Man, you just said it right there BG, I don't even like straight line speed anymore if there's a corner nearby....what's the challenge?

Exactly. The thing that a high top end speed does for you is "bragging rights" -- if you care about that sort of thing. The first thing people seem to ask about me and my bike is "how fast have you gone on it?". They don't understand riding motorcycles at all -- some have never been on one. So if you say "160" or "180" or some speed that is much higher than they've ever dreamed about going, they will probably be very impressed with you. You will have done something that is way outside of their experience.

Like I say -- if you care about that sort of thing. -bg

Honda competes in formula one also but they also built the Honda Accord and make some pretty damn nice generators,lawn mowers etc.. while BMW is making cars like the M3,M5 and M6.

LOL, the new BMW got ZX-14 and Hayabusa owners making excuses.

only those who’s egos are connected to the throttle. The 196mph number is just that only a number unless you are into land speed racing stock bikes. The fact is 196 mph is only significant because it set a worlds record that’s it nothing more nothing less it simply means that bike on that day with a particular rider went faster than any stock production motorcycle as gone.

This is my point with the new Beemer. Yes it's fast, no question about it but is it a better motorcycle than what I already have when it comes to the kind of riding I do? The fact that I have a garage full of high performance bikes and still enjoy riding the little ZX-6R the most is telling. When I bought the 14 back in '06 it was the baddest thing on two wheels, "Busa Killer" and all that nonsense. That lasted for about two years and then Suzuki released their Gen II Busa. Now the S1000RR kills 'em all and on it goes. If you must have the fastest out there all the time then you'll be buying a new bike about every two years. The Beemer will get beaten, don't know who will do it first but someones going to step up to the plate.

it simply means that bike on that day with a particular rider went faster than any stock production motorcycle as gone.

At least with the big four literbikes, you can get a good one or a bad one from any manufacturer for a given test and that will skew the results of who's fastest on that day particular day. Remember the Cycle World 0-180 mph shootout back in '08? That was handily won by the ZX-10R. Same shootout, same bikes but done by a British Magazine in '09 and the ZX-14 ruled, 10r was back in fourth place. This stuff is a lot of nonsense, the CBR 1000RR in the last test I read posted 1/4 mile times only one tenth second slower than the Beemer even down by 25 HP and stomped alll over it on the track portion. No BMW in my garage anytime soon. Buy a bike you like, modify it to fit you and ride on.

Or Kawasaki just forgot to send the blue printed hand assembled test mule with the tweaked ECU and sent a regular production bike instead. But I like conspiracy so what you stated might be correct.

Truth be told, if I knew it was legal and safe enough, I'd do 300mph on my bike all of the time if it could do it. This is, of course, in areas where there are no other vehicles. I sat on a Beemer at Indy and I love it. I'd buy one if I had the money, but not before the dual sport I have my eye on, and that boat, the jet ski, the plane, etc.

for a comfort ride, the 14 is the best, with the most power, the bmw is sooo good looking, but it is not comfortable if u ride any distance. I dont know about everyone, but my comfort means alot, I had a buell that was soooo comfortable, but slow as a typical harley, rattled your brains out, for the money , the 14 is the clear choice.

what do you expect from a company that competes in Formula One racing?

Winning... BMW never did much of that of course.

Yamaha was in F1 for years also and never won anything, Honda did that though.
Toyota was the biggest failure of them all...

My point is- your point is 100% irrelevant.

Bring that s1000rr to the track and get humbled by the ex racers and future
racing prospects on their beat up 10 year old practice bikes that have been down more times than a $20 hooker.

You surely need a street bike that goes over 186 mph though,
it would be a killer topic at any bike night.

I admire the heck out of what BMW was able to achieve with their 1000. I really could care less how it relates to my bikes or my style of riding tho...no envy or desire for one here I'm watching it more as a good drama playing out, BMW vs new zx10, top dog vs the unknown etc. Plus its interesting hearing all the different viewpoints on the topic

* Last updated by: BadinBlack on 9/24/2010 @ 5:51 PM *

The only reason the bmw set a mph record, is because the big 4 have the top end limiters.

The zx14 and busa will both run that kind of mph with a jockey rider (which is no doubt what they had on the bmw).

Those stock Beemers running 9.57s in the 1/4 mile also have a lot to do with traction control, wheelie control and shift assist. Put that stuff on the others and I'm sure they would be in the ballpark. It would be very interesting to run the $13000 dollar baseline model of the Beemer down a drag strip without the benefit of all the electronics.

I read a couple of the British Superbike mags over the weekend and they had a lot of information on the new 10. They're saying it's very mass centralized and has all of the bells and whistles that the Beemer has along with (they're claiming) 190 HP at the crank. That should be good for 170-175 rear wheel HP which is close enough to Beemer territory especially if it actually has some midrange. KHI knows what BMW's got and they're going to give it a good run I'm starting to believe.

The next big battle in the liter wars is going to be all about rideability and traction control, get used to it.

BTW, I'm kinda starting to not care anymore since my favorite twisty road is posted at 55 mph and LEOs are enforcing it. My 6R is too fast for that road by far and the 14 and liters are almost useless out there. They're strictly track bikes anymore.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 9/27/2010 @ 11:19 AM *

Those stock Beemers running 9.57s in the 1/4 mile also have a lot to do with traction control, wheelie control and shift assist. Put that stuff on the others and I'm sure they would be in the ballpark. It would be very interesting to run the $13000 dollar baseline model of the Beemer down a drag strip without the benefit of all the electronics.

Kruz all of those things you just mentioned would actually make you slower if you used them in the 1/4. The base model would actually be lighter (although I doubt its enough to be felt) and makes the same power so in theory it should be faster. The thing that makes that bike so fast is big HP and light weight. I would like to see a base model tested on the track something tells me it would be mid pack without all the goodies. For some reason no one seems to be testing the base model when in fact its very close to the Jap bikes as far as retail prices. Imagine that BMW is only providing fully equipped Test bikes to the mags.

The next big battle in the liter wars is going to be all about rideability and traction control, get used to it.

* Last updated by: willidx4 on 9/27/2010 @ 3:09 PM *

At Barber this past weekend the BMW could only muster a best lap of 1:31.119. Blake Young turned a best of 1:27.282 to win leaving the BMW in 12th place. Hell even Geoff May turned a better lap time on a Buell 1125 at 1:28.036. Thsoe were wet lap times on sunday.

On saturday the fast lap was set by Tommy Hayden (Dry track) on a GSXR1000 at 1:26.248 to win and the BMW finished 21st with only 5 laps.

BMW = junk!!!!!

LOL yep that proves it the production bike is junk and gixxers rule. It also proves the 1125 Buell is better bike by a long shot In fact I would climb over 300 burning BMWs to ride a gixxer or a Buell

All I'm saying is if it's the cats meow how come it isn't dominating? or atleast winning? or atleast getting on the podium.

The class sets weight limits and horsepower limits which for the BMW and other I4 liters is the same. So on even playing ground it's no better than the others and cost more, which means it isn't that spectacular after all. So what it boils down to is which bike handles better and who's riding it.

All I'm saying is if it's the cats meow how come it isn't dominating? or atleast winning? or atleast getting on the podium.

yeah winning goes a long ways .