04 Bmw R 1100 S Boxer Cup Replica on 2040-motos

Moto blog

BMW Names Schaller New Head of Motorcycle Development

BMW has appointed Karl Viktor Schaller as its new head of BMW Motorrad development. Schaller will replace Christian Landerl who headed motorcycle development since November 2008. Schaller studied mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Munich before becoming a scientific assistant at the research institute for gear wheels and gear manufacturing.

Tested: Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact

With its clever Interact technology Metzeler has created a tyre that has a varying carcass construction to alter how the rubber performs. Without going too deeply the M5 consists of five bands of belting that vary in stiffness. At the outer edges of the tyre the carcass is quite flexible, allowing the rubber to move around and generate more heat and therefore grip, while nearer the tyre’s centre the carcass is stiffer, reducing the rubber’s movement and decreasing its wear.

More on BMW’s Record-Setting 2011 Motorcycle Sales Figures

BMW has released additional information breaking down its record 2011 sales. As previously reported, the German manufacturer sold a record 104,286 units in 2011, with a 7.4% year-on-year growth in the United States alone. According to BMW, the company sold 10,203 units in the U.S., making it the third largest market for BMW, behind Germany (20,002 units) and Italy (13,600 units).