The BMW S1000RR, the German Sportsbike

The BMW S1000RR, if anybody doubted BMW's ambition to break away from their motorcycle touring heritage and compete head-to-head against the best road-going sportsbikes the Japanese – or anyone else – can build, there is no doubt now looking at the BMW S1000RR.

The BMW S1000RR engine – a short-stroke, wide-bore, high-revving transverse inline four – is relatively conventional, featuring a few minor innovations and the most advanced engine management seen on a motorcycle in this class, but no radical new technology. This is because BMW's engineers looked at all available options, then chose the ones they felt were the best solution, rather than choosing them for the sake of being different.

BMW's engine design is compact, light and easy to produce. Again BMW did not want to be different just to be different. The inline four engine design has a long and successful history for a reason.

Similarly, the BMW S1000RR's chassis features the very latest thinking – including sophisticated and fully integrated optional anti-lock braking and traction control systems – doesn't stray from the established Japanese set-up of aluminum beam frame and swingarm, used forks and shock, and four-piston radial brakes.

Despite the BMW S1000RR's similarity to existing 1000cc sportsbikes – plus the absence of traditional BMW traits, such as shaft drive and alternative suspension – BMW are keen to point out th S100RR is very much a product of the BMW factory.

The BMW S1000RR specifications and features are mouthwatering:

• A claimed crank output of 193 horsepower at 13,000rpm.
• Full traction control and newly developed race ABS, with alternative settings for different conditions, switchable via four modes – Rain, Sport, Race and Slick.
• Class-leading kerb weight of 206kg for the ABS version.
• Compact physical dimensions – more like a 600cc sportsbike.