The XR1R – it’s one hot BOTT

15/07/2016
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This is the BOTT XR1R. Nice, isn’t it? The thought of this, some sunshine and a twisty track have got us in a right flutter.

The bike is a track version of the XR1, and while the firm have released an array of beautiful shots, they insist that this is still a work in progress. BOTT describe it as “a radical supermoto, which feels at home on twisty tracks.”

This XR1R unit is currently a Bottpower test bike, which the firm is using to test and develop new solutions for their production bikes and customer requests.

The most important differences between the XR1 and the XR1R are the titanium frame and racing electronics with an EFI Euro4 ECU that facilitates adjustable traction control, launch control, 3 different engine maps and a pitlane speed limiter.

There’s also a datalogging system that logs the usual throttle, rpm, both wheel speeds, suspension travel, GPS position, temperatures, brake pressure – and will also give the team feedback on stress points on the frame using strain gauges. The motivation behind all this is to test the behavioral differences between steel and titanium frames.

This si a pure tack bike, too – there’s not even a starter system (saving 8kg), so you either need the sprinting skills of Usian Bolt coupled to the mass of a shot-putter to bump start it, or an external starter.

This bike isn’t just a plaything either, the team are already working to race with the BOTT XR1R at the 2017 running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, although the titanium frame would have to be replaced by steel to adhere to the rules.

The target in race trim is to achieve a power to weight ratio better than 1:1, with figures of around 150bhp, and sub 150kg. We like the sound of that.