Even for BMW, purveyor of numerous boxer-powered curiosities, the Megamoto is an odd bike. Sharing much in common with the earlier HP2 (high-performance two-cylinder) Enduro but taking things in a more supermoto direction, swapping the 21-inch front wheel for a 17-inch part and ditching the knobblies for road tyres, it’s a strange one, giving KTM 990 SMT vibes but a good few years before that bike even emerged.
Power from the 1,170cc, GS-shared horizontally opposed twin went up slightly to 105bhp, while the torque sat at 85lb ft. Added into the mix was a properly plush chassis featuring a suitably beefy, fully adjustable 45mm Marzocchi fork at the front and a fully adjustable Ohlins monoshock at the back.
Finishing things off was a set of unique body parts including a headlight surround and tank cover made from carbon fibre, plus an Akrapovič exhaust, the latter coming long before OEM-fitted cans from the Slovenian brand became a commonality.
For all this, BMW charged £12,595. Yes, in 2006. Adjusted for inflation, that works out at well over £20,000. In the short time it was produced, few made it to the UK. If the numbers on Howmanyleft.com are to be believed, the UK ‘population’ peaked at just over 40, and of the 31 still kicking around last year, there were never more than 13 registered for road use.
And so, the bike you see here presents a very rare opportunity — the chance to buy one. There are a couple of things to bear in mind, though. Firstly, with a seat height of 890mm, it’s not one for shorter riders. Secondly, on the occasions they do come up for sale, they ain’t cheap.
The example we’re looking at is for sale at The Bike Specialists up in Sheffield for £18,999, not far off the inflation-adjusted original list price. But hey, it’s not like it’s been heavily used, with a mere 7,032 miles on the clock of the 2010 Megamoto.
Tempted?
