It might be still be summer, but our eyes are looking ahead to the new bike season in the fall and winter, where the major motorcycle manufacturers will debut their new motorcycles for the future.
The big trade shows to watch are INTERMOT and EICMA, as these have traditionally been the venues of choice for new model unveils, prototype teasers, and concept debuts.
One brand that is certainly going to be showing us some new motorcycles is BMW Motorrad, with the German company saying that it plans to launch nine new models in 2018.
What those nine models will be is up for conjecture, though we have some good ideas, and some bad ideas, on what they could be. Let’s take a look.
Very Likely – S1000RR
First up, the bikes that we are very certainly going to see debut. Nothing in this world is 100%, but based on what we have seen to date, and what has been released in the past, these bikes are very likely to be released soon.
The first up is a new BMW S1000RR superbike. This is a model that many expected to see last year, though the release of the BMW HP4 Race in early 2017 should have been a sign that it was not to be.
Signs point to the 2019 model year though, especially with the WorldSBK paddock tipping that a new superbike is on the way from BMW Motorrad. Althea Racing’s bossman Genesio Bevilacqua spilled the news, while talking about the future of his team, which currently uses the BMW S1000RR.
We have heard from other BMW-racing outfits about news of this new superbike platform, which is said to have an all-new engine that features a counter-rotating crankshaft. The word being used quite often is “game changer” which bodes well.
Very Likely – G310RR
Keeping things sporty, we should see a small-displacement sport bike from BMW. Filling out the 300cc class lineup, a BMW G310RR would be the full-fairing sibling to the naked G310R street bike and G310GS adventure-tourer.
Built in conjunction with TVS, we have already seen the Indian brand debut its version of this sport bike, dubbed the TVS Apache RR 310. The bike is attractive and sporty, and it will be curious to see what the Bavarian treatment will look like.
A bit late to market, the BMW G310RR will compete in a class of motorcycle that has been subject to considerable displacement creep. Starting life as 250cc machines, we have seen successive models take the space from 300cc all the way up to 400cc in the western markets.
Can BMW Motorrad’s 313cc machine compete in this 400cc world? That remains to be seen.
Not Likely – S675RR
With sport bikes still on the brain, our next thought is something that we would really be surprised to see at any of the trade shows: a supersport model from BMW.
There is a good argument for why BMW Motorrad should make a supersport in its lineup though, especially if it is flanked by a superbike and entry-level supersport. There needs to be a stepping stone in BMW’s lineup, between the G310RR and the S1000RR
We have seen the folks at Wunderlich musing the idea of a three-cylinder supersport, with 675cc in displacement, for the future. The idea would certainly be interesting, and the German parts brand seems to always have a glimpse into the minds over at BMW Motorrad.
It seems likely that BMW will eventually make a supersport machine, though the 2019 model year seems like the wrong time to do so.
Even Less Likely – S675R & S675XR
In for a penny, in for a pound. If BMW Motorrad does debut a supersport sport bike like an S675RR, the German brand will almost certainly make that a platform motorcycle.
This means that we can expect several variations on the bike, like a roadster/streetfighter, adventure-sport, and so on. If they look like the concepts from Nicolas Petit, that would be fine with us.
Much More Likely – F850GT and F850R
Back to reality, two bikes we are almost guaranteed to see are the BMW F850GT and BMW F850R. BMW Motorrad’s twin-cylinder platform was updated last year, with the F750GS and F850GS motorcycles debuting.
In addition to getting a bigger combustion chamber, the bikes feature a new 270° crankshaft, which is said to be a substantial improvement over the out-going model’s design.
Thus, it is only logical that the rest of the two-cylinder lineup should get the same new engine design. This means a new BMW F850GT and BMW F850R models are almost certainly to debut at INTERMOT or EICMA.
Less Likely – F850XR
Knowing what we do about the F-series of bikes, it is hard to imagine another model in the lineup, but BMW surprised us earlier this year with the 9cento concept, at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.
The design is pretty avant garde, but it teases the idea of a twin-cylinder middleweight adventure-sport machine, to go alongside the BMW S1000XR offering.
It is possible that the production version of this concept could come as early as the 2019 model year, if it comes at all. We wouldn’t hold our breath for it, however.
More Likely – R1200XX
While the R nineT platform has come to its logical conclusion of new model segments, the heritage lineup has been a strong seller for the German brand.
Hoping to continue using its air-cooled boxer engine in new models, BMW Motorrad is said to have some more post-authetnic ideas up its sleeve, the first of which is supposed to debut later this year.
What this bike could be, is up for conjecture. It is hard to see a hole in BMW’s lineup where another air-cooled model could go…or maybe there are too many places were such a bike could work. It depends on how you look at it.
Mostly Likely – “XDiavel Killer”
For the past two years, there has been talk of BMW working on a XDiavel killer – the German brand is looking to take on Ducati as the European alternative to Harley-Davidson.
Such a machine has yet to come to fruition, however. The model would make sense from a segment perspective, though it is tough to imagine which engine in the BMW lineup would suit the duty.
It is possible that this rumor fits into the one above it, with BMW using its air-cooled boxer engine. Who knows? It will be interesting to see if any fire comes from this smoke.
Time Will Tell
Of course, all of this is conjecture, speculation, informed guessing, and wishing on our part.
We have only a couple more months to wait and see what debuts from BMW Motorrad. the German brand has built out its motorcycle lineup considerably, which leaves very few gaps in its coverage.
A number of bikes in the BMW lineup are showing their age, and might get some modest refreshers to keep them relevant in their segments.
The S1000R and S1000XR spring to mind on this thought, as they feel very dated when compared to their competitors. But, we don’t think these bikes will see revisions with the four-cylinder platform set for a massive step next year.
As we are fond of saying: time will tell. One thing is for sure, Asphalt & Rubber will be bringing you all the new bike news. Keep your eyes out for it.
Lead Photo: Nicolas Petit
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