This beastly track-ready superbike sprints from 0 to 100km/h in just 3.21 seconds.
The Citizen’s veteran motorsports scribe Andre de Kock reckons riders moving up to MotoGP have serious maths to do. Because the braking points in the premier class are much further away from the corners as they are for slower bikes, recalculations are needed.
You don’t need to compete at the highest level to experience this, just get on a 2025 BMW S 1000 RR. This track-ready superbike sprints from 0 to 100km/h in 3.21 seconds, which is less than half the time my Japanese Harley takes to get there. Not to mention the razor-sharp brakes, which will fling you off if you apply the usual pressure to brake lever and pedal.
In the short time since adding two-wheelers in addition to my usual four-wheeler media tests, my experience has largely centred around adventure bikes. Regardless of their size, adventure bikes are popular because to are comfortable, easy to operate and able to negotiate various terrains.
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Like eating an elephant
While the initial prospect of swinging a leg over the BMW S 1000 RR was exciting, my nerves had deteriorated quite severely as delivery day dawned. With my limited experience, how will I be able to handle a 999cc four-cylinder inline engine that produces an eye-popping 154kW of power at 13 750rpm and 113Nm of torque at 11 000rpm? Like eating an elephant. Bite for bite.
The very cautious first ride home from the office was complete amateur hour. My wrists took a pounding from the weight of my forward-leaning position placing more strain than usual on my hands without any suspension travel to soften up the ride. I was too jerky on the quick-action throttle, I kept stalling because of the sensitive race clutch and my thighs starting cramping because the pegs are so far back.
I was awash with self-pity, remembering how others in my profession either declined the bike altogether, or left it in their garages for a week feeling sorry for themselves.
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A thing of beauty
There the BMW S 1000 RR stood in my garage, fitted with the M Package clad in Light white/M Motorsport paintwork. It has aerodynamic front and side trim panels with winglets that create 23kg of downforce at 300km/h. M Brake Ducts feature in the front mudguard to cool the callipers of the 320mm, 5mm, four-piston twin-disc brakes at the front which provides stopping power along with a 220mm single disc one-piston calliper at the rear. Beautifully crafted M Carbon wheels shod in 120/70 ZR17 semi-slick rubberware in front and 200/55 ZR17 at the rear. 6.5-inch TFT digital display that features a track screen and even your lean angle. An optional Akropovic exhaust system and golf-plated M Endurance chain which sends the twist to the rear wheel via six-speed gearbox completes the picture. All of this weighing just 198kg.
I knew the pain of regret in not giving it my best go would outlast any discomfort the BMW S 1000 RR would cause to my wrists, legs or bum. I heeded the call to man up and adapted to its strenuous demands a little every day. By the time the weekend arrived, things became a blur. A pleasant blur with intoxicating exhaust notes.
Live your dream on the BMW S 1000 RR
I can’t tell you about the downforce at 300km/h because I’m too old for the kind of positions those speeds require you to be in and we would not attempt that on public roads anyway. The unsuperbike-like fuel consumption of 6.3L/100km proves that we behaved. I’m also not a world-class ride like Brad Binder, so my lean angles weren’t the 60-degree ones you see on television on Sundays.
But that is the whole point of this superbike. Anyone can ride it off the showroom floor straight onto the race track, regardless of skill level. If you can afford R395 850, you can live your dream.
By the way, I was glad to drop off the key after a week. The cheeky manner in which I weaved through traffic on the way back to the office was in such stark contrast to my maiden voyage, that it is better to put the beast back into its cage instead of taking out additional life insurance.
