German BMW parts and accessory specialist Wunderlich made a big impact at EICMA in November last year with their latest customised BMW special.
Having already shown a 156 horsepower GS LC based Scrambler prototype last year, at EICMA they unveiled what they say is the first BMW R 1200 GS LC ever seen with additional front wheel drive.
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| Always "stretching boundaries", Wunderlich's follow-up to their 156 hp GS LC Scrambler concept and "White Star", a 30th anniversary R nineT Cafe Racer conversion, was this Hybrid GS conversion. Featuring dual-wheel drive courtesy of a regenerative braking system, a 7.6 kw electric front wheel gearbox delivers power-assisted traction to help power the GS through the dirt, up slopes and through curves, and with an electric only option the bike will make up to 20 kph with the engine turned off and 3 kph power-assisted reverse |
Wunderlich CEO Frank Hoffmann said that "our concept vehicles have become a traditional feature that symbolise our expertise, creativity and manufacturing capabilities. They are all about showing what is possible and establishing design standards that speak to the quality and ergonomics of our products".
The Wunderlich GS hybrid has a ten-kilowatt electrical front wheel gearbox, which offers several new "sturdy" advantages. The big enduro does not just have much more propulsion on the ground, but the powered front wheel also draws the GS through curves quickly. "The increased performance can be clearly felt in the driving operation", said Hoffmann.
The emphasis is on efficiency - for example the energy produced while braking the GS is used to recharge the battery. The front wheel operation, which can be adjusted while riding, can be used entirely on its own. It can operate at up to 20 kilometres per hour on electric with the combustion motor turned off, and used as manoeuvring assistance, the electric motor even allows for reverse function at three kilometres per hour - extremely practical for parking the heavy GS on a slope.
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| Wunderlich have a wide range of accessories available to enhance the R 1200 GSD riding and ownership experience, including lights, covers, screens and strengtheners, risers, cruise controls, hand-guards, footrests/pegs and levers, mirrors, protectors and luggage - a massive range of hard and soft luggage options, from their X-2 series hard cases as seen on the Hybrid to this tankbag kit "Safe", a multi-functional travel companion with a 3M-SCOTCH reflection fabric and 25-litre capacity with big, detachable map compartment |
Nearly all the changes to the GS series, including the chassis set-up to balance out the additional weight, were developed in-house by the Wunderlich development and engineering team, with assistance for implementation of the electric concept from Italian electric mobility specialist Evolt, who co-developed some of the electrical components.
Of course, when not "stretching the boundaries", Wunderlich's day job is designing and manufacturing parts and accessories that are made to improve the riding experience, and here we also see one of their recent product line additions - a cockpit fairing for the R1200R LC.
WUNDERLICH GmbH
www.wunderlich.de
