More BMW M models expected from 2021 onwards

Following the reveal of the exclusive M 1000 RR in September, BMW is planning to add more special M models to its range in the near future.

BMW Motorrad CEO Markus Schramm recently told bikesales that a second M model could arrive in 2021, with more expected in future years.

The recent reveal of the M 1000 RR marked BMW Motorrad's first dedicated M-branded model, with the high-spec machine to arrive early next year in limited numbers.

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The M brand is BMW’s motorsport and high-performance division, but prior to the M 1000 RR, the designation was reserved for the Munich firm’s automotive products. With the introduction of the S 1000 RR in 2018, BMW offered an ‘M’ package and optional ‘M’ parts, but Schramm said at the time that he wanted to introduce dedicated M models.

Now, with the release of the M 1000 RR, Schramm is adamant that it is not a once-off. “The M 1000 RR is a great start to our collaboration,” he told bikesales. “But we didn’t introduce M for just one model. We have a lot more powerful ideas in this area.”

While the M brand is skewed towards motorsport, Schramm says it also represents exclusivity, and hinted that it could filter into BMW’s heritage, roadster, and adventure model ranges.

The BMW head honcho offered no word on specific M models, instead suggesting which models won’t receive the M treatment.

“We’re not talking about concrete models,” said Schramm. “What I can tell you, is that we will certainly not introduce M models in the cruising segment, the touring segment or the urban mobility segment. The rest – let us surprise you.”

Schramm defined the touring segment as BMW’s K 1600 range and the R 1250 RT, leaving the door open for a potential M-branded R 1250 GS. He noted that, from a customer perspective, the K 1600 bikes ‘were not suitable for an M version.’

Additionally, Schramm noted that the HP designation, as seen on the exclusive HP4 Race, will be discontinued. “We now have M has the sporty brand within BMW Motorrad,” he said. “We will not have any HP-branded motorcycles anymore. The ingredients for HP and M are very similar, but with the M strategy, we are replacing the HP strategy.”

The M brand was founded in 1972 to facilitate BMW’s automotive racing program. Eventually, the brand offered higher-spec and specially modified versions of BMW vehicles, with a focus on performance and exclusivity. Today, BMW has an M-badged version of nearly its entire range.

When Schramm took the reins of BMW Motorrad in 2018, one of his first decisions was to get more involved with motorsport. “It was a logical decision for us to combine our findings and developments in World Superbikes into a model,” he said. That is where the idea of an M motorcycle was born.

The M 1000 RR is a specced-up version of the firm’s successful S 1000 RR. It was introduced in September as a homologation special, designed to meet various racing requirements around the world. It features extensive technical optimisations, winglets and a full suite of ‘M Performance’ parts as standard. It is expected to check in at above $50,000AUD and will arrive on Australian shores in limited numbers in early 2021.