BMW to Announce Higher-Performance S1000RR on Sept. 23

Dennis Chung
by Dennis Chung

M1000RR may be the first of several M-branded models

BMW is set to announce a new high-performance sportbike on Sept. 23 that we suspect will be called the M1000RR. The announcement will be held on a video podcast on YouTube that will go live at 3am EST/midnight PST on Sept. 23.

The description for the video (embedded below) reads:

“Experience the ultimate will to win and the pure demand for performance. Don’t miss the upcoming exclusive #RideAndTalk live video podcast as we will reveal something big #BornOnTheRacetrack! #MakeLifeARide”

While the description doesn’t mention a model by name, there are some clues that suggest it will be the M1000RR, which BMW filed a trademark for last year. The thumbnail for the video shows a sportbike that looks a lot like the S1000RR shrouded in fog, and right above the words “Born on the Racetrack” is the distinctive M logo used for BMW’s high-performance sub-brand.

BMW M (for “Motorsport”) is a subsidiary that produces modified versions of BMW models. BMW M typically offers higher performance versions of the company’s cars and SUVs, but in recent years, has produced a number of M-branded accessories for the S1000RR, including lever protectors, a lighter battery, adjustable footrests and various carbon fiber components, carbon fiber wheels, lightweight aluminum wheels, and various other accessories.

BMW M offers a number of accessories for the S1000RR Including carbon fiber bodywork, ergonomic seats, footrests and carbon wheels.

An M1000RR is the logical extension of the M Performance Parts program, assembling it all into a single package for a higher-spec S1000RR. Several other manufacturers offer moderately higher performance versions of their superbikes, like the Kawasaki ZX-10RR, or Yamaha YZF-R1M, but there are also examples of more exotic (and significantly more expensive) variants like the Ducati Superleggera V4 or Aprilia RSV4 X.

We can’t tell for certain from the YouTube thumbnail, but there does appear to be a dark shape to the right of the nose that could be an aerodynamic winglet jutting from the fairing. It’s worth noting that the bike has mirrors, a tail-mounted license plate holder and lighting, confirming that it is intended to be street legal and not a track-only model like BMW’s last S1000RR variant, the HP4 Race.

Enhancing the thumbnail gives us a bit more detail, but not enough to do more than confirm similarities to the S1000RR.

Thankfully, we won’t have too long to wait before BMW announces the S1000RR variant. If it indeed turns out to be an M1000RR, then we could expect to see more M versions of existing models, as BMW has also trademarked “M1000XR” and “M1300GS“.

Dennis Chung
Dennis Chung

Dennis has been a part of the Motorcycle.com team since 2008, and through his tenure, has developed a firm grasp of industry trends, and a solid sense of what's to come. A bloodhound when it comes to tracking information on new motorcycles, if there's a new model on the horizon, you'll probably hear about it from him first.

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