There is no confirmation on if BMW Motorrad is developing a 750 cc or 650 cc fully faired motorcycle based on the S1000RR. However, the German motorcycle manufacturer has entered with its entire model range in India right from adventure-tourers to superbikes including the S1000RR. The much-awaited BMW G310R, the company’s first sub-500cc motorcycle for developing markets like ours is yet to make its entry into India. Point here is that BMW Motorrad has a good potential is one unexplored segment in India, the middle-weight segment. Should BMW Motorrad develop a middle-weight based on the S1000RR? Let’s break it down and see why it should be done.
Limited fully-faired motorcycle range
While there are a number of motorcycles that spawn this category in the cruiser, modern-classic, adventure-tourers and naked sport segments, there are a limited number of fully-faired motorcycles in this space in the current scenario. These include the likes of the Honda CBR650F and the Triumph Daytona 675 and 675R along with a few more. Although the total motorcycles offered by various manufacturers is satisfactory, but there is a lot of scope in this untapped market. Even if a motorcycle from BMW Motorrad is brought in this space through the CBU route, it would still be fairly ahead in the game.
Although, the naked street, cruiser, retro-modern classics and adventure-tourer segments have a much larger range to choose from.
Middleweight motorcycles are a good stepping stone to litrel-class motorcycles
Most buyers who plan to graduate to a middleweight will eventually upgrade to a litre-class motorcycle. This category gives them a fair amount of idea what they are dealing with rather than upscaling from the sub-500cc motorcycle to a BMW S1000RR which can prove to be fatal as well. Although a fully-faired sub-500cc motorcycle offers a fair amount of idea how sportsbikes are to be handled, the best way to graduate is to get a 600cc to 800cc motorcycle and then upgrade to a litre-class.
Each motorcycle has a certain character
Let’s take a case where you are interested in purchasing only a BMW Motorrad motorcycle and plan to graduate from a middle-weight model. Each motorcycle model has a certain character which is depicted by its riding stance, ergonomics and various other factors. So, a smaller S1000RR would make more sense as it would give the rider an idea of how the larger S1000RR would behave and what are the certain characteristics that this particular model will possess. This broadly includes handling, power delivery and braking.
Also Read:Â BMW Motorrad launches its range of motorcycles in India with prices starting Rs 14.9 lakh
So, should BMW Motorrad build a S750RR?
The Indian automotive industry has a lot of potential for middle-weight motorcycles which is why there are so many. And the limited number of fully-faired versions just makes it right to develop a motorcycle for countries like India. Not only will BMW Motorrad’s presence increase, a middle-weight motorcycle in this segment would also enable the company to tap another considerable part of this segment.
