2014 BMW C EVOLUTION
FIRST RIDE
P52
pounds heavier than the plush-
riding C650GT fully loaded with
4.2 gallons of fuel.
Having the electric motor
comprising part of the single-sid-
ed swingarm for packaging rea-
sons, thus inevitably adding sig-
nificantly to the unsprung weight
while giving more space for bat-
teries to extend the range and
performance, must have posed
an extra headache. In any case,
that's another box checked. And
even without any regen brak-
ing, as in Sail mode, the braking
delivered by the trio of 270mm
Nissin steel discs – with Bosch
ABS as standard – is really good,
though it's the single rear brake
that really gets the job done in a
panic stop, leaving its twin front
companions to be used alone
normally - with the fiercer-action
rear as backup.
The C evolution feels sub-
stantial and spacious, with lots
of room for a passenger, and a
comfortable seat with space at
the rear for a full-face helmet. In
spite of the long 62.7-inch wheel-
base, the C-evo is well balanced
and easy to steer while going
slowly – especially flicking it from
side to side at 40 mph through a
series of bends along a tight, nar-
row road in the hills behind Bar-
celona. The all-new TFT/thin-film
transistor full color dash is both
readable and comprehensive in
terms of information.
BMW's R&D team deserves
heaps of praise for the way
they've refined what was already
a very clever prototype for pro-
duction, resulting in a practical
yet environmentally clean prod-
uct that's totally addictive to ride,
as well as heaps of fun.
The C evolution sets the bar
pretty high for those that aim to
follow in its tire tracks, as other
manufacturers surely will, with
Yamaha seemingly BMW's most
likely major rival to do so after
the recent launch of its PES-1 E-
motorcycle aiming for production
in 2016. An electric version of the
best-selling TMAX combustion
scooter going head to head with
the new BMW E-scooter? Now
there's a thought – and don't bet
against it! CN
