Micheal Dunlop to race factory BMW S1000RR in IOM TT

[throttlemeister]

From the BBC today:

Michael Dunlop agrees deal to ride BMW machinery on roads

Michael Dunlop has agreed a deal to ride a factory-backed BMW Superbike at this year's international road races.
The Ballymoney rider will also campaign a BMW Superstock bike with support from his own MD Racing Team sponsors.
Dunlop had indicated at the end of last year that he was considering taking a year out from the sport but says this deal offers him the package he wants.
As well as competing at the North West 200, Isle of Man TT and Ulster Grand Prix, he may race some short circuits.
The road race star failed to a agree a fresh arrangement with Honda for 2014, despite taking four TT wins in the Japanese manufacturer's colours last year.
Those victories brought the Northern Ireland rider's overall tally of wins to seven on the Mountain Course.
He also has two North West 200 successes and six Ulster Grand Prix victories on his CV.
The deal has the support of BMW Motorrad in Germany and BMW UK and will also involve the participation of the Buildbase Racing team.
"BMW approached me in the last couple of weeks and they have given me the tools which I believe can do the job," said the 24-year-old.
"The bike will be fantastic - it will be built for me and I'll be the only rider in the team, so I'm really excited about it.
"I've got the full support of the factory and anything I want will be available to me.
"We'll do the international events and then see after that, but I'd like to do a couple of other events to see if I can race short circuits.
"There's a lot of work ahead and we'll need to put in a lot of testing but I have full faith that we can win international road races. I know we potentially have a winning package.
"My love for the sport and my hunger and desire are still there."
The 2014 TT is a special event for BMW as it commemorates their first TT win which took place 75 years ago in 1939, by German racer George Meier.

[throttlemeister]

And from Crash.net:

Michael Dunlop has confirmed he will ride for BMW at the international road race meetings in 2014.

The Northern Ireland rider was considering taking time away from the sport after parting company with Honda in November, but the seven-times Isle of Man TT winner has penned a deal with BMW Motorrad UK and Hawk Racing, who run the Buildbase BMW British Superbike team.

Dunlop will compete on a BMW S1000RR at the North West 200, TT and Ulster Grand Prix this season.

“I'm really pleased to have signed for such a strong and competitive team. The BMW S1000RR certainly has the speed for the TT and, with my experience, the support from BMW Motorrad Motorsport and Hawk Racing, I know we have a race-winning package," Dunlop said.

"I really thought about sitting out this year, but I have found a team that I am really comfortable with and the support from BMW Motorrad Motorsport will make us a force to be reckoned with.

“I'm on a massive high at the moment and I'm probably more determined this year to set my stall out and show people what I can do.

“BMW are confident that I'm a winning package and I have confidence in them to give me the bike I need. We've got something good together.

“I'm willing to take a chance and there's probably no-one out there at all who would take a bit of a gamble like this after winning four TTs last year, because obviously it's a bit of an unknown quantity for me,” he told the Belfast News Letter.

“But this has given me a new lease of life and more fire in my stomach to race a brand new motorbike that has never really been tested around the Isle of Man TT."

The 24-year-old claimed his maiden victory in the Superbike class at the TT in 2013 and went on to complete a famous four-timer, taking wins in the Superstock and Supersport races during a stunning week.

Dunlop will ride the German Superbike in the official BMW livery although his Superstock S1000RR HP4 machine will run in his own MD Racing colours.

The BMW/Hawk Racing team will be jointly managed by BMW Motorrad UK and Stuart Hicken - fresh from the Buildbase BMW Motorrad team's best ever performance in the 2013 British Superbike Championship - with support from BMW Motorrad for the 2014 road racing programme.

Stuart Hicken, BMW/Hawk Racing team principal, said: “We are extremely pleased to have assembled such an experienced racing team.

"We have been working on it for a while and I genuinely believe that with Michael, the technical expertise from BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the BMW S1000RR, we have secured all the elements we need to be at the sharp end, challenging for a great result at the TT.”

Lee Nicholls, BMW Motorrad Marketing Manager, added: “We are so pleased to have secured Michael Dunlop to ride for BMW/Hawk Racing. His record speaks for itself and we are confident that, on a BMW S1000RR, he can dominate on the roads this season.

"Creating a team that will focus all its efforts on Michael will present BMW with a realistic chance of replicating our famous victory 75 years ago at the TT.”

BMW's last victory in the blue riband class at the TT was achieved 75 years ago in the Senior race by Georg Meier.

Dunlop has yet to confirm a choice of Supersport machine but expects to make a decision this week.

[throttlemeister]

It appears BMW are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure they can claim victory on the IOM on the 75th anniversary of their last victory there.

[omg1010]

Good luck to Michael. With such an overpowered bike he won't live long when racing the TT. That race is really on the edge ...

Brgds
Oliver

[KMoore]

If anyone truly understands the dangers of motorcycle racing it would be a member of the Dunlop family.

[omg1010]

Fully agree. However racing the TT is like voluntary suicide in my opinion.

Brgds
Oliver

[WandererR11S]

Thats Awesome News... Great for both rider and BMW, so a win win there...

Jeremy

[eyore]

Originally Posted by omg1010

Good luck to Michael. With such an overpowered bike he won't live long when racing the TT. That race is really on the edge ...

Brgds
Oliver

Certainly not overpowered for Michael Dunlop, possibly for ordinary mortals. If anyone can do it its him.

[throttlemeister]

Lets not forget Joey Dunlop died on a proper closed racetrack, not while riding one of the road race courses, though his brother Robert did. Racing is dangerous. Motorcycle racing is more dangerous. Motorcycle racing on road courses is even more dangerous. But none of these guys are brainless suicidal idiots. If anything, these guys are more calculating, safe and less risk taking racers than than their GP counterparts because they all know very well how completely unforgiving of mistakes the tracks they race on are.

[JonyRR]

die on an overpowered bike? huh?

there are no dangerous objects (weapons, cars, bikes, aeroplanes, rockets, submarines, drugs, etc, etc)..only dangerous people.

And the throttle goes both ways, as has been said before.

I do hold the iron men who beat the TT in even higher esteem than the motogp heroes.

It takes a special kind of superman to thread the TT needle.

Good on 'em all, and godspeed.

[Chris Canning]

Originally Posted by throttlemeister

Lets not forget Joey Dunlop died on a proper closed racetrack

He hit a bloody tree a proper closed circuit it most certainly wasn't,the only other two I know like the one Dunlop got killed on is Aberdare in south Wales and Scarborough and they ain't proper tracks either more like the footpath I walk my dog on.

[RIQUE]

Originally Posted by JonyRR

die on an overpowered bike? huh?

there are no dangerous objects (weapons, cars, bikes, aeroplanes, rockets, submarines, drugs, etc, etc)..only dangerous people.

And the throttle goes both ways, as has been said before.

I do hold the iron men who beat the TT in even higher esteem than the motogp heroes.

It takes a special kind of superman to thread the TT needle.

Good on 'em all, and godspeed.

Agreed, also "its not speed that kills you its the sudden deceleration" as stated by Jeremy Clarckson Top Gear.

[eyore]

Originally Posted by Chris Canning

He hit a bloody tree a proper closed circuit it most certainly wasn't,.

Correct ,plus it was an atrocious surface in a flood of rain.