The New BMW Liquid-Cooled Boxer Engine
The changes to the BMW R1200GS engine, as we reported some time ago, are key to the new BMW adventure bike. An added element of liquid-cooling, coupled with big internal revisions boost power – but this is just the beginning. Like the engine before it, BMW has plans to house the boxer twin in something more sporty.Joseph Miritsch, BMW's head or R series development, take over the story. 'Obviously we haven't made this new engine singularly for the BMW R1200GS. The future legislations when it comes to emission and noise are very important but also fuel consumption is certainly a factor, so it is likely that the new liquid-cooled boxer-twin engine will likely appear in future BMW models.
People talk of this engine as liquid-cooled, but what we have done is displaced the oil and changed it for water, there is still a large part air-cooled – it is still predominantly an air cooled engine
'This new engine is not our most most powerful Boxer engine, it make 125 horsepower while the HP2 Sport made 135 horsepower. You can guess yourself what may be coming in the future, right now I am only thinking of the GS, however if you look at the design of the engine and cylinder head then you will see it has rockers like the BMW S1000RR – you don't make an engine at the start of its life as powerful as it can be. We are looking forward and there are more places to develop the engine and more power to be gained, I think this engine is surely good for 150 to 160 horsepower.
The four-valve Boxer engine has been build for 20 years, I would predict this new engine has 10 or 20 years of life easily with some development.' If you like to know more details about the new BMW R1200GS engine you can also read The New BMW R1200GS Engine a Closer Look
