I have been an owner of 1993 BMW K1100RS for 25 years. I would like to use this column to talk about our sense of attachment using this model as a sample.

A psychological analysis demonstrates that the love of things has three different aspects: functional, emotional, and self-expressional. In my case, the self-expressional aspect accounts for the largest part of my affection for things. In fact, this K-model impresses me with its unique design. It is driven by an inline flat-four engine with a shaft drive, the one and only structure in the world. Its body comes with a highly original design as it is constructed with this special engine at its center. The vehicle’s coloring design is also my favorite.

BMW’s design policy features a low-center-of-gravity and maintenance-free structure. Its K-series models, which were born in the early 1980s, aimed to compete against a then dominant trend of high revving-power engines (water cooling and multicylinder) mostly employed by Japanese makers. In doing so, BMW dared not to choose a chain-driven parallel four-cylinder engine used by many makers back then. Such a spirit of independence inspires a feeling of admiration. In general, when I feel the love of things, I find myself attracted by their willingness to avoid being involved in a sweeping trend while making steady progress. We should never forget the fact that products developed with a firm base of thinking and design can turn their lack of convenience into their appeal.

Atsushi Egashira

CMFG Design Dept.

Senior Director