BMW Concept Ninety

20774 said:

See, what do I know! I never made it out of 1978...at least they were still "pretty good" up that point?? However, in the grand scheme, going back to 1923, they have been true to unique numbering than not...I guess that is the point I was trying to make.

I'd sure hate to obfuscate the venerable R90S Airhead. That's my vote...anything else except R90S!

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I'm with you Kurt, on the '78 and the name. I've had a R90s and don't think they should name this the same.
What about R90ss ; the ss should mean it's faster, right?

The younger generation does have different ideas is seems. I have a MC buddy in his 30's; there is nothing he rather do than burn the tires off his bike. He has to get a new rear tire every couple of months, sometimes sooner. He's a good family guy but just hates rubber.

DW

22600 said:

What about R90ss ; the ss should mean it's faster, right?

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+1000 Me likey!

Bold move on this concept bike! If they bring something like this to the market BMW will find itself with a new, young, and much needed expanded customer base! Many purists may balk at it, but I for one think it rocks! I say build it and they will come! I mean seriously, look at the Ducati Diavel -did anyone think that would sell with its limited functionality? I see them all over the place now!

jeff.ferguson said:

? I see them all over the place now!

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In Omaha?? Have not seen one on the road yet, and I have been to quite a few places in the last 15 months.

And BMW has to still come a long way to attract a younger crowd. First, they have to offer a bike in the 9-12K range that would compete in looks, image and performance with the Japanese sportbikes.

EMSimon said:

they have to offer a bike in the 9-12K range that...........

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....... has a shaft, if they want my money.

Can I win one in July with my Superstakes ticket???

Is there any reason that BMW can't produce produce an entry level boxer in the 9-12K range?

argent brick said:

Is there any reason that BMW can't produce produce an entry level boxer in the 9-12K range?

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Apparently, it's only viable if some guy with more money than brains wants to do burn-outs with it..............

We are well past the point of logic and in desperate search of the folks with excess cash. Times like these call for the intellect and skills of the great P.T. Barnum

I like it, a lot, for the modern interpretation of a classic. Not some useless metal artsy piece of butt-jewelry spewed on us by every chopper builder for the past ten years.

But,....my life in the past, seems to seek something more like a classic 76 R90S, with a R1200 engine stuffed into it. Something along the lines of the guy that put a R1100 engine into a Slash-2 chassis. Modern forks, brakes, single sided swingarm, but blended into the classic chassis layout from the 70's. Leave the 76 fuel tank shape exactly as it was, a pure slim classic form, simple and beautiful.

ANDYVH said:

I like it, a lot, for the modern interpretation of a classic. Not some useless metal artsy piece of butt-jewelry spewed on us by every chopper builder for the past ten years.

But,....my life in the past, seems to seek something more like a classic 76 R90S, with a R1200 engine stuffed into it. Something along the lines of the guy that put a R1100 engine into a Slash-2 chassis. Modern forks, brakes, single sided swingarm, but blended into the classic chassis layout from the 70's. Leave the 76 fuel tank shape exactly as it was, a pure slim classic form, simple and beautiful.

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Why do you need the additional 50-hp of the R1200? An R90s produced about 60-hp. If you want classic lines and weight of the vintage bike, why do you insist on stuffing a massive engine it? We seem to be building Hummers to ride on the interstate? If BMW configured the 800cc twin engine in a shaft drive with a retro "s" fairing, I would look at it.

Guess BMW never hear of the term "user focus group".

lmo1131 said:

Guess BMW never hear of the term "user focus group".

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I don't think BMW is having any trouble selling bikes

rad said:

I don't think BMW is having any trouble selling bikes

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Yes, but neither is Ducati. I think BMW is after Panigale S sales with the HP4, Monster sales with the Concept 90, and Multistrada sales with the GSW. If they surprise us with a muscle cruiser like the Diavel, my thesis will be confirmed.

In the end this is a Parts-Bin bike.

With the Ninety Sands and BMW took parts already in the bin, mixed them with a some new body parts and made a special. What ever the new production bike is called, like the original R90S, it will be a Parts-Bin bike with some new bodywork. Factories make money by maximizing the use of the parts they have in their bins by building bikes that make us want to ride. This one makes me want to ride.

I don't need a R 1XX0 S RR or whatever. I can get buy with my neighbors Ruckas. I want a R 1XX0 S RR.

The DucAudi observations are interesting but seem a bit US centric. The US is DucAudi's largest market. The US an important market to BMW but a very distant second to the EU. Both are working hard to beat Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki; the damage they do to each other's market share in the process is collateral damage to that process.

I still can't decide if I need to expand my parts-bins or wallet as a result of the Ninety.

Since I've never owned an R90S, I'm not about to start splitting hairs about the differences between the old and the new concept 90, because that's a conversation that could go on forever.

Here are the things I did note, however:

- 2 pipes on one side on boxer? No, doesn't work for me.

- Solo seat is OK.

- Modern bars and design are OK, although it almost looks a little too "fabricated" for my taste. But I guess that's because it is just a concept bike at this point.

Anyone notice that this thing is probably 3/4 the size of an original R90S? It looks small when shown with the 2 gentleman. The riding picture shows the rider's legs all bent up and sticking out, kind of like he was riding a Honda monkey bike or something. That's because it's small. No good for me. I'm a big German guy who likes big German motorcycles. I'm older now, and due to what I've done to my body over the years coupled with genetics, my knees don't like to bend very far for very long.