BMW S1000RR - specs and tech - Washington DC DC

Ruben Xaus' BMW S1000RR.

As motorcyclists, we're used to the hype that surrounds the launch of any new platform. In DC especially, we're inundated with claims from all walks of life that may or may not hold true in the long run.

What is BMW claiming for their new superbike, the S1000RR? How does the S1000RR stack up against its World Superbike competition? Most importantly - how does the S1000RR stack up against the street versions of other manufacturers' superbikes?

BMW ups the superbike ante right out of the gate by claiming the 999cc S1000RR engine provides 193 horsepower at 13,000 rpm. They claim a max torque value of 83 lb-ft at just 9,750 rpm. To top it off, they claim the S1000RR manages both of these stats while maintaining a full wet weight of 450 lbs (dry: just over 403 lbs).

The very oversquare cylinders (80mm bore x 49.7mm stroke) create a hefty 13:1 compression ratio that, of course, will run best on race fuel. For regular riders, plan on heightened fuel costs with 93 octane gas at all times. Top-notch fuel injection, complete with 48mm throttle bodies should keep fuel efficiency as high as possible for an engine of this type.

BMW's competition in the liter-class sportbike arena is familiar. The Japanese Big 4, all with inline 4 engines like the S1000RR, are the Honda CBR1000RR, Kawasaki ZX10R, Suzuki GSXR1000, and Yamaha YZF-R1. The Ducati 1098R is an L-twin and Aprilia's RSV4 is a V-4.

Typical specs among these superbikes range from the barely oversquare Aprilia, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha (all in the roughly 76 x 55 range) to the highly oversquare Ducati, which runs 106mm pistons through a stroke of 67.9mm. The 1098R is only a 2-cylinder bike, so it can do that. Honda comes in with the lowest compression ratio of 12.3:1, with the Kawasaki matching BMW at 13:1.

It's the horsepower and torque curves that show an even more muted difference on the street. While the race versions of these bikes no doubt surpass 200 hp at the crank, the street bike versions are still pretty impressive, with all of them claiming right around 180 hp at the crank at very high (11,500 to 12,500) rpm. Ducati claims 99 lb-ft of torque at 7,750 rpm for their 1098R, but that's to be expected from their L-twin engine; all the rest of the bikes claim torque values in the mid-80s at 9,000 or 10,000 rpm.

Honda is the exception in the hp-and-torque value wars. They not only use hp on the pavement (rather than at the crank), but torque in real-world conditions as well. The CBR1000RR puts down 157 hp to the pavement at 12,000 rpm and maxes out at 76 lb-ft of torque at 9,000 rpm. Honda provides a wet weight of 439 lbs - about the middle of the range for these bikes. Most of the other manufacturers do not provide wet weights, only dry weights, which are always suspect.

BMW provides a pile of technological WOW! on the new S1000RR, much of which derives from their experiences in Formula 1 auto racing. The four valves in each cylinder are made of titanium and use tiny (short, small, light, and fast) cam followers to produce max power at high rpm. The 4-2-1 exhaust system works with the engine's computer to shift exhaust between two separate manifolds, effectively controlling back pressure to maximize power at all throttle openings.

The street version of the S1000RR includes a riding mode system, allowing the rider to select between Rain, Sport, Race, and Slick modes for optimum control and feel interaction between rider and motorcycle. Rain Mode, for instance, reduces max hp to 150 to help the rider prevent spinouts on damp pavement. Sport and Race Modes allow the S1000RR owner to go from garage to twisties to track with street tires. Slick Mode provides the club racer with a track option for using racing slicks.

It wouldn't be a BMW without anti-lock brakes, and the S1000RR sports BMW's newest and most high-tech ABS system, called Race ABS. BMW claims the ABS is fully integrated with the riding Modes, providing effective anti-lock performance at any speed and under any conditions.

These riding modes, combined with ABS and the DTC or Dynamic Traction Control, provide a measure of mechanical backup when a rider's skills might not be up to a particular challenge encountered on the road or the track. BMW reminds the riders, however, that all these technological advances won't prevent a rider from misjudging road conditions or making a mistake that could lead to a collision or single-vehicle wreck.

Perhaps the biggest - and, in BMW circles, the most controversial - aspect of the S1000RR is its traditional turn signal switch configuration. That is, the S1000RR has a traditional Japanese-style turn signal slider with push-to-cancel on the left hand control cluster. This is a departure from BMWs history of having a signal on button on both control clusters with the push-to-cancel button on the right hand control cluster. Given that the Mode selector is on the right cluster, this makes sense ergonomically speaking, but BMW riders are reluctant to accept these kinds of fundamental changes.

All things considered, however, the S1000RR isn't really targeted at the stereotypical BMW rider. With full bodywork, stacked, asymmetric headlights, a traditional inline four engine, a wet clutch, and 193 hp at the crank, the S1000RR is aimed at an entire generation of riders who may not know - until now - that BMW even makes motorcycles.

I know that I, for one, cannot wait to get my hands and feet on one of these for a test ride. That, perhaps, is the most beautiful thing of all - BMW dealers allow test rides. Try that at a dealer that carries the Big 4.

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