The next part of BMW’s VISION NEXT 100 celebrations of their big milestone, which has already spawned a BMW car, a Rolls-Royce and a MINI, is a motorcycle. The BMW Motorrad VISION NEXT 100 sheds light on what BMW bikes will be like in the future and showcases the evolution of these machines since the very first BMW motorcycle, the R32, made in 1923.
BMW Motorrad VISION NEXT 100 is called The Great Escape which is both a reference to the movie and a hint at the freedom that owning a good, reliable bike brings about. It has a very unique and innovative design which at first sight might seem impractical, but every bit of it has been designed with the utmost concern for ergonomics. The designers had a tough job because not only did they have to maintain the essence of BMW bike design in this thing, they were tasked with adding some “contemporary twist” to them. They seem to have pulled it off, though.
With a black frame triangle, white lines and a boxer engine arrangement, BMW Motorrad VISION NEXT 100 certainly has the look of a Bimmer bike, but it also benefits from advanced features that give the “Next 100” in its name some substance. It has something called Flexframe or frame-assisted steering which allows the bike to be steered without the various joints found on today’s motorcycles. Its matt black textile frame not only gives it the look of a naked bike, it is designed to shield the rider from wind. And as for the engine, though it looks like a boxer unit it’s actually a zero-emissions drive unit whose outward appearance changes depending on the circumstances. It extends itself on the move to help with the aerodynamics.
“The BMW Motorrad VISION NEXT 100 embodies the BMW Group’s vision of biking in a connected world – an analogue experience in a digital age. Motorcycling is about escaping from the everyday: the moment you straddle your bike, you are absolutely free. Your bike is The Great Escape,” says Edgar Heinrich, Head of Design at BMW Motorrad, outlining the core principles underlying his brand’s Vision Vehicle.
