BMW K1 impressions

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BMW K1 prints

And suddenly you are who

Okay, the K1 didn’t win as a super athlete. But BMW’s marketing strategists had another concept: exclusivity. Whoever rolls into the yard with this sinfully expensive plane cannot be a poor eater. Suddenly all doors opened up even for a penniless intern, as editor Michael Schroder once discovered.

July 16, 1990. My first day in the sacred halls of MOTORRAD. As an intern. If I’m very lucky, besides writing messages, may I even move one or the other test motorcycle? I felt very close to the goal of my dreams. What happened next exceeded my imagination: Greenhorn Schroder was supposed to travel through Burgundy for five days and with one
Story about the culinary highlights of this region, which is extremely popular with gourmets. The right motorcycle for this exclusive gourmet event was already in the underground car park: a BMW K1. There he was, the winner in the lottery!
For a better understanding, it should be said that for me at that time the dishes in the Gottingen university cafeteria were the measure of all things. And until that moment I was only on some ancient ones
Bocken through world history: the electric starter on
my BMW R 80 G / S, which is still covered with Patagonian dust ?? the true soul had just taken me through Argentina for six months
and Chile worn ?? was my only concession to modernity. And now I was given the vehicle that the two-wheeled world had almost unhinged two years earlier at the IFMA motorcycle fair in Cologne. No conventional motorcycle was presented there
been, no, the Munich had shot a new star in the two-wheeled sky. The color alone outshone everything so far
What was there: marak meal shining from afar. In addition, the K1 applications on the cladding flanks in rich yellow. Likewise the powder-coated wheels, the drive train and the seat? the prompt vote for "motorcycle of the year" was only a formality, although no normal mortal had ever had one K1 had driven.

But this vehicle simply left no doubt as to who will from now on
Had a say: ABS, digital engine electronics, 16 valves, four-piston brake calipers and a fairing sanded in the wind tunnel, which even in Munich aptly referred to as a body ?? The entire fairing of a conventional sports bike could easily have been made from the plastic of the front wheel cover. With their avant-garde styled technology platform, the Bavarians were looking for the aerodynamically perfect
Motorcycle. Not even the Batmobile would have caused a stir on the streets. But maybe that was exactly what humanity (at least the wealthier part) longed for at this point in time ?? It seemed as if the BMW team had finally deciphered the secret of success, because the 1989 model year was sold out immediately ?? despite a price of 20,000 marks.
The departure for France was approaching and I started myself
To worry. No, not for my safety ?? with 100 hp and speed 230 I would be fine. Or better: I was completely crazy about it, finally faster than when I was 150 across the country
to fly. Rather, I was faced with a simple luggage problem. I was used to a lot of storage space with my aluminum suitcases. And now BMW had taken it seriously? the K1 should compete as a super athlete against the Japanese competition. Somebody like that doesn’t roll along with a luggage rack and suitcases. However, as a consequence, you would also have to go straight to the two voluminous glove compartments in the chubby rear
can do without if one is already targeting bikes like a Yamaha FZR 1000 or Suzuki GSX-R 1100.

In any case, the nation has formally passed the first group test
prayed for. It was finally in MOTORRAD 14/1989: BMW K1 versus Honda CBR 1000 F and Kawasaki ZX-10. So nothing
Great, but rather normal athletes. Fortunately for the Bavarian woman. She was the fastest in this circle with a speed of 235, experienced on
the ruthless Nurburgring-Nordschleife then their Waterloo: In direct comparison with the two Japanese women, the chassis could not withstand any serious sporting use. And then there is also the matter of leaning freedom. Motorcyclist’s greatest asset? and BMW had installed too little of it. Especially in two-person surgery. Out and over at a moderate pace: Abrasions on the main stand and lower fairing and all screws in this area headless. The BMW test drivers had obviously been on the wrong tracks.
To be honest, this test result was pretty short for me. Technically, I was facing the biggest challenge of my life. Get on the train. Rooster
we. Wuuusssccchhhh. The world, which I had always looked at in peace while driving, suddenly flew past me. Tempo 160, 180, 200 ?? the part ran as if on rails. Because of suspension weaknesses. Shortly before the French border, I wrote in
Thoughts already the sale ad for my boxer, which im
Moment in terms of driving characteristics felt like a drunk donkey. Because what happened to me from 6000 revolutions in the saddle of the K1, I only knew from stories: long arms, racing heart and suddenly the extremely sublime feeling of being the fastest when it matters. One turn of the throttle and you are free in one fell swoop. I also found this 258 kilo bucket surprisingly handy. The K practically rolled on the French country roads
as if by itself through curves and bends. My view of things started
to change completely.
Even while standing, the world was suddenly different. Looks from
all sides. For example when refueling. How did this kid get this wickedly expensive motorcycle? Suddenly I belonged to an extremely illustrious circle for my environment. How natural
the doors to the finest hotels opened on my tour. One
Feeling that was alien to me until then, but which you can get used to quite quickly. The concept of "exclusivity" seemed ?? different to
the thing with the sport ?? to open as desired: someone,
who rolls into the yard with this motorcycle simply has to be an important person. The K1 acted as an entry ticket into the world of the top ten thousand.
Other places, on the other hand, were quickly out for K1 owners in the following years. Motorbike meetings, for example. Because of the top dog, because
Exclusivity under the bum? those who were lucky were not laughed at. Somehow, that wasn’t going to last with the K1. A shooting star despite high tech,
Wind tunnel and Zipp and Zapp. Perhaps the two-wheelers were just a little more looking for down-to-earth attitude, for coolness, for that easy rider feeling.
The K1 was a step too far away from all of this. After 6,790 copies sold worldwide, BMW discontinued production of the former technology carrier in 1993. From the 2050 in Germany
approved models (economically a flop), many still suffer from the maximum penalty for used motorcycles: absolutely not for sale. Because
The K1 doesn’t really want to be included in the Olympus of cult motorcycles. Corresponding regularities are unfortunately difficult to identify.
Like the secret of success. That me this
Motorcycling was a lot of fun in Burgundy back then, was by the way up to this story
Secret. One of my best kept.

BMW K1 prints

And suddenly you are who

Technical data – BMW K 1

Engine: water-cooled four-cylinder four-stroke engine, four valves per cylinder, 987 cm3, bore x stroke 67 x 70 mm, 74 kW (100 PS) at 7500 / min, 100 Nm at 6750 / min, injection, wet sump lubrication. Chassis: tubular steel frame, load-bearing motor, telescopic fork, Ø 41.7 mm, single-sided swing arm, mono spring strut, spring travel f / h 135/140 mm, double disc brake at the front,
Ø 305 mm, rear disc brake, Ø 285 mm, tires 120/70 VR 17 front, 160/60 VR 18 rear. Measured values: Weight with a full tank of 259 kg, acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h 3.9 seconds, top speed 235 km / h. Price (1989): 20,600 marks.

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