NEWS
Twisted Throttle preps an XR for a Pikes Peak run
By Jessica Prokup #100198
TWISTED THROTTLE IS PARTNER- ing with the BMW Motorcycle Own- ers of America to turn an S 1000 XR into the ultimate touring race bike. Or should we call it a “racing tour bike?” Our plan is to set up the mighty XR for a comfortable cross- country ride from Rhode Island to Colorado, then strip it down and race it at the 100th anniversary of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Originally a
carriage road, the
now-paved Pikes Peak Highway runs to the summit of America’s Mountain in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It’s
one of the most grueling courses known to the racing world. The 12.4-mile route begins at 9,390 feet and finishes at the 14,115-foot summit, with a whopping 156 turns in between (that’s about 12 turns per mile). As the road climbs, the increasingly thin air siphons power from engines while sapping muscle strength and reflexes from drivers. While you’re spinning around cor- ners with weariness seeping into your bones, the mountainside looms at the edge of every turn, offering a steep drop over a cliff should you exit the pavement. Let’s go racing! In honor of the 100th running of this his-
toric event, we here at Twisted decided to do it the old-fashioned way: riding the race bike to the race. Back in the day, people would often ride a motorcycle to an event, strip it down, race it, and then even ride it
home afterwards. As one Twisted staffer put it, “Anytime you go exploring, you run the risk of putting yourself in a situation you can’t get out of. It’s all part of the experi- ence.” We’re combining an old-school phi- losophy with modern machinery. One of the most intriguing parts of this
project is that it’s uncharted territory for us at Twisted, but it also gives us the opportu- nity to test and tweak existing products. The build may even spark ideas for new kinds of accessories to develop for the XR and other sport/adventure bikes. It’s the kind of challenge we can sink our teeth into: how to transform a touring bike into a race bike, one that can perform on a race course and haul your stuff across the continent. Preparing for the cross-country part of
this adventure is what we at Twisted do best. We’ll focus primarily on luggage and wind protection, likely adding a set of SW- Motech TraX Adventure panniers, an SW- Motech tank bag, and an MRA X-Creen
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BMW OWNERS NEWS February 2016
NEWS
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