BMW R 1200 CL Motorcycle in 2003

The BMW R1200C is a cruiser motorcycle manufactured by BMW Motorrad. From 1997 to 2004, BMW manufactured 40,218 units, including a smaller engine version, the R850C, which was produced from 1997 to 2000.[1]

The R1200C was BMW's attempt to tap into this market, and was a significant departure from their previous endeavors. The R1200C was designed by BMW head designer David Robb,[2] featuring a cruiser riding posture. From its inception, the R1200C featured a passenger seat that could fold up to become a driver backrest with three different angles, adjustable while riding.

BMW first released the R1200C with an advance promotional placement of the motorcycle in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies.[citation needed] The R1200C was one of four BMW motorcycles featured in The Art of the Motorcycle exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City in 1998 (List of shown motorcycles).

When BMW ended production of the R1200C lineup, Dr. Herbert Diess, then President BMW Motorrad, cited a prime reason for discontinuing the bike was the apparent unsuitability of the 1,170 cc (71 cu in), 61 hp (45 kW) engine to then current market tastes and the unavailability of a suitable engine for further development, but did not rule out BMW pursuing a reinterpretation of the cruiser idea at a later date.[1] In 2004 a final special model of the R1200C Montauk as a commemorative Montauk model was presented, of which 350 units were built.

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