BMW is on a roll with two-wheeled forms of transportation as of late. The Munich Motor Show is no exception, as it’s now home to the reveal of the BMW i Vision AMBY and Motorrad Vision AMBY.
We’ll start with the Motorrad Vision AMBY, as it’s the closest looking to a motorcycle between the two bikes. The term “AMBY” is short for Adaptive Mobility, which describes this bike’s purpose perfectly. BMW says it’s designed with the brand’s enduro motorbike in mind as styling inspiration. It has chunky tires wrapping the wheels to suggest off-road use, and both the height of the seat and fixed footrests attempt to impart a motorbike vibe to the experience.
The i Vision AMBY (below) looks much more like a traditional road bike, albeit an exotic one. It’s slim and has tires big enough to soak up poor road surfaces in city centers. Sustainability is part of its construction, too, as the bike is made using many of the same recycled materials as BMW’s i Vision Circular also revealed at the IAA Munich show.
Both bikes have battery packs and drive units housed in the center of the frame. The pair share speed capabilities and technology to achieve said speed. Top speed for both bikes is 37 mph. However, you’ll need to have the relevant insurance and license plates to be traveling at that sort of speed on multi-lane roads outside city centers. BMW has integrated automated drive modes depending on your location (using geofencing technology) that ensure you’re going the proper speed for the specific road you’re on. For example, the bike limits itself to 15.5 mph on bike paths and 28 mph on city center roads. You’ll also need to pedal to gain the assistance of the electric drive — when pedaling, all it takes is a squeeze of the throttle lever on the handlebars to get the electric boost. The bikes display what speed mode they’re in to other motorists so folks know how fast they might be capable of moving at, too.
BMW doesn’t quote range or specs for the Motorrad Vision AMBY, but it does for the i Vision AMBY. The latter is fitted with a 2 kWh battery pack that fast charges to full in three hours. You’ll be able to cover 47 miles at the bike’s 37 mph top speed (assuming you’re pedaling), and 186 miles at the slower 15.5 mph speed level. We assume the Motorrad Vision AMBY will cover considerably less distance given it weighs over twice as much as the i Vision AMBY (66 pounds versus 143 pounds).
Since these bikes can theoretically be ridden outside the city, BMW integrated a number of safety technologies into them. The bikes can be fitted with an ABS system, automatic high-beams, brake lights, a daytime running light, tire pressure monitoring and a rear proximity sensor (to let you know of rearward approaching cars). BMW’s smartphone as a key technology is used here, too. The bike will immobilize itself if its owner’s phone isn’t around to activate it. Plus, you can sync multiple phones to it, and the electric seat will automatically adjust to the ride height set by the specific driver.
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