Where did "Beemer" come from

Bimmer vs Beemer
Enthusiasts vs others
Definitions:
Bimmer - proper accepted slang for BMW cars. Most people don't know this.
Beamer/Beemer - proper accepted slang for BMW motorcycles. You will hear this term used incorrectly by many people.
Bummer - When you get a speeding ticket.
Bitter - Another German car. Very rare; hand built.


So just why is a BMW car called a 'bimmer' not a 'beemer' or 'beamer'?

The answer in part lies in knowing some BMW history and what came first.

All real BMW enthusiasts know that BMW got a big start on two wheels, what many call the real BMWs.

In those days, BMW motorcycles were quite active in racing, and one of their competitors at the track was often the BSA bikes.

Well as things would have it, a track slang developed, and the BMWs were usually referred to as 'beemers' and the BSAs were referred to as 'beesers'.

So, of course for any true enthusiast, there is no way that a BMW car could be called a 'beemer', so they were called 'bimmers'.

Unfortunately, in the US and Canada, and perhaps other countries, there was a time (kind of still is) where for various reasons, a BMW owner was considered an upwardly mobile person, and of course due to the fun in driving their BMWs most all of them had big grins on their faces.

Hence it is little surprise that the non enthusiast types out there incorrectly labeled BMW cars and their owners as 'beamers' or 'beemers'.

So is "bimmer" pronounced the same as "beemer"? Or is it a soft "i" (i.e.: rhymes with "shimmer")?

GeneT said:

Where did the name Beemer come from???

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I knew an old timer around 1970 who called his bike "the bay" as in Bay-Em-Vay. Beemer came to my ears much later.

Boxer

Kutcher said:

Well as things would have it, a track slang developed, and the BMWs were usually referred to as 'beemers' and the BSAs were referred to as 'beesers'

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Speaking of track slang, a little quiz; When it came time time to kick start the bike, which brand was most commonly referred to by its owner as a "POS"?

Back on subject, "Boxer" was the term most used by veteran BMW riders in the area where I grew up. Dating myself, this was years ago.

Motard

GeneT said:

Where did the name Beemer come from???, Back in the 80's when the BMW car became so popular, they were referred to as "Beemers" Now this seems to be tacked onto BMW motorcycles as well.

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When I was in the BMWCCA (BMW Car Club of America) in '74-'82, the cars were always "Bimmers". I never heard the term "Beemer" until I bought my first BMW bike in '77 and joined the BMWMOA.

The nickname HOG was already taken by Harley-Davidson.

glwestcott said:

The first cars and motorcycles made that came stock with a ray gun for smoking away vehicles in front of you. Called the "beam", this quickly led to the cars and bikes being called "beemers."

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Well I can't believe that, I bought an R25 in 1954 and later an R50. I uncreated both of them my self and there was no such thing in the crate as a "Ray Gun". I also drove a 1939 BMW 4 door sedan in the same time period, and it was not equipped with such a devise.

Perhaps these ray guns were supplied as a local dealer promotion.