No motorcycle manufacturer is more closely associated with one type of engine than BMW: the air-cooled boxer twin or 'airhead'. It was included in BMW's very first motorcycle in 1923 and virtually every machine the company made, of every type, from radical road bike to TT winner, to land speed record holder, to 1970s style icon and even to the creation of an all-new adventure bike class with the R 80 G/S, right up to the mid-1990s. Phil West celebrates the success of the BMW airhead twin motorcycles. This book, with over 290 photographs, includes a history of the company pre- and post-War; the personalities behind the development of the bikes; profiles of each of the 'R' bikes in turn, including detailed specification guides and production numbers. These wonderful machines are regularly celebrated and now BMW itself is harking back to them with an all-new series of machines.

A must-have comprehensive reference for all owners, prospective owners and BMW enthusiasts.

The Complete Book of BMW Motorcycles offers a thorough year-by-year guide to every production machine ever built by Germany’s leading motorcycle manufacturer. From the first model, the 1923 R32 that launched BMW's motorcycle dynasty, to the latest (and fastest) superbike, the S1000RR, this book captures nearly a century of motorcycling excellence in a combination of historic and contemporary photos. Technical specs are provided for each model. This comprehensive review covers all of BMW's bike families: The side-valve machines from the early years The early overhead-valve performance bikes The modern Airheads and Oilheads The four-cylinder and six-cylinder touring bikes The early pushrod singles The modern overhead-cam singles The latest parallel twins, and inline-four cylinder sport bikes Among them, you'll find all the classic bikes—pre-World War II BMWs like the R5 that defined performance in that era; the military R12 that carried the Wehrmacht as it blitzkrieged its way across Europe; the Earles-forked R69S that offered the perfect platform for mounting a Steib sidecar; the R90S café racer; the K1 “flying brick”; and the GS (Gelände Sport) series that launched a dual-sport revolution right up to today’s world-class S100RR and retro-inspired R nine T. Like the other titles in Motorbooks' Complete Book series, this guide to BMW's motorcycle output offers the most complete reference to the subject available.

Many books have been published about BMW motorcycles, but no-one has focussed solely on the BMW chopper, bobber, trike and quad bike custom scene ndash; until now. Although not normally associated with the brand, there are some fantastic BMW customs out there, old and new; this book showcases them in all their innovative glory. Features stunning images of customised BMW singles, twins and fours from contributors around the globe, many complemented by owner's stories and technical descriptions. Certain to be of interest to marque fans as well as the custom bike scene in general. Enter the other side of BMW ...

Everything you want to know about forty of the most iconic BMW motorcycles. BMW Motorcycles offers history and photography on forty of the most iconic motorcycles built by Germany's leading motorcycle manufacturer: BMW. From the pre–World War II BMWs that defined performance in that era, to the Earles-forked machines that offered the perfect platform for mounting a Steib sidecar, to the "flying bricks," to the GS (Gelände Sport) series that launched a dual-sport revolution, right up to today's world-class superbikes. All of BMW's bike families are covered—the side-valve machines from the pre–World War II years, the early overhead-valve performance bikes, the postwar Airheads and Oilheads, the three-cylinder, four-cylinder, and six-cylinder touring bikes, the early pushrod singles, the modern overhead-cam singles, the latest parallel twins, and inline-four cylinder sport bikes. From the first model, the R32 that launched BMW's motorcycle dynasty, to the latest (and fastest) model, the World Super Bike dominating S1000RR, this book captures nearly a century of motorcycling excellence with thorough information and stunning, full-color photography.

For nearly 80 years, shaft-drive boxer twins have traditionally formed the backbone of the BMW motorcycle line-up. For many enthusiasts of the Bavarian marque the classic BMW twin was the R90S of 1973-76. Over the decades, successive generations of durable machines - including the R100S, fully-faired R100RS, four-cylinder K-series, high-performance R1100RS and an entire family of touring and sporting models ranging from 850 to 1200cc - would ensure the BMW boxer twins a place in the Haynes "Great Bikes" series. This book covers: historical context, racing, the wartime R75 and R69S; the "75" series which enabled BMW to compete with the high-performance Japanese machines; the R90S, the "76" and Superbike performance; the R100RS, the "77" and the touring R100RT; smaller twins, smaller potential; the R89G/S, including a Paris-Dakar version; rationalization of the boxer range, and the new twins that included four-valve heads and electronic engine management; and technical specifications from 1969 to 2003.

A definitive guide to the iconic BMW GS, the model that revolutionized the dual-purpose adventure bike in 1980. Combining all-terrain capability, high performance and on-road ride comfort, the GS is the bestselling large-capacity motorcycle in the UK and is still evolving today. Including comprehensive specification details, owners' experiences and previously unseen pictures, BMW GS - The Complete Story covers the original R80G/S and its impact on the industry; design and development of all the updated models; radical engineering concepts and technology; worldwide racing success for the GS and finally, the all-new R1200GS of 2013 and the future of the GS. Superbly illustrated with 196 colour and 8 black & white illustrations, many previously unseen.