It’s not often that I’m at a loss for words when I climb off a bike but, after spending a day with the latest offering from the BMW factory, I am speechless but this time for an entirely different reason.
This bike is so good that it’s not easy to know where I’d like to start and where I should end. One thing is certain though, and that is that power and technology work hand-in-hand to make a bike with a minimum horsepower figure of 215 actually feel controllable thus allowing mere mortals to ride them. All in all I had four 20 minute sessions on a bike that costs R1,340,000, yip you heard right, 1.3 bar. But wait, I’m still going to convince you how that price actually makes this bike feel like good value for money. 
Let me sketch you the scene; we were flown business class to Portugal to ride around one of the most iconic tracks of the world, the famous Estoril. The evening prior to riding the bikes was the technical briefing which was an overload of information but not to worry because we had personal race technicians available the following day who were allocated per motorcycle and would assist us to set the bike up to our liking. But first we needed to familiarise ourselves with the track and, for this purpose, BMW had a row of standard S 1000 RRs lined up for us and who could blame them? Before leaving for Portugal I racked up a few laps of the track on PlayStation but, as always, there is no substitute for real life and the circuit is still fantastic despite the fact that it is a few years old and not on the MotoGP calendar anymore. Compared to the standards of other circuits it is lacking a little (read Kyalami and Yas Marina) but the undulations are still amazing and it’s a typically ballsy old school circuit, but not too difficult to learn.
At sea level the standard 199hp feels every bit as strong as the manual says it will. At 208kg fully fuelled, clad with race rubber, I was as happy as I could be or so I thought. Truthfully I was a little apprehensive about climbing on the HP4 Race as the standard bike was very close to as fast as I like to go. I was at the limit of my riding ability and, flipping hell, on the long straight with a downhill braking, second gear turn one, my bravery was also tested. After the second session I was ready for the HP4 Race but first we had a quick break to be introduced to our personal mechanics for the day. Mine was a chap who goes by the name of Frederick, pronounced with a very strong German accent. He set the bike up in an easy-to-ride way for me but, especially for the first few laps, he set the traction control in the wet set-up so that I could hear the traction control working as opposed to seeing it on the dash by way of the yellow light flashing. All rider aids were on, but he told me that once I was happy with the bike, I could set it to level 2 dry, while on the fly, with the MotoGP like buttons on the bike. The cockpit is very racy with a higher than average screen and 2D dash.
I sat on the bike as my mechanic took off the tyre warmers and slipped it off the race stand. I don’t think I can explain what a bike with a dry weight of 146kg feels like between your legs. That’s lighter than a single cylinder 390 KTM Duke, fully fuelled and ready to ride at only 171kg. That’s less than a WSBK bike. It feels like there is no engine in it and I could play with the bike between my legs until the mechanic flipped a race-like switch and pushed the starter motor button. The HP4 boomed into life and, although it is still a straight 4 sounding engine, it’s more purposeful and not silky smooth. It’s got a hot cam-like idle, and it’s not quiet with the full race Akrapovic burbling away.
All of a sudden I was very scared but excited at the same time. My first few laps were very cautious but because of the ease with which it falls into corners, or should I say steers, with the lack of centrifugal weight on the front wheel, I pretty soon started gassing it more and more and soon enough the burble crackling sound of the traction control started kicking it. But surely it was too soon? As I thought it I remembered to switch from wet mode to dry mode 2 and, voila, I was off!
Too soon my session was over and, as I pulled in, Frederick was keen to see my initial reaction but, truthfully, I was a little startled. It is hard work despite the fact that it is so easy to ride because of the ferocity with which it pulls out of corners and the Gs when it brakes into bends is something that this body of mine is not used to. It’s a monster; it’s a sophisticated engineering marvel on the one side but a purpose-built weapon on the other side. This is an artisan’s tool of the highest level and, all of a sudden, all my big deal chirps about the old boys before electronic aids being better riders is questioned.
My second session goes better and so does my third. I was getting into racing mode now understanding the lack of weight advantage when holding a line. The front suspension feel under braking going into a bend is surreal, and I wondered to myself where the limit was. I was pushing myself harder and harder because I knew there was an ABS safety parachute just in case I went too far. I remember feeling really impressed with myself that I could gas the bike fully out of a few second gear corners and, even in third, out of the left hand crest over a hill, I was giving it a full twist of the wrist, the front wheel skimming the tar. Up until that point I thought I still had a little bit of the old racing career spark, I was loving life and giving myself an invisible high five because I was on it; I could ride a 215hp beast properly, or so I thought.
Back in the pits Frederick commented that he could see I was comfortable with the bike and asked if he could remove just one of the rider aids for me to understand the technology which is wheelie control so I agreed. I need to add in here that the TC on this bike is completely different to the standard RR, I was still in plus 4 despite the fact that it can go to minus 7 and I did not hear it kick in on the exit of every bend. He told me that power is limited for the first three gears which burst my bubble because just a few minutes before I had thought that I was giving it everything. As my last session arrived Frederick reminded me of the lack of wheelie control and patted me on my back. I can’t say that the bike was unrideable but all of a sudden I could not gas it fully anywhere. You see when you combine the lack of weight with the additional grip, the fantastic chassis and swing arm and a minimum of 215hp; you have a bike which is on a knife’s edge. All of a sudden I needed to think about my riding a lot more and then it dawned on me that to be able to go fast nowadays, you absolutely need someone equally as capable on a computer as what you are on a bike to be able to achieve the ultimate lap time. There is so much information available it’s scary.
The chequered flag was raised and I coasted around Estoril for the last lap taking in the sights around me for the first time. I was absolutely blown away by the bike’s ability, by the lack of weight, where I was at that specific moment in time and by what an absolutely fantastic career choice I’ve made. Blimey, what a bike. If I was blown away 20 years ago when I first rode the then new 916 Ducati, this is in another dimension, and where will we be in 20 years time with technology accelerating the way it is?
Interesting specs of this bike: It’s a carbon-framed, track-only superbike, that makes 215bhp minimum, some engines have measured 225bhp but they claim 215 as no race team will complain if their specific engine makes more than claimed. It’s got 120Nm at 10,000rpm. Yes it’s the same WSBK engine that the guys rode last year and what any race team can buy from Motorrad racing. It weighs just 171.5kg full of fuel (and a staggering 146kg dry). That’s an even more impressive power-to-weight ratio than Ducati’s 1299 Superleggera.
Compared to the standard S 1000 RR, this bike has a power to weight advantage of over 31%, and you can feel every bit of it. The smoothness and the linear power delivery is something to be experienced.
Only 750 will be made and bikes are expected to arrive at dealers in September. 8 have been pre-sold in SA already but, with most things in life, I’m convinced a few more might make their way to SA.
Based on BMW’s inline four-cylinder S 1000 RR motor, the World Endurance/WSB-inspired HP4 RACE engine has weight-matched pistons, Pankl conrods and crank bearing shells. It’s fitted with racier inlet and exhaust cams, longer and wider intake trumpets, a 200gram lighter crank and a milled aluminium sump. Compression ratio is up from 13.7 to 13.9:1, with maximum power up from 199bhp@13,500rpm to 215bhp@13,900rpm.
The motor is pre-run-in from the factory, so you can take your HP4 RACE straight from the dealership to the track.
A new racing gearbox has a longer first and second and shorter higher ratios. Only third gear is the same as the S 1000 RR. An upside down ‘race shift’ gear pattern comes as standard, as well as a quickshifter and auto-blipper. It’s the new way now and now that I’ve experienced it on a few bikes, if you are after lap times this is the only way to go.
Titanium exhaust, A full 4-2-1 titanium Akrapovic race exhaust is topped off with a carbon can.
One-piece carbon frame, Industrially manufactured in a single piece, the high-strength 7.8kg carbon fibre frame is created with varying levels of stiffness and flex for stable handling and cornering feel. And of course it’s light, weighing 4kg less than the RR’s three-piece cast ali frame.
Aluminium swingarm, BMW’s underbraced swingarm is fabricated from aluminium, and looks absolutely hand built because it is.
Racing Brembo brakes, Nickel-plated Brembo GP4 PR callipers are race grade and feature coated titanium pistons.
Adjustable seat unit, One-piece self-supporting seat unit can be easily unbolted and fixed in three positions to suit rider preference, giving three seat height options of 816mm, 831mm or 846mm. BMW HP footrests are eight-way adjustable.
Carbon wheels, Sharing its in-house manufacturing technique with the frame, the carbon fibre wheels weigh 30% less than BMW’s forged ali racing items, have 40% less gyroscopic force and are stonger. The braking force at the end of the straight was immediately felt and the bike did stop easier than the standard bike by quite a big margin.
Racing Ohlins, Fully adjustable Ohlins FGR300 forks and a TTX36 GP shock are the staple of a MotoGP and WSB paddock. The guys from Ohlins were there and said that this was the first time in the history of Ohlins where they have made forks like this available to a production model bike, the forks alone retail for 12000 Euros, you do the maths in Rand. A milled ali top yoke is taken from the BMW WSB racer.
Adjustable chassis and gearing, Steering offset, head angle, swingarm pivot and rear ride height are all fully adjustable. The HP4 RACE also comes with a choice of three front and five rear sprockets. With the data recorder fitted BMW Racing Head office would be able to recommend the best gearing for the particular track you are on.
Electronics and 2D dash, Electronic rider aids are tailored towards the track and an evolution of the current RRs. Rider modes are now called Wet, Intermediate, Dry1, Dry2 and you also get launch control and a pitlane limiter. The traction control now uses an ignition cut so the rider can hear it pop as well as feel it when it chimes in. 15-stage traction and engine braking control and a five-stage anti-wheelie can be adjusted gear by gear. After my sessions they downloaded my laps onto a computer and they could overlay lap for lap and even give me my best potential lap. Even lines can be seen and best acceleration points out of bends can be shown. The amount of data is staggering. The race engineer for current BMW WSBK rider Torres showed me a typical after session page that Torres had drawn and what they interpret from there and what they then do to maximise the comfort and feeling of the bike. A happy non-stressed rider is a fast rider and they constantly try and take compromises away from the rider. The rider must just ride, and ride fast, and be fit. Road switchgear makes way for racing clusters with easy to use traffic light buttons, very MotoGPish. Dynamic Traction Control, Engine Braking and Wheelie Control can be programmed for each gear, according to rider preference, enabling the enormous riding potential of the HP4 Race to be fully unlocked but, as I said, you are going to need someone to decipher all the data. Even the Engine Braking EBR is programmable for selected gears at 15 levels each gear. The bike has a launch control as well which we did not try but has a handy pit lane limiter on the right hand side which controls speeds up to 60km/h. And it sounds the business. 
Your R1,340,000 also buys you a clear-lacquered, brushed ali fuel tank with race filler cap, carbon fibre panels, a lithium-ion battery and a numbered (1-750) top yoke. The bike that Peter Hickman rode on the Isle of Man was also there and that was the actual ‘1’ of ‘750’ bike. The ones we rode had the 0 of 750 on as they were still pre-production models.
So at the end of the day can you justify spending so much money on a motorcycle? Yes, you could buy a house for the same amount but this bike was never designed for that house owner. If money was no object, you’d have one of these in your garage in an instant. It’s been two weeks since I rode it and I’ve been thinking about it every day, it’s left a lasting impression on me that will make whatever I ride now feel just a little ordinary. This is the ultimate track bike, bar none.
