Maxi scooters BMW C650 Honda Silver Wing Kymco MyRoad Suzuki Burgman

Motorcycles are a religion, and maxi scooters are a cult. For some people, this is the only true control ergonomics, while others do not consider them motorcycles at all. Probably no other class causes so much misunderstanding and conflicting ideas. Often, when choosing a universal, practical and convenient two-wheeled vehicle for everyday driving, maxi scooters are unfairly discarded right away. But tell me, what other class of motorcycles is narrow and maneuverable enough to zip through traffic jams to the supermarket at the end of the working day, load up a case of beer and a bucket of shish kebab (without any additional panniers!), and on the way out of town easily load and dump on the highway ? And while drinking coffee from a glass in your left hand?

Engine

In terms of engines, all four maxi scooter models are based on in-line twins, which are quite similar to each other. All of them can easily go 130 km/h, which is faster than most cars and certainly faster than the speed limit on most roads.

In terms of cubic capacity, the list is headed by Kymco, which, however, produces 59 hp from a 699.5 cubic meter engine. and 62 Nm, which is 1 horse and 4 Nm less than the less cubic capacity (647 cubic meters) BMW. We hoped that the Kymco would show itself on the takeoff from the start, but it turned out that, on the contrary, it starts slowly and also vibrates. However, our two testers independently rated the mid-range pull and punch as being very good for overtaking. According to one of them, “it’s like it’s running on a diesel engine.” We are all pleased with Kymco’s first successes in building large-capacity devices and hope that their next models will be more competently configured and balanced - we’ll talk about this later.

Honda Silver Wing

When talking about the Honda Silver Wing, it’s strange to use the word “junior” - but here it is. Its 582 cc inline engine produces 49.6 hp. and 54 Nm.

It has enough traction for most riders interested in this class, says one tester, but it is in this comparison that it is an outsider.

But the Honda Silver Wing has a pleasant exhaust sound that makes us think that we are going faster than we actually are. And at the end of the day, if you're thinking about a Silver Wing, 0-60 mph time isn't likely to be high on your list of criteria.

The 647 cc in-line twin maxi scooter of the BMW C650GT is also found in one of the most advanced car models - the new BMW i3. It's actually an electric car with a 22 kWh battery and a range of about 200 km, but it can be equipped with the petrol engine from the C650 to increase the range. In this case, the engine is placed in the trunk, throttled to 33 hp. and is used exclusively as a generator to recharge batteries. The car's electric motor produces 170 hp. and 250 Nm of torque, which is enough to reach hundreds in 7 seconds.

Filling the gap between the Honda and Kymco are the Suzuki and BMW maxi scooters with 638 and 647cc respectively. As you would expect from BMW, the C650GT with its 60 horsepower and 66 Nm is perfectly balanced and the power is evenly distributed. Under normal conditions, the CVT works in perfect harmony with the engine, but one tester noticed a slight dullness after stopping. “The engine spins up, but the clutch does not engage immediately, which limits the detonation.” But after a moment, the centrifugal clutch engages fully, and the speed drops to the beginning of the most high-torque range, and the engine is ready to release its full power. This is the only quibble with the engine.

The 638 cc maxi scooter Suzuki Burgman 650 ABS does not seem in any way inferior to its larger brethren in our comparison. Its engine produces 54 hp. and 61 Nm, and its CVT works perfectly, thanks to new materials and electronic control, providing more precise and efficient operation. It also has a number of exclusive (in its class) features: a choice of two engine modes, Eco or Power, as well as the ability to manually control the CVT gear ratio with an imitation of a six-speed gearbox.

This makes it possible to shift the engine into the most torquey part of the rev range, says our tester. -And it also allows you to reduce the effect of free rotation when the clutch opens when releasing the gas and does not allow engine braking.

Kymco MyRoad 700i

I know it's just emulation, but I like to switch speeds with my finger, says another of our testers. -The ability to maintain a gear ratio through a series of turns gives more control over entry speed and engine braking.

True, it would be better if the switch buttons were placed differently - one of them under the index finger.

The Eco and Power engine modes are also noteworthy. The first, of course, limits traction by keeping the variator at a higher gear ratio, thereby reducing speed and consumption (we measured 5.15 liters per hundred in the combined cycle). This is an effective feature for normal driving, but you'll most likely want to ride in Power mode. It keeps the revs higher, providing almost instant response to the throttle.

Its acceleration from a stop is the best of the four, even better than the BMW, says our tester. -In addition, in Power mode engine braking is noticeably added.

Fuel consumption per 100km

• BMW C650GT 5.17L
• Honda Silver Wing 5.03l
• Kymco MyRoad 700i 5.37L
• Suzuki Burgman 650 ABS 5.15l

BMW C600 Sport

Yesterday I attended a test drive of BMW motorcycles.
Of the entire chic assortment, I was interested in only one copy. C600 Sport. After completing the paperwork and proper instructions, we arrived at the parking lot with the equipment and were given the keys. I immediately noticed my horse. You come up to him and admire... The Bavarian is beautiful, laconic and technologically advanced. He sat down and couldn’t touch the ground with his feet. Tmax is high - higher than all maxiscooters in terms of seat. And BMW is even higher. It is designed for tall people. My height is 173. I also didn’t reach my butt a few centimeters from the back of the driver. I reached for the steering wheel and my back bent. My arms are so short, as BMW representatives explained to me. But it seemed to me that the steering wheel was far and low. I turned the key, poked the starter... but the buttons were all different. They are not like everywhere else. But they are cool, short-stroke, with rockers. You have to get used to them. Started it up. The engine is noisy and rattles. But you don’t feel it while driving. Let's go: We set off to pick up the instructor, and I instantly get used to him. It's friendly and picks up speed quickly but evenly. Acceleration 10-30-50-70-100-130-160 is absolutely the same. The rest is a little slower, but it goes well too. You will have good time with motorcycles on the track, with its turns and overtaking! Maneuverability is excellent. At any speed, you can handle any hole with one movement of your butt and finger. It is very easy to operate. This is not a cruiser moped like Majesta, Skywave or Silver. This is a moped moped! Like Aprilia SR. Only much more powerful, and just as technologically advanced and ideal in handling. It also lays well. Moving along a narrow, winding 160+ road, it is enough to slow down a little before the turn in order to give the gas when entering the turn and return to the reduced speed at the exit. He does it easily. but he doesn’t like braking when turning. It will immediately take you into the bump stop or oncoming traffic. As the pilot of the BMW MotoGGad team explained to me, I dosed the braking forces incorrectly. It's possible. After all, I’m not yet used to its brakes, and I don’t know what they are capable of. At critical angles of inclination at high speed, as soon as you change the gas position or touch the brake, the moped begins to wobble. It's as if the frame is playing. BMW representatives replied that in order to remove this, they would need to reconfigure the rear shock absorber to accommodate my weight. By the way, about shock absorbers. They are very good. Tough, sporty, but at the same time absorb all the vibration of the road and small bumps and holes. The middle ones already give you a feeling, but without causing discomfort and without knocking you off the trajectory. Of the entire huge and super advanced dashboard of this scooter, only the speed is readable on the go. Because the speedometer is made large and pointer (with a designer arrow), and everything else is scattered across the screen in small print and is not readable on the go. I took care of the tachometer in advance, before leaving I looked where it was, tried to remember the position of the numbers indicating the revolutions near the growing scale... but on the move I still didn’t understand a thing. There was no time to lean over the dashboard and peer. Maybe my eyesight is bad. I never got used to the landing during the entire trip. I kept thinking that this is a steep, sporty landing position that allows for better maneuvering in the city, but I wouldn’t go on a long drive like that. My back and arms were tired within 15 minutes. All the time I wanted the steering wheel to be higher to straighten my back. It's simply made for tall people. This way your knees will not rest against the steering wheel. Let me summarize: There are only 6 hyperscooters in the world. These are maxi scooters with an engine in the frame and two cylinders. This is the highest level of scooter evolution. Scooter outside, motorcycle inside. T-max is considered the best in the world. The rest mostly live in their own niches. It's not the most powerful, it's not the most luxurious, but it's the most balanced, the most reliable, and at the same time it remains the closest to a scooter. BMW immediately entered this segment, with a claim to leadership. They knew what to start from, copying the consumer qualities of T-Max. And it turned out pretty good. The size is not large, there is a lot of power, maneuverability and controllability are excellent. They only left even less comfort. Leaving there on Tmax, I went through these turns in exactly the same way. But at the same time, I found that I was much more comfortable, I was relaxed, and also, it was so stable, even when tilted, that I could even scratch my butt at that moment. and it will just keep turning. It is not moved from its trajectory by external factors. Driver only. On the BMW it seemed to me that this was a little different. But we must give credit to the C600 as a whole, it feels much lighter. One thing is certain: I rode it very fast. I wouldn’t be able to ride like that on Silver, Burg, ZhP800, and probably Kimko Myroad too. Before that, among scooters this was only possible on Tmax. Now BMW can be no worse. This is a huge achievement.

Disadvantages of maxi scooters

However, maxi scooters are not without their drawbacks. In this case it is weight and price. At 278kg, the Burgman is the second heaviest maxi scooter and is priced above all others. Moreover, the design of the robotic variator is such that at a certain mileage it requires a planned replacement of the drive mechanics for changing the gear ratio, and this makes regular maintenance at this mileage very unprofitable. Is it worth it? We all appreciated the new CVT in operation, some liked it more, others less, and one of us said:

I like scooters because they are easy to control. If I wanted to change gears, I would ride a motorcycle. I wonder how many owners of these Burgmans actually shift manually?

Fit and ergonomics

All members of our today's four have a comfortable neutral fit. But there are also differences.

BMW C650GT

The highest saddle is the BMW, which is 80.5 cm high and is not well suited for short people. Even with a height of 180 cm, sitting on the BMW C650GT it is not possible to stand with both feet on the ground. It doesn't have much room for long knees, though, and the same goes for the Suzuki, which has a 5cm lower seat. True, the Suzuki Burgman 650 has an adjustable driver's backrest, which allows riders of different heights to control it. The Honda Silver Wing has a seat height of 75 cm, while the Kymco MyRoad 700i has a seat height of 77 cm.

In motion, the BMW maxi scooter proudly demonstrates its comfort. The feet can be extended forward into a near-chopper position, and the ratio between the height of the seat and the height of the footpegs is the most comfortable here.

My legs are bent at the most comfortable angle on it, especially compared to the Kymco, our tester comments.

Only the maxi scooters BMW C650GT and Suzuki Burgman 650 are equipped with electronically adjustable windshields , but we liked the BMW windshield better due to its wider range of adjustment and stability at speed. In its top position, it directs the wind over the head and around the body, which is comfortable in the heat. My colleague liked the Burgman's more complete wind protection - its wide plastic and adjustable windshield provide better protection from the wind. About the BMW, he said that “I didn’t like the swirl behind the helmet from the windshield in the up position.”

Speaking of weather, our BMW C650GT scooter is equipped with heated grips and heated seats for both seats as part of the Highline Package. On a night trip at -2 degrees, this was a lifesaver! Heated grips and driver's seat are available on the Suzuki Burgman, also as an option.

Suzuki Burgman 650

Regarding the convenience of the Kymco MyRoad 700i. It cannot boast of windshield adjustment or heating of anything, its seat seems to be 2.5 cm lower than that of the BMW, but it is the widest of all four, and the legs exposed from the device have to be spread wide. And the back of its seat, in the words of our tester, “hooks you by the belt and pulls your pants almost over your ears.” And that's not even the worst part: Tall testers complained that the platforms are too high, placing their knees higher than they'd like, and coupled with the uncomfortable backrest and lack of knee room, it "becomes uncomfortable after an hour of riding," according to one from my colleagues.

The ergonomics of the Honda Silver Wing are somewhere in the middle: it’s a little cramped for tall people, but, according to a colleague:

For those on the smaller side, the good news is that the Honda weighs less than most and will be easier to handle at stoplights or when rolling around in parking lots. Plus the lowest seat.

And despite the Silver Wing's fixed windshield, it has quite good wind protection.

Life with a BMW maxiscooter

BMW C600 SPORT, C650GT “Sportuhhha”

I first became acquainted with this device in 2015. I was sitting at home, at that time I was the owner of a maxi-scooter from Kawasaki model J300. I came across two models C600Sport and C650GT on the Internet and began to study these two beauties. As a result, I came across the possibility of a test ride, which in itself was an absolutely incredible phenomenon for me... Well, with a car you can understand how a test drive is carried out. And on a motorcycle? HOW? I signed up for this event one weekend at AVILON on Volgogradsky Prospekt. Having fulfilled all the conditions, signed the contractual agreement for the test... I followed the technician to the street where the device was located. After which the cherished phrase sounded: -You have an hour and a half for the test! I went for a ride. Not very far from the salon so that in any case there is an option to quickly return. What can I tell you, this is not 299 cubes and one cylinder. So wow, 647 cubes and two cylinders. There are no vibrations at idle... It gets to 100 instantly! Plus rich equipment: Heated handles and seats, a tire pressure sensor and a full-fledged on-board computer like in cars. Also among the amenities are an adjustable windshield, a folding parking pocket for a helmet... The rest of the equipment is basically the same as that of the Kawasaki. And so it turned out that I was driving out of curiosity and in the end I came across a goal for myself. What to save! Next, 2016, 05/28 - for sale almost two months after the Kawasaki ad was posted... And the search for purchasing options begins. I looked at two used ones, one of which was from very shady owners in a terrible condition, although with low mileage, but 480 tyr for 2013 is prohibitively expensive... Plus, it also stood on the street all year round - as they told me. This was not an option at all. The second option was the GT 650, which was more interesting, heavier and stuffed. But in the end, I found a new version of the 2015 model year at a dealer in St. Petersburg at a price 50-70 thousand lower than the cost of the same one from Moscow dealers. I called the sales department... I found out everything regarding the conditions and cost. I was happy with everything and made an advance payment of half the cost of my future Maxi. It was the middle of the week May 31-June 1... We agreed on delivery on Saturday. I found excellent comrades who kept me company on my trip to St. Petersburg. On Friday late evening 3.06 we got ready and drove to St. Petersburg along the night M10 and around 8-8:10 we arrived at our destination. I had to wait a little for the dealer to open... But it turned out that the manager Katerina called ahead of the appointed time and we settled down, waiting for the opportunity to look at my future device, which I will slowly drive towards the house today. Everything went smoothly until the issue touched upon compulsory motor liability insurance... I was very confused by the fact that for some reason they only provide insurance for a year! Well, why should I insure for a year - if I use it from the end of March until October... But after fun rides around St. Petersburg and waiting in line at the insurance company, which moved up by one person in the 30 minutes that I was there... I decided to do it OSAGO for a year. When making the decision, there were thoughts in my head that I still had to go back, and not at all quickly at first, because running in is not possible! Maintain speed! But more on that later. They gave me compulsory motor insurance for a year. I waited for the manager and we went to the counter where there was already a shiny maxi. I started it, checked all the systems that you can check yourself, the heating and looked at it all again, including checking the VIN number with the title. After which he rolled it out onto the street himself, said goodbye to Katerina and began making circles around the cabin so that he could immediately set everything up for himself and understand how to control the equipment. After about 7-8 laps, I was ready to drive towards the nearest gas station because the MOTORHOME turned out to be greedy, right down to the gas in the tank. I filled the tank full at a Shell gas station and after that, my comrades and I had a long way to go home... For the first 50 km I was driving at 3000 rpm, the speed at these speeds was 45-50 km/h maximum. But after this run, the maxik began to come to life - literally, it seemed as if it became easier for him to breathe! Just to understand this you need to be in the saddle - for example, when driving for 100 kilometers, the revolutions were the same 3000 and the speed was already about 70 km/h. I arrived at the dacha... It was already really raining in the Moscow region... I spent the night... In the morning I showed this device to my grandfather, he is also a motorcyclist, it’s a pity that it was only in the distant past. He liked the device. The next day, not far from the dacha, in a motorcycle shop, I bought a very bright and beautiful cover, the color of a road worker. And I went home... In conclusion, I will only say that now I am in an excellent mood with positive emotions from owning this device. I will post the rest in a timely manner in the BZ.

Passport details

Volume From 601 to 1000 cm³ Max. power 60 hp Year of manufacture 2015 Year of purchase 2016

Controllability

Have you ever wondered what class of “ordinary” motorcycles can be classified as maxi scooters? We decided that these would be sports tourists , because good wind protection, good power supply, hooding, standard luggage capacity and a dislike for off-roading are inherent in this class. And the design of our four devices is very similar to the “faces” of such motorcycles. And since we're testing quasi-sport tourers today, we decided to test their handling on winding roads leading to nowhere, with everything you need on board. We were quite impressed with all four, but one in particular stood out.

Making your way through the city or along a bypass, they all feel about the same. All have rear suspension preload adjustment, and we appreciated the Honda's softness for normal driving. “Good around town and on flat roads,” according to one of us. At first, the Burgman felt a bit harsh on the highway, but that feeling faded over time.

BMW C650GT

But the BMW C650GT impressed with its composure. “BMW seems to have found the fine line between precise handling and outright stiffness of the suspension,” noted a colleague. Ride quality teetered on the edge of comfort for normal driving, but with all four of us comparing the experience on twisty roads, the firm suspension is an acceptable price to pay for the almost sporty handling precision.

Kymco MyRoad 700i surprised us. Despite the electronic suspension adjustment, it was disappointing to say the least.

I was hoping to play with the electronic suspension and find my balance, but in fact I was only upset,” said one of my colleagues. -It turned out to be extremely hard in the softest position, so there was no need to try a harder setting.

Things got a little better when we loosened the spring preload on the rear suspension, but the fork was still stiff.

I think the culprit here is that the high-speed compression smoothing is too long,” continues the colleague. -The MyRoad electronic suspension could be a huge benefit if it worked as it should. She definitely wouldn't make a Gold Wing out of a sportbike, but she could make the Kymco more comfortable.

Of course, going all the way to the footrests is not what most people buy maxi scooters for, but we didn’t buy them, we took them for a test. Considering that we also tested the C600Sport right after its release, we immediately agreed to test their extreme lean angles, so we headed to the nearest serpentine road to test their sporting capabilities. And what we found is surprising not only to you, but also to us: all four turned out to be more athletic than you expect from them.

Honda Silver Wing

They are not sportbikes by any means, but:

Each offers immediate steering response, although their long wheelbase increases the turning radius, says our tester. -This is especially noticeable with Honda. The front turns, and then, after a short but noticeable pause, the rear follows.

BMW motorcycle models

BMW motorcycle models have always been distinguished by very bold design solutions, from the layout of engines to suspensions.

In particular, the German concern was the first to use telescopic hydraulic forks. The suspension, originally invented specifically for BMW models, is now installed on the vast majority of motorcycles and other brands.

Throughout the history of its existence, motorcycles of the German company have repeatedly become winners of various types of racing competitions.

BMW model range

Today there are many models of BMW motorcycles on the market, differing significantly in both appearance and technical characteristics. Let's look at the most famous ones.

2016 BMW C650

This model is distinguished by the presence of a special system for monitoring the so-called Side View Assist blind spots, which, in many ways, resembles the parking radar system installed on cars. If the motorcycle is in a blind spot while changing lanes, the system will give an appropriate signal.

2004 BMW K1200S

The main distinguishing feature of this BMW motorcycle model is the front suspension, which consists of several bones and a shock absorber. This allows you to make driving the BMW 2004 K1200S more comfortable.

1993 BMW R1100RS

The suspension of the BMW 1993 R110RS is designed primarily to combat the motorcycle's forward tilt during braking. In addition, it allows you to remove the load from the steering column, as well as more stably maintain the length of the motorcycle base when clamping the suspension.

1977 BMW R100RS

This model of BMW motorcycle is distinguished by a full plastic body kit, which protected the driver’s arms and legs while driving. Before the first BMW 1977 R100RS went into production, the body kits were tested in a special wind tunnel.

1973 BMW R90S

The 1973 BMW R90S motorcycles had a head plastic, which among motorcycle enthusiasts was called an “apron.” It served as a windshield. It was the German concern that made head plastic on motorcycles mainstream.

BMW F 800 ST

These BMW motorcycle models are considered the most versatile. You can ride them comfortably both on city streets and off-road. This model is also the most suitable option for those who want to travel on a motorcycle.

Weight

The lightest maxi scooter of the four, the Honda Silver Wing responds quite quickly to changes in direction, but, “by sporting standards, the Silver Wing is an outsider.” Its steering cannot be called neutral: it steers and dives at low speeds and almost resists at high speeds.

Moving from the Honda to the 278kg Suzuki Burgman , the extra 32kg is felt clearly. However, its main weight is in the lower part of the chassis, and it “steers surprisingly well.” It's not the quickest of the lot, and its low muffler limits the lean angle. However, it handles consistently and predictably.

Kymco MyRoad surprised again. It weighs 275kg and feels that way on the move, “but is surprisingly nimble on a twisty road. It corners faster than a BMW and its chassis is strong and stable.” There is also a minus, and this is ground clearance. The center stand quickly touches the ground on the left, and on the right he “also shuffles something.”

Maxi scooters on serpentine road

When driving on twisty roads, there is no doubt about the BMW's leadership. Equipped with 15-inch wheels shod in Metzeller Feel Free,

BMW is exactly the kind of bike that you simply enjoy sporty riding on.

Another colleague of mine noted that

It doesn’t just handle better than anyone else, it handles the way I’m used to with regular motorcycles.

The BMW C650GT's suspension happily absorbs cornering bumps and performs correctly under braking without flex or bite, and the chassis performs perfectly. The Metzeller tires hold the road confidently, and in order to scrape something on the asphalt, the C650 needs to be seriously tilted.

The BMW's near-limitless lean angle makes it ideal for twisting roads, leaving its rivals to slowly grind into the asphalt somewhere behind, says my colleague.

We were pleasantly surprised by the BMW's sport-driving capabilities and are seriously considering taking it to a track day.

Luggage capacity of maxi scooters

Taking these scooters out of their comfort zone and testing them on serpentine roads was our main goal for the day. But let's return to reality and practicality issues and compare their luggage capacities of maxi scooters. Here too, BMW is at its best with its 60-litre seat pannier. Next is the Honda Silver Wing with 55 liters, then the Kymco MyRoad and Suzuki Burgman with 50 liters each. Each can fit at least one full-face helmet, and BMW, Suzuki and Kymco each fit two medium-sized helmets. Unexpectedly, despite the second-largest luggage compartment, the Silver Wing has such a configuration that a second full-size helmet will not fit there.

Suzuki Burgman 650

And our photographer liked the Burgman trunk, because

It fits a long telephoto camera, a photo bag, various small items, and there is still room for a helmet!

All maxi scooters have small compartments for small items in the front plastic where you can put keys, phones, wallets. The disadvantage of Kymco MyRoad is that it has only one such glove compartment, while the others have at least two. In our Honda Silver Wing, one of the compartments is even locked, and there is a plug in it, the shape and size of which resembles a cigarette lighter socket, but for some reason there is no cigarette lighter in it, and there is also no such accessory on the Honda website.

The rest have cigarette lighters, although Kymco has it under the saddle. BMW and Suzuki have them in the depths of the glove compartments (in the Burgman this glove compartment is locked with a key). In general, in terms of luggage capacity, we have the BMW C650GT in first place; its 60 liters are more than enough for things on the road, but its small minus is that its glove compartments are not locked. The Suzuki Burgman comes in second, followed by the Kymco MyRoad 700i with its weird compartment and the Honda Silver Wing with its missing cigarette lighter socket and single-helmet rack.

Double punch. BMW C600 Sport and BMW C650 GT

German specialists from BMW Motorrad carefully calculated the moment when the motorcycle department of Bavarian Motors entered the maxi-scooter market. Having created twins in terms of filling, but only brothers in appearance, the creators of the BMW C600 Sport and BMW C650 GT set a new, and quite high, bar for two-wheeled urban cars.

Having “years of training” behind them to create touring and off-road bestsellers, having released a couple of years ago the evil sports BMW S1000RR, tearing everyone and everything to shreds at road races around the world, BMW designers and marketers decided that it was time for competitors to make room and in the maxi-scooter niche. It was not so much the rare and exotic “Italians” that were given away, but the real market hits - the Japanese Suzuki Burgman and Yamaha T-Max scooters. For fans of the Japanese “four”, such a statement may seem too bold, but that’s why we’ve gathered here to try to figure out in practice and facts why the new BMW scooters are so good.

The test of new products took place in early spring in the hospitable Spanish capital of Madrid, where, it seemed, no one had ever heard of winter. Let's start with the “clothes” by which, as you know, people are greeted. To be honest, I'm a fan of sporty two-wheeled vehicles. We are, of course, not talking about enduro cross bikes, but about road bikes - sport bikes. But if I had to choose between the “sportsman” BMW C600 Sport and the “tourist” BMW C600 GT, I would not rush to the sports version in the first place. And not at all because the tourist scooter is dressed in plastic from head to toe, and not because the design lines, and especially the “face,” are reminiscent of the “six-barrel” flagship of the BMW K1600 GT. The fact is that the “truck driver” carries one hundred percent complete integrity of the image in his appearance: he is just a good-looking guy. “Sportsman,” on the other hand, seems like a bit of an unfinished compromise, to which they tried to give some brutality by cutting up the “plastic bikini,” but in the end they didn’t add anything. The level of cuteness is reflected in the facial expression of the C600 Sport. Widely spaced “stunned” eyes-headlights, framed by the chopped shapes of the head fairing, are rigidly dissected by a nose-partition, which not everyone will like. On the other hand, remembering the deliberate asymmetry of the S100RR, you once again realize the truth: all felt-tip pens have different tastes and colors. But if the company’s road flagship can easily be dressed in sports plastic, eliminating the presence of “oblique” head optics, then the potential owner of the BMW C600 Sport will have to look at this “face” every day. By the way, LED daylight and luggage compartment lighting are features that will need to be ordered additionally, but they look great!

The C650 GT demonstrates richer equipment: there is an enlarged windshield with a special aerodynamic shape, equipped with an electric drive, LED turn signals built into the mirrors, and impressive handles for the passenger. A full sixty-liter luggage compartment that can accommodate two helmets, convenient lumbar support for the pilot and a comfortable sofa for the passenger. In turn, the C600 Sport sports a muffler can with a dashing sports shape, the “tail” is raised above the wheel to give it a more rapid look, and the small volume of luggage capacity is compensated by a special bag, which, if necessary, can be deployed, increasing the depth of the compartment. But the small passenger handles and the one-piece seat cushion without pronounced support were surprising. In theory, when you spur a sports model, you want to have additional support so as not to slide back and hang on the clip-ons. It would be nice for the passenger to have an additional point of support so as not to lean on the pilot with all his weight during dynamic acceleration and sharp braking. By the way, both models are equipped with a convenient central stand.

On another smoke break during a city test, I first encountered a two-wheeled version of the parking brake. Having placed the scooter on the side stand, and realizing that I had stopped exactly on the bike path, I tried to roll the device to the side, but it didn’t work. It turned out that when the footrest is folded down, the brake mechanism is activated, eliminating the “self-propulsion” of the machine on inclined surfaces, leading to the folding of the stand and, as a result, a fall.

Unfortunately (or, to be honest, fortunately), the weather in Madrid in early spring was more than summer-like, the sun was hot, and it took me quite a long time to beg myself to turn on the proprietary heated steering wheel grips and seats. I didn’t have a chance to learn anything new here, as with all vehicles of the two-wheeled BMW line, the heaters reach operating temperature quickly, heat perfectly, and turn off quickly, so I didn’t have time to fry. I really liked that the passenger seat was also equipped with the above function, and “number two” can click its own “heat” control switch independently of the pilot.

The on-board computer of the “twins”, or more precisely, its functions, reflected on the multifunctional liquid crystal display, are also fully accessible on both the “tourist” and the “athlete”. Only the digital tachometer seemed unusual. Monitoring tire pressure, several odometers, the degree of “drying” of the steering wheel handles and seats, oil temperature, clock and other useful data - all before your eyes.

Well, the inspection has been completed, now it’s worth assessing the ergonomics by sitting behind the wheel. To be honest, I was surprised and pleasantly surprised. I, with my height of less than ten centimeters and two meters, have few places where I can sit comfortably. On the C650 GT I felt at home: the comfortable “seat” and the lumbar support readily accepted my “centre” in their position, the leg rests allowed me to sit down so as not to “put my knees on my ears” - babble! By the way, another fact that is not very amenable to my understanding is that the saddle height of the models is different, the tourist version is 780 mm, which is three centimeters lower than the sports version. Besides the fact that this seemed illogical, since the desire to lower the center of gravity of a sports car is one of the basic rules for building a rider's apparatus, this difference noticeably affects piloting. On the “tourist” you sit like a glove, a large windshield cuts off air flows and sounds, everything is comfortable and pleasant, even when you have to use footrests and plastic parts on numerous Spanish rotundas (circular traffic), turning the scooter into a turn. On the “sport” you sit like on a perch: you are high, your knees are bent at a right angle, what flew over the windshield is all yours. Strange logic.

The scattering of buttons and levers on the remote control is not annoying at all. Perhaps the button for “blinking” the high beam and the sound signal is located a little unusually, but otherwise everything is convenient. Once again I will express my gratitude to BMW engineers for getting rid of the exotic system of controlling turn signals with buttons located on the left and right remote controls. Those of you who have at least once driven a “German” will find everything in its place, the rest will get used to it in a short trip.

The test drive was divided into several parts: first we drove along the streets and avenues of the glorious city of Madrid, then along the Madrid ring road - the Moscow Ring Road, and on the second day we managed to drive about three hundred kilometers along country highways.

This is not to say that the traffic in Madrid is similar to the Moscow crush, but, observing strict speed limits and constantly being surrounded by scooters and motorcycles of all stripes, I realized that the new German scooters, despite their external massiveness, are quite nimble and dynamic. For those who are accustomed to standard suspensions in the form of forks and pendulums, I will say that BMW’s long farewell to Telelevers continues. The new C600 Sport and C650 GT feature 40mm forks up front, tuned to compromise between a soft, smooth city ride and fairly sharp handling. The rear wheel is taken care of by a horizontally located shock absorber, which handles not only the 100-kilogram pilot, but also his 50-kilogram “load” on uneven surfaces quite well. The supporting element is a rigid steel tubular frame. I was convinced of the predictable and amazing performance of the chassis on the long arc of the Madrid overpass. First I had to slow down in a deep tilt, and then sharply go around the outer radius of a two-wheeled fellow that suddenly braked in front of me. Since the overpass was rounded into a “snail”, the fast speed had to be maintained, compensating for getting into a turn by reporting the scooter until the plastic parts of the cladding pitifully rubbed off on the asphalt. Any other scooter would have lost its trajectory long ago or gotten into trouble. We must pay tribute to the BMW Motorrad designers - the chassis turned out to be excellent. I described the sensations of sitting on a “stool” when piloting a sports model above, but in a conversation about suspension and taxiing with our “fellow soldiers”—journalists—we came to the conclusion that the C650 GT is not only more comfortable to sit on, but also noticeably more stable and predictable in turns. For example, passing at a good speed through three or four rotundas at once, several times you need to actively shift the scooter from the left to the right turn. If on a “tourist” this happens quickly and smoothly, then when you try to achieve this from a “sport”, you get nervous and “rolling” sensations. At some moments it is necessary to catch the scooter with gas so that it does not fall into the turn at all.

The brakes with the ABS system, without which few people are ready to accept any German motorcycle, work reliably in the city rhythm, and most importantly, predictably - the feedback on the lever is felt even after the ABS is activated, small ripples hitting the fingers. But when braking from speeds above 150, I would like to have a larger reserve, and the “feedback” is very relative. But, again, we must make allowances for the fact that our test subjects are not the K1300R or the S1000RR, the brakes of which are considered by many to be standard.

What exactly “blown away the tower” under the helmet was the engine. You don’t expect such agility from a scooter, even a BMW Max. No, there is no feeling that you started from the first row of the starting grid of the World Superbike championship, standing between Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa, but the response to turning off the throttle inspires you to great deeds! The first time I felt this fully was when, following an instructor piloting a BMW F800 R, I drove onto the Madrid Ring Road and opened the gas to full. This had to be done only because the German escort immediately, from the acceleration lane, using the power of his bike, went into the left lane, apparently inviting him to try out the potential of the new sixty-horsepower scooter engine. Not intending to drive the horses, calmly picking up speed in pursuit of “uncle,” I looked in the mirror and saw the reason for my leader’s quick maneuver. Like electric locomotive drivers, truck drivers rarely resort to braking in front of an obstacle that unexpectedly appears in front of them, because they understand that this maneuver cannot save the “obstacle”, and by skidding the “tail” of the trailer, you can “collect” a large amount of nothing on the highway innocent poor fellows in “iron boxes”. I managed to save the truck driver from a heart attack, and myself from traveling to the land of eternal hunting, only thanks to the instinct of self-preservation. He turned off his brain and turned on his reflexes fully, realizing that at the moment his mind was completely demoralized by the picture in the mirrors. My right hand instantly turned all the way to the gas handle, forcing the two-cylinder in-line engine with a displacement of 647 cm³ to transmit all its 66 N*m of torque through a continuously variable transmission CVT (popularly known as a variator) to the rear wheel and take me into the “blue distance”. Laughter is laughter, but believe me, at that moment I was not at all in the mood for jokes. On the highway we were able to check the maximum speed declared by the manufacturer. Since our group of testers constantly changed scooters to compare sensations, we were only able to test the maximum speed on the BMW C650 GT. The speedometer showed 174 km/h, which, if taken as true, is slightly higher than the stated value. Colleagues who pushed the “athlete’s” arrow to the maximum angle did not achieve a similar result, but they came close. Here, I think, the main role is played by aerodynamics, which on the “tourist” are a little more progressive. Another interesting fact concerning both the engine characteristics and the coefficient of resistance to the oncoming air flow: the fuel reserve light came on immediately at the end of the test, three kilometers before the finish. Taking into account the fact that over two more than active days of test drive the scooter covered nearly four hundred kilometers, several dozen of them at full throttle, you can try to calculate the efficiency of the Bavarian new products.

A country voyage through the outskirts and outer suburbs of Madrid, passing along expressways and winding mountain paths, confirmed not only the impressive potential of the engine, but also the ability of German new products to move quickly with many turns, comparable to the capabilities of modern motorcycles. On the one hand, it’s nice to feel that under you is the pinnacle of technological thought and simply a convenient device from a well-deserved German manufacturer with extensive experience. On the other hand, it suggests that the day is not far off when the line between mid-sized motorcycles and scooters may be completely erased, and Russian cities will become like European ones, where for every twenty to thirty buzzing scooters, there are one or two motorcycles.

We can already predict with confidence that the new BMW maxi-scooter models will become bestsellers. For a price that clearly won’t scare off fans of the German premium brand, buyers will receive the full set: a powerful and yet economical engine, stylish design, modern suspensions, ABS system, heating, LEDs, electric drives, on-board computer - everything that fans are used to nameplate with a white and blue propeller. The new product is attracting the attention of not only advanced scooter riders, but also motorcyclists seeking to find a convenient, economical and dynamic replacement for their bikes, and... motorists. Modern problems of megacities are increasingly leading drivers, who spend many hours of their lives in traffic jams and searching for parking, to search for alternative means of transportation. And if a motorcycle often frightens with its impracticality and high cost, then a maxi-scooter is a real panacea. Moreover, the list of offered options and accessories makes the use of two-wheeled vehicles as easy as possible, and the equipment, which is more like stylish weekend clothes, will not scare away newcomers who are alien to motorcycle “armor” and will protect them from injury.

The company's representative office in Russia reports that the models will be assembled exclusively on the production line in Berlin, and the price will be a pleasant surprise for buyers. It is planned that the upper configurations will fit into 18,000 - 20,000 euros (current prices at dealers in Moscow: BMW C 650 GT - 562,000 RUR = 18,637.044 US$, BMW C 600 Sport - 490,000 RUR = 16,249.38 US$).

Article page https://scooterclub.by/tech/9-reviews/189-dvojnoj-udar-bmw-c600-sport-i-bmw-c650-gt

Brakes

Notes from the road: all four have ABS, Honda has a combibrake. Only Honda lacks a second brake disc and lever adjustment. By the way, the Kymco has even the closest position of the brake levers too far, but the MyRoad gets a plus for its radial brakes, which also work well. The rear ABS on all activates quicker than we'd like, and all four require quite a bit of brake application, but the main thing is

All of them lack the information content that we are accustomed to on modern sportbikes.

Kymco MyRoad 700i

Mini features of maxi scooters

Three of the four allow you to open the fuel tank and seat case using the ignition switch , however, the Kymco system is too complex. At Honda, all locks are opened with separate keyholes: glove compartment, tank lid and seat.

Another common oddity is mirrors. In Kymco and BMW, they have an unusual shape and are installed at an unusual angle, limiting rear visibility. About the Kymco MyRoad, my colleague said that “its mirrors are practically useless on the highway,” meaning that you can’t see very far in them. The Honda Silver Wing mirrors were clearly made in the 90s because they are exactly the same simple pin mirrors they were 20 years ago, and they weren't all the rage back then. But they work, and you can clearly see what is happening behind them.

The most impressive mirrors are on the Suzuki Burgman. They are mounted low on the plastic and have better visibility than others. Even nicer is the ability to fold them at the touch of a button, which is convenient when driving between rows or when parking in narrow spaces. “Undoubtedly, the best mirrors of the whole four, and even with electric drive!” exclaims our slightly exalted editor.

It’s surprising that none of the four has cruise control or self-deactivating turn signals, although these are quite simple and necessary functions for “devices designed for convenience.” But all four have a parking brake that prevents rolling away on a slope, but the BMW C650GT turns it on automatically when the side stand is folded down.

I really liked the BMW parking brake, which is connected to the footrest, unlike the others, which are manually activated, said one of ours. -Yes, for the rest, the brake is activated by a lever under the front plastic or somewhere else nearby, and with Kymco, removing it from the handbrake requires a remarkable jerk.

Today I had the opportunity to try a device from the new BMW line - the C600 Sport maxi-scooter. Since I am currently the owner of a maxiscooter, I had something to compare with. And so, BMW released two models, the C600 Sport and the C650 GT. It seems to me that two models are similar to their Japanese relatives: the C600 Sport is reminiscent of the T-max, and the C650 GT is reminiscent of the Honda Silverwing and Suzuki Burgman. But I won’t talk about what I haven’t seen or what can already be seen on the Internet, but I’ll tell you my thoughts about the maxiscooter that I got for a day. The first thing I liked was the sound of the engine, it is bright, beautiful, and there is no vibration felt, that is, this is not the sound when everything in the motorcycle rattles. The high seating position and low steering wheel, which were made specifically for the C600 Sport model, seemed uncomfortable to me at first, but when I drove it, I realized that this is exactly how the designers created a sporty character for this device: the landing is similar to a “street” one and is convenient for shifting from turn to turn. I also liked the performance of the engine, which seemed to me not at all CVT-like in its quick acceleration from the start and engine braking. And in principle, I think that this maxi-scooter will be, maybe not much, but faster than its relatives.

Despite the fact that with my height of 175-176 I can hardly stand on my full foot, and more often on my toes, in a traffic jam its weight is not felt at all, maneuvering between the rows at low speeds is a pleasure. In the on-board computer everything is in front of your eyes, everything switches very easily. I was pleased with the turn signal switches; everything works with just a swipe. The only thing that confused me was the electronic tachometer, but probably for such devices the speed is really not the main thing, because the C600 Sport itself does everything for us. On the presented model, the glass is adjusted...manually. This is probably an important thing, but I think that with manual adjustment, I would not use it often (in the GT model this adjustment is electronic). The C600 Sport has an interesting trunk layout. Since this model has a sporty tail, it doesn’t have such a large compartment as usual, but when parking, you can use the FlexCase. This is a bag that opens additionally under the seat and into which you can store, for example, a second helmet. Another interesting feature of the parking brake is that when the side stand is folded down, it turns on automatically and the maxi-scooter cannot be moved from its place.

Well, as a conclusion, for me, a maxiscooter is, first of all, personal and passenger convenience. The seating is like on a perch, there is no backrest restrictor between the driver and the passenger does not provide complete comfort on this model, and I would not choose it, but still, if you want an excellent city scooter to get through traffic jams every day, and when you get out on empty in the evening highway ride with the breeze, then this is really what you need.

Winners and Losers

Maxi scooters can be either an incredibly vile type of motorcycle or a luxurious device that is unfairly underrated. We think that the second option is correct. Of course, traditional motorcycles hold an important place in our hearts, but the features that differentiate maxi-scooters from motorcycles cannot be overstated.

All four have simple ergonomics in terms of traction control, you don’t need to play the clutch and click your left foot, they have large and comfortable seat panniers, and the engines put them on par with light tourists, says my colleague.

As with any comparison, we have winners and losers. We assessed each one according to a number of parameters, where subjective assessments such as “engine response” and “ease of control” are adjacent to objective ones such as price, weight, and consumption. And here is our rating.

Fourth place: Maxi scooter Honda Silver Wing

Maxi scooter Honda Silver Wing

Thanks to its low price and light weight, the Honda Silver Wing maxi scooter took first place in objective parameters, and these are important factors for choosing a simple, reliable motorcycle that is easy to ride and steer. However, our subjective assessments of this model were the lowest. The models we compare are quite new or significantly updated, and the Silver Wing is already 12 years old.

We liked the way it rides in the city and handles well, but we are disappointed with the flimsy chassis and single-helmet case, despite its second largest volume. The lack of modern technology other than ABS was another disadvantage compared to the others, but how you feel about it depends on your needs and preferences.

The 583cc Honda Silver Wing has the smallest engine displacement in our comparison. But if you want a scooter that can handle the motorway and don't want to pay for the bells and whistles, then the Silver Wing is for you.

Third place: Maxi scooter Kymco MyRoad 700i

Maxi scooter Kymco MyRoad 700i

According to my colleague, the Kymco MyRoad 700i maxi scooter is “average in everything.” This is confirmed by its third place in our test. The Kymco MyRoad 700i surprised us with its electronic suspension, radial brakes and decent handling. But its cramped seating position, low ground clearance, lackluster quality finish, engine vibrations, angular plastic design, inferior mirrors and irritatingly loud turn signals make it far worse than it could be. “Small details, but they keep it from being what it is intended to be – a premium scooter.” It's not that it's particularly bad, but in the field of top-end maxi-scooters, the stakes are high, and in many ways it looks like Kymco rushed it out too quickly. My colleague summed it up brilliantly for the 700i:

Kymco MyRoad is a good result for the company in itself, but it is pale and rough compared to its competitors. Another six months of development - new mirrors, the sound of turn signals, engine vibrations - would have been the company's best investment in this model.

History of BMW motorcycles

The legendary German brand, which is well known for producing cars, also has its roots in the motorcycle industry. BMW's first motorcycle, the R32, was built in 1923, and the Flat-Twin engine system is still in use today. BMW is known for its premium bikes that can cover long distances. However, the current range is aimed more at young and fast riders.

1913

Bayerische Motoren Werke founded. The company produces aircraft engines.

1918

The Prussian Army orders 2,000 BMW Model IIIa aircraft engines.

1919

The aircraft, powered by an upgraded Model IV engine, sets a flight record at altitudes of more than 32,000 feet. Just a few weeks later, the Treaty of Versailles is signed and Germany is prohibited from producing aircraft. BMW focuses on motorcycles.

1920

Development of the Courier 148 cc two-stroke engine. cm.

1921

Development of M2 B15. This is BMW's first flat-twin - or "boxer". The engine is based on an earlier aircraft design.

1922

Development of the first light alloy cylinder head.

1923

Legendary BMW designer Max Freese locks himself in his house and works on creating a completely new motorcycle. R 32 with a displacement of 486 cm3 was presented at the Salon in Paris. This is a big improvement over the M2 B15 models. Its top speed is about 60 mph.

1925

Presentation of the racing version of the R 32 - R 37. The R39 also makes its debut, and the front brakes are installed on the R 32.

1927

BMW is developing the R 47 to replace the R 32, R 37 and R 39.

1928

BMW releases its largest motorcycle yet, the 750cc. See R 62 with a top speed of 71 mph.

1929

Paul Koeppen wins the 500cc class at the famous Targa Florio road race in Sicily. BMW will also win this race in the next two years. Ernst Henn uses a 750cc supercharged Kompressor motorcycle. cm on a closed section of highway to set a new land speed record. That's over 134 mph.

1930

The economic downturn in Germany forces BMW to produce the 198cc R2 motorcycle. cm. This machine was the first to use a one-piece “tunnel” crankcase. Smaller motorcycles (less than 200 cc) did not require a license in Germany, and the R 2 sold over 15,000 units.

1932

R 4 edition with 398 cc single cylinder overhead valve engine. cm.

1933

The German army orders BMW to build the R 4, which helps the company stay in business despite the Great Depression.

1935

Launch of the 745cc R 12. This is the first production model to be equipped with a hydraulic front fork.

1936

Launch of the R 5, BMW's first motorcycle with suspension and rear piston. There is also a 500cc R 7, which can reach speeds of up to 87 mph. Otto Ley wins the 500cc Swedish Grand Prix. see on another “compressor”. BMW's supercharged motorcycles would be the dominant force in Grand Prix racing until World War II. After the war, the FIM prohibits the use of forced-fed induction motors. Some interpreted this rule as a punishment for the Allied powers. Because the most successful supercharged racing bikes were the German and Italian single cylinders favored by British manufacturers.

1937

Bavarian policeman and off-road racer Georg Meyer tries to race a BMW ROAD-RACER motorcycle. He pulls out after a few laps, saying he's afraid of going too fast.

1938

Starting with the R 61, BMW introduced rear suspension for all production models. Six new models were introduced this year, including the R 23, R 51, R 66 and R 71. The R 71 is the latest BMW motorcycle to feature a side-valve engine.

1939

Georg Meyer wins the Isle of Man TT race on a BMW motorcycle. With the outbreak of World War II, BMW again turned its attention to aircraft production.

1941

BMW introduces the R 75, which was developed for military use. Weighing 925 pounds, the R 75 had a 750cc engine. cm, large fuel tank, two seats and a stroller. It could also be equipped with a machine gun. The US Army is impressed with the R 75 and similar Zundapp models. Seized German motorcycles are sent to Harley-Davidson and Indian companies. About 1,000 prototypes were created, but these bikes were never used.

1946

After the end of the war, BMW is unable to produce motorcycles and turns its attention to the production of bicycles. To overcome the bitterness, German patents are considered for damages, and the French company CMR (later known as Ratier) begins building a BMW clone.

1948

BMW begins production of the R 24 motorcycle again. The company's first post-war motorcycle, the R 24, is equipped with a 250 cc engine. cm, the maximum engine capacity that was allowed at that time.

1949

BMW presents the R 50/2 and R 51/2 models. Both are considered failures because the main rear bearing was moved into the crankcase and required replacement every 10,000 miles.

1950

The R 25 is introduced with lowered rear suspension.

1952

BMW produces the R 67 model with a displacement of 600 cm3, equipped with a sidecar.

1953

BMW begins production of the RS series, equipped with rear swingarms and Earles forks. In addition, the R 25 was redesigned and released as the R 25/3. Presentation of the serial racing RS54 Rennsport.

1954

The team of Wilhelm Noll and Fritz Krohn wins the World Motocross Championship. Their victory marks the beginning of an amazing phase; BMW will win 19 of 21 world titles in a row!

1955

The R 50, which also has a rear swingarm and a guide front fork, replaces the R 51/3.

1956

Walter Zeller finished second in the 500cc World Championship, behind John Surtees. This is BMW's best solo performance in the modern era.

1957

Motorcycle production fell from 23,531 to 5,429 in 1959 due to the economic crisis.

1960

Release of the classic R 69 S. It is the fastest Boxer available at the time, with a top speed of 109 mph. The R 27 was also released, which features a rubber motor that reduces vibration.

1967

Special export versions of the R 60 and R 69 were produced for the US market, but no new models were produced from 1961 to 1968.

1969

Release of the /5 series with an electric starter. The R 50/5, R 60/5 and R 75/5 are equipped with telescopic front forks.

1973

BMW celebrates its 50th anniversary and the 500,000th BMW motorcycle rolls off the production line. The R 90 S will be launched with a 900cc engine. The /6 series was also introduced in 600, 700 and 900 cc versions. Cm.

1974

For the first time, BMW is offering five-speed transmissions in production motorcycles.

1976

BMW presents the /7 1000cc R 100/7 model. Also presented is the R 100 RS with the same 1000 cc engine. cm and a maximum speed of 200 km/h. This is the first production motorcycle with a full fairing. Helmut Dahne wins the Isle of Man TT (1000cc). Reg Pridmore becomes the first ever winner of the AMA “Production Superbike” championship on a Geitl R90S.

1977

The R80/7 was introduced and became the police motorcycle of choice.

1978

Luxurious R100RT with full fairing introduced. The 473cc R 45 was also introduced.

1980

R80G/S 800 cc engine introduced. See with a single-acting pendulum. The initials stand for Gelände/Strasse, which means "ground and street" in German.

1981

Hubert Auriol wins third place in the Paris-Dakar race in an R80G/S prepared by HPN, the German tuning specialist who continues to equip BMWs.

1982

BMW introduces the road version of the R80G/S, the R80RT.

1983

The K100 is introduced, the first water-cooled K series. This is the first series of motorcycles with electronic ignition and fuel injection with a top speed of 132 km/h. A racing version called the K100RS was also introduced.

1985

BMW builds its first three-cylinder motorcycle, the K75. This bike has a lot in common with the K100, but is more economical and maneuverable.

1986

BMW relaunches R100RS with Monolever rear suspension and 60 PS engine.

1987

The R100RT is back on the market. It has Monolever rear suspension and smaller engines. BMW will also debut a double-jointed single-sided control arm. The luxury 1000cc cruiser K100LT was also introduced.

1988

R100G/S goes into production. With a weight of 463 pounds, it is known as the "world's largest off-road motorcycle."

1989

Production K1. At the time, BMW adhered to a voluntary engine power limit of 100 hp. To maximize performance without exceeding this limit, designers create a striking aerodynamic body. It allows the 600-pound machine to accelerate to 140+ mph and features the world's first digital engine electronics system installed on a production motorcycle. This is incomprehensible to the (then) conservative BMW drivers. As a consequence, it would be withdrawn within a few years due to poor sales.

1990

Introducing the four-valve version of the K100RS. ABS is now standard on all K Series motorcycles.

1991

The millionth BMW motorcycle was born - the three-cylinder K75RT. BMW is starting to equip its motorcycles with three-way catalytic converters. The company is also re-releasing its R100R.

1993

Launch of the R1100RS sports touring motorcycle. The motorcycle is powered by a two-cylinder engine with a fuel injection system.

1994

The first BMW F650 Funduro single since the 1930s and the first four-valve GS, the R1100GS, appear.

1995

This is the last year the traditional two-valve Boxer is produced.

1996

Introduction of the powerful K1200RS four-cylinder liquid-cooled engine.

1997

BMW introduces its first chopper/cruiser, the R1200C. It's James Bond's choice, but it's not enough to make him very popular. It will be withdrawn in a few years.

1999

Richard Saint wins Paris-Dakar in a racing 650 cc single-cylinder “Funduro”. Officially, this motorcycle is designated as F650RR.

2000

BMW is releasing the R1150GS as well as a new luxury estate, the K1200LT.

2004

The R1200GS features a completely new, lighter and more powerful Boxer Twin engine. K1200S is a fundamentally new device for a respected manufacturer. It features a 167-horsepower four-cylinder engine in the frame. For the first time in many years, BMW has demonstrated its willingness to compete directly with the world's largest motorcycle manufacturers.

2007

The company is releasing news about the S1000RR, the four-cylinder motorcycle it will be competing in the 2009 World Superbike Championship. The 2009 S1000RR sportbike announces significant changes. Many aspects of the motorcycle, including the engine and suspension, remain traditional. Although BMW used its expertise in electronics to develop an advanced traction control system.

2011

Unable to rest on its laurels, the brand produces the K1600GT and K1600GTL models. Billed as the ideal machine for tackling miles and winding roads, the K1600 series is the first BMW motorcycle to be powered by a six-cylinder engine.

Post Views: 3,807

Similar articles:

Second place: Maxi scooter Suzuki Burgman 650 ABS

Maxi scooter Suzuki Burgman 650 ABS

It quickly became clear that the main battle would be between Suzuki and BMW, because both are balanced, functional and simply better made. This was reflected in significantly higher subjective scores. For those less interested in the sporty aspects of riding, the Burg is a smart, measured and technologically advanced option. According to a colleague:

The new Suzuki Burgman maxi scooter has proven its worth in terms of fast and intuitive response, excellent powertrain, ease of use and luggage capacity. If it handled a little better and had a little more ground clearance, I would prefer it

Its shortcomings in the form of ground clearance and not very good handling were decisive in the eyes of our testers, but as our rating shows, the Burgman is more than good in other aspects. And finally, although we, motorcycle enthusiasts, liked the robotic transmission of the Suzuki Burgman, its high price and difficulty in maintaining it are a big fly in the ointment. Especially compared to BMW. So here we have a clear second place.

First place: Maxi scooter BMW C650GT

Maxi scooter BMW C650GT

The other three maxi scooters are undoubtedly strong players, but the BMW C650GT stood head and shoulders above its rivals in our competition. Unlike the Suzuki, whose price exceeds its quality, all four testers noted that the BMW C650GT left the opposite feeling. We expected a lot from it, and got even more - its sporty nature, lively engine, capacious underseat case, practicality and convenient control. The BMW C650GT maxi scooter received a maximum score of 10 out of 12 points in our questionnaire, and during the test ride all four were literally fighting for the keys to the BMW. And for every tester there was no doubt about which maxi scooter would win. All four chose the C650GT. This device deserves the title of super-scooter.

MY MOTORCYCLE

Yamaha received a severe blow from the Bavarians: its best-selling Tmax (in user slang for “fly”) was attacked by two single-platform maxi-scooters at once. The superiority in both quantity and quality seems overwhelming. But the Japanese also found something to answer

— Vovochka, who has the biggest eggs in nature? g - At the elephant! - Vovochka, get out of class! Two! - From those! - Vovochka, count! - That's it!

The logic of motorcycle marketers is complex and unpredictable. How many attempts have there been to beat the leading position of Tmax in the motor market, and all of them turned out to be fiascos! The concept, invented by Yamaha at the end of the last century - the appearance and dynamics of a “sports” scooter with the handling of a decent motorcycle - and twice improved, turned out to be many times (in terms of sales) more in demand than the alternative ideas of Honda, Suzuki and Piaggio Group. Having looked at all these dances with tricks and licked their lips at such a tasty piece of the market, BMW Motorrad twirled their finger at their temple and decided... And they decided to walk on the pebbles, but sticking sandpaper on the sneakers. Fortunately, the main drawback of the “fly” is obvious: acute equine failure. Yes. a brilliantly crafted chassis allows you to “go 180” without getting scared or swearing, but getting to this line on the speedometer (which actually means a real 160) is long and painful. Rumors about a 750 cc “three-ruble car” in the Tmax chassis remained rumors.

From left to right: the new main transmission Tmax - with a toothed belt. Less unsprung weight, lower cost - Yamaha promises a belt life of about 40 thousand km and a belt price of about 200 euros. The Bavarians' solution is simply brilliant! The maintenance-free roller chain is placed in an oil bath in a cantilever (!) pendulum. Bravo!

Developed by the Bavarians from scratch (I emphasize: there is nothing in common with the KUMS0 engine, right down to the layout) the engine produces 60 forces from 647 cm*! At the same time, it is only slightly longer than the Yamaha one and almost narrower. The Germans did not make the engine a single-cylinder: here is an in-line “two” (more precisely, a false U-shaped one: the crankshaft journals are rotated 90°, with a normal balancing mechanism (shaft, not a false connecting rod) and a “semi-dry” crankcase. The highlight in the layout: torque transmitted from the middle of the crankshaft by a Morse chain to the intermediate shaft and from there to a short variator. The variator itself is no frills (roller control, drum dry clutch), except that the belt is with a steel set, like on the Burgman 650. Well, then there’s the guitar of gears, and sprocket of the chain drive at the output. Yes, yes, the main drive is a chain, the usual “525th”, only it is enclosed in a sealed pendulum casing and is in an oil bath, and the swing axis of the pendulum, resting on the crankcase, coincides with the axis of the drive sprocket, finally making the main gear almost eternal.

Cleanly done, don't you think? Personally, I'm delighted with the elegance of the layout. Moreover, the pendulum is made cantilever (it was necessary to justify such a cross-section of the spar!), which makes the design also beautiful in appearance.

Chassis? In front there is an “inverted” (non-adjustable, but full-size - however, like the traditional “telescope” of the Tmax), in the rear there is an ALMOST horizontal side monoshock absorber, as on the GP800 (as well as a bunch of roadsters, from ER-6 to Monster). Nothing revolutionary in the frame either.

It is steel, tubular, and in terms of shape and degree of integration of the engine crankcase into the supporting system, it is something between the first Tmax and GP800. Moreover, unlike the latter, the motor is attached rigidly to the frame, and not through silent blocks, which is encouraging in terms of labor-intensive maintenance on a mileage of about 20 thousand.

We see the result on the table with performance characteristics: the chassis is heavier than Yamaha’s, but just a little larger, and the engine is almost one and a half times more powerful, which provides a “maximum speed” in real, not “instrumental” 175 km/h and much faster acceleration. The geometry and dimensions of the wheels match up to a decimal point, which is encouraging in terms of maneuverability.

And on this chassis there are two bodies to choose from! They are indeed completely different (minus, perhaps, some minor panels) - the bodies of the BMW C 600 SPORT and the BMW C650 GT. Even the instrument combinations are different, not to mention the ergonomics: the first one is similar to the one that was on the “steel” Elephants against the “fly” - YAMAHA TMAX, but with a less convenient tunnel, while the GT almost reliably copies that of the Burgman 650. Passengers also sit differently: on the Sport the footrests are closer, and they are folding, rather than a continuation of the platforms.

The Bavarians' glove compartments are almost identical, they just open differently.

In the Sport, when parked, you can lower the bottom of the rear part of the “toilet” by placing a helmet there. The main thing is not to forget to close it. when you go.

Miscellaneous and luggage compartments. The GT has a full-fledged “pit” for two helmets, while the “sport”...

In the stowed position, there is a “toilet bowl” the size of a Timaksovsky and a small compartment for a raincoat, the bottom of which can be folded back on the “accordion” when parked and another helmet can be squeezed in there (it’s not recommended to forget it there, however, as the wheel will be very heavy when moving). pack luggage). The front “glove compartments” of both are almost identical and similar to the Timaksov ones. Another difference is the mechanism for adjusting the glass (in a modern way, from the driver’s seat): on the Sport it is done manually with two thumbs, on the GT it is electric, like on the GP800 and “big” BMWs.

And, of course, appearance. The Sport design is familiar from last year’s concept and is a big, aggressive and European-style hello to the Japanese. But the GT diligently imitates the R1200 RT, and the rear tail pads are devoid of functionality and simply work for the overall image. Effective, but stupid: the GT already has rather large dimensions (the width is 4-5 centimeters larger than both the “sport” and the “fly”), so these elephant ears are at increased risk of being torn off when parking closely, not to mention about the tough passage of traffic jams.

In Sport, the “tail” is quite neat, and special thanks to the developers of the exhaust system: the elegant muffler not only looks neat, but also will not get in the way in a crowded street.

Are you sitting? Sit tight! For Sport, BMW plans to charge almost the same as Yamaha for Tmax. And the GT will be insignificantly more expensive. It seems that the Bavarians intend to walk through the POSITIONS of the “fly” with the same weighty march of war elephants as they did a couple of years before through the kingdom of R-1.

How does Yamaha intend to defend itself? Not a very deep modernization of his bestseller. Regarding the power unit - boring the cylinders from 66 to 68 mm and installing “34” throttles, which gave an additional 30 cubic meters and 3 hp. A little, but further boosting this engine can only be done to the detriment of the resource (primarily the main bearings). Well, the rejection of the double chain final drive in an oil bath in favor of a toothed belt should add a little more efficiency. Sparsely... The main efforts were devoted... yes, again, to improving controllability. The new pendulum is not only beautiful, but also much lighter than the previous one; Now not only the frame, but also the rear subframe has become aluminum. All together this allowed me to lose 4 kg. In addition, the Japanese claim that they have revised the characteristics of the front suspension (it’s good if so: the fast damping on the current model is, albeit a little, but still far from perfect).

Well, the appearance of the updated Tmax is completely different. But it’s not at all clear. Yes, the new panels and optics make the device more emotional, which I, as an ex-user of the current Tmax, can only welcome, as well as the two-position glass adjustment and the much more expensive-looking pendulum. But the C 600 Sport looks even more impressive, and the new “fly” tidy is an obvious step back.

So, two goals from the Bavarians against the Japanese goal? It's like watching...

Yes, Yamaha is inferior to the German couple in terms of dynamics and luggage capacity. But its 8 assets include lighter weight, slightly smaller dimensions, most likely better handling (to determine how much, you need to drive all three, tightly and meticulously), front brakes (there are still 4-piston “semi-monoblocks”, the Bavarians limited to 2-piston floating ones, like on the old Tmax) ... And ergonomics! The Tmax still fits in the hand like a sporting pistol, unlike the Bavarians, who force you to adapt to them and, even worse, sit almost vertically (oh, how I hate that!).

But for now this is just a theory. The wait for practice won't be long: sales of all three will start in April.

Source: MOTO magazine 2012;