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The
K series are built around liquid cooled, inline engines
with three (K75) or four (K100, K1100, K1200) cylinders.
Originally the engine is longitudinal: the crankshaft
is in line with the direction of motion. Also, the cylinders
are banked over, parallel to the ground. This causes some
to incorrectly call the configuration a Flat-4. The first
K production bikes was the K100, which was introduced
in the 1983 and was followed by the K100RS and K100RT
versions. These were followed by the K1100RS, K1100RT,
and K1100LT models. In 1998 BMW increased the size again
to 1170cc, designated the K1200. In 2004 BMW revamped
the K engine. It is no longer oriented with the crankshaft
along the same axis as the frame. The new K1200 engine
is smaller and is oriented with the crankshaft at 90 degrees
to the frame. The new K1200 engine has a significant increase
in horsepower. |
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In
1916, two companies, Gustav Otto's Flugmaschinenfabrik
(Aeroplane Factory) and Karl Rapp's Flugwerke Deutschland,
merged to form the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (Bavarian
Aeroplane Works). Initially this company designed and
manufactured aeroplane engines. The Bayerische Flugzeugwerke
was renamed the Bayerische Motoren Werke (Bavarian Motor
Works, BMW) in 1917 by Karl Rapp and Max Friz. Their new
logo, a roundel representing an aeroplane propeller in
the blue sky, is still used today on all BMW motorcycles
and automobiles. A former Daimler employee, Joseph Popp
became BMW's managing director. Aeroplane engines, especially
a V-12 model, were BMW's primary output. |
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