BMW's motorcycle history began in 1921 when the company commenced manufacturing engines for other companies. BMW's own motorcycles—sold under the BMW Motorrad brand—began in 1923 with the BMW R 32, which was powered by a flat-twin engine. Production of motorcycles with flat-twin engines continues to this day, however BMW has also produced many models with other types of engines.
The BMW K100 is a family of four-cylinder 987 cc motorcycles that were manufactured by BMW from 1983 to 1992.
The Honda VFR750R, model code 'RC30', is a fully faired, solo-seat-only racing motorcycle created for homologation purposes for the World Superbike Championship by Honda Racing Corporation (HRC). It was first released to the Japanese market in 1987, released in Europe in 1988 then the United States in 1990. There were only 3,000 made and they sold for US$15,000 - a very large amount for a production bike at the time.
The Yamaha FJ1100 and FJ1200 are sport touring motorcycles that were produced by Yamaha between 1984 and 1996.
The BMW GS series of dual-sport BMW motorcycles have been produced from 1980, when the R80G/S was launched, to the present day. The GS originally stood for Gentleman's Scrambler, but was later renamed to Gelände/Straße. GS motorcycles can be distinguished from other BMW models by their longer travel suspension, an upright riding position, and larger front wheels – typically 19 to 21 inch. In May 2009, the 500,000th GS was produced, an R1200GS model.
First introduced in 2003, the Ducati Multistrada is a series of V-twin and V4 touring focused motorcycles. Essentially a hybrid of a supermoto and a sport-tourer, the Multistrada competes in the market with other dual-sport motorcycles such as the BMW GS. The first iteration of the Multistrada was, like the Yamaha TDM850, neither intended nor suitable for off-road use. Subsequent models were more suited to a proper dual-sport role.
The Killinger and Freund Motorcycle was an attempt in 1935 by a group of five German engineers from Munich to design a more streamlined and modified version of the German Megola front-wheel drive motorcycle. The work took three years to complete but the result was impressive. The engine displacement stayed the same as the Megola at 600 cc but was much lighter and more simplified than a standard 100 cc motorcycle of the time.
The 247 cc BMW R27, introduced in 1960, is a shaft-driven, single-cylinder motorcycle manufactured by BMW.
Motorcycle components and systems for a motorcycle are engineered, manufactured, and assembled in order to produce motorcycle models with the desired performance, aesthetics, and cost. The key components of modern motorcycles are presented below.
Husqvarna Motorcycles GmbH is an Austrian company which designs, engineers, manufactures and distributes motocross, enduro, supermoto and street motorcycles.
The Yamaha RD500LC is a high-performance, two-stroke sports motorcycle, also known as the RZ500 in Canada and Australia. A lightened but detuned version known as the RZV500R was developed for the Japanese home market. Strict United States Environmental Protection Agency regulations meant that the RZ500 was not available for sale in that country. Produced for a short period between 1984 and 1986 it has become a sought after collector's machine.
BMW Motorrad is the motorcycle brand and division of German automotive manufacturer, BMW. It has produced motorcycles since 1923, and achieved record sales for the fifth year in succession in 2015. With a total of 136,963 vehicles sold in 2015, BMW registered a growth of 10.9% in sales in comparison with 2014. In May 2011, the 2,000,000th motorcycle produced by BMW Motorrad was an R1200GS.
The BMW F series is a family of parallel-twin engine dual-sport motorcycles manufactured in Berlin, Germany by BMW Motorrad. Launched in 2008, the range comprises the F650GS, F700GS, F800GS, and F800GSA. In 2012, the F700GS replaced the discontinued F650GS, and in 2013, the F800GSA was introduced with a 24-litre fuel tank and a larger front fairing and screen. The F800GT and F800S both have belt drive.
The BMW F650 is a family of motorcycles developed by BMW Motorrad beginning in 1993. Models included the F650St Strada and from 1994, the F650 which, due to some subtle differences, was considered to be a more dual/multi purpose motorcycle with some off-road capability. The 1993 - 2000 F650 was the first single-cylinder motorcycle from BMW since the 1960–1966 R27, and the first chain driven motorcycles from BMW.
The BMW R65 is a light touring motorcycle introduced by BMW in 1978 to add a mid-size motorcycle to its product line. The original R65, contrary to the views of some commentators, has the same sized frame as the larger R series motorcycles. The R65 does however have a shorter swingarm than its siblings and therefore a shorter bolt-on rear sub-frame; this, along with the shorter front forks and 18" front wheel, gives the illusion that the R65 frame is smaller. The initial model R65 was manufactured until 1984. In 1985 the R65’s engine was put into the same frame and suspension as the R80 which featured a single rear shock absorber (mono-shock). Additionally, between 1981 and 1984, the R65LS was manufactured. This R65 variant has a small triangular fairing that was designed by Hans Muth.
The KTM 690 Enduro is a dual-sport motorcycle made by KTM from 2008 to the present day. The 690 Enduro R, introduced in 2009, was initially marketed as a more offroad-oriented version of the adventure-touring-oriented Enduro. The 690 Enduro nomenclature was dropped in 2011; the 690 Enduro R remains in serial production as of January 2024.
A motorcycle transmission is a transmission created specifically for motorcycle applications. They may also be found in use on other light vehicles such as motor tricycles and quadbikes, go-karts, offroad buggies, auto rickshaws, mowers, and other utility vehicles, microcars, and even some superlight racing cars.
The KTM 500 EXC is one model in the series of 4-stroke enduro off-road motorcycle made by KTM. They are essentially the 400/450 EXCs with changes to the stroke to achieve larger displacements. The 520, 525, 530 and 500 are all in fact 510.4 cc motors given different model numbers to distinguish them. Like the other KTM enduro offerings, they vary in the set-up and components. The international EXC versions have a small headlight, speedometer, tail-light and somewhat softer linkless (PDS) rear suspension. 2007 was the first year the EXC was deemed street legal in the US. As of 2008 the US version of the EXC, with the new XC-4 motor, continued to be sold in street legal trim. In 2012, the US 50-states street legal 530 EXC-R was rebadged the 500 EXC. In mid 2016, the 2017 bikes were introduced, adding a 250cc version. It joins the 350 and 500 EXC-F.
The KTM 950 Super Enduro R is a dual-sport motorcycle produced from 2006 to 2008. It is equipped with a 98-horsepower, four-stroke, V-twin engine, adjustable heavy-duty offroad suspension, and enduro styling. Due to its light weight and offroad-capable profile, the 950SE was perceived at its launch as a radical departure from any existing dual-sport, enduro, or street bike models, while having characteristics of all three.
The RC250GP is a Grand Prix racing motorcycle designed and built by KTM for the Moto3 class, introduced in 2012. It is also used in the Moto3 Junior World Championship. The RC250GP is raced by KTM's factory racing program as well as supplied to numerous customer teams. The motorcycle is one of the most successful machines of the Moto3 era to date, having taken five constructors' championships, including a clean sweep in 2013 winning every one of the 17 races.
