The BMW HP4 Race has debuted at the Auto Shanghai motor show, as predicted.
Last week, the Internet rumour mill was abuzz with suggestions BMW might be about to introduce its high-spec superbike (based on the S1000 RR) at the Chinese event, and it turns out those rumours were right. The bike was introduced earlier this morning; here’s what the machine offers.
First, the big news about this machine has always been the carbon-fibre construction. The carbon-fibre monocoque chassis weighs only 7.8 kg. There’s also carbon-fibre bodywork, rear subframe, and wheels keeping weight down. Race-ready and fueled up, the bike weighs 171 kg.
The bike’s engine is a World Superbike-spec unit with custom close-range gearbox, putting out 215 hp at 13,900 rpm and 120 Nm of torque at 10,000 rpm. Suspensions comes courtesy of Öhlins, with an upside-down FGR 300 fork and TTX 36 GP rear shock—the same suspension that’s used by some World Superbike and MotoGP teams. Brakes, too, are race-ready, with BMW including Brembo GP4 PR monoblock brake calipers.
The electronic rider aid system includes such goodies as programmable engine braking and traction control, and a data-logging 2D dash. Of course, there’s also wheelie control, launch control, a pit lane limiter, and all the other standard stuff that’s now expected on superbikes.
BMW will only build 750 of these motorcycles, and the pricing will likely be above $100,000 CAD, if any of them get shipped to our market.
These are track only bikes and do not come with lights and any other fluff required to allow you to sit in traffic in Toronto.