It seems that reports of the death of the superbike have been greatly exaggerated! While the class is suffering a rapid and seemingly inevitable decline in South Africa, that has not stopped BMW Motorrad from making a big splash about the arrival of the 2023 S 1000 RR.
Every BMW Motorrad dealer hosted an unveiling on Saturday 11th February and ZA Bikers was present at both BMW Sandton and Bavarian BMW in Centurion to get a first glimpse of the new kid on the block.
And what a glimpse! The new model is simply stunning and somehow manages to make last year’s model look completely out of date.
The news that the engine remains largely unchanged should not deter anyone, although to satisfy the bar braggers, there is a little more power, even though, when you have 205 horsepower (151 kW) and 83 foot-pounds of torque (113 Nm), there aren’t too many arguments in favour of needing more! But more there is: three more horsepower!
What BMW has also done is make enhancements to the chassis, suspension, aerodynamics and electronics. These are the salient points of the upgrades:
Dynamic Traction Control DTC with new Slide Control function using a steering angle sensor.
The new feature of Dynamic Traction Control DTC is the Slide Control function. It allows the rider to select two preset drift angles for the traction control system when accelerating out of bends. Technically, this is achieved using a steering angle sensor. Up to the respective leaning angle, the traction control system allows slippage at the rear wheel when accelerating out of a bend, thus enabling rear wheel drift. When the preset steering angle value is reached, traction control intervenes, reduces slip and stabilises the motorcycle.
Advanced “Flex Frame” and newly defined chassis and suspension geometry.
The heart of the chassis of the new RR is still the aluminium bridge frame, which is a welded construction of four gravity die-cast elements and integrates the engine, which is inclined forward by 32 degrees as before, as a supporting element. With the aim of optimising flexibility laterally, the main frame of the new RR was given several openings in the side areas. The focus was also on further increasing riding precision when developing the new chassis of the RR. The steering head angle has been flattened out by 0.5° and the offset of the triple clamps reduced by 3 mm. The new chassis geometry is accompanied not only by even better riding precision, but also by increased accuracy and clearer feedback from the front wheel.
ABS Pro with new Brake Slide Assist and ABS Pro “Slick” setting functions.
The new Brake Slide Assist function is an important and very helpful innovation for race track riders. As in the new DTC Slide Control function, this new system is also based on steering angle sensors and allows the rider to set a specific drift angle for so-called braking drifts while sliding into corners at a maintained speed.
Winglets – redesigned front and rear sections
As with the M RR, winglets on the new RR now ensure the best possible contact of the front wheel with the road – especially when accelerating. They generate aerodynamic downforce and thus additional load on the wheels. The advantages are that the bike’s tendency to do a wheelie is reduced, you can brake later and cornering stability is increased.
There are three new colour schemes Black Storm (metallic), Passion in Racing Red (non-metallic) and the racing-oriented Light White/M Motorsport (non-metallic).
Talking to the staff at BMW Sandton, it seems the price range for the BMW S 1000 RR will be from R360,000 up to about R460,000. For more details, contact your local BMW Motorrad dealer here.
2023 BMW S 1000 RR
For more information on the bike featured in this article, click on the link below…
