High-tech from the capital: BMW Group Plant Berlin has been making motorcycles for the global market for almost 60 years. Fundamental to its success, the highly committed team and state-of-the-art technologies have made it a symbol of innovation, digitalisation and the highest standards in production. Now, BMW Motorrad is celebrating Plant Berlin’s 4,000,000th motorcycle. As sheer precision meets the spirit of Berlin, we look at the milestones along the way. A glimpse behind the factory gates.
Company
14.04.2026
6 MIN
4,000,000 BMW Motorrd motorcycles:
How Plant Berlin has helped shape the success of the BMW brand.
Ever evolving for almost 60 years:
4,000,000 stories.
In the west of the German capital lies the neighbourhood of Spandau, a place better known for its old-world charm and for being the last station on the underground line than for its cutting-edge technology. Yet, this is precisely where BMW Group Plant Berlin has been writing motorcycle history for decades. Rooted in a long heritage, the plant has now delivered the 4,000,000th BMW Motorrad motorcycle built in Berlin. The BMW R 1300 GS Adventure rolled off the production line in just a few moments – but it encapsulates almost 60 years of motorcycle-making history.
It all began long before the first complete motorcycle left the plant. In 1939 BMW took over the site, which was still a component plant at the time. But 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 are as follows: in 1975, the 100,000th motorcycle rolled off the production line; by 1980, total output had reached 250,000; in 2001, BMW Motorrad passed the one-million mark; and 2011 and 2019, the two- and three-millionth bikes left the halls. Now, in 2026, the spotlight is on Berlin’s 4,000,000 motorcycle, the milestone BMW R 1300 GS Adventure.
Danijela Rakic, member of the works council at BMW Group Plant Berlin, summed up the situation with the words:
To me, four million motorcycles mean four million stories, each shaped by teamwork, passion and innovation, and riding on the spirit of Berlin.
Delivering a bike a minute.
What started in 1969 with a team of 400 people producing about 30 bikes a day is now a high-performance operation. Today, more than 2,600 people work at the plant, planning, producing, validating and dispatching bikes at the 230,000-square-metre premises. At peak capacity, production reaches a bike a minute – up to 900 units a day.
In 2024 Plant Berlin produced more than 157,000 motorcycles and electric scooters, each one manufactured entirely on site. Annual output also includes more than 3,000,000 brake discs for cars, which the Spandau plant supplies to the BMW Group’s global production network. Berlin, then, is not just the heart of BMW Motorrad, but also an important driving force in the automotive sector.
Christine Kaufmann, from Recruiting, has been part of this development for many years:
I remember when we were producing about 20,000 bikes a year. These days, output is almost ten times higher – and I am incredibly proud to be a part of that journey.
Diversity of the model range puts production to the test.
Nowadays 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.
Here, diversity is key. Plant Berlin produces around 30 models for the Sport, Tour, Roadster, Heritage, Adventure and Urban Mobility segments – available in more than 40 colours and with over 300 different equipment packages. For customers, this translates into real choice. For production it means managing maximum complexity while delivering top quality with absolute reliability.
Christoph Mühlberg, Head of Complete Vehicle at BMW Group Plant Berlin, describes the significance of the site:
I’m a Berliner through and through, so our plant holds a very special place in my heart. The fact that we can supply the world market with millions of motorcycles is just amazing.
High-tech production in signature Berlin style.
Visit the plant, and what you see is a fully connected factory, with digitally planned processes, automated logistics, cutting-edge assembly stations, test rigs and high-precision machining centres. And yet, motorcycle production remains fundamentally rooted in human experience, be it in the joining of components, final inspections or the meticulous feel for detail.
For the BMW Group, then, Plant Berlin is more than just a production facility: it is a laboratory for testing new production technologies and transferring them into series production. From rider assistance systems and electronic chassis to connected onboard electronics and efficient drives – much of what’s state-of-the-art out on the roads today was manufactured right here, on these very production lines.
Helmut Schramm, Head of Production at BMW Motorrad:
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.
Plant, brand and community – all in one place.
Since 2023 Spandau has gained a new attraction right next to the production plant: BMW Motorrad Welt. Covering approximately 1,000 square metres, the space invites visitors to experience the brand and its products. Guests can also watch motorcycle production in action, attend events and connect with the BMW Motorrad community. BMW Motorrad Welt opens the plant to the general public, serving as both a showcase and a meeting place.
BMW Group Plant Berlin is a heavyweight for the city and the surrounding region, providing skilled employment, training opportunities, industrial value creation and technical expertise. Located in a city that is more often associated with politics, startups and culture, Spandau stands for something more: modern, visible industry that is shaping tomorrow’s mobility.
Or, as works councillor Danijela Rakic puts it: 4,000,000 motorcycles that stand for 4,000,000 stories. The next story is already being written at Plant Berlin in Spandau, and will soon be ready to ride, powered by the spirit of Berlin.
