BMW Motorrad celebrates its '2,000,000' motorcycle

In operation since 1923, few bike manufacturers have the sort of rich heritage and glorious history that can even remotely match up to the BMW Motorcycle tradition. From its early operations that survived a World War and other economic calamities, BMW Motorrad endured and went on to manufacture trend setting technologically advanced motorcycles, that with their design and technical upgradations through the decades are in operation even today.

In its 88th year of existence, BMW Motorrad has achieved a major milestone in its production operations, by bringing out the two-millionth motorcycle at its BMW plant in Berlin Spandau. Motorcycles have been manufactured on this site since 1969 and bikes from the plant have been exported to 130 nations around the world. 

The manufacturing milestone, which occurred on 6 May, 2011, was celebrated in style with a special ceremony attended by Klaus Wowereit, Governing Mayor of Berlin, BMW Motorrad employees across the company and a host of invited guests.

Present to mark the occasion, Hendrik von Kuenheim, Head of BMW Motorrad, said, “BMW motorcycles embody ‘sheer riding pleasure’ in its most direct form and these machines are ambassadors of the BMW. Berlin and the BMW Group looks set to continue for a long time.”

A one-off special-edition R 1200 GS was unveiled at the Berlin plant, to a selection of VIPs and journalists by streetbike freestyle legend Chris Pfeiffer. Known the world over as a biking ‘stunt god’ Pfeiffer was happy to have been part of such a special moment in the company’s history and said, “I’m really proud to present the two millionth BMW motorcycle here today. I have a really busy schedule but this kind of thing doesn’t happen every day so I really wanted to be here.”

Pfeiffer then leapt onto his F 800 R stunt bike to perform a special show in front of the invited guests and members of the Berlin plant workforce. He finished his display with a burnout with his rear tyre rubber spelling out ‘2,000,000’ on the tarmac.