Two weeks ago, I took a break from my regular duties gathering news for Motorcycle.com to fly to Germany to cover the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show for our sister site AutoGuide.com.

For two hectic days, AutoGuide editor Colum Wood and I scrambled across the massive 6.2 million square foot Messe Frankfurt trade fair compound, running from press conference to press conference to get the latest on exotic sport cars, futuristic concept models and international unveilings from the automotive world.

It was heaven for car lovers, but for me, it meant fighting my way through hordes of photogs, auto-journalists and car show models to get the first photos of four-wheeled goodies from MINI, Ferrari and Lotus. Okay, I didn’t mind the car show models that much.

But I didn’t forget my day job with MO. Through this Cagers’ Paradise, I managed to find some gems for the loyal Motorcycle.com Readers.

Check out the photo gallery after the jump.

BMW’s new S1000RR is one of the mostly highly anticipated sportbikes to come along in years. Its four-cylinder motor has a larger bore than anything else in its 1000cc class, plus all the latest racetrack goodies like a slipper clutch, variable-height intake manifolds and traction control.

We’re still a few months away from testing it for ourselves, but we can across this great video that will give you a little insight into how this Beemer howls at top speed. This was shot at the infamous Nordschleife course at Germany’s Nürburgring, a 14-mile road circuit built in the 1920s that is perhaps the grandest and most challenging racetrack ever built.

Check out the S1000RR on the track along with four other videos after the jump.

Since it’s inception Motorcycle.com Specs has been the best place for bikers and enthusiasts (like you) to voice their opinions; there has been a lot to spout-off about too! Over 528 Motorcycle models have been updated for you to review in 2009 alone. It’s great to see what the Motorcycle Community has to say about the bikes they ride. We’ve taken all your reviews and ratings (good and bad) to figure out which sport bikes our viewers ultimately chose as the best SportBike of 2009.

But… Reviews are still rolling in (so go review your bike if you haven’t already!) you never know which machine may be the victor before years end. Without any further adieu and with no spoilers.. drum-roll please.. The Top 10 Sportbikes of 2009 by Viewers Choice..

Machineart Industrial Design, Slims down and smooths out the most popular adventure touring bike on the market today, the BMW R1200 GS. The R1200GSM (M for Machineart) is designed to be a sleeker, sexier version of the stock GS. The GSM was built to promote the MachineartMoto brand of aftermarket parts for the current GS. Machnieart-moto products are sold through www.machineartmoto.com or dealers.

How’d you like to have the latest, most advanced motorcycle in BMW’s current line-up for $1,000 or less?

Now that I have your attention I’ll clarify the above by saying that you can have, at some point, the new S1000RR literbike for a stated maximum of no more than $1,000 over the retail of what most of the Big Four will price their liter machines. This was undoubtedly the biggest news from BMW during the U.S. round of WSBK held at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, UT, May 29-31, 2009, where the new in-line Four made its U.S. debut in both race trim and civilian form.

Motorcycle.com will be officially shown the totally new BMW S1000RR on Sunday, May 31st during the Superbike World Championship race at the Miller Motorsports Park in Utah. In the meantime, we have a video to get you up close and personal with the new sportbike, thanks to Shahram Shiva, enjoy!

Click through to watch the video.

BMW has officially introduced their literbike contender:  The 2009 BMW S1000RR.

The pertinent numbers are a claimed 193 horsepower (at the crankshaft) and a 403.5-lb claimed dry weight. In a ready-to-ride form including fuel, BMW says to expect 450 lbs of weight. DTC Dynamic Traction Control is an appealing option, as is the Race ABS that adds just 5.3 lbs to the bike’s weight. Also innovative is the RR’s variable-length intake tracts that work in harmony with a 14,200-rpm redline, the highest among its rivals.

Hit the jump for a crap load of links and resources, pictures and a pretty awesome video montage of the design and build of the bike.

Ever had an officer ask you “where’s the fire?” after being pulled over for speeding?  Well now you have a good excuse. This converted BMW R1200RT has two 20 or 25 liter tanks (contain a premix of water and foam) mounted on either side that is connected to a 6.8 liter compressed air tank on the back of the bike that has a 20 to 30 meter hose.

They are currently being used in the U.K. but also in Japan, India and across Europe. I don’t think it’s the first option and cannot see it doing much if a house or building is on fire but it would be first on the scene.

Check out the demonstration video after the jump.

What do you get when you combine a BMW R1200R and a Buell XB12? The D1200R! A former employee of Lamborghini by the name of Pablo González de Chaves Fernández has turned his attention from four wheels to two and has begun creating innovative design improvements to existing motorcycles with the help of Juan Elizalde Bertrand. This project stems from a patent that does away with the inefficient steering movements in motorcycles with traditional forks. Their system makes steering direct with a one-to-one turning ratio that offers improved stability and allegedly prevents front end dives during mid-corner braking.

For as long as motorcycles have been around, so too has there been an interest in modifying them. While many people opt for pin striping or aftermarket exhaust pipes, Michael Sturtz decided to drop a diesel V6 engine into his motorcycle.