2006 BMW HP2 - Wallpaper

With horsepower and torque numbers like this, the BMW is capable of triple-digit speeds on pavement. Whether or not you have the cajones to bring that off-road is up to you, but the HP2 will certainly out-power a vast majority of dirt bikes.

The HP2 drinks in the scenery.

Hey that's not a road Ken. Oh yeah, the HP2 is an off-roader.

An accompanying Boxer showed what can happen if you drop the machine.

The HP2 doesn't look like your typical off-road machine.

The light shines on the new Beemer.

The seat isn't super comfy, but who off-road your not going to be sitting very much.

Kenny takes a corner on the HP2.

Mullet instincts? Yep, Ken will own up to them.

Big sweeping curves were no problem for the HP2.

The distinctive Boxer engine really makes the HP2 stand out.

It was possible to lift the front wheel over obstacles, but the HP2 isn't as going to out maneuver a 250.

We have some spectacular backdrops to work with not far from our office.

Small jumps like this were acceptable, but much more and the bike’s weight would overwhelm the suspension on both ends. In the Beemer’s defense, we could have made the unique components handle off-roading much more to our liking, but it would have come at the expense of other aspects of riding.

Not many off-road machines harness a shaft draft.

The HP2 can wear many different hats as a versatile dual-purpose machine.

With southern Oregon’s biggest landmark, Mt. Ashland in the background, we embarked on a journey to test the HP2 that would take 40 hours and almost 10 times as many miles.

BMW is known for its high quality and pricetag in both the automotive and motorcycling worlds. But while your CPA neighbor is spending the weekends waxing his fancy M3, owners of the adventuresome HP2 are spending their Sunday’s in places that accountant can only see in a National Geographic.

JC whips a quick circle on the HP2.

A blazing Southern Oregon sunset.

Since it is an off-road test, we were duty bound to get the expensive looking Beemer dirtied up.

On the asphalt the rear brake was less apt to lock up.

Gravel roads made up a portion of our HP2 testing run.

Dual-purpose is a good moniker for the HP2, but it can play the off-road card when it has too.

The HP2 doesn't look like the typical Baja 1000 machine, but the Beemer has put up good results in the famed race.

Even hearty, adventuresome rouges like ourselves need to take a breather every once in a while. But just to change bikes.

Lean! Drag the knee!

Zis does not look like de Alps.

If you can scratch up the scratch for this new BMW, investing in a relationship of this nature can be very worthwhile. Those of you looking for a high-dollar piece of status-wielding eye candy, look no further. But those of you seeking a loyal companion to join you in staring at the flames of a remo

We lied to the HP2 and told her our Southern Oregon tree-clad hills were the Swiss Alps. She said, I needed ein vacation! Now you will ride!

Twisties on the HP2? Sure, why not?

Be the bike JC. Be the bike!

A little red tape should fix 'er right up.

The new Beemer soaks in the view.

Riders will have about as good a chance of touching ground with the HP2 on one wheel as they will on two. The optional lower seat height will probably be a big seller for BMW.

JC shows fine form in his HP2 debut.

The HP2 is a competent street bike that has the bonus of being more than ready to tackle off-road duties.

Mud-puddles be damned! The HP2 makes short work of this puny obstacle.

The sun may be setting on the HP2 in this photo but the fact is, the HP2 is a rising star in the adventure-touring market.

15 mph, yeah, right! The HP2 is right at home on the twisty stuff.

JC got along well with the HP2. Just look at the cheesy grin oozing out from behind that helmet.

Pick your poison. DR-Z=Good off-road, ok on the street. GS=Great on the street, ok off road. HP2=Great off-road. Great on the street. N'uff said.

Some obstacles are meant to be avoided. Our photographer figured he could wheelie the DR-Z through this mud hole. He was wrong.

2006 BMW HP2

Compared to the HP2, the GS was quite a bit heavier and not quite as precise in the dirt. On the street though, it is the cat's meow.

JC on a Sunday ride alongside the Klamath River.

The Shasta River was the first waterway we had to cross on our dual-sport journey.

The HP2 is at home on rough dirt roads and jeep trails alike.

Looking for a bike that can take you anywhere? Well, how deep are your pockets?

Long-travel suspension offers more ground clearance for the bulky jugs than on the GS model, but the Adventur Touring machine has better front-end dive resistance with its Telelever system.

Dave Riant (far right) was our tour guide and he graciously offered up his ’05 R1200GS for a ride-along comparison. He even went as far as to demonstrate what a low-side will do to the valve cover. Nice guy, that Riant.

The road less-travelled beckons the HP2.

This ain’t your average Harley, pal. Hog fanatics might scoff at the futuristic styling, but the HP2 will roost a very, very wide array of street bikes.

The bulky tank section belies its relatively small 2.9-gallon fuel capacity. It’s more than many dirt bikes, but petite enough to warrant a double check on where the next gas station is.

A lack of storage departments is part of BMW’s description of a 'pure'” dirt bike. The HP2 muffler is not conducive to mounting saddle bags, so be prepared to wear a backpack.

Stopping at campgrounds for a quick snack gave us time to jot notes on the HP2. Everyone seemed to have plenty to say about it.

Riding the HP2 in serious terrain would be much easier with a full-blown knobby. Controlling the power and size of this bike can be daunting at times, so we’re looking forward to a long-term test to sort out the issues we had in converting from highway to dirt.

Riding your dirt bike on the lakeshore is not a MotoUSA-endorsed activity. However, if you choose to ignore our disclaimer, make sure your machine is capable of hauling ass on the paved highway escape route.

The control layout is simple and effective. A gear indicator is one feature that easily could have been overlooked, but it is definitely a worthwhile addition. Those mirrors, though wide and spindly are awesome in function. Never did they loosen on off-road terrain.

Having ridden more than their fair share of Beemers, Ken and Dave Riant were quick to note that the increased ground clearance was useful on both dirt and paved terrain.

A perfectly smooth gravel road was one of the first off-highway sections of our journey. The graded surface was ideal for getting accustomed to the torquey Boxer power.

We even got a chance to test the headlight after a Mexican food feasting that lasted well into the night. It does a much better job than the stock lights of most dirt bikes.

Ken has plenty of experience on the BMW lineup so it was no wonder he was able to hop on and immediately feel like Johnny Racer. Unfortunately, he suffered worse than anyone in our group with the German engineers’ bias toward long-legged riders.

This is what dual-sporting is all about. We didn’t want our trip to end after two beautiful days like this.

If only Ken had focused on that harmless looking rock instead of the photographer. If only…

Taking in the scenery is easier than ever on the HP2, but getting to back roads like this can be less enjoyable if it requires freeway riding. A little wind protection would be nice in those scenarios, but we’re talking about a mostly-dirt bike here, so we really can’t complain.

The Boxer Twin design on an HP2 produces more vibes and more ponies than the GS version. As you can see, the protruding cylinders effectively box in a rider’s legs, no pun intended. While nothing to worry about on the highway, off-roading gets interesting with the wide layout.

Left to right, Dave Riant, Jeff Moffet and MotoUSA’s JC Hilderbrand survey the damage to Riant’s R1200GS after a logging-road low-side.

Our dual sport ride took us right along the Klamath River.

When was the last time you made it out to the lake? Here’s betting you’ll find the time for that, and more, with the HP2. Not only is getting there a blast, but exploring the surrounding trails will give you plenty to do if swimming isn’t really your thing.

Sunny afternoons will be tearing at your hear even worse than they already do. Having the multi-purpose BMW HP2 in your garage is a dangerous excuse for leaving work early on Fridays.