KUALA LUMPUR: BMW Motorrad Malaysia, the motorcycle division of BMW Malaysia Sdn Bhd (BMW Group Malaysia), expects to break the 1,000 vehicle sales mark this year, said its head Owen Riley.

He said the introduction of two new premium motorcycles, the BMW S 1000 XR and the BMW R 1200 RS will help achieve the premium motorcycle maker's sales target in Malaysia.

“We will also bring in a broader range of motorcycles [in the future] and are looking to price them competitively, as we want to ‘make life a ride’ for people in the country,” Riley told reporters at the launch of the two new motorcycles yesterday.

Riley was referring to BMW Motorrad’s motto.

According to BMW Group Malaysia managing director and chief executive officer Alan Harris, more than 600 motorcycles have been sold in the first half of this year, compared with 581 units for the entire 2014.

Group-wise, BMW Group Malaysia has sold more than 3,900 vehicles, including cars and motorcycles, in the first half of 2015. The group delivered a record total of 9,046 vehicles comprising 7,808 BMW, 655 MINI and 583 BMW Motorrad vehicles last year, an increase of 13.4% from 7,974 units in 2013.

“It is the locally assembled BMW F 800 R and BMW F 800 GS models that have spurred the market within the motorcycle segment [thus far],” said BMW Group Malaysia head of corporate communications Sashi Ambi.

As the fourth member in the BMW Motorrad line-up of motorcycles with straight four-cylinder engines, BMW S 1000 XR encompasses dynamic touring qualities, sporty performance and high levels of comfort.

“The new BMW S 1000 XR combines the elements of touring ability of a GS with the supersport characteristics of the RR, which BMW Motorrad is renowned for,” said Harris.

The BMW R 1200 RS, meanwhile, is powered by the flat-twin boxer engine, transposing the all-round qualities of the original BMW RS concept, and is suitable for both travelling and sporting deployment.

“It (BMW R 1200 RS) is the perfect choice for long-distance journeys on the highways, to sporty rides along twisting interior roads,” Harris added.

The retail price (on-the-road, without insurance) for the BMW S 1000 XR is RM112,900, while the BMW R 1200 RS costs RM101,900.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on July 24, 2015.