One million BMWs with ABS
BMW Motorrad was the first motorcycle manufacturer in the world to fit its motorcycles with the anti-lock system ABS, setting a milestone in the field of active motorcycling safety at the time.
Today, 21 years after the innovation was introduced, the entire BMW Motorrad model range - except for the competition enduro bike G 450 X - is either fitted with ABS as standard or offers it as an optional extra ex works. In the case of the new BMW S 1000 RR, the system was further developed to meet the needs of supersports riders in the form of Race ABS, combined with the traction control system DTC (Dynamic Traction Control) - a new high point of technological development.
While the first generation of BMW Motorrad ABS already offered a significant safety bonus, BMW ABS II introduced in 1993, did everything that bit better.
In the course of ABS development and with a view to ensuring even greater safety, BMW Motorrad also created drivetrain regulation systems such as the traction slip control system ASC or most recently the dynamic traction control function DTC for the new BMW S 1000 RR. The peak of current technical ABS development for motorcycles is the new BMW Motorrad Race ABS, created for the S 1000 RR and its supersports environment. By simply pressing a button, the rider can choose between different engine characteristics as well as adapted Race ABS characteristics for different uses, such as wet road ("Rain"), road ("Sport"), race track with supersports tyres ("Race") and race track with slicks ("Slick"). These are combined with the various riding modes, all harmonised to ensure maximum safety.
In 2004 the 500,000th BMW motorcycle with ABS came off the assembly line - a BMW R 1100 RT fitted for the Red Cross.