Munich.
The BMW GS models powered by the boxer flat-twin engine have
been the perfect companion for anyone wishing to explore the
furthest reaches of our planet for over three decades. Be it the
Himalayan mountains, the Saharan desert or the polar circles – the
“GS” has always provided motorcycle adventurers with the ideal
combination of touring and long-distance travel qualities, dynamic
performance, endurance and off-road capability.
R 1200 GS xDrive Hybrid: the world’s first all-wheel drive
travel enduro.
With the world premiere of the near-series test version of the R
1200 GS xDrive Hybrid, BMW Motorrad opens up a whole new chapter in
GS history and launches the world’s first series-production
all-wheel drive travel enduro with hybrid drive.
The new R 1200 GS xDrive Hybrid is based on the legendary R 1200
GS Adventure. The air/liquid cooled flat twin generates an output of
92 kW (125 hp) at 7 750 rpm as well as a maximum torque of 125 Nm at
6 500 rpm and delivers it to the rear wheel via shaft drive in
familiar fashion.
Hybrid drive with 125 kW (170 hp) overall system output
ensures supreme performance in all riding conditions.
The unique all-wheel drive of the front wheel of the new R 1200
GS xDrive Hybrid ensures even better traction on slippery road
conditions, deep sand or mud. This technological feat was achieved
using the system developed by BMW Automobiles. All-wheel drive can
be operated automatically or manually by the rider via the 2WD
(Two-Wheel Drive) switch located on the left handlebar operation
unit. It activates the wheel-hub e-Drive system which functions both
as electric motor and generator. With the additional output of 33 kW
(45 hp) and overall 125 kW (170 hp) system performance, the
innovative all-wheel drive system opens up a whole new dimension of
performance and offroad-suitability.
A new generation of batteries, derived from BMW i battery
technology, stores the energy recuperated during braking. The
e-Drive system on the front wheel is supplied with this energy and
the R 1200 GS xDrive Hybrid rider can use it for accelerating in
addition to the power delivered by the combustion engine. Thanks to
sophisticated management technology the power is always supplied to
the front wheel in the right amount and appropriately depending on
the riding situation. This means that the front wheel only receives
the amount of power as the traction conditions permit – for example
in wet or deep snow conditions. The rider can use a number of riding
modes to customise how the all-wheel drive system operates and
adjust the hybrid system’s recuperation strategies to suit his
needs. Everything can be controlled using the innovative LCD
display.
Optimised braking performance and balanced weight ratio thanks
to intelligent recuperation and single disc brake.
Apart from the significant advantages achieved with regard to
ride performance, the xDrive Hybrid all-wheel drive also benefits
braking greatly. Thanks to the recuperation process, which has been
integrated into the BMW Motorrad ABS system, braking performance has
been improved even further.
This intelligent combined solution also made it possible to
reduce the conventional double-disc hydraulic braking system at the
front to a single-disc brake system thereby saving approximately 2.9
kilograms of weight. In combination with the wheel hub e-Drive,
which only weighs 880 grams, the bike’s agility was also optimized.
Thanks to the bike’s positive weight balance, the weight level of
the current R 1200 GS Adventure could be maintained in spite of the
additional hybrid all-wheel technology.
This bike will get you anywhere, on any surface – even to the
North pole.
In the past months the test version of the new R 1200 GS xDrive
Hybrid covered countless thousands of kilometres in the toughest of
riding conditions. The most extreme demands were placed on the bike
last winter, when Reiner Scherbeck, the head of winter testing at
BMW Motorrad, rode it to the North Cape on a first stage and from
there across the frozen Barents Sea to the North Pole and back again.
Scherbeck: “We were absolutely amazed how problem-free and
reliable the all-wheel drive worked even at minus 56 degrees. Thanks
to our functional BMW rider equipment, the cold temperatures were no
problem for the rider, too. Probably the most thrilling conclusion
we can draw from our test runs, is that for the first time we can
offer a motorcycle that makes riding a motorcycle a pleasure at snow
depths of 1.25 metres in high winter with the new R 1200 GS xDrive
Hybrid. Special front section components have also been developed
for this purpose as well as high-speed suitable M+S all-season
tyres. This was also necessary in order to meet the necessary
requirements for high-speed winter operation.”
The new BMW R 1200 GS xDrive Hybrid will be presented to the
public in a suitable location very soon. It will be available from
the second half of 2017. BMW Motorrad will announce special tyre
combinations and optional equipment features as well as the official
sales price at a later date.
You will find press material on BMW motorcycles and BMW Motorrad
rider equipment in the BMW Group PressClub at www.press.bmwgroup.com.
The BMW Group
With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is the
world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles
and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global
company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly facilities
in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.
In 2016, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.367 million cars and
145,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax was approximately
€ 9.67 billion on revenues amounting to € 94.16 billion. As of 31
December 2016, the BMW Group had a workforce of 124,729 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term
thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established
ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain,
comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to
conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.
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