The Jumbo Supermoto Twin trend is gaining momentum. First KTM with its 950SM, then Buell with its SuperTT, followed this year by Ducati with the Hypermotard , and now BMW has joined the fray with this HP2 Megamoto. All these bikes give credibility to what before seemed like just a fashionable way to set up a motocrosser for the tarmac.
BMW is in the process of developing a whole new generation of highly refined bikes around its immortal Boxer Twin. First was the maxi-enduro HP2 , a light, powerful and capable dual-sporter ready for action on just about any terrain. As its name suggests, the new HP2 Megamoto has been extracted from that bike, with which it shares frame, suspension and some bodywork.
The HP2 frame is a departure from the concepts BMW developed to harness its street Boxers. While in the regular R-series models the engine serves as the main frame to which front Telelever and rear Paralever suspensions systems attach, here the frame takes the entire burden, with the engine acting as a marginally stressed “spacer.” Through tight triangulation of steel tubes, the HP2 frame achieves a very high torsional rigidity that contributes to the outstanding dynamic qualities of the bike.
Claimed dry weight is just 397 pounds. Otherwise, the Megamoto deserves its name, featuring a 63.4-inch wheelbase (same as the Enduro) and an armpit-high 36.2-inch seat. The BMW is physically big but it’s surprisingly light and superbly balanced. This and the nicely tuned suspension bless the bike with fabulous riding qualities and incredible lean angles. Near-optimal weight distribution and the low center of gravity provided by the Boxer Twin design make the whole bike smoothly responsive, sharp, easy to handle.
Brakes come from Brembo in the form of twin 320mm rotors and standard-mount four-piston gold-series calipers at the front, and a single 265mm rotor and two-piston caliper at the rear.
The Boxer Twin in the Megamoto is basically the same as the units that power the R1200GS and the HP2 Enduro, except the Megamoto’s is a lot more powerful—a claimed 113 hp at 7500 rpm with 85 ft.-lbs. of torque at 6000 rpm. The extra oomph comes from a high-lift camshaft, and to match that extra lift, a high-efficiency exhaust system by Slovenian specialists Akrapovic.
So the engine is strong, but it’s also friendly, delivering its ponies with the assistance of a well-spaced and sharp-shifting six-speed gearbox. Zero-to-60-mph acceleration happens in 3 seconds flat, and speeds in excess of 120 mph were easily reached at the end of the short main straight at our test track. Under hard acceleration, the front wheel easily floats in the air for a second, all part of the fun. The engine pushes like a hydraulic press in any gear, and sounds great.
BMW’s HP2 Megamoto is a terrific naked bike that rediscovers the never-out-of-fashion pleasure of pure, basic motorcycling. Supermoto Twins are bringing that pleasure back in great fashion. On sale now in Europe, expect the Megamoto to hit U.S. dealerships early next year, priced in the same range as the $21,000 HP2 Enduro. Not cheap, but after my ride, I’d say worth it to the last dime.
Sound off! Supermoto Twins: Are they the next big thing or just a lot of hype?
