At least in its first few months on the market, the S1000RR superbike seems to be doing wonders for BMW.
Despite a year-over-year industry sales slip of 36% during the month of February, BMW says delivery of their critically lauded S1000RR-- which started in late January-- helped them achieve a 52% increase in retail sales over that period.
Deposits for over 600 S1000RRs have been plunked down so far, and with a starting price that's within spitting distance of the Japanese competition (like the CBR1000RR, GSX-R1000, R1, and ZX-10R), it looks like BMW's goal of invading the sportbike segment are right on track. The Bavarian company also sites the R1200GS, R1200GS Adventure, and R1200RT as top sellers, but make no mistake: the S1000RR is the bike that could signal a sea change for BMW's sales volume.
Related:
- 2010 BMW S1000RR Photo Gallery
- BMW Boasts Least Sucky Sales Slip of 2009, Ducati & Triumph Also Fare (Relatively) Well
- BMW's RawHyde Adventure Rider Challenge
Photo © BMW; click for BMW S1000RR Photo Gallery
Interesting that Ducati is doing well also with their very expensive sport bikes. I wonder if the big 4 Japanese manufacturers are keeping a close eye on this? Maybe the public is telling them they’re tired of cookie cutter sport bikes?
Those said, if you take the body work off the Beemer and park it beside the other 4 (sans body work), you’d be hard pressed to tell them apart at 1st glance from across the street.
- Maybe it’s the BMW name?
- Maybe it’s the first time they’ve ever marketed anything that is price competitive?
- Maybe it’s a new launch sales spike and it won’t last?
- What’s maintenance like? Typical German? HUGE$$$$
The bike is turning in a reasonable ~ good showing in WSBK, but certainly not a threat to win the series.
Let’s wait & see if it keeps selling well.
Other than the fact I’d kill myself on this thing, I like it.
Pete does bring a good point about the maintenance.
Near 200bhp @ the crank, Race ABS, multi-mode traction control, lighter weight than the porky R1, competitive pricing, yada yada…
It’s the technology and performance. This class is highly spec sheet sensitive and buyers are likely drawn to the specs of this machine.
Plus the bike has received glowing reviews in the press and is slated to be one of the top bikes in the open-class supersport category if not supersport of the year.
Now if I can only have the looks of the RSV4 with the technology of the S1000RR……