2017 BMW S 1000 XR review

BMW’s S 1000 XR almost needs no introduction. It took out the Bikesales Bike of the Year Award in 2016 in the Adventure Sport category, and if you ask anyone who's ridden one about its performance the glint in their eye will tell all.

While Editor Fattore got to sample the S 1000 XR for a few days alongside a bevy of other recently updated BMW models in Tasmania recently, I was lucky enough to grab one for a full week on home soil.

In that time I used this versatile machine as a weekday commuter and a weekend scratcher, and I came away amazed by the flexibility of this superb machine.

As Fattore's launch story attests, the 2017 S 1000 XR has received a mild update in the form of a Euro 4-compliant engine and the addition of an extra 5hp. While we suspect S 1000 XR buyers aren't overly concerned with emissions, and the extra ponies as a percentage increase will be barely noticeable, using the S 1000 platform as a starting point means you know you’re in for a tyre-frying good time.

BMW S 1000 XR SPECS AND DETAILS IN BIKE SHOWROOM

Yes, the S 1000 XR has been retuned (detuned, for glass-half-empty types) significantly from the 199hp/113Nm of the original S 1000 RR superbike bike, but it now shares its 165hp/114Nm output with the S 1000 R naked bike. In short, this is no wallflower...

Rather, merely firing the beast up gives you a good indication your licence is in dire straits – the stock, stubby can exiting beneath the bike has a menacing rasp to its note that sets the adrenal glands pumping.

High and mighty
With an 840mm seat height it’s a tall machine and the seat is also reasonably broad where it meets the tank. I'm 188cm tall (6ft 2in) and I could only just get both feet down flat to the ground. However, shorter riders aren't left out – BMW offers a lower 820mm seat (a no-cost swap) and even a 790mm low-suspension alternative ($250).

The ride position places you in total command. My back is largely upright, with my arms spread to grip each end of that wide, chunky, motocross-style handlebar. There's ample legroom and my thighs wrap comfortably around the tank – these ergonomics are totally sorted.

The manually adjustable screen has two positions, and switching between the two is simply a matter of pulling it up or down. Having a long back I wasn’t expecting much protection even in the higher setting, but at speed it actually does a surprisingly good job of deflecting the wind's blast off your chest and minimising turbulence.

This protection, combined with the upright ride position and comfortable seat, mean the S 1000 XR is a top touring proposition – simply throw a topbox on the rear carrier, add a couple of panniers and go.

Over a week we recorded an average fuel range of around 6.2L/100km, giving a safe working range of somewhere approaching 300km. That's not brilliant, especially given the comfort level, but it's not out of the ballpark for this sort of performance.

Quick shifts
The shifting action of the six-speed gearbox is a little heavier than I was expecting but that's more an observation than a complaint; likewise the standard quickshifter requires a decent nudge of your foot to affect a change. The quickshifter is a great addition to a bike like this, and together with the bright shift light it adds to the thrills when the red mist descends.

In fact, this bike is loaded with technology at every turn. Our test bike is fitted with BMW's Touring Package so it comes with Dynamic Electronic Suspension Adjustment. This essentially adjusts the bike's damping to suit the actual riding conditions, and you can adjust the preload to suit whether you're riding solo or two-up, and with or without luggage, at the press of a button.

Other Touring Package items include the frames and mounting plate for the topbox and panniers, and the preparation for the Navigator V sat-nav unit. The Touring Package adds $1760.

Our test bike also sports the Dynamic Package ($1375), which includes Dynamic Traction Control, the aforementioned quickshifter (or, in BMW-speak, Gear Shift Assist Pro), Riding Mode Pro (a choice of four riding modes), ABS Pro (cornering ABS), Dynamic brake light, cruise control and white LED indicators.

The traction control and the ABS can be switched on or off independently and the level of intervention of those systems is dependent on the selected ride mode.

The four ride modes offer a heap of flexibility; Rain mode cuts output and offers maximum intervention to keep things in check in wet conditions, while Dynamic Pro offers maximum output, low levels of intervention and firmer suspension settings.

Road and Dynamic then offer ride experiences somewhere between the two. It's smart and effective technology, and switching modes can be done on the fly simply by making a fresh selection and rolling off and on the throttle.

All of this gear means you have buttons galore on the left-hand end of the handlebar and a fairly busy instrument display (even more so when you add the Navigator V into the mix). However, the multifunction collar is ideal for using the sat-nav and learning the button layout comes easily enough, although I did find the ride mode button a bit of a stretch for my right thumb.

Ballistic bliss
And the ride itself? Absolutely superb. This bike offers chassis and suspension performance equal to that of top-flight sportsbikes of not too many years ago, but with the comfort of a touring bike.

It's beautifully balanced too, tipping in with a minimal shove of those motocross-style bars and slicing through a corner as fast as you dare. I have no complaints with the sportstouring Bridgestone Battlax T30 rubber and ground clearance is never an issue, even though the bike comes standard with an easy-to-use centrestand – usually the first thing to touch down on many bikes.

The sidestand is also easy to use, but its base plate is too small for an adventure bike and it sinks easily in soft ground.

That aside it's a very practical machine with plenty of pragmatic features – items like the LED strip driving light between the headlights, the 12-volt auxiliary power outlet just left of the instruments, the two-position heated handlebar grips and the super-detailed trip computer.

Pillions are well looked after too, with a decent (but high) perch and excellent grab rails.

The fuelling is generally excellent but it is a bit fluffy at the bottom end and it requires a few revs to get going from a standing start. The gearing offers a thoughtful selection of ratios and at 100km/h in top (sixth) the mill is spinning at 4500rpm. Conversely, it's possible to see speeds approaching 130km/h in first gear (on a closed circuit, naturally!).

Finding neutral at the lights is sometimes a bit hit and miss because it's quite easy to click past it and accidentally hook the next gear, while the mirrors blur a bit at most speeds – both minor irritants on an otherwise thrilling, soul-stirring machine.

The brakes, however, are weapons of things. Throw out the anchors at high speed and brace yourself – you'll struggle to resist the G forces wreaking havoc upon your forearms as the front end sets about digging a trench in the tarmac. Twin disc, four-piston, radial-mount bliss – all metered out with an electronic net of stability and safety (or not, if you prefer).

Summing up
The S 1000 XR is the most enjoyable ride I've come across in recent times. You can ride it like the police air wing is on your tail, or you can ride it like you're heading down to the shops – it accommodates all moods from public role model to outright mayhem.

Add the sheer number of roles it's happy to undertake, and the high level of technology on offer (especially if the budget can stretch to the Dynamic Package), and BMW's S 1000 XR really is the ultimate all-rounder.

SPECS: 2017 BMW S 1000 XR
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PERFORMANCE

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