“The thought of staid old BMW coming to the [superbike] party was laughable… But, as we all now know, BMW did come to the party… and bowled over the establishment with ease” —Harry Fisher, Top Speed

As the 1990s dawned, rumblings began to develop from the seemingly conservative engineers at BMW indicating an interest in reviving the firm’s racing heritage. In 1992, BMW debuted its R1 racing prototype, a water-cooled, double-overhead-camshaft, boxer-twin engine featuring desmodromic valve actuation and a displacement of 996 cubic centimeters—both Ducati hallmarks.

The R1, and its road-racing success, helped revive BMW Motorrad by the turn of the millennium, going from 30,000 sales in 1990, to over 90,000 by the decade’s close. Unfortunately, BMW’s traditional boxer layout and shaft final drive could only be developed so far before the firm realized it needed a new design.

Introduced by BMW in 2009, the S1000RR was the marque’s first foray into the ultra-exclusive, ultra-competitive, field of superbike production. Powered by a 999-cubic-centimeter inline four-cylinder engine redlining at 14,200 rpm, the production S1000RR featured ABS and traction control, both firsts in its class, while its optional quick-shifter, allowing for clutchless upshifts without rolling off the throttle, was the first such equipment found on a production motorcycle.

By 2014, the year this example was purchased new by the Dare to Dream Collection, BMW had updated the S1000RR with a standard racing-spec ABS system and new Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) which provided a less violent throttle response if the bike's front wheel was lifted off the ground. Also in 2014, rider Michael Dunlop won the hallowed Isle of Man TT race, marking BMWs first win in 75 years on the island.

Purchased new by the collection from BMW of Manhattan, New York on 9 June 2014, this example of BMW’s hallowed superbike was factory-equipped with racing ABS, Dynamic Traction, Gear Shift Assistant, and heated grips. Following its acquisition, the bike has remained in excellent condition, and has been ridden 1,349 miles at cataloguing. It stands ready to bring the Isle of Man championship experience to its next rider.