In the west of the German capital Berlin lies the neighbourhood of Spandau, where
BMW Group Plant Berlin ‘has been writing motorcycle history for decades’ and has now delivered the 4,000,000th BMW Motorrad motorcycle; a BMW R 1300 GS Adventure, it ‘encapsulates almost 60 years of motorcycle-making history in Berlin’.
The story began long before the first complete motorcycle left the plant. In 1939 BMW took over the site, which was then still a component plant. The real turning point came in 1969, when motorcycle production was relocated from Munich to Spandau, making Berlin the home of BMW motorcycles.
Key milestones in the history of the plant include: the 100,000th motorcycle in 1975; total output reaching 250,000 by 1980; passing the 1 million mark in 2001; hitting the 2 million mark in 2011 and 3 million in 2019; and now 4 million in 2026.
What started in 1969 with a team of 400 people producing about 30 bikes a day is now a high-performance operation with more than 2,600 people planning, producing, validating and dispatching bikes at the 230,000m
2 premises, which at peak capacity can produce a bike a minute — up to 900 units a day.
Driving forceIn 2024 Plant Berlin produced more than 157,000 motorcycles and electric scooters, each one manufactured entirely on site. Annual output also includes more than 3 million brake discs for cars, which the Spandau plant supplies to the BMW Group’s global production network, which means Berlin is not just the heart of BMW Motorrad, but also an important driving force in the automotive sector.
Today, Plant Berlin not only supplies motorcycles to markets around the world but also serves as the lead plant in the international production network of BMW Motorrad. It is from here that the worldwide network is coordinated, with BMW Motorrad-owned facilities in Thailand and Brazil, and contract production at sites in China and India.
Helmut Schramm, head of production at BMW Motorrad, concluded: “For almost 60 years, the dedication of our team, combined with our cutting-edge technologies, has been fundamental to the success of BMW Group Plant Berlin. It is this powerful combination that allows us to produce motorcycles of the highest technological quality. The commitment, expertise and innovative spirit of our team make us a pioneer in the industry. As our 4,000,000th motorcycle rolls off the production line, I would like to thank the entire team for their hard work and outstanding dedication.”