Jap & German Motorcycles

Are BMW Motorcycles Worth the Money?

When you think of BMW, you'll no doubt picture the latest in luxury sports cars, saloons and SUVs. But not many will know that the famous Bavarian manufacturer (BMW stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke, which translates as Bavarian Motor Works) originally started as a manufacturer of aircraft engines. From their beginnings in 1916 during WWI, BMW gradually transitioned from aeroplanes to motorcycles before moving on to BMW cars.

The first BMW Motorrad (motorcycle) rolled from their production line in 1923. It sported BMW's famous flat-twin boxer engine, which is a configuration still used in modern BMW bikes to this day.  Current BMW motorcycles come in all shapes and sizes, from street bikes to scramblers to adventure, touring bikes and roadsters. However, one question you may be asking if you are thinking of buying one for yourself is, are BMW bikes worth the money? 

In a word - yes - BMW motorbikes are well worth the money. There's plenty to love with these vehicles; from their comfortable ergonomics when riding to their stylish designs, high-quality builds and state-of-the-art features, you definitely get a lot for your money when you purchase a BMW motorcycle.  Their high-performance, more torque and excellent front and rear suspension make the ride on a BMW one of the best bikes in the world. 

Pros and Cons of BMW Motorcycles

So far, we've sung the praises of BMW and their magnificent machines. However, for the sake of balance, it may be worth mentioning the positives and negatives together to give you a better idea of what you're in for when you purchase one of their motorcycles. 

Positives

When riding a BMW Motorrad motorcycle, you will notice the difference. The high-quality materials used during construction, alongside their elegantly superior suspension, means they are unrivalled when it comes to handling and comfort. They are also designed with aesthetics in mind, creating some of the best-looking bikes on the market, with many additional features you won't find anywhere else.

The homely nature of BMW Motorrad bikes is also a positive, we feel, given that they continue to manufacture their motorcycles almost exclusively from their factory in Berlin. The additional love of tradition, taking inspiration from their original and iconic airhead engines, is another factor in making all bike owners feel like they are a part of BMW's history. Their engines are reliable and easy to repair and maintain.

The wide variety of models they produce is also a benefit, given that most riders will probably be able to find something they like in their range. You can also pick up BMW bikes that come with comfortable price tags for the quality you get if you do your research. Especially for adventure enthusiasts, since BMW are one of the most famous manufacturers of adventure bikes.

Negatives

BMW bikes are in a class of their own when it comes to quality, which can mean that spare parts and maintenance labour costs can be expensive compared to more basic motorbikes. There is also a very limited secondary market for used BMW motorcycles, given that they have loyal fans who are willing to fork out the extra cash to bag their brand new motorcycles.

This means that depreciation on BMW Motorrad bikes is very sharp. Finally, according to consumer reports, the cheaper BMW motorcycle models rank fairly low regarding reliability and customer satisfaction compared to their budget-bike competitors.

What Makes a BMW Motorcycle Different?

 QUALITY

There are many things that make BMW motorcycles stand out from all their competitors. The luxury status of its vehicles, groundbreaking technologies, unrivalled suspension and handling twinned with unbeatable performance. There's plenty to love about a BMW bike. Not only this, but they have such a wide range of bikes to choose from.

 VARIETY

Whether you are an off-road adventurer looking for the perfect scrambler to take you over that rough terrain, a lover of sport bikes who needs top straight-line track speeds, or you simply want to look cool cruising around on your cafe racer or roadster; BMW has everything motorcycle enthusiasts could ever want.

 DETAIL

Another great charm of BMW motorcycles, and another factor that separates them from all the other bike manufacturers, is the scale of their production. BMW has a very small-scale production line for its motorbikes, with each one (apart from their G310 series) being produced in their factory in Berlin.  This means they can cast a very detailed eye over every bike to ensure it is perfect when it heads out for the showrooms.

 INNOVATION

BMW Motorrad bikes are also crafted using different engineering standards and methods compared to bikes from other manufacturers.  This allows BMW to put innovation and premium quality at the top of their agenda regarding things such as the suspension of their motorcycles, the characteristics of their engines and the groundbreaking technology they are renowned for. 

 UNIQUE MATERIALS

Given that BMW is at the forefront of motorcycle design and manufacturing, it is easy to imagine the level of expert knowledge garage technicians, mechanics, engineers and BMW dealers need to work on their bikes. Many specialist parts, gear and materials are needed when repairing or maintaining your BMW bike that can sometimes be hard to acquire. These parts and materials can be found everywhere on BMW motorcycles, from their frames to their engine blocks.

BMW uses some of the most high-grade, premium metals when constructing their bikes, so you should be prepared for this when purchasing, as repairs and replacement won't come cheap.  Alongside making repairs and maintenance more expensive, the unique metals and lighter alloys BMW uses when constructing their motorcycles mean that purchasing a new BMW motorcycle is also quite expensive. The price tags on their top of the range vehicles also separate them from other, potentially more affordable manufacturers, who use cheaper parts and materials.

In summary:

Owning a premium, high-quality motorcycle, such as the ones BMW produces, means that you will have to pay more for spare parts, repairs, and the labour required to carry out this maintenance. BMWs are more expensive than other bikes, such as the "Big 4" Japanese manufacturers (Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha).

However, Japanese bikes are mass-produced, and while they are also high in quality, they do not have the unique soul and pure passion for engineering excellence that BMW has to offer from its Berlin base. So while they may be more expensive, BMW bikes provide a lot more for their price tag than other brands.During the first half-century that BMW Motorrad was producing bikes, their design team focused primarily on the air-cooled twin engines. These opposed cylinders were originally known as "airheads".

While the manufacturer no longer produces these types of roaring engines or use them in their later models, the incredible BMW reliability of the original airheads was unsurpassed by any of their competitors at the time. It makes sense then for BMW to take inspiration from these original twin-cylinder configurations for their motorcycle engines throughout the years. Even their most modern engines pay homage to the original airhead designs.

Jap & German Motorcycles provides the best services in and around West London. Whatever you require, our team can assist you with everything from BMW motorbike repairs to providing motorbike spare parts.