Details announced for BMW HP4 Race

BMW Motorrad has announced more information and technical specs for its HP4 Race, the exquisite track-bred sportsbike that caused a sensation when it was unveiled at the EICMA motorcycle expo in Milan, Italy, late last year.

Hand-built in Berlin and limited to a global production run of 750 examples, the HP4 Race is the first production motorcycle of its type to feature a carbonfibre frame and wheels.

Weighing in at a paltry 171 kilograms (wet), BMW Motorrad says the bike is in fact lighter than the BMW race bikes currently campaigned in the Superbike World Championship and only just above the weight of MotoGP racers.

The HP4 Race runs an advanced FGR 300 upside-down fork and a TTX 36 GP rear monoshock from Swedish suspension specialist Öhlins while the braking package comes courtesy of Brembo, with twin GP4 PR monobloc calipers up front delivering truly fierce stopping force.

However, it's the carbon frame that draws the bulk of the fascination with this sublime model. Industrially built and featuring a monocoque construction, it weighs just 7.8 kilograms and has a self-supporting rear frame.

Power packed
The bike's in-line four-cylinder engine, meanwhile, is similar in specification to those found in World Endurance Championship and Superbike World Championship racers. BMW says the 999cc unit produces peak power of 215hp (158kW) at 13,900rpm and peak torque of 120Nm at 10,000rpm.

Max revs, meanwhile, have been lifted from the standard S 1000 RR's ceiling of 14,200rpm to 14,500rpm.

All that power is efficiently fed to the rear wheel via a six-speed racing gearbox.

As you'd expect of a bike this exotic, it's simply packed with high-grade electronic wizardry, such as Dynamic Traction Control, Engine Brake EBR, Launch Control, a pit lane speed limiter, Wheelie Control and more.

There's a high degree of adjustment available to tailor these systems to any individual's requirements, while the wealth of info is displayed on a 2D digital dash with transferable data logger.

While the HP4 Race is as race focussed as any competition machine, it's also an expression of BMW's artistic flair. To that end, BMW HP Motorsport colours adorn items such as the intake silencer cover and seat hump, while the hand-brushed aluminium fuel tank has been sealed with clear coat for a truly eye-catching end result.

It's also a track-only affair, lacking the headlight, indicators and other running gear required for road registration. To that end it's only a distant relative of the road-going S 1000 RR, which is fearsome machine in itself.

Name your price
While BMW has revealed much of the HP4 Race's inner workings and specifications, it has omitted one important piece of the puzzle – its price.

Yes, pricing is yet to be released for the model, but we can confirm that 10 examples have been slated for Australia, the bikes available on a first come, first served basis. Australian BMW Motorrad dealers are taking orders now and production is scheduled to begin in June – so you'll need to move swiftly to secure one for yourself.