TIM BMW S1000R
It’s been great to clock to miles on the big Beemer over the last month. I’ve finally had a couple of hours spare to get out and ride it, and every time I jump on it I’m growing fonder. It’s been mega having a little get-around and I’ve really felt the benefits of having a bike on the road, especially nipping to the gym after work in the rush hour – I’ve reduced my commute from 15 minutes to seven, and that’s only from being able to filter through traffic, honest... I definitely don’t give it more than half throttle. It’s been a joy having an alternative to my van, and getting to places is so much easier: it’s light-handling, slim, and just perfect for cracking on.
I’ve been all over on it – on a right mix of dusty grain spilt farm roads, winding back roads and motorways, and the S1000R performs brilliantly on them all. The neutral balanced riding position is spot-on. You’re not hunched over the front like on a sports bike so I always feel in control, and it doesn’t give me back ache either, so that’s a bonus. The bike rolls thought the corners predictably and with ease, and it never once makes you feel on edge – obviously the tyres help with this, but the chassis is mint.
I’ve had my first tankful through the bike now and there’s no complaints at my end. You need the key to unlock the cap, as it doesn’t rely on the electronic fob like the ignition – keeping it simple is the best way, in my opinion. A tankful cost me £16 and after about two hours of thrashing there was still half a tank left. I thought that was pretty decent, but I haven’t done any real longdistance riding yet.
I’m still yet to try out all the rider aid options but I’m getting though them. My favourite so far is absolutely the heated grips, even at this time of year. There are three settings to choose from and it’s got a dedicated button on the right-hand switch gear. I’ve found number two is ideal; setting one isn’t quite enough and number three nearly cooks your hands, but that’ll be perfect for winter.
There’s considerable difference between the rain power mode and the dynamic power modes, but I’ve found ‘Dynamic Pro’ to be the most fun so far. It gives you the most power, least amount of traction control and anti-wheelie, and put the biggest smile on my face. The road mode just doesn’t offer enough spice, in my opinion. It’s really quite mundane, and in the dry that’s the last thing this bike needs. It does seem fairly flat and characterless at the bottom; that would be my only criticism. Thankfully it really does come alive when you give it the berries, and banging it down the gears with the auto blip system produces a sweet
sounding pop, crackle and bang that I’m sure many a teenage lad would pay good money for on his Fiesta!
The cruise control system is seamless and so easy to operate on the left-hand switch gear. Simply slide the button across to activate it, using the large toggle to set the speed and adjust up and down accordingly. You’d be stupid not to use it on motorways or in average speed controlled areas.
I wasn’t so sure about the keyless ignition to start with, especially after the battery malarkey last month when I couldn’t figure out what the problem was, but now that’s back up and running I think it’s quite a slick system. You can literally leave your keys and electronic fob in your pocket and just jump on the bike and ride – it is ace. The only real worry is if you lose the keys while you’re out riding, but you’d instantly get a notification on the dash to say the keys are out of range. Just make sure you don’t kill the engine until you find they keys, else you’re stuck! The electronic steering lock system is also brilliant – simply put the handlebars into full lock, press and hold the ignition button and with a swift buzz, the bars are locked. Far easier than fumbling and forcing a key to engage the lock, I think.
Unfortunately, I’ve didn’t have the pillion seat and pegs in time for writing this piece, so there’s nothing new to report on that front yet, but rest assured they’ll be on in time for next month, so I’m looking forward to sharing with you how that goes.
I still haven’t told my girlfriend that she’s going on the back. I can’t wait to see her face when I pass her the helmet.
I STILL HAVEN’T TOLD MY GIRLFRIEND THAT SHE’S GOING ON THE BACK. I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE HER FACE...