While I wish I was on some beautiful backroads in the south of France exploring this lovely
motorcycle from BMW, I’m actually in Pontiac, Michigan.
A small city a few miles west of Detroit, Michigan.
Alright, I’m sure most of you are interested in the performance of a 1,000 cc inline-4
naked motorcycle, so let’s start there.
Performance - Compared to the previous generation of the
S 1000 R, BMW focused on upgrading the engine by focusing on reducing overall weight while
also bringing the bike into Euro 5 Compliancy.
BMW did this without playing into the horsepower games that Ducati and other naked motorcycle
manufactures play.
Peak power is now 162 bhp at 11,000 rpm; torque is now 84 pound-feet at 9,250 rpm
- While BMW has stated multiple times that they could put the 205hp engine that sits
in the S 1000 RR into the S 1000 R, they’ve also mentioned that the world does not need
a bike like that and that those speeds should only be used on a track where their S 1000
RR shines.
(Images of S 1000 RR) - A little first hand experience on this bike
goes a long ways in understanding it, the power that this engine puts out is delicious.
Really strong midrange torque and control makes even the most boring roads fun.
There’s no highway on-ramp this bike fears, that’s for sure.
- The Akrapovič titanium silencer is standard on the M model only and while it sounds good
I don’t think it has the same excitement that you get out of the KTM or Ducati competitors.
I’ve read a lot of people’s reactions to the exhaust on this bike and I feel like
it’s not warranted.
- While no motorcycle is perfect, BMW had enough complaints on the previous version
of the S 1000 R that some adjustments were warranted.
First off, they add longer gearing in the top three gears.
Knowledge Transfer: What does long gearing refer to?
- Long gearing or tall gearing is when a bigger sprocket is fitting inside the gear box or
a smaller rear sprocket to raise the final drive ratio.
Raising the gearing means lowering the ratio.
This raises the speed the bike will be able to achieve in each gear, lengthening the time
you can spend in each gear before needing to shift.
More performance: - Back to the changes BMW did to the new S
1000 R, they added a new 6.5-inch TFT display which is just stunning.
It did take me quite some time to understand that the left grip’s dial is not there for
show but actually is used to navigate the menu.
It was honestly not the most intuitive design, that or I’m an idiot.
- In addition to the longer gearing and TFT Display, BMW added a new suite of rider aids
that are all managed by a six-axis IMU.
The system included Dynamic Traction Control, wheelie control, hill start control, and three
selectable riding modes: Rain, Road, and Dynamic.
- In addition to the three normal riding modes, BMW gave the M-Spec Dynamic Pro mode, which
allows an experienced rider the ability to adjust and remove in settings as they see
fit.
- Once I figured out how to change the drive modes I played around with the rain, road,
and dynamic pro modes and found myself quite happy in Dynamic.
In Dynamic Pro I felt like I was constantly trying to keep the front wheel down.
While I probably looked cool heading down the road, I was not enjoying riding a bike
that I did not own at this level.
- BMW was able to shed 15lbs off their previous model and a full 26lbs off their M Spot Version
(Images)
FEATURES - No matter your height, BMW has you covered.
The standard seat is 32.7-inches which I found to be quite comfortable with.
At 5’ 9” I was able to flat foot on both sides of the bike giving an extra sense of
safety.
If that’s too high or low, there are a 31.9-inch and 33.5-inch seat options.
- There’s no pillion seat or pillion pegs.
Instead, the S 1000 R comes with an attractive solo-only tail unit.
However, when you purchase your S 1000 R you can opt for a pillion seat and pegs kit, with
the pillion seat now 0.4 inch thicker.
- The BMW-branded brakes (no longer Brembo) are the same as found on the BMW S 1000 RR,
and the M model comes with slightly thicker discs for track riders (up from 4.5mm to 5mm).
- While I did not experience the heated grips, I did play around with the cruise control.
It’s still a foreign concept to me, and I was not able to get it engaged.
I’m sure if I watched a video or picked-up a bike manual I’d figure it out real quick.
- While we briefly spoke on the TFT display earlier I want to talk about what makes it
so much better than the others, the 6.5-inch display is big and bright.
It’s extremely easy to change any setting without getting stuck in the menus.
In addition to that you’ve got lap times, lean angle, tire pressure, and tank range
all at your fingertips.
Colors and price - The BMW S 1000 R comes in three colors,
Racing Red for $15,040, Style Sport Grey and Yellow for $15,365, and of course the red,
white, and blue of the M Package for $17,890.
My ideal build would be fairly similar to what I’m riding right now.
- BMW S 1000 R with the M Package - Add the Sport Package $1,350
- Carbon Package $1,450
All of this does not come cheap with a total MSRP of $22,690.
But that’s almost $8,000 cheaper than a Ducati Streetfighter V4 S with a similar akrapovic
slip-on.
To wrap things up a bit, here’s a list of things that I don’t like about the bike:
- The difficulty to remove the low-fuel warning on the TFT Display.
While this was user error, it was part of my experience so worth talking about b/c for
the life of me I did not understand how to control the menu.
- I don’t know if it’s just me but I don’t think this is an attractive motorcycle.
It’s a good looking motorcycle, but it does not have the brashness that I would hope a
160hp+ naked bike would have.
The streetfighter V4 has wings, why does the bike not have a single wing?
And here is the list of the things that I do like:
- The On/Off Switch with keyless ignition is starting to be more common but it’s so
nice to not have to fumble around looking for a key.
Especially when wearing gloves.
- The inline-4 cylinder engine paired with the transmission makes for one of the smoothest
experiences I’ve had on a bike.
No matter what I was doing, there never was a harsh or jerky shift.
- I like that this bike does not come with passenger seat and pegs as standard but instead
it’s a separate package you have to order.
I don’t like to ride with people on my bikes do to fear of their safety, so it’s nice
that I don’t have to be shady when I don’t want someone on my bike.
I just say, sorry.
One seat.
Find another ride.
Final Thoughts?
While BMW’s S 1000 R is their version of an ultimate naked motorcycle, I think this
bike is so much more than that.
It’s got heated grips, it’s got Cruise control, active suspension, comfortable riding
position, better gearing for less vibration and increased mph, it’s a naked bike definitely.
But it’s also a few bags and a windshield away from being one of the sportiest tourers
ever made.
I think it’s a great motorcycle and enjoyed my time on it.
When looking back, it definitely seems like the most “adult” naked motorcycle that
you can buy.
The same fun as the Streetfighter V4, but with less horsepower.
In another world, I could see myself with an S 1000 R.
Goodbye: Well, that’s it for today’s video everyone.
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