Limited edition — unlimited fun
While drivers of Formula One cars might sweat a little as they sit back and guide their high-speed four-wheeler from pit lane to podium, their bike-riding colleagues have it much tougher.
Forced to literally hang on for dear life most of the race, they not only have to stay on the track while moving up the field, they must also balance a machine that seems happiest sliding on its side into haystacks.
Then there’s the bends: while racecar drivers seem to barely notice them, bike racers must genuflect with respect to get round them at speed.
Moments later, as they power out of the bend, they then have to fight off a manic struggle by the rear wheel to overtake the front.
Being able to do all this while overtaking the bike ahead and making sure the one behind doesn’t overtake them, makes these riders gods in our eyes — and the bikes they ride, pure dream machines.
But though it’s a tough sport, the rewards are huge for both the riders and the millions of fans around the world.
For the manufacturers too, who know that the halo affect of a Superbike win can help sell even the smallest bike bearing the same brand name.
Little wonder then that BMW finally has got involved, and this year entered their first ever contender — the S1000 RR — in World Superbike.
It’s early days yet the newbie, but it is having a reasonably good first season and we expect to see it among the top five if not next year then certainly 2011.
Meanwhile, a World Superbike requirement that each contender must be a series production bike, means BMW are building 1,000 S1000 RRs for general release — which means Joe Blows like us can have one of our very own.
Weighing in at just 204kilos it packs a brand new water-cooled in-line 4-cylinder engine that belts out a stonkin 193bhp and 112Nm of torque from just 9,750rpm.
That’s enough to get it from 0-100kph in 2.9 seconds and turn in a top speed of 200kph.
It’s the lightest supersport in its class and delivers more power for its weight too.
It’s also the only machine with both Race ABS and DTC traction control and selectable riding modes to suit both the terrain and whatever tyres are on the bike.
The new superbike will go on sale here on the 5th of December, and according to Dave Humphries of Dublin’s, Joe Duffy Motorrad, it should have a price tag of around €15,995.
That’s up a bit on the cost of an R1 or a Fireblade — but a fraction of what you’d pay for a Formula One racecar that isn’t half as exciting to drive.