S1000RR gets press introduction

[UberXY]

From Visordown.com:

 

"BMW HAVE unveiled their S1000RR road bike to the world's press at the Monza World Superbike Round, today (Saturday) in Italy.

 

I was there at the press conference and my over-riding thoughts are that this is a serious contender from BMW, which, although may not yet be winning races, it has the full commitment from the BMW factory and their engineers have an overwhelming belief that this bike will lead the way in the superbike class both on the road and on the track. A bold statement.

 

The S1000RR is closer in size to an R6 and looks incredibly well finished. It's bursting with technologial innovations and features which I hope will raise the bar in the litre-superbike category.

 

According to BMW, the S1000RR has been designed for top performance, excellent rideability and throttle response, superb handling and traction, with a low weight and a compact and dynamic design.

 

BMW have spent 4 years developing this bike totally from scratch and are confident that this will be the new benchmark in road-going superbikes as well as a future race winner.

 

According to BMW, the S1000RR has the best power to weight ratio in its class (against the Fireblade etc.) with a dry weight of 183kg, and 204kg wet, it produces 194bhp @ 13,000rom at the crank. The maximum torque figure is 82lb/ft @ 9750rpm. BMW claim it features the most advanced fuel injection system available on a motorcycle today and coupled to this, it features ram air which BMW don't put a figure on, but say leads to exceptional bhp gain at high speed.

 

The S1000RR will have the option of ABS, ABS and DTC (traction control), a shift light and an immobiliser. It is also available with a quickshifter. The ABS and DTC options are also variable, the DTC has four modes; Rain, Sport, Race and Slick. In Rain mode, the power of the S1000RR is limited. The ABS is enabled on all modes except Slick and it also has 'Wheelie Protection' which is also enabled in full in all modes except Slick.

 

The wheelie protection has 'Lean Angle Detection' which means that with an angle of less than 20-degrees, the bike will still be able to wheelie for at least 5 seconds in Slick mode.

 

The ABS is developed for use on the road and the track, it was labelled as 'Race ABS' and has a total weight of just 2.5kg. It can be adjusted into different modes and can also be disabled completely.

 

The S1000RR has been extensively developed in the BMW F1 wind tunnel for maximum rider comfort and aerodynamic advantage. Small details like the holes in the screen to stop rider buffeting and the 'fins' on the bellypan to aid wind channeling are key signs that BMW have thought about the finer details.

 

The gearbox is 6-speed and the S1000RR features a slipper clutch. The front end is a fully-adjustable 46mm USD fork, the swingarm features an eccentric pivot, enabling different adjustments to raise and lower the height of the S1000RR and therefore the steering geometry. The really clever aspect of the suspension is that alll the adjustments are labelled 1 to 10, which means clicking in preload and adjusting rebound will be easier than before. The brakes are Brembo radial, with 320mm fully-floating discs.

 

The aluminium frame is welded from 4 individual castings and the engine is load baring, the rear subframe is made form aluminium tubing and the front subframe bracket is made from magnesium. The wheelbase is 1432mm which BMW say enables the rider to get maximum traction from the chassis.

 

The exhaust system features two different types of valve. The first one on the downpipes enables the gas-flow to be adjusted, giving the S1000RR additional torque in the mid-range and the second valve is located before the end-can and is there to minimise noise.

 

The bike should be available by November 2009 but will definitely be in dealers by January 2010. BMW UK have not revealed a UK price but say it will be 'competitively priced' which means it will realistically be around the £13,000 price-tag. It will come in three colours; Silver, Black and Yellow."

 

[lvnvbiker]

I want one!

[Francois_Dumas]

It is at my dealer's NOW...... at 18.000 Euros without a fairing !!! I'll gladly stick to my 1150 RT

[Bob Foley]

Does anyone see a photoshopped Honda CBR 1000 in the Visordown pic?

[AZKomet]

Does anyone see a photoshopped Honda CBR 1000 in the Visordown pic?

 

Exactly, and not to hijack or create a firestorm about Japanese and german but the fact is that BMW has turned their machines into copies. The engines, turns signal controls the brake/clutch resevoirs and even chains are a disturbing trend to me.

 

But hey....it is still a BMW right???

[OoPEZoO]

But hey....it is still a BMW right???

 

Don't worry, I'm sure there are still plenty of bits and pieces that can fail and leave you in the middle of nowhere

[Lmar]

Sounds like an incredible bike that could get a person in some serious trouble very quickly.

 

Anyone know the list price in Canada & the US?

[fourteenfour]

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/10/officially-official-bmw-unleashes-all-the-details-on-s-1000-rr/1#c18754405

 

 

They have a video link

[AZKomet]

But hey....it is still a BMW right???

 

Don't worry, I'm sure there are still plenty of bits and pieces that can fail and leave you in the middle of nowhere

 

 

 

 

 

[UberXY]

Does anyone see a photoshopped Honda CBR 1000 in the Visordown pic?

 

Exactly, and not to hijack or create a firestorm about Japanese and german but the fact is that BMW has turned their machines into copies. The engines, turns signal controls the brake/clutch resevoirs and even chains are a disturbing trend to me.

 

There is a lot of interesting technology on this bike that the Japanese will copy.

[RPG]

the fact it's a BMW has me interested. the fact it looks like every other Japanese sportbike out there has me shaking my head in disbelief.

 

I'll stick with my RT.

 

RG

[sgendler]

The really clever aspect of the suspension is that alll the adjustments are labelled 1 to 10, which means clicking in preload and adjusting rebound will be easier than before.

 

Quite a breakthrough - labels!

[OoPEZoO]

the fact it's a BMW has me interested. the fact it looks like every other Japanese sportbike out there has me shaking my head in disbelief.

 

I'll stick with my RT.

 

RG

 

I think thats what they are hoping for. They don't want YOU to want one......they want your kids to want one. They are looking for market share in an untapped area for them. If I was in the market for another crotch rocket, and was dumb enough to buy brand new, I would consider it. I mean a Japanese litre crotch rocket is ~$13k brand new with mostly crap dealers and a shatty warranty......if the BMW is going to be somewhat competitively priced (say $15K), plus you can get decent dealer support and a real warranty. Doesn't sound that awefull to me. Besides, you know its going to handle awesome.

[jakfrost]

This video is also interesting to watch, quite well done, no 'shopping' here, as far as I can tell anyway. Looks pretty legitimate.

 

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/05/bmw_s_1000rr/

 

Jim

[RPG]

good point Keith, didn't look at it from that perspective. Was just hoping for a little different look as BMW rarely follows the field. In terms of design anyways. (IMHO)

 

Since I'm on the fence about selling all my bikes and doing Track Days only, (sick of hearing about all the fatalities lately), maybe it's something I should be interested in.

 

RPG

[OoPEZoO]

good point Keith, didn't look at it from that perspective. Was just hoping for a little different look as BMW rarely follows the field. In terms of design anyways. (IMHO)

 

Since I'm on the fence about selling all my bikes and doing Track Days only, (sick of hearing about all the fatalities lately), maybe it's something I should be interested in.

 

RPG

 

I was hoping for something a little more radical as well, but then again......they are building it to be competative in a certain nitche racing series. I'm sure there was only "so much" they could do and stay within the rules. Then again, I'm sure they will come out with some new exciting technology that will give them an advantage, then the governing body will squash it with new rules to keep it competative. If nothing else, some of the neat little toys they discover will eventually trickle down to the other bikes.

 

Either that or just more complicated crap to leave you sitting in the middle of the desert waiting on that excellent roadside assistance and warranty work to begin

[baggerchris]

Boy, it has a really high red line, but Oooh, those fugly headlights! 195 ponies and 82 pounds of torque? Wow. I see one of these things in my rear view, I'm pullin over. Did I say how ugly the headlights are? You sure won't mistake one though.

[philbytx]

I'm with Keith...IMHO, all that technology is simply more electrickery crap to go wrong and to seriously drain your wallet!

 

To say I am leary of the longevity of BMW electrickery is an understatement? I just keep thinking of HES problems ????

 

AND I AM NOT A LUDDITE !!!!!

 

 

 

[russell_bynum]

the fact it's a BMW has me interested. the fact it looks like every other Japanese sportbike out there has me shaking my head in disbelief.

 

I'll stick with my RT.

 

RG

 

I think thats what they are hoping for. They don't want YOU to want one......they want your kids to want one. They are looking for market share in an untapped area for them. If I was in the market for another crotch rocket, and was dumb enough to buy brand new, I would consider it. I mean a Japanese litre crotch rocket is ~$13k brand new with mostly crap dealers and a shatty warranty......if the BMW is going to be somewhat competitively priced (say $15K), plus you can get decent dealer support and a real warranty. Doesn't sound that awefull to me. Besides, you know its going to handle awesome.

 

Yep.

 

The purpose of this bike is to win World Superbike races.

 

I'm sure they don't give a rip that people aren't interested in giving up their RT for one of these. They're going for the folks who are buying 1098's and such.

[Tony_K]

They're going for the folks who are buying 1098's and such.

 

And they wont get them!

[Heck]

So when is it available in the US??

(Dont show this to Phil.....the 1300GT would be on the auction block soon.....)

[OoPEZoO]

Don't quote me on this, but I think I read something about it being in dealers sometime in Nov '09

[CoarsegoldKid]

Don't quote me on this, but I think I read something about it being in dealers sometime in Nov '09

Sorry I couldn't resist.

 

The way I see it is that BMW needs a superbike to develop goodies for the rest of us. Winning in WSBK will be hard to do but it will sell bikes. Yes, the 1000RR will have techno this and that but that's progress. Without development of techno stuff we would be riding around on underpowered 2009 airheads with point ignition, Bing carbs and centripetal air filters as nice as they seemed to be(I never owned one) back in the day.

 

BMW did not aim the 1000RR in my old fart guy direction so I will not own one. I don't need 180 horses to lead a pack of retired rednecks to the picnic tables. It doesn't suit my riding needs. A R1200S would fill the bill for the times when my RT is just too much weight to lug around. Throw in some new tech, that would be fine. Oh! they don't make the S anymore and the HP version is 2x more than it should cost. Speaking of money I would think the 1000RR with all that new wizardry has got to cost way more than the bikes with which it wants to compete.

[OoPEZoO]

I'll let it slide this time

[dduelin]

The product life cycle in the liter class is two years. By the time these are widely available in 2010 at a premium of 30% over a Japan Inc. bike it won't be the top of class which historically is the sales leader. Nobody that turns a literbike over every 12-18 months for another one gives a crap about maintenance and dealer support. It's lucky to get an oil change and a second set of tires.

 

So who will buy the S1000RR? It won't be the young sport bike buyer that wants the latest, fastest, quickest, best handling bike because it will be nearly two years old in a class that turns over very quickly. It's got mechanical pulsed ABS when the Japs will all have fly-by-wire digitally controlled linked ABS that debuted this year on the CBR1000RR. Traction control? That's so 2008. Switchable power modes? That's so 2007. Will BMW's educated middle-aged demographic plunk down 13-15K for a bike that sticks your butt up in the air with your heels tucked under your thighs and goes 185 mph but isn't comfortable for more than an hour or two? Good luck with that. This class consumes a ton of money in R & D to stay ahead. I can't believe the Motorrad is busy engineering the 2011 model when this one isn't in the marketplace yet.

[rkd]

if the BMW is going to be somewhat competitively priced (say $15K)

 

Has BMW announced the price yet? Based on BMW's past price "performance", I'd guess this bike will be priced (with the option set most dealers would order) past 18k.

 

And they won't sell many.

 

As usual.

 

 

[russell_bynum]

The product life cycle in the liter class is two years. By the time these are widely available in 2010 at a premium of 30% over a Japan Inc. bike it won't be the top of class which historically is the sales leader. Nobody that turns a literbike over every 12-18 months for another one gives a crap about maintenance and dealer support. It's lucky to get an oil change and a second set of tires.

 

So who will buy the S1000RR? It won't be the young sport bike buyer that wants the latest, fastest, quickest, best handling bike because it will be nearly two years old in a class that turns over very quickly. It's got mechanical pulsed ABS when the Japs will all have fly-by-wire digitally controlled linked ABS that debuted this year on the CBR1000RR. Traction control? That's so 2008. Switchable power modes? That's so 2007. Will BMW's educated middle-aged demographic plunk down 13-15K for a bike that sticks your butt up in the air with your heels tucked under your thighs and goes 185 mph but isn't comfortable for more than an hour or two? Good luck with that. This class consumes a ton of money in R & D to stay ahead. I can't believe the Motorrad is busy engineering the 2011 model when this one isn't in the marketplace yet.

 

Wrong demographic. Don't think about the kid in the flip flops and the tank top with the $800 racer replica helmet riding a CBR/GSXR/etc. Don't think of the old fart in the Roadcrafter on an RT.

 

Think about the guys buying 1098's and Mille's.

 

That's the price range and the demographic, and by all accounts, BMW has it pretty well nailed.

[dduelin]

The product life cycle in the liter class is two years. By the time these are widely available in 2010 at a premium of 30% over a Japan Inc. bike it won't be the top of class which historically is the sales leader. Nobody that turns a literbike over every 12-18 months for another one gives a crap about maintenance and dealer support. It's lucky to get an oil change and a second set of tires.

 

So who will buy the S1000RR? It won't be the young sport bike buyer that wants the latest, fastest, quickest, best handling bike because it will be nearly two years old in a class that turns over very quickly. It's got mechanical pulsed ABS when the Japs will all have fly-by-wire digitally controlled linked ABS that debuted this year on the CBR1000RR. Traction control? That's so 2008. Switchable power modes? That's so 2007. Will BMW's educated middle-aged demographic plunk down 13-15K for a bike that sticks your butt up in the air with your heels tucked under your thighs and goes 185 mph but isn't comfortable for more than an hour or two? Good luck with that. This class consumes a ton of money in R & D to stay ahead. I can't believe the Motorrad is busy engineering the 2011 model when this one isn't in the marketplace yet.

 

Wrong demographic. Don't think about the kid in the flip flops and the tank top with the $800 racer replica helmet riding a CBR/GSXR/etc. Don't think of the old fart in the Roadcrafter on an RT.

 

Think about the guys buying 1098's and Mille's.

 

That's the price range and the demographic, and by all accounts, BMW has it pretty well nailed.

Well, that's a huge market isn't it? Ducati has less market share in the USA than BMW's 1% or so and poor Piaggo is closing dealers across the country since gas fell and the bottom dropped out of the $6,000 scooter market.