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After years of ignoring bikes, Top Gear has finally seen sense. This Sunday's show will feature a BMW S1000RR racing against a £150,000 Ariel Atom V8 around the BBC show's famous test track. MCN gate-crashed the event to get the lowdown on filming.
The BMW S1000RR was completely standard but ridden by British Superbike EVO class champion Steve Brogan. The 185bhp, 999cc inline four-cylinder superbike had ABS, traction control and anti-wheelie though, being a racer, Brogan switched it all off.
He told MCN: “The BMW electronics are great for most of the time but I want to be able to get some wheelspin to help me. I got a couple of laps from the front seat of a car to have a look at the track and then got on the bike to see what it was all about.
Top Gear director Andy Wilman said: “We wanted this showdown to be as real and as close as possible, so using a professional racer to ride the bike made perfect sense. People have criticised Top Gear in the past for the way we have included bikes but we hope this answers those concerns.”
MCN is sworn to secrecy and can't reveal the race result. But we can say that the race is the closest ever seen in Top Gear history and that you won't be disappointed. The car's driver is a surprise too. The show is at 8pm, Sunday, January 23 on BBC2.
Should be a 2011 ZX10R
Re: BMW S1000RR races car on Top Gear this Sunday
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 1:00 pm
by StuMiller
Will this be on any Australian channels?
Re: BMW S1000RR races car on Top Gear this Sunday
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 1:13 pm
by Blurr
Just go to eztv.com and download it after it airs. Usually straight up after airing on tv.
Re: BMW S1000RR races car on Top Gear this Sunday
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 3:52 pm
by Kermit
The irony is that the atom has a motorbike engine, ie two busa heads on a custom block! As for the cornering speeds of the the bike, it should be faster in the slower turns (the atom cant use its downforce here and will turn into an oversteer/understeer nightmare).
That picture looks like Gambon corner, which is the last corner on the top gear track; so that doesn't look like a great result in terms for the bike.
They should of used 2011 zx10r with Conor Cummins instead of steve bogan as the rider
Re: BMW S1000RR races car on Top Gear this Sunday
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 4:37 pm
by aardvark
blackster wrote: As for the cornering speeds of the the bike, it should be faster in the slower turns (the atom cant use its downforce here and will turn into an oversteer/understeer nightmare).
The car will still have more traction by the mere fact it has twice as many tyres.
Re: BMW S1000RR races car on Top Gear this Sunday
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 4:52 pm
by Blurr
aardvark wrote:
blackster wrote: As for the cornering speeds of the the bike, it should be faster in the slower turns (the atom cant use its downforce here and will turn into an oversteer/understeer nightmare).
The car will still have more traction by the mere fact it has twice as many tyres.
agreed
putting the power down on the exits maybe alittle different though
Re: BMW S1000RR races car on Top Gear this Sunday
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 6:17 pm
by Kermit
Yes I agree, 4 wheels than 2 is better traction and the atom is using slicks.
But 4 wheels doesnt always equal better times than 2 wheels around the track.
For what its worth, the atom looks like a hoot to drive; its also 150k pounds!
Re: BMW S1000RR races car on Top Gear this Sunday
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 7:14 pm
by s man
Unfair as with most of top gear tests.
The Atom is a purpose build track car with lights,, [Dont know if it can be rego'd]
Pitted against a stock road going road bike.
In fact if they were fair dinkim. They would have used Troy Corsers BMW race bike..IMO
Re: BMW S1000RR races car on Top Gear this Sunday
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 9:19 pm
by Kermit
s man wrote:Unfair as with most of top gear tests.
The Atom is a purpose build track car with lights,, [Dont know if it can be rego'd]
Pitted against a stock road going road bike.
In fact if they were fair dinkim. They would have used Troy Corsers BMW race bike..IMO
You're right!
The previous atom (supercharged honda motor) vs bike challenge they used a road cbr600rr; it was a nugget in comparison.
Re: BMW S1000RR races car on Top Gear this Sunday
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 8:41 am
by webcase
Shame top gear don't include bikes more often.Or someone make a bike show equivalent.Postie bike challenge for the celebs?
Re: BMW S1000RR races car on Top Gear this Sunday
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 9:37 am
by Possum
webcase wrote:Or someone make a bike show equivalent.Postie bike challenge for the celebs?
Agreed!.. i can see the postie carnage now
Re: BMW S1000RR races car on Top Gear this Sunday
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 9:39 am
by GPZ_Jim
yer the atom is road legal in the UK but not here yet AFAIK
so has baby stig all grown up since the chrissy special?
