BMW C1 200

The BMW C1 was to be a synthesis of motorised two-wheeler and automobile, and an innovative offering for individual mobility in urban areas. The C1 achieved this synergy by combining familiar safety and comfort attributes from the automobile sector with the advantages and special riding pleasure offered by a single-track vehicle. The innovative safety concept remains unique among two-wheelers and comprised a stable passenger cell with safety belt and a crash element in the front section. This underwent strategic deformation in a head-on collision and dissipated the kinetic energy of motion. The safety system was so effective that the C1 in Germany and some other EU countries was exempted from the mandatory requirement for wearing a helmet applicable for two-wheelers. The C1 could be optionally fitted with ABS. The vehicle was assembled by coachbuilding supremo Bertone in Italy. A newly developed single-cylinder four-stroke engine with four-valve technology from supplier Bombardier Rotax was responsible for transferring power to the rear wheel via a variable CVT gearbox (Variomatic). The fuel supply process was regulated by the digital BMS-C which was first used in the F 650 GS and was adapted for the C1. A fully-controlled three-way catalytic converter was fitted as standard. In 2001, BMW expanded the range of engines by a version with 176 cc capacity and 13 KW (18 hp) which was supplied as the BMW C1 200.