by Ron Schmidt
The End of the Airhead
1994 brought many changes to BMW, most obviously by the introduction of the “R259” series twins and the elimination of the old standby “Airhead” twins that had been BMW’s trademark for seven decades.
While it is interesting to look at all the technologies introduced during the 1994 to 2004 time block, it is also exciting to look into what was going on as far as changes in BMW more esoteric than measurable. In this author’s opinion there were unspoken changes in BMW’s mindset and philosophy. BMW had forged it’s reputation for long lasting, simple machines built to the highest standards and quality; aimed at a dwindling, older (OK, Jeff, more mature) market of enthusiastic but eccentric riders. They built motorcycles that were easy for the owners to maintain and modify to fit their specific wants. BMW had always built their bikes their way; often it seemed like they did so in spite of what the younger and upwardly mobile riders were looking for.
By 1994, the airhead was simply not a sellable motorcycle; the buying market was younger and wanted performance in line with what the Japanese products offered at much lower prices. The K 75/100 series that were so far ahead of their time in 1984 when they were introduced were also showing their age. No doubt, BMW knew this was coming many years before the new “Oil Head” was introduced. They knew that the riding community had reduced its mean age substantially. The younger riders had money to spend on a bike that had to be BMW, yet had to be totally more modern both in performance and in perception than what BMW had been selling. Thus, the R259 was born.
The Birth of the R259 Twins
The new BMW corporate mindset, if you will, was no longer concerned with selling motorcycles that would be handed down from one generation to the next, nor was BMW concerned about ease of maintenance with standard hand tools. Although the new bikes were still able to outlast the riders, the concern for building units to last a quarter-million miles was not so much in the forefront of the design. The new models would have to be powerful, fast, handle better than anything on the road; they would need to offer a standard of technology that the Japanese would never build. They should be complex pieces of rolling art. Most obvious, though, was that they would build a product aimed at an entirely new market of riders who would likely not be interested in maintaining the bikes themselves or really understanding the nuances of design. The new customers BMW was looking for were serious riders who were more interested in the fun and excitement of riding than they were in savoring the history of the older designs.
Really, in every way measurable, the R259 was better than the airhead it replaced. The changes in the K series during this time period also resulted in better motorcycles. It was a special time in BMW’s history, resulting in the amazing bikes we have today, but before the factory began too much of the “technology for the sake of technology” that came about after 2004. I believe that fifty years down the road, this time period will be viewed as one of BMW’s best hours.
From Bing Carbs to Twin-Spark Heads
1994 -The R259 was introduced. It was a complete new design of an opposed twin cylinder BMW.
Engine: The new engine shared almost no parts with its predecessor. It was 1100cc, the largest twin BMW had ever produced, Hi-cam, 4 valve cylinder heads, oil and air-cooled and fuel injected. They had power outputs up to 90 BHP. It had “fractured” connecting rods, rather than the rod being forged in a main rod and a rod end cap. These new rods were forged as one piece, and then actually broken in two parts at the big-end bearing area. The two parts then fit perfectly as the ridges of the cap had to exactly match the rod, so the strength of the rod and its alignment were increased even though the mass of the rod was radically decreased.
All USA models were equipped with a Catalytic Converter, a first in the world for “Green” motorcycles. In other countries, the Cat was an optional, extra cost item.
Chassis: The R259 was the first BMW to be produced with the Telelever front suspension. It was the first and still the only mass-produced motorcycle line that used something other than telescopic forks. The design eliminated flex and sliding friction. The Telelever also reduced or eliminate front end dive (it could be tuned to actually lift the front end under braking, although BMW never opted to do so). BMW chose to make the dive reduction about 75% of what a forked motorcycle would have because the riders found it an odd feeling to not have some dive. In later years, as riders became more accustomed or open-minded to the lack of dive, the suspension was tuned to about a 90% dive reduction on some models.
The engine was used as a stressed member, similar in concept the Kompact drive of the earlier K series.
Rear suspension was an updated and improved version of the Paralever system first introduced on the R100GS in 1988. The shock was moved to a central location to improve mass centralization and probably also to give the bike the look that there was nothing holding the back of it up, certainly a modern styling exercise.
Brakes: All models were equipped with very large diameter disc brakes, twin floating on the front and single disc on the rear. The new ABSII was introduced as well. It was much faster operating and lighter than the ABSI it replaced.
Styling & Models: The R259 was first introduced as an RS model with wind tunnel designs as cutting edge as its technologies. It looked like nothing else on the market. While being unmistakably a BMW twin, it was modern and exciting.
Other 1994 models included an 850cc version of the R259, released as an “R” models without a fairing. The “R” was also available in an 1100cc. The R model was a homely bike with styling often viewed as odd, even sometimes as down right ugly. It has a single gauge, a speedometer that was mounted off center in the dash. It has oil coolers that were hung out on the frame as if they were forgotten until after the design was penned and than added on as a last minute change. The tank shape was odd, as well as the seat. We often joked that BMW made them ugly, because it was such a fantastic bike to ride that if it were also pretty BMW would have been unable to keep production on par with the demand. It was perhaps the best handling BMW built to that point in time.
The 1994 K series were all upped to 1100cc and fitted with the more modern Motronic engine management systems similar to the R259. Although the 1993 K1100LT had been available a year earlier, the new 1100cc engine had updates to make it more powerful and smoother. They still had forks for front suspension.
1995 introduced the R1100GS. The GS was available in the USA only as an 1100cc version, although the 850cc version was available in other markets. It shared the same technologies as the RS and R models with the addition of long travel suspension and other items to make it better for light duty off road use. It was the first of the Giant sized Adventure Tourers that make up such a large percentage of the motorcycles around the world today. It was capable of 1000-mile days, yet amazingly competent off the beaten path. It could be overloaded with camping gear and still work well, yet show its taillight to most sport bikes on a twisty mountain road. While the GS had been the Swedish Army Knife of motorcycling since its introduction as an 800 in 1984, the new 1100 set a standard that the rest of the adventure touring market is still trying to catch up to. The styling, like the R, was so ugly that BMW was able to keep up with production demands.
1996 introduced the R1100RT, arguable the finest Sport Touring bike of its time. A full coverage faring cradled the rider and passenger in a cocoon of still air, while the magic of the R1100RS performance and acumen allowed it to be ridden as a sport bike when so desired. The styling was modern and beautiful.
1997 was another banner year for BMW. The R1100S was introduced as BMW’s first attempt at a serious Sport bike. It had higher compression, more radical cam timing, improved head port shapes and a less restrictive exhaust, all resulting in over 100 BHP in a package weighing less than 500 pounds. The 6 speed gearbox was a first for BMW. It was the most radical BMW produced to that date. Styling was stunningly beautiful with very low bars, a tiny windshield, under-seat exhaust and a cowling that made the dual seat look like a solo item. The suspension was “track-tuned” for handling that was beyond what even most professional riders could fully use. As one of the ten “pre-release” test riders chosen by BMW to evaluate this bike, I was almost beyond words when given the opportunity to rate this bike. Interestingly enough, talking to others of the ten riders years later, BMW did not respond to even one of our suggestions, even though we had all requested similar changes. Most of those changes are on the 2007 R1200S models though!
Also in 1997, BMW released the K1200RS. It was the first K bike to use the Telelever suspension. It also was the first to use an alloy frame of massive strength, allowing BMW to isolate the engine vibration from the rider, no longer using the engine as a stressed member. The 1200cc engine was rated at 130 BHP, making the bike the fastest BMW ever. The engine vibration was so muted that it was eerie to ride, and the acceleration was close to scary. A six-speed gearbox was fitted. It handled like a very long wheel-base race bike; with tremendous stability and slightly heavy steering making it confidence inspiring. The styling was very modern, with multi-colored paint and graphics that would have made Max Fritz turn over in his grave. It was a totally modern bike in every way, showing the other manufacturers that BMW was seriously in the Sport bike market.
The F650, which had been available in other countries, was finally brought into the USA in 1997 as well. It was a “Badge BMW”; a single cylinder Rotax engine-powered bike built for BMW by Aprillia. As this seminar is supposed to take only 90 minutes, I will not go into much detail on the F650. We have an F650 history paper written and would be more than happy to give you a copy of it. The F650 was an awesome bike, filling a need for an entry-level bike in BMW’s line that was devoid of one.
1998 had no significant changes, allowing all of us in the industry to take a deep breath. We had seen more changes in BMW’s line-up and company feel in the last four years than had been seen in the previous four decades.
1999 was the year BMW introduced the K1200LT, pushing BMW squarely into the Luxury Touring Market. The LT looked the Honda Goldwing directly in the eye and challenged it to a duel. It was based largely on the K1200RS and was a wildly sophisticated mileage eater. Standard equipment included cruise control, 8 speaker stereo systems with a cassette-tape player and 6 CD changer, heated grips and seats, a reverse gear, integrated wind tunnel designed saddlebags and top trunk, and many other touring niceties. The power was reduced from the RS to about 100 hp, upping the torque in the lower rpm ranges where BMW thought the riders would live. The Luxury Touring market was suddenly turned upside down with this bike that was as comfortable as a Goldwing, yet handled like nothing its size should be able to. It took years for Honda to even come close to the LT, and even now the LT, other than for some minor refinements, has hardly changed since 1999. It was said to be the 7 series of the motorcycle market; unrelenting in its endeavor to provide luxury in a platform of exhilarating performance.
2000-2003: Over the next couple of years, BMW upped all the R259 series (except the R1100S) to 1150cc and fitted them with 6 speed gearboxes. The 1150cc engine was smoother than the 1100cc it replaced and the new six speed gearbox shifted better, and had an over drive sixth gear that made the bikes feel like they were just loafing along at 100 mph. (or so I have been told. That speed is illegal in the USA). There were minor improvements made to the Telelever suspension on the twins and detail improvements made to all models.
The R1100R received a major face-lift when it became the R1150R, resulting in one of the most beautiful lines ever produced in the naked bike market.
The R1150GS Adventure model was released, a massive redo of the GS with a huge fuel tank, lower gearing for off-road use, even taller suspension, and knobby tires rated at 100 mph. Whew—when is enough just too much?
The R1150RT had minor cosmetic changes, mostly to the headlight area with a design that looked much better than it worked.
Also, in 2002, the K1200RS received a bit of a styling update and was fitted with the electronic cruise control from the LT
IABS: 2002 brought one big change in BMW’s line with the introduction of IABS (Integrated Anti-lock Brake System). This system was touted by BMW to be the ultimate motorcycle braking system. It was a computer controlled, electronically power-assisted system that integrated the front and rear brake systems. On the sportier models, a partially integrated system was used that allowed the rider to use just the rear brake, or a combination of front and rear, but did not allow just the front to be used independently of the rear. On the touring models, the front and rear were always integrated in what was termed a fully integrated system. The system was a technological marvel, supposedly operating both brakes to their optimum regardless of how stupid the rider was. In reality, the system was inconsistent and unpredictable in operation, non-linear in feel, expensive to maintain, noisy as the power-assist pumps were energized, and gave yet another added benefit of being able to use so much electrical energy that the charging system was unable to keep up with it if it was used in an aggressive manner, such as during track days, or even on endurance rallies in poor weather conditions. Changes were made to this “perfect system” over the next few years; we expect it be phased out altogether sometime in the future. I guess even BMW can make a mistake!
2004 brought about a dual-spark plug head for the R series. That, in combination with remapped engine management parameters, resulted in an almost 100% surge free engine. Models up to 2004 were constantly criticized for a small throttle-opening surge. BMW never addressed the issue, stating that it was not a problem (what problem?). The dual spark motor was said by them to be a cleaner engine to meet ever-tightening emission standards, but the redo did eliminate the surge. Prior to the dual-spark heads, BMW still met every emission requirement, even in California. It was nice of them to fix a non-problem while meeting an un-needed pollution requirement.
