BMW World Superbike entrant....

[DucDave]

..and congrats on BMW's new Superbike...



They finally managed to replicate a Japanese Superbike. reverse reverse engineering????

...mo heah 2009 BMW Superbike S1000RR Unveiled! - MotorcycleUSA.com

[JohnnyV]

I'm looking forward to seeing how BMW does next season. It's always fun to see something new in the field

[greenmonster]

When can I take delivery?

[DucDave]

When can I take delivery?

Right now...just put $11,000 into the Japanese Motorcycle Vending Machine, select 'Liter Bike', pick a brand and a color and BINGO...

you'll end up with something indistinguishable from the BMW except for the badging....

[Slyder]

Pretty bolt statement. Makes me think of harley's VR-1000

The Motorrad prez went on to state the company expects to run in the top 10 during next year's championship and be contending for WSB victories by 2010

[greenmonster]

Right now...just put $11,000 into the Japanese Motorcycle Vending Machine, select 'Liter Bike', pick a brand and a color and BINGO...

you'll end up with something indistinguishable from the BMW except for the badging....

Good point.

[ku996r]

I thought they make this a production bike so they can get into WSBK in 09. However, if they do good in WSBK, I'm sure it will help to sell this bike also.

And I think they will be competitive

[jcbell1007]

I had read in a Motorcycle magazine that BMW was going to be competitive with the Japanese liter bikes pricewise.

That was back in april that all this came out though and I haven't seen anything else. Their website doesn't even give out any info.

[taxonomy]

BMW has been building bikes that do what they do well for a long time.

It would be nearly impossible for them to enter a high level of racing with a new design, or for them to develop one of their designs for racing.

Personally I think BMW is one of the most interesting companies out there right now. The new 800 inline twins look really cool. If the 1000 pans out, look out Japan. Their line, overall, has more interesting niche bikes than a company of that size has a right to.

Personally I think if the economy continues to tank we'll see a major restructuring of motorcycles and the 1000 will be beating down the wrong path, but it's still an interesting exercise.

With their F1 experience they could be competitive out of the box.

[GixerJockey]

Right now...just put $11,000 into the Japanese Motorcycle Vending Machine, select 'Liter Bike', pick a brand and a color and BINGO...

you'll end up with something indistinguishable from the BMW except for the badging....

What a great answer. It's true. Look at the bike. It's a morph of everything the Big 4 are doing on their current model liter bikes.

It seems to me that BMW should be above just copying current designs. They are an innovative company that does some esoteric shit. I would have expected something of a paradigm shift from them. Something radical. Instead they built an overpriced, "Japanese" liter bike... that probably doesn't perform as well as an actual Japanese liter bike...

[a13x]

Yea.. that's exactly what they should have done... Same way Ducati built a V-twin for MotoGP.

Oh wait...

[KillBill]

[Evil_Weasel]

unfourtunatly to be competative with the japs and ducs you need to copy them...ever see a sucessful superbike that looked differant? it's like formula 1. all the cars kinda look the same and sound the same because that is the design that wins. no one would try to build a front wheel drive F1 car with a boxer motor because it would get it's ass handed to it by current designs. super bike racing is sadly the same way. i think that was what DMG was trying to get away from with thier daytona superbikes idea....too bad the japs have so much invested in thier current race bikes that it would be a cold day in hell before they gave that up.

remeber the japs have a 30 year development head start over any bike company just entering racing for the first time.

[Paul_E_D]

Honda nose, Yamaha tank and Kawasaki tail. How innovative! That cylinder head better be pretty wacky, or I just don't understand this one. Didn't Triumph learn the lesson: you can't jump into the japanese game and come out a winner.

[Hoss]

Honda nose, Yamaha tank and Kawasaki tail. How innovative! That cylinder head better be pretty wacky, or I just don't understand this one. Didn't Triumph learn the lesson: you can't jump into the japanese game and come out a winner.

The difference between Triumph and BMW is that this is (I would guess) a snap of the chalk line for BMW. Start on the most level playing field possible and build from there. We all know they can build race car engines, and they have the money and resources to R&D from there.


Where as Triumph just doesn't have the means to play ball with the big kids. They've scored a winner with the 675 (arguable), but will it ever really develop further then that? Seems Mccoy is having a hard time finishing a race without a mechanical in WSS. But that's the danger in starting with something totally different right away I suppose.

[Paul_E_D]

car and bike development are totally different. If BMW thinks they will draw car technology in, they are sunk. Look at the GP efforts by car companies...

My question is will BMW really invest what it takes in engineering terms, or do they think they already have it in the bag?

[Evil_Weasel]

My question is will BMW really invest what it takes in engineering terms, or do they think they already have it in the bag?

only time will tell. my bet is the develop it for 2-4 years until they get bored with placing 6th every week, than it will fade into obscurity like so many race efforts before it.

[seth399]

definitely really cool looking, thats for sure...though if you sent me that picture and said this was a 'secret 2010 model' I would guess its a new Honda (other than looking at engine configuration)

[Hoss]

car and bike development are totally different. If BMW thinks they will draw car technology in, they are sunk. Look at the GP efforts by car companies...

My question is will BMW really invest what it takes in engineering terms, or do they think they already have it in the bag?

Yeah, a few of the GP attempts by car enginer makers have not gone well, have they?

It's always exciting to see someone try and break in. I hope they do well. We'll have Aprillia back in GP soon too from the sounds of it!

[jcbell1007]

I think it could go either way with this bike. It seems as though BMW does a great job with the bikes that they already produce, I wouldn't expect any less from them with this model. I mean, they have excellent entry's in the sport touring and dual sport markets. I think they have a bigger cult following than ducati and a much bigger bank which allows them to be more versatile.

I expect that they will do decently in 2009, but I think mechanical problems will be their issue. Makes sense that first season or two will be spent working out problems that the engineers didn't think of. I don't know who they will get to pilot it though. wouldn't you love to see bayliss on or even biaggi on a bimmer?

[Paul_E_D]

Xaus is the pilot.

[Crash Dummy Denno]

Xaus is the pilot.

that's the reason they are predicting top 10

[Evil_Weasel]

Xaus is the pilot.

well, they should get plenty of air time for thier sponsers in the highlight vids as he flys off the bike everyweek...hope they have a good spares budget.

they would have probably been better off hiring you.

[Paul_E_D]

Thanks for the recommendation! I'll be waiting for my phone to ring

[Crash Dummy Denno]

Thanks for the recommendation! I'll be waiting for my phone to ring

take my advice - dont answer