BMW S1000RR Dealer Introduction

Three weeks ago our VP of BMW Engineering, U.S., informed me that he'd been invited to the Dealer Launch of the New BMW S1000RR Superbike in West Palm Beach, Florida. He had only gotten his motorcycle license last year and had talked to me a lot about riding and all that it entails. I know him well enough to address him by his first name and he always enjoys talking about bikes with me. He knows what an enthusiast I am, largely based on the photographs displayed in my office and also because part of my job responsibilities is providing technical defense assistance for law suits involving BMW motorcycles.

Naturally I was envious of him being invited and jokingly offered to accompany him should he need any support. In the following weeks I took every opportunity to talk about the upcoming event with him and was pleased to learn that he had a conflicting obligation to be in Washington D.C. that week so I "volunteered" to go in his stead.

So off I went last Monday evening loaded with all my riding gear. I was wondering what the reaction would be when my BMW Motorrad colleagues learned that I was not only coming but would be allowed to ride the bike on the Palm Springs International raceway for an hour on Wednesday with the dealers even though they were not permitted to do so. But frankly, who cared, I was going to ride!!

I felt it was the least I could do to help with setting up for the dealer event being held at the Four Seasons Hotel, and I began by helping with unloading some display bikes off the eighteen wheeler BMW transport truck Tuesday morning. I found myself in a funny situation when I was pushing a brand new RR through the back loading dock, down a hallway and into the freight elevator. I was told to take it to floor C2 and when the elevator door opened I found myself in the hotel kitchen with a Superbike! Naturally the kitchen staff took a great interest in this. Actually, I was in the right area. We had to go through the kitchen to get to the back entrance of the one of the conference rooms we were using.

I continued to help anyway I could, including dressing a few mannequins with the new BMW RR apparel and ending the day with helping to siphon fuel and disconnecting batteries from Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, and Ducati comparison display bikes. Unfortunately it took I some time for us to discover that the Ducati battery is behind the left fairing! Not easy to do this in the dark with just minutes to spare before the kick off dinner began.

Wednesday morning began with technical and business meetings but I had trouble concentrating for I was scheduled to go to the track at twelve sharp. I was in dealer group three and we were to suit up before boarding the bus for the forty minute ride to the track. It was funny how the usual sizing up took place at the hotel front entrance. Everybody was looking at each other's knee pucks to see if they were "virgin" or not. I was happy to see that more than a few looked experienced. There were several worn suits, like mine, that looks like it's been through several wars, and there were two CCS racers as well. This was good because I was a little worried that I would not be able to wring the bike out, being held up by older street riding dealer principals.

They served lunch on the bus, but typically for me, I had no appetite being wound up for track time! Our bus dropped us off not fifty feet from pit-out and there sat the RR's gassed up, warmed up and ready to go! I had never ridden a liter bike on the track before and was itching to try out the different traction control modes and experience the Race-ABS and electric shifter option installed.

After a ten minute briefing by Keith Code California Superbike personnel we headed out. There was one coach for every two riders and I was right behind mine. The first session was in rain mode, fourth gear only. The bike felt surprisingly smooth and it had a solid feel that I found no trouble getting used to. The seating position and bar reach felt perfect for my six foot frame. After four laps we pulled in and switched to sport mode, using third and fourth gear. Now we brought in a little more speed and the tires were warm and ready for some serious cornering. The bike felt completely neutral with very precise steering and the brakes were linear but they took me a little by surprise at how powerful they were. I thought I felt a slight pulsation from the brake lever and was later told that was most likely the race-ABS kicking in a little. I guess I was concentrating on my coach's line so closely that I was getting a little too close to him on braking. He, of course, had mirrors and adjusted his pace perfectly to mine which allowed our overall speed to increase each lap. Oh, and he pulled the signature "experienced racing school instructor" trick dragging his left glove at one apex. I have to try that.

By the last session, in race mode, we were flying! On the back 6/10 mile straight we passed two groups (six riders) and came into the braking zone pretty hot. I had a split second to note that I had surpassed my top speed record by noting that my digital speedometer just went past 171 mph. Man that corner was coming up fast! Liter bike fast! Smooth and hard on the binders brought the bike down to an acceptable corner speed with so little effort and I couldn't help but smile in my helmet when I felt the rear end wagging back and forth. To me that's a sign I didn't brake too early. And not too late either, having a nice transition with a little trail-braking, pitching the bike right into the fast double apex that followed and noting the traction control kicking in when I grabbed more throttle than I would ever dream of at the exit from the second apex.

Initially it felt like the throttle did not respond to my input and while keeping my wrist in a fixed position I noted that as I brought the bike up the engine smoothly accelerated. Now with the bike almost upright I pinned the throttle and the wheel came up but only so far. Was that the anti-wheelie control kicking in? I have no idea because I was too busy feeling the 190 horsepower rocketing me to the next corner. I could get used to this! I thought of my old riding buddy and how he used to smoke my R6 on his RC51. Look out Jack; I might just give you a run for your money with this baby!!!

Alas, the session ended all too soon and we headed back to the hotel, the bus buzzing with excited conversation of what we just experienced. The CCS guys were wondering out loud how soon they could get their hands on one. Others were talking about who would be making race body-work and how soon.

This will really change the way motorcyclists and the press will think about BMW motorcycles. We have committed to entering the true Sportbike market and will see a whole new demographic visiting BMW Motorcycle dealers. There is already a whole line of accessories available and I'm sure the after-market segment will jump into the fray. I continued to chatter on with everyone on the bus, but just for a moment, the smile disappeared from my face as I wondered how humble my GSXR750 would feel the next time I rode it.

Mark Yeldham
Team Pro-Motion, Coach
Product Analysis
BMW of North America, LLC

View all feature stories