Everybody knows i'm a big fan of the HP2 on the racing scence. It's not just the innovative bike that created the whole new class that others are now copycating, but the phenomenon to see a 100+ newtonmetre powered over 170kg weighting bike competing virtually the same fast as the top factory special single cylinder ultra light bikes. I got to say we're living in a unique time of biking history, where the limits of men and machines are about to be redefined.
It all started in the 1980s when the BMW created GS series and for everybody's surprise put the first big boxer twin into Dakar rallye that gave them multiple victories (Hubert Auriol, Gaston Rahier). Others got profound inspiration from it... Twin cylinder Yamahas, Cagivas, Hondas and some others were born after that and put into race. Also in the consumer market others started copycating the BMW GS series. In the 1999 BMW decided to re-activate the powerful big twin racing concept and the famous R900RR saw the light, and earned a podium place on Dakar (Jimmy Lewis). Again the concept was so inspirational for other makers, in fact it was so profoundly inspirational that even the small company KTM decided then to make their own twin, the most talented KTM engineers were put to develop the 1000cc class twin cylinder racing bike, the LC8, in co-operation with the famous rider Meoni to testride it.
2003 Dakar closed for the big twins. Everything just seemed to extinct in the powerful twins field...
Till 2005 BMW again re-activated the big twin concept with the HP2. But compared to previous historic events, while Dakar still being closed for powerful bikes, this time with much different plans - to enter the Cross Country races and do a very limited edition of commercially saled bikes. Nobody ever even had thought about doing such a thing with such bike.
In fact, they've done surprisingly well in the cross country! Now the history has shown that the big twins deserve their own "100 horsepower" class in various competitions they're suited for. Personally i'm bored seeing years of the same old single cylinder racing, seeing over 100Nm torque low note sounding twin boxer bike flying on the same race track gives me much more pleasure, while i don't set any expectations for it to win since it's technically and fundametanally in the different class. And i think that's why HP2 was put into race, to initiate the new class for those different racing bikes. I hope in the year 2007 we see that happening...
Year later after the HP2 announcement KTM once again copycated the concept from them and released 950 Super Enduro R, but a mass production machine. Now the Ducati has copyed the concept (the Hypermoto), in time probably others are coming as well.
So i'm dedicating this gallery for the true innovators while preserving traditions, especially in the BMW breed, and that is why i love this brand. It's a make who can think their own, creatively, to leap the motorcycle evolution forward and it don't mercilessly copycat others makers ideas and concepts.
Most of the pics are from BMW Offroad team, but some others as well.
Just sit back and enjoy. Just maybe hold on tight the chair on some pics...
So we start with the factory bike, and unarguably the most famous HP2 rider Simo Kirssi
And the whole team of passionate people.
Austrian CC, Simo on the way to podium. Finished amazing 3rd.
Some usual CC action pics.
Sascha Eckert also raced the HP2.
Simo's using the full 115 newtonmetres
And indeed the jumps are the most spectacular part with the big twins seeing it aside the race track.
And if you put World stunt champion Chris Pfeiffer on it, you see stunning jumps as a result!
So how the 105bhp scrach the surface?
Snow speedhill, Simo grabbed the first place.
At the 24 hour race.
Simo at the end of the race.
Altough Simo's a very shy guy you see loads of spectators go to see him and the bike. Very uncommon for any single cylinder bike on the CC series! Lot of curiosity from the spectators.
Pfeiffer's wheeling the thing
Very rare moment spotted - Simo's had fall. He only had them few per two years of competing CC. Stunning rider he is.
Pikes Peak Hillclimb, USA, 2006. Supermotoe'd HP2s. Supermoto star Casey Yarrow and offroader Simo Kirssi, took 1st and 2nd spots in their class.
Pikes Peak action.
Climb the mountain...
Aruana, Brazilian Rallye. Don't know who the rider is...
But no doubt this guy kicked it as supposed to.
Full throttle in the CC series back in Europe again.
Erzberg 2006. The most talented big enduro racers in the world. From the left to right: Simo Kirssi, Christian Pfeiffer, local Austrian superstar (can't remember the name tho), Giovanni Sala, Jimmy Lewis and Cyril Despres.
The HP2 boys.
Pfeiffer goes racing, but not without demostrating his stunting skills first.
Simo, The 4 times winner of Erzberg Prologues himself.
Pfeiffer stoppie on the loose surface.
Simo on the way to podium in 2005.
Power Pack in 2005, Simo, Jimmy and Chris. Took all the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places!
Erzberg track.
Pfeiffer set speed record, 183kph, uphill!
Pfeiffer did some climb stunting between of course.
And preeetyy scary stuff reaching the top...
Pfeiffer on the 2006 Erzberg.
Simo's amazing curve riding style, full usage of power and stability.
Simo after the 2nd win in 2006 Erzberg prologue. He won the 2 prologues in 2005 and 2 prologues in 2006. Both years convincingly. Media named the Erzberg "the blue-and-white race" after that, hence the HP2 colours.
Pfeiffer's show after the race.
KTM was pissed off after taken away from prologue wins by BMW and they then decided to enter the Cross Country series with their lighting speed developed Super Enduro R to "respond" (read: copy-cat) the HP2, 43 year old 5 times World enduro champion Giovanni Sala put on the saddle to race agains the young Simo Kirssi with ZERO World enduro titles.
The battle of the two tuffest enduro riders is about to begin. Sala vs Kirssi.
Simo won.
Simo's passing the Sala. Sala got lapped by Simo in the end of the race. KTM never has entered the CC series again with the 950 SE after that.
But they ended up as a friends.
Simo in action.
Sascha giving some throttle
24 hour race in 2005.
Mud slide
And punctures to be faced of course
Late to work?
24 hours endurance in 2006. LOT of mud.
How do you pass it?
But they did it with ease, amazing.
Team at work on the pit stops.
Austrian CC, Simo's on the way to podium.
Pro's take the extrmely steep shortcut, n00bs take "the slow camel" circle.
European Hillclimbig championships. Pfeiffer was 2nd in 2005 and 3rd in 2006. The only 1000+cc bike in the top.
Pfeiffer climbing.
Pfeiffer 2006, on the way to top.
Baja California, US boys in action.
They took amazing 3rd place in their class.
Earlier Bajas, Jimmy Lewis amazing powerjumps.
Some more Jimmy's action, not competition tho.
Slide.
Wheelie.
Katar Rallye, Dirk Thelen. Wunderlich HP2 team.
Some more airborn...
Dig the dirt, Eat the dirt...
...with style and power
And what the exhausted-to-death racer's got to say about all this???
They say, calmly... PEACE!
Hope you liked 'em.
Cheers, Margus
It all started in the 1980s when the BMW created GS series and for everybody's surprise put the first big boxer twin into Dakar rallye that gave them multiple victories (Hubert Auriol, Gaston Rahier). Others got profound inspiration from it... Twin cylinder Yamahas, Cagivas, Hondas and some others were born after that and put into race. Also in the consumer market others started copycating the BMW GS series. In the 1999 BMW decided to re-activate the powerful big twin racing concept and the famous R900RR saw the light, and earned a podium place on Dakar (Jimmy Lewis). Again the concept was so inspirational for other makers, in fact it was so profoundly inspirational that even the small company KTM decided then to make their own twin, the most talented KTM engineers were put to develop the 1000cc class twin cylinder racing bike, the LC8, in co-operation with the famous rider Meoni to testride it.
2003 Dakar closed for the big twins. Everything just seemed to extinct in the powerful twins field...
Till 2005 BMW again re-activated the big twin concept with the HP2. But compared to previous historic events, while Dakar still being closed for powerful bikes, this time with much different plans - to enter the Cross Country races and do a very limited edition of commercially saled bikes. Nobody ever even had thought about doing such a thing with such bike.
In fact, they've done surprisingly well in the cross country! Now the history has shown that the big twins deserve their own "100 horsepower" class in various competitions they're suited for. Personally i'm bored seeing years of the same old single cylinder racing, seeing over 100Nm torque low note sounding twin boxer bike flying on the same race track gives me much more pleasure, while i don't set any expectations for it to win since it's technically and fundametanally in the different class. And i think that's why HP2 was put into race, to initiate the new class for those different racing bikes. I hope in the year 2007 we see that happening...
Year later after the HP2 announcement KTM once again copycated the concept from them and released 950 Super Enduro R, but a mass production machine. Now the Ducati has copyed the concept (the Hypermoto), in time probably others are coming as well.
So i'm dedicating this gallery for the true innovators while preserving traditions, especially in the BMW breed, and that is why i love this brand. It's a make who can think their own, creatively, to leap the motorcycle evolution forward and it don't mercilessly copycat others makers ideas and concepts.
Most of the pics are from BMW Offroad team, but some others as well.
Just sit back and enjoy. Just maybe hold on tight the chair on some pics...
So we start with the factory bike, and unarguably the most famous HP2 rider Simo Kirssi
And the whole team of passionate people.
Austrian CC, Simo on the way to podium. Finished amazing 3rd.
Some usual CC action pics.
Sascha Eckert also raced the HP2.
Simo's using the full 115 newtonmetres
And indeed the jumps are the most spectacular part with the big twins seeing it aside the race track.
And if you put World stunt champion Chris Pfeiffer on it, you see stunning jumps as a result!
So how the 105bhp scrach the surface?
Snow speedhill, Simo grabbed the first place.
At the 24 hour race.
Simo at the end of the race.
Altough Simo's a very shy guy you see loads of spectators go to see him and the bike. Very uncommon for any single cylinder bike on the CC series! Lot of curiosity from the spectators.
Pfeiffer's wheeling the thing
Very rare moment spotted - Simo's had fall. He only had them few per two years of competing CC. Stunning rider he is.
Pikes Peak Hillclimb, USA, 2006. Supermotoe'd HP2s. Supermoto star Casey Yarrow and offroader Simo Kirssi, took 1st and 2nd spots in their class.
Pikes Peak action.
Climb the mountain...
Aruana, Brazilian Rallye. Don't know who the rider is...
But no doubt this guy kicked it as supposed to.
Full throttle in the CC series back in Europe again.
Erzberg 2006. The most talented big enduro racers in the world. From the left to right: Simo Kirssi, Christian Pfeiffer, local Austrian superstar (can't remember the name tho), Giovanni Sala, Jimmy Lewis and Cyril Despres.
The HP2 boys.
Pfeiffer goes racing, but not without demostrating his stunting skills first.
Simo, The 4 times winner of Erzberg Prologues himself.
Pfeiffer stoppie on the loose surface.
Simo on the way to podium in 2005.
Power Pack in 2005, Simo, Jimmy and Chris. Took all the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places!
Erzberg track.
Pfeiffer set speed record, 183kph, uphill!
Pfeiffer did some climb stunting between of course.
And preeetyy scary stuff reaching the top...
Pfeiffer on the 2006 Erzberg.
Simo's amazing curve riding style, full usage of power and stability.
Simo after the 2nd win in 2006 Erzberg prologue. He won the 2 prologues in 2005 and 2 prologues in 2006. Both years convincingly. Media named the Erzberg "the blue-and-white race" after that, hence the HP2 colours.
Pfeiffer's show after the race.
KTM was pissed off after taken away from prologue wins by BMW and they then decided to enter the Cross Country series with their lighting speed developed Super Enduro R to "respond" (read: copy-cat) the HP2, 43 year old 5 times World enduro champion Giovanni Sala put on the saddle to race agains the young Simo Kirssi with ZERO World enduro titles.
The battle of the two tuffest enduro riders is about to begin. Sala vs Kirssi.
Simo won.
Simo's passing the Sala. Sala got lapped by Simo in the end of the race. KTM never has entered the CC series again with the 950 SE after that.
But they ended up as a friends.
Simo in action.
Sascha giving some throttle
24 hour race in 2005.
Mud slide
And punctures to be faced of course
Late to work?
24 hours endurance in 2006. LOT of mud.
How do you pass it?
But they did it with ease, amazing.
Team at work on the pit stops.
Austrian CC, Simo's on the way to podium.
Pro's take the extrmely steep shortcut, n00bs take "the slow camel" circle.
European Hillclimbig championships. Pfeiffer was 2nd in 2005 and 3rd in 2006. The only 1000+cc bike in the top.
Pfeiffer climbing.
Pfeiffer 2006, on the way to top.
Baja California, US boys in action.
They took amazing 3rd place in their class.
Earlier Bajas, Jimmy Lewis amazing powerjumps.
Some more Jimmy's action, not competition tho.
Slide.
Wheelie.
Katar Rallye, Dirk Thelen. Wunderlich HP2 team.
Some more airborn...
Dig the dirt, Eat the dirt...
...with style and power
And what the exhausted-to-death racer's got to say about all this???
They say, calmly... PEACE!
Hope you liked 'em.
Cheers, Margus
