BMW’s latest concept is like a smartphone that doubles as your transport
In recent years BMW has made a habit of revealing concept bikes at the Villa d’Este concours, and 2017 is no exception.
What was different this year was the tone of the machine revealed. While several past concepts have been pointers to forthcoming production bikes, this year’s offering seems a little more nebulous.
The Concept Link is an electric scooter clearly designed to appeal to city dwellers of the generation that falls into a blind panic the moment they’re more than a metre from their smartphone.
The actual mechanical bits are quite viable as production parts. In fact, they’re not far removed from what’s already used in the electric C Evolution scooter.
But the Concept Link is more about its appearance and the surface dressing of gadgets than the actual scooter underneath.
Ideas include an adjustable seat, a heads-up display and under-seat storage accessed through a sliding panel on the side. There’s also a touchscreen iPad-like dashboard.
It’s claimed the bike can tap into your online life, working out where you need to be from your calendar and giving you routes and even selecting an appropriate soundtrack for your trip.
BMW Motorrad head of design Edgar Heinrich said: “The BMW Motorrad Concept Link links the digital and analogue worlds and places the focus on the rider and his mobility needs. In the way it links functionality and digitalisation, it performs both as a means of transport as well as a communication device.”
The low-slung, stretched styling is what catches the eye, but BMW says the Concept Link is more about ‘connectivity capabilities
REMEMBER THE REST?
Back in 2013, the first Villa d’Este concept was the Concept 90, which soon transformed into the R NineT production bike. Similarly, 2014’s Concept Roadster became the new R1200R, and 2015’s Concept 101 turned into the K1600B bagger. Last year BMW showed the R5 Hommage, based on a 1930s 500cc twin, which hasn’t yet led to a production model.
WILL LINK FOLLOW SUIT?
Perhaps. BMW is known to be working on a small scooter – albeit a petrol-powered one – that will sit below the C650 models in its range. An electric city scooter positioned below the C Evolution also makes sense, and the mechanical bits of the Concept Link could well be used in such a bike.
BEN PURVIS