While most motorcycle manufacturers in the early 20th century were only dreaming of their high performance machines, BMW was busy winning races. So it's no surprise that the German motorcycle-maker had aspirations of podium glory going way back to the 30s when they were winning titles all over the world. And even though their machines were plenty fast, it wasn't until 1997 that you could say they'd finally released their first, prototypical superbike, in the form of the K1200RS. It was a machine that did away with the self-imposed 100 horsepower limit, producing, instead, 130 hp, generating 87 lbs of torque and topping out at 152 mph. And you can see every bit of that DNA in the S 1000 RR, albeit in an extraordinarily different package.
When the BMW S 1000 RR was released in 2008, it was so out of character for the staid German company that it took everyone by surprise. But if people thought that because it was BMW's first, real attempt at a superbike it wouldn't be very good, they were very much mistaken. And after a decade plus of evolution, the reasons for why it's still the top tier track weapon just keep on piling up.
Updated May 2023: BMW continues to evolve and fine tune their flagship sport bike, there are new and exciting reasons why the S 1000 RR is the bike to beat on the track and twisty roads. And to keep our readers up to speed on all the latest BMW developments, we'll be updating this article from time to time.
1 BMW Surprises The World With A True Superbike
No one saw it coming! Up to the point the S 1000 RR was launched, BMW was building large, heavy touring bikes, large, heavy adventure bikes, and some less-than-convincing sporty bikes. Then the S 1000 RR bomb was dropped and quite simply turned the sport bike world on its head. Kings of the superbikes in the 2010s were the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade, the Yamaha YZF-R1, the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, and the Suzuki GSX-R1000R: all the Japanese manufacturers, in fact, with a bit part played by Ducati. Then the BMW S 1000 RR arrived and instantly re-wrote the rule book, setting new benchmarks for power, handling, and electronics.
2 Limited Success In WorldSBK
In order to homologate the S 1000 RR for racing, 1000 bikes had to be built, which BMW duly accomplished. However, racing success had eluded them. Yes, they have won races but, in the face of Kawasaki’s and Jonathan Rea’s dominance, a World Superbike title has proved to be just out of reach.
But perhaps more relevant was Ayrton Badovini’s title in the FIM Superstock 1000 Championship in 2010, winning every race but one during the season. And that was of significant achievement for BMW, as motorcycles in the Superstock class are very close to the production bike you can buy in showrooms.
3 Dominating The Isle Of Man TT Races
World Superbike and MotoGP aren't the only top-notch motorcycle races. In fact, BMW and the world's oldest motorcycle race go hand in hand, as it was one of their supercharged bikes that was victorious at the 1939 Isle of Man TT race. And it's a racing environment that proved to be fertile for the German bikemaker.
In the modern era of racing, the BMW S 1000 RR has proven itself to be the bike to have at the Isle of Man TT, scoring wins in the hands of Michael Dunlop, Ian Hutchinson, and most recently, Peter Hickman. In 2014, Michael Dunlop took a hat-trick of victories in the Superstock, Superbike, and Senior TT races, and up to the 2019 running of the event, the S 1000 RR won 11 of the 15 1000cc races on the Island. After the Covid pandemic caused the 2020 and 2021 TT Races to be canceled, Peter Hickman then repeated Michael Dunlop’s 2014 victory hat-trick in 2022 on the S 1000 RR.
4 Introducing New Technology To The Superbike Class
It's no secret that BMW is well known for their technological prowess. Their current models are loaded with next-level features like rider modes, various rider aides like corner ABS and traction control and even creature comforts like heated grips are available.
Such was also the case, when the S 1000 RR went into full-scale production in 2010. BMW fitted it with ABS and traction control, which was a first for a road-going superbike. It was also the first production motorcycle to offer a quickshifter.
5 The Current S 1000 RR Is The Most Advanced Version Yet
The S 1000 RR has undergone steady development throughout its life and the latest version is the most advanced yet. The main difference is the variable valve timing system, called ShiftCam by BMW. Simply, the inlet camshaft has two different profile cam lobes for each intake valve which alter both the valve timing and the lift/duration of the valves. A servo motor moves the camshaft back and forwards on its rotational axis, bringing one or the other of the lobes into action.
The benefit of this is you get the best of both worlds: good low-down torque and equally good top-end power. Weight has also been lost from both the engine and the chassis: the engine, including the exhaust system, is 24 pounds lighter and the chassis has lost 2.8 pounds of weight, bringing the total for the bike to 434 pounds.
6 One Of The Best Handling Bikes You Can Buy
BMW spent a lot of development time on the aluminum twin-spar frame, calculating the amount of flex when the bike is leaned over in the corners. This is necessary to allow the tires to maintain good contact with the road surface and is something normally only associated with pure racing bikes, such as in MotoGP.
The top-spec suspension is by Marzocchi is not only fully adjustable but features semi-active damping adjustment, which makes changes to the suspension every 11 milliseconds, based on information from sensors and the throttle position. Also, the broad spread of power from the ShiftCam-equipped engine makes the S 1000 RR very easy to ride quickly.
7 Superbike With Sophisticated Electronics Package
You can't talk about superbikes without mentioning the technology that goes into them. And though not every manufacturer participates in road racing, those that do tend to develop bleeding edge technologies for their teams and racers. Some of that technology tends to find its way into mass-produced street versions of those sport bikes, which in turn lets us pretend we're the next Marc Marquez while going to meet a friend at the nearest cafe.
When it was launched in 2009, the electronics package on the S 1000 RR was one of the most comprehensive in the class, featuring ABS, traction control, three riding modes (and a fourth that could be unlocked by plugging in a ‘dongle’), and a quickshifter. The current models now feature all the above as well as ride-by-wire throttle, cruise control, hill-start control, self-canceling indicators, semi-active suspension, full-color TFT dash, up-and-down quickshifter and ShiftCam variable valve timing, adjustable engine braking, wheelie control, and launch control. The S 1000 RR is a technical tour-de-force.
8 Remarkably Comfortable And User-Friendly
Let's not kid ourselves, while BMW has plenty of sport touring options, and this isn't one of them. This machine was created for one simple reason and that was to go fast at a racetrack. But BMW being who they are, couldn't just leave it at that. They made no concessions to comfort and every-day usability, going so far as adding heated grips, cruise control and even a passenger package. And that's not the end of BMW's tinkering.
It might be lighter and more compact than other superbikes, but it is also remarkably comfortable, thanks in part to a well-padded seat and the amount of work BMW has done on the overall ergonomics. Also, whilst it is one of the most powerful superbikes available to buy today, the level of electronic sophistication means that it is also very easy to ride, although if you want to take it anywhere near its full potential, you will have to be very skilled.
9 A BMW That Offers Value For Money
Much like Triumph, Harley-Davidson and Ducati, BMW is a premium brand, with premium bikes and premium costs. Unless you're looking to get yourself a G 310 R or G 310 GS, which are great small capacity beginner bikes, you're not likely to find anything in their stable under $8,000. But that doesn't mean you don't get great value for your hard-earned cash.
The S 1000 RR might cost roughly the same as the Honda CBR1000RR - a few dollars under $18,000 - but the aforementioned specification of the BMW puts it in line with much more expensive superbikes, such as the Yamaha R1M ($26,999) and the Ducati Panigale V4S ($31,595).
10 BMW Evolves The S 1000 RR With The 'M' Badge
Not content with just any old superbike, BMW began the next step in the RR evolution. And in 2020, they finally unveiled the higher-spec and lighter M 1000 RR model, still intended as a basis for racing but also road legal. The first BMW motorcycle to carry the ‘M’ prefix, which was previously only seen on BMW cars, the M 1000 RR has a modified engine, chassis, exhaust, and brakes, along with aerodynamic winglets on the front of the fairing.
It makes extensive use of carbon fiber, was practically born in a wind tunnel and further developed on a racetrack. However, the base model has a price tag of $32,995, and it only climbs steeper from there. But for those riders that crave absolute peak of performance, and money is no object, BMW's S 1000 RR and M 1000 RR aim to deliver the speed and the racing goods.