2007 BMW G 650 X Model Series

Crossing the Line

It wasn't so long ago that a BMW was considered your father's motorcycle, conservatively styled, quiet, and a little square – the tweed jacket of the motorcycle world. And although understated competence still generates some appeal, the cool contingent wants more pizzazz from today's fast-paced market, and they won't look twice at anything that smacks of argyles and elbow patches.

Now granted, I'm old enough to have a kid in college, I own a home, and I just traded up from charcoal to gas, but my inner punk-kid still has a say in things. And when I looked over the preview models of BMW's new G series at the International Motorcycle Shows this past winter, my formerly pierced ears perked up a bit upon hearing just what this new line has to offer. Not long thereafter, BMW trotted out these single-cylinder models – the G 650 Xchallenge, Xmoto, and Xcountry (the X stands for 'cross') – in the Arizona desert for a bunch of us rider/writers to give them a little go 'round.

The Concept
The Motor Works has always gone to great lengths to maintain good relations with their exceptionally loyal customer base and that has been a sound strategy indeed. But as company research reveals, the base is beginning to show touches of gray. With the average Beemerphile checking in at nearly fifty years of age, the company decided the line needed an infusion of new blood, and several hip, sporty models wearing the white and blue badge have hit the streets, with Gen-X consumers squarely in the crosshairs. And while recent models like the K1200R, K1200S, and R1200S certainly push performance boundaries and carry loads of sex appeal, they also come with a premium price tag, which puts them out of reach for many younger buyers still working their way up the financial ladder. So, to bridge this gap and lure a new following, BMW has lowered the bottom line with the introduction of the X Series....

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