To lovely Lake Como in northern Italy, where the annual Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este car and bike show takes place. BMW is one of the organisers of this high-end gig (apparently it makes Goodwood look like the BMF show) and always shows off a concept car and bike or two. This year was the turn of the firm’s 1000RR superbike range to get the concept treatment, with this, the BMW Concept RR. Alan Dowds brings us up to speed…
It’s a little less madcap than some of the wild creations of past years, and much of it looks like a straight lift from the firm’s M1000 RR homologation superbike. That includes a 230bhp version of the inline-four 999cc DOHC 16v ShiftCam M1000 RR WSBK engine, in the standard cast aluminium main frame. The swingarm is full carbon, wheels are forged aluminium race parts, and the Bonamici yokes and rear subframe are also competition components. Öhlins suspension looks to be the same kit as on the race bikes, as are the Brembo GP4 monobloc nickel-plated brake calipers with 330mm T-Drive discs. It, of course, wears Pirelli Diablo WSBK race slicks, and comes with the latest electronics suite from the M1000 RR.
The most striking feature is probably the bodywork though. It’s full carbon, with golden-finished metal highlights, extensive air management ducting and hefty aerodynamic winglets on show. A full titanium Akrapovic race pipe and brushed aluminium race fuel tank round off the saucy style.
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Speaking about the concept machine, Markus Flasch, head of BMW Motorrad, said; “Never before has BMW Motorrad provided such an early glimpse into a future generation of the RR models. The BMW Motorrad Concept RR is a true masterpiece of our development team, both technically and in terms of design language.
“Guided and inspired by the BMW Motorrad factory superbike M 1000 RR, with which BMW Motorrad factory rider Toprak Razgatlioğlu was able to dominantly win the FIM World Superbike Championship last year, the Concept RR offers a true firework of superlatives for both street and track use. The transfer from racing to road has never been shown more clearly. It represents BMW Motorrad’s leadership claim to offer the highest engineering level and maximum performance in this segment.”
A lot of words – but it’s not clear what the Concept RR will lead to in production form. We’re hoping for a modern variant of the HP4 and HP4 Race machinery of the last decade, with limited-production run, exotic engine and chassis tech, and performance that’s arguably even better than a race bike (the HP4 Race almost approached MotoGP-spec in terms of kit, weight and power).
The other elephant in the room is the rumour of MotoGP involvement from Bavaria in the near future. What impact will a GP bike wearing the blue and white roundel have on the firm’s road range? We could definitely see the German firm leveraging its MotoGP tech into a super-trick exotic road bike, just as Ducati did with its Desmosedici. A tempting idea for sure.
