Alexander Buckan – author of the new GS – is the new Director of Design at BMW Motorrad

From January 1, 2024, there will be a change at BMW Motorrad and this concerns the design center. After no less than thirty-five years in the company, Edgar Heinrich will retire and pass the design department leadership to Alexander Buckan, who will now be responsible for the design of all two-wheeled vehicles, equipment, and accessories of the BMW Group. Edgar Heinrich has been the design director of BMW Motorrad since 2012 and Buckan has been by his side all these years. ” We are pleased to introduce our experienced colleague and motorcycle enthusiast Alexander Buckan as the new design director of BMW Motorrad,” said Markus Schramm, director of BMW Motorrad. “Alexander has already contributed a lot to the design of our motorcycles as director of our design team, which makes him the ideal choice to lead and give new impetus to the design of BMW Motorrad,” added Adrian van Hooydonk, director of BMW Group Design.

The press office of BMW Motorrad describes Alexander Buckan as a long-time employee – and therefore deeply familiar with the values and goals of BMW – and a motorcycle enthusiast. Buckan began his career at BMW Motorrad as a transportation designer in 2003. Since then, he has been responsible for many different models, including the BMW F 800 GS, BMW G 450 X, BMW R 1200 GS LC, and BMW R 1200 GS Adventure LC. In April 2015, Buckan was promoted to head of BMW Motorrad Vehicle Design.

As head of design, he worked with Edgar Heinrich on the design of the BMW Motorrad VISION NEXT 100. The design of the BMW CE 04 and BMW CE 02 electric scooters was also Buckan’s responsibility, as well as the design of the new BMW R 1300 GS, which will make its world debut on September 28, 2023, at the BMW Motorrad Welt in Berlin.

Edgar Heinrich began his career at BMW Motorrad in 1985 and was appointed Senior Designer in 1992. In 2005, he was appointed Director of Vehicle Design at BMW Motorrad and, seven years later, he assumed overall responsibility as Director of Design at BMW Motorrad. 

During this time, Heinrich shaped the brand’s design language and developed bikes that became benchmarks in their segments. Models like the sporty boxer BMW R 1100 S, the naked model BMW K 1200 R, and the iconic touring enduro, the BMW R 1200 GS, were all created under his leadership. Heinrich was also involved in the development of HP models, rally bikes, electric scooters, and revolutionary designs.

The change seems like a natural step towards continuity between two designers who have worked together for a long time. We wish Buckan good luck and Heinrich a happy retirement.