PRICE AND VALUE FOR MONEY

BMW play a little trick here, fully loading their press bikes in the hope of impressing. And it works, because what we’re presented with is a bike in its full regalia – no more questions can be asked of it. But what this also does is up the price. So while the standard S 1000 R has a ticket of ‘just’ £9,990 you then start adding the extras – or opt for the Sport at £11,390 (and then add £390 for cruise control and £205 for an alarm). The temptation is there to buy the standard bike, and dynamically that’s all you need. But a salesman will persuade you to buy a bike fully loaded by banging on about how hard a standard one will be to shift. For a GS maybe, but it’s poppycock in this market. But forget all of the electronic gizmos for a minute, because this is a mightily impressive bike bereft of these gadgets. Huge speed, inherent balance, deft control – it’s everything you’d want in a hyper naked machine. Looking beyond the Kawasaki, even the fully kitted Sport can justify its price tag as it eyes the Aprilia Tuono V4R and KTM 1290 Superduke R. The Kawasaki is all a little bit lacking, really. It breaks the ten grand barrier by £300 (but busts it with ABS), but look what you’re getting – less electronics, less power, less poise and a look that isn’t for all. We’re happy for manufacturers to leave all this kit off a bike, but just don’t charge like it’s still on there! It’s £2,500 more than the Z800, and that gap needs to close (by the 1000 coming down...).