BMW S1000RR, test on a wet track – Imola 2016

BMW S1000RR - We tested it on the road before the winter (link), now we had the opportunity to try it on the track, which was partly thwarted by the rain. In part, precisely because thanks to Pirelli Diablo Rain (link), identical to those of the Superbike world championship, we went down on the wet track in Imola and we were able to discover how useful the S1000RR's superior electronics can be in these conditions. On dry asphalt, managing 200 horsepower without the help of the traction control reins would be something reserved for a few expert drivers, who however now prefer to enjoy the pleasure of driving, leaving the "chips" with the task of keeping the impetuosity of the engine at bay. With the rain everything obviously becomes more complex. Not only with regards to acceleration, this is demonstrated for example by the frequency with which the ABS intervention is perceived on the brake lever. It would be impossible to detach like this, and safely, if there were no anti-lock. Up to this point we are within the scope of rather generic indications, observations that come naturally to us when we see other motorcyclists stopped in the pits, either due to inadequate tyres, but also because "old style" motorbikes are much more dangerous in the presence of damp asphalt or wet.

S1000RR

We are actually getting on the saddle of one of the most technologically advanced motorcycles, we don't have a simple traction control and standard ABS, because the S1000RR has much more electronics, with decidedly top performance and features, directly derived from experience in competitions. At the center of everything we have the inertial platform, which reads the inclination of the motorbike and much more, allowing the control units that manage the brakes, engine and suspensions to act accordingly.

Inertial platform and ABS PRO

Starting from braking, thanks to this the ABS Race systems, developed for the sportiest models, evolve and Cornering ABS, or ABS PRO, brought to its debut on the HP4 track (the one derived from the previous generation of S1000RR) also becomes available for other models, including the new S1000RR. Braking can thus be optimised, based on the bike's set-up, so as to avoid for example the righting effect, which would lead dangerously off trajectory. In addition to avoiding blocking, the control units are thus able to allow us to keep the best line, even if we are forced to brake with the bike folded. Never as in the case of asphalt with a grip greatly reduced by rain, can we appreciate the positive effects of this type of technology so well. On a dry track it would be less so, so much so that when using the Race and Slick modes, ABS PRO is not available. Think about remove, not even much earlier than we would have done in the dry, at speeds close to 240-250 km/h, without fear and being able to engage the motorbike while the wheels are still braked, a few years ago it would have been impossible or crazy, unless you were a world championship rider.

DTC, you need to accelerate before pulling away

The same applies to traction control, which thanks to the sensors of the inertial platform becomes Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), which manages the accelerator and engine in such a way as to always exploit all the power that can be put to the ground at that moment, with those conditions of the asphalt, that inclination of the motorbike and so on. While we tell you about the "magic" of electronics, let's think back to our laps on the track in the rain and how they helped us. Braking and acceleration are the two phases where it is easier to trust and test the effectiveness of the electronics, right from the first corners. If it seemed obvious to us to be careful to avoid putting the wheels on the wettest points, those where rivulets of water can form on the track, as we gain confidence we dare more and more without ever putting the bike in crisis. Thanks in part to the amazing Pirelli Diablo Rain that fits the RR we are driving, in this specific case on magnificent HP forged rims, but not only. We used the Rain mode, which partially cuts the power of the 4 cylinder (187 horsepower instead of 199 of the other modes). The tranquility with which we were able to drive, coming out of the curves with the throttle wide open and only experiencing sporadic small swaying, which disappeared after a few moments and without having to close the throttle, left us thinking that, despite the lot of water on the asphalt, a more aggressive mode could have been dared, switching to Full Power ones.

Never without brake or accelerator

If the basic rule to follow in cases like this is to be as fluid and sweet as possible in the various actions, the most important one is that of keep the "holy hand" of electronics active as much as possible. It seems absurd, but closing the throttle and letting the bike go "by inertia" is more dangerous than hanging on to the brakes or opening the throttle wide open, because in these two operations it is "the chip that controls". This is not only linked to electronics, but also to "physics". Keeping the bike "in focus", even before we had computing power and intelligent control units in our hands, had always been a rule when riding in the wet, now it is even more so. Then you go down the bend with the brakes still clamped and you start to "peel" the gas before even releasing them. The sooner you straighten the bike, the sooner and more power is put to the ground from the rear tire. Up to this point everything seems easy, actually It's not easy to get used to the very high limits of the S1000RR – Pirelli Diablo Rain combination, which comes unimaginably close to that of a motorbike on dry asphalt. The trajectories are not identical and the changes in direction must be managed in a very "soft" way, which in Imola are numerous and made more complex by ups and downs and some of the most beautiful, but also difficult to interpret, corners of all Italian circuits.

Dynamic Damping Control

The help is not over, because the inertial platform does not only provide information for ABS and traction control, but it can be useful for many other purposes. Just think that on the touring models of the Elica company it is used to adjust the position of the headlights, always illuminating the point where the motorbike is going. On the S1000RR it is instead used for ESA II, which thus becomes intelligent. This is a semi-active suspension control, with the DDC is adjusts suspension hydraulics in real time, based on the longitudinal and transversal inclination of the motorbike. When braking, leaning or accelerating, the reactions of the suspension are therefore always optimal. Furthermore, all systems communicate with each other, improving the overall final result of their action. The traction control “talks” to the suspension, which in turn "respond" by providing useful information to act better in every direction, when switching to braking the same goes for ABS PRO. Even in this case, the impression is that the configuration we used for our "wet" test was far too prudent and that an expert driver could have dared a more aggressive setting.

We went there cautiously, but….

In our test we didn't want to exaggerate, especially because the context of the Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit is not the easiest to interpret, especially with the rain. Different asphalts, with the draining one in the recently redone points on which the grip is very good, while a few meters further on you can find older and very slippery ones, to the point that the traction control also works in fourth or fifth gear in full straight. However, the limit is very high, you can look at the photos of our tester Marco "Ago" Agosti testing the Pirelli Diablo Rain, to understand how far you can go with the S1000RR in these conditions, safely!

Test clothing:

Leather suit: Spidi Track Wind Pro
Gloves: Spidi Carbo 3
Boot: TCX R-S2 Evo
Helmet: X-Lite X-702GT