Pumping up for the sixers
Six-cylinder motorcycles makes a return into the world motoring scene with BMW unveiling two models — K1600 GT and GTL — at the recently concluded 2010 edition of INTERMOT, the Intentional Motorcycle, Scooter and Bicycle Fair in Cologne, Germany. The six-cylinder motorcycles saw a very brief existence in the 1980s with a handful of models, gaining popularity among bike enthusiasts, but sooner or later bowed out of the market.
Italian automaker Benelli was the first to break into the production of these motorcycles as touring bikes. Then Laverda joined in with its VR6, but its run was limited. Honda introduced its first six-cylinder production model as the CBX1000 in 1979. It was quick, powerful, and featured some never seen technological innovations. The joy however, was short-lived, like other six-cylinders, with 1982 being the last production year for the CBX lineup.
But that didn’t stop automakers from constantly trying to bring back the six-cylinder behemoths time and again — especially from the Japanese automaker Honda, who continues to sell the Honda Gold Wing with a six-cylinder engine.
Now with the BMW K1600s available in the market, will the “sixers” be able to make a comeback or not remains to be answered. We list some popular six-cylinder bikes in the past and those awaiting production.
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