BMW Celebrates 50 Years of M Cars With an M Motorcycle

With the release of the BMW M 1000 RR 50 Years, the M Division works its magic on two-wheelsPhoto: BMW

The BMW M Division is turning 50 this year. The company is celebrating a half-century of fast cars with a limited-edition version of the only motorcycle to have officially worn BMW’s M badge, the M 1000 RR.

Really, the only thing better than an iconic M car — or bike — is a limited-run model of that same machine. So, BMW Motorrad and BMW Motorsport paired up to make the (deep breath) 2022 BMW M 1000 RR 50 Years M anniversary edition.

That’s quite a mouthful, but I guess this new M RR’s ludicrously long name is a match for its ludicrous performance, which builds on the M 1000 RR by shedding weight and adding a bit of tech. The bike features milled aluminum and carbon-fiber components throughout, a lighter swingarm than the standard M 1000 RR, and a GPS lap timer.

Photo: BMW

The M RR 50 Years edition gets the Sao Paulo Yellow paint we love on the latest BMW M4. And, of course, it gets M Division badging with a throwback vibe. I mean, it only took BMW 48 years to officially give one of its motorcycles the tri-color seal of approval, after releasing the M 1000 RR in 2020. A little late, given the history of BMW Motorrad, which predates the Motorsport division by almost 50 years. Kudos to BMW for making up lost time.

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The M RR 50 Years gets a roundel that nods to classics like the BMW 3.0 CSL and the BMW M1. But the throwback vibe begins and ends with its badging and the models that inspired it; this is a modern machine with an inline 4-cylinder engine making 205 horsepower and 83 lb-ft of torque at a screaming 11,000 RPM, and a wet weight of 423 pounds. It’ll do 0-60 mph in just 3.1 seconds.

Yeah, I think this anniversary release of the M RR is about as close as the M Division can get to a mid-life crisis, and I promise I mean that in a good way! It’s also about as close as us mortals can get to machines competing in the World Superbike Championship, where the M 1000 RR was conceived.

The M RR 50 Years Anniversary edition is due out at the end of this year, and will start at $36,995 plus $645 destination. For those few of you who can 1.) afford this thing and 2.) actually scratch the surface of its performance, you can order yours as an M 1000 RR equipped with the optional “50 Years ///M Package,” which adds $4,500 to the bike’s $32,495 starting price.

Photo: BMW

Photo: BMW

Photo: BMW

Photo: BMW