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Posts Tagged ‘2009 BMW’

The motor is the biggest single area of improvement over the previous model. Engineering development was handed over to the spanner magicians at Ricardo – the same firm that designed the gearbox for the 1000bhp Bugatti Veyron hypercar. This is the first time BMW has worked with Ricardo on one of its bikes. The result is a claimed 173bhp from an increased 1293cc four-cylinder motor that is much smoother with bundles of power and torque. It’s one of the best big-capacity motors on the road today combining lovely refinement with a racing engine snarl when pushed. And yes, it’s very, very, very fast. The only question is how long you can hang on.

Few bikes shrug off winter better than a BMW motorcycle but it will still need regular attention to keep it looking shiny. The uprated shaft drive means less maintenance and expense than a chain.  A few owners of the BMW K1200S previous model seemed to have suffered from vibration and quite high oil consumption but the new engine should stop that happening.

The BMW K13000R is actually a little easier to chuck around than the faired BMW K1300S model thanks to wider, taller handlebars which give loads of leverage over the fairly substantial weight of the bike. Use of aluminium rather than steel on the Duolever front suspension has taken 1kg off the unsprung weight and this has added a bit of feel to the slightly numb handling feedback on the outgoing model. The ESA II system and ASC traction control are brilliant and well worth the cash.

At £9500 for the stock model without ABS there is no getting away from the fact that the BMW K1300R is not a cheap bike…add in the essential ABS and ESA II and the price goes to £10,675. From there on in adding options obviously just adds more and more to the costs. ESA II must be on the list as it transforms the bike. BMW do a Dynamic Pack which puts ABS and ASC traction control together with a Tyre Pressure Control system for £1175 and saves £143.

Spec up a BMW K1300R with all of the options BMW has to offer and it’s going to be an expensive machine. There are some must-haves though and the ESA II at £617 is one of them as it offers a great deal of adjustment and takes the guesswork out of suspension adjustment. ABS is another one. After that there are some lovely choices. Heated grips, hard luggage, Akrapovic exhaust, onboard computer and a quickshifter. There are also carbon bits, mini-indicators and crash bungs as standard on the R. Most are worth a look although we would give the quickshifter a miss as although it works just fine, it seems out of place on a bike like this.

The motor is the biggest single area of improvement. Engineering development was handed over to the spanner magicians at Ricardo – the same firm that designed the gearbox for the 1000bhp Bugatti Veyron hypercar. This is the first time BMW has worked with Ricardo on one of its bikes. The result is a claimed 175bhp from an increased 1293cc four-cylinder motor that is much smoother with bundles of power and torque. It’s one of the best big-capacity motors on the road today combining lovely refinement with a racing engine snarl when pushed. And yes, it’s very, very, very fast.

Few bikes shrug off winter better than a BMW motorcycle but it will still need regular attention to keep it looking shiny. The uprated shaft drive means less maintenance and expense than a chain.  A few owners of the BMW K1200S previous model seemed to have suffered from vibration and quite high oil consumption but the new engine should stop that happening.

There is no getting away from the fact that the BMW K1300S is a big bike – with a 228kg dry weight, it is never going to be a race-designed lightweight. However, the clever Electronic Suspension Adjustment (ESA II) system does a great job of hiding that weight. The suspension has nine potential settings to cover solo riding, pillion and both settings with luggage. It works brilliantly. The slightly numb front end is better than it was previously thanks to lighter Duolever components. Just be sure to avoid the Continental Sport Attack tyres fitted to some – they are not up to the best rubber.

At £10,165 for the stock model without ABS there is no getting away from the fact that the BMW K1300S is not a cheap bike…add in the essential ABS and the price hits £11,060. From there on in adding options obviously just adds more and more to the costs. ESA II must be on the list as it transforms the bike. BMW do a Dynamic Pack which puts ABS and ASC traction control together for £377 and saves £45. So to get ABS, ASC and ESA II adds almost £1000 to the £10,165 cost. You do get a lot of bike for the money however but it’s still a lot of cash compared to the likes of a Suzuki Hayabusa.

Spec up a BMW K1300S with all of the options BMW has to offer and it’s going to be an expensive machine. There are some must-haves though and the ESA II at £617 is one of them as it offers a great deal of adjustment and takes the guesswork out of suspension adjustment. ABS is another one. After that there are some lovely choices. Heated grips, hard luggage, Akrapovic exhaust, onboard computer and a quickshifter. Most are worth a look although we would give the quickshifter a miss as although it works just fine, it seems out of place on a bike like this.

With 160bhp on tap from a slightly detuned version of the K1300 inline four-cylinder motor the performance of the big BMW K1300GT is a bit startling. You just don’t expect something so large to move with such a sense of urgency. The motor has huge torque reserves and almost any gear acceleration gives the ability of blitzing past lines of traffic in an instant.

Few bikes shrug off winter better than a BMW motorcycle but it will still need regular attention to keep it looking shiny. The uprated shaft drive means less maintenance and expense than a chain.  A few of the BMW K1200GT previous models seemed to have suffered from vibration and quite high oil consumption but the new engine should stop that happening.

There are so many bikes out there that don’t handle and ride as well as the BMW K1300GT that are supposed to be ‘sports-focussed’ bikes it’s simply astounding how easy the BMW K1300GT is to chuck around. Most of the thanks to this can go to the wonderfully easy to use ESA II electrically adjustable suspension which can be tweaked from ultra-soft Comfort through to the much tauter Sport setting.

It may cost a fair pile of cash at £12,240 but the BMW K1300GT does come fairly well stacked with comforts as standard. The options list is pretty comprehensive and it just depends on how deep your pockets are as to how many you fancy. If you opt ofr the £13,340 SE model then a fair amount of kit gets chucked in for a bit of a discount over choosing them individually. The list includes heated seat, grips, high screen, cruise control and ESA II.

The BMW K1300GT has got the lot – either standard or as options. Hard panniers are standard and massive, the front screen is electrically adjustable, there are heated grips and heated seats which are independently adjustable for rider and pillion and get almost too hot. It’s easily possible to cover some seriously big miles of the GT at an almost ludicrous pace and in perfect comfort.

The 2009 BMW 7-Series is redesigned, gaining freshened styling, more power, and a new version of BMW’s iDrive control system. The 7-Series lineup consists of two models, the 750i and 750Li. The “L” versions of BMW’s flagship sedan ride on a wheelbase that is 5.5-inches longer than that of the 750i. Both models are powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 producing 400 hp. The sole transmission is a 6-speed automatic, with a shifter that moves to the floor from its mount on the steering column.

Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, front side airbags, front knee airbags, and curtain side airbags. A navigation system and wireless cell-phone link are standard along with the new version of BMW’s iDrive control for audio, navigation, and communication settings. All models include steering-linked headlights, front- and rear-obstacle detection, and BMW Assist emergency and concierge service. Also standard is BMW’s Dynamic Driving Control, which allows the driver to adjust the suspension, throttle response, transmission’s shift characteristics, and power-steering assist.

BMW’s Active Roll Stabilization, designed to counter body lean, is part of the optional Sport Package, along with BMW’s new Integral Active Steering, which adds speed-sensitive rear-wheel steering to BMW’s Active Steering system. Newly available for 2009 are blind-spot alert, lane-departure warning, a head-up display, sideview and rearview cameras, and high beams that automatically dim when oncoming traffic is detected. Also new is a 40-gigabyte hard drive for the audio and navigation systems, which allows for storage of up to 13 gigabytes of music files. MP3 player connectivity and satellite radio are also available, along with a night-vision system, adaptive cruise control, DVD entertainment, and keyless access and engine start.

The 2009 BMW 5-Series is largely unchanged following its freshening for the 2008 model year. These premium midsize sedans and wagons come in rear- and all-wheel-drive versions. The lineup starts with 528i and all-wheel-drive 528i xDrive sedans. One step up are the 535i sedan and AWD 535i xDrive sedan and wagon. The 528 and 535 have a 3.0-liter 6-cylinder engine; it makes 230 hp in 528s, 300 in the turbocharged 535s.

The 550i sedan has a 360-hp 4.8-liter V8, and the high-performance M5 has a 500-hp 5.0-liter V10. All are available with a 6-speed manual transmission. Optional on all but the M5 is a 6-speed automatic transmission with available steering-wheel shift paddles. M5 is offered with a 7-speed automated manual transmission. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, front and rear side airbags, and head-protecting tubular side airbags.

BMW Assist emergency and concierge service is also standard. All models have BMW’s iDrive, which uses a console knob to control entertainment, navigation, communication, and climate functions. Available features include a sport suspension teamed with run-flat tires, BMW’s Active Roll Stabilization designed to counteract body lean, and BMW’s Active Steering that electronically varies steering ratio and assist.

The 2009 BMW 3-Series sedans and wagons get slightly freshened interior and exterior styling. Also, for the first time in North America, these premium compact cars will be available with a diesel engine. The 3-Series offers 2-door coupes and convertibles, as well as 4-door sedans and wagons. Convertibles have a power-retractable hard top. The 2009 3-Series model lineup consists of the following: Entry-level 328, mid-line 335, and high-performance M3.

Depending on body style, the 328i is available with rear-wheel drive or with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive. It’s powered by a 230-hp 3.0-liter 6-cylinder engine. Also depending on body style, the 335i is available with rear- or all-wheel drive. Those models are powered by a turbocharged 300-hp version of the 3.0-liter 6-cylinder. New for 2009 is the rear-drive 335d. It has a 265-hp 3.0-liter turbodiesel 6-cylinder that is emissions legal in all 50 states. M3 models use a 414-hp 4.0-liter V8.

All 2009 BMW 3-Series gasoline engines are available with a 6-speed manual transmission. Available on the 328i and 335i and standard on the 335d is a 6-speed automatic. The M3 is available with a 7-speed automatic. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, and front side airbags. Head-protecting tubular side airbags that cover both seating rows are standard on all but convertibles. Standard on convertibles are rollover bars designed to deploy from the rear headrests if sensors detect an impending tip.

Cars with the optional navigation system get BMW’s iDrive that uses a console knob to control entertainment, navigation, communication, and other functions. Other available features include steering-linked xenon headlights, BMW’s Active Steering that quickens steering response at low speeds, front- and rear-obstacle detection, adaptive cruise control, and BMW Assist service with a wireless cell phone link.

The 2009 BMW 1-Series line is largely unchanged following its introduction for the 2008 model year. The lineup includes 128i and 135i models. The 1-Series slots below BMW’s 3-Series in size and price. The 1-Series is available as either a 2-door coupe or convertible with a power folding soft top.

Engines are 3.0-liter 6-cylinders shared with the 3-Series. The 128i has 230 hp, while the 135i is turbocharged and has 300 hp. All models have a standard 6-speed manual transmission and offer an optional 6-speed automatic. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain side airbags (coupes), and front side airbags.

A sunroof and split folding rear seat are standard on coupes. An available Premium Package includes leather upholstery, power front seats, and BMW’s Assist system. A Sport Package includes specific trim, sport suspension (on 128i), and sport bucket seats. Other options include a voice-activated navigation system, aluminum or burled walnut interior trim, and heated front seats.