2019 BMW S 1000 RR

Spec-chart jockeys like to to talk peak numbers, but maximum output isn’t everything. Consider the 2019 BMW S 1000 RR. The latest aluminum-framed racer replica from the Bavarian bike maker purportedly produces at least 74 pound-feet of torque from as low as 5,500 rpm all the way up to the new four-banger’s 14,500-rpm redline; old-time Grand Prix racers would have given anything for a powerband that wide. You need only thank BMW’s engineers, who have fitted a variable-valve-timing system called ShiftCam. At 9,000 rpm, a portion of the intake camshaft slides 8mm in five milliseconds to engage a different set of lobes, combining two different engine characters in one smooth, efficient package.

LED headlights are standard on the latest model, and the front turn signals have been relocated from the fairing sides to the backs of the rearview mirrors. At the rear, the brake/taillights, as well as the turn signals, are incorporated into a single unit that is part of the license-plate bracket. When you are prepping for a trackday, shucking the mirrors and that bracket takes less time than it does to fill the fuel tank.

Likes: More aggressive steering geometry, slimmer fuel tank and seat, better aero

Dislikes: Color quandary: M Motorsport or Racing Red? Decisions, decisions, decisions…

Verdict: Faster, lighter, and even easier for mere mortals to ride well?

BMW has not confirmed the price or release date of the 2019 S 1000 RR, but initial performance claims—and the performances by factory riders Tom Sykes and Markus Reiterberger in World Superbike preseason testing—suggest that a head-to-head, road-and-track shootout with the other superbikes from Europe and Japan will be a historic event.

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Powering the latest S 1000 RR is a new 999cc inline-four, which is said to produce 205 hp and 83 pound-feet of torque. That should put this liter-class BMW in the same zip code, output-wise, as other recent models, such as the Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory, Ducati Panigale V4, and Kawasaki ZX-10RR.

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Boasting carbon-fiber wheels, a lightweight battery, an adjustable swingarm pivot, Ride Modes Pro (with configurable engine maps, wheelie/slide controls, and more), and a special seat, the optional “M” package—the motorsport logo is normally reserved for BMW’s highest-performing automobiles—reportedly drops wet weight of the S 1000 RR from 434 to 427 pounds.