Archive for October, 2009

Oct07

BMW G 450 X….

Dutchman

BMW Press Release:

BMW Motorrad has set yet another milestone in the company’s 80-year offroad tradition. It is the first uncompromising, pure-blooded sports enduro to be produced in the popular 450cc class and to have been developed especially for enduro use, fit for taking part in the most demanding contests in the world.

Meanwhile BMW Motorrad can look back proudly at the numerous sporting successes it has achieved with the G 450 X. Preliminary highlight was the second place in the WEC, short hand for world enduro championship, for Juha Salminen in class E2 enabled by top-professional factory entries over the course of an entire season.

As well as chalking up several sporting successes in the German Cross Country Championships, the Erzberg Rodeo, and most recently, the Red Bull Romaniacs. At this event in Rumania, Andreas Lettenbichler won through decisively with his G 450 X against an entire legion of worldwide motorcycling elite at a legendary City Prolog event. Four racing days in the Carpathians, with extremely steep uphill and downhill slopes, fast rally-style sections, and difficult and selective single trails through dark forests. To cap it all was a veritable daredevil ride on the roof of a five-storey building in the centre of the city of Sibiu.

And now, numerous technical optimisations have been planned for the BMW G 450 X in the model year 2010. For instance, a new dataset has been developed for the ECU (engine control unit) of the bike’s digital engine management system. This results not only in an improvement in fuel consumption but also a reduction in engine break torque, improved start characteristics and more sensitive responses, particularly with load changes.

In addition to the usual standard features, an optional extra is available in the form of a slip-on racing silencer (without ABE and not homologated for on-road use), which serves to further enhance the technical concept of the G 450 X as a pure-blooded, uncompromising sports enduro. Its main benefit compared to the standard silencer is that it is around one kilogram lighter. The stainless steel manifold, designed as a combined reflective and absorptive silencer, fulfils FIM regulations, is easy to assemble, and reduces the G 450 X’s dry weight in competition conditions to no more than 110 kilograms.

The chassis of the BMW G 450 X has also received a number of modifications. The offset of the front axle to the middle of the fork rod has been reduced by 2.5 millimetres, resulting in more neutral handling with optimum directional stability.

Furthermore, the new of the upside-down fork has been re-calibrated with a stronger damping progression, resulting in more sensitive response characteristics and improvements in overcoming bumps, even in very tough off-road terrain.

The calibration of the rear strut has also been modified, with the result that its damping characteristic now also displays a more progressive line, favouring more sensitive response characteristics. Ergonomics have been improved with a new seat design; it is now filled with soft foam and also displays an enlarged radius in the upper thigh area. The new design features increased comfort and affords the rider increased control over his machine.

The design of the new G 450 X is oriented towards the successful factory racing models of the BMW Motorrad Motorsport team, with matching, gold-anodised fork inner tubes.

The market launch of the new  BMW G 450 X has been set for October 2009.

More images may be found here.

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Oct07

BMW Motorrad C1-E….

Dutchman

BMW Press Release:

This is what a safe, environment-friendly and highly practical single track vehicle for city traffic could look like in the future. BMW Motorrad developed the C1-E study as a contribution to the European safety project eSUM. This study unit is based on the concept of the BMW C1. It is characterized by a very high level of active and passive safety and is driven by an electric motor.

The BMW C1-E provides exemplary protection for its rider. This is ensured by the safety cell with the conspicuous roll-over bar which dynamically spans the rider seat in combination with the energy-absorbing impact element at the nose end.

A further special point is that the C1-E rider wears a seat-belt. In the study this safety feature is highlighted by red belts and belt buckles.

Visually the concept vehicle expresses brand typical sheer driving pleasure and clearly distinguishes itself from typical scooter looks. Its lines are dynamically stretched and flow horizontally with a low visual centre of gravity. The fairing with its windscreen, the luggage space behind the rider and the side stand for effortless parking ensure high suitability for everyday riding combined with a high degree of wind and weather protection.

The electric motor employed in the study has been designed for city use and is based on components by the company Vectrix. The motor obtains its power from a lithium-ion battery and thus possesses sufficient power for mastering most inner-city traffic riding with ease. Alternatively the vehicle could also be equipped with an efficient, low-emissions internal combustion engine.

The safety features of the C1-E have been taken from the former BMW C1 and further enhanced. BMW’s avant-garde two-wheeler is regarded as a milestone in safety on two wheels. It is the only motorised single-track vehicle to be exempt from mandatory helmet wearing in almost all European countries.

This BMW Motorrad study is to remain the only model of its kind. Series production is currently not planned. Nevertheless, findings from the project will find their way into other future developments in the field of single-track vehicles.

eSUM stands for European Safer Urban Motorcycling. It is a cooperation project between major urban European motorcycling centres and motorcycle manufacturers.  The cities currently involved in the project include Paris, Rome, Barcelona and London and the manufacturers are BMW and Piaggio.

The advantage of two-wheeled transportation is that it offers a great opportunity for improving the flow of traffic in urban locations. Moreover, it is environmentally friendly and lends itself to individualisation. However, the vast majority of accidents occur in urban traffic, in areas where 80 percent of the population live. The idea behind eSum is to look into ways of countering this trend. The joint goal is the identification, development, and practical demonstration of measures which are able to guarantee safe motorcycle and motor-scooter transport in the inner-city traffic of the future.

One of BMW Motorrad’s major concerns over the last twenty years has been the improvement of motorcycle safety. This was amply demonstrated by the consistent strategy which has led to the Motorrad ABS and continued with its long-term ongoing development.

Only a few weeks ago, on August 31, the 1,000,000th BMW motorcycle with Integral ABS, a BMW K 1300 R, left the production line in Berlin-Spandau.

Since 2005, a series of further active safety features have been developed to enhance the safety BMW motorcycles still further: RDC Tyre Pressure Control, ASC Anti-Slip Control, the new Race ABS and the DTC Traction Control incorporated in the new BMW S 1000 RR, not to mention the innovative range of BMW Motorrad rider equipment.

Over and above this, BMW Motorrad is also conducting research into forward-looking rider assistance systems designed to increased road safety, as part of the ConnectedRide project. Features being looked at include cross-traffic and traffic-light assistance as well as a warning system for impending poor weather, road obstacles, an approaching emergency vehicle, or sudden braking manoeuvres.

For more information about eSUM please see:  www.esum.eu

More images may be found here.

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