Bmw To Build Boxer Superbike?

BMW to Build Boxer Superbike?

SOME THINGS STAY THE SAME for so long that people expect them never to change. Take the BMW Boxer Twins, for example. A paragon of tradition and simplicity, the engine has gone virtually untouched for years. So, the rumors that BMW has stepped up its development of an eight-valve, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected version of its 1000cc Boxer Twin comes as a surprise to many.

But there are plenty of reasons for BMW to` consider building such an engine. Ducati, for example, has been enjoying great success with its fuel-injected, eight-valve, desmo VTwin in taking on the Japanese in the World Superbike series, and BMW would like to cash in on the growing popularity of Superbike racing. Also, the machine would be clothed in a twin-cylinder version of the new K-l’s controversial, fully enclosing bodywork. That would enable the BMW to compete more effectively in Twins racing, which has become increasingly important in Germany.

As of now, the Superbike Boxer is only an unsubstantiated rumor, about which the factory refuses to comment. But if the three-bike BMW presence at the Daytona ProTwins race is any indication, the company apparently has a strong interest in Twins racing. At Daytona, the BMWs were soundly trounced by the hightech Twins developed by Ducati and Moto Guzzi, leading many to wonder if BMW can afford to fall any farther behind in twin-cylinder development.

Alan Cathcart