In this, the first of an occasional series, John Wheeler looks at BMW, acclaimed as the ultimate driving machine whether it's two wheels or four
It would be a dull world if we all rode the same machine. Given the large number of motorcycle marques - 40 odd at the last count, to say nothing of scooters - some makes have a more loyal following than others.
BMW today is known for it upmarket cars and motorcycles, yet it started life in 1916 making aircraft engines. By 1921 it was making motorcycle engines for other manufacturers.
At the Paris Show in 1923 it introduced its first motorcycle, the R32. The design remained the basis of one of the world's best selling machines for half a century.
BMW design has always been "different". It has never built a motorcycle without a transversely mounted twin cylinder engine and shaft drive until very recently, nor a power unit with a separate gearbox. BMW has never been one to follow the herd.
Until the 1960s motorcycles were mainly used all year round as alternative transport by people who didn't own cars. The attention was on robust reliability and comfort.
Today we would call BMW's early production "tourers". In the past 30-odd years the German manufacturer has widened its product range, no doubt in response to the enormous variety of machines offered by the major Japanese manufacturers.
Today, BMW's range consists of sports bikes, sports-tourers, luxury tourers, cruisers, enduro bikes, a unique scooter and a commuter bike. To the dismay of some dyed-in-the-wool BMW enthusiasts, it has adopted a single cylinder engine on the F650 series and, for one model, dispensed with shaft-drive in favour of belt drive.
Throughout the history of BMW, innovation and technical development have been impressive. It was first to offer ABS brakes and has now reached its third generation system.
Digital engine management systems, Telever and Paralever front and rear suspension systems, closed loop three-way catalytic exhaust systems are common to most models.
Add to that Teutonic attention to detail, back-up and after-sales service and gaining the first four places in the 2000 Paris-Dakar-Cairo rally . . . these factors, in part, explain why BMW has such loyal and dedicated followers.
Its machines are usually at the more expensive end of the scale and those who ride them tend to be more mature and affluent. To others, BMW owners have at times seemed to consider themselves and their machines as a cut above the mainstream.
A RECENT ride out in the Wicklow mountains provided an opportunity to take a closer look at these machines and their riders. Motor Import kindly loaned us a R 1100 S, a distinctly "hot" and impressive sports bike which would be as at home on the track as the road.
This machine, in common with much of the present range, is a far cry from BMW's once traditional approach. It handled well on rough "green" lanes, relished the twisty sections and exulted on the main roads and motorway.
Owners gave all manner of reasons for their choice of this marque. It was noticeable that none of the hundred or so riders present looked to be under 35 years old.
One common reason for being a BMW owner was "I like the people who ride them - they're my kind of people". Another common comment was "BMW are good people to deal with".
BMW does, in fact, provide more customer service than many other manufacturers. There is a worldwide service and breakdown network.
There are financial services. There is BMW M rider training - not yet established in Ireland. And there's travel planning for anything from a weekend away to a world tour.
BMW offers its own range of high-quality "signature" clothing, riding gear, helmets, boots, gloves, T-shirts, even baseball caps and key fobs.
Its advertising assiduously cultivates an ethos of excellence and performance, assuring owners of the rightness of their choice.
The strategy is to make the BMW owner feel that he or she is not so much buying a machine but adding a whole new lifestyle dimension . . . and it seems to work: several owners admitted that "the badge and the name" was an important reason for their machine choice. Many also own BMW cars.