Ricardo Motorcycle Conference 7.0
Ricardo Quarterly Review Q2 2019
Interview Marek Reichman, Chief creative officer, Aston Martin Lagonda Carbon-free railways Why smart electrification and hybrid trains could be the answer A focus on the latest in technology, innovation and sustainability Shipping and CO2 A promising climate-neutral Smart, urban – and fuel is on the horizon, says Ricardo report every inch a BMW RQ extract: Q2 2019
Smart, urban – and every inch a
BMWRicardo’s long-standing co-operation with BMW moves into the mid-sized scooter segment - with premium results BMW C400 series BMW C400 series
Smart, urban – and every inch a
Building on more than a decade of co-operation with BMW Motorrad, Ricardo BMWMotorcycle has partnered with the premium bikemaker to develop a new generation of mid-sized scooters that distil the qualities of the highly successful C650 range of maxi-scooters into a smaller and more accessible format. Jesse Crosse reports on the creative processes behind the new and innovative C400 series scooters aimed at the expanding urban and touring markets
BMW’s C650 range of luxury maxi- not only achieve a competitive price point motorcycles to be launched in 2009. - and since 2017 there has also been an customer expectations for the BMW cost substantially more than a Japanese scooters, co-developed with Ricardo in this tightly fought market segment, The programme drew on Ricardo’s electric version, the C Evolution. brand. “This mid-size segment is more naked 650 cc motorcycle.” Motorcycle, has been a major critical but also gain best-in-class status for extensive resources in Shoreham and competitive, with many more people Careful thought went into the and commercial success, prompting an refinement, performance, handling and Leamington Spa in the UK, Prague in the Mid-size market: competing in that space,” observes positioning of the two C400 models, adds initiative to extend the premium concept premium design values. For Ricardo, it Czech Republic and Schwäbisch Gmünd a logical step Ricardo’s head of motorcycle strategy and Reissing. “Firstly, we wanted an attractive into the heart of the sector. was to be the most daunting task yet in a in Germany, making for a truly With approximately 30,000 units business development Paul Etheridge. “The sport version that competes with our However, the global market for smaller relationship with the German motorcycle multinational project. worldwide annually, the mid-size scooter price point is much more competitive too, competitors’ offerings, and secondly we scooters in the 400 cc category is already manufacturer that has already spanned The result was a resounding success sector is about two-thirds of the size of so the product has got to be the best in needed a smaller version of our big C650 well served by a number of established more than a decade. and since then the relationship has gone the maxi-scooter market, explains BMW’s its class and it’s got to be correctly priced. GT tourer, but in this lower displacement manufacturers, and to enter it and from strength to strength. Ricardo’s project manager Dr Joerg Reissing. “Yet Overall, it’s a lot more challenging to make a category.” succeed is a daunting task – even for a Successful partnership engineering of the six-cylinder K1600 over the years it has proved very stable, successful product in this segment.” The concept for the C400 was very similar company of BMW’s stature and standing. with BMW since 2006 touring bike engine led to this new BMW so it was a logical step to downsize our “BMW’s aim is to expand the offer on to that of the larger scooter. “So, starting Yet, with the help of Ricardo, that is Ricardo first began work on BMW earning rave reviews in the motorcycle maxi scooters, so we can attract new and the market,” adds Ricardo’s Massimo from the same base, we aimed to produce precisely what BMW Motorrad is aiming to Motorrad products back in 2006 when press. The first luxury maxi-scooters, different target groups - there is a healthy Lotti, responsible for the project’s styling a sport version and a GT version,” explains do with its new C400 scooters. it took on the upgrade programme again developed with substantial Ricardo market demand.” team. “The big scooter segment is limited, Lotti. These became the C400 X (sport) The challenge, put simply, was to design for the four-cylinder K1200 superbike input, arrived in 2012 and continue to be Nevertheless, the pressure was on to mainly because of the cost comparison and C400 GT (touring). Yet even though the and manufacture a scooter that could engine to produce a new range of K1300 available as the C650 Sport and C650 GT produce a premium machine that met with 650 cc motorcycles: a big scooter can 400 parallels the thinking of the 650, the
16 RQ • Q2 • 2019 RQ • Q2 • 2019 17 BMW C400 series BMW C400 series
Smart, urban – and every inch a
Building on more than a decade of co-operation with BMW Motorrad, Ricardo BMWMotorcycle has partnered with the premium bikemaker to develop a new generation of mid-sized scooters that distil the qualities of the highly successful C650 range of maxi-scooters into a smaller and more accessible format. Jesse Crosse reports on the creative processes behind the new and innovative C400 series scooters aimed at the expanding urban and touring markets
BMW’s C650 range of luxury maxi- not only achieve a competitive price point motorcycles to be launched in 2009. - and since 2017 there has also been an customer expectations for the BMW cost substantially more than a Japanese scooters, co-developed with Ricardo in this tightly fought market segment, The programme drew on Ricardo’s electric version, the C Evolution. brand. “This mid-size segment is more naked 650 cc motorcycle.” Motorcycle, has been a major critical but also gain best-in-class status for extensive resources in Shoreham and competitive, with many more people Careful thought went into the and commercial success, prompting an refinement, performance, handling and Leamington Spa in the UK, Prague in the Mid-size market: competing in that space,” observes positioning of the two C400 models, adds initiative to extend the premium concept premium design values. For Ricardo, it Czech Republic and Schwäbisch Gmünd a logical step Ricardo’s head of motorcycle strategy and Reissing. “Firstly, we wanted an attractive into the heart of the sector. was to be the most daunting task yet in a in Germany, making for a truly With approximately 30,000 units business development Paul Etheridge. “The sport version that competes with our However, the global market for smaller relationship with the German motorcycle multinational project. worldwide annually, the mid-size scooter price point is much more competitive too, competitors’ offerings, and secondly we scooters in the 400 cc category is already manufacturer that has already spanned The result was a resounding success sector is about two-thirds of the size of so the product has got to be the best in needed a smaller version of our big C650 well served by a number of established more than a decade. and since then the relationship has gone the maxi-scooter market, explains BMW’s its class and it’s got to be correctly priced. GT tourer, but in this lower displacement manufacturers, and to enter it and from strength to strength. Ricardo’s project manager Dr Joerg Reissing. “Yet Overall, it’s a lot more challenging to make a category.” succeed is a daunting task – even for a Successful partnership engineering of the six-cylinder K1600 over the years it has proved very stable, successful product in this segment.” The concept for the C400 was very similar company of BMW’s stature and standing. with BMW since 2006 touring bike engine led to this new BMW so it was a logical step to downsize our “BMW’s aim is to expand the offer on to that of the larger scooter. “So, starting Yet, with the help of Ricardo, that is Ricardo first began work on BMW earning rave reviews in the motorcycle maxi scooters, so we can attract new and the market,” adds Ricardo’s Massimo from the same base, we aimed to produce precisely what BMW Motorrad is aiming to Motorrad products back in 2006 when press. The first luxury maxi-scooters, different target groups - there is a healthy Lotti, responsible for the project’s styling a sport version and a GT version,” explains do with its new C400 scooters. it took on the upgrade programme again developed with substantial Ricardo market demand.” team. “The big scooter segment is limited, Lotti. These became the C400 X (sport) The challenge, put simply, was to design for the four-cylinder K1200 superbike input, arrived in 2012 and continue to be Nevertheless, the pressure was on to mainly because of the cost comparison and C400 GT (touring). Yet even though the and manufacture a scooter that could engine to produce a new range of K1300 available as the C650 Sport and C650 GT produce a premium machine that met with 650 cc motorcycles: a big scooter can 400 parallels the thinking of the 650, the
16 RQ • Q2 • 2019 RQ • Q2 • 2019 17 BMW C400 series BMW C400 series
switches, headlights and instrument China specifically for our project,” says “We chose the best position for the Innovative engine mount gives cluster, to provide a strong link with the rest Ricardo’s Nikola Fiket, who was in charge shaft to quell vibration and also take of BMW’s two-wheeled family. The design of powertrain design and development. into account the swing arm pivot point smooth ride, quick handling goes one step further than competitors The engine incorporates a CVT we wanted. Intake gas flow was also the A scooter differs from a motorcycle in that the engine assembly also with the addition of a twin (rather than transmission, with the front pulley subject of considerable simulation work: doubles as the rear swinging arm and is continually moving when the single) front disc brake set up with four- mounted on the crankshaft. The second as the cylinder lies almost horizontally scooter is being ridden. “This kind of application,” says chief chassis piston calipers to improve safety and give pulley is connected to the first by a rubber so the air intake has to turn 180 degrees engineer Massimo Lambertini, “is difficult to do well because you have to the rider a greater feeling of security. belt and drives a fixed-ratio secondary through the swing arm.” decouple the vibration coming to the rider and passenger from the engine drive with a small centrifugal clutch. And although relatively conventional via the frame. Engine and “These components account for more in its approach compared to others in “To do this, the pivot would normally have a rubber-mounted hinge transmission design than half the weight of the swing arm,” the market, the detailed design of the point with two degrees of freedom. The rubber mounting introduces A water-cooled, port-injected 350 cc says Fiket. “We also had responsibility for BMW combustion system in terms of flexibility between the engine and the frame, and this gives riders a feeling single-cylinder four-valve engine with a the airbox and complete air intake, which combustion stability, tumble ratio and that the rear wheel is steering while they are cornering. You get the feeling single overhead camshaft and roller finger is also assembled through the swing arm. airflow generally is at the cutting edge of that the rear of the scooter is not following you,” he explains. followers provides the power. Output is 34 The exhaust system is connected to the what is technically possible. Ricardo was able to channel its considerable simulation skills into PS at 7500 rev/min and torque is 35 Nm at right-hand side of the swing arm.” developing a coupling system that provides a very high pivot point 6000 rev/min; both the C400 X and C400 Production: technology for the engine. “This gave us riding characteristics similar to that of a GT conform to the latest motorcycle EU4 Balancer shaft: yes or no? transfer to China motorcycle,” continues Lambertini. “There are some rubber elements emissions standards. Some scooter engines have a balancer The chassis and fairings for the familiar C650 but compared to all the competitors with the same kind of engine and Engine design work started in 2013 shaft for smoothness, while some others series are manufactured in Europe, and rear wheel design, this is widely acknowledged as being best-in-class.” with some initial information from that do not still score well on vibration were designed in collaboration with Italian BMW, and Ricardo was also involved in and refinement. “The big question was do scooter specialist EXNOVO (now part of initial benchmarking and defining the we need one, and what would be the best Ricardo Motorcycle), while the C650’s engine specification. That involved reviewing position for it?” remembers Fiket. BMW is produced by Taiwanese manufacturer existing products to establish the looked at its two main competitors – one KYMCO. In contrast, for the new C400 the two platforms are completely different and while the GT version has received very some of the styling language from the optimum engine capacity, and BMW’s which had the most rapid performance manufacturing is carried out entirely in there is no similarity or carry-over between positive feedback as a ‘tourer scooter’ – BMW GS off-road touring motorcycle. desire for some similarity with other and wasn’t equipped with a balancer shaft, China, by LONCIN at its plant in Chongqing. the maxi-scooter and the mid-size one. a very good result. “The GS is not an overt sports bike, it’s a Motorrad engines meant the bore size and the other, rated highest for refinement, Quite apart from the design and Interestingly, the idea of producing a sport As the brief evolved, the decision was cross-tourer, so we had the opportunity was initially set at 80 mm. “We hoped which did. The objective was to achieve engineering of the vehicle itself, and GT version from a single platform taken to dial back the sporting attributes to provide a similar feeling on a scooter,” to use some carry-over parts like the the best of both and become the new the management of this remote originally came from Ricardo at the of the C400 X to retain an urban focus, explains Lotti. “The GT was a different valve train components and the piston benchmark for others to follow, so the manufacturing process was a demanding beginning of the maxi-scooter project. creating a scooter with a lighter and proposition. We wanted to create a true GT but in the end the parts were all made in decision was taken to include the shaft. task and needed careful handling, as more agile feel than the grand tourer. focusing on fuel economy, comfort, riding Urban agility and GT The approach is what the designers call position and all the attributes a true GT cruiser off one platform ‘cross-city.’ In that urban segment a true should have.” BMW C 400 X product highlights The challenge, says Massimo Lotti, is to sports scooter makes less sense because One concept introduced on the bigger use scooters based on a single platform it does not need to be uncompromisingly scooter was a Ricardo idea: the patented Two storage Flexcase for to compete against the best seller in each sporty, and it must appeal to a city-based Flexcase system, originally launched on Multifunctional instrument cluster compartments two helmets of the sports and tourer categories: “We customer. The idea was to make a vehicle the C650. The storage system can drop with 6.5-inch full-colour TFT screen were up against two different models from that felt light and agile to the touch – one down to allow a full-face helmet to be two of the world’s top manufacturers, that could easily take on the cut and thrust locked away securely while the scooter is Yamaha and Suzuki, and now Honda is in of urban traffic and allow the rider the stationary and in the normal position, and the market too,” he explains. freedom to make rapid progress through can be used for general stowage when the LED lighting technology This would be tough enough as it was, the most crowded streets. scooter is being ridden. While the Flexcase as standard Two spring struts at rear with ample but to mount that dual challenge from The feeling of agility riders get from system is not new to the market as a spring travel a single platform would be tougher still, the nimble C400 X is engineered into the whole, the BMW machines are the only particularly as the underlying chassis chassis, and the scooter is also 8 kg lighter scooters available with anything like it. and suspension design would have to than its GT sister. “That is mainly due to The main target for the chassis design deliver two distinctly different sets differences in the body parts,” explains was to create an extremely rigid engine of vehicle dynamics. By contrast, the Massimo Lambertini, who was responsible mounting and achieve the highest Telescopic fork at front competitors’ machines were designed for chassis design and development. standards of handling feel. “One of the from scratch to deliver those respective weak points of other scooter designs is attributes. But the outcome, Lotti Design cues from that the engine is completely rubber- recounts with some satisfaction, is that legendary GS BMWs mounted, so the engine and rear wheel independent reviews rate the C400 X as On both the C400 X and C400 GT, the unit is not so rigid. This is to avoid noise the best in class in the ‘Sport’ category, BMW styling department team introduced and vibration from being transmitted to Torsionally stiff the rider and passenger, but it’s not great drivetrain swing arm Rum, iusa ditiaerum for rideability,” explains Lambertini. quid mo blanis estia “It was a logical step to downsize our maxi At the front there is a 15-inch wheel culless imolupt ateture to ease the shock of urban potholes, and rferum quos et quist omniendae. Udissimus scooters, so we can attract new and different telescopic forks aim to give the best ride Efficiency-optimised enihica ectota veliquas possible. A small subframe, moulded in Chassis with rugged single-cylinder engine target groups - there is a healthy market tubularrat steelommolorrum frame etur, with CVT gearbox plastic, supports the instrument panel omnit ut fugiatendus. demand” Dr Joerg Reissing, BMW project manager and front lights. The C400s incorporate Nam ducium volupta some carry-over design features from Powerful braking system with other BMW bikes, such as the handlebar ABS as standard
18 RQ • Q2 • 2019 RQ • Q2 • 2019 19 BMW C400 series BMW C400 series
switches, headlights and instrument China specifically for our project,” says “We chose the best position for the Innovative engine mount gives cluster, to provide a strong link with the rest Ricardo’s Nikola Fiket, who was in charge shaft to quell vibration and also take of BMW’s two-wheeled family. The design of powertrain design and development. into account the swing arm pivot point smooth ride, quick handling goes one step further than competitors The engine incorporates a CVT we wanted. Intake gas flow was also the A scooter differs from a motorcycle in that the engine assembly also with the addition of a twin (rather than transmission, with the front pulley subject of considerable simulation work: doubles as the rear swinging arm and is continually moving when the single) front disc brake set up with four- mounted on the crankshaft. The second as the cylinder lies almost horizontally scooter is being ridden. “This kind of application,” says chief chassis piston calipers to improve safety and give pulley is connected to the first by a rubber so the air intake has to turn 180 degrees engineer Massimo Lambertini, “is difficult to do well because you have to the rider a greater feeling of security. belt and drives a fixed-ratio secondary through the swing arm.” decouple the vibration coming to the rider and passenger from the engine drive with a small centrifugal clutch. And although relatively conventional via the frame. Engine and “These components account for more in its approach compared to others in “To do this, the pivot would normally have a rubber-mounted hinge transmission design than half the weight of the swing arm,” the market, the detailed design of the point with two degrees of freedom. The rubber mounting introduces A water-cooled, port-injected 350 cc says Fiket. “We also had responsibility for BMW combustion system in terms of flexibility between the engine and the frame, and this gives riders a feeling single-cylinder four-valve engine with a the airbox and complete air intake, which combustion stability, tumble ratio and that the rear wheel is steering while they are cornering. You get the feeling single overhead camshaft and roller finger is also assembled through the swing arm. airflow generally is at the cutting edge of that the rear of the scooter is not following you,” he explains. followers provides the power. Output is 34 The exhaust system is connected to the what is technically possible. Ricardo was able to channel its considerable simulation skills into PS at 7500 rev/min and torque is 35 Nm at right-hand side of the swing arm.” developing a coupling system that provides a very high pivot point 6000 rev/min; both the C400 X and C400 Production: technology for the engine. “This gave us riding characteristics similar to that of a GT conform to the latest motorcycle EU4 Balancer shaft: yes or no? transfer to China motorcycle,” continues Lambertini. “There are some rubber elements emissions standards. Some scooter engines have a balancer The chassis and fairings for the familiar C650 but compared to all the competitors with the same kind of engine and Engine design work started in 2013 shaft for smoothness, while some others series are manufactured in Europe, and rear wheel design, this is widely acknowledged as being best-in-class.” with some initial information from that do not still score well on vibration were designed in collaboration with Italian BMW, and Ricardo was also involved in and refinement. “The big question was do scooter specialist EXNOVO (now part of initial benchmarking and defining the we need one, and what would be the best Ricardo Motorcycle), while the C650’s engine specification. That involved reviewing position for it?” remembers Fiket. BMW is produced by Taiwanese manufacturer existing products to establish the looked at its two main competitors – one KYMCO. In contrast, for the new C400 the two platforms are completely different and while the GT version has received very some of the styling language from the optimum engine capacity, and BMW’s which had the most rapid performance manufacturing is carried out entirely in there is no similarity or carry-over between positive feedback as a ‘tourer scooter’ – BMW GS off-road touring motorcycle. desire for some similarity with other and wasn’t equipped with a balancer shaft, China, by LONCIN at its plant in Chongqing. the maxi-scooter and the mid-size one. a very good result. “The GS is not an overt sports bike, it’s a Motorrad engines meant the bore size and the other, rated highest for refinement, Quite apart from the design and Interestingly, the idea of producing a sport As the brief evolved, the decision was cross-tourer, so we had the opportunity was initially set at 80 mm. “We hoped which did. The objective was to achieve engineering of the vehicle itself, and GT version from a single platform taken to dial back the sporting attributes to provide a similar feeling on a scooter,” to use some carry-over parts like the the best of both and become the new the management of this remote originally came from Ricardo at the of the C400 X to retain an urban focus, explains Lotti. “The GT was a different valve train components and the piston benchmark for others to follow, so the manufacturing process was a demanding beginning of the maxi-scooter project. creating a scooter with a lighter and proposition. We wanted to create a true GT but in the end the parts were all made in decision was taken to include the shaft. task and needed careful handling, as more agile feel than the grand tourer. focusing on fuel economy, comfort, riding Urban agility and GT The approach is what the designers call position and all the attributes a true GT cruiser off one platform ‘cross-city.’ In that urban segment a true should have.” BMW C 400 X product highlights The challenge, says Massimo Lotti, is to sports scooter makes less sense because One concept introduced on the bigger use scooters based on a single platform it does not need to be uncompromisingly scooter was a Ricardo idea: the patented Two storage Flexcase for to compete against the best seller in each sporty, and it must appeal to a city-based Flexcase system, originally launched on Multifunctional instrument cluster compartments two helmets of the sports and tourer categories: “We customer. The idea was to make a vehicle the C650. The storage system can drop with 6.5-inch full-colour TFT screen were up against two different models from that felt light and agile to the touch – one down to allow a full-face helmet to be two of the world’s top manufacturers, that could easily take on the cut and thrust locked away securely while the scooter is Yamaha and Suzuki, and now Honda is in of urban traffic and allow the rider the stationary and in the normal position, and the market too,” he explains. freedom to make rapid progress through can be used for general stowage when the LED lighting technology This would be tough enough as it was, the most crowded streets. scooter is being ridden. While the Flexcase as standard Two spring struts at rear with ample but to mount that dual challenge from The feeling of agility riders get from system is not new to the market as a spring travel a single platform would be tougher still, the nimble C400 X is engineered into the whole, the BMW machines are the only particularly as the underlying chassis chassis, and the scooter is also 8 kg lighter scooters available with anything like it. and suspension design would have to than its GT sister. “That is mainly due to The main target for the chassis design deliver two distinctly different sets differences in the body parts,” explains was to create an extremely rigid engine of vehicle dynamics. By contrast, the Massimo Lambertini, who was responsible mounting and achieve the highest Telescopic fork at front competitors’ machines were designed for chassis design and development. standards of handling feel. “One of the from scratch to deliver those respective weak points of other scooter designs is attributes. But the outcome, Lotti Design cues from that the engine is completely rubber- recounts with some satisfaction, is that legendary GS BMWs mounted, so the engine and rear wheel independent reviews rate the C400 X as On both the C400 X and C400 GT, the unit is not so rigid. This is to avoid noise the best in class in the ‘Sport’ category, BMW styling department team introduced and vibration from being transmitted to Torsionally stiff the rider and passenger, but it’s not great drivetrain swing arm Rum, iusa ditiaerum for rideability,” explains Lambertini. quid mo blanis estia “It was a logical step to downsize our maxi At the front there is a 15-inch wheel culless imolupt ateture to ease the shock of urban potholes, and rferum quos et quist omniendae. Udissimus scooters, so we can attract new and different telescopic forks aim to give the best ride Efficiency-optimised enihica ectota veliquas possible. A small subframe, moulded in Chassis with rugged single-cylinder engine target groups - there is a healthy market tubularrat steelommolorrum frame etur, with CVT gearbox plastic, supports the instrument panel omnit ut fugiatendus. demand” Dr Joerg Reissing, BMW project manager and front lights. The C400s incorporate Nam ducium volupta some carry-over design features from Powerful braking system with other BMW bikes, such as the handlebar ABS as standard
18 RQ • Q2 • 2019 RQ • Q2 • 2019 19 BMW C400 series
“We took much more responsibility for the design
and development as well as helping the new than its 204 kg wet weight. The torque of 35 Nm peaks at 6000 rev/min, but supplier base to deliver components meeting there’s plenty of grunt throughout and the BMW’s stringent quality requirements”Paul compact 400 easily hits the ton with a bit more to give.” Etheridge, Ricardo head of motorcycle strategy The leading website went on to say: “thanks to a ‘vibration-decoupled engine mount’ – rubber bushings damping the BMW’s Dr. Joerg Reissing explains: “One demonstrate them in China. At that point engine vibration – the bike is remarkably of the main challenges was to ensure fast the processes were adjusted to suit the smooth, and there’s very little shake and efficient communications between all Chinese workforce. All testing is carried out through the bars and mirrors. In fact, even the parties involved, including suppliers. in China and the scooters are assembled at higher speeds you could still get a clear Considerable effort went into establishing on two production lines, the first for the view of what’s behind you.” standard processes to ensure excellent powertrain and the second for the entire Mannheimer Morgen was deeply levels of quality.” scooter, which at the end of the process is impressed with the C400’s new navigation The final result, a scooter which would ready to ride away. system, finding that the simple interface be sold in Europe as well across global didn’t distract or mislead the rider, and in markets, had to be 100 percent BMW not Excellent outcome - and a three-hour test ride around Milan was just in quality, but in look and feel too. Overall, the media agree “absolutely perfect.” the engineering team had to work within The end result was exactly as expected: a The competitively priced C400 scooters the technical capabilities of the suppliers, scooter that is well designed, well specified are now on sale, with features such as and one of the issues was the fact that and with great handling. “Our focus was automatic stability control (ASC) and ABS component volumes were being measured on typical BMW styling, market-leading as well as BMW Motorrad Connectivity in the thousands rather than the millions innovations like connectivity with a large which allows the rider to access phone, that many Chinese suppliers are used to. TFT display, and a riding experience that music and navigation via a multi-function “This is a substantial step further than is closer to a motorcycle than a scooter to controller on the handlebars. before,” explains Ricardo’s Paul Etheridge. deliver our brand-core ‘Joy’,” says Reissing. A satisfied Reissing notes that “We took much more responsibility for Like their bigger predecessors, the new “Ricardo made important contributions the design and development as well as BMW scooters have proved as popular with for the success of the project due to helping the new supplier base to deliver the world’s press as BMW hoped. “In town an comprehensive knowledge of complete components meeting BMW’s stringent excellent turning circle allows the C400 X to vehicles, the interactions between quality requirements. This alone represented easily be U-turned in a road and its light feel development and production and quick and an entire area of work, and of course it and narrowness means you can zip through flexible workflows.” went without saying that the manufacture gaps, while the riding position means your All in all, the new C400s are compelling of the final vehicle also had to meet BMW feet are always close to the ground…” said new products of which both BMW and requirements of quality and refinement.” Motor Cycle News. “The C400 X looks and Ricardo are rightly proud, marking another One of the ways this was managed feels a premium scooter…” milestone in what has proven to be a hugely was to perfect the various assembly Visor Down agreed. “The C400 X was a successful relationship between the techniques in Europe, then transfer and delight to ride – it felt agile, and far lighter two companies.
20 RQ • Q2 • 2019 Ricardo UK Ltd Shoreham Technical Centre (Head Office) Shoreham-by-Sea West Sussex BN43 5FG UK T: +44 (0)1273 455611 E: [email protected]
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