After developing the production BMW R1100S
for the 1998 Six Hour endurance race I'd wondered about the performance
potential of the bike, unhindered by the draconian impost of mass production
and modern political correctness.
Our endurance racer was almost stock, save for
some careful tuning and the obligatory Staintune pipe. It's history now
that "Black Bess 2" garnered 3rd in the Production Superbike class, remarkable
when one looks at the weight of the bike and the modest 94hp we had to
work with.
Boxer Performance had shown interest since those
early days, and head honcho Mark (Lennie) Lennon, has been busy ever since,
enhancing his own R11S. Cams, carbon 'InDuct', fuel pressure regulator,
and a pipe later, he has created a Bombastic Beemer that we would have
loved to have had as our race bike!
Invited to ride his yellow example, the first thing
I noticed was that the bike looked completely standard, an impression that
was swiftly 'blown into the weeds', when I cruelly opened the throttle
hard at low revs in 6th gear, going up a steep hill. Expecting to be chided
by an abundance of pinging, and the need for a lower gear, I was in for
a rude awakening! The R11S simply boogied away, I had to hold on tight,
and that's when at 5500rpm all hell broke loose! Never have I ridden a
BM with so much willing stomp! Far superior to our racer, this converted
bike had a ton of midrange, no tendency to ping, and pulled extremely hard,
to say nothing of the sound! Self preservation meant a little discretion
was called for, this was a public road after all, but I must have this
bike back at Eastern Creek Raceway with a good 'A' grader on it. The stopwatch
will not lie, and the top end potential, which feels considerable, could
be probed.
The dyno told the rest of the story, 101 HP! (uncorrected
rear wheel). Congratulations Boxer Performance, you're on a winner!
Mal Cherlin Manager Bears F1 Racing Team.
