TimeOut

Motorcycle, that is.  My wife and I used to manage a BMW motorcycle dealership in Seattle.  I love motorcycles...Harleys, Hondas, Ducatis, Triumphs.... 

I was stunned to see that as of last week, BMW has entered the superbike realm.  The S1000RR weighs in at around 450lbs WET, and has 193HP.  It even has optional "Race ABS" and Dynamic Traction Control with variable condition settings.  Unreal!

It's exciting to see BMW back into superbike with Troy Corser and Rueben Xaus!  Unfortunately Corser crashed and will sit out Kylami circuit in South Africa. 

I have been traveling and haven't been able to keep up with WSBK so maybe Graham aka gmhutton can fill us in on the BMW team's racing efforts.

Of all the different brands of bikes you listed, which is your all time favorite bike?  I really want to get the Ducati 848........

-MW

If I had only one bike, I'd say a BMW F800GS or a K1200R (photo below).  That's because I do on occasion like to load up the bags and go for a weekend (or cross country trip ) away.  I find the BMWs really comfortable at high speed, all day, and I like the suspension features & ABS.  At the same time, I love Ducati (Sport 1000S!!!), Harley (Road King), Honda, you name it.  I just love bikes!

 

..is doing embarrassingly badly in SBK. I believe their best result thus far is a 7th place.

I had a chance to look over the bike at the Phillip Island round: the finish of the bike is incredible and the team is huge. All of which means nothing when you are beaten by privateer Yamahas. I spoke to a couple of the engineers, who were dismayed with their lack of speed, particularly when the other bike making a debut - the RSV-4 - was doing so well.

That being said, I hope they do well. The more manufacturers involved, the better. SBK is doing well this year, but as usual, Flamini have allowed Ducati to cheat.

Hello BDLJ,

As you are our PuristSPro TimeOut motorcycle expert it's great to hear about your insights on WSBK.

Any more cool videos to share with the rest of us?  That last one from the paddock was awesome!

-MW

...being on the other side of the earth to where most of the racing takes place makes it difficult. The two main international races I attend are the Australian SBK round at the start of the season and the GP at the end. In between, usually means late nights to keep up and the odd trip to Sepang. And whatever gossip comes my way.

I'll see if I can post some more videos. I have trouble on this computer due to some so-called security software. I do know I have some from the Derbi 125 pits a couple of years back. Ring-ding two stroke noises....

BDLJ,

I'm jealous you get to attend the MotoGP race!  You get to go to Sepang too? 

Make sure you get us some good pics and vids on the next trips!!!!  Two stroke is music to my ears.

BTW, what's your opinion on Ben Spies?  I know he's down on points from Haga especially this last weekend, how do you think he'll do?

-MW

You won't like my opinion...

Spies is immensely talented and in SBK has shown that he can really ride after being in the 2 horse race of AMA. (I think the Yoshimura team lost it's first race in 50-odd recently...) To be in a new team, on a new bike, on unfamiliar tracks and perform as he has is amazing. If he hadn't crashed and hadn't run out of fuel, he'd be right up with Haga. That said, his negotiations when he was looking at a MotoGP seat left some doubts as to his attitude. I'll reserve further judgement on that until the season is further developed.

Sepang is fun. It's usually the race before or after the Australian round, so we get two weekends of racing and hang out with the same people. It also means I get a chance for a bit of a holiday and head for the beaches in Malaysia

for a company that has never built a true sport bike before. I would say this first year is a huge success for them with top 10 finishes.
I'm not a BMW bike fan but I respect what they have done by going directly at the Japanese using their formula and suspect by the end of the year xaus and Corser will be fighting for top 5's.

As long as my boys on the Ducs continue to pull away in the title hunt I would be happy to see the Bimmer on the last spot of the podium.

As I wrote, I'd really like them to do well. The more competitive bikes in the field, the better. Nothing like a bit of corporate pride being at stake.

The issue is that this bike has been around for a while in various forms, it began as their aborted effort at entering MotoGP in 2007ish. I think Luca Cadalora and McWilliams were test-riders for a while. The bike wasn't competitive, and combined with the cost of MotoGP and their market placement, they decided to go to Superbikes - a good decision, in my opinion. They've had a few years to get it competitive, and it isn't. Yet.

Ducati lobbied for the 1200cc rule even as they homologated their 1098. Typical of Flamini, they rolled over on the rules. Word is that had they known, Aprilia wouldn't have gone the 4 cylinder route had they been warned of the 1200cc change. Then again, as above, anything that feeds rivalry is good.

it is their first season so problems and lack of pace are to be expected. Corser is one of the best development riders on the circuit. Aprilia are doing better, but have years of experience with previous racing, this beemer is new and they've only participated in endurance racing in the past with the boxer twin, a different style entirely.

if i was still well enough to ride i may well have a BMW GS of some sort. i've had loads of big trail bikes including a 1989 R100GS, 10 gallon Ascerbic tank, single seat/extended rack conversion and panniers. i learnt a lesson. they are capable of doing the sahara desert, but never buy one thats done it as they fall apart 

i had an Aprilia pegaso 650 single, same as the F650 in all but a few details, fun and handles well.

nearly bought an F650 Dakar, but went for a triumph tiger 900i instead. havent been able to ride since 2002 so a bit out of touch, but an 800GS sounds like a good balance. not too heavy, but with good power for off road excursions.

i'm now banned from bikes by my wife as my neck wont turn enough to see anything and my shoulder and right arm cant hold it like it would need so i follow the wsbk and motogp religiously.

best

Graham

...worded that original post a little harshly.

As I said, I do hope they do well, but they are definitely not getting the results they want nor expected. Corser is a good development rider (my personal opinion of him is another matter!) so hopefully they can get the thing to work for them. The Motorad team is pretty experienced, too. A lot of the guys are from (I believe) the Suter Kawasaki mob, so they know what they're doing.

Pegasos - I helped a friend buy one just recently, his first bike. Good fun but we need to find him a louder exhaust. Strangled singles sound awful. I have duck's disease, so bikes like the Tiger and GS are out. Had a sit on the new Guzzi Stelvio over the weekend. A sit only....just too tall and wide for me, and 215kg? I don't think so, more like 250....so I didn't take it out.

...a racer. And only a clubbie at that. Still take out the little bike for track/open days to buzz the sportsbikes. Getting much harder as I have just started to rebuild the motor to run on unleaded (which sucks in a 2-stroke) and then will probably seize it trying to learn the new jetting. Fingers over the clutch methinks. 

I am glad to hear that you are not a K-series fan. The only one I can stand is the K1 and that's purely out of perversity and myopia...