BMW HP4 Race

While styling was never really the focus of the bike, the bike does look absolutely incredible. Since it is based on the S1000RR, it carries many of the same design elements. The aggression of the S1000RR here has been dialed up to 11. Being a track only bike, unnecessary items like the headlights have been done away with. It is only available in BMW racing colors. But the real eye candy comes from the small details and everything that has been bolted on it.  Like the fat Ohlins FGR300 Superbike World Cup front fork, Ohlins TTX36 GP rear monoshock, titanium Akraprovic WSBK race exhaust system, gigantic Brembo brakes, beefy aluminum swing arm and the carbon fiber wheels. Speaking of carbon fiber, there is very little on this bike that isn’t carbon fiber. Even the frame itself is made of carbon fiber and weighs just 7 kg. Almost everything on it then, is race derived or better. It has compact dimensions of 2070 (L) X 777 (W) X 1193 (H) mm with a wheelbase of 1440 mm. The seat height can vary between 816 and 846 mm. The bike rides on 17” wheels with 120/70 front and 200/60 Pirelli Diablo Superbike slick SC2 tires. The instrumentation uses a digital display with data logging facility.

While the engine may be hot, it is the handling package that will really blow you away. The frame is a resin molded carbon fiber monocoque that uses the engine as a stressed member. Without going into too much detail, this makes the bike weigh 8 kg less than a WSBK bike and only 3 kg more than a Moto GP bike at 160 kg. This means that the bike has an insane power to weight ratio. Then there are suspension components including the Suter developed aluminum swingarm and the fully adjustable Ohlins bits. A race bike must fit its rider and the HP4 achieves that through adjustable rearsets, rake, trail, swingarm pivot point and seat height. The seat is hard but grippy and allows a lot of movement. The windshield is big and gives good protection on straights. All this comes together with the slick tires that will keep up with the best riders on the toughest tracks. The bike is aggressive and eggs on the rider to go harder. The call to power can be answered immediately and with confidence thanks to the massively impressive electronics package that includes 15-level traction and engine braking control and four ride modes – Wet, Intermediate, Dry 1 and Dry 2. Being a race bike it also comes with pit lane speed limiter, launch control, wheelie control, spring travel and brake pressure sensors. Data logging needs are also addressed with lap timing and GPS sensor.

The engine like everything else is also race derived. It is the same 999 cc 4 cylinder DOHC water/oil cooled engine. But here it is equipped with titanium valves, racing camshafts, milled oi sump, Pankl connecting rod and a precision balanced and lightened crankshaft. Fueling uses a racing fuel injection with variable intake pipe length and 4 different modes. It uses a 6 speed transmission with straight cut gears. All this new tech means, that the redline is now up to 14500 rpm. The power output is a massive 215 hp at 13900 rpm and the torque figure is 120 Nm at 10000 rpm. This bike is meant to reach up to 300 km/h.

Doing duty up front are dual 320 mm-diameter discs with Brembo GP4-R calipers with titanium pistons clamps driven by a Brembo RCS 19×18 master cylinder. The rear gets a 220 mm disc with a four-piston Brembo caliper with titanium pistons. The brakes of course are capable of reshaping a rider’s face. Being race friendly they need to stay sharp and without fade even after continued hard use and these are indeed perfect for the job.

Motorcycling does not get better than a hand built Moto GP rivaling race bike. The BMW HP4 Race comes with the racing pedigree, stratospheric power and everything else needed to make that power useful. When you consider the price of its competitors, its might even seem like a bargain. Still this should be reserved for the most serious riders. It is a weapon and not a toy.