Riding the Bull
Riding the Bull
The PowerCup runneth over
Seems like the coolest parts of all on the K1200R PowerCup racebike are the carbon-fiber handguards. Is it because you are expected to run off the track into the shrubs? Bar-bash mightily in a titanic battle with your arch-nemesises? Nemesisi?
We didn’t get to hang it out so far, so there were neither off-track excursions nor bar-bashings, but our ride on a BMW K1200R PowerCup racebike at southern Spain’s Race Resort Ascari was nonetheless pretty thrilling.
Claimed output of the PowerCup bike is “nearly” 170 horsepower, which means it is “nearly” 7 hp up from stock. The Laser pipe sounds better than the giant OE can, and the engine in the racer definitely revs quicker, thanks in part to the reprogrammed ECU. Metzeier Racetec “DOT” rubber meant there was mondo grip compared to the stocker. The downside of all this grip? I had no knee sliders on my street leathers, making it very difficult to know how much lean angle I was carrying-BMW didn’t tell us we were riding at a racetrack for the K1200R introduction, much less that we’d be riding racebikes!
Even though I wasn’t totally pucked, so to speak, it didn’t matter too much. I just kept leaning until I heard the belly pan scraping while trying to keep up with PowerCup tester and former world endurance racer Ralf Schwickerath, on hand to show us around on the bikes that would be raced in the seven-round PowerCup series held in conjunction with select MotoGP races.
At least Herr Ralf didn’t have his race-face on, so I was able to keep him in sight and try to learn the lines on this flowing track. It was much easier on the racer than the stocker to alter my line when I blew the entry to a corner, and saving my skin was aided by excellent brakes featuring absolutely no ABS or linked hocus-pocus between the levers and the pads, just lots of power and good feel.
The chassis attitude is more aggressive on the PowerCup bike, of course, with the whole machine raised up and tipped
forward on the WP-equipped Duolever and Telelever suspension. This quickens the steering considerably and improves cornering clearance, the latter further aided by stubby, raised race footpegs. The electric quick-shifter-equipped transmission uploaded gears with no trouble.
Because PowerCup is a spec series, virtually all of the alternate parts that are fitted are mandatory (tires, exhaust and quick-shifter) and called out specifically in the rules-even the Castrol engine oil. Internally, engine, gearbox and final drive must be stock, although the PowerCup Powers-That-Be can alter gearing at their discretion. Don’t even think about removing the stock air filter...you will be punished!
A couple of laps on the PowerCup K-bike make you wish this were the street version. The chassis has a much sportier feel, the engine more snap and there is something to be said for good brakes that are just good brakes.
Hey, I wonder if we can buy any of these race pieces for our standard K1200R...
Mark Hoyer
