Revisited: BMW’s bold S1000R
BMW’s used naked offers mid-range thrills and top-spec toys from £6600
What we said then…
Fast, frenetic, friendly and flexible, BMW’s new S1000R Sport is much like the old one – and that’s no bad thing. Now in its fourth year of production, BMW’s top-spec supernaked has been treated to a host of tweaks to improve performance and meet the latest Euro4 emissions and noise laws. One of the most obvious changes is the new chassis, which is derived from the current S1000RR. The cast ally beam frame is lighter than before and takes most of the credit for the bike’s claimed 2kg weight loss. Then there are new electronics. The S1000R now has a similar Bosch IMU as its RR big brother, meaning the bike boasts cornering ABS and lean-angle sensitive traction control. It also has BMW’s Gearshift Assist Pro as standard, a bi-directional quickshifter that allows clutchless changing both up and down the box. It works well, even if it is a little more ponderous than some systems. The other visual change is the new exhaust required to meet the Euro4 regs, which boasts a bigger cat and more silencing. It also has a neat titanium Akrapovic silencer.
BMW have worked on the induction system, too, and say this, combined with the new exhaust, has resulted in a 5bhp gain in power, taking claimed power to 163bhp.
It’s enough to make the R as fast as any supernaked. Charging around the twists, turns and sweeps of the Spanish coastline the RR is captivating, drawing deeply through its airbox, pulling hard and giving strong power from 6000rpm right to the 11,000rpm redline. Drive is intense and gives you the option of snicking through the closely-spaced ratios or just using a single gear to eat the straights and drive out of hairpins. Make no mistake, this is a devastatingly fast road bike. Launch report, MCN March 15, 2017
What it’s like now
‘Truly usable but thrilling performance’
Throw touring, trackdays, or tedious stuff its way – it’ll do the lot without issue. Owners are all generally over the moon with its performance, but do criticise its slightly poor build quality, such as thin paint on the fuel tank and cheap fasteners. The underslung exhaust collector box discolours easily and becomes a bit of an eyesore, too. Other niggles include disturbing (but harmless) engine noise on cold starts, expensive parts and servicing (expect to fork out an average of £340 per year), as well as a clutch lever that isn’t span adjustable. A hard seat and ineffectual wing mirrors are also high on the grumble list. However, it’s all generally forgiven thanks to the S1000R’s brilliant chassis and truly usable-butthrilling motor.
Worthwhile extras?
Buying a used Sport represents the biggest value for money on the secondhand market, as it adds heated grips, cruise control, electronic suspension, quickshifter, LED indicators and extra riding modes over the base model’s standard offering of ABS and traction control. In fact, as with most BMW models, you’ll be hard pushed to even find a base model for sale. In terms of aftermarket extras, fitting a small flyscreen will help alleviate the significant wind blast on long journeys, meanwhile SBS sintered brake pads will add a few more feels into the S1000R’s fairly wooden stoppers. Opting for a pair of the latest sports-road tyres will allow you to get the most out of the sweet chassis, too; Metzeler’s M7 RR are popular with owners.