Re: 2019 bike
I've got to a laptop and have had a look at the pics. I'm going to point out what I and others have already noted. Some of it is obvious...
I've not numbered them but I'm sure you're all able to see why I am talking about. Generally I go top left to bottom right.
Front and Rear picture.
Front:
1. Mirror w/integrated indicators
2. Intake 'Y' appears blocked...rendering issue?
3. Under nose, there's a lot of openings which could be just triple t related or additional air guides. The finished article may well be covered, as it is currently. I am wondering if these features (2&3) are linked though.
4. Symmetric light units. Lighter, yet to know the light tech, I expect LED.
Rear:
1. Is that a LOCK on the rear? So it is not built into the seat/cowl going forwards?
2. The pillion pegs bold in vertically, from below, into the TRELLIS sub-frame.
3. Exhaust is bigger bore and overall stubbier than the 2017.
Left Hand Side 1
1. There's something going on with this chassis point, where the bung goes. Tempted to suggest there's adjustablility built in for race teams. I believe the RSV4 can be adjusted similarly (engine position).
2. The Trellis sub frame holds within it a huge box, ABS is in there, for sure, and the battery, but it looks bigger than the previous one. I wonder if the outwardly similar fuel tank actually now stretches into this box, lowering the CoG, moving some weight beackwards.
3. There's an engine case saver on it from the factory?!
4. Still possible to Road or Race Shift with a bolt change.
5. That swingarm, it's like the R1's (and the WSBK Suter-made) in style coming under the chain and not over it. But it's slimmer, I would guess that it's nearly half the weight of previous one.
Umarked, the seat appears to slope up at the front, helping the rider stay in place for more comfortable cruising and more support in braking. The slope upwards at the back should provide good acceleration support.
Left Hand Side 2
1. The frame is very different, sloping down from the head stock far more than before. Making the gap from the tank to the frame much larger than before.
2. The frame is much beefier where the engine is attached at the front. A tweak to ridgity in this area.
3. The triangle at the back appears to be the shock pickup, which has allowed them to mount the shock vertically. Don't know enough about suspension kinematics but I can only assume this is more optimal than previously.
4. I wonder if the swingarm point is adjustable...
Right Hand Side
1. Tiny rear section, echo'ing current fashion.
2. As noted pillion pegs mount from below.
3. Can anyone explain this shock mounting? Will this piece have another hidden mounting point?
4. Rearsets mount side onto the frame. No idea if this is just for style, or seen as optimal for forces.
5. Looks like the exhaust will have a single exit where the slip-on comes off, making replacements easier than the 17/18. The mini exhaust effectively gets bypassed once the flap opens for the larger pipe. That pipe looks to be a larger bore than ever before.
6. The wheels look to have had serious weight loss.
7. Mirror/indicator as mentioned.
8. Strange opening on the RHS only, by the plaque holder. Specific cooling? View port?
9. Engine bolt used for crash bungs appears to be obscured...hopefully not. Do you think the gills look body coloured or more like the ABS belly pan, if they were the black ABS then maybe they are removable (I doubt it).
10. New front mud guard, opening to reduce air pressure, aero improvement.
11. That is NOT a P4 caliper, in the picture, the default calipers are changing IMO.
Top and Bottom view.
1. That is a new dash, TFT/LCD.
2. BMW Multi-Function Wheel on LHS Switch Gear. Needed to control the new dash.
3. DDC is as before, LH Fork adapts and the preloading is on the passive fork.
4. The tank design is finally different...there's a cosmetic crease in the top. I think the tank is reprofiled where your thigh hits the tank in a turn. I need to look at the current one to confirm.
5/6. The fuel tank flap, the pegs and the bar grips/ends all look to be carry over parts.
Overall impressions;
1. Mass at the rear extremities is heavily reduced. The Trellis frame which is also stubbier. The Swingarm as noted is visibly reduced in bulk.
2. I think the frame changes have allowed them to change the positioning of the fuel the new 'tank' could just be a skin with the actually fuel much lower than before.
3. The engine is all new, not one piece is in the same location as before. So it's a clean sheet. I am expeting 215ps at the crank.
4. Carrying luggage may need a rethink.
5. Carrying a pillon may be harder.
6. I think ergonomically it will be no worse.
7. It will look better in the flesh.