BMW has used the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to unveil a new concept version of the K1600 GTL fitted with laser headlights derived from those in its range-topping cars.
Laser headlights are already an established technology, proved to be effective and used in some 7 Series BMWs and the firm’s i8 hybrid sports car, but this is the first effort to fit them to a motorcycle. BMW describes this as a feasibility study – effectively testing whether the lights can be made to fit on a motorcycle and whether they will work well on a bike – and believes that there’s still a significant wait before they’ll be ready to appear in a production machine.
The problem isn’t so much the technology itself, since it’s already been developed and works well, but the cost. At the moment, it’s simply too expensive to use on motorcycles, but BMW believes that prices will fall as the system becomes more widely used on its cars.
As a result the official line is that laser-lit motorcycles can be envisioned in its range in the medium-term future.
Why should we want laser headlights? Simply put, because they’re better than other technologies at the moment. BMW says that the high-beam range is around 600 metres; twice that of conventional headlights. Lasers also offer a longer service life than other technologies and are maintenance free and robust.
