Riding Toprak Razgatlioglu’s BMW M 1000 RR World Superbike

Toprak Razgatlioglu’s BMW M 1000 RR

Sometimes, it just takes the right man to do the job. That’s the position BMW Motorrad found itself in at the conclusion of the 2024 WorldSBK season, where their star signing, the prodigiously talented Toprak Razgatlioglu, turned the bike that was always the bridesmaid, never the bride, into a championship winner.

For BMW Motorrad, it marked the completion of a journey that began in 2009, when Troy Corser and Leon Haslam took the brand’s first tentative steps back into world-level racing with the introduction of the BMW S 1000 RR.

The preceding 16 years saw BMW place a host of talented riders on the RR’s seat in the hopes of title glory, including Marco Melandri, Chaz Davies, Tom Sykes and Eugene Laverty.

However, Toprak’s arrival at the end of 2023, one that coincided with a complete overhaul of BMW’s factory racing department under the stewardship of team owner, Shaun Muir, saw the final piece of a nearly two-decade-old puzzle finally click into place. The result? A dominant WorldSBK title win, a first for BMW, and a second for Toprak.

But it wasn’t quite as it seemed. Razgatlioglu and ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team stablemate Michael van der Mark had use of the “super concessions” M 1000 RR chassis, which was essentially a prototype unit that had varying stiffness characteristics to what you’d find on a full production M 1000 RR chassis.

At this level, everything counts, and Razgatlioglu could use the super concessions chassis to devastating effect. His trademark ultra-late braking style was enhanced on the 2024 M 1000 RR and paired with that bike’s ability to hold a more consistent line on corner exits.

After winning the championship, all concessions granted to BMW were been taken away, the team reverting back to the full production M 1000 RR chassis as per the spirit of WorldSBK but very late in their testing season as they expected to run the 2024 chassis this year.

“The super concession chassis was based and developed on our stiffness (numbers) we got over the last two, three, four years from the riders,” says BMW Motorrad Motorsport’s Technical Director, Christian Gonschor. “It was a dedicated distribution of torsion and lateral stiffness, without numbers or direction. It’s never about going softer or stiffer. It’s fully independent. You have braking, mid-turn position, and corner exit characteristics. You have to put it together, and not in every driving situation do you need the same stiffness. That’s the key point. You must find the puzzle, which is shooting every situation on track.”

BMW’s ace in its sleeve is their Turkish star Razgatlioglu, who has pushed the project harder than any rider BMW has ever had. Toprak’s unique, front-heavy riding style suited the 2024 chassis perfectly, but for 2025, the always-moving target of optimal on-track performance has once again shifted, this time to corner exits where Ducati’s combination of the Panigale V4 R and Italy’s Nicolo Bulega is currently superior.

“Last year I’m easy riding, because when I am pushing so hard, the bike is also working,” says Razgatlioglu. “But now I am pushing so hard, the bike is not working like it did. Every corner I try to do without a mistake. I am pushing so hard. This is not easy. Also, it is not easy over 23 laps! Ducati is very strong this year.”

At Italy’s Cremona round this year, the difference was clear to see as Razgatlioglu would gain metres on the brakes to Bulega, but the Ducati’s superior mid-corner turning and exit grip and acceleration would see the gap Toprak worked so hard to reduce spring back as the throttle was opened.

“We call it the elastic effect,” says Gonschor. “For sure he (Razgatlioglu) cannot do more. Compared to the other 20 riders on the grid both (Razgatlioglu and van der Mark) did an incredible job. But there was something missing, so Toprak had to go a little bit more risk on the front. He can manage it, but it’s just very complicated and takes a lot of energy from him.”

Under the electronic skin

Unlike MotoGP, WorldSBK teams are given the flexibility to choose their own engine control units (ECUs) and develop custom software, provided they adhere to specific regulations, with BMW partnering with Bosch to develop a platform specific to the M 1000 RR.

“Our electronics are Bosch BMS-MS2, including a dedicated WorldSBK and EWC 2D power loom in combination with the race calibration kit software in superbike spec,” Gonschor says. “In WorldSBK full-spec, 32 different CAN and analog sensors can be mounted, plus 18 add-ons for testing.”

BMW can map Toprak’s 250-odd horsepower M 1000 RR (they won’t tell me just how much horsepower it has!) to be effectively corner-by-corner, but if you thought this was via GPS, you’re wrong.

“It’s not corner-by-corner due to GPS, because GPS in banned in WorldSBK, but for sure, due to collecting millions of data points, we can see a corner-by-corner effect in every area of riding—touching the gas, braking, etc.,” says Gonschor. “So, we tried to find an application on engine brake or traction control design which is prepared for each dedicated corner. When you come out of turn six here at Cremona, going through turn seven, it will be a compromise, because it’s not directly linked that the bike changes parameters.

“It’s not off the lap time, but we can see that, for example, after 32 seconds, the bike was at this point of the track, in this position, with this throttle, this brake, this engine brake, whatever. Then we have to retype the numbers to increase or decrease values. These values also change as the tyre wears over the race, and the rider has to adjust to increase or decrease engine braking to compensate.

“Next, you have to put the tyre into perspective because you can use the SCX compound where the tyre family and the rubber compound is special, but also the geometry. Then if you switch to the SC0 tyre, it has different shape, so therefore a different radius and lean. This means radius is always a value for traction control. You have to adjust it, so even when you have a perfect setup, you just put in another tyre from another compound family. When you change suspension, it changes again. This is why the guys are still at the track working at midnight.”

A few laps from the hot seat

There’s a bit of a party atmosphere in the Cremona Circuit pitlane as the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team members fire up Toprak Razgatlioglu’s BMW M 1000 RR and beckon me to climb aboard.

The seat unit is tall thanks to the carbon-fibre sub-frame, but you sit much more “in” the Toprak bike compared to the factory BMW EWC racer I’ve just jumped off, which has a far more aggressive riding position with lower-set handlebars and taller seat unit.

The Toprak bike, like all WorldSBK machines these days, has neutral at the bottom of the gearbox that’s activated by a lever on the right handlebar, so it’s impossible to hit neutral when going from second to first gear. Stamping on the lever to grab first, the team pushes me away and I’m rolling down pit-lane on one of the most exclusive motorcycles in the world.

Toprak runs his handlebars quite wide, similar to the stance I remember from Jonathan Rea’s 2016 Kawasaki ZX-10R WorldSBK title winner. The ride position is relatively relaxed, but the high rearward set foot-pegs remind you that when you hit the track, it’s business time.

Out of pit-lane and sedately negotiating the first of Cremona’s switchback corners, the first thing that strikes you is just how light the Toprak M 1000 RR is on direction changes. Having just spun laps on a stock M 1000 RR with carbon-fibre wheels, the fact the Toprak 168 kg dry bike feels so much lighter on its feet is astonishing.

The phrase “look where you want to go and it’ll do it” is so overused in my profession, but it’s fitting here. A simple push of the outside leg into the tank while leaned over is enough to get the BMW to completely alter its line, tightening up the latter part of the turn and allowing you to get on the gas sooner and harder.

I’m not even halfway around my out-lap and already I know I could ride this bike to the shops, no problem.

The Öhlins RVP25/30 front fork and Öhlins RVP50 shock is set surprisingly soft. It’s not intimidating at all, but that’s at a pedestrian pace compared to the next five minutes of my life.

With sufficient heat in the Pirelli WorldSBK SC0 rear and SC1 front slicks, and the hairpin before the back straight approaching, I try and ratchet up the aggression a bit. Braking later than I would have probably liked, the BMW nonetheless turns with the ease few riders will ever get to experience, and, upon seeing that near mile-long back straight, I tell myself that unless this thing looks/sounds like it’s going to break, I’m not backing off until I absolutely must.

Stand the chassis up so it’s on the fat part of the tyre and pin the throttle to the stop. The next 12 seconds feel like two as the Toprak BMW launches onto the backstraight, all 250-ish horsepower pushed into the ground accompanied by the single best combination of induction, engine and exhaust roar I’ve ever heard.

The BMW simply vaporises the back straight all too soon. Shifting through the gearbox is like taking a samurai sword to a loaf of bread. The gearbox shift has the perfect combination of feel, resistance and smoothness, and as I shift back to second for the final three switchback corners, the superb engine brake strategy takes over.

This is one of the aces in the BMW’s arsenal, as despite the high revs and drastically slowing rear wheel speed, the EBC (Engine Brake Control) and so-factory-you’ll-never-know slipper clutch take over and the BMW glides to the apex—no rear wheel hopping, no funny business.

The final three corners again highlight the BMW’s agility. Left, right, left, all taken in second gear and all with high lean angles, the chassis just eats it up and combines again with the EBC to keep everything as it should be.

Braking feel from the factory 338 mm discs, Brembo M4 calipers and Brembo master-cylinder set-up is the best of any bike I’ve ever ridden. Normally I’m a two-finger braker, but I only need one to get all the power required to haul the BMW up. There’s a thumb rear brake as well, but Toprak puts most of his braking through the front brake and foot rear brake lever, so the thumb brake only has enough power to help tighten the line at the exit, so I don’t use it.

By lap two, I’m starting to feel confident enough to give it a proper go and all those feelings I’ve just mentioned get turned up to 11. The faster I go, the better it feels—just like a real racebike should. But Toprak’s bike is never scary, never intimidating. It’s—dare I say it—easy to ride, and that thought of being able to ride this bike to the shops is still in my mind. A shop bike with 250 horsepower? Sign me up!

But that ease is overshadowed by what a beast Toprak’s bike really is when you’re trying to go faster and faster. With such enormous mid-range torque, the M 1000 RR leaps off the three hairpins like it has a rocket up its butt. That also makes for an easier bike to ride because it does much of the work for you. You don’t have to wring the neck of the Toprak bike to get it moving. This is based off a production bike, after all, and you can feel the base M 1000 RR’s DNA in how it goes about its business.

Two minutes later, it’s all over. I got an out lap, a flying lap, and an in lap. Not a great deal of riding, I’ll admit, but more than enough to let me know the performance realm this machine operates on.

After I gather my thoughts, I can honestly say, this is the best sporting motorcycle I have ever ridden in my 42 years and 18 years as a motorcycle journalist. But then, it damn well should be. This is the World Champion’s ride, and someone of Toprak Razgatlioglu’s talent deserves the very best BMW Motorrad can offer.

I’m just pleased to have a look through the shop window. What a bike.

A chat with the man himself

Toprak Razgatlioglu has endeared himself to fans across the world for his happy, relaxed persona, one that’s often in contrast to some of his competitors. He has a magnetic personality that makes people warm to him, but all that would be for nothing in a professional sense if he wasn’t equally good on a racing motorcycle.

His move to BMW bought instant success, but the 2025 season hasn’t been smooth sailing following the late FIM ruling that he and the BMW team had to revert to the full production chassis for 2025. We sat down with him at Cremona for a brief chat to see how the 2025 season is going.

How much has the 2025 bike changed compared to your title-winning bike?

TR: “A lot. Because of the new rules, we are not using the same chassis like last year. The bike has changed a lot. The chassis and also electronics are not working like last year. Last year I’m easy riding, because when I am pushing so hard the bike is also working. But now I am pushing so hard, the bike is not working. Every corner I try to do without a mistake. I am pushing so hard. This is not easy sometimes. Also not easy 23 laps. Ducati is very strong this year. Everyone knows.”

It’s a good track for you.

TR: “Yeah, it’s a very good track. Last year we did three wins there, but it was very easy to win for me because I’m very strong there. But we will see this year because it is completely different. I hope we win easy. Normally also in Portimao I’m really strong.”

You are doing well this year. You had three wins as well.

“Yeah, but I’m on the limit. This is the problem. Normally I am really strong there, but the bike wasn’t working. Also, this is not BMW’s fault. This is the new rules. Before the first race, months ago, the new rules come. This is not normal. This one is too late. But, enough that everything we are changing. We did not test. If we did test, it also doesn’t change because the chassis is completely different. But I’m just focused on the race weekend. I have this bike. I have this package. I just try to do my best. I am pushing so hard.”

Where do you think are the strong points of the 2025 bike?

TR: “Corner entry. Entry, but sometimes it is not always good. Sometimes, the set-up is good but sometimes the bike not good working, also the engine is not as strong as before.”

Is the bike really good at the beginning of the race and then as the tyre drops off, does it change?

TR: “The bike is the same, but in the beginning of the race I’m riding a little bit better because on corner exit I feel a little bit better. Ducati this year is too strong in corner exits. The BMW is not like this. At the beginning of the race, I’m riding a little bit better. But after some laps, the rear tyre starts to drop a little and I have to fight again on corner exit. It’s not so big a drop, but this is enough to destroy everything.”

We could see this weekend at Cremona how you would catch up a lot of ground under brakes, but then lose it on acceleration.

TR: “If I feel good acceleration in the race, I think we are fighting for the win easy. Because when I follow the Ducati, after the esses, he goes (Toprak signals Bulega riding away from him). This is a huge gap. In the lap, I try to close the gap but sometimes this one is not easy. Also, I am pushing so hard. Sometimes I do a small mistake. Again, gap getting bigger. Anyway, I know this year is like this. I hope changing maybe some races after, because maybe FIM or Dorna say, “use the old chassis.” But everything is easy to change. I need only this, because now the bike is not turning. Also, the engine brake is working a little bit strange. But we are doing a very good job. I think the bike is not perfect, but we are doing a very good job. Because we keep fighting. In the weekend, when we are starting Friday, the bike is completely different bike, but then we start to improve, and the final race at Cremona we did a very good pace also. Okay, we are not the winner, but we did a very good pace. Only me and Nicolo. This is good..”

You’re very mentally very strong to be on that limit all the time.

TR: “Always. I love this. I’m pushing so hard. Also, the last laps I am pushing so hard. In the race, I finish 1.8 seconds (behind). Not so big gap, because also I’m pushing to the last lap. I’m just waiting. Maybe he (Bulega) do some mistake. Maybe it’s possible to win. This is why I am pushing like this.”

What about away from the track? How long have you been doing stunt riding for?

TR: “Normally I am starting like stunt rider in my motorcycle life. I was eight or seven when I started.
I think before I learn to ride the bike, I am learning wheelie. My father is a stunt rider in Turkey. I’m always watching him. I’m learning immediately the wheelie. Also, I learn when I was 10 or 11 years old, I learn to use the foot rear brake. That makes it easy to wheelie every bike because I have rear brake control.
After that, I’m focused on learning the stoppie. Because my father is very famous in Turkey especially because he can do very good stoppies. I’m learning immediately this, but now I make better than my father!
Maybe my bike control comes from stunt riding. I’m easy to make a stoppie and a wheelie. Also, I’m doing the turning wheelie. I’m happy with this level, but some stunt riders are very good. Stoppie and wheelie is enough for my life (laughs).”

BMW M 1000 RR WorldSBK Images

Images by Alex Photo