R 850 R

1999 BMW R 850 R Technical Analysis & Specification Breakdown

At the heart of the 1999 BMW R 850 R naked motorcycle, BMW utilizes a 848 cc (51.7 cu in) oil & air-cooled two cylinder boxer, four-stroke layout. In factory specification, peak output is rated at 70 HP (51.1 kW) at 7,000 rpm while maximum torque reaches 77 Nm (56.8 lb-ft) at 5,500 rpm, transferring power to the rear wheel through a 5-speed gearbox and shaft drive (cardan) final drive. With a specific output of 82.5 HP per liter and a 1,500 rpm working window between peak torque (5,500 rpm) and peak power (7,000 rpm), the engine character is indicating a tractable, stress-free state of tune focused on everyday usability and broad torque delivery.

On the scales, the R 850 R measures 246 kg (542 lbs) wet (curb), translating to a power-to-weight ratio of 0.28 HP/kg (3.51 kg per horsepower). Rider ergonomics and chassis geometry center around a 760 mm (29.9 in) seat height — giving shorter riders and urban commuters confident flat-foot reach at traffic stops, combined with a 1,487 mm (58.5 in) wheelbase engineered for balanced agility and highway composure. The 21-liter (5.5 US gal) fuel tank paired with a rated consumption of 5.9 L/100 km provides an estimated theoretical range of roughly 356 km (221 miles) between fill-ups, while factory top speed is listed at 187 km/h (116 mph).

Within MotoLibrary's BMW archive, this model family spans 11 indexed model years from 1996 to 2006, allowing buyers to track year-over-year changes in emissions tuning, weight and equipment.