Here’s a very detailed rendering from our old friend Oberdan Bezzi . He’s charmed us before with his dreamy designs, he had recently done work for Massimo Tartarini (Italjet) and now it looks like he’s got his sights set on BMW with what he is calling the SCT800.
This “what-if” design uses a twin cylinder, 4 valve, 800cc engine to push the 16 inch wheels to breakneck speeds. BMW had said they were considering scooters again. It took them more than a decade to lick the wounds of their short lived BMW C1. Rumors abound that BMW will release a scooter that is simply a rebranded Kymco.
I would personally like to see one of OBIBOI’s designs come to life for BMW. I guess we’ll have to play the waiting game. Maybe they’ll show something for 2010?
You can click the title link to see what the guys and gals over at ADVRIDER have to say about it. They also have a much bigger image where you can get more of the detail.
Thanks to Rick Russell for the scoop!
5. February 2009 at 11:58 am
BMW and Kymco have been partners for a bit now. Kymco make some engines for BMW. That design looks like the Kymco MyRoad 700i. Rumor has been that BMW will actually market the MyRoad. I hope not, Kymco does a fine job on their own as one of the only scooter companies in the world that distribute world wide (meaning to US as well) all sizes of scooters.
I would hate to see the MyRoad tagged BMW so it can be marked up and outrageous prices charges for parts and labor.
5. February 2009 at 3:33 pm
What $10,000 or more
5. February 2009 at 5:01 pm
BMW back in the scooter world. I like it, but the rendering by Bezzi is the most unlikely thing to be produced, for several reasons. 1. The telelever front suspension is to costly and or complicated, BMW doesn’t even use it on their F800 line of bikes. 2. You will see spy shots of the actual scooter long be for you see any real design sketches. 3. I don’t think David Robb (Chief of BMW Motorcycle Design) would need to look out side the company for design help.
As far as BMW looking to get into the scooter market goes, I’m not surprised. BMW has a much broader line of bikes today than they did 10 years ago, but it could be said that they are light on “beginner” bikes. It’s possible Scooters could help to that end, but I would think you would see something in the 500-600cc size, who knows maybe even 250-300cc.
I believe I read a quote from a VP of this or that at BMW Motorad stating that They were not in talks with Kymco to build a scooter, which means that they probably are. BMW said “No we are not getting into Moto GP” few several years all the while working to that very point.
Anyway, I’d at least give it a test ride. GAW
5. February 2009 at 5:24 pm
Hey Maggie! I hope that’s not the case. I’d rather see Kymco pushing the envelope for their own brand, that just repackaging the same bike for different brands. I’m always disappointed when the market is flooded with a bunch of the same bike with different brands on them. :(
Anon! Hrm… Easily! I’ll take a stab at it and say an 800cc BMW scooter would run somewhere between $11k and $12k if they really dressed it out right.
682202 AKA Art! Good insight! I can’t really argue with your analysis there.
I think I’m going to sit down and count up the number of different motorcycles the majors have versus the number of scooters. I have a feeling that ratio is about to shift a bit in the next few years… a slight move toward more practical, lower cost vehicles. Just a hunch.
So, Art… You like Pizza? The best slice I ever had was in Boston actually. We’ve got a couple of respectable slices here in Austin, believe it or not.
5. February 2009 at 8:22 pm
Steve, you got to be close on the $12K. It may even have a MSRP of say $10500, but the dealers will only order them optioned out for at least another 2 grand.
I suspect if BMW and Kymco build a scooter only the dedicated will be able to see the relationship.
I do get carried away, buy I love to speculate on this stuff.
I do like my pizza, but I don’t know if I will follow the green chili trail west again this summer or head east for some pizza. GAW
5. February 2009 at 11:25 pm
With the way things are going with the economy and global warming, I’d prefer to see them produce an electric model. BMW is entering the EV market with the E-Mini in 2009, why not go that direction with a scooter as well?
Frank
UrbanScooters.com
6. February 2009 at 5:06 am
The BMW Scooter is awesome looking. I hope Maggie doesn’t have it all right-just tagging a BMW label to charger higher prices would be lame. But if its really a different bike, one made by BMW, that would be awesome. Now its interesting Frank “would rather see them produce an electric model” since he sells electric scooters! Anyway Frank, worrying about global warming is a bunch of baloney. And doing so from a scooter perspective is even worse. Scooters get awesome gas mileage compared to cars. So what kind of sense does your comment make?
11. February 2009 at 7:31 pm
As for BMW going electric? It’s only a matter of time. Unfortunately the electric market has cooled off a bit.
It’ll come back around when Americans realize the value of cutting our dependence on fossil fuels (in other words, “when they are gone”) or when gas is once again greater than three bucks a gallon (in a couple of years.)
15. April 2010 at 3:00 am
I would say BMW has no choice.What you see today is a convergence of motorcycle and scooter ala Honda DN01 and VFR 1200. If you truly look at the Japanese brands you see this already happening to a very large degree with their large displacement scoots. With the onset of double clutch transmissions comming in the future, where do you draw the line with a scoot and motorcycle. If they do not start now their learning curve will be very steep in the future to stay competitive in the two wheel segment.
Thats my humble opinion.