Singapore’s first MY2015 BMW S 1000 RR buyer is a (brave) lady

Singapore —  As we reported earlier this year in MotoBuyer, motorcycle makers like BMW are expanding their range and marketing their products with a bias toward the fairer sex. And that’s a good thing because more women are getting their license, buying and riding motorcycles than ever before.

Still, that didn’t mean this news didn’t come as a surprise: The first person to lay down cold, hard cash for the new BMW S 1000 RR in Singapore wasn’t a hardcore track fiend or B-road bandit, but a dedicated tourer and sportsbike owner who also happens to be a lady, named Dawn Lim.

The new BMW S 1000 RR, which had its preview/soft-launch at the PML BMW Motorrad showroom on Saturday, March 7, is the first big update to the model which first appeared in 2008. It came out of nowhere to conquer the then Japanese-dominated literbike class thanks to its huge power, usable chassis and supportive electronics.

It’s great to see motorcycling not just becoming more popular here, but also more inclusive. Riders like Dawn are a great example that you don’t have to be a squid (racing, track or sport-crazed almost to the point of parody) to enjoy sportsbikes, and that you can use your bike for whatever you want.

CarBuyer: What bike(s) were you riding/owning before this?
Dawn Lim: Before this bike I owned a CBR 600 RR, the 2013 model, and I’ve owned that for about a year. Actually, before that, I’ve had four sportsbikes in all, and all of them are 600cc-class bikes. I had a Yamaha R6, two CBR 600 RRs, the Triumph Daytona 675. Currently I’m riding a (Suzuki GSX-R 600) K5, which a friend has loaned me until I take delivery of the BMW S 1000 RR. So I’ve owned many 600cc bikes, but I haven’t owned a 1,000cc sportsbike yet.

CB: Ah, that’s interesting. So why did you choose the S 1000 RR as your first litrebike?
DL: Initially I thought of the 2014 model, they had a showroom display and test unit, and I really enjoyed the way the bike looks. Plus 1,000cc power is something I really wanted to try as well!

CB: Looking at your riding history, you love sportsbikes, so you must enjoy speed! Are you a big power junkie then? Are you going to take it to the track?
DL: Ah, that’s partly one of the reasons I bought the bike of course. And yes I will take it to the track, although I’ve never done it before.

CB: So what is your regular use of the bikes you own?
DL: I do a lot of road riding and touring, especially in Malaysia and Thailand. It’s also for the company – I have a few friends who love to go on road trips, so we all do it together.

CB: I guess the logical question is to ask why you didn’t buy a touring bike? Besides your obvious love for sports bikes of course…
DL: To me, a lot of touring bikes seem to be very big and heavy….and there’s not enough speed! (laughs) I don’t mind sacrificing storage space and practicality on a sportsbike, but I do mind not having the acceleration and speed.