The BMW k1  launched in 1988
is the most remarkable
technical milestone in
BMW's history

Never before have so many technical innovations been introduced at once as at the k1 !

- first time ABS for motorcycles (4V K)

- first time 16 valves engine

- first time map-based motor control

  motronic by BOSCH

- first regulated catalytic converter

- first paralever concept for K

- first time floating brake disks
- and 4 piston brake calipers

- and an aerodynamic world record  for series motorcycles.

Keep in mind that we are talking about innovations from

the mid-1980s! /  >40 years ago!

My intention for this website is to share my passion for the k1  with you or bring it back to your mind.

This unique, quite rare and technically unique milestone from the beginning fascinated me.

 
The k1  was delivered from end of May 1989 to September 1993 and shares this epoch with the first

paralever 2V boxer R80GS, R100GS, R100R and R100GS Paris Dakar as well as the Z1.
 
The k1  was launched at the IFMA exhibition in Cologne/ Germany and introduced 20th Sep 1988.

According to the BMW press release

in 1989

the k1  was the brand new

4-valve top model of the K-series

after a 100.000 of the well-known

"flying brick" 2-valve K-models

been sold since 1984.

Due to the existing German commitment of a 100hp(PS)(cv) limit for motorcycles in the 1980s a technical alternative was required to keep up with Japanese sports bikes with up to 145hp(PS)(cv).

The k1  was the very first motorcycle featured with an all-enveloping two-piece front mudguard and main fairing, which has been completely developed in a wind tunnel, following the same exhaustive research as experienced by the R100RS in the end of the 70s.

BMW has achieved to balance the given performance gap of about 30bhp with an increased aerodynamic feature by creating a class leading drag coefficient of

CwxA = 0,335 by the time a value of CwxA =0,45 was ordinary.

In deep admiration with BMW's
  innovative development team
for such an exceptional result!

The k1  -  form follows function!

In the Eighties the bikers did neither realize why the k1  looks like that nor see their advantages. 
The unfamiliar wind tunnel design of the k1  did not get the expected echo whether innovative or not.
Next to the high price to less people bought the k1  because it was to far ahead of the development. 
That is why the k1  is rather rare nowadays...

The future design of the k1  would have fit for the movies "Back to the future" as well as "Star Wars" and would have supported to grow in popularity as it happened to the DeLorean DMC-12...

Even if the k1  is like fallen off the face of the earth these days 
the k1  remains the most memorable BMW milestone to me.

Even after decades it is still a pleasure to ride the k1  and I appreciate it's advantages very much.
Due to the advanced tire technology provided these days even more then in the end of 80s

which has a very positive effect on the handling of the k1 .

This milestone even draw admiration in the high-tech nation of Taiwan

Thank you Josh and Nick from Taiwan for all of your gorgegous pictures