Ok, let’s get everything straight from the offset, this BMW S1000R is the easiest bike to ride on the road I’ve ever ridden. It wasn’t frightening, scary or intimidating, it was like riding with a paranoid babysitter making sure I was fine all the time. There I said it…
Yes, it has around 160bhp, but how on earth did the Germans make it so smooth? From roll on the engine picks up deliciously smoothly and just keeps on revving and building power so effortlessly that you forget how fast you’re actually going. The clutch pull is light, but you hardly ever use it as you’re ‘popping’ the quick-shifter in a quest for more speed and more power. This ‘popping’ is caused by the ignition cut out as you stab the bike into its next gear without having to close the throttle or pull in the clutch – super cool that! The higher the revs the more you ‘pop’; it’s like riding an automatic only you are the brains behind the shifts, well sort of.
Then to add more techno’ fun it has three power settings - rain, road and dynamic - but the only difference for me was the exhaust note. OK the rain setting was referred to as the ‘big girls blouse’ setting, but it’s so marginal you should only really use it in the rain because it does some fancy techno’ stuff to the traction control, apparently. Other ‘blouse’ features include ABS and traction control, which work fantastically both when on and off. I never felt them working but then again I never had any incidents either, but Bill says they do, and he’s always out of control so you be the judge.
The Dynamic Damping Control (DDC) is basically electronically adjustable suspension as used on their HP4 RR version, which gives you even more options to make your life easier, more comfortable, relaxing and even more to fiddle with. The hard setting is the hard-ass racer superbike setting that will rattle your teeth, which doesn’t affect Bill because he hasn’t many left at his age, but certainly helps settle the bike when dancing on the ragged edge at track days and the like. Normal is the setting most people will live with, while soft is well soft and the only soft option on the bike, but keeps Bill’s ancient spine from shattering. There’s also speed cruise control, which is nice touch, I think, but I never used it ever. To be honest I never relaxed either, this bike is too much fun for that, but also has a nasty side that just has to be respected!
Now you may think this bike has one trick engine and the fancy electro bits around it, but now we get to the best part, the handling. Take the BMW RR race bike, lose the fairing, get taller wider handlebars and this is what BMW give you for the road, and fuk me does it work! You sit more upright, more in control and more in charge. You can lean as far as you like in the corners and the bike just soaks up everything you can throw at it. The stability before, during and out of corners is rock solid and hard to beat by anything I’ve ever ridden. I don’t race but I can now see the appeal courtesy of the S 1000 R.
Ok, do I have a gripe? Yes I do and its high-speed highway use, which is severely limited by your neck and upper body strength. The bike is always willing you to go faster but the wind resistance is relentlessly trying to pull you off the back. So you need to choose, stay below 130km/h and love life or go faster and cancel your gym contract because this is the only workout you will ever need.
Truth be told, our roads are getting more dangerous and, therefore, we need all the help we can get as far as rider aids go. This full-house R172,500 BMW S 1000 R is at the cutting edge of that technology. It allowed me to ride hassle free and I would arrive at my meetings wishing the distance were further than it was. And so I stick to my original words; this is the easiest bike to ride I have ever ridden and, for that reason, I’d like to own one.
Bill’s bit
The S 1000 R is a brilliant motorcycle and possibly the best BM’ has ever made. It makes 151hp at the wheel and has more torque and power than the RR track version, up to 10,000rpm, which makes measurably for a far better road bike. I also believe that the average rider will go quicker around a track on this version than the RR because of its outrageous power delivery.
It can also be used as a docile commuter, pulls massive wheelies, looks great, sounds great and for all the electronics you get it’s quite good value in today’s techno world also.
So am I as convinced as Mike? Oh yes and I’d also like to see one in my garage – say no more!
