When BMW showed this off at the Milan show last year, it had a slightly last-minute air about it - as if the Munich firm had rushed it out in response to Ducati’s carbon fibre smorgasbord, the Super Leggera. So it’s no surprise that we’ve had to wait till now for full details…

They’re worth waiting for though: BMW’s gone to town on this puppy, and the specs are amazing. A full carbon fibre frame, fairing, subframe and wheels, matched to MotoGP level suspension and brakes, helps the bike reach the super-light 171kg mass - ready to ride. Add that to a tuned 215bhp version of the firm’s incredible S1000RR engine, and you’ve got the potential for something not far off a proper world-class racebike.

Numbers are limited to just 750 bikes worldwide, and they’ll be available from September, priced at a not-mental £68,000 in the UK. Compared with the Honda RC213V S, it’s a bargain - and it’s a few grand cheaper than the Ducati too. The big downside for us is that it’s not road-legal, though we bet someone will get one rung onto a 2012 S1000RR V5 before long, ha!

More info: www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk

SPEC:

Carbon fibre main frame in monocoque construction weighing just 7.8 kilograms.
Racing engine at world championship level with an output of 158 kW (215 hp) at 13,900 rpm and a maximum torque of 120 Nm at 10 000 rpm.
Self-supporting carbon fibre rear frame with three-stage height adjustment function.
Carbon fibre wheels offering a weight reduction of some 30 per cent as compared to light alloy forged wheels.
Öhlins FGR 300 upside-down fork.
Öhlins TTX 36 GP spring strut.
Brembo GP4 PR monoblock brake calipers with 320 T-type racing steel brake disks (thickness: 6.75 mm) at the front.
Close-ratio racing gearbox with adapted transmission ratios.
Weight-optimised electrical system featuring light lithium-ion battery with 5 Ah.
2D dashboard and 2D data recording including logger.
Dynamic Traction Control DTC (programmable for selected gears at 15 levels).
Engine Brake EBR (programmable for selected gears at 15 levels).
Wheelie Control (programmable for selected gears).
Launch Control.
Pit Lane Limiter.
Light trim parts made of carbon fibre with snap fasteners.
Paint finish in BMW HP Motorsport colours.
Production run of 750 units, each individually crafted.
UK price of £68,000 and available from September 2017.
Bikes will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and can be ordered at all BMW Motorrad Centres in the UK.