The BMW 247 engine, often known as the “airhead” boxer, is an air-cooled, flat-twin motorcycle engine with two valves per cylinder. BMW utilized it in its motorcycles between 1969 and 1995.
Three variations were released: the /5 in 1969, the /6 in 1974, and the /7 in 1977. Prior to 1981, the ignition used points. It began using electronic ignition, Nikasil cylinders, and a lighter flywheel in 1981 when it was first introduced in the R80G/S.
In addition to the type 247 engine, BMW also produced the Typ 248/1 air-cooled flat twin engine, which was utilized in the R45, R65, and R65LS BMW bikes. Before that, starting with the R32 in 1923, they produced OHV and side-valve engines. BMW significantly altered the engine architecture after the type 247 to add partial oil cooling and four valves per cylinder; this design became known as the “oilhead.”
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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.
Why do BMW motorcycles have the nickname “Airheads”?
The Airheads are where the history of BMW motorcycles and BMW motorcycle engines begins.
The term “airhead engines” refers to the vintage 2-valve air-cooled boxer engines produced before to 1992, when the final one was produced. Because they were all produced by BMW, nobody at the time called them “Airheads”!
BMW R 32, their first motorcycle, was produced. In 1923, BMW unveiled it at the Berlin Auto Show. The BMW R 32 had an air-cooled twin-cylinder, four-stroke boxer engine, a friction clutch-driven manual gearbox, and shaft drive. If that sounds like the 2021 R NineT (although it is also oil-cooled), it’s because I could have just as easily said that.
Many of the BMW Airhead engines that came after the R 32 for many years were air-cooled. They had a single camshaft that used pushrods and rocker arms to operate the overhead valves. Each head featured two valves, one spark plug, and was fed by a carburettor.
The bulk of “vintage” BMW motorcycles that you see (typically priced higher than average or rebuilt into cafe racers and displayed on BikeEXIF) are Airheads. There is a unique following for airheads. The term is protected by the owners, and I’ve had to be corrected a few times in the past when I mistakenly believed an oil-cooled engine to be an Airhead when it wasn’t!
Over the years, various Airhead BMW motorcycle engines with a maximum capacity of close to 1000cc were built. The R 100 GS, which was manufactured until 1992, was one of the final Airheads. Its engine was a 980cc air-cooled boxer twin.
What is BMW’s abbreviation?
BMW goes by the moniker “beamer,” “beemer,” and “bimmer.” Ever question why? Nothing about their sound resembles BMW. Today, we’ll examine what it signifies and how motorcycle racing contributed to its origin.
What are the names of BMW motorcycles?
BMW’s motorcycle brand, BMW Motorrad, is a component of the company’s Corporate and Brand Development division. Since 1923, it has been making bikes, and in 2015, it recorded record sales for the sixth year running. With a total of 136,963 vehicles sold in 2015, BMW had an increase in sales of 10.9% over 2014.
An R1200GS served as BMW Motorrad’s two millionth motorbike when it was constructed in May 2011.
The way a BMW boxer engine functions.
Two pistons in the flat, horizontally opposed twin cylinder engine reached top dead center and bottom dead center at the same time. Because of this, the piston action was compared to two boxers trading blows, and the term “boxer engine” was coined.
The BMW R18 is it air cooled?
It was just a matter of time when BMW debuted the R 18 last year, a cruiser powered by a gigantic 1,802cc OHV air/oil-cooled 4-valve opposed Twin that’s the largest “boxer” engine the German company has ever made.
Who manufactures the engines for BMW motorcycles?
Loncin, a Chinese manufacturer, has been producing various engine parts, motorcycle parts, and entire engines for BMW Motorrad since September 2007. The business today employs more than 5,000 people and is one of the biggest makers of motorcycles and scooters in China. There is a research and development facility owned by Loncin. The BMW F 750 GS and F 850 GS engines are currently produced by Loncin. Additionally, the BMW C 400 X and C 400 GT midsize scooters are manufactured here.
What models of BMW motorbikes include boxer engines?
- R 1250 GS by BMW. You may overcome every challenge in your trip with ease and playfulness because of the control in every engine speed range.
- R 1250 GS Adventure by BMW.
- R 1250 RT by BMW.
- BMW R 1250 R.
- R 1250 RS BMW
What model motorbike did BMW make first?
The Berlin Motor Show in 1923 served as the launchpad for BMW motorbikes’ success. With the BMW R 32, the producer of aeroengines debuted its first motorcycle. The machine’s quality was a crucial element in the project’s success.
What makes a BMW a Beamer?
What makes a BMW a “bimmer”? The US is where the term “bimmer” for BMW vehicles first appeared. It was formed from the terms “beemer” or “beamer,” which were originally used to refer to BMW motorbikes in the UK in the 1960s and later became widely used worldwide.
The number of cylinders in a BMW boxer engine.
Boxer’s Range With the help of the BMW ShiftCam, the new 1250 BMW twin-cylinder engine is outstanding in all riding circumstances and on all terrains.
Which BMW motorcycle sells the most?
Still out front is the boxer. The boxer models continue to be the foundation of BMW Motorrad’s success, having sold close to 80,000 units overall. With the introduction of the 1800 cc displacement R 18 engine in 2020, the already dominant position of the signature BMW Motorrad drive was further enhanced.
When was fuel injection introduced on BMW motorcycles?
R259 “oilhead” boxer engine, which was fuel-injected and twin-cylinder, was initially used in the BMW motorcycle lineup with the R1100RS, a sports touring bike, which was introduced in 1993.
Is purchasing a BMW motorcycle in Germany less expensive?
Germany and Austria offer BMW and KTM at lower prices than the US or Canada. Even new BMW models cost less in the UK than in the US. Japanese bicycles cost a lot less.
BMW stopped producing motorcycles when?
After producing more than 40,000 examples, BMW will stop producing cruisers because it realizes that the engines in its bikes’ 1200cc classes are inadequate for the cruiser market.
BMW will stop making cruiser motorcycles when the final 2005 R1200C model leaves the factory, reportedly for the foreseeable future. Dr. Herbert Diess, President BMW Motorrad, the man in charge of BMW’s motorcycle division, explained to the crowd at the Intermot Show in Munic that BMW just doesn’t have an engine to satisfy the preferences of contemporary cruiser purchasers. The 2005 Montauk will only be made in a small quantity as a type of remembrance model.
Diess is quoted by BMW as saying: “In our following model generation, there won’t be a straight replacement for the Cruiser. Technical factors account for this: The new engine, which you are familiar with from the GS, is purposefully designed to be lightweight and so provides very little room for an increase in engine displacement. A Cruiser in its former, traditional appearance with a smaller engine would no longer fit into our plan for the future, since the trend in the cruiser market has been pointing way beyond 1400 cc for quite some time. However, this does not imply that we are permanently abandoning the use of BMW bikes for cruising. On the contrary, it would be entirely possible for us to reinterpret this theme in the future in a very different way.
“As a result, the R 1200 C and CL as we currently know them are entering their final model year. More than 40,000 copies of the Cruiser have been delivered to clients in the seven years after its 1997 launch (memo: 40,218). And through this fruitful procedure, we have attracted a lot of new clients. We have a special, limited edition version of the R 1200 C Montauk here at the Intermot Show with appealing twin-tone paintwork, a special chrome package, and a wealth of standard amenities. This model, which has only been produced 350 times, is currently on display at our booth and will go on sale in the fall.
“Having developed a supply of R 1200 C models for 2005, we have already anticipated demand for next year and will use the production capacity thus made available to more swiftly and effectively meet the significant demand for additional Boxer models.”
What motorcycle made by BMW is the fastest?
Unlike many Japanese motorcycle manufacturers, BMW Motorrad inherits its racing DNA from its parent company, BMW. With a top speed of 224 mph, the S1000RR is the fastest BMW motorbike to date.
The BMW S1000RR was completely redesigned for the 2019 model year, elevating it to the company’s flagship supersport motorbike position. The motorcycle has a brand-new 999cc engine with 204 horsepower and 113 Nm of torque. At 197 kg, the bike is not very heavy.
How durable are BMW boxer engines?
The average lifespan of a BMW motorbike is around 200,000 miles, but this might vary depending on the model, how well the bike is maintained, and the type of riding it is exposed to. A well-maintained BMW motorcycle can last 50 years if you ride it 4000 miles each year on average.
What does GS in relation to BMW motorcycles mean?
- 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.
Heritage The Heritage line receives different treatment from BMW. There are two versions of the R 18: standard and classic. A conventional version of the nineT series is available, along with the Scrambler, Pure, and historically-minded /5.Roadster models. The Roadster line is simple to use. They all end with R, indicating that they are all naked upright sportbikes. Sport
- 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.