BMW to race MotoGP!!!!!

[Wolffy]

I just opened up my November 2004 issue of Cycle World magazine
and its there on page 33
BMW goes to MotoGP
Possibly as early as the 2005 season
BMW is working on developing a 990cc triple based on a slice of the BMW-Williams F1 3.0 V10 Strangely, the bike is being developed in Modena, Italy, by a former Ferrari F1 chief engineer Mauro Forghieri
more rumors suggest a BMW engine in the Kenny Roberts team Proton.



I almost felll off my Chair and spilled my beer

can it actually happen

I'm sure we will here more about this now that the cat is out of the bag.

Cheers
Wolffy

[Mike Werner]

Originally Posted by Wolffy

I just opened up my November 2004 issue of Cycle World magazine
and its there on page 33
BMW goes to MotoGP
Possibly as early as the 2005 season
BMW is working on developing a 990cc triple based on a slice of the BMW-Williams F1 3.0 V10 Strangely, the bike is being developed in Modena, Italy, by a former Ferrari F1 chief engineer Mauro Forghieri
more rumors suggest a BMW engine in the Kenny Roberts team Proton.



I almost felll off my Chair and spilled my beer

can it actually happen

I'm sure we will here more about this now that the cat is out of the bag.

Cheers
Wolffy

Saw an interview with Rossi's former manager, saying that BMW had offered Rossi the same salary as Schumacker if he went and helped develop the BMW MotoGP bike. But it would have meant one year of no GP races for him, so he wisely decided not to go.....

[Codewheeney]

Originally Posted by Wolffy

I just opened up my November 2004 issue of Cycle World magazine
and its there on page 33
BMW goes to MotoGP
Possibly as early as the 2005 season
BMW is working on developing a 990cc triple based on a slice of the BMW-Williams F1 3.0 V10 Strangely, the bike is being developed in Modena, Italy, by a former Ferrari F1 chief engineer Mauro Forghieri
more rumors suggest a BMW engine in the Kenny Roberts team Proton.



I almost felll off my Chair and spilled my beer

can it actually happen

I'm sure we will here more about this now that the cat is out of the bag.

Cheers
Wolffy

I hope it does, but hopefully they do a better job transferring F1 tech to GP than Aprilia has.

jC

[creeper]

Originally Posted by Wolffy

BMW goes to MotoGP

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA... That would be like Bentley (Audi) going Le Mans racing.


Wait a minute....

[BMR]

Here's a link to the write up. (can't post anymore pics)

http://www.k12rs.com/BMW_MotoGPl.jpg

[HarveyMushman]

Originally Posted by BMR

Here's a link to the write up. (can't post anymore pics)

http://www.k12rs.com/BMW_MotoGPl.jpg

[HarveyMushman]

Let's hope BMW is able to apply "F1 technology" better than Aprilia, Proton, Suzuki, and Yamaha were able to . . .

[spagthorpe]

Interesting that the bike pictured has a conventional chassis, forks, swingarm. If BMW doesn't think their tech is good enough for a racebike, then why put it on the street?

[Codewheeney]

Originally Posted by spagthorpe

Interesting that the bike pictured has a conventional chassis, forks, swingarm. If BMW doesn't think their tech is good enough for a racebike, then why put it on the street?

The pic is just a computer mock up based on the the Proton. There were rumors that BMW would power Proton in the future, but this article seems to suggest BMW will create their own chassis. We'll have to see what it's made of. Can a shaft drive single sided swing-arm be created that is light enough to race and handle 250 HP?

JC

[spagthorpe]

I wasn't thinking shaftdrive, more like a Hossack front end.

[Codewheeney]

Originally Posted by spagthorpe

I wasn't thinking shaftdrive, more like a Hossack front end.

That'd be really cool, but I wonder if the existing racers would like it, since it'd behave differently than the bikes they've ridden for so long?

JC

[BMR]

The point is, it's a computer generated picture of someone elses bike.
Give BMW a chance to show their version first. Then the usual bitch-fest can start.

[HarveyMushman]

Originally Posted by spagthorpe

Interesting that the bike pictured has a conventional chassis, forks, swingarm. If BMW doesn't think their tech is good enough for a racebike, then why put it on the street?

Different requirements.

[Motorcyclist]

Originally Posted by Codewheeney

Can a shaft drive single sided swing-arm be created that is light enough to race and handle 250 HP?

JC

The bike would almost certainly have to be powered by a chain to be competitive, too much power loss with a shaft. You guys can correct if I'm wrong (which I'm certain you will not hestitate to do), but I don't think there is much of a homolgation (sp?) requirement in MotoGP, meaning that the manufacturers can come up with some stuff never intended to be put on the street. It makes you think that BMW might have entertained a foray into racing as they developed the new K, since it can easily be fitted with a chain drive arrangement.

[DC950]

Originally Posted by GeoCT

You guys can correct if I'm wrong (which I'm certain you will not hestitate to do), but I don't think there is much of a homolgation (sp?) requirement in MotoGP, meaning that the manufacturers can come up with some stuff never intended to be put on the street.

Just the opposite actually; there can be nothing that comes from a street bike. This is to make a distinction between MotoGP and World Superbike. If it goes from MotoGP to a street bike, ok. Just not the other way around

Last year a team tried and tried to race with a bike that used a Yamaha YZR (or whatever they call their 1000cc sport bike) engine block. They were never allowed to race.