How Good Are BMW Motorcycles?

BMW / By

Although BMW is best known for its luxury automobiles, the company actually got its start making airplane engines in 1916, during World War 1.

A flat-twin boxer engine, which is still present in their bikes today, was incorporated in the original BMW Motorrad, which is German for motorbike.

Currently, the German company creates a range of motorbike types, including Street, Touring, and Roadsters… but are they pricey?

Due to its high-tech features, pleasant riding ergonomics, stylish aesthetics, sturdy build quality, and dynamic handling, BMW motorbikes are a good investment. The exceptional on- and off-road suspension and high-performance engines of BMW motorcycles make riding one of a kind.

You can decide for yourself after reading the following paragraphs whether BMW motorcycles are pricey or not.

Most reliable motorcycles are BMW models. Not.

Brands are frequently linked to specific traits and stereotypes over the course of years of consistent advertising campaigns and personal experiences. BMW motorcycles are tough, utterly bulletproof, and will run forever. Ducatis are unreliable and expensive to repair. Porsche convertibles are for middle-aged men with little hair. In fact, they will continue moving even if you ride them through the gates of hell. Or not.

It turns out that the latter claim is untrue. According to the most recent Consumer Reports customer satisfaction survey, reliability is where BMW falls in the last. The reliability of newer Beemers appears to be a major problem, and owners are not happy about it. Similar problems have been observed for Ducati, which is not far behind. Issues are practically expected with Ducati because the brand has never been considered to be dependable.

Unsurprisingly, the top 4 brands are all Japanese. So basically, if you want dependable and indestructible bikes, stay with Japanese models. I simply wish they could figure out how to give their bikes a little personality and character. Or maybe the reason they feel like appliances is what makes them so dependable?

Strangely, every BMW owner I know raves about how dependable their vehicle is. However, it ranks worst in a reliability poll. There is a lie being told by someone. Could brand loyalty be rendering owners illiterate?

So get Japanese stone if you want it to be reliable. Stay with Germans if you seek character and excitement. Or Italians, if you’re feeling particularly daring.

Breakdown of used BMW R Series sport touring and naked motorcycles

Despite being more of a sport-touring bike than a track carver, BMW entered the current sportbike market with the R 1100 S, according to Cycle World. It’s a reliable, all-around “gentleman’s express,” says Motorcyclist, despite not being blazingly fast. It is also more comfortable than the R 1200 S, its successor. Additionally, it has a six-speed transmission, just like all the bikes in the previous table.

The R 1100 S at the time came equipped with Brembo brakes, optional ABS, and BMW’s revolutionary Telelever front suspension. This used BMW touring bike is excellent since it has these characteristics in addition to extras like baggage and heated grips. Additionally, according to MCN, its boxer engine is “pleasant, flexible, and indestructible.” It is a strained member of the frame, in addition.

The BMW R 1200 RT is also a good, dependable used sport-touring motorbike if the R 1100 S is too old for you. And throughout its production run, the bike received Cycle World’s Best Sport-Touring Award numerous times. The R 1200 RT includes Telelever front suspension and ABS, just like the R 1100 S. But it also boasts a heated steering wheel, heated grips, a wind deflector, and an optional heated seat. also available are optional electrically adjustable suspension, cruise control, and traction control (ESA). It’s still a “great mile-muncher,” according to Bennetts.

The R 1100 R and 1200 R are the bikes that riders looking for a more sporty, dependable used BMW R Series motorbike should target. According to MCN, the former features the same reliable powertrain as the R 1100 S, but in a naked bike body. The R 1200 R and the modern GS have a similar tale. The 1200 R has inverted forks instead of a Telelever system, while it also offers optional ESA preload adjustment.

All of these pre-owned BMW R Series motorcycles need routine maintenance even though they are generally dependable. Since the air/oil-cooled bikes are simpler, less things can go wrong with them. The R 1200 RT’s and R 1200 R’s ESAs, on the other hand, can malfunction, just as R Series GSs of a certain age. If it occurs, the entire unit must be replaced. Additionally, the 1200 GS and this more contemporary sport-touring bikes were both recalled due to gasoline pump issues. Additionally, their clutch slave cylinders might degrade over time, just like some contemporary GS models.

The names given to BMW motorcycles

BMW Motorrad names its motorcycles using an alphanumeric system, just like it does with its automobiles. Currently, the BMW Motorrad lineup has engine types ranging from scooters with names that begin with a C (parallel twin-cylinder engines attached to a constantly variable clutch) to sport bikes like the discontinued $78,000 HP4 Race. The first part of the name is a letter that corresponds to an engine type (high-performance four-stroke four-cylinder). There are bikes beginning with the letters S (four-cylinder sport motor), R (opposed twin cylinder), G (single cylinder), F (parallel twin cylinder), and K that fall in between these two extremes (three or more cylinders).

Except when it’s actually just a random string of numbers, which does happen occasionally, the second part of the name is made up of numbers that indicate the engine’s cubic centimeter displacement.

The final component of the name, which describes the function of the bike, is the letter or letters that follow the numbers: In 2019, terms like L (luxury), T (touring), GTL (luxury sport touring), A (for adventure, sometimes spelled out), S (sometimes sport or Strasse, the German word for street), G (from the German word Gelande, which means terrain), GT (sport touring), RR (road racing), RT (road touring), B (bagger), R (road), X (extreme), and GSA (grand sport adventure, sometimes spelled out) are all in use.

Motorcycles by BMW

Since 1923, BMW, also known as Bayerische MotorenWerke or Bavarian Motor Works, has been Germany’s famous motorcycle manufacturer (five years before the Munich-based manufacturer built its first car). After nearly a century, BMW continues to provide a full selection of motorcycles built with its original 180-degree twin boxer engine layout (“boxer,” since the horizontally opposed pistons in the flat twin move in and out from the crankshaft in unison like the fists of a boxer warming up). The most well-known of these boxers drives the GS brand of land and street adventure bikes, which starred alongside Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman in the trip adventure films Long Way Down and Long Way Round.

Along with the GSs, there are also fantastic sport-touring RTs and R-model roadsters that are also powered by boxers, as well as a brand-new 2021 R18 cruiser that is equipped with BMW’s largest boxer twin ever—a pair of 901 cc cylinders that total up to 1802 cc.

BMW started manufacturing the K1600GT and K1600GTL touring/sport-touring motorcycles in 2011. These motorcycles are powered by one of the few six-cylinder engines found on motorcycles. Beginning with the 2018 model year, that inline-six, which was incredibly smooth and powerful, was also utilised in the category-defying K1600B “bagger.”

BMW has continued to make a wide variety of bikes during the past ten years for all types of riders and situations, including two entry-level models created in partnership with Indian motorcycle manufacturer TVS: The 313 cc single-cylinder engines that power the G310R and G310GS both cost less than $6,000. The Germans struck once more in 2021 when they unveiled the F900 R roadster and F900 XR adventure bike, two inexpensive motorcycles powered by brand-new 895 cc parallel twin engines.

G310 GST

Even while it’s better suited to excursions a little closer to home, the smallest of BMW’s adventure bikes nevertheless has plenty of power and performance to take you there. It’s a terrific compact bike for individuals wishing to start off or perhaps just to simplify and downsize, weighing in at only 380 pounds when fully fueled. It now complies with the Euro 5 standard for 2021 and has updated LED lights, movable levers, and an anti-hopping clutch.

Scooters, sport bikes with high performance, and motorbikes for adventure travel are all produced by BMW. BMW is a premium motorcycle brand with a history of global travel and great performance.

The GS versions of adventure touring motorcycles—best known for their around-the-world adventures and all-terrain riding as the R1200GS and R1200GSA—headline the BMW motorcycle family and dominate sales. The R platform, which is characterized by a flat-twin boxer engine and shaft drive, is extended to include the R1200R, R1200RT, R1200S, and the R nineT in the performance area, as well as the new classic division.

BMW produces lower displacement adventure bikes in the G and F series in the 700cc and 800cc displacements, as well as roadsters and touring vehicles based on the same platforms. Long-distance touring motorcycles from the K series boast the largest engine displacements, up to 1600cc, and feature built-in traveling comfort and luggage systems.

With high power inline four cylinder engines developed for sport competition and exciting motorcycle adventures, the S series is the highest performance line of BMW vehicles.

The G310R, a brand-new BMW motorcycle that fills the requirement to introduce new riders to the BMW Motorcycle brand, is an entry-level sport machine.

Which BMW motorcycle sells the most?

  • G 310 GS from 2023 ($5,695 MSRP)
  • F 750 GS in 2023 ($9,995 MSRP)
  • F 850 GS in 2023 ($12,595 MSRP)
  • The 2023 F 850 GS Adventure has an MSRP of $13,595
  • F 900 XR 2023 ($11,695 MSRP)
  • S 1000 XR in 2023 ($16,945 MSRP)
  • R 1250 GS from 2023 ($17,995 MSRP)
  • (20,345 MSRP) 2023 R 1250 GS Adventure

The first adventure motorcycle was the 1980 BMW R80 GS, and BMW Motorrad is still renowned for its top-notch off-road vehicles. The bike to beat is still the BMW GS range of adventure bikes.

You can pick from a variety of adventure bikes. Due to its low price and enjoyable single-cylinder design, the G 310 GS is a perfect BMW motorbike for new riders. The F 850 GS Adventure boasts a smoother clutch and a 90-hp parallel twin cylinder engine that makes challenging rides more pleasant. The F 750 GS offers ABS and stability control for a smooth ride. The S 1000 XR has the sport bike dynamics you demand along with a 165-hp inline four-cylinder engine. In comparison to the BMW GS 1250, which is designed for off-road riding, it offers a more road-based approach to touring.

As the company that invented adventure bikes, BMW makes top-notch, competitive enduro motorbikes. The R 1250 GS Adventure is a renowned BMW adventure bike with a 4 stroke, air cooled, 1254cc flat twin engine that can handle challenging off-road terrain. Apart from the dealer extras, BMW changes very little about the enormously popular BMW R 1250 GS Adventure.

The reason the regular GS 1250 is so well-liked is that it has everything an enduro or touring bike should have: excellent handling, easy riding, lots of technology, moderate power, and the opportunity to customize it.

You get additional gasoline capacity, more suspension travel, and factory crash safety for the BMW GS 1250 price difference between the normal GS and the Adventure. The most well-known BMW off-road motorbike, the 1250 GS Adventure, is equipped to handle even the most challenging off-road journeys.

Unsurprisingly, an adventure bike is the most popular BMW motorbike. With 60,000 units sold globally in 2021, the R 1250 GS and the 1250 GS Adventure are the two BMW motorcycles with the highest sales. That represents a sizable portion of BMW’s 194,000 annual unit sales.

Which BMW bike is the best?

  • BMW R 1200 GS Expedition 16 Kmpl. 1170 cc. 18.67 to 22.65 rupees.
  • Ad.
  • 853 cc BMW F 850 GS. Only Self Start. 14.05 – 14.05 rupees.
  • BMW K 1600 GTL: 13 Kmpl; 1649 cc. The amount is Rs. 31.62L.
  • 853 cc, 77 PS at 7500 rpm, BMW F 750 GS.
  • 1170 cc, 16 Kmpl, BMW R 1200 R
  • Ad