Motorcycle specifications BMWS 1000 RR 2012 Barone asserts herself

the S 1000 RR is BMW's first hypersport, its first foray into a battle led and mastered by the Japanese quartet. It came with the same weapons: 2 wheels, an aluminum perimeter frame, an in-line 4-cylinder engine... and it beat them all! For its first Superbike sportsbike, the Bavarian brand didn't miss a beat.

hyper-powerful, incisive and packed with electronic assistance, the S 1000 RR made the press comparos burn and many a rider sweat. Unfortunately, in sporting terms, the results didn't live up to Béhème's expectations: in World Superbike, it wasn't a party - in Endurance, it was ahead of the pack, but didn't win much. In French SBK, on the other hand, it's a jackpot. In European Superstock, things are really hopping. And still in the world of endurance racing, the potential is there, more and more teams are choosing her, and when she's on the clock, you've got to do more than hang on to keep up.

after many a time-saving lap, the S 1000 RR gets its first evolution for 2012. As with the vast majority of this year's hypersports models, this new opus is rather timid and more concerned with points of detail. Let's take a closer look.

fans of the new model will grumble, but those who bought an S 1000 RR last month will grumble a lot less about the beast's new design: virtually identical to its predecessor! The asymmetrical headlamps and fairing panels (very finely redesigned) remain its distinctive styling features. The changes are symbolic: a slimmed-down rear section, an airbox cover with grids, small transparent fins to enhance aerodynamics between the fairing and the fork head, and last but not least, tiny alterations to the footbraces.

so aggressive, so intimidating, the German hypersport didn't need a makeover. So it has concentrated its efforts on offering even greater efficiency and agility. The new geometry has been achieved by reducing the wheelbase to 1422.7 mm (9.3 mm less), increasing caster, reducing fork offset and overhang, and reducing steering head angle. The changes are minimal, but enough to give greater precision and handling.
Revised at both front and rear, the suspensions offer greater feel and improved workability. New valves and internal fork changes give improved damping response. The rear combination has been extensively modified internally to achieve greater responsiveness to adjustments and significantly more efficient oil work. To match the optimized geometry of the chassis, the swingarm axis is raised by 4 mm.
To calm the front end, the RR now benefits from a 10-position adjustable steering damper.

will chassis improvements go hand in hand with engine upgrades? Yes and no. No, because the German block retains the same values as the previous version. But that's okay, because it's already at the top of its class: 193 hp at 13,000 rpm (much more, in fact) from an engine weighing less than 60 kilos. Torque is also unchanged, at 112 nm.
Yes, because the on-board electronics have been modified all over; or rather, upgraded.
In the past, engine management had 4 laws for Rain, Sport, Race and Slick driving modes. Now there are just 2: one for Rain, one for the other 3 modes. The driver no longer needs to adapt to a different throttle response each time.
Engineers have injected the Ecu with 3 new, optimized power curves, and a Rain mode boosted by 11 hp (now 163); while another team has added a tooth to the crown. While the S 1000 RR has the same amount of horsepower as yesterday, its power and torque curves have been slightly inflated. It's not just reprogramming that's been done, but also an airbox, an air intake duct and modified trumpets, as well as a redesigned exhaust system. This, plus a shortened final drive ratio, promises improved acceleration and more vigorous corner exits.
On deceleration, the mapping manages residual torque more effectively, for greater braking stability. As for the DTC, BMW has refined it a little further. The anti-wheeling system is smoother, and traction control has improved in performance and setting quality.

the dashboard, already packed with information, has been enhanced with a few more goodies. Firstly, a "Best lap in progress" function, which tells the rider every 100 m whether his lap time is better or worse than on the previous lap. Then there's "Speedwarning", a speed reminder. Program a speed limit, and as soon as you exceed it, the shift-light comes on to warn you, while SPEED appears on the screen. Also noteworthy is the ability to deactivate the lighting fault that appears when the headlights and blinkers are off (track use).

first touch-up for the BMW S 1000 RR: a timid one. Its level is such that it doesn't really need a revolution. A host of small modifications have been made, which won't change its behavior enormously, but will keep it one step ahead of its rivals. Except with the Kawasaki ZX-10 R and the imminent 1199 Panigale (which looks surreal). There's one detail that's certainly anecdotal but remarkable: the S 1000 RR is the only hypersport bike to offer heated grips as an option.