The BMW Motorcycle That’s Worth Saving Up For
It often happens that you want to buy a motorcycle for the upcoming riding season, but it’s just out of your budget. In that case, most of us compare it to its rivals and end up picking an alternative that’s just as good but in our budget. That obviously changes when you come across a motorcycle that’s simply too good to pass up.
BMW Motorrad offers various such models that will have you take the latter route of waiting it out. Think BMW M 1000 XR, R 1300 GS, or R 12 nineT. Yet none of these Beemers will make you wait as much as one sports bike that is so good, it diminishes every other rival. It’s not the most powerful or the fanciest, but it strikes a balance that’s so good, you’d be willing to wait until you can get it.
BMW Motorcycles Are Known For Many Things But Not Affordability
BMW Motorrad is known for producing some of the best motorcycles in various segments. Its legendary GS lineup dominates the adventure bike segment, particularly the full-size class with the R 1300 GS. Similarly, BMW’s S 1000 RR is often regarded as being the best liter-class package in the class. The same is the case with its retro models, like the R 12 nineT or the heritage-inspired R 18 cruiser.
BMW earns this reputation due to various things. The company focuses on offering a premium riding experience with specialized underpinnings, unique engine platforms that offer appropriate performance, and the use of top-shelf materials and electronics. All of that comes at a cost, though. While most Beemers may seem cheap at first, they can get very expensive very fast.
That’s why many motorcyclists may appreciate what Beemers have to offer but end up going for the rivals. Rivals, especially from the Japanese Big Four, simply offer better value for money and easier ownership. But the bike in question today will have to forget all of that for the package and downright badass styling that it offers. We’re talking about BMW’s flagship sports bike, the M 1000 RR, which builds on the already awesome S 1000 RR with a full M treatment.
The Most Expensive New BMW Motorcycle You Can Buy Today
BMW’s race-tastic M 1000 RR hits your wallet the hardest for superbike performance
The BMW M 1000 RR Is Worth Saving Up For
The M 1000 RR is one of the best sports bikes money can buy, made special for the kind of performance it offers. Based on the BMW S 1000 RR with a full M treatment, the M 1000 RR takes a perfect superbike formula and somehow makes it even better. The bike sets a benchmark in every corner, literally and figuratively, and is often found in the first place at the WorldSBK, FIM Superbike Championship, and FIM Endurance World Championship.
Bridges The Gap Between Race Prototypes And Superbikes
The BMW M 1000 RR bridges the gap between race prototypes and superbikes with its performance. It packs a hair-raising inline-four engine pumping out 205 horsepower, supported by top-drawer underpinnings and every bit of electric gizmo you can think of. It’s paired with wild aerodynamics that help it achieve a top speed of 189 miles per hour. The Gentlemen’s Agreement does not apply here! BMW says this is a superbike homologated for racing, and it’s easy to see why.
Starting At $35,395
The BMW M 1000 RR starts at $35,395; this base price sits nearly $15k above the standard S 1000 RR. It’s also cheaper than its arch-rival, the Ducati Panigale V4 S, which starts at $37,695. As you’d expect, its other close rivals, the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP ($28,999) and the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR ($29,999) undercut it, although the difference isn’t huge. Unlike its rivals, however, this Beemer offers extreme aerodynamic downforce and premium carbon fiber components straight from the factory.
Don’t let its $35k base price fool you, though; it’s just the tip of the iceberg. BMW offers several packs that are a must if you’re serious about racing on circuits. These packs easily raise the price well beyond the $40k mark. Still, it’s worth the money if you want the ultimate collector and track piece with specialized aero, extensive carbon fiber, and the prestige of the M badge. You might as well wait a couple of months to save up for it.
Over 205 Horsepower And A High Rev Ceiling
Powering the M 1000 RR is an inline-four engine that is cranked to produce more power than ever while being much lighter than its predecessors. The engine has also proven itself in the WorldSBK, so it’s not just winning spec sheet battles. This 999cc engine produces 205 horsepower at 13,000 RPM and 83 pound-feet of torque at 11,100 RPM, with a rev ceiling of a wild 15,100 RPM. As a result, it can take the bike to 189 miles per hour, which is faster than most motorcyclists will ever need.
Fancy Bits All Around
BMW has managed to squeeze out such performance from the engine thanks to ShiftCam variable intake camshaft control, which uses varying valve timing and valve lift in order to deliver more stroke at low engine speeds. The engine also uses specialized, lightweight bits all around, including CNC-machined intake ports, optimized camshafts, Pankl titanium connecting rods, and titanium valves. These lightweight bits help save around 12 ounces compared to the S 1000 RR’s inline-four engine.
Mated To High-End Components
The bike also uses an M Quick-Action Throttle with a 58-degree rotation angle. Meanwhile, power is sent to the rear wheel via a constant-mesh 6-speed gearbox with straight-cut gears. BMW Shift Assist Pro makes gearshifts fast without actuating the clutch, and you can easily reverse the gearshift pattern for racing. Finally, the engine screams through a weight-optimized full titanium exhaust system that saves 8 pounds while improving handling and performance.
The Overlooked BMW Touring Bike That Still Deserves Your Money
With competition at an all-time high, this middleweight XR flies under the radar, while offering a likable balance of all necessary requirements.
Underpinnings And Design That Support The Bonkers Performance
Everything else on the motorcycle is designed to help the bike go faster without losing stability. Starting with the chassis, the bike uses an aluminum bridge frame with a load-bearing engine. It’s held up by a fully adjustable suspension, comprising a 45 mm upside-down fork and central spring strut with Full Floater Pro kinematics. There are also M Carbon wheels, which reduce rotational mass. BMW says this package is designed for the best possible feel and feedback from the front and rear wheels and pinpoint accuracy for the track.
Intense Deceleration From Powerful Brakes
For a bike that goes as fast as this one, it also needs powerful brakes to shed speed. The M 1000 RR doesn’t disappoint here, either. The M brake system here is developed in collaboration with BMW Motorsport experts, and BMW says it offers impressive stopping power. It features dual 320 mm rotors up front with a 4-piston caliper and a single 220 mm rotor at the back with a 2-piston caliper. The brakes also feature M Brake Ducts that direct cooling air to the caliper, ensuring a high level of precision. BMW claims these ducts cool the caliper by 10 degrees when racing.
Wild Aero With Carbon Fiber Bits All Around
The BMW M 1000 RR is a sight to behold, as it focuses its form on pure function. The front end with a tall windscreen is designed to slice through the air while relieving strain on the rider at high speeds. It also features extensive M Winglets Evolution 3.0, which can generate up to 66 pounds of downforce, depending on speed. Finally, the bike makes extensive use of carbon fiber all around, which keeps its weight at just 428 pounds fully fueled. Few bikes take aerodynamics and weight savings as seriously as the M 1000 RR.
All The Tech You’d Ever Need
The M 1000 RR also features a laundry list of electronics, starting with 7 riding modes that include Rain, Road, Dynamic, Race, Race Pro 1, Race Pro 2, and Race Pro 3. It also gets ABS Pro, Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), engine drag torque control, wheelie control, slide control, and automatic Hill Start Support (HSC) Pro. Meanwhile, Launch Control ensures perfect starts, and Pit Lane Limiter tones the engine down for pit lanes.
The bike also features a unique steering angle sensor located in the steering head area. This sensor enables DTC to allow the Slide Control Function, while adding the Brake Slide Assist function to ABS Pro. Other features include a 6.5-inch TFT display that should make everything easy to read, along with an M Lightweight battery, cruise control, and heated grips (should you feel cold on the track).
BMW Also Offers M Competition Package
Just in case everything this Beemer already comes with wasn’t enough for you, BMW lets you improve it further with the M Competition package. This pack adds numerous performance parts, including the M GPS Laptrigger and M Endurance chain. It also adds the M Billet Pack, with M brake and clutch levers, M rider footrest, and M brake lever guard. Another addition is the M Carbon package, which adds more carbon fiber bits all around.
You can also opt for the Passenger package, which adds a pillion seat, seat cover, and footrests. BMW also offers start numbers, a sport sticker kit, and an anti-theft alarm. Tick the right options boxes, and while you might have to save up for the bike, what you’ll get eventually will be unmatched on a track. The BMW M 1000 RR is neither the fastest nor the sharpest bike out there, but it strikes the kind of balance between performance, aerodynamics, and technology that’s simply hard to miss.
Source: BMW Motorrad
Related posts
Latest Post
No Comments