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BMW Ducati Husqvarna Motorcycles of AtlantaYour leading BMW, Ducati, and Husqvarna dealer for the Southeast |
Designing the dream machine
Designing the ultimate supersports bike is a job that most people can only dream about. But, for BMW Motorrad’s Head of Design Development David Robb and his team of designers, the dream became a reality when the brief for BMW’s latest motorcycle dropped on their desk several years ago.
The BMW S 1000 RR, the German manufacturer’s most recent project, was greeted with a mixture of surprise and excitement when it was announced to the world’s press in 2008. Speculation regarding the S 1000 RR’s styling and technical specification was rife, and it wasn’t until the fifth round of the World Superbike Championship that the production model was unveiled to widespread acclaim. The bold design and phenomenal performance figures stunned the motorcycling world. BMW Motorrad had officially arrived in the supersport market - and in some style.
BMW Motorrad is no stranger to producing motorcycles of distinction, with the GS models the most obvious examples of a long line of machines that stand out from the offerings from the other manufacturers. But, having never previously attempted to produce a supersports machine, the S 1000 RR project was possibly BMW Motorrad’s most ambitious task to date.
In order for the project to be a success, BMW Motorrad assembled a team of industry experts - each possessing a wealth of experience and a will to succeed - and set the challenge of designing the world’s best supersports bike. Heading up the team was David Robb, a BMW veteran with over 30 years of design experience to his name. He explains the origins of the S 1000 RR project: "BMW Motorrad has, for many years, been looking to raise the pulse rate of the company," he says. "We have always been well-known for our dynamic products and our innovation, and we wanted to seize on this opinion and produce a supersport motorcycle that embodied everything that BMW Motorrad stands for. Recent models such as the HP2 Sport and the K 1200 S were an indication of a direction in which we wanted to take the brand and the S 1000 RR is the realisation of this ambition."
With the supersports segment being one of the most hotly contested in the motorcycle industry, BMW Motorrad acknowledged that the S 1000 RR had to be an entirely different prospect to its competitors, while still appealing to the market’s desire for high-performance racing thoroughbreds.
"From very early on in the project, we identified that to be accepted in the supersports market, the S 1000 RR had to be first and foremost a race machine," says David. "Therefore, performance was a vital aspect of the bike. Our research also informed us that to appeal to the target audience, the bike needed to look good. As a result, communication between the engineering team and the design team was essential to make certain that neither the overall performance of the bike or how it looked were compromised when trying to maximise both aspects."
The outcome of the collaboration between the design and engineering teams is a bike that excels in both categories. On track, the engineering success of the project is clear to see. With Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus at the controls, the S 1000 RR machines are a regular fixture in the World Superbike Championship top ten - a remarkable feat in the bike’s first season in this highly competitive series. Meanwhile, the unique styling of the S 1000 RR, featuring asymmetric front lights and fairing setup, is distinctly BMW and a refreshing take on the traditional supersports design.
In light of the success of the project so far, David is quick to credit the design team, who he feels deserve the adulation. "My role was to nurture the team’s creativity in order to get the best end result, but to also foster the collaboration between the designers and design engineers," comments David. "We were lucky enough to have a team of very talented individuals, who each brought different qualities to the group."
One such individual was Ola Stenegard, BMW Motorrad’s Principle Designer. Although the S 1000 RR project was an opportunity to create a chapter in BMW Motorrad’s illustrious history, Ola wasn’t fazed by the prospect. "The project wasn’t challenging at all, in fact, it was the dream brief," he says. "As a designer, it’s the bike you wait your whole life for. I worked on the HP2 Sport project and thought that was the pinnacle of the dream and once that had finished, I wondered how I could better it. Then, the S 1000 RR came along and I had my answer!"
So, with a blank canvas and the task of creating a brand new bike, Ola and the team began the job of creating sketch after sketch, toying with ideas and discussing the possibilities with the design engineers. "The main inspiration came from the track," continues Ola. "I would go to the track and watch the test riders, and ride myself. My goal was to make the bike look as fast as it could be ridden and now the project is complete, I wouldn’t change a thing. As a designer, you often revisit previous projects and wonder how you could have improved them. But when I look at the S 1000 RR, I don’t believe we could have done anything better."
Elsewhere, the design engineers, including Thrass Papadimitriou, were tasked with ensuring that the S 1000 RR’s performance wasn’t compromised by its styling and played a vital role in ensuring that the brief was adhered to. "The project was a dream come true for me," says Thrass. "It was exciting as BMW had never previously focussed on a supersport machine. As such, there were more technical requirements to factor into the design than ever before and the specification list and design had to work in perfect harmony. Communications between the engineering team and the design team needed to be superb and, thankfully, they were and the S 1000 RR is the result of this effort."
The supersports sector may be competitive, but judging by the reaction of the press and members of the public, the BMW S 1000 RR is poised to make a big impression. "I’m very proud of the way in which BMW Motorrad has reshaped itself in recent times," concludes David. "The GS models opened the brand up to a whole new audience. We are confident that the S 1000 RR will do the same and prove to be a landmark machine in this company’s illustrious history."
If you can’t wait for the S 1000 RR to hit the showrooms, visit www.s1000rr.com for exclusive video content.