If BMW made a smaller version of the all-conquering S1000RR the world would be a better place. If only it was real...
We had all hoped the S1000RR was going to be good, but we never imagined it would pummel the rest of the class the way it has. Taut handling, great brakes, ABS, traction control, electronic trickery and a class-leading 190 HP motor all wrapped up in neat edgy bodywork mean we can even forgive the asymmetrical (baffl ing) headlight arrangement and puke green paint scheme.
But if BMW is truly the real deal and looking to kick the Japanese fully to the curb it'll need a smaller capacity sportbike. A scaled down version would be just the trick for world dominance.
Engine
The stock engine is a 999cc inline four, making 190 crank HP. There's plenty of speculation that the smaller Bimmer could be a 675 triple to take on the Triumph Daytona, or simply an inline four. Another route could be the same move BMW pulled with the K100 back in 1985-it simply lopped off a cylinder. This would give us a lightweight 750cc missile to slay the GSX-R750 as well as kick the 600s around. We'd expect a true 150 HP at the back wheel.
To put that into perspective that's roughly the same power as a 2004 R1, the weight of the current R6 and the musical noise of a Daytona 675.
Chassis
Our S750RR wears 44mm Sachs forks up front (2mm smaller than the 1000) and a high and low speed adjustable Sachs shock to keep the wheels on the ground in addition to Brembo radial brakes to handle stopping duties. The aluminum beam frame is all new to accommodate the narrower engine, as is the hefty Kawasaki Gpderived swingarm. Rearsets are adjustable for height position like the GSX-Rs and wheels are BMW's own.
Bodywork
Fairing panels come straight from the S1000RR, but everything else has been re-designed. The belly section shrouds the underslung exhaust while intakes flow air over the hot pipes. The tank is a modified R1 unit. But most importantly, both headlights are the same size and shape!