Driving report BMW HP2

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Driving report BMW HP2

Easy to digest

The HP2 is different from the usual BMW models: more radical, tougher, more sporty. MOTORRAD was able to try out what works with her in Spain.

Kcan cows fly? Some do. If you don’t believe it, you should look into
the German Cross Country Championship
look at what the two pilo-
ten Simo Kirssi and Christian Pfeiffer with the factory boxer HP2. Huge jumps, spectacular drifts and other stunts seem to be very easy with the mighty boxer enduro ?? if
the right driver is sitting on it. What is possible for normal mortals on series machines, MOTORRAD
Take a picture as part of the presentation in a fantastic BMW Enduro Park near Valencia.
That the HP2 is not just a simplified GS, but a completely independent model, is not only recognized by the insider at first glance. Only the complete drive unit comes from the 1200 GS without any major changes. Only the balancer shaft, which can be dispensed with in the field, was saved. And minor modifications-
Cations on the periphery and on the engine management increase the peak power to a nominal 105 hp with an unchanged torque of 115 Nm.
With the chassis, however, no stone was left unturned. A solid grid-
The tubular construction ensures the stability in the backbone, which is essential for tough off-road use. Front had to be
the technicians inevitably say goodbye to the Telelever, the kinematics of which are not suitable for the long suspension travel required. The sport version therefore has an upside-down fork with a generous 270 milli-
meters of travel on the 21-inch front wheel.
But BMW wouldn’t be BMW if
the designers not a un-
common, smart solution would come up. And in the case of the HP2, that is the shock absorber, which only springs and dampens with air. Yes, you read that correctly, no steel spring, not a drop of oil, but pure Bavarian air. If necessary, local air can be pumped in using a small hand pump. The vehicle level that can be adjusted with it can be found on the frame
Check the attached level. The bladder weighs a total of 2.3 kilograms-
bellows therefore unbeatably light. The damping, controlled by plate valves, can be varied in the two stages “road” and “terrain”.
The consistency, with, is amazing
which the BMW technicians ran through the project. The usual concessions to comfort and safety, such as ABS, turning-
Counters or heated grips, they pinched for once, even the pillion passenger-
Platz fell victim to the uncompromising concept. How far the HP2 has moved from the basic GS can be felt immediately by anyone who sits on the narrow seat at a lofty height. What remains is a seat that has been moved back due to the design-
position so that the legs do not collide with the protruding boxer cylinders. Jagged footrests, the ge-
screaming for rough cross boots.
The unusual configuration requires a very special driving style off-road. Standing is the order of the day. As much as possible, as often as possible, not just in demanding sections of the route. When seated, the feeling for the front wheel suffers, and in emergencies the driver has only limited options-
ability to row your legs. So he tries standing over the dry, rocky passages. The ergonomics fit perfectly, only crossers would perhaps be less cranked
Wish handlebar ends.
The off-road giant likes tricky situations and slippery surfaces. Because the two-cylinder hangs wonderfully soft on the gas, is already just above stand-
throttle every little twist of the throttle in
gentle thrust around. The rear wheel seems to be sticking to the ground, the traction is
phenomenal. To which the comfortably appealing spring elements also play their part. The softer setting of the air suspension strut is suitable for such slow passages and also on flat gravel paths. Given that for a sports enduro, that’s right
The high weight of almost 200 kilograms when fully fueled is surprisingly good handling. The boxer’s center of gravity is low,
the HP2 works its way through sections with astonishing agility that no two-cylinder has mastered before.
Such positive experiences encourage a more brisk driving style. However, if you think the HP2 is a race-
Having a machine under your bum quickly experiences its limits. The fact that the drive lacks any explosiveness is a matter of taste. The boxer has
little fire. It gets more critical with the chassis. Because it leverages out the rear wheel on coarser waves, the shock absorber must be set to the harder damping setting. The stiffer rebound stage damping, which is also required at the front, ensures more traction on larger obstacles, but reduces comfort and responsiveness. Especially when going downhill and when the brakes are applied, the rear suspension gets stuck. Even the high-tech shock absorber cannot suppress the resonances of the heavy cardan drive and drive reactions. You have to live with the permanent clacking from the final drive on the steep inclines.
The sometimes violent blows in the fork are remarkable. Some edges or stones are simply filtered out, others hit unexpectedly violently. What is possibly the stiff structure of the Metzeler Karoo tires or
on the wide cross-spoke rims, which give the tire less room to move in the flank. That also makes braking a little indifferent; the front wheel slips away easily when you lean.
At the back it’s all or nothing anyway, because the brake is poisonous. Sensitive positioning of the hindquarters in the supermoto style is difficult.
There remains a short trip with the sports boxer on the street. With the standard MCE Karoo, the fun is there
limited. The coarse off-road tires smear away quickly in an inclined position and are badly battered within a very short time. The question remains, for whom the HP2 is built. As a light alternative to the GS, it lacks some features such as ABS, a stable brake or road tires. BMW obviously places them as real terrain-
machine, which should severely limit the number of interested parties. The chunk is only easily digestible if you can thresh it across the terrain.

Technical data – BMW HP2

engine
Air / oil-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke boxer engine, one high-lying, chain-driven camshaft, four valves per cylinder, bucket tappets, bumpers, rocker arms, wet sump lubrication, injection, Ø 47 mm, regulated catalytic converter, 600 W alternator, 12 V / 12 Ah battery, hydraulically operated single-disc dry clutch, six-speed gearbox, cardan shaft.
Bore x stroke 101.0 x 73.0 mm
Cubic capacity 1170 cm3
Compression ratio 11.0: 1
Rated output 77 kW (105 PS) at 7000 rpm
Max. Torque 115 Nm at 5500 rpm

landing gear
Trellis frame made of steel, upside-down fork, Ø 45 mm, adjustable rebound and compression damping, two-jointed single-sided swing arm made of aluminum, air suspension strut,
directly hinged, adjustable air pressure and damping (two-stage), front disc brake, Ø 305 mm, double-piston floating caliper, rear disc brake, Ø 265 mm, double-piston floating caliper.
Spoked wheels with aluminum rims
1.85 x 21; 2.50 x 17
Tires 90 / 90-21 TL; 140 / 80-17 tsp

mass and weight
Wheelbase 1610 mm, steering head angle 60.5 degrees, caster 127 mm, suspension travel f / h 270/250 mm, seat height 920 mm, weight with a full tank 196.5 kg, payload 183.5 kg, tank capacity 13 liters.

Warranty two years
Color blue / gray
Price around 16,000 euros

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