BMW S 1000 RR Superstock Limited Edition 2011 — Specifications

Fifty units, not one more. When BMW Motorrad Italia decides to celebrate a world title, the Bavarian manufacturer doesn't do things by halves. The 2011 S 1000 RR Superstock Limited Edition pays tribute to Ayrton Badovini's near-perfect season in the Superstock 1000 championship, where the Italian rider claimed nine victories out of ten rounds contested. A record bordering on the obscene that fully deserved a special edition worthy of the achievement.

On the mechanical side, we find the well-known base: the 999 cc inline four-cylinder that churns out 193 horsepower at 13,000 rpm and delivers 111.8 Nm of torque at 9,750 rpm. A furious engine, highly compressed with a 13:1 ratio, that propels the 204 kg wet weight up to the symbolic 300 km/h mark. In 2011, the S 1000 RR stands as the benchmark against the Yamaha YZF-R1 and Kawasaki ZX-10R, which struggle to compete with this Germanic cavalry. The aluminum twin-spar frame, 46 mm inverted fork, and braking handled by four-piston calipers biting 320 mm discs form a coherent package, built for the track as much as for the road.

What sets this Limited Edition apart from the standard S 1000 RR is primarily its equipment sourced from the HP Performance catalog. A quickshifter for banging through gears without using the clutch, rearsets for a more aggressive riding position, race-style folding levers, an Akrapovic exhaust, swingarm protectors, and carbon fiber bodywork pieces. The livery faithfully reproduces the colors of the 2010 STK champion team, including Badovini's number 86 on the fairing. Each unit bears a numbered plaque on the 17.5-liter tank, a reminder to the owner that they belong to a very exclusive circle. The configuration is single-seat from the factory, although BMW supplies the passenger kit with seat and footpegs for those who'd want to bring someone along on this 300 km/h adventure.

The price tag, however, stings considerably: 27,000 euros for this collector's edition, where a standard S 1000 RR sold for around 17,000 euros at the time. The 10,000-euro gap is justified by the HP parts and exclusivity, but it places this machine in a league of its own, reserved for collectors and racing enthusiasts willing to write a hefty check. Another major constraint: distribution remained exclusively Italian. For French or German riders looking to get their hands on one of these fifty units, it meant crossing the Alps or finding an accommodating importer.

This S 1000 RR Superstock Limited Edition is clearly aimed at experienced track riders and rare-piece collectors, not the weekend rider looking for a versatile sportbike. It embodies a precise moment in BMW's recent racing history, the moment when Munich proved that a manufacturer known for its flat-twins could dominate world motorcycle racing with a supercharged inline four. In hindsight, it's a machine that has gained value, both sentimental and market. The fact remains that fifty units sold in a single country makes for a very exclusive club that's hard to join.