BMW S1000RR Sport

[fast_ryan]

BMW HP Race Datalogger

I have my data logger under the rear seat cover. Loving the chain adjusters mate.

Make sure you update both the HP software and datalogger firmware as there are new versions available for the 2015 model. The new versions allow for the measurement of suspension travel if you have front and rear potentiometers fitted without the need for a 2D Extension Box.

 

[fast_ryan]

Trackday

First trackday of the season at Snetterton complete...

 

[fast_ryan]

Trackday

 

[fast_ryan]

Bridgestone RS10

New tyres ready to be fitted...

 

[fast_ryan]

Trackday

Trackday feedback...

Weather conditions were dry with plenty of sunny intervals with temperatures peaking at around 17?C so ideal for trackday riding. For perspective I normally ride in the Fast/Advanced group and still hold my ACU race licence. The trackday was held on the Snetterton 200 circuit and I've not altered gearing in any way as I wanted to find a suitable baseline to build upon for future?

The first session was predominantly about getting the bike and ergonomics set up and making a few lever and rearset adjustments along with reversing the gear shift pattern. That and dialling myself in as I've only ridden the 200 circuit once in the past despite this being my local circuit. On the larger 300 circuit I've lost count of the number of races, trackdays and laps I've completed there. The datalogger showed that lap times were consistently around the mid/high 1:15s which is fairly quick on a stock bike around the Snetterton 200 circuit. Speed wise it recorded 174.1 mph which incidentally was captured on the same lap that I completely missed my braking marker at the end of the back straight and subsequently affected my corner entry into the chicane. This was particularly notable on the GPS trace as it illustrated quite clearly that my entry points were consistent throughout the day except on this particular lap and on the warm up laps at the start of each session.

Tyre wear throughout the day was extremely good considering the track surface at Snetterton is very abrasive. I'm fairly convinced that the DDC plays a significant part in this given its semi-active nature. The only thing that the initial few sessions illustrated was that a small increase in rear rebound was needed given the slight wear patterns that began to develop along the tread edge as pictured. Cold pressures were set at 31F and 26R and within Pirelli's recommended pressure ranges and worked well. By the end of the last session of the day both the front and rear Pirelli Supercorsa SPs were down to the wear limits and will be replaced with Bridgestone RS10s.

As the day progressed I started to experiment more with the DDC suspension setup. The 2D front potentiometer makes a huge difference on track as the ability to adjust front compression and rebound independently is invaluable. This is particularly so as corner speeds increase and you need to make adjustments in order to generate a little bit more feeling in the front. With the bike in User mode I settled for front rebound set at +2 and compression at -1. With a bit of experimentation at the rear I opted for rebound at +3 and compression at +1 as this allowed the rear to settle more under hard acceleration and translated into better feel for tyre grip. I didn't feel the need to alter the DDC settings any further after four sessions on track. On the road the DDC optimises the dampening to any situation and makes the bike react in a different way to one without the system fitted. For differing surfaces and riding conditions it's great but for track use the DDC does feel subtlety different to traditional suspension and does require a little bit of faith to trust the system. For me with the 2D front fork travel sensor fitted it gets around the compromise of only being able to adjust damping in terms of soft or hard and allows you to set the bike up correctly for better lap times. I'm glad I opted for DDC as I'm really pleased with it especially as it's so quick and easy to make adjustments as opposed to counting clicks and turns in and out.

With regards to the rider electronic aids the bike was placed in User mode right from the start with all options set to Slick with the exception of the engine which I left in Race. I worked my way down from +7 to -3 over the course of the day as my confidence and trust in the traction control grew. Lowering DTC allows you to slide the rear and I found I was marginally quicker with reduced traction control. For me it has necessitated a change in riding style as I can now be so much more aggressive with the throttle and open it earlier than I could ever have done previously. The amount of power you can put through the rear tyre from the apex is absolutely staggering and the speed you can carry through corner exit is fantastic. Exiting the 2nd gear left hand corner on to the back straight and immediately pinning the throttle is brilliant fun. The front wheel lifts easily under hard acceleration but whilst the electronics keep things feeling controlled they never feel intrusive. The data shows that from the point of corner exit at T3 until the braking point at the end of the back straight that the throttle position was fully open. It is reassuring that however over exuberant you are with the throttle it won't let you fire yourself into the scenery. That said I prefer the engine setting to be in Race as opposed to Slick as for me the throttle response feels far more manageable. The quickshifter is very good and seems to respond better with more positive pressure on the lever and at higher revs but the revelation is the autoblipper; it's fantastic. With the throttle pinned in 6th gear on the back straight you can just simply snap the throttle shut, brake hard and nonchalantly go down the gearbox ready for the 2nd gear corner entry without a hint of the clutch. That for me is just superb but it does require a few laps to get used to before feeling natural. As for the pitlane speed limiter, whilst a tad pointless unless you are racing, it is somewhat amusing and the noise it generates is addictive.

Overall I couldn't be happier with my 2015 S1000RR Sport and the additions made over the last few months have certainly been worthwhile. Whilst it's pleasant enough to ride on the road its just so much better on track. The next trackday is already booked...

 

[alex]

Excellent write up. Great to read some good feed back from someone who knows whast they are doing.

Out of interest are the RS10's stickier than the Pirelli's?

 

[fast_ryan]

Bridgestone RS10

I've only previously used Bridgestone R10s. These are the new road and track tyre from Bridgestone so they are the equivalent of the Pirelli Supercorsa SP. I will post up feedback after my next trackday.

 

[user 591]

Like already said great write up very interesting read and great pics.:tennis:

 

[fast_ryan]

A productive yet expensive day today...

 

[fast_ryan]

Bridgestone RS10

Fitted this morning ready for the next trackday.

 

[fast_ryan]

BMW HP Parts

A few more parts added from the HP catalogue added today...

 

[fast_ryan]

Akrapovič HP Carbon Fibre Exhaust Bracket

 

[fast_ryan]

Akrapovič HP Slip-On Exhaust

 

[Loupe]

Great read and info about the bike, liking the new exhaust too. Did you not get on with the Arrow slip on?
As other Forums say, the vultures will be circling for the old one, how much? Lol :applause:

 

[fast_ryan]

Akrapovič HP Slip-On Exhaust

There was absolutely nothing wrong with the Arrow slip-on. I purchased this one by chance as I was passing a BMW Motorrad dealership and they had one in stock along with the carbon fibre exhaust bracket. It was more of an impulse buy to be honest and it goes well with the other HP parts already fitted to the bike.

 

[Loupe]

It certainly looks the part, can't be much HP stuff left to buy now?!
Good on ya!

 

[fast_ryan]

My bike is pretty much how I want it now. Any further money spent will be on tyres, trackdays, fuel and knee sliders...

 

[fast_ryan]

Trackday

Another trackday completed onboard the S1000RR today. Pictures and feedback to follow...

 

[Marzy]

Look forward to it mate

 

[fast_ryan]

Trackday

A good trackday yesterday on the Snetterton 300 circuit. The weather was a little intermittent with sunny intervals but fortunately no rain despite the forecast. I'm starting to really feel at home on the S1000RR now especially after completing another 44 laps of Snetterton. It also provided the first opportunity to try the new Bridgestone RS10s having worn out my previous set of tyres.

Bridgestone recommended cold pressures are 1.9 Bar F and 1.7 Bar R for the RS10s. Whilst they do not require tyre warmers I used a set throughout the day apart from in the first session. They heat up extremely quickly from cold given that they are a more road biased tyre and by T9 knee sliders were scraping the tarmac. With tyre warmers on they are pretty much good to go from the second or third corner. The profile, particularly the rear, is much flatter than the Pirelli Supercorsa SPs and they do not turn in quite so quickly. Once leaned over they do feel really planted, even an at an indicated 48?, and the front gives plenty of grip. However, under hard acceleration the rear moves around a lot more than the SPs and the traction control subtly intervenes more often. This was instantly apparent as the DTC readout on the dash increased. I ended up increasing DTC in increments to increase stability. The front felt very neutral throughout and would go wherever you pointed the bike without hesitation. It also required no changes to suspension setup and tyre wear and pressures were spot on. Halfway through the day I did experience a tear on the right hand side of the rear tyre which is not uncommon for Snetterton. The wear pattern indicated an overinflated tyre so a change in hot pressure was required which addressed the issue. Overall they are a very good tyre and are ideal for fast road and track use. My lap times were in the distinctly average low 2:15s as I didn't want to push my luck and was quite content just adding laps and getting even more used to the BMW. For outright grip and better lap times however I would personally revert back to the Pirellis. As for longevity the Bridgestones should last much longer as the compound appears not to be as soft and the profile suggests that they won't square off quite so quickly. For my next tyres I will be opting for either a set of SC compound race tyres or trying the new Metzeler RR K2 or K1 race compounds.

For those interested the Akrapovič HP slip-on when noise tested produced 97.4 dB without the baffle fitted. The good news is it means that there should be no issue with noise testing at most of the main UK circuits. With a baffle fitted it should easily meet the even stricter noise test limits like those found on Donington Park quiet days. As a bonus the blueing of the titanium internals also looks very cool as well.

Overall another good trackday and I will post up a few pictures once they become available.