2015 BMW S1000RR | FIRST LOOK

BMW’s take-no-prisoners literbike debuts for 2015 with some serious numbers to brag on––a 6-horsepower increase for a claimed total of 199 with a peak torque of 83 pound-feet, and an advertised weight of 450 pounds with a full tank of gas and Race ABS. The engine has a re-engineered cylinder head, a new intake cam, and lighter intake valves. An airbox with a different capacity works with shorter intake lengths for better fuel atomization and more power. There’s also a new exhaust system, which does away with the front silencer for a total weight savings of almost seven pounds.

Not all of the newness comes from the engine bay. A new, lighter frame houses the RR’s powerplant and offers an optimized blend of rigidity and flexibility. Revised chassis geometry promises better handling, traction, and feedback at the limit. An electronically controlled Dynamic Damping Control system, as used on the HP4, is optional on the RR.

You can’t build a top-class sportbike these days without riding modes, and the S1000RR comes with a handful. There are three standard modes––Rain, Sport, and Race––and if you push the optional Pro riding mode button (and who wouldn’t?) you get two additional modes: Slick and User, which can be configured by the rider. The Pro option also includes Launch Control and a pit-lane speed limiter, along with the stutter-bark sound familiar to motorcycle racing fans. For the full racing experience order the optional HP Gear Shift Assist Pro.

Race ABS and Automatic Stability Control are standard. And in a first for superbikes, the S1000RR comes with optional electronic cruise control (no word yet on the upper speed limit). Available colors include Racing Red/Light White, Black Storm metallic, and BMW Motorsport. Stay tuned for the MSRP.