2009 BMW S1000RR Preview

It's supposed to be the size of an R6. BMW bosses use the Japenese litre bikes as the target, but we all know that the retail target will be in the $20k range for the road-going bike. I suspect the RR all tricked out should be in the neighborhood of a 1098R. Not that BMW couldn't sell a $40k streetbike, but Ducati only intends on building a few thousand to meets FIM requirements. From the press release the Beemer guys think there's a market for more than a 2000 bike run. Good luck on that-guys.

No cool front end, nothing to differ from the big 4, I'm dissappointed as a BMW rider. But at least they are trying and I'll cheer for em.

"In the early project phase we checked out various engine concepts," explained von Kuenheim. "The straight-Four (offers) the best qualities to meet the power, performance, weight, and package requirements to be fulfilled."

Click to expand...

Now that's a Bald-Faced LIE!

EVERYBODY knows the V-4 is the Ultimate Engine-Configuration!

pfagh!

Looks like the love child of this thing and a ZX-10R.

Ironically, the former is also a (failed) superbike entry.

To me, it looks like they used an R6 Race upper, possibly because they haven't yet decided on what the bodywork will look like yet.

It's a shame they didn't do something more innovative. Ducati is going to eat everybody's I4 lunch. BUT, it IS a NEW BIKE, and any new bike is better than no new bike at all.

I wonder if this one will take any buyers away from the $40k 1098 ARRRRGH?

It doesn't seem to me that BMW is making a wise decision in pursuing the high performance market. They are basically targeting the sort of people who don't spend $20K on a sport bike. The new K1200S's are already slow sellers. How much chance does a $20K+ sport bike have that will be slower than the competition anyhow? At a time when all bike sales are slow. Hope I'm wrong 'cause BMW has a heck of an investment going here.

"with a target of 190 crankshaft horsepower"

Good grief, well they're not screwing on power

seruzawa said:

It doesn't seem to me that BMW is making a wise decision in pursuing the high performance market. They are basically targeting the sort of people who don't spend $20K on a sport bike. The new K1200S's are already slow sellers. How much chance does a $20K+ sport bike have that will be slower than the competition anyhow? At a time when all bike sales are slow. Hope I'm wrong 'cause BMW has a heck of an investment going here.

Click to expand...

I concur, I think the timing is poor. The bike market is contracting and I doubt they'll sell many.

Appearance-wise it does very little to separate itself from the sport bike pack but it sure does separate itself from the rest of the BMW lineup. There's nothing about it that suggests BMW -- it does look nice though.

Dry weight of 418 lbs and 190hp! That's the type of power to weight that fits right in with the Japanese litre bikes. The frontal area may be a rip-off of the R6 because the R6 plastic was used on the test mule. The target number for this will probably be in the $25,000 range- putting it in direct competition with the MV f4, Ducati 1098s, Benelli and a few others. Is it possible the total production is supposed to be in the 2000 bikes a year range? Maybe- but the intro of the bike and press release made it seem as if they were trying to produce more motorcycles than that.

...head scratch, and again.

All things considered:
Seems the only reason to follow through on this for BMW, is ...expanding their lineup, further enhancing thier new rep/image,(as compared to co. as we used to know them).
As already noted, no great innovation, wont beat competition for pure performance.
Hmmm.

Is this a joke?

Maybe this is an April Fools Joke...though I admit that it is a few weeks after April 1. I just can't imagine that they are that stupid. Obviously they wouldn't be competitive against the Big Four.

BMW has dropped prices on several models recently. And they have admitted that their very cheapest bike is now made is China. If this IS real, then you guys may be slightly pessimistic on price. It might be in the high teens not the high twenties.

It appears their focus is on WSBK hence the 1000 bike manufacturing run. An odd direction for them to take, I don't think there's a very big market for an over $20k sportbike, maybe just enought to support a homologation run.

>The challenge for BMW, and all European manufacturers, is the
>continued decline in value of the American dollar against the euro.
>Von Kuenheim notes that the dollar and Japanese yen have lost about
>80% of their value versus the euro.

Lost 80% of their value? That would mean they have only 20% left. Von Kuenheim has probably smeared that boot grease on his monocle again.

- cruiz-euro

acecycleins said:

The target number for this will probably be in the $25,000 range- putting it in direct competition with the MV f4, Ducati 1098s, Benelli and a few others. Is it possible the total production is supposed to be in the 2000 bikes a year range? Maybe- but the intro of the bike and press release made it seem as if they were trying to produce more motorcycles than that.

Click to expand...

BMW claims to intend on selling the S1000 at a price fairly competitive with the Asian bikes. Considering the value of the Euro, that number might be pushing the $15K mark. They'll definitely be trying to sell more than 1000 or 2000 of them. The deal is they have to have at least 1000 produced by Dec 2009 in order to meet homologation criteria. They'll build way more than that.

"Sign zee papers, Herr motorcycle consumer"

sarnali2 said:

"Sign zee papers, Herr motorcycle consumer"

Click to expand...

I'll believe in competitive BMW-USA pricing when I see it. 'Cause it'll be the first time. 650 singles... $9K+, 800 twins... $10K+, 1200 Boxers.... $13.5K+.

Everyone who believes you'll see 190hp, 420 pound, I-4 Beemers for $10.5K raise your hand. Excellent. Come to my Brooklyn Bridge Toll Management Seminar.. onry $500 registration fee. You come, bring famiry. Klazy Ken guest speaker, you bet.

Remember, BMW pricing is more competitive over in Europe than it is here. For better or worse.