BMW HP4 Race.... Still a Thing??
Discussion
So, several years after the release and with the latest S1KRR being released, do we think the HP4 race still represents the pinacle of track bikes available?
And if we throw in one being available at half the original price..... what do we think?
I have a genuine opportunity to pick one up brand new for less than half the local price, which equates to 28k GBP.
For reference, a good friend has spent 3/4 of that on a new 2020 S1KRR and track prepping it......
And it's not much more than a new 2020 RSV4 Factory
And if we throw in one being available at half the original price..... what do we think?
I have a genuine opportunity to pick one up brand new for less than half the local price, which equates to 28k GBP.
For reference, a good friend has spent 3/4 of that on a new 2020 S1KRR and track prepping it......
And it's not much more than a new 2020 RSV4 Factory
Do you want to buy it because it may be the pinnacle of track day bikes?
Or do you want to buy it purely for the pleasure of owning one? Wether it still is the pinnacle or not?
For me? If I had the space and cash available I'd be sat outside his house with an empty van, and a pocket full of money right now.
Or do you want to buy it purely for the pleasure of owning one? Wether it still is the pinnacle or not?
For me? If I had the space and cash available I'd be sat outside his house with an empty van, and a pocket full of money right now.
£28k is a bargain for one of those. I’d have one just parked in my house for that! Break down the parts cost of it and you couldn’t build it for double that amount
My 2020 S1000RR has cost around £38k for reference with Alpha everything on it.
One thing to watch out for on the HP4 Race is the engine rebuilds. It’s a 6.1 engine I think and you have to do a refresh every 4K km which BMW do as an engine swap which costs €12k supposedly.
My 2020 S1000RR has cost around £38k for reference with Alpha everything on it.
One thing to watch out for on the HP4 Race is the engine rebuilds. It’s a 6.1 engine I think and you have to do a refresh every 4K km which BMW do as an engine swap which costs €12k supposedly.
George29 said:
£28k is a bargain for one of those. I’d have one just parked in my house for that! Break down the parts cost of it and you couldn’t build it for double that amount
My 2020 S1000RR has cost around £38k for reference with Alpha everything on it.
One thing to watch out for on the HP4 Race is the engine rebuilds. It’s a 6.1 engine I think and you have to do a refresh every 4K km which BMW do as an engine swap which costs €12k supposedly.
I looked at this and apparently the engine is guaranteed to 5500kms unless you crash. My 2020 S1000RR has cost around £38k for reference with Alpha everything on it.
One thing to watch out for on the HP4 Race is the engine rebuilds. It’s a 6.1 engine I think and you have to do a refresh every 4K km which BMW do as an engine swap which costs €12k supposedly.
After that you can replace the engine at any mileage for €12600 at a local Motorrad dealer.
airsafari87 said:
Do you want to buy it because it may be the pinnacle of track day bikes?
Or do you want to buy it purely for the pleasure of owning one? Wether it still is the pinnacle or not?
For me? If I had the space and cash available I'd be sat outside his house with an empty van, and a pocket full of money right now.
In answer to your questions... yes Or do you want to buy it purely for the pleasure of owning one? Wether it still is the pinnacle or not?
For me? If I had the space and cash available I'd be sat outside his house with an empty van, and a pocket full of money right now.

It's sitting at a BMW dealer, unsold stock.
Honestly... no. Never homologated for the road means it needs to be viewed in comparison to other track-only/race bikes. Lindfoot’s bike may be a scabby R1, but I know which bike I’d rather be on if slagging it around a track against the stopwatch.
The Ducati Superleg is a far more enticing uber special imho.
The Ducati Superleg is a far more enticing uber special imho.
spareparts said:
Honestly... no. Never homologated for the road means it needs to be viewed in comparison to other track-only/race bikes. Lindfoot’s bike may be a scabby R1, but I know which bike I’d rather be on if slagging it around a track against the stopwatch.
The Ducati Superleg is a far more enticing uber special imho.
V4R SL at $100k isn't even in the discussion for a track bike... even if they were available. The Ducati Superleg is a far more enticing uber special imho.
And FWIW, the new S1KRR absolutely trounces the Ducati V4R in straight line speed. Regardless of the claimed power, there's a fully sponsored and fully tricked out V4R with an alleged 225bhp being campaigned and it's not living up to the hype. Even the V4S' are barely breaking the lap times of previous Ducatis in the BOTTS series.
And Mr Lindfoots R1 happens to be in the wrong hemisphere so not really worth discussing.
Sounds like a bargain Steve. I'd be slightly worried about biffing it due to the CF frame. Would that type of money be roughly the same as a 2020 CBR1000RRR-SP in SA? A half price HP4 race does push a lot more buttons that a full price CBR, even if the CBR is all what it's cracked up to be. Or the other trick Jap 1000's. I'm a sucker for a bargain so would probably go the HP4 and if that didn't work then I'd get nothing, realising that it was the half price HP4 that dragged me down the rabbit hole in the first place.....!
Edited by rodericb on Friday 18th September 06:50
Steve Bass said:
V4R SL at $100k isn't even in the discussion for a track bike... even if they were available.
And FWIW, the new S1KRR absolutely trounces the Ducati V4R in straight line speed. Regardless of the claimed power, there's a fully sponsored and fully tricked out V4R with an alleged 225bhp being campaigned and it's not living up to the hype. Even the V4S' are barely breaking the lap times of previous Ducatis in the BOTTS series.
And Mr Lindfoots R1 happens to be in the wrong hemisphere so not really worth discussing.
I was actually talking about 1299SL in terms of specialness as it is more comparable in terms of age when both HP4 and SL were launched. Other than being technical tour-de-forces of their ilk at time of launch, that is where the comparison stops.And FWIW, the new S1KRR absolutely trounces the Ducati V4R in straight line speed. Regardless of the claimed power, there's a fully sponsored and fully tricked out V4R with an alleged 225bhp being campaigned and it's not living up to the hype. Even the V4S' are barely breaking the lap times of previous Ducatis in the BOTTS series.
And Mr Lindfoots R1 happens to be in the wrong hemisphere so not really worth discussing.
So how does the HP4 you are being offered compare to other non-Ducati dedicated track or race bikes available where you are? HP4 arace may be pretty, but are there faster or ‘better’ bikes that you wouldn’t mind dropping in the kitty litter? I don’t see the point of HP4 Race for serious use unless you were willing to fund repair of the carbon frame and other parts that make it special in the first place.
spareparts said:
I don’t see the point of HP4 Race for serious use unless you were willing to fund repair of the carbon frame and other parts that make it special in the first place.
That’s the same as with any bike though? Why would you be more likely to snap a frame just because it’s carbon? You can have it xrayed and inspected if you do crash. BMW will have done their homework and they won’t just sell a bike like that with a frame that snaps for fun. Crashing a Superleggera could easily cost just as much
Steve Bass said:
So, several years after the release and with the latest S1KRR being released, do we think the HP4 race still represents the pinacle of track bikes available?
And if we throw in one being available at half the original price..... what do we think?
I have a genuine opportunity to pick one up brand new for less than half the local price, which equates to 28k GBP.
For reference, a good friend has spent 3/4 of that on a new 2020 S1KRR and track prepping it......
And it's not much more than a new 2020 RSV4 Factory
I'd buy it to store, or run on occasion. Depends if you think it will retain value, or increase in value.And if we throw in one being available at half the original price..... what do we think?
I have a genuine opportunity to pick one up brand new for less than half the local price, which equates to 28k GBP.
For reference, a good friend has spent 3/4 of that on a new 2020 S1KRR and track prepping it......
And it's not much more than a new 2020 RSV4 Factory
It's already cheaper than the rest on the so-called market, so immediately there is possible value in it by flipping.
BobSaunders said:
I'd buy it to store, or run on occasion. Depends if you think it will retain value, or increase in value.
It's already cheaper than the rest on the so-called market, so immediately there is possible value in it by flipping.
I'm not a great believer in motorcycle values from the collector's stand point. Every Ducati special is touted as a collector's piece yet lose value every time the next special is released. It's already cheaper than the rest on the so-called market, so immediately there is possible value in it by flipping.
It would be used alongside my Ducati race bike and enjoyed for what it is.
As for the market value, that's region specific as they never sold well obviously when brand new ones are available for half list price
George29 said:
spareparts said:
I don’t see the point of HP4 Race for serious use unless you were willing to fund repair of the carbon frame and other parts that make it special in the first place.
That’s the same as with any bike though? Why would you be more likely to snap a frame just because it’s carbon? You can have it xrayed and inspected if you do crash. BMW will have done their homework and they won’t just sell a bike like that with a frame that snaps for fun. Crashing a Superleggera could easily cost just as much
I think, when such decisions are being thought through, logic and reason on it's own cannot be used.
I.e. there's always a more logical choice. However we'd all be in Volvos or have cbr600s.
When I bought my bmw i8 and my s1000rr, same difficult things to stack up.
But, I didn't want the not knowing or regret of not have had them in 20 yrs time. I won't be back this way again. It worked out, and both are fab.
Buy it. You can always sell in 12 months for just a few grand less, or you will love it, make memories and have it for years.
I.e. there's always a more logical choice. However we'd all be in Volvos or have cbr600s.
When I bought my bmw i8 and my s1000rr, same difficult things to stack up.
But, I didn't want the not knowing or regret of not have had them in 20 yrs time. I won't be back this way again. It worked out, and both are fab.
Buy it. You can always sell in 12 months for just a few grand less, or you will love it, make memories and have it for years.
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