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BMW
HP2 - Off-Road and Street Megamoto
A dream of many Boxer fans has true: BMW Motorrad is proudly
presenting a truly uncompromising, sporting and exceptionally
light enduro - the new BMW HP2, a Boxer built for the offroad
enthusiast and the most demanding tracks in the world.
Purist, but nevertheless stylish and perfectly equipped with
the finest, carefully considered features, the BMW HP2 has everything
it takes for unrestricted riding pleasure off the beaten track
and is perfect as the "basic" machine for amateur enduro
motorsport. More than any other motorcycle, the HP2 capitalizes
in full on rough terrain on the benefits of the Boxer concept
with its low center of gravity. But at the same time the HP2,
with its almost playful handling, low weight, and high-performance
power unit, offers supreme riding pleasure also on the road. So
considering the many options it offers the rider, the HP2 is the
most powerful and by far the best offroad Boxer of all times.
This brand-new model from BMW Motorrad was developed by a small
but highly dedicated team of specialists, engineers and mechanics
fully committed to the Boxer and also dedicated in their private
lives to offroad motorsport, working beyond the usual processes
of series development under the simple and straightforward motto
that "only an enthusiastic professional can offer another
enthusiastic professional what he really wants". In technical
terms the BMW HP2 is based on the R 1200 GS. But tailored in every
respect to the needs and preferences of the ambitious enduro rider,
the HP2 is a completely independent, truly exceptional motorcycle.
The all-new lightweight suspension is based on ample experience
gained by BMW in marathon rallies, with an air/spring/damper system
on the rear wheel proudly entering the world of motorcycling as
a world-first achievement. The engine itself has been optimized
for minimum weight and the entire drivetrain laid out specifically
for offroad use.
Consistent lightweight engineering was indeed the name of the
game with all the components of the new HP2. As a result, overall
weight of the motorcycle in road trim remains below the 200-kilo
"sound barrier", with curb weight according to the DIN
standard of 195 kg or 430 lb. Dry weight, in turn, is a mere 175
kilos or 386 lb.
In conjunction with the new machine's perfect ergonomics, this
guarantees supreme agility and easy control even on the toughest
terrain. And combined with the low center of gravity of the Boxer
engine, unparalleled smoothness and powerful acceleration from
the lowest engine speeds, as well as the motorcycle's excellent
balance, the HP2 is in many cases superior to even the toughest
single-cylinder competitors on difficult, slow trial tracks. The
superior performance and riding stability of an enduro Boxer on
fast sections of offroad terrain, in turn, are obviously beyond
the slightest doubt.
To highlight the sporting enduro qualities of the new HP2, BMW
Motorrad supports and manages a private racing team which will
be entering the HP2 in various offroad events such as the German
Cross Country Championship (GCC). And the rider starring in BMW
Motorrad's team for the GCC will be last year's winner of precisely
this series, Finnish motorcycle crack Simo Kirssi. Outside of
Germany, the HP2 will be entering both the Baja 500 and the Baja
1000 in California, and there are plans to participate in the
prologue of the Erzberg Race in Austria. BMW Motorrad is supporting
private teams in these cases with the right kind of service, and
naturally provides the motorcycles themselves.
The market launch of the HP2 will be in autumn 2005 worldwide.
Click for a bigger image.
New 2007 Pavement Scratchers
BMW HP2 Megamoto
Oct 14th, 2006 - BMW unveiled at this month's INTERMOT motorcycle show in Koln, Germany, a street supermoto version of their hot HP2 off road bike. This one gets a more powerful motor with Akrapovic exhast system, street shoes, dual superbike front brakes, shorter travel Marzocchi front forks and and an Ohlins coil-over rear shock to replace the off-road models air shock. This should be one for the sports bike owner that wants something different without sacrificing big bike torque whilst still having more than 100bhp available to play with. Competes with the new KTM 950 SM R and Ducati Hypermotard, but if priced near the Off-Road version at $19,000 it will be a full 1/3rd higher than its competitors. We dig it!
Click the pictures to go bigger....
There's also a smaller X650 single cylinder version shown below.
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