All Trials – Trackers also have their HP2! – Used BMW

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Trackers also have their HP2 !

All Trials - Trackers also have their HP2! - Used BMW

After the HP2 Enduro and the HP2 Megamoto, BMW presented its HP2 Sport last September. Not powerful enough for the World Superbike, the Bavarian Boxer is still a serious customer in Endurance. And on the road too !

BMW Motorrad chose to present the third representative of its prestigious range at the last Paris Motor Show "High performance": the HP2 Sport (read).

Derived from the R1200S (read), this 2008 novelty is presented as a real homologated road racing machine.

Not powerful enough for the Mondial Superbike, the last born of the "Boxer" – which nevertheless develops 133 horsepower in the original version – remains a serious endurance customer (read in particular) … And on the road as well, as we have could verify it !

Everything about the HP2 Sport sweats the competition … So much so that the new BMW passes the R1200S for a nice GT Sportive! The lines of the HP2 are sharp, the carbon omnipresent, the white and metallic blue paint admirable and the high-end equipment.

Live from the Endurance World Cup

From the first glance, you understand – even if it is difficult to accept it! – that the HP2 Sport is sold at a gold price: the entry ticket amounts to 21,300 euros but the equipment, finish and prestige of this model are up to the expectations of its customers…

The profusion of carbon parts – dear to the racing world – perfectly announces the color: mudguard, fairing, tank, engine guard, cylinder head covers, rear buckle, plate holder … even the footrest plates are capped with fine carbon protections, not to mention the dashboard "2D GP", whose finish is equal to that of the counters of Ducati de Stoner or Guintoli !

And the other parts are not to be outdone, in particular those in aluminum cut in the mass such as the upper triple tree, the half-handlebars and the footrest / selector / brake pedal assemblies, of any beauty. !

In a less noble material, the bubble of the HP2 offers an equally striking effect: it touches the dashboard as closely as possible – its shape is also discontinuous! – and it is heavily tinted, which adds to the general aggressiveness of the bike.

Similarly, if the optical unit of this brand new BMW is the same as that of the R1200S – we can easily recognize the asymmetry "Made in Behème" -, the reflector seems directly inspired by the GSX-R at the beginning of the century … Hence this look that we would readily qualify as "sporty" ?

In order not to assimilate this brief description to disguised advertising, we will note some rare imperfections: some screws are not stainless steel, the exhaust tubes – stainless steel! – tarnish too quickly, the battery is delivered nonchalantly to bad weather and its positive terminal is not particularly well insulated…

Another point to emphasize: all the screws of the BMW HP2 Sport are of the Torx type: the tools to maintain the motorcycle may require a significant additional investment. !

A bit of MotoGP

Once mounted on the beast, we only have eyes for the competition dashboard which delivers a lot of information via two modes: the "Road" mode and the "Track" mode. The first, as its name suggests, corresponds to road use of the HP2. The speed, total mileage and time are therefore displayed in large characters, while the engine speed, one of the two partial trips, the gear engaged and other small information appear in smaller numbers..

In "race" mode, the indications of the gear engaged and the engine speed predominate and access to the stopwatch is facilitated. So, whatever the use, the pilot has the right information! Switching from one mode to another and the settings are made via the two upper buttons of the left stalk.

Let us underline on this occasion the presence of the "shifter" which makes it possible to go up the gears without manually cutting the throttle, the ignition being automatically cut. To further facilitate this maneuver and improve its efficiency, the instrument panel is fitted with a series of multicolored LEDs which light up to the rhythm of the engine: previously set by the pilot, this system makes it possible to optimize his gear changes. . and to gain precious thousandths on the track ?

The controls are also adjustable: both levers have a small plastic screw – it’s light, but not very "high-tech"! – which makes it possible to precisely adjust their spacing. As for the selector and the brake pedal, their lugs are mounted on pretty eccentrics.

Sitting on the HP2 Sport, we quickly realize that this bike was designed for the track. Despite the adjustments – always on eccentrics – of the half-handlebars and footrests, the position will never become comfortable. And it is not the particularly hard saddle that improves the situation: you have to suffer to run !

Posted 830 mm above the ground, this long saddle penalizes the little ones but the older ones are delighted! Especially since their long legs are warmly welcomed by a long and thin tank. On its upper part, this tank widens significantly: its protruding edges will be ideal for leaning on long curves….

Good point for all this time: the weight of this 1200 cc is limited to 199 kg all full and the feeling of lightness is certainly accentuated by the engine architecture: the cylinders are placed at mid-shins … On this subject, be careful during the first stops not to move the leg too far !

A kick of the starter: the engine starts and the bike tilts slightly to the right: it is indeed a flat, but a flat under amphetamines! Without reaching the nervousness of a Japanese inline 4-cylinder, the jerks of the right wrist translate almost instantly into bewitching vocalizations !

It’s a Flat !

"Sorry, but this test model has a baffle that wanders … We did not have time to resolve the problem and suddenly, this HP2 is a little noisier", apologizes BMW Motorrad by entrusting us with the bike for this test.

And indeed: the relatively hoarse sound of the exhaust placed under the saddle is coupled with a metallic tone a bit "125 GP" … But the time of a weekend to go to the banks of the Seine , it will be fine. It will even get better !

At low revs, the volume is quite acceptable. Once hot, the engine stalls its idle at 1200 rpm: it’s a bit high and a bit irregular, but whatever, we don’t let it run for long at this speed. !

With its first long gear – yes, first "racing" -, the HP2 moves in the middle of traffic without attracting too much attention. But it requires a certain grip from its pilot at the level of the clutch: very quickly, the desire to escape is felt !

To leave – away! – behind the hassles of everyday life, a simple rotation of the throttle grip is enough. Cars and most motorcycles are quickly forgotten … You have to play contortionist to see them disappear in the mirrors. Mandatory on the road, these mirrors are totally useless on the HP2, except of course if you want to watch your elbows !

Supple and light

The first kilometers are carried out smoothly: we take full advantage of the flexibility of the twin cylinder to quietly take its marks on this new mount. Moreover, the meter is there to remind you: the mechanics are respectful, and the red zone gradually rises from 4000 to 9500 rev / min.

When cold, therefore, we do not exceed – naturally, scrupulously then with difficulty! – the 4000 turns. For a 1200 twin, the times are a bit puny but at least, they are not unpleasant: on the first three reports, the flat even accepts to resume under 2000 turns.

Limited weight and flexible engine are therefore the first assets of this hyper sport. On the first braking however, the absence of diving may surprise those who did not know – or had forgotten – the presence of the Telelever !

List of approved tires
by BMW Motorrad

  • Metzeler Racetec K3

  • Michelin Pilot Power 2CT

  • Bridgestone BT015

  • Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier D209

  • Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa

  • Continental Contirace Attack

    • Even more destabilizing is the profile of the Michelin Pilote Power 2CTs mounted on our test model: passed a certain point, the HP2 Sport on its own accentuates the angle grip! A character undoubtedly pronounced by the sessions on tracks – to see the sharp cylinder head guards! – performed by the previous assayer. To be checked with a new tire fitting or one that has not run on the circuit.

    On the secondary network, however, we quickly take the fold and we can only see the obvious: the HP2 Sport is an excellent sports car! As on the R1200S, the cycle part of this last Behème is royal. Better, with the Ohlins equipment delivered as standard, the HP2 is imperial.

    Rebound and compression adjustments are easy, but beware of the hose all the same – very, very hot! – which joins the oil cooler placed under the headlight! With a few clicks, you can therefore adjust your mount to the route taken: from very comfortable for expressway, city or bumpy road to too rigorous – as our predecessor had configured – to be used on billiards only..

    The HP2 Sport therefore adapts perfectly to roads but also to individual tastes. But whatever the settings selected, one constant remains still and always: the attitude of the motorcycle, which hardly varies under braking. !

    Short adaptation period

    The brakes also require a slight adaptation time: the stroke is relatively large and over long millimeters, the action of the lever on the pistons is very limited. It’s past the first third or so that the four pistons of Brembo monoblock calipers fiercely bite the 320mm rotors. !

    Despite this somewhat late attack, the front brakes – biting, powerful and controllable – represent another excellent card in the game of the German. Added to this is the ABS option (disconnectable), a great asset that avoids falling miserably on emergency braking !

    Yet another option that weighs on the budget? Certainly, but the purchase price of a fairing can put the surplus of 950 € of ABS into perspective: the tank itself costs 690.50 euros, to which must be added the carbon cover at … 2377.65 euros !

    The shifter comes standard. And what a treat! Any acceleration lane is an excuse to upshift, handle screwed into the corner. The momentarily muffled sound of the Flat Twin allows the pilot to imagine himself climbing the long straight line of the Mugello: watch out for radars !

    However, we quickly realize that the use of the shifter is not limited to sharp acceleration. Gear changes, even at low speed and at moderate pace, are made easier by this perfectly tuned system. To try it is to adopt it !

    Getting to grips with the BMW therefore takes a little time: you have to get used to your Telelever and Brembo brakes, adjust your suspensions according to the program … But once these presentations are made, you increase the pace in all confidence.

    Shifter: adopted !

    We then realize that the protection of the bubble is virtually zero, close to zero since only the bust is not exposed to the wind. It is only by sticking as close as possible to the large tank that we will enjoy a slight respite on the highway, where the HP2 gallops at around 140 km / h at 5,000 rpm…

    On the other hand, we are pleasantly surprised by the absence of excessive heat in the seat. The pot is housed under the saddle, of course, but the duct is far enough from the rider’s buttocks so as not to bother him..

    An exhaust valve makes it possible to meet current anti-pollution standards: controlled by the engine unit, it takes into account the angle of the throttle, the engine speed, the vehicle speed and the position of the gearbox (ratio engaged).

    Increased pace obviously means increased engine speed. We then discover that the Flat Twin has a relatively linear increase in power: the slight "pause" observed between 5000 and 6500 revolutions on the R1200S is erased. !

    Unfortunately, the vibrations are still present … The first times that we exceed 5500 revs, it is almost destabilizing! The pilot’s hands and feet vibrate to the rhythm of the two bowls and we become – a little too much – aware that the air / oil cooled engine is pushed to its limits (read)…

    Recall that in its "normal" version, the German Boxer develops a maximum torque of 115 Nm at 6,000 rpm (like the R1200S, but 800 rpm earlier) and a maximum power of 133 hp at 8,750 rpm, or 11 more horsepower than the R1200S and 500 rpm higher.

    In the French version, BMW Motorrad announces a maximum power of 107 hp reached from 7000 rpm and unchanged torque values. However, it is still possible to roar the engine beyond 9000 rpm, just for fun….

    "The clamping is performed on the throttle bodies (which do not arrive fully open) and by programming the motor unit", specifies BMW Motorrad. As for the torque of 115 Nm at 6000 revolutions, it is the same in France and in the rest of the world..

    On the latest reports, the bottom value is around 3,000 rpm. Lower down, the Bavarian Boxer struggles to relaunch the bike properly. For the crossings of towns, we go down in 4th and we happily take advantage of the shifter to regain 6th as soon as the road clears. !

    It vibrates … and it flies !

    After the surprise – or disappointment – of not benefiting from footrests and handlebars as imperturbable as the front axle is, driving the HP2 is pure happiness. At the controls of this bike, we quickly took ourselves for a World Endurance pro !

    On rough roads, we enjoy leading the Behème from one curve to another and the 190 mm width of the rear tire does not affect its agility. The frank thrusts of the Flat from 5000 rpm are accompanied by a captivating song, briefly cut by the sharp interventions of the shifter.

    The handling and heading are excellent, whether entering or exiting a curve. The injection and the cardan transmission are very pleasant – in the attack on national as in town -, and the go-around on the angle in no way hinder the stability of this HP2.

    Likewise, the action of the brakes is imperceptible on the behavior of the motorcycle in curves. On the other hand, on this type of small roads known by heart, we can reach the limits of the ABS system: be careful when putting the brakes on the little comrade on "the left which is closing and which I like" !

    Indeed, if the brake lever is too hard, the ABS smooths more than reason the attack of the pistons on the discs. If we quickly regain the full power of the Brembo, this time is enough to exceed its planned trajectory by one or two meters … On track or on an impeccable surface, we will therefore prefer to disconnect the ABS !

    You must also pay close attention to your speedometer! With the shifter, we chain gears as if nothing had happened and we easily exceed the legal speed limits … Purists forgive us but in town, the HP2 Sport is comparable to a maxiscoot: we go up to the first four reports on the fly and we find ourselves very quickly at 80 km / h "counter". Achtung !

    An attitude that it is difficult to get rid of since in this urban environment, the pilot only needs one thing: to go home to find his dear and tender which has no place on the HP2! It’s no surprise: the HP2 Sport is not at all suitable for the city !

    In addition to the tiring driving position, there are "Made in Behème" commodos far from easy to use. Thus, the use of the turn signal buttons located on the right handlebars makes it difficult to dose the gas and the call of the headlight placed on the top of the left stalk is much less natural than a trigger..

    No regrets ?

    We also regret the absence of a fuel gauge, even if the arrival on the reserve is notified by two lights and a count of the number of kilometers that can still be covered: around fifty at most. Be careful again when refueling: we quickly overfilled the 16-liter tank, which is a shame given the price of the Super 98 recommended by BMW !

    In the end, the finest aesthetes may blame this HP2 Sport for one or two imperfections, heavy riders will criticize its lack of protection and practicality and pure trackers will regret that the Flat Twin does not yet deliver a little more horsepower..

    But all will praise its unparalleled finish, its high-end equipment, its flawless cycle part, its contained weight and its look of a racing beast escaped from its box! In any case, therefore, this latest BMW will not disappoint those who were waiting for the arrival of an HP2 cut for speed … or rather Endurance. !

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