BMW unveils new S 1000 RR
BMW Motorrad stole the limelight from Ducati at EICMA this past November when they unveiled the updated version of their S 1000 RR.
Making its world premiere at EICMA, the new S 1000 RR sees BMW’s flagship Superbike receive its second major update since it was launched in 2009. Delivering more power with less weight, the S 1000 RR’s engine, frame and suspension are all-new, with improved geometry and changes to the rider assistance systems, a full LED lighting package and a next-gen TFT instrument display.
Engine Improvements. While the S 1000 RR’s driving force remains an inline four of 999cc capacity, it now delivers more power and does so with less weight. Maximum power is now 152kW at 13,500rpm, an improvement of 6kW over the current model, with a new redline of 14,600rpm (up from 14,200rpm). Maximum torque is unchanged at 113Nm at 10,500rpm, but more of that torque is available through the low and medium rev range - according to BMW, more than 100Nm is available between 5,500 and 14,500rpm.
More noteworthy than the slight bump in power is the fact that the new engine is a full 4kg lighter than the outgoing version. This has been achieved through the use of light titanium valves that are also hollow-bored, while the rocker arms and conrods are lighter, too. More ingenious weight-saving measures include powering the camshafts directly off the crankshaft (removing the need for an idler gear), integrating the starter motor into the top of the engine housing and combining the oil and water pumps into one unit.
This repackaging has also allowed the engine to be 12mm narrower than previously; part of an overall “slimming” of the cross-section that’s enhanced by the new-look bodywork. A key addition on the motor is BMW’s ‘ShiftCam Technology’. Already applied to the new R 1250 GS and RT, ShiftCam Technology is a variable valve timing system that adjusts the intake stroke via two different cams per activated valve on the intake camshaft – a partial-load cam and a full-load cam.
The former reduces valve stroke and the latter uses the maximum stroke available. The result is increased torque at low to medium revs, reducing the tendency to wheelie that was a characteristic of the old S 1000 RR. Reduced exhaust emissions and improved fuel economy are also delivered with ShiftCam Technology. Finally, the new exhaust system is also lighter than the current version by a full 1.3kg.
New Frame, New Suspension, Improved Geometry. In harmony with the reduced engine weight, the S 1000 RR’s aluminium frame is now lighter, too, with the basic bridge-type design carrying over from the old model, but now 1.3kg lighter and designed to achieve balance between lightness and rigidity, hence the ‘FlexFrame’ name for the new chassis. Narrower at the knee area (by 13mm), the frame also features a handlebar in single-section with the fork bridge, with optimal sweep and offset on the bars to delivering what’s said to be a more relaxed riding position.
The subframe is now a trellis-type aluminium unit that is lighter and, arguably, looks better than the outgoing box-section unit. Making the lighter engine more of a load-bearing component on the new S 1000 RR has allowed changes in the overall geometry. Steering head angle is now steeper at 66.9 degrees, with castor reduced from 96.5 mm to 93.9mm, but wheelbase is longer at 1441mm, with the extra 9mm over the current model achieved via a longer swingarm.
The result, says BMW, is better handling, greater directional accuracy, improved rear wheel grip and rider ergonomics, as well as a greater level of user-friendliness and controllability The front USD forks are now 45mm diameter (down from 46mm), with closed cartridge inserts continuing the weight-reducing mantra by shedding 300 grams. Spring travel is 120mm, with preload, rebound and compression adjustment standard.
On the ‘Full Floater Pro’ rear suspension, it’s now matched to a lighter single-section swingarm and the spring strut is positioned further back from the engine to lessen the impact of engine heat on suspension performance. Travel of 117mm is standard and, as with the front end, there’s a full range of preload, rebound and compression adjustability. To further increase suspension performance, Dynamic Damper Control (DDC) is optional.
Electronically-regulated, the DDC has been further developed for the new model and offers ‘Rain’, ‘Road’, Dynamic’ and ‘Race’ modes, with the Rain and Road modes softening damping, while the other modes sharpen it up, with adjustments between settings delivered in around 10 milliseconds, apparently without impacting feedback. Finally, the cycle parts are completed with new light alloy wheels that are 1.6kg lighter than the current rims. Reduced rotational mass with these wheels means improvements in acceleration and braking performance, plus better handling.
Four Mode Standard. The aforementioned DDC modes are also the same four options in the Riding Modes that adjust throttle and transmission response, as well as ABS input. While these four modes are standard, three ‘Pro Modes’ are optional. Fully programmable, Race Pro 1 through 3 allow individual adjustment of everything from ABS to Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), wheelie detection, torque output and engine braking.
Add the optional Pro Modes and you also get a Launch Control function and Pit Lane Limiter that’s configurable to suit various pit lane speed limits. Now standard is HP Shift Assistant Pro, which allows full clutchless up- and down-shifting, while the ABS Pro and DTC systems now use a new 6-axis sensor to deliver what BMW says is an unprecedented level of control quality. DTC Wheelie Control remains optional, but is now individually adjustable.
New Looks, New Clocks. Externally, the S 1000 RR bodywork is all new from nose to tail, with the most obvious change being the switch from the asymmetric headlight arrangement on the old model to a symmetrical layout with inset lights that some have compared to recent Honda and Ducati designs. This, BMW says, is the result of new LED technology that combines high and low beam functions into the one element.
Below the main headlights, U-shaped LED parking lamps frame the bottom edge of each lighting cluster, with LED indicators relocated to the mirrors contributing to the cleaner overall look on the S 1000 RR’s front bodywork. What looks like a taller screen is actually the result of a lower front fairing section. With typical German efficiency, this bodywork isn’t made to just look good, but be aerodynamically efficient. Engine intake ducts are in a similar position, but part of a more defined ‘T’ shape that, combined with the lighting treatment, appears to split the front-end plastics into four pieces.
At the rear, similar blackout ‘grille’ sections to the front-end feature on the seat base and there’s an all-new tail light design, too, but changes here are less radical than at the front. Overall, the bodywork is more compact than the current S 1000 R, but the compromise is a seat height that’s 9mm higher than the outgoing S 1000 RR at 824mm. Another compromise is the decrease in fuel capacity from 17.5 to 16.5 litres to suit the improved ergonomics and narrower cross section at the knee area.
Initial colour schemes are Racing Red and BMW M; the latter comprising BMW’s white-red-blue racing colours. On the S 1000 RR’s 6.5-inch TFT instrument screen, four display modes are available: ‘Pure Ride’ for regular road use and three ‘Core’ displays for track day and competition use, each providing different information. Overall, the TFT screen has been designed to be easier to read in all conditions, according to BMW, with settings selectable via a switch in the left-hand handlebar and able to display a plethora of information beyond the usual speedo/tacho, fuel gauge and trip meters – everything from banking position to engine speed reduction and even deceleration level.
Options Aplenty. A number of option packages to suit the S 1000 RR have been listed, with the most interesting being the ‘M Package’. Marking the first time BMW has offered a true ‘M’ specification on their two-wheel models, the package for the S 1000 RR consists of the Pro Mode riding modes, M carbon fibre wheels, an M lightweight battery, M sports seat, M rear ride height adjustment and swingarm pivot, plus a special ‘Motorsport’ paint finish.
Other M goodies can be had as part of separate packages or purchased individually, including M carbon fibre trim parts, seat options, clutch and brake levers, data logger, chain tensioner and forged wheels. Various luggage options and seat options will also be on the options list, as well as ‘Prorace’ riding gear.
Australian release for the new BMW S 1000 RR is still some way off. A mid-to-late 2019 arrival is likely, with pricing to be revealed closer to local release.
