BMW's growing dirt bike business

I know, you orange-clad off-road riders don't think much of BMW's off-road prowess. In your mind, they build overweight, underpowered street bikes that are modified to go off-road.

But all that is changing as BMW is making a concerted effort to move into the dirt bike world. Not only has their 100+ horsepower BMW HP2 been a giant killer at places like the Erzberg Rodeo in Austria, they are now in the development and testing phases of a single cylinder 450cc true off-road bike.

Click on any picture to see additional pics of the 2007 Erzberg Rodeo.



BMW's under development single cylinder 450cc dirt bike.


Earlier this month at the world-renown off-road event known as the Erberg Rodeo, BMW ridres Chris Pfeiffer, Simo Kirssi and Mickey Dymond put the BMW HP2 and their yet unreleased 450cc dirt bike through it's paces. Simo Kirssi on his HP2 placed first in the King's Class, besting KTM's David Knight on this race of twin cylinder bikes. While the still under development 450 had good success at earlier European off-road races, mechanical failure during the Hare Scramble race ended with a DNF. Still, riders on BMW's won both the King's Race and the Prologue, scoring two for three in this grueling test of man and machine.




So when are we going to see the BMW 450 dirt bike in the USA? Soon I hope. Will it be competitive, both on the track and in the showroom? Let's hope so. Competition is good very everyone and it is wonderful to see another manufacturer enter the off-road and dual sport market.

Get by BMW of Oklahoma City and check out some of the new BMW models coming soon.