There is a wide range of front-end suspensions available from BMW Motorrad. Innovation is a top focus for the House of Munich, as evidenced by the R 18’s conventional fork, the S 1000 R’s semi-active unit, the R 1250 GS’s Telelever front end, and the K 1600 GT’s Duolever suspension.
Want more evidence? Consider BMW’s most recent partnership with suspension partner ZF (Zahnradfabrik). The two German businesses have already worked together frequently, and they have now teamed up once more to create a carbon fiber telescopic fork for the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team.
Although MotoGP frequently features front ends made of carbon fiber, BMW does not compete in that championship. BMW used its Endurance World Championship team as the testing ground for its cutting-edge new component as a consequence.
The fork, which supports the BMW M 1000 RR with chassis number 37, is made out of an inner tube made of metal and composite carbon fiber. Metal fork legs move into the tubes made of carbon fiber, just like the majority of inverted front ends do.
In addition to reducing weight, using lightweight material enables BMW and ZF engineers to adjust the rigidity of the front end. The crew can now fine-tune the motorcycle’s flex and handling qualities thanks to this.
Director of BMW Motorrad Motorsport Mark Bongers said, “Using this material and this technology allows us to change the threshold at which body vibrations arise. The design of the homogenous bending loads was one of the main areas of concentration during development. The aim is for the rider’s throttle response to be incredibly delicate, even under the most demanding conditions. The riders’ remarks also supported the achievement of the objective.
The team’s efforts paid off when the 37th-placed BMW M 1000 RR of the Endurance World Championship won the 24-Hour Spa round in 2022.
While the new suspension demonstrated its effectiveness on the track, the system’s quick success has us wondering if it will eventually draw attention to the M 1000 RR. Of course, the component must first pass stringent homologation requirements, but it appears that the team is aware of this.
Since safety is the top priority, everything must also be overload tested, acknowledged ZF engineer Henner Fröderking. “This demonstrates the accuracy of the calculations. The component’s performance must also live up to expectations.