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Low-flying roadster: BMW M 1000
R BMW's decision to build a
roadster around a full-house S 1000 RR
powerplant produced a spectacularly good
toy
(July 2024, Guy 'Guido' Allen)
Wings
or aero on a naked bike...really?! What on earth were
they thinking? To
say the styling for BMW’s M 1000 R – launched early 2023
– is bold is a sweeping understatement. You
start to wonder whether the whole idea is delusional, or
perhaps you should don a disguise before stepping aboard
the thing. Maybe something along the lines a Mexican
wrestling mask. And perhaps a cape. In any case, it’s a
clear declaration of the monster’s intent: to go very,
very fast – on a racetrack, of course. BMW
cheerfully points out the winglets on the front of this
thing have a practical element, which is to provide
measurable downforce at the front end. Apparently it’s
11kg at 220km/h, well below its top speed of 280km/h.
Essentially
the bike is running a variant of the premium inline four
sports engine, with Shiftcam, out of the S 1000 RR.
Shiftcam is something we also saw in the R 1250 GS (and
now the 1300) and means each valve runs two available
cam profiles – shorter duration for low-speed running,
longer for max performance. The whole variable valve
performance idea has been tried by various makers over a
long time, though this variation is relatively recent.
It
claims an attention-getting 210 horses at 13,750 rpm,
which is said to slingshot the 199kg package to 100km/h
from zero in 3.1 seconds. In reality, any transition
between cam profiles isn’t noticeable from the saddle –
you’re presented with slick throttle response across the
range and an awe-inspiring top end. The
transmission is a six-speed manual, with a powershifter
operating in both directions. It’s smooth and
unobtrusive. Essentially
what you have a full-house sports package in a naked
bike with marginally shorter gearing.
The
wide tapered handlebars actually make this feel more
versatile than the RR sports model, without losing any
meaningful performance, unless you were comparing lap
times at Phillip Island. The
list of electronic wizardry is extensive: DDC
– dynamic damping control for the suspension Dynamic
traction control Dynamic
brake control Race
ABS/ABS pro MSR
– engine drag torque control That’s
in addition to the range of engine performance modes.
On
the road, it’s a more practical proposition than an S
1000 RR, wings and all, that has a real Jekyll and Hyde
dual nature to it. Cut
the thing loose and it is a formidable sports machine,
with exceptional handling and just about every
electronic safety net you can imagine. The
main ride modes make a strong distinction between track
and road, with the latter performing admirably. To get
the most out of the race versions, you really do need a
racetrack and probably a change of tyres. Take
it easy and you’ll find that it has touring niceties
such as cruise control and heated handgrips.
The
machine’s light weight (199kg wet) and wide handlebars
make it a very easy thing to flick around. It’s an
unusual ride position, with a fair bit of lean-forward
to it, and suits the intended purpose.
Brakes
are shared with the S 1000 RR sports bike and work well
– plenty of power, a light lever with good feel.
Fuel
consumption is around 17km/lt, depending on how
throttle-happy you are. With a 16.5lt fuel tank, it
means you have a workable if not huge range of around
250km.
The
bike runs dynamic suspension at both ends, which
performs very well, and the whole set-up has lots of
opportunity for tuning or customisation by the rider.
That’s generally accessed by the controls on the left
handlebar, via the large TFT screen that doubles as your
instrument cluster.
Like
a lot of its contemporaries, getting the most out of the
bike requires some time spent with the owner manual
(available online) so you can get your head around
what’s available. We’ll
stick our neck out on this one and rate it as arguably
the best road-friendly sports bike available today. It
really is that good. Long-term, it’s easy to imagine
them attaining collectible status. While not a limited
edition, it’s unlikely to reach huge production numbers,
and it is a premium performance model. How
much? BMW is flogging them for Au$34,715 (US$23,500, GB£18,500 on
the road. That’s a lot of money, but we reckon it stacks
up as decent bang for your buck.
***
BMW’s
car division celebrated 50 years of M or Motorsport
production back in 2022, and it took decades for the
branding to make its way across to motorcycles.
See the
Unique Cars magazine series on some
of the division’s prime products.
At the
time of writing there were three S 1000-based motorcycle
offerings: the R you see
here priced at Au$34,715 (US$23,500,
GB£18,500);
The M1000 RR
track bike priced at Au$63,560 (US$43,000,
GB£33,800);
And the M 1000
XR priced at Au$39,280 (US$26,600,
GB£21,000).
BMW M 1000 R 2023-24
Good
Fast Great
handling Cruise
control Up
for debate Out-there
styling Not
cheap
ENGINE: TYPE:
Liquid-cooled, four-valves-per-cylinder, inline four
with Shiftcam CAPACITY:
999cc BORE
& STROKE: 80 x 49.7mm COMPRESSION
RATIO:
13.3:1 FUEL
SYSTEM: EFI fly-by-wire TRANSMISSION: TYPE:
Six-speed, constant-mesh, 2-way power shifter FINAL
DRIVE: Chain CHASSIS
& RUNNING GEAR: FRAME
TYPE: Aluminium bridge with engine as a stressed member FRONT
SUSPENSION: USD telescopic fork, 45mm, dynamic damping,
adjustable spring preload REAR
SUSPENSION: Monoshock, dynamic damping, preload
adjustment FRONT
BRAKE: 320mm discs with four-piston calipers, ABS REAR
BRAKE: 220mm disc with single-piston caliper, ABS DIMENSIONS
&
CAPACITIES: WET
WEIGHT: 199kg SEAT
HEIGHT: 830mm WHEELBASE:
1450mm FUEL
CAPACITY: 16.5lt TYRES: FRONT:
120/70-17 REAR:
200/55-17 PERFORMANCE
CLAIMS: POWER:
154kW @ 13,750 TORQUE:
113Nm @ 11,100rpm TOP
SPEED: 280km/h OTHER
STUFF: PRICE
Au$34,715 (US$23,500,
GB£18,500) on the
road WARRANTY
5 years unlimited km ------------------------------------------------- Produced by AllMoto abn 61 400 694 722 |
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