A spy photo captured by Motorcyclist Magazine reveals a new BMW Adventure Bike model set for release. This news seems to point toward a new Adventure Motorcycle category forming. This category consists of high-horsepower sport oriented bikes that are more comfortable at a track day than they are on a Jeep trail. The Multistrada 1200 jump-started the new segment when it was released by Ducati in 2010. With an impressive 150 hp and a 10-second 1/4 mile, no other Adventure Bike could match its on-road performance.

Next to follow suit was the 2013 KTM 1190 Adventure, offering the same mind-blowing acceleration as the Ducati along with better off-road capability. The recently released 2014 Aprilia Caponord 1200 seems to fit into the same mold of sport oriented Adventure Bikes. This new breed of Adventure Bikes are basically comfortable sport bikes that are capable of exploring a graded dirt road. They offer just enough suspension travel and ground clearance to make off-road riding not completely out of the question (if you dare). Although, the KTM 1190 Adventure seems to have both on-road and off-road bases covered.

BMW seems to have taken notice of this trend and apparently doesn’t want anyone threatening their hold on liter-class Adventure Bikes. Even with a completely revised water-cooled GS motor, BMW is still down 25 hp to the 150 hp Superbike influenced Multistrada and KTM 1190 Adventure. BMW may have realized that catering to the off-road crowd could lose them sales with Adventure Riders that prefer street performance over dirt. This could potentially become a large segment of the market if rider tastes are moving away from pure Sport Touring bikes to Sport Touring with and ADV option.

As Steve Jobs famously said, “If you don’t cannibalize yourself, someone else will.” Apparently, BMW is not content sitting on the success of their new R1200GS and are adding a second liter-class Adventure Bike to their lineup.

This spy photo shows an Adventure Bike that appears to be based on BMW’s recently released S1000R Naked Bike. The 160 hp S1000R powerplant would definitely do the trick, allowing the BMW to one-up the Ducati and KTM in all-out street performance. The new BMW Adventure Bike looks fully developed and Motorcyclist Magazine reports that it could be launched this summer as an early-release 2015 model.

So what will they call this new category of Adventure Bikes? Sport Touring Adventure Bikes? Adventure Styled Sport Bikes? Adventure Sport Bikes?

For more information see the story on Motorcyclist Online

Author: Rob Dabney

Rob Dabney started a lifelong obsession with motorcycles at the age of 15 when he purchased his first bike – a 1982 Honda MB5. Through his 20’s and 30’s he competed in off-road desert races, including the Baja 250, 500 and 1000. Eventually, his proclivity for exploration led him to dual sport and adventure riding. Rob’s never-ending quest to discover what’s around the next bend has taken him on Adventures in Latin America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and throughout the American West. As a moto journalist, he enjoys inspiring others to seek adventure across horizons both near and far.