Sport touring used to be all about the touring. There was very little sport in it. Bikes like BMW’s R 1200 RT could once fall under the guise of sport touring, but if you’d do that today, you’d be laughed out of the boardroom.
Much like professional sport, the sport touring market is more focused than ever, with the touring aspect taking a distinct second place behind having the fastest, lightest bike under your tackle. But it’s also got to be comfortable (touring’s got to come in somewhere), able to devour miles like Adam Richman on a chili bender, and having the civility at low speed deserving of the touring tag.
Getting the balance right has been the holy grail of manufacturers for years. Essentially, a sport touring machine should be the ideal bike for all riders, and so it was that Ducati shifted the game five years ago when they released the Multistrada, one of the best do-it-all bikes ever seen.
Many have tried to emulate this success and consequently failed. Suzuki’s V-Strom 1000 is good but no Ducati, nor is the Kawasaki Versys 1000, and Honda seemingly hasn’t yet filled out its sport touring entry form.
Leave it to the Teutonic Terror to crash the Bolonga Bash. Enter the BMW S 1000 XR, sworn nemesis of the Ducati Multistrada.
The BMW S 1000 XR is the fourth machine in the four-cylinder range that came into being with the original S 1000 RR of 2010 (S 1000 RR, HP4, S 1000 R and now the S 1000 XR). It’s powered by the same motor as the S 1000 R nakedbike, with a claimed 160hp and 83ft-lb of torque. Now, you may think this is less than the former top sport touring dog in BMW’s line-up in the K 1300 S, and you’d be right. But the S 1000 XR weighs a solid 60 pounds less for only a 15hp and 20ft-lbs difference, which on the road equates to one very, very rapid machine.
All optioned up and ready to shred – the BMW S 1000 XR could be a superbike in another life.
There’s also more electronics than you’ll need to keep you rubber side down on the S 1000 XR, and BMW are masters at packaging all the safety features in an accessible way. The left switchgear houses everything from traction control to ABS, ESA (Electronic Suspension Adjustment), cruise control, trip info, dash access, hazard switches and the horn, yet somehow BMW have made this electronic conundrum easy to understand and navigate. On the right switchgear you’ve got your heated hand grips, variable engine modes and start button. You’d be amazed at how many manufacturers hide their electronics in a hell of crappy switches and electronic mazes to make them hard to access and harder to turn off – there’s something to be said for German efficiency. If you want to switch them off, it’s easy, but it’s on your head.
Get moving. Quickly.
All those electronic gizmos and good old-school power combine to give a unique riding experience previously not seen on a BMW. The S 1000 XR feels unlike a GS or an RT, it’s completely its own machine, although the superbike roots can be felt within the engine. There’s that same gruffness in the induction note and barking mad acceleration from the S 1000 RR when you hammer the ride-by-wire throttle – acceleration at almost any rev speed and engine mode is impressive – however the XR’s S 1000 R-derived engine makes flexible and plentiful low-down torque more suited to this style of riding than its superbike brethren.
To this end I let the engine down to a touch over 2000rpm in fifth gear and the XR just pulled along, no snatch from the transmission and no coughing from the fuel injection. This translates well for riders out there who like to pick a gear and stick to it. These riders are not punished with the XR as the spread of torque is large and thick – you don’t have to have the motor buzzing its head off to receive strong acceleration at the tire, although it’s much more fun to have the thing in the upper rev ranges to hear that cracking exhaust noise, if nothing else.
Head north of 8000rpm and things start happening very quickly. The acceleration of the XR will match most superbikes at this speed but do it in a comfort they could only dream of. You can head further north, towards 11,000rpm if you like, but there’s honestly no point. By that stage you’re going warp speed and you may as well be riding a superbike. Surfing that chunky wad of torque between 6000rpm and 10,000rpm is where it’s at with an XR. That flexibility and ease of use is Multistrada-ish (no surprises there), and once you get used to using the Gearshift Assist Pro quickshifting mechanism, the ride becomes a Playstation warp of speed and smoothness and all-day comfort. The S 1000 RR had two of those three attributes, now the XR brings all three to the game.
One thing I really did not care for was the engine seemed to have a real vibey spot between 5-6000rpm, which is where you’ll be in sixth gear on the highway most of the time. This caused my right hand to go slightly numb and although I have a mangled joint in my thumb, I was not the only one to experience this on test. Above and below those revs the bike gives no sensation of over-vibration, however in this range it was noticeable.
Bucketing rain it may have been, but the balance of the S 1000 RR when equipped with Dynamic ESA is hard to ignore.
My testbike for this particular ride was an S 1000 XR with the Touring Package fitted. That gave me Dynamic ESA, GPS preparation, heated grips, cruise control, a center stand, luggage racks and saddle bag mounts, as well as the extra add-on of Gear Shift Assist Pro fitted. I did not get the chance to have a go on the Dynamic Package that had everything the Touring Package had, with the extra bonus of Dynamic Traction Control, Ride Modes Pro and ABS Pro, which is a shame because I’ve ridden the HP4 and this year’s S 1000 RR and know full-well how good the system is. But that got me thinking, maybe I didn’t need the DTC or Ride Modes Pro or ABS Pro, because I could go plenty fast on the Touring Package with the bonus of having my luggage racks already fitted. The one thing I would insist on is the Gear Shift Assist Pro, which is an excellent feature, especially when the roads are soaking wet like they were on this ride.
The Gear Shift Assist Pro feature allows for clutchless up and down shifts, making corner entry smoother. You have to make sure you have the throttle completely closed, though, because any form of throttle opening will disengage the system and shift become super clunky, if you can shift at all. Work the system the way it should (full close throttle, light snick of the lever and down goes the ratio) and it’s a gem. It’s funny how quickly you get used to the system, kinda like it’s always been there but you’ve just never noticed. Sadly the Gear Shift Assist Pro wasn’t enough to stop some Canadian journos packing up and heading back to the hotel about five hours early due to the rain. Soft as butter, I say…
All Day
The S 1000 XR is a bike you’ll be able to ride all day on and that’s got nothing to do with the engine. That chassis, combined with the Dynamic ESA fitted to the testbike, makes for a sterling ride that meant I could have kept riding and riding, regardless of the weather.
The Dynamic ESA feels like its right in its happy zone on the XR. On the superbike there are those riders who prefer the feel of conventional suspension but on the XR this Dynamic stuff really delivers the goods. It’s action is subtle and the ride is consequently very smooth, and when combined with the lazier geometry of the XR over the S 1000 R the ride is never anything less than relaxed.
The XR’s chassis is slightly larger in almost every area over the S 1000 R – it’s taller, wider and heavier – but the one area you really notice it immediately is in the seat height. The XR is over an inch taller than the R and 0.7in taller than the Multistrada. It’s about on the limit for me a 6’1”, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I see more of these bikes with the lower seat option fitted.
You therefore feel perched rather high on the XR, which is fine, especially if you’re used to riding dirt and adventure bikes. You can put your weight nice and close to the front wheel, helping load the front tire for extra traction through the corners and not have to worry about the rear getting all loose thanks to the Dynamic ESA keeping things in check. The XR steers beautifully, those wide bars give stacks of leverage and you can turn the XR on a nice wide arc as easily as you can supermoto-tight. The ride position means easy access to all the controls and if you’re someone that doesn’t use the rear brake much, you’ll appreciate the access you get on the XR because there’s so much room to move. Just like a dirtbike with 160hp…
The XR comes with ABS as standard and the stopping power itself is provided by Brembo. Brake force and feel is nothing surprising – it’s feels spot-on for the road – no fade or anything untoward, but that’s to be expected where the brakes don’t get hammered too much. Take it to the track and it might be a different story, but I doubt it.
This is a bike you can take off road but only on dirt roads, not proper trails. Like the Multistrada, you’re not going adventure riding on an S 1000 RX – it will handle crappy surfaces with ease but let’s be honest, this is a roadbike first and foremost. The fact you can take it off-road is an added bonus, but I wouldn’t go making a habit of it. But in case you were wondering, it does handle nicely on wet dirt roads, but the limited range of the road specific tires means dirt driveways are about as far as I’m adventuring with an XR.
The superbike force is strong in this one…
The S 1000 XR is indeed a very good machine. But we always knew it would be. BMW are in a real purple patch right now, spitting bullets with new bike after new bike, but the acid test will be when we stick it up against the reigning king in the Ducati Multistrada.
In isolation however, the S 1000 XR ticks all the boxes of what a sports adventure touring bike should be: its engine and chassis comes with superbike heritage, the electronics house all the safety systems you’ll ever need, and there’s plenty of areas for you to blow your cash by checking the accessories list.
The S 1000 XR is not a replacement for the BMW GS. The XR is its own machine, and a bloody good one at that.
