Moto-Missile

MOTO-MISSILE

Riding Ruben Xaus’ BMW S1000RR Factory Superbike

MARK CERNICKY

BMW DEFINITELY BLITZKRIEGED WORLD SUPERBIKE RACing with its S1000RR. Whether you consider it a sneak attack or just clever tactics, homologation negotiation allowed BMW to race in 2009 as long as 1000 street-going machines were built before January, 2010. And the Beemer Brigade just squeaked it in!

My opportunity to ride Ruben Xaus’ S1000RR racebike came the Monday following the final round of the World Superbike series in Portimào, Portugal, at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve’s 2.9-mile, 15-turn splenderland that rivals the best tracks in the world. It also happened to be the site of the world press launch where Road Test Editor Don Canet got his first taste of the road-going version of Germany’s finest.

Zipping up the loaner Alpinestars suit and boots, and then buckling on the bucket borrowed from Xaus himself (after customs decided to keep my gearbag) meant I had to cram my Medium-sized cranium into Ruben’s size Small lid. Ouch! The pressure also squeezed out the visual of the stereotypical flip-up full-face that comes to mind when imagining a typical BMW touring pilot.

Waiting for number 111 to warm up, I noticed this was a different kind of BMW; the engineers didn’t waste any time with the unorthodox when developing this superbike contender. There’s no Telelever front suspension or shaft drive here because BMW turned to conventional, race-proven construction and components.

So we get a twin-spar aluminum frame, an inline-Four and even a two-sided swingarm, not to mention chain final drive. We are not, uh, opposed to BMW’s flat-Twin, but this four-banger is where it’s at. There is actually one point of deviation: BMW Alpha Racing used a factory-developed Bosch electronics package with ride-by-wire throttles, variable intake lengths, data acquisition and traction control, systems technology derived from BMW’s Formula One car program. Most other teams use Magneti Marelli electronics.

Riding Ruben’s racer proved that BMW is in it to win it. Holy Heimlich maneuver, this thing is fast! The first pass down the front straight took my breath away and made me happy the helmet was extra tight—it kept it from getting sucked off my head! The engine’s brutal power always had me a little leery when trying to get a good drive out of turns. In fact, midcorner, I was always a bit worried because the engine felt like it might surge too much during off/on throttle transitions when fully leaned over. But I was pleasantly surprised to find crisp, if somewhat raw, throttle response that remained relatively consistent and almost as dependable as the feedback from the Öhlins suspension.

Yes, the chassis was excellent, as you might expect. A firm and nicely balanced setup yielded little apparent weight transfer, whether under aggressive acceleration (there’s no other kind with this bike!) or during hard braking. A highlevel of traction feel was always present; I was able to sense what felt like individual granules of rubber interacting with the tarmac. Awesome!

One big surprise came when I got into left-hand, secondgear Turn 13 too hot and stabbed for the foot pedal to trail the rear brake, but it wasn’t there; both Xaus and teammate Troy Corser use left-thumb-actuated calipers.

Short stint in the saddle over, I exited Algarve’s circuit with a new respect for the BMW and its raw power, which must make this the hardest bike in the series to ride race distance. Afterward, 1 talked with BMW Alpha Racing’s Többe Hendrik about the abrupt power hit and he replied: “Wait until next year. We’re perfecting the feeling at throttle opening, as well as the percentages of traction control.”

Okay, I’ll take you up on that! Same track next year? □

cycleworld.com/bmwsbk MORE PHOTOS AND VIDEO OF THE BMW SUPERBIKE