Photoshoot of the Week: June 24th -30th 2019 – BMW S1000RR & Aleksandra

When your predecessor is the officially the fastest ever machine to have lapped the Isle of Man TT Mountain Course, you’ve got some seriously big shoes to fill. Of course, you could argue that if it ain’t broke then why fix it… but where’s the challenge in that? Four years ago when the project began to make BMW’s headline sports bike even better than before, the new model brief was to be one second faster on the track (short circuit), more than 10kg lighter and easier to control. But with Ducati, Aprilia, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Honda and Yamaha all impressing with their track-focussed weapons in recent years, have BMW tooled-up and struck gold with the 2019 S1000RR?
10 years since the original game-changing S1000RR impressed so mightily in its debut year, the 2019 model, marking the 3rd new generation in the family, has come on leaps and bounds including the riddance of those asymmetrical headlights – not everyone’s cup of tea. Not only does the overall look get upgraded while still retaining the recognisable silhouette, but immense improvements to the engine, frame, suspension, electronics and rider control systems warrant the “new from the ground up” comment from the German marque.
For the first time, a street-legal superbike was equipped with extensive electronic aids – ABS, riding modes, quickshifter, and traction control. Everything was competitively priced too, and not in the form of an exclusive halo bike. For many years, the BMW S1000RR won the magazines tests and the competitors scrambled to respond.
However, the ambitions in World Superbike did not go as smoothly. It wasn’t until 2012 that a win came along, though in the Superstock class. There, BMW came to dominate, and in its first season won all races except one. And as far as Isle of Man TT goes, the S1000RR has been quite successful ever since Michael Dunlop got his hands on it.
Germany’s’ “Double-R” set the tone for the last decade of sport bikes. It did take a few years, but the competitors finally caught up to BMW, and in some cases, they have continued past with similar themes on their machines: significantly more power and more racing-derived technology.
Now for the model’s 10th anniversary, BMW wants to redefine the motorcycle that redefined the entire field. Say hello to the 2019 BMW S1000RR. The new BMW S1000RR has been in development for four years, and it’s not a question of only small refinements, but instead big steps in unexpected directions.
With 199 horsepower and only 207 kgs to move the S1000R has a power-to-weight ratio of just 2.26 pounds/horsepower, which means it can go from 0 to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds — without shifting out of first gear, which tops out at 96 mph. The S1000rr has three standard drive modes — Sport, Race, and Rain; Sport is the base mode, Race makes traction control less intrusive, and Rain dials output down to 187 horsepower and 80 lb-ft of torque, reduces throttle response, and puts stability and traction control on high alert.
The S1000RR is also available with an optional Ride Modes which is called Pro functionality that adds two more modes, Slick and User. Slick mode allows the rider to adjust the sensitivity of traction control, and User lets the rider to customize ABS, stability control, engine mapping, and the Dynamic Damping Control suspension settings. In addition to the additional electronic modes, the Ride Modes Pro package upgrades the S1000RR with launch control and pit-lane speed-limiter functionalities. Other electronic systems offered on the S1000RR include Dynamic Traction Control, which includes a banking sensor and gives the rider seven settings to choose from; Gear Shift Assist Pro, which allows clutch-less shifts; and cruise control.
Like most sport bikes, the S1000RR’s natural riding position puts your knees up by your elbows and your chest close to the tank. Which means you need to entirely lean on tank.The inline 4 exhaust wont disappoint you while you take a spin in city or on track.The exhaust notes are soothing to your ears in high as well as in low revs.Its linear power delivery helps you to gain more control on the bike. On high revs and lower gears and on lower gears and on high revs this machine performs outstandingly without any knocking. Thats the USP of the engine. Body is mix of carbon fibre and aluminium to reduce the weight. Tail looks like a pointed arrow and has small curvy indicators in the front and back and headlights being asymmetrical. With the price tag of 27 lakhs on road, this bike surely has got lot of capability to compete with other litre class bikes in its category.