BMW Introduces R 1200 R and New Campaign
BMW Motorrad introduced the R 1200 R at its 6th International Biker Meeting, held July 7-9 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
The successor to the R 1150 R, the R 1200 R is the first bike to feature the company’s new generation Integral ABS with automatic stability control (ASC).
Viewed by BMW as “a logical counterpart to ABS,” ASC prevents the rear wheel from spinning uncontrolled when accelerating all-out. Also, lift-off detection and intervention serves furthermore to prevent the front wheel from moving up when accelerating under full power.
The new ABS and ASC features both will be available on the R 1200 R as optional items, and BMW says ASC also will be introduced as an option on touring models in the 2007 K and Boxer series.
In other news, BMW Motorrad USA announced the rollout of its newest advertising campaign for the K 1200 R. The high-energy campaign includes print ads, a micro website, promotional give-away and a viral spot.
Developed by New York-based Concept Farm, BMW’s agency of record for advertising purposes, and Northern Lights Post, a commercial production firm, the campaign launched July 11 with a website – www.theworldsmostpowerfulnakedbike.com.
The web site video opens with the K 1200 R being wheeled out of a truck and onto a drag strip. Quick fade-outs hint at the bike model as a rider prepares for the light to turn green with a burnout. Motion graphics assert that the bike has “163 Horsepower, 96 lbs-ft of Torque” and can go from “Zero to 60 in 2.6 seconds.” At the end of the sequence, the rider burns the BMW logo into the ground.
“The K 1200 R represents a completely new breed of motorcycle for BMW, so we knew that we had to depart from our own marketing conventions in order to break through our current brand perceptions,” said Laurence Kuykendall, Community and Communications Manager, BMW Motorrad USA.
