units will do just fine. Incidentally, the BMW Motorrad Racing team use
Nissin calipers on their WSBKS 1000 RR.
The updated electronics suite is more refined than on the outgoing
bike and you can barely feel it working in the background to keep you
and the bike upright and pointed in the right direction. The lean-
sensitive ABS gave me the pluck to brake later and later, carrying the
brakes almost to the apex at some of the corners before switching to the
gas and powering out of them with the orange traction control light
occasionally flashing as it counteracted slides before they happened,
while seamlessly putting down all the power that the rear tyre could
handle. As my confidence in this electronic safety net grew, so did my
courage around the circuit and I was soon flying around at a decent clip
without having to think about it too much, relishing the fuss-free, almost
clinical approach that this bike takes to demolish a racetrack. Some riders
will criticize this bike’s lack of “character” but, to me, the precise and
almost subdued way in which the BMW goes about its business allows
me to concentrate on better, faster riding, without scaring myself silly.
When the original S 1000 RR was launched almost a decade ago, it
was a game-changer in every sense of the word. It had about 10 per cent
more power than any other superbike on the market and was equipped
with the most advanced electronics systems that we had ever seen on a
production motorcycle. The competition has since caught up, and the
new S 1000 RR may not be the fastest, the sharpest or the most advanced
bike out there today. It is, however, probably the easiest-to-ride litre-class
motorcycle that I have ever ridden, and it is a much better street machine
than most of its competitors.
The comfortable riding position, electronic suspension, softer brakes,
hill hold, cruise control, and heated grips all indicate that BMW’s
intention was to create a street-biased superbike, and they have done a
fantastic job in this respect. So, is it better than the outgoing bike? We
definitely think so. It may not be the game-changer that the original S
1000 RR was back in 2009, but comprehensive improvements across the
board have resulted in an S 1000 RR that is lighter, faster, and easier to
ride. Mission accomplished.Comprehensive improvements across the
board have resulted in an S 1000 RR that is
lighter, faster, and easier to ride
August 2019 BikeIndia (^63)
LEFT:
Exhaust is still stainless
steel, 1.28 kg lighter
than before
RIGHT:
M Sport variant gets this
sporty seat
FAR RIGHT:
The race-inspired
under-braced swingarm
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