For instance, Italian rider Ayrton Badovini completely dominated the 2010 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup, winning nine out of the ten rounds. Meanwhile, in the UK Steve Brogan secured the Mirror.co.uk British Superbike EVO Championship and Jon Kirkham took the Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship title.
Drawing on the experience gained in competition, BMW has now developed a range of High Performance Race Parts for the S 1000 RR that’s aimed at race teams and track day fanatics alike.
Included in the HP Race Power Kit are a replacement ECU and a titanium and carbon fibre Akrapovic exhaust system, which impressively weighs 6.8 kg less than the standard item.
Those components raise power from 190 bhp (142 kW / 193 hp) to 197 bhp (147 kW / 199 PS), while torque increases from 112 Nm to 120 Nm. Not dramatic, but the important 5,000 to 9,000 rpm midrange is said to be significantly improved.
After the new ECU has been installed, the revised mapping means that full power is available across all four engine management modes (‘Rain’, ‘Sport’, ‘Race’ and ‘Slick’). Instead, the modes alter the electronic rider aids with the Race ABS reducing input and the Dynamic Traction Control allowing full power at greater lean angles as the modes move from ‘Rain’ through to ‘Slick’.
To help with track riding, engine braking on the overrun is reduced to give a more balanced entry into corners, while a pit lane speed limiter is activated when the starter button is held down in first gear.
The HP Race Power Kit can be fitted by S 1000 RR owners but, interestingly, it has to be checked and activated by a BMW Motorrad dealer. Unfortunately, the kit isn’t road legal.
For those riders who like to keep their bike looking neat on the track after the indicators, number plate holder and mirrors have all been taken off, the HP Race Cover Kit is the answer. As the name implies, it includes two covers for the mirrors, two covers for the front direction indicators and a cover for the underside of the tail section.