BMW S1000XR

[FJ_Hooligan]

Never been a big fan of BMWs.  I do like the K1600GT but it seems a bit of an overdog as far as size and weight (and price!).  

The S1000 line has gotten my attention but I'm too old to live in a folded over racer crouch.

Then I read an article on the S1000XR.  Sounded interesting; 160HP, looks to have good ergos, good electronics package.  It kind of looks like the new FJ.  I sat on one at the motorcycle show last weekend and liked it a lot.  Felt much better than sitting on the new FJ.

I may have to visit my local Bummer dealer in the near future and see about a test ride.

http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/us/en/index.html?content=http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/us/en/bike/adventure/s1000xr/s1000xr_overview.html

Oh, and it's RED!  THE best color for a motorcycle......

[Mark Olson]

Yes , that is a nice bike ... I just have trouble with the beak on it .

[TexasDave]

Yes , that is a nice bike ... I just have trouble with the beak on it .

I have trouble with with the beak on the front and rear of all the new bikes. I still cannot understand the need to raise the seat as high as possible. In some brands it is higher than the gas tank. Is that to get the center of gravity higher?  Dave

[Mark Olson]

Yeah , something to do with balancing the weight distribution .

[ribbert]

I reckon BMW has nailed it with this one, just like they did with the original GS.

It combines the best of all worlds, the comfort of an adventure/touring bike and the performance of a sports bike.

I ride a BMW 1200 GS quite a bit and one thing I always love is the riding position, if only they would put a high performance motor in it (not that the 1200 is a slug) Well now they have.

Those of you that have handle bar risers rave about the difference even an inch or so makes. For some reason all road bikes seemed to evolve into the semi-prone riding position regardless of capacity or use. The upright riding position and low pegs with adequate wind protection is fantastic and this bike could herald in a who new style of bike. I love it.
I see no reason to be all hunched up on a sports bike for road use regardless of age. It serves no purpose and limits it's use.

I can see this style of bike becoming hugely popular as did the GS and all the spin offs. Just like the rise in popularity of SUV's over low slung sedans, for many they just made more sense. I held out but now that I finally have one I could not see myself driving a sedan again as a daily driver.

Noel

[FJ_Hooligan]

Well stated Noel.  Out of everything I've looked at the last 30 years this might actually get my money.

The sitting position and reach to the bars was ideal.  Plenty of leg room.  One magazine called it the death of the sport touring bike as we currently know it.  I think that hits the nail on the head.

All my friends were making fun of me and the bike.  They said I was supposed to buy something slower when I got old.  I countered that BMW makes "old man" bikes and perhaps it was time for me to finally start acting my age.

[Mike 86 in San Dimas]

Have you seen the MOTUS MST? If I had Jay Leno $ I would order one up ($30K). Even if only because it is so unique. MC mag gave it a good wright up. Sport Touring American Bike with a 165 HP Chevy engine !Pretty cool.

[ribbert]

 .........I countered that BMW makes "old man" bikes and perhaps it was time for me to finally start acting my age.

There must a lot very fast old blokes out there.

As you may recall I am trying to buy a 2010+ RT1200, an old man's bike. I have long maintained that the biggest problem BMW have is image, it's the guys that buy them, not the bikes themselves (which probably means there are lot of old blokes out there riding fast bikes slowly) Even the RT is quicker than a well set up FJ in real world riding. Try out riding a cop on one and he'll just sit on your back wheel till you run out of juice.

Unless you have followed their progress or have an interest in them, it is only relatively recently (5-7 years) that BMW's have become less agricultural and made bikes that rival Jap machines and this transition has gone unnoticed by many.

The GS changed how we view motorbikes , the S1000RR was a world beater and this could be the next game changer. Give it about 5 minutes and Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki will all have one (as happened with the GS)

Hooli, let's know how the test ride goes and if you manage to hand it back without opening your wallet.

Out of everything I've looked at the last 30 years this might actually get my money.

Haha. you don't rush into things do you.

Noel

[FJ_Hooligan]

I've been known to over think things. This bike kind of reminds me of how I felt the first time I saw the FJ in 84. I bought my FJ without a test ride. Not this time. They will have to work with me. I've been saving for a new bike for all these years. We'll see if this is the next one. Regardless I'll be keeping at least one FJ

[Pat Conlon]

BMW has certainly set the bar quite high with their S1000 series.

When they ever arrive, the MOTUS at over $30k makes the BMW's look positively affordable, although the MST power output (165hp/125ft.lbs) and never having the need to adjust the valves is attractive.
Disappointing that, for the price of my first home, the MST has no electronics package...or is that a plus?

It is interesting to note that the $4,995 I paid in June 1984 for my FJ is equivalent to $11,392 in today's dollars.

[FJ_Hooligan]

I paid $4800 out the door for my '85

[Flynt]

I reckon BMW has nailed it with this one...

I can see this style of bike becoming hugely popular...

Don't get me wrong...  I'm 50/50 right now on trading the Duc of one of these XRs.  But it is a Ducati Multistrada, maybe done slightly better...  It is not an original idea for BMW.  Even the FJ-09 scooped it...

Frank

[Pat Conlon]

.....Even the RT is quicker than a well set up FJ in real world riding. Try out riding a cop on one and he'll just sit on your back wheel till you run out of juice....

Last summer, our local police force had to turn in their fleet of RT's due to pinyon and tranny failures.
The bikes were 2013's IIRC...needless to say, they were very disappointed and the bean counters were more so....A big flap in the newspaper about wasted tax dollars. Politicians throwing rocks at the police for buying "luxury" motorcycles

The cops went back to the Honda ST13's

Of course, there is no comparison on the severe duty a police bike endures vs. civilian street bike.

[ribbert]

.....Even the RT is quicker than a well set up FJ in real world riding. Try out riding a cop on one and he'll just sit on your back wheel till you run out of juice....

Last summer, our local police force had to turn in their fleet of RT's due to pinyon and tranny failures.
The bikes were 2013's IIRC...needless to say, they were very disappointed and the bean counters were more so....A big flap in the newspaper about wasted tax dollars. Politicians throwing rocks at the police for buying "luxury" motorcycles

The cops went back to the Honda ST13's

Of course, there is no comparison on the severe duty a police bike endures vs. civilian street bike.

It is great mystery why BMW can't sort out the final drive issues. They have had this issue for years, although it only affects somewhere between 3% (BMW) and 7% (owner groups) I dont understand why in these modern times it is so difficult to fix.
It is a relatively minor and manageable issue and not sure why you would trade the fleet over it though. You have to wonder if there was something else going on, given 80,000 of them are currently in service with 225 Police Dept's in the US alone using them.

I have a friend with 3,800 BMW customers on his books and he services all the Police bikes, he reckons the failure rate of anything on them is no higher than private bikes. They only get one cold start a day and the best of everything service wise.

Interesting you mention their choice of ST13's. I have read two stories recently, the first a Police fatality in the UK on one that was officially attributed to a high speed handling issue and the other, a police Dept. that dumped the fleet over handling concerns, returning to the Beemers.

Noel

[ribbert]

I reckon BMW has nailed it with this one...

I can see this style of bike becoming hugely popular...

Don't get me wrong...  I'm 50/50 right now on trading the Duc of one of these XRs.  But it is a Ducati Multistrada, maybe done slightly better...  It is not an original idea for BMW.  Even the FJ-09 scooped it...

Frank

Yes, both of those bikes came to mind while writing that. I guess the lines are becoming so blurred that which bike belongs in which category is to some extent in the eye of the beholder.

I have read much on the new Multistrada and it's a hell of a bike bristling with technology. One article was a direct comparison between it and the BMW that concluded the bottom line was personal preference, neither being clearly better than the other.

I have a long standing love/hate relationship with Italian automotive products, I love what they build but hate how they build it.

Ducati's to me are like Ferraris, magnificent machines but not something you relentlessly flog for tens of thousands of miles year in year out. They are a special occasion bike, almost a hobby, with the vastly more practical daily rider sitting next to it, . IMO anything Italian wears poorly cosmetically unless pampered and is not particularly robust or reliable and expensive to service and repair, but then again, I have not had first hand experience with their current offerings and my opinions are based on the 70's-90's bikes and casual observations since.

I can see why it would suit you Frank, you have other bikes and half you luck if you get one, but I just wonder if they are a practical bike for the masses.

It is possible, just possible, on this occasion only that I might be wrong! Feel free to re educate me on modern Ducati's.

Noel