BMW has unveiled a couple new two-wheelers, but they couldn’t be more different. One’s an upgraded firebreathing superbike, the other’s a battery-powered commuter.
First up, the new HP4 superbike. This machine is an upgraded version of the S1000RR machine puts out 193Â hp and weighs 169 kg dry with Race ABS – supposedly that’s the lightest inline-four racebike out there.
There are plenty more electronic geegaws besides that Race ABS. BMW has included seven-setting traction control, launch control, wheelie detection, and shift assistance as standard. Front brakes are radial monoblock brake calipers by Brembo with some sort of special brake pads.
The engine has supposedly been breathed on as well, for increased mid-range torque.
If the HP4 isn’t upgraded enough from the S1000RR for your tastes, you can upgrade even further with the Competition Package, which adds a bunch of carbon-fibre parts to the already lightweight setup.
We don’t have pricing for the HP4 yet, but it’ll likely be available around year’s end.
And what about the other newcomer to the scene? Well, BMW seems to be taking their entry into the scooter world seriously – they’ve added another scooter to their C-series, the C evolution.
Some of the scooter’s features sound interesting (a claimed 100-km range, short charging times, 120 kph top speed, 11Â kW continuous output and 35Â kW peak output, regenerative braking with ABS), and others don’t (“Innovative colour concept and design” and “Multifunctional instrument cluster and LED daytime running light”).
Designers have even chosen Metzeler Feelgreen for supposed energy-saving benefits. This rubber is supposed to be lighter and reduce rolling friction. Front wheel and rear wheel sizes are 3.5 x 15 inches and 4.5 x 15 inches respectively.
Front and rear brakes are both 270 mm floating discs with twin-pot calipers. ABS is a dual-channel Bosch system that allows separate regulation of the two brake cycles for front and rear brakes.
That quick-charge feature we mentioned earlier? It’s going to be built to be compatible with standard household plugs, but also specialized car chargers. BMW says the scooter should be able to be charged in three hours, from dead flat.
