Late in 2020, the world had a look at the first M-level BMW motorcycle: the M 1000 RR. The bike represented a collaborative effort between BMW’s Motorrad and M Performance divisions, and the result was a rather frightening proposition of a 205-horsepower powertrain installed on a 450-pound two-wheeled projectile. Frisson guaranteed, in other words.
To welcome the milder breezes of 2022, BMW’s taken the wraps off a specialized bike that uses the M 1000 RR as a foundation. BMW calls it the M 1000 RR 50 Years M—a nod to the M division’s 50th birthday. It picks up where the M 1000 RR leaves off, adding a host of components and parts fabricated from carbon fiber and billet aluminum, or the ‘M Billet Package’.
Key changes that distinguish the 50 Years M version of the M 1000 RR — aside from the color, which by the way is called ‘Sao Paolo Yellow’ — include a new aluminum swingarm with an adjustable pivot, carbon fiber wheels, a rear passenger suite, new ride modes, a 6.5-inch TFT display, a special M-level GPS-enabled lap timer, and a bigger windshield. The aluminum and carbon fiber used drops the bike’s weight by about 25 pounds or so.
The look of the 50 Years M motorcycle is enhanced by a special M emblem. It is priced from $36,995.