Factory Riders Visit Factory
As the countdown continues to the launch of BMW Motorrad’s most exciting machine to date – the 193 hp S 1000 RR – works riders Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus took a break from their busy race and test schedule to make one of their most important visits this year.
With the BMW motorcycle factory in Berlin currently ‘tooling up’ to produce the series production version of its S 1000 RR superbike that is destined to take BMW Motorrad into exciting new market segments, it was quite fitting that the two riders who are helping develop the race version in this year’s Superbike World Championship paid a visit to the workers that are very much involved in this exciting new project.
Recently, the Berlin factory was brought to a standstill when the two BMW Motorrad Motorsport team riders demonstrated their race machines on the roads inside the plant. Nearly 2,000 workers lined the roadways and alleyways to watch Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus do wheelies and stoppies – all for their benefit. Although the weather wasn’t very good, with occasional rain showers, Troy and Ruben bravely performed on their S 1000 RR race bikes as if the conditions were perfect. At the end of about ten ‘laps’ of the plant, Troy and Ruben executed a dramatic joint burnout that had the workers clapping and cheering.
A ‘question and answer’ session then followed with the two riders, as well as Director of Motorsport Berti Hauser and Vice President of the Berlin Plant Hermann Bohrer. Among other things, they spoke about the company’s first year in World Superbikes and told the workers about the bike and its ongoing development in its debut season in this competitive and popular championship.
After posing for photos with the workers, Troy and Ruben got out of their race leathers and then signed autographs and posters for nearly an hour. It was the first time that the factory has witnessed such a unique event and the staff were all delighted to see, at very close quarters, the race versions of the bikes that they will be building on a daily basis.
Although it’s a long way from the factory floor to the track, there’s no denying that ‘racing improves the breed’, and the obvious connection between the series production S 1000 RR and its race-bred works machine is just about as close as you can get. Everyone in this project is proud to be part of history in the making and the wait will soon be over for those hoping to own the most exciting motorcycle BMW Motorrad has produced to date.
For more information on the S 1000 RR, please visit the www.s1000rr.com website, which is available in four languages.
