The FIM has announced that BMW has homologated a new crankshaft design for World Superbike and World Superstock racing. Effective since June 10th, the new crankshaft, much like the Aprilia RSV4’s upgraded camshaft, could be part of the equation for BMW’s recent success in WSBK, and continued domination in STK1000.

BMW has a commanding lead on the manufacturer’s points in STK1000, with rider Ayrton Badovini having nearly double the points of his nearest competitor (125 points to the 66 points of Maxime Berger). Meanwhile in WSBK, Troy Corser has shown improved form over the past two race weekends, and the BMW team has its sights set on a race win at Brno, which has been a strong track for the Bavarian team.

With the new crankshaft seemingly making an improvement on Corser’s results, the Australian will be looking to improve upon his 5th and 10th place finishes. Meanwhile Ruben Xaus just hopes to keep his S1000RR out of the gravel traps, and off the mechanic’s bench.

Source: FIM

Eskil Suter is a popular man in the Moto2 paddock. Not only is his Moto2 chassis one of the cheapest, but it’s also one of the best performing units. It should be no surprise then that his Moto2 solution (shown above) is one of the most popular in the race series, and Suter sees that as a great jumping off point to enter back into the MotoGP fray (Suter helped engineer the Kawasaki ZX-RR, the Ilmor X3, and the Petronas FP1 SBK race bikes).

With the MotoGP rules in 2012 to allow for claiming rule teams, the door has been opened for a Moto2 styled team (production motor in a prototype frame) to play with the big boys. Suter for his part is looking to draw on his current chassis success, and base his design around the very potent BMW S1000RR motor. The result should be a fairly inexpensive solution to a high-performance race bike as the S1000RR has been popping up on the internet with 190hp stock.

Given the extra fuel (24L, up from 21L for other teams), and twice as many motors during the season (12 motors instead of 6), the claiming rule teams are being given some choice concessions from the GP Commission, and Suter is banking on the fact that it will give them a competitive edge when racing against the factory and satellite prototype teams.

Rumors peg Suter as nearing completion of its 2012 MotoGP bike, with the first tests expected at Brno later in August. Riding the Suter MotoGP bike is Roberto Rolfo.

Source: Moto.Caradisiac

Ever since early reports on the 2010 BMW S1000RR suggested that the German superbike was making a claimed 190hp at the crank, the Bavarian bike sounded like a true contender against the Japanese dominated  market. Then when we heard that BMW may have been sandbagging those figures, and bikes were popping up wtih 190hp at the crank, it definitely piqued our interest.

With disbelief we weren’t sure what to make of the new BMW, and it seem we’re in the same boat as the folks over at MotoBlog.it, as they’ve gotten their hands on a S1000RR and put it on a DynoJet to see for themselves what the bike could do. The result? 191hp. Check the video after the jump

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuTefYCWFOc

With so many variables going into dyno runs (this one looks to have a ram air setup), it’s still hard to tell how legit this run really is, but if anyone in Northern California has a BMW S1000RR that’d they’d be willing to let A&R get its hands, we’d love to try it out against the bikes in our garage for references.

Source: MotoBlog.it

We here at Asphalt & Rubber love Leslie Porterfield. She’s the Queen of Speed, Maven of Two Wheels, and Temptress of the Salts. OK, ok, she’s also blonde and leggy, and while the prior titles are important it’s this latter quality that photographer Markus Hofmann was after when he took Porterfield to BMW’s wind testing facility outside of Munich, Germany. You may remember Hofmann from such other confusing couture meets motorcycle Bavarian ad campaigns as cheetahs with models, helicopters with…well…more models that feature the 2010 BMW S1000RR.

We have to say we’re a bit miffed to see Hoffman take his lens and point it in the general direction of our lovely Ms. Porterfield. Then again we didn’t really “get” his previous work either. Also, we don’t really understand how you can take two things that are gorgeous in their own right, bring them together, and then find a deleterious effect with their combined beauty. Maybe we’re just Nikon people in a Canon world, but hopefully someone with more understanding for aesthetics and fashion can enlighten us in the comments section.

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7loAM1V7oc

Source: Faster & Faster

You may remember the cult motorcycle YouTube classic “BMW S1000RR Titanium Valves at 14,200 RPM“, well now we have a sequel to that movie. Showing the BMW’s titanium valves from a cylinder’s point of view, this S1000RR is rev’d through the rpm range with interesting results.

Because of the shutter effect on the video recorder we see the valves go through their motions until finally seemingly stopping as the shutter rate and valve moment go out of sync and re-sync. If you ever wanted to know what was going on inside you bike, here’s a good start on the subject. Video after the jump.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed-l2Ot_d9c

Source: SoloMoto30 via Moto22

AC Schnitzer is better known in the automotive world for making fine BMW parts and automobiles, but the little German tuning shop also tries its hand at motorcycles from time to time. Unfortunately the company’s prowess at making four-wheeled BMW’s look good and run fast does not translate over well to its two-wheel endeavors. A great example of this is the disappointment we had with the recently released 2010 AC Schnitzer BWM S1000RR, which leaves us here at A&R wanting more schnitzel and less Schnitzer in our Bavarian bikes.

Taking the base BMW S1000RR and adding on an exhaust pipe, top-yoke mounted handlebars, and some various cosemetic enhancements, the AC Schnitzer S1000RR is a work that can be easily replicated in most garages with off-the-shelf parts. AC lists the full “performance package” as including the following:

• AC Schnitzer Stealth silencer
• AC Schnitzer Superbike steering conversion
• AC Schnitzer Kennzeichenhalter
• AC Schnitzer clutch and brake levers
• AC Schnitzer crashpads
• AC Schnitzer Performance Sports Air Filter
• AC Schnitzer mirror extensions
• AC Schnitzer brake fluid reservoir

The bike looks like, and probably functions as, a rolling advertisement for parts AC Schnitzer plans on producing for S1000RR owners; however its motorcycle productions as a whole continue to diverge from the level of undertaking the brand executes on the cars that come its way. With the S1000RR being BMW’s crowning jewel of motorcycle performance, we were hoping that AC Schnitzer would have gotten on-board a little bit more. We were painfully wrong of course.

We’d love to see the German tuning brand really dive into the bike’s inner workings and churn out a real performance package, but sadly this S1000RR is like the rest of the AC Schnitzer motorcycle line: bland and derivative. Photos below.

 

Source: AC Schnitzer via MCN

After crashing four S1000RR’s during WSBK’s stop at Phillip Island, and then missing the race entirely, Ruben Xaus hasn’t exactly put his best foot forward in the 2010 World Superbike Championship season. For some the continuation of the Spanish rider’s career on a factory supported Superbike seems to have a death clock already running, and the rumor is that Xaus has to prove his worth or risk being shown the door from the BMW WSBK team.

Reportedly BMW Spain has nixed any immediate firings of the Spanish rider, presumably because of the large Spanish riding population, and the buzz from having a Spanish rider on the S1000RR as the series makes stops in Portugal and Spain. After WSBK finishes its stops in Portimao and Valencia however, it would seem the corporate intervention disappears, which could mean that Xaus could be replaced mid-season, and making things a “Race on Sunday, Fire on Monday” sort of affair.

For now it’s hard to tell how much of this rumor is idle speculatio/frustation with a bad weekend, or true sentiment. As always time will tell, and more as we get it.

Remember when Mr. Wizard explained Newton’s First Law of Motion by setting a table and whipping the tablecloth out from underneath all the cups, plates, and utensils? Well BMW has a video which takes the tablecloth trick to its next logical motorcycling related progression. Check it out after the jump.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cM9S2AzU28

Source: BMW

BMW announced today that it will send a factory backed team to compete in the Isle of Man’s Superbike and Senior TT’s. This announcement ends over 30 years of the Bavarian brand’s absence at the Isle of Man. For Austrian-based KTM, this will be their first time running at the Isle of Man TT. The KTM RC8 R will be entered in the Superstock, Superbike, and Senior TT’s. More after the jump.

For BMW, the TT will strictly be a German affair as BMW test rider Rico Penzkofer, a German himself, will take the helm of the S1000RR Superbike. This will be Penzkofer’s second trip to the Isle of Man. In 2009 he finished 33rd and 30th in both Supersport category races. Talking about the opportunity to race again around the Isle of Man, this time with factory support, Penzkofer said the following:

“To be representing BMW on their return to the TT is a tremendous honour for me and after my debut last year I can’t wait to return to the Mountain Course. Riding the Superbike will obviously present a new challenge but the bike is superb and that, combined with my own improved knowledge of the course, should see us able to make a good impression. Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus have proved in World Superbikes that the bike is competitive and we hope to do the same at the TT.”

For the Austrian contingency, this will be their first time on the Manx Island, as they hope to further promote their KTM R8R Superbike. James Edmeades will take the helm of the RC8 R, and has assailed the Mountain Course in 2006, 2007, and 2008. Talking about his involvement with KTM and the 2010 Isle of Man TT, Edmeades said the following:

“The opportunity to become the first KTM rider at the Isle of Man TT Races is a tremendous honour for me and after the three great years I enjoyed between 2006 and 2008, I can’t wait to get back on the Island. The KTM RC8R is a superb bike and I’m sure it will perform well around the course with its excellent handling qualities.”

Source: Isle of Man TT (here & here)

According to Ash on Bikes, BMW has added a firmware patch to the S1000RR that will set the bike’s rev limit to 9,000 RPM during the first 600 miles of use. This limit is reportedly being put into place because of excessive wear on components being used by race teams. As such, BMW thinks it fit to guard against similar wear on its street-bound machines, although there has been no indication that this has been the case.

According to BMW, the firmware patch has already been installed on new bikes, and will be turned off by dealers at the S1000RR’s first servicing (600 miles). BMW’s Scott Grimsdall said, “We don’t expect any problems with road bikes, this is merely being done as a precaution. BMW is being very cautious with this bike because it is so new and high profile, and it has some new materials in the engine that need a bedding in period.”

Source: Ash on Bikes