There WILL be a BMW maxi-scooter

SilverWingisti,

The following Google translation is from today's Scooter-Station.com website:

Inspired by the BMW Concept C, two scooters BMW disembark from 2012
Friday, February 25, 2011



Last fall, BMW introduced its highly acclaimed Concept C, a sporty style Maxiscooter worked, presumably well equipped to challenge the hegemony of the upcoming Yamaha TMAX. In the UK, our British colleagues Visordown.com is today a statement made by the vice-president of BMW Motorrad Hermann Bohrer. This confirms that the German brand will launch two maxiscooters inspired by this famous prototype. These new two-wheelers will be presented this year in Milan and will enter the German line in 2012. Mr. Bohrer has not specified what remains of stylistic choices and technological Concept-C on production models. It has not given any indication as to the motorization of the German anti-TMAX.

Regards,
Peter

pja wrote:

SilverWingisti,

You said it mate, so why do a PR job for a BMW scooter that may or may not look like the photos when it comes into production, and can be read about elsewhere.

I saw the concept bike at the NYC International Motorcycle Show. It was interesting looking. I think much depends on the performance and comfort of the bike though, and the looks were pretty extreme. I think it is highly likely the production model will be a lot more conventional looking, but I guess time will tell...

Sweendog wrote:

I saw the concept bike at the NYC International Motorcycle Show. It was interesting looking. I think much depends on the performance and comfort of the bike though, and the looks were pretty extreme. I think it is highly likely the production model will be a lot more conventional looking, but I guess time will tell...

My local Ulysses group (old buggers getting older disgracefully) has quite a few BMW R1200... riders who up until now thought maxi scooters were below their dignity. Now that BMW is bringing them out they are suddenly quite acceptable

Regards,
Peter

In my (not all that vast) experience, the cycle-snobs come in all flavors. Over here in the US, it's mostly Harley riders that look down their noses at other bike brands and types, although we get our fair share of Euro-bike snobs.

I just smile and wave. Ride what you like and all that!

Having been in the BMW Club in the UK, I can imagine the snide remarks and sneers when someone turns up at a rally or camping weekend on a BMW scooter.

Meldrew, I think that depends on which section you belong to! I was part of the SW Section for a while (when I actually owned a BM - a 1984 K100) and found most of them to be reasonably open minded, although I seemed to attract my far share of comments - normally along the lines of 'was that you who went steaming past me on the M5??' and my all time favourite 'I dunno, youngsters today......' this comming from a guy of about 80 (he looked it anyway) at the time I think I was about 38 lol!

Times change, so do attitudes, I've still got aquaintances today who won't ride 'Jap Crap' and stick to British machines ridgidly - a very narrow view of things..... A few years ago, I too wouldn't have entertained a scooter and now find myself loving every minute of it, along with my pillion which is a mega bonus to me!

There seems to have been more than a rumour circulating in the UK this week that BMW have confirmed they will be building a super scooter - MCN interviewed the European director of production, albiet won't have some of the inovations that were seen on the bike at its launch, esp those minging tyres lol!

Seems perhaps yet again BMW are ahead of the crowd and have been listening to what riders want, and not what BMW think they need i.e. another 200mph road rocket....

Skippy wrote:

Seems perhaps yet again BMW are ahead of the crowd and have been listening to what riders want, and not what BMW think they need i.e. another 200mph road rocket....

That depends on which riders BMW have been listening to. If it's their own customers then it might have been the couples wearing matching riding suits and system helmets, the Long Way Round clones, the high mileage rally and touring riders, or maybe the poseurs and polishers?

None of these groups will have the faintest idea about what you want in a maxi scooter, for them it's more about the image that goes with that famous blue and white badge.

I've read about this. With features like cameras and dual screens replacing rear view mirrors, I'm sure it's priced where no one but Paris Hilton can buy one.

That's a nice looking bike. Will be interested to learn about the technical aspects of it...engine, driveline, etc.

Locally, a lot of police departments are using the BMW r1200rt-p, but are finding that the cost of servicing the bikes is quite high. Several depts are using Harleys, but that is because they're leasing them from the H-D dealers in their towns. A number of other depts are starting to research alternative machines, including the police-model ST1300s and C-14s.

That said to suggest that we can make three assumptions by virtue of the fact that the new bike shown above is carrying the BMW roundel:

1. It will be expensive to buy.
2. It will be expensive to service.
3. Accessories will be expensive.

I still want to see one. Any idea when they are due in the States?

Jinglebob wrote:

...Locally, a lot of police departments are using the BMW r1200rt-p, but are finding that the cost of servicing the bikes is quite high. Several depts are using Harleys...

That's interesting because the NSW Police over the past few years have switched from:

1. Honda ST-1300 because of known handling problems
2. Yamaha FZ-1300 (not sure why but they didn't last long)
3. BMW RT-1200 because of unreliability and handling issues.

They are now reported to be evaluating Harley Davidson. They have also been instructed not to engage in high speed pursuits on Yamahas and BMWs (they have to call for Highway Patrol backup).

Interesting!

Peter

pja wrote:

Jinglebob wrote:

...Locally, a lot of police departments are using the BMW r1200rt-p, but are finding that the cost of servicing the bikes is quite high. Several depts are using Harleys...

That's interesting because the NSW Police over the past few years have switched from:

1. Honda ST-1300 because of known handling problems
2. Yamaha FZ-1300 (not sure why but they didn't last long)
3. BMW RT-1200 because of unreliability and handling issues.

They are now reported to be evaluating Harley Davidson. They have also been instructed not to engage in high speed pursuits on Yamahas and BMWs (they have to call for Highway Patrol backup).

Interesting!

Peter

Somebody ought to point out the Honda Pan European to them. Used by a lot of emergency services and police here in UK.
Cheers,

That's very interesting. I have read that the ST1300/PanEuropean has shown some serious wobbles at high speed...I recall that there is something about this in the FAQ section of the ST1300 website. Kept me from looking seriously at the bike.

Harleys are not bad as police bikes for metro/urban use. The traffic enforcement unit here uses them and they are very effective with them, but I would imagine that they'd have to watch overheating problems (in my area, regularly goes over 100 F in the summer and there are stretches 105+). For what it's worth, a traffic cop on a Harley just looks right...or maybe I'm just an old guy who doesn't appreciate the generic look of the modern bikes I acknowledge that the C14, in particular, would probably be a much more efficient and useful police bike.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread. Still want to see the BMW "scooter" and will look to see when it's expected in the States.

tarmacburner2 wrote:

...Somebody ought to point out the Honda Pan European to them. Used by a lot of emergency services and police here in UK. Cheers,

The Pan European and the ST-1300 ARE the same thing! Apparently many ST-1300's/Pan's develop a worrying high speed weave and that tends to put the riders off (especially in the middle of a high speed chase). I read an issue of the UK magazine Motorcycle Sport and leisure (a very good read by the way) where they interviewed a group of Metropolitan Police rider instructors and they were not keen on the Pan.

Were I a police motorcyclist I would like either a KTM 990 SuperDuke or a Ducati Streetfighter

All this reminds me of a story a work colleague once told me: in a former life he had been a motorcycle policeman in the Australian Capital Territory (our equivalent to Washington) and on this particular occasion was engaged in a high-speed pursuit of a bright red Ferrari. He followed the Ferrari into this 120 degree left-hander (three lanes wide but you dive down into it and climb back up out of it). They were doing over 100 mph and his bike dragged part of the frame or side stand which lifted the back wheel clear off the road as he slid across two lanes speedway style. The shower of sparks looked spectacular but the stains in the rear of his britches didn't. Not long after he transferred to cars!

Regards,
Peter

they were not keen on the Pan

Indeed they were not!
A group of us used to meet (some still do) for breakfast at the Ace Café in London every Saturday, a place also used by the Met. Police motorcycle cops for their breaks and as a base for the Bikesafe days.
We got to know them very well, all dedicated bikers, and they had stories of 'incidents' which made our hair curl.
BMWs were the favoured bikes for them at the time.