BMW superbike rivals best in class

Dec 16 2009 Harriet Ridley

BMW has done it. Or at least, it seems so.

The Bavarian manufacturer appears to have created a 1,000cc superbike to rival the best in class, including Yamaha's mighty YZF-R1 and Aprilia's fierce RSV-4R.

No one really believed the S1000RR would be a class-leading contender in its first year of production. After all this is BMW's first serious attempt at creating a true World Superbike racer with production credentials. But the recent launch at Portugal's Portimao circuit left the assembled press gobsmacked.

To top it all off, the power of BMW's S1000RR has since been independently measured on a dyno following the arrival of the first BMW press bikes in the UK. BMW's S1000RR belts out a true 188bhp at the back wheel. That's by far the best power output in the class - and even more than a Suzuki Hayabusa.

Ever since Portimao the worldwide press has been raving about the S1000RR's superb handling, and the staggering performance of its 1000cc inline-four cylinder engine that snarls into life, revs to stratospheric heights yet delivers so much low-down torque.

BMW claims its new production superbike has the best power-to-weight ratio in the class, and it's immediately apparent from the bike's awesome acceleration. Journalists returned from Portugal convinced the S1000RR is faster than Suzuki's GSX-R1000, and at least as fast as the R1 and RSV-4R.

Power on the BMW is staggering. Yet what really amazed at the launch is how easy all that power and torque are to manage, starting with the incredibly smooth fuel injection. It makes throttle control child's play, putting all that performance well under the rider's control.

And it's not just in the engine department that the S1000RR rocks. The S1000RR's handling couldn't be faulted even on one of the world's most tortuous and demanding racetracks. It's super-sharp and goes exactly where you want it, holding a tight line as you wind on the power at corner exits.

BMW's state-of-the-art traction control comes as an option on the S1000RR and works in conjunction with the Racing ABS. The latter works superbly with the Brembo/Nissin radial brake set-up whose performance shines even in a class renowned for great brakes.

BMW also offers its own quickshifter for the S1000RR as an optional extra. You can buy the ABS system for £785 and the quickshifter separately, but the traction control has to run with the Racing ABS and that's £1,199 for both.

These aren't the only power aids that make the seriously powerful BMW a safe bike to ride fast. The S1000RR also gets riding modes with four manually selected choices. 'Rain' mode caps power to 150bhp, reduces torque output and smoothes throttle response.

Then there's 'Sport' for dry road use; 'Race' for use with treaded race tyres at a track day, and 'Slick' for use with slick racing tyres. These final three modes all deliver the full 188bhp and torque output, but throttle response becomes progressively more direct.

If you go for the Racing ABS and traction control, then the power modes affect these too in varying degrees to offer the best set-up for any given situation. BMW hasn't fitted its excellent ESA II electronic suspension to the S1000RR. However it has made changing the suspension settings easier than ever by using numbers from one to 10 and colour-codes, even making it possible to use the ignition key to change the settings.

As for looks, well they're certainly different. At a glance the S1000RR could be mistaken for Aprilia's RSV-4R with a BMW paintjob. It looks tiny and shares a similar silhouette. But up close and personal you immediately notice the unusual asymmetrical headlights.

The nuts and bolts and the finish of some parts such as the footrests look very industrial, almost car-like in their production. They lack the refined attention to detail of, say, the Aprilia RSV-4R where every detail looks lovingly crafted out of an Italian passion for motorcycles. I guess it's down to that German efficiency.

The standard S1000RR will cost £10,950. This compares to the Yamaha R1's current £11,120 price tag, and the GSX-R1000's £9921. The S1000RR Sport version comes with quickshifter, traction control and Race ABS as standard for £12,235.

BMW's S1000RR is the German company's first venture into modern superbike territory. And what a superb effort it is.

FAST FACTS

BMW S1000RR

Engine: 999cc liquid-cooled, 16v dohc in-line four-cylinder four-stroke, fuel injection

Power: 188bhp

Torque: 83lb/ft

Transmission: chain final drive, six gears

Frame: Dual beam aluminium

Suspension: Sachs front and rear, fully adjustable

Brakes: (F) 2 x 320mm disc with Brembo 4-piston radial calipers (R) 220mm disc, 2-piston calliper

Tyres: (F) 120/70 x 17 (R) 190/55 x 17

Weight: 204kg

Seat height: 820mm

Fuel capacity: 17.5 litres