USED BIKES
Whatever your riding, the BMW S1000Rwillraise a smile
BMW S1000R
2014-current
R
IPPING THE FAIRING off your
best-selling sportsbike and
adding a more upright riding
position isn’t a new idea but too
often, factories spoil the result
by dumbing it down too far; cheap
suspension, basic brakes, and — worst
of all — the dreaded ‘tuned-for-more-
midrange’ motor to take the fun out.
Not the BMW S1000R though.
For a start, the brakes, suspension
and electronics are pretty much
identical to the superbike — no cheap
substitutions here. And while yes, it is
tuned for more midrange – it makes
more power and torque than the RR
donor all the way to 9500rpm — it’s
still got plenty of go beyond that, with
nearly 160bhp on tap. Enough to give it
more top-end rush than your neck
muscles will cope with, anyway. Most
of that difference comes from changes
in airbox and inlet tracts, plus different
camshaft profiles. Without the needfor
ra ce-ready high revs, the valves are
st eel rather than titanium, which saves
on cost — at launch in 2014 the base
model S1000R was a smidge under
ten grand, which made it only a few
hundred pricier than the far morebasic
Kawasaki Z1000 and Triumph Speed
Triple, and considerably less than
comparable supernakeds from Ducati
and KTM. Since then, the Yamaha
MT-10 has come along, but the BMW
still manages to undercut it.
The oldest S1000Rs are five yearsold
now — plenty of time for major faults
to have shown themselves. Probably
time to take a closer look then.
AnS1000RRwithflat bars and fewer panels, more or less.
Soa screaminginlinefourina lightweightchassis,with
upside-downforks, radial brakes, ABS and traction control
as standard and options for a full-on electronics package.
WHAT IS IT?
WHATTOPAY
£6750 - £9750
Lots of choice of 2014-2016 models. Prices vary wildy
depending on whether they’re being sold by franchised
dealers or independents.
£9750 - £12,000
A wide choice of the improved 2017-on version. You won’t
find many standard R models – the Sport is waaaay more
common and often fully loaded with extras.
What’s it like
on the road?
Depends what mood you’re in. You can ride it
like a sportsbike, ride it like a sports tourer,
ride it like a commuter, or ride it like you stole
it — it’s happy to be what you want it to be.
Here’s what we said when we first rode the
2014 version: “It’s not a big bike, but it
doesn’t feel small either. The bend at the knee
is sporty without being acute, while the pegs
are slightly rearset, to get you leaning gently
forward over the tank towards the wide bars.
Like the sportsbike, the R has beefy 46mm
upside-down forks that fill your hands with
feedback. The bike’s dominated by its engine.
Acceleration is instant in any gear. Cars are
dispatched with lightning-fast overtakes,
corners rushing up fast. The engine’s so
powerful and flexible that gear changes are
optional. The ride-by-wire throttle has a
natural feel but it’s still comforting to know
that the traction control is there. Even in Rain
mode, you’d never know the bike was calming
things down. This is a thrilling bike to ride
— gloriously entertaining. “
Whatever you
need, the S1000R
will deliver
86 | JULY 2019
USED BUYING GUIDEwith Kev Raymond
