Poetry in motion

The HP2 Sport is built by enthusiasts – and it shows, writes Jane Omorogbe

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PRIVILEGED – that word is bouncing about my brain as I ponder my day’s ride on BMW’s HP2 Sport.

As a bike nut, I’m fortunate enough to have one of the best jobs in the world and I don’t take it for granted, but when I get the chance to ride something as special as the HP2 Sport, “privileged” about sums it up.

The HP2 range is an exquisite collection of high-performance two-cylinder boxer bikes, hence their title. And the HP2 Sport is the third model to seduce us with a superb quality that spans from its conception to design, and to an impressive ability to perform.

It has evolved from the capable R1200S through the Boxer Cup special into an exclusive, sports-focused package complete with lashings of carbon-fibre and top-quality components.

For example, the slim MotoGP-style dash displays and records every conceivable detail imaginable. Track-day fans and hopeful racers can log lap times, with a gear-change indicator taking pride of place on the hi-tech screen. Road users are just as spoiled, with a digital speedo highlighted more prominently and two trip switches among countless other options.

There’s an array of lights stretching across the dash as the revs build, hopefully preventing you from crashing into the rev limiter, which adjusts itself as the engine warms or cools. It’s a tech-head’s heaven and it’s really easy to use.

And that’s the crux of the HP2 Sport. It has been designed by fanatics, engineers who have made their dream sports bike for BMW, and their attention to detail is absolute – from the petite nostrils of the under-seat exhaust to the handmade aluminium top yolk. The result is a truly beautiful bike, yet its ride experience is uncomplicated and rewarding.

It’s the first production bike to have a quick shifter and I wondered how effective it would be. It takes a little getting used to and, initially, I couldn’t break the habit of backing off the throttle, especially from first to second gear. But after a few jerky changes, I’d settled into the rhythm. Lay off the clutch, keep a constant throttle, and the gentlest of strokes on the gear lever slides you up a notch. It’s just as effective at slow speeds as when you are on a charge. The benefits on track are obvious, and on the road, it makes perfect sense.

As do the brakes – they are outstanding. A two-fingered squeeze of the Brembo monobloc brakes (same as the Ducati 1098) and your pace is arrested immediately, but without the aggressive sharpness of the Duke. ABS on a sports bike will always ruffle a few race fans’ feathers, but like so much of this bike, it’s adaptable to suit. Press a button and it’s disengaged – simple.

BMW’s Telelever and Paralever suspension systems are also the subject of heated debates. The front’s “empty” forks, wishbone and single Ohlins shock may not be the most conventional set-up, but together with the rear’s shaft drive and single-sided swingarm unit, the handling is uncompromised and bang on.

Of course, it’s adjustable, so you can fiddle to your heart’s content and hone the suspension for your needs, but even on the stock settings, there’s a confidence and a rock-solid response to the slightest of input on the ’bars.

Slicing along country roads, the bike flicked from side to side with a grace and elegance that I simply hadn’t expected. Changing direction at a moment’s notice to avoid strewn gravel, the HP2 Sport felt alive and totally natural, with handling reminiscent of Suzuki’s telepathic GSX-R1000 K6.

There’s always some kind of compromise with bikes, though, and this is no different. The steering lock is pretty poor and you could find yourself paddling in tight U-turns. But it’s a sports bike and restrictive slow-speed handling comes with the territory, as does the total inability to carry pillions or luggage. If you are commuting, you’ll be travelling alone and wearing a rucksack, but you’ll look and feel like royalty.

Harsh roads usually bring a harsh ride, there’s little debate about that, and the bike felt more reluctant to glide over the most extreme imperfections. The power delivery at slow speeds seemed slightly abrupt in these circumstances, too, but the riding position is astonishingly comfortable, and pretty much everything is adjustable anyway, so finding a setting to suit you and your environment shouldn’t be an issue.

Part of the HP2’s magic is in the beauty of the beast; the rest is in the performance and emotion it evokes.

Snap the throttle back and the engine punches immediately – not with the wild-eyed randomness of some rookie boxer, but with more of a calculated, definite knock-out blow, time and time again, from low to midrange through to the top end.

It’s a treacle-thick band of power that rockets you through tunnels of blurred green hedgerows with a smooth, addictive, endless surge. If you are looking to ride poetry in motion, this is it.

To make the 1,170cc flat-twin engine suit a sports bike and all the demands that entails, the engine had to be reworked, resulting in all-new cylinder heads and double-overhead camshafts for the first time in BMW boxer history.

These and other modifications have improved the performance (peak power is up to a claimed 128bhp, with 84.8lb/ft of torque) and ensure that the engine’s cylinders don’t protrude too much, allowing for maximum ground clearance on track.

It seems that BMW has left nothing to chance with the HP2 Sport. The mirrors require the “chicken dance” of flapping elbows to get a view of the road behind, but they and the stunning carbon-fibre number-plate bracket have been designed so they can be easily removed for track use.

And despite the hefty price tag of £14,500, every one of the 100 bikes allocated to the UK for 2008 was sold – every single one. Like I said, BMW has left nothing to chance.

Model: BMW HP2 Sport, £14,500

Engine: Air-cooled flat twin of 1,170cc, producing 128bhp at 8,750rpm and 85lb/ft at 6,000rpm

Transmission: Shaft drive through six-speed gearbox

Dry weight: 178kg

Seat height: 830mm

Fuel capacity: 16 litres