HP2 - MCN This Week

[PBBoxer]

I was talking about the Lemans bike from early this year that ran in the production class. I believe it had approx 140 bhp at the crank. They arent allowed to do much with proddy bikes other than exhausts and a bit of head squish etc if its te same sort of rules as superstock.

The boxers were putting 50bhp less out than the other race bikes according to the commentators

[throttlemeister]

I was talking about the Lemans bike from early this year that ran in the production class. I believe it had approx 140 bhp at the crank. They arent allowed to do much with proddy bikes other than exhausts and a bit of head squish etc if its te same sort of rules as superstock.

The boxers were putting 50bhp less out than the other race bikes according to the commentators

They were running the 'Open Class', which allowed them to do whatever they pleased with the bike.

[PBBoxer]

Oops sorry

They were about 140 bhp werent they, according to press and mainly done with electronics?

PB

[throttlemeister]

Yups. That's the word. And if they can make 140bhp, and abuse it hard for 24 hours straight in a race, I'd say it will stay together over 100.000km at normal road use.

So why isn't it there?

[winger]

Haveing seen e'm in the flesh,i'd say pretty close to 150,the problem being the Superbikes must be around 190 as opposed to full spec SB that put out 205/210.

[PBBoxer]

Arent bikes ace

[soggybottoms]

luvvin the avatar - but how are you linking it off the board?
Am I missing a trick?

Nah......I got it

still luvvin it tho'

SB

[throttlemeister]

[thedukeofhunslet]

At the beginning of the year I was thinking of holding on until the HPs came out. As it became clear it would be another year I bought a R1200s.
Soon after that all the spy pics broke and I thought I'd made a mistake. I kept a special watch out for any info on the bike all the same.
Then BMW announced that they were entering LeMans - but to get round the rules they would be entering in the 'Open' class. That ment they would get zero points for the endurance championship.
It did mean though that they could enter anything as long as it was under 1200cc.

To say that the HPs had success at LeMans is not accurate. It finished first in its class - but since it was up against 2 Ducati's, a Benelli and a Matisse it didn't have much to beat. It was lapping between 1.5 and 2 seconds a lap from the Jap 4's - but as it had massive fuel economy it was going to make up the time on pitstops. It would have done too but for a few dodgy tyre choices and unscheduled rider stops. It did prove the bike would last though and since many bikes out of the crate can't stand 24 hours of pounding that's quite an achievement. A brave move by BMW - think of the reception the bike would have got if it had gone 'pop' in 20 laps like the Matisse.

Then Van Harten announced to the world that they had a bike with the same power as the HPs. BMW instantly recounted Van Hartens marketing claims with '140bhp - not with those heads...we've tried it and failed'.

So the HPs has got the following.
New heads.
New ECU.
Modified frame.
New clutch.
Fancy dash.
Carbon body.
The finest rearsets this side of NASA - and we all want them.
Modified fork castings.
New front brakes.
New front shock.
HP forged wheels.
Fancy Top yoke - whose real purpose is to raise the bike in the air.

Apart from the heads there hasn't been that much development really and I can't relly see these heads being needed on the rest of the range unless they do something to the emissions.

[throttlemeister]

Van Harten doesn't do marketing. They are a small dealer and techie enthousiasts. If they say they can make 140hp on the S, they make 140hp regardless of what BMW HQ says. They cannot afford to make claims they can't deliver.

[PBBoxer]

Ive no idea where to go next on teh 1200.
Ive got a full akrapovich system and air filter from ramair, but cant decide on what to do next. Rapidbike 3 or a motronics upgrade.
There doesnt seem to be a best path yet, what would you do?

[throttlemeister]

Well, the Motronic update is more expensive and less flexible I'd say.

The RB3 has some nice features. Like ability to change timing. And being able to run 2 maps and select them while riding by pressing a switch.

I'd say a good tuner can get the best out of the R12 with the RB3.

Then again, I don't have an R12 and I don't have a RB.

[boxerscott]

The 1098 will have one Mr Troy Bayliss moulded to it next year competing in WSB. Where is the HP2 racing and who will be perched on top of it? If you are wanting a high performance twin sports bike and value for money then surely one must consider all the options and that is my point. The competition is better in terms of race pedigree, stronger in terms of order books and more affordable (there are good private used bikes available also) New Dooks are quoted as 50.pc less maintainence costs than 06 models. So I offer that the HP2 is a White Elephant?

[BMW-Fahrer]

Gijs,the R1200ST is retired in 2008 in all markets,period...they still may have a few ones collecting dust that can be bought new but then no more...
The heads are a big improvement over the old ones because they make more power and torque over a wiiiider rpm range and give another 1000 rpm overrev range while the old heads are done making any more power/torque around 7600rpm...
They also will rev easier and last longer because of much lighter mass that has to be moved that causes stress on valvetrain and makes timing less accurate and can cause valvefloat and damage und accelerated wear.Probably all no problem riding on the street but racing at always high rpm it will make difference for sure
And also who says the 140hp with open exhaust and 130hp in street legal form are the last numbers for the tuners
I think they are very impressive numbers for an aircooled twin whose intake runners being a boxer are everything but perfect.
Heck there was this guy called Forgarty whose watercooled Desmo twin made "only" that kind of power enough for him to become WSB worldchampion...
Mike Hailwoods twin made only 90hp and it was enough for him to win the TT...
I think 130hp/200kg wet is more than impressive and enough for 99.9% of us.
The rest of the utter dreamers should try to apply for Rossi's job...or learn how to ride and then complain that the 130hp are the reason why they are riding so slow...
Even with real racers riding the HP-S placed in the top 10 and left a lot of other 50hp stronger jap-fours behind

[throttlemeister]

Sorry Chris, the ST is available for ordering here from the factory. All BMW's in Europe are built to order and the ST is no exception.