page_title: BMW Motorrad
section_title: Paralever
hierarchical_section_title: BMW Motorrad / Technologies / Rear suspension / Paralever
caption_attribution_description: BMW R1200GS gearbox and paralever suspension / final drive. Note the hole through the final drive in the rear wheel.
context_page_description: BMW Motorrad is the motorcycle brand of the German company BMW, part of its Corporate and Brand Development division. It has produced motorcycles since 1923, and achieved record sales for the fifth year in succession in 2015. With a total of 136,963 vehicles sold in 2015, BMW registered a growth of 10.9% in sales in comparison with 2014.
  In May 2011, the 2,000,000th motorcycle produced by BMW Motorrad was an R1200GS.
context_section_description: Paralever is a further advance in BMW's single-sided rear suspension technology (photo right). It decouples torque reaction as the suspension compresses and extends, avoiding the tendency to squat or rise under acceleration and reducing tyre chatter on the road surface. It was introduced in 1988 R 80 GS and R 100 GS motorcycles. 
  In 2005, along with the introduction of the "hexhead", BMW inverted the Paralever and moved the torque arm from the bottom to the top of the drive shaft housing (photo right). This reduces underhang of components and tends to increase ground clearance in right lean.
  The term "Paralever" is a portmanteau word from "Parallelogram" and "Lever".  The "lever is the swinging arm; and the "parallelogram" is the shape between the four elements of the rear suspension (rear drive, drive shaft, transmission, and lower or upper brace). Other motorcycle manufacturers have patented similar designs, including Arturo Magni for MV Agusta and Magni-Moto Guzzi machines, and Moto Guzzi's Compact Reactive Shaft Drive.
caption: Revised, inverted Paralever on a R1200GS
exif: {"Image ImageDescription": "KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA", "Image Make": "KONICA MINOLTA", "Image Model": "DiMAGE Z10", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "DiMAGE Z10 Ver1.00", "Image DateTime": "2006:05:07 12:22:43", "Image ExifOffset": "250", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/500", "EXIF FNumber": "24/5", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Program Normal", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "64", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0220", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2006:05:07 12:22:43", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2006:05:07 12:22:43", "EXIF CompressedBitsPerPixel": "4", "EXIF BrightnessValue": "87/10", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MaxApertureValue": "67/20", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF LightSource": "Unknown", "EXIF Flash": "Flash did not fire, auto mode", "EXIF FocalLength": "37/5", "EXIF SubjectArea": "0", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "760", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "447", "EXIF CustomRendered": "Normal", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Auto", "EXIF DigitalZoomRatio": "0", "EXIF FocalLengthIn35mmFilm": "44", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "EXIF GainControl": "None", "EXIF Contrast": "Normal", "EXIF Saturation": "Normal", "EXIF Sharpness": "Normal", "EXIF SubjectDistanceRange": "3"}