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92-528: BMW 's motorcycle history began in 1921 when the company commenced manufacturing engines for other companies. BMW's own motorcycles—sold under the BMW Motorrad brand—began in 1923 with the BMW R 32 , which was powered by a flat-twin engine (also called a "boxer-twin" engine). Production of motorcycles with flat-twin engines continues to this day, however BMW has also produced many models with other types of engines. At

184-463: A stressed engine . Also introduced in 1993 were the single-cylinder BMW F 650 models, which was based on the Aprilia Pegaso 650. The related BMW F650 CS began production in 2001. The "airhead" BMW R 80 GS and R 100 GS models remained in production until 1997, before being replaced by the newer "oilhead" models such as the BMW R 850 series, the 1994–1999 BMW R 1100 R standard motorcycle,

276-450: A BMW 7 Series (G11) special edition simply called "The Final V12", the last BMW series production vehicle to be fitted with a V-12 engine. On 5 October 2023 it was announced that BMW UK CEO Chris Brownridge would succeed Torsten Müller-Ötvös as the CEO of Rolls-Royce starting 1 December 2023, as a result of Müller-Ötvös retiring. BMW is an abbreviation for Bayerische Motoren Werke . This name

368-534: A built-in balance shaft, an increased capacity to 1,170 cc (71 cu in) and enhanced performance to 75 kW (101 hp) for the R1200GS , compared to 63 kW (84 hp) of the previous R1150GS . More powerful variants of the oilhead engines are available in the R1100S and R1200S, producing 73 and 91 kW (98 and 122 hp), respectively. In 2004, BMW introduced the new K1200S Sports Bike which marked

460-572: A condition to remove occupying troops or under the threat of re-occupation. The legal basis for war reparations in modern international law is Article 3 of the Hague Convention of 1907 . Prominent examples of war reparations include Carthage's indemnity paid to Rome following the First Punic War , French reparations following the Napoleonic Wars , Haiti's reparations to France following

552-492: A departure for BMW. It had an engine producing 125 kW (168 hp), derived from the company's work with the Williams F1 team, and is lighter than previous K models. Innovations include electronically adjustable front and rear suspension, and a Hossack-type front fork that BMW calls Duolever. BMW introduced anti-lock brakes on production motorcycles starting in the late 1980s. The generation of anti-lock brakes available on

644-462: A new factory in Spandau , West Berlin. at a site earlier occupied by a Siemens aircraft engine factory. The BMW /6 range replaced the "/5" models in 1974, with the 500 cc (31 cu in) engine being discontinued and a 900 cc (55 cu in) engine introduced. The "/6" model range consisted of the 600 cc BMW R 60/6 , the 750 cc BMW R 75/6 , the 900 cc BMW R 90/6 and

736-630: A number of awards in the visual arts. These include the BMW Art Journey award, which honors a young or mid-career artist in collaboration with Art Basel , and the BMW Painting Award, which was created to promote painting in Spain by finding new talent and showcasing their work. War reparations War reparations are compensation payments made after a war by one side to the other. They are intended to cover damage or injury inflicted during

828-949: A trademark lawsuit, the East German company was renamed Eisenacher Motorenwerk (EMW). Instead of BMW's blue-and-white roundel, EMW used a very similar red-and-white roundel as its logo. In West Germany , many of BMWs facilities had been badly damaged during the war, including the Munich factory which was in ruins. Initially, the terms of Germany's surrender forbade BMW from manufacturing motorcycles. In 1947, when BMW received permission to restart motorcycle production from US authorities in Bavaria, BMW had to start from scratch. There were no plans, blueprints, or schematic drawings because they were all in Eisenach. The first post-war BMW motorcycle in Western Germany,

920-713: A view to assisting to compensate those countries for the cost of repairing the damage done, by making available the services of the Japanese people in production, salvaging and other work for the Allied Powers in question. War reparations made pursuant to the San Francisco Peace Treaty with Japan (1951) include: reparations amounting to US$ 550 million (198 billion yen 1956) were made to the Philippines , and US$ 39 million (14.04 billion yen 1959) to South Vietnam ; payment to

1012-406: A war. War reparations can take the form of hard currency, precious metals, natural resources, industrial assets, or intellectual properties. Loss of territory in a peace settlement is usually considered to be distinct from war reparations. War reparations are often governed by treaties which belligerent parties negotiate as part of a peace settlement . Payment of reparations often occur as part of

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1104-447: Is a futuristic cauldron-shaped building, which was also designed by Karl Schwanzer and opened in 1972. The interior has a spiral theme and the roof is a 40-metre diameter BMW logo. BMW Welt , the company's exhibition space in Munich, was designed by Coop Himmelb(l)au and opened in 2007. It includes a showroom and lifting platforms where a customer's new car is theatrically unveiled to the customer. In 1975, sculptor Alexander Calder

1196-685: Is grammatically incorrect (in German, compound words must not contain spaces), which is why the grammatically correct form of the name, Bayerische Motorenwerke ( German pronunciation: [ˈbaɪʁɪʃə moˈtoːʁənˌvɛʁkə] ) has been used in several publications and advertisements in the past. Bayerische Motorenwerke translates into English as Bavarian Motor Works . The suffix AG, short for Aktiengesellschaft , signifies an incorporated entity owned by shareholders, thus akin to "Inc." (US) or PLC, "Public Limited Company" (UK). The terms Beemer, Bimmer and Bee-em are sometimes used as slang for BMW in

1288-412: Is now known as BMW Motorrad . Their first successful motorcycle after the failed Helios and Flink, was the " R32 " in 1923, though production originally began in 1921. This had a " boxer " twin engine, in which a cylinder projects into the air-flow from each side of the machine. Apart from their single-cylinder models (basically to the same pattern), all their motorcycles used this distinctive layout until

1380-622: The BMW R 32 , in 1923. BMW became an automobile manufacturer in 1928 when it purchased Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach, which, at the time, built the Austin 7 under licence from Dixi . The first car sold as a BMW was a rebadged BMW Dixi called the BMW 3/15 , following BMW's acquisition of the car manufacturer Automobilwerk Eisenach. Throughout the 1930s, BMW expanded its range into sports cars and larger luxury cars. Aircraft engines, motorcycles, and automobiles would be BMW's main products until World War II. During

1472-591: The 225xe using a 1.5 L three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor, the 330e / 530e using a 2.0 L four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, and the 550e / 750e using a 3.0 L six-cylinder engine with an electric motor. Also, crossover and SUV plug-in hybrid models have been released using i technology: X1 xDrive25e , X2 xDrive25e , X3 xDrive30e , and X5 xDrive40e . The BMW M GmbH subsidiary (called BMW Motorsport GmbH until 1993) started making high-performance versions of various BMW models in 1978. As of November 2024 ,

1564-427: The BMW /5 range, consisting of the 500 cc BMW R 50/5 , the 600 cc BMW R 60/5 and the 750 cc BMW R 75/5 models. The engines were a complete redesign, with the crankshaft bearings upgraded from roller bearings to shell-type journal bearings (the type used in modern car engines). The camshaft was now chain-driven and located underneath the crankshaft instead of at the top of the engine, in order to lower

1656-421: The BMW F 800 S sports bike and BMW F 800 ST sport-touring models were introduced, both powered by a Rotax parallel-twin engine. The BMW F 650 GS and BMW F800 GS dual-sport bikes were added to the range in 2008, both using the same 798 cc engine, despite the different names and the F 700 GS replaced the 650 in 2012. In 2009, the BMW F 800 R naked bike was introduced and in 2013 the BMW F 800 GT replaced

1748-778: The BMW F 800 ST sport-touring. In 2009, the BMW G 650 GS replaced the BMW F 650 GS . The BMW G650X series range was introduced in 2006, co-developed with Aprilia and powered by a Rotax single-cylinder engine. The range consisted of the BMW G650 Xchallenge dual-sport, the BMW G650 Xcountry dual-sport and the G650 Xmoto supermoto models. The BMW G 450 X hard-enduro model was produced from 2008 to 2010. In 2007, BMW acquired Husqvarna Motorcycles , including its production facilities and staff, from Italian manufacturer MV Agusta . BMW's ownership of Husqvarna ended in 2013, when

1840-611: The BMW M3 in 1986. Also in 1986, BMW introduced its first V12 engine in the 750i luxury sedan. The 1989 BMW Z1 marked BMW's return to making a two-seat roadster, the 1995 BMW Z3 was their first mass-production two-seat roadster, and the 1999 BMW X5 was the company's first entry into the SUV market. The company purchased the Rover Group in 1994, but the takeover was not successful and caused BMW large financial losses. In 2000, BMW sold off most of

1932-591: The BMW Motorrad brand. Also in 2023, BMW was the world's ninth-largest producer of motor vehicles , with 2,555,341 vehicles produced and in 2023 the 6th largest by revenue. In 2023, the company was ranked 46th in the Forbes Global 2000 . The company has significant motor-sport history, especially in touring cars , sports cars , and the Isle of Man TT . BMW is headquartered in Munich and produces motor vehicles in Germany,

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2024-514: The BMW R 27 , end production in 1967. Also, most of BMW's offerings were still designed to be used with sidecars. However, by the late 1960s, sidecars were no longer a consideration of most riders; people were interested in sportier motorcycles instead. The BMW R 50/2 , R 60/2 , and R 69 S were the last sidecar-capable BMWs, with the latter being the most powerful and desirable model. In the United States, sales of motorcycles were strong through

2116-645: The Battle of Waterloo , under the Treaty of Paris (1815) , defeated France was ordered to pay 700 million francs in indemnities. France was also to pay additional money to cover the cost of providing additional defensive fortifications to be built by neighbouring Coalition countries. It was the most expensive war reparation ever paid by a country (in proportion to its GDP). After the Franco-Prussian War , according to conditions of Treaty of Frankfurt (May 10, 1871), France

2208-560: The Gulf War , Iraq accepted United Nations Security Council Resolution 687 , which declared Iraq's financial liability for damage caused in its invasion of Kuwait . The United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) was established, and US$ 350 billion in claims were filed by governments, corporations, and individuals. UNCC accepted and awarded compensations claims for $ 52.4 billion to approximately 1.5 million successful claimants; as of July 2019, $ 48.7 billion has been paid and only $ 3.7 billion

2300-500: The Haitian War of Independence (1791–1804), French reparations to Germany following the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871), and German reparations following World War I . Making one party pay a war indemnity is a common practice with a long history. Rome imposed large indemnities on Carthage after the First ( Treaty of Lutatius , 241 BC) and Second Punic Wars . There was also

2392-592: The International Committee of the Red Cross to compensate prisoners of war (POW) of 4.5 million pounds sterling (4.54109 billion yen) was made; and Japan relinquished all overseas assets, approximately US$ 23.681 billion (379.499 billion yen). Japan signed the peace treaty with 49 nations in 1952 and concluded 54 bilateral agreements that included those with Burma (US$ 20 million 1954, 1963), South Korea (US$ 300 million 1965), Indonesia (US$ 223.08 million 1958),

2484-804: The Joint Communiqué of the Government of Japan and the Government of the People's Republic of China (1972), the People's Republic of China renounced its demand for war reparations from Japan. In the Soviet–Japanese Joint Declaration of 1956 , the Soviet Union waived its rights to reparations from Japan, and both Japan and the Soviet Union waived all reparations claims arising from war. Additionally, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), under President J. R. Jayewardene , declined war reparations from Japan. After

2576-477: The K Series , shaft drive but water-cooled and with either three or four cylinders mounted in a straight line from front to back. Shortly after, BMW also started making the chain-driven F and G series with single and parallel twin Rotax engines. In the early 1990s, BMW updated the airhead Boxer engine which became known as the oilhead . In 2002, the oilhead engine had two spark plugs per cylinder. In 2004 it added

2668-598: The Kingdom of Bavaria , which was a state of the German Empire . The firm was reorganized on 7 March 1916 into Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG . This company was then renamed to Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) in 1922. However, the name BMW dates back to 1913, when a company to use the name was founded by Karl Rapp initially as Rapp Motorenwerke . The name and Rapp Motorenwerke 's engine-production assets were transferred to Bayerische Flugzeugwerke in 1922, who adopted

2760-1039: The Potsdam conference held between July 17 and August 2, 1945, Germany was to pay the Allies US$ 23 billion mainly in machinery and manufacturing plants . Dismantling in the West stopped in 1950. Reparations to the Soviet Union stopped in 1953 (only paid by the GDR). Beginning before the German surrender and continuing for the next two years, the United States pursued a vigorous program of harvesting technological and scientific know-how as well as patents and many leading scientists in Germany (known as Operation Paperclip ). Historian John Gimbel , in his book Science Technology and Reparations: Exploitation and Plunder in Postwar Germany , states that

2852-616: The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) ’s Madrid Yearly Review ranked BMW's number of marks applications filled under the Madrid System as 2nd in the world, with 124 trademarks applications submitted during 2023. The key trends of the BMW Group are (as at the financial year ending December 31): BMW began production of motorcycle engines and then motorcycles after World War I. Its motorcycle brand

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2944-445: The X Series SUVs and crossovers are: The current model line of the Z Series two-door roadsters is the Z4 (model code G29 ). All-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles are sold under the BMW i sub-brand. The current model range consists of: In addition, several plug-in hybrid models built on existing platforms have been marketed as iPerformance models. Examples include

3036-502: The "intellectual reparations" (referring to German scientists) taken by the Allies amounted to close to $ 10 billion. German reparations were partly to be in the form of forced labor . By 1947, approximately 4,000,000 German POWs and civilians were used as forced labor (under various headings, such as "reparations labor" or "enforced labor") in Europe, Canada and the United States after the end of

3128-532: The 1611–1613 Kalmar War but failed to accomplish his main objective of forcing it to return to the Kalmar Union . The war led to no territorial changes, but Sweden was forced to pay a war indemnity of 1 million silver riksdaler to Denmark, an amount known as the Älvsborg ransom . King Christian used this money to found several towns and fortresses, most notably Glückstadt (founded as a rival to Hamburg ) and Christiania . Following Napoleon 's final loss at

3220-489: The 1920–1923 Victoria KR1 and the 1920–1922 Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFw) Helios motorcycles. BMW merged with Bayerische Flugzeugwerke in 1922, and the BFw Helios became the starting point for the first BMW motorcycle. Released in 1923, the BMW R 32 used a 486 cc (29.7 cu in) flat-twin petrol engine, which was longitudinally-mounted to eliminate the cooling problems of the transversely mounted engine in

3312-417: The 1950s, in contrast to drastically declining sales in Europe. Later, specific "US" models were sold in the United States for the 1968 and 1969 model years : the BMW R 50 US , R 60 US and the R 69 US . These models were sold with telescopic forks (alongside other BMW models which were sold with Earles forks) and without sidecar lugs. The model range was entirely revamped in 1969 with the introduction of

3404-464: The 1960s, BMW expanded its range by adding coupé and luxury sedan models. The BMW 5 Series mid-size sedan range was introduced in 1972, followed by the BMW 3 Series compact sedans in 1975, the BMW 6 Series luxury coupés in 1976 and the BMW 7 Series large luxury sedans in 1978. The BMW M division released its first road car, a mid-engine supercar, in 1978. This was followed by the BMW M5 in 1984 and

3496-400: The 1982 BMW R65 LS , the sporting BMW R 65 S and the 1987 dual-sport BMW R 65 GS . The BMW K 100 , introduced in 1983, marked a departure from BMW's tradition of air-cooled flat-twin engines. It was powered by a water-cooled inline-four engine with a displacement of 987 cc (60 cu in), which was also BMW's first fuel-injected motorcycle engine. The frame was tubular steel and

3588-428: The 1994–1999 BMW R 1100 GS dual-sport, the 1996–2001 BMW R 1100 RT tourer, the 1998–2005 BMW R 1100 S sports, and the 1999–2004 BMW R1150 GS dual-sport. The K Series models, powered by a water-cooled inline-four engine, included the 1996–2004 BMW K 1200 RS sports tourer, the 1998–2009 BMW K 1200 LT luxury tourer, and the 2002–2005 BMW K 1200 GT sports tourer. The BMW R 1200 C , produced from 1997 to 2004,

3680-467: The 2006 BMW R 1200 S sport-tourer, and the 2006 BMW R 1200 R naked bike. In 2014, the redesigned BMW R1200 RT used a water-cooled engine and a wet clutch. The BMW HP2 Enduro dirt bike was introduced in 2005, based on the BMW R 1200 GS . In 2007, the HP2 Enduro was joined by the road-biased HP2 Megamoto fitted with smaller alloy wheels and street tyres. As part of the F Series range update in 2006,

3772-443: The 2006 and later BMW motorcycles paved the way for the introduction of electronic stability control , or anti-skid technology later in the 2007 model year. BMW has been an innovator in motorcycle suspension design, taking up telescopic front suspension long before most other manufacturers. Then they switched to an Earles fork , front suspension by swinging fork (1955 to 1969). Most modern BMWs are truly rear swingarm, single sided at

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3864-485: The 500 cc (31 cu in) R 51/2 model, which was followed by the BMW R 51/3 and BMW R 67 twins in 1951, and the sporting 26 kW (35 hp) BMW R 68 in 1952. Except for the R 68 , all flat-twin models came with "bell-bottom" front fenders and front stands. Motorcycle sales in Europe plummeted as the 1950s progressed, with three of BMW's major German competitors going out of business in 1967. In 1954, BMW produced 30,000 motorcycles. By 1957, that number

3956-458: The English language and are sometimes used interchangeably for cars and motorcycles. The circular blue and white BMW logo or roundel evolved from the circular Rapp Motorenwerke company logo, which featured a black ring bearing the company name surrounding the company logo, an image of a horse head on a plinth. BMW retained Rapp's black ring inscribed with the company name, but the interior of

4048-576: The Entente, according to the Treaty of Neuilly . Germany agreed to pay reparations of 132 billion gold marks to the Triple Entente in the Treaty of Versailles . When Germany stopped making payments in 1932 after the agreement reached at the Lausanne Conference failed to be ratified, Germany had paid only a part of the sum. This still left Germany with debts it had incurred in order to finance

4140-453: The Helios. This engine with 6.3 kW (8.5 hp), resulting in a top speed of 95 to 100 km/h (59 to 62 mph). At a time when many motorcycle manufacturers used total-loss oiling systems, the new BMW engine featured a recirculating wet sump oiling system with a drip feed to roller bearings; a design which BMW used until 1969. The R 32 also started the tradition of shaft drive , which

4232-421: The K Series range were the 2005 BMW K 1200 R naked bike and related 2007 BMW K 1200 R Sport semi-faired sport-tourer, and the 2006 BMW K 1200 GT sport-tourer. The engine capacity of the K Series was expanded to 1,300 cc (79 cu in) for the 2008 BMW K 1300 S sport-tourer, the 2009 BMW K 1300 GT sport-tourer and the 2009 BMW K 1300 R naked bike. In 2011, two six-cylinder models were added to

4324-419: The K Series range- the BMW K 1600 GT and BMW K 1600 GTL , the former intended as a sport-tourer and the latter as a luxury-tourer. The R Series range of flat-twin models was also updated in 2004, beginning with the BMW R 1200 GS dual-sport, which was powered by a new 1,170 cc (71 cu in) "oilhead" engine. This was followed by the 2005 BMW R 1200 ST sport-tourer, the 2005 BMW R 1200 RT tourer,

4416-530: The M lineup is: The letter "M" is also often used in the marketing of BMW's regular models, for example the F20 M140i model, the G11 M760Li model and various optional extras called "M Sport", "M Performance" or similar. BMW has a long history of motorsport activities, including: The global BMW Headquarters in Munich represents the cylinder head of a 4-cylinder engine . It was designed by Karl Schwanzer and

4508-668: The Philippines (US$ 525 million/52.94 billion yen 1967), Malaysia (25 million Malaysian dollars/2.94 billion yen 1967), Thailand (5.4 billion yen 1955), Micronesia (1969), Laos (1958), Cambodia (1959), Mongolia (1977), Spain ($ 5.5 million 1957), Switzerland , the Netherlands ($ 10 million 1956), Sweden and Denmark . Payments of reparations started in 1955, lasted for 23 years and ended in 1977. For countries that renounced any reparations from Japan, it agreed to pay an indemnity and/or grants in accordance with bilateral agreements. In

4600-550: The Rover brands, retaining only the Mini brand. In 1998, BMW also acquired the rights to the Rolls-Royce brand from Vickers . The first modern mass-produced turbocharged petrol engine was introduced in 2006 (from 1973 to 1975, BMW built 1,672 units of a turbocharged BMW M10 engine for the BMW 02 Series ), with most engines switching over to turbocharging over the 2010s. The first hybrid BMW

4692-534: The Second World War. According to the Treaty of Peace with Italy, 1947 , Italy agreed to pay reparations of about US$ 125 million to Yugoslavia , US$ 105 million to Greece , US$ 100 million to the Soviet Union, US$ 25 million to Ethiopia , and US$ 5 million to Albania . Hungary agreed to pay reparations of US$ 200 million to the Soviet Union, and US$ 100 million apiece to Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. Romania agreed to pay reparations of US$ 300 million to

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4784-612: The Soviet Union. Romanian economists estimated that by February 1947 the Romanian economy had suffered further losses due to returning seized goods (US$ 320 million), restoring properties to the United Nations and their nationals (US$ 200 million), renouncing German debts (US$ 200 million), irregular requisitioning (US$ 150 million) and maintenance of the Soviet Army unit on its territory (US$ 75 million). Romania paid $ 5.6 million in 1945 and, in

4876-548: The United Kingdom, the Netherlands (ceased in 2023), the United States, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, India and China. The Quandt family  [ de ] is a long-term shareholder of the company, following investments by the brothers Herbert and Harald Quandt in 1959 that saved BMW from bankruptcy , with the remaining shares owned by the public . The Otto Flugmaschinenfabrik was founded in 1910 by Gustav Otto in

4968-516: The assessment of Digi24 , it was coerced to pay through SovRom $ 2 billion. Finland could only negotiate an interim peace deal with Soviet Union by agreeing to extensive reparations, and was eventually the only country to pay settled war reparations in full. The total amount of reparations rose to US$ 500 million, at the value of the dollar in 1953. The Treaty of Shimonoseki , signed on April 17, 1895, obliged China to pay an indemnity of 200 million silver taels (¥3.61 billion) to Japan; and to open

5060-556: The back (compare with the regular swinging fork usually, and wrongly, called swinging arm ). Some BMWs started using yet another trademark front suspension design, the Telelever, in the early 1990s. Like the Earles fork, the Telelever significantly reduces dive under braking. BMW Group, on 31 January 2013, announced that Pierer Industrie AG has bought Husqvarna Motorcycles for an undisclosed amount, which will not be revealed by either party in

5152-493: The black outline encircling the rondel. The logo is used for BMW's branding communications but it is not used on vehicles. The slogan 'The Ultimate Driving Machine' was first used in North America in 1974. In 2010, this long-lived campaign was mostly supplanted by a campaign intended to make the brand more approachable and to better appeal to women, 'Joy'. By 2012 BMW had returned to 'The Ultimate Driving Machine'. In 2023,

5244-840: The case of 230 million silver taels in reparations imposed on defeated China after the First Sino-Japanese War led Japan to a similar decision. There have been attempts to codify reparations both in the Statutes of the International Criminal Court and the UN Basic Principles on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims, and some scholars have argued that individuals should have a right to seek compensation for wrongs they sustained during warfare through tort law. King Christian IV of Denmark attacked Sweden in

5336-446: The centre of gravity. An electric starter was available for the first time, although the traditional gearbox-mounted kick starter was also retained. The styling of the first models included chrome-plated side panels and a restyled tank. In 1973, the rear swingarm was lengthened, which improved the handling and allowed a larger battery to be installed. The introduction of the "/5" models coincided with production relocating from Munich to

5428-828: The company was nearly taken over by rival Daimler-Benz. A large investment in BMW by Herbert Quandt and Harald Quandt resulted in the company surviving as a separate entity. Günther Quandt , was a well-known German industrialist, joined the Nazi party in 1933 and made a fortune arming the German Wehrmacht, manufacturing weapons and batteries. Many of his enterprises were appropriated from Jewish owners under duress with minimal compensation. At least three of his enterprises made extensive use of slave laborers, as many as 50,000 in all. One of his battery factories had its own on-site concentration camp, complete with gallows. Life expectancy for laborers

5520-470: The company was sold to Pierer Industrie AG. The BMW S 1000 RR sport bike was released in 2009, to compete in the Superbike World Championship . It is powered by a 999 cc (61 cu in) transverse-four engine producing 193 bhp (144 kW). BMW The companies automobiles are marketed under the BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brands, and motorcycles are marketed under

5612-470: The early 1980s. Many BMW's are still produced in this layout, which is designated the R Series . The entire BMW Motorcycle production has, since 1969, been located at the company's Berlin-Spandau factory. During the Second World War, BMW produced the BMW R75 motorcycle with a motor-driven sidecar attached, combined with a lockable differential , this made the vehicle very capable off-road. In 1982, came

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5704-437: The end of World War I, the Treaty of Versailles demanded that BMW cease production of aircraft engines. To remain in business, the company began producing small industrial engines (along with farm equipment, household items and railway brakes). In 1920, BMW M2B15 flat-twin petrol engine was released. Despite being designed as a portable industrial engine, the M2B15 was also used by several motorcycle manufacturers, including for

5796-479: The first production motorcycles with hydraulically damped telescopic forks . In 1937, Ernst Henne recorded a top speed of 279.5 km/h (173.7 mph) on a BMW 500 Kompressor racing motorcycle, setting a world record that stood for 14 years. The BMW R 71 746 cc (45.5 cu in)big flat-twin motorcycle was exceptional. It was the Icon of BMW, expensive to build and well engineered. Unfortunately only 2638 motorcycles could be built before production

5888-432: The future. The company is headed by Stephan Pierer (CEO of KTM). Pierer Industrie AG is 51% owner of KTM and 100% owner of Husqvarna. In September 2018, BMW unveiled a new self-driving motorcycle with BMW Motorrad with a goal of using the technology to help improve road safety. The design of the bike was inspired by the company's BMW R1200 GS model. The current model lines of BMW cars are: The current model lines of

5980-538: The harsh operating environment of North Africa, partly due to the protruding cylinders of the flat-twin engine providing more effective cooling than other configurations which overheated in the sun. Shaft drives also performed better than chain-drives which were damaged by desert grit. The R 75 inspired similar models from U.S. manufacturers, such as the Indian 841 and Harley-Davidson XA . In Soviet-controlled East Germany , BMW's sole motorcycle plant in Eisenach recommenced production of R35 and R75 motorcycles soon after

6072-457: The head of the BMW Group. In January 2021, BMW announced that its sales in 2020 fell by 8.4 percent due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. However, in the fourth quarter of 2020, BMW witnessed a rise of 3.2% in its customers' demands. This recovery was supported by the company's adoption of widely accepted technologies and integration of third-party services such as Apply Pay and on-demand music. On 18 January 2022 BMW announced

6164-404: The logo is based on the image of an airplane propeller spinning in a blue sky. This myth likely stems from a 1929 BMW advertisement that depicted the logo superimposed on a rotating propeller. However, the logo predates that advertisement by 12 years. The current iteration of the logo was introduced in 2020, removing 3D effects that had been used in previous renderings of the logo while removing

6256-420: The name the same year. BMW's first product was produced for fighter aircraft of the Luftstreitkräfte . It was a straight-six aircraft engine called the BMW IIIa , designed in the spring of 1917 by engineer Max Friz . Following the end of World War I, BMW remained in business by producing motorcycle engines, agricultural equipment, household items, and railway brakes. The company produced its first motorcycle,

6348-442: The ports of Shashi , Chongqing , Suzhou and Hangzhou to Japanese trade. According to Article 14 of the Treaty of San Francisco (1951): It is recognized that Japan should pay reparations to the Allied Powers for the damage and suffering caused by it during the war....Japan will promptly enter into negotiations with Allied Powers so desiring, whose present territories were occupied by Japanese forces and damaged by Japan, with

6440-415: The previous record. By the late 1950s, the overall BMW company was in financial trouble. The company narrowly avoided a merger with Daimler-Benz through the combination of financing from brothers Herbert Quandt and Harald Quandt , increased success of the automobile division and the selling off its aircraft engine division. Changes in the motorcycle market saw BMW's last shaft-driven single-cylinder model,

6532-469: The rear suspension was a single-sided swingarm . In 1985, the BMW K 75 was added as the entry-level model. The K 75 was powered by a 750 cc inline-three engine, which was BMW's first engine to use a counterbalance shaft. In 1988, the K 100 became the first motorcycle to have anti-lock brakes (ABS) and in 1989 the K 100 RS 4V model became the first BMW motorcycle to use an engine with four valves per cylinder. The 1988 BMW K 1 sports tourer

6624-511: The reparations, and these were revised by the Agreement on German External Debts in 1953. After another pause pending the reunification of Germany, the last installment of these debt repayments was paid on 3 October 2010. During World War II, Germany extracted payments from occupied countries, compelled loans, stole or destroyed property. In addition, countries were obliged to provide resources, and forced labour. After World War II , according to

6716-440: The ring is quartered blue and white, reminiscent of the coat of arms and flag of Bavaria (which in turn are based on the arms of the historic House of Wittelsbach , which ruled Bavaria for many centuries). The logo does not bear the distinctive lozenge shape found on the coat of arms, however, as local laws at the time it was introduced forbade the use of state coats of arms on commercial logos. A persistent myth claims that

6808-431: The sporting 900 cc BMW R 90 S . Other upgrades included a five-speed gearbox, brakes and the electrical system. In 1975, the kick starter was finally eliminated. In 1976, the BMW /7 range replaced the "/6" models. The 800 cc BMW R 80/7 model was introduced, and the 900 cc BMW R 90/6 and BMW R 90S models were replaced by the 1,000 cc BMW R 100/7 , BMW R 100S and BMW R 100RS models. The latter

6900-434: The war, BMW concentrated on the BMW 801 aircraft engine using as many as 40,000 slave laborers. These consisted primarily of prisoners from Nazi concentration camps , most prominently Dachau . Motorcycles remained as a side-line and automobile manufacture ceased altogether. BMW's factories were heavily bombed during the war and its remaining West German facilities were banned from producing motor vehicles or aircraft after

6992-578: The war, for reparations . The factory continued to use the BMW name, causing two separate companies (one in Eisenach and the other in Munich, West Germany) to be using the BMW name between 1948 and 1952. The head office of BMW, based in Munich, had no control over the operations in East Germany. Eventually in 1952, after the Soviets ceded control of the plant to the East German Government, and following

7084-431: The war. Again, the company survived by making pots, pans, and bicycles. In 1948, BMW restarted motorcycle production. BMW resumed car production in Bavaria in 1952 with the BMW 501 luxury saloon. The range of cars was expanded in 1955, through the production of the cheaper Isetta microcar under licence. Slow sales of luxury cars and small profit margins from microcars, meant BMW was in serious financial trouble and in 1959

7176-442: Was BMW Motorcycle's only entry into the cruiser market. At the other end of the model lineup, the 2000–2002 BMW C1 was BMW's first and only enclosed scooter model. The revised K Series range of water-cooled inline-four cylinder models began in 2004 with the BMW K 1200 S a sport-tourer. The K1200S was primarily designed as a Super Sport motorcycle, albeit larger and heavier than the closest Japanese competitors. Other additions to

7268-556: Was BMW's first full-fairing sport bike. It had an aerodynamic body which was designed to minimise drag at high speeds. Production of flat-twin touring models continued with the BMW R 100 and BMW R 80 model ranges. Beginning with the BMW R 1100 RS sports tourer in 1993, BMW began to transition from engines with air-cooled cylinder heads ("airhead" engines) to oil-cooled cylinder heads ("oilhead" engines). The BMW R 100 RS also used "Telelever" front suspension (where braking forces are transferred horizontally to minimize "fork dive") and

7360-418: Was a full-fairing design which produced 51 kW (68 hp) and had a top speed of 200 km/h (124 mph). Later variants of the 1,000 cc models included the BMW R 100T ("Touring"), the BMW R 100 RT and BMW R 100CS ("Classic Sport"). The 1978 BMW R 45 and BMW R 65 were entry-level 450 cc and 650 cc models that replaced the BMW R 60/7 . Later variants of the BMW R 65 included

7452-511: Was commissioned to paint the BMW 3.0 CSL racing car driven by Hervé Poulain at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which became the first in the series of BMW Art Cars. Since Calder's work of art, many other renowned artists throughout the world have created BMW Art Cars, including David Hockney , Jenny Holzer , Roy Lichtenstein , Robert Rauschenberg , Frank Stella , and Andy Warhol . To date, a total of 19 BMW Art Cars, based on both racing and regular production vehicles, have been created. BMW sponsors

7544-406: Was completed in 1972. The building has become a European icon and was declared a protected historic building in 1999. The main tower consists of four vertical cylinders standing next to and across from each other. Each cylinder is divided horizontally in its center by a mold in the facade. Notably, these cylinders do not stand on the ground; they are suspended on a central support tower. BMW Museum

7636-628: Was disrupted due to the War. Original bikes are now rare and highly sought after. Around 500 are known to survive today. It was either licensed to the Soviet Union in 1938 or just copied there, resulting in the Dnepr M-72 (produced from 1942 to 1960) and IMZ-Ural (modernised version still in production) motorbikes . During World War II, the German military needed as many vehicles as it could get of all types and many other German companies were asked to build motorcycles. The BMW R 75 performed particularly well in

7728-582: Was forced to pay a large war indemnity to Turkey (£4 million). Greece, which was already in default, was compelled to permit oversight of its public finances by an international financial commission. Russians agreed to pay reparations to the Central Powers when Russia exited the war in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (which was repudiated by the Bolshevik government eight months later). Bulgaria paid reparations of 2.25 billion gold francs (90 million pounds) to

7820-558: Was left to be paid to Kuwait on behalf of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation. The UNCC says that its prioritization of claims by natural people, ahead of claims by governments and entities or corporations (legal persons), "marked a significant step in the evolution of international claims practice". Funds for these payments were to come from a 30% share of Iraq's oil revenues from the oil for food program. Certain groups in Iraq and

7912-413: Was less than 5,500. In 1955, BMW began introducing a new range of motorcycles with Earles forks and enclosed drive shafts. These were the 19 kW (26 hp) BMW R 50 , the 22 kW (30 hp) BMW R 60 and the sporting model BMW R 69 with 35 hp (26 kW). On June 8, 1959, John Penton rode a BMW R 69 from New York to Los Angeles in 53 hours and 11 minutes, slashing over 24 hours from

8004-527: Was obliged to pay a war indemnity of 5 billion gold francs in five years. The indemnity was proportioned, according to population, to be the exact equivalent to the indemnity imposed by Napoleon on Prussia in 1807 . German troops remained in parts of France until the last installment of the indemnity was paid in September 1873, ahead of schedule. Following the Greco-Turkish War (1897) , defeated Greece

8096-606: Was six months. While Quandt and BMW were not directly connected during the war, funds amassed in the Nazi era by his father allowed Herbert Quandt to buy BMW. The relative success of the small BMW 700 assisted in the company's recovery, allowing them to develop the New Class sedans. The 1962 introduction of the BMW New Class compact sedans was the beginning of BMW's reputation as a leading manufacturer of sport-oriented cars. Throughout

8188-432: Was the BMW R 2 , which was released in 1931. It used a 200 cc (12.2 cu in) engine and could therefore be ridden in Germany without a motorcycle licence at that time. The lineage of single-cylinder motorcycles continued with the 400 cc (24.4 cu in) BMW R 4 in 1932 and the 300 cc (18.3 cu in) BMW R 3 in 1936. The BMW R 12 and BMW R 17 , both introduced in 1935, were

8280-399: Was the 1948 BMW R 24 . The R 24 was reverse-engineered from the pre-war BMW R 23 motorcycle with several improvements and powered by a 247 cc (15 cu in) single-cylinder engine. It was the only postwar West German model without rear suspension. In 1949, BMW produced 9,200 units and by 1950 production surpassed 17,000 units. Production of flat-twin models resumed in 1950 with

8372-560: Was the 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 , and BMW's first mass-production electric car was the BMW i3 city car, which was released in 2013, (from 1968 to 1972, BMW built two battery-electric BMW 1602 Elektro saloons for the 1972 Olympic Games). After many years of establishing a reputation for sporting rear-wheel drive cars, BMW's first front-wheel drive car was the 2014 BMW 2 Series Active Tourer multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) . In March 2018, Daimler and BMW merged their mobility services. In August 2019, Oliver Zipse replaced Harald Krüger as

8464-458: Was used on all BMW motorcycles until 1994. The BMW R 37 , produced from 1925 to 1926, was BMW's first sporting model. It was based on the R 32 and used an overhead valve engine producing 12 kW (16 hp). The first single-cylinder BMW motorcycle was the 1925 BMW R 39 , which was BMW's smallest model and used a 250 cc (15.3 cu in) engine. It was not successful and was discontinued in 1927. The next single-cylinder motorcycle

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