BMW today announced the 2009 F 650 GS, a revised version of the venerable but relatively slow-selling F 650 GS. This is an important release in BMW's recent fast-track strategy, and for their goal of attracting more new and younger riders to the BMW fold. BMW has been selling tons of Adventure Touring motorcycles; indeed, the R 1200 GS has been a worldwide hit, and is credited with both starting and continuing the Adventure Touring craze.
Dual purpose motorcycles in general have been one of the bright points in an otherwise somnambulant motorcycle market over the past year or so, and if BMW gets this right -- and if the F 800 GS also meets expectations, BMW may be able to pull into double-digit percentages of market share. We hope to have more details and specifications soon, and we're working on editing many more photos of the 2009 F 650 GS, so stay tuned.
Meanwhile, here's the enthusiastic 2009 F650 GS press release, edited by webBikeWorld staff: Tame the urban jungle or take the road less traveled! After much anticipation, BMW's sophisticated new addition to its entry level model lineup -- the 2009 BMW F 650 GS -- has arrived at U.S. BMW Motorcycle dealers. With its 71 hp, torquey twin-cylinder engine, the all-new 2009 F 650 GS offers more power and sophistication than its single-cylinder predecessor.
Ideal for on- or off-road riding, urban commuting and any rider looking for a fun, efficient and reliable motorcycle, the middleweight twin tackles anything the ambitious motorcyclist could throw at it. Its rigid steel tube trellis frame, double-sided swing arm and chain drive offer reliability. A low seat height and narrow design make navigation through the worst traffic a breeze. Cast aluminum wheels and telescopic forks keep the ride smooth and precise at all times.
The 2009 F 650 GS has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $8,255 (excluding freight). The Standard Package, offered at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $9,760, (excluding freight) includes heated hand grips, Anti-Lock Brakes, an on-board computer, and white turn signals. The 2009 F 650 GS is available in three colors -- Flame Red, Iceberg Silver Metallic, and Azure Blue Metallic. The F 650 GS is the newest addition to BMW's dual-sport line up.
It follows in the footsteps of the highly acclaimed R 1200 GS - which traces its roots back to the early 1980s when BMW won the grueling Paris-Dakar rally four times with its trailblazing dual-purpose R 80 GS. Since their debut in 2004, the versatile R 1200 GS and its rugged companion, the R 1200 GS Adventure, have earned praise from motorcycle enthusiasts and the press for their exceptional performance both on and off the road. The R 1200 GS has earned award after award, including Cycle World's Best Open Class Street Bike and the International Journalist's Panel "Best Bike in the World." The R 1200 GS Adventure was named "Best Adventure Bike" three years in a row by editors of Motorcyclist Magazine.
Heading in to the 11th round of the World Superbike Championship at Donington Park this weekend and there is still no further news on what riders will be racing in what teams in 2009.Historically all the major signings are completed by the Brands Hatch race at the beginning of August, but this season the whole WSB paddock remains in limbo one month on.
The main reason for the delay is over who will replace Troy Bayliss in the Xerox Ducati team when the Australian retires at the end of the season. To date there have been numerous names thrown in the hat ranging from Max Biaggi, Chris Vermeulen, Noriyuki Haga, Ben Spies and Briton Shane Byrne.
Ducati were expected to make the eagerly awaited announcement last week, but the decision has been delayed yet again and MCN understands that there is a whole series of meetings planned this weekend which could determine the final outcome.
With the factory Ducati ride still undecided it’s proving difficult for any of the other rides to be finalised. Currently there have been no confirmed signings at the Yamaha Italia team, Ten Kate Honda are yet to announce their three man rider line up and Alstare Suzuki have only one rider confirmed with Max Neukirchner already signed for 2009.
BMW is another big player with a ride available. The new to WSB manufacturer announced the signing of Ruben Xaus back in June, but are yet to confirm their second man.
WSB has also become a melting pot for young and old talent with BSB young guns and MotoGP veterans all fighting for a top ride alongside the established WSB regulars.
At first, most people wouldn’t, probably, think of pitting the American-made Buell 1125R against the all-German BMW HP2 Sport. And yet, come to think of it, the two bikes are somewhat similar – at least on paper. Motociclismo recently did a shoot-out between the two bikes, and here are some excerpts from what they had to say:
The BMW is very stable, the Buell is more agile. At 20,200 euros, the HP2 Sport is expensive and and exclusive, the 1125R is more accessible at 12,995 euros. When it comes to riding, the German and the American bikes come from different worlds, starting with the riding position. The 1125R has wider handlebars, lower seat height and better wind protection. The BMW HP2 Sport’s riding position is racier, more committed.
The Buell v-twin makes about 14bhp more than the BMW boxer-twin, but it also vibrates significantly more. The BMW engine also vibrates, but not so much that it begins to get annoying. And yes, the Buell’s clutch requires more effort to operate than the BMW unit.
According to Motociclismo, the BMW is more stable, the Buell is more agile
On the track, the Buell’s single front brake disc doesn’t feel as powerful and responsive as the BMW’s twin-disc setup. The BMW’s front suspension also shows better composure under hard braking.
In terms of handling, the two bikes represent two different schools of thought on high-speed cornering. The Buell is more agile, while the BMW is more stable. We prefer the German bike for the feeling of security it offers, and the ease with which it allows the rider to corner at over 200km/h.
So there you are – the guys at Motociclismo seem to prefer the HP2 Sport over the 1125R. Which one would we take? Er… well, a ZZR1400 for touring, this ZX-10R for trackdays and an MV F4 CC for the weekend… :-)I
n the eight months since BMW’s announcement that they wouldenter the Superbike World Championship in 2009, the project has
gathered pace and race fans everywhere have now been able to see the
tangible aspects of the project properly for the first time. The new
BMW S 1000 RR has been tested at various racetracks in Spain, but it
has now had its first test at a track used by the Superbike World
Championship - the Eurospeedway Lausitzring.
The German
circuit was on the WSBK calendar up to last season and the recent two
day test gave the team a chance to compare their lap times and
performance with last year’s race weekend. At the end of the
test, the team and the three test riders were all happy with the
progress of the bike and eager to work on analysing all the data before
moving on to the next stage in the bike’s development.
The three riders, Steve Martin, Kevin Curtain and Jeremy McWilliams, said;
“The
basics of the S 1000 RR are very good, the engine has good power, the
chassis and suspension are working well and the bike has the basis of a
Superbike racer already.”
This sentiment was echoed by BMW Motorrad Motorsport’s General Manager Berti Hauser, who added;
“I
am very happy with the professional way all three riders worked and the
amount of feedback they have given us. We are under no illusions of the
amount of work we have to do before the start of the season next year,
but we are ready and looking forward to facing this huge challenge. Up
to now, we have done very little work on the electronics and have
preferred to get the bike’s basics working well and I think we
have achieved that. If our project continues at this good pace, I think
we could surprise a few people next year.”
Whilst the main
focus of attention has been at the track, a lot of work has been going
on near Rosenheim, a small town about sixty or so kilometres south east
of BMW’s headquarters in Munich. It is here that BMW Motorrad and
their partners, Alpha Technik, will prepare the Superbike racebikes in
a brand new state of the art facility, incorporating 7,000 square
metres of workshops and offices. The main workshop area is split into
three parts and has two dynos - one for the whole bike and another
which can simulate any racetrack in the world. One of the three
buildings will house BMW Motorrad´s Off-Road and Enduro team,
whilst the other two will be for the Superbike project and for spares
and parts. The progress of the facility's construction has been rapid
and eight months ago there was nothing but grassland where there are
now workshops, offices, meeting rooms and a canteen for all the
employees.
The new facility marks just another step of BMW
Motorrad and Alpha Technik on their way towards the 2009 Superbike
World Championship season.
Secondly, the FV2 demonstrates some of Aprilia’s future technical direction. To that end, the injection is controlled by a fly-by-wire system like what’s already used on the 750cc Shiver. There’s traction control, ABS and electronically adjustable suspension. Ho hum. The dash integrates a nav system and a bunch of downloadable performance telemetry data, which you can send to a phone or PC, and it’s set up so you can easily upload new engine mappings from the Web in a similar way.
Perhaps most interesting is the front end - a pair of big slabby Hossack-style forks that look similar to the Duolever system BMW has been putting on its K1200R. is a bit of an obsession of mine, so I’d be very glad to see Aprilia working to move beyond the telescopic fork and give the market some options.
As detailed by MCN, BMW will use the newly developed 1000 cc in-line four-cylinder motorcycle, and will partner with the Alpha Technik GmbH team based in Stephankirchen near Rosenheim at the Paris Motorcycle Show in September.
Peter Müller: “By entering the Superbike World Championship we will be competing against manufacturers and teams which are many years ahead of us in terms of experience in a segment which is new to us. We know it won’t be easy. With alpha Technik GmbH we have found a partner with a lot of development expertise and over 10 years of experience in superbike racing. We anticipate that we will be able to establish ourselves successfully within the strong international competitive field with our new motorcycle.”
quote:MCN
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