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New BMW Water-Cooled Boxer

EMSimon

No longer a member here
Pictures of the Engine castings, Courtesy of MO BMW Motorr?ñder
 

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Another one...
 

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The design is very similar to the older goldwings with the exception that the crossing tubes are cast in the block on the BMW & not external like on the wing.

It will certainly add weight & make the bike more complex, but will result in more horsepower & longer engine life. Also better at meeting emission's etc, but will be more expensive.
 
Cool details, which do show connections which look like for water cooling. However, to me those views are not the "rear" and "top" views. To me, what is shown as the "front" view is actually the bottom of the crankcase, given the locations of the exhaust ports and what look to be the mounting lugs for the engine to the frame.

What is shown as the "rear" view to me, seems to be the rear view but upside down, given the exahsut ports are shown on top. So far all other pictures of the "wet-head" show the exhaust ports coming out the bottom of the heads. In the "rear view" that hole in the center near the top, would probably be where the drive comes through for the oil pump?

The "rear view" certainly does not look right for a connection to a transmission or a flywheel. But what is also interesting, is the views to me indicate the transmission will still be a separate case from the engine. that indicates it will still be a dry clutch as on past R's, and that the tranny will have its own oil supply. Those are both attributes I have always liked about the R-bikes.
 
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Sorry for the confusion. The above picture shown as "front view" is actually the top view.
The bottom view is this, here. Note that the intake is on top of the cylinders. not in the rear and the exhaust exits on the bottom.
The rear view picture was cut off slightly by the scanner and the 90-degree bent tube on top is not shown.
 

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I agree with AndyVH's assessment regarding the orientation of the second photo. The details on the heads in the two photos are consistent with this, and with a top-intake and bottom-exhaust configuration.
 
AHA! I was a bit off, but it makes sense now. Yes, I agree with the bottom view now. Plus the bottom view shows what may be the locations for the cam chain tensioners. Also, the bottom view with a lack of mount lugs suggests the engine will be "hung" from the frame? Then what is shown as the front view actually being the top view shows where the oil fill hole will be on th RH side if the bike, which means the rear view is correct, and that causes more speculation to me. I may be wrong about the tranny being separate from the engine. That rear view looks to have journal positions for two tranny gearshafts.

I wonder if this boxer will have a small diameter multi-plate wet-clutch driven right off the crankshaft like the cluth pack on the G450X? That may explain the large hole for the "flywheel/clutch basket", and it would correlate with the spy photos showing a left side swingarm on the new boxer. Hmmmm, the new boxer "may" be the first one with a wet-clutch? Starter on the rh side in the rear view through that hole by the recess? More hmm?

Then we need to see the actual front view, because that is where the water pump, oil pump(s?) and ignition would have to be. Hmm again!
 
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The "rear view" certainly does not look right for a connection to a transmission or a flywheel. But what is also interesting, is the views to me indicate the transmission will still be a separate case from the engine. that indicates it will still be a dry clutch as on past R's, and that the tranny will have its own oil supply. Those are both attributes I have always liked about the R-bikes.

The rear view to me looks to have lots of machined recesses for bearings, I expect this to be the front of the transmission case and a multiplate wet clutch.

It could also be for cam drive chains, counterbalancer, water/oil pump drive. etc. If that I hope it is the front view, so splitting engine from transmissionis not required to service these items.
 
Good points all. But I think the bottom view clearly shows the galley for the cam chain on the left, plus the tensioner ports. Also, the rear view does not show openings where the cam chains would exit the barrels. Which would mean the cam chains are driven off the front of the engine. Also, there is some generous finning on the "barrels" and heads. To me that indicates the oil has some cooling chores still, and perhaps the radiator will be fairly small.
 
Then we need to see the actual front view, because that is where the water pump, oil pump(s?) and ignition would have to be. Hmm again!


Here you go. The front view was large and over 2 pages. A little difficult to scan. Now, don't kill the messenger.
I can only say what they say. Cases are split vertically. Transmission and motor share a common case, clutch will be wet multiple plate cluch. Larger volume of combined crankcase and transmission will ease pumping effects. Cylinders are integrated into the block and the water jackets only reach up to the second cooling fin, that's why the extensive presence of fins.
 

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I have a K1600GT on "pre-order" but have more or less decided that I still prefer the R1200RT to the 16GT. So I'm curious as to what might replace the current RT.

But I can't say I'm much enthused at the idea of carrying around another radiator and pump, coolant, and water hoses - I hope BMW will do something that gives this motor a little pizzazz. Maybe higher revs, better sound, lighter weight, more HP, etc. For me, lower emissions is not nearly enough. Sorry.
 
But I can't say I'm much enthused at the idea of carrying around another radiator and pump, coolant, and water hoses - I hope BMW will do something that gives this motor a little pizzazz. Maybe higher revs, better sound, lighter weight, more HP, etc. For me, lower emissions is not nearly enough. Sorry.
Well, if there was nothing to gain with fitting a watercooler, they wouldn't do it I guess. Maybe the only way to make the boxers faster and comply to the emission standards, is by making it watercooled.

Mind you, for me it's not interesting at all...my bike is old, but it still goes. And I won't buy anything new, so by the time the watercooled boxer might come my way, we're in 2025 I guess...
 
I agree, the current R12R is the only BMW to catch my eye. But for the flat twin to endure in the tighter realms of emissions and noise constraints BMW has march to the future.

BMW can't sit back like Harley and simply produce the same dated design forever if it expects to stay competitive beyond the market of the BMW loyals.

I have heard from an internal contact at Harley that a "new" engine is coming soon, though it is still an air-cooled v-twin.
 
Honestly it's just plain ugly...

They should have spent a little more time designing the motor for not just efficiency, but for the pleasure of the eye of the enthusiast. They could at least have made a nicer job of covering it with tightly spaced finning so it wouldn't look like such a hideous lump.

Regardless of how good it may be this is not something my eye is excited by, or to buy.
 
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