The Kneeslider

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BMW LoRider – A Factory Custom From BMW?

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BMW LoRider concept motorcycle

BMW unveiled their brand new LoRider concept motorcycle at EICMA in Milan, Italy and they’re looking for feedback. Would you consider giving this bike a spot in your garage? They put together a very basic motorcycle, 100hp 1200 Boxer engine in a 440 pound package with upside down forks, 6 piston calipers, spoke wheels and naked bike looks. But, then, they took a page from the Harley Davidson playbook and offer a full range of factory optional configurations.

BMW LoRider concept motorcycle

The optional choices cover things like exhaust, which can be twin shotguns on the side or a pair under the seat; 3 seat configurations from simple single perch to 2 person, streetfighter lighting or classic circular headlamps, 4 fuel tank paint finishes and 3 engine paint finishes plus lots more. After you’re done choosing the pieces and configuration you like best, you have an individualized bike that’s still genuine BMW.

Any new model encounters buyers who will like one part and not another, but BMW offers so many possible configurations they took care of many of those objections right from the start. If you like the style of a naked standard motorcycle, the LoRider shows you a lot of ways to fill in the picture. BMW has been moving a long way from their staid conservative image over recent years and coming up with designs that, not many years ago, would have been unthinkable. The LoRider could work. I like it. How about you?

BMW LoRider concept motorcycle

A few possible configurations:
BMW LoRider concept motorcycle
BMW LoRider concept motorcycle
BMW LoRider concept motorcycle

Comments

  1. First that’s a great idea to have a bike “personnalized” from the factory, not with some aftermarket stuff. I guess most of the readers of this site are willing and able to pimp their ride by themselves, but we are not representing a large part of the motorcycle owners, I guess.
    Then, it’s a damn good looking bike, going in the right direction imho (2 wheels – one engine), yet with a clean finition and probably top quality.
    Now, how much is this billed ?

  2. First impression…nice, but that damn tank is too big. Way out of proportion. But I like the idea!

  3. Sweet. I like the cafe’ racing look. Chrome or nickel the tank, would be nice. Offer the same customizing (nobbies,etc) for the GS to give them a more Enduro, Scambler or Trials look.

  4. I will never go for the shaft drive myself but I would have to say this is the nicest looking beemer since the sixties.

  5. Loving that ‘cannon’ pipe look.

    @Larry – you right a nice slim line tank with a brushed steel look or something would be preferable. rather than something the looks like it came off a sports bike.

  6. what about the teleleaver or hossack. they look a lot more personalized. awesome concept. but then would it have the same problem as r1200c? meaning there is no market in US. probably it would be fine since it’s not competing with harleys and it’s a new segment.
    personally i wouldn’t buy it. i like more functional or logical based look. like having aerodynamic half-fairing. i have k1200s (took the side panels off) but the r1200s is the best looking bike. second, it still doesn’t look as bad-S as confederate. it needs more raw/radical looking major parts like a simple shape of a gas tank; make the tank from polygons.
    thirdly, boxer engine always looks awesome on the custom bikes

  12. Well the bike is based on the HP2 Megamoto platform and that bike handles excellent so if they can combine that handling with these looks it’s an interesting combination (classic looks with modern performance) Nice looking bike; put Steve Mcqueen on it and the image is complete 😉

  13. I really don’t like the tailless look. Makes the bike look like the rear end fell off somewhere on the road…

  14. oh heck yes i like the bike moto guzzi wishes they could build. It looks mean and wild just like a bike should look! i would rather have 2 up and a small faring but hey I am not complaining that bike rocks! Beemer bikes are coming around slowly! Keep it up!

  15. Oh hell yes. I’d buy one immediately if it were available and I had the money. I like the customizing options, and I like boxers a lot (though my R75/6 is currently in pieces).

  18. Beemer build it we will come! That reminds me of my 77 Kz1000 with kerker and blacked out pipe. Why you ask because it was like an engine with 2 wheels. It was tough, loud and ready to rip! This bike captures that feel! Build it now!

  19. Not a huge fan of Bimmers but this one is FUN. Lots of creative stuff coming from germany and austria these days. Nippon could take a page. Koreans too. Hyosung (terrible name) could leap ahead if they could offer CHEAP versions of some of these more interesting designs. Like a cheap Borile or cafe racer, etc.

  20. This is the first BMW bike I’ve seen that I would ever really seriously consider… and I have to say, I like this A LOT.

    Reminds me just a little of the MT-01 with the options packages they offer in Europe, or the MT-OS concept.

  21. sign me up for the one that they built. been lusting over the R1200R. this one just knocked her out of the bed. where’s the link to actually vote. i’ve been waiting a long time for someone to come up with a reconfiguarble seating arangement. Harley’s Rocker is close but executed uglyly. it’s BMW was swimming in my head (just a bunch of fluid up there, no matter to speak of)

  22. It looks like BMW is making a pathetic attempt to do their own rip on the Moto Guzzi Griso. They’ve even adopted the projector headlights off of the Ghezzi & Brian Furia:
    http://www.ghezzi-brian.com/_Images/_Gallery/_Models/_Furia/Furia_8.jpg

    Nice try, but either of those bikes looks way better to my eye as they don’t suffer from the “saggy jugs” that the boxer motor displays. When it comes to styling, BMW should just throw in the towel and hire an Italian.

  24. This probably has a better chance of making it to the States than most of European bikes I wish I had access to (will Moto Guzzi ever distribute the Bellagio here???)… so yeah how do we let BMW know that we want it? Sign a petition? Write them a letter? Make a “waiting list” website?

  25. Wow! I have been reading the Kneeslider for some time now and have never felt a need to comment but I want to see this bike produced! I love it!

  26. Love the concept, a good move for he Bmw’s. wouldn’t mind havin one myself

  27. I love this concept like many of the others here. Very, very nice and better looking to my eye than most other BMW models available today. Simply beautiful!

  28. Coming from Australia I notice that the bike has Queensland number plates,does this meen it was test ridden in Australia,because you cant just get those plates over the counter.It certainly is different though

  29. Imagine if Ducati, Triumph, Guzzi, Ducati, Big 4 of Japan, etc.
    did this modular platform….the diversity of bikes going down the road would be incredible.

    This diversity would stoke buyers to plunk down reasonable money and get involved without having to be a skilled fabricator or pay a fabricator.

    Factor in modern material science & modern manufacturing processes & this becomes a win-win.

    Re-sale would be higher than dyi customizations

  32. Totally hot. I’m loving the exhaust. Glad you can get rid of the god awful headlight though. I’d buy one.

  33. i saw this on autoblog and was wondering why the hell its not on thekneeslider, lol.

    im in love with this, just looks absoloutley amazing! no production bike has really grabbed my attention like this besides the naked buell XB bikes, and im really having second thoughts as to whether or not those are still my favorite now, lol.
    if i had the cash and a bit of riding experience(wouldn’t want to be laying this puppy down!), i would be on top of this! i’ll take a black tank, no tail, black fenders, black engine, and the ‘cannon pipes’ in black, bad ass!

  34. I’ve been wanting to do something like this with the ugly, forgotten R1200C. You know, put a GS wheel on the rear, add some clubmans bars…

    Since I don’t have the sort of money modern BMWs require I did it myself with an older piece. Sounds beautiful and is quite quick.

    http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tsorel/P1020415.jpg

    I guess as long as it’s legal to modify bikes and good used ones are still available I’ll probably sticker to the greater satisfaction (and substantially reduced costs) of putting them together myself.

    The LoRider is a bit different for BMW, gotta say it’s a smart direction to move – excluding their lame “Rockster” a few years ago.

    -todd

  35. I said this over on The Biker Gene. I’d never really considered a BMW before but these bikes are pretty sweet and, if I had the scratch, I might be putting one in my garage.

  36. I would consider it for sure. Very cool looking bike. I bet it could be tuned nicely to boot. Its also nice to see something different that isn’t just another naked streetfighter or retro-remake.

    Reminds me of a chopped beemer I saw in SF. The owner said he had thought of chopping up a Harley, but that “they were a dime a dozen, and that nobody ever chopped a beemer.”

  37. When the newer Triumph Speed Triple came out with that truncated seat I thought they’d ruined it, but elongated twin shotguns really balance the look! BMW, if you build it they will come.

  38. Looks kinda like an old army dispatch Beemer from WW2 crossed with a race bike, or a bit like the Sachs “Animal” show bike from a few years ago. Nice piece of work! It’s pushing most of my buttons.

  42. Where do I send the check and when can I take delivery……this is the coolest thing to come along since watercooled suppositories!!

  44. Ditch the high pipes. I prefer the look and practicality of the lower side pipes in the sketches. Keep the seat looking like a neo-retro pan. Also really dig the red engine cases. That headlight set-up stinks. I hope that BMW would use those wonderful tubeless spoked rims of theirs. Glad to to see this.

  45. like the bike or not is irrelevant (different strokes), but i DO like bimmer grasping the concept of factory customization. i would like to see more of this in the industry.

  46. This motorcycle stopped me in my tracks. I was seriously considering a Ducati GT 1000 as my next bike, but if BMW decides to produce this bike… I am all over it. BMW, PLEASE GIVE THIS TO US.

  47. The first BMW bike that I would actually consider purchasing. Great idea and design!!!!!!!!!!

  48. Mass customisation can work, just look at DELL computers. I believe that companies like Nissan and ford have used these principals in the automotive world as well.

    On the big tank, I like it. The large tank echoes the look of some older bikes like the non toaster-tank versions of the /5 series bikes or the old BMW supercharged racers.

    I love the QLD plates. I wonder whether BMW would go for “The smart state” or stick with the traditional “Sunshine” motto.

  49. I love it. I have it as a desktop picture. Yeah! definitely would buy it. My friends love it too. Thanks!

  51. In my opinion, this thing looks like a mess. The engine looks ugly and there’s too much clutter. It looks like a frankenbike. I do like the license plate mounting, however.

  52. Not juiced about the tailess versions but the cafe racer versions are very cool. Being a shafty makes it all the more desirable in my opinion. Naked bikes rule and this would be high on my purchase list if the price was right.

  54. It looks awesome. It would be cool if they would integrate a second seat for a passenger, which you can remove and add whenever it is needed.

  55. I want one!! I love the combination of vintage and modern/performance and the fact that they did not seem to compromize one for the other. The fit and finish seems to be second to none and the customization options are awesome. Slowly leaving the supersport market, I am looking for a bike that gives me sensations and huge grin factor even at decent speeds, which is impossible with most of todays bikes. I am sure this bike will be fantastic as a commuter, in the city, in the twisties and even for track days!! Exactly what I need!! On top of that, it’s a looker!! Now… let’s see what kind of pricing we are talking about. It’s interesting to see other people comments. Some think that it’s a lame copy of something else, some think bikes back in the days were way nicer. In the end, its very hard to please everyone, but I think that BMW will create a lucrative niche market somewhere in between the nostalgic riders and the ”techies” riders in their mid-30’s who like a touch of vintage looks (without attachment to specific old models because we were not born when these came out) and the high performance and great handling they have been accustomed to by riding modern bikes. Tastes are very personal, but for me, it is the first time a concept bike creates so much excitement for me.

  57. I want one. That is the most amazing bike I have ever seen in my life. I want to order one right now.

  60. I’ve always appreciated BMW bikes but until now I wouldn’t have bought one. But you can have a deposit for a LoRider today. I’m a designer and brand loyal to Ducati and KTM but this BMW would change that. Build it now and as you’re proposing- don’t listen to consumer feedback – and get it in showrooms by June 09!

  61. Don’t go down this concept – customer designed route unless you want to throw a spanner into the works of every other bike producer on the planet. They will have a hizzy fit.
    ps. He who hesitates is lost 😉