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. 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.
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 part of the name that describes the function of the bike is the letter or letters that come after the numbers: A (for Adventure, sometimes written out), S (sometimes for Sport or Strasse, the German word for street), G (from the German word Gelande, which means terrain), GT (sport touring), RR (for road racing), RT (for road touring), L (for luxury), T (for touring), GTL (for luxury sport touring), B (for bagger), R (for road), X (for
In This Article...
SUFFIX LETTERS FOR MODELS
- Since the G/S in 1980, BMW has referred to its adventure bikes as GS. GS stands for Gelande Sport and Gelande/Strasse (off-road/on-road).
- XR: Rather than off-road capable motorcycles, these are adventure-tourers in the ADV style.
For the Heritage line, BMW operates differently. There are two versions of the R 18: standard and classic. There is a regular version in the nineT line, as well as the Scrambler, Pure, and historically-minded /5.RoadsterIt is simple in the Roadster line. They all end with an R, indicating that they are all upright naked sportbikes.
- RR: Road racing comes to mind when you hear the term. These BMW motorcycles have the best performance.
- GS: Whereas the RS is road/sport, including sport-touring when bags are added, the GS is off-road/sport.
- B: Seek out the B classification if you’re looking for a low-slung Bagger.
- GTL: GTL identifies the motorcycle as a Grand Touring Luxury machine because it is the dresser for the touring line.
- GT: Grand Touring is when luxury is removed and a little bit of sport is added.
- Grand America: The Grand America transforms the Bagger design into a dresser.
- Reise-Tourer, which translates to “travel-tourist,” is the term used for this title. It serves as a sport-tourer and is the lone boxer in the Tour roster. It’s not quite as sporty as the RS in the Sport range, though.
After finishing this story, you will be able to identify BMW model names without thinking about them.
Model designations for BMW
For their motorcycles, BMW employs a three-segment designation. With the noteworthy exception of the F 650 GS, which has an engine displacement of 798cc, the first segment identifies the type of engine, the second the approximate engine displacement in cubic centimeters, and the third the category of motorbike. There are blank spaces between the three portions.
For BMW automobiles, a similar three segment nomenclature is employed. The second segment (engine displacement/100) is substantially less consistent across the range than the first.
- R – horizontally opposed (“boxer”), air-cooled, two-cylinder engines starting in 2014
Before the K 100 series and the R 1100 series motorcycles were introduced, the letter prefix was always the same, and the numbers were either model numbers or, as was noted above, dependent on displacement.
The “R” stands for what?
I believe it initially stood for “Rad,” which is German for “motorbike.” Despite the “R” now designating 2-cylinder boxer motorcycles.
Rad is what it stands for, but rad is also another word meaning wheel. However, the reference to motorcycles derives from the fact that it is the second half of the word Motorrad. Rad can also be used as a bicycle, which is known as a Fahrrad, however BMW doesn’t often produce bicycles.
It used to stand for “rad” or “motorrad,” but now it means “boxer twin.”
True, as opposed to F, G, K, and S. K stood for Kompact Drive, the moniker given to the “wedge” drivetrain that today also applies to the powertrain of the flying brick bikes. F is derived from the Funduro, the original name of the single F650, now G650, bike. All I can deduce is that G comes after F. S is most likely super duper.
BMW has produced motorcycles for 90 years, but its model naming policy has never been very reliable. But during the past fifteen years or more, marketers have seriously fouled up things. This whole F650 F700 F800 twin business (and hey, the new maxi scooters too) makes the numbers as incomprehensible as they were back in the 20s and 30s (R32/R37/R39, R42/R47, R52/R57/R62/63, R11/R16, R12/R17). Sure, it’s not as bad as HD, which has used every letter of the alphabet except Q, I believe. The numbers’ abstraction was at least then evident.
What does F in the context of BMW motorcycles mean?
BMW conveniently uses the same motor designations for all of their motorbike models. MOTOR PREFIX LETTER F: These are parallel twins between the ages of 900 and 750.
What does the term BMW XR mean?
Adrenaline for days, curve for curve, is what XR stands for when it comes to the uncompromising fusion of athleticism and long-distance performance. You can hunt these curves for miles on the F 900 XR without stopping. Even the design’s captivating promise of sheer performance. While demonstrating that only you—not anybody else—determines when your ride is over, the upright, relaxing sitting position and the wind and weather protector.
With the full complement of gear, you are just as prepared for travel and sport riding as you are for the city. The bike that most represents you and your attitude is the F 900 XR. #NeverStopChallenging
What do motorcyclists call their vehicles?
A ride, sled, beast, the old lady, sweetheart, my beloved, that broken down old piece of, etc. are all suitable terms for practically any motorcycle.
What is H on a set of MotorCycle tires stand for?
The tire’s maximum speed rating is 130 mph, according to the H speed index. You should pay close attention to the load and speed index maximums while buying tires. The more weight the tire can support, the higher its load number.
What exactly does GT on a motorcycle mean?
Grand tourer, gran turismo, grande routiere, and “GT” are some of the most frequently misunderstood phrases in the automotive industry. Grand touring is often defined as “driving at a high rate of speed while maintaining comfort, safety, and style.” Gran turismo, according to purists, is “the fun, thrill, and comfort of open-road traveling.”
“The dream is of a car with the ability to cover a continent at speed and in comfort yet deliver driving thrills when necessary,” says Sam Dawson, news editor of Classic Cars (magazine), and it should have the following qualities:
- The engines “shall be capable of traveling at the high limits on all continental roads without hindrances or loss of useful power.”
- In a perfect world, the GT automobile would have been created by its forebears as a Grand Tourer, taking into account all relevant factors.
- It should have enough room to comfortably transport two people and their belongings, ideally in a two plus two sitting configuration.
- Inside and exterior, the design “should be designed toward total control by the driver.”
- During transportation, its “chassis and suspension give acceptable handling and roadholding on all routes.”
Grand tours prioritize handling and comfort above pure high performance or austere, minimal accommodations. Sports vehicles, which are also “often overused and confused terms,” are frequently more “crude” than “advanced Grand Touring gear,” in contrast. The term “GT” has, however, come to denote little more than a slightly tweaked version of a family car with fashionable wheels and a go-faster stripe on the side due to the popularity of utilizing it for marketing purposes.
As opposed to mid-mounted engine designs, front-engine, rear-wheel drive GTs traditionally feature larger interior room. Their appeal is enhanced by softer suspensions, more storage, and opulent embellishments.
1964 Jaguar E-Type, a rear-wheel-drive, front-engine coupe. “Close-coupled” describes the position of the driver’s hip in relation to the rear axle.
What does a motorcycle’s identification number mean?
The aspect ratio is shown by the second number engraved on your motorbike tires. The height, or how tall the tire is in relation to the tire’s width, is described by the aspect ratio. This aspect ratio, which is expressed as a percentage, can be found between tire width and tire height.
In other words, your motorcycle tire will be taller the higher this second number is. For instance, a tire with the designation 130/90 has a width of 130 mm and is 90 percent taller than the specified width. It is 117 mm tall when you divide 90 percent of 130 by 130.
What are the M’s on a MotorCycle tire stand for?
You have probably heard the terms radial and bias-ply tire architectures used in relation to the structure of your tires more than once. We’re going to delve deeper into them today, which is a better way to put it since it’s important to comprehend what they signify, how they differ, and how they affect how our tires behave.
On Continental tires, however, the initials M/C are typically present, indicating that the tire is a MotorCycle tire. If you see M+S, that indicates that the tires have a unique grip for mud and snow.
What does the acronym Honda CL mean?
Honda is likely the Japanese motorcycle brand most closely identified with the scrambler subgenre, having produced the style from the middle to the end of the 1960s with great success in Japan, North America, and Europe.
Engine capacities for Honda’s scrambler series ranged from 50 cc to 450 cc, and the “CL” model prefix was often used to indicate a scramblerized version of the parallel street vehicle with a “CB” designation.
The Honda CL series motorbikes were never actually designed to be dirt bikes, enduros, or motocross bikes, despite what some may claim. They were created as an early incarnation of the motorbike known as the “dual sport”—one that can be used for weekend trail rides or fire breaks in addition to being comfortable on the road. Similar to how many modern SUV buyers never take their 4x4s off road, it’s highly possible that the majority of owners never even set foot on the dirt.
Having saying that, spending a few days in the forest with a CL may be a lot of fun. Just be careful not to take them off any jumps. They are lightweight bikes that are excellent at tackling a variety of terrain.
In recent years, the CL series Hondas have attracted the attention of a large number of collectors and enthusiasts of antique motorcycles. Due to the lack of plastic components, electronic rider aids, or sophisticated onboard computers, even the most dubious shadetree amateur technicians may operate on the models thanks to their enticing retro elegance and Honda’s renown reliability.
The Honda CL series’ key models are shown here, along with a quick summary of each.