“We don’t see a real demand”

BMW Motorrad director Markus Flasch, It has been quite resounding When asked about the development of electric motorcycles by the company. And it is that the manager has ruled out that the firm will be in charge of the manufacture of large -cylinder electric motorcycles in an immediate future. In An interview granted to the American media Common Treat during an event in the Austin, Texas circuit, Flash made it clear that the electrification strategy of the motorcycle division will follow a very different path from the brand’s cars.

Without demand. “At the moment we do not see a real demand for electric motorcycles”, assured Flasch in the middle. The manager, who previously directed the M Performance division on the automobile side of BMW, explains that the motorcycle client is fundamentally different from that of cars, and the global regulations are not the same either.

Where do they bet on the electricity. BMW does not completely abandon the electric terrain, but concentrates its efforts on urban mobility. The company currently leads the electric scooters market above 11 kW and has recently launched the CE 02an electric cyclomotor of urban design that has been well received. According to Flaschit is precisely in this segment where they see the tendency towards total electrification. “We see an emerging trend in urban mobility, which we believe will finally be totally electric,” said the manager.

A more affordable sports on the way. Although Flasch was prudent with the details about future releases, yes dropped a track Interesting about the sports segment. When asked if BMW would develop a middle displacement sports motorcycle, similar to what other brands are doing to capture customers with more affordable and less intimidating products, the Austrian replied: “You can expect to see something smaller than the 1000 RR of 1,000 cc, but it is a bit soon to talk about it.” The track points to a possible sport equipped with the parallel bicylinder of 895 cc that already use models such as F 900 XR.

There will be no motocross motorcycles. While brands like Triumph and Ducati have decided to enter the world of motocross and enduro, BMW has made the decision not to follow that route. Flasch Explain That, although the brand is famous for the GS and organizes demanding competitions such as the GS Trophy, the type of off-road looking for its clients is different. “We have analyzed entering this segment and we made a conscious decision of not following this path,” he said, adding that both clients and the dealership network support this decision.

The future of six online cylinders. One of Flasch’s most interesting statements was his commitment to the online six -cylinder engine that equips the models K 1600. “The six online will have a brilliant future if you ask me,” assured The manager, who sees this engine as a single hall of BMW’s unique identity along with the boxer. The fans base of these models is solid and stable, which has convinced the brand of making more focus on this platform. It is an interesting bet at a time when other brands are simplifying their ranges and abandoning complex motor settings.

The challenges of the sector. Flasch also talked about the challenges facing the motorcycle industry. For the manager, the biggest problem is that these vehicles, at least the type that BMW manufactures, are “lifestyle products” and not mainly mobility. “What goes against this, and what probably makes the global industry go down a little this year, is uncertainty and economic barriers,” he explained. And is that The tariffsexchange rates and technical barriers between markets can be great threats for a global manufacturer like BMW.

Cover image | BMW Motorrad

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