Beemers In the Boonies
BEEMERS IN THE BOONIES
Just what the Doctor ordered
If you think BMW is just dabbling in the off-road market, think again; the boys from Bavaria are dead-serious about becoming a force to be reckoned with in the world of competitive dirtbiking.
Actually, in one way or another, BMW has been playing in the dirt for the better part of 80 years. The company fielded ISOT teams on a semi-regular basis from 1927 to 1979, and BMWs have racked up six impressive wins in the grueling Dakar Rally. The popular GS on-/off-road adventure-touring series dates back to 1981, and the F650 line of dual-purpose Singles was introduced in 1993. And let’s not forget the current HP2 Boxer, the 1170cc mother of all fireroaders.
So, dabbling? I don’t think so. The Xchallenge is the best “mainstream” dual-sporter everto wear a BMW badge, and the company is hard at work developing a 450cc four-stroke Single it hopes will run with the big dogs of competitive off-roading—the likes of Honda’s CRF450X, Yamaha’s WR450F and KTM’s 450 EXC.
I had a chance this past April to learn about BMW’s dirt-market strategy in the most enjoyable way: first-hand from company officials during a three-day on-/off-road ride in Arizona, Nevada and California-first aboard an R1200GS, then a G650 Xchallenge and an HP2. The group included the two top executives from company headquarters in Munich-Dr. Herbert Diess, President of BMW Motorrad, and Pieter de Waal, Sales and Marketing Director-along with Arturo Pineiro, VP of BMW Motorcycles USA, and Gaston Streiger, head of U.S. Dealer Development.
“The largest market for off-road bikes in America is the Southwest,” explained Dr. Diess, “and we knew that the riding here is much different than in the rest of the country, more wide-open. We wanted to learn more about these conditions, so we came here to experience them ourselves. We are not expert off-road riders, but being able to ride on this terrain helps us better understand what customers here need.”
Despite his claims to the contrary, Diess proved to be a very competent off-road rider. He also was refreshingly candid in response to my questions about the 450, a bike he expects will not come to market until the 2009 model year. “It is very important for us to get this motorcycle completely right before putting it into production,” he said. “If it fails to be competitive, we will lose all chance of credibility with off-road riders, and it would be very difficult to gain their confidence after that. So it is possible that the bike could be
ready for 2008, but 2009 is a more reasonable target.”
In their quest to produce a competitive 450, Diess & Co. are not taking the easy route.
In typical BMW fashion, the company has a few of its own ideas about how to design an off-road motorcycle and is attempting to merge those concepts with proven convention. “We want to give off-road riders the level of performance they want,” said Diess, “but at BMW, we always try to find better solutions to traditional problems. This is taking us some time. It would be easier to produce a machine
that is just like the others, but that would not be our way.”
Though not exactly radical in design, the prototypes built so far incorporate several features not currently found on other off-roadonly motorcycles. Much like the Xchallenge, the 450 is fuel-injected and has an under-seat gas tank, but the similarities stop there.
As outlined by Kevin Cameron in CW's June Roundup (“BMW’s 450 Revolution”), the countershaft sprocket is on the same axis as the swingarm pivot, thereby providing constant chain tension and allowing a longer swingarm. The clutch is mounted on the crankshaft instead of a transmission shaft, a location that permits the swingarm pivot and steering head to be connected directly via straight tubes. The cylinder on the 450’s all-new engine is angled forward, facilitating a straighter intake path from airbox to combustion chamber. And because the frame has no front downtubes, the engine “hangs,” sportbike-style, in the tubular steel main structure.
In developing the 450, BMW has assembled a small but impressive team lead by Markus Theobald, an engineer with considerable off-road experience and the man responsible for the HP2. The development riders aren’t exactly chopped liver, either: Joel Smets, five-time world motocross champion; Sascha Eckert, 2003 and 2004 German Enduro Champion; and Simo Kirssi, 2004 European and German Cross-Country champion and two-time winner of the Erzberg enduro Prologue.
Late in April, two 450 prototypes made their international competition debut at the Spanish round of the World Enduro Championship. Smets completed the first day in 13th place but DNF’ed with electrical problems on Day Two, while Eckert came home 15th the first day and finished 17th overall. Ordinarily, such an outcome would be unimpressive; but for prototype machinery with as many unproven features as these 450s, those are positive results by any measure. “Despite the off-road successes we have had for many years,” said Diess, “most people tend to think of BMW only as a road-motorcycle company. We hope to change their minds soon. Very soon.” -Paul Dean
