Bumper year for Bimm

BMW Motorrad Australia and its dealers have completed one of their most successful years with sales of 1502 two-wheeled machines in 2005.

This represents growth of 13 percent compared with 2004 (or 19 percent on a like-for-like sales recording basis).

Leading the charge for the second year in a row was the super capable on and off-road Adventure Touring dream machine, the BMW R 1200 GS.

Speeding its way into the hearts of sports riders came the long-awaited BMW K 1200 S with its forward slanting, all-new four-cylinder race bred engine.

The BMW K 1200 S was launched along with the most aggressive naked machine BMW has yet manufactured, and the world’s most powerful production naked bike, the BMW K 1200 R (pictured). The BMW K 1200 R was crowned 2005 Motorcycle of the Year by Motorcyclist Magazine in the US in August.

A race-ready, carbon-fibre clad version dubbed BMW K 1200 R Power Cup arrived in Australia in time to tear up the tracks at Winton and Phillip Island, in the hands of Graeme Wilshaw, who secured podium places in both initial outings.

In Europe a one-make race series, the BMW Power Cup was contested using these exact machines. BMW Motorrad Australia is currently considering its competition plans for 2006.

Joining the high-performance sport machines in BMW dealers were two new on-road touring derivatives utilising the new generation power plant from the R 1200 GS. The long-distance R 1200 RT tourer and sportier R 1200 ST models were launched in March and contributed significantly to the company’s overall growth through the year.

Further enhancing company pride and prestige in 2005 was the debut of the BMW HP2. This exclusive, low volume specialist off-road racer is an indication of a genre of serious ultra-high performance machines set to come from BMW in the future. The HP2 made its debut at the BMW Safari in November.

In 2006, BMW Motorrad Australia expects to welcome a series of important new machines, including the R 1200 GS Adventure, K 1200 GT, R 1200 S and all new parallel twin F 800 S and ST models.

These will bring to 10 the number of new models introduced in just two years. They underline the robust health of BMW Motorrad and the shift towards more athletic and sporting machines aimed at younger, premium market motorcycle buyers.

"We have enjoyed an exceptional year," said Mac McMath, General Manager of BMW Motorrad Australia.

"BMW Motorrad growth has exceeded our premium brand competitors with a high degree of conquest sales thanks to the new model offensive.

"The response to the new K 1200 S and K 1200 R really excited us. They are tremendous machines and we are thrilled Australian sport bike riders have taken them to their hearts so quickly."