creating any instability. Nice.
Also 15-stage programmable
is the HP4 RACE's DTC/traction
control, which literally speaks
to you via an audible staccato
chatter as it intervenes by cutting
the ignition via cylinder suppres-
sion patterns of varying strength,
depending on the degree of rear-
wheel slip. The Intermediate rid-
ing mode I started with out of the
four available (Wet, Intermediate,
Dry1, Dry2) had the TC cutting
in very frequently, even with the
grippy SC2 compound chosen
for the Pirelli Diablo Superbike
Slick tires fitted. Moving to Dry1
was much more rational, though,
once again, you can fine tune the
settings for each gear in each of
the four modes. Same thing for
BMW's programmable Wheelie
Control, while the other elec-
tronic features include Launch
Control and a Pit Lane speed lim-
iter. Also MotoGP/WSBK derived
are the 43mm Ohlins FGR300
upside-down fork and the Swed-
ish suspension sultan's TTX36
GP rear shock, both, of course,
fully adjustable.
Yet hard though it is to ignore
the extra power and greater
torque of this fabulous engine,
it's the very refined handling
of the BMW HP4 RACE that
really impresses, thanks to its
lightweight and especially those
carbon wheels. Try as I might to
prepare myself after spending
my first session at Estoril riding
a 2017-model S 1000 RR street
bike fitted with the same Pirelli
slicks as the HP4, after hopping
aboard that bike, I found myself
beginning to do the same thing
I'd done a month earlier when
riding the comparable Ducati
1299 Superleggera at Mug-
ello, also equipped with carbon
wheels. I'd keep over-steering
VOL. 54 ISSUE 26 JULY 4, 2017 P107
The HP4 RACE
is BMW's fastest
and most powerful
customer
motorcycle yet
offered for sale
by the German
manufacturer.
