BMW GS Motorcycles in Missouri, page #33

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BMW Streamlines WSBK Program, Hands Reins to BMW Italia

BMW announced it realigning its World Superbike Championship program, with BMW Motorrad Italia taking over as the company’s factory team in 2013. The German manufacturer is currently represented by two teams in the WSBK championship, the BMW Motorrad with Marco Melandri and Leon Haslam and the BMW Motorrad Italia Goldbet team represented by Michel Fabrizio and Ayrton Badovini (there is also a privateer effort of Mark Aitchison riding a BMW S1000RR for the Grillini Progea team.) Next year however, BMW’s Milan-based Italian arm will be responsible for the factory team as well as chassis development and testing. BMW Motorrad itself will focus on developing the power train and electronics.

Lamborghini Plows Into BMW Motorcycle Dealership

Pictured here is the carnage left behind after a driver lost control of a Lamborghini Murciélago and plowed through a row of motorcycles parked outside a BMW dealership in Mariano Comense, a town north of Milan, Italy. According to Italian site InFullGear, the driver veered into the oncoming lane while approaching a curve before losing control and running into the parked motorcycles before bouncing off and coming to a stop in the middle of the road. The crash injured three people, though thankfully none of them were seriously injured.

BMW Reportedly Discussing Partnership with India’s TVS Motor

BMW is reportedly in talks with TVS Motor to develop new motorcycles for India. A potential BMW-TVS partership would follow similar arrangements between Bajaj Auto and KTM and between Hero MotoCorp and Erik Buell Racing. The Wall Street Journal reports the two companies are discussing a possible technological alliance.

BMW Sales Down 2.3% in First Half of 2012 but Record Finish Still Predicted

BMW predicts a record year for motorcycle sales despite a 2.3% dip over the first six months. The first half of 2012 saw BMW sell 59,189 units, down from the 60,580 units reported for the same period in 2011. The decrease is primarily because of a 13.2% drop in sales in June.

BMW Announces Returning 2013 Models – All with ABS Standard

BMW announced eight models returning for 2013, all receiving new colors and ABS as standard. Beyond that, the most notable news is what models have not been announced. The returning 2013 BMW models include the F800R, the G650GS, the R1200R, the S1000RR, the K1300S, the K1300R, the K1600GT and K1600GTL.

Go camping with your bike

Keep your bike close to you when you go camping with the MOTOTENT from motorcycle adventurers Lone Rider. Priced at £450, here's a round-up of the features from Lone Rider: The MOTOTENT is spacious enough to shelter a dual sport bike as big a BMW R1200 GSA with all its luggage, to have room to work on it, and to be able to stand in the tent. The tunnel-shaped design allows a very quick setup of the tent when needed.

BMW Makes ABS Standard Across Entire Lineup

BMW announced it will make anti-lock brakes standard equipment across its entire lineup starting with the 2013 model year. The German manufacturer became the first to introduce ABS into serial production motorcycles in 1988 and now 25 years later, BMW will be the first to offer ABS across all of its models. BMW has already announced two 2013 models that will come with ABS, the updated F800GS and the F700GS.

2013 BMW F700GS and F800GS Announced

BMW has updated its F800GS and introduced the F700GS which replaces the F650GS for the German manufacturer’s 2013 lineup. The 2013 BMW F800GS slots in under the R1200GS as the company’s mid-displacement adventure tourer while the F700GS is an entry-level model to the segment. Despite the nomenclature, both models are equipped with liquid-cooled and fuel-injected four-valve 798cc twin-cylinder engines, just like the 650.

WSBK: 2012 Misano Results – Video

Max Biaggi strengthened his hold on the 2012 World Superbike Championship lead with a pair of wins at Italy’s Misano circuit. The Aprilia rider out-battled the Althea Ducati duo of Carlos Checa and Davide Giugliano to win Race One before taking a relatively easier Race Two victory. Before the races, WSBK riders lined up on the starting grid to hold a banner expressing their support for the Emilia region in northern Italy which has been suffering from earthquakes and continuing aftershocks since late May.

2013 BMW R1250 Roadster Spy Photos

[Ed.: The original spy photos have been taken down by request. Instead, here is a picture of the current R1200R model.] BMW is preparing to launch the ground-up redesign of its iconic R1200GS in a new 1250cc-or-so liquid-cooled Boxer powerplant, a speculative profile of which you can read about here. But there’s more Boxer-oriented news to come from BMW for 2013.