What is BMW Motorrad Celebrating?
BMW Motorrad is celebrating 50 years of BMW RS production and competition motorcycles. BMW Motorrad is celebrating this anniversary by revisiting and commemorating its RS-badged motorcycles. BMW is also taking this opportunity to draw attention to its newly launched BMW R 1300 RS.
What exactly does RS mean in the BMW Motorrad universe?
On BMW Motorrad competition motorcycles, RS originally stood for “Rennsport,” underscoring the performance and racing side of the company’s motorcycle history. However, from 1967, the RS badge began to appear on road-going BMW models, signifying their race-derived pedigree.
Why does the 1976 BMW R 100 RS remain so important in this story?
The 1976 BMW R 100 RS occupies a crucial place in the anniversary “RS” narrative because BMW identifies it as the model that turned “RS” into a defining production motorcycle. The R 100RS, according to BMW, is the world’s first large-series-production bike with a frame-mounted full fairing that shapes the sport-tourer segment.
The 1976 BMW R 100 RS came with a 980 cc air-cooled, two-cylinder boxer flat-twin, four-stroke engine. The flat twin engine made close to 70hp at 7,250 rpm.
How does BMW link that heritage to the current R 1300 RS?
This 50th anniversary is structured around the BMW RS motorcycles from the past to the current BMW R 1000 RS, with the R 1300 RS positioned as the modern expression of the RS legacy. The BMW R 1300 RS is a sports tourer which produces 145 hp at 7,750 rpm and delivers 149 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm, powered by a 1,300 cc air/liquid-cooled flat-twin boxer engine.
The BMW R 1300 RS comes standard with three riding modes and engine drag torque control, with optional features such as the Automated Shift Assistant and Dynamic Suspension Adjustment. It also claims a world first as the first production motorcycle equipped with a telescopic fork that offers an adjustable spring rate
