If there’s been one stable sliver of sunshine among the many darkness of the final two lockdown-littered years, it’s that motorbike gross sales have gone via the roof, posting year-over-year will increase the likes of which we haven’t seen in additional than a decade. Pandemic-fueled uncertainties proceed to push individuals outside, and as we all know, two-wheeled fanatics don’t want a lot urging to hit the street or path anyway, therefore the renewed—or in some instances, newfound—enthusiasm. The direct beneficiaries have been the large OEMs, and you’ll rely BMW amongst them: The agency’s Motorrad division has introduced its finest gross sales yr ever for 2021. It’s a lift fueled largely by BMW’s R 1250 GS enduros, but in addition by the brand new R 18 cruiser household, based mostly on BMW’s inside gross sales information.
Associated: 2021 BMW R 18 First Trip Evaluation
In line with BMW’s numbers, gross sales of its bikes and scooters totaled 194,261 items worldwide in 2021, which provides as much as a wholesome 14.8 p.c improve over the earlier yr’s 169,272 items.
Not surprisingly, the European numbers remained sturdy, with Spain, France, and Italy all posting double-digit will increase, whereas within the US, issues had been even rosier, with a 32.1 p.c progress price over final yr and a complete of 16,030 items bought. And let’s not overlook India, which was up a whopping 102 p.c over the earlier yr! (To place it in context, that’s simply 5,191 items for the whole nation.)
So which fashions are driving the gross sales? Not surprisingly, Motorrad’s perennially bestselling enduros are on the high of the listing, with the R 1250 GS and GS Journey alone racking up 60,000 items bought (worldwide). However BMW says the 4 new R 18 cruisers and the R 1250 RT performed a big half within the gross sales improve as properly, combining for greater than half of the almost 200,000 two-wheelers bought in 2021.
That is in all probability an excellent place to reiterate that the R 18 Transcontinental and R 18 B had been added as new variants for the 2022 mannequin yr, making 4 variations within the sequence: the lower-spec, extra conventional R 18 and R 18 Traditional cruisers, with the R 18 B bagger and the totally dressed R 18 Transcontinental topping the vary.
In mild of the brand new information, Dr. Markus Schramm, head of BMW Motorrad, was fast to supply some celebratory vibes—albeit in sometimes understated German trend: “The truth that we managed to complete 2021 with this unbelievable consequence…makes me extremely proud. It’s exactly in occasions of disaster the place you possibly can see how properly a workforce sticks collectively.”
As for forward-looking statements, Schramm was likewise circumspect:
“…we begin the yr with what is certain to be the strongest product providing ever. Our 4 cruiser fashions from the R 18 household are coming into their first full yr of gross sales collectively. We’ve quite a bit deliberate for the second half of 2022, so…numerous surprises.”
May one other riff on the R 18 be within the works? An electrically powered tourer maybe? Given Bavaria’s propensity for brand new mannequin leaks, we’ll know quickly sufficient.
