gentlemen, progress at our second brand, Husqvarna Motorcycles, is very strong. Operative business is very robust, meaning that motorcycle availability in the markets and the spare parts business are very stable. We have also been able to improve product quality considerably. Deliveries are proceeding according to plan.

As announced, Husqvarna will probably be delivering about 30% more motorcycles than last year before BMW took over. The plant in Cassinetta is undergoing further modernization.

The separation of the Husqvarna and MV Augusta production areas has been completed with the move of Husqvarna’s engine production. By the middle of next year the new headquarters on the factory grounds will already commence operation.

In the meantime we are also making use of our synergy potential. Husqvarna is cooperating with our engineers in Munich in the engine development area and the first BMW Motorrad dealers are offering Husqvarna models.

BMW Safety
Back to BMW: BMW Motorrad has always been a pioneer with regards to environment protection and safety. We already introduced the catalytic converter in the early nineties and today our engines are among the most efficient in the competitive field.

20 years ago, in 1988, we were the first manufacturer to present an ABS braking system for motorcycles. Today every BMW, with the exception of the G 450, is available with ABS. No other manufacturer offers such a wide ABS range. Worldwide more than 90% of our bikes are equipped with ABS. This is unique in the motorcycle industry and a great success.

We extended this innovation lead in the area of safety with the first automatic stability control system for motorcycles in 2006. We will continue to focus strongly on our innovative power in the area of environment technology and safety. I can announce to you today that our S 1000 RR supersports bike will already include a new generation of innovative control systems.

In addition we are also thinking about other mobility topics and customer needs of the future. In this respect we also have our focus on the world’s metropolitan areas. In the coming years we can envision that - apart from the combustion engine - the electric drive could be implemented in a new vehicle concept at an acceptable price combined with an acceptable range. Our core business, however, will remain innovative, thrilling motorcycles which brings me to our new models at the INTERMOT.

"New" BMW K-Series
You will remember that 25 years ago BMW Motorrad decided to create a wider base for its model range. With the introduction of the K Series in 1983 we launched a motorcycle with four-cylinder inline engine for the first time.

Next to our boxer models this gave our BMW Motorrad range a second strong leg to stand on. In 2004 we presented the K 1200 S, the first motorcycle of a new K generation featuring a transverse inline four-cylinder engine. We expanded the K Series with the K 1200 GT high-performance tourer and K 1200 R roadster.

We have sold almost 65,000 four-cylinder motorcycles in the past four years. Now the time has come to give this attractive model series a new and powerful impulse.

This brings me to the world premiere of the new K model series. I use the term “new K Series” on purpose because we have conducted profound changes both with regards to all the technology and visual appearance.

Our aim was to significantly improve the three models in terms of performance, handling, dynamics, visual appeal and quality.

Allow me to point out a few central points. By raising capacity to 1300 cc, our engineers have not only increased output but also torque on all three models. At the same time the driveline was intensively revised from air/gas mixture formation right through to the exhaust system. In this way we have been able to optimize partial load behavior as well as throttle response.

Now the clutch can be operated with even less effort and with greater refinement. Shifting has been improved tangibly due to constructional changes to the gearbox and drive. Both the K 1300 S and also the R will also have the shift assistant - familiar from the HP2 Sport - available as an option for the first time.

We have also advanced the chassis. The new lower longitudinal strut is now made of aluminum and is thus considerably lighter. This makes the front wheel guidance response even more sensitive. The result of this comprehensive development work is superior handling, improved rideability and lower fuel consumption.

The electronically adjustable suspension – called ESA in short – was launched as a world first on the K 1200 S. Now we are presenting the new, well-proven ESA II as an option for the K Series, too.

Apart from the suspension and damping this unique system also allows the spring rate to be adjusted at the press of a button.

In addition to the standard BMW Integral ABS, our customers can again order ASC Automatic Stability Control as a sensible extra. The K Series model revision also heralds a new and innovative generation of switches and controls.

Ladies and gentlemen, there is simply not enough time to present all the measures here. Please also see the comprehensive press material for further details.

Now let me briefly come to the individual models: With a maximum output of 175 horsepower and a maximum torque of 140 Newton meters, the new K 1300 S is until today the most powerful and fastest series production BMW of all time.

We have changed the chassis geometry for even more neutral cornering and even greater agility. More than ever before the “S” combines sportiness, riding dynamics and easy handling with comfort and perfect everyday suitability.

The new design also suits these significantly improved properties. The K 1300 S now has a much slimmer and sportier visual appeal due to these numerous changes.

BMW K 1300 R
The K 1300 R is a high-performance bike of quite a different kind. No other BMW radiates its power with such force as this naked bike. With newly designed fairing and trim as well as a more compact front wheel guard, the new K Roadsters now has a more stretched dynamic look.

We have also revised the “R” chassis geometry compared to the predecessor model. The new settings ensure even greater agility without losing any ride stability. With 173 horsepower, a maximum torque of 140 Newton meters and a weight of only 243 kilograms, our extravagant power roadster meets our customers’ highest demands regarding riding dynamics.

BMW K 1300 GT
Our third new model at the Intermot will extend its worldwide market leadership among the dynamic tourers even further. The K 1300 GT has also profited from the raised capacity and has been significantly improved in all ride dynamics areas compared to her predecessor.

With an output of 160 horsepower and a torque of 135 Newton meters, the K 1300 GT stands for “Gran Turismo“ at the highest level. In order to emphasize the touring character compared to the other K models, we focused more on pulling power at low and medium engine speeds for the GT.

Like no other high-performance tourer, the K 1300 GT combines the highest possible level of agility and sporty dynamics with a travel-suitable overall package.

Ladies and gentlemen, that’s the theory on our new K Series. Now get ready to experience the three motorcycles live!

Ladies and gentlemen, the new BMW K Series. Here you can see another motorcycle standing next to me. I think I know what you’re suspecting. I will hand you over to Peter Müller, the head of development and model series, and he will unveil the secret. Could I ask you to step up, Mr Müller …"

Speech by Peter Müller Executive Vice President Development and Model Lines

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would also like to welcome you very warmly. Before you look at our K 1300 models close-up, I would ask for a moment of your attention. We would like to inform you briefly about our motorsports activities, especially about our Superbike project.

As far as our off-road plans for the 2009 season are concerned, we will inform you later this year. At this point I can only say this much: we have a lot planned next year and a couple of surprises in store.

However, today l want to concentrate on on-road motorsports. In 2007 and 2008 our factory team competed against strong competition with the HP2 Sport in a total of nine international long distance races.

Famous endurance classics such as Le Mans, Bol d’Or and Daytona 200 were raced. Considering how far the other teams were ahead of us with regards to performance and experience, we did very well and achieved the successes we were aiming for.

The encouraging reactions also clearly showed how the public welcomes the renewed BMW Motorrad commitment in on-road motorsports.

BMW in World Superbike
Apart from competing itself these two years were also important in preparing for the Superbike world championship. We used the time to update our racetrack skills and knowledge and gained a lot of experience.

By entering the Superbike world championship we are taking the next step. The interesting and very emotional long-distance commitment by BMW Motorrad is thus over for the time being. However, we are convinced that the BMW brand will be represented by private teams riding our S 1000 RR in the Endurance world championship.

This brings me to our Superbike project. Let me say a few words about our S 1000 RR – our series motorcycle – before I talk about our racing activities. I can already promise you that this completely new motorcycle with 1000 cc inline four cylinder engine will be an absolutely convincing and competitive offer both with regards to price and technology.

I will point this out by highlighting a few details: With its compact cylinder head the engine has a very slim design. The valves are operated by very small, compact and light cam followers whose dimensions are at Formula One level.

This type of construction ensures very high engine speeds and permits the greatest degree of freedom in designing the engine with regard to torque and output.

The motorcycle will weigh less than 205 kg fully fuelled. That means we will be right up front next year regarding output-to-weight ratio. Overall the entire package is very compact and light. Which of course mainly benefits the handling of the motorcycle.

And, ladies and gentlemen, thanks to specially developed electronics components on the S 1000 RR, BMW Motorrad is once again the trailblazer in this area. A dynamic traction control will be available for our supersports bike. The functional principle of this traction control is taken directly from motorsports.

In addition a completely new Sport ABS will be available for the series model. We are totally convinced that we have here exactly what the customer wants. The S 1000 RR will be thrilling to ride both on the road and on the racetrack. Handling, output delivery and output-to-weight will be at top level.

A great deal of inventive details will contribute to the S 1000 RR achieving an illustrious place in the series of four-cylinder motorcycles. The motorcycle can be ordered from spring 2009.

As far as our motorsports preparations for the Superbike world championship are concerned we have been able to win over two real Superbike racing personalities for our team – Ruben Xaus and Troy Corser.

We are very proud of having these two riders in our Motorsport Team. With the Spaniard Ruben Xaus we have a great, aggressive rider capable of enormous emotion and racing passion who has Superbike WC and MotoGP experience and is consistently up at the front in this year’s Superbike World Championship.

I don’t need to tell you much about Troy Corser. With over 300 races the Australian is the most experienced rider in the Supebike World Championship. Two World Championship titles and countless victories and podium positions speak for themselves.

These two riders are ideal for us. I would even go so far as to say they are the absolute dream team. Their long years of experience will be very valuable especially in the challenging early stages. They will contribute greatly to us reaching the level of the top teams as fast as possible.

As we already announced, BMW Motorrad is not joining the Superbike World Championship just for the fun of taking part. Our mid-term goal is quite clearly to win the World Championship title. We are exactly on schedule regarding the development of the race bike.

As you know our racing activities are carried out in close cooperation with our partner Alpha-Racing. The newly built racing team headquarters near Rosenheim have been operational for some time and will be officially opened this month. Our racing bike will be further refined in the workshops there as well as on diverse test tracks.

The entire team is highly motivated and can’t wait for the first race. In April of this year we presented the first racing bike prototype. Some of you have already witnessed us testing the bike on the race track.

Today we are proud to be able to present to you the official race bike for the Superbike World Championship 2009. May I ask our head of motorports Berti Hauser and our model series manager Markus Poschner to join me up on the stage. Ladies and gentlemen, here is the (BMW S 1000 RR) race bike by BMW Motorrad Motorsport Team Alpha Racing for the season 2009."

Some very interesting news has trickled out of the 6th annual Intermot Moto show being held in Germany! Very exciting indeed!

BMW is not only adding some displacement to its K-series motorcycles, namely the K1300S, K1300R and K1300GT, but they've finally decided that it's time to switch to a motorcycle turn signal switch that's mounted on the left. It's a move that's sure to raise the ire of some BMW faithful but it's a fantastic move if you ask me. I'm all for engineering things to make them better but I didn't like the switchgear on the BMW F650 (twin) that I test rode. I think the throttle is a pretty important control on a motorcycle, I don't need to be fiddling with a turn signal every time I pull away from a right hand turn.

Here's the news straight from BMW:

"The formerly separated functions for the direction indicator lights left and right are now grouped in one and the same function on the left-hand side of the handlebar to avoid any confusion of the direction indicators and the horn."

Here's a brief summary of some of the key changes for 2009.

K1300S
The K1300S is a fully-faired beauty that delivers 175 hp at just 9,250 rpm. It comes with an optional quick-shifter and self-adjusting suspension.

The 175 horsepower is up 8 hp on the previous model which is good, but it also comes in a significant 1,000 rpm lower down the rev range. Maximum torque is up 7.5 ft-lb to 103 ft-lb, at 8,250 rpm.

So what you've got here is the most powerful (and fastest) BMW to date. The claimed top speed is 100 KM/H plus. With an emphasis on the "plus" I'd say!

K1300R
The naked K1300R remains the most powerful naked bike available from BMW – the same modifications to the faired S version make their way to the unfaired machine.

You'll see a newly designed fairing on the front suspension strut, headlight, radiator cowling, and modified side panels which should give a little more wind protection.

The claimed dry weight of the R is 217 kg (478 lbs).

K1300GT
The touring GT gets a slightly detuned version of the engine with 160bhp with 99 ft-lb of torque.
- integrated fall-over protectors.
- bars have up to a 40 mm range of adjustment, the windshield can be raised or lowered via a switch on the bars, seat is adjustable from 820 mm to 840 mm (32.3-33.1") with a lower 800-820 mm option

Dry weight is a claimed 255 kg (562 lb). You can optionally get heated seat and grips, cruise control, ASC, and ESA II. The quickshifter won't be available on this model apparently.

The 2008 Beijing Olympics came to a close yesterday following a memorable 14 days of competition and if you’re like many Canadian you’ve been watching as much of the Olympics and the incredible athletes that are gathered together for them. Chances are you haven't paid too much attention to some of the behind the scenes folks who bring you all this coverage. It's a massive effort; the days are long and exhausting.

One of the tools they used in their efforts… none other than a fleet of BMW K 1100 LT machines!

Gustavo, a journalist and motorcycle rider was one of the journalists with the task of riding the BMW’s to help capture all the action. "I've worked for Spanish television for around 25 years, usually riding motorcycles with cameramen sitting behind me covering the action," says Gustavo, "I worked at the Olympics in Sydney in 2000, Athens in 2004 and now Beijing in 2008. I ride the motorcycles that are used for filming the marathon, triathlon, and cycling events - 11 events in total. In Beijing I have been part of a team including Chinese, Belgian, French and Spanish people, and we all work together to provide the television footage that will be broadcast worldwide. It's a fantastic experience, but it's very hard work. On days where there is a race to cover, I normally work for around 12 hours, but even on the days off, we test the equipment and do practice runs."

Gustavo indicates that it’s challenging work. Weighed down with a cameraman, plus the wires and technology required to transmit live pictures, the K 1100 LT has to cope with a total weight of up to 500 KG. And when covering events such as 'racewalking', speeds rarely exceed seven mph (11 km/h), meaning bike control is crucial. However, Gustavo feels that the K 1100 LT is a capable machine, even at low speeds.

"Although the BMW K 1100 LT is not the newest model, it is one of the most suited to the task in hand. Because the events that I cover each differ in the style of riding that is needed, you need a very versatile bike that is comfortable at low and high speeds and that can carry heavy weights as well.

"There aren't too many modifications to the bike, apart from all the cables that are needed to transmit the pictures! The main thing to remember is that the bike is much heavier than standard because of all the equipment, so to avoid the unlikely problem of overheating, a second fan has been installed," he adds.

So, the BMW K1100LT is one athlete that has a great chance of being in the next summer Olympics, but it’ll never make it to the podium!

BMW Racing Motorcycle - The Mastery of Speed

Written by Laurel C Allen and Mark Gardner, BMW Motorcycles reviews the long and interesting history of BMW. Beginning in the early 1900’s and moving all the way to present times. Back in the early days though BMW engineers were focused on airplanes, rather than the motorcycles or cars they’re famous for now.

There was even a period in the early days of BMW when the German company was relegated to making everything from tool boxes to office equipment when the Allies confiscated the assets of BMW. Things changed for BMW in 1923 after Max Friz spent four months designing the R32, the first BMW motorcycle, a 500cc horizontally opposed twin cylinder. Madonna reportedly just bought a fully restored one of this for her husband Guy Ritchie by the way. A lucky guy!

That’s just a hint of the fascinating history of BMW that you’ll read about in the beautifully illustrated book. It will be a welcome addition to the library of any motorcycle enthusiast, particularly those with a love of all things boxer!

It follows the designers of BMW’s machines and their riders. The riders racked up countless victories and secured a well earned and prestigious reputation of quality, and reliability for the Bavarian machines. It didn’t come without cost to the talented riders though. Motorcycling has inherent dangers but perhaps never as dangerous as those early years when racing fatalities were all too common place in the sport. BMW was no exception.

I can’t imagine anybody that likes motorcycles not taking enormous pleasure from the 130 full color illustrations and photos gathered in this 176 page, hardcover book. You’ll not only see and read about the early days of BMW; you’ll also learn what’s been happening in recent years at BMW and get up to date information as details on the 450 cc single that BMW is entering into AMA cross country Championships.

It’s full of interesting facts and details about BMW motorcycles. For example; did you know that in the late 90’s that BMW used what they called a Funduro F650 RR for the Paris Dakar that made 70 hp and actually displaced 700cc? How about in 2000 when an R 900 RR boxer was built to 900cc capacity for the Dubai Rally producing 90 hp? A 900cc boxer!

The audience for this book is likely somebody who either owns a BMW motorcycle or has a keen interest in the BMW marquee. The book is meticulously researched and written by Laurel C. Allen and Mark Gardiner and I can't say enough about those pictures! Laurel is the daughter of a two-time Canadian national championship, a racer herself, and now Senior Editor of Road Racer X magazine. Mark Gardiner was an Ad guy and amateur motorcycle racer when in 2002 quit his job, sold everything, and moved to the Isle of Mann to race in the TT! Whoah! He’s now a motojournalist and author.

The book is available through its Publisher Whitehorse Press for $29.95 USD. The book was published in 2008. It’s also available via the bookstore page of our site at a discount. It's on Page 28 and listed at $19.28 CDN and eligible for free shipping on orders over $39.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

From BMW:

The BMW Motorrad Canada Canadian Thunder Race Team will be enjoying a new home for the remainder of the 2008 Parts Canada Superbike Championship. The factory riders and crew will be enjoying race weekends under a new and much larger race awning, which not only makes working on the bikes easier, but also allows the race fans to benefit from a newly created BMW Motorrad Fan Zone.

With the Canadian debut of the new HP2 Sport taking place at Calabogie Motorsport Park in Ontario, race fans in Western Canada were the first to officially participate in the BMW Motorrad Fan Zone. Incorporated within the new team home, race fans were able to visit this dedicated area under the team race awning and could engage with the BMW Motorrad riders – Michael Ferreira and Paul Glenn – receive an autographed team poster, enter a competition for a chance to win a BMW Prize Pack, grab the latest BMW Motorrad product brochures, and see the all new 2009 G 450 X sport enduro.

"By creating the BMW Motorrad Fan Zone, we are looking to offer some added value to the race fans that come out to cheer on the riders," says Chris Duff, Manager of Motorrad Marketing. "We want race fans to feel like they are part of team BMW by entering to win a BMW Prize Pack and walking away with an autographed poster after meeting the riders."

This year the BMW Motorrad Canada Thunder Team sees the 2007 National Amateur 600cc Sport Bike Championship winner Paul Glenn join Mike Ferreira on the BMW HP2 Sport. Glenn brings with him a solid background of various motorcycle road racing experiences, whereas Mike Ferreira is back with the BMW Motorrad Canada Thunder Team for his second year and looking to improve upon his sixth place finish in the 2007 championship.

The BMW Motorrad Fan Zone can be seen at the remaining Parts Canada Superbike Championship rounds this year. It will be part of the BMW Motorrad Summerfest celebrations that take place throughout this weekend during rounds three and four at Mosport International Raceway (July 17-20). The Fan Zone will also feature at rounds five and six at Atlantic Motorsport Park (August 7-10), and finally round seven at Shannonville Motorsport Park (August 28-31) to end the 2008 season. With ever increasing interest in BMW Motorrad’s race activities worldwide, this is another excellent example of showcasing the brand in front of many potential customers.

Mosport is going to host Canada's biggest motorcycle road racing event this July 18-20. Some of the country's top motorcycle riders will make their only Toronto-area stop in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship Doubleheader Weekend. This double-race weekend on Mosport's four-kilometre road course is round three and four of the National Parts Canada Superbike Championship.

Defending champion Jordan Szoke of Brantford will face an intensely competitive field at Mosport that includes six-time champion Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, B. C. and perennial title contenders Clint McBain of Calgary, Francis Martin of Sherbrooke and Kevin Lacombe of Granby, Que.

In addition to those veterans there will be some younger challengers too -Matthew McBride, 23 of Mississauga and Brett McCormick, a 16 year-old out of Saskatoon. Both have proven themselves capable of winning on the national stage. Championship races are set for July 19 and 20.

The Canadian Thunder classes, which features big twin cylinder motorcycles such as BMW, Buell and Ducati will also compete in two championship races on July 19 and 20. Current points leader Andrew Nelson (Kars, Ont.), two-time class champion Darren James (North Vancouver) and up-and-coming riders Paul Glenn (Keene) and Michael Ferreira (Kitchener) are among a strong field of competitors heading to Mosport.

The weekend's schedule includes races in the Armour Bodies Amateur 600 Sport Bike Championship, the Suzuki SV650 Cup and the Pro Honda Oils Women's Cup Challenge.

Off track, Mosport will once again host the motorcycle lifestyle experience, BMW Motorrad Summerfest.

Designed to cater to the motorcycle enthusiast, this year's Summerfest will include the BMW Marketplace, on and off-road test rides, a dirt bike skills challenge and an off-road skills course.

The Summerfest area will be rocking on Saturday afternoon and evening with a live concert showcasing great Canadian music talent headlined by recording artist Thornley.

These Internet rumors have not been researched or substantiated (for the most part) but they are some tantilizing rumors so we thought we'd help them along.

- BMW may revive the C1 covered scooter or if that is too wild they'll look to build another type of scooter to get in on the bustling demand for these highly fuel efficient vehicles. Those engineers are going to have their work cut out for them making this thing look cool. It is an interesting concept though; one that would certainly be appealing to some.

- Some BMW dealers are hinting at a 675cc Triple that will be available in 2010. Say what!? Yes - you read correctly... A BMW Triple. That's three cylinders - just like the Triumph 675. That would be quite surprising development if true. Rumor has it that one US dealership is already taking deposits and reports of hp numbers around 130 are floating around too.

- Michael Schumacher has teamed up with helmet maker Schuberth to produce a race track ready and specific helmet. Now if we could only get the Schuberth helmets in Canada this might be a good seller. This rumor seems to have some truth to it. We were able to find some pictures and information on it. Nice looking helmet! Here's a link.

- Triumph is said to be working on a 675 cc version of the 1050 cc Tiger, to be called the 'Tiger Cub'. A new frame (or at least a modified version of one) will be necessary to allow for longer travel suspension at the rear and an increase in ground clearance, and some longer forks. However, a minor engine retune is all that will be required making this seem like a real possibility.

Okay, so it's not the F800GS but it's got the 798cc engine - slightly modified to produce 71 hp instead of 85 like the F800GS will. But, it's here, and having just taken a look at one in person I can tell you it looks really good!

Nice low seat height, great fit and finish, and love it or hate it - plenty of BMW style.

The dealership I visited had pre-sold the ones they were initially able to get. At an MSRP of $8,990.00 it might be tough to get your hands on one.

For a more detailed review of the bike and more pictures be sure to check out our "BMW F800GS and F650GS Test Drive" article.

Two Dutchmen have won the Heroes Legend classic off-road rally from Paris to Dakar a major off road rally riding BMW's. This year marks the third edition of the event.
Both of the men were riding for the Bert Duursma Motoren dealership team, Jos Bourgondien and Harrie Jacobi won this tough 'rallye-raid' event that started on 8 March near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and finished just last weekend at the Lac Rose in Dakar, Senegal.

Hubert Auriol, former BMW factory rider and two-times Paris-Dakar Rally winner is the organizer for the event.
This year, 165 participants in teams of at least three people - of which 68 were on motorcycles and 46 in 4x4 vehicles – made their way through France, Spain, Morocco and Mauritania, before arriving at the famous Lac Rose, close to Dakar.

Jos Bourgondien and Harrie Jacobi rode close to 7,000 kilometers across tarmac, gravel, dirt, sand and rocks on a classic converted 860cc BMW R 65 GS, and a new G 650 Xchallenge with Touratech Dakar gear, to reach the finish line and claim this important victory for the Bert Duursma team.

For additional details on the event check out the official website here. They've got some great photo's and information. Keep an eye on this one for next year!

BMW Canada has released pricing information on the new 2008's. Some dealerships are making available the pricing details. Here's some information apparently released by a dealership in BC. Just in time to put your order in to Santa!:


G450X - $9,000
F650GS Twin - $8,990 (Although strangely labeled by BMW as a 650 this bike actually has a 798cc engine though de-tuned from the one you get in the F800GS <71hp vs 85 hp> )
G650X Country - $9,450
G650X Challenge - $9,890
G650X Moto - $10,350
F800S - $11,000
F800ST - $12,150
F800GS - $12,250
R1200R - $14,500
HP2 Enduro - $22,250
HP2 Megamoto - $22,250
HP2 Sport - $26,640
R1200GS New Face Lift - $16,750
R1200GS Adventure New Face Lift - $19,000
R1200S - $16,500
R1200RT - $19,000
K1200R - $16,200
K1200S - $16,500
K1200GT - $21,375
K1200LT - $24,750