The BMW Lo Rider – sporty, purist roadster study with an individually variable design.

Purist, powerful, unfaired and reduced to the absolute essentials – these few words provide an incomplete description of the BMW Lo Rider, the new concept study by BMW Motorrad. At first sight, the focus would seem to be on the creation of a roadster with a muscular appearance, openly displayed technology and powerful flat twin engine for pure emotion and maximum motorcycling fun. But behind all this is in fact a completely new custom concept.

The bike's low weight, the powerful and high-torque flat twin engine and high-quality chassis technology give it a high level of sporty riding dynamics, while the lowered chassis and the relaxed yet active seating position with the broad handlebars are more of a loan from cruisers and naked bikes.

The concept is such that, for the first time, the customer can be involved in the design of the BMW Lo Rider to an extent which goes beyond what has previously been possible to date. Numerous options including different exhaust systems, seats, headlamp units and paint finish variations allow for a level of customization which is far greater than the familiar individualization by means of special equipment features and accessories. This means that the entire character of the vehicle can be adapted to the customer's individual taste: the customer can take full pleasure in assembling a machine just as he wants it – from a cool cruiser to an aggressive muscle bike.

Two questions came right at the start in developing and designing this motorcycle.

First: What potential does the BMW boxer concept still offer after 85 years in creating a fundamentally new machine?

Second: How can customers personalize their motorcycle to an even greater extent straight from the factory, going beyond the standard we already achieved in the past.

The result is this concept study we proudly call "Lo Rider".

We are introducing it at the EICMA Show in Milan to test the response of both the media and the public to this concept motorcycle. And while right now we have no plans to build this machine, we know that if the general response is very positive we might face a positive problem – since then we would have to carefully consider whether such a project might be economically feasible!

Click for more about the design concept in detail.