And it’s a ripper, based on the S 1000 RR sportbike, likely due in Singapore next year. Dripping in carbon, special parts, and is limited to 500 examples worldwide

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Berlin, Germany 

It had to happen: With BMW M morphing from a motorsports arm into a brand on its own, it now has its first motorcycle: The M 1000 RR. The bike was announced today, along with the new BMW M3 and M4.

BMW Motorrad hasn’t announced pricing or availability of the bike just yet, so no information is available for Singapore at this time, but we’d be very surprised if it’s not offered here and estimate a 2021 launch date. The M 1000 RR is a 500-unit limited edition worldwide.

Of course the M 1000 RR isn’t an all-new machine, it’s based on the very successful S 1000 RR sportbike already built by BMW Motorrad. Recent years saw the addition of M Performance Parts and the like for BMW’s motorcycle arm, so an M-badged model makes sense, and it’s aimed at buyers who want the fastest bike BMW can muster from its catalogue.

But this is more than simply slapping everything in the catalogue at a regular S 1000 RR – there are significant changes to the chassis, engine, and aerodynamics which warrant the ‘M’ badge.

The M 1000 RR (or M RR for short) has an upgraded engine: It has new forged pistons from Mahle, new combustion chamber, new intake ports, titanium valves with lighter rocker arms and updated camshafts, Pankl titanium conrods, and a full titanium exhaust system that’s 3.7kg lighter. That results in ‘only’ 5.3hp more, for a total of 209hp, but BMW says the M RR engine has more gusto in the from 6,000rpm to the higher 15,1000rpm redline – experienced bikers will know this is the ‘oomph’ rev range for track riding where more shove makes the most difference.

It’s hard to miss the carbonfibre winglets on the front. Big aero on bikes is a new thing in racing, and it’s translating to the road already. BMW claims the new aero package was tested in the wind tunnel and reduces wheelies and traction control spikes for better acceleration, and even helps braking and cornering stability. 

Chassis improvements include a revised front fork with new spring strut and updated ‘Full Floater Pro’ rear shock/swingarm section, plus more adjustability to the swingarm pivot. The M RR also has ‘M brakes’ – BMW’s four-wheeler fans will recognise this – with signature blue anodised caliper with M logo.

Thankfully these aren’t just for show: BMW developed the brakes with Nissin under its World Superbike, customer, and endurance racing programmes. BMW claims ‘maximum of performance, resistance point and fading stability and excellent controllability’ from these brakes, and additionally customers can choose one type of pad for road use, and another for track use. The full-carbon wheels, an option on the S 1000 RR, are standard on the M RR. 

The 6.5-inch TFT display now shows the M Logo on startup, good for impressing people in pitlane, but more useful for the rider is the info available: It can now show you more data, including maximum acceleration and deceleration, lean angle and more, while on the race track it can show lap times, traction control intervention, gear shifts per lap, throttle position and more. 

How much will it cost? Given an S 1000 RR with the M Package (lightweight battery, carbon wheels and more) costs S$65k with a COE, we can easily see a 10 to 20 percent premium for the M 1000 RR, so S$80k pricetag isn’t out of the question. Ducati’s V4 S Panigale, for example, already rings in at S$89k.

Exciting as it sounds, the M 1000 RR isn’t the most extreme sportbike BMW has built – that title goes to the drippin-in-carbonfibre superlightweight HP4 Race, a limited edition track bike. Ducati didn’t miss out on the super-superbike trend either – it announced the very-limited Superleggera, which when bought, could even get you onto a Ducati MotoGP bike.

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