I’ll never forget the time I rode a BMW S1000RR. I legged myself onto the saddle, let it idle half a minute, then opened the same amount of throttle I’d been using to move my 1981 Suzuki GS450. Zoom. “Beemer’s faster,” I realized, after catching my breath and bringing the bike back down to the speed limit.
These bikes are so fast – the 0-60 time is in the mid twos, for godsakes – that I feel like performance upgrades are going to be redundant for all but the most elite ass-hauling riders. But I’m sure BMW will be able to sell some as bling for the less speedy, too.
BMW’s offered M Performance and an HP line of upgrades for its motorcycles for some time. The latest batch mostly revolves around weight reduction and adjustability. But I find them oddly beautiful as they sit just kind of floating in air in this gallery of naked carbon.
The S1000RR’s new M Performance Parts catalog, per BMW’s press release, will include a carbon fiber airbox cover, chain guard, rear wheel cover, front wheel cover, sprocket cover, fuel tank cover left/right, and fairing side panel top left/top right. Also: A lightweight battery, stand, and chain tensioner.
M Carbon wheels should reduce the bike’s rotational mass and make it even zoomier.
You’ll also be able to pick from three M sport seat heights (regular, “high,” and “low”) and different footrest options, which might be nice if you like the S1000RR but don’t quite fit on one. You can also get adjustable brake and clutch levers to really dial in the ergonomics and human/machine interface experience to your liking.
I’m not sure if I’ll ever ride a BMW again, or any motorcycle for that matter. But for some reason, I’m still kind of tantalized by the beauty of all these whispy carbon fiber pieces.