BMW R1200RT

 Thump thump… Thump thump… Thump thump..

No, this is not the sound of the engine. This is your heartbeat. It’s fast, around 110 beats per minute. And you haven’t even turned it on yet. You turn the key, hit the starter button. A high pitched shrill rings out followed by a baritone hum. It’s already music to your ears. Don’t you dare touch that throttle: the engine is still cold. A few minutes pass and you can give it a blip. It’s electric, the engine spinning up like nothing else this side of a Formula 1 power plant. Thump Thump Thump Thump Thump Thump… It’s time to throw your leg over. This is the S1000RR, the fastest, most powerful production motorcycle in the world.

BMWBLOG spent one short lived but glorious week with BMW’s new superbike. In the following article we’ll take you to the racetrack, through busy downtown streets, along open highways and straight up to redline. We advise you wear your helmet for this one, it gets pretty wild. Fasten the strap and read on.

It’s unfortunate but true: most of your time atop this BMW will be spent around town on your daily commute. Conservative speed limits and stern faced police men (along with your own good judgment) will prevent you from unleashing even a fraction of this bike’s performance. It’s better this way, there are too many variables beyond your control. Too many oblivious pedestrians, slumbering drivers and wayward taxis. Just exercise the type of restraint that keeps you happily married and out of jail.

You know, riding with restraint offers its own gratifying experience. It’s kind of like hypermiling. It’s not nearly as much fun as thrashing it, but then you’re quite contented by your self-control and superior fuel mileage. Well, you get the idea. Just the knowledge of vast power reserves under your wrist will put a smile under your helmet and give you an air of proud confidence in your machine.

When I first mounted the S1000RR, I had just spent a week with BMW’s R1200RT touring machine. Obviously this track day demon feels a little different. By virtue of weight distribution over the front wheel, you have to assume the position – forward tucked with weight on your wrists. But this is no Ducati, no GSX-R for that matter; and I intend this as a compliment.

 While you can still move around on the bike as needed for sport riding, you can also ride relatively upright in a comfortable position. All day. The S1000RR’s seating position strikes a great balance between comfort and all-out sport; within the superbike segment it’s unmatched for its ergonomics and comfort.