At BMW, “C†stands for “commuter†and “commuter†translates into “scooter.†The Bavarian company tried its hand at the scooter game back in the 1990s with the C1 125/200, a fully enclosed two-wheeler designed to be super-protective; it even featured safety belts. But the idea didn’t work out so well; in terms of sales, the C1 was a flop.
@funkmasterflex
So, it came as a big surprise to EICMA attendees when BMW showed a very sophisticated concept “maxi-scooter†called the C-Concept. It’s powered by a version of the F800 parallel-Twin that has been optimized specifically for this application and teamed to a CVT transmission. The chassis is very motorcycle-like in its construction and incorporates a massive, single-sided swingarm actuating an electronically adjustable Marzocchi shock; up front is a 43mm, titanium-nitride-coated Marzocchi fork. What’s interesting is that the fork is a full-size motorcycle unit with upper and lower triple-clamps, not the “lower-clamp-only†type generally used on scooters.
Like the suspension, the braking system consists of impressive components, with twin discs clamped by Nissin six-piston radial-mount calipers up front. Bodywork is the result of aerodynamic testing, and its shapes promise to offer excellent rider comfort and protection. Other high-tech features include LED head- and taillights, as well as two rear-facing cameras (in place of rear-view mirrors) that display the images on a pair of monitors built into the instrument panel.
