BMW Motorrad X-Drive system? Not yet. It’s just Wunderlich, who revealed a 2WD hybrid BMW R 1200 GS.
Wunderlich, a BMW-dedicated aftermarket accessories seller, took a R 1200 GS LC and put an electric engine on its front wheel. The result: a hybrid 2WD motorcycle, capable of running on electric power only and to reverse.
The 11kW motor is connected to a small battery located under the beak. The engine uses regenerative braking power to charge the battery and has a controller which sets the amount of power to be used. Also, it accelerates at your command thanks to a sensor attached to your motorcycle ride-by-wire throttle.
You can use only the electric engine if you want. In this case, you can reach a 20 km/h (12 miles/h) top speed.
Reverse function
But the main advantage of this engine is that it has a reverse function. If you ride a 240 kg monster, you probably know how hard it is to move it backwards when you park the bike with the front wheel next to a curb-stone. Now, with just a push of a button you can switch to reverse and go backwards, not being forced to get your wife off the bike anymore.
This kit could be also fitted to other big bikes, but now it was presented as a concept. For those who didn’t hear about Wunderlich, let’s say it’s a kind of Grand Bazaar for BMW owners. It offers all kind of protection elements, windshields, saddles and many other things. Wunderlich annual catalogue, for example, has more than 600 pages and weights two kilos. So, if you are spending a lot of money on aftermarket windscreens and shields, wouldn’t you buy a 2WD kit? That’s why we think that Wunderlich could plan to put the system on the production line.