Re: Deja Vu

["Clive Liddell" <cliddell@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Tom,
You say:"An oilhead like that would be nearly maintenance free."

We don't even have the PMS that many in the northern climes have and I like
to swing a wrench at something - so what will we have to do?  Just sit on an
upside down crate and look at the bike?  :)

I think maintenance is just right as it is.  I would like to have a dipstick
or similar facility so I can just pump out the old oil straight into the
recycle container like I do in my car (M-B).

Regards
Clive Liddell
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
'96 R850R   70k.km
'01 R1100RT 40k.km

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Tom Brown <tbrown@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: BMW Oilhead List <oilheads@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2004 11:46 PM
Subject: Deja Vu


> Don:
>
> >The one thing I'd take exception to is the notion that the sportbike
> market isn't profitable.  The big four doesn't make them for
> amusement!
>
> Let me say that a different way... For BMW to change their model lineup
and
> factory around to produce inline 4s with low weight and mega HP and sell
> them for less money they they're getting for a roadster now, would be a
poor
> business decision.  The track they're on has a nice sized following world
> wide and they feel they can run the company in their niche without loosing
> their shirts trying to conquer the world with the fastest and latest race
> bikes.   They're racing money is going into F1 now.  They are no longer
> chasing the German Touring Car championship with a vengeance.   Audi is
> pretty much sweeping that with their TT coupes.
>
> ON RACING:  I have no doubt BMW have the technology to make winning GP
race
> bikes within a few years.  It's possible that a really high powered BMW
> sport bike could command very high dollars...in excess of 20K, but I'm not
a
> potential customer for a bike like that.   They do pretty well in F1 and a
> lot of that technology would transfer to race bikes.  They decided to do
> Boxer Cup instead, which is very popular in Europe and is gaining in the
> States.  It's a pretty nice race class...  It's very competitive with
really
> ace international riders.
>
> WHAT'S MISSING ON THE NEW BOXER:  I've felt and expressed for a long time
> now that new boxer engines should use the electronic servo valve system
> that's currently on the 7 series cars.   This system has a variable intake
> valve opening instead of a power robbing throttle butterfly.  NO throttle
> bodies, just intake tubes going straight from airbox to engine, NO timing
> chains, NO cams or rockers.  How much weight would that save?   How much
> headache would it remove for owners and dealers alike?   An oilhead like
> that would be nearly maintenance free.  BMW could sell many more bikes per
> dealer and still have happy customers.  Performance would be further
> improved as well.  Maybe this will come on the next iteration of the boxer
> in several more years?
>
> -TB

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