2012 BMW S 1000 RR: First ride

For motorcyclists, Victoria’s Phillip Island GP circuit holds a magnetic attraction. For many riders it’s a place of pilgrimage – a Mecca where they can watch the world’s best racers strut their stuff in MotoGP or the Superbike World Championship, and follow in their tyre tracks at any of the track days that pepper the calendar.

However, while riding this circuit is, for many, about as close to biking nirvana as you can get, when Mother Nature’s in a strop it’s a daunting, formidable place.

I’ve done my share of track days but I’m a road rider, not a racer, so when I recently found myself at the Island charging around a damp and greasy track on a litre-class superbike, I was less than enthused by Mother Nature’s obviously morose mood.

Previous wet Island outings were a cause for bitter disappointment – sessions spent tip-toeing around the track, rueing fate’s cruel hand. This time, however, at the national press launch of BMW’s 2012 S 1000 RR, things were different.

The first few laps of the slick track were tentative, to say the least. But with the bike in Rain mode – which cuts the maximum power output by 30hp, softens throttle response and maximises the intervention of the bike’s Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) system – and with the added safety net of BMW’s Race ABS, I was soon able to relax and start enjoying myself, and to a degree that simply wouldn’t have been possible on a ‘traditional’ superbike without the gizmos.

As fortune would have it, a weak sun would occasionally peak out between the intermittent showers, allowing a dry line to emerge and giving me and the other journos present a chance to better explore this bike’s incredible potential.

The German marque took the sportsbike scene by storm when it released the S 1000 RR in 2009, delivering a quality sporting package that was highly competitive from the get-go. A suite of electronic rider aids set it apart from the established competition, as did its distinctive styling, but the pricing was competitive too, even if it did place the bike more towards the premium end of the spectrum.

Now, just over two years later, the first revision of the S 1000 RR is here. And while it’s a case of evolution, not revolution, an extensive array of updates has produced a worthy successor.

While the bike’s maximum power output remains unchanged at 193hp (142kW) at 13,000rpm, its torque has been boosted through the bottom end and midrange, especially – says BMW – in the 5000-7500rpm range.

There are now three power curves – one for Rain mode, one for Sport, and one for Race and Slick (previously there were two: one for Rain and one for the rest) – while the available torque curves have followed a similar progression.

The throttle has also come under scrutiny. The RR used to have a separate throttle curve for each of its four power modes, but this has been reduced to two – one for Rain and another for Sport, Race and Slick. Also, the throttle now has a significantly shorter action.

Rain mode sees the maximum power cut to 163hp (120kW), up some 11hp (8kW) on the old model’s Rain mode, and while weight has been shaved here it’s also been added there – the net result is the bike’s dry weight remains unchanged at 178kg.

The tuning between the bike’s Race ABS and DTC systems has also been refined, as has the chassis. The latter features new suspension internals front and rear, revised suspension settings and a 20 per cent larger air intake guide in the steering head. A new 10-position adjustable steering damper has been adopted, and the steering geometry has been altered – the steering head features slightly less rake (24.0 degrees versus 23.9°), fork offset has decreased by 2.5mm, trail has increased by 2.6mm and the wheelbase is down by 9.3mm, to 1422.7mm. The swingarm pivot has been repositioned and is now 4mm higher. The end result, says BMW, is enhanced agility, handling and stability.

The forged and milled fork bridge has been redesigned, the bodywork has been tweaked (with a leaner tail section, new sidepanels and an array of new grilles and winglets) and the instrumentation has been revised, with new functions such as ‘best lap in progress’ shown on the LCD display, a speed warning indicator (which does double duty as the shift light), and five different levels of illumination. Finally, the bike is available in several new colours, with red/white, blue and black schemes joining the popular BMW Motorrad Motorsport livery (a $765 option).

The press launch gave the assembled hacks a chance to sample the bike both on the track and on the road, the morning at the Island complemented by a road ride through Victoria’s Gippsland region then back to BMW Australia’s headquarters, in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs.

While Rain mode gave me a welcome safety net in the wet, when the track did eventually dry – albeit briefly – I was able to sample more of the RR’s might. Switching from Rain to Sport on the fly (simply toggle the selector on the right-hand ’bar to find your desired mode, then pull the clutch in and let the throttle snap shut to push the change home), the bike discards its ‘Mr Nice Guy’ disposition in an instant, as the engine gains an extra 30 angry horses and even a measured twist of the throttle sends man and machine hurtling toward the horizon like an exocet missile.

Race and Slick mode unleash the same 193hp, but with progressively less intervention from the DTC and Race ABS and with progressively sharper throttle response. In Slick mode, which is only available when the Slick plug is plugged in (a no-cost extra), the Race ABS operates on the front wheel and not the back, so it’s still possible to ‘back it in’ (so I’m told – I’ll leave that to the racers!).

There’s a wheelie control feature, too, which now has a softer action when it cuts in. Believe me, in a bike with this sort of horsepower-to-weight ratio, wheelie control is a very handy thing! Both the DTC and Race ABS can be switched off independently of one another (or together, if you wish), and they can also be turned on or off on the fly. Wheelie control can also be switched off, if you like to indulge in that sort of carry-on.

I could go on and on about the nuances between the various ride modes and the differing levels of DTC intervention they offer. I won’t, but I will say this: electronics like this is the future of motorcycling. It’s incredibly clever stuff, it works, and it allows riders of varying levels of ability to chance to ‘grow’ with the bike, slowly unlocking more of its potential as their skills and confidence grow. Sure, you can still lose the front end easily enough and the RR is far from ‘crashproof’. It’s also a litre-class superbike, so it still requires the utmost respect and an experienced hand. But through any of Phillip Island’s ultra-fast corners, where the Metzeler Racetec K2s fitted to most of the launch bikes were hanging on for dear life, I was more relaxed in the knowledge I was far less likely to highside myself into Bass Strait, and I was enjoying the ride all the more because of it.

The bike’s suspension, with new internals, settings and damping rates for 2012, offers simple 10-position preload, compression and rebound adjustment at each end. Cleverly, each click on most of the adjustors is numbered so you can see how far through the range you are, and most of them can be altered by using the tip of the ignition key – neat.

On the track we started with rebound and compression on setting two, before changing to four and then seven as time wore on. Each altered the nature of the ride considerably – on a drying track I was happy to return to four, a middle-of-the-range setting. I couldn’t fault the bike’s handling and even if I could, it would only be a matter of fiddling with the settings to get it just right for my weight and pace.

It’s one agile, nimble performer. You can tip it on its ear in a heartbeat and together the chassis and suspension offer plenty of feedback – it’s like you’ve got a direct line to what’s going on between you, the bike, and the track. I’ll leave it to reigning ASBK champ Glenn Allerton to comment on the differences ushered in by the tweaked steering geometry, but for mere mortals it’s simply one stunning ride.

The cable clutch is light and the quickshifter works a treat, affording rapid and seamless changes through the six-speed ’box, while the brakes are simply stunning. The front radial-mount, four-piston Brembo stoppers slash speed with perfect precision and immense power, the fierce deceleration accompanied by an angry aural ‘hiss’ – itself a sublime complement to the ghoulish howl of the short, stubby silencer.

There’s a programmable shift light and a lap timer, now with a new ‘best lap in progress’ feature. New for 2012 is the option of heated grips ($325), and on an unseasonably chilly Phillip Island morning they were worth their weight in gold.

The road component of the launch saw us take in a variety of roads with surfaces that varied from decent to thoroughly indecent – it was clear BMW wasn’t worried about giving us a taste of the bike in ‘real world’ conditions.

My impression by day’s end? The S 1000 RR is a fine road bike. It’s a taut platform, as you’d expect of a sportsbike, but it takes typically average Aussie backroads in its stride. The ergonomics are really pretty accommodating, too – at 188cm (6ft 2in), I felt fairly comfortable on the diminutive beastie, although I was a bit too tall to be able to properly tuck in behind the screen – something I’d noted earlier that day on the track.

Hopping on the 2011 model mid-way through the ride immediately highlighted the extra midrange oomph of the newie, although how much of it is down to the boosted torque and how much is down to the shorter-action throttle I can’t say. Of course, it’s a combination of both – but the latest model does charge out of bends with an added dose of licence-frying haste.

Back on the 2012 machine, at 100km/h in sixth gear the engine was humming along at 4250rpm, and after fuelling up I noted a fuel economy figure of 14.5km/lt. That was after some fairly ‘spirited’ riding, and that equates to a working range of around 230km – I’ve seen worse in litre-class sportsbikes. Also, when you’re around 50km from running dry, a ‘range to empty’ figure pops up on the LCD display.

Pillions? Apart from short and sedate hops across town, forget it. It’s a tiny, knees-in-the-breeze perch and the extreme acceleration and braking will be pulling them every which way – it’s all pretty standard sportsbike fare.

For Australia’s highly-policed (and camera-infested) roads, the speed warning light is a nifty thing. Simply program your preferred maximum speed – say, 110km/h – and when you get near it the shift light starts to flash. Exceed it and the shift light stays on. It’s certainly handy.

One thing I noticed when we’d returned to the concrete jungle was a bit of heat wafting up under my left thigh in stop-start traffic. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was there, and I noticed it even though I was wearing leathers. It could be a potential issue on hot days when wearing jeans – we’ll address it more comprehensively in a road test down the track.

BMW’s S 1000 RR is one thoroughly impressive motorcycle. If you’d told me 10 or even five years ago that the marque was going to release a litre-class sportsbike that would be competitive from day one, I’d have laughed. But BMW has, and it is. The first update is a worthy progression for the model, and perhaps the best bit is despite all the improvements, its price remains unchanged at $22,290 (plus on-road costs). Yes, it’s dearer than the Jappers but just look at all the extra technology on offer. The S 1000 RR is blazing a trail, and anyone who gets on board is in for one hell of a great ride.

While the pre-existing range of optional factory accessories for the S 1000 RR remains, the bike can now be fitted with two-stage heated handlebar grips ($325) and a host of HP (‘High Performance’) gear. The latter extends to a full titanium Akrapovic exhaust system ($3400), an HP ECU ($1648), HP race calibration kit ($2260), an HP race data logger ($1297), an HP reverse pattern shift ($436) and more. BMW says an HP-kitted S 1000 RR is virtually identical to the race equivalent in terms of engine performance. For more information contact your nearest BMW Motorrad dealership.

To explain the benefits of the S 1000 RR's HP range, BMW has unveiled a web page featuring a series of short videos shot in the workshop of BMW Motorrad Motorsport's headquarters in Rosenheim, Germany. The videos feature BMW's Product Manager for HP Race Parts, Michael Thewke, who explains the advantages and operation of each of the HP range's components. Click here to see the videos for yourself. 

While this Bikesales Network review offers the thoughts of a ‘mere mortal’ road riding bike journo, for a ‘ten-tenths’ perspective on the new S 1000 RR we spoke with Glenn Allerton – reigning Australian Superbike Champion and S 1000 RR pilot for the Procon Maxima BMW team…

“The bike’s definitely a big step forward in terms of the torque – the bottom end and midrange is definitely a lot better than it was last year. For me as a racer that was probably an area where we lacked a bit last year – at some of the stop-go tracks, like Queensland Raceway, it just felt like we lacked a little bit getting off the turns compared to some of the other bikes. Mind you, in saying that, we’re racing against factory superbikes – bikes with a whole heap of engine work – and we still had the standard engine. Now, with the new bike, the standard engine is even stronger again, so we’re in a pretty good position.

“The front end is also a big improvement; it feels like there’s a lot more weight over the front now – they’ve changed the triple-clamp offset, which has increased the trail and in turn given the front tyre a slightly bigger contact patch. Riding last year’s race bike back to back with this year’s race bike it feels like the actual bite you get out of the front tyre is a lot better, and you can carry a lot more corner speed and lean angle because of it.

“If you’re going to try and win races those are all the areas where you’ve got to be strong, and they’ve done a great job in making the bike feel nice and smooth too – especially that HP-kitted bike.

“Compared to my race bike, the HP-kitted bike feels pretty much identical in terms of engine power. Suspension-wise it feels a bit different because we run different suspension and we have a different set-up for each track we go to, and of course we’ve got more grip because we run slicks. There aren’t many instances in which you can say the reigning superbike champion’s race bike feels like the street bike, but the S 1000 RR truly does.

“I’m really excited about the new bike; it’s going to be great for the championship this year and I think we’re at a better starting point now than we were last year. This time last year I was new to the bike and the team; we were flying blind but we still came out of the blocks really strong. This year, with the new bike and a season behind us, we’re in a fantastic position.”