RIDEFAST SEPTEMBER

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BMW carbon-fibre
swingarm replacement concept…
Amongst the landmarks in motorcycle design, the swingarm
stands out as one of the greatest. But now BMW have come
up with a revised version of the idea that takes advantage
of their extensive experience with carbon fibre.
With the launch of the HP4 Race in 2017, BMW snuck in
before Ducati’s 1299 Superleggera to offer a full carbonframed
superbike.
Bloemfontein.
Petronas MotoGP
Replica R1
Yamaha Europe and YART team up for limited-run Petronas
MotoGP replica R1
Yamaha Europe has teamed up with Yamaha Austria Racing
Team (YART) to create a run of 46 individually numbered
Petronas Sepang Racing MotoGP team replica YZF-R1s.
The 46 machines have been commissioned to celebrate 46
years of Petronas – the satellite squad’s title sponsor – and
will cost a measly 46,000€ each, excluding VAT. The bikes are
available to European customers only.
With the team currently leading the championship, thanks to
two wins for Frenchman, Fabio Quartararo, at the beginning
on the season, each bike has been dusted with a number
of performances enhancing goodies to help the rider extract
more on circuit.
YART run one of three GYTR Pro Shops in Europe – specialist
outlets selling ‹Genuine Yamaha Technology Racing›
performance parts to everyone from track day riders, to World
Superbike teams.
Starting on the outside, the four-cylinder superbike gets
a carbon fibre fairing kit, complete with MotoGP-inspired
winglets and special livery supplied by the same company that
do the race bikes. Hidden beneath that is a racing ECU, which
will work in tandem with the quick action throttle for greater
acceleration. Helping further and unlocking more of that
yowling crossplane crank soundtrack is a full racing exhaust.
Away from straight line punch, each bike will also get Öhlins
FGRT series forks and a TTX rear shock, plus a new steering
damper. For faster rubber changes in pit lane, there is also
a quick release for the rear wheel. All bikes will be shod with
Michelin race slicks upon sale.
While the exotic track-only BMW wasn’t exactly a machine
for the masses, it demonstrated that they were serious
about transferring their knowledge of carbon fibre to
motorcycles. A next-gen version, based around the
ShiftCam engine from the latest S1000RR, is surely on the
way, and a new patent suggests the firm might have another
ace up their sleeve when it comes to weight reduction.
The HP4 Race had a conventional aluminium swingarm,
despite using carbon for its frame, bodywork and even
wheels, but the new design shows a chassis with mouldedin
rear suspension.
The term swingarm doesn’t really apply, since it doesn’t
have a pivot to swing on. Instead the design relies on the
fantastic properties of carbon-fibre, which can be made
incredibly flexible – think carbon fishing rods, pole vault
poles or archery bows – or immensely rigid, like the HP4
Race’s frame, simply by changing the layout of the fibres
within.The two properties can even be combined, orienting
the fibres in such a way that the component can bend in
one direction and remain rigid in others, and that’s what
BMW are doing here.
In the centre of the swingarm there’s a hollow carbon box
section but BMW have added four layers of carbon above
it and another four below, all with the fibres aligned so they
run from front to rear. These allow the arm to flex up and
down, providing rear suspension movement.
What’s more, the layered pattern of the fibres mean they act
like leaf springs – eliminating the need for a conventional
coil spring. Composite or carbon leaf springs are already a
known technology, pioneered by the Chevrolet Corvette in
the early 1980s. They’re far lighter than steel springs and
can be designed to have linear or rising spring rates.
BMW’s been messing around with carbon-fibre motorcycle
frames for years. Does that mean we’ll see a carbon-fibre
swingarm on an upcoming superbike? Don’t get your hopes
up. A patent application is no guarantee of production, even
if the problems and questions can be ironed out. No doubt
BMW’s finest boffins are slaving away on this question at
this very moment!
Aint Technology something?
www.bmwmotorrad.co.za
K1600GTL 2013
28000km
R 139 900.00
R1200GS LC 2017
21600km
R149 900.00
F850GS 2019
4000 km
R145 900.00
R1200RT 2015
64000km
R124 900.00
R1200R 2018
24500km
R124 900.00
F750GS 2019
2000km
R144 900.00
F700GS 2015
5500km
R85 000.00
G310R 2020
1500km
R62 900.00
R1250GSA 2020
5000km
R289 900.00
R1250GS 2020
5500km
R259 900.00
F850GSA 2020
2500km
R199 900.00
R1250GSA 2019
5500km
R295 000.00
Stopping power is provided by Brembo, with GP-4RX calipers
biting onto chunky T-Drive discs. Brembo have also provided
the clutch lever and front remote brake adjuster. The bike will
also roll on seven-spoke aluminium Marchesini wheels.
It’s not all about the motorcycle though and alongside your
race-ready superbike, each buyer will also receive a KYT
helmet, Petronas Yamaha polo shirt and the opportunity to be
a VIP guest at a future MotoGP round of their choosing.
Cool Huh!
www.yamaha.co.za
F850GS 2018
7000km
R142 900.00
R NineT Scrambler 2020
1500km
R194 900.00
BMW Motorrad Bloemfontein
R1200RT 2017
20000km
R139 900.00
8 CP Hoogenhout Street,
Langenhovenpark, Bloemfontein
Tel: 051 400 0000
Cell: 081 571 8420
Email: SMuller@SovereignBMW.co.za