• The 2019 BMW S 1000 RR patent image and spec sheet were leaked online.

• The bike is all-new with a new styling and chassis.

• Power output will also be increased.

It would probably not surprise anyone now that BMW Motorrad is working on the 2019 BMW S 1000 RR. But what is up for contention is how will the new bike look like.

Well, a BMW dealer seemed to have gotten a little too excited and posted both the official patent application image and full spec sheet of the 2019 S 1000 RR online. The new superbike was supposed to be officially launched at the EICMA show in a week’s time.

There is just so much to pore over the image, but the new bike definitely points the way towards improvements by leaps and bounds.

For starters, the 2019 model is much more compact. Its tail is shortened and made smaller. The front wheel sits closer to the bottom fairing, while the rear wheel is much nearer to the bike’s midsection.

Its bodywork has been designed from scratch and seems to wrap around the chassis and engine very tightly. BMW has also dropped the asymmetric headlights for a matching pair. The central air intake still exists for the sake of heritage from the previous model. The fuel tank’s shape is still unmistakably S 1000 RR.

The new frame is just visible. Starting from the swingarm mounting uprights, it projects almost horizontally above the engine casings before sweeping upwards to the headstock. It looks like the frame hugs the engine very closely, too.

We were actually surprised to find an exposed steel trellis section for the rider seat’s subframe. BMW has used box-section subframes all the while. The steel trellis looks like something from KTM, MV Agusta, Triumph, among others.

Take a closer look and you can see the swingarm is braced from underneath. While this design is nothing new, it is currently employed in MotoGP only. All other superbikes have their swingarms braced on top, conversely. Manufacturers choose the top bracing method as space is needed to accommodate the exhaust collector. Yet, BMW found a way to overcome this problem.

The engine is still an inline-Four, but it now says “207 bhp” in the spec sheet. Torque is also up to 113 Nm.

Well, let’s wait another week for the official photos and specs from BMW Motorrad.