6. One hundred ninety-three horsepower: Heaps and heaps of motor. Need I say more?
7. Chassis: The HP4’s chassis is modern in feel yet very forgiving. This is more difficult to achieve than it may sound. A modern chassis needs to be stiff for steering accuracy and tall enough for weight transfer, directional changes and drive grip. These attributes will often leave the rider two steps behind on a nervous-handling machine that pitches fore-and-aft too much. BMW hasn’t compromised, and the HP4 inspires confidence with a no-surprises, bolted-down feeling yet still delivers the accuracy needed for the racetrack.
8. Ergonomics: We can thank the HP4’s lead chassis engineer for two standout attributes: First, he’s a top-10 performer in the German Superbike Championship, so it’s safe to say he knows what works; second, he’s huge! His arm is the length of one of my legs—no joke. The adjustable ergonomics on the HP4 look like finely crafted jewelry and work just as well, allowing the rider to custom-tailor bike fit.
9. Stage 1, 2 and 3 race kits: So, you want to go racing? BMW offers three track-only levels of performance for the HP4 that are likely the best bang for your buck for aftermarket parts and support. All stages offer an increase in horsepower—201, 205 (AMA Pro SuperBike) and 212 (World Superbike)—along with the ability to fine-tune DDC, DTC, ABS, Launch Control and engine management corner-by-corner on the track. That should be enough to make your head spin! Good thing you also get access to BMW’s race-support staff to help with setup.
10. Extra space in your garage: Finally, you may have to say farewell to your winter cobweb collector. That’s right, the HP4 is a game-changer. The previous necessary evil of owning one bike that is stiff enough for the track and another supple enough for the street has taken the path of the dodo bird. Plus, with the extra space in your garage, your happy partner may even be apt to let you participate in more track days. Couple that with blockbuster performance and increased confidence provided by traction control and ABS, plus the extra seat time having just one machine will afford, and I’m willing to bet the new HP4 will make you a better rider.
