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G450X Makes Short-lived Debut |
October 29, 2007
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| By John Brase #87113 |
Crawfordsville, IN -
The United States debut of the BMW G450X Enduro
prototype fell well short of expectations when factory rider Simo Kirssi
crashed on the first lap of the three-hour race. "I went over the
handlebars and landed on the ground on my shoulder and dislocated something
maybe," Simo said soon after returning to the pit. "I'm really sorry to go
out on the first lap. That's racing," he said, disappointment clearly
evident in his voice.
He declined immediate medical attention.
The bike itself created quite a buzz among spectators and competitors alike
at the season-ending Grand National Cross Country event. The BMW pit was
the hot spot on Sunday morning with never fewer than a dozen people closely
eyeing the bike at any given time. More than a few KTM riders expressed
admiration for the design and execution of the BMW, which seems aimed
squarely at that dominant brand.
Coming to a dealer near you? Absolutely. According to Motorad Executive
Vice President for R&D, Peter Mueller, the G450X will be available "in the
middle of next year. We will bring it," he said, "because it is very
competitive. It will be a customer motorcycle. Definitely."
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