A Dark Power of Lightness
A Dark Power of Lightness
CW RIDING IMPRESSION
German accessory-maker Wunderlich builds the MadUSA, the naked S1000RR we all want
MARK HOYER
HELLO, BMW? Is THIS THING ON? UM, YOU'VE COMPLETELY changed your ways in recent years. Your turnsignal switch is normal, you built a class-dominating inline-Four that actually runs across the frame like on other sportbikes, and you killed it with the K1600 tourers. And yet, here we sit, staring at this naked S1000RR and wondering if it's even real... We've seen some spy photos of a production-looking unfaired S1000RR that we know is a real thing being tested, fully expecting a big debut at the 2012 Milan show. But no.
Then this custom-assembled machine showed up at our office. Built by the American distributor for German aftermarket parts specialists Wunderlich in concert with San Francisco BMW, it's essentially exactly what we want. Full superbike. Moto handlebar. Done.
Well, it's slightly more than that, but the essence is that simple. This custom machine, called MadUSA by its makers (see sidebar), is a tire-torching showcase for Wunderlich's extensive s I000RR parts catalog and represents. oh, about 517K in extras (not including installa tion labor or p.aint/powdercoat or the S1000RR itself). Before you.freak out, read on and realize you don't necessar ily need the ultra-trick, billet-and-rubber SI 19 RaceGrip set or the $65 safety wireable, billet oil-filler plug or myriad other delicious, jewelry-like bits that con tribute to that big number.
What you do want, definitely, is the $2741 Ohlins FRRT 8.11 fork and $1457 TTX shock. And you can't skip the S~99 Sportego Bar Conversion Kit or the S 149 ABM handlebar or $55 bar-end eii.~hts or the $2999 Piranha Conversion Kit (bodywork) and $324 anodized alum i nurn belly pan to complete the look and get the riding position set up br stupid stunts and urban warfare.
And even though it is rather blatant in its note, the Remus pipe and Hexa(.one si kneer (S23~3) are i.~ori.~eous eiu~ht-~n ers that ould be hard to do ithotit. This k the same tapered-tube. large-bore titan iti 01 s~ stem the company suppl ie~ to race teams and (Irks well with eni.~ine ho ilds mak in~ more than 225 Iiorsepo~~er at the clutch. F he en~ inc in our testbike is on modi lied and produced I 73 hp n the ( ide IIoiIJ Dynojet 25( )i. I he ( n~ er and t rq tie curs Cs are itchfree th i mis 01 heaut\ ith a rouu~hl~ 5-hp gain between 45~() and OU() rpm, thanks to the pipe. A D~ no jet Po~~er Commander V ensures crisp throttle re sponse and maximum po~~ er.
Thanks in large part to the 8-pound Remus exhaust system (stock is 26 lb.), this bike, as pictured, weighs 409 lb. without gas vs. the 433 we recorded with our last all-stock S1000RR. That's a meaningful difference, and it informs this naked bike's every move.
And this thing moves. Sure, a stock S1000RR is one of the greatest sportbikes ever made, with incredible per formance on road and track, but it's just that much more entertaining when you can really grab this bull by its increased leverage horns.
I have to admit I felt a bit special on my first ride because the suspension had been set up by an Ohlins tech who is
roughly my size, making damping and preload nearly perfect for me. Chassis composure was fantastic, and although the overall settings were firm, ride was never harsh. On a winding backroad, the bike feels absolutely glued to the pavement. Attack corners as hard as you like, MadUSA never misbehaves, do ing exactly what you want exactly when you want. Lucas Wave brake discs front ($458) and rear ($155) complement the stock calipers and master cylinder, working together to provide excellent feedback and fantastic stopping power.
I felt less special and a bit disap pointed to find out our bike had a mal functioning ABS/TCS button, meaning
we couldn't turn off either safety net. No wheelies? Are you kidding me? This bike torques up in the first three gears with ease, and it was a shame not to be able to carry that third-gear power wheelie without getting shut down by the electro-nanny. Wheelie control is great when you're trying to set a lap time, but for punking around and im pressing your friends (or yourself), it's a huge bummer.
Satin-black paint on the carbonfKevlar bodywork gives the bike an almost stealth fighter appearance, but the exhaust note is so barky (with a couple of these "!! !" after it) that there is nothing stealthy about the ride. Don't get me wrong, the pipe sounds
awesome, but everybody within an unrea sonable radius is going to know exactly what you are doing when you dip into the power. I felt near-constant guilt and para noia while riding.
Well, that and almost supernatural dynamic ability. Superheroic? Superior? Superb? There are lots of superlative feel ings when in the saddle of this bike. You feel sorry for people locked in pathetic and cumbersome automobiles and even a bit of sorrow for those poor souls racked on the backs of full-on sportbikes. I did see a guy on an Aprilia Tuono V4 R who gave me a knowing nod. Mostly, though, out on the road you feel like Kobe Bryant might if he somehow got caught up in a school playground pickup game. All the other kids end up crying, but what are you going to do, lower your ability?!
One of the most satisfying elements of MadUSA is the solid-feeling inter face provided by the Vario levers ($388, adjustable for reach and length) and RR-Vario adjustable rearsets ($899). The pegs are so rigid and the control op eration so there-feeling that the sense of connection to the machine is amplified. And while I at first sort of scoffed at the Wunderlich Active Comfort seat, it is actually a really fine thing. Wunderlich sends your stock pan to Germany for the rebuild with special foam and non-slip cover using suede-like Alcantara piping. It's $474 using your stocker as the core, and it dramatically enhances your con nection to this potent machine.
MadUSA is just so satisfying to ride that once or twice (or three or maybe more times), under strictly controlled conditions, I just let the thing eat through the bottom four gears, tapping the lever and using BMW's Shift Assistant quickshifter for nearly uninterrupted drive. According to Road Test Editor Don Canet, the bike was even stable up to its measured 177-mph top speed (a $378 Ohlins steering damper didn't hurt).
It's just an awesome riding experi ence. This bike, as shown here, is for sale for about $35,000. If you can afford it, it's totally worth it. Sure, it's used, but we didn't do anything that you wouldn't have done. Just make sure they fix the anti-wheelie thing.
