BMW Motorrad continues to tease us with a new press release on the K1200S and an update ("Episode 2") to their website www.face-the-power.com. While most of the information has been discussed previously, there are a few new tidbits. BMW Motorrad states their new superbike, the K1200S, features an unprecedented number of innovations. They even claim the K1200S's power to weight ratio is on the level with the hottest competition and almost 50 percent better than the K1200RS.

The high performance sport bike is powered by a transversely-mounted 1157-cc four-cylinder inline engine with integrated transmission and unique, among sport bikes, lightweight shaft drive. With horsepower exceeding 160 hp and revving above 10000, the bike should run with the fastest.

BMW's K1200S website, http://www.face-the-power, has posted a downloadable video of the bike, ridden by racer Markus Barth, around the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife. The official motorcycle lap record on "The Green Hell" track is 7:49 minutes. Barth turns in an amazing time of 7:57 minutes on the K1200S.

According to Barth, "The potential is astounding. I think the controllability of the machine is the key to this enormous speed on such a demanding track. It was enormous fun!"

The engine of the K1200S is clearly based on the latest design generation as presented at the beginning of this year in the R1200GS. But the extreme forward tilt of the cylinder bank (55°) ensures a low center of gravity and an ideal 50:50 weight distribution. BMW says the extraordinarily narrow engine is approximately the same as for 600cc engines at the crankshaft. This partially explains why BMW can tilt the engine so far forward without ruining cornering clearance.

The K1200S is also innovative on the suspension side. The front wheel suspension uses two parallel links without telescopic forks to ensure sensitive response with excellent precision, outstanding overall rigidity and low weight. The press release also teases us again by mentioning the "electronically adjustable suspension [which] represents a world's first in production motorcycle manufacturing" but no specifics were given.

Equipped with partially linked ABS power brakes (now called "BMW Motorrad Integral ABS") and, in conjunction with the EVO brakes, this "system ensures maximum deceleration and the shortest of braking distances in all road conditions."

The new BMW K1200S will be presented to the international public in September of this year at the INTERMOT show in Munich. It will be launched onto the market soon after. The price has not yet been set. All familiar models of the K family, the K1200RS, K1200GT and K1200LT, are said to remain as part of BMW's model range beyond 2004.

Read more details on this ground-breaking Beemer in BMW Owners News magazine, mailed monthly to members of BMW MOA.