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Top test BMW HP2 Sport

Klitschko’s rights

It’s time to break free from cliches: The most famous boxer brothers are people with a doctorate who are involved in the Ukrainian democracy movement. And the latest BMW, the HP2 Sport, is a boxer that can really deliver. One that hits the stomach with attention to detail, the finest materials and expensive high-end equipment.

The heart beats, the blood throbs hard in the veins. The horizon hangs crooked, tilts from right to left. And back. Balance drives sledges, perception is deceptive. Phew, it’s challenging, the demanding mountain-and-valley track on the Ledenon racetrack in the south of France. And it promotes. Namely perfect harmony between man and machine in view of some tricky, invisible curves of different radii. If there’s one thing that matters here, it’s blind faith in the motorcycle.

The new BMW HP2 Sport takes its course here precisely and stably. Unlike the one driven for comparison R. 1200 S (see "Open exchange of blows: HP2 Sport versus R 1200 S). Incredible how indifferent and harmless the old sports boxer looks against the new Bavaria racer. The S donated the genes for the new racing machine. Now she is her first victim, dropped out of the program. Technical K.o. The day before, on the highway, the "old woman" still had a clear advantage. The seat upholstery is softer, the handlebars are higher, and the consumption is lower. Above all, however, the chassis is more comfortable, albeit gougier.

Top test BMW HP2 Sport

Klitschko’s rights

Loosely fluffy through the curves

Tack, tack, tack, the left foot nudges the gear lever. It is just as eccentric as the notches. But the highlight is the standard gearshift. It clears your head when you shift up. Gear changes have never been served so easily on a production motorcycle. Simply leave the gas on and do not couple, the electronics will do the rest. Works fine under tension, great at full throttle, slower and rougher at partial load. When downshifting, double-declutching must soften the load changes. The six gears have a long ratio and are tightly spread.

What the BMW doesn’t like: Gas-to-gas-back-on. Load change reactions then occur in an inclined position. It’s just a massive drive train via cardan that works. And despite the torque support, high unsprung masses can sometimes be trampling. So it’s better to go the old-fashioned way: take off the gas, brake and shift gears before entering the bend. Gas commands from overrun are often followed by a nasty spurting and swallowing, then delayed throttle response. Annoying especially in city traffic and when driving down passes. The athlete is apparently not made for that.

The ABS that intervenes late, albeit sensitively, does not prevent the rear wheel from rising.

Instead: brake on the next bend. It’s just amazing how the BMW anchors. The Brembo stoppers, milled from solid, have no flexibility. Bite like the Klitschko brothers strike: hard and dry. Fading? Absolutely no news. With adaptive braking, such as before or in hairpin bends, the four-piston calipers are too toxic. In everyday life, the controllability suffers from the brute braking power. That accompanies a much anticipated innovation: Here the first ABS works in a real sports motorcycle. Actually, all judges had expected to be able to wear the laurel wreath for this victory one day to a Honda. But now BMW has equipped the latest 1200 series with a sporty, crisp anti-lock device. It stays in the background for a surprisingly long time.

If it does take action, it does so with short, fine control intervals. However, it does not relieve the driver of the readjustment. In the case of panic braking in front of blind drivers, for example, it is not enough with full-length vehicles. Because towards the end the rear wheel can come up frighteningly and then also across. Unlike previously at BMW, the front brake does not react too early when the rear wheel is relieved. If you want to avoid "opening up" at the end of a start-finish straight, you can also switch off the ABS, which costs 915 euros (while stationary).

The BMW gets a bit stubborn on the brakes. She then wants to be beaten down, looking for more bows? just like exiting a curve when accelerating out. The stiff chassis conveys a lot of transparency and feedback for BMW conditions. Even if the absolute feeling for the front wheel is lost somewhere between the road, Telelever and noble Ohlins shock absorber. Turning in needs to be initiated energetically, the HP2 does not like half measures. Once angled, however, you can easily correct the course again.

For the ears and the eyes

Jahn

Confession in black-white-blue.

Break. No matter whether in front of the pit during race training or in front of the street cafe: This eye-catching sparring partner earns a lot of recognition. “But BMW really tried hard.” Guzzisti, Ducatisti or Fireblade drivers, they all pay tribute to the HP2: “Man, it’s beautifully made.” It should too, considering the purchase price of 22,779 euros including ABS. The HP2 Sport is twice as expensive as an almost equally powerful Triumph Daytona 675, which is even faster on circuits.

Indeed, this BMW is a commitment in white and blue. Pardon: black-white-blue. The Bavarians, if not their lederhosen, have at least taken off their Gore-Tex suit. This athlete stands by his design handicaps, such as aerodynamics, air cooling and curved intake paths.

Archaic instead of staid, the HP2 Sport is inspired by a sensuality that BMW would never have believed possible. Such noble materials, so little sober utility. Comfort on third-order lanes? Pah, the rear of the two fully adjustable Ohlins shock absorbers is much too tight for that, making the rear wheel bounce on rough mogul slopes. Heated grips? No way. Pillion seat? Away with it. Suitability for touring? Forget it! Instead, thoroughbred racing technology and wickedly expensive add-on parts wherever the eye looks.

What shines black here is the finest processed carbon laminate. The front fairing and rear are self-supporting, without a subframe. Even the holder for license plates, LED taillights and indicators is made of carbon. It’s great what a team of young, committed engineers has conjured up. They built the HP2 radically emotionally. Haptics, optics, acoustics, everything is new.

The sound is more pithy than other boxers. It starts out a bit tinny, but at medium speeds, when the flap in the exhaust pipe is full, the sound becomes duller, quite loud. In push mode, the high, triangular silencer grumbles wonderfully. Next turn, out again. The boxer shakes like a wet poodle when idling.

Noble: cockpit like in MotoGP, self-supporting carbon cladding and milled, adjustable handlebar stubs.

The HP2 Sport feels good. The rider sits comfortably for a sports motorcycle. In the harsh reality of the country road, where abysses and stone road barriers lurk, it takes a faster pace until the wind pressure takes the load off your wrists. This applies even to raised handlebars. Advantage for the R 1200 S. In contrast, everything fits perfectly with the HP2 on racing asphalt.

The pixels dance in the digital cockpit, crystalline intelligence. Nothing that this expensive "dashboard" from D2 does not know. In road mode, it provides information such as remaining range, time and driving time. Fine: the display of the recommended maximum speed depending on the oil temperature reached in the warm-up phase. Info overkill: In race mode, the screen provides information about lap times, maximum revs reached and top speed. Later, on the box, further data can be read and read out, also using a laptop. For example, the minimum speed, the number of gear changes and even the proportions on the brake and at full throttle of all laps driven! You don’t have to be fast to feel fast.

Metzeler Racetec K3 are mounted on the feather-light forged wheels. It’s sensational how they are at odds with the picture-perfect asphalt. Krrrkkk. They grip until the sanding blocks touch the carbon cylinder covers. Just get away from the inner curbs! These tires, which hardly have any profile, have real standing qualities. They hold up extremely long even when they are hot. And after many laps on the racetrack they still shine with an excellent running pattern.

The bottom line is that it is a cleverly made motorcycle, this sports boxer, with the emphasis clearly on sports, i.e. the race track. He has to show his strengths in the country road ring against two-cylinder opponents from Europe and the USA. In MOTORRAD 10/2008, the referees give their rating via the fight with the Aprilia RSV 1000 Factory, Buell 1125 R, Ducati 1098 and KTM 1190 RC8. It will be exciting.

MOTORCYCLE scoring

The two-in-one exhaust system, made of stainless steel, is laid under the oil pan and in the rear to make it easy to lean.

engine
A beefy power boxer: in terms of performance, the HP2 Sport makes an impressive performance. Great acceleration meets a draft that has washed itself. Even the gearbox is pleasing, can be shifted up quickly and easily with the shift assistant when chasing. The price of power: the engine vibrates violently. And from overrun, it speaks harshly, and at low engine speeds it also responds to the accelerator with a delay.

landing gear
Full sports program. The BMW darts wonderfully stable and highly precise through the curves, just like Klitschko’s right to the opponent. But the HP2 Sport is not a handling miracle. On the start-finish straight or on the German autobahn, the steadfast straight-line stability inspires. Even the feedback is correct, at least by BMW standards. Brutal: the hard, dry bumps of the tight shock absorber on bad asphalt. Suspension comfort is different.

everyday life
No compromised. The self-supporting carbon rear limits the payload. And with it the points yield of the consistent single-seater. The otherwise shines with the finest workmanship, good light and high-quality and extensive equipment. The range is moderate, the tank only holds 16 liters. Also poor: the wind protection. Behind the tightly cut disc, it is time to duck down. And in the mirrors you can only see your own station wagon.

security
Hit it and that’s it: This is how the chapter on brakes can be summarized, because the stoppers grip powerfully from the start, almost too toxic for fine dosing. Praiseworthy: ABS on a sports motorcycle. One that is designed to be racing. It intervenes very late and can be switched off.

costs
Everything has it’s price. And so the high output takes its toll in a not exactly low consumption of expensive super plus fuel.

Overall rating
With a purchase price of almost 23,000 euros, the price-performance ratio cannot be top. Even the finest features do not change that.

Conclusion

Airy, filigree and fine. The expensive BMW is light, slim and sensual.

The central message is not that BMW is building an exorbitantly expensive, light sports motorcycle, but that sensuality has returned to Germany. The HP2 Sport turns on. It is something for the heart, the mind has a break. It took a long time, now Bayern have arrived in a parallel universe full of pleasure. Thanks to the sporty, strongest series boxer of all time.

Technical details of the HP2 Sport – a boxer with brains, full of ideas

Exclusive: The shift assistant (center) allows upshifts without clutching and closing the gas.

Completely redesigned cylinder heads of the HP2 Sport are the prelude to a new generation of air-cooled dohc boxers at BMW. Two overhead, chain-driven camshafts each actuate enlarged valves arranged radially via rocker arms: the diameter of the inlet valve disc increased from 36 to 39 millimeters compared to the R 1200 S (see page 27), and from 31 to 33 millimeters on the exhaust side. As with the K 1200 engines, valve clearance compensation is carried out using shims. In contrast to the other boxers, the HP2 Sport only fires a centrally located spark plug in each of the more compact combustion chambers.

The bore-to-stroke ratio of the HP2 boxer is unchanged: 101 to 73 millimeters. Therefore the displacement remains at 1170 cm³. Intake pipes with short intake air funnels and milled inlet channels are intended to optimize the filling. High-strength, lighter forged pistons and new connecting rods now enable a maximum speed of 9500 rpm. The rated output rose to 133 hp at 8750 rpm, the maximum torque to 115 Newton meters at 6000 rpm. The cylinder covers are made of light carbon. They wear replaceable hard plastic abrasive pads.

The standard gearshift assistant enables quick upshifts without having to release the accelerator or use the clutch: if the driver operates the gearshift lever, the engine management system reduces the ignition angle and suppresses the injection. This means that the drive train is “low-load” for the moment the gear is changed. If the driver actuates the clutch, the system remains inactive. For racing use, the shift pattern can be reversed using other sensors. Compared to the R 1200 S, the first and second gears have a longer ratio. The narrower spread of the gears is intended to minimize a drop in speed after upshifting.

Plus and minus of the new racing boxer

+more
Rigidly mounted footrests offer a secure hold even when driving in extreme conditions
Cardan single-sided swing arm makes removing the rear wheel easier: only five screws need to be loosened; however, an assembly stand is required for this (no main stand)
Cockpit with data recording: shows lap times, minimum and maximum engine speed, top speed, percentage on the brake and at full throttle as well as average speed. The multi-level shift light made of LEDs (green / yellow / red) serves as a temperature display during the warm-up phase
Quickly stripped for racing: The license plate holder (made of carbon!) With LED rear light hangs on a central cable for all lights and four Torx screws, the mirrors on two each

-minus
The tank only holds 16 liters of the expensive Super Plus
Consideration in the mirrors is pretty poor

Data BMW HP2 Sport

engine
Air / oil-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke boxer engine, a balance shaft, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, rocker arm, wet sump lubrication, injection, Ø 52 mm, regulated catalytic converter, 480 W alternator, battery 12V / 12 Ah, hydraulically operated single-disc dry clutch, six-speed gearbox, gimbal, secondary ratio 2.75.
Bore x stroke 101.0 x 73.0 mm
Cubic capacity 1170 cm³
Compression ratio 12.5: 1
Rated output 97.8 kW (133 hp) at 8750 rpm
Max. Torque 115 Nm at 6000 rpm

landing gear
Load-bearing engine-gearbox combination, telescopic fork guided by longitudinal control arm, Ø 41 mm, adjustable spring base and rebound damping, two-joint single-sided swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut, directly hinged, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, double disc brake at the front, Ø 320 mm, four-piston -Fixed calipers, rear disc brake, Ø 265, double-piston floating caliper. SECTION.
Cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 6.00 x 17
Tires 120/70 ZR 17; 190/55 ZR 17
Tires in the Metzeler Racetec K3 test

Dimensions + weights
Wheelbase 1487 mm, steering head angle 66.0 degrees, caster 86 mm, spring travel f / r 105/120 mm, permissible total weight 330 kg, tank capacity / reserve 16.0 / 4.0 liters.
Service intervals every 10000 km
Colors white / black
Price 21,600 euros
Price test motorcycle * 22,515 euros
Additional costs 264 euros

Open exchange of blows: HP2 Sport versus R 1200 S

Knocked out: BMW stopped production of the less extreme R 1200 S..

Technically, the BMW HP2 Sport is based on the R 1200 S. However, it is designed to be significantly stronger, lighter and easier to turn. On the racetrack, the real 14 HP more powerful, much brawny HP2 sister S leaves no chance. Faster when accelerating, more stable on the brutally gripping brakes and much more precise and neutral in corners. In addition, the new one simply remains more relaxed: Where the S sags violently on rough bumps at high speed and also bends in an inclined position, the HP2 Sport reacts much less sensitively. To make it very clear: A newcomer can be faster in Ledenon on the thoroughbred HP2 sports equipment than a connoisseur of the demanding route with the R 1200 S. If that isn’t a success…

Both worlds are separated in terms of price. However, the comparison lags. With the “sports package” (Ohlins shock absorber, six-inch rear wheel including 190 tires) as well as an on-board computer and ABS, the R 1200 S comes to 15,000 euros. And all that without carbon parts, recording or light forged wheels.

The HP2 has disadvantages on country roads: the seating position is more extreme, the rear shock absorber less comfortable. Furthermore, the R 1200 S has better wind protection, range and mirrors. Your pillion seat is modest, but on board. Interested parties have to hurry. Because the R 1200 S fell out of the range, like the ST in 2007. Whether BMW will soon present an inexpensive variant of the HP2?

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