BMW LeMans 24 Hour Endurance Race

[Deans BMW]

From BMW AG, I don't know how to translate this............................


Greetings,

BMW will be competing in the World Championship Endurance Series!

BMW Motorrad Werksteam startet bei 24 Stunden Rennen in Le Mans.
23.03.2007

München. Am 21. April 2007 fällt der Startschuss zu den "24 heures moto", dem legendären 24 Stunden Motorradrennen in Le Mans, Frankreich. Alles wird an diesem Tag genau so wirken, wie in den vergangenen Jahren auch - bis auf einen historischen Unterschied: Nach 50 Jahren Abstinenz vom Wettbewerb im Solo-Straßenrennsport geht ein BMW Motorrad Werksteam an den Start.
Das Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport startet beim ersten Lauf der Endurance Weltmeisterschaft mit einem Sportboxer auf der technischen Basis der
BMW R 1200 S. Aufgrund des Hubraums von 1200 ccm ist das Motorrad in der Open Klasse gemeldet. Pilotiert wird das Langstrecken-Bike von BMW erfahrenen Profi-Rennfahrern. Das Team besteht aus Stéphane Mertens, Thomas Hinterreiter und Rico Penzkofer, sowie Marcus Barth als Ersatzfahrer.

In der Saison 2007 wird das Team bei insgesamt vier 24 Stunden Rennen antreten. Neben den "24 heures moto" in Le Mans (21./22.04.) stehen die 24 Stunden Rennen von Barcelona (07./08.07.), Oschersleben (11./12.08.) und Magny Cours (Bol d´Or, 15./16.09.) auf dem Programm.

Weitere Informationen zum Serienmotorrad BMW R 1200 S sowie eine Übersicht über die BMW Motorrad Motorsport - Aktivitäten finden Sie auf der Homepage von BMW Motorrad unter www.bmw-motorrad.de.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads10/R1200S+24+Hour+Racer+lo+Res+crop1174865215.jpg

[Ed K]

You can kinda get the basics from this Babel translation...

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BMW motorcycle work team starts at 24 hours running in Le Mans. 23.03.2007Munich. On 21 April 2007 the starting signal falls to the "24 heures moto", legendary 24 hours the motorcycle running in Le Mans, France.

Everything will exactly the same work on this day, as in the past years also - up to a historical difference: After 50 years abstinence of the competition in solo road racing goes a BMW motorcycle work team to the start. The team BMW motorcycle engine start an 1200S with the first run of the Endurance world championship with a Sportboxer on the technical basis of the BMWS R due to the capacity of 1200 ccm is announced the motorcycle in the open class.

Pilotiert becomes the long-distance Bike of BMW experienced professional running drivers. The team consists of Stéphane Mertens, Thomas Hinterreiter and Rico Penzkofer, as well as Marcus Barth as a spare driver. In the season 2007 the team will begin at altogether four 24 hours running. Beside the "24 of heures moto" in Le Mans (21./22.04.) stand the 24 hours running Barcelona (07./08.07.), for Oschersleben (11./12.08.) and Magny Cours (Bol d'Or, 15./16.09.) on the program.

Further information to the series motorcycle BMW R 1200 S as well as an overview of the BMWS motorcycle engine haven - activities find you on the homepage of BMW motorcycle under www.bmw motorrad.de.

And here's the excerpt from the MCN report -

http://www.motorcyclistcafe.com/forums/showthread.php?p=36894#post36894

Could this be the first showing of the R1200S HP?

[Deans BMW]

A few more pics, BTW, I can let the cat out of the bag now. That is the new R1200S HPversion.

http://www.racecorporation.co.uk/images/BMW_Test_Cartagena01-07.jpg

Copied this from the Pelican site

BMW STEALTHILY TESTING IN CARTEGENA

Marcus Barth, Rico Penzkofer and Thomas Hinterreiter are currently testing the new R1200S-based BMW that will be entering selected World Endurance races this year. The bike seems to be based on the twin from the BMW Boxer Cup series but is reputedly 20kgs lighter than anything seen before in the R series. Unconfirmed lap times are looking impressive - a reported 1min 43sec on Day 1, putting it on a par with the top 600's. To put things in perspective, however, the top World Superbike machines lap at around 1min 37sec...though they wouldn't last in an Endurance race!

UPDATE - BMW finished the test by slashing even more time...reportedly by another 3 seconds and just failing to break into the 1min 39sec bracket. In the words of an insider, this was a "very successful" test. Although they were sporting "stealth" unpainted carbon at the test, at the first round at Le mans in April, expect to see BMW going back to their roots on their colour scheme, mainly blue/white with a little red and loads of carbon. Check it out..

[Ed K]

Oh wow... I am... speechless...

Btw, the bike in right background appears to have a different exhaust (?)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?threadid=337684

[DJ Down Under]

Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout!...bring it on...now!......pretty please..:)

DJ

[Deans BMW]

Ed, one is the full on competition exhaust, the other is the street version. Study the drive shaft and FD unit, study the front brake calipers, study the carbon fiber rear sub frame set up.

The bike will be priced at about the 1098 first upgrade price or about $19,???.00.

There is even more excitement comming from the Roundel in the near future................not necessarly in the form of a flat twin..........

[Deans BMW]

Just thought I would add this little bit..............I'l be trying one out in the later part of the year for a few days in Northern California.......................

[Ed K]

Thanks Dean.

- Are those Brembo radial brakes up front?

- Open rear drive coupling area for less weight...

- Btw, is this the R1200S HP or a hopped-up R1200S?

[Deans BMW]

The HP version.............

[Ed K]

http://www.worldofbmw.com/content/article.asp?article=768&artDate=23/04/2007